November 4, 2007
iPray – “FRIEND DAY”
Today we conclude our series, iTruths: Life Lessons for the iPod Generation, with a message on prayer. Prayer is something that pretty much everyone understands, everyone gets, everyone does…at some point in their lives. People pray when a family member is sick. They pray when they’re about to take a test they haven’t prepared for properly. They pray when they are hurting, when they are lonely, when they see a girl or a guy that they really want to take on a date. People know how to pray.
People have been praying from the beginning of time. In Genesis 4, it states that people were “calling on the name of the Lord.” Moses prayed, Joshua prayed, David prayed, Paul prayed, even Jesus prayed. He got away for 40 days for prayer, He taught us the manner in which we were to pray. Prayer has always been an important part of the human experience.
After 9/11, everyone prayed. People had a deep desire to talk to almighty God for help in our time of need. In our lives, we often feel that need, we often sense that we need to seek out the one who created all there is, who created the heavens and earth. For we all know that we are not as strong as we would like to be, not as capable as we would hope, we don’t have it together as much as we try to put on.
Unfortunately, many times prayer is seen as nothing more than a way to get things. It is seen as a tool that can help us obtain what we want, what we desire, but we don’t see prayer for what it really is. You see, prayer is a powerful resource in our lives. A way that we can:
CALL ON GOD
DEPEND ON GOD
COMMUNE WITH GOD
KNOWING THAT WE CAN’T MAKE IT THROUGH LIFE WITHOUT HELP
Today, I want to share five principles with you that will help you understand what prayer is, why it is important, what it can do for us, and how God deeply desires that conversation with us on a regular basis. God desires to commune with us in a very real way. A way that can change our lives!
1) “i” = You, the Individual
God often talks about the family throughout scripture, however, a relationship with Christ is always between YOU and GOD. No one else matters. Nothing else can help you in that relationship. No one else can play a role in that relationship, no one else can bring you closer to God. That is something that only YOU can do.
Josh. 24:15 And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
John 21:19b-22 Then he said to him, "Follow me!" 20 Peter turned and saw [John]. 21 When Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?" 22 Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me!"
Now, can you influence others to follow your decision? Yes!
But, again, only they can make up their own minds for themselves.
In the Bible, we often read about how entire families are saved after the leader of the household accepts Christ. That influence is powerful.
Acts 16:31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
But when it comes down to it, it doesn’t matter how influential, how important, how significant someone is in your life, only YOU can make the decision to follow Christ.
2) “P” = Prayer is Personal
Luke 11:2a And Jesus said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven…
You see, Just as a child runs up to his father and asks for something, that is how God wants us to approach him.
I don’t know about you, but when my kids come up to me, they don’t say, “Oh, Holy & Righteous Father – bestower of bountiful blessings – Giver of all that is good! Yada yada yada… J They come to me and…
My Friend, God doesn’t want impersonal formality & liturgy. He wants your love from your heart! He wants your personal adoration that comes from a heart of appreciation and thanksgiving.
Rom. 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”
You see, when we know the Lord Jesus Christ in a PERSONAL way – more than just a person in history – and we have asked him to forgive us from our sins and come into our lives and save us, then we can go to the very god who created as if He was our own Father!
Heb. 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
The word “boldly” here doesn’t mean arrogance but confidence. It comes from a 1st century Greek military term that refers to “BY VIRTUE OF YOUR POSITION.” You see, when we know Jesus in a personal way, we can go directly to Him at any time, at any place…because of the virtue of our position! As His children.
3) “R” = For a Relationship to God
We talk here about how we have a relationship with Him that is life-changing!
Rom. 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Rom. 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
You see, because God is a holy God, He must punish sin. But if the story ended there, we would all be hopelessly lost. We would have no future. No chance in this world. But, God gives us a great gift by which we can have a relationship with Him
Eph. 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast
Titus 3:5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit
Rom. 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Rom. 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
1) Agree with God of your sinful state!
2) Believe that Jesus is God!
3) Believe that Jesus’ sacrifice was sufficient to pay for your sins!
4) Believe that Jesus physically rose from the dead – proving that He can conquer both physical and spiritual death!
5) Place your trust in His promise to save you!!
How do we have that relationship with Him? WE JUST ASK HIM!
4) “A” = For God’s Assurance
Now here’s a great promise! We can know, without any doubts, that every time we go to Him in prayer, every time we ask Him for help, every time we need Him, He will always be there. We can be assured of His presence, of His power, of His caring, of His love in our lives.
Luke 11:9 “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
How often in life do we need someone to cling onto when:
…life just doesn’t make sense?
…life throws you a curve ball with your job, health, kids, extended family – that you feel totally out of control.
Listen Friend, You can see God’s hand the best when you are unable to fix things yourself. When all hope seems lost, and there seems like no way around the problem, it is AT THIS TIME that our eyes get fixed on God – and Him alone to take care of us!
When we pray – we say, “God, it’s all Yours!”
And you know what?
You couldn’t be in better hands.
This isn’t desperation…it is DEPENDANCE on the God who has everything under control!
II Peter 1:3-4 3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
6) “Y” = Yield to God
Knowing we need Him day-by-day, moment-by-moment, God says that daily, constant prayer will cause your heart and mind to be fixed on God and yielded (submissive) to His Will.
1 Th. 5:17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Tim. 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
And, today, you can yield your heart and life to Him.
Today, we’ve taken the letters of “iPray” and made an acronym.
You could also summarize today’s sermon this way:
Pray to Have Peace with God!
Pray to Have the Peace of God!
Pray to Obey the Will of God!
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.
