When we think of praying, sometimes it can feel a bit intimidating or awkward. Sometimes, we don’t know what really to say or maybe we feel like we are not “spiritual” enough to talk to God. As a result, our prayers often end up sounding like “thank you, thank you” or “I’m sorry, I’m sorry”, or maybe even “help me, help me”. But as our series Tough Prayers come to a close, Pastor Sean talks about how prayer is nothing more than a simple conversation and that it is something necessary for followers of Jesus to do. He walks through a prayer that Jesus gave as an example of how to pray and shows how we can make it our own.

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MESSAGE NOTES

Paul ends the first letter to the Thessalonians by giving final instructions. He exhorts them to pray all of the time.

  • Many think prayer is for spiritual leaders
  • Or many feel like they don’t know how to pray or it’s awkward.
  • Our prayers tend to consist of thank you, thank you, thank you. Or help me, help me, help me. or I’m sorry , I’m sorry I’m sorry.
  • We’re reactive when it comes to prayer.

Prayer is a response. Jesus was God’s Word sent to us. we’re not trying to get His attention, we already have it.

 

  1. Pray the Scriptures
  2. Pray like jesus
  3. Pray to God, not the people listening.

Matthew 6:7-17

 

“When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!Pray like this:

Our Father in heaven,
    may your name be kept holy.
10 May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth,
    as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today the food we need,[a]
12 and forgive us our sins,
    as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
13 And don’t let us yield to temptation,[b]
    but rescue us from the evil one.[c]

14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you.15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

  • Jesus is giving them a pattern for prayer.

APPLICATION:

  1. May people everywhere worship you
  2. Rescue mankind
  3. Have your way in our lives
  4. Help me to remember I am dependent on you
  5. Forgive me as I learn to forgive others
  6. Keep me on track and don’t let me fade.