#17 “The Discipline of Prayer”

(Pt. 1)

“For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant,

but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those

who have been trained by it.”

Hebrews 12:11

English Standard Version (ESV)

Discipline, a word most of us don’t like to hear. Why? Mainly because we know that it will require some level of suffering and our body instinctively resist any form of self denial. Have you ever told yourself that you were going to start do something tomorrow; only to find that tomorrow sometime takes forever to come? The truth is that tomorrow still comes as always, but we lack the discipline to follow through with our plans. Let me say for the record that there are many forms of discipline; we are not talking about the discipline of correction, although all discipline has its origin from this root word. So what is discipline? Well let’s talk about what The Discipline of Prayer is not. It is not the discipline of punishment, instruction or correction in the since that someone else is enforcing it over you. Yet it is all of the above, but it is done by choice, not under duress; therefore it is called "self-discipline."

What did the apostle Paul said about discipline, “I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified." Why did he say this? Because, Paul knew that living solely by our sinful nature, would cost us our lives. Look at the people who are living wild and selfish lifestyles; they may look as though thet're having, in fact they are; however, their days are numbered, so to speak. Why, because their reckless and abandon lifestyles will eventually kill them if they don't change. Whether it is death from drug overdose or liver failure from excessive drinking or lung cancer for prolonged smoking or maybe death for some STD contracted during unprotected sexual activity. Nevertheless, it could eventually cause their death. Apostal Paul knew, that he must discipline (control) his body or he too would end up disobey the commandments of God.

So then what is the "Discipline of Prayer?" Let’s look at it this way, if prayer is the catalyses, which propels us forward into our spirituals life; then prayer is the most central component of our Christian experience or life. Why, because it escort us into uninterrupted communion with our Heavenly Father. There are three main components to continual communion with God,

1. Meditation - deals with the inner man helping to bring it into balance, peacefulness and calm.
2. Fasting – helps to subdue the cravings of the body, long enough for you to seek the face of God.
3. Studying Gods Word – helps to transform the mind, renewing it daily this is why we call it daily prayer or devotions.

The discipline or Prayer helps to usher us towards a deeper more heighten level of communion with God. True pray in and of its self is a source of life and has the power to completely altering our lives. William Carey once said, “Prayer – secret, fervent, believing prayer – lies at the root of all personal godliness,” is this true? Well James 5:16b says, ”The Effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” Therefore, prayer can be both secret and fervent; but it undoubtedly must be” believing”; for herein lies the very core of our personal devotion to God. The interesting thing about daily devotion to prayer is that it will change you completely through and through. I’m leery of people who can walk out of their prayer time before the Father, still brandishing nasty dispositions or temperaments.

The book of Psalms tells us in "You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” I struggle to comprehend how someone can walk out of the mist of "fullness of joy and pleasure" and still act unpleasant and disagreeable with those they come into contact with? So where is the residue from being in God’s presence? Can any one walk into a smoke filled room and not walk out smelling of smoke? How then can a person that gets up early to pray for 2-3 hours in the morning, reverts back to their same mean and hatful behavior once they walk out of their prayer closet… can we say, “Huston we have a problem?” Clearly, there is a disconnect somewhere in that line of communication, between them and God. If we enter into the presence of “Fullness of JOY” at the right hand of God wherein lies pleasures forever more… what happened to the evermore? Did it drop off at the door? Well, join me here tomorrow to find out.

My Prayer— heavenly father as w enter into this study of the “Discipline of Prayer” help us to see the transforming nature of daily devotion with you. We ask you to begin the inner work of renewing our minds as we study Your word and seek Your face. We want to be transform by Your word so that we will conform to the ways of the flesh and this world. Like Paul we want to bring our bodies under subjection to your will and plan for our lives, teach us daily as we come before your presence, instruct us in Your will, in Jesus’ name we pray Amen!

See you here tomorrow until then,

Have a blessed day…go in God’s Peace!

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