Thursday, October 3, 2019

October 6: Residence (New Title: For This Reason, I Pray)


What prompts you to pray for fellow believers? When you do pray for fellow believers, what is the content of those prayers? The Apostle Paul gives us a great model to follow as we pray for fellow believers. God is so rich in love for us, and it was Paul's desire to pray that all who believed would come to a full understanding of this reality. LifeWay's Explore the Bible Study: Residence will explore this vital discipline of prayer.

ADJUSTED TITLE AND TARGET
  • Adjusted Title: For This Reason, I Pray
  • Adjusted TARGET: "We should pray for fellow believers, that they will come to fully understand the riches of God's glory."
LifeWay's title and goal focuses on one element of Paul's prayer, the dwelling of Christ in a believer's heart. This is but one element of a larger prayer covered in the complete passage. The Downloadable Teaching Ideas provide an alternate approach that focuses on the content of Paul's prayer.

The emphasis is on helping believers learn what they personally should glean from Paul's prayer and then how to pray this prayer for other believers.

Prayer should be a constant discipline and action in our lives. It should become as natural to us as breathing. Equally, we should make sure our prayers are not just for the physical needs of others or for personal requests. While these are important, we should pray intentionally and intently for the spiritual needs of the saved and for the salvation of the unsaved.

CHALLENGE YOUR GROUP

Consider the following as you draw this study of Ephesians 3:14-21 to a close.
  • How much time have you spent during the last week praying the elements of Paul’s prayer or something similar for the following individuals whom you know are believers? – parents, spouse, children, grandchildren, pastor(s), fellow church members, Bible study group members, neighbors, friends, or co-workers.
  • We need to make it a priority to pray for spiritual transformation for ourselves and others. 
  • Boldly ask God to do far more spiritually in your life, family, and church than you can begin to imagine. 
  • Use Ephesians 3:14-21 as a guide to begin praying for yourself, your family, and your church.
DOWNLOAD THE SUPPLEMENTAL TEACHING IDEAS