Saturday, January 28, 2012

January 29, 2012

“This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." Matthew 6:9-13

Several months ago a friend asked me a sincere question that went something like this, "What is the purpose of prayer if God already knows how it will turn out?"
I don't come as an expert on prayer. I can't tell you why sometimes you pray once or twice and get an answer and other times you may pray for months or years without seeing an answer. But, I can point you to One Who IS an expert on prayer and share some truths for the prayer He taught us to pray.


What are those four purposes for praying?
You should pray to worship - “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name......"
You should pray to know His will - “your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven......"
You should pray for your wants - "Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors......"
You should pray for spiritual warfare - "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."
As I study the Prayer I see three goals for prayer: to know God, to grow in God and to show God through living a holy life.
Let me ask you this, "Which of those is not important to your spiritual life? Which one of those can you afford to not pray for?" Because if none of these are significant to you then you don't have to be concerned about prayer.

However, if those things are important to your spiritual relationship and growth, prayer is priority one! Jesus cares about prayer! God cares about prayer! Maybe you and I should – and one BIG reason is that prayer is WORSHIP!
HOW CAN PRAYER BE WORSHIP?

I.                    Worship Involves the Person of God – “Our Father” – (So does prayer)

Just like the Sermon on the Mount is a whole new way of thinking about faith, the Lord’s Prayer is a whole new way of thinking about God!

God is a God Who is anxious to know and be known by you. Like a Father, He delights in giving good things to His children! (Vv. 6-8)

Did you ever know someone who seemed stern all the time and you wondered if they even like you? For a long time you were afraid of them but when you finally got to know them personally you were surprise to discover that you like them and they liked you as well.
If you relate to that then you understand the impact this had on those hearers Jesus is speaking to. Practically all of the NT writers made this a point of emphasis in their writings:
PAUL – Romans 8:14-17
LUKE – Luke 11:11-13
JOHN – John 10
The idea of a personal God was revolutionary in that day, especially to the religious leaders.

The idea that a personal God who desired to be in relationship was a stretch. The God they imagined was distant and fearsome. Jews couldn't even mention the name of God and when the scribes wrote it they had to pause and was their hands before they wrote it.

But the idea that a personal God who presented Himself as a father was unheard of!

So, with this new way of understanding God and identifying prayer as the means of communicating with Amazing Person framed prayer in a whole new way for them!

BIG THOUGHT: Worship Helps You Get To Know A Personal God – So Does Prayer!

II.                  Worship Involves the Presence of God – “in Heaven” – (So does prayer)

While we were on vacation we stayed with some very good friends. We feel very much at home every time we are at their home. They love us so much and are some gracious and generous toward us that whenever we spend time in their presence we leave feeling rested and refreshed.

I believe that is an example of how it should be in the presence of God.

We were designed to live in the presence of God!

We are destined to live in the presence of God!

What should we be doing in the meantime?

(READ JOHN 15)

There is LIFE in the presence of God, Vv. 1-8

There is LOVE in the presence of God, Vv. 9-10

There is LIBERTY in the presence of God, Vv. 11-15

How can you abide with God except for prayer?

With that in mind, listen to this verse – “Rejoice always,  pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”  I Thessalonians 5:16-18

 "Abiding” means staying connected to the vine……..

If you are not connected to Christ you live a “disconnected” life.

BIG THOUGHT: Worship Is Growing In the Presence Of God – Prayer Makes It Possible.

Why Should I Care About Prayer”

Prayer helps you know God as your Father
Prayer helps you grow in God’s presence   AND,
Prayer helps you show God’s praise

III.                Worship Involves the Praise of God – “hallowed be your name” – (So does prayer)
“hallowed” = holy, sanctify, consecrate
“Name” = totality of God’s character

The Prayer = “may Your Name be honored through my holy living”

“1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”  ROMANS 12:1-2
When I thought about an example of someone I could point to as an example of a person who reflects the presence of God in a way that brings God praise, I think of Tim Tebow. All through his very successful college football career and now as a pro quarterback Tim has maintained a strong and shameless personal faith in Jesus Christ.


You and I must be mindful that we are walking commercials for the most important "product" in the universe - the Gospel of Jesus Christ! So God expects us to live and walk in a way consistent with His holiness!


“If you were arrested under suspicion of being a Christian would there be enough evidence to convict you?”

Why Should I Care About Prayer?
Prayer helps you know God as your Father
Prayer helps you grow in God’s presence   AND,
Prayer will help you show God’s praise.
 
CONCLUSION:
 
Why Should You Care About Prayer?

Prayer Is Worship!

It Helps You Know The Person of God

It Helps You Grow In The Presence of God

It Helps You Show The Praise of God

Here’s how I want to wrap this up this morning. I want to you to remember the most powerful worship experience you have ever enjoyed – go back there in your memory – go back there emotionally….....are you there yet?

Are you reliving how it felt?

Can you remember how peaceful that felt?

Worship Seemed Easy Didn’t It?

Prayer Seemed Natural Didn’t It?

God’s Presence Was So Real That Time Didn’t Matter

Would You Like To Have More Moments Like That?

Understand The Relationship Between Prayer & Worship And Embrace It!


January 28, 2012

Everyone knows prayer is part of a worship service. It opens with a prayer and usually has a pastoral prayer near the middle followed by a commitment prayer at the end on the message and a closing prayer or benediction to end the service.
I am not sure nearly as many would realize that prayer IS actually worship.

Why do I say that?
Think about this:

Worship involves the Person of God – BUT, so does prayer – “Our Father”

Worship involves the presence of God – BUT, so does prayer! – “in heaven”
Worship involves the praise of God – BUT, so does prayer! – “hallowed be your Name”

The last post considered prayer as connecting with the Person of God and how that can transform you because you are connecting with a powerful, loving, and supernatural Heavenly Father.
Today I want you to think about prayer as a vehicle for bringing you into the very presence of God.
We were designed to live in the presence of God! Just like Adam was.
We are destined to live in the presence of God! Just like Adam did.
What should we be doing in the meantime?
(READ JOHN 15)
There is LIFE in the presence of God, Vv. 1-8
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will] ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.”

A vine draws its life from being attached to the vine. The vine has not life of its own. What a clear illustration of why you MUST live in the presence of your Heavenly Father. He is your vine. You live through HIS life and by His life in you there is fruit produced.

There is LOVE in the presence of God, Vv. 9-10
 9 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

There is LIBERTY in the presence of God, Vv. 11-15
 11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you”

Living in relationship with a Heavenly Father brings powerful results! Connecting with Him by faith and remaining connected through prayer and worship pumps spiritual life from His heart to yours!
How can you abide with God except for prayer? With that in mind, listen to this verse – “Rejoice always,  pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”  I Thessalonians 5:16-18

“Abiding” means staying connected to the vine – through prayer and worship.

Worship Is Knowing the Person of God – Prayer Makes It Possible.

Worship Is Growing In the Presence Of God – Prayer Makes It Possible.

Are you abiding in Him?