Prison Speak
If you have been a Christian for many years, you have heard many prayers: in churches and in Bible studies; on television and radio; everywhere. Praying is one of those non-negotiable parts of modern Christian culture. And yet we have heard very few prayers that sound much like Paul's. I don't mean I expect anyone to match his eloquence and understanding; I just mean a prayer that speaks to the same issues that Paul speaks to. Too often we seem to have our hearts fixed on almost anything else. We want health and wealth and success and miracles and church growth and prayer in schools and a conservative president and a job and a good life for our children.
There is nothing wrong with any of these things, but they can be incredibly distracting from the main issue. You and I are on a life-and- death journey to the kingdom of God. We must grow in faith, be strengthened to persevere, find hope and joy in believing, hunger and thirst after righteousness, live as if the gospel were really true. If we do not, then we will languish and droop; we will fall by the wayside. Belief, encouragement, perseverance, hope, wisdom; these are not optional side-benefits for a certain class of Christian; they are the very stuff of Christianity itself. If we do not find that strength and encouragement which is from God, then we have found nothing at all; we are lost.
God is the source of all strength, all encouragement, all joy. In the middle of a life filled with assaults from all sides, what more important thing can we do than cry out to God for the strength to believe? What more loving thing can we do for each other than to ask God to open all our eyes, strengthen all our hearts? Paul got it right; he knew very well what the churches truly needed. May God have mercy on us and let us see; may our prayers show that we know our true need and know the only One who can meet it.
Paul’s prayers from prison spoke to the followers of the Way in the days and years immediately after Jesus lived on this earth. His prayers can speak to us too in a way that will help us free the earth as we live for Jesus.
For more information about this subject, to ask questions, or to give input around this new series, contact Joel G. Quile at 817-430-1161 or email at jquile@gmail.com
Click on the appropriate link below to listen to the sermons. A media player able to handle streaming MP3 files is needed in order to listen to the sermons for 2006, 2007, and 2008 (iTunes, Quicktime Player, Real Player, WinAmp, or Windows Media Player.)
| Title | Text/Topic | Date | |
| Oh, This Isn't All... We Have More | Ephesians 3:19-21 | 8.10.08 |  |
| Experience Required | Ephesians 3:17-19 | 8.03.08 | |
| Heart Is Where The Home Is | Ephesians 3:14-17 | 7.27.08 | |
| Wonder Working Power | Ephesians 1:19-23 | 7.20.08 | |
| Know You're Treasures | Ephesians 1:18 | 7.13.08 | |
| Know Hope | Ephesians 1:15-18 | 7.6.08 | |
ARCHIVED SERMONS |
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Jesus Asks Questions? |
Jesus |
