Sword & Trowel 2016: Issue 1 2
Prayer also makes us deeply aware of God’s goodness.
Whenever we repent, we taste his forgiving love, and when we cry out for deliverance or light in some trial, he intervenes and helps us, leaving us in wonder at his kindness. If such blessings were given without our en- gaging in prayer, we would not truly appreciate his goodness and power.
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Prayer also brings believers into fellowship or interaction with
God. Would we fellowship much in conversation with the Lord if we did not need to ask for our blessings?
Prayer teaches us about our privileged position as believers.
What greater privilege can there be than to have access to a mighty God who is willing to be prevailed upon by his people! We may have no power of audience with the great ones of this world, and even if we had, there is little likelihood that we
CHINESE LITERATURE
F
URTHER titles of Dr Masters
have been granted offi cial consents for Chinese editions in recent months. Government
monitored barcodes have now been given for God’s Rules for Holiness – Unlocking the Ten Commandments, and What You Should Know About Your Conscience (a book of
collected booklets including – The Rebellious Years, Your Reasonable Service for the Lord, and Should Christians Drink?)
Remedies for Problems in Prayer page 15
could infl uence them. Yet we may go to the King of kings and Lord of lords, and be effi caciously heard.
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Prayer, like nothing else, and in the kindest way, teaches us our limitations and inadequacy. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve wanted independence, believing that God was withholding from them powers and insight which would en- able them to succeed without him. Through prayer God trains us to go in the opposite direction, and to see our need of him in everything.
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Prayer also helps to deliver us from pride. If churches fi lled up without prayer, preachers would think very highly of themselves and take all the credit. If we could live holy lives, or accomplish anything of substance without prayer, conceit would drown us. Prayer main- tains our perspective and keeps us humble.
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