Public Seminar
Prayer is 1) a sincere conversation between God and his faithful followers, 2) an intimate fellowship based on our relationship with God, 3) a ministry, and 4) thanksgiving for God's grace. Through prayer, we can express our needs and receive provision, strengthen our faith, receive comfort by pouring out our hearts, purify our hearts, and give thanks for all the grace and blessings bestowed upon us by God. In
Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 117, it is stated that our prayers should be a genuine expression of deep sincerity from the heart, directed solely to God and in accordance with his word.
Calvin, in his work "Institutes of the Christian Religion," provides six reasons why we should pray: 1) prayer kindles and sustains in our hearts a constant, ardent desire to seek, love, and worship God; 2) prayer prevents our hearts from being filled with shameful desires or ambitions that we would not dare to bring before God; 3) prayer enables us to receive all the blessings and grace that God gives with genuine thanksgiving and praise; 4) when we realize that God has answered our prayers and granted our requests, it makes us all the more eager to seek his mercy; 5) prayer enables us to receive the blessings that come as a result of our prayers with even greater joy; 6) prayer enables us to experience and confirm God's sovereignty.
However, God already knows what we need and is providentially working in our lives, so why do we need to pray? The reasons are that 1) prayer is not just asking God for what we want, but also aligning ourselves with God's will and teaching us to trust Him for all our needs. 2) Through prayer, we become completely dependent on God. 3) When our prayers are answered, we receive His blessings and come to know His faithfulness. Also, prayer allows us to confirm God's provision and care for us.
In our prayer seminar, we not only acquire biblical and theological knowledge about prayer, but also provide and train practical and specific ways to pray.
However, more than knowing about prayer, it is more important to pray. As we become children of God through faith in Jesus, we naturally become people of prayer. Yet, as we pray, may the Lord lead us to a deeper prayer life, a deeper relationship with Him, and may we all experience the world of deeper prayer through proper biblical prayer.
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