Message: What is Prayer?
Speaker: Greg Holder
Acts 1:13-14 - When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying...They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
Acts 2:42 - They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Acts 4:31 - After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
Acts 12:21-25 - On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people. They shouted, “This is the voice of a god, not of a man.” Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died. But the word of God continued to spread and flourish.
1 Peter 5:7 - Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
James 5:16 - ...The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
"I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. I pray because the need flows out of me all the time, waking and sleeping. It doesn't change God. It changes me.”
C.S Lewis
Greg Holder
"Even in raw prayers, there's a moment of trust that God will come. There's something deep down that won't let go. Even in the middle of the complaint, even when you can't explain why, there's a hope that God is good. It's an openness that maybe just maybe this isn't the end of the story. I don't know how it works. I've just seen it happen."
Questions and Reflections
What is prayer to you?
Do you believe God greatly desires to meet you in prayer?
What are your fears and frustrations when you pray?
If you feel like you can't pray are you willing to let someone pray for you?
Peter was saved from death, James was not. What are you thoughts on this?
Have you taken time to thank God for what he has done for you?
Read Acts 1-4
Over the next few days read these amazing chapters and see the remarkable things God did for the people of the early church as they prayed. Ask yourself if you can believe that he may want to hear your prayer and gradually begin to bring healing to your life.