A Few More Thoughts On Prayer

Prayer

Today we are continuing our study on prayer. I’ve chosen as our memory verse for this week, .

Romans 8:26 NIV84

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.

I love this verse because it lets me know it is okay to have trouble expressing myself to God. Sometimes I just don’t know how to pray and in those moments, the Spirit of God intercedes on my behalf! Now that’s GREAT news.

This morning I want to share with you three stories that I believe could help us understand prayer.

The first one tells us we should keep praying until God answer’s our prayers.

The second story warns us that we need to be careful that we don’t become trapped by this earthly life.

And the third story reminds us that our attitude towards God matters.

If you have your Bibles turn with me to . If you don’t have a Bible, I want to encourage you to use the one there in front of you.

Luke 18:1–8 NIV84

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming!’ ” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

Keep Praying

Jesus told a parable—a story—to help people understand how we should pray. He says there was a judge who did not fear God—a poor widow woman kept pleading with a judge for justice. The only reason the judge gave her justice, was because the woman kept pestering him.

Jesus asks the question, “Will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night?”

LESSON: Jesus tells us that we need to keep presenting our requests to God! Do you keep asking God to care for those who don’t know Jesus? Do you keep asking God for physical needs? Do you keep crying out to God to intervening on your behalf?

Jesus tells us that we need to keep praying. Keep pleading with God for His justice to be poured out, and for His will to be done!

Watch Yourselves

Watch Yourselves

Luke 21:29-

Luke 21:29–36 NIV84

He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near. “I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

In this story, Jesus tells us how to tell when the coming of the Kingdom of God is near.

Yet at the same time, He warns us to be careful that our hearts don’t get weighed down. How do we get weighed down? We get weighed down with dissipation—drinking too much until there’s a hangover. Another way to get weighed down is to get involved in drinking all the time—alcoholism.

Jesus reminds us that the anxiety of life can weigh us down.

These things become an unexpected trap. Jesus says to “to always be on the watch, and pray . . .” pray that we may be able to escape all that is about to happen.

Prayer helps us keep our focus on things to come. It keeps us focused on the kingdom of God.

A Right Heart with God

Acts 8:14-

Acts 8:14–23 NIV84

When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”

In this story, Philip goes to Samaria. There he preaches the Good News of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ (8:12). Many of the men and women in the town believes and were baptized.

A sorcerer named Simon also believed and was baptized. Now he had been practicing sorcery. In the Scriptures, sorcery can refer to simple tricks of magic, or it can refer to satanic powers manifested through men. At any rate the people of the area referred to him as the Great One—the Power of God.”

Now he was identifying with Jesus. That’s when Peter and John were sent, and they prayed for those who had responded to Jesus. When they prayed, the people received the Holy Spirit. When Simon saw that the Spirit was given he wanted to be given the ability to do the same, and even offered them money for the ability.

The disciples were indignant. “May your money be destroyed with you. . .for your heart is not right with God. . .your evil thoughts. . .you are full of bitter jealousy and are held captive by sin.”

If you and I are going to approach God, we must have our hearts right with Him. We cannot harbor jealousy or bitterness. We cannot harbor evil thoughts.

Think about it for a minute. Jealousy and bitterness in this world keeps us from communicating with God.

QUESTION: Are you harboring bitterness? Are you still captive to sin? If you answer yes to either of these questions, then you need to, “Pray to the Lord.”

Conclusion

We need to keep praying until we hear from God. Pray and keep asking!

We need to keep ourselves from becoming bogged down in the things of this world. We need to guard our hearts against the anxiety that so often floods in.

And finally, we need to keep our lives free from bitterness, and make sure we are not captive to sin.