Hi classmates,
When we started last Sunday, I asked for questions that you might have concerning prayer. I figured that though we each pray, we each also would like to “do better at prayer”. We got some very good questions, and you can read the list of them at our class notes. Of these, I thought that we probably could get some really fun discussion from the question, “How to listen to God better when praying?”
You know the old saying that, “Practice makes perfect”, especially when that practice comes with feedback. We talked about ways that we might know whether we heard from God (agrees with scripture, peace in my heart, witness from others), but actually a very solid affirmation is when we do obey what we believe God showed us, and real-time events happen in a way that affirm the leading we received.
So what am I saying? As an example, I offer my experience with this class. I was appointed to teach when I asked Mike Fleetwood to send me class notes for this time when I expected to be out on vacation. He turned the situation around and said he was going to be gone for a month, and would I teach? After some stammering, I agreed, but had no idea what to teach about. My first thought was to talk about something related to God and the US, as I thought the first class would be on 7/4. Pastor Rod corrected that thinking, so back to the drawing board. I had already asked God, but hadn’t heard anything yet. I then considered a short course on evangelism, or something similar, but that didn’t feel right. Still looking for something that was relevant to what God was doing with us present-tense. While reading in a book I mentioned in class, “Growing the Church in the Power of the Holy Spirit“, I was struck by how important it is that we are able to communicate effectively with God – that prayer is so essential to what the authors called “dancing with God”.
Prayer – listening – interceding. Eureka. I was able to draft a lot of it, but the finishing touch was realizing that I needed to put myself in the position of facilitator and allow the Holy Spirit to lead the class and teach us.
Do you see the process? God put me into a place where I really needed him to lead. I invited him to lead. I then looked at possibilities, all the while seeking to sense with my heart if one idea or the other felt right. I talked to others, read, looking for confirmation. I stepped out of my comfort zone – and you know what – if God hadn’t shown up at the class on Sunday you would have seen one embarrassed hombre. But even that would have been a learning experience. As it is, I learned from our class, in detail as well as in affirmation that God was leading me. And that is such a cool realization.
What about you? What experiences have you had that perhaps you just figured were coincidence, but maybe just might have been God at work. Most times that I realize God was at work end up in hindsight, but the more I’m willing to risk and obey, the more I am seeing in real-time rather than hindsight that God is right there with me.
I love the Sunday school time together! I never leave there without taking home some questions or comments to mull over for a few days. I did find in our Growing the Church book a comment that might be what Heather was referring to about that list of things one must do to get prayers answered. R.A. Torrey says you must follow these seven steps:
1. Accept Jesus as Savior. 2. Renounce all sin. 3. Be baptized int he name of Jesus Christ unto theremission of your sins. 4. Obedience and unconditional full surrender of the will to God. 5. Thirst. 6. Just ask Him. 7. Receive in faith. (Growing the Church in the Power of the Holy Spirit, page 73 – at the very bottom). I am not sure if this is what she was referring to but these are Torrey’s steps to getting your prayers answered. This makes sense to me – however it does not leave much wiggle room for human weaknesses or that little thing called “sin.” I would hate to think that we have to be almost perfect before God would even listen to our requests. That would tire me out! How about you???
Hi Gang!
Bob, this is a great blog idea and thanks so much for accepting Fleetwood’s class while he’s OOT.
I’ll weigh in on the idea of Listening Prayer. I really felt a strong feeling of the presence of the Holy Spirit at the General Assembly. With the exception of a minority (hopefully) of commissioners who showed up with pre-set agendas and convictions, I think that most commisioners were genuinely attempting to listen to discussion and hear what God had to say to them.
While I did feel God’s presence and Words last week, I hear best during quiet and contemplative times. Both were pretty thin on the ground at GA, so I found listening to be a challange. That being said, I still have a sense of peace about each and every decision made at GA. Even votes that didn’t go as I would have hoped. The peace I have is that God knows how all these issues will play out and He has it covered and that all the discussions, debates, disputes, etc we are in for the next few years are a necessary part of God working all this out.
Signed,
PollyAnna Golden
I am still learning and growing when it comes to prayer, but I have heard God’s voice many times throughout my life in the big and the small. He has spoken comfort in times of deep despair and rejoiced with me in times of joy. He has given guidance in everything from matters of remarriage to what to wear to work. I’ll talk just a bit more about that last statment. Understand, I do not stand in my closet and pray daily about what to put on for work, church, or play, but while standing in front of my closet one day, I felt strongly impressed to wear a certain scarf that had been a gift rather than the one I had in my hand. I shrugged and changed. When I got to work, the woman from whom I’d received the scarf noticed it immediately. Her face lit up visibly and she exclaimed, “Oh, you’re wearing my scarf!” A little thing, but it gave me an opening to talk to her about God. God is good, and when we listen, He speaks.
I think it’s great that you have taken over the class for the Month. The topic is perfect. It plays along very well with the book “Growing the Church etc”. And everything God is doing in our CHurch. I looked ahead in the book and found there is a chapter about desernment of prayers. I think it will ansewr a lot of questions raised in class. I haven’t goten to that part yet but, when I’m back in class I will have read it. It is very exciting seeing God working in our Church. And being able to share that with others in class. I will have to miss this weeks class but, can’t wait to see what hapens with the Blog and class while I’m gone. Have a blessed day Donovan
Thank you Bob,I think you are doing a great job.I know when the question of when people say to me ,you are going to hell because you do not belive as they do,I thank them,for trying to save me ,then remind them that it is up to God to judge me ,and my belive ,not them.
I still have questions when I ask God in a prayer that is the reponce from God or the devil trying to trick me(I would hate to take the wrong path) ,because it might be more of an answer I might have come up with.I do not know how to lisson as I well as I should ,so I try not to ask so many things from God,and I know that is not what god wants.
.Some one once told me ,when you ask someting from God ,it is probability the harder of the two ways that is the right way.
God Bless Courtney