THESSALONICA: EXCEL STILL MORE

Prayer, Prayer, Prayer! -- 1 Thess. 3:9-13

Thessalonica

How important is prayer?

• Neither church nor individual Christian will thrive except by frequent and meaningful prayer.

A Thought On Thankfulness…

• “‘Thank you’ is the best prayer that anyone could say. I say that one a lot. Thank you expresses extreme gratitude, humility, understanding.”

-- Alice Walker

Paul’s Thanksgiving

1 Thessalonians 3:9 – “For what thanks canwe render to God for

you in return for all thejoy with which werejoice before our

God on your account?

Is Your Heart Filled With Gratitude?

• Psalm 95:1-3 --O come, let us sing for joy to the LORD,Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. For the LORD is a great God And a great King above all gods…

Philippians 4:6

We can live worry free!

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

Paul’s Prayer Of Intercession Vs. 10-11 – “…as we

night and day keep praying most earnestly that we may see your face, and may complete what is lacking in your faith? Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you….”

Devotion To Prayer

Prayed night and day Praying earnestly to

be able to see them again.

Had a desire to complete what was lacking in their faith.

What Do We Learn From Paul’s Prayer?

Paul believed that God was in complete control of all human matters.

He believed that God alters history and shapes world events.

He believed in the power of intercession/supplication to shape future events.

1 Timothy 2:1

“First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men….”

James 5:13-16 Suffering? Pray. Cheerful? Sing. Sick? Call for the

elders to pray. Sinning? Confess. “…pray for one

another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”

Praying For Increase

Vs. 12-13 – “…and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another…so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness….”

Increasing How?

“…abound in love for one another….”

Philippians 1:9 – “And this I pray, that you love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment….”

Establishing Hearts

“…so that He may establish your hearts….”

1 Peter 5:10 – “After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.”

Blameless In Holiness

“…without blame in holiness before our God and Father….”

2 Peter 3:14 – “…be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless….”

Secure Until Christ Returns

“…at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.”

Pray in thanksgiving

Pray for growth Just pray!