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Food for Thought

For the week of March 21, 2010
(Questions and Scriptures for further study)

1. As we heard this weekend, one of the things that can keep us from praying is the idea that our prayers need to be polished and articulate.  Read 1 Kings 18:16-39.  How does Elijah’s prayer compare to the prayers of the prophets of Baal?  What, if anything, does it show us about the kind of prayer God hears?
  
1 Kings 18:16-39
    So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah. [17] When he saw Elijah, he said to him, "Is that you, you troubler of Israel?"
    [18] "I have not made trouble for Israel," Elijah replied. "But you and your father's family have. You have abandoned the Lord's commands and have followed the Baals. [19] Now summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. And bring the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table."
    [20] So Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel. [21] Elijah went before the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him."
    But the people said nothing.
    [22] Then Elijah said to them, "I am the only one of the Lord's prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets. [23] Get two bulls for us. Let them choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. [24] Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by fire--he is God."
    Then all the people said, "What you say is good."
    [25] Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire." [26] So they took the bull given them and prepared it.
    Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. "O Baal, answer us!" they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made.
    [27] At noon Elijah began to taunt them. "Shout louder!" he said. "Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened." [28] So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. [29] Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.
    [30] Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come here to me." They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the Lord, which was in ruins. [31] Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, "Your name shall be Israel." [32] With the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold two seahs of seed. [33] He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, "Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood."
    [34] "Do it again," he said, and they did it again.
    "Do it a third time," he ordered, and they did it the third time. [35] The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench.
    [36] At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: "O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. [37] Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again."
    [38] Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.
    [39] When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, "The Lord--he is God! The Lord--he is God!" _^[NIV] 

2. Nehemiah was a man whose prayer life went far beyond just asking God for what he wanted.  Read Nehemiah 1:1-10 and jot down anything you find that gives you insight into Nehemiah’s relationship and communication with God – and how it might impact or help you grow in your own prayer life.
 
Nehemiah 1:1-10
    The words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah:

    In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa, [2] Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.
    [3] They said to me, "Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire."
    [4] When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. [5] Then I said:

  "O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands, [6] let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father's house, have committed against you. [7] We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.
[8]   "Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, 'If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, [9] but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.'
[10]   "They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. _^[NIV] 

3. The past two weekends we’ve heard about the purpose and effectiveness of persistent prayer.  In what ways does the story of the death of David’s son in 2 Samuel 12:15-23 illustrate the principle of persistence?
  
2 Samuel 12:15-23
    After Nathan had gone home, the Lord struck the child that Uriah's wife had borne to David, and he became ill. [16] David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and went into his house and spent the nights lying on the ground. [17] The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them.
    [18] On the seventh day the child died. David's servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, "While the child was still living, we spoke to David but he would not listen to us. How can we tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate."
    [19] David noticed that his servants were whispering among themselves and he realized the child was dead. "Is the child dead?" he asked.
    "Yes," they replied, "he is dead."
    [20] Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.
    [21] His servants asked him, "Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!"
    [22] He answered, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, 'Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.' [23] But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me." _^[NIV] 

What surprises you about David’s behavior?

How might someone misunderstand the main point of this passage?

4. Chris gave us four keys to talking with Dad.  What additional motivation or helpful instruction do the following verses give us about prayer?
 
Philippians 4:6-7
    Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. [7] And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. _^[NIV] 

Romans 8:26-27
    In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. [27] And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. _^[NIV] 

Psalm 145:18-19
    The Lord is near to all who call on him,
        to all who call on him in truth.
    [19] He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
        he hears their cry and saves them. _^[NIV] 

Matthew 6:7-8
    And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. [8] Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. _^[NIV] 

How could you incorporate the teaching of these passages into your prayer life?