1. Martin Luther
A Faith to
Live By

2. Martin Luther and the Life of Prayer
A Simple Way to Pray!
Martin Luther and the Life of Prayer
Martin Luther’s Little Prayer Book, 1522 (One of only two originals)

3. Luther’s Example Luther’s Morning Prayer A Simple Way to Pray
“I thank you, my Heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.”

4. Prayer for Melanchthon
A Simple Way to Pray
Luther’s Example
Prayer for Melanchthon
There [in Weimar], the Lord God had to stretch out his hand to me. For I threw the entire sack in front of his door and rubbed his ears with all the promises to hear prayers that I was able to recall from the Holy Scripture, so that he had to hear me, were I to believe all those other promises.

5. Prayer at the Death of his Daughter
A Simple Way to Pray
Luther’s Example
Prayer at the Death of his Daughter
Dearly do I love her; but, O my God, if it be Thy will to take her hence, I resign her to Thee without a murmur

6. Reforming Medieval Prayer Luther’s Vision of Dialogue with God
A Simple Way to Pray
Reforming Medieval Prayer
Luther’s Vision of Dialogue with God
MEDIEVAL
LUTHER
bound to penitential system
commanded by God who promises to hear & answer
linked with indulgences
not used for indulgences (eventually)
monastic and priestly
for all the people
prayers to saints, angels, Mary
to God alone, in Christ, by God’s Spirit
good work
conversation with God

7. Luther’s Vision of Dialogue with God
A Simple Way to Pray
Prayer in all of Life
Luther’s Vision of Dialogue with God
simple, direct conversation with God
not a collection of prayers - guidance
founded on God’s Word (catechism etc.)
Prayer includes every pursuit of the soul, in meditation, reading, listening, and praying
(Luther)

8. Letter to Peter the Barber
A Simple Way to Pray
Letter to Peter the Barber
Praying the Catechism
Purposeful Praying
Goals -- who you are praying to
-- how and what to pray
Faith -- receptiveness

9. Letter to Peter the Barber Three key elements of prayer
A Simple Way to Pray
Letter to Peter the Barber
Praying the Catechism
Three key elements of prayer
speech -- crying out to God concerning God’s Word
meditation -- active, practical engagement with God’s Word
distress ---- spiritual trials, temptations & afflictions

10. Letter to Peter the Barber Three practical aspects
A Simple Way to Pray
Letter to Peter the Barber
Praying the Catechism
Three practical aspects
Example -- Luther’s practice
Constancy - morning & evening
Approach - humility
earnestness
confidence concentration

11. Letter to Peter the Barber Praying the Lord’s Prayer
A Simple Way to Pray
Letter to Peter the Barber
Praying the Lord’s Prayer
Hallowed be Thy Name
Yes, Lord God, dear Father, hallowed be thy name, both in us and throughout the whole world

12. Letter to Peter the Barber
A Simple Way to Pray
Letter to Peter the Barber
Praying the Lord’s Prayer
Thy kingdom come
O dear Lord, God and Father,
Thou seest how worldly wisdom and reason profane thy name...
convert them and defend us

13. Letter to Peter the Barber
A Simple Way to Pray
Letter to Peter the Barber
Praying the Lord’s Prayer
Give us this day our daily bread
Dear Lord, God and Father,
Grant us thy blessing also in this temporal and physical life

14. Lord’s Prayer Set to music
A Simple Way to Pray
Lord’s Prayer
Set to music
Our Father, Thou in heaven above,
Who biddest us to dwell in love,
As brethren of one family,
To cry in every need to Thee,
Teach us no thoughtless word to say,
But from our inmost heart to pray.

15. Letter to Peter the Barber
A Simple Way to Pray
Letter to Peter the Barber
Praying the Commandments
A Garland of Four Strands
Instruction -- school book
Thanksgiving -- song book
Confession -- penitential book
Prayer prayer book

16. Letter to Peter the Barber You shall have no other gods before me
A Simple Way to Pray
Letter to Peter the Barber
Praying the Commands
You shall have no other gods before me
I believe in God
Instruction trust God
Thanksgiving -- our gratitude
Confession our wandering
Prayer our obedience

17. Letter to Peter the Barber Honour your father and your mother
A Simple Way to Pray
Letter to Peter the Barber
Praying the Commands
Honour your father and your mother
I believe in God
Instruction -- God’s care
through parents
Thanksgiving – for families
Confession our failures
Prayer - for blessing on families

18. Letter to Peter the Barber First Article – Creation
A Simple Way to Pray
Letter to Peter the Barber
Praying the Creed
First Article – Creation
I believe in God
Instruction our identity
Thanksgiving -- our gratitude
Confession our lament
Prayer our faith

19. Letter to Peter the Barber
A Simple Way to Pray
Letter to Peter the Barber
Praying the Creed
Second Article – Redemption
I believe in Jesus Christ
Instruction -- our new identity
Thanksgiving -- our gratitude
Confession our lament
Prayer our preservation

20. Letter to Peter the Barber
A Simple Way to Pray
Letter to Peter the Barber
Praying the Creed
Third Article – Sanctification
I believe in the Holy Spirit
Instruction -- our helper
Thanksgiving -- our gratitude
Confession our neglect
Prayer our steadfastness

21. Letter to Peter the Barber
A Simple Way to Pray
Letter to Peter the Barber
The Amen!
Always speak the Amen firmly!
Never doubt that God in his mercy will surely hear you
And say “yes”
to your prayers

22. Letter to Peter the Barber
A Simple Way to Pray
Letter to Peter the Barber
The Amen!
Do not leave your prayer
without having said or thought,
“Very well,
God has heard my prayer;
This I know
as a certainty and truth.”
That is what the Amen means.

23. Prayer as Central to Life
A Simple Way to Pray
Prayer as Central to Life
Luther’s Evening Prayer
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have graciously kept me this day; and I pray that You would forgive me all my sins where I have done wrong, and graciously keep me this night. For into Your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.

24. Martin Luther
A Faith to
Live By