THE BIBLICAL EMPHASIS. The Bible is a record of men and women committed to prayer. The Psalms have example after example of man pouring his heart out to God. The rest of the Bible records over 600 prayers and 400 specific answers. Adam and Eve talked openly with God in the Garden of Eden. In the days of their third son, Seth, "men began to call upon the name of the Lord." Genesis 4:26. Great men and women of the Old and New Testaments were committed to prayer ... Moses, Hannah, Samuel, David, Daniel, and Paul. Even the last few words of the Bible include the prayer, "Come, Lord Jesus." Revelation 22:20.

THE EXAMPLE OF JESUS. Jesus demonstrated and taught that prayer should be a high priority. At the beginning of His public ministry, He prayed at His baptism. He also taught His disciples how to pray. He prayed for Himself ... for His disciples ... and for the world. He went out alone early in the morning to talk with His Father. Sometimes He prayed all night. Jesus prayed for the food that He ate and prepared for others. The night before He died, He prayed so fervently in the Garden of Gethsemane that His sweat became like drops of blood. Then as He hung on the cross, He prayed, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." Luke 23:34. As the great intercessor, Jesus is praying for us now, Hebrews 7:25, Romans 8:34. The Holy Spirit also prays for us when we don't know how we should pray, Romans 8:26.

THE CHALLENGE TO US. With such an emphasis on prayer throughout the Bible, we should commit ourselves to prayer and to learning how to pray more effectively. It is our special privilege and opportunity to talk with the living God. "The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry." Psalm 34:15. "Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray.” Psalm 32:6. "Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praises." James 5:13.  The answers to the following five questions help to understand prayer.

1. WHERE SHOULD I PRAY? It is normal to think of praying in a religious building. Jesus referred to the temple as a "house of prayer." Matthew 21:13. However, prayers are not limited to religious buildings and public meetings. In talking with the woman at the well in John 4, Jesus made it very clear that true worship was offered "in spirit and truth" and was not dependent on the location of the worshippers. He condemned the hypocrites for their public prayers in synagogues and on street corners to be seen of men ... and suggested that proper prayer may better be offered in the privacy of an inner room away from others, Matthew 6:5-6. It is clear that proper prayer does not depend on where it is offered. It depends on the condition of the heart of the one who prays.

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Disciplemaking 1, copyright 2003, is available free from www.MyDisciplemaker.org where you can study online or print free copies. You may copy this course, any any part of it, for free or at-cost distribution ... without change to the content ... and with this copyright policy attached. Published by www.ActsOneEight.org. Bible Quotations are from the NASB unless noted.