Emmaus Saturday Morning Men’s Bible Study Ý
Copyright 2004 by William Meisheid

Philippians: Prayer: A Godly Review                                 Saturday, April 17, 2004

Today’s theme: If I have learned something positive about praying I have learned an important thing.

Scriptural background:.”…My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly…” Job 42:8

Quotes to think about

"For prayer is nothing else than being on terms of friendship with God." Saint Teresa of Avila.

“If you make a habit of sincere prayer, your life will be very noticeably and profoundly altered. Prayer stamps with its indelible mark our actions and demeanor. A tranquility of bearing, a facial and bodily repose, are observed in those whose inner lives are thus enriched…Properly understood, prayer is a mature activity indispensable to the fullest development of personality…Only in prayer do we achieve that complete and harmonious assembly of body, mind and spirit which gives the frail human reed its unshakable strengths." Alexis Carrel (1873-1944), French surgeon, biologist, "Prayer is Power".

“Courage is fear that has said its prayers.” Dorothy Bernard, early film star.

“Prayer doesn't usually change anything. It changes people and they change things.” Author Unknown.

Review 

Paul’s prayer in Philippians.

"And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you 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." Phil. 1:9-11

Famous Prayers

Francis of Assisi (1181 - 1226), "Prayer of St Francis"

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace!
Where there is hatred let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.

Serenity

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things that should be changed, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Biblical Prayers

Psalm 23

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures: he leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul: he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou prepare a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Nehemiah

I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keeps covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments:

Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou may hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned. We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commanded thy servant Moses. Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commanded thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations: But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there. Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand.

O LORD, I beseech thee, let now your ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man

Believer’s prayer in Acts 4:24

When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:

"Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth take their stand
and the rulers gather together against the Lord
and against his Anointed One.”

Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus."

My Prayer

My example prayer in the spirit of Paul's prayer in Philippians. This prayer is for my daughter, Sarah.

Dear Lord, thank you for my daughter Sarah, for trusting me to be her father. May she never doubt my love for her, but may that love always be righteous and nurturing, never permissive and destructive. Give me joy whenever I speak to her, patience whenever I respond to her, and wisdom whenever I make decisions concerning her.

May I never fail her Lord, but if I do, let her forgive me, as you have forgiven me in Christ Jesus my Lord. Guard and protect her heart and mind, O Lord, and may the love of Jesus Christ always surround her, guide her, and sustain her through all the trials and tests of life.

I do not prayer that she never suffers pain, O Lord, only that any pain that comes into her life will give her deep roots in you, teaching her to rely on you and you alone.

May Sarah stand before you on the last day and hear the words we all long to hear, “Well done good and faithful servant” and again “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.” Amen.