Christianity 101 Congregation Benim Avraham Diocese of La Porte, Texas Christian Church, Synod of St. Timothy Part 3 Piety

Piety: Devotions to God Prayer Meditation Fasting: Communion Corporate Prayer

Prayer

Meditation

Fasting:

Communion

Corporate Prayer

Prayer Is a conversation with God Can be read Should be from the heart Should be personal Can be words or actions We should listen as much as we talk

Is a conversation with God

Can be read

Should be from the heart

Should be personal

Can be words or actions

We should listen as much as we talk

Types of Prayer Adoration Praise Thanksgiving Intercession Penitence Oblation Petition

Adoration

Praise

Thanksgiving

Intercession

Penitence

Oblation

Petition

Adoration Lifting up one’s heart and mind to God and rejoicing in his presence.

Lifting up one’s heart and mind to God and rejoicing in his presence.

Praise We praise God when we acknowledge who and what he is, the Lord and King of the Universe, creator of all things on Heaven and Earth, the sustainer of the universe, our healer and our saviour.

We praise God when we acknowledge who and what he is, the Lord and King of the Universe, creator of all things on Heaven and Earth, the sustainer of the universe, our healer and our saviour.

Thanksgiving We thank God for all he has done for us Our creation Salvation Our lives The blessings he has given us. Food, water, clothing, house etc.

We thank God for all he has done for us

Our creation

Salvation

Our lives

The blessings he has given us.

Food, water, clothing, house etc.

Intercession Praying for the needs of other people Our church, its Bishops, presbyters, deacon and faithful Our nation and its leaders. Those who are sick suffering or in need.

Praying for the needs of other people

Our church, its Bishops, presbyters, deacon and faithful

Our nation and its leaders.

Those who are sick suffering or in need.

Petition Praying for our own needs Physical Spiritual Mental Money

Praying for our own needs

Physical

Spiritual

Mental

Money

Oblation Offering our selves and our lives to God Living fully to God, allowing him to run our lives.

Offering our selves and our lives to God

Living fully to God, allowing him to run our lives.

Penitence Confession is telling God about our sins, and repenting (turning away) from them We should confess daily to God We should confess before taking communion. If we have a besetting (constantly recurring) sin, we should go to a priest or Bishop for confession. If possible we should make restitution.

Confession is telling God about our sins, and repenting (turning away) from them

We should confess daily to God

We should confess before taking communion.

If we have a besetting (constantly recurring) sin, we should go to a priest or Bishop for confession.

If possible we should make restitution.

Meditation A type of listening prayer Christian meditation is never emptying the mind, empty your mind and something you do not want will come in. Meditate on the Bible Meditate on icons Meditate on the Eucharist

A type of listening prayer

Christian meditation is never emptying the mind, empty your mind and something you do not want will come in.

Meditate on the Bible

Meditate on icons

Meditate on the Eucharist

Meditation on the Word Read and study scripture, picture it in your mind. Put yourself in the story. Ask, “what does it say to me today?” Ask, “how can I change my life to follow this?”

Read and study scripture, picture it in your mind.

Put yourself in the story.

Ask, “what does it say to me today?”

Ask, “how can I change my life to follow this?”

Fasting Traditionally Christians fast on Fridays and one hour before communion. Advent and Lent (not including Sundays) were fasting times. Fasting may be complete or an item. Fasting was a community event. If you give up food, use the money you save to help someone or for the church We should not only fast from food, but from evil thoughts and deeds. We might fast from TV and Radio today. For three centuries, there were no fat Christians.

Traditionally Christians fast on Fridays and one hour before communion.

Advent and Lent (not including Sundays) were fasting times.

Fasting may be complete or an item.

Fasting was a community event.

If you give up food, use the money you save to help someone or for the church

We should not only fast from food, but from evil thoughts and deeds.

We might fast from TV and Radio today.

For three centuries, there were no fat Christians.

Communion Every Christian should take communion regularly. Before taking communion, we must confess our sins to God, to avoid condemnation. To receive communion is to receive power to resist sin and to do God’s work.

Every Christian should take communion regularly.

Before taking communion, we must confess our sins to God, to avoid condemnation.

To receive communion is to receive power to resist sin and to do God’s work.

Corporate Prayer We are warned in the Bible not to forsake the assembly Sunday Eucharist Weekday Bible Study and Prayer Family Prayers Pray with your spouse

We are warned in the Bible not to forsake the assembly

Sunday Eucharist

Weekday Bible Study and Prayer

Family Prayers

Pray with your spouse

Sunday Eucharist We gather together each Lord’s day to: Praise God Hear God’s word Encourage one another Teach one another Pray for our own needs and those of others To receive strength and power to serve God through the week.

We gather together each Lord’s day to:

Praise God

Hear God’s word

Encourage one another

Teach one another

Pray for our own needs and those of others

To receive strength and power to serve God through the week.

During the Week Attend Bible Studies and Prayer Groups Pray with our family Pray with our spouse. Pray by yourself Bible studies and prayer groups help build community. A family that prays together stays together.

Attend Bible Studies and Prayer Groups

Pray with our family

Pray with our spouse.

Pray by yourself

Bible studies and prayer groups help build community.

A family that prays together stays together.

Daily Praise God for new day and make oblation Pray with spouse (especially for children) Family Morning Prayer Grace with meals Pray on way to and from work and school Family Evening Prayer Confess the sins of day, and thank God for the day’s blessings.

Praise God for new day and make oblation

Pray with spouse (especially for children)

Family Morning Prayer

Grace with meals

Pray on way to and from work and school

Family Evening Prayer

Confess the sins of day, and thank God for the day’s blessings.

The Model Prayer, the Lord’s Prayer Our Father in Heaven -establishes the relationship, not my Father, our Father, the Father of all Christians Hallowed be your name-We are to hallow God’s name in thought, word, and deed. Your kingdom come -We pray for God’s Kingdom to be manifested here in our lives and our world.

Our Father in Heaven -establishes the relationship, not my Father, our Father, the Father of all Christians

Hallowed be your name-We are to hallow God’s name in thought, word, and deed.

Your kingdom come -We pray for God’s Kingdom to be manifested here in our lives and our world.

Your will be done on Earth as in Heaven -we are to obey God as the angels in heaven do. Give us today our daily bread -we ask for our immediate needs for today, as we need them. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us -we ask God to forgive us as much as we forgive others. Save us from the time of trial -we ask the Lord to keep temptations away from us.

Your will be done on Earth as in Heaven -we are to obey God as the angels in heaven do.

Give us today our daily bread -we ask for our immediate needs for today, as we need them.

Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us -we ask God to forgive us as much as we forgive others.

Save us from the time of trial -we ask the Lord to keep temptations away from us.

And deliver us from evil -protect us from the evil one and what he would do to us. For yours is the Kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen .-A song of praise.

And deliver us from evil -protect us from the evil one and what he would do to us.

For yours is the Kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen .-A song of praise.

The Jesus Prayer Adonai Yeshua haMoshiach ben El, have mercy on me a sinner. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.

Adonai Yeshua haMoshiach ben El, have mercy on me a sinner.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.