"Just Keep Praying"

"Just Keep Praying"  James 5:16-18, April 27^th , 2014

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A.  Why is it so hard to Pray?

1. Inappropriate view of Life.

> When we attribute God’s providence to coincidence.

                   “That wasn’t God Working, that was just chance”

>>Everything cause and effect. No outside forces.

2. Inappropriate application of theology

         

Omniscience – “God is all Knowing”   Matthew 6:32

“If God knows everything already, what profit is there in telling Him these things through prayer.”

The Answer:  “God does not ask us to tell him our needs that he may learn about them, but in order that we may be capable of receiving what he is preparing to give.”  Augustine

>Sovereignty - God is in charge of everything

If everything is foreordained and no one can change God’s mind or decree, why pray?

The Answer.          James 4:2

Prayer is a God-ordained means to reach a God-ordained ends. The means are never separated from the ends. Prayer gives us significant participation in the outworking of God’s plan.

3.  Practical Frustrations

Talking to an invisible (and seemingly silent) God

Laziness.  Prayer takes work. With the effort it takes, it is easy to skip it.     

Activism. Sometimes we feel like we are doing nothing when we are praying.       

Distractions.

Disillusionment

We get disillusioned with unanswered prayer, We think too narrowly about how God answers. We don’t like taking NO for an answer.

Self-sufficiency. Praying only when we get into a jam.

4. Satanic Opposition.

The devil does not want you praying.....  Ephesians 6:10-13

B.  What does God-pleasing prayer look like?

1. It acknowledges God’s options.

>Grant as requested

>Grant,  but in a different way.

>Grant, but at a different time.

>Refuses to Grant.

2. It avoids some negative conditions

>Wrong attitudes  Prayer that is self-serving, superstitious

Matthew 6:5-7
>Wrong Motives -  motives focus on the why we do something.

James 4:3

>Wrong life-style    Proverbs 28:9 ; Mark 11:25;1 Peter 3:7 What else does

3. It focuses on positive conditions

 “God -honoring prayers are shaped by a proper recognition of who He is and springs from a sincere and trusting heart that seeks only that which he Wants to give.”  Randy Roberts

>Faith     Hebrews 11:3

>Getting in line with God’s will1 John 5:14-15

>Obeying God   John 14:15

>In the name of Christ   John 14:13-14

In the name of means in the authority and power of that name. It is not to be a superstitious  addition

>Sincerity. 

>Importunity   Genesis 32:26

C.  Finally  Remember

>If you are feeling guilty about prayer,   DON’T. Start from where you are at.

>If you are feeling comforted about prayer, DON’T. Presumption is not                                            helpful. Thinking you have it all figured out.

>Remember: it is much more important to DO PRAYER, than it is to FEEL GOOD OR FEEL BAD about Prayer