Teach us to pray-21

We are coming to the end or our study on prayers. More could be said and studied, but there are other important elements of our faith and beliefs which also need to be addressed. There are hundreds of verses on prayers that you could study on your own. But, before that let us look into Paul’s letter to the Romans. You may wonder how this passage gives us greater insight on our prayer life, but our prayer life should change our daily life. If we cannot live like this, we need to change something in our lives.

Romans 12:9  Let love be without hypocrisy.

  • Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. 

  • 12:10  Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; 

  • 12:11  not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 1

  • 2:12  rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, 

  • 12:13  contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality. 

  • 12:14  Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 

  • 12:15  Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 

  • 12:16  Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. 

  • 12:17  Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. 

  • 12:18  If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. 

  • 12:19  Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY," says the Lord. 

  • 12:20  "BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD." 

  • 12:21  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. 

First, if we are not devoted to prayer, we cannot live this kind of life that is pleasing to God.

Second, we should be demonstrating all of these important character traits.

Third, we cannot do this on our own and cannot sustain such lofty traits by a shallow prayer life.

Fourth, again the Bible has a lot to say about how we should live. The question remains, how often do we actually contemplate how we live?

Fifth, most of this passage makes reference to ongoing or continuing evidence of this kind of life which takes perseverance.

Sixth, many of you may have a ‘training or exercise’ schedule or routine. If you just stop for a short time, a week or two, you quickly realize that you lost progress and may even have fallen back. This is call atrophy. Physical atrophy can be sensed by many, but how many of us even recognize spiritual atrophy?

Seventh, while the Holy Spirit is ready to help us, He will not do all the work on His own. This is a ‘partnership’ not a genie to do as we command.

John 14:15  "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. 

14:16  "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; 14:17  that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. 

14:18  "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

Finally, the Holy Spirit is our helper. He helps us as we strive to be obedient to our King’s commandments. He is inside us and we can hinder His help by being disobedient, not diligent, not fully committed (at least not as much as needed), and conditional or selective. Let none of this be true of us.

More next Saturday.