Sunday, September 30, 2012

With Christ in the School of Prayer (1) ... The Only Teacher


by Dale Shumaker
Spirit Savvy Network
www.spiritsavvy.net

Finding your mission, Empowering your life through prayer,
Becoming a Missionary in the Marketplace
Leading others to be Missionaries in the Marketplace

An all-time Christian Classic on prayer which is a foundational study on prayer that anyone interested in Prayer should read. So, I decided to summarize it chapter by chapter. With Christ in the School of Prayer is a classroom on the Power of Prayer in your Life.
With Christ in the School
of Prayer by Andrew Murray,
Chapter 1, The Only Teacher.


"They had learned to believe in Him as a Master in the art of prayer—none could pray like Him.  And so they came to Him with the request, ‘Lord, teach us to pray.’ He will be delighted to take us up into closer fellowship with Himself, and teach us to pray even as He prays.

"Shall we not go to the Blessed Master and ask Him to enroll our names too anew in that school which He always keeps open for those who long to continue their studies in the Divine art of prayer and intercession? It is fellowship with the Unseen and Most Holy One.  The powers of the eternal world have been placed at its disposal.  It is the very essence of true religion, the channel of all blessings, the secret of power and life.

"We hear continually even in these days what glorious tokens of Thy power Thou dost still give to those who trust Thee fully.  Lord! these all are men of like passions with ourselves; teach us to pray so too.  The promises are for us, the powers and gifts of the heavenly world are for us.  O teach us to pray so that we may receive abundantly. We offer ourselves as learners; we would indeed be taught of Thee.  ‘Lord, teach us to pray.’

"All this must be learned.  It can only be learned in the school of much prayer, for practice makes perfect.  Amid the painful consciousness of ignorance and unworthiness, in the struggle between believing and doubting, the heavenly art of effectual prayer is learned. Their education in the school of prayer shall be carried on to perfection. We may be sure we shall be taught, we shall learn to pray in power.  Yes, we may depend upon it, He teaches to pray.

"He knows how to teach.  Now by the urgency of felt need, then by the confidence with which joy inspires.  Here by the teaching of the Word, there by the testimony of another believer who knows what it is to have prayer heard.  By His Holy Spirit, He has access to our heart, and teaches us to pray by showing us the sin that hinders the prayer, or giving us the assurance that we please God.  He teaches, by giving not only thoughts of what to ask or how to ask, but by breathing within us the very spirit of prayer, by living within us as the Great Intercessor.  We may indeed and most joyfully say, ‘Who teaches like Him?’  Jesus never taught His disciples how to preach, only how to pray.  He did not speak much of what was needed to preach well, but much of praying well.  To know how to speak to God is more than knowing how to speak to man.  Not power with men, but power with God is the first thing.  Jesus loves to teach us how to pray.

"Let us take time not only to meditate, but to pray, to tarry at the foot of the throne, and be trained to the work of intercession. He will breathe His own life, which is all prayer, into us."

More on The Only Teacher at
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/murray/prayer.I_1.html
The Christian Classic Ethereal Library has many classic works on prayer and living a Spirit-filled life.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

"Jesus never taught His disciples how to preach, only how to pray. He did not speak much of what was needed to preach well, but much of praying well." That's a very powerful statement!!!!
Wow! I love it!

Blessings!

Bible talk by Brothers said...

While prayer is easy, it is also hard and can be intimidating. I think we here these long eloquent prayers in church and shy away from prayer. However I can't remember a Bible verse about short prayers not being accepted. The more you soak yourself in God's Word, the easier prayer becomes. Thanks Dale!!