Study in Prayer

We have been studying about Refusing to Worry and how we need to “Cast all of our cares over on the Lord, for He cares for us.” That’s in 1 Peter 5:7.

Yesterday, we were discussing the three things Paul shared in Philippians 4:6 where he wrote:

“…but in EVERY THING, by prayer and supplication, with THANKSGIVING, let your requests be made known to God.”

First, Paul told us “don’t worry.” We covered that yesterday.

Next, he said “In EVERY THING” – that means, guess what? EVERY THING – he said to “…pray and let your requests be made known to God.”

Third, he emphasized to “PRAY WITH THANKGIVING.”  We covered yesterday that many, many Christians do not have any thanksgiving in their prayers at all. It’s mainly blaming and complaining coupled with gimme gimme gimme, my name is Jimmy, type of prayers.

We left off with thanksgiving to God MUST be made before your answer manifests. Paul said we are to “pray with thanksgiving.” When you pray with “thanksgiving,” you are thanking God ahead of time because you KNOW that the answer is on the way. Amen!

You know God has heard your prayer because His Word says so!  Amen! 

This is something that many believers are missing out on because they fail to pray WITH THANKSGIVING.  They want to wait until the receive the answer to their prayer before they give God thanks. 

That’s the HUMAN way of thinking! Or, we should say, that is the way the DEVIL wants you to pray. Amen!  I know I just stepped on your Spiritual toes right there, Praise God!

I believe that if people would stop asking God for the same thing over and over and over and over again – and instead, they would start to PRAISE HIM and THANK HIM for the answer to the prayer they already requested – they would receive the manifestation a lot faster!

I know that steps on a lot of denominational false teaching. I know that steps on a lot of spiritual toes. But guess what – IT IS WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS you are supposed to do!  SO, are you going to continue praying in the same way that hasn’t gotten you anything in the past – just because that’s the way you’ve always prayed?

Or, are you going to begin to walk by Faith and not by sight and to pray the way the BIBLE says you are supposed to pray?  It’s really up to you…

But I want to pray for you right now that you would begin to “walk by faith and not by sight” and start to pray the way Paul has been instructing you to pray. To “make your requests known to God – WITH THANKSGIVING.”

Amen!

Let’s Pray!

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You can also WATCH these session on our Facebook Playlist at this link: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtKWeKtmv-BwgkquBTsSh-GznbmuUp_R2

We have been studying about Refusing to Worry and how we need to “Cast all of our cares over on the Lord, for He cares for us.” That’s in 1 Peter 5:7.

Yesterday, we left off with how some people, even born again believers, feel it is their obligation to worry. If they don’t worry about something, they feel they are not doing their Christian duty or something.

I seen a bumper sticker or sign or something one time that said something to the effect of, “Why pray when you can worry.”

Although it was meant to be humorous, in fact, it was stating how many believer operate!  It’s sad – but true!

Our motto should be, “Why worry when you can pray!” 

Philippians 4:6 says, “…but in EVERYTHING, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”

Did you notice, it says “with THANKSGIVING.”  That’s not talking only during your annual turkey dinner. Amen.

Paul has shared several different facets of prayer in this one verse. Let’s look at them:

1.     Don’t worry.  It does not matter what the circumstances are, you are commanded to NOT worry about it. Don’t fret over it. Don’t concern yourself with the outcome – God has your back! Amen!

2.     Paul said “… in EVERYTHING…”  that covers how much of the circumstances you are facing? EVERYTHING!  Amen!  Everything means Every Thing. All of it.   You are supposed to “…in everything, with prayer and supplication, make your requests known to God.”  You can PRAY ABOUT IT – just don’t worry about it! 

3.     He said to PRAY WITH THANKSGIVING.  Some people never pray with thanksgiving. Ever. Their prayer requests don’t even come close to giving of thanks. They are more like moaning, groaning and complaining and “gimme gimme gimme” type of prayers. Paul said to Pray WITH THANKSGIVING about the outcome of your prayer!  Just start thanking God for the answer AS YOU PRAY about it – not when you see it. Oh, I don’t have time to go down that rabbit trail today… Glory to God!  

Let’s Pray!

Please subscribe to this podcast, leave us a quick 5 star review on Apple Podcasts to help us grow and be sure to visit our website for more information on our ministry: https://podcastersforchrist.com. And while you are at the website, download the free resource I have for you… it is free and is called, “How to Start a Christian Podcast.” It will bless you – go and download it today.

You can also WATCH these session on our Facebook Playlist at this link: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtKWeKtmv-BwgkquBTsSh-GznbmuUp_R2

We have been studying about Refusing to Worry and how we need to “Cast all of our cares over on the Lord, for He cares for us.” That’s in 1 Peter 5:7.

Yesterday, we learned this even includes the little things in our life that gives us some care or concern.  As we closed yesterday, I shared about how I pray for a parking spot up close when we go to the mall. And how, 99% of the time – I get one! Praise God!

Sometimes, right after I pray it, somebody pulls out just as I’m getting close to where they are. Amen!  Sometimes there is one right there as I get close. Either way – I immediately say, “Thank you Jesus!” right out loud! Amen!

He answered my prayer! I prayed my prayer and shared my request out loud. I’m going to give Him praise out loud too! Amen!

And that is just one example. 

My wife and I still rejoice over the time we were in serious financial times. We were going to the grocery store and we only had about $10 or so. So we were just going to get a few things. 

We prayed in the car that we would be able to get what we needed with the money we had and just asked the Lord for His Grace in this situation. We prayed in agreement together and stood on the scripture that “all of our needs were met according His riches in glory through and by Christ Jesus.” Etc. 

We got out of the car and laying on the ground, right there, was a $20 bill. I am not fibbing at all.

There were no other cars near us. There were a couple of empty parking spaces.  There had nobody been walking past our car or near our car. And, top it all off – it was a windy day in Texas. If you are familiar with the wind in Texas, you know what I’m talking about.

But yet, that $20 bill was like pasted to the concrete. Just fluttering a little bit, but stuck right there where I couldn’t miss it. Amen!

I picked it up and looked around to see if someone was near us that had dropped it. But there was nobody there! Amen!

So, my wife and I stopped right there in the parking lot and prayed and gave thanks to the Lord for the extra $20. Praise God! Then we went into the store and bought what we needed and even had about $3 left over. And that went into the offering plate at church the next day! Amen!

Why did you share that brother Bob?  Aren’t you ashamed of being that broke?

I did not share that to try and get your sympathy. I did not share that to brag how far we’ve come in 27 years. I shared as a real life example of how the Lord will take care of the things in your life when you OBEY HIS WORD.

In this example, we rejoiced in the $10 we had and prayed it would be enough to get what we needed. The Lord immediately added $20 more dollars to it and we got “more than enough.” Amen!

And, according to the scripture in Philippians 4:6 which says, “Be careful for nothing; but in everything BY PRAYER and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God…”

That’s what we did. Amen!

I wanted to share that story with you to see it is not just looking for parking places that this works. It works in the real world situations of whatever you might find yourself in. For this example, we were short on cash and the Lord provided what we needed.

He did not rain $20K down from Heaven, but He provided $20 and made sure it stuck to the concrete right where I almost had to step on it. Amen!

He will answer your prayers too. But you are the one who has to believe He will answer them. And the Holy Spirit will guide you in praying if you don’t know what to ask for. But you can’t do it if you do not believe and if you do not pray. Because the Holy Spirit will not do your praying for you!

Amen!

Let’s Pray!

Please subscribe to this podcast, leave us a quick 5 star review on Apple Podcasts to help us grow and be sure to visit our website for more information on our ministry: https://podcastersforchrist.com. And while you are at the website, download the free resource I have for you… it is free and is called, “How to Start a Christian Podcast.” It will bless you – go and download it today.

You can also WATCH these session on our Facebook Playlist at this link: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtKWeKtmv-BwgkquBTsSh-GznbmuUp_R2

We have been studying what the Apostle Paul has taught us concerning having the Peace of God operating in our lives. Yesterday, we learned from Philippians 4:6 that we should not have a care in the world that concerns us. Amen!

We can read this as well in 1 Peter 5:7 which reads:

“Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you!”

How do we cast our cares over on the Lord?  Well, as far as I know, there is only ONE WAY and His Name is Jesus!  Amen!  The only way to do that is through PRAYER. 

I know the word “prayer” in not mentioned in that verse, but there is no other way to interpret the verse unless you are focused on prayer to do so. 

What are you going to do about anxieties and all the things you continually worry about? You have to do something with them. Why not just “cast them upon the Lord?” Amen!

Let’s read that verse again in 1 Peter 5:7:  “Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you!”

And in Philippians 4:6 again, we read, “Be careful for nothing; but in everything BY PRAYER and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God…”

Does this verse say to let your requests be known to God in the little things? YES. Even in the little things. YES, even in the big things. In the sort of middle things, too. It says IN EVERYTHING! AMEN!  

I’ve heard some people say something to the effect of, “Well, I couldn’t bother God with these little cares and such. He’s too busy for that. I’ll just have to handle this myself.”

But God doesn’t want YOU to fret or be anxious about ANYTHING. That’s why He said “But in EVERYTHING – by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving, make your requests known to God!”  How much plainer does He have to say it?

Praise God! 

Let’s Pray!

Please subscribe to this podcast, leave us a quick 5 star review on Apple Podcasts to help us grow and be sure to visit our website for more information on our ministry: https://podcastersforchrist.com. And while you are at the website, download the free resource I have for you… it is free and is called, “How to Start a Christian Podcast.” It will bless you – go and download it today.

You can also WATCH these session on our Facebook Playlist at this link: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtKWeKtmv-BwgkquBTsSh-GznbmuUp_R2

We have been studying what the Apostle Paul has taught us concerning having the Peace of God operating in our lives. What exactly did Paul teach in order for us to have this peace? Look at Philippians 4:6:

“Be careful for nothing…”

We don’t talk that way anymore. A more modern definition would mean, “Stop worrying about everything.” Amen!  The Amplified Bible says, “Do not fret.”

Basically, too many Christians worry about too much stuff going on in their life and in the world around them. That is one of the main reasons we do not have the Peace of God operating in our lives today.

So, the first step we need to take in order to have the Peace of God operating in our life is to stop worrying about everything.  In some cases, you may actually have to say out loud, “I’m not taking that thought.” Or “I refuse to worry about that.”

When some person, and especially when I’m talking with another preacher, begins to share with me all of the troubles in this world right now and how bad it is getting, and I respond with, “I’m not worried about that…” – you should see the funny looks I get! Praise God!

And these are born again, often Spirit Filled believers!  It seems as if they don’t worry about something, they feel like they are doing their job or something! It is almost like, if they don’t worry about things, they won’t have anything else to do. Amen!

But, I have found in the Word that we are not supposed to worry. We are not supposed “have a care in this world.” Amen!

In 1 Peter 5:7, it says, “Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for YOU!”  

Amen!  Think about that!  If Jesus is caring about you and all that is going on in your life, what do you have to worry about?  Glory to God! 

Now, I could go off on huge rabbit trail right here to explain all of this. But, rather than keep this session running long, why don’t we just pick it up right here tomorrow? Amen!

Let’s Pray!

Please subscribe to this podcast, leave us a quick 5 star review on Apple Podcasts to help us grow and be sure to visit our website for more information on our ministry: https://podcastersforchrist.com. And while you are at the website, download the free resource I have for you… it is free and is called, “How to Start a Christian Podcast.” It will bless you – go and download it today.

You can also WATCH these session on our Facebook Playlist at this link: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtKWeKtmv-BwgkquBTsSh-GznbmuUp_R2