Introduction - "MORE THINGS ARE WROUGHT BY PRAYER THAN THIS WORLD DREAMS OF" Tennyson-The Passing of Arthur

1.There are two series of prayers in the Bible that would be good to study- Jesus & Paul!
2. We have been oriented to an Action Society- Our experiences teach faithfulness to WORK!
3. We need to learn the Power of Prayer for the time will come when it is our only resource!

It is too bad that we cannot learn from Paul how to be faithful in Work & in Prayer!

I.- PAUL'S GREAT PRAYER LIFE !

In every epistle, the Apostle spends a great deal of time in prayer-

A.- PAUL ASSURES HIS LOVED ONES THAT HE PRAYS FOR THEM DAY AND NIGHT, EVERY REMEMBRANCE

1. Romans 1:9 - For God is my witness,-that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers
2. I Cor 1:4 - I thank my God always on your behalf for the grace given you
3. II Cor 1:7 - And our hope of you is steadfast-
4. Gal- a Teaching epistle -
5. Eph 1:16 Cease not to give thanks for you- making mention of you in my prayers
6. Phil 1:3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer- 4
7. Col 1:3 We give thanks to God praying always for you
8. I Thes 1:2 Re give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers
9. 5:17 Pray without ceasing - a Command
10. II Tim 1:3 I Thank God- without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers- night & day
11. Philemon-4 I Thank God making mention of thee always in my prayers.

Another great study is in actual prayer he has written- Eph 3:13-21 - Powerful prayer

II.- CAN WE LEARN FROM PAUL'S PRAYERS ?

Too often we can only learn from another when we have shared his sufferings-

A.- OUR PRAYER IS TO GOD THE FATHER, IN THE NAME OF THE SON, MOVED BY THE SPIRIT

1. Col 1:3 -Thanks to God the Father-
2. I Tim 2:5 - One God and ne mediator the man Christ Jesus-
3. Rom 8:26- The Spirit helpeth- when we know not what to pray- He maketh intercessions-

B.- OUR PRAYERS ARE TO BE FOR THE GOOD OR THE OTHER PARTY, AS WELL AS OURSELVES -

1. Selfishness and mock unselfishness clouds a lot of our prayers- cf Rom 12:3, 9, 10
2. He prayed that they not come behind in any spiritual gift- I Cor 1:7
3. As we must love with out hypocrisy, Rom 12:9, so should our prayers- without dissimulation

C.- THE REAL SECRET OF PRAYER IS SECRET PRAYER, - EXAMPLES THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE, MEN ALONE WICH GOD

1. Jesus often went apart to pray - In our busy life this is hard- but HARDER IF WE DO NOT!
2. Peter went up on the housetop- we need follow his example-Open only to God-
3. But the time when you are most alone is in a great crowd- on busy street-Traffic Jam-etc.-

Every Christian ought to have Power Through Prayer - E.M. Bounds- 15¢
And - Prayer, Asking and Receiving by John R. Rice-Simple, Direct- Powerful-Cauthion

II.- THERE IS NO WAY TO BE TAUGHT PRAYER!

A.- LUKE 11:1-"LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY-" AND THE LORD GAVE THE MODEL PRAYER- "OUR FATHER-

1. He then gave them a parable of the Importune friend- v. 9-Ask, Seek, Knock- Do It.
2. And the Parable of Fatherhood- good gifts from men-? then of God? -ASK!
3. Luke 18:1-8- Pray & not feint!- Unjust Judge moved by importune Widow- BUT v.8 faith to pray?

B.- ONLY YOU, - NO ONE BUT YOU CAN TEACH YOU TO PRAY **** OR KEEP YOU FROM PRAYING ***

1. The Supreme Court is used as an excuse -but they did not rule out any student or teacher
2. You can learn only by doing it- and the time to start is right NOW! Make Time-
3. Instead of worrying- gossiping- or plotting LEARN TO PRAY! Alone, With Wife, Family, Church

C.- IF YOU LACK "BAPTIST" IMPROMPTU ABILITY, THEN JOIN IN WRITTEN PRAYERS WITH DAVID & PAUL

1. Simple outline- Recognize God, Praise Him, Ask Him, (your forgiveness, others bless, Thank Him
2. Pray with eyes open- prayer list, Bible, (Lord what for me?) or closed- to close out world.
3. Pick a definite time each day- Read Bible until touched, then pray, -Pray till blessed

If you want the blessing of God- you will allow NOTHING to keep you from Prayer!

Conclusion- WHAT CONCLUSION AND DECISION CAN BE GIVEN TO A SERMON ON PRAYER? - ALL WORTHLESS BUT YOU

1. If 40 men vowed they would not eat or drink until they had killed Paul- Can you do less?
2. Will you vow- not to eat, or sleep - without prayer! Talk to God more than Gossip?
3. Not to leave a sin unconfessed-, and pray for your church-

_{SWC SE462-71}