02.32. Prayer
LESSON XXXII--Prayer.
FAITH OF THE APOSTLES IN PRAYER. In which way do men more clearly show their faith, by words or by actions? In what way did the apostles decide between Joseph and Matthias as the successor to Judas? Acts 1:23-26. Is there any way of deciding questions that is more uncertain than casting lots? Repeat the prayer which they offered before they drew the lots. Acts 1:24-25. How did they expect the Lord to show which he had chosen? Did they then believe that God would cause the lot to fall this way or that? Did they believe that he would do this in answer to their prayer? When the lot fell on Matthias what did they believe was the cause of it? If God controls such matters as the casting of lots, what is there that he does not control? When Peter and John had been arrested and commanded not to preach any more in the name of Jesus (Acts 4:18), what did they do on being released? Acts 4:23. When the other apostles heard the story, what did they all do? Acts 4:24. In their prayer what did they ask the Lord to do? Acts 4:29-30. Why did they wish the Lord to behold the threatenings of the Jews? Did they then believe that God would, in answer to their prayers, do something to protect them? When Paul wrote the epistle to the Romans, on what journey was he about to start, and for what purpose? Romans 15:25. How had he obtained the means of ministering to the saints? Romans 15:26. What prayer did he ask the brethren to offer to God for him? Romans 15:30-32. Did he then believe that their prayers would help him to escape from his enemies? Have we an account of the journey to Jerusalem here referred to? Ans.--Yes; it is found in Acts 20:3, to Acts 21:16. After he got to Jerusalem did he fall into the hands of the unbelievers? Acts 21:27-31. State how he was delivered from them. Acts 21:31-34. Was the prayer of himself and his Roman brethren answered? How much of it? Romans 15:31. How much of it was yet to be answered? Romans 15:32. Was this part also answered? Ans.--Yes; the remainder of the book of Acts shows that it was, and that it was answered by a series of remarkable events and hair breadth escapes. [The student should here read from Acts 21:36, to the end of the book to see how Paul was finally brought from Jerusalem to Rome, in answer to his prayer.]
While Paul was a prisoner in Rome, what prayer did he ask the Ephesians to offer for him? Ephesians 6:18-19. Did he believe that their prayers, offered for him at Ephesus would be of service to him in Rome? What prayer did he ask the Colossians to offer for him, about the same time? Colossians 4:2-4. What confidence did he express in the prayers of the Hebrew brethren? Hebrews 12:18-19. As the apostles were inspired men, were they mistaken in what the, believed and taught? As they showed by both word and action that they believed in the answer of prayer, what does this prove on the subject?