When you Pray Part 2

Luke 11:1 [NASB], It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples."

 If Jesus and John the Baptist needed to pray, how much more do I?

 Psalm 27:4 [ESV], One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after:  that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in His temple.

 Psalm 27:8 [NLT], My heart has heard You say, "Come and talk with me."  And my heart responds, "Lord, I am coming." 

 "The Lord is inviting you - and me - to come home, to come home to where we belong, to come home to that for which we were created.  His arms are stretched out wide to receive us.  His heart is enlarged to take us in.  For too long we have been in the far country:  a country of noise and hurry and crowds, a country of climb and push and shove, a country of frustration and fear and intimidation.  And He welcomes us home:  home to serenity and peace and joy, home to friendship and fellowship and openness, home to intimacy and acceptance and affirmation."     -Robert Foster

 “Consistent prayer creates spiritual momentum in our hearts.”

 Never asked Him how to...

• teach or preach

• cast out a demon

• raise the dead

• heal the sick

• speak to a storm

• walk on water

• multiply food

• turn water into wine

 The disciples recognized the key to Jesus' life and ministry was solely connected to His relationship with the FATHER.

 Luke 11:2-4 [NKJV], So He said to them, "When you pray, say:  Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.  Your kingdom come.  Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 3 Give us day by day our daily bread. 4 And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.  And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."

 The model shows us...

• personal Father

• He holy

• its about His will

• provides daily (pray daily)

• pure heart

• holiness

Luke 11:5-8 [NLT], Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story:  "Suppose you went to a friend's house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread.  You say to him, 6 'A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.' 7 And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, 'Don't bother me.  The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed.  I can't help you.' 8 But I tell you this - though he won't do it for friendship's sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.

 "A study found that experiencing three or more incidents of intense stress within a year triples the death rate in socially isolated middle aged men, but has no impact on the death rate of men who have many close relationships."  

 James 5:13-16 [TPT], Are there any believers in your fellowship suffering great hardship and distress?  Encourage them to pray!  Are there happy, cheerful ones among you?  Encourage them to sing out their praises! 14 Are there any sick among you?  Then ask the elders of the church to come and pray over the sick and anoint them with oil in the name of our Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will heal the sick and the Lord will raise them up, and if they have committed sins they will be forgiven. 16 Confess and acknowledge how you have offended one another and then pray for one another to be instantly healed, for tremendous power is released through the passionate, heartfelt prayer of a godly believer! 

Luke 11:9-10 [NLT], "And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for.  Keep on seeking, and you will find.  Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives.  Everyone who seeks, finds.  And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened."

 Luke 18:1 [TPT], One day Jesus taught the apostles to keep praying and never stop or lose hope.

Jesus acknowledged the Father doesn't always answer prayer immediately.

Luke 11:11-13 [TPT], "Let me ask you this:  Do you know of any father who would give his son a snake on a plate when he asked for a serving of fish?  Of course not! 12 Do you know of any father who would give his daughter a spider when she had asked for an egg?  Of course not! 13 If imperfect parents know how to lovingly take care of their children and give them what they need, how much more will the perfect heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit's fullness when his children ask him."