Transcript the Powerpoint - Newstart Church of Christ

OUR MISSION:
To guide those far from God into the
new start found in Jesus Christ.
Why people don’t pray?
1. Not sure how to pray
2. Distracted while trying to pray
3. Think requests are too small for God
4. Not sure prayer will really make a difference
Working definition
Prayer is simply communicating with God
Hebrews 4:16
[We can] “…come boldly to the throne of
grace, that we may obtain mercy and find
grace to help in time of need.” (NKJV)
Working definition
Prayer is simply communicating with God
Other English translations use:
‘cry’ – ‘meditation’ – ‘groan’ –
‘sadness’ – ‘lament’
Hebrew word [ hâgı ̂yg ] means:
To murmur or ponder in pleasure or
anger
Psalms 5:1-3
LORD, listen to my words. Pay attention
when I sigh. My King and my God, listen
to me when I cry for help. I pray to you.
LORD, in the morning you hear my voice.
In the morning I pray to you. I wait for
you in hope.
Prayer is simply communicating with God
The First Thing
How do we talk to God?
Raw honesty
Exodus 5:22-23
Moses returned to the LORD and said,
‘Why, Lord, why have you brought
trouble on this people? Is this why you
sent me? Ever since I went to Pharaoh to
speak in your name, he has brought
trouble on this people, and you have not
rescued your people at all.’
Prayer is simply communicating with God
The First Thing
How do we talk to God?
Raw honesty
Matthew 6:5-7
“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray
standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by
others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when
you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father,
who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will
reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans,
for they think they will be heard because of their many words.”
Prayer is simply communicating with God
The Second Thing
Talk to God about everything that matters to us
Whatever matters to you... pray about it!
1 Peter 5:7 “Casting all your care upon
Him, for He cares for you.”
Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about
anything, but in every situation,
by prayer and petition, with
thanksgiving, present your
requests to God.”
Prayer is simply communicating with God
The Third Thing
Talk to God continually
P-U-S-H Praying
Pray Until Something Happens
Luke 18:1-8 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and
not give up. He said: ‘In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what
people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, “Grant me
justice against my adversary.” ‘For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, “Even
though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will
see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!”’And the Lord said,
‘Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who
cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get
justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?’
Prayer is simply communicating with God
The Third Thing
Talk to God continually
P-U-S-H Praying
Pray Until Something Happens
1 Samuel 1:12
Persistent prayer
As she kept on praying to the LORD…”
Prayer until God changes the circumstances
Prayer is simply communicating with God
The Fourth Thing
Listen for God’s response
The danger of a one-sided relationship
How is God going to speak?
God speaks through the unexpected
1 Kings 19:12
“And after the earthquake a fire; but
the LORD was not in the fire: and after
the fire a still small voice.” (KJV)
When you have eyes to see and ears to hear, God will direct you
OUR MISSION:
To guide those far from God into the
new start found in Jesus Christ.