Lisa Wolf

Q1. In what way do our prayers of praise "bless" God? What do we mere humans have that God desires in a blessing? What are prayers like, that don't include blessing God? God loves us and desires our hearts. When we bless God we truly enter into relationship with Him. He is worthy of our worship, honor, and praise. Prayers that do not include blessing God are self-centered, whining, wanting stuff that may, but usually not align with His will. 1 Peter 2:9 reminds us that we are chosen. We are royal. We can proclaim the praises of Him who brought us out of darkness into His marvelous light.

Q4. What does it mean to have a broken heart and spirit? Why is this essential in the prayer for pardon? In what sense is this a "sacrifice"? Why do we tend to resist a "broken and contrite heart" in ourselves? A broken heart and spirit is crushed. To know we moved away from God in our disobedience breaks our hearts when we realize that we have chosen our own darkness. It's essential that we realize this brokenness to pray for pardon because it shows we need a savior--we cannot be holy on our own. A broken spirit is a sacrifice because we feel shame, inadequate, failure and these emotions are not comfortable so we resist feeling this way on purpose.

Q3. Is it possible to have a pure heart? How does God bring about a pure heart? What is our part in this? It is possible to have a pure heart because of the Holy Spirit. When we accept Christ, Scripture tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:17(NIV) that we are a new creation. Like David, we can ask God to create a pure heart in us. He is the author and finisher of our faith according to Hebrews12:2 (NKJV)...what He begins, He completes.

Q2. In his prayer does David seek to minimize his sins? To maximize them? Why does an authentic prayer for pardon require clear, unvarnished acknowledgement of sin to be effective? It seems through his words here that David realized the depth of depravity he reached through these sins. When the prophet Nathan told David the story, David was repulsed by that man--he wanted him put to death. When he realized the horrible person was himself, David acknowledged sin as complete absence of God's Presence. From that moment David knew that sin against our brother was sin against God. [God reinforced this to us on Paul's road to Damascus..."Saul, Saul why do you persecute Me?]

Q1. In what way does a prayer for pardon require faith? What is that faith based on? How does a person gain the faith to pray this prayer in confidence? If someone is asked for pardon, the bottom line is that the asked has a character worthy of being asked that question and the assumption that the asked may actually pardon. Faith is that understanding of the character of God and how He has acted through history. Knowing God. [So many verses, but Psalm 18 reveals a lot of His character on this theme] Knowing what Jesus did on the cross. [Colossians 2:13-15] Knowing the Word of God gives me the assurance that God forgives. [1John 1:9, Hebrews 4:14-16]

Q4. In what way does Abraham show persistence? Why is persistence necessary in prayer? Have you ever experienced "praying through"? What was it like? Abraham shoes persistence in prayer by continuing to ask again and again--the same question with a smaller and smaller number of people to be spared by God. Persistence is necessary in prayer because relationship is not instant. Praying through -- yes. Shortly after I accepted Christ as a teenager, my cousin was born. I prayed for his salvation and prayed and prayed--he accepted Christ at age 40. His mom, my aunt because of his testimony...at age 80!!! Don't give up. Currently my husband has been in debilitating back pain for a month. PRAYING. Not giving up. God Hears.

Q3. Do you think Abraham's boldness pleased God? Why or why not? What might cause God to take delight in your prayers to him? Yes, I think God was pleased with Abraham because God seeks relationship with us. Abraham's request displays his understanding that God wanted a relationship with him due to his not offering childishly to do something in return for favor. Abraham knew that God was righteous, faithful, and holy--that God sought relationship with people who were the same and would not destroy those striving to live His way. Exactly this, pursuing God, desiring His character stamped into my life, seeking to understand Him deeply these things make Him more real to me. I think God delights in all prayers to Him. All.

Q2. How did Abraham demonstrate his humility before God? Why must boldness be tempered with humility? Each of the sections of scripture you quoted during the lesson demonstrates Abraham's humility toward God: "Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the LORD, though I am nothing but dust and ashes...." (18:27) "May the LORD not be angry, but let me speak...." (18:30) "Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the LORD...." (18:31) "May the LORD not be angry, but let me speak just once more...." (18:32) Boldness on our part must be tempered with humility on our part because GOD is GOD. He is In-Charge. He is Sovereign. His Will is Holy and RIGHTEOUS because He IS. As much as Abraham wanted to protect his nephew, He trusted GOD more.

Q1. What is the basis of Abraham's argument that God should spare Sodom? How does it relate to God's character? In Genesis 18:25 Abraham says to God, "Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?” This is the basis of Abraham"s argument that God should spare Sodom. It relates to GOD's character because GOD IS the Judge of all the earth. Abraham knows this and appeals to Him. He has seen God offer mercy--for example when Abraham saved Lot from the kings that had attacked him. He knows God's character is Righteous and appeals to this aspect of His character as well.

Q4. How can prayer change God's mind without conflicting with the doctrine of the Immutability of God? Can God answer a prayer for something outside of the scope of his will? God is so much bigger than our finite brains can grasp. I praise Him that He has put eternity in our hearts! Eccl. 3:11 It is impossible to fathom God. Can God answer a prayer for something outside the scope of His will--certainly: NO is an answer. Prayer is relationship. As we know God more, we understand more of the depth of His character as well as having our hearts transformed by His Word and His Spirit. We can wrestle and petition in prayer until He makes clear His plan--through the answer we wanted or through changing us to see as He sees.

Q3. How can a wrong understanding of determinism and predestination keep us from the kind of gutsy prayer that Moses prayed? What do you call a belief that our prayers make no difference to God's response? If we believe that God has predetermined every action thought and happening, it leaves us with a rather fatalistic approach to faith. Why bother to know God? He is not in a dynamic relationship with us in this viewpoint...He does whatever he wants and we are nothing. In spite of the fact that He DID make man from the dust (nothing?)He pursues relationship with us. He wants us to want to be in love with Him. He wants relationship with us at our very best and our very worst and everything in between. While we were sinners Christ died for us. Rom 5:8 and yet He prepares incredible things for us, What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him, 1 Cor. 2: 9 Further, He charges us with work in Matt. 28:19: Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them... He plans relationship with us and prayer is part of that relationship.

Q2. What aspects of Moses' prayer of intercession should we emulate in our own prayers? Upon what logical grounds does Moses offer this bold appeal to God? What do you think it means to "pray the promises of God"? How does knowing the Bible help you get your prayers answered? How does this help our prayers be within God's will? We should emulate all aspects of Moses' prayer: he identified the people as God's own. He reminded God of His reputation among the other people groups; he reminded God of His promises, character, and mercy. These are all logical grounds for Moses' bold appeal to God because Moses communicated face to face with God as with a friend--Moses knew GOD! What a reminder it is to me to get to KNOW GOD! Knowing His Promises, His Character, His Righteousness, His Mercy, and what He did long ago helps me to understand His faithfulness always. "Praying the Promises" means we know GOD'S Word and learn the promises He makes therein so that we can pray in accord with His Will. God always answers although sometimes it takes a very long time of wrestling with unanswered prayer on our end. He does respond: yes / no / wait. Faith means His Will be done, not my own.

Read Exodus 32:1-14. What had the people done that was so bad? How can a loving God be angry? Is God's sentence to destroy Israel and raise up a new nation through Moses justified? God is Holy. God is Just. God is opposed to sin. Therefore, He was angry at this people who created a god other than Himself. He alone brought the people out of Egypt, but they did not see or understand that it was He - the One True God - that provided their miracle. His sentence to destroy Israel and raise up a new nation through Moses was certainly justified.

Jesus did do an amazing thing for us humans when He taught us to pray: "Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us." WOW. He put humans in the driver's seat on allowing forgiveness. I have prayed that prayer you mentioned - make me able to forgive. I agree, the people who do not know well are not so difficult to forgive. But betrayal...that is difficult. Whenever we don't forgive, we permit evil to have a toehold, foothold, stranglehold in our lives which brings darkness in. By humbly asking for help, His LIGHT can shine in(Psalm 139:11-12)and we allow the Lord to be about His business of transformation--transforming me.

Q3. Why do we seek to be independent of asking anyone for help? Why do we seek to be independent of God? Why should we ask God to "give" us daily bread so long as we can earn a living for ourselves? Really good questions. I think our independence and self-on-the-throne stems waaaaay back in Genesis when satan told Eve that we would be like God if we ate of the forbidden fruit. That is a deeply rooted ugly scourge of humanity. I contrast that with the people who hold their hands out in entitlement expecting others to give them whatever it is the beggar wants and then steal whatever is not given. Both attitudes deny God His role as provider. I appreciate your reminder that our jobs and livelihood is from Him. Recently He provided for my husband and I in an unforeseen way--we bought a new build house. Due to supply issues it was not ready until more than a year after purchase. Meanwhile the house we were selling went up SO MUCH in price we were able to move with no financial need for a mortgage. Only GOD could orchestrate that. We are grateful.

Q2. In what sense are we asking that the Father's kingdom should come? Why are we asking for the Father's will to be done here on earth? How should this prayer affect our living? We are asking the Father's Kingdom come because we have read the end of the Book, and we know it will be a glorious Kingdom. He revealed glimpses of that glory to us through Jesus and through the prophets. We ask His will to be done on earth because once the Spirit of the Living God lives within us, we can begin to understand the incredibleness of our Lord and truly how He works all things for good (Romans 8:28). His ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:9)[Can you imagine a place filled with love for one another??] and this prayer impacts us in wanting to know those higher ways--in wanting to live so that people can tell we are filled with God's love for them.

What about our lives and words "hallows" the name of our Father? What desecrates and besmirches it? How should we "hallow" the Father when we begin to pray? The respect, love, and awe we hold in our hearts for God that shows through in our actions and words lifts God to His Holy place and allows His Holiness to shield us by His Spirit and transform our minds and hearts to even consider being Holy as He is Holy. So many things besmirch His Holiness--any time I deny the power of the Word of God and blaze my own trail away from Him to even thinking a diminishing thought about another human. As we begin to pray, we need to bow our hearts before the Living, Holy God so that we might listen to Him, truly enjoy His Presence and hear Him.