Foundations: Prayer, Pt. 2 Luke 18

Prayer How Do I Get More Involved? ◦ Membership ◦ Service ◦ Community ◦ Goal: connected=growth through both

Prayer What is prayer?

Prayer Review: Understanding God’s dwelling place changes how I pray Understanding God’s dwelling place changes how I pray My forgiveness by Christ is contingent upon my willingness to forgive those who’ve sinned against me My forgiveness by Christ is contingent upon my willingness to forgive those who’ve sinned against me

Prayer Foundational Truth: ◦ How I approach God in prayer is just as important as it is that I approach Him

Prayer How do I approach God in Prayer?

Prayer I come to God persistently, believing he will answer

Prayer Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.

Prayer What would make them give up?

Prayer Just because God hasn’t answered doesn’t mean I should stop praying

Prayer He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men.

Prayer And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.'

Prayer "For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!' "

Prayer And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?

Prayer I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”- vs. 1-8

Prayer Unjust judge: cares about no one but himself God (righteous judge): cares about judging injustice and righting oppression

Prayer Consolation of Israel

Prayer Just because God hasn’t answered doesn’t mean I should stop praying ◦ According to his will (based on his Word) ◦ Understanding that prayer is worship ◦ Asking, Seeking, Knocking…

Prayer I come to God humbly, with nothing to offer and in need of mercy

Prayer To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable:

Prayer "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

Prayer The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men— robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'

Prayer “Look at all I have to offer you, Lord! Reward me because I’m so righteous and have done so much good”

Prayer "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'

Prayer “I have mocked you with my life, God. I stand in need and throw myself on the mercy of the court”

Prayer "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted”- vs. 9-14

Prayer God does not grant prayers borne out of pride and arrogance “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble”- James

Prayer “Grace is opposed to earning. Not opposed to effort, but opposed to earning”- JR Vassar

Prayer I have nothing to offer God that didn’t originate with him

Prayer I haven’t done anything for God that he couldn’t have done better himself

Prayer God rewards his people for doing what they ought to do by the power he provides in the places he has guided them Therefore, we approach God in humility (recognizing need) and worship (praising his provision)

Prayer Persistent, Humbly… I come to God trusting, ready to take him at his Word

Prayer People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them.

Prayer But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

Prayer I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it”- vs

Prayer “God, I trust you for everything. But…I may choose a different direction. And…I’m planning just in case you don’t come through” Let him ask in faith, without doubting...- James 1:6

Prayer Trusting implies taking direction… When God does a work, I don’t have the right to tell him how he must do it What should a Messiah look like?

Prayer Corollary: Like a child, I come to God joyfully, glad to be in his presence

Prayer Persistently, humbly, trusting… I come to God surrendering, ready to give up anything that gets in the way

Prayer A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Prayer "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone.

Prayer ???

Prayer There’s never a reason to pray to a good teacher- he can’t do anything So when I pray, I need to recognize the power of God to act in miraculous ways on my behalf

Prayer A teacher has no power to command me to do anything God has authority and, as a follower of Jesus, I am bound to obey by faith

Prayer You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother'"

Prayer "All these I have kept since I was a boy," he said. When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me"

Prayer When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth

Prayer Jesus looked at him and said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God"

Prayer Those who heard this asked, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God”- vs

Prayer Deal or No Deal?

Prayer Is it ever worth it to hold onto something that keeps me from God’s best in my life?

Prayer What would you do for a Klondike bar?

Prayer The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field - Matthew 13:44

Prayer It’s an issue of faith vs. belief Every good and perfect gift- Jas. 1:17 Every good and perfect gift- Jas. 1:17 Your father in heaven will give good gifts to those who ask him- Matt. 7:11 Your father in heaven will give good gifts to those who ask him- Matt. 7:11 Richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment- 2 Tim. 6:17 Richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment- 2 Tim. 6:17

Prayer Takeaways: For what should I still be praying that I’ve stopped? Why did I stop? For what should I still be praying that I’ve stopped? Why did I stop?

Prayer Takeaways: Am I unconsciously trading with God- my righteous actions for his willingness to give me what I ask for? If so, will I repent? Am I unconsciously trading with God- my righteous actions for his willingness to give me what I ask for? If so, will I repent?

Prayer Takeaways: When I pray, do I trust that God’s ways are best and follow by faith as he leads? When I pray, do I trust that God’s ways are best and follow by faith as he leads?

Prayer Takeaways: What do I need to surrender that’s keeping me from God’s best for my life? Will I do it right now? What do I need to surrender that’s keeping me from God’s best for my life? Will I do it right now?