A Place Of Grace
10-12-2025
  • Good health is not always indicated by the absence of disease, some infirmity, or negative conditions in one’s life. Good health can also refer to what is present and observed.
    An area in the believer’s life that can be observed and serve as a VITAL SIGN of their spiritual health is prayer.
    Frequent physical exercise in a person’s life is often a good indicator of that individual’s overall physical health.
    Just as exercise is a physical sign or indicator of health, the believer’s exercise of prayer in their life serves as an observable indicator or sign of health.
    Prayer requires hard work, practice, and strengthening, and can be very difficult to work into one’s schedule or routine.
    Individuals may dismiss the need to physically exercise because of casual walking, mowing the grass, or some other form of light exertion.
    Unfortunately, the very same thought process can occur with prayer.
    There is a great danger of dismissing the need to pray more or be intentional about prayer since there is a prayer before a meal, meeting, a study, or a time of worship.
    Convinced these brief moments of prayer are “good enough” there comes the temptation to disregard an exerted effort in the exercise of prayer.
    Sometimes these moments of prayer are tokens of time given to God “knowing” He understands how busy life is.
    There is a sense of “feeling” better by involving God in what we are doing through a quick prayer.
    Believers should strive to not merely “feel” better but thrive in a healthy lifestyle through their prayer life.  
    Psalm 139:1-4 informs us that God is all knowing…
    Psalm 139:1–4 NASB95
    O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O Lord, You know it all.
    If… you and I serve a God who knows all things, and that there is nothing we would even say that He does not already know… WHY PRAY!?

    IF… God knows WHY Pray?

    Before I get into the scripture’s command to pray… I want to share a quick story as a father. (Joseph fishing and then sharing at dinner) 1 John speaks to the Father’s love for His children and their need to pray to Him… as we look at scriptures instruction to pray, don’t forget the HEART OF PRAYER!
    Scripture does not lack in telling us to pray…
    Command
    Philippians 4:6 NASB95
    Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
    Colossians 4:2 NASB95
    Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving;
    Purposes of Our Prayer:
    Fellowship: with the body of Christ and God Himself
    Rick Cross says, “our praying is often an honorable collection of requests for physical and financial desires instead of the enjoyment of God as a person.… Could it be that the goal of prayer is not just asking and receiving (which is biblical) but also knowing, enjoying, and cherishing God?”
    In Acts 2:42 we see that prayer was an ACTIVE part of the times of coming together… FELLOWSHIP with God with each other
    Acts 2:42 NASB95
    They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
    Partnership… in the Work of Christ as He builds His Church!
    Luke 10:2 shows that this work is to be prayed over…
    Luke 10:2 NASB95
    And He was saying to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.
    “Beseech” or pray with urgency out of need
    There is a need for PRAYER as we partner for ministry with the Lord!
    Sometimes I believe the ministry you and I engage in is not covered nearly enough in prayer
    We tend to be too busy… then we are too busy!
    Prayer was a DEFAULT for the early church as they engaged in the work of the Gospel
    Peter & John are threatened in the work of the gospel and in Acts 4:23-31 we see their response was to PRAY!
    Acts 4:23–31 NASB95
    When they had been released, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, “O Lord, it is You who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that is in them, who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Your servant, said, ‘Why did the Gentiles rage, And the peoples devise futile things? ‘The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the Lord and against His Christ.’ “For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur. “And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.” And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.
    They declare who God is
    They pray scripture back to God
    They ask for boldness… to engage in the Gospel… ETERNAL FOCUSED IN PRAYER!
    Spiritual Warfare
    We need boldness because there is a BATTLE raging out there for lost souls and the enemy is fighting furiously!
    Paul writes to the church declaring how we are to engage… Ephesians 6:10-18
    Ephesians 6:10–18 NASB95
    Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.… With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,
    IF… there is a biblical command to pray and there is COMPELLING reasons to pray… THEN… how should we pray?

    HOW Should We Pray?

    It is not rigid, structured, or robotic… it is the great privilege and honor God the Father has given us through Jesus Christ our mediator… Hebrews 4:14-16
    Hebrews 4:14–16 NASB95
    Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
    You and I have the honor of speaking to the Lord God Almighty, star breather, Salvation giver, Creator of Heavens and Earth!
    And we call Hi Abba Father (Supernatural Care and Authority)
    Here are just a few ways to consider praying:
    Psalms… (praying back the scriptures...)
    Psalm 17:6–7 NASB95
    I have called upon You, for You will answer me, O God; Incline Your ear to me, hear my speech. Wondrously show Your lovingkindness, O Savior of those who take refuge at Your right hand From those who rise up against them.
    Psalm 46 praying verse 1-3 and 8-10
    Paul’s Prayers… for the saints/church!!!
    As you read through many of Paul’s writings you will see glimpses of his prayers he lifts up on behalf of the saints…
    I love how Paul just tells them… “This is what I pray for you” Philippians 1:3-11
    Philippians 1:3–11 NASB95
    I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me. For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
    Your love would flow from you ABUNDANTLY
    He prayed for their growth, thier Knowledge of who God is , thier Understanding what REALLY MATTERS in this life
    SO THAT… in order to live PURE BLAMELESS lives (YOUR TESTIMONY!!!!)
    We see Pau pray for the Ephesians 1:18-19 church in his letter to the church.
    Ephesians 1:18–19 NASB95
    I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe…
    I challenge you to pray this faithfully for some brothers and sisters in Christ this week!
    The “Lord’s Prayer”… was a focus in our prayers
    To God the father
    To focus on eternal things
    Recognize all comes from Him daily
    Acknowledge our sin and His righteousness
    Forgiveness and unity
    Asking Him to lead with a willingness to follow His will in our life
    Christ’s Example… God in the flesh needed prayer!!!
    Mark 1:35 NASB95
    In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.
    Luke 5:16 NASB95
    But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.
    Luke 6:12 NASB95
    It was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God.
    Even at the cross we see Jesus in constant prayer to the Father, even asking Him to forgive those who nailed Him to the cross.

    WHEN Should We Pray?

    1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 is crystal clear… Here is God’s Will for your life!
    1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 NASB95
    Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
    An ongoing fellowship and communication with the Lord
    Make Him a part of every day...
    Waking Up
    Work / Co-workers
    That neighbor
    Family
    Plans for the day
    Concerns, joys, uncertainties, struggles, excitement

    How is Your Health?

    Our Church… ?
    How are YOU doing!?

      • Psalm 139:1–4NLT

      • Philippians 4:6NLT

      • Colossians 4:2NLT

      • Acts 2:42NLT

      • Luke 10:2NLT

      • Acts 4:23–31NLT

      • Ephesians 6:10–18NLT

      • Hebrews 4:14–16NLT

      • Psalm 17:6–7NLT

      • Philippians 1:3–11NLT

      • Ephesians 1:18–19NLT

      • Mark 1:35NLT

      • Luke 5:16NLT

      • Luke 6:12NLT

      • 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18NLT

    A Place Of Grace
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