What are you praying for?

D.A. Carson's book Praying With Paul:  A Call to Spiritual Reformation takes a look at the different prayers he wrote in his letters to the churches.  The Genesis class at West Cannon Baptist Church started a study of this book on May 13th.  In preparing for the class I was personally and deeply challenged.

Chapters 2 and 3 look at Paul's prayer in 2 Thessalonians 1:3-12.  The prayer is specifically in verses 11 and 12 but 3 through 10 have some great things to consider when we pray.  Carson refers to these verses as the framework for prayer. 

Verses 3 and 4 give some specific praises connected with the church in Thessalonica.

Paul gives thanks to God for them.  What does he thank God for?  What do we thank God for?  Have you ever thought about what you most often give thanks for in your prayers."  Our thanksgiving seems to be tied rather tightly to our material well-being and comfort.  The unvarnished truth is that what we most frequently give thanks for betrays what we most highly value."  (41)  

Paul gives thanks that the church's faith is growing, their love is increasing, and they are persevering under trials. 

"The church is different [than a local rock-climbing club, regional football team or a socially cohesive local church].  The church is made up of people who are as varied as can be:  rich and poor, learned and unlearned, practical and impractical, sophisticated and unsophisticated, aristocratic and plebian, disciplined and flighty, intense and carefree, extrovert and introvert - and everything in between.  The only thing that holds such people together is their shared allegiance to Jesus Christ, their devotion to him, stemming from his indscribable love for them." (42)

"When Christians lose sight of their first and primary allegiance, they will squabble."  (42)

One of this week's Fighter Verses connects very closely with these points.  Romans 12:12 says "Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." HERE is a post about this verse.  There is a great reason Christians can be patient in tribulation.  "Christians are prepared to suffer and to endure because they keep their eye on the goal." (45)

In verses 5 through 10, Paul's focus shifts from what is seen in the church to what will happen in the coming kingdom.  For believers, there will be vindication, the clearing of blame or suspicion.  For others, there will be retribution, punishment for a wrong or criminal act.  At the cross, these two future realities meet.  "The cross simultaneously stands as the irrefutable evidence that God demands retribution and cries out that it is the measure of God's love (Romans 3:21-26)."  (48) 

After this great set up for his prayer, Paul writes "with this in mind."  "This" is the great fruit of faith, love, and perseverance in the church and "simple confidence in the prospect of God's perfect vindication of his people when Jesus returns.  Because of "this," Paul has some big prayer requests.
"Paul prays that God might count these Christians worthy of their calling" (51)  In writing to these Christians, Paul is telling them to become what they already are.  Since they are children of God must become what children of God should be.  Carson writes a very convicting paragraph in this section.

"When was the last time you prayed this sort of prayer for your family?  for your church?  for your children?  Do we not spend far more energy praying that our children will pass their exams or get a good job or be happy or not stray too far, than we do praying that they may live lives worthy of what it means to be a Christian?

What would this "become what you are" prayer look like for West Cannon Baptist Church?

Paul then "prays that God by his power, might bring to fruition each Christian's good, faith-prompted purposes."  (55) A new life in Christ results in new goals for the sake of Jesus' name.  We realize that "no Christian can do everything, and none of us should try.  But we can all do something" in God's strength and for God's glory.

Paul closes the prayer in verse 12 by sharing his two-fold purpose in the prayer.

• The glorification of Jesus Christ.  "The Christian's whole desire at its best and highest, is that Christ be praised."  (57)
• glorification of believers.  -Romans 8:29 - 30 says "For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.  And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified."  (emphasis mine)

"When we glorify God, we are not giving him something substantial that he would not otherwise have.  We are simply ascribing to him what is his.  BUT when we are glorified we are being made more like him, we are being strengthened or empowered to exhibit characteristics that we should not otherwise display."  (59)

The last line of the prayer is "according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ."  This statement reminds us that we can do these things only in God's strength and power. "The Savior himself cannot be glorified in our lives, nor we be finally glorified, apart from the grace that he provides."  (61)

The 8 Lessons from the School of Prayer can be found HERE