The North Church Women

"He Hears Me: Prayers of the Bible" Panel Discussion with Teaching Team

Listen to the first day of our summer Bible study, June 9, 2021,  "He Hears Me: Prayers of the Bible," and get to know our teaching team:

1. Charisse Compton
2. Kacie Liechty (absent)
3. Amy Katterson
4. Lindsay Osborne
5. Jenni Naselli (absent)
6. Julia Dembeck

 

The Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) Charisse Compton, June 9, 2021

“Teach us to pray, Lord,” the disciples asked after observing Jesus in close communion with his Father. In response, Jesus offered the Lord’s Prayer as a template. Like a skeleton giving structure to a body, this simple, six-petition template forms the framework for the muscles, tissues, and flesh of our own prayers. 

I like to think of the template as the triple A’s of prayer. We first address God as “our Father in Heaven,” fully aware of both the privilege and cost of doing so. We then agree with the goodness of God’s purposes in this world, asking him to hallow his name, bring his kingdom and accomplish his will. Based on God’s will, which we have labored in prayer to align our own hearts with, we then ask God to meet our every need, to continue forgiving our sins, and to nurture in us a forgiving heart. We close our prayer time by asking our Father to keep us from anything that does not hallow his name and to protect us from the predations of the Evil One. With unwavering faith, we request all these things, knowing God intends to grant them.

Ignoring this template results in prayers with broken bones and deformed bodies. For instance, if we consistently prioritize our “needs and greeds” in prayer, it could be that our hearts are not in agreement with God’s will, and our requests stem instead from sinful lusts and desires. If we habitually forget to repent of our sins, we may be startled to find a vengeful and self-righteous spirit taking root in our hearts. If in pride or foolishness we continually fail to ask God’s protection from temptation, we may be surprised to find how easily sin derails us. If our hearts do not beat as one with God’s in his desire to build his kingdom, we could be sidelined in His cause and miss out on the great joy of being used to advance the gospel. 

If however, we follow the template, we have confidence that God will grant our requests. He is already hallowing his name. His kingdom is on the march. More and more people are doing his will. He has promised to provide our material needs. He has promised to forgive our sins. He has promised he will not tempt us or allow us to be tempted beyond our ability. He is doing and will continue to do all these things through the prayers of his people. In our Father’s mysterious and wise economy, he takes our prayers and turns them into the tools of his trade. So pray as Jesus instructed because God powerfully works when we do!

Psalm 139, A Devotional Song, Charisse Compton, April 28, 2021

Psalms 139: Search me, O God, and know my heart

Message Outline:

Stanza 1: The All-Knowing God, 1–6

• Truth:
• Scope:
• Response:

Stanza 2: The Ever-Present God, 7–12

• Truth:
• Scope:
• Response:

Stanza 3: The All-Creating God, 13–18

• Truth:
• Scope:
• Response:

Stanza 4: The Ever-Worthy God, 19–24

• Truth:
• Scope:
• Response:

Click here for the printable outline handout: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1C6aH6pDuwpfmUq719z3qY6fBOwRy25X5i2dKEtk1YuU/edit?usp=sharing

Psalm 130, A Song for the Depressed, Pam Larson, April 21, 2021

Psalm 130 A Song for the Depressed

With the Lord there is forgiveness, SO … I will wait for Him, hope in his word and trust his forgiveness, steadfast love and plentiful redemption!

Out of the depths 

• Our crisis (1)
• Our cry: mercy! (2)
  
• Our problem (3)
  
• Our Forgiver (4)
  • “Blessed but” (CH Spurgeon)
  • Is 53:5; Ps 32:1-2; Rom 3
    
    

Our HOPE:   (5-6) Ps 5:3; Is 33:2

• IN the Lord and IN His word
  
• WITH the Lord
• forgiveness (4)
  • Daniel 9:9; Jer 31:34; 1 John 1:9; Rom 8:1
• steadfast love (7)
  • 1 Jn 4:10; Rom 8; Heb 13:5
• plentiful redemption (7)
  • Deut 7:8; 9:26; Hos 7:13; 13:14
  • Individual redemption:
    • David (2 Sam 4:9)
    • Abraham (Is 29:22)
    • Jeremiah ((Jer 15:21)
    • Psalmist (Ps 26:11;  31:5)
  • Grace (Romans 5:20; Ephesians 1:7).
• … HE will redeem!

“Oh, the depths …”

• Eph 2:4-9
• Romans 11 

Psalm 103 & 104, A Celebratory Song, "Bless the Lord, O my soul!" Charisse Compton, April 14, 2021

What does it mean to “bless” the Lord?

How does David bless the Lord in Psalm 103?
     With ALL that is within me.

     By remembering personal benefits:

• Forgives all our iniquity
• Heals all your diseases
• Redeems your life from the pit
• Crowns you with steadfast love and mercy
• Satisfies you with good

     By remembering community benefits:

• Justice
• Revelation
• Covenant
• Compassion
• Eternal Commitment
• Kingship

Who are the recipients of these benefits?

Who else blesses the Lord?

How does Psalm 104 relate to Psalm 103?

How does the psalmist of 104 bless the Lord?

• By marveling at God’s greatness
• By marveling at God’s creation
• By marveling at God’s provision
• By marveling at God’s judgment
• By recognizing God’s delight in his own work
• By celebrating God’s work
• By asking God to delight in his (the poet’s) work

How should we respond to God’s works?

• Forget not all his benefits!
• Offer your work as praise to God.

Psalm 90, A Sobering Song. Charisse Compton, 4.7.2021

Psalm 90 ... A Sobering Song

Teach Us to Number Our Days

God’s steadfast love satisfies and fills our short, difficult lives with eternal significance. 

1. Context:

• Book IV
• Author
• Occasion

2. Content:

The Foundation, 1–4:

• The eternal God
• Is your dwelling place

The Landscape, 5–11:

• Nature of life:
  • Short
  • Difficult
• The Reason:
• Invitation to Reflect:

The Building Permits, 12–17:

• Teach:
• Return:
• Satisfy:
• Show:
• Establish:

3. Conclusions:

• Do not devalue any of the work God has given you to do.
• Pray like Moses.
• For God’s people, even death is full of meaning and significance.
• All God’s promises are Yes! and Amen! in Jesus. 2 Corinthians 1:20

 

• Has God promised to judge mankind for sin? 
  • Romans 1:18, Acts 17:31, Romans 8:1
• Has God promised to save mankind and to reverse the curse? 
  • Genesis 3:15, John 3:17, Revelation 21:5, 
• Has God made a covenant with us to love us and never forsake us? 
  • John 1:12, Matthew 28:20, Romans 8:38–39
• Has God promised to forgive our sins? 
  • I John 1:9 
• Has God promised to hear our prayers? 
  • Hebrews 4:16, Romans 8:34, 
• Has God promised to make our redeemed lives significant?
  • I Corinthians 15:58,
• Has God promised to redeem our lives from the grave? 
  • Romans 6:5, 
•  Has God promised to be our eternal home? 
  • John 14:2–3,  I Thessalonians 4:17b,

Psalm 118, A Song of Steadfast Love. Pam Larson, March 24, 2021

Psalm 118 A Song of Steadfast Love

The command: give thanks

The reason: “for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!”

A song of steadfast love: “Thank You, God! for Your faithful, loyal love and salvation.”

1.  Praising God for His great mercy and deliverance (1–18)

• The call (1–4)
• The testimony (5–18)
  • Brief testimony and reflection on God’s steadfast love (5–9)
  • Longer, more specific report (10–14)
  • Joyful gratitude (15–18)

2. Corporate praise (19–29)

• OUR GATE (19–21)
• OUR CORNERSTONE (22–24)
• OUR SALVATION (25–26)
• OUR LIGHT (27; also Jn 8:12; Jn 1:4–5)
• OUR SACRIFICE (27)
• OUR THANKSGIVING (28–29)

Psalm 77, A Song for the Doubting, Charisse Compton, March 17, 2021

A Song for the Doubting: "I Will Remember"

1. Context

2. Content

• The First Complaint (1-3)
• Second Complaint (4-9)
• Resolution to Remember (10-15)
• Meditation and Reflections (16-20)

Psalm 80, A Song of Restoration. Pam Larson, March 10, 2021

Psalm 80, A Song of Restoration, “Restore us, O God!”

Stanza 1: The FLOCK Crying Out to the Shepherd (vv. 1-3)

This bold prayer is based on the PERSON and the PROMISES of God.

• -He is our sovereign KING. (v1; Ps 2)
• -He is our sovereign SHEPHERD. (v1; John 10; Heb 13:20-21)
• -He is MIGHTY and able to SAVE. (v2)

Stanza 2: The intensity of their situation (vv. 4-7)

• -1st question: HOW LONG? (v4 & Ps 30:5)
• -more passionate, urgent 2nd chorus, v7, calling on O God of hosts

Stanza 3: The VINE Crying out to the vine-keeper (vv. 8-19)

Their prayer is based upon God’s PURPOSES for His people, who are like a vine.

• -The image
• -The planter
• -Their history
• -The 2nd question: WHY? (v12)
• -The hedge -The keeper
• -The cry: is also based on the faithfulness and compassion of God.
• -The son -The contrast (smile v3 vs frown/rebuke v16)
• -The giver of life (Rom 8:11; 10:13) … divine initiative and human responsibility (Romans 10:13; 8:11)
• -The final, climactic chorus: appealing to O LORD, (God’s covenant name,Yahweh) God of hosts

Psalm 46, Charisse Compton. A Song for the Fearful, March 3, 2021

Psalm 46 is a rallying cry for God’s people in times of trouble. It teaches us to boldly stare our troubles in the face and courageously sing, “We will not fear, [for] the Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.” 

Though the psalm describes cataclysmic trouble in both the natural and civilized world, it fills our hearts with confidence that if God can be our help and refuge in times such as those, he will surely come to our aid in our day to day troubles as well.