Amazing Prayer

As I was studying Galatians 5;22, 23, I decided to see what other verses used the same words.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 (NKJV)

Goodness: beyond being good — doing good

Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power,  that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 (NKJV)

Pray: with a specific result in mind

Count you worthy: matching value to actual substance – i.e. worth as it corresponds to reality

Fulfill: to make complete in every particular; to render perfect

All: any and every, of every kind

Good pleasures: delight, pleasure, satisfaction: with the genitive of the thing that pleases

Goodness: uprightness of heart and life; beyond being good — doing good

Work:  the course of conduct which springs from faith

Power: "inherent power, power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature, or which a person or thing exerts and puts forth"

Glorified: viewed in high, personal esteem, befitting great (intrinsic) worth

According to:  in consequence of, by virtue of

Grace: "the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues"

http://biblehub.com/interlinear/2_thessalonians/1-11.htm

That is why [To that end; In this regard] we always pray for you, asking our God to ·help you live the kind of life he called you to live [make/consider you worthy of his calling]. We pray that with his power God will ·help you do the good things you want [ fulfill every desire for goodness] and ·perform the works that come from your [every work of] faith.  We pray all this so that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ will ·have glory [be glorified] in you, and you ·will have glory in him [ in him]. That glory comes from the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 (EXB)

What an amazing prayer. A prayer with a specific RESULT in mind. A prayer that one's faith be real, evident and truly lived. A prayer that I need to pray for myself and others. A prayer where the results are possible, because of God's goodness! 

Proverbs 5:1-6: Real vs Counterfeit. Can you distinguish between the two?

My son, pay attention to my wisdom; lend your ear to my understanding,

That you may preserve discretion, and your lips may keep knowledge.

For the lips of an immoral woman drip honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil;

But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.

Her feet go down to death, her steps lay hold of hell.

Lest you ponder her path of life—her ways are unstable; you do not know them. Proverbs 5:1-6

Pay attention: cause to hearken, give heed, prick the ears

Wisdom: ethical and religious

Lend your ear:  especially incline the ear, of men (in obedience to God)

Understanding: the object of knowledge

That you may preserve: observe = follow dictates of (prudence, justice, kindness, wisdom)

Discretion: power of devising, purpose

Keep: guard with fidelity (strict observance of promises, duties, faithful, loyal)

Knowledge: discernment, understanding, wisdom

Lips: language (babbling)

Immoral woman: stranger, not of the family, harlot

Mouth: speech

Smoother than oil: figurative of mouth uttering smooth, flattering words

But in the end: the future, later

Bitter: angry, discontented

Wormwood: to curse; regarded as poisonous, hemlock

Two-edged: mouth

Sword: instrument of war; of grievous end of dealings with strange women

Go down: to descend, to go downwards

Death: state of death or place of death

Steps: course of life

Lay hold: keep the path to it, grasp

Hell: Hades or the world of the dead

Lest: might readily acquire

Ponder: weigh (mentally)

Life: appetite, way of living

Ways: course of action, or life, track

Unstable: to waver

Know: discriminate, distinguish, recognize

Did you know that when learning to distinguish between real and counterfeit money, the people study the real thing? They get to know the real money so well, that if they see something amiss, they instantly know the fake. 

The same is true with Wisdom. We are to pay attention so closely to true wisdom, that when we hear the babbling or random advise, although it may sound amazing, we will recognize it as fake. And notice that we are NOT to ponder the sweet sounding words of strangers (sinners). For although they should amazing, they will lead to death. 

Difference between real and counterfeit wisdom, is recognized when one practices pondering true Wisdom—God's wisdom. That begins with a heart that is permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God (Act 9:31 MSG), and continues as one studies God's Word and applies it daily. 

Real vs Counterfeit. Can you distinguish between the two?