Luke 18:1-3 "And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; 2 saying, There was in a city a judge, which.

Luke 18:1-3 "And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; 2 saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: 3 and there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.

Luke 18:4-6 “4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; 5 yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. 6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.

Luke 18:7-8 “7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? 8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”

Introduction GOOD EVENING. We thank God…

Introduction Please repeat after me: “Rejoice evermore – Pray without ceasing – In every thing give thanks – for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus – concerning you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16- 18).

Introduction We are thankful for this congregation…

Introduction Visitors: you are always our welcomed and honored guest…

Introduction We are humbled and excited …

prayer DEFINED: “Prayer is the desire, the opportunity and the privilege of talking to God.”

prayer Christians, like Christ (Luke 5:16), should be constantly storing up treasures and sending petitions to heaven’s throne (Matt. 6:19-20; Luke 11:5-8).

prayer We know Adam prayed or “talked” with God in the beginning (Genesis 3), but the first use of the word “prayed” in the Bible was when Abraham prayed for Abimelech (Genesis 20:17).

prayer Prayer should be offered only to deity, never to an idol or a mere human being such as Mary or a so-called “saint” (Matthew 6:9; 1 Kings 18).

prayer It is the Father's desire and will that His children pray, and not “faint” or become discouraged (Luke 18:1ff).

prayer “Come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrew 4:16).

prayer “Pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16).

Christ Prayed Much The fact that Christ spent much time in prayer is positive proof that Christians must be praying disciples.

Christ Prayed Much 1. At the beginning of Christ's public ministry, immediately following His being baptized, He prayed (Luke 3:21).

Christ Prayed Much 2. On the night before Jesus selected the twelve, “He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God" (Luke 6:12).

Christ Prayed Much 3. “When he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone" (Matthew 14:23).

Christ Prayed Much 4. “And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed” (Mark 1:35).

Christ Prayed Much 5. At the conclusion of Christ's parting message to the disciples He, “lifted up his eyes to heaven” and prayed (John 17).

Christ Prayed Much 6. Shortly before the trying ordeal of His arrest by the cruel mob, He took Peter, James and John and went into the Garden of Gethsemane and prayed the same prayer three times (Matthew 26:36-44).

Christ Prayed Much 7. While He was dying upon the cross for your sins and my sins, He prayed (Luke 23:34, 46). Surely no prayerless Christian can be a follower of Him who prayed so much.

THE EARLY CHURCH WAS STRONG IN PRAYER
There were “about three thousand” Jewish believers who repented and were baptized for the forgiveness of their sins (Acts 2:36-38).

Jesus added these saved souls to His church - the church of Christ (Acts 2:47; Matthew 16:18).

Luke says, “They continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers" (Acts 2:42).

When Peter was kept in prison by Herod, "prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him" (Acts 12:5).

The early congregations were admonished or encouraged to fulfill their obligation to pray… “Continuing instant in prayer" (Romans 12:12). “Give yourselves to fasting and prayer" (1 Cor. 7:5).

“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit" (Ephesians 6:18). “In every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God" (Philippians 4:6).

“Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving" (Colossians 4:2). “Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you" (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18).

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights" (James 1:17).

Jesus set the good example of giving thanks for food (Mark 8:6-9; John 6:10-11).

Answers to prayer are conditional
Men may pray and NOT be heard.

1. Be Righteous – "For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil" (1 Peter 3:12).

2. Be Obedient – "And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight" (1 John 3:22; Psalm 119:172).

3. Pray in Faith – “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering or doubting…” (James 1:6-8). “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive" (Matthew 21:22).

4. Have a Forgiving Spirit – "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses" (Matthew 6:14-15).

5. Abide in Christ – "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you" (John 15:7).

Communication with the Father through prayer is one of those spiritual blessings that is a part of the “in Christ” relationship (Eph. 1:3).

6. Have the right motive – “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts" (James 4:3).

7. Pray in harmony with God's will – "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: and if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him" (1 John 5:14-15).

8. Pray in Jesus' name – “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it" (John 14:13-14).

prayer postures Standing (Mark 11:25). Bowing (Psalm 95:6).
Kneeling (Acts 20:36). Sitting (2 Samuel 7:18ff).

prayer postures Prostrate (Matthew 26:39; Mark 14:35).
Lifting up the hands (1 Kings 8:22-23; 1 Timothy 2:8).

Things for which to pray
The model prayer given by Christ gives us an insight to prayer (Matthew 6:9-13).

That prayer is addressed to God the Father. It includes adoration, petitions for daily sustenance, pleas for forgiveness, guidance and deliverance from the evil one, and for God’s will to be done to His glory.

We should NOT pray now for the kingdom to come (Matthew 6:10), because it has already come (Colossians 1:13). We can pray for it to increase (cf. Isaiah 9:7).

For earthly rulers and for the privilege of leading a quiet life. "I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty“ (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

For the sick. "Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him" (James 5:14).

For our enemies. "Love your enemies…and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you" (Matthew 5:44).

For laborers to enter the harvest. “Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest" (Matthew 9:38).

For preachers and for the Lord's word to be glorified. "Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified" (2 Thessalonians 3:1).

For the children of God. “And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment…” (Philippians 1:9-11).

Prayer makes us partners together with God
God invites us to become partners with Him by working together, by evangelizing, by being Christians in the world - and also by praying.

By these things, God brings about the growth of His kingdom, the body or church of Christ (cf. John 3:3-5).

In prayer you align yourself to the purposes and power of God, and He is able to do through you what He might NOT otherwise do.

Loved ones, tonight and throughout the remainder of this year, and until God calls you home, we are asking you to please help us daily and without ceasing in prayer.

Specific Prayer request
1. Scott Shropshire – Pray for guidance and congregational support for both of our elders, Curtis Braxton and Patrick Sutherland, as they oversee and lead this congregation to heaven. Pray for Dorothea, Linda, their children and grandchildren.

2. Justin Nix – Pray for our enemies, weak brethren and those needing encouragement. Pray that none of us are led into temptation, and for our deliverance from evil.

3. Marcos Maldonado - A brother preacher in Haiti desires us to pray for a poor widow in his congregation. She was 9 months pregnant when her husband died a few weeks ago. She recently had the baby, her second child. Because things are so expensive, living in Haiti is hard for the poor. She can’t work right now, so she can’t afford to purchase the necessary food for her family. She’s crying daily and asking for prayers and any possible support.

4. Jason Songer – Pray for this body of Christians, especially for those who have recently been baptized into Christ, and those who have recently identified with us. Pray that our love may abound yet more and more for each other. Pray for earthly rulers and the privilege we have of leading a quiet life.

5. Jacob Nix – Pray for the spiritual growth of our adults, teens and pre-teens.

6. Bob Cox – Pray for the sick amongst us. Pray for bro. Patrick Sutherland and bro. Steve Green as they recovery from surgery.

7. Bill Suell – Thank God for His forgiveness and goodness to His creation.

8. Samuel Matthews – Cameron is about 26 years old. We know him from Idaho. We just found out that Cameron has a really rare and inoperable cancer. He also has a fungus that is on his spine and pulling on his brain. The doctors are talking about sending him to San Francisco for treatment. We are devastated. We don’t know how much time he has left in this life. Keep your prayers before our God (from Linda Sutherland).

9. Steve Green - Pray for our widows, our daily bread and for those who are traveling.

10. Nathan Shropshire – Pray about Abigail Mountford and William Salisbury. Pray for Matti Neal: 1) That her job would switch her days off to Friday and Saturday nights off so that she can attend church rested! 2) That her son’s heart and mind be turned to God wholeheartedly. 3) That she gets an organized and consistent study/mediation time with God. 4) That she and her husband have a safe trip to and from the south on 4-9 July.

11. Jim Moss - Pray for unity among the brethren in the Washington/Oregon area.

12. Ivory Nicholas, Jr. – Pray for ALL faithful gospel preachers and especially for guidance and congregational support for bro. Samuel Matthews as he does the work of an evangelist here and throughout the world on Facebook to the glory of God. Pray for Cynthia, their children and grandchildren. Pray for more labours from this congregation to enter the harvest.

13. Jim Davis – Pray that our adult and children’s Sunday morning and Wednesday evening Bible classes will continue to grow as we invite and bring our friends, family members and those we meet in the world.

14. Curtis Braxton – Pray for continued good results and fulfilment of our 2019 theme on SERVICE – our role in the work of the church!

Luke 18:1-3 "And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; 2 saying, There was in a city a judge, which.

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Luke 18:1-3 "And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; 2 saying, There was in a city a judge, which.

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Presentation on theme: "Luke 18:1-3 "And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; 2 saying, There was in a city a judge, which."— Presentation transcript:

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