Core 52 Week 20 - Prayer

Intro:

Communication is the foundation of every relationship.

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While God is never confused about our communication, it helps us to be clear in praying about what’s on our minds.

We need to learn how to talk to God.

Matthew 7:7–8 NLT

7 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

Jesus gives us the “outline” in Matt. 6.9-13

Father: Leveraging Our Connection with God

Matthew 6:9 NLT

9 Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.

Not a consistent common practice among 1st. C. Jewish people.

Acknowledging God as “Father’ transforms our conversation.

We can talk with Him about anything.We don’t have to stiff and formal.We also treat Him with respect.

Not necessarily a positive term for many but we all long for a good father.

Recognizing God as divine father

Matthew 6:9 NLT

9 Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.

To hallow is to call something holy.

We are saying to God that we intend to uphold His reputation in the world.

It’s also a moment of praise. If it feels odd to praise God just fill in the blanks:

You are ___________ (attribute of God)

You did __________ (action) with excellence.

Hebrews 4:16 NLT

16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

reminds us to approach God with confidence and speak our hearts truly to him as our Father in Heaven.Kingdom:

Kingdom: Embracing God’s Agenda

Matthew 6:10 NLT

10 May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

This is where we align our lives with God’s agenda for ourselves and our world.

When we know God’s agenda, we can pray for things (for ourselves as well as others) and know that God will say yes.

Prayer is sometimes difficult because we don’t know quite what to ask for. We instinctively understand that God won’t say yes to anything that contradicts His stated will in the Bible.

Gentle reminder that we need to know what God has already said in the Word to know better how to pray.

These two verses align our hearts and minds with God in who He is and with His purposes.

Give: Acquiring Resources

Matthew 6:11 NLT

11 Give us today the food we need,

In v. 11, we have a framework for determining what to ask for. Essentially we’re asking “what do I need to do my job?”

We’ve already agreed that we want to be aligned with God’s purposes in creation.

Jesus agrees with us and promises to give all we need to do just that:

John 14:14 NLT

14 Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!

We are often more likely to ask for too little than too much.

James 4:2–3 NLT

2 You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. 3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.

Practically, make a “wish list” for God. (relate to Amazon wish list?)

Go over it a couple of times and take off the things you realize are selfish or not in line with God’s purposes. Leave on the list everything that will help you do complete your responsibility to be a ambassador for Christ.

This includes things we might, at first, think of a selfish but really aren’t. Prayers for good health aren’t selfish. We can act more effectively when we are well.Housing, food, transportation, etc. aren’t wrong to ask for.

When we ask and don’t experience answers in the way we expect it’s good to remember those two simple but true answers:Not ready.Not time.

Built into “not time” and “not ready” are some barriers that we ourselves raise to God’s work:

Forgive: Remove Barriers

Matthew 6:12 NLT

12 and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.

Prayers can be hindered because we are in a state of unforgiveness.

Anger, bitterness and resentment are barriers between us and God as well as others.

When we learn to forgive others, we have opened up our relationship to God.

Begin with putting the name and face of someone you need to forgive before God and ask for the strength to forgive them. If that is a step too far, ask for the desire to forgive.

This section gets commentary from the Lord:

Matthew 6:14–15 NLT

14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Deliver: Follow a Guide

Matthew 6:13 NLT

13 And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.

We put up barriers to God’s answers and actions when we purposefully participate in behaviors that dishonor God and degrade human dignity.

This stifles our communication with God.

An example would be:

1 Peter 3:7 NLT

7 In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.

Practically, simply pray about things God already knows.

Confess one or two activities you’re not so proud of.

Genuinely apologize.

Ask for the strength to resist temptation.

1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT

13 The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.

Here is a perfect example of why we begin with acknowledging God as Father.

As He loves us, he doesn’t want us to be isolated or separated from Him.

Conclusion:

Let’s finish this morning by using these key themes and pray together:

Father

Kingdom

Give

Forgive

Deliver

Amen!