Prayer
Notes
Transcript
Intro: What does prayer look like for you? What do you think of when your thoughts go towards praying? Not a one way conversation. How would you talk to your father, your king, your creator?
When I think of prayer- Monks, prophets, apostles. Prayer is not explained because it was common practice beyond Christians and Israel. Every religion and culture had an understanding of prayer, just like today. Like a prayer, Living on a Prayer, pray is a common idea even today. But what does it look like?
History: Prayer has alway been different for God’s people. In other religions prayer was often rigid. Crying out trying to get your god’s attention. At best they believed there was a main god among other weaker or lesser gods. If you look at the prayers of the OT you will find an intimacy with God that is absent elsewhere. The best example I know is the prophet Elijah. Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal to a duel at high noon. This was to prove whose god was truly alive! The contest would be to see which god would answer with fire from the sky to consume the offering.
Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “You go first, for there are many of you. Choose one of the bulls, and prepare it and call on the name of your god. But do not set fire to the wood.”
So they prepared one of the bulls and placed it on the altar. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning until noontime, shouting, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no reply of any kind. Then they danced, hobbling around the altar they had made.
After a while, they begin dancing and cutting themselves in order to get their gods attention. Eventually, Elijah begins to mock them, which is pretty funny.
About noontime Elijah began mocking them. “You’ll have to shout louder,” he scoffed, “for surely he is a god! Perhaps he is daydreaming, or is relieving himself. Or maybe he is away on a trip, or is asleep and needs to be wakened!”
So they shouted louder, and following their normal custom, they cut themselves with knives and swords until the blood gushed out.
Then, when they finally give up, Elijah prays. But before he prays, he tells them to soak the sacrifice in water. Just to make sure there is no funny business. Listen to his simple prayer..
At the usual time for offering the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet walked up to the altar and prayed, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant. Prove that I have done all this at your command. O Lord, answer me! Answer me so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God and that you have brought them back to yourself.”
Immediately the fire of the Lord flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench! And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, “The Lord—he is God! Yes, the Lord is God!”
There was no big show, no screaming or shouting. Elijah was so close with God that we read later on God took him away so he didn’t taste death. Elijah had a relationship with the Living God, Creator of All things. HE walked in confidence knowing that whatever he asked, his Heavenly Father would show up.
Body: One of the most famous scriptures is the Lord’s Prayer. It is Jesus model to us of how to pray. Have you ever noticed how it starts. Listen to the prayer..
“When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! Pray like this:
Our Father in heaven,
may your name be kept holy.
May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven.
Give us today the food we need,
and forgive us our sins,
as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
And don’t let us yield to temptation,
but rescue us from the evil one.
“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.
“Our Father.” God wants this type of intimacy with us. Jesus tells us that our Father already knows what we need. Why? He is watching over us, caring for us. He is not sitting in some throne room in the sky waiting for us to string together the perfect words to move His heart. His heart is already towards us!
So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
If we are to believe that we serve a personal God, then we can safely assume that He wants relationship with us. That is what prayer is. It’s communication between a father and his children.
Jesus talks a lot about prayer. In the coming weeks we will be diving deeper into this subject. Today, I want to give us some practical steps to move us towards a lifestyle and culture of prayer.
Don’t compare
Comparison kills joy.
Prayer is between you and Jesus. Others may hear and agree, but it’s not about them.
Be honest
Different personalities is ok.
God knows your heart. You can fool others, but you can’t fool God. Or yourself.
Don’t babble
Why use lots words when few words do trick.
Again, don’t compare. Just because someone prays long. that doesn’t mean they are better.
Be specific when you can
General prayers get general answers
The more specific you pray, the easier it is to see that answer.
Pray Scripture
Praying Scripture is the most powerful, God honoring way to pray.
When you pray Scripture, you are praying the heart of God.
In the next few weeks we will be taking a closer look at prayer. I truly believe prayer must be the cornerstone of our relationship with Jesus. If Sunday and Wednesday are the only time you are talking with a God, you are missing out on the greatest part of our walk with Jesus.
Now imagine a house of prayer. A church in a community that does not fight against flesh and blood, but against the principalities and powers of this age. Imagine a people that cried out to God for revival through the Scriptures. Isaiah 43:19
For I am about to do something new.
See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?
I will make a pathway through the wilderness.
I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.
Then one night the Lord appeared to Solomon and said,
“I have heard your prayer and have chosen this Temple as the place for making sacrifices. At times I might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or command grasshoppers to devour your crops, or send plagues among you. Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to every prayer made in this place. For I have chosen this Temple and set it apart to be holy—a place where my name will be honored forever. I will always watch over it, for it is dear to my heart.
What if we prayed these prayers over ourselves, our families, our friends, our town? What could God do? What would that look like?Would there be miracles? Would the prodigal come home? Would the blind see, the lame walk, the deaf hear? Would those dead in their sins be risen to new life in Jesus?
The answer to all of the above is yes and amen. The God we serve is moved by the cry of His people. God, in His infinite mercy, has given us an “if-then” clause that can change lives. But we must be the people who stand up, humble ourselves, and seek the face of God, not just His hand. That is extremely important. His hand is His power. His face is His character.
How do you start? Like any other relationship. Start where you are a grow. Maybe it’s telling God about your day. Maybe it’s asking for healing in your body or in a relationship. Maybe its for money to pay the bills. Whatever it is, Jesus tells us to come to the Father. He already knows because He cares. Talk to Him. He is not silent.
