Prayer: We Believe Better Than We Behave! John R. Mott & Jesus “More important than the most earnest thinking about a problem, more important than a personal interview to influence an individual, more important than addressing and swaying an audience – far more important than these and all other forms of activity is the act of coming into vital communion with God. It is indeed true that he that saves his time for prayer shall lose it. And he that loses his time for communion with God shall find it again in added blessing and power and fruitfulness.” “Apart from me you can do nothing… If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you.” John 15:5b, 7 The last command that Jesus gave his followers before he ascended into Heaven was to go to a prayer meeting together. Acts 1:4 Why do we believe better than we behave when it comes to praying together? I. We forget prayer is relational. (NOT transactional/impersonal/situational.) God makes relational prayer a condition of His response to us. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart (Jer. 29:13). II. We are spiritually numb because we tolerate sin. Isaiah 59:1-2 says, Indeed, the Lord’s hand is not too short to save, and His ear is not too deaf to hear. But your iniquities have built barriers between you and your God, and your sins have made Him hide [His] face from you so that He does not listen. Samson “did not know that the Lord had left him” (Judges 16:20) III. We do not understand prayer prepares us for spiritual warfare Eph. 6:10-13,18 – The Armor of God! If you leave off the powerful armament of persistent prayer, you will be quick work for the enemy, who will find a way to exploit that chink in your armor. IV. We crowd out prayer with other things Jesus, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus in Bethany. “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her.” (v. 41-42). Psalm 46:10 simply says, Be still, and know that I am God. (KJV) V. We think we can handle things ourselves James 4:1-2 says: “What is the source of the wars and the fights among you? Don’t they come from the cravings that are at war within you? You desire and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. You do not have because you do not ask.” You do not have because you do not ask. The picture we have of God in the Bible is of Someone who is eager, ready, and willing to bless us. “He rewards those who seek Him.” (Heb. 11:6)
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Prayer Tune Into God