VOLUME 2

ISSUE # 1

WEEKLY ENGAGEMENT:
ENGAGED 1.2.2011
...In Prayer
PSALM 55:17

Evening and Luke 19:13

morning and
at noon I will
pray, and cry
aloud, and He M o n d a y -

shall hear my
How much time and energy do you expend in prayer? For most believers, it is not
something that takes up too much of our time. Three-fourths of
Americans pray at least once a day. However, very few are satisfied
voice. Psalm 55:17 with their prayer life. Psalm 55:17 gives us a model of three crucial
times to pray. For the Jew, the day began in the evening. This was
cultural for them. Our day begins in the morning. Morning, Noon,
Prayer is powerful! We know this because and Night. It is almost as if the strength we gain from prayer fades
of our Scripture reading. We long for our every 8 hours. Daniel, the prophet, prayed this way (Dan. 6:10). How might life
look different for you if you had a regular satisfied prayer life? This week track your
prayers to effectively turn God’s ear and to prayers and record the things you pray about in your Engage Journal. What do you
be satisfied. Unfortunately, most Christ spend most of your time praying about? What do you need to devote more time
praying for?
Followers are dissatisfied with their prayer
lives. As we study Scripture though, we Your relationships are all three-way relationships, if you are a believer.
realize that our discontent comes from The quality of your relationship to God affects your relationships to others.
Others’ relationship to God affects their relationship to you,
misunderstanding the depth, height, width as well. The horizontal relationships of your life (person-to-
person) also affect your relationship to God, though you may
and purpose of prayer. We have become not notice it. Consider this aspect of all relationships as we
disillusioned to believe that God’s chief consider our prayer lives in the next few weeks.
end in our lives is for us to be happy.
How does it feel to call someone on the phone and they
Through this study you will be equipped
choose not to answer? You know they have their phone and they are
to understand the real nature of prayer available, but they ignore you. Typically, this is not too pleasant. We
and incorporate ways your prayers can be feel betrayed and unheard. What if God pressed ‘ignore’ when you called
Him? What about when He calls us through His Word and we press
effectual and fervent… To believe praying ‘ignore’? Are you guilty of this? Is your family guilty? Are you
makes a difference, we must be “A lot of spending adequate time listening to Him call? What can you do to
ENGAGED! kneeling will remedy your lack of satisfied praying?
keep you in
good standing”
24/7 faith Relational Faith Generational Faith

A 24/7 faith is the only faith that is authentic. It
is unselfish and God-centered. This type of
faith is personal and real. It is not produced by
community, but community enhances it. This
section is for the individual believer.
Relationships define who we are. God has
placed us in community with others with whom
we must relate. Whether it is marriage,
employment, social, civic, worship, et al, we
must learn to relate to others as Christ.
God expects us to pass on our faith to the
next generation. Scripture is full of commands
to leave a legacy of faith. However, it is not for
the faint of heart. This section will provide
fodder for you to talk about faith at home...
T u e s d a y - W e d n e s d a y - T h u r s d a y -
It just so happens, our verse is found at When David says, “I will What is the effect of prayer?
the end of a long tirade. The cry…” he does not mean tears. Well, David was sure that God
writer is upset. He is afraid of This means a growling, a would hear and act. He said,
his enemies. Then he finds out turbulence and a verbal, loud “He shall hear…” Do you find it
it was ‘friends‘ that betrayed commotion. Sometimes our easy to pray with confidence?
him. It is at this moment David prayers are simply too safe. Our prayers Do you find it easier to pray and then walk
realizes his only hope is God. It is at this lack passion and burden. When you pray, away wondering if God cares or listens to you?
moment David turns to God in prayer. He is what are you burdened about? What drives David was sure that God was concerned about
confident that God will help. The word your passion when you pray? Are you the same things that David was concerned
David uses for prayer is ‘siyach'. It means to praying ‘big’ prayers or safe prayers? Are about. In fact, 14 generations later, Jesus would
speak with complaint. David’s Prayer is not you praying prayers that, when answered, be betrayed by a friend. God understands and
necessarily soft/cozy/warm/endearing. He is can only be a move of God? Pray that God we can rest-assured our prayers do not threaten
complaining to God about this betrayal. will give you a “CRY” in your praying. That Him or hinder Him. What keeps you from
However, we too can learn about God will burden you about praying with confidence? What keeps you from
complaining in prayer. Many times we are something...maybe something that is not praying for specific things? One day we will
afraid to be honest with God in prayer. We safe... see
are quick to grumble and complain to others how weak our praying is? Then, it will be seen
though… Prayer should be honest. Try as our greatest tragedy. What can you do to
risking honesty with God in prayer. If you Yesterday we considered bolster the kind of confidence David had as he
could be honest with God about anything, “how” you pray for others. prayed?
what would it be? Write it in your journal Today the question is, how
and then tell Him! “often” do you pray for
others? Not just praying Psalm 55:17 says God hears our prayers.
“about” people, but truly He does not just hear the
How do you pray for those speaking to God on their behalf, is not words, but hears our hearts.
you love? How do you pray only a privilege, but also a duty. Make Hearing does not mean just
for those you struggle to care it a point today to pray more than once comprehending the words
about? The intensities of for those you speak to God about. we use. It means hearing
those two different categories are with the guarantee of a
obviously a challenge to us. Do you pray response. Do you truly pray knowing a
vindictively when praying for those response will come? Can you believe a
“testy” people? Today, measure the level Most families find it easy to pray response comes, although you may not
of love with which you mention together in the morning and maybe even at ever know it. These are exercises of a
someone’s name in prayer. night. However, the more a family prayers believing heart, and we must “exercise”
together the more closely connected they in prayer to achieve this level of trusting
prayer.
David, in the middle of battle, decides to become. Not only is it a good practice to
give his feelings to God. As he would release pray with each other, but perhaps it may
them, they would build back up again. 3 times do your family good to pray for each Our needs extend beyond food and fears.
a day, David would pray. Later in history the other. Tonight, share a few Families should discuss and pray
together on a variety of issues.
Jews began praying 7 times a day. Sometimes things your family can pray By integrating a Bible verse(s)
things just build up on us and we risk explosion. about for you tomorrow during (Ephesians 6:1–3) with prayer,
How can we, as families, begin the ‘noon’ prayer. Then a good children can be encouraged to
to set habits in place to call ask God to help them obey their
practice would be to talk about your ‘noon’ parents. Parents show their obedience to
upon God so that we do not prayer during dinner. Share what happens God by respecting and honoring each other
explode? Sometimes we even (1 Peter 3:7). Children experience security
with other families. as they witness their parents praying for
blow up on each other. Is it
possible to avoid this? How? God’s help as well. As the mother seeks to
What can you, as a family, do to avoid these please God in her prayers, God rewards her
“Don't pray for family (Proverbs 31:10–12, 28-29). As the
eruptions? How can you, as a family, encourage father assumes his place as spiritual leader
a lessening of ‘volcano moments’ on those lighter burdens, but in the home, God blesses the family
outside of your family? What part does prayer for stronger backs.” (Genesis 18:19). By example, their children
play in this? will approach the Lord regularly as if they
we were crawling up into a loving Father's
lap.
F r i d a y -
Maybe it’s just me, but I love the thought that God knows my voice. Whether I bring Him my complaints, my tears,
my burdens, my fears, my growls, my victories, or my confidence; He loves to hear my voice. He can differentiate my
voice in a crowd. He is attentive to my voice. This should bring us the security, confidence, and honesty we need to
draw more power in prayer. How does it make you feel to know that God knows and hears your voice? Does this
cause you to give more thought to the absence of passion in your praying. God desires passion in your petition…

Today, exercise this week’s “relational praying”. Remove all relational animosity (as
much as is possible) before you pray. Pray mercifully for those difficult people. Pray regularly (more than
once today) for those you mention to God. Pray truly understanding God has taken note of, and will
answer, the prayers you pray for others.

A good model and philosophy about family prayer is this:

* Talk about whatever is bothering you, no matter how small (1 Peter 5:7).
* Invite God to reveal His purposes, plans, and desires for your life (1 John 5:14–15). “There is a vast
* Make God the head of your home (Deuteronomy 6:5–9). difference between
* Expect God to respond as you humble yourself before Him (Mark 11:22–25).
Family Prayers . . . all it takes is T.I.M.E. saying prayers and
praying”
“Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul. It is daily
admission of one's weakness. It is better in prayer to NEXT WEEK: Proverbs 15:8
have a heart without words than words without a heart.”