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What prayer is, from John 16-18

Jeff Jenkins talks about Chick-fil-A and prayer:

In our Sunday school class last week we learned from Jesus (John 14-16) the following thoughts about prayer.

PRAYER IS DEDICATION. Prayer is our opportunity to show our devotion to God and our dependence upon God (John 15:5-7).  When we pray we are making a declaration that we are devoted to our Father and that we cannot survive by ourselves.

PRAYER IS COMMUNICATION. We understand that the Bible is God’s way of communicating to us (John 17:17). Thankfully, our communication with God is not a one-way street. God allows us to communicate with Him through prayer. Prayer is our lifeline to God.

Jesus tells us that we are God’s friends. If we are God’s children and His friends, He is interested in us. He is interested in our concerns our cares, our worries, our relationships and everything about us.  It is not necessary for us to know any key men because we know the one who holds the keys.

PRAYER IS SUPPLICATION.  Paul reminds us that we should let our requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6) The word supplication is just a big word for request.  We don’t make our requests to God to give Him knowledge of what we need. God is already quite aware of every need we have.

In addition to the reason Paul gives here in this passage for letting our requests be made known to God (so that we can have peace, Philippians 4:7), another reason would be so that we can articulate in our own heart and mind what we feel we need most.

PRAYER IS COOPERATION.  When we pray we are partnering with God.  We are asking God to help us in our work for Him, with our families, in our walk with Him.  When we abide in Christ and ask for the needs of our heart, we are bringing glory to God (John 15:7-8).

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Father, thank you that we can approach your throne any time from any place

Dear Father, we thank You that we can approach Your throne at any time from any place. Thank You, dear God, for having Your door and Your heart always open to Your children. May we never take for granted the blessed privilege that is ours to call upon Your Name. In the Name of Jesus who intercedes for us we pray, Amen. —Jeff A. Jenkins

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O God, our Rescuer, let my satisfaction with being holy be surpassed

O God, our Rescuer, let my satisfaction with being holy like you be surpassed only by my joy over one sinner who repents, because it echoes the joy in heaven among your angels. Use me as your agent for that one sinner to hear the good news that repentance is a real option and that salvation is near.

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Share deep, dark emotions with God

Jimmy Bagwell makes specific suggestions on developing one’s prayer life, including this one:

Pray for anything that is on your heart. You may feel the need to express deep dark emotions; this is perfectly fine. Jesus is our example of this. Many times he expressed his negative and hurt feelings in prayer. The secret is to always end with a positive thought. On one occasion Jesus expressed his angst and emotional distress with the phrase “Let this cup pass from me”. In so doing he poured out his feelings of remorse and sorrow but he ended with a positive thought; “Not my will but yours be done”. We must do the same. Those deep dark emotions, those feelings of despair and depression should be shared with God.

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Lord, show me the beam in my eye

Lord, show me the beam in my eye. Hold my tongue until I remove the shadow of sin. Show me my hypocrisy. Let me embrace the pain of repentance and feel the relief of confession. Make me fit to be your servant and my brother’s friend.

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Thank you, Lord, for no surprises, no last-minute amendments on the final day

Thank you, Lord, that on the final day, there’ll be no surprises, no changes, no last-minute amendments to the new covenant. For you have signed it in the permanent ink of your Son’s blood and sealed it with your Holy Spirit.

In Christ, what a comfort to know that we will be judged according to what we have done in the body, according to the mind of our Lord which we have shown to others, mercy for mercy, grace for grace, love for love!

For reproducing in me the image of yourself, by the power of him who raised Jesus from the dead, I praise you, O God!

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You, Lord, don’t want me to walk in circles, like Israel in the desert, until I drop

Sovereign God, Israel wandered in the desert for 40 years to die there. This was your judgment on them for disobedience. But you don’t want me to walk in circles until I drop. Give me focus, the objective of glorifying you by actions and words. Let my goals be clear, my specific tasks well defined, my activity that of Jesus: to bring others to you. Because he is Lord! Amen.

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Lord, to obey your commands are joy and gladness to me

Lord, to obey your commands are joy and gladness to me, none more joyous than to meet with your people, my family, my friends. In their midst, I know who I am; under your hand, united around our Lord Jesus Christ, we find our place. Yours is the glory for this, too! Amen.