Prayer (Ephesians Series)

Prayer - Ephesians 6:18-20

2020 . . . what a year.  For my family, God has been ever present during the roller coaster ride of 2020.  He has provided for our needs.  He has comforted us through losses.  He has shown us glimpses of what He is working on for 2021.  A new year is almost here.  Are you praying for God to use you in the year 2021?  The following are my Bible study notes based on my pastor's sermon on the topic of prayer.  You are invited to watch, listen, and worship with us here. 

 Prayer

With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be alert with all perseverance and every request for all the saints, ¹⁹ and pray in my behalf, that speech may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. - Ephesians 6:18-20

We take the battle to the enemy when we pray.

In verse 18 above, we see many "alls."  Pray at ALL times.  Be alert with ALL  perseverance and every request for ALL the saints.

1.  Pray at all times.

Do you feel awkward when you pray?  Do you struggle for words?  

Prayer is more about a condition of the heart than an articulation of words.  Be aware of all things going on around you.  Commit to praying for the needs of others.

2.  Pray with all the power in the Spirit.

Pray in the name of Jesus.  Pray like a prayer warrior.

3.  Pray for all needs.  

Pray and make pleas on behalf of others.

This item is available here.

 

4.  Pray with all endurance.  

Keep alert.  Continue to make requests to the Lord, rather than praying for someone once and then forgetting about them.  On social media, we are quick to tell someone we will pray over something they have posted, but do we really pray over that situation?  How often do we type in the reply thread, "Praying" or "Prayers" or a prayer emoji or something similar but then keep scrolling?  If we tell someone we will pray for them, then we need to be sure that we actually pray for them.  I have stopped commenting that I will pray over a situation unless I can stop and pray over the situation immediately.  Then, I'll let them know I have just prayed for them.  That is just one way to solve this problem. 

5.  Pray for all the saints.

Pray for one another.  Do life together.  Worship together.  Isolation is dangerous.  

6.  Pray now.

When something comes up, pray.  Stop right then and pray.

You can't be a prayer warrior without a relationship with Jesus.  Learn more about what it means to have a relationship with Jesus here.

Do you have a relationship with Jesus?  Are you ready to be a prayer warrior?

Prayer causes change in the heart, in the community, and in the world.

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Prayer - Ephesians 6:18-20

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Image is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. 

Christmas Bells image used under public domain license from Free-Photos via Pixabay.

 I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day:  The Story Behind the Song

I've been hearing and singing the song "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" for many years but until today, I had never heard the history behind the song.  The familiar Christmas song was written as a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.  Longfellow was no stranger to hard times.  

In 1835, Longfellow lost his first wife, Mary Potter Longfellow, along with the couple's first child.  In 1843, he married his second wife, Francis Elizabeth Appleton (Fanny).  The couple was blessed with six children.  In July 1861, a house fire claimed Fanny's life.  She had been sealing envelopes with hot wax when the flame from the candle caught her dress.  She died of her injuries the next day.  In an attempt to put out the fire, Henry was also seriously burned.  His injuries kept him from attending Fanny's funeral.  After Fanny's death, Longfellow slipped into a state of depression.  Then, in 1862, Longfellow's oldest son, Charles Appleton Longfellow, joined the Union Army against his father's wishes.  Charles was severely wounded in the Battle of Mine Run.  He survived his injuries but his career in the Army was over.

During his depression, upon hearing Christmas church bells in 1863, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow first wrote the poem called Christmas Bells.  Here are the lyrics.

  I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
and wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime,
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound
The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said;
"For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men." - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day was first published in a magazine in 1865.  It wasn't set to music until 1872.

I hope you enjoy the following version of I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day as performed by Casting Crowns.

 

 

Knowing the history behind the poem and its author has given me a deeper appreciation for the song.  You can purchase the Casting Crowns version of I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day here.

Would you like to teach your children more about Henry Wadsworth Longfellow?  You might like the following suggestions.

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This post is linked up at InstaEnouragements

Walk Like a Warrior (Ephesians Series)

Walk Like a Warrior

We are still in Ephesians at my church.  Today's sermon title is Walk Like a Warrior.  The following are my Bible study notes based on my pastor's sermon.  You are invited to watch, listen, and worship with us here.

Our scripture passage for today is Ephesians 6:10-17.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. ¹² 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. ¹³ Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. ¹⁴ Stand firm therefore, having belted your waist with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and having strapped on your feet the preparation of the gospel of peace; ¹⁶ in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. - Ephesians 6:10-17

The walk of the believer leads to war of the believer.  Christianity is not a playground.  It is a battlefield.  We are at war with the devil.

Walk Like a Warrior

1.  A warrior knows his or her enemy.  

With a supernatural life comes a supernatural enemy.  Sometimes we misidentify the enemy.  Who is our enemy?  Our enemy is the devil.

Sometimes we think the people around us are our enemies.  This is not true.  The real enemy, the devil, works to steal, kill, and destroy us.  

Our struggle is with the flesh. (Ephesians 6:12)

Satan is after your mind.  If he gets your mind, he can get your life.  He can get your marriage, your family, your church, etc. 

Now the serpent was more cunning than any animal of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God really said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” ² The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; ³ but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’” ⁴ The serpent said to the woman, “You certainly will not die! ⁵ For God knows that on the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will become like God, knowing good and evil.” ⁶ When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband with her, and he ate. ⁷ Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves waist coverings. - Genesis 3:1-7

To get your mind, Satan will make you question God's Word, God's character, and God's goodness.  Satan wants you to view your life apart from God's Word as he did Eve in the garden.

2.  A warrior knows his or her equipment.

Consider the armor of God, His Word. (Ephesians 6:13)

Take up God's army, not your own.  We don't need to fight on social media posts.  We fight with God's Word through the power of Christ Jesus.  We fight with prayer.  We fight on our knees.

3.  A warrior makes war.

What lies has Satan been telling you?

Believers can make war with the devil.

Fight for your family.

Fight for your mind.

Fight for your marriage.

Read the Bible.

Memorize scripture.

Pray.

Band together as Christ followers.

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