Post by keita on Aug 1, 2005 12:57:30 GMT -5
Spurgeon has a wonderful sermon on Judges 1:12-15 ("Aschsah's Asking, A Pattern of Prayer"); he shows how the request from a daughter (Aschsah) to a father (Caleb) gives us a "parable of prayer."
i. She thought about what she wanted before she went to her father. Before you pray, know what you need before God. She came to God with a very definite request, that had been considered before hand. "Think what you are going to ask before you begin to pray, and then pray like business men. This woman does not say to her father, 'Father, listen to me,' and then utter some pretty little oration about nothing; but she knows what she is going to ask for, and why she is going to ask it." (Spurgeon)
ii. She asked for help with her request, asking her husband - she urged him to ask her father for a field. "A friend, some time ago, said to me, 'My dear pastor, whenever I cannot pray for myself, and there are times when I feel shut up about myself, I always take to praying for you: 'God bless him, at any rate!' and I have not long been praying for you before I begin to feel able to pray for myself.' I should like to come in for many of those odd bits of prayer. Whenever any of you get stuck in the mud, do pray for me. It will do you good, and I shall get a blessing." (Spurgeon)
iii. She knew it was her father she asked.
iv. She went humbly, yet eagerly.
v. Her father asked her what she wanted - God will ask us the same thing, and we should know what we want.
vi. You should actually ask for it; it is a pleasure for God to hear you ask.
vii. Her prayer: give me a blessing.
viii. She mingled gratitude with her petition (you have given me land in the South).
ix. She used past blessing as a reason to ask for more.
x. She realized that what she had been given before was of no use without continual springs of water. "What is the use of the hearers if there be not the power of the Holy Spirit going with the Word to bless them? Give me springs of water." (Spurgeon)
xi. Her father gave her what she asked.
xii. Her father gave to her in large measure.
xiii. Her father was not critical of the request in the slightest way.
The entire sermon can be read here.
i. She thought about what she wanted before she went to her father. Before you pray, know what you need before God. She came to God with a very definite request, that had been considered before hand. "Think what you are going to ask before you begin to pray, and then pray like business men. This woman does not say to her father, 'Father, listen to me,' and then utter some pretty little oration about nothing; but she knows what she is going to ask for, and why she is going to ask it." (Spurgeon)
ii. She asked for help with her request, asking her husband - she urged him to ask her father for a field. "A friend, some time ago, said to me, 'My dear pastor, whenever I cannot pray for myself, and there are times when I feel shut up about myself, I always take to praying for you: 'God bless him, at any rate!' and I have not long been praying for you before I begin to feel able to pray for myself.' I should like to come in for many of those odd bits of prayer. Whenever any of you get stuck in the mud, do pray for me. It will do you good, and I shall get a blessing." (Spurgeon)
iii. She knew it was her father she asked.
iv. She went humbly, yet eagerly.
v. Her father asked her what she wanted - God will ask us the same thing, and we should know what we want.
vi. You should actually ask for it; it is a pleasure for God to hear you ask.
vii. Her prayer: give me a blessing.
viii. She mingled gratitude with her petition (you have given me land in the South).
ix. She used past blessing as a reason to ask for more.
x. She realized that what she had been given before was of no use without continual springs of water. "What is the use of the hearers if there be not the power of the Holy Spirit going with the Word to bless them? Give me springs of water." (Spurgeon)
xi. Her father gave her what she asked.
xii. Her father gave to her in large measure.
xiii. Her father was not critical of the request in the slightest way.
The entire sermon can be read here.
rather than going and waiting on preparation, we go out unprepared and we end up WASTING the request and in disobedience...
