This week I would like to talk about prayer from 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 "rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks..."

Paul wants his readers to pause after the statement "rejoice always", and ask: "How do I 'rejoice always?' 

Paul's answer to this question is by "praying without ceasing." 

1.) There is great joy in spending time in prayer with God:

Psalm 16 11 "You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand."

Psalm 43:4 "Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God."

Psalm 21: 6 "Surely you have granted him eternal blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence." 

2.) Praying leads to Rejoicing and Rejoicing leads to Thankfulness. 

"pray without ceasing" leads to "rejoicing always" which leads to "in everything giving thanks..."


3.) God loves to see Gratitude, because when you are grateful, you are expressing joy with what He gave you. 

 1 Thessalonians 5:18 "for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

Gratitude is pleasurable to God, and stirs Him to shower you with more joy. God wants us to enjoy what he gives us, because it gives Him pleasure to see us enjoying His gifts, just as it gives a father pleasure to see his children enjoying the gifts he gives them. 

Luke 11:13 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" 

As our church moves to become more intentional about meeting together for the purpose of prayer a lot of exciting possibilities are opening up. I was thinking about starting an online discussion on the topic of prayer, and possibly posting some videos answering questions, and bringing up some points for discussion during the week.

This week we talked about prayer from Luke 11. 

Luke 11:1-3 "Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples."  So He said to them, "When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come.Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.  Give us day by day our daily bread." 

I made 2 simple points. 

1. Jesus teaches His first desire in prayer is that God should be lifted up.  

 "Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come.Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven"

All of our affections, our desires should be for God's glory above all other things.

2. Jesus teaches us that Gods desire is to give us good gifts.

 "Give us day by day our daily bread...For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?  Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" 

Our faith (our confidence in God's promises) should push us on to boldly approach God, and ask him to work powerfully in our lives. 


Hebrews 4:16 "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."