-
Browse by Books of the Bible
- Old Testament
- Genesis
- Exodus
- Leviticus
- Numbers
- Deuteronomy
- Joshua
- Judges
- Ruth
- 1 Samuel
- 2 Samuel
- 1 Kings
- 2 Kings
- 1 Chronicles
- 2 Chronicles
- Ezra
- Nehemiah
- Esther
- Job
-
Psalm
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
- 24
- 25
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29
- 30
- 31
- 32
- 33
- 34
- 35
- 36
- 37
- 38
- 39
- 40
- 41
- 42
- 43
- 44
- 45
- 46
- 47
- 48
- 49
- 50
- 51
- 52
- 53
- 54
- 55
- 56
- 57
- 58
- 59
- 60
- 61
- 62
- 63
- 64
- 65
- 66
- 67
- 68
- 69
- 70
- 71
- 72
- 73
- 74
- 75
- 76
- 77
- 78
- 79
- 80
- 81
- 82
- 83
- 84
- 85
- 86
- 87
- 88
- 89
- 90
- 91
- 92
- 93
- 94
- 95
- 96
- 97
- 98
- 99
- 100
- 101
- 102
- 103
- 104
- 105
- 106
- 107
- 108
- 109
- 110
- 111
- 112
- 113
- 114
- 115
- 116
- 117
- 118
- 119
- 120
- 121
- 122
- 123
- 124
- 125
- 126
- 127
- 128
- 129
- 130
- 131
- 132
- 133
- 134
- 135
- 136
- 137
- 138
- 139
- 140
- 141
- 142
- 143
- 144
- 145
- 146
- 147
- 148
- 149
- 150
- Proverbs
- Ecclesiastes
- Song of Solomon
- Isaiah
- Jeremiah
- Lamentations
- Ezekiel
- Daniel
- Hosea
- Joel
- Amos
- Obadiah
- Jonah
- Micah
- Nahum
- Habakkuk
- Zephaniah
- Haggai
- Zechariah
- Malachi
- New Testament
- Matthew
- Mark
- Luke
- John
- Acts
- Romans
- 1 Corinthians
- 2 Corinthians
- Galatians
- Ephesians
- Philippians
- Colossians
- 1 Thessalonians
- 2 Thessalonians
- 1 Timothy
- 2 Timothy
- Titus
- Philemon
- Hebrews
- James
- 1 Peter
- 2 Peter
- 1 John
- 2 John
- 3 John
- Jude
- Revelation
- Browse by Topics
-
Browse by Series
Daily Devotions
A systematic reading of the Scriptures, portioned to complement your daily time spent with God.Pastoral Letters
- Meditation
A weekly pastoral column that complements the pulpit messages and bimonthly theme. - Grace Works
A weekly pastoral letter to minister to young adults, inspired by the grace of God. - Youth Walk
A weekly pastoral letter written to encourage young people in their daily walk with God. - Parenting by the Book
A series from the Book of Proverbs that teaches us how to bring up children and build good Christian homes. Study Notes
- Morning Worship Messages
Message notes from every Sunday’s Morning Worship with a common bimonthly theme. - Evening-Bilingual Worship Messages
Message notes from every Sunday’s Evening-Bilingual Worship with a common bimonthly theme. - Prayer Meeting Notes
Notes from our weekly Monday Prayer Meetings - Bible Study Notes
Notes from our weekly Tuesday Bible Study - Senior Sunday School 4 Notes
Notes from Pastor Charles’ Sunday School class - Combined Sunday School Notes
Message notes from Combined Sunday School focusing on the Life and Teachings of Christ Jesus - Young Adults’ Group Messages
Message notes from our weekly Young Adults’ Group meetings. - Young People’s Group Messages
Message notes from our weekly Young People’s Group meetings. - Family Camp Messages
Message notes from our annual family camps where different themes are explored every year. - Spiritual & YAG Retreat Messages
Message notes from our biannual Spiritual & YAG Retreats that serve to instruct, correct and regenerate. - Youth Conference Messages
Message notes from our annual youth conferences where young people learn the relevance of faith. - Intermediate Sunday School
Message notes from the Intermediate Sunday School
Daily Devotions
Ephesians
"That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man."
Text: Ephesians 3:16
PRAYING AS A CHILD
Prayer to a child is a simple matter. We teach children how to pray along very simple lines. We teach them how to address God as Father with love and respect. We teach them how to confess all wrongdoing. We teach them how to present requests humbly and to leave the answers to God. This approach to prayer is fine for a child.
PRAYING AS A MATURE BELIEVER
Many think that prayer as adult believers is not much different. This understanding is erroneous. The two prayers that Paul recorded in Ephesians stand as proof that we need a mature heart and mind if we are to intercede significantly. Let us be reminded of what Paul wrote on the subject of maturity.
When I was a child, I spoke as a child,
I understood as a child, I thought as child;
but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
1 CORINTHIANS 13:11
Let us take time to learn from Paul, how a mature Christian ought to pray for his brethren, for the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
“That He would grant you…”
We must establish the basis of our petition made to God. Paul understood the doctrine of prayer well. Through years of experience, he had learned many deep lessons about praying effectively. Two things must be understood as we contemplate the above phrase.
1. Prayer is addressed to a Higher, Sovereign being
Though Paul may not have used the language of the psalmist in his prayer, nevertheless he adopted an attitude of humility in prayer. Though Paul used an ordinary pronoun “He” as a reference to God, he maintained a humble spirit. The following text from the Psalms may be cited as an expression of awe and reverence for God. Paul’s spirit of humility matched that of the Psalmist David.
Give heed to the voice of my cry,
My King and my God, for to You I will pray.
PSALM 5:2
2. The hearing and answering of our prayers
Sometimes we make too much out of efforts in prayer. We point to our fasting. We highlight our faith. We speak of laying “claims on God’s promises”.
Paul did not pray in this manner at all. Though he was an apostle of great standing before God and man, he never presumed that his position would avail him anything before the Lord.
The phrase, “That He would grant you” speaks volumes of how Paul understood how God answered prayers. The petitioner cannot determine the outcome. He cannot guarantee that all that he had asked for would be answered as requested.
This basis of Paul’s approach to prayer must be clearly understood. When one comes before a great King and a mighty God, one can only make petitions humbly, leaving the matter of answers to the Sovereign Lord.