Prayer: The great disappointment

Key verse(s)/quote(s):

“Prayer is the breath of faith. Prayer meetings are the lungs of the church.” - Charles H. Spurgeon

“Prayer is always the preface to blessing. It goes before the blessing as the blessing’s shadow. When the sunlight of God’s mercies rises upon our necessities, it casts the shadow of prayer far down upon the plain.” - Charles H. Spurgeon

“When we come to God in prayer, we do not come hypocritically like play actors seeking the applause of men, nor mechanically like pagan babblers, whose mind is not in their mutterings, but thoughtfully, humbly and trustfully like little children to their Father.” - John Stott

“The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry. ” - Psalm 34:15

Key takeaway(s):

1. There are a few items that can result in God turning His ear away from our prayers:
   • Injustice
   • Disobedience
   • Selfishness
   • Pride
   • Sin
   • Lack of faith
2. Praying to an all-knowing (omniscient) God still makes sense as it benefits us in a number of ways
3. Some quick prayer tips:
   • Focus on God - not yourself
   • Find a prayer partner
   • Know His Word
   • Ask the Spirit to help you
   • Seek and serve His kingdom

Overview:

Prayer is arguably the most fundamental of Christian practices and yet it is rarely studied or correctly understood. It is also central to an individual’s walk with God as one seeks to discern God’s will for their life and yet we often lack clarity on some real questions that may cross our minds …

What role do the five books of poetry play in the Scriptures?

Question:

What role do the five books of poetry play in the Scriptures?

Answer:

The books of poetry in the bible are typically referenced as Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon. However, in Jewish tradition, the formation of the Writings after the Law and the Prophets, were followed by Psalms firstly and then Job, Proverbs, Ruth, Song of Songs (or Song of Solomon), and then Ecclesiastes. It was not until the Septuagint that we see the current construct of our English Bible appear that is predominantly chronological. Hence, only five of these books remain together.

As a complete set, the books of poetry are best understood as a journal of human responses to God’s work and laws in the context of living in this world. We see in each of these books a different vantage point  –  a human vantage point that makes them so personal and engaging.

Let’s take a snapshot of each book to give a flavour for its content and the role it plays in the Scriptures.

1)    Job – suffering of the innocent and the justice of God in the midst of society’s typical reactions to perceived injustice. The end result is a complete surrender to God’s sovereignty. Wisdom and obligation do not fall on the same  –  that is God is where all wisdom is found as that is His nature and yet obligation has no place in Him as He owes us nothing and we need to understand our place.
2)    Psalms – trust and praise Yahweh as He is good, …