4-12-26// DEVOTED TO PRAYER

Rom 12:9-13 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; 11 not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, 13 contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.

DEVOTED: proskartereo (pros-kar-ter-eh'-o); to be earnest towards, i.e. (to a thing) to persevere, be constantly diligent, or (in a place) to attend assiduously all the exercises, or (to a person) to adhere closely to (as a servitor):

1.     to adhere to one, be his adherent, to be devoted or constant to one

2.     to be steadfastly attentive unto, to give unremitting care to a thing

3.     to continue all the time in a place

4.     to persevere and not to faint

5.     to show one's self courageous for

6.     to be in constant readiness for one, wait on constantly

to join, adhere to; to be ready; to give attention, be faithful; to spend much time together

KJV - attend (giveself) continually (upon), continue (in, instant in, with), wait on (continually).

To be "devoted" (from the Greek proskartereō) means to continue steadfastly and give oneself continually to a task, even when it is not convenient.

Luke 18:1-8 Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, 2 saying, "In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man.  3 "There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, 'Give me legal protection from my opponent.'  4 "For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, 'Even though I do not fear God nor respect man,  5 yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.'"  6 And the Lord said, "Hear what the unrighteous judge said;  7 now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them?  8 "I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?"

Eph 6:18-20 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, 19 and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Watchfulness/Alertness: Staying awake spiritually to God’s leading and avoiding complacency.

Maintaining spiritual alertness and vigilance, staying aware of both God's guidance and spiritual distractions.

Col 4:2-4 Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; 3 praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; 4 that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak.