THE BOOK OF ROMANS 5

1. As a believer, what right does Christ have to require you to serve Him?

2. How willing are you to serve Christ?

A. When I find it convenient within my personal schedule.

B. When it seems to be the popular thing to do.

C. When it does not cost me anything.

D. Anytime, anyplace, anywhere.

3. How strong is your testimony in your local church? How strong is your testimony where you work? What can you do to strengthen your testimony in both of these places?

ROMANS

Romans 1:9 KJV 1900

For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;

Paul was a man of intercessory prayer, a man who always prayed for others. Note two points.

1. Paul called upon God to bear witness that he prayed.

He did not... ·

1.just talk about praying ·

2.just tell people he was praying for them as a courtesy ·

3. just pretend to pray ·

just spend a few minutes in a religious exercise of prayer

4.just spend a few minutes in a religious exercise of prayer

Paul really prayed; he took time to ask God to strengthen and help others.

Ephesians 3:14 KJV 1900

For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Things which Paul prayed for:

Ephesians 3:16 KJV 1900

That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

Ephesians 3:17 KJV 1900

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

Ephesians 3:18 KJV 1900

May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

Ephesians 3:19 KJV 1900

And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Matthew 6:9 KJV 1900

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

matt. 6

Things Jesus Told Us To Pray For:

Matt. 6:10

Matthew 6:10 KJV 1900

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Matthew 6:11 KJV 1900

Give us this day our daily bread.

Matt. 6:

Matthew 6:12 KJV 1900

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

Matthew 6:13 KJV 1900

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

These two passages taken together tell us what we should be praying every day, both for ourselves and for others.)

2. Paul even prayed for believers and churches whom he did not know. Remember he knew only a few of the believers in the Roman church; he had never met most of them. They were totally unfamiliar and unknown to him; yet he prayed for the church.

APPLICATION: Scripture is strong in its charge to us. We are to pray constantly and we are to pray for all believers throughout the world. Our prayers are not to be limited to a few minutes each day nor to our loved ones and close friends.

1 Chronicles 16:11 KJV 1900

Seek the Lord and his strength, Seek his face continually.

ILLUSTRATION: How many of you tend to worry first or to act first or to give up hope before you think to pray? Each believer is charged by God to pray: to pray before, during, and after. We are to pray morning, noon, and night. We are always to pray.

"While very ill, John Knox, the founder of the Presbyterian Church in Scotland, called to his wife and said, 'Read me that Scripture where I first cast my anchor.' After he listened to the beautiful prayer of Jesus recorded in , he seemed to forget his weakness. He began to pray, interceding earnestly for his fellowmen. He prayed for the ungodly who had thus far rejected the Gospel. He pleaded in behalf of people who had been recently converted. And he requested protection for the Lord's servants, many of whom were facing persecution. As Knox prayed, his spirit went Home to be with the Lord. The man of whom Queen Mary had said, 'I fear his prayers more than I do the armies of my enemies,' ministered through prayer until the moment of his death."

Does Satan, your greatest enemy, fear your prayers?

QUESTIONS:

1. How important do you consider prayer to be? Does your prayer life back up your belief in prayer? Or are you too busy to spend time praying? How much time do you honestly spend in prayer each day?

2. What habits have you developed that have enhanced your prayer life? What can you do to bring growth to your prayer life?

Romans 1:10–13 KJV 1900

Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you. For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end you may be established; That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.

THE GOSPEL STIRRED HIM TO SEEK PEOPLE PERSONALLY

Paul did not leave the ministry and the sharing of the gospel up to others. He became personally involved, so much so that he begged God to give him opportunity after opportunity—even to the point of letting him travel to the capital of the world itself to share Christ with its citizens.