pray – Page 4 – Be Still…

1 Timothy 2:1-7 – Pray Now!

Paul urges us here. What an intense message! It’s not simply a suggestion that we pray. We are even told what to pray for. For other people. You know it’s a gift you can given another human being they may never know you gave. God is the one who matters anyway, and he will be pleased.

Paul’s urgent plea tells us how to pray as well. “Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.” Everyone we encounter needs a Savior. Everyone has a secret hurt or struggle, but not everyone has taken that to God. Our need for prayer has no bounds. That’s why intercession is so powerful. We can carry those burdens for others right to the throne of God!

2 Thessalonians 3:1-5 – Pray For Each Other

Read 2 Thessalonians 3 :1-5

folded hands on an open Bible with the words overlaying: LET US PRAY for each other

When is the last time you asked someone to pray for you? It’s really an intimate request because you’re asking someone to go to the Father on your behalf. You have revealed your vulnerabilities to another human. Because of what Jesus has done for us, we have privileged access to God. When we can pray for someone else in their time of need, it is the best thing we can do.

We may often wish we could help more or give more to our friends in need. Especially now during a time of pandemic when our hands are tied a bit in how much we can interact. When we remember how powerful prayer is, it’s easier to want to be the prayer warrior for all our friends and family.

1 Thessalonians 5:23-28 – Live Holy

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:23-28

Bible on table with cross and light beaming through a window behind shining on the cross

Paul is now closing this first letter to this young congregation in Thessalonica. They are doing so many things right; it seems Paul is afraid they are going to drop the ball. He wants them to stay holy. That is, stay connected to God. Only God is holy. And Paul says that God will “make you holy.” When we live a holy life, we are set apart, dedicated to Jesus and his purposes in the world.

We know that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. He’s the only way to the Father. It’s the good news we shouldn’t be keeping to ourselves. If we live a holy life, we are setting a good example for those who don’t know Jesus. It’s always my prayer that my own life will reflect Jesus in a way that draws people to him. I think that’s what Paul is talking about here.

Matthew 6:5-15 – How to Pray

Read Matthew 6:5-15

Who better to learn prayer from than the Master himself. Jesus is giving us a model to follow. Did you recognize the prayer? In the tradition I grew up in, we prayed that every Sunday. The Lord’s Prayer was something we memorized as a young child. In Confirmation classes, we unpacked the meaning for a deeper understanding of what we had been saying over and over.

It’s easy to get lazy when we say something over and over. It’s almost like being on autopilot. We need to be careful to not just go through the motions but truly be present in the moment saying the words as if we were saying them for the first time. Jesus also cautioned us not to be like hypocrites, drawing attention to ourselves when we pray.

Ephesians 3:1-13 – God’s Mysterious Plan

Read Ephesians 3:1-13

We are part of God’s mysterious plan. It was kept hidden until God chose to reveal it to Paul. As followers of Jesus, we share in the same blessings God’s chosen people have been given. When we believe in the Good News, that is in Jesus’ saving grace, we are given access to God.

When you understand the history and how people feared God, we can see how this is a really big deal. Jesus has come and revealed himself to us as God. We now have great treasures available to us. Do you have a hard time believing it? Continue reading “Ephesians 3:1-13 – God’s Mysterious Plan”