BIG PRAYER: Teach me to pray
Prayer is essential
1 Thessalonians 5:17
17 pray constantly,
Effective prayer is bold, persistent, and expectant
Hebrews 4:14-16
14Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—let us hold fast to our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.
BIG IDEA: Prayer is communion with a
Luke 11:11-13
11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”
Matthew 7:7-11
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 Who among you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him.
Prayer is about getting to know
Psalms 119:11
1I have treasured your word in my heart so that I may not sin against you.
Psalms 86:11
Teach me your way, Lord, and I will live by your truth. Give me an undivided mind to fear your name.
God is better than earthly
Romans 8:15
15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear. Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father!”
Galatians 4:6
6 And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!”
Now what’s interesting is in Matthew’s version of this teaching, Jesus says, how much more your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him. And doubtless Jesus taught exactly those words, God loves giving good gifts. But here in Luke 11, Luke records Jesus saying, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him, which doubtless Jesus also taught? So we receive good gifts from God and we receive the Holy Spirit from God. And think about the wonder of what this means. –David Platt
The best gift from God is the
Ephesian 1:13-14
13 In him you also were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed. 14 The Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession, to the praise of his glory.
Romans 8:26-27
26 In the same way the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
A Christian who does not pray is like a prince in beggars clothes who stands but a few inches from His father’s throne and yet does not ask.
–Paul Washer
This Week I will:
Pursue Jesus by:
Point to Jesus by:
Memorize: Luke 11:13
Next Sunday: Joshua 5:1-12