Transformation Blog

Prayer Finding the Heart’s True Home by Richard Foster Week 13 Part 1— Moving Upward Chapter 10— Sacramental Prayer “The true sacrament is holy personality.”   P.T. Forsyth OPENING PRAYER 1.   Sacramental Prayer is incarnational prayer.          God, who is Spirit, mediates hi life to us in visible, tangible reality.          He wants us to discover Him.          A baby in a manger. Bread and wine. A cloud or a pillar of fire. 2.   Both/And          Liturgy, sacrament, written prayer          Intimacy, informality, spontaneous prayer          Both are inspired by the same Spirit.          We need the “props” of the church to continue to move inward toward God.          It’s a safety net 3.   The Bible is full of liturgy          Alleluia= Praise God in the Psalms          Jesus participated in the synagogue: Shema, hymns, benedictions, chants          1 Timothy 1:17; 1 Timothy3:16b; Ephesians 5:19-20 4.   Liturgical P

Prayer Finding the Heart’s True Home by Richard Foster Week 12 Part 1— Moving Upward Chapter 9— The Prayer of Rest “Rest. Rest. Rest in God’s love. The only work you are required now to do is to give your most intense attention to His still, small voice within.”   Madame Jeanne Guyon OPENING PRAYER 1.   What does it mean to rest in God?          The ‘eye of the storm’:                   Stability and serenity in chaos and confusion                   Stillness and relaxation in the midst of personal struggle                   Focused and attentive in the midst of frustration 2.   Matthew 11:28, 29 —it’s possible to reach 3.    Sabbath Prayer—Shalom          Psalm 37          Hebrews 4:7          Not law, but a state of Grace—becoming like God          Laying down the need to be productive—trusting God          Pray without ceasing= come to rest          Intense stillness, quiet alertness          4.   How do we enter the P

Prayer Finding the Heart’s True Home by Richard Foster Week 11 Part 1— Moving Upward Chapter 8— The Prayer of Adoration “In the school of adoration the soul learns why the approach to every other goal had left it restless.”   Douglas Steele OPENING PRAYER The 3 Monks—Leo Tolstoy 1.   What is Adoration?          Prayer is the human response to the perpetual outpouring of love by God to our                        souls.             The most direct response is adoration:   to worship, honor, magnify and bless God.          Not a form of prayer, but all true prayer contains it.          Selfless devotion                   Praise is higher, more pure-- love of God for who He is                   Thanksgiving is still self-referential-- love of God for what He does          Blessing—jubilant praise, the soul is enraptured 2.   Tears In the Eyes of God          God thirsts to be thirsted after.   St. Augustine          God is no