Prayer 2

This morning's bible study was a continuation of last week's introduction to prayer. I discussed a lot so I will leave the information I shared. I could not possibly share with you all the speaking I did. I wish I could for those who missed. The sharing and praising was all for God's Glory!!!! I pray that it touched many who were in need that day. we are facilitators, but God is the teacher and He knows just what He wants to say thru us! Isaiah 43:10 "You are My witnesses" says the Lord, and My servants whom I have chosen, that you may know Me and believe Me,and understand that I AM He. "Before Me there was no God formed, nor shall there be after Me. How do we know Him?? Through His word and through Prayer!. He speaks to us through His Word, and He answers us through prayer. It's constant communication with the Throne of Grace. Christ in us give us the freedom to enter the Holy of Holy's, also because we are washed in the Blood of the Lamb of God. The Isrealites did not have this available to them , they had to go through the high priest once a year for atonement,and they had corporate prayer. Even then , God was in the PROCESS of changing all of that to be closer to His children. He sent Ezekiel to profess the good news. While they were in exile, He told them through Ezekiel that there would be no more corporate prayer. Everyman was going to be held responsible for their own sins with God. No More blaming their Fore Fathers and ,they needed to come to Him personally. Wow what a plan He had for all of US! As I ponder all of this I cannot help but keep reverting back to this one thought in my heart. "What a mighty God we serve!" We can ask for anything according to His will, we did NOT have to earn it ! He is a Giver! Here are some who did however pray to God thru the grace and faith He gave them in order for them to complete the task He gave them. God never sends us on a job without supplying us with what we need , because all that we are chosen to do is to Glorify Him!!!! Also Jesus prayed as well . How do you think prayer differs from the OT. and the NT. These are some of the patriarchs and prophets and servants who prayed in the Old testament, just to give you a an idea of Prayer then and how important it was to them. Gen 24 Abraham's servant Success in his mission Gen 32 Jacob Protection against Esau Exd 32 Moses Forgiveness for idolatrous Israel Exd 33 Moses For the Divine presence Num 12 Moses For Miriam, when smitten with leprosy Deu 3 Moses To enter Canaan Jdg 16 Samson To be avenged on his enemies 1Sa 1 Hannah For a man-child 2Sa 7 David Prayer and thanksgiving after Nathan's message concerning his intention to build the temple Question: "What does it mean to pray in Jesus' name?" Answer: Prayer in Jesus’ name is taught in John 14:13-14, “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” Some misapply this verse, thinking that saying “in Jesus’ name” at the end of a prayer results in God’s always granting what is asked for. This is essentially treating the words “in Jesus’ name” as a magic formula. This is absolutely unbiblical. Praying in Jesus’ name means praying with His authority and asking God the Father to act upon our prayers because we come in the name of His Son, Jesus. Praying in Jesus' name means the same thing as praying according to the will of God, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him” (1 John 5:14-15). Praying in Jesus’ name is praying for things that will honor and glorify Jesus. Saying “in Jesus’ name” at the end of a prayer is not a magic formula. If what we ask for or say in prayer is not for God’s glory and according to His will, saying “in Jesus’ name” is meaningless. Genuinely praying in Jesus' name and for His glory is what is important, not attaching certain words to the end of a prayer. It is not the words in the prayer that matter, but the purpose behind the prayer. Praying for things that are in agreement with God’s will is the essence of praying in Jesus’ name. john commentary Matthew Henry 1john 5:14-15 I. A privilege belonging to faith in Christ, namely, audience in prayer: This is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us, v. 14. The Lord Christ emboldens us to come to God in all circumstances, with all our supplications and requests. Through him our petitions are admitted and accepted of God. The matter of our prayer must be agreeable to the declared will of God. It is not fit that we should ask what is contrary either to his majesty and glory or to our own good, who are his and dependent on him. And then we may have confidence that the prayer of faith shall be heard in heaven. II. The advantage accruing to us by such privilege: If we know that he heareth us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him, v. 15. Great are the deliverances, mercies, and blessings, which the holy petitioner needs. To know that his petitions are heard or accepted is as good as to know that they are answered; and therefore that he is so pitied, pardoned, or counselled, sanctified, assisted, and saved (or shall be so) as he is allowed to ask of God. III. Direction in prayer in reference to the sins of others: If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for those that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it, v. 16. Here we may observe, 1. We ought to pray for others as well as for ourselves; for our brethren of mankind, that they may be enlightened, converted, and saved; for our brethren in the Christian profession, that they may be sincere, that their sins may be pardoned, and that they may be delivered from evils and the chastisements of God, and preserved in Christ Jesus. I would like to end this study today with a few words about a time when I took a course thirty odd years ago. The course was named, "Change the World school of Prayer" Prayer changes things, but prayer does not change people who do not want to be changed. We can however pray for their hearts to be moved ,God can go to the inner courts of our being and have a huge affect on us. He can bring us to our knees!!!!! When I took this course they taught us about the outline of Prayer through the "OUR Father". When you are wanting to know how to pray as a new believer, look at this: A.C.T.S. "Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving,and Supplication." God is a God of order as it says in 1cor 14:40. "Let all things be done decently and in order." Therefore I would also like to point out that when we pray we need to follow God's request and pray in the outline of this prayer, it is what Jesus told the disciples and it is orderly. God should be glorified through all of our prayers!!! He is the MOST High, The Living God, Who Gave us our salvation!!! He made a way through Christ for us to be able to speak with Him 24/7. I may sound like I repeat myself , but brothers and sisters I am pressing in on the importance of successful prayer in these perilous times when we need to be praying more than ever for Christ will return and then it will be too late for so many!