Porter Podcast

Series: Pray Like This

The Secret Place

Matthew 6:6-8

series recap

Christians are instructed to pray personally — a large percentage do not. 

People often don’t pray because of feelings of inadequacy.

God is our Heavenly Father.

The basis of prayer is our Father wants us to talk to Him. 

But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, 

and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.      

                                                             Matthew 6:6

how to pray in private

Pray Regularly.                        

o   Create Time.

Jesus pursued time alone with the Father.  

o   Create Space.

o   Limit Distractions.

We not only need to create a quiet space, but we need to create a quiet heart. 

Prayer methods such as ACTS, Praying the Scripture, Journaling, and Alliterative Prayers can help you to focus during your prayer time.   

Pray Honestly.

God’s attributes, omniscience and omnipresence, lead us to pray transparently. 

Our honesty does not diminish the beauty of the gospel of Jesus; our honesty glorifies God.   

Pray Expectantly.

“Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.                                                          Matthew 7:7-8

Today’s Takeaways

1.        If you are saved by Christ, rejoice! Your Father in Heaven knows you and yet wants to talk to you.

2.        Commit to spend daily time in prayer with God.

3.        Know that God works through your prayers, either to change your world or to change you.

Series:  Pray Like This

Pray Confidently

Matthew 6:5-13

confidence shakers:      

·      lack of praying

·      hardship

·      feelings of inadequacy

He was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray…”               

Luke 11:1

Jesus’ teaching:  Religious people often get prayer wrong.

·      They pray to impress an audience, not to connect with   

      God.  (5)

·      They are very complex in their prayers.  (7)

·      They like long prayers.  (7)  

·      They are repetitive when they pray.  (7)

Jesus’ teaching:  God is our Father, and prayer is a conversation with our dad.

      He loves you deeply.

      He has a preferred future for this life.  

      He desires to meet your needs.  

      He knows your flaws.

Acknowledging your sinfulness positions you to be heard by God.

Acknowledging your sinfulness prepares you to be Christlike to others.

    He wants you to overcome temptation.  

the key:  Confidence to come before the Father is based on     

                        faith in Jesus. 

Today’s Takeaway:

1.    Accept the work Jesus has done on your behalf.

2.    Realize you have a heavenly Father who wants you to pray. 

3.    If you follow Jesus’ model for prayer, your confidence will grow.

Series:  Scattered

NO EXCUSES

1 Peter 4:1–11

Wherever you are, whatever you are going through, be faithful.

All events in life are spiritual tests, especially suffering and hardship.

Suffering and hardship handled poorly can lead to sinful indulgence or harsh treatment of others. 

Stop sinning

•  Because Christ suffered, a believer should avoid sin. (1)

•  Living for sin is wasting your life. (2-4)

         2 responses to a holy life

-       Surprise

-       Slander

•  God will judge sinful lives. (5-6)  

•  There is an intoxicating effect of sin. (7)

Leverage your life for God’s glory

•  Love is the best way to develop sinful people. (8)

•  When we focus on others, we become better disciples. (9)

•   You have received a unique gift set for the benefit of others. (10)

Our lives are designed for the Glory of God.  

Today’s Takeaway

1.  Because Christ died to set you free of sin, fight the good fight. 

2.  Actively bless the people of your church.

3.  Glorify God in your private and public life.

Series: I Peter   

The Household Code

I Peter 3:1-7

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead

I Peter 1:3    

Submission is to be displayed in the most intimate levels of our lives.

WIVES

Being submissive means to recognize and accept the leadership role/authority of another. 

There is perfect equality between men and women, yet there is a difference in function.   

Submission does not imply inferiority.

Submission is NOT unconditional obedience.

Husbands do not have the responsibility to ensure that wives submit.  

Women are not commanded to submit to men.

The genuine display of the gospel will have its most powerful effect on those closest to us.

Marriage is the union of two sinful people. 

HUSBANDS

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church

 and gave himself for her

Ephesians 5:25

General Principles for Everyone

1.  Everyone is to be submissive to some authority. 

2.  Submission is to affect the most intimate levels of our lives. 

3.  A submissive Spirit shows your spiritual maturity.  

4.   Submission in hardship has an evangelistic purpose.

5.  Our response to hardship is to display our trust in God.

Series: I Peter   

The Household Code

I Peter 3:1-7

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead

I Peter 1:3    

Submission is to be displayed in the most intimate levels of our lives.

WIVES

Being submissive means to recognize and accept the leadership role/authority of another. 

There is perfect equality between men and women, yet there is a difference in function.   

Submission does not imply inferiority.

Submission is NOT unconditional obedience.

Husbands do not have the responsibility to ensure that wives submit.  

Women are not commanded to submit to men.

The genuine display of the gospel will have its most powerful effect on those closest to us.

Marriage is the union of two sinful people. 

HUSBANDS

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church

 and gave himself for her

Ephesians 5:25

General Principles for Everyone

1.  Everyone is to be submissive to some authority. 

2.  Submission is to affect the most intimate levels of our lives. 

3.  A submissive Spirit shows your spiritual maturity.  

4.   Submission in hardship has an evangelistic purpose.

5.  Our response to hardship is to display our trust in God.

today’s takeaways

Trust that God is in controlof things that seem out of 

today’s takeaways

3.        Center your lifearound the person and work of Jesus.  

Series: Scattered

Honoring God in a Strange New Land

I Peter 1:13-21

types of “strangers”

·      Immigrants:  People pursuing a dream of making a home in a foreign land  

·      Tourists: People who visit a foreign land, but don’t desire to permanently live there.  

·      Exiles: People living in a foreign land, but long to go home. 

·      Ambassadors:People serving their home country while living in a foreign land.

(Adopted from JD Greear)

Wherever we are, whatever we are going through, 

we should live in a waythat honors God.   

honoring God in a foreign land 

Set your hopeon Christ.

We must actively pursueChrist and be alertto things that would undermine our hope.  

Live a life that sets you apart.

why does it matter? 

·      You want people to realize that Christian conversion changes people.

·      You are called to reflect the characterof God.

·      Christians do not want to disappoint the Father.

Maintain reverenceand fearof God.

·      You recognize the possibility of future judgment.

·      You don’t want to go backto the former life.

You understand the cost of your salvation.

Series:Scattered

Hope in Adversity

I Peter 1:1-9

the author       Simon Peter:  a discipleof Jesus, a leader of the early church

the audience     Believers facing growing persecution   

the message     Wherever they are and whatever they are going through, Christians have hopethat directs them. 

CHRISTIAN HOPE 

Christian hope is rooted in our identity--we are God’s People.  (1-2)

chosen, dispersed exiles         

·     You are strange(rs).

·     You are scattered.

·     You are special to God.

Christian hope is completely dependent upon the resurrection of Christ.  (3)   

Because of the resurrection of Christ, Christian hope cannot be extinguished. 

Christian hope is fueled by a belief that hardship is temporaryand reward is eternal.   (4-5)

Christians believe griefand joycan be experienced at the same time.  

Christian hope sees purpose in hardships.   (6-7)

·      Trials reveal the areas where someone doesn’t trust God. 

·      Trials reveal if a person loves God’s giftsmore than he loves God. 

·      Trials build the strengthof one’s faith.

Christian hope is sustained by the reality of His presence.    (8-9)

Today’s Takeaway: 

Surrender your lifeto Christ--lasting hope only comes through faith.  

Without heaven, all hope will disappoint.  Remember, this world is not your eternal home.  

Learn the lessonsof hardship.   

Lean into Jesusin hardship.  His presence will bring you joy and increase your hope.