What Prayer is (and isn’t)
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A nationwide survey of Senior Pastors asking about their top 3 emphases for the coming year in their churches:
1. Discipleship/Spir. Growth (47%)
2. Evangelism/Outreach (46%)
3. Preaching (35%)
4. Congregational Care Ministry (24%)
12. Prayer (3%)
Acts 6:1-4 (NLT)
Luke 11:1-13 (NLT)
Jesus taught us to pray privately to a loving Father
Luke 11:1 (NLT)
Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him. . .
He taught us by modeling it.
He taught us by telling us.
Matthew 6:5-6 (NLT)
What does your “nobody but you and God see” prayer life tell you about how you see God as a Father?
Lack of prayer comes from:
· lack of need or
· lack of desire or
· wrong beliefs about yourself or
· wrong beliefs about God
· or . . .
Ask the Father: Why don’t I need to/want to have a more “with you” life that includes private presence and conversation?
Jesus prayed publicly and corporately and taught us to:
Luke 11:1-4 (NLT)
One of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
2 Jesus said, “This is how you should pray:
“Father, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. 3 Give us each day the food we need, 4 and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation.”
Public and corporate
Jesus taught us to pray, but not in a formula (Luke vs. Matthew)
Jesus taught us that God is resistant and requires a lot of nagging to deserve the answer we want. Right?
Luke 11:5-8 (NLT)
God answers our prayers for HIS honor.
If a selfish, sleeping, inconvenienced friend can care, how much more can your Father!
Luke 11:9-10 (NLT)
A.S.K. prayers don’t nag an uncaring god.
A.S.K. prayers shape US as we persist with a loving Father.
Jesus taught that God is a generous, gift-giving Father
Luke 11:11-13 (NLT)
Getting a fish isn’t the best thing after all. . .
Jesus taught that the very best gift is the gift of God is the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Slide of 4 Stages of Prayer by Mark Thibodeaux, S.J.
Praying AT God
Praying TO God
LISTENING to God
BEING WITH God
