PRAYERLESSNESS - A MOVE OUTWARD
This is our last session on Prayerlessness. Hope you’ve enjoyed it.
Previously we explored how Prayerlessness, can cause unwanted side effects in what we have, what we do, and what we can become.
To remediate those side effects, we began the same place Jesus’ disciples did, Lord teach us to pray! Not How to pray, but When. “Pray Always” 1Thessalonians 5:16 PRAYERLESSNESS - TEACH US — Benton T. Thompson III (bentonthompsoniii.com)
From there we talked about how it’s permitted and even expected of us, to pray for ourselves. James 4:2 “You have not because you ask not” PRAYERLESSNESS - INWARD FOCUSED — Benton T. Thompson III (bentonthompsoniii.com)
Last time we looked at the benefits of speaking to God intimately and personally as your loving Papa. You are divine because you were made by The Divine! “In him we live, move, and have our being” Acts 17:28 PRAYERLESSNESS - UPWARD FOCUSED PRAYERS — Benton T. Thompson III (bentonthompsoniii.com)
We’ve talked about what we can have, and what we can do. Today let’s discuss what we can become, as we direct our prayers to Move Outward.
Oftentimes we view all the other things that we must do as a hindrance to us praying. We all have responsibilities, at home, with family, at work, in relationships, at church, with organizations, not to mention our own personal time. Things are pulling on us from every direction.
If I only had more time, then I would pray more, we say to ourselves.
Prayer should not be another task to be added to life’s ToDo’s list.
Prayer should be the key component in all that we do. Prayer is our best facilitator for doing. We need to begin to learn to pray while we do.
A life of Prayer makes more sense when you live it. Prayer must be interwoven into the fabric and landscape of everything that we do.
Weve accepted that it’s okay to pray for ourselves, petition prayers. We’ve understood that we need to pray to God, prayers of Adoration. The last order of prayers is the Outward Prayer where we pray for others, known as Intercessory Prayers.
They say Hurt people, Hurt people. So, Healed people, help Heal people.
We were given answers so that we could be an answer for someone else.
The message of acceptance we have received we must share it with others in need.
The Lord’s Prayer, in Matthew 6 & Luke 11, is the best example of all 3 types of total prayer for those in the Kingdom of God.
This is the way we should pray: Our Father who is in heaven, we glorify your name. We pray that your kingdom will be established here on earth just like it is established in heaven. Give us our daily bread, forgive us for what we owe, as we forgive others for what they owe. Deliver/don’t allow us to be tempted by evil, nor let us tempt others with evil. Yours is the only true and righteous kingdom, with all the power, that deserves eternal glory, forever and ever. Amen.
Self-Petion prayer asks for our daily basics, bread means essentials. The Adoration payer, we are proclaiming the greatness of God eternally! And lastly, we see the example of Outward Prayer for others through the inclusive Intercessory prayer in the words OUR and US.
Let US pray for ALL. OUR Father. Give US. Forgive Us, Deliver US.
The Big 3 are extremely important to us, Give, Forgive, and Deliver.
Give – We ask God to give, and we should give. We are asking God for the basics. In turn we should give one another the basics of respect, love, consideration, care, humanity, kindness, benefit of doubt etc. The Basics
Forgive – We ask God to forgive us for all the dirt we’ve done and are doing. This should be done at least daily, if not hourly! God brings in the law of retribution. I’ll do as you do. As you forgive all those you feel have hurt, abused, disappointed, mistreated, beat, tricked, or committed wrongs against you, then I will follow suit and forgive you for all your wrongs.
Give and it shall be given to you just like you gave it. As I give love, that is what makes me a candidate to receive love.
Forgiveness is not pretending that nothing happened, it’s not acting like it didn’t hurt, it’s not saying we weren’t angry, it’s not admitting that what happened wasn’t wrong.
Forgiveness is about deciding that despite it, I won’t allow it to separate and divide and stop the plan of God for my life. Unforgiveness does more damage to us than it does to the other person. Every time I remember the bad thing that happened to me, I just reinjure myself.
Forgiveness is about extending someone the same grace that God extends you. Forgiveness literally means, Just Let It Go!
Trust issues are really Forgiveness issues. I don’t trust because I keep remembering the last time/event/person. I must let that go for my sake.
Deliver, is the last one of the Big 3. Deliver me from Satan and his tactics, and Lord please don’t allow me to be used by him as a tactic to tempt someone else.
Let US pray for each other.
Dear Abba, we know you are not a genie or Santa Claus. We know you are the Great and Only God Creator of All. We love, worship and adore you. We humbly ask you as our father to supply/ GIVE US ALL our basic needs for today. Please FORGIVE US ALL for the innumerable offences we commit daily, as we forgive those who have hurt and offended us. And lastly Lord, please DELIVER US ALL from Satan and his deceptions and help us not to participate in deceiving others. We do this in the same example that Jesus set for us. Amen!
This is a Thompson Truth.
