Sermons on Prayer (Page 4)

Talking with God When Pain Looms Large

Habakkuk lifts his voice to God in lament again but this time calls God’s attention to the unending pain that His people are suffering at the hand of their oppressors. How do we respond to God when it seems that our suffering is larger than we ever thought possible? What do we do? (Habakkuk 1:12-2:1) SERMON OUTLINE “I will stand at my watch…I will look to see what He will say to me.” (Habakkuk 2:1) Eyes on God (Habakkuk 1:12-13)…

Praying

(Acts 1:12-26) SERMON OUTLINE “They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. (Acts 1:14) Response of Disciples to Being Called (Acts 1:10-14) Response embraces the calling (encouragement from God) Response is unified (scattered when arrested) Response indicates growth of disciples (pride to humility) Prayer is Always Step #1 (Acts 1:14) To being close to Jesus Does not come naturally Recognition of where power resides In times of…

Glorify

John’s account (John 17:1-26) of Jesus’ final hours is crowned with prayer. The prayer is perhaps one of the most beautiful views into Jesus’ interior life with the Father and is even more powerful in light of the pending suffering to come. Jesus asks His Father that glory would stream from His suffering path to the Cross, through His disciples, and through His future followers in ages to come. SERMON OUTLINE After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and…

Praying in the Midst of Promises and Problems

Abraham and Sarah extend hospitality to three divine visitors, where the promise is reaffirmed again. Sarah thinks it’s funny. At the same time, judgment is coming down on Sodom, where Lot lives, and Abraham bargains with God about these things. This will not include much reflection on the final chapter of Lot’s story, which ends with all the typical messiness of those whose lives are turned upside down by loss and grief. How do we live, like Abraham, as a…

How to Pray Effectively

A standalone message on prayer from 1 Kings 18. Sermon Outline “Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.” (James 5: 17-18) What is prayer? Prayer is simply two-way communication with God Prayer is not made so that God can find out what we need…