Giving Thanks, Praise, & Worship How to Pray Part 3 "With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the LORD: 'He is good; his love toward Israel endures forever.' And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid." -Â Ezra 3:11
Review from Last Week What are some hindrances to prayer? Psalm 66:18 How do we get rid of hindrances in our prayers? 1 John 1:9 Knowing that God does whatever He wants with (despite) our prayers, how should we pray?
Matthew 6, 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 What is intercessory prayer?
Isaiah 62:6
Intercession: Where is everybody? "He saw that there was no man, and wondered, that there was no intercessor." - Isaiah 59:16 For each other To open their eyes For redemption Christ as Intercessor As watchmen on the wall In the name of Jesus As the Holy Spirit leads For the Kingdom For Laborers For Missionaries For Individuals For Ministers Joined together
James 5:16, Ephesians 6:18 2 Kings 6:17, 20 Psalm 65:2, Isaiah 53:12 Hebrews 5:7, 7:25, Isaiah 62:6, Colossians 4:2 John 16:24-26 Galatians 4:6, Ephesians 3:14 2 Chronicles 6:35 Matthew 9:37-38 Acts 13:3 Isaiah 27:12 Ephesians 6:19, Colossians 4:3 1:14,in Ephesians 4:4 Murray, Acts Andrew. Standing the Gap Christian Art Publishers, 2008.
What happens next? We thank Him for the answered prayers. "Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving;" - Colossians 4:2 “Enter his gate with thanksgiving and into His court with praise.” - Psalm 100:4
What happens next? We thank Him for the "unanswered" prayers. “For He makes sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sent rain on the just and the unjust.” - Matthew 5:45 "...hallowed be your name..." - Matthew 6:9 "I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders." - Psalms 9:1
Have you ever prayed for something to happen, and when it didn't, in retrospect, you were glad it didn't happen? (see Romans 8:28)
What is praise, in relation to prayer? "Sing praises to the LORD, which dwells in Zion: declare among the people his doings." - Psalms 9:11 “…let all the people praise Him…” - Psalm 67:3 "Let heaven and earth praise Him, The seas and everything that moves in them." - Psalm 69:34 "Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!" - Psalm 150:6 Has God answered any recent prayers in your life that you wanted to sing about it?
What is worship, in relation to prayer? “Many are called but few are chosen.” - Matthew 20:16 "Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the Lord our maker." - 1 Chronicles 16:29 "O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker." - Psalms 95:6 "O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth." - Psalms 96:9 "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship." - Romans 12:1
What's the difference between giving thanks, praise and worship in relation to prayer? Thanks: 1: kindly or grateful thoughts. 2: an expression of gratitude. Thanksgiving: 1: the act of giving thanks. 2: a prayer expressing gratitude. 3: a public acknowledgment or celebration of divine goodness. (Mirriam-Webster Dictionary) "O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting." 1 Chronicles 16:34 Can you give examples of kindly or grateful thoughts towards someone? Can you give examples of expressions of gratitude to someone, in general?
What's the difference between giving thanks, praise and worship in relation to prayer? Praise: aineo - to speak in praise of, to praise. humneo - to sing, to laud, sing to the praise of. exomologeo - will I give praise; I will confess. (Greek Dictionary)
"...having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. " - Ephesians 1:5-6 Without claiming to know how to speak or write greek, does it make sense that praise is a form of giving thanks for what God has done or will do?
What's the difference between giving thanks, praise and worship in relation to prayer? Worship: proskuneo - to make obeisance, do reverence to. Used as of an act of homage or reverence to God. latreuo - to serve, to render religious service or homage; to worship (by the Spirit of God) to worship (God in Spirit). (Greek Dictionary) "But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.  God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." - John 4:23-24 Without claiming to know how to speak or write greek, does it make sense that worship is a form of giving thanks for who God is?
God is Good? (All the Time.) "The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation. This is the way our Savior God wants us to live." - 1 Timothy 2:1-3
All the Time? (God is Good.) "Ezra praised the LORD, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground." - Nehemiah 8:6
Happy Thanksgiving!