Prayer - Pt 3

Luke 11:1 (NASB) And it came about that while He was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples."

• If prayer is a skill to be learned, then I can develop it with time and practice
• Is it only possible for OTHERS to pray effectively? To pray for hours, any hour of the day?

We, like the disciples, need to go to the Expert. His answer to their request is the "Lord's Prayer" - actually the "Disciples' Prayer"

Lord's intent was NOT a rote prayer. It WAS to give us and "index" for prayer.

• "Index" è used by the rabbis of the day to suggest topics for prayer
• Disciple's Prayer is a topical look at ingredients for successful prayer

No where else did the disciples ask "Lord, teach us to pray" (Luke 11:1) and nowhere else did Jesus directly say "Pray, then, in this way" (Matthew 6:9)

• Set a covenant before God that you are going to set aside a specific time for prayer each day for the next twenty-four days.
• Tell him:

• you are coming to Him as a learner
• if He doesn't help you there is no hope

• Talk with Him:

• about what you have learned

• Don't compare yourself with others or try to measure up to their prayer lives

You and God. Child and Father. He's waiting. He's looking forward to that time alone with you.