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    Prayer Bible Study Participant's Guide: Six Sessions on Our Relationship with God
    Prayer Bible Study Participant's Guide: Six Sessions on Our Relationship with God
    Prayer Bible Study Participant's Guide: Six Sessions on Our Relationship with God
    Ebook90 pages1 hour

    Prayer Bible Study Participant's Guide: Six Sessions on Our Relationship with God

    By Philip Yancey

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    About this ebook

    In this six-session study, award-winning author Philip Yancey probes the very heartbeat—the most fundamental, challenging, perplexing, and deeply rewarding aspect—of our relationship with God: prayer. What is prayer? How does it work? And more importantly, does it work? In theory, prayer is the essential human act, a priceless point of contact between us and the God of the universe. In practice, prayer is often frustrating, confusing, and fraught with mystery. Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference? is an exploration of the mysterious intersection where God and humans meet and relate. Designed for use with the video.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherZondervan
    Release dateJun 5, 2013
    ISBN9780310692256
    Prayer Bible Study Participant's Guide: Six Sessions on Our Relationship with God
    Author

    Philip Yancey

    Philip Yancey previously served as editor-at-large for Christianity Today magazine. He has written thirteen Gold Medallion Award-winning books and won two ECPA Book of the Year awards, for What's So Amazing About Grace? and The Jesus I Never Knew. Four of his books have sold over one million copies. He lives with his wife in Colorado. Learn more at philipyancey.com.

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    Reviews for Prayer Bible Study Participant's Guide

    4/5

    183 ratings13 reviews

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    • 4/5
      The most important, encouraging thought I take from reading this book is that prayer is coming into the presence of God. Keep it honest, keep it simple, keep it up. God already knows our true feelings. He can handle our anger, frustrations, sadness, joy, confusion, excitement, etc.
    • 5/5
      A truly wonderful and powerful book; everyone should read this.
    • 1/5
      I started Philip Yancey's Prayer: Does it Make Any Difference? with high expectations. Several years ago I read his book The Jesus I Never Knew, and liked it tolerably. And Prayer had been recommended by a friend. Well, I didn't even get halfway through. Yancey's theology is very, very shaky. The problems start early on, when Yancey says that he doesn't believe God "personally programs" every lightning bolt (19). There are only two logical deductions from this belief; either God is not powerful enough to direct every atom in the universe (i.e., there are things beyond His control), or He is unconcerned with details like that. In either case, there is another power in the universe — random chance — that *does* direct those lightning bolts. The Bible is clear that God is indeed powerful enough to direct everything in the universe, and He cares enough to do so. The book of Job is poetic, but it makes several references to God sending lightning bolts as He pleases (chapter 36). The point is that God is totally sovereign over everything in nature. And most Christians are familiar with the passage in Matthew 10 where Jesus says that not a sparrow falls to the ground but that God sees it. He is intimately involved in His creation.It is appalling that a well-known pop theologian like Yancey has not thought through the implications of beliefs like that. What it really boils down to is a small view of God. This is shown several pages later, where Yancey says "By trying to be strong, I might even block God's power" (36). Block God's power? God can't work His will because we decide to get in His way? Our wills are stronger than His? Is Yancey really saying that we puny humans can thwart the Creator-God of the universe so easily? Wow. Yancey also misuses the verse about God's desire that none should perish, a common mistake of Arminian theologians. It is II Peter 3:9 which is addressed to the church, not the world at large. Yancey's tiny, inadequate view of God is chronic and permeates everything he has to say about prayer. He cites Ray Anderson, another theologian who argues that Jesus did not know that Judas was going to betray Him (82). Supposedly this tells us about the uncertainty of prayer — ? Then Yancey goes on to talk about Jesus knowing that Peter would betray Him, as evidenced by His prayer in Luke 22. So Jesus knew Peter would betray Him, but He didn't know Judas would? I really don't understand how Yancey gets away with illogic like this! I was further sickened by Yancey's over-emphasis on God's so-called "respect for human freedom" (85). Did God respect Israel's freedom when He chose them to be His people and bear the hatred of the rest of the world? No, it was a done deal when God made the choice, not when Israel did. In fact, Israel never did choose to be chosen! Did God respect Job's freedom to decide if he wanted to suffer like that or not? What about Abraham? What about Paul? Yancey writes, "The Lord of the universe becomes so small, so freedom-respecting as to put himself somehow at our mercy. Words fail to capture the enormity of descent when a sovereign God takes up residence in a person and says, in effect, "Don't hurt me. Don't push me away" (85). Faugh. This is not the God of the Bible. It's pathetic. I only got about ninety pages into this book before I threw it down in angry disgust. The typos I caught were just insult added to injury. The only good things were the quotes from other authors; some were quite thought provoking. But then Yancey would go and include some inane testimony of a random person talking about how it's hard to concentrate while praying. *sigh*Yancey, I may have appreciated The Jesus I Never Knew seven or eight years ago, but I doubt I would now. A small view of God affects every corner of a person's theology... and there are too many good theologians out there to waste time on the confused ones. Thanks, but no thanks.
    • 4/5
      Excellent - this covers just about every possible aspect of praying. A little heavy in places - I could only read a few pages at a time, so it took me some weeks to get through it. But very thorough, with some good anecdotes interspersed. Definitely recommended to anyone wanting to know more about praying.
    • 5/5
      One thing about Yancey is that he is not afraid to share the struggles he has experienced in his prayer life. This proves to be very useful in that you can find encouragement in the way he was able to work through it all. He writes an excellent book that will strengthen your prayer life. This work is much longer than the other books I have suggested, but it is well worth the read. 352 pages.
    • 4/5
      Substance: Yancey writes from the perspeective of a knowledgeable layman who has researched the subject in depth both academically and in personal interviews. He separates pious hype from sceptical disdain to give a solid view of how prayer operates in people's lives. With a different doctrinal perspective, he could have reached even more meaningful conclusions. Worth reading.Style: Yancey is very personable and easy to read, without being juvenile or condescending.
    • 1/5
      I started Philip Yancey's Prayer: Does it Make Any Difference? with high expectations. Several years ago I read his book The Jesus I Never Knew, and liked it tolerably. And Prayer had been recommended by a friend. Well, I didn't even get halfway through. Yancey's theology is very, very shaky. The problems start early on, when Yancey says that he doesn't believe God "personally programs" every lightning bolt (19). There are only two logical deductions from this belief; either God is not powerful enough to direct every atom in the universe (i.e., there are things beyond His control), or He is unconcerned with details like that. In either case, there is another power in the universe — random chance — that *does* direct those lightning bolts. The Bible is clear that God is indeed powerful enough to direct everything in the universe, and He cares enough to do so. The book of Job is poetic, but it makes several references to God sending lightning bolts as He pleases (chapter 36). The point is that God is totally sovereign over everything in nature. And most Christians are familiar with the passage in Matthew 10 where Jesus says that not a sparrow falls to the ground but that God sees it. He is intimately involved in His creation.It is appalling that a well-known pop theologian like Yancey has not thought through the implications of beliefs like that. What it really boils down to is a small view of God. This is shown several pages later, where Yancey says "By trying to be strong, I might even block God's power" (36). Block God's power? God can't work His will because we decide to get in His way? Our wills are stronger than His? Is Yancey really saying that we puny humans can thwart the Creator-God of the universe so easily? Wow. Yancey also misuses the verse about God's desire that none should perish, a common mistake of Arminian theologians. It is II Peter 3:9 which is addressed to the church, not the world at large. Yancey's tiny, inadequate view of God is chronic and permeates everything he has to say about prayer. He cites Ray Anderson, another theologian who argues that Jesus did not know that Judas was going to betray Him (82). Supposedly this tells us about the uncertainty of prayer — ? Then Yancey goes on to talk about Jesus knowing that Peter would betray Him, as evidenced by His prayer in Luke 22. So Jesus knew Peter would betray Him, but He didn't know Judas would? I really don't understand how Yancey gets away with illogic like this! I was further sickened by Yancey's over-emphasis on God's so-called "respect for human freedom" (85). Did God respect Israel's freedom when He chose them to be His people and bear the hatred of the rest of the world? No, it was a done deal when God made the choice, not when Israel did. In fact, Israel never did choose to be chosen! Did God respect Job's freedom to decide if he wanted to suffer like that or not? What about Abraham? What about Paul? Yancey writes, "The Lord of the universe becomes so small, so freedom-respecting as to put himself somehow at our mercy. Words fail to capture the enormity of descent when a sovereign God takes up residence in a person and says, in effect, "Don't hurt me. Don't push me away" (85). Faugh. This is not the God of the Bible. It's pathetic. I only got about ninety pages into this book before I threw it down in angry disgust. The typos I caught were just insult added to injury. The only good things were the quotes from other authors; some were quite thought provoking. But then Yancey would go and include some inane testimony of a random person talking about how it's hard to concentrate while praying. *sigh*Yancey, I may have appreciated The Jesus I Never Knew seven or eight years ago, but I doubt I would now. A small view of God affects every corner of a person's theology... and there are too many good theologians out there to waste time on the confused ones. Thanks, but no thanks.
    • 2/5
      Yancey raises many questions but he answers very few of them. "Prayer" strikes me more as a literary critical work than as an experimental work. For help on the subject of prayer I recommend Charles Spurgeon, E.M. Bounds, Leonard Ravenhill or A.W. Tozer. These men were first and foremost men of prayer. They knew not only what it is to 'pray'; they knew what it means to meet with the living God... and, indeed, they spent hours each day in prayer.
    • 5/5
      Yancey delivers yet again with a fresh perspective for modern Christians who have gotten caught up in the "modern" part. Excellent reading, insightful and intelligent as always
    • 4/5
      Reading Philip Yancey’s work is like sitting down with a wise, sensitive friend who opens himself up with vulnerable transparency, as a fellow sojourner rather than a spiritual expert. As I read Prayer, my clumsy attempts to commune with my Creator and the insecurities that hang over me as I search for intimacy with God faded into earthly insignificance. Yancey weaves a poignant picture of a loving God who craves relationship with me in all my utter humanity. As I read the last couple sentences of this book, I knew I had received a precious gift: a deeper understanding of what it means to be a friend of God.Yancey begins with an insightful discourse on “Keeping Company with God” and continues to wax eloquently about the mysteries, the language and the practice of prayer. He also boldly delves into prayer dilemmas. Each topic is sprinkled with nuggets of Truth and revelations that had me jotting notes, smiling, crying, and sometimes singing praises to Jesus.Surprisingly, some of this book’s most profound insights don’t come from its author. In each chapter, Yancey generously shares a variety of blessed “inserts”—myriad short stories, poems, and testimonies about prayer written by others. The honest cries of other souls yearning for connection with our Maker often left me breathless, humbled and a little less lonely. Furthermore, Yancey shows no fundamentalist bias in his selections, with contributions, from across the globe, as diverse as Christ-followers themselves.Prayer is full of wonderfully enlightening analogies, Biblical references, and quotes. I loved the author’s likening of confession—an especially difficult concept for me in light of God’s omniscience—to the healing that comes after asking a spouse for forgiveness about a sin they are both acutely aware. Another of my favorite sections was “Battering the Gates”, full of familiar Bible stories: the widow nagging the judge for justice; the guest incessantly banging on his neighbor’s door for some decent hospitality; the years Hannah spent begging for a child. These reminders gave me renewed passion for those requests I’ve been presenting for many, many years, seemingly without a response from God.Not only is this book the single best piece I’ve ever read on prayer, it may be one of the best books I’ve ever read on Christian spirituality. So clearly did I see God’s longing for me to be with Him as I read Prayer, that I repeatedly paused with the book open on my lap to carry on a conversation with my Lord.
    • 3/5
      This best seller provides an in-depth look at all aspects of Prayer. It addresses such questions as What is prayer?, What difference does prayer make? and why should we pray? Difficult aspects of this subject, such as unanswered prayer, are discussed. It contains thought provoking contributions on prayer from numerous people. A good book, but may take a while to read.
    • 4/5
      Yancey explores prayer with an honest and open approach, by discussing the questions about prayer he himself has had. It is a pleasure to read an author who doesn't offer pat answers, but explores the issues with the reader and acknowledges that God allows us room to doubt and grow in our understanding of him. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the topic of prayer.
    • 4/5
      Philip Yancey probes the very heartbeat—the most fundamental, challenging, perplexing, and deeply rewarding aspect—of our relationship with God: prayer. What is prayer? Does it change God’s mind or ours—or both? This book is an invitation to communicate with God the Father who invites us into an eternal partnership through prayer.

    Book preview

    Prayer Bible Study Participant's Guide - Philip Yancey

    SESSION ONE

    THE VIEW FROM ABOVE

    LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens…. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what are mere mortals that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?

    PSALM 8:1, 3 – 4

    INTRODUCTION (6 MINUTES)

    Video Introduction by Philip Yancey

    [Your Notes]

    Questions to Think About

    • How would you describe your experiences with prayer?

    [Your Response]

    • What do you understand the purpose of prayer to be?

    [Your Response]

    • What do you long to experience in your prayer life?

    [Your Response]

    GROUP DISCOVERY (35 MINUTES)

    Video Teaching Notes

    Lessons from the mountains

    [Your Notes]

    Catching a glimpse of the God’s Eye View

    [Your Notes]

    Prayer: realigning our perspectives

    [Your Notes]

    We are not in control

    [Your Notes]

    God is not our accomplice

    [Your Notes]

    Video Discussion

    Prayer is the act of seeing reality from God’s point of view…. In prayer I shift my point of view away from … the speck that is myself. I gaze at the stars and recall what role I or any of us play in a universe beyond comprehension.

    Prayer, p. 29

    1. What is the God’s Eye View that Philip describes? (MEMORY JOGGER: How did the hikers appear to Philip and his wife as they looked down from the summit ridge? What big impact did the lightning storm have on Philip’s perception of life? When it comes to God’s work, who is the accomplice?)

    [Your Response]

    2. The video segment provided several examples of how our human perceptions of what is most important and how life ought to work stand in opposition to the God’s Eye View of what is most important and how life really works.

    • In what ways do the messages of the world’s view of life contrast with Jesus’ message about what really matters in life?

    [Your Response]

    • What are some ways we might, as Philip suggests, correct the world’s messages with the God’s Eye View?

    [Your Response]

    3. When we come face to face with the reality of how little control we have over our future, many of us get a little nervous. What do you think could happen in our prayer life and in our relationship with God if, in the midst of our uncertain future, we intentionally chose to be still and know that [he is] God?

    [Your Response]

    Bible Exploration

    Be Still and Know That I Am God

    Every day my vision clouds over so that I perceive nothing but a world of matter. It requires a daily act of will to remember what Paul told the sophisticated crowd in Athens: [God] is not far from each one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being’ (Acts 17:27 – 28).

    Prayer, p. 22

    1. We tend to rely on our own sufficiency, but the Bible repeatedly exposes the true nature of earthly life. What unmistakable message about the God’s Eye View of life is communicated through Psalms 39:4; 90:12; James 4:13 – 14; and 1 Peter 1:24?

    [Your Response]

    2. Job’s trials challenged his perspective and led him to reflect intensely on his human condition and God’s role in the world.

    • What did the Lord of the universe remind Job about when he was wallowing in self-pity and demanding that God respond to his theological queries? (See Job 38:4 – 11, and note that God’s response continues through Job 40:2.)

    [Your Response]

    • In his great discourse, God didn’t provide even one specific answer to Job’s probing questions. But what did Job say in response to God’s thundering query, Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge? (Job 38:2), that shows he got God’s message loud and clear? (See Job 42:1 – 6.)

    [Your Response]

    3. Philip encourages us to recognize the importance of God’s command in Psalm 46:10: Be still, and know that I am God. He helps us realize that we are not in control of the world (or our futures) and that the appropriate response to our condition is to be still before our powerful and merciful God and turn over our concerns and problems to that God. Let’s deepen our understanding of what God means by this command and explore how we might go about obeying it.

    • Consider what the command means. The Latin imperative for be still is vacate (from which we get the word vacation), so God is inviting us to take a break and allow him to be God in our daily lives. In addition, the word translated know refers not only to intellectual knowledge but also to knowing God through worship and obedience. In your daily life, what might it look like to actually put into practice these definitions of stillness and knowledge?

    [Your Response]

    • If we are honest, many of us don’t find it easy to be still and wait on God. We keep taking on responsibilities and trying to accomplish more and more in our own strength. Yet many faithful followers of God who have gone before us learned to

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