How to Pray Biblically: Part 1 of Maintaining Joy
As we have mentioned before, maintaining joy in the face hardship and opposition is difficult; however, it is not impossible. The first step to doing so is learning how to pray biblically.
In the sermon Joy Stealers, we looked at things that rob us of our joy. Consequently, we learned that we inflicted many of those problems on ourselves. For example, we rob ourselves of joy by interpreting our circumstances too negatively. Other people are able to rob us of our joy when we allow them to do so. Worry also robs of us of our joy when we allow our minds to dwell on it.
As we begin to program our thoughts to a more spiritual way of thinking, we first need to abolish wrong thinking and wrong feeling. One greatly affects the other. When our thinking is wrong, then our feelings will be wrong also. However, there are steps that we can take to remove these joy robbers. First, we need to pray right. Second, we need to think right. Third, we need to live right. We will explore these three “right things to do” over the next few weeks.
Notes: Sermon available for online listening until April 19th, 2020. To view more sermons, visit our Sermon Archive.
Bulletin Message
Excerpt from The Bible Article
by Ron Boatwright
The Bible was written by about 40 different inspired men over a period of about 1600 years dating from about 1500 BC to about 90 AD. These men wrote Scripture as they were inspired of God. As 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Peter 1:20-21 says, “knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” All 66 books of the Bible are inspired of God.
The Bible is the most translated book in the world. It has been translated into more than 1700 different languages and dialects which is more than any other book that has ever been written. The Bible:
- was the first book to be printed in 1454
- continues to be the best seller in the world
- is the only book that reveals the origin, mission, and destiny of man
It answers some crucial questions.
- Who am I?
- Where did I come from?
- What should I be doing now?
- Where am I going?
Nowhere else can we find answers to these questions. It is our only textbook on how to go to Heaven. There are now in existence about 4000 known manuscripts of the Bible or parts of the Bible made between the 2nd and 15th centuries. This is far more than the manuscripts of any other ancient writing.
About the Writers
The backgrounds of the 40 inspired writers were very diverse. They include:
- Samuel the judge
- Amos the sheep herder and farmer
- Ezra the priest
- Nehemiah the statesman
- David & Solomon were kings
- Peter and John were fishermen
- Matthew a tax collector
- Luke a physician
- Paul a tentmaker
- and a host of other backgrounds.
The 66 books of the Bible were written in palaces and prisons, in cities and in wildernesses, in times of war and in times of peace, and many other circumstances. It was written in three languages. Some were written in Hebrew, some in Aramaic, and others in Greek. They were written concerning events on three continents: Europe, Asia, and Africa. The prophecies stand alone in their graphic detail, accuracy, and exacting fulfillment. Yet with the 40 different writers over 1600 years span of time in three different continents, there are no contradictions because they were all inspired by an all-knowing all-wise God. According to 2 Peter 1:3,
“as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue”.
Everything we need to know to be pleasing to God is found in the Bible.
This is a reformatted excerpt of an article posted online by Ron Boatwright. To read the complete article, please visit www.netbiblestudy.net/bulletin/new_page_228.htm or visit www.netbiblestudy.net for additional articles and posts on other topics related salvation and Bible study.