Jan. 28, 2024

"God is Good All the Time", "I Stand in Awe of You", "Create in Me a Clean Heart", "Standing on the Promises of God", "Thank You Jesus for the Blood Applied", "Lord I'll Worship Your Holy Name" Music is Licensed under CCLI Copyright #2723035 and Streaming Media #22024223 LicensesEncouragement from an Apostle: Pray Without Ceasing 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Summary: Pastor Dave talks about prayer and why it's important to communicate with God all the time. Prayer is like having a conversation with God, where we can acknowledge different things. Firstly, we acknowledge how amazing God is and praise Him for His greatness. We also admit our mistakes and ask God to help us fix them. Prayer is a way to recognize that we can't do everything on our own and that we need God's guidance in our lives. It's like relying on Him to show us the right path. But prayer is not just about talking, but also about listening to what God has to say. It's a two-way communication where we offer our thoughts and concerns to God and also listen for His guidance and wisdom. Prayer is like exchanging our desires with God's will. We ask Him for strength and peace in our weaknesses and chaos, and we offer our gratitude for His generosity and blessings in our lives. Pastor Dave also highlights the challenge of following Apostle Paul's instructions to rejoice always, pray without stopping, and give thanks in everything. However, praying without stopping doesn't mean we have to constantly repeat the same words. It means having a mindset of always depending on God, seeking Him throughout our day, and being aware of His presence in our lives. In conclusion, we are encouraged to pray regularly and have a personal connection with God. Prayer helps us acknowledge God's greatness, seek His guidance, and express our gratitude for His blessings. It's a way to rely on Him and build a strong relationship with Him.Key Takeaways: 1. Prayer is a form of communication with God, involving speaking to Him and listening to Him. 2. Prayer is an exchange with God where we offer our will and seek His will, our weakness for His power, our chaos for His peace, and our ideas for His ideas. 3. Prayer is consulting the Creator, seeking guidance and instruction from God, who knows us intimately and cares deeply for us. 4. In prayer, we acknowledge God's character and greatness, our brokenness and sinfulness, our dependence on Him, and His generosity in our lives. 5. "Pray without ceasing" does not mean constantly verbalizing prayers, but rather maintaining a continual attitude of dependence on and communication with God throughout each day.Sermon Notes: Encouragement from an Apostle Pray Without Ceasing 1 Thessalonians 5:17How often do you pray? When do you tend to pray? What do you pray about?Prayer is:In Prayer we acknowledge: God’s Character Our brokenness and sinfulness Dependence His generous givingWithout Ceasing: Constantly reoccurring Pattern of living Focused intentionA few how to tips: Renew Your Mind Regular Activity Review Scripture Remember Presence