THANKFUL FOR THE POWER AND COMFORT OF PRAYER
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually;
18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Be cheerful no matter what;
17 pray all the time; 18 thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.
INTRODUCTION: As we continue this series on thankfulness, I wanted to teach you all on the thought of being thankful for prayer. Prayer is such an important part of the Christian’s ministry and blessing, that it deserves a regular reminder. We need to be reminded of the importance and blessing of prayer, in order that we also remain thankful for it.
1. THE TEACHING ON PRAYER – MATT 6:9-13
Matthew 6:9-13 This, then, is how you should pray: "'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.'
a. All Prayer is Addressed to God The Father
b. Prayer by Nature Begins With Worship
i. “Hallowed”: make your name Holy
c. Prayer by Nature is Steeped in Reverence
d. Prayer Communicates a Desire for God’s Kingdom
e. Prayer Acknowledges a Desire for His Will
f. Prayer Seeks Relief for our Needs
i. “Give”: God is the source of blessing
ii. We appeal to His mercy
g. Prayer Asks God’s Protection in our Weakness
i. “Forgive”: send away
Mattoon writes in his commentary, …
The whole town had gathered in the courthouse for the trial. The prosecuting attorney called his first witness, an elderly woman, to the stand. He approached her and asked, "Mrs. Jones, do you know me?" She responded, "Why, yes, I do know you, Mr. Williams. I've known you since you were a young boy. And, frankly, you've been a big disappointment to me. You lie, you cheat on your wife, you manipulate people and talk about them behind their backs. You think you're a rising big shot, but you haven't the brains to realize you will never amount to anything more than a two-bit paper pusher. Yes, I know you."
The lawyer was stunned. Not knowing what else to do, he pointed across the room and asked, "Mrs. Jones, do you know the defense attorney?" She replied, "Why, of course I do. I've known Mr. Bradley since he was a youngster, too. I used to baby-sit him. And he, too, has been a real disappointment to me. He's lazy, bigoted, and has a drinking problem. The man can't build a normal relationship with anyone, and his law practice is one of the shoddiest in the entire state. Yes, I know him."
At this point, the judge rapped the courtroom to silence and called both counselors to the bench. In a very quiet voice, he said with menace, "If either of you ask her if she knows me, I'll hold you both in contempt of court!"
Beloved, God knows us. He knows what we think and what is going on in our hearts. He knows especially about our sinfulness. This is why we are to seek His forgiveness.
ii. Lead us not
ILLUSTRATION:
• I cannot say "our" if I live only for myself.
• I cannot say "Father" if I do not endeavor each day to act like His child.
• I cannot say "who art in heaven" if I am laying up no treasure there.
• I cannot say "hallowed be Thy name" if I am not striving for holiness in my own life.
• I cannot say "Thy kingdom come" if I am not doing all in my power to hasten that wonderful event or looking forward to His return.
• I cannot say "Thy will be done" if I am disobedient to His Word and doing my own will.
• I cannot say "in earth as it is in heaven" if I'll not serve Him here and now.
• I cannot say "give us this day our daily bread" if I am dishonest or seeking things by deception.
• I cannot say "forgive us our debts" if I harbor a grudge or bitterness against someone.
• I cannot say "lead us not into temptation" if I deliberately place myself in the path of temptation.
• I cannot say "deliver us from evil" if I do not put on the whole armor of God.
• I cannot say "Thine is the kingdom" if I do not give the King the loyalty due Him from a faithful subject.
• I cannot attribute to Him "the power" if I fear what men may do or make the crowd my master instead of Him.
• I cannot ascribe to Him "the glory" if I'm seeking honor only for myself, and I cannot say "forever" if the horizon of my life is bounded completely by time and matters that pertain just to this life. Are you committed to hallowing God's name in your life?
Pastor John Hooper.
2. JESUS’ EXAMPLE OF PRAYER – JOHN 17:1-5
John 17:1-5 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: "Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
4 I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.
a. The prayer of Jesus shows God’s divine appointment in our lives
b. The Prayer of Jesus reveals our need to seek God’s Strength in times of trouble
i. Glorify: sustain me in my suffering and my acceptance of the future
c. The prayer of Jesus acknowledges the control of God the Father
d. The prayer of Jesus reveals the goal of all activity – bringing glory to God
3. OUR INTERCESSOR IN PRAYER – ROM 8:26
Romans 8:26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
a. The Holy Spirit is available in our weakness
b. The Holy Spirit knows what to say
c. The Holy Spirit knows how to say it
d. The Holy Spirit Helps “keeps on helping”
i. To carry a heavy load
4. MY ATTITUDE TO PRAYER – PSALM 40:1-4
Psalm 40:1-4 I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.
3 He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.
4 Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods.
a. Only God is our salvation
b. God’s answer to our prayer s always worthy of praise
c. Blessings come from trusting God
d. God is jealous of our trust
i. Him alone
The sailors on a Scottish fishing vessel were returning home after many days at sea. As they neared the shore, they gazed eagerly toward the dock where a group of their loved ones had gathered. The skipper looked through his binoculars and identified some of them: "I see Bill's Vicky, and there is Tom's Roxanne, and David's Sophia." One man became concerned because his wife was not there at the dock. Later, he left the boat with a heavy heart and hurried up the hill to his cottage. As he opened the door, she ran to meet him saying, "I have been waiting for you!" He replied with a very gentle rebuke, "Yes, but the other men's wives were watching for them.
PRAYER IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WAITING AND WATCHING FOR GOD!
