Living A Life Of Prayer And Study 7-12-26 AM

I.            Prayer ties us to God’s will.

a.      Paul begins by saying that he has not ceased to pray for them.

           i.      Prayer was not a last resort for Paul.

           ii.      Prayer was part of the Paul’s spiritual labor for people he loved.

b.      We know Paul could not physically be with every church all the time, but he could still bring them before the throne of God in prayer.

c.       This teaches us something important about prayer: prayer is one of the ways we participate in what God is doing in the lives of others.

d.      But notice what Paul prays: that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will.

           i.      He is not asking God to give them everything they want.

           ii.      He is asking that they be filled with what God wants.

e.      Sometimes our prayers sound like this: Lord, bless my plans, fix my problems, change this person, open this door, make this easier.

           i.      There is nothing wrong with bringing our needs before God. – scripture teaches us to do that.

           ii.      But prayer is not just about getting God to move toward our desires – it is also about God moving our desires toward His will.

f.       Jesus showed us this in Gethsemane.

          i.      In the garden, Jesus prayed for this cup to pass from me.

1.      This is honest prayer.

2.      This is not shallow religious language.

3.      Jesus brought His anguish of that moment to the Father.

          ii.      But Jesus did not stop there did He?

          iii.      Nevertheless, not my will but yours be done.

          iv.      This is the heart of prayer.

g.     Prayer ties us to God because prayer teaches us to say, Father here is what I want or desire but I want your will more if they don’t match up.

h.     If we never pray or have a shallow view of prayer, we are going to have a problem.

          i.      We will start assuming our will is the only thing that matters.

          ii.      We will chase our preferences, protect our comforts, defend our pride, and call it wisdom.

i.       When we pray and grow in prayer, we are reminded that we are not God.

          i.      Prayer humbles us.

          ii.      Prayer refocuses us.

          iii.      Prayer reminds us that the world does not revolve around us.

j.       A real prayer life also changes how we see other people.

          i.      Paul is praying for other Christians because he wants them to walk with God.

          ii.      He is not merely praying they be healthy, successful, safe, and comfortable.

          iii.      He is praying for their spiritual formation – that they know God’s will.

          iv.      He wants them to please the Lord, to bear fruit, endure temptation and trial, to give thanks.

k.      This should challenge the way we pray for others.

          i.      This should change the way we pray for our spouse.

          ii.      This should change the way we pray for our children.

          iii.      This should change the way we pray for our friends.

l.       Prayer helps us see people eternally.

          i.      Prayer reminds us that everyone we meet has a soul.

          ii.      Every person is moving towards eternity.

m.    Paul’s prayer for them is focused on God’s will, not human preference.

          i.      Filled with the knowledge of God means Paul wants these Christians to be deeply shaped by what God desires.

          ii.      This is not just information, but spiritual wisdom that leads to a better life for God.

n.      Paul prays for knowledge that becomes life.

o.      This means we may need to pray differently – not less honestly but more eternally.

          i.      Pray about our burdens, but also pray about God’s will.

          ii.      Pray about our health, but also about our holiness.

          iii.      Pray about our needs, but also about our obedience.

          iv.      Pray for open doors, but also the courage to walk through them.

          v.      Pray for our family’s safety, but also about their salvation.

          vi.      Pray for our church’s needs, but also about her faithfulness.

p.     A life that matters does not just ask God to support our agenda.

q.     A life that matters keeps surrendering to God’s will.

r.      Prayer truly ties us to God’s will.

II.            Study tells us God’s will.

a.     Paul prays for the Colossians to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in “all wisdom and spiritual understanding.”

b.     How do we come to know God’s will?

          i.      Not by guessing, following our feelings, copying culture, or doing what seems easy or personally beneficial.

          ii.      We come to know God’s will because God has revealed Himself.

c.      This is why the study of God’s word is so vital.

          i.      Bible study is not just collecting religious facts or knowing names, dates, maps, and doctrines.

         ii.      Those things can help, but the goal of Bible study is not to win Bible trivia.

         iii.      The goal is to know God, understand His will, and walk in His ways.

d.    The Psalmist says to God that your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.

         i.      This means the word of God does not merely give information about ancient people.

         ii.      It gives light for the path in front of us.

e.     The world is constantly discipling us:

         i.      Our phones are doing it with social media telling us what is important.

         ii.      Entertainment is doing it by showing what the world thinks is popular.

         iii.      Politics is doing by saying he is bad and he is good.

         iv.      Advertisements are doing it every day.

         v.      Our friends can be trying to influence us.

f.      We are being formed every day so the question should always be “Who or what is forming me?”

g.    If we are not being intentionally formed by the word of God, we will be unintentionally formed by something else.

h.    Study is vitally important because it helps us see what really matters in life.

         i.      Without scripture, we may think life is mainly about getting ahead, but we are reminded that life is about walking with God.

         ii.      Without scripture, we may think enemies are people to be destroyed, but we are reminded that we are to love, pray for, forgive, and seek reconciliation with them.

         iii.      Without scripture, we may think money is security, but we are reminded that God is our provider and that generosity matters.

         iv.      Without scripture, we may think suffering means God has abandoned us, but we are reminded that God uses it to strengthen us.

         v.      Without scripture, we may think death is the end, but we are reminded that there is life beyond the grave because Jesus rose from the tomb.

i.      Think about Mary and Martha in Luke 10.

         i.      Martha was busy serving, being active doing things that probably felt necessary.

         ii.      Mary was sitting at the feet of Jesus and listening to Him teach.

         iii.      Martha got upset that her sister wasn’t helping her with the things she felt were necessary to be a good hostess.

         iv.      Jesus did not tell Martha the things she was doing were evil.

         v.      He said Mary had chosen “that good part.”

j.      This account is a much needed correction for many of us.

         i.      We can become busy with life, work, family, church, good things, and still neglect the one thing that gives meaning to all the rest.

         ii.      Study is sitting at the feet of Jesus and learning before we run to.

         iii.      Study says, “Lord, before I decide what matters today, let me hear from you.”

k.     When we study correctly, it creates a desire to get closer to God.

l.       We are not just trying to know the Bible better, we are trying to know God better.

          i.      The more we see His holiness, the more we will repent.

          ii.      The more we see His mercy, the more we will trust.

          iii.      The more we see His wisdom, the more we will listen.

          iv.      The more we see His promises, the more we will endure,

m.    Study is not about mastering a book, but being mastered by the God who speaks through the book.

n.      Paul’s language connects knowledge, wisdom, understanding, and life.

           i.      He says this knowledge leads to a worthy walk and deeper knowledge of God.

           ii.      True study is meant to travel to the heart and then the hands, feet, habits, home and our whole life.

o.      We have to study the Bible with humility and obedience.

p.      We should ask of a passage:

           i.      What does this show me about God?

           ii.      What does this reveal about my heart?

           iii.      What does this call me to believe, repent of, obey, or share?

           iv.      How does this help me live a life that matters?

q.      Study should not make us proud, but prayerful.

r.       We can know Bible facts and still miss God’s heart.

s.       A humble Bible student learns to see life through God’s eyes.

III.            Prayer and study turn the way we live.

a.      Paul does not end with knowledge alone.

           i.      He says the purpose is to walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing.

           ii.      One version says to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him.

           iii.      The word walk refers to direction and pattern of life – how we live every day.

b.      This is where prayer and study meet.

           i.      Prayer without study can become directionless and study without prayer can become prideful.

           ii.      We can talk to God but ignore what He has said,

           iii.      We can know correct answers but have a cold heart.

c.       Prayer and study together helps to forma life that stays close to God.

           i.      In prayer we speak to God and in study God speaks to us.

           ii.      In prayer we surrender our will and in study God reveals His will.

           iii.      In prayer we ask for strength and in study we learn what the strength is for.

           iv.      In prayer we intercede for others and in study we learn what others need most.

d.      Together, prayer and study moves us from spiritual intention to spiritual transformation.

e.      Paul reveals several results of prayer combined with study in this passage:

          i.      We bear fruit in every good work.

1.      A life close to God becomes useful to Him.

2.      Prayer and study prepare us to serve others better.

          ii.      We increase in the knowledge of God.

1.      The more we walk with Him, the more we come to know Him.

2.      Knowing God leads to eternal life (John 17:3).

          iii.      We are strengthened will all power for endurance, or patience.

1.      Paul did not we will be strengthened so we never struggle.

2.      He does say we will be strengthened so we can endure.

          iv.      We give thanks to the Father.

1.      Prayer and study train us to remember grace.

2.      Paul reminds them that God has qualified them, delivered them, translated them, and redeemed them.

3.      Gratitude grows when we keep remembering what God has done.

f.        How do we implement prayer and study together?

           i.      Pray about the text before we study it – ask God for wisdom to understand and properly apply the passage before reading it and to see His will in it.

           ii.      Study the text before we pray our plans – many times we start our day by thinking of all the we have to do and then asking God’s blessing on our efforts.

1.      What if we opened scripture first and let God’s word shape what we ask for?

2.      Scripture teaches us to pray, “Lord help me walk worthy of you today in what I will do.”

           iii.      Turn scripture into prayer.

1.      When the text speaks of God’s will, ask God to fill us with knowledge of His will.

2.      When it speaks of bearing fruit, ask God to make our lives fruitful in good works.

3.      When it speaks of endurance, ask God for strength when we want to quit.

4.      We can make this passage a daily prayer: “Lord, fill me with the knowledge of your will. Help me walk worthy of you. Make me fruitful. Help me know you more. Strengthen me to endure. Make me thankful. Keep me mindful that you delivered me from darkness and brought me into the kingdom of your Son.

           iv.      Pray for others with eternal priorities.

1.      Pray this for our spouse, or children, grandchildren, congregation, struggling Christians, even those not yet Christians.

2.      Ask God to help them learn His will and to walk worthy of Him and then be a guide for them in that effort.

           v.      Start small and build, not just react.

1.      A lot of times we don’t pray or study until bad things happen.

2.      It’s also hard to jump in all at once in a big way – we can get overwhelmed.

3.      Open your Bible and read just a few verses.

4.      Ask those questions we mentioned earlier – what is this teaching about God, about what I need to do or change.

5.      Pray to God about that thing.

6.      A life that matters is not built on one dramatic moment, but on intentional efforts of daily surrender.

g.      The early church did these things (Acts 2:42).

           i.      This is study and prayer together.

           ii.      When they did this, their lives changed and they became great influencers for God and good.

           iii.      They did not become perfect, but they became devoted.

           iv.      God then used them to point others to Christ.

h.      Prayer and study matter because they form a life that pleases God.