practicing prayer

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practicing prayer
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What is prayer? How do I pray? Whats the
point of prayer? Does prayer work? When
should I pray? What should I pray for?
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One day Jesus was praying in a certain place.
When He finished, one of his disciples said,
Master, teach us to pray just as John taught his
disciples. Luke 111
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5 "And when you come before God, don't turn that
into a theatrical production either. All these
people making a regular show out of their
prayers, hoping for stardom! Do you think God
sits in a box seat? 6 "Here's what I want you to
do Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be
tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as
simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus
will shift from you to God, and you will begin to
sense his grace.
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7 "The world is full of so-called prayer warriors
who are prayer-ignorant. They're full of formulas
and programs and advice, peddling techniques for
getting what you want from God. 8 Don't fall for
that nonsense. This is your Father you are
dealing with, and he knows better than you what
you need. 9 With a God like this loving you, you
can pray very simply. Like this
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'Our Father in heaven, Reveal who you are. 10
Set the world right Do what's best as above,
so below. 11 Keep us alive with three square
meals. 12 Keep us forgiven with you and
forgiving others. 13 Keep us safe from ourselves
and the Devil. You're in charge! You can do
anything you want! You're ablaze in beauty! Yes.
Yes. Yes.' Matthew 65-13
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what is prayer? prayer is the act of
conversing with God - me speaking and God
listening - God speaking and me listening - being
in Gods presence
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how do i pray? 5 Jesus said, And when you
come before God, don't turn that into a
theatrical production either. All these people
making a regular show out of their prayers,
hoping for stardom! Do you think God sits in a
box seat? 6 Here's what I want you to do Find a
quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to
role-play before God. Just be there as simply and
honestly as you can manage.Matthew 65-6a
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with humility with simplicity with
honesty with confidence
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14 Now that we know what we have Jesus, this
great High Priest with ready access to God let's
not let it slip through our fingers. 15 We don't
have a priest who is out of touch with our
reality. He's been through weakness and testing,
experienced it all all but the sin. 16 So let's
walk right up to him and get what he is so ready
to give. Take the mercy, accept the help.Hebrews
414-16
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whats the point of prayer? 6b The focus will
shift from you to God, and you will begin to
sense his grace. Matthew 66b prayer is about
connecting to God prayer is about God
shaping you - through intimate conversation -
through the Bible - by Gods Holy Spirit
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prayer is about you joining in Gods Kingdom
work - prayer moves the hand of God - prayer
moves the heart of God
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. . . for God was moved to compassion when he
heard their groaning because of those who
afflicted and beat them. Judges 218b God was
moved by the prayers and that was the end of the
disaster. 2 Samuel 2425b As Manasseh prayed,
God was touched God listened and brought him
back to Jerusalem as king. 2 Chronicles
3313a God saw what the Ninevites had done,
that they had turned away from their evil lives.
He did change his mind about them. What he said
he would do to them he didn't do. Jonah 310
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Jesus example Going a little ahead, Jesus
fell on his face, praying, "My Father, if there
is any way, get me out of this. But please, not
what I want. You, what do you want?" Matthew 2639
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does prayer work? depends on your definition
of work 7 The world is full of so-called
prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They're
full of formulas and programs and advice,
peddling techniques for getting what you want
from God. 8 Don't fall for that nonsense. This is
your Father you are dealing with, and he knows
better than you what you need. Matthew 67-8
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does prayer work? - if youre looking for a
God-sized rabbits foot NO - if youre looking
for a relationship with the divine being who
has been pursuing you since before you were
born YES
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when should I pray? Pray all the time. 1
Thessalonians 517 Gods Holy Spirit is always
with us, and we should stay in constant
communion with Him theres never a time when
prayer is inappropriate - the sweetness of
praying with others is the connectedness we
gain from shared communion with God
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what should I pray for? whatevers on your
mind - good news, bad news, no news - happiness,
sadness, apathy
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what should I pray for? 6 Don't fret or worry.
Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and
praises shape your worries into prayers, letting
God know your concerns. 7 Before you know it, a
sense of God's wholeness, everything coming
together for good, will come and settle you down.
It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces
worry at the center of your life. Philippians
46-7
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what if Im too tired to pray? 26 Meanwhile,
the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's
Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we
don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't
matter. He does our praying in and for us, making
prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching
groans. 27 He knows us far better than we know
ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and
keeps us present before God. 28 That's why we can
be so sure that every detail in our lives of love
for God is worked into something good. Romans
826-28
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prayer is choosing daily to trust God more
fully
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replacing my perspective with Gods
perspective replacing my plans with Gods
plans replacing my dreams with Gods
dreams replacing my confidence in myself
with confidence in God replacing my kingdom
with Gods kingdom
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Jesus continued, 23 But the time is coming it
has, in fact, come when what you're called will
not matter and where you go to worship will not
matter. It's who you are and the way you live
that count before God. Your worship must engage
your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That's the
kind of people the Father is out looking for
those who are simply and honestly themselves
before him in their worship. 24 God is sheer
being itself Spirit. Those who worship him must
do it out of their very being, their spirits,
their true selves, in adoration. John 423-24
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todays challenge 33 Steep your life in
God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions.
Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all
your everyday human concerns will be met. Matthew
633
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todays challenge commit to meeting with God
throughout the day in prayer, asking Him to
reveal Himself to you, and asking Him to help
you as you trust Him more fully
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Our Father in heaven, Reveal who you are. 10 Set
the world right Do what's best as above, so
below. 11 Keep us alive with three square
meals. 12 Keep us forgiven with you and
forgiving others. 13 Keep us safe from ourselves
and the Devil. You're in charge! You can do
anything you want! You're ablaze in beauty! Yes.
Yes. Yes. Matthew 65-13