I like to begin every Bible Study with this prayer:
“Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in Your instructions. Make me understand the way of Your teachings, and I will meditate on Your wondrous works. Give me understanding, so that I may keep Your Word and observe it with all my heart, and I will walk in freedom for I have searched for your truths.” _Psalm 119:18, 27, 34 & 45
Effective Prayer is a never ending study
1 Chronicles 4:10
“Jabez was a better man than his brothers, a man of honor. His mother had named him Jabez (Oh, the pain!), saying, “A painful birth! I bore him in great pain!” Jabez prayed to the God of Israel: “Bless me, O bless me! Give me land, large tracts of land. And provide your personal protection—don’t let evil hurt me.” God gave him what he asked.”
Jesus’ Teaches on Effective Prayer
Mark 11:12 On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. 13 And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it. _Mark 11:12-14 Revised Standard Version (RSV)
The Lesson from the Withered Fig Tree
Mark 11:20 The next morning as they passed by the fig tree he had cursed, the disciples noticed it had withered from the roots up. 21 Peter remembered what Jesus had said to the tree on the previous day and exclaimed, “Look, Rabbi! The fig tree you cursed has withered and died!”
22 Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. 23 I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. 24 I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. 25 But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.” _Mark 11:20-25 New Living Translation (NLT)
Anything? If you believe
Matthew 21:18 In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry. 19 And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once.
20 When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?” 21 And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. 22 And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” _Matthew 21:18-22 English Standard Version (ESV)
Anything? In MY NAME?
John 14:13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. – John 14:13-14 English Standard Version (ESV)
When to pray?
17 pray without ceasing, _1 Thessalonians 5:17 English Standard Version (ESV)
How to pray?
Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples. _”Matthew 6:5
“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Pray praising!
16 All you lovers of God who want to please him,
come and listen, and I’ll tell you what he did for me.
17 I cried aloud to him with all my heart and he answered me!
Now my mouth overflows with the highest praise.
18 Yet if I had closed my eyes to my sin,
the Lord God would have closed his ears to my prayer.
19 But praises rise to God,
for he paid attention to my prayer and answered my cry to him!
20 I will forever praise this God who didn’t close his heart when I prayed
and never said no when I asked him for help.
He never once refused to show me his tender love. _Psalm 66:16-20 The Passion Translation (TPT)
Pray believing!
The Meaning of Faith
11 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
The Purpose of Faith
Faith is the bridge from the spiritual realm to the physical realm. It’s how what’s already happened in the spiritual transfers over to the physical.
How Faith Comes – Romans 10:17 English Standard Version (ESV)
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
What Faith Brings – Romans 4:3-8 The Passion Translation (TPT)
3 Listen to what the Scriptures says
Because Abraham believed God’s words, his faith
transferred God’s righteousness into his account.
4 When people work, they earn wages. It can’t be considered a free gift, because they earned it. 5 But no one earns God’s righteousness. It can only be transferred when we no longer rely on our own works, but believe in the one who powerfully declares the ungodly to be righteous in his eyes. It is faith that transfers God’s righteousness into your account!
Contentment Cottage 