Basic ChristianitySecuring the Foundation

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Previous Lessons

1. Who is a Christian R. Alawaye

2. Christianity & Other Religions J. Dew

3. Worship the King R. Alawaye

4. Deeper into the Word G. Hayes

A Powerful Prayer LifeBasic Christianity SeriesLesson 5 – Perry Parks

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Topics An All Powerful &Listening God

The Reward of Prayer

The Requirement of Prayer

Obtaining what’s Missing

A God that Listens

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Psalm 8: 3 -5“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars,  which you have set in place,4 what is mankind that you are mindful of them,  human beings that you care for them?”

An all-powerful God Listens?!

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Frightfully Powerful God

And he wants to talk to US?!

Designed and created powerful universe

All Held together just at His Word

Powerful & Gentle…God wants to interact

The Reward

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Ecclesiastes 3:11“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”

God left an eternal hole

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The Great Need…

True meaning

Satisfying relationships

Fulfilling purpose

Everyone is looking for fulfillment!

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Genesis 15:1“Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”

Only God can fill the hole…

…Available always through Prayer

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Philippians 4:6-8“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Cure to anxiety…sense of peace

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The Great Reward…

Totally Anchored DOWN

Completely Filled UP

Sign me up!!

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Two Questions:

What are HIS Requirements for Prayer?

What can I do if I do not have them?

Knowing where we are and where to go

What does He require?

Needs for Growth

Soil Water Sunlight

BeliefSubmissio

nHumility

Apple Tree Prayer Life

All focused on Him

Belief

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Hebrews 11:6“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

No belief, no fruit

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He speaks…we are certain

All good means All good (Rom 8:28)

Obstacle: Our understanding

Depending on understanding drives doubt

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James1:6“But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.”

Doubt removes our anchor(Peter walking on and sinking in water)

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Hebrews 11:17-19 By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18 even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” 19 Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.

Apply reason to fit God , not our understanding

Submission

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James 2:19You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

Demons believe, but do not submit

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Hebrews 5:7-9 During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8 Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered 9 and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him

God shows no favoritism…even for His Son

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Ps 66:18If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened;

Without submission the Tree cannot grow

Romans 8:7 the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.

Humility

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Luke 18:9-14 Parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector

Pharisees Prayer

Believed God

Submitted to his Word

Not Humble before Him

What it takes…

Belief take Courage

Submission takes Sacrifice

Humility is required for Mercy

Without Humility we Pray in Vain

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Matt 9:10-13 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” 12 On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Question… Q: Is there anyone did NOT come to save?

A: No: All fall short…None Righteous (Rom 3:23-24)

No Humility = blind to your need

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What have we covered?An All Powerful &Listening God

The Reward we Seek

The Requirements Belief, Submission, and

Humility

One more Question to Ask…

What if we do not have what we need?

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Matt 25:1-13Parable of the Ten Virgins

Story about disciples in God’s Kingdom

Lacking what they needed to meet God

Tried to obtain it in the final hour

Excluded from the reward…the Relationship

Question… Q: What if we don’t see any oil in our lamps?

You must INVEST

A: Requires Time ,Focus, and Effort

Investing in Belief, Submission & Humility

What it takes…to believe

Daily Study of God’s Word

Don’t just read it…MEDITATE on it

Reason like Abraham – Heb 11:17-19

What it takes…to submit

Maintain Eternal Perspective – 2 Cor 4:17

Fear of God dwarfs fear of World – Luke 12:4-5

Count Cost of decision with God in equation

What it takes…to be humble

Remember your weaknesses – 1 Cor 15:9-10

Remember the Tax Collector – Luke 18:9-14

Be sobered by your deserved punishment

Food of a Powerful Prayer Life

Soil Water Sunlight

BeliefSubmissio

nHumility

Apple Tree Prayer Life

Summary

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A Power Prayer Life will… Fill us up (Eccl 3:11/ Gen 15:1)

Anchor us down (Phil 4:6-8)

Require Belief, Submission, and Humility Belief like Abraham (Heb 11:19) Submission like Jesus (Heb 5:7) Humility like Tax Collector (Lk 18:9-14)

Follow and grow into Jeremiah's Prophecy…

Require Time, Focus and Effort to develop

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Jeremiah 17:8But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,   whose confidence is in him. 8 He will be like a tree planted by the water    that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes;    its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

And to God be the Glory!