WEEK 4 DAY 4

 DAY FOUR: THE CONTENT OF OUR PRAYERS

MEMORY VERSE: “Call unto me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”   Jeremiah 33:3

Prayer is simply communicating with God. You can pray kneeling, standing, bowing down, sitting or walking. With your eyes closed or shut. The specific or particular position in prayer is not an issue.

Let me give you an acrostic that has been of value to me. I am not sure of the origin but I do know it works! It is called ACTS:

A = Adoration > Hebrews 13:15 and Psalm 34:1-3

C = Confession > I John 1:7-9

T = Thanksgiving > I Thessalonians 5:18 and Philippians 4:6

S = Supplication > has two parts > first one is intercession > praying for others

I Timothy 2:1 says intercession is to be made for all men. All people.

Second part of supplication is petition > praying for specific things > James 1:5

PRAY if we feel like it.

PRAY when we don’t feel like it.

PRAY until we do feel like it!

God deserves our praises and demands our prayers!

“I Love You, Lord”

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=IKF7sBxv1-o&list=RDAMVMIKF7sBxv1-o 

All questions and comments to:  jblackwood1946@gmail.com

WEEK 4 DAY 3

 WEEK FOUR: PRAYER

DAY # 3: PRINCIPLES OF PRAYER

MEMORY VERSE: “Call to me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”

Some basic principles of prayer are as follows:

1. Ask in Christ’s name > John 14:13

2. Ask in faith > Matthew 21:22

3. Ask in God’s will > Matthew 6:10B and I John 5:14-15

4. Ask from a pure heart > Psalm 66:18

5. Ask continually > Luke 11:5-10

When we pray, our prayers can be hindered by different things in our lives:

Isaiah 59:1-2 > sins

James 4:3 > asking for the wrong things

Proverbs 21:13 > ignoring the needs of others

Mark 11:25 > we must forgive others

I Peter 3:7 > refusal to give honor to our wives

James 1:5-6 > doubt

Ezekiel 14:3 > idols in the heart

When comparing your personal prayer life with the above truths, how do you stack up?  “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:9

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=GScOHGShenc&list=RDAMVMGScOHGShenc 

“Power in Prayer” by 11th Hour

All questions & comments to:    jblackwood1946@gmail.com

WEEK 4 DAY 2

 DAY # 2: THE COMMAND TO PRAY

MEMORY VERSE: “Call to me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”  Jeremiah 33:3

When I was a little boy, I was assigned different chores, responsibilities around the house. Chores such as cutting the grass weekly or whenever it needed cutting. Taking out the trash. Keeping my room clean. Those things were not options. They were not things I could do if I felt like it. They were requirements for my continued existence.

Prayer is somewhat like that. For the Christian prayer is not an option. It is not something you do when you feel like it. Prayer is not like going through a buffet bar. We must talk to God because we are always the benefactors of such activity.

Benefits of prayer? Glad you asked! When we obey the command, the benefits come rolling in:

Overcomes discouragement > Luke 18:1

Produces perseverance > Ephesians 6:18

Removes anxiety > Philippians 4:6-7

Provides the necessary things > James 4:2 and Matthew 6:33

And then, look at that great memory verse again in Jeremiah 33:3.

Check out Elvis at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSU_nCYvOeU 

All questions and comments to:  jblackwood1946@gmail.com

WEEK 4 DAY 1 PRAYER

 DAY# 1: JESUS AND PRAYER

MEMORY VERSE: “CALL TO ME, AND I WILL ANSWER YOU, AND I WILL SHOW YOU GREAT AND MIGHTY THINGS, WHICH YOU DO NOT KNOW.”   JEREMIAH 33:3

Prayer should be one of the main priorities of every Christian!  When we study the Bible, that is God talking to us. When we pray, that is our talking to God. It must always be that way. 

Jesus Christ, in His earthly ministry, was a person of prayer. The Gospels record 15 different accounts of the prayer life of Jesus. Listed below are just a few:

During His baptism > Luke 3:21-22

When followed by the multitudes > Luke 5:15-16

Before choosing His 12 disciples > Luke 6:12-13

Gave thanks before feeding the 5,000 > John 6:11

Before raising Lazarus from the dead > John 11:41-44

Early in the morning > Mark 1:35-38

In Garden of Gethsemane > Matthew 26: 36-39

On the cross > Luke 23:34

If Jesus Christ considered prayer to be vital, don’t you think that we should, too? An old saint of God, Robert Murray McCheyne, once said “what a man is, he is alone on his knees before God, and no more.”

Look at that memory verse again!

Alan Jackson and ”Sweet Hour of Prayer”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-feujfKXA_Q&list=RD-feujfKXA_Q&start_radio=1 

All question and comments to:  jblackwood1946@gmail.com

WEEK 3 DAY 7 SUMMARY & REVIEW

 WEEK THREE: WALKING WITH GOD: A REVIEW

DAY # 7: A REVIEW AND SUMMARY

MEMORY VERSE: “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.” Colossians 2:6

We have discussed a lot of important truths related to starting and maintaining a daily devotional life as it relates to walking with God. Allow me to give some practical advice.

Always remember that the Bible is first and foremost a book about the Lord Jesus Christ! About His person and His work --- about who He is and what He has done!

Start reading with the Gospels. Read the Gospel of John first, then read Matthew. Read John a second time. Then read Mark. Read John a third time. Then read Luke. And finally, read John for the fourth time. Doing that will literally immerse you in discovering who Jesus is, what He taught and what He did! One chapter a day.

You do that before you read the rest of the New Testament because the rest of the New Testament is an amplification of who Jesus is and what He taught! Master the material on Christ first and then go to prophecy, end time events and the Second Coming, 666, the man of sin and the Book of Revelation!  

Ask yourself as you read;

Is this a new truth about God?

Is there a promise to claim?

Is there a sin to avoid?

Is there a command to obey?

Looking for a blessing? “Until Then” by Jason Crabb. Click it on:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzP5Li_2dWk 

Direct all comments & questions to:  jblackwood1946@gmail.com

Week 3 Video Summary:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EwhF_526g4&t=100s

WEEK 3 DAY 6

 WEEK THREE: WALKING WITH GOD

DAY # 6: TOOLS OF THE TRADE

MEMORY VERSE: “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.” Colossians 2:6

Developing a solid devotional life requires not only planning and commitment. It also requires some familiarity with other sources that can assist you. You always start with the Bible and there are many very good English translations. I prefer the New King James Bible because it has taken out a lot of the “thees” and “thous.” Another excellent translation is the ESV – English Standard Version. I have always found it helpful to read a passage from several different translations. Your choice!

A concordance is helpful for serious Bible study as it reveals where every major word in the Bible is found with chapter and verse.

A Bible Dictionary is always beneficial to define theological terms.

Commentaries are available on all the different books of the Bible.

The last three mentioned tools are available online so don’t hesitate to use all the available online resources. “Just google it” works for students of the Bible as well.

On our church website --- www.spchurchroebuck.org --- I have listed ten excellent resources for all types of subject matter. Biblehub.com is a great place to start!

Never be afraid to dig, study, research and study Biblical truth! Click on the following:

“HE HIDETH MY SOUL” BY GUY PENROD --- Worth the time!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUWXXEs-UqQ 

Direct all questions & comments to:  jblackwood1946@gmail.com

WEEK 3 DAY 5

 WEEK THREE: WALKING WITH GOD

DAY # 5: THE NORMALITY OF A DEVOTIONAL LIFE

MEMORY VERSE: “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.” Colossians 2:6

Our primary Bible concept today is found in Psalm 1.

Here we have a beautiful picture of what it means to “walk with the Lord.” When you “walk with the Lord” you will be:

BLESSED! V.1

Our delight will be in the Word of God! Verse 2.

We will be strong like a tree. v.3

We will bear fruit. V.3

We shall prosper. V.3

As we do these things and as we walk with the Lord, we should know that He “knows.” See v. 6 He is infinitely omniscient and He knows the course and direction of our walk!

And we shall be possessors of His peace! Brought about with a consistent, daily devotional life!

“We Are So Blessed” Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. Click on the link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeHOwaZuFaY 

Direct all comments & questions to:  jblackwood1946@gmail.com