Spiritual Disciplines - Prayer 09/09/12

Sermon spiritual disciplines 9-9-12 prayer

16 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Ever wonder about God’s will? Wonder no more.

Pray continually - Pray without ceasing KJV
We don’t get this

We are stuck in concrete thinking about prayer
here is how it is done, do it this way,
[not that any of this is bad, there is just more]

bow your head-close your eyes
fold your hands-nee down
pray for this-ray for that
make a list-ather together a really big list and go over every persons need
feel guilty for not praying enough
fell guilty for wandering thoughts
feel guilty for falling asleep while praying
you have to pray to the right person - father, son or holy spirit
you should have a king james sounding praying voice
these are the nutsy-boltsy ideas that we have all learned about prayer
[not that any of this is bad, there is just more]

We think prayer is only asking for stuff
Asking is ok, but we cant get stuck there
I was certain of the shallowness of it, then I came into a painful problem……
Yet when asking we must be careful………James 4 …..understand context
1What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

Asking amiss-----To gain, to consume
selfish prayers
During the war, God was good to us, we prayed, and all of the bombs fell on the other side of town.

grandmother "took her grandson to the beach one day, complete with bucket, shovel and sun hat. The grandmother dozed off and as she slept, a large wave dragged the child out to sea. The grandmother awoke and was devastated. She fell to the ground on her knees and prayed, 'God, if you save my grandchild, I promise I'll make it up to you. I'll join whatever club you want me to. I'll volunteer at the hospital, give to the poor and do anything that makes you happy.'

"Suddenly, a huge wave tossed her grandson on the beach at her feet. She noticed color in his cheeks and his eyes were bright. He was alive. As she stood up, however, she seemed to be upset. She put her hands on her hips, looked skyward, and said sharply, 'He had a hat, you know.'"—Bombeck


Asking for things in prayer
Ask for what you want,
Lord I am praying for the outcome that I want
But in all things, I put my trust in you
Anything else Results in anger and confusion

Another way

there is another way
paul says pray without ceasing…….how can this be?
Prayer is about conversation in a relationship

Demello, Anthony – 4 stages of prayer
I talk you listen
I listen you talk
neither talks both listen
neither talks nor listens....enjoy the presence

Conversation

See the sky
I have learned something in the last 2 years that has totally changed my perception of prayer
when you pray Do you see the problems or do you see the good
If in your prayer life you look up, do you see the clouds or do you see the sky

Change
The Conversion of the Heart
Metamorphosis
[not simply turning from, but turning towards…………]
In the beginning we are indeed the subject and center of our prayers.
But in God’s time and in God’s way a revolution takes place in our heart.
Slowly, almost imperceptibly, there is a shift in our center of gravity.
We pass from thinking of God as part of our life to the realization that we are part of His life.
Mysteriously, God moves from the edges of our prayer experience to the center.
A conversion of the heart takes place, a transformation of the spirit.
It is a wonderful work of Divine Grace

Jesus prayed prayers that released him from his human wants
-father forgive them, they no not what they do
-yet not my will, but thy will be done

True prayer teaches us to be released from things and people who upset you so much…

"Father, I thank you for the people in my life who seem to bring more pain than joy, for I believe you have let our paths cross for important reasons. Thank you for the good things you want to do in my life through the things that bother me.

I'm so glad that you are also within me working to make me more like Jesus -- more patient, more gentle, more loving -- through the very things I dislike.
Goal of prayer = God
think of God as much as you can, as often as you can
quote page 13-Brother Lawrence

Pray remember what I have recommended to you, which is, to think often on GOD, by day, by
night, in your business, and even in your diversions. He is always near you and with you; leave
Him not alone. You would think it rude to leave a friend alone, who came to visit you: why then
must GOD be neglected? Do not then forget Him, but think on Him often, adore Him continually
live and die with Him; this is the glorious employment of a Christian; in a word, this is our
profession, if we do not know it we must learn it

Not his help, not his guidance, not is healing, but just him
In marriage, do I always want something from the partner, or do I just want ot spend time

when not primarily in prayer…..still give the moment to God
I thank you for the feeling that I have when I listen to the eagles sing seven bridges road
I thank you for the feeling that I have when I watch the superbowl with my friends
I thank you for the feeling that I feel when I am arguing with someone because it drives me back to you

we connected to God in prayer…..like by a rope.
1. tug of war
2. dog on a walk
3. ship to a pier

We are born asleep to God…..we walk around in a stupor…..being religious even…..but unaware, unconnected, out of touch
True prayer wakes us up to the reality of Gods deep love for us
True prayer wakes us up the reality of Gods availability & presence in our daily lives

Is it possible to pray without ceasing? Can we invite God to share more of our daily lives? Is there someone here who wants to find out?

To be with him
You have heard the story of the little boy who kept following his mother around the house, from one room to another, until she said: "What is it that you want?" The lad replied, "Nothing, I just want to be where you are."

That, is prayer. We simply want to be where God is
Does this feel good? It is what we are created for

Result
Your light will break forth
Finger pointing is over
Malicious talk is done
You will become known as a healer, one who restores the breach
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What if I prayed and did not ask for gods healing
What if I prayed and did not ask for gods guidance, answers, assistance
What if I prayed, and all I asked for was God himself.
If I found him, wouldn’t I have everything that I needed?

Conculsion
Prayer is the one thing all Christians can do. We can not all sing. We can not all teach Sunday School. We can not all preach. We can not all even read our Bibles. But we can all pray.

Separate yourself- contemplate – experience God
Its like dancing with Jesus

the salt figurine wandered over the earth until it fame to the sea. Where it remained lost in the comtemplation of that huge mass of water and waves tat it had never seen before. Who are you, it finally asked the sea. Com on in and see, said the sea with a smile. Without further ado, the salt man entered the sea and the deeper it went, the more it dissolved until only a tiny amount of its body was left. Just before being completely dissolved, the salt figure exclaimed, now I know who you are

God is waiting. When you are ready, just wade into the water.
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Take, O Lord, and receive my entire liberty, my memory, my understanding and my whole will. All that I am and all that I possess You have given me: I surrender it all to You to be disposed of according to Your will. Give me only Your love and Your grace; with these I will be rich enough, and will desire nothing more. Amen.
St. Ignatius Loyola
Lora storey blessings song=-=-=

The song “Blessings” is about just that: the redefining of blessings in my own life. As a child, I grew up hearing songs like “God Bless America” and saying “the blessing” every time we ate a meal. Although patriotic songs and mealtime prayers are wonderful, they may have conveyed a subtle message that was decidedly unhelpful – they taught me that God’s blessings always arrive in the form of health, happiness, and prosperity.

But, where does that leave the other things that come into our lives? If I experience hardship or heartbreak, am I being punished? If my husband has poor health, is that from God? Some may think so.

When my husband Martin was first diagnosed with a brain tumor, well-meaning strangers asked him if he had any unconfessed sin in his life, for surely God would not curse him for no reason. But the more my husband and I looked to God’s Word, the more we came to realize that sometimes God actually blesses His children through the absence of the very things they pray for.

Paul asked God to remove the thorn from His flesh; instead, God chose to teach Paul about a power that is only made perfect in weakness. Job deeply mourned the loss of his possessions and his health, yet he learned to worship God in the midst of his nakedness.

So how do I define blessings now? I’m still no t sure. Every “what if” of the song “Blessings” symbolizes a thousand questions God seems to have left unanswered. But this I do know: There is a depth of intimacy with God that can only be known through suffering. There is a reliance on Him that can only be experienced when everything else around my soul seems to give way. And if that’s what it takes to make this stubborn child cling to that old rugged cross, you can have your prosperity.

I’d rather have Jesus.