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We ALL pray -- at least sometimes.
Statistically, more people will pray than will exercise this week.
91% of people say that they pray.
1 out of 5 atheists say they pray.
But I rarely meet someone who says, "I pray plenty. I don't want to pray more or better." Most people say they'd like to pray more... Deeper, with greater intensity.
They'd like to connect with God more.
So if you HAD a direct line - would you use it?
But don't we all believe that you DO have a direct line?
At least -- kinda?
Why do people NOT pray?
> Don't know why - "why would God want to hear from me?"
> Don't know how. "What am I supposed to say?"
> Too busy "I'd like to, but... when?"
> Disappointment - unanswered prayer "Doesn't seem like it helps"
The purpose of prayer is not primarily to GET THINGS FROM GOD. It is to connect with Him and in His presence be transformed & empowered.
GETTING things is not an outflow of pleading and cajoling and bugging God, or of using some magic phrases, or some kind of "declaring" things over your life. I honestly get disgusted when I see people treat prayer as if the main thing it is for is just to spend time declaring "money, money, come to me!", "I declare my bank account is blessed!!".
Getting things from God is an outflow of this BEING in Him and CONNECTION with Him.
Let me show you that in Scripture.
I want to read this passage of Scripture every week together for the next 6 weeks: Let's read it out loud together:
John 15:1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.
2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.
4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.
8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
9 "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.
10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love.
11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
I have a short-term goal for our church in this series, and a long-term goal:
SHORT-TERM: That we would spend 6 weeks connecting with God in prayer.
LONG-TERM: to teach you to spend a lifetime connecting with God.
... and in that, you will find that He answers what you ask in the process.
So in this series, I'm going to teach you 6 ways to connect with God in prayer:
Way #1: Regular prayer.
We are going to spend 6 weeks praying together, and focusing on connecting with God.
Psalm 16:11 You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever. (NAS)
Practice of the Presence of God - Brother Andrew
3 reasons for regular prayer:
1. Jesus modeled it.
Luke 5:16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
2. It transforms you.
Remember our theme Scripture: abide. Stay. Remain.
Someone said, "You might not hear from heaven every day. But make sure heaven hears from you every day."
It is more transforming to regularly work out 20 minutes per day than it is to skip it for a month, then work out for 6 hours...
3. The Scripture commands it.
Romans 12:12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
1Th 5:17 pray continually;
How to pray regularly:
1. Have a regular time.
I may spend some time later in this series talking about how to cultivate a conection with God that never really goes away, living kind of a continuous life of prayer and connection... but for now, I want to talk about your place& time you pray, a specific, devoted time to God.
The best time is when I'm at my ___best____!
My time I'm going to aim at for the next 6 weeks: ___________________
I recommend the ____morning______. (less distraction, time to reschedule in case of emergency.)
However, any time of day that is best for you... is great.
2. Eliminate competing things.
Matthew 6:6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
The ability to get the door shut.
Dallas Willard - used to excuse himself at 10 from wherever he was (even at his own house, and explain, "I have an appointment tomorrow morning with the King of Kings, and I don't want to miss it."
This is hard. I honestly have a hard time with it.
Maybe it's Netflix. Maybe it's late night TV. Maybe it's Facebook. Maybe it's video games. Maybe it's reading. Maybe it's late night conversations that feature drama. :)
I can assure you that you'll have to cut something.
"The greatest enemy of hunger for God is not poison but apple pie. It is not the banquet of the wicked that dulls our appetite for heaven, but endless nibbling at the table of the world. It is not the X-rated video, but the prime-time dribble of triviality we drink in every night."
― John Piper, Hunger for God
What are 1-2 things I will have to eliminate or cut back on to develop regular prayer? _______________________________________________
3. Pick an appropriate place.
Mark 1:35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.
Where can you be honest?
Where can you be relaxed?
Where can you be yourself?
Where are you not tempted to show off?
Where are you not uptight about what others will think?
Where can I not be distractred?
Where will I plan to pray for the next 6 weeks? _____________________
4. Have a prayer notebook.
Habakkuk 2:1 I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give....
2 Then the LORD replied: "Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets..."
Write down what God says back to you.
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Statistically, more people will pray than will exercise this week.
____________% of people say they pray. ______ out of 5 atheists pray.
Why do people NOT pray?
> Don't know _____________. > Don't know _____________.
> Too ____________ > _______________________ prayer
The purpose of prayer is not primarily to ______________________ from God. It is to ____________________________ with Him and in His presence be transformed & empowered.
John 15:1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.
2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.
4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.
8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
9 "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.
10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love.
11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
2 Corinthians 3:18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
In this series, I'm going to teach you 6 ways to connect with God in prayer:
Way #1: _____________________prayer.
Psalm 16:11 You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever. (NAS)
3 reasons for regular prayer:
1. Jesus ______________________it.
Luke 5:16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
2. It ______________________ you.
3. The Scripture ___________________________ it.
Romans 12:12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 pray continually;
How to pray regularly:
1. Have a ____________________________.
The best time is when I'm at my _________________!
My time I'm going to aim at for the next 6 weeks: ___________________
2. Eliminate ________________________________.
Matthew 6:6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
"The greatest enemy of hunger for God is not poison but apple pie. It is not the banquet of the wicked that dulls our appetite for heaven, but endless nibbling at the table of the world. It is not the X-rated video, but the prime-time dribble of triviality we drink in every night." ― John Piper, Hunger for God
What are 1-2 things I will have to eliminate or cut back on to develop regular prayer? _______________________________________________
3. Pick an ______________________________.
Mark 1:35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.
Where will I plan to pray for the next 6 weeks? _____________________
4. Have a _______________________________.
Habakkuk 2:1 I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give....
2 Then the LORD replied: "Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets..."
