Romans 15
Prayer, The Foundation
Have you ever questioned prayer?
Have you ever wondered, why pray about something,
If God already knows, or controls, the outcome?
Have you ever felt that your prayers are too small or insignificant?
Ever pray for someone, or thing, for a long period of time
To where you felt like a broken record?
As Paul wraps up his letter to the Romans
He urges the believers in Rome to pray for him
Do you feel the urgency to Pray?
Who are you joined with in the struggle?
Do you understand the Lordship of Christ
Do you see the power of love which is the Spirit of God
Does prayer bring you into a place of serving God’s purposes
His purpose to love the world, His earth, one person at a time
So, we live in His glory, not ours?
Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, in earth, as it is in Heaven
Prayer, The Foundation
Have you ever questioned prayer?
Have you ever wondered…
Why pray about something
if God already knows,
or controls, the outcome?
Have you ever felt that your prayers
are too small or insignificant?
Ever pray for someone, or thing,
for a long period of time to where
you felt like a broken record?
I can remember praying as a little boy
before I started kindergarten.
I have studied the scriptures on prayer.
Been to seminars on prayer.
I have fasted and prayed.
And yet with all the training and
Experience, I have in prayer…
I still have questions about prayer.
As Paul wraps up his letter to the Romans,
he urges the believers in Rome to pray for him.
Maybe his request for prayer
can give us some enlightenment
on this vitally important part
of the believer’s daily walk.
Paul prefaces praying for him with…
…join me in my struggle…
Romans 15:30
Paul sets the stage with
challenge, difficulties, hardships.
Paul does not see the work of
the Lord as something easy for him.
The Message Bible says…
Pray strenuously with and for me
Romans 15:30
Paul also says as he urges them to pray
to do it with a particular mindset…
brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ
and by the love of the Spirit
Romans 15:30
by our Lord Jesus Christ
Prayer starts with the mindset
that Jesus is LORD.
Remember Jesus’ teaching on
how to pray in Matthew 6:9-13…
"'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Prayer is directed to the LORD.
The Lord who rules over heaven and earth…
The Lord has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.
Psalms 103:19
Paul is not asking for anything different
than the rule of God in and over the earth.
Prayer starts with the acknowledgment
that Jesus Christ is Lord.
Prayer is not for our personal agenda…
But God’s purposes.
This part of praying may be difficult
as we look for the comforts of this life…
When you ask, you do not receive,
because you ask with wrong motives,
that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
James 4:3
Paul recognized his calling…
And the calling for every person is
to make Jesus Lord of our lives.
"'As surely as I live,' says the Lord,
'every knee will bow before me;
every tongue will confess to God.'"
Romans 14:11
Paul also sets the stage for prayer with…
…by the love of the Spirit…
Romans 15:30
Authority has to have trust.
Love builds trust.
Love works through misunderstandings.
God is Love.
His authority is founded in love
for the world…
Love for humanity.
Everything God does is founded
in His love for humanity…
Even His discipline.
Living in this world,
we see flawed leadership.
Rebellion against authority has always
been the reason for wars and riots.
People do not see integrity
and love in authority.
Sadly, rebellion rises.
We fight to remove all authority
rather than fix it.
The world must see God’s love in
order to accept His authority as Lord.
Verse 30 sets the foundation for Prayer…
And verse 31 addresses the request.
Verse 30 is enough to meditate on
in one setting.
Do you feel the urgency to pray?
Who are you joined with in the struggle?
Do you understand the Lordship of Christ?
Do you see the power of love
which is the Spirit of God?
Does prayer bring you into a
place of serving God’s purposes…
His purpose to love the world,
His earth, one person at a time…
So, we live in His glory, not ours?
Thy Kingdom come,
Thy will be done,
in earth,
as it is in Heaven
Scripture Reading
Romans 15:30-33 NIV
30 I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. 31 Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea and that my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints there, 32 so that by God's will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed. 33 The God of peace be with you all. Amen.
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