Prayer is intentional, intimate, communication with the One who created you, knows you and passionately loves you.

 

Simple goal: Submit all your life to the Lord and communicate with Him in all things

Simpler Question: HAVE YOU TALKED TO GOD ABOUT IT?

 

3 Truths about God and prayer in the bible:

1. We are created to be with God and we are welcomed and  INVITED into the presence of God!

Isaiah 55:1-3

Jesus comes- HIS NAME IS EMMANUEL!

Jesus says: COME TO ME! Matthew 11:28

2. God hears us. Take that in. 

2 chronicles 7:14-15

Psalm 6:9

3. God invites us to talk to Him about EVERYTHING including our fears, worries and doubts!

It is comforting that others all through scripture have felt this struggle with God hearing them.

Habakkuk 1:2

Psalms 13

Things are hard for many right now. Somethings are just AWFUL

This prayer and so many others teach us what to do: WE TAKE IT TO GOD FIRST! LAMENT, STRUGGLE, WRESTLE WITH GOD!

“God always answers your prayers in precisely the way you want them to be answered if you knew everything he knew.”  -Timothy Keller

 

2 main reasons people are not prying 

Unhealthy fear of God- Fear of God is healthy… there is unhealthy fear of God

We don’t think God likes us and is disappointed in us. 

We don’t think we need God. Functional Agnostics. God amnesiacs 

We operate under illusion of control- We are fragile

We feel like we are holier than we actually are and fool ourselves to believe we need God less and others need God more. Functional saviors for ourselves

Stop the guilt and shame cycle! Stop the functional agnosticism! Stop God amnesia!

 

Start Here:

Luke 11:1-4 - Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” 2 And he said to them, “When you pray, say: 

“Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread, 4 and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.”

 

Pray First! Ask: Have you talked to God about it?

Close your eyes right now… think of what is important to you. What you value

Have you talked to God about it?

Think about what you want right now. "Things would be great if _________ ... "

Have you talked to God about it?

What are you struggling with (sin, hurt, doubt, pain, all of the above)?

Have you talked to God about it?

“Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread, 4 and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.”

God moves in Nineveh despite Jonah's half obiedence. Jonah is forced into a position to be humbled by God.

We see God not throw up his hands, if you will, and abandon Jonah for his stubbornness.  He brought on a storm of correction, but again shows His mercy after discipline by meeting his child Jonah right where he was....in a smelly fish.