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WHAT IS PRAYER?

Text: Exodus 19-20
19 January 2009

WHAT IS PRAYER?

“And Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountains, saying, ‘Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel.'” Exodus 19:3

1. A time of special communion with God

a) Expressive of Moses’ continued desire to commune with God

b) Expressive of Moses’ appreciation of his past communion with God

c) Expressive of Moses’ excellent habit of praying to God

2. A time of special instruction from God

a) From the start prayer instruction was given in the context of communion in prayer

b) This pattern was sustained throughout Moses’ ministry in Egypt

c) It continues to be this prescribed pattern in the context of Moses at Mt. Sinai

3. A time of meaningful preparation for ministry

a) A time of listening

b) A time of learning

c) A time of preparing heart and mind to give further instruction from God
“Thus you shall say… and tell…” Exodus 19:3

4. Problems in our Prayer Life

a) Mere habit

b) Talking to God without listening

c) Little learning value

d) Unmeaningful

e) Of little value

f) Lacklustre

REVIEWING THE PRAYER-LIFE OF MOSES

1. Pre-Ministry in Egypt Exodus 3-4

a) Lessons in Prayer

b) Learning about self

c) Learning about ministry

d) Learning about God

2. Ministry in Egypt Exodus 5-18

a) Learning about difficulties in ministry

b) Learning about leadership

c) Learning about how to handle the power of God

A NEW CHAPTER

1. At Sinai Exodus 19

a) New instructions

b) New lessons

2. Beyond

a) Waiting upon the Lord

b) Learning new lessons