Discipleship - Praying for Faith, Love, and Hope
We give thanks to God always for all of you constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. - 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3
-THIS SUNDAY'S TEXT- Discipleship – Knowing and Following Christ and Helping others do the same.
Biblical Discipleships are: Relational Prayerful Spirit-Led Bible-Based Committed to Holiness
One of the many blessings of being a part of the body of Christ and especially being in a discipleship relationship is continued prayer. What a blessing it is to know that you are being prayed for by brothers and sisters in Christ? Just this morning, I received 3 different texts from brothers in Christ who were keeping me before the Father through prayer and keeping the Word of God before me. Knowing that brothers are praying for me and knowing that God hears the prayers of His people, I have been both comforted and encouraged.
I will never forget an elderly woman who prayed for me through my college and seminary years; her name was Ms. Irene Bowman. She was a prayer warrior. Included in all of her prayers was, “Now Lord we know, for it says in Your Word…”. I will forever be thankful for Ms. Irene’s faithfulness to pray for me according to the Word of God.
Read 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
Right after “Grace to you and peace.” Paul shares with the church of Thessalonica how he and his fellow servants of the gospel have been praying for them. Verses 2-3 read, We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul’s prayer for the church of Thessalonica…
- Expressed thanks to God
- Was constant
- Focused on a perseverance in faith, love, and hope
Why were these three (faith, love, and hope) important for the church of Thessalonica and even for us today? Read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11.
There is a day that is drawing near!!! The Scripture says, People will be saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. The Scripture says, But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day…But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. Now look at verse 11 – Therefore encourage one another and build one another up (disciple one another) just as you are doing.
In our discipleship relationships, as we encourage and build one another up, helping each other know and follow Christ, let us also pray for one another to be awake and ready for the day of Christ Jesus’ return. Let us pray for one another’s work of faith (exercise of faith), labor of love (work to love one another), and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ (grounded, non-wavering hope in Jesus Christ).
-CONSIDER & MEDITATE- A prayerless man is a prideful man. For prayer exposes our dependency on the Lord. Prayer is our recognition of the Almighty God and our need for Him. Prayer is a way we express our thanksgiving and praise to the Lord. Prayer is a way we express our love to the Lord. Prayer is a way that we truly love others. A prayerful man is a kind, humble, wise man.
-PRAYER & THANKSGIVING- Ask the Lord to place 3-4 brothers/sisters in Christ on your mind and pray the following prayer for them. – 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 – Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it.
Example - Father, You are the God of peace, I ask that you sanctify Dean and Lauri completely, and let their whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Father, You who have called them are faithful; surely You will do this. Amen.