Thoughts for Life: #17 The Praying Method in the World

Samuel Chadwick: Paul said, "I will pray with the understanding also." The Word of God gives understanding to prayer.

The Bible is not an easy book to the uninitiated, and that is why so many fall back upon ordered and simple books of devotion, but it is the book of common prayer to be understood by the common people.

I think I can help you best by telling you of my own method.(Google image, Young man reading the Bible)

The first question is where to begin. Each will find his own starting point. I began with the Psalms. The next thing to decide is the most suitable time of the day.

When I began I was called at five o'clock in the morning, and had to be at work at six, so I read my morning portion the night before. I read through the appointed portion in a prayer spirit again and again, then went over it clause by clause on my knees, turning its statements into prayer and thanksgiving.

Then I wrote out the verse or phrase that spoke to me, read it over next morning as I dressed, committed the day briefly to God, and put the text in my waistcoat pocket.

Before I found this method I used to try to work myself into a praying mood, but I lacked resourcefulness, and praying became "prayers" again, and listening a void. Prayer has been an experience of thrilling wonder, creative meditation, and real fellowship since it has been instructed, quickened and inspired by the Word of God.

In addition to this simple method, I find great help in the use of the marginal references, especially those of the Revised Version. The method taught by the Holy Spirit is to compare scripture with scripture, and spiritual things with spiritual.

The Spirit who inspired the Scriptures is given to us for interpretation. The Holy Spirit and the holy Word are never at variance. Revelation is progressive, and every part has its relative truth.

To watch the unfolding of the Word deeply stirs my soul. New discoveries excite the mind and kindle the fires of worship and praise. Is this prayer? It assuredly is, so long as it is kept to its devotional purpose, and not followed with any other object.

I once tried taking Scripture passages set for examination as my devotional portion, but it left the hour barren and unprofitable. God wants the whole presence of the spirit, as surely as man wants the sense of the real presence of God. The soul is never less alone than when it is alone with God.

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THE PATH OF PRAYER
By Samuel Chadwick
(Click on the title to buy)

Used by the permission of

www.cliffcollege.ac.uk
(Emphasis added)

Let's pray-

Father, Your Word gives understanding to prayer, but some folks who are not readily in tune with Your Spirit fall back on ordered and simple books of devotion.
Your Word is the book of common prayer to be understood by the common person. We can turn to the book of Psalms to find some various expressions that match our own experiences.
What the psalmist does after voicing his complaint/problem is, he remembers that You have helped in the past, and then praises You, for he knows You'll help him again.
As the Psalms are read aloud, we connect with the writer's feelings, and then are drawn into worship through the admittance that You are well able to help us now.
Thank You for inspiring Your Word, as we need help to understand what we read.
We watch this unfolding of Your Word, and are deeply stirred with new discoveries, which excite our minds and kindle fires to worship and praise You all the more.
In Jesus' name, help us appreciate and apply what we read.

Today's Bible verses-

1 Peter 1:23 (NKJV) "Having been born again,

not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through

the word of God which lives and abides forever."

1 John 5:14 (NIV) "This is the confidence we

have in approaching God: that if we ask anything

according to his will, he hears us."

Luke 18:7 (NCV)“God will always give what

is right to his people who cry to him night and

day, and he will not be slow to answer them.”

Today's quote-

~ Max Lucado- "Jesus blazed a stand-alone trail void of self-salvation. He cleared a one-of-a-kind passageway uncluttered by human effort. Christ came, not for the strong, but for the weak; not for the righteous, but for the sinner. We enter his way upon confession of our need, not completion of our deeds. He offers a unique-to-him invitation in which he works and we trust, he dies and we live, he invites and we believe."

Today's first 5 posts of 100 things Our God Is . . .


1. Love	1John 4:16
2. Spirit	John 4:24
3. The Holy One	Ps. 16:10
4. The I Am	John 8:58
5. Yahweh	Ex. 6:3

Today's question-

Do our words of expression make a difference?

Whether it is for friends or for God Himself, our words do make a difference, as they can cause good results or bad ones. God does not want us to speak poorly of others, but to be careful to speak words that encourage them, and He wants us to give honor to Him, as surely, He deserves it.

As we need to speak kindly to others, we need to intentionally celebrate God. When we gather for worship in our churches, we have the distinct opportunity to sense God's Presence.

Ps. 95 tells us to "Oh come, let us sing to the LORD! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation . . . for the LORD is the great God, and the great King above all gods."

Through worship, singing and shouting praises, we bless God and stir up one another, which will have a positive affect on our own worship, as well as theirs.
The truth is, we need one another to be challenged to praise God for His creation and goodness!

Today's sermon spotlight-