Listen to Sermon: Don’t all religions lead to the same place? [26Mb]

1.  Our world has________changed____________

 

    a.  Two responses:

 

         i.  All religions are ____equally true______________

 

 

        ii.  Only our religion is ___fully true.. arrogantly.. judgmental _

 

 

Religion is man’s attempt to___re-connect with God______________

 

 

If all religions are equally true, then…

 

 

    a.  God is _________confused_________________

 

 

         b.  God play’s _______favorites_______________

 

 

         c.  All religions _____Lie________________

 

Christ is unique

 

 

    a.  _________Relationship with Christ based on grace________

 

 

 

         b.  ______Cross means God reaches to accept us even though we disagree..

 

 

 

         c.  ________God gives us a choice.___________

 

Deut 30, Genesis 2-3, I John 4:7-21, John 15:9ff

 

Our response

 

 

         a.  ___________unconditional love________________________

 

 

 

         b.  _________don’t limit God’s mercy_______________________

 

 

 

         c.  ___________point to Jesus_____________________________

Listen to Sermon: Why does God care about Sex? [38Mb]

Listen to Sermon: Why is the Bible so valued and so confusing? [31Mb]

Listen to Sermon: Conversations with God - Prayer… Keep it Simple [23Mb]

Prayer is simply a CONVERSATION with God.

Assumption: You have a DESIRE to pray.

Five Common Prayer Struggles

1. We tend to COMPARE ourselves to others.
2. We feel UNWORTHY.
3. We struggle with DISTRACTIONS.
4. We don’t feel the NEED.
5. We try to do it ALONE.

SIMPLE CONVERSATION

“Pray as you can, don’t pray as you can’t.” Don Chapman

9 “This, then, is how you should pray:

‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’”
Matthew 6:9-13 (NIV)

My Father in heaven…

Hallowed be your name…

Your kingdom come…

Your will be done…

Give me today my daily bread…

Forgive me and help me to forgive…

Lead and deliver me…

 

“He that prays and does not faint will come to recognize that to talk with God is more than to have all prayers granted- that it is the end of all prayer.” George MacDonald

Listen to Sermon: Conversations with God - Prayer… Am I Doing It Right? [28Mb]

Prayer is simply a CONVERSATION with God.

“Pray as you can; don’t pray as you can’t.” Don Chapman

1 Once when Jesus had been out praying, one of his disciples came to him as he finished and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”  Luke 11:1 (NLT)

Getting Prayer Right

Where and when should I pray?

21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”  Luke 3:21-22 (NIV)

16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.  Luke 5:16 (NIV)

12 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.   Luke 6:12 (NIV)

39 Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. 40 On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” 41 He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed,     Luke 22:39-41 (NIV)

33 When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals–one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.  Luke 23:33-34 (NIV)

Conversation with God can happen in ANY PLACE at ANY TIME!

What kind of attitude should I have when I pray?

God wants me to be:

• REAL.
• RELAXED.
• REVEALING.

God wants me to LISTEN.
What is my objective in praying?

As I pray I am PARTNERING with God to accomplish HIS WILL.

Conversation with God isn’t about a place, perfection or performance. Conversation with God is all about pursuing a DEEPER more INTIMATE relationship with Him.

Questions for Reflection:

Are you too worried about where and when?
Are you approaching prayer with the right attitude?
Do you ever stop talking and listen?
Are you performing for God or partnering with God as you pray?