Prayer Group Update

Hey dudes,

I'm gonna try to make this brief because I don't have the wherewithal to pump out a thesis right now. This update is both for us in Athens and also for Brent, Jimbo, and Nick alike...because our bond is not geographic proximity, but rather is hope in Christ and His real and radical work in each of our lives.

So, now to the message. Those of us at prayer group the other night came to the conclusion that we desire to be a bit more intentional and deliberate with the time we have together Tuesday nights praying as a group. We want to use some time each week to discuss and engage scripture that deals with prayer. Each week, we'll be looking at a selection of scripture (which will be posted ahead of time on this site) and briefly discuss how prayer saturated Christ's life and why it is a necessity for our lives, as well. Finally, we desire that the Spirit would patiently instruct us so that scripture would more and more inform and guide our supplication, adoration, intercession, confession, and thanksgiving to the Father in prayer.

In the context of scripture, we will be wrestling with some difficult questions I trust many of us don't know answers to: How are we commanded to pray?; Why does a Sovereign God require His sons to petition Him for their needs and desires?; What, specifically, are we commanded to pray for and who, specifically, are we commanded to pray for?; Who do we pray to, the Father, Son, or Holy Spirit?; What do we do when we feel our prayers are not being answered?; How do we pray with the daring confidence to believe we have received what we ask for before even asking for it?; Why do we pray in secret, alone?; Why and when is it appropriate to pray in union with other believers?; How do we pray according to God's will?; and the question that will answer all preceding questions...How did Christ commune with His Father in prayer?

For those who want to do a little extra reading that parallels what we'll be discussing, there is a book we will be referencing quite abit in our discussions. It is Andrew Murray's "Believing Prayer". The chapters are about 5 pages a piece, and Murray does an amazing job of explaining the privilege, necessity, and calling of prayer in our lives as individuals and as a body of believers. To be sure, what Murray is promoting is not a legalistic call to make God happy by praying each night, but rather is a pleading call to use the gracious means God has freely given us to know Him more deeply and to grow our meager faith. If you want to purchase the book to read along, it is $6 and can be found at http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=29037&netp_id=332583&event=ESRCN&item_code=WW.

The idea is that this blogsite can be used to "continue the discussion" each week, as we will only have about 20 minutes each week to discuss in the group. We can post questions for discussion, reactions to what we've read, or other general thoughts/applications/stories. Long story short, it will be a great way to connect you guys scattered across the country to what the guys back here are studying and praying about. I hope this works. In the mean time, please be praying that God would increase our view of prayer and cause us to become men so reliant on Him that we have no other desire other than to continually commune with Him in prayer.

Oops, turns out I did have the energy for a marathon post. Sorry about that...take care.