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Pray Right Pray Right Philippians 1:3-11 Prayer is a "funny" thing. We know we should pray. We know God hears our prayers. We know God answers our prayers. Yet, still we do not pray as we should. Why? Bad experiences with prayer might be the answer. We ask God for something, God answers but not as we wanted, so we conclude prayer doesn't work. When you want to know how to do something right you go to an expert. Paul was an expert at prayer. Perhaps at some time he had done as the other disciples and asked Jesus to "teach him to pray." Paul prayed earnestly, unceasingly and most importantly according to God's will. Paul's prayer at the beginning of Philippians gives us an example of how we should pray. First, some background on the church at Philippi and Paul's situation. As Paul writes, he is in prison not for any crime but simply for proclaiming Christ, yet his prayer and the whole letter is filled with joy and a positive attitude. Despite the fact that he has received some disturbing news about the church at Philippi, he will not be swayed from being thankful for the joy they have brought to him. If Paul can find joy in jail, why can't they find ways to get along? Paul doesn't want them focusing on problems but rather to look at the success they share in Christ. Once he has them looking at this then he can point them forward to real knowledge and understanding. He can put them back on the track of spreading the gospel. Paul sets out to accomplish all of this through prayer. MAIN BODY I. Be Thankful for God's Blessings (Philippians 1:3-7) A. Although there may be much to complain about, tell God why you are thankful. 1. "Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. . . giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 5:17, 20). 2. "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). B. We have much more to be thankful for than we do to complain about. 1. We have the fellowship of our brothers and sisters in Christ. (vs. 5) 2. We have the confidence of our salvation. (vs. 6) 3. We have the grace of God. (vs. 7) II. Pray for Love to Abound (Philippians 1:8-9) A. In some situations it may be impossible to determine what God's will is, however, God always wills that Christians love each other abundantly. B. "For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another" (1 John 3:11). C. In Philippi, two Christian women were having problems, Paul did not take sides or try to "resolve" the problem with his own answer. D. Paul's answer was to pray for love to abound! 1. Love must be coupled with knowledge. 2. Understanding and insight are fostered by love and knowledge. III. Pray that you Remain Pure and Blameless (Philippians 1:10-11) A. Even though he wrote from a prison cell, Paul knew he had done no wrong. B. Our goal in life should be to live holy and pure lives before God and man. C. To be pure is to be unalloyed, of unmixed substance. 1. Believers are to stay uncontaminated by the world. They are “void of offense,” neither causing nor receiving it. 2. "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world" (James 1:27). |