Prayer

COMPONENTS OF PRAYER

/ Terrence Burton / Leave a comment

Suppose you want to bake a cake. First, you will decide what kind of cake that you want to bake. You will find a recipe that matches the cake you desire to have. Then you will get the ingredients together. You will then follow the steps in the recipe in order so that you can properly bake whatever the given cake may be.

Have you considered that there are ingredients or components to prayer. Now as with a cake, there are some ingredients that you add in or take out based upon the type of cake you are making, likewise with prayer. There are some basic ingredients or components that should be a part of every prayer. Also, there are some components that are not necessary for every “kind” of prayer.

Below I’m going to list 3 basic ingredients of prayer.
1) Desire
2) Faith
3) Prayer

DESIRE
Now each of these ingredients serve a particular role. Let’s begin with “desire.” Desire is the thing that you want. It is the thing that you want to come to pass. If you are praying for a relationship, then the desire is the mate. If you are praying for a job, then the job is the desire. That ingredient is rather simple to understand. You have to first want the thing that you are praying for.

FAITH
The second listed ingredient is “faith.” This ingredient may be a little more complicated to grasp, but you can get this. Belief has to do with what you think to be true regarding your current relationship with your desire. Using our previous example of the desire being a relationship, do you think that you have the relationship? Do you think you will have the relationship some time in the future? Do you think you will never have the relationship?

Let’s evaluate each of these questions and eliminate the incorrect answers one by one.

Do you believe you will never have the relationship?
Does this question match faith? I think we can easily answer this one “no.” It is obviously not an example of faith.

Do you believe you will have the relationship some time in the future?
This question appears to be a match for faith. However, this is not an example of faith either. This is not bad, but it is an example of hope, not faith. The reason this thought is not an example of faith is because it puts the desired thing into the future. Future is always tied to hope. However, faith is always tied to the present. Allow me to explain.

Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
Mark 11:24

In this verse, notice what Jesus said must be believed. He said “that ye receive them.” He didn’t say believe that you are going to received them. You have to believe that you receive it at the point of your prayer. The mistake that is often made is postponing belief until after the thing has happened or believing that God will do the thing at some unknown time in the future. However, the promise is tied to believing you are receiving it now.

Do you believe that you have the relationship?
Therefore, of the 3 questions, this is the one that matches faith. Biblical faith is accepting as true the desired thing as yours prior to your senses indicating it is so. Otherwise, you are not in faith. So in order to be in faith for your relationship, you have to accept as true in your heart that you have the mate even without that person physically in your life. Belief that the thing is so precedes manifestation in order for it to be faith.

PRAYER
Following our cake baking analogy, where does prayer fit in? Prayer is the bowl that you use. Prayer is the container in which you mix desire and belief. Prayer basically means to ask. We have come to understand that prayer is communication with God, or fellowship. So when we look at it from the standpoint of asking. We simply ask for what we want and believe it is already done while we are praying.

IN CONCLUSION
Make this lesson apply to you. Think of something that you would like to happen in your life. Mix your desire and faith in your heart and ask the Father for it. You will be amazed with the results that will follow.

PRAYER: RELATIONSHIP MATTERS (PART 4)

/ Terrence Burton / Leave a comment

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

John 1:12

John 1:12 – Understanding Our Relationship with God Through Jesus

In previous discussions, we explored the nature of God the Father. This time, we’ll delve into our identity and relationship with God through Jesus, examining the impact of this relationship on our contributions to the world.

Defining ‘Sonship’ and ‘Father’

To fully appreciate this lesson, let’s define ‘son’ or ‘sonship’ and ‘Father.’ ‘Sonship’ implies being a ‘builder,’ while ‘Father’ signifies a ‘Source.’ These definitions reveal God’s role as our Provider and our duty as builders, utilizing what we receive from the Father.

The Crisis in America: A Severed Bond

The weakening bond between father and son in America presents a significant issue. This severed connection leaves sons without guidance, hindering their ability to contribute effectively to society. This concept is mirrored in nature, where a fruit or a tree disconnected from its source soon perishes, losing its ability to thrive or reproduce.

The Role of Faith

Our connection to God is forged through faith, particularly faith in Jesus Christ. This faith is the cornerstone of our walk with God.

Habakkuk 2:4 and Galatians 3:11 emphasize two key points: living by faith and the impossibility of justification by law alone in God’s sight.

Faith emerges as a crucial theme in the Bible, further underscored by Hebrews 11:6. Without faith, pleasing God is impossible, regardless of moral conduct. Faith is integral to every aspect of our relationship with God, with its absence marking a deviation from His path.

Conclusion: Our Contribution to the World

Returning to our analogy of the apple tree: Just as an apple tree nourishes others with its fruit, believers, rooted in faith, produce qualities that nourish the world. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23) are fruits we offer to those around us.

Featured

PRAYER: RELATIONSHIP MATTERS (PART 3)

/ Terrence Burton / Leave a comment

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Matthew 6:9

Unveiling the Essence of ‘Father’

In our spiritual exploration, the term ‘father’ deserves a closer look. Beyond a simple title, it embodies the essence of an originator, a transmitter, a force that breathes its spirit into others. These layers of meaning enrich our understanding as we delve into Jesus’s guidance on addressing God in our prayers.

The Teaching of Jesus: A Call to Intimacy

Jesus, in His earthly journey, intimately called God ‘Father.’ This choice wasn’t arbitrary. Through this, He extends a profound invitation to us:

1) Echoing Jesus: By calling God ‘Father,’ we align ourselves with Jesus, echoing His way of relating to God.

2) Shared relationship: It signals that, through redemption, we share the same relationship with God as Jesus does.

3) Cultivating Trust: This term is a reminder to foster a childlike trust in God, shaping our mindset towards faith and reliance.

Thus, ‘Father’ is not just a term; it’s an invitation to experience an intimate connection with our Creator, the one who has infused His Spirit within us.

The Understated Power of ‘Father’ in Prayer

While the components of prayer like words, faith, and desire hold their importance, the term ‘Father’ brings a unique strength to our prayers. It signifies a special bond reserved for believers, a connection unparalleled in the universe. It’s a relationship that transcends the ordinary, distinguishing us as recipients of His Spirit, unlike any other creation.

Practical Implications: Living the Connection

This understanding transforms our prayer life. As we address God as ‘Father,’ it’s not just about the fulfillment of our requests. It’s about engraving the awareness of this divine relationship in our hearts. Each prayer becomes a reminder of the redeeming work of Jesus, who bridged the gap between humanity and divinity.

By embracing ‘Father’ in our prayers, we don’t just speak to a distant deity; we converse with a loving parent who desires an intimate relationship with us. This is the heart of salvation, the very purpose of Jesus’s sacrifice – to rekindle the bond between mankind and its Creator.

Featured

PRAYER: RELATIONSHIP MATTERS (PART 1)

/ Terrence Burton / Leave a comment

When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father…”

John 17:1

HOW JESUS REFERENCED GOD

It is very interesting to me how Jesus referred to God both when He addressed Him directly, as well as when He spoke of Him to others. When Jesus spoke to God, He called Him Father nearly every time that we have record of in Scripture. When Jesus taught on prayer, He said to use the term Father.

Why would the term Father be so emphasized? In order to answer that question, let’s explore what the word “father” means. In Hebrew, father is the originator and transmitter. By calling God His Father, Jesus was identifying His connection with and dependence on His Originator, the Person who He received all things from. This was His way of keying in on His relationship with the Father at every opportunity.

Taking this knowledge, it also explains why He taught us to do likewise in prayer. Just as Jesus highlighted His relationship with the Father, He taught us to do the same thing for the same reasons. Why is this matter so important? It is as important as it is because it emphasizes the fact, in every prayer and communication, that we are dependent on the power of our Originator and Transmitter for all things. It is because of our connection to Him that we prevail. It is because of our connection to Him that we are what we are and we have what we have.

Notice the prayer above, before He asked for anything, He pointed to the relationship that He has with God. This is because Jesus was depending on the relationship, or connection to produce the answer to His requests.

This is very important for us to grasp as it is the basis of our salvation. We are connected, or united with God…and we communicate that by calling Him by the Title that reveals it…Father.

So when you pray, do not gloss over the Title by which we have been privileged to refer to God. In fact, embrace Him as Jesus suggested and showed by example by calling Him Father, thus sharing your revelation of the connection that has been restored to you by Jesus.

God is your very own Father!

PRAYER: RELATIONSHIP MATTERS (PART 2)

/ Terrence Burton / Leave a comment

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Matthew 27:46

A CHANGE OF TONE

As I read this verse, I saw what I perceived to be a problem. For me, it was a very distinct problem. Jesus calls God, God. What happened to Father? If you don’t understand the meaning of this, this could seem like a minor detail. But this detail is major, in my opinion. Let me explain. As I read through the Gospels, regularly I see Jesus calling God His Father. This is one of the many things He was persecuted for doing.

What is it about this context that caused the Lord to change His verbiage? Jesus was about to be cut off. He, in that moment is about to die. Not die and go to heaven. He in that moment was about to be cut off from the Father…separated from His Source, the One who originated Him. This is ultimate DEATH!

You see, Jesus was abandoned and becoming Fatherless! He was totally alone! He was being cut off from His relationship with the Father…for us. He was paying the penalty of Adam’s transgression that you and I inherited. He was stepping into the suffering that ultimately we would have suffered without His redemption.

You must understand, throughout His life, His Father was always there to help Him. However, in order to redeem man, He had to taste death ALONE. No help, No God. ALONE. The connection He’d always known…was being severed as the sin of mankind was being placed upon Him to carry. As the relationship was being cut off, what He called the Father was changing to reflect this new absence of connection. So just as Jesus called God Father to show the connection they had before, He must now, not only sacrifice His life, but His relationship with God. He is being utterly cut off.

Not that this will be a permanent state, but it will be a state of torment, nonetheless. The Author of Life is about to die! His relationship with the Father is about to die!

BUT WAIT…

And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.

Luke 23:46

Before Jesus died…He was compelled to use the term that represented His connection with the Father one final time before He was cut off. This is a very powerful statement He is making before He gives up the ghost. He has to call God Father one last time before He pays the full price for our redemption.

What is the statement Jesus is making? He’s saying to the Father, I am trusting you to rescue me from what I’m about to face. I am facing death alone. My spirit is in your care! My only way out of death is by your power!