PRAYER - SIMPLY TALKING TO GOD

During our service Sunday, we continued looking at our Core Values focusing more specifically on Prayer. In the evening service, Lauren and team led us in an acoustic style worship which was really enjoyable – and I really had the sense that the congregation became more united through our praises.

Tim brought our attention to the value of prayer first by reading thru Matt 6:5-15 where Jesus teaches us to pray. He emphasized the importance of praying without ceasing – “Prayer,” he said, “is just simply talking to God.”

Tim also had us imagine the relationship we had with our family or friends right now. Based on the amount of time we spend “talking to God” each day, how deep of a relationship do we have with Him? Do we show up to our friends place demanding things right from the start? No! Our relationship is then based only on what you can get from the other person, not what you share together.

Similarly we can look at our own prayer life – and ask how we relate to God? When we pray do we simply demand things from Him? When He doesn’t answer the way we expect Him to, do we go away feeling as though He has let us down?

In John 15:7 Jesus says, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you”. This encourages us to get our hearts in line with what God wants, and as we do, we begin to long for the very things that God longs for as well.

An easy way to help us remember how to pray is using this method: A-C-T-S
A – Adoration (spend time adoring God, and placing Him where He deserves to be – Above all)
C – Confession (place things before God that get in the way of a deep relationship with Him [sin] and ask for His forgiveness)
T – Thanksgiving – (spend time praising God for what He has done in your life, and the blessings He has given)
S – Supplication (present your prayer requests before Him, now that your heart is in line with His)

As a church we practiced this method of prayer during the service. It was fantastic to be able to worship Him through prayer together as a body. At the end of the service, we spent time praying for those near us who requested it – and the worship team continued to play. I believe that this was truly a time of bonding us closer together as a family, as we offered our hearts back to Him, and I trust that God was pleased with our worship and prayer.

Looking forward to next Sunday’s Yorkie Celebration!