Practical Prayer Pointers

Written by: Joey Davis

Jesus’ disciples asked Him to teach them how to pray (Luke 11:1). We are neither born with or miraculously endowed with a special knowledge of prayer and the ability to pray. Typically, we study the subject or we observe others and adopt their practices. If we are not careful, prayer can become more methodical and repetitive, and really lack the purpose, the depth, and the special connection with God that is intended. Maybe you have thought about your own private prayers and wondered why you felt like you were just talking to yourself, or just going through a religious ritual. Perhaps you have wondered if it possible to make a connection with prayer that gives it meaning and purpose in your life. I really believe that such is possible. If you are struggling with this, I would like to propose some structure to your prayers that will help you understand with clarity what you are doing when you pray. Try dividing the particulars of your prayers into four categories: prayers of healing, prayers of help, prayers of hope, and prayers of happiness. With these main categories identified, you can put each prayer concern into its respective category. Then, you have a central focus for each grouping of prayer concerns. This may help you understand what you are doing and why you are doing it. Give it a try.

 

In the “healing” category, list those who are ill or who are facing surgery. Your mind at this moment can be focused solely on God’s healing power and promises (James 5:14-15). Everything, at this moment is about the need for healing and the God who can provide healing.

 

In the “help” category, list individuals or situations wherein God’s help would really be beneficial. That may be a family that is dealing with difficult circumstances, a congregation struggling to overcome a challenge, or a person who’s health situation is not likely to improve, but who could use God’s help in enduring those circumstances. He is the God of all comfort and we have access to Him and should request His aid (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). It may help my fervency in prayer to put all of these requests together and to lay them before God in a structured way.

 

In the “hope” category, list those matters that need to improve and that you hope will improve. It may be church growth, the success of an effort to get the gospel to our community, or even a relationship that is troubled. These are things about which I should be hopeful and not pessimistic (Romans 12:12). Focus and show God your hopefulness.

 

Finally, in the “happiness” category focus on reasons to be happy. We should not have to look far to find some (Psalm 68:19). Also, consider God’s answers to your prayers. It is helpful to follow your requests from start to finish; often you can. This will help you see why you are praying. 

 

 

We all do things and wonder why we are doing them and if there is any value. Our attitude toward prayer should definitely not be that way.

What to expect

We in churches of Christ take seriously the Lord’s words in John 4:24: “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” The word of God, and specifically, the New Testament of Jesus Christ (Heb. 8:6-13), is our standard of truth for acceptable worship (John 17:17). God has not left it up to us to do as whatever we please when we approach him; through the inspired apostles of Christ he has directed the church in the manner in which we are to worship him. Our goal is to do as the early church, which “continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42).This makes our worship distinctive from what most are accustomed to seeing in other churches.

Because we are committed to following the God-given, apostolic pattern for worship, we praise God in song, “teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” (Col. 3:16). Our singing is not accompanied by a piano or band or other forms of instrumental music because we do not find authority for these additions in the New Testament. We learn from God’s word the church is to sing (Eph. 5:19), and we do not add to what God has instructed us to do or go beyond the authority of his word (1 Cor. 4:6; Rev. 22:18-19). While most visitors find our a cappella singing unusual, they also find the four part harmonies beautiful and edifying.

We learn from apostolic example and instruction to the early church that God’s people are to observe the Lord’s supper when they meet every first day of the week (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 11:23-29), and so each Sunday we partake of the unleavened bread and fruit of the vine in remembrance of the sacrifice of Christ. Also, our members give into a collection for the work of God’s kingdom in accordance with the teaching of God’s word (1 Cor. 16:1-2).

In our worship assembly we also offer prayer to our Heavenly Father in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and listen to the preaching of the life-changing, soul saving gospel of Christ (Rom. 1:16). Our preaching is Bible-based, for we are to “speak as the oracles of God,” (1 Pet. 4:11). We are committed to exalting God by teaching and preaching “the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27) and citing book, chapter and verse as we exalt God and focus on hearing his will for our lives revealed in the scriptures.

You will also find a warm welcome from friendly folks who want to help you understand God’s will for your life and his plan for your salvation so that you can be sure you are saved by his grace and have the hope of eternal life. We hope you can attend one of our worship assemblies or Bible classes soon. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

“The churches of Christ greet you”

Those are the words of Paul, the apostle of Jesus Christ, and we in the Roanoke Church of Christ echo that same sentiment to you today. But perhaps you’re wondering: Who or what are the churches of Christ? We hope the following will help answer that question:

Before the world ever began, God had a plan for you. That plan is revealed in the Bible and includes his church. The Bible tells us the church is part of the “eternal purpose” of God for every one of us that was made possible through Jesus Christ (Eph. 3:10-11). But there is a great deal of misunderstanding about the importance and identity of that church.

It was Jesus who said to his disciples, “I will build my church” (Mt. 16:18). The Lord kept that promise; he built his church and it exists today. The word of God tells us the church is called “the body of Christ” (Eph. 1:22-23) and that there is “one body…one Lord, one faith” (Eph. 4:4-6). There are no denominations in the Bible, yet when we look around today we see so many different churches, different faiths, different teachings. All of this religious contradiction can be confusing.

But if set aside the denominations, doctrines and traditions of men and simply go back to the Bible, we can belong to the church that Jesus built—the Lord’s church that is a part of God’s eternal plan to redeem us and bring us to heaven through his Son. If we follow the New Testament of Christ and do today what they did then, we can be today what they were then—simply Christians (Acts 11:26). Nothing more, nothing less—just Christians. Not members of any denomination, but members of Jesus’ church we read about in the Bible.

We in the churches of Christ are striving to be faithful to the authority of God’s word and abide by the pattern he has given us for his church (Acts 2:42; 2 Tim. 1:13). We kindly invite you to join us in going back to the Bible to be Christians only, a part of the Lord’s family, the church which he died to save with his blood (Acts 20:28; Eph. 5:23-25). Please let us know if you would like to study the Bible to learn more about the Lord’s church and his plan for our salvation.

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Location
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 737
Roanoke, TX 76262
Physical Address
Map
608 Dallas
Roanoke, TX 76262
P: (817) 491-2388
Meeting Times
Sunday

9:30 am - Bible Class

10:30 am - Worship

5:00 pm - Worship


On the last Sunday of February, May, August, and November we meet for Bible class and AM worship, then have a fellowship meal. Afterwards, we reconvene for the afternoon worship, then dismiss for the day.

Wednesday

7:00 pm bible class