Root of Faith
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Introduction
Introduction
Vending Machine God.
Vending Machine God 2.
Aladdin & Genie
Who is god in this arrangement?
Unfortunate, influence on church:
A. Health/Wealth or Prosperity Gospel. Speak into existence or Name it and claim it.
B. Prayer requires granting. (Two believers praying for opposite outcomes like Super Bowl)
Jesus does give us directions… how to pray (Model prayer).
Prayer is a reminder to keep our root in Faith.
Pray With Consistency
Pray With Consistency
vv. 7-8
Command - present active.
The goal is not to give God our wish list.
Instead, Jesus is emphasizing the growing relationship of faith.
Progressive actions.
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
Seek God’s face before His hand.
If we were to seek His hand first, what He could give us, then the result should be immediate granting of our petition.
STOTT QUOTE in CQ
Making prayer requests also reminds us of our weakness.
Neither you nor I are self-sufficient.
Asking reminds us of our need.
Pray With Confidence
Pray With Confidence
vv. 9-10
Wrong confidence (from intro).
“God has to…”
Sometimes people arrive at this belief by ripping words from the Bible out of their context:
Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart
Not the whole thing…
Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Or…how about this one…
And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.”
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.
Jesus is again using what we can call an argument from the lesser to the greater.
If this little thing here…how much more this big thing here.
People, who are sinful, know how to take care of their kids.
The assumption for the vast majority of cases. The audience listening to Jesus would agree with this.
The responses are not cruel or vindictive.
They ask for helpful things and are not given hurtful responses.
From a baseline of sinners to God’s holiness and goodness.
God’s character gives confidence.
Again, the context of the SOM.
Pray With Calm
Pray With Calm
v. 11
Prayer in the context of knowing God.
Attribute of God as a good father.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
Capricious gods.
God is consistent.
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
God grants peace.
God is in control, but not only is God in control…
God is aware.
Paul’s prayer for the thorn in the flesh.
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Though God is neither a vending machine nor a genie.
He is so much more.
He is Father.
Jesus’s radical use of that language.
And He is inviting others to enter into that same relationship.
Come My Soul, Thy Suit Prepare by John Newton (Amazing Grace)
LYRICS
