Subject: Back2Church-#2 Title: Prayer Text: Luke 11:1; Matthew 6:9-13 Luke 11:l And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. Matthew 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. Introduction Sunday Bulletin Blurb July 22, 2012 Someone once said that a Christian is only as strong as his prayer life. There is a good deal of truth in that statement. Prayer is simply our direct communication with God. When you read the Word, God speaks to you. When you pray, you speak to God. No relationship human or divine can develop and prosper without an effective and viable communication relationship. Leonard Ravenhill wrote, Poverty stricken as the church is today in many things, she is most stricken here, in the place of prayer... failing here, we fail everywhere. CONNECT GROW SERVE GO The first of these four essentials or pillars of church life is CONNECT. This is what Vertical Church is all about. CONNECT consists of three spiritual truths or exercises: worship, prayer and stewardship. Although each of these could be classified as spiritual exercises or disciplines, more than that, they are intended to be a way of life! I am to live a life of worship, always doing everything for the glory of God. I am to pray unceasingly, that is living in the presence of God. My life of prayers, communication with God permeates every event of life. And I do not merely exercise stewardship, I am a steward, walking or sleeping, 24/7, I own nothing I merely manage the Lord s resources on loan from God. Stewards are managers not owners. I live a life of worship, prayer as a steward of God s creation. Here is where I CONNECT. Four introductory things we need to remember about prayer: 1. No believer s spiritual life will rise to stay above the level of his praying. 2. No church s ultimate effectiveness will rise to stay above the level of its corporate prayer life. 1
3. No church s corporate prayer life will be greater than the personal prayer lives of those who make up its constituency. 4. No believer s prayer life will rise to stay above the level of his or her own personal, regular, daily time of worship with God. One thing I have learned in my Christian life: One who witnesses does not mind preaching on soul-winning. One who gives does not mind preaching on giving. One who reads his Bible does not mind preaching on Bible reading. One who prays doesn t mind preaching on prayer. E. M. Bounds: Prayer is as illimitable as God s own blessed Son. There is nothing on Earth or in Heaven, for Time or Eternity, that God s Son did not secure for us. By prayer, God gives us the vast and matchless inheritance which is ours by virtue of His Son. God charges us in Hebrews 4:16 to come boldly unto the throne of grace. God is glorified and Christ is honored by large asking. What Is Prayer? To simplify our grasp and understanding of prayer, remember prayer as three things: Worship, Work, Warfare. I. Worship We should be reminded that prayer is not just a means of getting things from God, but it is the means whereby we come to know God. Prayer, in its primary essence, is worship. Worship is the recognition of worth. II. Work Oswald Chambers said, Prayer does not fit us for the greater works; prayer is the greater work. E.M. Bounds wrote: Prayer is not the foe to work; it does not paralyze activity. It works mightily; prayer itself is the greatest work. Thus, we see that prayer is work. Man prays and worships God. There is a sense that as man prays, he looks at God in worship, and from worship, serves the Lord in prayerful work towards others. III. Warfare The Devil fights relentlessly against prayer, for he knows it is the only way by which we can thwart his efforts. Every prayer positively God-ward is negatively Satan-ward! 2
It is only in the place of prayer where we can engage Satan. The only hope the Devil has is to stop the praying. When the praying stops, the Devil is unstopped/released. Conclusion * Prayer is worship and looks toward God. * Prayer is work and looks toward man as we work in man s behalf through prayer. * Prayer is warfare against Satan. Without prayer, we have laid down our weapons. * Only in prayer can you touch three worlds at one time. * Prayer is Worship - Work - Warfare Does God Do Anything Without Prayer? No. Nothing! Everything God does in the work of the ministry, He does through prayer. Consider: * Prayer is the way you defeat the Devil (Luke 22:32; James 4:7). * Prayer is the way you get the lost saved (Luke 18:13). * Prayer is the way you acquire wisdom (James 1:5). * Prayer is the way of restoration (James 5:16-20). * Prayer is the way the saints are strengthened (Jude 20; Matthew 26:41). * Prayer is the way we get laborers to the mission field (Matthew 9:38). * Prayer is how we cure the sick (James 5:13-15). * Prayer is how we accomplish the impossible (Mark 11:23-24). CONNECT = Worship, Prayer and Stewardship No religion ever rises higher than its concept of God. No church is ever greater than the value it places on the importance of personal and congregational worship. Soren Kirkegeard: We have gotten confused about who s doing what in worship: we think of worshippers as an audience; pastors as entertainers; and God as the prompter. In fact, worshippers are performers; pastors are prompters; and God is the audience. When we gather for worship, whether with a handful in a storefront chapel or with thousands in St. Peter s Square, we perform a drama with different parts - speaking and singing and praying and giving money and baptizing and eating bread and drinking wine - all for the delight of God. TRIANGLE - Worship (left) - Prayer (right) - Stewardship (bottom) Why is the Lord s Prayer so Popular? The Lord s Prayer by no means exhausts everything we might say to God, but it does provide an outline for prayer that gets us started in the right direction: 3
I. Emphasis on God A. Praise (6:9) B. Priorities (6:10) Matthew 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. II Emphasis on Us A. Provision (6:11) B. Personal Relationships (6:12) C. Protection (6:13a) 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13a And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: III. Emphasis on God A. Promise (6:13b) 13b For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. The Lord s Prayer Is a Roadmap for Prayer I. We need to acknowledge and give praise to God, Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name... (6:9). II. We need to pray about our priorities and bring them into line with God s: Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. (6:10). III. We need to recognize God as the One who provides our daily needs: Give us this day our daily bread. (6:11). IV. We need to reevaluate our relationships with people, and if any need love, kindness and forgiveness, we are to commit to act on those thoughts and intentions: And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors (6:12). V. We need to be reminded that it is God who provides protection and deliverance from the trials and temptations of life: And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. (6:13). VI. We need to be reminded of the power and glory of God, and the eternal promises of glory with Him forever: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever, Amen. (6:13). 4
The Lord s Prayer covers every relationship we have with God: - Father/child - Deity/worshipper - Sovereign/subject - Master/servant - Benefactor/beneficiary - Savior/sinner - Guide/pilgrim - Creator/creature The Lord s Prayer is at the very heart of who God is and what He longs for us to be. Vertical Church = CONNECT = Foundation Truth for the N. T. Church CONNECT - GROW - SERVE - GO CONNECT = Worship Prayer Stewardship Worship is not a one hour service on Sunday morning. Worship is not the singing of a few spiritual songs. Worship is not spending time at a retreat house or monastery. Worship is not climbing the steps of the cathedral, covered with broken glass, on your knees. Worship is a way of life! Prayer is not asking God to bless your food before a meal. Prayer is not asking God to provide you with your soul mate for life. Prayer is not begging God to help you win the lottery. Prayer is a way of life! Stewardship is not paying admission for a church service. Stewardship is not simply doing something thoughtful for the poor. Stewardship is not spending $19/month to an organization to feed a hungry child. Stewardship is not show casing your musical talent in church. Stewardship is a way of life! What we do for the Lord is entirely dependent upon what we receive from the Lord; and what we receive from the Lord is entirely dependent upon what we are in the Lord; and what we are in the Lord is entirely dependent upon the time we spend alone with the Lord in prayer. 5
Poem - Power of Prayer I got up early one morning and rushed into the day; I had so much to accomplish that I didn t have time to prayer. Problems just tumbled about me, and heavier came each task. Why doesn t God help me? I wondered. He answered, You didn t ask. I wanted to see joy and beauty, but the day toiled on, gray and bleak; I wondered why God didn t show me. He said, But you didn t seek. I tried to come into God s presence; I used all my keys at the lock. God gently and lovingly chided, My child, you didn t knock. I woke up early this morning, and paused before entering the day; I had so much to accomplish that I had to take time to pray. If I had the chance to do it all over again... I would realize that praying unceasingly speaks of having a constant awareness and conversation with the Lord - this is living in the presence of God. Prayer is not a spiritual exercise, it is a way of life. I would be more consciously aware of the enemies of prayer: - Darkness - Satan hates prayer - Disconnection - failure to CONNECT - Distraction - too busy - Deception - I can do it - Degradation - I am not worthy - Discouragement - God will not answer - Defilement - sin is pleasurable for a season Wednesday eve = preach, pray, praise. 6
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