10 Principles of Godly Living Message 3

The Fundamentals

10 Principles of Godly Living

Message 3

Prayer

KISS

a. Keep It Simple St…

i. I love to hear my seminary president preach.

ii. Our theology differs but he can take a passage and break it down.

iii. I love to hear John MacArthur preach. I love his commentaries.

iv. I will read those and be green with envy on how smart they are.

v. But I learned something a long time ago.

vi. You have to be who you are and not try to be like someone else.

b. I have a simple approach.

i. Make it easy to understand for the common people.

ii. I am not preaching to a seminary class or a preachers’ conference.

iii. My co-worker once told the people loved the way I preached because she could understand it. It has been one of the greatest complements I have ever gotten.

The Christian is not hard.

Love God

Love others

Study the word.

Pray.

v. I believe prayer may be the neglected stepchild.

vi. My prayer is to have a powerful praying church.

We:

What do we know?

a. Love God with all your heart

i. Loving God with all our heart involves a deep, committed, and intentional relationship with Him.

ii. It means surrendering every aspect of our lives to His Lordship.

iii. Making Him the center of our thoughts.

iv. The center of our desires.

v. The center of our actions.

b. We want to love our neighbor as ourselves.

i. We do this by following the example of Good Samaritan.

We must pray!

i. It is the core of the Christian life.

ii. God thought it was so important that He said this.

iii. 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 (NLT) — 16Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 NLT

Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

Why prayer is important?

Communion with God.

i. Prayer is essential for believers as it allows them to have intimate communion with God.

ii. It is a way to draw near to Him.

iii. We share our hearts, our hurts, our hang ups.

iv. We experience His presence. (When you feel the presence of God)

v. James 4:8 (NIV) — 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

James 4:8 NIV

Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Seeking God's Guidance and Will

i. Prayer is a means for seeking God's guidance.

ii. We can tap into God’s wisdom.

iii. We can gain insight to our situation.

iv. It is an opportunity to align one's life with God's will.

v. Proverbs 3:5–6 (NLT) — 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

Proverbs 3:5–6 NLT

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

We Find Peace and Relief

i. Prayer is crucial for finding peace and relief from life's burdens and anxieties.

ii. Philippians 4:6–7 (NIV) — 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6–7 NLT

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Five ways to pray.

Thumb.

i. The thumb is the closest finger to you.

ii. It represents praying for those who are closest to you, such as your family and friends.

iii. Start your prayer by interceding for your loved ones.

iv. Wife do you pray for your husband?

v. Husband, do you pray for your wife?

Index finger.

i. The index finger is used for pointing.

ii. Pray for those who point you in the right direction.

iii. It represents praying for those who teach, guide, and lead, such as teachers, mentors, pastors, and government leaders.

iv. Pray for wisdom and guidance for them.

Middle finger

i. The middle finger is the tallest finger.

ii. It represents praying for those in authority and positions of power, such as national leaders, presidents, and world leaders.

iii. Pray for peace, justice, and righteousness that God’s will be done.

Ring finger

i. The ring finger is the weakest finger.

ii. It represents praying for those who are in need, such as the sick, the poor, the lonely, and the suffering.

iii. Pray for healing, comfort, and support.

Little finger

i. The little finger is the smallest finger.

ii. It represents praying for your own needs and concerns.

iii. Bring your personal requests and worries to God in prayer.

A powerful praying church.

a. Let us be that kind of church.