Bible Study 5 Prayer

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Prayer is a simple subject, however it is of the utmost importance in our relationship with God. Prayer is simply talking to our Father. It does not have to be fancy or spoken with eliquence to be real. Our Father is concerned with sincerity not skill. Well let's get into some scriptures. We'll begin in 1Timothy.

1 Timothy 2:1-4

verse 1   I exhort therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers, intersessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

verse 2   For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peacable life in all godliness and honesty.

verse 3   For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior;

verse 4   Who will have all men to be saved, and to come into the knowledge of the truth.

Phillipians 4:6,7

verse 6   Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Careful here means worrisome.

verse 7   And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ.

Supplication is the expression of need. This does not mean that we ask our Father for cars and riches. Remember Solomon, He asked for knowledge to rule the people, and God gave him riches and a long life because he did not ask for them. When we express a genuine need our Father will help us.

Intercession is a request concerning others made of their behalf. I am a living testimony to the fact that intercessory prayer has power. Thanks to the intercessory prayers of my mother and sister I was brought out of darkness and into the light.

Giving of thanks is also very important. Just think how we would feel if our children never expressed gratitude for the things that we do for them. An awesome price was paid so that we could be made fit for God's Kingdom. We should express our thankfullness continually.

Prayers of adoration are another vital part of our prayer life. Turn with me to Psalms 8.

Psalms 8:1-9 

verse 1   O LORD our LORD, How excellent is Thy name in all the earth! Who hast set Thy glory above the heavens.

verse 2   Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast Thou ordained strength Because of Thine enemies, That thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.

verse 3   When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, The moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained;

verse 4   What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that Thou visitist him?

verse 5   For Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.

verse 6   Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of Thy hands;

verse 7   All sheep and oxen, Yea, and the beasts of the field;

verse 8   The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, And whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.

verse 9   O LORD our LORD, How excellent is Thy name in all the earth!

This is a prayer of adoration. We are to love and adore our Savior. We were created to give God pleasure. I am sure that He enjoys these prayers. Next we will cover confession. Turn to 1John.

1John 1:9,10

verse 9   If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

verse 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.

Our Father does not like fakes. He expects us to be real with Him. Let's go to the book of Romans.

Romans 7:14-25

verse 14   For we know that the law is spiritiul; but I am carnal, sold under sin.

verse 15   For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.

verse 16   If I do that which I would not, I consent to the unto the law that it is good.

verse 17   Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

verse 18   For I know that in me (that is in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good, I find not.

verse 19   For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

verse 20   Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

verse 21   I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

verse 22   For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

verse 23   But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

verse 24   O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

verse 25   I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

We can all identify with this. Try as we might, we all fall short in some way. Confessing sins is important, because without confessing our sins before God, we cannot receive forgiveness. Flip over to Saint John.

St. John 14:1-14

verse 1   Let not  your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me.

verse 2   In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would not have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

verse 3   And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

verse 4   And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know."

verse 5   Thomas saith unto Him, "Lord, we know not whither Thou goest; and how can we know the way?"

verse 6   Jesus saith unto him, "I am the way the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.

verse 7   If  ye had known Me, ye should have known My Father also: and henceforth ye know Him, and have seen Him."

verse 8   Phillip saith unto Him, "Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us."

verse 9   Jesus saith unto him, "Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known Me, Phillip? he that has seen Me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, 'Show us the Father' ?

verse 10   Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of Myself: but the Father that dwelleth in Me, He doeth the works.

verse 11   Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me: or else believe Me for the very works' sake.

Believing is essential to having our prayers answered.

verse 12   Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than  these shall he do; because I go unto My Father.

verse 13   And whatsovever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do that  the Father may be glorified in the Son.

verse 14   If ye shall ask any thing in My name, I will do it.

Asking in the name of Jesus Christ lets the Father know that we believe on the Son. This is why we close our prayers in Jesus' name. Let's turn back to 1John

1John 5:13-14

verse 13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

verse 14   And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us:

verse 15   And if we know that He hear us whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.

Petitions are the things that are being asked for. Notice that verse 14 says that we should pray according to the will of God. This should not be overlooked. Many times we get so caught up into what we are asking and our own will, that we forget to pray that His will be done. On our way to closing we are going to turn to the book of Matthew and see specifically how Christ says that we should pray.

Matthew 6:5-15

verse 5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

A hypocrite is not someone who says one thing and does another. This is a false definition that is believed by the world and many Christians. A hypocrite at the time when Christ walked the earth was an actor in the theatre. These actors or hypocrites wore masks. When Christ used this word, He meant someone who pretends to be good but is really evil, not someone who says one thing and does another. In other words, don't be a pretender be for real when you pray. Pray to communicate with our Father, not just to be seen and show everyone how much Jesus you have.

verse 6   But when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father Which is in secret; and thy Father Which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

Closet in this verse means that we should pray privately, not in a literal physical closet.

verse 7   But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall  heard for their much speaking.

This doesn't mean that we shouldn't ask for something more than once. This is talking about repeating things over and over in a chant.

verse 8   Be not therefore like unto  them:  for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of , before ye ask Him.

Next Jesus is going to give us a prayer blueprint. Remember prayer is simply talking to our Father. Jesus doesn't mean that we should say this particular prayer every time we pray.

verse 9   After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father Which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name.

Hallowed or holy be Thy name is an expression of adoration.

verse 10  Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.

When we pray we should express our longing for the day that the everlasting kingdom of God will be set up.

verse 11  Give us this day our daily bread.

The word daily in this verse means coming down upon in the same way as the manna of the Old Testament. Remember Christ said "I am the bread of life."

verse 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

This is confession. The word debts should be translated sins. When we ask God to forgive us for our sins, we are acknowledging the debt that was paid by the blood of Christ. To be forgiven for our sins, we must be willing to forgive others.

verse 13   And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

Temptation means trial. Evil means the evil one which is the devil. We close out our prayers with Amen. We should also pray in the name of Jesus before we say Amen. It was not necessary for Christ to pray in His own name. In closing, the last scriptures we will cover is in 1Thessalonians.

1Thessalonians 5:16-18

verse 16   Rejoice evermore;

verse 17   Pray without ceasing;

verse 18   In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.