(Let's) Pray Like This: Like Jesus...

More baseball...

I’m a numbers guy (the Human Computer), especially true with baseball; so are many others (Billy Wagner’s first game as a Phillie)

Physical limitations separate us from the truly elite

223 triple-digit throwers among 8B-ish humans since 2008

- 0.000003% (three one-millionths of a percent) of humans throw 100 mph

1 perfect person among roughly 117B humans ever, according to most population studies

- 0.0000000009% (nine ten-billionths of a percent) of humans were God-Man

We aren’t perfect/can’t imitate perfectly, but we can use what we’ve been given — i.e. a changeup, in/out pitching

Still striving to be like the best in our efforts, so — like a kid watching his favorite all-star pitcher’s routine, mechanics, motion, preparation, & performance in hopes of imitating both execution & results — let’s turn to those that went before us

David: The man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22, ref. 1 Samuel 13:14)

1 Chronicles 29:10-19 (bless the Name of the Lord + praise)

Psalms . . . all of them too many to count

- Psalm 3 (save me! like Peter)

- Psalm 9:1-2 (give thanks)

- Psalm 18 (sweet relief, repeated in 2 Samuel 22)

Paul: The chosen instrument to carry the Gospel (Acts 9:15)

Perhaps the most instrumental (see what I did there?) God-used example of prayer because he is the instrument to the Gentiles, which includes most of us

Ephesians 1:3-6 (much like Peter) & Ephesians 1:15-16 (thanking God for His people)

Like Jesus in John 17: Romans 10:1 (salvation), Romans 15:5-6 (unity), 1 Corinthians 1:4+ (thanking God for the people + His grace)

2 Corinthians 1:3-7 (thanks & praise for comfort) — in fact, thanks be to God OVER & OVER

For the people (again, like Jesus): Ephesians 1:17-19, 3:16-19; Philippians 1:9-11; Colossians 1:9b-12

Peter: The rock on which Christ’s church is built (Matthew 16:18)

Luke 5:8 (praise & acknowledgement of his depravity + undeservedness of Christ’s presence)

Matthew 14:30b (just save me)

Acts 3:1 (in/by his prioritization of prayer, he was ready to do what the Lord led/called him to do)

Acts 10:9 (copying Jesus, he went by himself to pray)

1 Peter 1:3-4 (much like Paul)

So now what? What do we do?

P: Praise with awestruck wonder

Our Father in heaven, Holy is your Name

God is God + reverance + acknowledgement of our ↑↓ relationship

1 Chronicles 29:10-12, 13b & Psalm 51:15 (praise for God because He makes it possible — repeat but same principle, like David)

Nehemiah 9:5 (standing in reverent awe)

A: Ask with bold faith

Give us this day our daily bread . . . and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil

Provision + protection

Luke 11:5-13 (what follows the Lord’s Prayer; God is a good father, the Good Father)

2 Corinthians 12:7-9a (asking, but in humble acceptance/trust that God’s will be done . . . like Christ)

C: Confess with humble trust

Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us

Making right our wrongs + submitting to His authority

1 John 1:9 (if we confess, He is faithful — not conditional though!)

Nehemiah 9 (followed by praise . . . a spiritual practice of righting ones heart in praise before confessing)

T: Thank with heartfelt gratitude

Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven

What You do + who You are is perfectly enough

Psalm 136 (His faithful love continues on/endures forever)

1 Chronicles 29:13a, etc.

Let’s Pray Like This

Philippians 4:6-7 (let’s live this truth & promise out)

2-3 minutes for each letter, I wrap it up