began with prayer and told the Philippians that he thanked God “in every prayer… making [his] prayer with joy because of [their] partnership in the gospel” (Phil. 1:4). And he wrote confident of his deliverance because of the prayers of the Philippians for him (1:19). He concluded the letter with the very familiar exhortation on prayer: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God” (Phil. 4:6). There are other places to find prayer in the book of Acts: during Peter’s interaction with Simon the magi-
cian (8:22-24), Paul kneeling and praying as he says goodbye to the Ephesian elders (20:36), and Paul waiting with his traveling companions for morning on a storm-tossed ship (27:29). Look for prayer in Acts as you read through it this year. All of these many and various examples fill in the picture of what a life of being commit- ted to prayer looks like. How does the early church’s devotion to this practice encourage and challenge you?
Prayer Program
Regular and Scheduled Prayer • Read Daniel 6:10, Psalm 55:17, Psalm 92:1-2 • Interact: Talk with friends about how you can better incorporate prayer into the rhythm of your day. • Hymn: Sweet Hour of Prayer “And since He bids me seek His face, Believe His word and trust His grace, I’ll cast on Him my every care, And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer.”
• Bonus: Read Acts 10, the story of Peter and Cornelius. How is prayer featured in this story?
Corporate Prayer • Read Acts 2:38-3:1 • Think: What are the parts of the worship service you attend that involve prayer? What special events come up in the life of your church that involve prayer? How can you be more involved in corporate prayer?
• Hymn: Christ is Made the Sure Foundation “…Come, O Lord of hosts, today: With Thy wonted loving kindness, Hear Thy people as they pray…”
• Bonus: Read Acts 4:18-31. Who is praying? What is happening in this prayer?
Persistence in Prayer • Read Luke 18:1-8 Think about Peter having heard the Lord Jesus tell this parable. What did he learn? How might he have passed on this lesson to the church?
• Now read Acts 12:1-17. What lesson in prayer did the church learn that day? • Hymn: “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” What a Friend we Have in Jesus, All our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
“Prayer is expected of us because we need it. We will not be like Jesus without it. Why, then, do so many believers confess that they do not pray as they should? Sometimes the problem is primarily a lack of discipline: Prayer is never planned; time is never allotted just for praying. While lip service is given to the priority of prayer, in reality it always seems to get crowded out by things more urgent.” Donald Whitney, Spiritual Disci- plines for the Christian Life?
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The Associate Reformed Presbyterian
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