Research-Word Study-Pray(Hebrew) Concordance Ref # 4994 Genesis Chpt 18 verses 3 & 4

In this chapter, the Lord shows up to Abraham as 3 men. Notice what happens in these verses: 1) Abraham notices that it's the Lord, 2) Abraham runs to them, 3) Abraham bowed himself to the ground(as not a kneel but more of a crouch), and 4) then Abraham asked the Lord of his worthiness. Abraham did all this to ask with urgency and sincerity if the Lord would not go, but stay.

The "pray" in the fourth verse is a continuation of Abraham's urgent plea to the Lord. But in this request, the prayer's purpose is to find out whether Abraham could serve the Lord.

Here are verses 3 and 4:

"And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant;
Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:

Notes:

1)Why ask your worthiness? Why ask if you can serve someone? This is God we are talking about. We want to make sure we are the best we can be and what we offer is the best that can be offered. The One who determines what is good and worthy is the Lord. That is why we ask if we are worthy to serve and worthy to play host and be hospitable to the Lord.

2) Notice also the things that Abraham did before praying to the Lord. He acknowledged Him, he ran to Him as to not make Him wait, he bowed in reverence to Him, and then asked if he was worthy to be host and serve them.

Thus, we can derive these characteristic(s) from these verses:

10) People must prepare themselves before asking a prayer to the Lord.
11) Preparations before asking a prayer to the Lord include: 1) acknowledgement that He is Lord,
          2) haste in dedication to Him, 3) reverence in who He is, and 4) request of worthiness to be in the presence or service of.

Research-Word Study-Pray(Hebrew) Concordance Ref# 4994-Genesis Chpts 16

Today, I will look at one verse; the second verse in chapter 16. In chapter 16, Sarai is troubled for she has not bore Abram any children. Because of her distress, she pleads with Abram to take her handmaiden, Hagar, as his wife. She prayed to Abram to do so. Here is the verse:

" And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing; I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai,"

As we find out soon, once Hagar has the child, Sarai dispises her. Also, we find out later that the child born to Hagar, Ismael, becomes a wild man whose hand was against every man. The bottom line is that Sarai's prayer was not part of God's plan. Thus, we can derive these characteristic(s):

6. A prayer between two people can be a prayer that goes against God's desires.
7. God can allow prayers that go against His will to be answered.
8. Answered prayers that go against His will can have everlasting consequences.
9. Answered prayers that go against His will can deepen the pray-er's dispair.

Research-Word Study-Pray(Hebrew) Concordance Ref# 4994-Genesis Chpts 12-13

In the twelfth and thirteenth chapters of Genesis the term "pray" with this reference number is used three times.
The first time pray is used is in Genesis Chapter 12 verse 13. Abram and Sarai are sojourning south as the Lord requested. They are just entering into Egypt when Abram makes a request to Sarai. He wanted Sarai to tell the Egyptians that she was his sister instead of his wife. He wanted her to say that so the Egyptians wouldn't kill him, for she was beautiful. This is what he said to her:
"Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee."

Here we find our first characteristics about prayer:

1.  Prayer can be an urgent request for the purpose of overcoming possible life threatening situation(s).
2.  Prayer can be from one person to another person especially if they are family.
3. Prayer is a form of communication.
4. Prayer is a communication between two parties.

Notes:
1) Is one of the characteristics, is that prayer between people can show a lack of trust in God? Why did Abram want Sarai to lie? Did he think that the Lord would not uphold His promise of making Abram "a great nation"(Gen 12:2)? Did Abram forget that God said He would bless him, and make his name great, and that he will be a blessing"(Gen 12:2)? On that hand, we would say "yes". But Abram has been doing everything the Lord has told him to do so far.
2) On this same note, can prayer between two people get their purpose from serving us, as much as glorifying God?


The next verses I will look at are those in chapter 13. In this chapter, Abram's group and Lot's group were starting to experience strained relations. In verses eight and nine, Abram uses the term "pray" again to a family member and also as an urgent request. But this urgent request was not specifically for his life, but for the purpose of retaining a family relationship close. Here are the verses:
8 "And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdsmen and thy herdsmen; for we be brethren."
9"Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left."

Here we will add one more characteristic:

5. Prayer can be an urgent request for the purpose of retaining an important relationship between family members

What I found out today is prayer is a strong term when used between family members.
Tomorrow I will see if answering prayers of others is always a good thing. The notes made today may turn into characteristics tomorrow.

Research - Word Study: Pray(Hebrew) Concordance Ref# 4994 - Definition

I will begin my research with the word "pray". There are 11 different reference numbers in the Strong's for pray in the Old Testament. The first is reference # 4994. This use of pray was used nearly 200 times in the Old Testament I will rewrite the definition that Strong's has and then add some notes of my own:

Pray(4994) Strong's Exhaustive Concordance:

a primary participle of incitement and entreaty, which may usually be rendered I pray, now or then; added mostly to verbs (in the imperative or future), or to interject, occasionally to an adverb or conjunction: - I beseech (pray) thee (you), go to, now, oh.

Private Notes:

incitement - in the state of moving (a person) to action; urging or stimulating
in the state of stirring up(an action); instigating
entreaty - ask earnestly; implore; beseech
ask with importance and purpose constantly and with persistence and enthusiasm
implore - request urgently
beseech - solicit; seek to obtain something
(Definitions came from The New American Webster's Dictionary (Handy College) 4th Edition

This will conclude the definition for this entry. I may come back to add to this as I may need to define more clearly what a particle, adverb, and other grammatical terms.

Legwork - Creating A List

As stated in an earlier post, this entry will be dedicated in creating a list of words in the Bible that will help us find aspects and characteristics of prayer. Some words will be obvious and some will be fishing expeditions. After this list is made, the next posts will have include at least one of the words and an entry from Strong's Concordance. For example, if we take the word pray, just in the Hebrew alone, the word has 11 entries in Strong's. Each entry uses and defines the word just a little differently. I will look at these different uses and see if I will be able to draw out any aspects or characteristics of prayer.
Here is the list so far(the list may grow as I get deeper in the study):

1. Pray
2. Prayer
3. Prayers
4. Prays
5. Prayed
6. Praying
7. Fast
8. Fasted
9. Fasting
10. Fastings
11. Meditate
12. Meditation
13. Bow (down)
14. Boweth
15. Bowing
16. Bowed
17. Bows
18. Kneeled
19. Kneel
20. Kneeling
21. Knee
22. Knees
23. Lay
24. Lift (up)
25. Lifted (up)
26. Beseech
27. Seek

More will be added to the list if necessary.

Introduction - Strategy

When searching for a treasure, such as the quest about prayer, one must have a strategy. When those who are putting together an attempt a climb a mountain such as Mount Everest, just don't get some gear together, put a few snacks in a box, and go the next week and climb the mountain. That would call for total disaster and probably cost a few their lives. Although planning a study on prayer is not as dangerous as planning a trip to Mt. Everest, there does need to be at least a similitude of some planning. Although that a strategy, even a small one that will be given today, does not mean that down the road the plan may not change. I do want to leave room, in fact lots of room, for the Holy Spirit to work.
The first strategy that I want to instill is that I am searching for as many aspects of prayer that I can find. The aspects includes prayer's characteristics, its uses, its definition, its manifestations (physical and spiritual), and any other aspect that I will be led to find.
Second, all aspects of prayer will be based on God's Holy Word, preferably the King James versions.
Third, the only other references that may be used are the Strong's Exhaustive Concordance and/or a Hebrew and Greek Dictionary. As I stated in the previous post (Introduction - Purpose), all other types of references will have their own types of slants depending on what denomination sponsored them.
Note: I also will be using a Webster Dictionary to help define words that the concordance or Hebrew/Greek dictionaries may use, in order to clarify as simply meanings of words.
Fourth, the approach will be to look at every verse of Scripture that includes anything that may have to deal with prayer. One post may be used for the sole purpose in naming the words within the Bible that I will study such as pray, prayer, praying to even words such as kneel, fast, etc.
From a look at all these words within these verses, I should be able to define prayer, its characteristics, its uses, its purposes, and its method.

This will be at this time the strategy that I will use. If the Holy Spirit wishes to change this strategy at any time, I will post that change. May God honor this endeavor.

Introduction - Purpose

The purpose of this blog is to define prayer for myself. I want to know what prayer is suppose to be for the Christian and how God sees prayer. I also want to know how to pray. Do I pray with my head down, with my hand clasped? Do I pray aloud?, etc. I am not sure if prayer is something that each individual believer has to find out on their own and in their own way?I just know that I struggle with prayer and that all that goes with prayer. I have read from and about some of the so-called masters of prayer. E.M. Bounds's story particularly intrigues me as he spent the last 17 years of his life studying prayer. His books are insightful and I am sure he is, with no doubt a Christian, but I want to know that the statements that he makes are biblical.
With all that said, the sole purpose of this blog is for me to define what prayer is, how I am suppose to pray, how much I am suppose to pray, when am I suppose to pray, and any other item I may find about prayer and include it. The only reference(s) that I am going to use is the Holy Bible (more than likely the King James version) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance with the option of a Hebrew and/or Greek Dictionary. I will not use any other form of reference, even a Bible Dictionary, as anything else will have its slant depending on the denomination it may represent.
I will truly need God's guidance.