Luke and Gene Read


20
Oct 07

Purpose in prayer: week 3…

Purpose in Prayer :: Chapters 5-6

Read Along

In chapters 3 and 4, Bounds took quick action against our attitudes towards prayer, bringing to light the fact that we don’t pray as much as we should– not that we should out of religious duty but out of blessed opportunity. Now, in chapters 5 and 6, he moves to discuss Jesus’ teachings on prayer. I believe it’s important to keep in mind that Jesus never taught to bring a burdening sense of duty on His followers. In fact, the opposite is true. He taught prayer as a wonderful opportunity, a freedom to express our desires passionately and wholeheartedly before our Father. Let’s turn to Bound’s words:

This is not a praying age; it is an age of great activity, of great movements, but one in which the tendency is very strong to stress the seen and the material and to neglect and discount the unseen and the spiritual.  Prayer is the gretest of all forces, because it honours God and brings Him into active aid.

Prayer is not the foe to work… prayer itself is the greatest work.

How well do these words, written over 100 years ago, apply to the present attitude of God’s people!  We are surrounded by a culture of work and overacheivement that places pressure and demands on activity and business rather than the spiritual work of prayer.  In reading this chapter I was all too aware of my own tendency to look first to what I must do instead of looking to God to supply the needs of ministry.  I tend to study before asking God to bless a sermon, plan before seeking His will for an event, practice before seeking His heart for a set.  When we don’t take time to pray, we run the danger of ministering in our own power–a power that will fail in time.

The church today seems plagued with burnout–ministers who are unable to carry the burden of their ministries.  Families are destroyed, ministries are derailed, and lives are left scarred.   Perhaps we would not see so many cases of burnout and mis-prioritized lives if we spent more time committing our work first to God and second to the duties of ministry.

Pray and never faint, is the motto Christ gives us for praying.

Jesus taught prayer extensively with His life and with His words.  In His life we see the example of prayer at work. That the very Son of God would be required to make His requests known to the Father highlights that fact that we too must seek Him.  In His words, we learn that prayer is too be bold, passionate, and expectant.  There is no room for half-hearted, selfish wishes or empty words of flattery, only cries of dependency and need grasp the will of God.

How often for we pray from a point of desperation?  How often to we care passionately enough about something to bring it repeatedly before our Father in search of an answer?  How often do we expect an answer?

After reading these chapters I was encouraged to bring boldness to my praying.  Not that I would order God around and make demands of Him, but that I would simply be free with my requests, asking for Him to act on behalf of His people.  I set aside some time to pray for some of the needs facing our youth ministry and guess what… He’s already answered some of those needs.  I’m humbled to realize how often I underestimate our God and His love towards us.

May you be blessed this week and strengthened in your relationship with the Father!


16
Oct 07

Purpose in prayer: week 2…

 

Gene has chapters 3-4 here.


5
Oct 07

Purpose in prayer: week 1…

Two chapters read and we’re off in classic E.M. Bounds style! Now, I know that two chapters in only 13 pages of reading, but it gives me the chance to read it twice!

Prayer is no fitful, shortlived thing. It is no voice crying unheard and unheeded in the silence. It is a voice which goes into God’s ear, and it lives as long as God’s ear is open to holy pleas, as long as God’s heart is alive to holy things.

To a prayerful man god is present in realised force; to a prayerful Church God is present in glorious power…

In Chapter 1, Bounds begins to chip away at the lie we all too easily believe: prayer doesn’t achieve anything. He reminds us that prayer is much more than lipservice. It’s much more than vain repetition in the name of religiosity. It’s a living,vibrant connection with the Creator that He actively uses to create change in the world. I am reminded of the absolute importance of prayer as we seek to see God’s will done and kingdom come on earth. Our Savior prayed before each of His miraculous works. No doubt we would see more of God’s power in our lives and ministries if we committed ourselves to more prayer.

The possibilities and necessity of prayer, its power and results are manifested in arresting and changing the purposes of God and in relieving the stroke of His power.

The story of every great Christian achievement is the history of answered prayer.

Chapter 2 begins a discussion of what exactly prayer achieves. I’ll be honest, I felt uneasy when I read the first quote listed above: “changing the purposes of God? Isn’t God unchanging?” I’m not sure how to reconcile a sovereign, all-knowing God who makes conversation with Him the primary vehicle for His work in the world, but that seems to be what He’s created. Bounds points to the rich history of effective prayer in the biblical narrative: Abraham prayed for Abimalech, Moses for Pharaoh and for apostate Israel, Nineveh called out for their own salvation, and Hezekiah for his healing. I find it interesting that God always desires us to ask for His grace. He’s the loving Father always ready to gift good things to us as we ask. He’s unchanging in that He’s always offering, but we must come to Him in relationship before we can receive.

This brings two things to mind.   First, what a wonderful privilege we have!  We have the opportunity to bring our cares and concerns before the Lord and wait upon Him to work in His wisdom.  Second, what a responsibility we have!  Realizing that our prayers are the primary way God unleashes His kingdom on earth ought to encourage us to greater depths and breadths in our devotional life.

The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.  Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. James 5:16-18

Prayer works.


28
Sep 07

Reading club…

Gene and I were talking the other day and we both admitted to the fact that we don’t read nearly as much as we’d like we don’t read books as much as we think we should. Trust me, there’s lots of blog reading going on, but not much real reading. That, however, is about to change…

We’d like to invite you to “Luke and Gene Read.” I know, there’s a million better names we could’ve come up with, but, despite our spiky hair and flip flops, we’re really not that creative.

Here’s the deal. We will be reading through E.M. Bound’s prayer classic, Purpose In Prayer. Every week one of us will post a response to a chapter or two (they’re amazingly short chapters) where we record our thoughts, ruminations, reflections, ideas, and make note of any quotes we felt worthwhile. We’d love to have you join the discussion! The book is a mere 160 pages and can be ordered here or viewed online or downloaded for free here. Feel free to read along at your own pace and join in on the comments section.

Why Bounds? Gene and I have both read other books he’s authored (me, The Reality of Prayer, and Gene, The Power of Prayer) and were both impressed by writing that was at once both deeply spiritual and pragmatic, profound yet readable. His writings come from a life that was steeped in the practice of prayer; prayer that was not religious lip-service, but an active entreaty to God that sought and obtained lasting results. It is this vein of spirituality and power that we desire to build in our lives and our churches and we hope that you would too!

To learn more about E.M. Bounds, his ministry, and his writings, please read this short biography.