SUPPLEMENTAL SCRIPTURES
- James 5:16
Prayer is much more than a ritual to be performed at a certain hour of the day, for Jesus said that men ought always to pray and not to faint. Prayer is a vital part of the Christian’s defense. The Bible bears ample evidence that the power of Satan and evil in general are arrayed against those who pray to God in faith. We are living in the time just before Jesus’ coming back to earth. Only our holding on in prayer will help us to be ready for His return.
QUESTIONS
- Manasseh is considered one of the most wicked kings in biblical history. He built altars to Baal, worshiped the host of heaven, built altars for them in the house of the Lord, caused his son to pass through the fire, and dealt in witchcraft (2 Kings 21:1-9). Yet when affliction came his way, he humbled himself and prayed to God. What was the result of Manasseh’s action? See 2 Chronicles 33:10-16.
- Of all the prayers that can be prayed, surely the prayer for salvation from sin is the most important. Describe the miraculous results that follow a sinner’s sincere prayer of repentance. See 2 Corinthians 5:17.
- While it is extremely important to repent and pray for forgiveness, list some other things that might be obtained through prayer. Then write about someone you know personally who had an answer to a prayer for one of the items on your list.
- Name some Bible characters who had definite answers to their prayers and tell what the answers were.
- In our text, Jesus gave us two important conditions to successful prayer. What are those conditions?
- During Elijah’s ministry, why did the rain stop falling? See 1 Kings 17:1 and James 5:17.
- Having already received God’s promise of rain, and even after telling Ahab, “there is a sound of abundance of rain,” why did Elijah go to the top of Mount Carmel? Relate what happened there, and describe Elijah’s reaction.
- Perseverance in prayer is important, but what other matter must be kept in mind and heart in order to be successful? See James 4:15.
- If God didn’t answer prayer in this age in which we live, what would be our hope of eternal life?
THEME THOUGHTS
In this day of micro-technology, we should have no difficulty in grasping the concept that small things can be significant. We may feel that we are just one among millions on this earth, but in God’s eyes we are important; and that is the point we wish to convey throughout this quarter. God has a plan for each of us! As we begin our Christian walk, and then continue to grow in His grace, we will want to find out what that plan is, and do our best to follow it. To discover God’s plan for us, we need to communicate with Him. With that thought is mind, this quarter opens with two lessons focusing on prayer. The lessons following those deal with recognizing the call of God and fitting ourselves to be usable in His service. We look at the importance of witnessing to others, and the vital necessity of holding on through hard places. The quarter moves on to a series of lessons on choosing and keeping friends who will not hinder our spiritual growth. The concluding thrust is the importance of staying on the alert, ready at any moment for the Lord’s coming.