Characteristics of Christ

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Characteristics of Christs Church

• How shall we tell the difference?

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Acts 112-14

•  Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount
  called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath
  day's journey away. 13 And when they had entered,
  they went up to the upper room, where they were
  staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew,
  Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James
  the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and
  Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one
  accord were devoting themselves to prayer,
  together with the women and Mary the mother of
  Jesus, and his brothers.

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Acts 423-24, 31
And they devoted themselves to the apostles'
teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of
bread and the prayers. Acts 242

• When they were released, they went to their
  friends and reported what the chief priests and
  the elders had said to them. 24 And when they
  heard it, they lifted their voices together to
  God
• And when they had prayed, the place in which they
  were gathered together was shaken, and they were
  all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to
  speak the word of God with boldness.

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Acts 63-4
And they devoted themselves to the apostles'
teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of
bread and the prayers. Acts 242

• Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you
  seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and
  of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this
  duty. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer
  and to the ministry of the word.

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Lets Get Out Of The Way What Prayer Is NOT

• I Corinthians 1433
• For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.

• Just obedience

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Lets Get Out Of The Way What Prayer Is NOT

• Just obedience
• Something to do, but dont expect an answer

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Lets Get Out Of The Way What Prayer Is NOT

• Just obedience
• Something to do, but dont expect an answer
• Available to ALL men

• Matthew 77-8
•  Ask, and it will be given to you seek, and you
  will find knock, and it will be opened to
  you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the
  one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it
  will be opened. 

Proverbs 289 If one turns away his ear from
hearing the law,even his prayer is an
abomination.
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Lets Get Out Of The Way What Prayer Is NOT

• Just obedience
• Something to do, but dont expect an answer
• Available to ALL men
• A sermon to the lost, rebuke/instruction to
  others

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Lets Get Out Of The Way What Prayer Is NOT

• Matthew 67
• And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases
  as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will
  be heard for their many words. 

• Just obedience
• Something to do, but dont expect an answer
• Available to ALL men
• A sermon to the lost, rebuke/instruction to
  others
• Empty words

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What IS Prayer?

• By definition? To ask, desire, make request,
  entreat

Nehemiah 14   As soon as I heard these words I
sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I
continued fasting and praying before the God of
heaven.  Romans 826  Likewise the Spirit helps
us in our weakness. For we do not know what to
pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself
intercedes for us with groanings too deep for
words.

1. An expression of feeling

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What IS Prayer?

• By definition? To ask, desire, make request,
  entreat

1 Thessalonians 516-18    Rejoice
always, 17 pray without ceasing,18 give thanks in
all circumstances for this is the will of God in
Christ Jesus for you. joy and thanksgiving 

1. An expression of feeling

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What IS Prayer?

• By definition? To ask, desire, make request,
  entreat

2 Corinthians 26-7   For such a one, this
punishment by the majority is enough, 7 so you
should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or
he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.  James
516 Therefore, confess your sins to one another
and pray for one another, that you may be healed.
The prayer of a righteous person has great power
as it is working Sorrow for sin

1. An expression of feeling

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What IS Prayer?

• By definition? To ask, desire, make request,
  entreat

1 Peter 312   For the eyes of the Lord are on
the righteous, and his ears are open to their
prayer.   1 John 322 and whatever we ask we
receive from him, because we keep his
commandments and do what pleases him.  Romans
626  but the Spirit himself intercedes for us
with groanings too deep for words.  From the
heart

1. An expression of feeling
2. An expression of children to their Father

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What IS Prayer?

• By definition? To ask, desire, make request,
  entreat

1 Corinthians 149, 16  how can anyone in the
position of an outsider say Amen to your
thanksgiving when he does not know what you are
saying?  if with your tongue you utter speech
that is not intelligible, how will anyone know
what is said?

1. An expression of feeling
2. An expression of children to their Father

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What IS Prayer?

• By definition? To ask, desire, make request,
  entreat

1. An expression of feeling
2. An expression of children to their Father
3. An expression from children in need of Father

Matthew 611  Give us this day our daily
bread Physical needs Hebrews 416  Let us then
with confidence draw near to the throne of grace,
that we may receive mercy and find grace to help
in time of need. And spiritual needs
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But, Why be devoted to it?

1. Its pleasing to the Father

Matthew 68-9a Do not be like them, for your
Father knows what you need before you ask
him. 9 Pray then like this Our Father in
heaven,
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But, Why be devoted to it?
Communing with God in prayer encourages us to
see situations as our Lord sees them, to become
more concerned about Gods will than our own, to
pray earnestly and authentically for His will to
be done rather than our own. Paul Cedar A LIFE
OF PRAYER

1. Its pleasing to the Father
2. Its strengthening to self

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But, Why be devoted to it?

1. Its pleasing to the Father
2. Its strengthening to self
3. It gives access to blessing

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But, Why be devoted to it?

1. Its pleasing to the Father
2. Its strengthening to self
3. It gives access to blessing
4. There wont be any strangers in Heaven

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But, Why be devoted to it?

1. Its pleasing to the Father
2. Its strengthening to self
3. It gives access to blessing
4. There wont be any strangers in Heaven
5. Because our God lives, hears, and answers prayer

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• Jeremiah 2913
• You will seek me and find me, when you seek me
  with all your heart.
• Psalm 43
• But know that the LORD has set apart the godly
  for himself the LORD hears when I call to him.
• Psalm 5015
• call upon me in the day of troubleI will
  deliver you, and you shall glorify me.

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His Answers are not always Yes

• Sometimes the answer is no
• Sometimes He delays the answer
• Sometimes He exceeds

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But, Why be devoted to it?

1. Its pleasing to the Father
2. Its strengthening to self
3. It gives access to blessing
4. There wont be any strangers in Heaven
5. Because our God lives, hears, and answers prayer

A better question might be, Why NOT be devoted to
it?