A. Godly Concept. 2:1-7 The sound church is serious with the prayer ministry. v.1-3 What to pray. v.1-2 How to pray. v.8 V.1 a) Prayer for all - I. First priority of the Church activities should be Prayer: A. All man. B. Kings. C. Authorities. II. Supplication - (Gr. deesis) means: A. Need, indigence, want, privation, penury - “ The sense of need” B. A seeking, asking, entreating, entreaty to God or to man. C. Deesis is therefore a request for a felt need done in an earnest way. III. Prayers - (Gr.proseuche) means: A general and more comprehensive word for all prayers addressed to God. IV. Intercessions - (Gr. enteuxis) means: A. An Interwiev, conversation, petition. B. Enteuxis is therefore a confidant approach to God with a petition. V. Thanksgiving - (Gr. eucharistia). There are 4 levels of prayer and they can be understood as we compare them with each other: explained - Stand under Supportive Carrying the burden Under view PRAYERS explained - Stand with Assistance Agreeing with the burden Side view explained - Stand in Identification Knowing the burden Inside view explained - Stand above Realizing Releasing the burden Above view V.2 b) Peaceable lifestyle - I. Prayers for Authorities and Leaders. Either God influences them by the prayers of the Church or the Devil influences them because of lack of prayer. II. Prayers that Affects our Lifestyle. Fruits of prayer: A. Quietness (Inner peace) and peace (Outer peace)- Calm. B. Godliness - Character. 1. As a result of prayer. 2:2 2. As a mystery. 3:16 3. As an exercise. 4:7 4. As profitable. 4:8 5. As a doctrine. 6:3 6. As a great gain. 6:5-6 7. As a pursue. 6:11 C. Honesty or reverence- Conscience. V.3 c) Pleasing lifestyle - I. Satisfactory in the Sight of our Saviour. Good prayers are acceptable before God. II. Good or beautiful - Attracting God. Acceptable - Accepted of God. III. The purpose of prayer is: Not to get man’ s will done in heaven, but to get God’ s will done on earth. V.4 d) Plan of salvation is for all - The Mission. The sound church is serious with the evangelistic ministry. v.4-7 I. The big heart of God - All man. II. The greatest need of man - Salvation. III. The best thing to know - Truth. V.5 e) Place of contact - The Mediator. I. Oneness of God - Monotheism. A. The one God is a compound unity. II. Only way to God - Mediator. B. The only Mediator. 1. Not angels. 2. Not heavenly saints. 3. Not pastors. C. Pastors need to teach the saints to have intimate fellowship with God. 1. Believers can praise without intimacy. 2. Believers can pray without intimacy. 3. Believers can read the Scripture without intimacy. D. Proverbs - Ecclesiastes - Song of Solomon: Compared: 1. Proverbs: Stimulate counsel in Christ; Outer court; speaks to the intelligence of man. 2. Ecclesiastes: Stimulate satisfaction in Christ; Holy place; speaks to the will of man. 3. Song of Solomon: Stimulate love for Christ; Most holy place; speaks to the love of man. E. Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon compared: 1. Ecclesiastes speaks of life without rest while the Song of Solomon speaks of entering the rest. 2. Ecclesiastes is vital for preparing for the Song of Solomon because it is difficult to fervently seek the fullness of life in Christ without understanding of how futile life is outside Christ. 3. In Ecclesiastes we learn that the heart is too large for the object (The world). In Song of Solomon we learn that the object (Christ) is too large for the heart. F. The difference between a Religious believer and a Real believer: 1. Religious - Program, Gift, manual, Great Crowd. 2. Real - Presence, Giver, Emanuel, Glory Cloud. V.6 f) Price Paid - The Method. I. Ransom paid. A. The Ransom is a Redemptive price paid. Rom. 3:24; 8:23; 1 Cor. 1:30; Col. 1:14; Heb. 9:15; 11:35 B. On the Day of Atonement. Two goats were used. Lev.16:5-22 1. One was killed. (Christ died) 2. One was released into the wilderness. (Our sin is sent away) C. On the Ephesians market place at the slave block you could: I. Buy a slave to own. II. Buy a slave to set free. II. Right time. In God’ s appointed time, at the best moment Christ came and died. V.7 g) Preacher, apostle and teacher - The Messenger. I. Service to God. Paul was appointed to serve God through apostleship. II. Spokesman for God. 2.Tim.1:11 A. Preacher - 1. Announcer of the good news 2. Exhortation. 3. Stirring up. 4. Equipping the heart. B. Teacher - 1. Teacher of doctrines and expositor. 2. Instruction. 3. Building up. 4. Equipping the mind.