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Originally Posted by CarolinaCalvinist What does the bible have to say about the importance of regular private prayer times that are long and deep? This has been a source of great legalism for myself and many others and I've come to think that the bible puts the emphasis on our growth as an outworking of our participation in the public means of grace in faith. Just today I spoke with a friend on campus who was complaining about her friend who tried to give spiritual advice "without having met with the Lord yet today." What is the biblical case for the necessity of such personal piety? | What does this mean David? the bible puts the emphasis on our growth as an outworking of our participation in the public means of grace in faith.
I do not know what the public means of grace in faith is. Now, it sounds very scholarly and pious in itself  |
I assure you that I wasn't trying to sound pious or intellectual with my statement about the means of grace. That is just the confessional language for the ways by which God communicates grace to us. I'm sure the phrase or something like it can be found in the Heidelberg Confession as well.
Does the scripture talk about meeting with God other than "in the assembly"? Paul talks about gathering together, singing psalms to each other, hearing the preached word, communion, etc. I've never seen much of an argument made for the modern-day primacy of individual devotional experience over corporate worship and the means of grace other than saying "hey look, Jesus went off by himself to pray." I certainly agree that it's noble to take time to pray for various needs. Sometimes I just get wary because I am prone to constantly judge myself on the basis of the frequency or "depth" of my "quiet times," surrounded by people who say things like I quoted above, that someone who hasn't "met with the Lord today" can't add anything edifying to a religious conversation.
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The Apostle Paul is crystal clear on how prayer ranks in the life of the believer. It is indispensable.
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I don't disagree that prayer is discussed in the New Testament. But again, what is clear is that our main sources of growth/sanctification are the preaching of the word and administration of the sacraments, both of which take place during public worship. Forgive me if I'm being reactionary to my previous experience in the charismatic church but I just get easily on edge when people start making what appears (to me at least) to be an unnecessarily big deal over prolonged times of personal prayer.