Tag Archives: prayer
More Owen Audio on Prayer
Posted on 03. Dec, 2009 by Danny Hyde.
Lectures 6 and 7 of my series through John Owen’s, A Discourse of the Work of the Holy Spirit in Prayer, are now online.
Lecture 6 dealt with chapter 5, “The Matter of Prayer,” and Lecture 7 dealt with chapter 6, “The Manner of Prayer.”
You may also download a .pdf of the outlines: Work of the Holy Spirit in Prayer–chapter 5 and Work of the Holy Spirit in Prayer–chapter 6.
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Days of Fasting and Prayer in the Reformed Tradition
Posted on 26. Nov, 2009 by Danny Hyde.
In honor of the National Thanksgiving Day here in the U.S. today, I thought it would be beneficial to say a word or two about the history of days of fasting and prayer—whether focusing on penitence or thanksgiving—in the Reformed tradition. I would also like to offer a few reasons why this practice is beneficial but also why it is not followed as often in our time.
Some History
First, let me survey some of the history of days of fasting and prayer. These days have been in the church of Christ since the ancient church. In our Reformed tradition one reads of the Reformed churches in Switzerland (e.g., Ecclesiastical Ordinances of Geneva), the Netherlands, France, and England (see below) engaging in these services often, whether in times of great blessing or curse. One testimony of this in the tradition in which I minister, the Dutch Reformed tradition, is the prayer, “A General Confession of Sins, and Prayer Before the Sermon and on Days of Fasting and Prayer” (Psalter Hymnal, p. 181). This prayer was an application of articles 66–67 of the Church Order of the Synod of Dort, which said,
In times of war, pestilence, calamities, heavy persecution of the Churches, and other general distresses, the Ministers of the Churches shall request the Government to employ their authority and command that public days of Fasting and Prayer be appointed and set aside (art. 66).
The Churches shall observe, in addition to Sunday, also Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost, with the following day, and whereas in most of the cities and provinces of the Netherlands the day of Circumcision and of Ascension of Christ are also observed, Ministers in every place where this is not yet done shall take steps with the Government to have them conform with the others (art. 67).
In our context now, days of prayer are traditionally held on the second Wednesday of March in relation to crops or on the National Day of Prayer (first Thursday in May).
Teaching in the Confessions
The Reformed Confessions also approve of such services and give us prescriptive details about them. In the Second Helvetic Confession, published by Heinrich Bullinger in 1566, he contrasted living a life of drunkenness with fasting:
For fasting is nothing else than the abstinence and temperance of the godly, and a watching and chastising of our flesh, taken up for present necessity, whereby we are humbled before God, and withdraw from the flesh those things with which it is cherished, to the end that it may the more willingly and easily obey the Spirit. Wherefore they do not fast at all that have no regard for those things, but imagine that they fast if they stuff their bellies once a day, and for a set or prescribed time do abstain from certain meats, thinking that by this very work wrought: they please God and acquire merit. Fasting is a help of the prayers of the saints and all virtues; but the fasts wherein the Jews fasted from meat, and not from wickedness, pleased God nothing at all, as we may see in the books of the Prophets.
Fasting, according to Bullinger, is an abstaining of the body with the goal of serving the Spirit. Bullinger then went on to distinguish public and private fasts and the need for both:
Now, fasting is either public or private. In olden times they celebrated public fasts in troublesome times and in the afflictions of the Church; wherein they abstained altogether from meat till the evening, and bestowed all that time in holy prayers, the worship of God, and repentance. These differed little from mournings and lamentations; and of these there is often mention made in the Prophets, and especially in the 2d chapter of Joel. Such a fast should be kept at this day, when the Church is in distress. Private fasts are used by every one of us, according as every one feels the spirit weakened in him; for so he withdraws that which might cherish and strengthen the flesh.
Bullinger applied what happened in ancient days to his own, saying that not only did the people of God “celebrate public fasts” in “olden times” during times of trouble, but “at this day” such fasts “should be kept” by us. Finally, Bullinger characterized the attitude of true Christian fasting in these words:
All fasts ought to proceed from a free and willing spirit, and such a one as is truly humbled, and not framed to win applause and the liking of men, much less to the end that a man might merit righteousness by them. But let every one fast to this end, that he may deprive the flesh of that which would cherish it, and that he may the more zealously serve God.
Fasting is not divine or ecclesiastical law, but the free and willing service of the Christian “that he may the more zealously serve God.”
Later, James Ussher wrote the Irish Articles of Religion in 1615 to express the Puritan faith in Ireland. Three of the 104 articles deal with fasting. Article 49 deals with the context for such days of fasting, humiliation, and prayer:
When almighty God smiteth us with affliction, or some great calamity hangeth over us, or any other weighty cause so requireth, it is our duty to humble ourselves in fasting, to bewail our sins with a sorrowful heart, and to addict ourselves to earnest prayer, that it might please God to turn his wrath from us, or supply us with such graces as we greatly stand in need of.
Ussher went on to describe fasting as “a withholding of meat, drink, and all natural food, with other outward delights, from the body, for the determined time of fasting” (art. 50). He went on to describe the inner aspect of fasting:
We must not fast with this persuasion of mind, that our fasting can bring us to heaven, or ascribe holiness to the outward work wrought; for God alloweth not our fast for the work sake (which of itself is a thing merely indifferent), but simply respecteth the heart, how it is affected therein. It is, therefore, requisite that first, before all things, we cleanse our hearts from sin, and then direct our fast to such ends as God will allow to be good: that the flesh may thereby be chastised, the spirit may be more fervent in prayer, and that our fasting may be a testimony of our humble submission to God’s majesty, when we acknowledge our sins unto him, and are inwardly touched with sorrowfulness of heart, bewailing the same in the affliction of our bodies.
In continuity with Bullinger, Ussher saw fasting as an outward means whereby the soul was made more malleable to the work of the Spirit.
Following Ussher very closely, the Westminster Confession spoke briefly of fasting in the context of public worship:
The reading of the Scriptures with godly fear, the sound preaching and conscionable hearing of the Word, in obedience unto God, with understanding, faith, and reverence, singing of psalms with grace in the heart; as also, the due administration and worthy receiving of the sacraments instituted by Christ, are all parts of the ordinary religious worship of God: beside religious oaths, vows, solemn fastings, and thanksgivings upon special occasions, which are, in their several times and seasons, to be used in an holy and religious manner (21.5; emphasis added).
In the Larger Catechism this is put more strikingly: “What are the duties required in the second commandment? The duties required in the second commandment are . . . religious fasting” (Q&A 108).
In the Assembly’s Directory for the Publick Worship of God, an entire section was taken up with “Publick Solemn Fasting.” The context is either a time of trouble or a time of seeking God’s blessing:
When some great and notable judgments are either inflicted upon a people, or apparently imminent, or by some extraordinary provocations notoriously deserved; as also when some special blessing is to be sought and obtained, publick solemn fasting (which is to continue the whole day) is a duty that God expecteth from that nation or people.
Before the service members prepared privately and were to assemble “early at the congregation.” A “large a portion of the day as conveniently may be” was taken up in “publick reading and preaching of the word, with singing of psalms, fit to quicken affections suitable to such a duty: but especially in prayer.” The Divines went on to give an outline of prayer:
Giving glory to the great Majesty of God, the Creator, Preserver, and supreme Ruler of all the world, the better to affect us thereby with an holy reverence and awe of him; acknowledging his manifold, great, and tender mercies, especially to the church and nation, the more effectually to soften and abase our hearts before him; humbly confessing of sins of all sorts, with their several aggravations; justifying God’s righteous judgments, as being far less than our sins do deserve; yet humbly and earnestly imploring his mercy and grace for ourselves, the church and nation, for our king, and all in authority, and for all others for whom we are bound to pray, (according as the present exigent requireth,) with more special importunity and enlargement than at other times; applying by faith the promises and goodness of God for pardon, help, and deliverance from the evils felt, feared, or deserved; and for obtaining the blessings which we need and expect; together with a giving up of ourselves wholly and for ever unto the Lord.
In prayer, ministers were “to speak from their hearts” so that both they and the people would be “much affected, and even melted thereby, especially with sorrow for their sins; that it may be indeed a day of deep humiliation and afflicting of the soul.”
Preaching texts were to be chosen based on what “may best work the hearts of the hearers to the special business of the day, and most dispose them to humiliation and repentance.”
Today’s Need
1. By instituting days of fasting and prayer today, we will be continually bringing our worship and life under the teaching of Scripture as it has been applied throughout church history.
2. By instituting days of fasting and prayer, we will be reminded of the greatness of our sins and misery in a public way and to be reminded of the necessity of true repentance and seeking the Lord.
3. By instituting days of fasting and prayer, we will publicly and corporately lift up the special needs of our congregations before the Lord. We need to dedicate ourselves to praying for the church’s inward condition and outward focus. Inwardly, we need to plead for our particular congregational needs, to plead for the wayward in our midst, to plead for our marriages, to plead for our children, to plead for godliness, and to plead for the preaching to be powerful. Outwardly we need to plead for passion in effectively witnessing, for the gospel to bear much fruit through us, and to see our congregations grow year by year.
The Impediments
What are some common impediments to holding services of fasting and prayer? Here are a few as I conclude:
1. No doubt the main culprit is our own spiritual laziness. As John Calvin said in his lectures on Joel 2:
. . . this practice has not been abolished by the gospel. And it hence appears how much we have departed from the right and lawful order of things; for at this day it would be new and unusual to proclaim a fast. How so? Because the greater part are become hardened; and as they know not commonly what repentance is, so they understand not what the profession of repentance means; for they understand not what sin is, what the wrath of God is, what grace is. It is then no wonder that they are so secure, and that when praying for pardon is mentioned, it is a thing wholly unknown at this day. But though people in general are thus stupid, it is yet our duty to learn from the Prophets what has always been the actual mode of proceeding among the people of God, and to labor as much as we can, that this may be known, so that when there shall come an occasion for a public repentance, even the most ignorant may understand that this practice has ever prevailed in the Church of God, and that it did not prevail through inconsiderate zeal of men, but through the will of God himself (Calvin, Commentaries on Joel, 14:45).
2. Another culprit are our overly scheduled and busy lives. Sadly, we are too busy to pray.
3. Finally, we are ignorant that one of the ordinary biblical means of seeking the Lord’s blessing is through public congregational fasting and prayers of penitence and thanksgiving.
Brothers and sisters, our light is getting dimmer and our saltiness is losing its savor. Let us seek the Lord through fasting and prayer in congregational services.
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John Owen’s Exposition of Romans 8:26
Posted on 05. Nov, 2009 by Danny Hyde.
Last night I presented lecture #5 of my series through John Owen’s, A Discourse of the Work of the Holy Spirit in Prayer. In this lecture I dealt with chapter 4 of the treatise and Owen’s exposition of Romans 8:26: “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (KJV).
The audio is available at Sermon Audio.
You may also download a .pdf of the outline: Work of the Holy Spirit in Prayer–Handout 6.
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Owen’s Exposition of Galatians 4:6 (Audio)
Posted on 22. Oct, 2009 by Danny Hyde.
Lecture #4 of my series through John Owen’s, A Discourse of the Work of the Holy Spirit in Prayer, is now online. You may also download a .pdf of the outline: Work of the Holy Spirit in Prayer–Handout 5. In this lecture I dealt with chapter 3 and his exposition of Galatians 4:6: “Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son, into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father” (KJV).
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New Lectures on Owen Available
Posted on 15. Oct, 2009 by Danny Hyde.
The audio of lecture #3 of my series through John Owen’s treatise, “A Discourse of the Work of the Holy Spirit in Prayer,” is now available at SermonAudio.com. This lecture deals with Owen’s exposition of Zechariah 12:10. A .pdf of the outline is also available: Work of the Holy Spirit in Prayer–Handout 4.
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A Warning from Owen to Students
Posted on 17. Sep, 2009 by Mark Jones.
The nature of engaging in theological discourse and reflection was an important topic for the Puritans. John Owen, in Theologoumena (“Biblical Theology”), suggests that students of theology should be aware that in their reading and meditation, “the all-holy God is, in a special manner, close to him as he works” (699). God speaks to us in his Word no less directly than if he spoke audibly from heaven. As a result, we should be overcome with humility and conduct our studies with appropriate reverence. The same exhortation might prove valuable for those who write and comment on blogs.
Owen continues: “Wherever fear and caution have not infused the student’s heart, God is despised. His pleasure is only to dwell in hearts which tremble at His Word. Light or frivolous perusal of the Scriptures is a sickness of soul which leads on to the death of atheism” (699). [...]
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John Owen on the Work of the Holy Spirit in Prayer—#2
Posted on 17. Sep, 2009 by Danny Hyde.
Last night at our congregation’s Wednesday Study in Theology I continued lecturing through Owen’s treatise on the work of the Spirit in Christian prayer. Our specific topic was his “Preface,” dealing with his purpose, his principles, the problems, and the practice of prayer in the power of the Holy Spirit.
The audio is now available at SermonAudio here.
A .pdf outline is available here.
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Audio—John Owen on the Work of the Holy Spirit in Prayer #1
Posted on 02. Sep, 2009 by Danny Hyde.
The Wednesday Study in Theology of the Oceanside United Reformed Church tonight. I began my series on Owen’s treatise, A Discourse of the Work of the Holy Spirit in Prayer (title page pictured to the left). The audio of class #1, “Who Was John Owen and Why Is He (Still) Important?,” is available on our SermonAudio page.
Here are .pdf downloads of the class handouts:
Handout #1—Basic Resources & Class Outline
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A Case of Calvin vs. the Calvinists? Calvin and Owen on Liturgy
Posted on 02. Sep, 2009 by Danny Hyde.
Over at the Old Life Theological Society, Dr. Darryl Hart (Darryl, do you still have that sacred candle of the BVM the Zwingli Club gave you back in my days at WSC?) has posted on an interesting issue, whether there is continuity or discontinuity between Calvin (whom Hart typifies as Presbyterianism) and Owen (whom Hart typifies as Puritanism) on the issue of liturgy, especially set forms of prayer. He is citing from a blog by my friend, former parishioner, and now colleague, Rev. Mike Brown, in which Brown argues for continuity between Calvin (who had a Form of Church Prayers) and Owen (who argued against an imposed liturgy).
You can read some of my thoughts on this in the comments on Hart’s post, but suffice it to say it is a complicated question (isn’t all history this way?). Sure, Calvin and Owen lived at different times and under different circumstances, which answers some of the question. Yet, was Owen against all “liturgy?” Depends on what you mean, whose liturgy, and the necessity of such liturgy. Was Owen against all forms of prayer? Again, it depends on what treatise you are reading, when it was written, and for what purpose a form of prayer is offered.
I hope my ThM thesis on The Liturgical Theology of John Owen sheds some light. I think the answer is that there is essential continuity in terms of the principles of Reformed worship but legitimate discontinuity in terms of the practice of liturgical prayer. This discontinuity is more than just a result of their historical circumstances, but a deeply held theological principle for Owen regardless of when and where he ministered.
So far my thesis revolves around five key principles for Owen, found in such writings as “A Discourse Concerning Liturgies, and Their Imposition,” “A Brief Instruction in the Worship of God,” “A Discourse of the Work of the Holy Spirit in Prayer,” and his massive Hebrews exposition. These principles are 1) the sufficiency of Scripture, 2) the freedom won for the Church by Christ, 3) the work of the Holy Spirit, 4) the catholicity of the Reformation, and 5) the heavenly priesthood of Christ. I pray my thesis holds water academically and also helps the Reformed churches practically in our time and place.
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Lectures on Owen’s “A Discourse of the Work of the Holy Spirit in Prayer”
Posted on 01. Sep, 2009 by Danny Hyde.
This Fall I begin lecturing through and discussing John Owen’s, A Discourse of the Work of the Holy Spirit in Prayer, for our congregation’s Wednesday Study in Theology. September 2nd is the initial class. Audio links will be provided.
