PRAY WITH SIMPLE FAITH

As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.

BUT TONIGHT I WANT TO GET BACK TO OUR BANNER VERSE HERE IN EXCHANGE

Read all of it, because there is some more context around this verse that is so powerful.

1 TIM 2:1-10 MSG

The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language Chapter 2

2 The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation. This is the way our Savior God wants us to live.

4–7 He wants not only us but everyone saved, you know, everyone to get to know the truth we’ve learned: that there’s one God and only one, and one Priest-Mediator between God and us—Jesus, who offered himself in exchange for everyone held captive by sin, to set them all free. Eventually the news is going to get out. This and this only has been my appointed work: getting this news to those who have never heard of God, and explaining how it works by simple faith and plain truth.

8–10 Since prayer is at the bottom of all this, what I want mostly is for men to pray—not shaking angry fists at enemies but raising holy hands to God. And I want women to get in there with the men in humility before God, not primping before a mirror or chasing the latest fashions but doing something beautiful for God and becoming beautiful doing it.

WE ARE ALL CALLED TO PRAY

My hope tonight is that you would Leave here understanding how prayer not only works but how POWERFUL it can be in your life

PRAY WITH SIMPLE FAITH

PRAY

Prayer is POWERFUL

STORY OF MOVING TO FLORIDA

SIMPLE PRAYER WITH SIMPLE FAITH MAKES THE WORLD OF A DIFFERENCE

PRAYER MAKES ALL OF THE DIFFERENCE

AND I DON’T KNOW IF YOU BELIEVE IN JESUS, IF YOU BELIEVE IN PRAYER BUT IF I CAN ENCOURAGE YOU THERE IS NOTHING BETTER FOR YOU TO DO THAN TO BE IN PRAYER

James 5:13-18 ESV

13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick

(PRAYER PLUS FAITH IS POWERFUL)

, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. (YOUR PRAYER HAS THE ABILITY TO USHER IN POWER TO SEE PEOPLE SAVED)

16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Jas 5:13–18). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

So often we view prayer as fragile and weak…

IT IS STRONG AND MIGHTY

NOT A DOVE COMING OUT OF YOUR MOUTH

ITS LIKE A FRIEGHT TRAIN BLAIRING OUT INTO THE SPIRITUAL REALM

YOUR PRAYERS ARE POWERFUL!

Erosion story

THIS WAS THE EFFECT OF CONSTANT PERSISTAIN RAIN

CONSTANT RAIN HAD A POWERFUL EFFECT ON MY LAWN

CONSTANT PRAYER HAS A POWERFUL EFFECT ON YOUR LIFE

Prayer is FIRST

Do you ever realize that everyones last line of action is prayer?

Because when you strip everything else away, what do you see? A need to call upon a savior.

IT IS ACTUALLY NORMAL FOR HUMANS TO CALL UPON GOD

BUT WE CHANGE OUR PRIORITIES

We make things that are tangible more important than things that are spiritual.

Lets look at what Paul Says

The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language Chapter 2

The first thing I want you to do is pray.

How different would things be in peoples lives if they understood the priority of prayer in your life.

Prayer is not something that we do when we struggle its something we do to survive.

Prayer is HABITUAL

IF PRAYER IS GOING TO BE FIRST IN OUR LIFE IT NEEDS TO BE A HABIT

Our first instincts are the habits that we have built up.

Looking at phone for no reason

Nero Pathways

That is why it is always so important to be encouraged to pray.

16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS TO PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER IS SO THAT WE CAN BE ENCOURAGED TO PRAY

ROMANS 12

English Standard Version Chapter 12

12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

PRAY WITHOUT CEASING

1. WE NEED TO BE ENCOURAGED TO PRAY

YOU NEED TO PRAY MORE

PAUL IS ENCOURAGING TIMOTHY

LETS BE A PEOPLE THAT NOT ONLY KNOW HOW TO PRAY BUT PRAY FIRST.

One thing that Liz and I have made a staple in our Marriage, that no matter what, we pray before we go to sleep. WE HAVE MADE IT A HABIT!

Maybe you can make the habit of every time you get into your car to pray. (TALK TO GOD)

CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW MUCH A DIFFERENCE THAT WOULD MAKE IN YOUR LIFE!?

I LOVE PRAYING BEFORE YOU EAT MEALS

DO YOU HAVE TO DO IT? NO

WE GET TO!

WE GET TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE CREATOR OF THE HEAVENS, AND THE CREATOR OF THE UNUVERSE WHO SET THINGS IN MOTION WHO IS RULING OVER ALL AND WHO IS IN ALL AND WHO HOLDING OUR WHOLE FUTURE IN HIS HANDS

WHO HAS THE POWER TO SAVE

WHO HAS THE POWER TO HEAL

WHO HAS THE POWER TO CAST OUT THE DARKEST NIGHT

WHO HAS THE POWER TO BRING IN PERFECT PEACE

WE GET TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH HIM

SO PRAY BEFORE EATING? YES PLEASE.

POWERFUL VERSE

ACTS 10

English Standard Version Chapter 10

10 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, 2 a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. 3

IN OTHER TRANSLATIONS IT SAYS THAT HIS PRAYER WAS HABBIT

And this man is significant because he is the first NON JEW that God chose to pour out his Holy Spirit out to

I can’t say for sure but I would imagine it had to do with his habit of PRAYER

WHEN CAN YOU INSTILL A HABIT OF PRAYER IN YOUR LIFE

Prayer is Powerful

Prayer is First

Prayer is our Habit

Prayer Brings Peace

Philippians 4:6–7 ESV

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.

PRAYER BRINGS PEACE

WE need to define a healthy view of peace.

Worlds peace means, no war. NO BAD DAYS

Gods Peace is a peace that comes EVEN IN

The answer to anxiety is the peace of God. Paul made three statements about this peace. First, it is divine peace. He did not envision a situation where circumstances changed or external needs were met. This peace was a characteristic of God which invaded the Christian.

WE WANT GOD TO TAKE AWAY THE STRUGGLE

GOD SENDS HIS PEACE TO US EVEN IN THE STRUGGLE

SO OFTEN WHEN WE ARE PRAYING FOR WORLDY PEACE BUT GOD IS SENDING DEVINE PEACE. A PEACE THAT IS GREATER, BUT REQUIRES US TO LOOK BEYOND OUR WORLDLY CIRCUMSTANCES

DIVINE PEACE CALLS YOU UP AND OVER OF THE SITUATION. NOT OUT OF IT.

ARE YOU WILLING TO RISE ABOVE?

Second, it “transcends all understanding.” Peace excels over knowledge. THERE IS NO QUESTION that Paul had in mind situations where knowledge is insufficient. Sometimes it cannot explain, and sometimes explanations do not help. Peace, however, is always appropriate and meets the need of the heart. HEART NOT CIRCUMSTANCE

Finally, this peace will “guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” “Guard” is a military term, implying that peace stands on duty to keep out anything that brings care and anxiety.

For these reasons, prayerful people are peaceful people.

FOR THESE REASONS PRAYERFUL PEOPLE ARE PEACEFUL PEOPLE

Man daughter died

New Living Translation Chapter 5

35 While he was still speaking to her, messengers arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. They told him, “Your daughter is dead. There’s no use troubling the Teacher now.”

36 But Jesus overheard them and said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith.”

Told to have faith… through that conversation peace was brought in the midst of his anxiety…

God sent his peace

Circumstance was the same (DIVINE PEACE)

He Still did not understand (His Daughter Died)

He was guarded from the people that laughed at them (Guarded)

Such and amazing example of the Peace of God at work in the midst of trial.

We need a new perspective of Gods peace… We are called to have peace in the pressure…

Will You Stand

Please Stand Up Please And Thank You