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Fall, 2008
Junior High through Adults
The Work of Prayer
Communication is important in the world today. Remaining close to someone requires times of conversation. We will study the subject of communication—not communication with other people but with God. Many Christians rarely talk with their Heavenly Father. Jesus was faithful to talk with the Father. He taught “men ought always to pray, and not to faint” (Luke 18:1). Failure to pray displays a life out of touch with God. Prayer must be more than a tool of emergency you use in times of great difficulty. It must be a vital part of your everyday life. The Bible gives many examples of people who prayed regularly. King David was a man after God’s own heart (1 Sam. 13:14). How did he achieve such a lofty reputation? It was partly because he spent much time in prayer. He prayed “evening, and morning, and at noon” (Psalm 55:17). Daniel was another Old Testament saint who saw the importance of prayer. He had been taken captive to Babylon. He could have turned against God. Instead, he was faithful in prayer. A time came when the king passed a law forbidding prayer to anyone but him. Daniel did not deviate from his practice of prayer. He went home, opened his window toward Jerusalem and prayed three times a day (Dan. 6:10). He let nothing keep him from communicating with God. A New Testament character of prayer was James. Tradition reveals that he spent so much time on his knees in prayer that he gained the nickname, “Old Camel Knees.” Prayer was so important to him that he devoted much of the day to the practice of it. Prayer is important for God’s children today. The Bible is His communication with us. Prayer is our communication with Him. Since He is our Heavenly Father, it is needful to have continuous dialogue with God. What should be included in our prayers?
Available materials:
Order
Fall Literature Age 2 through grades 6 God Teaches Me To Worship and Pray
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