After the Fact: How Do We Pray the Bible? with Don Whitney
May 31, 2024
auto_awesome
Dr. Don Whitney discusses how to pray the Bible, emphasizing the importance of integrating Scripture into prayers for a deeper connection with God. He explores using Psalms and New Testament letters to enhance prayer experiences and shares effective methods for praying through understanding the core message of biblical passages.
Praying the Bible transforms scriptural words into personal conversations, preventing repetitive and distracted prayers.
The Psalms are ideal for initiating prayer, aligning with personal emotions and desires for heartfelt communication with God.
Deep dives
Praying the Bible for Meaningful Communication with God
Praying the Bible provides a solution to the common issue of repetitive and distracted prayers by turning scriptural words into personal conversations with God. By taking the words from a passage like the 23rd Psalm and transforming them into prayers, individuals can maintain a meaningful dialogue with God without repeating the same phrases. This approach allows for a dynamic and engaging prayer experience that connects personal life situations with biblical truths, ensuring a more fulfilling and focused communication with God.
Starting with the Psalms for Effortless Prayer Connection
Dr. Whitney emphasizes that the Psalms serve as an ideal starting point for praying the Bible due to their innate alignment with personal emotions and desires. Offering direct expressions of praise, thanksgiving, or confession, the Psalms facilitate a natural flow of heartfelt communication with God. Additionally, the Psalms are specifically inspired by God for reflective prayer, making them a powerful resource for maintaining a deep and genuine connection in prayer life.
Progressing Beyond the Psalms to Expand Prayer Versatility
Once individuals become adept at praying through the Psalms, they can transition to other parts of the Bible for expanded prayer experiences. New Testament letters and narrative passages offer diverse content for prayer exploration, with each verse or passage suggesting unique prayer topics. By broadening the Scripture used for prayer beyond the Psalms, individuals can cultivate a more versatile and comprehensive approach to engaging with God through scriptural dialogue.
Kyle Worley is joined by Don Whitney to answer the question, how do we pray the Bible?
Questions Covered in This Episode:
How do we pray the Bible?
Where should people begin when starting to pray the Bible?
Guest Bio:
Dr. Whitney is Associate Dean of the School of Theology and Professor of Biblical Spirituality. Dr. Whitney is a member of Third Avenue Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky. He is the author of many books including but not limited to; Praying the Bible and Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. Whitney is married to Caffy, and they have one child.
Midwestern Seminary is excited to announce FTC Talks, exclusive conversations with MBTS faculty about ministry related topics. Completely online and FREE, you can sign up for any and all FTC Talks today at mbts.edu/ftctalks to reserve your spot. Join us for talks about women's discipleship, God's heart for the nations, gospel-driven ministry, Spurgeon's pastoral ministry, and how every Christian is a counselor. We hope these conversations will spur you on in your service to the local church and help you connect with even more ministry leaders and friends across the country. Sign up today at mbts.edu/ftctalks. (feel free to riff off this, but this is the content).