The Value of Prayer - 9/6/09am

Abraham’s Servant
Abraham sought a wife for his son Isaac. He wanted a wife not of the people around him, but of his own people, so he sent a servant to seek one.
Genesis 24:1-28 -The servant prays for guidance and a sign to know when his task is completed
The servant’s prayer was no for himself so much as for his master. He wanted to make sure the task was correctly done as Abraham wanted it. And we see that he is rewarded for his prayerful diligence, in that his prayer is answered.

Elijah
Elijah stood before Ahab, possibly the worst king Israel had ever suffered. And in rebuke, Elijah prayed and there was drought for 3 ½ years. And then he prays, and rain comes.
I Kings 17:1-7 -Elijah prays for drought
I Kings 18:41-46 -Elijah prays for the drought to end
Elijah’s prayers were answered. Once again, we see that there is nothing immediately miraculous about the answer, but what he had asked for came to be.

Daniel
Daniel was in exile in Babylon. But he did not stop praying to the Lord. When Babylon fell to the Medes and Persians, he continued his prayer.
Daniel 2:1-23 -Daniel prayers for understanding of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream
Daniel 6:1-23 -Daniel prayers daily, survives lion’s den
We see Daniel’s effective prayer in that he was able to save the ungodly “wise men” of Nebuchadnezzar’s court. God answered his pryer on the behalf of others. We see also that Daniel made a practice of regularly going to the Lord in prayer. And for this he is rewarded for his diligence and godliness.

Disciples
Just as we see prayers fulfilled in the past, we can know that our prayers are heard by God today. We can have confidence that our prayers will be answered.
James 5:13-18 -The effective prayer of a righteous man
I Peter 3:7 -Do not let your prayers be hindered
I John 5:14-17 -God hears prayers
Acts 10:30-33 -God hears those who seek Him

Pray Without Ceasing - 3/29/09pm

I Thessalonians 5:17

Manner of Prayer
Luke 18:9-14 -An attitude of humility
Colossians 4:2 -An attitude of thanksgiving
Philippians 1:1-3 -Prayer with joy
James 5:13-18 -Prayer in suffering, joy, sickness. Effectiveness of prayer

Audience of Prayer
Matthew 6:5-13 -Pray to the Father
II Corinthians 13:7 -Pray to God

Types of Prayer

Prayer of Praise
Hebrews 13:15 -Praise to God, the fruit of our lips
Psalm 150:1-6 -A psalm of praise

Prayer of Thanksgiving
Philippians 4:6-7 -Pray with thanksgiving
Psalm 100:1-5 -A psalm of thanksgiving

Prayer of Request and Petition
Matthew 7:7-12 -Ask and it shall be given to you
Psalm 70:1-5 -A psalm asking for relief

Prayer for Forgiveness
Acts 8:14-24 -Simon the Sorcerer told to pray for forgiveness
Psalm 51:1-19 -A psalm of repentance and forgiveness

**This sermon is arranged so that a prayer of each type named here may be given after reading the appropriate passages. Not as a way of teaching prayer as much as a way of putting immediately into practice what we have just studied.**

Christ's Model Prayer - 3/23/08am

Christ’s Model Prayer

We often discuss how we should pray and what we should pray about. It can be useful to look to our ultimate example, Christ, and see what He taught on prayer. And of course, a good place to start with that is the example prayer that He showed to his disciples.

Matthew 6:5-15 -Christ’s model prayer
This prayer, and the context surrounding it, helps us to understand how we are to pray, and what we are to pray.

How to Pray:
Matthew 6:5-6 -Not for public acclaim
Matthew 6:7-8 -Not babbling or using many words
-God knows what we need before we ask

The Model Prayer:
This prayer shows us different aspects of prayer, and different types of prayer

Matthew 6:9 -Pray to God the Father

Matthew 6:9 -Praise to God
James 3:9-12 -With the tongue we praise the Lord
I Peter 1:23-9 -Why we praise God
A Form of praise is offering thanksgiving to God for the things He has done. This is the recognition of who has provided for us all that we need, and a recognition of where the glory for it belongs.
I Thessalonians 5:16-18 -Pray continually, giving thanks
Philippians 4:4-7 -Present all prayers with thanksgiving

Matthew 6:10 -The kingdom is already here, now
Matthew 16:28 -The kingdom came in the 1st century
Colossians 1:12 -The kingdom

Matthew 6:10 -The Lord’s Will, not our own
Matthew 26:42 -Let this cup pass from me…

Matthew 6:11 -Asking for what we need in life
Ephesians 6:17 -All kinds of prayers and requests
I Timothy 5:5 -Putting reliance on God
James 4:1-3 -Asking with the right motives
James 5:13-16 -Prayer for when in trouble or sick
I John 5:14-15 -When we ask, God hears us


Matthew 6:12 -Asking for forgiveness
Acts 8:18-24 -Simon the Sorcerer
Psalm 51 -David’s Psalm/prayer of repentance

Matthew 6:13 -Asking for deliverance from temptation
James 1:13-15 -Tempted by evil desires, not by God
I Corinthians 10:13 -God will provide a way of escape

God Answers Prayers
Genesis 25:21 -God answers Isaac’s prayer
I Chronicles 14:10 -God answers David’s prayer