Learn to Do, Do to Learn

 

We learn to pray by praying! Books are fine, lessons are helpful, but nothing helps us learn to pray like praying.
I’ve been preaching for over 32 years now.  Yes, I studied homiletics (the art of preaching) in Bible college, but I must say I’ve learned most by just preaching over and over again, sermon after sermon.  I’ve been told more than a few times, “you keep preachin’, you’re gonna get the hang of it one of these days.”
Pilots are not made in the classroom, they are made in the air!  Flying time or “flight time” makes a good pilot.  It’s facing various weather conditions, learning to adapt to the various challenges of actually flying the airplane – that’s how good pilots are made.
You remember taking Drivers Education in school?  You can only get so much from books or an instructor.  You have to get behind the wheel, that’s where you learn to drive on the highway.  You learn to drive by driving.  This concept is true for almost anything; athletics, soul-winning, parenting, etc.  
The disciples once said, “Jesus, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1).  The Lord taught the disciples a lot about prayer.  He modeled principles of an effective prayer-life in front of them.  But the bottom line is this; they got better at prayer as they themselves prayed.  Remember, we learn to pray by praying, crying out to God, pouring out our heart before the Lord.

Pastor Bruce Freeman

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Not Home Yet

Image
 As Christians, we’re destined for something much better than what this world has to offer!  As the old song says, “This world is not my home, I’m just a passin’ through, my treasure is laid up somewhere beyond the blue…And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.” The Bible tells us our time on earth is brief (Psalm 103:15 / James 4:4).  If we’ve trusted Jesus as our Savior, our eternal home is heaven.  Therefore we are seen as pilgrims just passing through here.  We are aliens, strangers to this present, evil world system. Isn’t it silly? We spend so much time trying to “have it all” here and now, when in reality we already have it all “in Christ”.  Abundant life that Jesus told us about doesn’t have anything to do with having an abundance of things.  It has to do with the quality of life we possess with all the spiritual riches that come from knowing Christ. God warns us not to love this world.  We must never get too attached to “stuff”....
Read more

Humbly but Boldly

Image
  Fervent prayer goes way back.  We know that prayer was a distinctive priority for the early church (Acts 1:14, 2:42, 3:1, 6:4 and many other verses). Calling on the Lord is seen in the life of the prophets; Habakkuk 3:1, Jonah 2:7, Daniel 7:17 and 9:13, Nehemiah 1:6 and 4:9, David in Psalm 4:1, 6:9 and 17:1. But prayer goes back even before Moses and Abraham!  In fact, the first mention of men calling upon the Lord occurs in Genesis 4:25 and 26. Yes, right in the book of Genesis – the book of beginnings. Before there was anything called the church, before there was a Bible, a choir, or any kind of “service” like we have today, men were calling upon the name of the Lord.  From the godly line of Seth, men somehow sensed they could call out to God and He would answer, He would listen and He would respond! The first prayers had sound! It was the sound of men expressing their needs, desires, and praises to God. My point is this: crying out to God in prayer is not some n...
Read more

Thank You

Image
Hello everyone, Pastor Bruce here with an important announcement regarding our daily devotionals known as “The Pastor’s Pocket.” After today, these will be discontinued.   I am so thankful to each of you who have enjoyed reading these devotionals and I trust the Lord has encouraged you through each one. I challenge you, as Peter does, to “grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).   It is my desire that you will continue in your own personal study of the word of God. Learn the Word, Love the Word, Live the Word!   There may come a time when I can write these again, but for now, I will devote my time to other areas of ministry and ways to serve Him! “To HIM be all the glory both now and forever. AMEN!”   The Pastor’s Pocket Pastor Bruce Freeman
Read more