Lessons from the School of Prayer

Class is back in session.

The first five principles from Dr. Carson:

Much praying is not done because we don't plan to pray.
Adopt practical ways to impede mental drift.
At various periods in your life, develop, if possible, a prayer-partner relationship.
Choose models, but choose them well.
Develop a system for your prayer lists.

Number six may be the most important in the list.

Mingle praise, confession, and intercession; but when you intercede, try to tie as many requests as possible to Scripture.

It's that last phrase that impresses me as potentially vaulting this principle to the top of the list.

He writes:

Prayer is his ordained means of conveying his blessings to his people. That means we must pray according to his will, in line with his values, in conformity with his own character and purposes, claiming his own promises. Practically speaking, how do we do that?

Where shall we learn the will of God, the values of God, the character and purposes of God, the promises of God? We shall learn such things in the Scriptures he has graciously given us. But that means that when we pray, when we ask God for things, we must try to tie as many requests as possible to Scripture. That is an immensely practical step.

Ever since my planning week in Idaho back in May, the Lord has helped me pray through the flock every week, a certain portion each day. One of my requests for our people always involves praying back to God a verse or two from His word.

An immensely practical step indeed.