"But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ...
...and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own, derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith...
...that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead."
- Philippians 3:7-11
Introductory Letter August September October November December January February March April May
- We are to pray without ceasing.
- The most important purpose of prayer is to become more intimate with God.
- Prayer is also a tool to accomplish God's will on earth in order to glorify Him.
- Prayer should not be used as a tool to gain whatever we want.
- Every prayer of ours should be in faith, which is given by God.
- The Holy Spirit helps us in prayer.
- It is always appropriate to ask God to accomplish His will in any situation.
- If God has given us faith to believe that He wants to accomplish something in particular, we should pray towards that end.
- If we are not sure what God intends to do in a situation, it is appropriate to make our requests while asking that His will would supercede ours.
- Sometimes God answers prayer with a "no" by not granting the request.
- When God grants our requests, it is an evidence of His kindness, but not a necessary proof of His existence or our salvation or uprightness.
- When God does not grant our requests, we should be grateful that He has a better plan for us than our own.
- We are instructed to pray for our persecutors, for our leaders, for workers in God's harvest, for the peace of Jerusalem, that the Word of God will spread rapidly, that God's will will be done, and that God will meet our needs, forgive our sins, deliver us from temptation, and be glorified.
- Like the psalmists, we should take our emotional problems to the Lord in prayer, looking to Him for comfort and healing of the soul.
I Thessalonians 5:17 ~ Philippians 3:10 ~ Ezekiel 36:37 ~ Ephesians 6:18-19 ~ James 1:5-8 ~ Mark 11:22-24 ~ Ephesians 2:8 ~ Romans 8:26-27 ~ Matthew 6:5-13 ~ Matthew 26:36-42 ~ Psalm 84:11 ~ Matthew 5:44 ~ I Timothy 2:1-4 ~ Matthew 9:38 ~ Psalm 122:6 ~ II Thessalonians 3:1 ~ Psalm 25:1 ~ Psalm 23:3 ~ Psalm 103:1-5 ~ II Corinthians 1:3-5 ~ James 5:13-18
Introductory Letter August September October November December January February March April May
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your
strength."
- Mark 12:30
"And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who
will be able to teach others also."
- II Timothy 2:2
"...Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him."
- I Corinthians 2:9
"Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life."
- Proverbs 4:23
"Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass."
-I Thessalonians 5:24