Prayer

7-14-2009


Never underestimate the power of prayer. There’s not a single thing God can’t do when we pray with pure hearts. He will never leave you, and he desires a relationship with you. He wants you to call his name.


I believe some of us don’t know how to pray, or even where to begin. We are bombarded by false teachers and hypocrites who have these hyped up super prayers that are geared for humans, so I figured we should discuss what the Bible tells us about prayer. First and foremost, EVERY prayer should be focused on the only audience, GOD. Remember your audience when you pray. Though humans might hear your prayer, they are not the audience. All prayers should be a conversation you have with God.


Second, pray expectantly with a pure heart. If you have a pure heart, know that God will answer your prayers. There are many times our prayers seem to go unanswered or aren’t answered when we want them to be, but remember, there is only one place of salvation and eternal peace and that’s at the foot of the cross. Why do bad things happen to good people? This question is asked over and over again. I often ask, why do good things happen for bad people? Having asked this question over and over again, I feel I’ve come to the answer. The only reward we should fix our eyes on is that of the eternal. Let’s not get caught up in the temporal happenings of the world. In the big picture, the temporal means nothing! Eternity in heaven means everything. Going back to the question “why do bad things happen to good people,” I think it’s important to remember, God knows what he’s doing. God never says OOPS.


It’s in Matthew 6:9-13 we hear what’s referred to as the “Lord’s Prayer”. This is the prayer Jesus taught the disciples. I have a baseball organization called the Dallas Patriots, and we have our kids pray before and after every game. After a prayer is completed, the entire team prays the Lord’s Prayer. I’ve had to remind the players the Lord’s Prayer is not a ritual or good luck charm. Focus on the words you are saying and make sure you comprehend what Jesus taught us through this prayer. As you pray, simply spill your heart to God. There’s no need to hold anything back, as you already knows what you are thinking anyways! If you need to confess do so right now. If you need help, ask him. Bring everything to the one person who cares more than you or I will ever know!


Application:
1. Read the “Lord’s Prayer” in Matthew 6:9-13.
2. Make time to pray daily for forgiveness, daily needs, the world, relationships, struggles, others, and anything else you feel led to talk with God about.