Friday, August 25, 2006

Positive Prayer Practices

Pray with...

  • Anticipation (Mat. 9:28);
    The condition of looking forward to something, especially with eagerness (cf. Rom. 8:24).

  • Awareness (Mat. 26:41);
    The condition of being aware (i.e., having knowledge or cognizance: Archaic. Vigilant; watchful; cf. 1 Pet. 5:8; Eph. 5:15).

  • Amnesty (Mark 11:25-26);
    The act or an instance of forgiving (cf. Rom. 1:31; Mat. 5:7; Luke 6:36; Mat. 18:23-35).

  • Allegiance (Luke 18:1);
    Loyalty or the obligation of loyalty, as to a nation, sovereign, or cause (cf. Jonah 2:7; Gal. 6:9; Heb. 12:1-5).

  • Assurance (Phi. 4:6-7);
    The fact or condition of being without doubt (cf. Heb. 10:38-39).

  • Availing (Jas. 5:15-20).
    To be strong in body, to be robust, to be in sound health; to be able.
    Our God is able (Eph. 3:20; 2 Chr. 25:9; Jer. 32:17, 27; Dan. 3:17; 6:20; Mat. 3:9; Rom. 4:21; Heb. 7:25; 11:19; Jas. 4:12; Jude 24)

Friday, August 18, 2006

Negative Prayer Principles

Pray without...

  • Prejudice (Mat. 5:43-48);
    The act or state of holding unreasonable preconceived judgments or convictions (cf. Jas. 2:1-4, 8-9).

  • Pomp (Mat. 6:5-15);
    Vain or ostentatious display (cf. 2 Kgs. 5:11).

  • Pride (Luke 18:9-14);
    A regarding of oneself with undue favor (cf. Rom. 12:3).

  • Pretence (Mat. 23:14);
    The act of pretending; a false appearance or action intended to deceive (cf. Gal. 2:12-13; literally, “pretend together”)

  • Pause (Jas. 1:5-8);
    To cease or suspend an action temporarily (cf. Num. 13:26-33).

Friday, August 11, 2006

"Meet" God in Prayer

Jesus prayed...

  • Morning - Mark 1:35 "And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed."

  • Evening - Matthew 14:23 "And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone."

  • Events - Matthew 9:36-38 "But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest."

  • Troubled times - Matthew 26:36 "Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder."
    Matthew 27:46 "And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Friday, August 04, 2006

Following Jesus' Steps

The scriptures admonish all men to follow in the footsteps of Jesus:

1 Peter 2:21 “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:”

John 13:15 “For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.”

Romans 8:29 “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

1 Corinthians 11:1 “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.”

2 Corinthians 3:18 “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

Ephesians 5:1-2 “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.”

Philippians 2:5 “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:”

1 John 2:6 “He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.”

1 John 3:16 “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”

May we "go and do thou likewise" - Luke 10:37