Prayer

1 Timothy 2:1.

Today is See You at the Pole day.

It is a national day of prayer where students all over the world are called to show up and pray for one another.

We are going to pause our Heroes study for this week to discuss prayer.

Also, I knew the football game got moved to tonight and I had planned to teach on CS Lewis, and I didn’t want anyone to miss out on that.

So we will pick it up next week.

What is prayer?

Praying is talking to the God of the universe.

Is talking complicated?

sometimes for your generation I feel like it is… but that’s ok.

If we desire a relationship with anyone, we must talk to them.

We only ignore those whom we don’t care to have relationship with.

This is true in our human relationships, but this is also very true of our relationship with God.

It’s why I’m blown away when people ask the question “Why would a loving God send people to hell.”

Wait… You mean, why would God allow people to go to a place without Him when they’ve ignored Him their whole lives?

Or do you mean why doesn’t God force people who hate Him to live with Him for eternity?

God does not exist and you do not exist for Him to be your problem solver.

God is not prioritizing your happiness and your comfort.

If we think that God does just want me to be happy and comfortable, then when we aren’t happy or comfortable,

We may then get mad at God and accuse Him.

“Why am I struggling with this right now?”

Why aren’t you fixing this God?

God why am I so uncomfortable?

The problem in that place isn’t that God is treating you badly.

The problem, is you have bad theology.

Something I didn’t know till I read a biography on CS Lewis over the last week was that for 30+ years of his life he cared for a woman named Janie Moore.

We will discuss this more next week, but as Lewis was in his early 20s, he fought in WW1 and was discharged due to being hit by shrapnel.

His mom passed away when he was younger, but in his recovery, his dad never came to visit him.

But Janie cared for him night and day.

However, less than 10 years later, the tables were turned and Lewis became a caretaker to Janie.

This was a toxic relationship for 30+ years of Lewis’ life.

But he felt bonded to her for the love she had shown him during the war.

However, at 50 years old, Lewis collapsed in his home and was rushed to the hospital.

The doctors determined he was overworked and overstressed.

He spent a week in the hospital and during that time his brother Warren went home and yelled at Janie to leave his brother alone for a month at least.

Most of the books Lewis wrote as a professor, he did during that time in his life he was also caring relentlessly for Janie.

He suffered much in his life because of her.

Even delaying himself a wife until much later in life after she had died.

He didn’t live a comfortable life.

Yet he stayed in relationship with God.

Praying, seeking, teaching, and loving God.

When we pray, we are invited into a relationship with God.

It’s not just “thank you Jesus for our food...”

It’s Jesus I need you.

When there is brokenness around me Jesus… I need you.

I am dependent on you and I am looking for you to work in my life today.

Why should we pray?

Jesus prayed.

Mark 1:35 “35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”

If Jesus (fully God and fully man) thought it worth-wile to talk to God the Father, shouldn’t we?

2. We want to align ourselves with God’s will for our lives.

Prayer is not meant for God to do our will, but for our will to be aligned with His.

James 1:5 “5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”

3. It’s a daily reminder that we trust God.

Hebrews 4:15–16 “15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

James 5:16 “16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”

It is God who heals, protects, gives grace, and displays power through those of us who follow Him.

What a blessing that He also has made Himself approachable for us.

1 Timothy 2:1 “1 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—”

The New Living Translation of the Bible says,

“I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.”

SPLIT INTO GROUPS AND PRAY:

Tonight we are going to split into groups and pray.

Pray for our nation and governement

Pray for our schools, especially for those in leadership.

Pray for our families

Pray for our friends

Pray for those in the circle with you tonight.