SERMON IN ACTION (SIA) Sermon Date: June 1, 2014 Scripture: Acts 1: 12-14 Scriptural Focus: PRAYER Sermon Highlights: • Prayer = critically important to Christians • Prayer = communication with God • Prayer = solemn request for help, sincere expression of thanks, exercise of my faith, petition in the hope things will get better • Prayer = privilege of touching God the Father through His Son Jesus Christ • Prayer = the process by which we practice the presence of God – where pride is abandoned, hope is lifted up and supplication is made • Prayer = rehearsal to learn my part, get it right until it becomes me & I have become it • Prayer is where I assume the greatest sense of humility and claim complete dependence on God • Prayer is the exercise of faith that God is and the hope that things will change and get better • Prayers of the righteous are ALWAYS answered • Function of prayer = Change the nature of the one praying (me), NOT to influence God • Purpose & Point of prayer = Change me & align me with God Why pray? 1) To rid myself of my own will. Its challenging but I must get myself out of the way. God does not need my help! My want = my work. My work = prayer 2) To know/seek Gods will for my life. Gods will can be found in Gods Word 3) To secure the strength to DO Gods will for my life. For Gods sake! 4) To be at peace • Unanswered prayer = God doesnt need to change anything! If I knew what God knows no change is necessary • God answers prayers through process: steps, orders, instruction. Prayer is Gods process for the answers we seek • If I AM not willing to change, I shouldnt expect my prayers to be answered • If I AM not working on what I am praying about, I am not praying about it • If my behavior contradicts my words I am not praying • Am I praying to hear from God or to hear from ME? • I must change, THEN things change! • Prayer grows me spiritually to the point where my problems/challenges will seem/feel/be small (as how the streets we grow up on appear to us - when we go away, grow up and return…they haven’t changed, we’ve just grown up!) • Keep praying Suggested Activities: 1) Daily affirmations: say these powerfully, passionately and purposefully! Say as many times per day as you can. Prayer changes me! I change, things change! I will keep praying! Not my will but thy will be done! I must follow Gods process! I need to change, NOT God! 2) Take the temperature of your prayer life this week. Is it hot & on fire? Cold & dead? Keep a record of your prayer time. Who is doing the most talking? Are your petitions protest in disguise? Are you praying to hear from God or to hear from me? Am I working on changing? AM I CHANGING? (How do you know?) 3) If you dont already, challenge yourself to pray out loud at least once this week. 4) Share the highlights of this week’s sermon with someone else 5) Re-read Acts 1:12-14. Memorize this weeks focus verse, verse 14. God bless you!
Posted on: Tue, 03 Jun 2014 17:52:34 +0000
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