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Q1. (1:17-18). What do you learn from Paul's manner of prayer for the Ephesian believers? Pray continually and pray pacific prayers. I don

Why is a revelation of "his incomparably great power for us who believe" essential to a vital faith? First we must believe that God has this great power. The Greek word for power is dunamis this is where we get the word dynamite. God does have the power. When Jesus ascended to the Father he said he would give us his power plus some. The key word here for us is believe. Do we really believe. I think this applies to most believers

What is the result in prayer and faith if believers think that God is poverty-stricken? How can you expect to get help from someone you think is no better off then your self? Your prayers are really just empty words if you don

Q2. (1:18) How has your Christian "hope" changed your way of living? For me hope is the assurance of things I can

Why did he ask his disciples to pray? He knew that they would be tempted by the devil and his evil plans.He also knew that no person could resist the devil on his own. The only way that a person can resist the evil plan of the devil is to pray to the Father that He would intervene on their behalf. What temptation did Jesus know they would be facing? They would lie saying they did not know Jesus. They would have doubts that Jesus was the son of God. What was the content of their prayer to be? Not to be lead away by the temptation. Did they actually pray this prayer diligently? They may have prayed the pray but with not as much conviction as what Christ was praying. How does the Lord's Prayer word this kind of prayer? 13And lead us not into temptation,but deliver us from the evil one.' Why do you think Jesus wanted to be alone during his own prayer? He wanted quite time with the Father. How could he hear what the Father had to say to him if he was not quite before the Father.

Why did Jesus pray that the Father take the cup from him? He knows what was going to happen the next day and in his humanity he wanted not part of the beating and the crucifixion. In his divinity he also know what it would be like to take on the sins of all the people of the world. According to Mark and Matthew, Jesus repeated this prayer three times. Why was he so intense about it? Put your self in the place of Jesus and what would you do if you know that you were going to have to endure the beating and the cross. Try watching the movie The Passion of Christ and put your self in the place of Jesus. What would your prayer be like the day before you were to endure all of the pain? Please Father isn

When Jesus prayed "not my will, but yours be done," was the Father pleased? Yes Why is the Father not pleased when we are passive and uncaring and dispassionate in our prayers that his will be done? The Father does not want robots. He created us with a desire and a mind of our own. He wanted people to submit to Him not to be just yes-men. A true disciple sits at the feet of the master loving the guidance and instruction he receives from the master. When we pray we need to bring our desires and cares to the Father. Then we are to sit quietly and listen to the desires of the Father. If we bring nothing we receive nothing. What is required for us to pray the prayer of submission with authenticity? We need to understand relationship between the Father and us. He is God we are not. We are the servants He is the master. He is holy and we are nothing but retched sinners with out Jesus the savior He provided for us.

Did Jesus get "special treatment" because he was the Son of God to have angels help and strengthen him in his spiritual struggle? No I think we get the same help if we ask the Father. The Guide Post publication Angles on Earth tells stories of how Angles have visited and touched people around the world.

What danger is Nehemiah in? He could lose his head for his request. Why does he pray quickly and silently before he answers the king? He is asking God if this is the right thing to say and the right time to say it. We need to do this in all situations we are placed in. How does this quick "arrow prayer" relate to the four months of prayer he has just finished? When you have a relationship with the Father where you are talking back and forth, then you can come quickly to God and ask an arrow type prayer. What do you think God. You can

Does God place his people in strategic positions today in the community, in business, in the military, in government? Our life in Christ might be planned for just one thing in your lifetime. Queen Ester

What is the basis of Nehemiah's appeal? Nehemiah prays to God that He would do what is written in His Holy Word. How does he argue his case before God? He argues his case as a servant. He is asking that the master hear the request of the servants. He says to God that he has already put much effort into these servants why would he not continue to work in their lives now that they have returned to Him in prayer. What do we learn from this about intercession? We are also servants of God. He has invested much in our lives. He sent Son to die for us so we could be redeemed and have fellowship with the Father. If he has invested this much in us why would he not answer our prayers for revival? His desire is that none would perish. 2 Chronicles 7:14: "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." We must be humble, repent of all sins, and pray. We must spend enough time in prayer with the Father that we have a relationship with Him. We go to prayer in faith but as we spend extended time in prayer our faith is expanded so our prayers are fervent. Then we will get answers. I think this is what Nehemiah did. I love to read about the faith of the old saints. A great book is E. M. Bounds on Prayer by E. M. Bounds. My you spend much quality with the Father today and every day.

Why does Nehemiah pray day and night for four months? I think he prays until he gets an answer to his prayer. His answer is to go to the king and ask to go to Jerusalem and help to rebuild the walls and gates of the city Why does he fast and weep? Isn't that excessive? God wants us to pray with passion and commitment. God is all powerfull and we need to be in awe before Him. The phrase, "great and awesome God" is striking. As mentioned in our study of Daniel 9:4, "awesome" (NIV, NRSV) or "terrible" (KJV) is y

What was Daniel's essential prayer? What are the various grounds of Daniel's appeal? How did God answer the prayer (see Daniel 9:20-23)? My favorite verse is 2 Chronicles 7:14: "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." I think Daniel modeled this verse in his life of prayer. He was willing to take the sins of the Israelites upon himself. He came humbly before his God in sackcloth and ashes. He asks that the prayer be answer based on the Word of God. He asked for God's glory to be showen. God answered his prayer

Since Daniel is such a righteous man in his generation, why does he identify himself with the sins of his people? In Norman Grubb's book Intercessor about Rees Howells, Rees Howells is praying and asking God for healing for a women that has TB. After much time in prayer the Lord asks Rees if he is willing to take the TB in is own body so the women can be healed he is taken back by the request. Rees spent the night in prayer and in the morning he said to the Lord he is willing to be given the TB so the women can be healed. The Lord heals the woman and he gets the symptoms of TB but dose not get the sickness. He asks the Lord why this happened the Lord says to him that he wanted to know if he was really serious about his request for healing for the women. This happen again and again in his life but Rees Howells life was one of answered prayer. I think if you want to be a prayer intercessor you must be willing to take on the sins or the sickness of the person or persons you are praying for. After I came to this realization my prayer life has changed. If I am ask to pray for someone or something I now may say no because I can only pray for one or two things at a time. Prayer intersection takes time and concentration. How does this compare to how Jesus sought forgiveness for his people? He took the sins of the world on his shoulders and took those sins and nailed them to the cross. This cost him his life. He did this for us before anyone ever asked for forgiveness of his or her sins.

What is Daniel's demeanor as he prays? I will quote Pastor Ralph The seriousness of the prayer is expressed by the phrase, "in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes." Fasting was a way to humble oneself before God. Sackcloth was a sign of mourning and with ashes "symbolized the penitence with which Daniel came to represent his people before the Lord." Why is this so important in this case? It is all ways important when we come to he Lord in prayer In what ways might you and I prepare for intercession? We sometimes say prayer doesn

What encourages Daniel to seek God for the forgiveness and restoration of Israel to its homeland? He has spent time studying the Word of the Lord (the scriptures) and he knows what they said. What trait on Daniel's part brings this encouragement to pass? Repentant prayer form him for his people.

Why is this prayer of surrender to God so difficult to pray? We want to be in control of our lives. We know we are sinful. By saying this prayer we are asking for the refining fire. Who in their right mind would ask for trials? The answer is no one in the flesh. Our flesh wants comfort and peace. I think we are put on this earth for one reason and one reason only and that is to train our spirit to praise and worship God. So pray this pray often and endure the refining fire so you can grow to be more Christ like every day. I am convinced that we as humans are lazy and will not grow with out trials. If you pray this prayer is there risks? Not God says he will not give you more then you can with stand and Look what God says about David. A man after my own heart. When was the first time you prayed this kind of prayer to God? About 2 years ago. What was the result? The trials were unbelievable. But I am so glad that I am now growing in the Lord. I just pray that I wont be so hard headed in the future and I will learn to grow with out so much resistance. Can a person be a genuine disciple without praying this kind of prayer? No. You can be a Christian in name only. But if you want to be a disciple you must ask for the searchlight of truth to be shined on your life. The sooner and more willing you submit to the guidance of the Lord in your life the easier the trials may be So pray "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." O Lord give me clean hands and a pure heart

How does an awareness of God's involvement in your prenatal development meant to encourage you? God chose your parents He chose you

In verses 5 and 10, how does God's hand touch the psalmist? "You hem me in -- behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me." (139:5) In this verse I think David feels the pressure of the inability of sinful man to walk in a sinless relationship with the father. He is thinking about the flesh not the spirit. 10even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast." (139:10) In this verse I think David feels the loving guidance of the Holly Spirit on his life. By following this guidance at the end of his life God will say this is a man after God

(139:7) Why do people sometimes want to flee from God? You either want the light of truth of God to shine on your life or you want to hide from His light . If you are hiding from His light you are coveting your sins and you want keep on sinning. You love your sinful life style more then you love God. My daily prayer is Lord give me clean hands and a pure heart. Why do people imagine that God doesn't know what they do? I find when I go down a path of sinful behavior that the Devil convinces me that I am doing nothing wrong. Only when I run into the brick wall and get the bloody nose do I say O God what was I doing.? Then when I turn and look back and repent I can see how the little thing I did that were not of God but of my own flesh, and lead me to the wreck at the brick wall. Then I see how I let the Devil deceived me

How can prayer change God's mind without conflicting with the doctrine of the Immutability of God? After having do much praying and study I believe that it is wrong to think that we change God

What is the basis on which Hezekiah asks for healing? "Remember, O LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes." He says he has been faithful and devoted to the Lord. He then asks the Lord for healing. Why is personal righteousness and holiness important in getting your prayers answered? The bible says so. "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective" (James 5:16b). How can unrighteousness prevent answered prayer if all gifts from God are by grace anyway? If you are unrighteous then you are walking on a path that is not the direction the Lord would have for your life. Why should he bless you if you are making wrong choices in your life? Mistakes repented of are forgiven but rebellion is not. But what about grace? I can not answer this like Dietrich Bonhoeffer does in his book The Cost of Discipleship so my suggestion is to get this book and read the chapter on grace. He gives a view of costly grace that is amazing and so deep that it has had a great impact on my life. I will just say that grace is not cheep like we see in the churches of America today. Following is two quotes from Bonhoeffer

Why is Hezekiah's healing important for his nation? When a nation is at war, strong and consistent leadership is necessary. If Hezekiah dies, turmoil could result. How did it relate to God's promises to David? God promised David that his line would always set on the throne as king. Hezekiah does not have a son to continue that line.

How do the first two sentences of Hezekiah's prayer (verse 15) correspond to the first sentence of the Lord's Prayer? He is give honor and praise to the Father. This set the relationship between him and the Father in the right order. God is to be high and lifted up and Hezekiah is humbled. How are they important to faith? To have great faith we need to have a view of God that he is all powerful. Also that he has a loving plan for our lives that is better then anything we could come up with on our own. Then we can easily submit to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. How are they important to God answering the prayer? God says to come boldly to throne. How can anyone have bold prayer if they have small faith or a week view of who God is?

What is the significance of Hezekiah spreading out the enemy's message before the Lord? He is saying, Lord look what this guy says about you. What are you going to do? God you make the decisions and I will just do what you tell me to do. Not my will but yours O Lord What is the underlying principle illustrated here? God is the commander and chief and we are just the servants of the Lord How can we apply this principle to our own lives? Bring everything to God in prayer. Then spend quite time with the Lord so he can speak to us through the Holy Spirit. What happens when we don't apply this principle? We take control and try to do things by our own ability. Then it becomes all about us.