So That …
MORE FROM THIS SERIES
- Five Signs of the End Times
Sermon 1 of 37 - Baggage Claim
Sermon 2 of 37 - The Cost of Compassion
Sermon 3 of 37 - The New Worship Schedule
Sermon 4 of 37 - The Howard Dean Syndrome
Sermon 5 of 37 - Follow the Cloud!
Sermon 6 of 37 - Sowing Seeds for Jesus
Sermon 7 of 37 - Three Important Notes
Sermon 8 of 37 - "He Took My Place"
Sermon 9 of 37 - The Strategic Prayer Initiative
Sermon 10 of 37 - Martin Luther's Advice
Sermon 12 of 37 - How God Uses Cancer to Help Us Grow
Sermon 13 of 37 - We Can't Be Friends with Everyone
Sermon 14 of 37 - Jesus Is All I Need
Sermon 15 of 37 - God's Hidden Smile
Sermon 17 of 37 - Level Three Faith — A Personal Update
Sermon 19 of 37 - A Visit to the Dentist
Sermon 20 of 37 - The God of Tiny Details
Sermon 21 of 37 - Are We on the Brink of Revival?
Sermon 22 of 37 - A Line in the Sand
Sermon 23 of 37 - "But Do It Soon"
Sermon 24 of 37 - After You've Done Something Stupid
Sermon 26 of 37 - Should We Use the Bible in the Marriage Debate?
Sermon 36 of 37 - The First Rule of Holes
Sermon 39 of 37 - The Best Defense for a Bad Memory
Sermon 40 of 37 - Amending Our Church Constitution to Define Marriage
Sermon 41 of 37 - 25 Ways You Can Be Part of World Focus Week
Sermon 42 of 37 - Bob & Amber's Excellent Adventure
Sermon 43 of 37 - Reformation Sunday 2004
Sermon 44 of 37 - Q & A About the Biannual Business Meeting
Sermon 45 of 37 - How to Recognize Satan's Accusations
Sermon 46 of 37 - Restless, Waiting, Willing
Sermon 48 of 37 - St. Ephaem's Prayer
Sermon 49 of 37 - Unexpected Good News
Sermon 50 of 37 - It's Okay to Say "Merry Christmas"
Sermon 51 of 37 - Nothing Unusual Ever Happens Here
Sermon 52 of 37
MORE RESOURCES LIKE THIS
- Life-Changing, Heart-Moving, World-Shaking Prayer - 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
- Why We Pray - Romans 15:30-33
- Emergency Prayers - Romans 15:30-33
- What About Those Who Never Hear The Gospel? - Romans 1:18-20
- The First Law: He's God and We're Not
- What About Those Who Never Hear The Gospel? - Romans 1:18-20
- The Fifth Law: Active Faith Releases God's Power - Hebrews 11
- Should Our Teachers Be Required to Sign the Articles of Faith? - Various
- What is Saving Faith? - Romans 10:9-10
Article 38 of 37 from the Ponder This - 2004 series
September 2004 - SO THAT by Ray Pritchard Recently I picked up a useful insight from some friends who were eating supper with us. Somehow the conversation turned to prayer, and a man shared an insight that was new to me. “When I pray,” he said, “I always try to include the phrase 'so that.’ I heard a guest preacher mention that in a sermon several years ago, and I've been doing it ever since.” He went on to say that he has been praying a particular “so that” prayer for me for several years. I can't remember all the details of the prayer, but I do remember the three “so that’s”: So that I would be strong in the Word of God, So that I would be faithful to the end, So that God would be greatly glorified through my life. Needless to say, I was touched by his faithfulness in praying that way for me. Later I thought about it and realized how entirely biblical it is. Consider how many times Paul prayed “so that” prayers: “So that you may overflow with hope” (Romans 15:13). “So that you may know him better” (Ephesians 1:17). “So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith” (Ephesians 3:17). “So that you may be able to discern what is best” (Philippians 1:10). “So that you may have great endurance and patience” (Colossians 1:11). “So that you will be blameless and holy” (I Thessalonians 3:13). “So that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you” (II Thessalonians 1:12). I've been using this “so that” principle in my own prayers for the last several days, and it has been a tonic to my prayer life. So many times our prayers are good but aimless. We ask God to “bless” someone or to “strengthen” someone, but we have no particular end in view. But when you add “so that” to your petitions, it forces you to ask yourself, “What do I really want God to do in this person's life?” And if you don't have a reason for praying a particular prayer, perhaps it's not worth praying in the first place. So I've been experimenting with this “so that” principle and I find it very challenging and encouraging because it focuses my wandering mind and causes me to think about why I want God to “bless” Josh or Mark or Nick or Marlene or any of my friends and acquaintances. Here’s an example: “Lord, please help Josh to feel at home in Beijing so that he will enjoy his teaching, make friends with his Chinese students, and have opportunities to talk about his faith.” That’s much deeper than “Lord, please bless Josh.” It's amazing how “so that” can transform an ordinary prayer into a powerful petition to our Heavenly Father. I'm glad my friend shared this prayer with me so that I could share it with you.
RELATED BOOK
The Leadership Lessons of Jesus
Bob Briner and Ray Pritchard unearth
important leadership lessons from the life
of Christ, based on the book of Mark.
Applicable to anyone who wants
to become a better leader.
© Keep Believing Ministries
Permissions and restrictions: You are permitted and encouraged to use and distribute the content on Keep Believing Ministries free of charge. If you choose to publish excerpts from a sermon or article, please provide a link or attibution back to KeepBelieving.com’s version of this article. The content of KeepBelieving.com must not be redistributed at a fee beyond the cost of reproduction.
If you wish to support Keep Believing Ministries, your prayers and donations are appreciated, and further enable this worldwide ministry to distribute all materials free of charge.