Print this pageCompany Of The Committed | Trait #3 - Pattern of Prayer | September 24-25, 2005 |
THE PROBLEM WITH PRAYER:
God wants us to be persistent.
Matthew 15:21-28
Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. [22] A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession."
[23] Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us."
[24] He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel."
[25] The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said.
[26] He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs."
[27] "Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table."
[28] Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour. [NIV]
Luke 18:1-8
Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. [2] He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. [3] And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.'
[4] "For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, [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!' "
[6] And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. [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? [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?" [NIV]
1 Thessalonians 5:17
pray continually; [NIV]
Ephesians 6:18
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. [NIV]
5 KEYS TO TALKING WITH DAD:
1) You have to be on good terms.
Psalm 66:18
If I had cherished sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened; [NIV]
Proverbs 1:23-28
If you had responded to my rebuke,
I would have poured out my heart to you
and made my thoughts known to you.
[24] But since you rejected me when I called
and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand,
[25] since you ignored all my advice
and would not accept my rebuke,
[26] I in turn will laugh at your disaster;
I will mock when calamity overtakes you--
[27] when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind,
when distress and trouble overwhelm you.
[28] "Then they will call to me but I will not answer;
they will look for me but will not find me. [NIV]
Proverbs 21:13
If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor,
he too will cry out and not be answered. [NIV]
Proverbs 28:9
If anyone turns a deaf ear to the law,
even his prayers are detestable. [NIV]
Isaiah 59:2
But your iniquities have separated
you from your God;
your sins have hidden his face from you,
so that he will not hear. [NIV]
1 John 3:22
and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. [NIV]
2) It can’t always be about you.
Ephesians 6:18
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. [NIV]
James 4:3
When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. [NIV]
Matthew 6:33
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. [NIV]
3) It has to be a two-way street.
Ecclesiastes 5:1-2
Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.
[2] Do not be quick with your mouth,
do not be hasty in your heart
to utter anything before God.
God is in heaven
and you are on earth,
so let your words be few. [NIV]
Proverbs 8:32-35
"Now then, my sons, listen to me;
blessed are those who keep my ways.
[33] Listen to my instruction and be wise;
do not ignore it.
[34] Blessed is the man who listens to me,
watching daily at my doors,
waiting at my doorway.
[35] For whoever finds me finds life
and receives favor from the Lord. [NIV]
Psalm 46:10
"Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth." [NIV]
Matthew 11:28-30
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. [29] Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. [30] For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." [NIV]
4) Just come with what you have.
Ecclesiastes 5:1-7
Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.
[2] Do not be quick with your mouth,
do not be hasty in your heart
to utter anything before God.
God is in heaven
and you are on earth,
so let your words be few.
[3] As a dream comes when there are many cares,
so the speech of a fool when there are many words.
[4] When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. [5] It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it. [6] Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, "My vow was a mistake." Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands? [7] Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore stand in awe of God. [NIV]
Matthew 6:5-8
"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. [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. [7] And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. [8] Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. [NIV]
Matthew 23:14
And you pretend to be holy, with all your long, public prayers in the streets, while you are evicting widows from their homes. Hypocrites! [LIV]