For author Brenda Stanford Southerland, honoring the Father through prayer is more valuable than gold or silver, and it truly yields precious rewards. In Honoring the Father through Prayer, she presents a guided study of the book of Isaiah to show how prayers can greatly impact the lives of Christians. The book of Isaiah, often referred to as the mini-Bible with its sixty-six chapters, demonstrates the importance of prayer and studying Isaiah yields rich fruit. With emphasis on biblical examples, Brenda helps Christians by delivering a model for prayer. Her model: teaches about Isaiah the man, a prophet of God; provides a perspective on Israel's historical background-national and international; discusses the prophecy of Babylonian exile; explores God's grace through divine deliverance and restoration; delivers a true perspective on prayer as it relates to honoring God, focusing on God as the Father, and; describes the prayer guidelines that are divine instructions to create a practical method of daily prayer. In Honoring the Father through Prayer, Brenda helps Christians focus on God and facilitates a more meaningful prayer life to change lives and deepen relationships with God.
Honoring the Father through Prayer
An Overview of the Book of IsaiahBy Brenda Stanford SoutherlandiUniverse, Inc.
Copyright © 2012 Brenda Stanford Southerland
All right reserved.ISBN: 978-1-4759-5153-0 Contents
Foreword....................................................................xiIntroduction................................................................xiiiChapter 1 Covenant..........................................................1Chapter 2 The Prophet, Isaiah the Man.......................................14Chapter 3 Historical Background.............................................28National Perspective........................................................30International Perspective...................................................36Prophecy of Babylonian Exile................................................43Chapter 4 Divine Deliverance and Restoration................................47Jesus: The Suffering Servant, The Messiah...................................50Chapter 5 Prayer Guidelines.................................................59Praying with Purpose Introduction...........................................60Prayer Schedule.............................................................64Devotional Prayer (Sunday)..................................................65Prayers for Family/Families (Monday)........................................66Prayers for Church/Churches (Tuesday).......................................71Prayers for Family/Families (Wednesday).....................................77Prayers for Country/Government/School System (Thursday).....................82Prayers for Family/Families (Friday)........................................84Personal Prayer (Saturday)..................................................89Appendix....................................................................91Bibliography................................................................125
Chapter One
Covenant
God made His first covenant for everlasting life with Adam and Eve, requiring their perfect and perpetual obedience. When Adam and Eve sinned, God, being a merciful God, did not destroy them, because He is "the Father of mercies, the God of all comfort" (2 Corinthians 1:3b). Instead, God made a second covenant, commonly called the "covenant of grace," offering sinners life and salvation through Jesus Christ: "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8).
God required mankind to have faith in Him. This is one of the major themes in the book of Isaiah: to "trust in Yahweh—the Lord of Hosts, the Holy One of Israel." New Testament Scripture tells us, "Without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him" (Hebrews 11:6). He rewards us with eternal life. He also promises to impart His own Spirit—the Holy Spirit—to be our enabler. "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever" (John 14:16).
The covenant of grace includes both the period of Mosaic law as well as the gospel, but it was administered differently under the law versus the gospel. Under the law, the covenant was types and shadows (patterns or examples) of that which was to come—the Lamb of God, Jesus the Christ. It was administered by promises, prophecies, sacrifices, circumcision, the paschal lamb, and other types and ordinances delivered to the people of Israel. All types and shadows foretold Christ to come, who would give full remission of sins and eternal salvation. This is known as the Old Testament or Hebrew Scripture. Under the gospel, God's people administer the covenant by preaching the Word and receiving the sacraments of baptism and being partakers of the Lord's Supper, according to 1 Corinthians 11:24-25:
And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
This covenant is available and offered to all nations, both to Jews and Gentiles, as expressed in Isaiah 55:1-6 and is termed "The Messiah's Invitation to the World":
Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people. Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the Lord thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near.
This is the New Covenant—New Testament (gospel; good news) that Isaiah prophesied about seven hundred years before the Messiah was born. Isaiah foretold that salvation would be offered to all mankind. Paul bears witness of this in Romans 1:16, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."
There are not two covenants of grace, differing in substance, but one and the same covenant under different dispensations. In order to really appreciate this covenant of grace, one needs to understand the gospel and the law, for the gospel, the Good News, is not just in the New Testament, but is found in the Old Testament (Hebrew Scripture) as well. What is the gospel? It is simply the good news of what God has done for mankind. God expressed His grace—unmerited favor and unconditional love—an absolute love (agape) to man when He gave His only begotten Son to die for the world in order to redeem us according to John 3:16: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
The law is the expression of God's will for mankind, and the gospel represents His grace and love for man. Both the gospel and the law belong together. They are like two sides of a coin, and one can't exist without the other. It is only after one has experienced God's goodness, grace, and love that one can be empowered to fulfill the law. That said, without the law, the meaning of the gospel would be lost. This is because the gospel without the law would turn into a free-wheeling, superficial emotionalism—a life without character and integrity.
One ceases to be a good steward over that which was given—grace and love. However, many Christians seem to think that they are above the law, and they do not adhere to the principle of obedience, which is God's plan to reward our lives. Obedience is a righteousness-building principle, for obedience puts one in right standing with God. Yes, we have been made "the righteousness" of God by the shed blood of Jesus. But as children of God, we need to learn how to act righteously. God's Word tells us in 1 Peter 1:16, "Be ye holy; for I am holy."
The balance between gospel and law is...
