Why We Don’t Pray

Unlocking the Power of Prayer: Overcoming Our Reluctance

Bible Passage: Lk 11:5–8, Lk 11:9–13

Introduction

Do you ever get distracted when you’re trying to talk to other people? Apple and YouTube TV has saved our marriage I do believe. Remember when you had to sprint to the bathroom and back in the middle of a TV show. Now you just press pause on pretty much anything you’re watching. No waiting for commercials, you can just press pause. In fact, there’s almost an incentive to do so now. You can fast forward through the commercials. If I can avoid seeing the results before a televised game these days, I’d almost rather wait until it’s over so I can just fast forward past the commercials. Now she has to make sure I’m not listening to an audio book. Finn was saying something to me the other day and I didn’t ever realize he was talking to me, because I had an earbud in my ear. We are very easily distracted. It’s not something new. Long before CarPlay, I wound up in a ditch because I was trying to turn over the cassette in my boom box on the passenger side floor because that’s how I had to listen to music, unless I was willing to listen to the radio.

Our world today is full of distractions. We went to dinner on our cruise last week with our cell phones left in our rooms. We got to talk to each other, when we were ease dropping on the conversations of the people around us. Our world is full of distractions. If you think your house is quiet. I challenge you to stay up late tonight. Wait until everyone else in the house has gone to sleep. And then turn off your phone, tablet, TV, laptop whatever device you would normally use and just sit in silence. Take the first few minutes and just try and identify all the noise making devices in your home. The refrigerator, hot water heater, furnace, A/C, fans, etc. I unfortunately, don’t even have to listen for distractions. For the past several years, I have the sound of springtime, crickets, frogs, etc. You know how in the summertime it gets to the point that there are so many of them it turns into one loud steady noise. I hear that all the time thanks to have old ears. For me it’s a high pitched whining sound only stops when I’m asleep.

1. Persisting Through Perseverance

Luke 11:5–8 “And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs.”

Who Will Go?

At midnight for help

Asking for a favor

Acknowledging you’re unprepared

Who Will Persist?

When friend says go away

When friend has good reason

When friend starts making excuses

Impudence Gets Results

Won’t get up for a friend

Will get up for audacity

Will give whatever you need

When I was young and learning to ride a horse, Dad agreed I had enough skill to try the younger more energetic horse. So we saddled him and I made sure the saddle was good and tight. Then I put one foot in the stirrup and swung my leg other leg over the horse hind quarters but I didn’t lift my leg quite high enough so it brushed his rump. He bucked and my rodeo career aspirations ended with them as I landed flat on my back with the wind knocked out of me. After I caught my breath, Dad said, “now get back on him”. I was terrified and gave him my best “have you lost your mind look”? It didn’t work and I got back on a lot more carefully the second time. He claimed if I didn’t get back on then the horse would know I was scared and it would just get worse. I thought “smart horse” cause I was terrified. I think we all know the actual lesson was for me. The horse was still mean even though he let me ride him.

2. Promising Fatherly Gifts

Luke 11:9–13 “And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Ask, seek and knock

Only get when you ask

Only find what you seek

Door only opens when you knock

Will You Persist?

Only person who asks receives

Only person who seeks finds

Only person who knocks sees the door open

Heavenly Father Gives

Who will give a snake to his son asking for a fish

Who will give a scropion to his son asking for an egg

Heavenly Father Gives Holy Spirit to those who ask

It’s getting close to time for the Hallmark Christmas Movies. One of the themes of those particular types of films is the great friend, the shy guy who always seems a little too afraid to ask the girl out. So she winds up going first for the loud, cocky, obnoxious guy who’s never afraid to ask. It always takes time and a great deal of drama for the girl to realize she’s missing out be not going for the great friend and confident. Fortunately, in Hallmark land she always seems to find her way to the right guy. How many times have you sat their watching just begging the guy to just go for it.