Ask | 11/6/22
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. —1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 (NIV)
46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”
So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” 50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.
51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.
The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”
52 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road. —Mark 10:46–52 (NIV)
12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. —John 14:12–14 (NIV)
BIG IDEA: GOD WANTS US TO ASK
2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. —James 4:2 (NIV)
“We are God’s partners in the great project of creation, and we exercise this extraordinary privilege primarily through prayerful imagination, and secondarily through practical innovation.” —- Pete Greig. How to Pray
THOUGHT 1: ASK FOR
15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. —John 15:15 (NIV)
43 Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God. —Luke 18:43 (NIV)
THOUGHT 2: ASK FOR
I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— —1 Timothy 2:1 (NIV)
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. —Ephesians 6:18 (NIV)
“The real business of your life as a saved soul is intercessory prayer… . Prayer does not fit us for the greater works; prayer is the greater work.” —- Oswald Chambers
1: Get
2: Get
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, —Ephesians 3:20 (NIV)
3: Get
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. —Romans 8:26–27 (NIV)
4: Get in
19 “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” —Matthew 18:19–20 (NIV)
16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. —James 5:16 (NIV)
THOUGHT 3: KEEP
9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. —Colossians 1:9–12 (NIV)
8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. —Galatians 6:8–9 (NIV)
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. —Philippians 4:6 (NIV)
ACTION POINT: START A PRAYER LIST
Download How to Maintain a Prayer List from 24-7 prayer
GROUP QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER:
WHAT DID WE LEARN:
1) What do we learn about God from this week’s talk?
(Character: What are God’s attributes? Conduct: How does God act? Concerns: What does God value?)
2) What do we learn about people?
(What does it mean to be created in the image of God? What does the passage reveal about the fallen condition of humanity? What does a redeemed life look like?)
3) What do we learn about relating to God?
(What should we give God praise for? Is there a sin I need to confess? What promises do I need to believe?)
4) What do we learn about relating to others?
(What does asking teach about interacting rightly with others? What does asking teach about reconciling with others? What does asking teach about loving, serving and caring for others?)
WHAT CAN WE APPLY:
1) What does God want me to think or understand from the talk this week?
2) What does God want me to believe?
3) What does God want me to desire?
4) What does God want me to do?
