Lord Teach Us

"Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples" (Luke 11:1).

Oh, what precious words those are to me, for they show me that prayer is a skill that can be learned. If prayer is a skill, then it is something I can develop with time and practice.

I think we often become absolutely overwhelmed when we hear of the faith and prayer life of others. We think, "I could never attain that." So we become defeated before we ever start. Or we compare ourselves with others. We read of saints who spent hours, days, nights in prayer, and we cannot even pray for ten, twenty, or thirty minutes. How then could we ever pray for hours each day, let alone whole days or nights? We feel we will never make it, so we give up before we ever begin.

But you can attain! Just know that it will only come little by little with knowledge, with application, with time, with experience. The disciples knew this, and so they began where we each must begin if we are ever to learn-- with a hunger to be taught. They had seen Jesus praying (Luke 11:1), and they knew He understood how to pray. They had a hunger to know how to pray, so they went to the Expert.

Lord Teach Me to Pray in 28 Days by Kay Arthur

Shut Up and Pray

There is a time for everything, it says in the Bible. And it is never more true than in a marriage, especially when it comes to the words we say. There is a time to speak and a time not to speak, and happy is the man whose wife can discern between the two. Anyone who has been married for any lenght of time realizes that there are things that are better left unsaid. A wife has the ability to hurt her husband more deeply than anyone else can, and he can do the same to her. No matter how much apology, the words can not be erased. They can only be forgiven and that is not always easy. Sometimes anything we say will only hinder the flow of what God wants to do, so its best to well, shut up and pray.

The Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie Omartian

Prayer Must Be Learned

At first nothing appears so simple; later on, nothing that is more difficult; and the confession is forced from us: We do not know how to pray as we ought. It is true we have God's Word, with its clear and sure promises; but sin has so darkened our mind that we do not know always how to apply the Word. In temperal things we are still less able to avail ourselves of the wonderful liberty our Father has given us to ask what we need. and even when we know what to ask, how much there is still needed to make prayer acceptable. It must be to the glory of God, in full surrender to His will, in full assurance of faith, in the name of Jesus, and with a perseverence that, if need be, refuses to be denied. All this must be learned. It can only be learned in the school of much prayer, for practice makes perfect. Amid the painful consciousness of ignorance and unworthiness, in the struggle between believing and doubting, the heavenly art of effectual prayer is learned.

With Christ in the School of Prayer by Andrew Murray

Lord Teach Us To Pray

And it came to pass, as he was praying in a certain place, that when he ceased, one of his disciples said to him, Lord, teach us to pray. Luke 11:1

The disciples had been with Christ, and had seen Him pray. They had learned to understand something of the connection between His wondrous life in public, and His secret life of prayer. they had learned to believe in Him as a Master in the art of prayer -- none could pray like Him. And so they came to Him with the request, "Lord, teach us to pray." And later they would have told us that there were few things more wonderful or blessed that He taughtthem than His lessons on prayer.

"Lord, teach us to pray." Yes, to pray. This is what we need to be taught. Though in its beginnings paryer is so simple that the feeble child can pray, yet it is at the same time the highest and holiest work to which we can rise. It is fellowship with the Unseen and the Most Holy One. It is to prayer that God has given the right to take hold of Him and His strength.

Jesus has opened a school in which He trains His redeemed ones, who especially desire it, to have power in prayer. Shall we not enter it with the petition, Lord! it is just this we need to be taught! O teach us to pray! To us too You have entrusted Your work, on our prayer too the coming of Your kingdom depends, in our prayer too You can glorify Your name; "Lord, teach us to pray." Yes, us, Lord: we offer ourselves as learners; we would indeed be taught of You.

With Christ in the School of Prayer by Andrew Murray

I Am Not In Control

"I have learned that just because someone makes a bad decision, they are not a bad person -- and they need grace and mercy, rather than condemnation and judgment. Most of all I have learned that, despite what I sometimes think, I am not in control of my children's journey toward God -- but God is."

Praying For Our Children

If you know anything about Israel's history, you know that the Philistines were a constant source of trouble. The Israelites had been battling them on and off for years before Samuel came on the scene, and then for years afterward -- they are the guys who produced Goliath, the defiant giant whose death catapulted David into the national spotlight. When Samuel set up his Ebenezer stone, he certainly had no illusions that the Philistines had been banished forever.

But did that stop him from thanking God, or from giving him public glory? Not at all! Samuel set up the stone as a marker -- a sign of remembrance -- so that in the years and generations to come, all of Israel would be able to look at it and say, "Thus far has the Lord helped us."

As praying parents, this is the attitude that we need to take. Rather than cowering in worry or fear over the Philistines that lurk around our next corner, we need to stop and thank God for what he has already done in our teenagers' lives. When God works in answer to our prayers, we need to raise our own Ebenezers, giving him credit and honor for what he has done "thus far" --and knowing that he will be there for us in the future.

Praying the Scriptures for your Teenagers by Jodie Berndt

John 15:7

"If you remain in me and my words remain in you,

ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you."

John 15:7

Christianity is not a Religion. It is a Relationship.

The Word of God is the foundation for everything else in our lives. When God speaks on any given issue, what He speaks is truth. What He commands is to be obeyed. God has spoken, and it stands. We are to believe and obey.

Yet Christianity is more than merely believing and obeying commands and promises. Christianity is not a religion; it is a relationship. And a relationship requires communication. Therefore, prayer is essential, because it is through prayer that you and I communicate with our heavenly Father. There are countless decisions to be made, wisdom to be sought, resources that are needed, transgressions to be mended, love and appreciation to be communicated. Thus, we are told to pray without ceasing. The aspects of our daily living may be found int he Word of God in principle but not necessarily in practical detail. Therefore, we need to talk with and listen to our heavenly Father. This is prayer.

Lord Teach Me To Pray by Kay Arthur