Notes to accompany "Discipleship, Week 2"

Marks of Discipleship - Daily Prayer

1) The Call

Isaiah 1:18, Luke 18:1

"Speak to Him for He hears,
And spirit with spirit can meet,
Closer is He than breathing,
And nearer than hands and feet."
........Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Daily prayer is the habit of our developing relationship with God.

A battle ... Romans 7:19

God longs for relationship with us ... Revelation 3:20

God takes us as we are.

In the Old Testament, even though Israel had turned to idolatry, God kept calling them back:
Joel 2:12, 2Chronicles 13-14.

Under the New Covenant Christians are urged to persist in prayer: Luke 11:5-10

Are we worthy enough for the God of all creation to listen to us and to respond?

Prayer doesn't start with us
Prayer starts with Grace
Even so, we have a problem.
Our mental picture of God can be so wrong.

What do you believe God looks like?

Think of Jesus. He's strong, but gentle. He gave His life for you with no strings attached.

He knows the best and worst about you and He still loves you. He calls you to come, but He won't force you. He'll wait until you're ready.

2) His Presence

Psalm 139:13-14, Matthew 18:12-14
"May you live all the days of your life".
.....Jonathan Swift

God created you for a purpose. He offers you is life. Daily prayer opens us to God's guidance and to discover His purpose for us.

Daily prayer needs to be a special time with God.

Morning, noon or night person?

This all starts as a discipline and ends up as a habit.

3) The Lord's Prayer - Matthew 6:9-13

"There are times in man's life when the soul is on its knees in prayer."
....Victor Hugo

Using the Lord's Prayer as a focus, taking each section as a heading.

"Our Father..................."
"Your will be done.........."
"Give us today..............."
"Forgive us our sins........"

N.B. Prayer is a relationship with God. You've got a choice whether to develop it or not.