1. Gospel Reading
Luke 18:1-8

2. 1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 

3. 2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men.

4. 3And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’

5. 4“For some time he refused
4“For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care about men,

6. 5 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! ”

7. 6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says.

8. 7 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?

9. 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly
8 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?”

10. Pestering God
Luke 18:1-8

11. Is Jesus really suggesting that we Pester God ?

12. Yep!

13. Why? So that it is clear how badly we want it
Not to God, to us!
If you quit with only one request we didn’t want it very badly
It helps to clarify what we really need and why
Again for us!

14. Questions to ask yourself BEFORE pestering God
What do you really want?
Often it is a result, not the thing we are asking for
Do you really want what you are pestering God for?
What are the consequences if you get it?

15. What if God doesn’t Answer?
God always answers
It just may not be the answer you want!
No answer is an answer!
Timing
Harmful to you or someone else

16. What if God doesn’t Answer?
You may be praying for the wrong thing
Talk with others about what you are praying
Ask God to show you what you should be praying for
Look for the alternatives that God might be offering?
That may give you the same result
You have got to know what you are looking for!

17. Just Remember God gets to choose

18. What would you do if your child begged for something that you know would be harmful to them or someone else?
Implied in the story of the “stone for bread and snake for fish” (Matthew 7:7-12) is that if the child asks for something harmful it will not be granted

19. If it seems God is not answering your prayer it is NOT because you are not Praying Right!

20. God listens to and responds to ALL prayers!

22. How to Pray Pray intimately
Pray as if you believe God is capable of answering your prayers
Pray for what you need
or for what you think others need

23. How to Pray Pray often Pray persistently
Listen to what you are praying for
Pray in earnest
Let God answer
Listen
Hear what God says Not what you want to hear!

24. How to Pray
Trust God to not allow you to inadvertently harm yourself or others with your prayer
Let God fill you with God’s breath
Holy Spirit – Breath of God

25. Prayer is like breathing, You don’t stop until you die!
Do it constantly or you will Die!

26. When you pray . . .

27. God Does not think you are a PEST!

28. God wants us to talk to Him ALL the TIME!

29. Jesus Did!

30. What is this passage really about?

31. Prayer

33. What Jesus tells us to do? (The Lord’s Prayer)
Address God intimately
not casually
not disrespectfully
Acknowledge God’s Holiness. . . His specialness His ability to answer and grant
There is no sense asking if we don’t think God can grant it
Ask that God’s rule be established here on earth
Basileia ( (Basileia) Reign or Rule, Authority
If God does not have the authority God can do nothing

34. What Jesus tells us to do?
Ask for the things we need
That which will sustain us
Forgiveness from those things we have done to separate us from God and others
Freedom from the need for revenge or the need to collect on what is owed us
Not allowing things to come between us and others (Great Commandment)

35. What Jesus tells us to do?
Ask for the things we need
Protection from temptation
Not the strength to resist it!
It is Arrogance to think
we can resist temptation!

36. According to the parable,
How often?
According to the parable,
Be a Pest!

37. Why? So that it is clear how badly we want it
Not to God, to us!
If you quit with only one request we didn’t want it very badly
It helps to clarify what we really need and why
Again for us!

38. Questions to ask yourself BEFORE pester God
Do you really want what you are pestering God for?
What are the consequences if you get it?
What do you really want?
Often it is a result not the thing we are asking for
What are the alternatives that God might be offering?
That may give you the same result

39. How often? Communication is key in any relationship
The more communication the more intimate the relationship is assumed to be
The more communication the greater the chance for understanding on both sides
It cannot be by rote

40. Faith! Believe that God can and will answer prayer
If we can do it God can do it!
If we will give our children what is right for them, you can bet God will!
We need for them to ask so that we know what they want as well as what they need

41. God gets to choose
What would you do if your child begged for something that you know would be harmful to them or someone else?
Implied in the story of the “stone for bread and snake for fish” (Matthew 7:7-12) is that if the child asks for something harmful it will not be granted

42. God is Gracious and Generous
Just as we give to our children without them deserving what they are given, God does the same with us
God gives to us because we are God’s children not because of what we deserve
God gives us what we need if we ask for it
God does not force anything on us!

43. Pray in Earnest (Matthew 7:7)
Ask – Aiteiote (aietite) - beg
you don’t ask frivolously
Seek – Zeeteite (zeeteite) to crave, to require, to demand
You don’t look for what you don’t want badly
Knock - Krouete (kroúete) to rap, to pound
You want it bad enough to make sure you are heard and answered

44. Holy Spirit In the end what God gives us is the very essence of God
Pneuma Hagion -The Breath of God
What we need is for God to be a part of us
God offers it to us but we must accept the gift

45. How to Pray Pray intimately
Pray as if you believe God is capable of answering your prayers
Pray for what you need
or for what you think others need

46. How to Pray Pray often Pray persistently
Listen to what you are praying for
Pray in earnest
Let God answer
Listen
Hear what God says Not what you want to hear!

47. How to Pray
Trust God to not allow you to inadvertently harm yourself or others with your prayer
Let God fill you with God’s breath

48. Some things to remember
God wants us to be in relationship with Him! You can’t have a relationship if you don’t communicate! God will give us what we need! Trust God not to allow us or others to be hurt by our prayers!

49. Prayer is like breathing, if you don’t do it regularly
you will Die!