Prayer, Care, Share

Faithful Together, Life Giving Relationships: Prayer Care Share

Simple: Vision Statement We are a diverse…I like it, alot really, but not particularly simple…our NR church motto however is simple: Love God, People, Change the World

Tom: Prayer Care Share: Think through small groups, family groups, even break out groups - very simple) Love God, Love People, Change the World

Research: American Christians pray an average of 5 minutes or less

Most of us had some kind of prayer experience as children:Children prayers:

• Now I lay me down to sleep…I pray the lord my soul to keep

Or rote prayers, like the pledge of allegiance in school

• Lord’s prayer
• The Hail Mary
  • Hail, Mary, full of grace,pray for us sinners,now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
• Thanksgiving at a meal
  • Bless us, O Lord,for these, thy gifts,we are about to receive through thy bounty,through Christ, our Lord, Amen.
  • (…then in our house, the cursing began)

There are many things that those of you who were raised in Christian families (espec kingdom families) never experienced growing up…

But sometimes in our quieter moments: like a little boy who caught himself one night before bed in a spontaneous moment while saying his prayers: Dear God, I think about you sometimes, even when I’m not praying…

• Euchomai and proseuchomai are more general terms for prayer,
• while deomai conveys the sense of seeking to have a need met.

The idea of “proseuchomai” from pros = toward, facing, before [emphasizing the direct approach of the one who prays in seeking prayer is that we enter into the presence of God to make our request known directly to Him. Our attention is drawn to the person we are praying more than the request we are making. Praying to God gets our minds and attention directed towards Him. It’s entering into His Holy Presence, the very act of it being of conscious importance and the words and requests being secondary.

• Luke 5:16 - But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed (proseuchomai).
• Luke 6:12 - One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying (proseuchomai) to God.
• Luke 9:29 - As he was praying (proseuchomai), the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning.

1 Tim 2:1 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions (entreaties), prayers, intercession (requests) and thanksgiving be made for all people— (Let’s break it down):

1) Petitions (entreaties) (day-sis; δέησις; deomai: desperate prayer) Petitions: prayer that results from a “wanting need, urgency (Kelly in Kennestone hospital on oxygen, a lost child, etc) where a desperate situation or desperation for God has prompted… to seek Him with an intentional resolve of prayer.

• For example in Luke 2:37 we see the widow Anna serving God in the temple with “fastings and prayers“. Clearly this widow’s prayer-life was accompanied by a desperate sense of seeking God’s face.
• Luke 5:12 While He was in one of the cities, behold, there was a man covered with leprosy; and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”
• Luke 8:28 (Demon possessed man) Seeing Jesus, he cried out and fell before Him, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me.”
• Luke 9:38 And a man from the crowd shouted, saying, "Teacher, I beg You to look at my son, for he is my only boy...40 "I begged Your disciples to cast it out, and they could not.”
• Luke 10:2 And He was saying to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore Pray (beg, beseech) the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.
• Heb 5:7 During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers (day-sis) and supplications with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.
• James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer (“day-sis”) of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
• The Apostle is urging Timothy to lead them to make sure their prayers are laced with an urgency and resolve to seek God in specific ways. This tone ought to accompany the Christian’s prayer life.

2. Prayers (pros-oo-xay; προσευχή) “prayer” and with the idea of this type of prayer said in the context of other acts of worship. This word is used to describe Jesus in a kneeling position on the ground in prayer in Luke 22:45. Oftentimes this word refers to a  designated place of prayer, such as the place described in Acts 16:13,16 where the women would gather to pray.

• Intentionality and expression, a purposefulness to one’s prayer life. It is no wonder why Jesus’ disciples would use the infinitve (verbal noun) form of this word in their request to Jesus to teach them how “to pray”.
• As Christians living in 2021 world, the temptation of distracted is at an all time high. For us, The HS and Apostle’s use of this word in 1Timothy 2:1 teaches the idea of having “purposefulness” in our prayer life.
• So far 1) we’ve seen with the word “petition” the idea of desperation, urgency for God in our prayer-life and 2) with the more common word (2X more often) translated “prayers” we have understood the need for purposefulness…

3) Now the third word for Prayer in this text: Intercessions. Intercessions (requests) (en-too-xeis; ἐντεύξεις) intercession or praying on behalf of someone. The “power of intercession”.

• The first two words used by Paul in 1 Timothy 2:1, prayer is conceived of mainly in public settings. With this particular word, the closeness of fellowship with God is emphasized, with the idea of praying for others and bring their names and situations to God for the sake of discussion.
• Prayer Care Share in our family groups, small groups
• My Prayers:
  • Pray thru rosters, Prayer through the pews
  • When had a house with a yard (trees & bushes and flowers)
  • driving home from church
  • Prayer list - health needs
  • Jobs, finances, kids, adult children

4) Thanksgivings (eu-xa-ris-tos; εὐχαριστία) Not view prayer as only asking things from God. Without thanksgiving, prayer grows stale, stagnant, rote, repetitive…

• The word “eucharist” which is used in some Christian circles as a name for the celebration of the Lord’s table. In the Supper we give thanks to the Lord for His substitutionary death on behalf of His people.

What did we just learn from 1 Tim 2:1 As Scriptures interacted us “first of all” (just one verse) - learned a lot! Q: did you pay ATTN?? Where are you so far?? - 1/2 so far

Our prayers this morning need to be

• 1) a desperate seeking after God (petitions).
• 2) Our prayers need to be purposeful and intentional.
• 3) Prayer should be aimed at closeness with God
• 4) interceding for each other (Knights, prayer list, Covid, etc.)
• 5) prayer needs to be filled with thanksgiving to raise prayer to the level of true worship and praise

1 Timothy 2:8 - I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer (Relationships Life Giving…) without anger or disputing.

Eph 6:18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests (petitions, “deeseos”). With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

Family Groups, small groups (Prayer Care Share)

• James 5:16 13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.
• Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
• Luke 22:31 but I have prayed for you…when change, repent strengthen your brothers
• 3 John 1:2 Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers
• Paul’s Prayers for his brothers & sisters in Christ
  • Ephesians 1:15–23; 3:14–21
  • Philippians 1:9–11
  • Colossians 1:9–14
  • 1 Thessalonians 3:9–13
  • 2 Thessalonians 1:13–14
• Q: How often do I pray for members of my group?
• Pray Paul's Prayers
  • Intercession Prayers: try praying the words the Apostle Paul was inspired to use when he prayed for other Christians.
  • A wide variety of such God-glorifying, Christ-centered prayers for others can be found in
    • Ephesians 1:15–23; 3:14–21
    • Philippians 1:9–11
    • Colossians 1:9–14
    • 1 Thessalonians 3:9–13
    • 2 Thessalonians 1:13–14
  • Eph. 1:18–20 Pray: the eyes of [their] hearts enlightened, that [they] may know what is the hope to which he has called [them], what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might, that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places.
  • Philippians 1:9-11 “And this is my prayer: that Christ’s love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that he/she may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ — to the glory and praise of God.”
  • 1 Thess 3:10 - Night and day we pray (deomai) most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.
  • And asked Prayers for himself: Eph 6:19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel,

Conclusion:

Phil 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

1 Thess 5:17 Pray w/out ceasing

Phil 4:6 what just read: in every situation…

Romans 12:11-12 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

James 5:17 - Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed (proseuchomai) earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.

James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer (“day-sis”) of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

Prayer Care Share