Prayer
Finding the Heart’s True Home
by Richard Foster

Part 3— Moving Outward
Chapter 20—Radical Prayer

“To clasp the hands in prayer is the beginning of an uprising against the disorder of the world.”  Karl Barth

OPENING PRAYER

1.   Radical Prayer has as its aim the total transformation of the world.
·      Foster’s vision/conversation with God
·      Prophecy is for today
·      St. Francis of Assisi—“Build my church.”
·      Today’s prophets are the antithesis of the World

2.  Spiritual Defiance
·      Amos 5:24
·      Genesis 18
·      Exod. 32
·      Esther 4
·      We stand in the gap, like Moses did
·      Speak Truth, pray for enemies, fight injustices
·      2 Corinthians 10

3.  Social Holiness
·      John Wesley—By our praying and by our living we sabotage all class and rank and status distinctions.
·      Jesus led a social revolution—Sermon on the Mount
·      Out of our comfort zones—all people are our brothers and sisters
·      We repent for the sins of our country, our world
·      The Great Commission

4.  Christian Community
·      Building the Church from within current structures is difficult
·      Forming new communities—John Michael Talbot   http://www.littleportion.org
·      New expressions of ancient practices—Spiritual Direction/Mentoring
·      Small group spiritual formation—Renovaré--- https://renovare.org
·      The Transforming Center-- https://renovare.org
·      Institute for Spiritual Formation, Biola University  http://www.talbot.edu/isf/, click on Spiritual Formation Lecture Series 

5.  Agape—the love of God
·      Love God. Love your neighbor as yourself.
·      Must be done in the Spirit—in the power of God. 
·      Cannot be done in the Flesh.
·      Agape is the pulmonary artery of God.  It draws us to His heart, which sends us to others, then back again.  Like breathing.

6.  Conclusion
·      True, whole prayer is nothing but love.”  St. Augustine
·      True prayer requires that we travel inward, upward and outward.
·      “Feed my lambs.”

Benediction
May you now, by the power of the Holy Spirit, receive the spirit of prayer.  May it become, in the name of Jesus Christ, the more precious occupation of your life.  And my the God of all peace strengthen you, bless you, and give you joy. 
--Amen
Richard Foster




You can share our lessons with others who can’t be here in person by referring them to
http://christian-transformationblog.blogspot.com 


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