Prayer is one of the foundational handholds to Christianity. When you start rock climbing the first thing that you do is find where good handholds are. Without a firm and solid grip, you won’t be able to climb up the wall. Bible reading and Prayer are the first handholds we all should find as believers. Then, as we learn in the following weeks, we’ll be able to add things to our faith called disciplines to work our way through the journey of faith.
While we were stuck in sin, Christ died for us. That we may believe in Him and receive eternal life through his death and resurrection. Then we are given a new life, and we are given the Holy Spirit, so our lives don’t stay the same as before, but we may be more like Christ each day. Bible Reading and Prayer is the start of that taking place in our lives. We read the bible to learn about God and what He desires. We then pray to God asking Him to help us be more like Christ. And then God reveals to us ways in which we need to grow our faith. Through patience, through sharing our faith, through fasting, through discipleship, and so many more.
Prayer is the first handhold in our life. If we imagine our faith journey like climbing this very small rock wall. We need to learn and to work the muscle of prayer in our life if we are to experience Gods spirit move in incredible ways. It’s work.
Praying takes a certain amount of effort and discipline. But it’s so worth it. Gods peace falls on you. Your burdens may not be lifted but God comes alongside you and walks with you when you invite him into your life through prayer.
Prayer is intentionally communicating with the Creator and King over all things
pastor Caleb Kimball
about what you are experiencing and what your needs are;
based on our understanding of who God is.
Building off of last weeks 4 sections of prayer (those being praise, needs, repent, and protection). I’m going to give you scripture passages you can read as a prayer to God.
Praise
- Psalm 96
- Psalm 145
- Psalm 103
Needs (Ourselves and Others)
- Proverbs 30:8-9
- Psalm 91
Repent
- Psalm 51:1-2
- James 4:8-10
- 2 Chronicles 7:14
Protection
- Zechariah 2:5
- Psalm 23
- 2 Thessalonians 3:3
Excerpts from Pastor Caleb Kimball's sermon notes.