Bible Study Guide

Purpose of This Bible Study Lesson

The purpose of this lesson is to guide us to understand and know the importance of prayer and the place of prayer in a Christian’s life.

Lesson Objective

This lesson will guide the participants to:

1. Discover the definition and meaning of prayer
2. Discover the purpose of prayer
3. Discover the importance of prayer

Introduction

Throughout the entire Bible, we meet men and women who encountered God through prayer. We find difficult situations and obstacles that were removed and changed through prayer. It is against this backdrop of prayer that we will now embark on a journey to discover what prayer entails. This series will be divided into two parts; in part one, we will dwell on private prayer or the place of the prayer closet and in part two we will focus on public prayer i.e. synagogue prayers.

Today’s Lesson: In The Prayer Closet

Begin today’s lesson by reading 1 Sam 1:9-201 Sam 1:9-20
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
9 So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest was sitting upon his seat by the door-post of the temple of Jehovah. ¹⁰ And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto Jehovah, and wept sore. ¹¹ And she vowed a vow, and said, O Jehovah of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thy handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thy handmaid, but wilt give unto thy handmaid a man-child, then I will give him unto Jehovah all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head. ¹² And it came to pass, as she continued praying before Jehovah, that Eli marked her mouth. ¹³ Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken. ¹⁴ And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee. ¹⁵ And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I poured out my soul before Jehovah. ¹⁶ Count not thy handmaid for a wicked woman; for out of the abundance of my complaint and my provocation have I spoken hitherto. ¹⁷ Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace; and the God of Israel grant thy petition that thou hast asked of him. ¹⁸ And she said, Let thy handmaid find favor in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat; and her countenance was no more [sad]. ¹⁹ And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before Jehovah, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and Jehovah remembered her. ²⁰ And it came to pass, when the time was come about, that Hannah conceived, and bare a son; and she called his name Samuel, [saying], Because I have asked him of Jehovah.  

, Jonah 2:1-2Jonah 2:1-2
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
2 ¹ Then Jonah prayed unto Jehovah his God out of the fish's belly. ² And he said, I called by reason of mine affliction unto Jehovah, And he answered me; Out of the belly of Sheol cried I, [And] thou heardest my voice.  

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and Matthew 6:5-6Matthew 6:5-6
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
5 And when ye pray, ye shall not be as the hypocrites: for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward. ⁶ But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thine inner chamber, and having shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee.  

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The Power of Private Prayers

Let us start part one on private prayers by looking at two individuals in the Old Testament who prayed in private and received answers to their prayers and how their lives were transformed by these prayers.

1. Hanna

The story of Hanna is a story about God’s faithfulness to a woman’s prayer made in private. We read that Hanna wept and prayed with her heart, while only moving her lips without making any audible sound. When Eli, the high priest saw her, he thought she was actually drunk and rebuked her, but Hanna explained that she was not drunk and he understood and released her with his blessings.
Although Hanna was in the temple, she understood very well the power of a private prayer with God her only redeemer. Many people today have left fervent prayers to the Pentecostals yet this kind of prayer is typified by Hanna’s style of prayer.

2. Jonah

Unlike Hanna who prayed whilst in the temple, Jonah prayed to God while he was in the belly of the fish that had swallowed him because of disobeying God. God still heard him because we are told that the fish vomited him immediately after this prayer and Jonah went on to preach repentance to the people of Nineveh.

Prayer therefore has no limits because God is omnipresent, and He hears our prayers even in private and answers us in public. Jesus teaching on private prayer says that we should “not be like the hypocrites” who love to pray standing in synagogues and on street corners to be seen by other people.

What is Prayer?

• Prayer has been defined as an act of humble worship in which we seek God with all our heart. Notice how Hanna prayed fervently and with anguish of soul until she was actually mistaken for a drunkard! So while praying let us not mind what others say.
• Prayer is also an expression of an intimate relationship with out heavenly Father. Jesus taught his disciples that prayer leads to an intimate relationship with the Father which includes dependency for daily needs, obedience to his Word and asking for forgiveness of sin.
• Prayer can also be spontaneous, especially in times of danger like in Peter’s case when he prayed to Jesus to save him from drowning and Jesus did so immediately. (Matt 14:30Matt 14:30
  English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
  30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, Lord, save me.  
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  ). So it really does not matter whether we are in the temple or in the belly of the fish or drowning like Peter, God hears and answers our prayers.

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Bible Study Questions For Discusion - Week 5

1. Why do you think Eli mistook Hanna to be drunk while she prayed in the temple?
   Please explain……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
2. Do you think Eli was justified in mistaking Hanna for a drunkard?If yes please explain………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. Do you think it was possible for Hanna to be annoyed about Eli’s accusation that she was “drunk”? As Christians what do we learn from Hanna’s reaction of humble explanation to Eli? Please explain………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. Why do you think Hanna made a vow to God about her prayer request and how do vows help us in our prayers? Please explain………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5. What do we learn from Hanna’s style and manner of prayer as Christians today? Do you think such prayers are o.k in church today? Please explain………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
6. Give one advantage of private prayer according to what Jesus taught in Matthew 6:5-6Matthew 6:5-6
   English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
   5 And when ye pray, ye shall not be as the hypocrites: for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward. ⁶ But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thine inner chamber, and having shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret shall recompense thee.  
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   . Please explain………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
7. Why do you think Jonah prayed while in the belly of the fish and can you classify this as a spontaneous prayer? Please explain………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
8. What do we learn from Jonah’s place of prayer?……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

For Meditation: Luke 11:9-10Luke 11:9-10
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. ¹⁰ For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.  

- Pray Until Something Happens (PUSH)
“And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”

Note:
When you are praying, leave plenty time to wait on God to speak to your heart.

Tags: Bible study, Christianity, prayer

Purpose of This Bible Study Lesson

In this lesson we will attempt to understand how we can become effective Christians in a decaying and immoral world.

Lesson Objective

This lesson will guide the participants to:

1. Discover what the Bible says about our status in the world today.
2. Discover our worth as the salt and light of the world.
3. Discover how we can be used as the salt and the light to fight moral decay and decadence in our society.

Introduction

Throughout the topic on relationships we have focused on our duty as Christians to be the building blocks of relationships having established that Christ is the chief cornerstone and we are called to build ourselves up in the “most holy faith” (Jude 1: 20Jude 1: 20
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,  

). This week we will study our role as the salt and the light of the world in impacting the rotten and darkened society around us.

Today’s Lesson: Becoming a Change Agent

Begin today’s lesson by reading Matthew 5:13-16Matthew 5:13-16
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men. ¹⁴ Ye are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. ¹⁵ Neither do [men] light a lamp, and put it under the bushel, but on the stand; and it shineth unto all that are in the house. ¹⁶ Even so let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.  

and Genesis 19:15-29Genesis 19:15-29
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
15 And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters that are here, lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. ¹⁶ But he lingered; and the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters, Jehovah being merciful unto him; and they brought him forth, and set him without the city. ¹⁷ And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the Plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. ¹⁸ And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my lord: ¹⁹ behold now, thy servant hath found favor in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy lovingkindness, which thou hast showed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest evil overtake me, and I die: ²⁰ behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one. Oh let me escape thither , and my soul shall live. ²¹ And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow the city of which thou hast spoken. ²² Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. ²³ The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot came unto Zoar. ²⁴ Then Jehovah rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from Jehovah out of heaven; ²⁵ and he overthrew those cities, and all the Plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. ²⁶ But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. ²⁷ And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he had stood before Jehovah: ²⁸ and he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the Plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the land went up as the smoke of a furnace. ²⁹ And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the Plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in which Lot dwelt.  

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Our Personal Mission Statement

If Christians were to write a Personal Mission Statement, it would be summarized in one sentence as follows: “To be the salt and the light of the world”. During the days of Lot in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, the world was rotten and in darkness; wickedness was at its greatest and God chose to intervene. He sent his angels to deliver Lot out of the fire and brimstone that would rain on the inhabitants of Sodom. Lot’s family was given strict instructions not to look back, but Lot’s wife disobeyed and looked back. Immediately she was turned into a pillar of salt. This could be symbolic, may be for us in our age, could God have been stating something here - that they should have been the preservative of their society in order to prevent God’s judgement?. Because they failed to be that preserving ’salt’ and that she longed to go back, she literally became physical salt. Let me digress here a little - this could imply that if you happen to be in an environment (e.g. ‘friends’) that is not pure, you should do something to purify it or else quit immediately otherwise you may be included in the judgement that will follow.

The world today is not any different and Paul writing in 2 Cor 4:42 Cor 4:4
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
4 in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn [upon them].  

says that “the god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God”.

So, what is the purpose of Christians living as salt and light in the world? It is so that we may influence our world to know God. As we live lives that are pleasing to God, unbelievers in our workplace, our school, and our neighborhood will behold our good works and discover a better way of doing things. But if our salt has lost its saltiness, then we will be thrown out and be trampled upon.

In ancient history salt was used as a food preservative and therefore it had great value since refrigerators had not been invented. Again salt has the following effects:
” As a seasoning agent: It improves the taste of the food that it comes into contact with, likewise as we come into contact with society our Christian values should improve the nature of that society.
” Salt makes people thirsty: As Christians we seek to create a thirst in people’s lives that can only be satisfied by Jesus, who said: “if anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink” (John 7:37John 7:37
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
37 Now on the last day, the great [day] of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.  

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” Salt is used to thaw ice: It can have the effect of warming hearts that have hardened against the gospel - over time the saltiness of Christians can bring people to know Jesus Christ.

Christians have therefore great value in preserving the world from decay and reversing the decay that is already there in these times. Let’s not be like Lot’s wife who desired the ‘things of the World’ and not changing the world around her with godliness - and she perished. Let us in our day, impact the world with godliness as the ’salt and the light of the World’.

God bless.

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Week 4: Bible Study Questions For Discussion

1. Why do you think the angels told Lot not to look back at Sodom and Gomorrah in Gen 19: 17Gen 19: 17
   English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
   17 And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the Plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.  
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   ? Please explain………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. Why do you think God spared Lot according to Gen 19:16,29Gen 19:16,29
   English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
   16 But he lingered; and the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters, Jehovah being merciful unto him; and they brought him forth, and set him without the city. ²⁹ And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the Plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in which Lot dwelt.  
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   ?

Please explain……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

3. Do you think God’s act in dealing with Lot’s wife was justified yet Abraham had prayed for them? If yes, why do you think so? Please explain……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
4. What do we learn from the story of God’s judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah in relation to our being the salt and light of the world today? Please explain. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5. Give an example of how Christians can be used as the salt of the world in adding flavor in your church or community today. Please explain …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
6. Give an example of how Christians may hide their light in their workplace or community today?………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
7. Give an example of how Christians may loose their saltiness in the world today. Please explain …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
8. What do you think Christ meant in Matt 5: 13Matt 5: 13
   English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
   13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men.  
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   when He said that salt that has lost its saltiness “is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men”? Please compare this with what He also said in Matt 8:12Matt 8:12
   English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
   12 but the sons of the kingdom shall be cast forth into the outer darkness: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.  
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   and comment……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

For Meditation: Revelation 3:12Revelation 3:12
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
12 He that overcometh, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go out thence no more: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God, and mine own new name.  

aV- Pillars in the Temple

“Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it…”
Christ is the chief cornerstone and He has promised to make us pillars in the temple of God, if we overcome this world. Let us therefore do our best to overcome the world by working while it is still day for “night is coming, when no one can work” (John 9:4John 9:4
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
4 We must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.  

b).

Tags: Bible study, Bible verses, Effective Christian, light of the word, relationships, salt of the earth, World