The Prayer Expert (Invading the Privacy of God)

I've read dozens of books on prayer, and I've learned a few things. But most of what I know about prayer, I've learned from the Prayer Expert. Since Jesus invented it and taught it, who would know more about prayer?

Twenty-three times the Gospels refer to Jesus praying, which means he prayed frequently, often silently and sometimes secretly. He prayed for himself and his mission, and he also prayed for his followers, for the sick, for Jerusalem, for the world, and for those in need. In short, he faithfully practiced the very thing he invented.

Luke's Gospel relates how he taught his followers to pray. It reads: "As He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, one of His disciples said to Him, "LORD, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples." And he said to them, 'When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven...'" (Lk 11:1-2a, NKJV).

The model that follows is what we call the Lord's Prayer. The disciples may have meant they wanted Jesus to teach them a formulaic prayer. John the Baptist apparently gave his followers a model, and so did other religious leaders. In modern denominations, some congregations pray the Lord's Prayer at virtually every service. Others don't feel the need to repeat it literally, but take it as an example of the kind of praying we're to do.

What's noteworthy is that the disciples went to the Prayer Expert. After all, they had followed him, observed him in action, and decided they liked what they saw.

It's often helpful to consult the expert. When I first realized I needed a computer in 1983, I didn't know anything about them. So Paul Price, an early hacker-expert, helped me get started. Within a few days, he taught me everything I needed to know. Since then, whenever I've decided to upgrade, I've gone to an expert for advice and instruction.

When it comes to prayer, there is really only one Expert, and whatever we know about prayer (if it's accurate information) comes from him.

After all the years of praying seriously, I still don't think of myself as an expert. I'm still learning. I'm not trying to devise the perfect seven words that unlock the whole universe. I'm trying to learn more about God, about me, and about how to open myself in prayer.

My attitude toward prayer has changed drastically over the years. Back in the early days after my conversion, if anyone had asked, I would have told them that prayer was simply talking with God. In fact, I think I said that a few times. Yet as I look back, I realize those early attempts were mostly begging sessions. I worked hard at convincing God to hear me and give me what I asked for. Without realizing it, I was trying to sell God on responding to me.

That's not where I am now. Asking is still a big part of prayer, but I've also learned other aspects, such as fellowship and praise.

I still wonder about how to pray specifically for particular needs. For instance, I have two good friends that I'll call Mike and John. I don't know how to pray for Mike. At age thirty-five, he's still trying to resolve identity issues that he talked about seven years ago. I don't like the catchall, "God, bless Mike," and I don't want to recite a list of ten things I think Mike needs right now. So how do I pray?

John, an ordained minister and former pastor, is one of the neediest people I know. If anyone yearns to be loved and valued for himself, that's John. How do I pray for him? Should I enumerate his needs one by one? Do I pick out one and stay with it until God answers before I move on to the second? How do I know which is most important?

I've committed myself to pray for both of these men daily. Mike knows that; I'm not sure John does. I'm not praying so they'll know. I'm praying because I genuinely care about both of them. Even so, I don't know how to pray effectively for them.

It's also frustrating that, after years of holding them up to God, I can't see any change. I wonder how many times I've paused in praying for those two men and said, "God, I just don't know how to pray." I'm not aware of their real needs-I see only outward behavior and character flaws.

How, Lord? How do I pray?

A few mornings ago, I walked through the woods with Mike on my mind. I had spoken to him on the phone the night before for nearly twenty minutes. I tried to focus my prayers for him but felt confused. I paused to lean against a black oak. "God, I don't have the slightest idea how to pray for Mike. Show me."

For several seconds, silence surrounded me. Then I heard myself saying, "Lord, won't you wrap your arms around Mike so that he'll know he's loved? Today, make him aware that you're with him and that you care deeply."

Simple stuff. Nothing profound or brilliant. But it came from my heart-something the Prayer Expert has taught me.

I could cite a variety of examples of what I've learned from the Prayer Expert. I'm still not sure I get it right, and I have a lot more to learn. It's like the lessons Paul Price gave me when I operated my first computer. I made mistakes even after he explained what I was supposed to do. But I kept at it. Now I can handle increasingly sophisticated computers. Even so, I know very little.

The best lesson I learned was to go to the expert when I have a problem.

The expert knows.

And the Prayer Expert not only knows how, but patiently works with me and teaches me. The Prayer Expert loves me and cares about my growth.

When Jesus had finished praying, one of his disciples said to him, "LORD, teach us to pray, just as John taught his followers to pray." So Jesus told them, "Pray in this way...." --LUKE 11:1-2a, CEV

From: Crosswalk

Sacrifice and Friendship

I have called you friends . . . — John 15:15

We will never know the joy of self-sacrifice until we surrender in every detail of our lives. Yet self-surrender is the most difficult thing for us to do. We make it conditional by saying, "I’ll surrender if . . . !" Or we approach it by saying, "I suppose I have to devote my life to God." We will never find the joy of self-sacrifice in either of these ways.

But as soon as we do totally surrender, abandoning ourselves to Jesus, the Holy Spirit gives us a taste of His joy. The ultimate goal of self-sacrifice is to lay down our lives for our Friend (see John 15:13-14 ). When the Holy Spirit comes into our lives, our greatest desire is to lay down our lives for Jesus. Yet the thought of self-sacrifice never even crosses our minds, because sacrifice is the Holy Spirit’s ultimate expression of love.

Our Lord is our example of a life of self-sacrifice, and He perfectly exemplified Psalm 40:8, "I delight to do Your will, O my God . . . ." He endured tremendous personal sacrifice, yet with overflowing joy. Have I ever yielded myself in absolute submission to Jesus Christ? If He is not the One to whom I am looking for direction and guidance, then there is no benefit in my sacrifice. But when my sacrifice is made with my eyes focused on Him, slowly but surely His molding influence becomes evident in my life (see Hebrews 12:1-2 ).

Beware of letting your natural desires hinder your walk in love before God. One of the cruelest ways to kill natural love is through the rejection that results from having built the love on natural desires. But the one true desire of a saint is the Lord Jesus. Love for God is not something sentimental or emotional— for a saint to love as God loves is the most practical thing imaginable.

"I have called you friends. . . ." Our friendship with Jesus is based on the new life He created in us, which has no resemblance or attraction to our old life but only to the life of God. It is a life that is completely humble, pure, and devoted to God.

From: RBC (My Utmost For His Highest)

Sufficient Grace

The Lord said to Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." - 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NRSV)

I give thanks for God's divine grace and endless, everlasting love. I have seen God as a divine healer since I learned my status of being HIV-positive. When my husband died, and while many people around me were dying, it was devastating to live alone with the stigma of being HIV-positive. I was coping badly, day in and day out, but I sensed God reaching out to me. Gradually, I am learning to live day by day while relying on God.

I believe that God trusted me in this situation to be _a role model just as Job was. I have never been bed-_ridden as many others are. I have discovered that God's grace really is sufficient for me. I pray continually, "Let your will be done in my life and within me." What is most important is doing God's will.

Prayer
Loving God, help us to want your will above all else. When we seek you, open our eyes to find you. We pray as Jesus taught us, saying, "Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen."

From: Upper Room (Thandekile Mofokeng)

God Planned You as a Master Creation (Youth Devotionals)

Psalm 139:13-15
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.

“Created by God”

Today we will begin to consider some scripture passages to discover just how wonderful, unique, and important you are. Nearly everyone dislikes something about his physique or her personality. Tall people wish they were shorter. Short people would give anything to be taller. Math whiz kids envy those who can read anything and figure out what it means. Athletes sometimes hate not being able to do as well in school as other kids do. It doesn’t really seem to matter what set of strengths God gave us, we can always find someone we would rather be like.

Today’s scripture tells us that God made each individual person on earth exactly the way he wanted them to be. He has a job for each of us to do that requires the precise set of strengths and weaknesses he programmed into us.

The talents and positive personality traits God gave us make it possible for us do particular things. Those who love grammar and reading often become writers. Those who have better-than-average physical strength or coordination can take on jobs like building things or hiking to isolated villages to share the gospel. We all appreciate the talents of pianists, guitar players and singers who can lead us in worship.

But what about our weaknesses? Shy people make incredible listeners. Those who struggle with reading may become engineers or businessmen. The athletically challenged frequently compensate by organizing events and encouraging others. God has another important purpose for giving us some weak points. He wants to be sure that we can sympathize with our friends who also have difficulties. Because we become stronger and more compassionate as the result of our struggles, we can help others do the same.

We must remember that God’s is reflected in everything He makes. He is absolutely and perfectly good. So, anything he creates has to be awesome. He made you exactly the way you are to do something that only you can do. What a concept!
David, who wrote this Psalm, was the youngest in his family. His dad and brothers didn’t think he was even important enough to call away from the sheep when Samuel came to anoint the next king of Israel. But, God knew David would make a great king. After all, God created him for that purpose way before he was born. David had times when he wondered if God could ever use him, but he kept on obeying the Lord. As a result, he became one of the greatest heroes in the Bible. There are no unimportant jobs and no worthless people in God’s eyes. God created you for a job in his kingdom that is just as important as the one David did.

Today’s Prayer:

My God and my Creator, I thank you for making me different from every other human being. Thank you that your goodness and wisdom are expressed in the way you mixed up my DNA. Help me accept myself as your wonderful creation and find the role you have for me to play in your plans, today and always. Amen.


From: New Wine Skin

Best Bible Translations

Contemporary English Version (CEV), is a completely new translation published by the American Bible Society in 1995. Originally intended as a children's translation, it uses a very simple, contemporary style. It is independent of traditional translations and freer of "biblical" terms. This is an especially good translation for people who speak English as a second language.

English Standard Version (ESV) is an "essentially new literal translation" follows the tradition of the King James, American Standard Version, and Revised Standard Version. Published in 2001 by Crossway, it was developed by a translation team of more than 100 scholars, with the goal of being very accurate (word for word), and yet very readable.

Good News Bible (Today's English Version) (TEV), completed in 1976, was translated by Robert G. Bratcher with six other scholars. This very free, though very accurate, translation avoids the use of traditional biblical vocabulary and communicates especially well with youth and the unchurched. Also published by the American Bible Society.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) is another new word-for-word translation that strives to be both literally accurate and readable. It is not as literal as the ESV or NASB, but is more so than the NIV. The Holman published by Broadman & Holman in 2003, is the product of nearly 100 scholars.

The Living Bible (LB), completed in 1971, is Kenneth N. Taylor's paraphrase of the American Standard Version. Easy to read and once immensely popular, it is often criticized for adding too much commentary to the biblical text. Published by Tyndale House, although apparently no longer available from them.

The Message (Msg) - Eugene Peterson completed this paraphrase of the entire Bible in 2002. Peterson takes great liberties with words in his attempt to effectively communicate both the original thoughts and tone of the Scripture. The result is a very earthy, informal language. Published by NavPress.

New American Standard Bible (NASB) - completed in 1971, was produced by 54 conservative Protestant scholars sponsored by the Lockman Foundation. This version is very literal in vocabulary and word order, although the resulting English is quite wooden. It often is preferred by those who want an English version that reflects the grammar of the original. An Update was published in 1995 which seeks to use more modern English while preserving the literal nature of the translation.

New International Version (NIV), completed in 1978, was the product of 115 evangelical scholars. Within a decade it became the best-selling English version. It combines contemporary, literary English with traditional biblical vocabulary. The NIV is copyrighted by the International Bible Society.

New King James Version (NKJV), released in 1982, involved 119 contributors. It updates the vocabulary and grammar of the King James Version, while preserving the classic style and beauty. Although it uses the same Hebrew and Greek texts as the original, it indicates where other manuscripts differ. Published by Thomas Nelson.

New Jerusalem Bible (NJB) of 1985 revised and updated the text and notes of the Jerusalem Bible of 1966. This version, translated by two Catholic scholars, is an elegant, literary rendering (perhaps the most poetic since the KJV). The notes reflect a modern, liberal perspective.

New Living Translation (NLT), published in 1996, is the product of 90 Bible scholars from around the world, from various theological backgrounds and denominations. This is a very readable translation, while remaining more faithful to the original texts than the Living Bible (see above). Also published by Tyndale.

New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) - published in 1989 by the National Council of Churches, revises the Revised Standard Version of 1952. While following the literal tradition of the RSV, the NRSV eliminates much of the archaic language. One distinctive is the use of gender inclusive pronouns to replace male pronouns when the original writers meant both men and women. The NRSV does not change masculine pronouns referring to God, however.

Revised English Bible (REB), completed in 1989, is a thorough revision of the New English Bible. Like the original, it was translated by a committee of British scholars, representing all the major Christian traditions in the United Kingdom. The more archaic language was omitted and a more conservative approach was taken toward some of the difficult passages. Many readers find it to be an excellent translation for personal reading and study, though its British idioms make it less popular in the U.S.

A New Testament of Note
Special mention also should be made of an important New Testament paraphrase. A paraphrase translates the thoughts of the original text, not the words. In 1958 J. B. Phillips completed The New Testament in Modern English. Phillips had a special knack of rendering difficult and long sentences into very understandable English. He even translates well some of the Greek puns and word plays that usually are lost. It can be very helpful to have a copy of Phillips nearby, especially when studying the epistles of Paul.

For Children
Several translations especially for children have been published in recent years, in addition to the CEV mentioned above. The International Children's Bible was completed in 1985 by 21 evangelical scholars. It is written on a high third-grade level. An adult edition, known as the New Century Version, also is available. Published by Thomas Nelson/Word.

From: First Presbyterian Church