Hello Lord Series

Hello Lord

Selected Scriptures

Introduction-

We have been in a series Thinking, Being, Acting like Jesus.

Last week we moved from the thinking like Jesus to acting like Jesus.

This morning we want to look at prayer. Can you imagine acting like Jesus and not addressing prayer? Can you picture Jesus without having a prayer life to the Heavenly Father.

Everything He did, everything He said lined up with God’s Word, God’s direction, and God’s will and purpose for His life.

In the last several weeks we have been honest about things that we struggle with.

Prayer, communicating with God has to be one of them.

Through these studies, I have had people come to me and say they appreciate my honesty about struggles.

I want to tell everyone again, pastors, leaders, struggle with things just like everyone else.

The difference I pray is that you will allow God to help you through your struggles.

Prayer Works-

That ought to be a sign on everyone of our refrigerators, posted over a fireplace, embedded in our hearts.

Jesus at Gethsemane knew the purpose and the call the Father had for Him.

Jesus knew He could not do it without His Fathers help.

Jesus sought the Fathers help.

There are several reasons that we should pray and several reasons that we don’t pray. Lets start with reasons we don’t pray. Some are very obvious.

1. You do not know God, don’t want to know Him, and you have no reason to communicate with Him.

2. You do know God but are hiding from Him because of some of your life choices.

3. You know God but don’t know how to start a conversation with God or begin a relationship.

4. You want to do things your way, and that will conflict with God’s way.

5. You are swamped with burdens and you do not know how to get out from under them.

6. You are full of yourself, you have no time for God, or for anyone else. It is all about you!

I am sure there is more, but that is a few.

Several reasons you would pray

1. You want to know God’s will for your life.

2. You have seen God work before and you are thankful for what He has done.

3. You have laid your burdens down and desire His peace for your life.

4. You do not want to make big decisions without seeking God’s direction.

5. You have compassion for others and intercede on their behalf.

Just like the Psalmist declares in Psalms 66

“But God has surely listened and has heard my prayer. Praise be to God who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me.”

Like I said last week, if you do not engage or connect with God, wither it be worship or prayer, you will not receive the full benefit or blessing that God has for you.

We engage in prayer by action and by discipline

There is always something else you could do, no time is the perfect time, it takes effort.

We pray because we want to know God better, reinforce our belief in God.

Notice again, Jesus at Gethsemane did not reintroduce himself to the Father. He knew God knew who he was. When I pray I do not come to God and say Hi God, this is Pastor Tony Zibolski or Reverend Zibolski. I do not approach God and say this is the oldest son of Clyde and Sharon Zibolski. I come to God with the assumption that he knows who it is and why I am coming.

• I approach God the Father usually by saying … I come to you… knowing He knows who coming and end by saying… I ask these things in Jesus name…because of my position with God through Christ.

Whither I come with a 911 call to him, asking direction, interceding for someone else, I have a conversation with God. I approach him like a child to His Father.

I did not have a father growing up. I met him only once before he died in 2000.

I Struggled with that of no father, God showed me He could be trusted, He showed me that even though my father-son relationship was not ideal- He would be.

Some have had a great relationship with their father and God says that is good, but He will be even better.

When we trust God and cast our cares on Him, share our heart with Him, He becomes a personal God.

He no longer is a God out there! But in here (heart) we begin to believe and then live out that he cares about our personal lives.

When we give God the Father permission to direct our lives and He becomes involved in our lives, He becomes steward of our lives.