Saturday

Day 147: How to Pray, part 3


WSC 98; WLC 178
What is prayer?
A. Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God for things agreeable to his will, in the name of Christ, by the help of his Spirit, with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgment of his mercies.


Westminster Larger Catechism
Q.185. How are we to pray?
A. We are to pray with an awful apprehension of the majesty of God [k], and deep sense of our own unworthiness [l], necessities [m], and sins [n]; with penitent [o], thankful [p], and enlarged hearts [q]; with understanding [r], faith [s], sincerity [t],
fervency [v], love [w], and perseverance [x], waiting upon him [y], with humble submission to his will [z].

We are to pray with an awful apprehension of the majesty of God [k],

[k] Ecclesiastes 5:1 Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.

and deep sense of our own unworthiness [l],

[l] Genesis 18:27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the LORD, which am but dust and ashes:
Genesis 32:10 I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; etc.

necessities [m],

[m] Luke 15:17-19 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! Ver.18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, Ver.19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

and sins [n];

[n] Luke 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. Ver.14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

with penitent [o],

[o] Psalm 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

thankful [p],

[p] Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

and enlarged hearts [q];

[q] 1 Samuel 1:15 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 have poured out my soul before the LORD.
1 Samuel 2:1 And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.

with understanding [r],

[r] 1 Corinthians 14:15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: etc.

faith [s],

[s] Mark 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
James 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering: for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

sincerity [t],

[t] Psalm 145:18 The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.
Psalm 17:1 Hear the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.

fervency [v],

[v] James 5:16 The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

love [w],

[w] 1 Timothy 2:8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

and perseverance [x],

[x] Ephesians 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

waiting upon him [y],

[y] Micah 7:7 Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.

with humble submission to his will [z].

[z] Matthew 26:39 And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.


Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 21
IV. Prayer is to be made for things lawful [n]; and for all sorts of men living, or that shall live hereafter [o]: but not for the dead [p], nor for those of whom it may be known that they have sinned the sin unto death [q].

Prayer is to be made for things lawful [n];

[n] 1 John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us.

and for all sorts of men living, or that shall live hereafter [o]:

[o] 1 Timothy 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; Ver.2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
John 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word.
2 Samuel 7:29 Therefore now let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee: for thou, O Lord God, hast spoken it: and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ever.
Ruth 4:12 And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the Lord shall give thee of this young woman.

but not for the dead [p],

[p] 2 Samuel 12:21 Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread. Ver.22 And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether God will be gracious to me, that the child may live? Ver.23 But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.
With Luke 16:25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. Ver.26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
Revelation 14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

nor for those of whom it may be known that they have sinned the sin unto death [q].

[q] 1 John 5:16 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.


Westminster Larger Catechism
Q.183. For whom are we to pray?
A. We are to pray for the whole church of Christ upon earth [t]; for magistrates [v], and ministers [w]; for ourselves [x], our brethren [y], yea, our enemies [z]; and for all sorts of men living [a], or that shall live hereafter [b]; but not for the dead [c], nor for those that are known to have sinned the sin unto death [d].

We are to pray for the whole church of Christ upon earth [t];

[t] Ephesians 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Psalm 28:9 Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever.

for magistrates [v],

[v] 1 Timothy 2:1-2 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; Ver.2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

and ministers [w];

[w] Colossians 4:3 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:

for ourselves [x],

[x] Genesis 32:11 Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children.

our brethren [y],

[y] James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

yea, our enemies [z];

[z] Matthew 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

and for all sorts of men living [a],

[a] 1 Timothy 2:1-2 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; Ver.2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

or that shall live hereafter [b];

[b] John 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
2 Samuel 7:29 Therefore now let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee: for thou, O Lord GOD, hast spoken it: and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ever.

but not for the dead [c],

[c] 2 Samuel 12:21-23 Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread. Ver.22 And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live? Ver.23 But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.

nor for those that are known to have sinned the sin unto death [d].

[d] 1 John 5:16 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.


End of Lesson, Day 147


For Further Study:


CHAPTER XXI. - Of Religious Worship, [Prayer,] and the Sabbath Day - Exposition by Gordon H. Clark

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