Prayer

How To Pray

Imagine it’s a special occasion like a birthday or anniversary and you receive two cards, both from people you care about. One card contains words written by an author and holds only a signature from your loved one. However, the other card is filled with a hand written notes. Which one would you find to be more meaningful. Most of the time our answer would probably be the one with the original, hand written words. Well what if God viewed our prayers the same way? Many of us approach prayer feeling like it is something that needs to be recited back to God. Some beautiful words that someone else came up with. But in this week’s message, Pastor Sean shows from the Bible how the prayer God is the most interested in hearing from you, is the one straight from your heart. In this teaching, we see 3 truths about prayer that could completely change the way you pray and interact with God.

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MESSAGE NOTES

If I had two Hallmark cards, one with words written by an author with my signature and one card that was blank but is now filled up with my handwritten words. Which card would mean more to spouse?

 

What if the only thing I ever said to my wife were memorized lyrics also?

 

Don’t you think God wants to hear more than memorized lyrics also?

 

Prayer Is Not A Performance To Put On But A Conversation To Begin

 

  • Right words, impress people sound smart.
  • It’s okay to be nervous, but for a different reason. He’s God
  • Truth: the more we talk to someone, the more comfortable we are.
  • Our prayers aren’t natural. Jesus talked about this.

Matthew 6:5 – Those wanting to be seen/heard, NOT heard by God.

Matthew 6:6 – Personal conversation is what God want.

 

  • In don’t pray to impress you, but to talk to God.
  • Not about a closet. When I pray, everyone else is shut out.
  • It’s personal between me and my Creator, others can hear it but

 

Prayer Doesn’t Have To Be Good, It Just Has To Be Real

Matthew 6:7-8 – Don’t pray the same thing over and over again.

  • Just TALK TO ME
  • God doesn’t want you praying someone else’s written prayer to Him any more than I want my kids only saying memorized things.
  • Imagine if my daughter only talked to me in Greeting Card,

 

Prayer Doesn’t Need To Be Perfect, Just Appropriate.

Matthew 6:9 – Jesus said to pray Like this. Not pray this

  • Talk to God like you know Him. He’s not a stranger.
  • This was unheard of in Jesus’ day. Pagans were pawns to their deities and Jews were afraid to talk to God.

Matthew 6:10 – Acknowledge yo0ur desire for God’s will.

  • In Matthew 7:7 Jesus says to knock and it will be opened. In context, I’ll answer the door, you’ll receive an answer. NOT get what you want.
  • Not “Here’s what I want” but “What I want most is what you want”.

Matthew 6:11 – Now you’re ready to ask what you want.

  • After acknowledging God knows best, let him know what you hope.
  • Friends only when selling things.

Matthew 6:12-13 – Deal with the junk in your heart.

  • Acknowledge the barriers in your life keeping you from God’s will
  • The barriers between me and God, and me and others.
  • Some translations end with “For yours is the kingdom and power and glory forever.”

While the right words were never important, the right attitude is!

  • Starts and ends with God’s will.
  • Pray anything you want, as long as you’re okay with God NOT doing what you tell Him to.

James 1:5-6  we do better with God’s counsel than we do without.

  • TALK to God, just talk. He’s waiting to hear from you

APPLICATION:

Some of you need to pray a different prayer. Would it surprise you if I said that a prayer could bring you back to God?

Romans 10:9-10

Others need to pray differently, starting and ending with God’s will.

Imagine it’s a special occasion like a birthday or anniversary and you receive two cards, both from people you care about. One card contains words written by an author and holds only a signature from your loved one. However, the other card is filled with a hand written notes. Which one would you find to be more meaningful. Most of the time our answer would probably be the one with the original, hand written words. Well what if God viewed our prayers the same way? Many of us approach prayer feeling like it is something that needs to be recited back to God. Some beautiful words that someone else came up with. But in this week’s message, Pastor Sean shows from the Bible how the prayer God is the most interested in hearing from you, is the one straight from your heart. In this teaching, we see 3 truths about prayer that could completely change the way you pray and interact with God.

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