Prayer, Schaeffer on the Biggest Problem, and Prayer Journal Benefits
Welcome back to The Think Institute Newsletter. Every week, you get an idea from me, a quote from somebody else, and something for you to think about.
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AN IDEA FROM ME
Prayer is a command, a privilege, and a source of power for the Christian. It would be enough for us simply to know that Jesus Christ, who is God in the flesh, maintained a robust prayer life, but publicly and in private (Matthew Luke 5:16; 26:39). As His followers, we ought to imitate Him, and likewise pray as He prayed. Yet Scripture has much more to say about prayer.
We are instructed to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18) and to “be constant in prayer” (Romans 12:12). We are told to pray about our anxieties (Philippians 4:6).
In his model prayer, Jesus teaches us to pray what one preacher called the “Five P’s”: God’s Praise (“hallowed by your name”), God’s Purpose (“your kingdom come, your will be done”), God’s Provision (“give us this day our daily bread”), God’s Pardon (“forgive us our sins”) and God’s Protection (“deliver us from evil”) (cf. Matthew 6:9–13).
Paul tells us to pray for “all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life…” (1 Timothy 2:1–2). We are to pray for one another (James 5:16), for wisdom (James 1:5), and for mercy and grace for ourselves (Hebrews 4:16). Furthermore, we are to pray for successful evangelism (Matthew 9:38; Ephesians 6:19–20).
There is plenty to pray for, in both our personal lives and in the world around us. Let’s make prayer a priority in 2024. Who’s in?
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Cultivating a habit of daily prayer is hard work, but good work. I recommend the PrayerMate app to help. They aren’t sponsors; I just really appreciate this app.
A QUOTE FROM SOMEBODY ELSE
“The central problem of our age is not liberalism or modernism, nor the old Roman Catholicism or the new Roman Catholicism, nor the threat of communism, nor even the threat of rationalism and the monolithic consensus which surrounds us. All these are dangerous but not the primary threat. The real problem is this: the church of the Lord Jesus Christ, individually corporately, tending to do the Lord’s work in the power of the flesh rather than of the Spirit. The central problem is always in the midst of the people of God, not in the circumstances surrounding them.”
—Francis Schaeffer
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Francis Schaeffer was one of the most important thinkers of the 20th Century and a huge influence on me. Watch this video where I explain one of his most important ideas, to help you defend your faith.
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
God is always answering prayers and meeting our needs, but we might not always notice—or remember! A prayer journal helps you keep track of how the Lord is answering your prayers. It is a blessing to be able to look back on the prayer requests you have had, and to recall how the Lord has provided for you throughout your life. After you are gone, your prayer journal can also be something really powerful and tangible for your children and descendents to cherish. How amazing would it be, if one day you discovered your grandfather’s old prayer journal in the attic? There are so many good reasons to keep a prayer journal. If you’re not keeping one now, this might be something to think about picking up in the new year.
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Our free resource, New Year Devos, has 22 days of devotionals for you to do with your family. Each one has a very brief prayer prompt, encouraging you to thank God, seek forgiveness, believe, love, etc. Click here to check it out.
In Christ,
Joel Settecase
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P. S. We recently dropped the monthly cost of our learning fellowship, the Hammer & Anvil Society. The new course on Family Discipleship starts soon, and it’s only available to members. So if you’re thinking about joining, now’s your chance. Tap here to learn more about it.