Refocusing Our Faith Through Intentional Prayer and Trust

 

Summary

In today's gathering, we are reminded of the profound welcome God extends to us, inviting us into His presence to experience His love and goodness. As we embark on a new year, we are encouraged to refocus our lives and faith, prioritizing the presence and work of God in our lives. This journey of refocusing is not just about adopting healthier habits but about centering our attention on the Holy Spirit's work within us. We are called to make space for God, allowing Him to rearrange our priorities and mold our lives after Jesus.

In our exploration of Luke 11, we delve into the significance of prayer in cultivating a refocused faith. Prayer is not a passive act but requires intentionality and persistence. Just as relationships demand effort and energy, so does our communion with God. Jesus exemplifies this intentionality, choosing to engage in prayer despite life's demands. We are reminded that no one accidentally becomes a person of prayer; it is a deliberate choice to seek God's presence.

Persistence in prayer is emphasized through Jesus' teaching. We are encouraged to keep asking, seeking, and knocking, trusting that God hears and responds. This persistence is not about wearing God down but about aligning our hearts with His will. As we persist in prayer, the Holy Spirit reshapes our desires and perspectives, transforming our prayers and motives.

Finally, we are reminded of the Father's heart to give Himself away. God is a generous giver, and His nature is to bless His children. From the creation of humanity to the gift of Jesus, God's narrative is one of giving. As we pray, we engage with a God who delights in giving good gifts, though they may not always align with our expectations. Our prayers are an invitation to trust in His goodness and to be transformed by His love.

Key Takeaways:

- Intentionality in Prayer: Just as relationships require effort, so does our relationship with God. Prayer demands intentionality, a deliberate choice to engage with God and seek His presence in our lives. Jesus models this intentionality, showing us the importance of prioritizing communion with the Father. [36:18]

- Persistence in Prayer: Persistence is a powerful aspect of prayer. We are encouraged to keep asking, seeking, and knocking, trusting that God hears and responds. This persistence aligns our hearts with God's will, transforming our desires and perspectives. [42:23]

- God's Generosity: The Father's heart is to give Himself away. Throughout the biblical narrative, we see God's generous nature, from creation to the gift of Jesus. Our prayers connect us with a God who delights in giving good gifts to His children. [50:41]

- Transformation through Prayer: As we persist in prayer, the Holy Spirit reshapes our desires and perspectives. Our prayers become aligned with God's will, transforming our hearts and motives. This transformation is a testament to the power of prayer in our lives. [43:36]

- Trusting in God's Goodness: Prayer invites us to trust in God's goodness, even when our prayers are not answered as we expect. We are called to lay our burdens at His feet, trusting that He will work and respond according to His perfect will. [56:07]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [22:50] - God's Eternal Presence
- [23:59] - Invitation to Prayer
- [24:57] - New Year Refocus
- [26:03] - Healthy Living and Focus
- [30:29] - Teach Us to Pray
- [31:02] - Persistence in Prayer
- [32:14] - Cultivating a Life of Prayer
- [34:07] - Intentionality in Relationships
- [36:18] - Jesus' Model of Prayer
- [37:33] - Grace and Effort
- [38:31] - Building Holy Habits
- [40:52] - The Power of Persistence
- [42:23] - The Squeaky Wheel
- [48:25] - Radical Generosity
- [49:32] - God's Giving Nature
- [50:41] - The Imago Dei
- [55:10] - Persistent Prayer and Trust
- [56:07] - Laying Burdens at His Feet
- [56:59] - Invitation to Respond

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
- Luke 11:1-13: This passage focuses on Jesus teaching about prayer, emphasizing intentionality, persistence, and the generous nature of God.

#### Observation Questions
1. What specific request did the disciples make of Jesus in Luke 11:1, and how did Jesus respond? [30:29]
2. According to the sermon, what are some examples of how Jesus demonstrated intentionality in prayer? [36:18]
3. How does the parable of the friend at midnight in Luke 11 illustrate the concept of persistence in prayer? [31:02]
4. What analogy does Jesus use to describe God's generosity in Luke 11:11-13, and what does it reveal about God's character? [50:41]

#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the intentionality in prayer, as modeled by Jesus, challenge the way individuals approach their own prayer lives? [36:18]
2. In what ways does persistence in prayer align a person's heart with God's will, according to the sermon? [43:36]
3. How does the sermon suggest that God's generosity is reflected in the biblical narrative, and what implications does this have for believers today? [50:41]
4. What does the sermon imply about the relationship between prayer and transformation in a believer's life? [43:36]

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your current prayer habits. How can you incorporate more intentionality into your daily routine to prioritize communion with God? [36:18]
2. Think of a specific prayer request you have been persistent about. How has your perspective on this request changed over time, and what might God be teaching you through this persistence? [42:23]
3. Identify an area in your life where you need to trust in God's goodness, even if the outcome is not what you expect. How can you actively practice this trust in your prayers this week? [56:07]
4. Consider a time when you experienced God's generosity in an unexpected way. How can this experience encourage you to be more generous in your own life? [50:41]
5. What practical steps can you take to make space for God to rearrange your priorities and mold your life after Jesus? [26:03]
6. How can you encourage others in your small group to persist in prayer, especially when they feel discouraged or weary? [55:10]
7. Reflect on a relationship in your life that requires intentional effort. How can you apply the principles of intentionality and persistence from the sermon to strengthen this relationship? [34:07]

Devotional

Day 1: Intentionality in Prayer
Prayer is a deliberate act that requires effort and focus, much like nurturing a meaningful relationship. It is not something that happens by accident but is a conscious choice to engage with God and seek His presence in our lives. Jesus exemplifies this intentionality by prioritizing prayer despite the demands of life, showing us the importance of communion with the Father. By making prayer a priority, we open ourselves to the transformative work of the Holy Spirit, allowing God to shape our hearts and minds. [36:18]

"Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving." (Colossians 4:2, ESV)

Reflection: What specific time can you set aside each day this week to intentionally engage in prayer, and how can you ensure that this time remains a priority amidst your daily responsibilities?


Day 2: Persistence in Prayer
Persistence in prayer is a powerful practice that aligns our hearts with God's will. It involves continually asking, seeking, and knocking, trusting that God hears and responds. This persistence is not about convincing God to act but about allowing the Holy Spirit to reshape our desires and perspectives. As we persist in prayer, our motives and prayers are transformed, bringing us closer to God's heart and purposes. [42:23]

"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." (Galatians 6:9, ESV)

Reflection: Identify an area in your life where you have been hesitant to persist in prayer. How can you commit to bringing this concern before God consistently, trusting in His timing and wisdom?


Day 3: God's Generosity
God's nature is one of radical generosity, as seen throughout the biblical narrative from creation to the gift of Jesus. Our prayers connect us with a God who delights in giving good gifts to His children, even when they do not align with our expectations. This understanding invites us to trust in His goodness and to be open to the blessings He desires to bestow upon us. [50:41]

"He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" (Romans 8:32, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on a recent situation where you felt disappointed by an unanswered prayer. How can you shift your perspective to recognize God's generosity and trust in His perfect provision?


Day 4: Transformation through Prayer
As we persist in prayer, the Holy Spirit works within us to reshape our desires and perspectives. This transformation aligns our hearts with God's will, changing our motives and the nature of our prayers. The power of prayer lies in its ability to transform us, drawing us closer to God's purposes and enabling us to live more fully in His love and grace. [43:36]

"And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:18, ESV)

Reflection: Consider an area of your life where you desire transformation. How can you invite the Holy Spirit to work in this area through persistent and intentional prayer?


Day 5: Trusting in God's Goodness
Prayer invites us to trust in God's goodness, even when our prayers are not answered as we expect. We are called to lay our burdens at His feet, trusting that He will work and respond according to His perfect will. This trust is a testament to our faith in His character and His desire to bless His children. [56:07]

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6, ESV)

Reflection: What is one burden you are carrying that you need to lay at God's feet today? How can you practice trusting in His goodness and perfect will as you release this burden to Him?

Quotes

"I consider some of my closest friends, Matt and Tim and Troy and Derek and Trenton, these are all friends that we met in college. And I'm just going to give them a word of my life. They're quickly thereafter and these guys all live far away I was doing them the Google Maps the other day and one of them lives the furthest 2,400 miles from this current location to and I'm on Birch Avenue and the others are scattered all in between we've been friends for over a decade now keeping in touch with them requires one of us to pick up the phone right it requires" [00:33:24] (39 seconds)


"It requires us to say, hey, how are your kids doing? How's your job going? How is your extended family? How is that circumstance? How did that situation turn out? It requires this intentional effort of connecting and engaging and talking with one another and calling and checking in with each other. Relationships, we all have relationships in our lives. They all require effort and energy and intentionality." [00:34:02] (35 seconds)


"We probably likewise all have friends who we knew years ago and we stopped calling, right? Or they stopped reaching out and you have found years have passed and there's no relationship, right? Because relationships all take intentionality. Our faith, all by God's initiative and by God's grace, he reaches out to us." [00:34:41] (30 seconds)


"And as we respond to his grace and we trust in him by faith, our faith requires intentionality to continue to follow him. Prayer likewise. Prayer likewise requires intentionality." [00:35:28] (18 seconds)


"Jesus did not, without consent, go to the place of prayer. Jesus was not this robotic human who did not have the choice to pray or to not pray. That God only forced Jesus. Jesus himself got up from his cozy bed on a 32 degree morning. I imagine it gets that cold where Jesus was in the Middle East. And I'm sure Jesus made, I just, I like to humanize Jesus a bit, right? I'm sure he grumbled, oh, I'm getting out of this blanket to go pray." [00:35:34] (35 seconds)


"Jesus made the choice to get out of his cozy bed and to go to the dark place of prayer. Jesus prioritized communion with his father. Jesus intentionally prayed. He intentionally made this space and the time to pray. Jesus intentionally chose to step into prayer with the father." [00:36:45] (31 seconds)


"Because truthfully, no one accidentally becomes a person of prayer. People do not haphazardly fall into vibrant prayer lives. If anything, what we find is we find ourselves in the human rat race, right? We get busy, we got bills to pay, we have jobs to do, we have groceries to pick up. We've got people to take care of and we've got different chores and tasks and responsibilities that we all have on our plates. And it looks different in different seasons." [00:37:13] (37 seconds)


"But yet the choice to pray requires intentionality. Jesus models perfectly. Jesus perfectly models. This truth that prayer invites us to live this life of intentionality. Human beings do not drift towards godliness. Sometimes we are actually more prone to drift towards ungodliness." [00:37:58] (30 seconds)


"It takes intentionality. Dallas Willard, a great writer on spiritual disciplines, the means of grace or spiritual practices, in his book called The Great Omission, Reclaiming Jesus' Essential Teaching on Discipleship, he famously said this, Grace is not opposed to effort, rather it is opposed to earning." [00:38:46] (27 seconds)


"Grace is not opposed to effort. Rather it is opposed to earning. The Christian, the one who's following Jesus, cannot ever earn the favor, the grace, or the forgiveness of God. There's not anything we can do to earn the favor of God. We can only receive the favor of God." [00:38:51] (22 seconds)


"And what Willard is doing here is Willard is helping us to understand that God's grace and the truth of the gospel, when it transforms us, when it pierces our souls, and our minds, when the goodness and the grace of God rearranges our priorities and our hearts, what it does is it motivates us to intentionally work to center Jesus at the very center of our lives. It is this constant work, the constant motivation of following him in our decisions, following him in our conversations. Following him in the big things and in the small things." [00:39:15] (46 seconds)


"And it all requires this thing we call intentionality. And Jesus models that. And so in the pursuit of refocusing our lives and our faith, we must understand and take hold of the invitation to intentionally build rhythms and holy habits of prayer and communion with the Father." [00:39:56] (24 seconds)


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Transcript
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