Part 10 in a series on Discipleship taught by Teaching and Vision Pastor, Jason English.

 

Subtitle: Prayer

 

 

Matthew 6:6 - Pray

When you pray go into your room, close the door and pray to Your Father, who is unseen

 

 

"In sin, we declare our independence of God. In prayer, we declare our dependence upon God."

 -Dr. S.M. Lockridge

 

"You have to pray in order to pray." -Dr. S.M. Lockridge

 

 

Philippians 4:6-7 - Petition

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 - God's Will

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

 

Revel

Us -  God

 

Reveal

God - Us

 

tefillah - to discern what is in oneself; attachment; prayer

 

barukh - bless; bow; knee

 

Thin Places

 

"Something mysterious happens in the hidden contours of life when we pray. If we try to figure out the mystery, it will elude us". -Paul E. Miller

 

1 Corinthians 2:6-10 - God  Revealed

We declare God's wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: "What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived" - the things God has prepared for those who love him - these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.

 

Genesis 1

Revelation 22

 

My Lord, my Lover, the Source of my Joy,

Let me rejoice in you.

Let me delight in the pleasure of your presence within me.

Let me live a life of abandonment -

a life in which I let go of everything,

everything that shackles me to yesterday,

everything that imprisons me in my small self today,

everything that terrifies me

with the uncertainty of tomorrow,

everything except you.

Let me find my pleasure in you.

Because then I am free.

 

Blessed be the Lord, the Vulnerable Servant King.

It's easy to envision you a regal ruler,

exalted upon your throne.

Or as a mighty warrior, ready to fight for your people.

Or as the sovereign spirit,

turning nothingness into a living cosmos.

It's not so easy to envision you on your knees.

On your knees as my service.

It's hard to accept the reality, and the humility,

of a God who chooses to be a blessing,

who chooses to be vulnerable.

It's even harder to humble myself.

I don't mind bowing to some people...

Kind people, clean people, righteous people.

But to bless the unkind, the unclean, the unrighteous. This is so difficult.

Yet this I call to mind.

If you only blessed people who were always kind 

and clean and righteous on our own merits,

you would never have selected me.

 

The shining face of God

The face that Moses could not see

The face that sent prophets to their knees

The face that speaks from eternity

That face was present in this man from Galilee

Oh shining face of God please shine on me

Oh shining face of God please shine on us.