Lifelines, Part 1

Prayer is a lifeline to life change. Unfortunately, many followers of Jesus struggle with this practice. But, as is so often the case, the practices that expose us initially are the same ones that change us eventually. You just have to keep practicing.

The Joy
The Belonging Co

As You Find Me
Hillsong UNITED

Touch of Heaven
Hillsong Worship

Practice exposes us…

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Making a mess is an essential part of making progress.

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If you want to change, you need to keep practicing.

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Practice changes us.

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Richard Foster
“God has given us the Disciplines of spiritual life as a means of receiving his grace. The Disciplines allow us to place ourselves before God so that he can transform us…”

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The practices that expose us initially are the same ones that change us eventually.

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Value: Jesus
Practice: Prayer
Rhythm: Daily

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Value: People
Practice: Community
Rhythm: Weekly

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Value: Kingdom
Practice: Hospitality
Rhythm: Monthly

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Thomas Merton
“We do not want to be beginners. But let us be convinced of the fact that we will never be anything else but beginners all our life!”

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Ou experiences with prayer don’t match our expectations.

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Mark 11:24
“…everything that you request in prayer, everything you ask God for, believe that you receive it, and it will happen for you.”

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John 16:23
“…I’m telling you the solemn truth: whatever you ask the father in my name, he will give you.”

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Matthew 7:7-11
“Ask and it will be given to you! Search and you will find! Knock and the door will be opened to you! Everyone who asks receives; everyone who searches finds; everyone who knocks will have the door opened. Don’t you see? Supposing your son asks you for bread–which of you is going to give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish–which of you is going to give me a serpent? Well then: if you know how to give good gifts to your children, evil as you are, how much more will your father in heaven give good things to those who ask him?”

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John Mark Comer
“Prayer, if we understand it as communion with God, is the goal of life…Prayer, if we understand it as a practice, is the means by which we set aside dedicated time to intentionally be with God, in order to become like Him and partner with Him to do what He’s called us to do in the world.”

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The practices that expose us initially are the same ones that change us eventually.

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Praying Rhythmically and Praying Thematically.

Morning – Surrender/Worship
Midday – Gratitude
Night – Examen (Repentance)

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Mark 1:35
“Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up and slipped out to a solitary place to pray.”

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The Lord’ Prayer
Mathew 6:9-13

Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be your name,
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven
Give us today our daily bread
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors
And let us not come into temptation
But deliver us from the evil one

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Luke 5:15-16
“But the news about Jesus spread all the more, and great crowds came to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses. Yet He frequently withdrew to the wilderness to pray.”

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Timothy Gallagher
“Recognizing God’s loving gifts and recognizing God’s loving presence through them – summarized by the word ‘gratitude’ – lies at the very heart of our entire relationship with God.”

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Psalm 103:1-5

“My soul, bless the LORD, and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
My soul, bless the LORD, and do not forget all his benefits.
He forgives your iniquity,
He heals all your diseases
He redeems your life from the Pit;
He crowns you with faithful love and compassion.
He satisfies you with good things;
Your youth is renewed like the eagle.

Psalm 103:20-22

…Bless the LORD, all his angels of great strength, who do his word, obedient to his command.
Bless the LORD, all his armies, his servants who do his will.
Bless the LORD, all his works in all the places where he rules.
My soul, bless the LORD!

God right now, I’m grateful for:
1.
2.
3.

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Psalm 139:23-24
Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. “See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

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The Book of Common Prayer

Most merciful God,
We confess that we have sinned against you
In thought, word, and deed,
By what we have done,
And by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
Have mercy on us and forgive us;
That we may delight in your will,
And walk in your ways,
To the glory of your Name. Amen.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” -1 John 1:9

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