Pray About It

Algebra/History/Science Example

Like school areas that you learn, and maybe some can apply it, but it’s not really relevant to you

You can see why others might pray, but it just “isn’t your thing”

Matthew 6:9-13

Jesus is in the sermon on the mount and gives particular instructions to what prayer looks like

He gives an outline to what our prayers should look like

Not necessarily that this is the only way to pray, but it is a formula that we should follow to remind ourselves of why we are praying

Prayer Reminds Us Who We Pray To

What prayer is, at its essence, is an ability to connect with the one who is over all things and in control of all things

When we pray and acknowledge who God is as we pray to Him, we are reminding ourselves that this is not without purpose

Prayer is meaningless if God has no authority to respond and hear us

Yet when we pray, we acknowledge who we are walking into the room with. We are not coming before our younger sibling or best friend, but the sovereign Lord

Jesus included a reminder that we often need when he says “Your Kingdom Come, Your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven”

Our hearts must echo this same idea

It isn’t that what we want doesn’t matter. The question becomes what does God will for us? Do our desires align with his?

Prayer Reminds Us That God Provides

Give us this day our daily bread/Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us

Two unbelievably powerful petitions we are lifting to the Lord.

Would you provide for me enough for today? Enough grace and mercy for what today requires

Nothing more and nothing less

Enough for that individual day. Resources, both physical and spiritual to sustain you for that day

Why should we read the Bible each day? Because it is our introduction to daily bread. It can help sustain us for that day alone

Would you forgive me of my iniquities? I have a great many and you have made a way to surrender each of them

We are petitioning for a spirit that both recognizes the great magnitude of forgiveness, and extends it to others

This petition is so important that when Jesus concludes his instructions for this prayer, that he reemphasized this truth in what follows

When we pray, we are more than welcome to ask the Lord for the desires of our heart and petition Him

May we do so with a heart that recognizes what our true needs are

The Lord ultimately knows what we need

Christmas List Example

We create a list of things we want and things we think we need

Yet our parents ultimately know what we need

Jesus heals the body of broken people repeatedly, but first tells them their sins are forgiven

Do you trust your heavenly father knows what you need?

Prayer Reminds Us That God Sustains

Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil /For thine is the kingdom, power, and the glory forever and ever

Would you keep temptation at our doorstep. Would we not be overcome with temptation but would we be overcome with what Christ wants for our lives

Deliver us from testing and trials. When we face them, in His perfect timing, would he deliver us from them

He may or may not deliver us from them.

That doesn’t stop our petition. God Loves to hear our petitions

Mark 11:24

Yet right after this, we are reminded that that ultimate supremacy of who we pray to

Evil, temptation and struggle don’t have final say. Rather God does. His is the kingdom (His authority over all things), His power (his control over all things), His Glory (The honor that is rightfully given to Him)

Why Do We pray about it?

Prayer is our chance to seek wisdom from the ultimate source

Prayer is a chance to align our heart with the Lords

Prayer is a space to petition the one who is sovereign over all things