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Transcript

What is Prayer? · First15 Devotional

• 0:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: Today, we're going to look at what I believe is the most life-giving aspect of daily time alone with God, prayer.
• 0:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: There are so many ideas out there about what prayer should be.
• 0:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: Today, my hope is to clarify what prayer can mean for you and me in this space for creating for God's presence by looking at Scripture together.
• 0:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: And then ultimately, making space today to really pray.
• 0:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: My hope is that today, clarifies a pathway for us that we can walk every day into deeper relationship with God.
• 0:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: Welcome to the first 15 podcast.
• 1:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: Our scripture for today comes from first Corinthians 14 verse 15.
• 1:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: Scripture says, What am I to do?
• 1:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also.
• 1:29
  [SPEAKER_00]: I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.
• 1:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: Prayer is one of the most fulfilling aspects of Christian spirituality.
• 1:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's time set aside to simply listen to God, to place our lives and his hands, and to pray in response to the desires of His heart.
• 1:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: In 1st, Thessalonians 517, Scripture tells us to pray without ceasing
• 2:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: In John 14, verses 13 and 14, Jesus' states, whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
• 2:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
• 2:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: But perhaps the most important scripture on prayer is when Jesus taught us to pray in Matthew 6, verses 5 through 15,
• 2:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: Because first 15 is meant to stir your affections for God and lead you to a transformational encounter with Him, I won't walk you through an exegesis of verses 9 through 15.
• 2:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: There are numerous resources to assist you in coming to a better understanding of the depth and application of Jesus' model prayer.
• 2:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: However, I want to focus your attention on verses five through eight and lead you to a broader definition of prayer so that your prayer life would be marked by God's nearness.
• 3:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: Let's walk through that text and then apply it as a model we will use daily in verse 15.
• 3:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: In Matthew 6, verses 5 through 8, Jesus says, And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites.
• 3:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners that they may be seen by others.
• 3:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: Truly I say to you, they have received their reward.
• 3:44
  [SPEAKER_00]: But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your father who is in secret.
• 3:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: and your father who sees in secret will reward you.
• 3:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do.
• 4:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: For they think that they will be heard for their many words, do not be like them.
• 4:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: For your father knows what you need before you ask him.
• 4:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: First, Jesus teaches us that we are to pray in secret.
• 4:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: What an amazing God we have that He desires to meet with us in secret.
• 4:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: All of us have a longing to know our Creator in a way that no one else is allowed into.
• 4:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: We each need a secret place with our Maker.
• 4:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's vital to our relationship with God that we set aside time to listen to Him and talk with Him one on one.
• 4:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's in this secret place that our relationship with Him will go deeper, and our lives will be radically transformed.
• 5:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: Next, Jesus teaches not to heap up empty phrases just to be heard for our many words.
• 5:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: Jesus makes it clear that prayer is more about relationship with the Father than the words we say.
• 5:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: Prayer is more about the heart than the lips.
• 5:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's about opening our hearts to God and letting him show us his plan for transformation in both our lives and in the world around us.
• 5:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: Mother Teresa said, prayer is not asking, prayer is putting oneself in the hands of God at his disposition and listening to his voice in the depths of our hearts.
• 5:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: CS Lewis wrote, I don't pray to change God.
• 5:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: I pray because I have to.
• 5:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: I pray because I can't help myself.
• 6:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: It doesn't
• 6:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: Do you need God today?
• 6:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: Do you need His presence in your life?
• 6:15
  [SPEAKER_00]: Do you need to be changed through an encounter with your Heavenly Father?
• 6:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: Take time and guided prayer to place yourself in the hands of God and allow Him to change you by His goodness and love.
• 7:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: As we begin, take a moment to place yourself in the hands of God, open your heart to God, and surrender your life to Him that all of you would be completely His.
• 7:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: Jeremiah 18 verses 2 through 6 says, arise and go down to the Potter's house, and there I will let you hear my words.
• 7:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: so I went down to the Potter's house, and there he was working at his wheel, and the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the Potter's hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the Potter to do.
• 7:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: Then the word of the Lord came to me.
• 7:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, House of Israel, can I not do with you as this Potter has done declares the Lord?
• 8:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: behold, like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand, oh house of Israel.
• 8:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: And next, take some time to listen to God.
• 8:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: Ask him to lay something on your heart that he wants to accomplish in prayer today.
• 9:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: It could be prayer for yourself for someone you know or for the nation in which you live.
• 9:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: Sometimes God speaks with words, sometimes an inclination or a thought.
• 9:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: Pay attention to anything the spirit lays on your heart and trust his leading.
• 9:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: Revelation 3 verse 20 says, Behold, I stand at the door and knock.
• 9:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him and eat with him, and he with me.
• 10:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: and last, pray for whatever the Spirit puts on your heart, ask God how to pray for it, ask God for His will, through prayer we align ourselves with the heart of God and agree with what He wants to do in us and in the world around us.
• 11:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: Often times we make prayer far more complex than the Lord ever intended.
• 11:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: The weight of change does not rest on our shoulders.
• 11:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: God alone heals and transforms.
• 11:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: Just as salvation is about receiving the gift Jesus already paid for.
• 11:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: Prayer is about saying yes to what God already wants to do.
• 11:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: We never have to beg him for mercy or compassion.
• 11:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: He is a father filled with grace to a level we will never comprehend.
• 12:04
  [SPEAKER_00]: But it's in prayer that we discover the grace God has and open ourselves up to be transformed by it.
• 12:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: and through prayer.
• 12:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: We agree with God's heart for others that we might co-labor with him in what he longs to see happen in the world around us.
• 12:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: May your prayer life be filled with the fullness of God and his powerful love.
• 12:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: Thanks so much for listening to today's podcast.
• 13:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm Josh Miller with 1st of Team.
• 13:10
  [SPEAKER_00]: Growing in our communication with God is a process similar to every other relationship in our life.
• 13:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: And just like every other relationship, communication is an absolutely foundational part of a thriving relationship.
• 13:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: So devoting time every day to sitting down and conversing with God will make all the difference in how connected you are with Him, how you abide in Him.
• 13:39
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's what I'm so grateful to be hosting this space for God to fill with his voice, his presence, and his love every day.
• 13:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you haven't already, make sure to subscribe to the podcast so you won't miss an episode.
• 13:55
  [SPEAKER_00]: And we'd love to hear how this is impacting your life.
• 13:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: Feel free to leave a review on whatever podcast platform you're on, or you can send us an email at podcast at first15.org.
• 14:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: Have a wonderful rest of your day and may God bless you as you seek him.