Hope Reflected

Encouragement and Hope from God's Word

how to pray Archive

Friday

3

November 2023

Characteristics of prayer

Written by , Posted in Christian Living, Published Work

Follow up to Vain repetitions and Persistence in prayer

We prevail with men by importunity because they are displeased with it, but with God because He is pleased with it. (Matthew Henry) | Read more about prayer on hopereflected.com

At the beginning of 2022, I finished reading the Puritan classic Importunity: Refusing to Give Up in Prayer by Christopher Love. Luke 11:8 is inscribed at the beginning of each chapter: “I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.”

I’ve often wondered about the meaning of this parable Jesus shared in Luke 11—of the man who goes to borrow a loaf of bread in the middle of the night from his neighbour, and refuses to stop knocking at the door until the neighbour finally gets up and gives him bread—and Love’s Importunity explains it neatly.

Similar to what Jesus shared in Luke 18:1, the parable in Luke 11 teaches us how we should approach God in prayer. In the opening verse of Luke 11, Jesus’s disciples asked Him, “Lord, teach us to pray…” (v. 1). In response, Jesus shared what we know today as “The Lord’s Prayer”, and He then shared the parable of the neighbour who comes for bread in the middle of the night.

We must come to God

One of the characteristics of prayer is that no matter the time, we must come to God.

The man in this parable comes to his neighbour at midnight (Luke 11:5).

It’s important to remember that when we feel the Lord’s prompting (and yes, sometimes it may be in the middle of the night) we ought to come to God. Charles Spurgeon wrote that “you should pray because you must pray, not because the set time for praying has arrived, but because your heart must cry unto your Lord.”

We must come to God boldly

Another characteristic of prayer that we learn from the parable in Luke 11 is that we are to come to God boldly.

Let’s be honest, if your neighbour came knocking at your door in the middle of the night, and said they wouldn’t stop knocking until you answered the door and gave them some bread, no doubt you’d be annoyed (and tempted not to answer the door).

The man in Luke 11:8 wasn’t concerned about annoying his neighbour, he was incredibly bold in his approach. So we are to be bold in our approach to God. Matthew Henry wrote in his commentary “We prevail with men by importunity because they are displeased with it, but with God because he is pleased with it.”

Make no mistake, God wants us to come to Him boldly.

“Make no mistake, God wants us to come to Him boldly.”

Hope Reflected

We are to be persistent in prayer

Jesus teaches us through the parable in Luke 11 that we are to be persistent in prayer—this is the “importunity” He describes in verse 8, and we are also to pray for what we need.

Christopher Love wrote that the meaning of Romans 12:12 “continuing instant in prayer” “is a phrase borrowed from dogs who are on a hunt and will not cease following the game till they get it…. So you are to hunger after God, and after mercy, and not rest satisfied till God grants the mercy you stand in need of.”

Originally published as “Characteristics of prayer.” Independent Plus. August 11, 2022: 5. Print. Web.

For more on the topic of prayer, click here.

Monday

23

October 2023

Persistence in prayer

Written by , Posted in Christian Living, Published Work

Rejoicing and patience are the fuel which keep us going and enable us "always to pray, and not to faint;" (Luke 18:1). Read more about persistence in prayer on hopereflected.com

Difference between vain repetition and being instant in prayer

It is important to clarify that Jesus’s instruction to “use not vain repetitions” (Matthew 6:7) does not mean that we should be careful how often we pray or how often we pray about specific subjects.

In Luke 18:1, Jesus Himself instructed us that “men ought always to pray, and not to faint;”. Similarly, Paul instructed the church at Rome to continue “instant in prayer;” (Romans 12:12) and the Christians at Thessalonica to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Persistence and perseverance in prayer should be marked characteristics of the Christian’s life.

In Benson’s Commentary, the Reverend Joseph Benson suggested that we do wrong when we cease from prayer. “It frequently happens, that after men have prayed for any particular blessing, they desist, because God does not immediately grant them their petition. To show the evil of this, and to recommend importunity and perseverance in prayer… the present parable is introduced.”

Drawing parallels about prayer from the parable of the widow and the judge

The parable to which he refers is that in Luke 18:1-8, where after Jesus said “that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;” (Luke 18:1), He shared the parable of the widow and the judge.

In the parable, the widow presses the judge until he gives her justice. As the judge listened to the widow in her persistency, so God responds to us when we are persistent in prayer. This is why Jesus said “that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;”.

It pleases God when we exercise persistence in prayer

It pleases God when we exercise persistence in prayer. While God’s response may not always be what we want it to be, or in the timing that we think is right, we can be assured that He does answer prayer.

In his letter to the Romans, Paul instructed the Christians at Rome that they should be “Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;” (Romans 12:12). This is an interesting verse because it suggests before “continuing instant in prayer” that we first rejoice, and second be patient, almost as though these are precursors to persistence in prayer.

Fuel to pray

In MacLaren’s Expositions of Scripture, Alexander MacLaren drew a parallel between Romans 12:12 and 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 where Paul instructed the Christians at Thessalonica to “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” Without holding these other attitudes, we cannot be persistent in prayer.

Rejoicing and patience are the fuel which keep us going and enable us “always to pray, and not to faint;” (Luke 18:1).

“Rejoicing and patience are the fuel which keep us going and enable us
‘always to pray, and not to faint;’ (Luke 18:1).”

Hope Reflected

More than appeals

As Jesus said that we are not to use vain repetitions, our prayers should not be merely appeals to God, our prayers should be an attitude wherein we are referencing God in every thing we do.

C.S. Lewis wrote that “I pray because I can’t help myself. I pray because I’m helpless. I pray because the need flows out of me all the time – waking and sleeping. It does not change God – it changes me.”

Vain repetitions are many words with no meaning; persistence in prayer has power because it requires us to have great faith.

Originally published as “Persistence in prayer.” Independent Plus. August 4, 2022: 5. Print. Web.

Thursday

19

October 2023

Vain Repetitions

Written by , Posted in Christian Living, Published Work

"Christians' prayers are measured by weight, and not by length. Many of the most prevailing prayers have been as short as they were strong." (Charles Spurgeon) | Read more about prayer on hopereflected.com

Jesus said, “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.” (Matthew 6:7). What did Jesus mean when He instructed us to “use not vain repetitions”?

My initial thought was that vain repetitions meant we shouldn’t say the same things over and over in prayer, or pray about the same things each time we come to God, but upon further research I realized that the phrase “use not vain repetitions” means so much more.

Praise before petitions

Charles Spurgeon wrote, “God does not need us to pray for his information”, as Matthew 6 continues on to say that God “knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.” (v.8). Our prayers should bring praise to God before petitions.

Look more closely at that word vain: According to the Oxford Dictionary, vain is defined as “having or showing an excessively high opinion of one’s appearance, abilities, or worth”.

A secondary definition of the word Vain is “producing no result; useless”.

Pride has no place in prayer

Our prayers should not be about anything that we’re bringing to God, and if they are, then we’re doing it wrong. God doesn’t hear our prayers based on anything that we have or do. He is not impressed by how eloquent we speak or how well-articulated our words may be.

God hears our prayers because of His goodness to us.

With this in mind, I’d suggest that Jesus was saying we should beware lest our prayers are all talk and no heart.

Pride has no place in prayer.

Humility is a requirement for effective prayer

In My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers wrote that “We have become so self-centered that we go to God only for something from Him, and not for God Himself.”

If we were going to God for His will rather than our own, how much more effectively would our prayers be answered? After praise, our petitions are to be just that – our pleas, appeals, and requests to God.

Peter, in his eponymous epistle, implored believers to “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” (1 Peter 5:6-7).

If we want our prayers to be heard, we must approach God in humility.

Speaking a lot but saying nothing

According to Strong’s Concordance, “vain repetitions” is translated from the Greek word “battalogeó”, meaning to stammer, chatter, or to be long-winded.

“According to Strong’s Concordance, “vain repetitions” is translated
from the Greek word “battalogeó”,
meaning to stammer, chatter, or to be long-winded.”

Hope Reflected

Repetitions in prayer are often vain, rendering them useless.

Spurgeon put it like this: “Christians’ prayers are measured by weight, and not by length. Many of the most prevailing prayers have been as short as they were strong.”

The “casting all your care upon him” that Peter wrote about comes from the Greek word “epiripsantes”, which literally means “to throw” or “to cast”. Throwing and casting are not activities that take a long time; these actions are completed almost instantly.

We should take care that our prayers are not needlessly long but rather to the point.

God is not interested in hearing us stammer on, speaking a lot but saying nothing.

Originally published as “Vain repetitions.” Independent Plus. July 28, 2022: 5. Print. Web.

Monday

24

June 2019

The Necessity of Prayer

Written by , Posted in Christian Living, Published Work

Prayer does not change God, it changes us. Prayer is action.

Through our prayers – through Christ – we open ourselves up to new opportunities for contentment, focus, forgiveness, hope, trust, peace, provision, transformation, glorifying God, and growing deeper in our relationship with Him.

It’s easy to see the consistency in Christ’s character as we look at His life through each Gospel account in the New Testament. During His ministry here on earth, Jesus lived a life filled with action – He didn’t just speak life; He showed us how to live life by His example, including teaching us how to pray.

In Luke 11, the disciples ask our Lord to teach them how to pray, and He responds, “When ye pray, say…” and goes on to pray what we recognize today as the Lord’s prayer.

Now, I realize that there are some who don’t believe that prayer is action or relative to our character – perhaps because not every body sees it or perhaps because it can take time before we see results – however it’s important to remember that prayer is action, and it is relative to our character. Prayer is a surrender of our own abilities and power, and the realization and recognition that it is not our prayers that are making changes – it’s Who we’re praying to that makes changes. Jesus knew this, and we see His reverence toward God in how He prayed.

He addressed God as Father. “Our Father which art in heaven,” (Luke 11:2). Wes recently finished a book called “Father Hunger,” by Douglas Wilson, in which Wilson addresses the importance of fathers. While I haven’t read it myself, the book explores the impact that fathers – or a lack thereof – have on us as society as well as us relating to our heavenly Father. God is our Father, and the ultimate Father at that. He provides all our provisions; He satisfies all our needs and wants. He loves us more than our earthly Fathers ever could.

Jesus also sought time alone to pray. “And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.” (Matthew 14:23). Jesus purposefully set time out in His day to be alone to pray. “And he withdrew himself into the wilderness and prayed.” (Luke 5:16) “And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray.” (Mark 6:46). While you can pray anywhere, anytime, seeking time alone and away from distractions can help you concentrate as you still your heart before the Lord.

Beyond seeking time alone, Jesus taught us that in our prayers, we should give thanks to God. We should give thanks when God answers and hears our prayers, “At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth…” (Matthew 11:25). We should give thanks before we eat, as Jesus taught us at the feeding of the five thousand, “And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks…”. We should give thanks in every thing, as Paul did from Christ’s example in 1 Thessalonians 5:18.

Time spent in prayer is one of the most important parts of life. As C.S. Lewis once said, “I pray because the need flows out of me all the time – waking and sleeping. Prayer does not change God – it changes me.”

Originally published as “The Necessity of Prayer.” Minto Express, Independent Plus, Arthur Enterprise-News, Mount Forest Confederate, Walkerton Herald-Times. February 7, 2019: 6. Print. Web.