Sunday Prayer | Living a Life of Prayer and Praise

The Apostle Paul ends the first chapter of Ephesians with a prayer of thanksgiving. Ephesians affirms that Paul was truly a man of prayer and praise who lived life in accordance with his convictions. He not only talked the talk; Paul also walked it.

“For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭1:15-23‬ ‭(NIV)‬‬

Like the previous passage 1:3-14, Ephesians 1:15-23 is one long sentence in the original Greek. Paul’s prayer here is not only one of thanksgiving, but intercession. He had heard of troubles different area churches in Laodicea, Hierapolis, and Colossae were encountering. So rather than bashing them with criticism, Paul lifted them up in prayer.

Paul’s writings are alive with prayer. We find his words of prayer, praise, and thanksgiving throughout his biblical writings. They are found in the beginning, middle, and end of nearly every letter. It is clear that Paul knew God personally as well as understanding God theologically. Paul knew himself and he understood and knew the Gospel. This type of wisdom and knowledge can only come from living a life of prayer and praise.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve got some work to do in order for my life to imitate the life of prayer and praise that Paul’s exhibited so clearly.

How about you? What does your life of prayer and praise look like, especially amid the challenges we face in 2020?

I am thankful for you. I am grateful you took time to read my post. I want to encourage you to pray for your local church today. Pray for your pastors and church staff. Pray for your fellow believers. And please…pray for our country.

Blessings,

The Devotional Guy™

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I believe that in order to experience life the way God intended, you and I must receive God’s gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. Through Jesus Christ, God has made this gift available to all who ask.

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Romans 10:13

Will you personally receive the gift of eternal life so that you can experience the total forgiveness from your sins that come through believing in the atoning death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ?

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Ephesians 2:8-9