190 00:27:43.565 --> 00:27:45.905 That's a great story. Yeah, let's celebrate that man. 191 00:27:48.345 --> 00:27:50.905 Blaine and Olivia, man, they are a special kind of people. 192 00:27:51.185 --> 00:27:54.225 I love the opportunity we get to connect with them when they come back stateside 193 00:27:54.226 --> 00:27:57.865 and spend time with here, with us and, and, uh, with our hope family. 194 00:27:58.105 --> 00:28:01.105 And we've had some folks here from our staff and from our church body actually 195 00:28:01.106 --> 00:28:04.065 go over and and do ministry with them. And I'm telling you, man, 196 00:28:04.066 --> 00:28:06.905 they're special people and they're seeing God do amazing things. 197 00:28:06.965 --> 00:28:09.585 And so to all of you who are partnered with hope, 198 00:28:09.725 --> 00:28:12.545 in mission and in ministry and help financially, 199 00:28:12.546 --> 00:28:15.744 like these are the things that happen as a result of a church family, 200 00:28:16.145 --> 00:28:18.984 being a family together and committing to seeing this kind of ministry happen. 201 00:28:19.625 --> 00:28:20.625 Well hey, welcome. This week, 202 00:28:20.734 --> 00:28:25.185 this week we are wrapping up a series that we're calling the Jesus Way. Now, 203 00:28:25.255 --> 00:28:26.465 last week, uh, 204 00:28:26.525 --> 00:28:30.345 you heard from me and what I told you last week was that last week was the last 205 00:28:30.346 --> 00:28:33.425 week of the series that we were in called The Jesus Way. 206 00:28:33.426 --> 00:28:35.984 And what I meant by that was next week, 207 00:28:35.985 --> 00:28:40.345 meaning this week is gonna be the last week by the series that we're in . 208 00:28:40.605 --> 00:28:43.505 So I wonder sometimes who's in charge around here and maybe, um, 209 00:28:43.785 --> 00:28:44.945 I should pay a little better attention. 210 00:28:45.125 --> 00:28:48.905 So we're wrapping up a series this week that we're been in called The Jesus Way 211 00:28:49.245 --> 00:28:51.745 and the, uh, Jesus calls, uh, people, 212 00:28:51.925 --> 00:28:55.385 men and with women and students and children in the New Testament to follow 213 00:28:55.386 --> 00:28:56.219 after him. 214 00:28:56.285 --> 00:29:00.865 And so we've just been looking at what does it actually mean to follow after the 215 00:29:00.866 --> 00:29:01.705 ways of Jesus? 216 00:29:02.245 --> 00:29:05.665 And so what we're gonna do this week as we wrap this up is talk about a key 217 00:29:05.666 --> 00:29:09.825 component of the Jesus Way, which is actually going to God in prayer. 218 00:29:10.645 --> 00:29:12.505 But before we do that, and so what's gonna happen, 219 00:29:13.005 --> 00:29:16.025 I'm actually going to share a couple things that I wanna make sure that we as a 220 00:29:16.026 --> 00:29:19.745 church family have in front of us and are seeing in front of us and hearing in 221 00:29:19.746 --> 00:29:23.825 front of us, uh, repetitively, repetitively from now into the fall. 222 00:29:24.605 --> 00:29:27.625 And then I'm gonna share a bit from scripture as to why I think that's 223 00:29:27.626 --> 00:29:28.165 important. 224 00:29:28.165 --> 00:29:31.545 And then Aaron Nelson's actually gonna come out and he's gonna talk to us a bit 225 00:29:31.546 --> 00:29:33.905 about what prayer really is and how we do that. 226 00:29:33.965 --> 00:29:37.585 And then he is gonna paint a picture of what the next 40 days is gonna look like 227 00:29:37.586 --> 00:29:40.185 for us as a church family together in prayer. Okay? 228 00:29:40.485 --> 00:29:44.805 And so few things I wanna point out. Last week, uh, I talked to us about, 229 00:29:44.806 --> 00:29:49.565 and there's a a number of things that I shared, but one, I talked about, uh, 230 00:29:49.705 --> 00:29:54.685 how the church itself is ultimately the family of God. 231 00:29:54.965 --> 00:29:56.965 Remember we're in James chapter one, verse two, three and four, 232 00:29:57.305 --> 00:30:01.765 and James gives that crazy command to consider it joy when we're in trials. 233 00:30:01.905 --> 00:30:05.245 But he says in the middle of that, consider it joy, my brothers and sisters. 234 00:30:05.825 --> 00:30:10.765 And so we highlighted the fact that the church body is not like 235 00:30:10.965 --> 00:30:15.125 a group of individuals that passively show up at a gathering occasionally or 236 00:30:15.126 --> 00:30:18.245 once in a while. That's not what you see in the New Testament. 237 00:30:18.246 --> 00:30:19.325 That's not what Jesus died, 238 00:30:19.326 --> 00:30:22.725 went to a cross for and then rose from the grave three days later to set in 239 00:30:22.726 --> 00:30:27.125 motion, but rather a family that viewed themselves as the church. 240 00:30:27.505 --> 00:30:29.165 And I actually posed the question, 241 00:30:30.165 --> 00:30:33.685 do you see yourself as a part of the family of God here at Hope Community 242 00:30:33.686 --> 00:30:34.519 Church? 243 00:30:34.945 --> 00:30:38.765 And we asked that question because the reality is families engage at a different 244 00:30:38.766 --> 00:30:42.165 level, right? Being a part of a a family is different than like, well, 245 00:30:42.225 --> 00:30:45.885 I'm a part of this country club or I'm a part of this committee over here, 246 00:30:45.886 --> 00:30:48.805 right? Sometimes I do this thing. And so that's one thing I talked about. 247 00:30:48.806 --> 00:30:52.885 Another thing that I talked about is this deep conviction that I have, 248 00:30:52.886 --> 00:30:55.565 that our elders have, that our leadership has here at Hope, 249 00:30:56.195 --> 00:31:00.725 that God actually has a new identity as a church that he wants to call us into. 250 00:31:01.465 --> 00:31:02.805 And so not too long ago, 251 00:31:02.825 --> 00:31:06.365 we celebrated 30 years of Hope Community Church and everything that God has done 252 00:31:06.366 --> 00:31:10.085 here, and he's done some amazing things through hope. But as we move forward, 253 00:31:10.105 --> 00:31:11.885 we believe that he just has this new identity. 254 00:31:12.125 --> 00:31:16.085 And so we're gonna be rolling a lot of that out in its specifics when we get 255 00:31:16.086 --> 00:31:20.525 into the fall, uh, around August and September. And so, uh, 256 00:31:20.625 --> 00:31:24.485 that's one thing I talked about. And then I also talked about how I believe God, 257 00:31:24.565 --> 00:31:27.165 I believe the Holy Spirit has actually been speaking to me and saying that, 258 00:31:27.166 --> 00:31:30.485 okay, if we're going to step into and move into this new identity, 259 00:31:30.685 --> 00:31:33.365 I actually have a responsibility to step into a, 260 00:31:33.685 --> 00:31:35.885 a more regular rhythm on the preaching calendar, 261 00:31:35.945 --> 00:31:39.405 on the vision casting side of things. And so we talked about those, 262 00:31:39.425 --> 00:31:42.725 but this is what I want you to take away from what I'm saying right now. Um, 263 00:31:43.505 --> 00:31:46.205 we are entering into a new season as a church family. 264 00:31:46.985 --> 00:31:51.925 And I believe that God has this blessing that he wants to pour out on 265 00:31:51.926 --> 00:31:56.555 us as a church, but it's not just a blessing for us as a church. 266 00:31:56.556 --> 00:31:59.915 Like the Bible is really clear that we as followers of Christ, 267 00:32:00.215 --> 00:32:03.155 we as children of God, we're actually blessed, but not just for ourselves, 268 00:32:03.375 --> 00:32:06.635 but we're blessed to be a blessing to the world around us. 269 00:32:07.255 --> 00:32:11.275 And so what I really want you to understand is God has something new for us, 270 00:32:11.415 --> 00:32:13.715 and it's not just for us, but it's also for the world. 271 00:32:13.735 --> 00:32:17.635 But as we jump here into scripture in just a moment, I'm gonna be in Psalm 24. 272 00:32:17.636 --> 00:32:20.595 If you wanna go ahead and start turning there. By the way, as an aside, 273 00:32:20.915 --> 00:32:22.155 I said last week, uh, 274 00:32:22.175 --> 00:32:24.635 if this is your church and you come here regularly and you've got one of these, 275 00:32:24.636 --> 00:32:25.915 like a Bible sitting around your house, 276 00:32:26.175 --> 00:32:29.315 you should bring it with you to make sure that we're actually talking to you 277 00:32:29.316 --> 00:32:32.195 about what it really says. Uh, and I got, uh, 278 00:32:32.215 --> 00:32:36.435 an email from someone and they said, pastor, it said, pastor, 279 00:32:36.505 --> 00:32:37.875 this is just how I read it, okay? 280 00:32:37.876 --> 00:32:41.405 So I don't really know how they actually sound, uh, but it said, pastor, 281 00:32:41.945 --> 00:32:44.725 really appreciate you encouraging us to bring our Bibles, 282 00:32:45.385 --> 00:32:47.005 but I'm a little bit older than you are. 283 00:32:47.025 --> 00:32:49.005 And if you want me to read my Bible in that room, 284 00:32:49.006 --> 00:32:51.645 you're gonna have to turn the lights up just a little bit. And so, who knows, 285 00:32:51.735 --> 00:32:53.645 maybe we start turning the lights up a little bit more. 286 00:32:53.985 --> 00:32:57.325 But here's the principle I really want us to take. Like, um, 287 00:32:58.145 --> 00:33:02.565 God has a blessing for us, all right? As his people, all right? 288 00:33:02.566 --> 00:33:04.645 This is a biblical principle, principle in general. 289 00:33:04.995 --> 00:33:08.285 That blessing comes from his, from being in his presence, 290 00:33:08.865 --> 00:33:13.805 but being in his presence comes from when we seek after him. All right? And so, 291 00:33:14.795 --> 00:33:19.765 just as convicted as I am that God has this new day for us as 292 00:33:19.805 --> 00:33:20.545 a church, 293 00:33:20.545 --> 00:33:25.485 I'm equally convicted that God wants to draw us into seeking after Him in a 294 00:33:25.486 --> 00:33:28.925 way that we maybe never have before in our lives as a church family. 295 00:33:29.545 --> 00:33:31.285 And so we're gonna look at Psalm 24. 296 00:33:31.285 --> 00:33:33.805 You'll see a little bit why I think that you really see it all throughout 297 00:33:33.965 --> 00:33:37.645 scripture. This passage was on my heart this week. So Psalm 24, verse one, 298 00:33:37.865 --> 00:33:40.165 it says, the, the earth is the lord's 299 00:33:41.685 --> 00:33:44.765 and all it contains the world and those who dwell in it. 300 00:33:45.505 --> 00:33:48.205 And if you just read that like tho that one verse, 301 00:33:48.705 --> 00:33:52.685 the earth is the Lord's and all it contains and just stop and take a deep 302 00:33:52.686 --> 00:33:55.965 breath, like that's kind of a grounding moment. 303 00:33:56.395 --> 00:34:00.415 Like everything that we know, everything that we experience, 304 00:34:00.585 --> 00:34:04.495 everything in our bank accounts, the Bible says every good and perfect gift, 305 00:34:05.155 --> 00:34:06.095 it comes from God. 306 00:34:07.425 --> 00:34:10.715 Sometimes we just need to take a moment and like get away from everything that 307 00:34:10.716 --> 00:34:14.675 the world throws at us. And just remember like, hey, everything in this world, 308 00:34:15.305 --> 00:34:16.138 it's God's, 309 00:34:20.395 --> 00:34:24.395 for He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. 310 00:34:25.635 --> 00:34:29.225 Verse three, it says, who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? 311 00:34:29.855 --> 00:34:34.265 What does that mean? Uh, it's understood that this psalm was basically written, 312 00:34:34.625 --> 00:34:34.685 uh, 313 00:34:34.685 --> 00:34:39.105 as a celebration and was sung as a celebration of when the Ark of the Covenant, 314 00:34:39.114 --> 00:34:43.185 which by the way, represented and was for them God's presence. Okay? 315 00:34:43.245 --> 00:34:46.265 So it wasn't just a box, but like it represented God's presence. 316 00:34:46.266 --> 00:34:48.985 And so this was a psalm that was written when the Ark of the Covenant, 317 00:34:48.995 --> 00:34:52.465 God's presence was coming back, being brought back to Jerusalem, 318 00:34:52.485 --> 00:34:54.665 and it was set up on this hill. 319 00:34:54.685 --> 00:34:58.185 And so when it says who may ascend into the hill of the Lord, 320 00:34:58.186 --> 00:35:00.945 what it's really saying is, who can be in the presence of God 321 00:35:03.094 --> 00:35:06.905 and who may stand in his holy place? And remember, again, 322 00:35:07.085 --> 00:35:10.585 in God's presence is where his blessing is. Verse four, it says, 323 00:35:10.605 --> 00:35:15.405 he who has clean hands and a pure heart who has not 324 00:35:15.406 --> 00:35:18.245 lifted up his soul to falsehood some translations say, 325 00:35:18.405 --> 00:35:22.485 who has not lifted up his soul to another and has not sworn deceitfully, 326 00:35:24.635 --> 00:35:27.364 just that list right there. I'm just gonna be honest with you. Um, 327 00:35:27.585 --> 00:35:31.085 on a regular basis, I don't qualify. And so I, 328 00:35:31.205 --> 00:35:35.364 I wanna recognize like left to the law as this was, you know, 329 00:35:35.365 --> 00:35:39.605 written as for, um, the Israelites like this was, um, 330 00:35:41.125 --> 00:35:41.636 there were, 331 00:35:41.636 --> 00:35:45.195 there were sacrifices that had to be made for the forgiveness of the sins for 332 00:35:45.196 --> 00:35:48.555 this to actually be true. But this is saying like those who have, uh, 333 00:35:48.565 --> 00:35:50.195 clean hands, those who have a pure heart, 334 00:35:50.215 --> 00:35:53.995 who are actively living out the life that it is, that God that God has for us, 335 00:35:54.145 --> 00:35:56.995 it's important to realize, like for us, we're never good enough. 336 00:35:57.195 --> 00:35:59.995 So if you hear this and you have no idea, like, man, that seems like a big bar, 337 00:36:00.275 --> 00:36:03.435 I want you to know that in the New Testament, we see Jesus show up on the sea. 338 00:36:03.855 --> 00:36:06.275 And I, I wanna let you know, maybe this is the first time you've heard this, 339 00:36:06.276 --> 00:36:08.475 but we deserve separation from God. 340 00:36:08.475 --> 00:36:12.035 But Jesus went to a cross to pay the penalty that we deserve for our sins, 341 00:36:12.036 --> 00:36:15.515 for not getting this right in our lives. And it says three days later, 342 00:36:15.775 --> 00:36:19.315 he rose from the grave overcoming sin and death, so that if we believe in that, 343 00:36:19.655 --> 00:36:23.035 we actually can have new life, we can have a right standing before God. 344 00:36:23.175 --> 00:36:24.235 And so that's what it means, 345 00:36:24.385 --> 00:36:29.215 like that's how you become a part of the family of God. But he says, 346 00:36:29.216 --> 00:36:30.049 if that's you, 347 00:36:31.645 --> 00:36:36.525 he shall receive a blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of 348 00:36:36.526 --> 00:36:38.875 his salvation continuing. 349 00:36:38.876 --> 00:36:41.675 Like who is the person that can be in the presence of God ultimately 350 00:36:41.676 --> 00:36:45.275 experiencing the blessing of God? Verse six. It says, this is the generation. 351 00:36:45.655 --> 00:36:49.635 So who can, the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, 352 00:36:50.745 --> 00:36:51.578 even Jacob, 353 00:36:53.225 --> 00:36:57.785 what this is saying is like those who are going to experience the presence and 354 00:36:57.786 --> 00:37:01.485 the blessing of God are those who actually seek after him. 355 00:37:02.545 --> 00:37:07.165 And church family, I believe in today's world, um, maybe unlike ever before, 356 00:37:07.825 --> 00:37:12.405 we need to be a people who are chasing after and seeking after God. 357 00:37:12.425 --> 00:37:13.364 You look at, in a moment, 358 00:37:13.365 --> 00:37:17.645 Aaron's gonna come out and he's gonna talk to us out of Matthew chapter six just 359 00:37:17.646 --> 00:37:20.645 before that. In Matthew chapter five, Jesus is on the sermon of the Mount, 360 00:37:20.646 --> 00:37:23.325 which you should go back and read. You talk about the Jesus way, 361 00:37:23.326 --> 00:37:25.805 like that whole thing is filled with what it means to actually live out the way 362 00:37:25.806 --> 00:37:28.965 of Jesus. But in verse six, it says, 363 00:37:28.966 --> 00:37:33.325 blessed are those who hunger so blessed, experiencing the blessing of God. 364 00:37:33.395 --> 00:37:37.085 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, 365 00:37:38.275 --> 00:37:40.055 for they shall be satisfied. 366 00:37:41.975 --> 00:37:44.755 And you could be here and be like, man, 367 00:37:44.835 --> 00:37:48.395 I have no idea what it means to hunger and thirst for righteousness. Um, 368 00:37:48.995 --> 00:37:53.435 I would just say who hunger and thirst for the ways of God. Um, 369 00:37:54.614 --> 00:37:55.635 I'm just gonna confess to you, 370 00:37:55.675 --> 00:37:59.955 I don't wake up every morning hungering and thirsting for righteousness. Um, 371 00:38:01.385 --> 00:38:04.225 I talk regularly about trying to eat well and, uh, 372 00:38:04.226 --> 00:38:06.625 to be on a regular workout schedule and to eat good foods, 373 00:38:07.525 --> 00:38:10.185 I'm gonna tell you something that's gonna surprise some of you. 374 00:38:11.605 --> 00:38:13.985 I'm not perfect in that. Um, 375 00:38:14.535 --> 00:38:18.265 I'll tell you what I hunger and thirst for oftentimes at about 10 o'clock every 376 00:38:18.266 --> 00:38:21.305 single night if I'm still awake, which is why I try to go to bed before 10, 377 00:38:22.305 --> 00:38:25.465 a big bowl of cinnamon toast crunch, man, 378 00:38:25.466 --> 00:38:29.505 there is just something about like that crunchiness with some cold milk on it, 379 00:38:29.506 --> 00:38:32.185 and then you eat the cereal and then you get to the end and you got that sweet 380 00:38:32.505 --> 00:38:34.985 cinnamon sugar left in the milk. I mean, 381 00:38:35.165 --> 00:38:38.844 like that is something that I hunger and thirst for if I've had a long day. 382 00:38:39.305 --> 00:38:42.364 And the truth is, we don't naturally left to ourselves. 383 00:38:42.465 --> 00:38:43.565 We don't just wake up and say, 384 00:38:43.605 --> 00:38:47.285 I hunger and thirst for God in the same way that we would chase after something 385 00:38:47.286 --> 00:38:48.119 like that. 386 00:38:49.105 --> 00:38:53.805 That's why it requires a certain level of discipline to actually quiet 387 00:38:53.806 --> 00:38:58.085 ourselves and to open up our heart before God and say, God, listen, 388 00:38:58.285 --> 00:39:01.255 I I know my heart's not where it needs to be. 389 00:39:01.335 --> 00:39:03.935 I know my proneness is to wander and to chase after other things. 390 00:39:03.936 --> 00:39:07.575 And I thank you even by your grace as a loving God that I can even offer up 391 00:39:07.576 --> 00:39:09.614 these prayers to you. God, I need you to change my heart. 392 00:39:10.975 --> 00:39:15.455 But I'm telling you as a church with what it is that God wants to do in our 393 00:39:15.456 --> 00:39:15.765 church, 394 00:39:15.765 --> 00:39:18.895 it's gonna require men and women and students from across all of our campuses, 395 00:39:18.896 --> 00:39:21.415 across all of our communities who are willing to stop in the midst of the 396 00:39:21.416 --> 00:39:24.094 craziness of life and say, God, I know you have something for us. 397 00:39:24.475 --> 00:39:27.495 We are going to be a generation that seeks after you. 398 00:39:29.295 --> 00:39:31.635 And so that is my heart, that is my prayer for us. 399 00:39:32.055 --> 00:39:33.955 And so to talk to us a bit about what, ma'am, 400 00:39:34.295 --> 00:39:37.195 you might not have any idea what a prayer life looks like, uh, 401 00:39:37.575 --> 00:39:40.715 you might not have any idea how to actually apply that to your life and live 402 00:39:40.716 --> 00:39:42.795 that out on a regular basis. And so, uh, 403 00:39:42.895 --> 00:39:45.995 who is going to come out to help us understand better a bit more about what 404 00:39:45.996 --> 00:39:48.635 prayer is, and talk to us about the next 40 days, uh, 405 00:39:48.855 --> 00:39:50.515 of prayer for us as a church, 406 00:39:50.535 --> 00:39:54.635 please give a wild hope Community Church welcome across all of our campuses for 407 00:39:55.114 --> 00:39:55.947 Aaron Nelson. 408 00:40:02.585 --> 00:40:05.555 Well, uh, as Jason mentioned, we're gonna talk about the practice of prayer. Um, 409 00:40:05.556 --> 00:40:09.555 but before we get into that, uh, we've been in this series called the Jesus Way, 410 00:40:09.556 --> 00:40:12.635 where we've been talking about all these practices for the past couple of weeks. 411 00:40:12.636 --> 00:40:13.995 And I just want to ask you, this is a, 412 00:40:14.155 --> 00:40:17.755 a moment for honest inventory and reflection. Um, but how's it going? 413 00:40:19.805 --> 00:40:22.765 How are good? Good. I love that. I love that. 414 00:40:22.844 --> 00:40:26.565 I hope that this has been a time for you to connect with God in ways that maybe 415 00:40:27.025 --> 00:40:30.765 you hadn't regularly through, uh, serving through giving through, uh, 416 00:40:31.075 --> 00:40:34.965 rest in Sabbath and silence and solitude. Those are two that, um, 417 00:40:35.015 --> 00:40:37.565 we've been working on in my house. And man, it's been really cool. 418 00:40:37.566 --> 00:40:40.605 We have not by any means perfected them, but we're getting a lot better. 419 00:40:40.864 --> 00:40:44.645 Our Sabbath looks a whole lot like, can we do this today? Is this okay? Can and, 420 00:40:44.844 --> 00:40:47.844 and honest evaluation. But that's okay. It's a process that it takes. 421 00:40:47.945 --> 00:40:51.165 But I know for some of us, the idea of these practices, um, 422 00:40:52.065 --> 00:40:55.725 we struggle with 'em a little bit because we grew up in an, in a, 423 00:40:55.726 --> 00:40:59.165 in an environment where church felt like a to-do list. 424 00:41:00.225 --> 00:41:03.565 So when we start talking about practices, we, we start to feel like, oh, 425 00:41:03.566 --> 00:41:08.045 well I got out of the legalistic environment where I had to do stuff all the 426 00:41:08.046 --> 00:41:11.205 time, and now the practices kind of feel like another thing to do. 427 00:41:11.425 --> 00:41:16.275 And so we live in this tension and, um, if you're anything like me, 428 00:41:16.295 --> 00:41:20.995 you kind of find yourself swinging like a pendulum where on one side you had the 429 00:41:20.996 --> 00:41:23.195 experience of church was just a bunch of to-dos. 430 00:41:23.196 --> 00:41:25.435 And I did those things and I just got tired. 431 00:41:26.235 --> 00:41:28.075 I never really felt any sort of fulfillment out of them. 432 00:41:28.155 --> 00:41:29.435 I never really felt closer to God, 433 00:41:29.455 --> 00:41:32.995 but I was checking the boxes of a good Christian. Well, I've had enough of, 434 00:41:33.005 --> 00:41:36.725 of that. So now the pendulum swings all the way over to the other side where you 435 00:41:37.005 --> 00:41:38.805 recognize, man, Jesus has done all the work for me. 436 00:41:38.885 --> 00:41:40.165 I don't need to do anything . 437 00:41:41.265 --> 00:41:44.844 But actually there's a spot there in the middle where we recognize, yes, 438 00:41:44.864 --> 00:41:47.165 our salvation has been given to us by Jesus, 439 00:41:47.265 --> 00:41:52.045 but our faith is continuously being worked out, not by earning, but by effort. 440 00:41:52.825 --> 00:41:56.605 And so these practices is the way that we put in effort to say, God, 441 00:41:56.805 --> 00:42:00.045 I want to be closer to you. I want to be drawn more to you. 442 00:42:00.225 --> 00:42:03.364 And one of the ways that we do that is through these practices and scripture is 443 00:42:03.365 --> 00:42:06.285 very clear that we are commanded to do these things. 444 00:42:06.286 --> 00:42:08.885 So let's take what we're gonna talk about, uh, today. For example, 445 00:42:08.895 --> 00:42:10.685 let's talk about prayer. Okay? 446 00:42:11.245 --> 00:42:14.725 Scripture very clearly commands that we pray. 447 00:42:14.825 --> 00:42:19.725 So one Thessalonians five 17 says, pray without ceasing. That's a command. 448 00:42:20.415 --> 00:42:23.765 Colossians chapter four, verse two says, continuously, I'm sorry, 449 00:42:23.766 --> 00:42:28.605 continual steadfastly in prayer, um, uh, be continually, 450 00:42:28.785 --> 00:42:31.725 I'm sorry, steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. 451 00:42:31.726 --> 00:42:35.805 Philippians four, six through seven says, do not be anxious about anything, 452 00:42:35.905 --> 00:42:40.165 but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, 453 00:42:40.265 --> 00:42:42.844 let your request be made known to God and the peace of God, 454 00:42:42.845 --> 00:42:46.965 which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in 455 00:42:47.525 --> 00:42:50.844 Christ Jesus. Those are all very clearly commands. 456 00:42:52.035 --> 00:42:55.335 But even as I've been thinking about all of these practices that we've been 457 00:42:55.336 --> 00:42:57.135 talking about, and the way that, that the, 458 00:42:57.136 --> 00:42:59.735 that scripture commands us to do these things, 459 00:43:00.445 --> 00:43:04.395 I've learned something that behind every command 460 00:43:05.295 --> 00:43:10.055 is not a demand, but an invitation. See, 461 00:43:10.056 --> 00:43:14.895 what the Bible isn't doing is saying, you better pray . Instead, 462 00:43:14.985 --> 00:43:17.094 Jesus is extending a hand and saying, Hey, 463 00:43:17.325 --> 00:43:19.935 will you come pray and just see what I do in your heart? 464 00:43:21.015 --> 00:43:25.305 Will you come practice silence and solitude and watch the way that it just gives 465 00:43:25.306 --> 00:43:26.985 you more peace in your life? 466 00:43:27.945 --> 00:43:31.344 Will you take some time to step away from your week and and Sabbath and see how 467 00:43:31.465 --> 00:43:35.665 I refuel you for rest? You see, these, these commands are not just, 468 00:43:35.844 --> 00:43:38.225 you need to do this because this is what good Christians do. 469 00:43:39.385 --> 00:43:42.785 They're the pathways by which we are shaped into the image of God. 470 00:43:44.405 --> 00:43:48.344 The problem is, is that when it comes with to prayer specifically, uh, 471 00:43:48.465 --> 00:43:52.215 I know that's not the way that we all experience it. And I know that because, 472 00:43:53.094 --> 00:43:57.745 um, given certain statistics, not all of us pray. Uh, 473 00:43:58.145 --> 00:44:00.945 recently there was a couple of Gallup polls that came out and, uh, 474 00:44:00.946 --> 00:44:05.864 according to one 68% of Christians identify, I'm sorry, of uh, 475 00:44:05.885 --> 00:44:10.285 of Americans identify as Christian, which I was a little shocked by that. 476 00:44:10.344 --> 00:44:11.245 I'm like, man, that's a pretty, 477 00:44:11.246 --> 00:44:15.565 like 68% seems like a lot until you realize about 40 years ago it was like 90%. 478 00:44:15.625 --> 00:44:19.885 So that number is heavily dropping off, but 68% identify as a Christian. 479 00:44:19.905 --> 00:44:23.045 Now that that means a billion different things, right? , 480 00:44:23.235 --> 00:44:26.285 just because someone says I'm a Christian, that could mean all sorts of things. 481 00:44:26.344 --> 00:44:30.725 So let's just give the benefit of the doubt. Let's say 68% of Americans were, 482 00:44:31.085 --> 00:44:32.765 uh, Bible believing Christians. 483 00:44:33.395 --> 00:44:36.405 Only 61% of Americans pray, 484 00:44:37.925 --> 00:44:42.915 which means best case scenario. There are 7% of Christians who aren't praying, 485 00:44:44.125 --> 00:44:47.825 but the number is actually worse than that because when we think about it, 486 00:44:47.826 --> 00:44:49.344 we realize, oh, uh, 487 00:44:49.345 --> 00:44:54.185 that 61% who pray they're Americans, they didn't say they were Christian. 488 00:44:55.425 --> 00:44:58.725 So the percentage of praying Christians is even lower than that because in that 489 00:44:58.726 --> 00:45:02.085 61% you have people who pray to other gods pray and other religions. 490 00:45:02.085 --> 00:45:06.245 And let's not even get into the whole thing about people who send out positive 491 00:45:06.246 --> 00:45:09.205 vibes to the universe, like they're all kind of lumped in there. 492 00:45:09.206 --> 00:45:13.045 Which by the way, if I can have a quick aside, can we all just agree to like, 493 00:45:13.075 --> 00:45:15.005 stop that. Um, and the only reason why I say that, 494 00:45:15.045 --> 00:45:19.125 I say it lovingly because how dare we rob God of his glory 495 00:45:20.155 --> 00:45:23.895 and instead pray to the creation instead of the creator as if it's somehow 496 00:45:23.896 --> 00:45:26.815 greater. So let's just, let's just all stack hands for a minute and say, 497 00:45:26.816 --> 00:45:31.015 we're gonna pray to the creator of the universe because that's what we see our, 498 00:45:31.215 --> 00:45:33.175 uh, our, uh, see where his power is. 499 00:45:34.235 --> 00:45:37.055 But what we learned from these numbers is I think there's actually a story 500 00:45:37.056 --> 00:45:38.495 behind those numbers. And it's this, 501 00:45:38.965 --> 00:45:41.775 it's that Christians want God without prayer. 502 00:45:42.755 --> 00:45:45.495 And non-Christians want prayer without God, 503 00:45:47.225 --> 00:45:52.125 and we can't separate the two and experience the life that Jesus 504 00:45:52.185 --> 00:45:55.045 offers. You see, there's a million ways that we can pray, 505 00:45:55.745 --> 00:45:58.285 but there's only one Jesus way to pray, 506 00:45:59.525 --> 00:46:03.325 and it's illustrated for us in, uh, Matthew chapter 26, verses 36 through 39. 507 00:46:03.805 --> 00:46:08.525 Um, Jason actually ended his message last week talking about this verse. 508 00:46:08.526 --> 00:46:10.765 And so I just want us to look at it together one more time. 509 00:46:13.275 --> 00:46:16.995 It says that Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane. 510 00:46:16.996 --> 00:46:19.555 This is before Jesus is about to go to the cross. 511 00:46:19.625 --> 00:46:22.995 He's about to endure the cross to die for the sins of the entire world. 512 00:46:23.295 --> 00:46:26.395 And he takes a moment to go and pray. And so he said to his disciples, 513 00:46:26.396 --> 00:46:30.035 sit here while I go over there and pray, and taking with him, 514 00:46:30.045 --> 00:46:34.114 Peter and the two sons of Zee. He began to be sorrowful and troubled. 515 00:46:35.175 --> 00:46:39.185 Then he said to them, my soul is very sorrowful, even to death. 516 00:46:40.125 --> 00:46:44.005 Remain here and watch with me. And going a little further, 517 00:46:44.985 --> 00:46:48.825 he fell on his face and prayed saying, my Father, 518 00:46:49.885 --> 00:46:53.705 if it be possible, let this cup pass for me. 519 00:46:54.525 --> 00:46:57.725 Nevertheless, not as I will, 520 00:46:58.995 --> 00:47:02.885 but as you will, Jesus himself prayed a very specific, 521 00:47:04.325 --> 00:47:08.605 dangerous, submissive and humble prayer. There he says, not my will, 522 00:47:09.675 --> 00:47:10.975 but yours be done. 523 00:47:12.945 --> 00:47:16.645 And what if that's the way that Jesus wants all of us to pray? 524 00:47:18.575 --> 00:47:18.865 Like, 525 00:47:18.865 --> 00:47:23.145 what if this wasn't just a recording of a particular way that Jesus prayed? 526 00:47:23.146 --> 00:47:27.985 What if this is actually a model that he gives us as to how we are supposed to 527 00:47:27.986 --> 00:47:32.885 pray? What if Jesus actually want us to believe that prayer is about 528 00:47:32.925 --> 00:47:36.844 aligning our hearts and minds to God's will, not the other way around? 529 00:47:39.515 --> 00:47:44.485 Because so often we pray of, Hey, God, I have a plan. You wanna join me? 530 00:47:46.205 --> 00:47:49.645 You wanna catch up? Here's what I wanna do, God. 531 00:47:50.565 --> 00:47:53.285 Or you know what would make my life great, God, if you did X, Y, and Z, 532 00:47:54.985 --> 00:47:59.205 we try to impose our will on God, but Jesus prays not my will, 533 00:47:59.905 --> 00:48:02.205 but yours be done. You know, I I've, 534 00:48:02.245 --> 00:48:06.765 I realized prayer is more like a car wash than it's like a drive-through. 535 00:48:07.505 --> 00:48:11.205 You see at a drive through, you go up to the window, you get what you need, 536 00:48:11.206 --> 00:48:15.945 and then you piece out . But a car wash, you go in saying, man, 537 00:48:15.965 --> 00:48:16.798 I'm messed up. 538 00:48:18.344 --> 00:48:21.205 And somewhere between here and there, 539 00:48:21.844 --> 00:48:24.725 I believe that the time spent in this space, 540 00:48:25.075 --> 00:48:29.565 I'll come out of the other side a little bit different because now I'm aligned 541 00:48:29.705 --> 00:48:34.125 to God's will. I'm not trying to force him to get aligned with my own. 542 00:48:34.825 --> 00:48:38.965 And again, Jesus's model in Gethsemane, this isn't like, oh, I'm gonna, 543 00:48:39.105 --> 00:48:42.925 I'm gonna do this. And I hope everybody picks up on the message. , no. 544 00:48:42.926 --> 00:48:46.205 In Matthew chapter six, he teaches us how to pray. 545 00:48:46.206 --> 00:48:47.725 And it's a prayer a lot of us are familiar with. 546 00:48:47.726 --> 00:48:52.465 It's known as the Lord's Prayer. And he says this, 547 00:48:52.466 --> 00:48:57.185 Matthew chapter six, verses nine through 13. He says, pray then like this. 548 00:48:58.545 --> 00:49:01.485 Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 549 00:49:02.575 --> 00:49:07.575 Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 550 00:49:09.025 --> 00:49:11.235 Give us this day our daily bread, 551 00:49:11.895 --> 00:49:15.395 and forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors. 552 00:49:16.015 --> 00:49:20.475 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Listen, 553 00:49:20.594 --> 00:49:23.035 I can we leave that up on the screen for a minute? I know, um, 554 00:49:23.195 --> 00:49:25.594 a lot of you may know this, you may even have it memorized. 555 00:49:25.595 --> 00:49:27.114 Maybe you know some version of this, 556 00:49:27.135 --> 00:49:30.114 but can I read this one more time from the top and, 557 00:49:30.135 --> 00:49:33.635 and we all just read it together as a church? Is that okay? 558 00:49:36.405 --> 00:49:39.594 Pray them like this, our Father in heaven, 559 00:49:40.565 --> 00:49:43.375 hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, 560 00:49:43.925 --> 00:49:46.815 your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 561 00:49:47.765 --> 00:49:50.175 Give us this day our daily bread, 562 00:49:50.755 --> 00:49:54.935 and forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors. 563 00:49:55.655 --> 00:49:59.594 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. 564 00:50:02.035 --> 00:50:05.495 It's a beautiful thing when the church prays together, huh? I love that. 565 00:50:06.805 --> 00:50:08.225 Listen, I want to go through this verse, 566 00:50:09.225 --> 00:50:14.075 line by line and show you that at the heart of this, 567 00:50:14.985 --> 00:50:17.995 it's actually aligning our will to Gods, 568 00:50:18.735 --> 00:50:22.875 not just us asking for stuff. Verse nine says, our Father in heaven, 569 00:50:23.114 --> 00:50:28.085 hollowed be your name. In other words, your God. And I'm not. 570 00:50:29.465 --> 00:50:33.715 That's how Jesus tells us to start our prayers. Look at it. 571 00:50:33.735 --> 00:50:38.545 Our Father that's recognizing a role of authority of God in our 572 00:50:38.546 --> 00:50:43.114 life, in heaven, you're so otherworldly, you're so much greater. 573 00:50:45.215 --> 00:50:50.035 You're so much other. Hallowed be your name. In other words, 574 00:50:50.215 --> 00:50:54.594 God, your name is holy, your reputation is holy. Who you are is just great. 575 00:50:54.595 --> 00:50:58.835 Everything about you is so much more worthy than I am. 576 00:50:58.895 --> 00:51:03.435 And that's how Jesus tells us to start our prayers with that heart and with that 577 00:51:03.635 --> 00:51:06.765 attitude. Verse 10, your kingdom come, 578 00:51:07.585 --> 00:51:10.515 your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 579 00:51:10.655 --> 00:51:15.435 The kingdom of God is anywhere that is under the domain and rule 580 00:51:16.094 --> 00:51:19.855 of God anywhere where he has complete authority. 581 00:51:19.915 --> 00:51:21.655 And in this moment we acknowledge, listen, 582 00:51:22.475 --> 00:51:27.335 we want that type of leadership to oversee and reign 583 00:51:27.395 --> 00:51:28.228 across the earth. 584 00:51:29.715 --> 00:51:32.935 We want that to be the driving force of all of this. 585 00:51:32.955 --> 00:51:37.735 We want your will to be done on earth the exact same way that it's being 586 00:51:37.736 --> 00:51:41.614 done in heaven. Verse 11, 587 00:51:42.165 --> 00:51:45.815 give us this day our daily bread. Ah, you see it, Aaron? There it is. 588 00:51:45.925 --> 00:51:48.295 There's the part where I ask for stuff, right . 589 00:51:48.594 --> 00:51:51.215 That's the part where I'm like, gimme God, I want it . 590 00:51:52.475 --> 00:51:55.735 But think about the humility in this statement. 591 00:51:58.355 --> 00:52:03.275 God, give us this day our daily bread. God, 592 00:52:03.495 --> 00:52:06.195 you give it. I'm not gonna go out and take it. 593 00:52:07.665 --> 00:52:10.285 I'm not gonna go hustle for it. I'm not gonna go grind for it. 594 00:52:11.135 --> 00:52:12.875 I'm not gonna try to provide for myself. Instead, 595 00:52:12.895 --> 00:52:14.635 I'm gonna trust that you're gonna provide for me. 596 00:52:14.636 --> 00:52:17.035 And what are you gonna provide you enough to get me through the month? No, 597 00:52:18.055 --> 00:52:22.094 my daily bread, however much you think I should have, 598 00:52:24.094 --> 00:52:26.505 however much you will for me have 599 00:52:28.045 --> 00:52:32.985 you give me today what you think I should have. I don't need anything more. 600 00:52:35.085 --> 00:52:40.005 I relinquish control of what I think I need. Verse 12, forgive us our debts. 601 00:52:40.625 --> 00:52:44.175 We like that part. , forgive us God, 602 00:52:45.475 --> 00:52:49.015 as we also have forgiven our debtors. Listen, this is the gospel. 603 00:52:49.085 --> 00:52:50.455 This is what Jason talked about earlier, 604 00:52:50.485 --> 00:52:55.335 that Jesus came down to earth to die for our sins so that we can be forgiven, 605 00:52:55.336 --> 00:52:59.335 to be restored in a right relationship with the Father. That is the will of God, 606 00:53:00.125 --> 00:53:04.025 that all men come to repentance, that all of us will be forgiven. 607 00:53:06.355 --> 00:53:07.815 But even in this, we say, God, 608 00:53:07.855 --> 00:53:12.535 I don't just receive your forgiveness and then like be selfish with it. 609 00:53:13.755 --> 00:53:17.925 Instead, I receive your forgiveness so that the will you imposed on my life, 610 00:53:18.205 --> 00:53:20.285 I can now spread out towards other people. 611 00:53:20.385 --> 00:53:23.005 So now I'm not just a recipient of your grace and your will. 612 00:53:23.065 --> 00:53:24.805 I'm a conduit of it. I'm, 613 00:53:25.585 --> 00:53:28.925 I'm starting to push out the same things you have placed inside of me. 614 00:53:30.755 --> 00:53:34.645 God, complete your will in me and through me in the verse 13. 615 00:53:34.715 --> 00:53:38.605 Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. 616 00:53:40.395 --> 00:53:43.965 God, keep me from anything that keeps me from you. 617 00:53:46.285 --> 00:53:46.735 God, 618 00:53:46.735 --> 00:53:51.625 save me from anything that would possibly tempt me and play on my 619 00:53:51.695 --> 00:53:53.505 mind, my will, my emotions. 620 00:53:53.935 --> 00:53:58.185 Take all of the things that might possibly try to get me to live life my own way 621 00:53:58.525 --> 00:54:02.815 and just send them the other direction and send me far away from that 622 00:54:03.515 --> 00:54:08.485 so that I'm only focused on you in accomplishing what you say you want for my 623 00:54:08.486 --> 00:54:11.985 life. When we go to God, 624 00:54:12.015 --> 00:54:15.585 it's so that he can shape us, not so that we can shape him. 625 00:54:16.995 --> 00:54:18.415 And this is a beautiful thing. I mean, 626 00:54:18.614 --> 00:54:21.775 'cause this can happen in all sorts of ways. You can go to God angry. 627 00:54:22.155 --> 00:54:24.535 You can go to God's sad, you can go to him happy. 628 00:54:24.795 --> 00:54:27.935 You can go to him with joy and celebration and mourning. 629 00:54:27.955 --> 00:54:29.775 And in all of these things, he will say, 630 00:54:29.835 --> 00:54:32.895 let me teach you the right way to experience all of those things. 631 00:54:34.245 --> 00:54:37.335 Let me refine you, let me shape you. 632 00:54:40.515 --> 00:54:43.815 And this is the confidence that we have towards God, that, that, 633 00:54:44.015 --> 00:54:44.855 that we can trust him. 634 00:54:46.855 --> 00:54:49.935 One John five 14 through 15 affirms this idea. It says, 635 00:54:49.955 --> 00:54:52.535 and this is the confidence that we have towards God, 636 00:54:53.405 --> 00:54:58.145 that if we ask anything according to his 637 00:54:58.415 --> 00:55:00.735 will, he hears us. 638 00:55:02.135 --> 00:55:05.114 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, 639 00:55:05.614 --> 00:55:09.235 we know that we have the request that we have asked of him. 640 00:55:11.405 --> 00:55:15.505 Listen, prayer. If you wanted all of this in just kind of a neat little ball, 641 00:55:15.525 --> 00:55:19.265 here's what it is. Prayer is about posture and position. 642 00:55:21.785 --> 00:55:26.535 What's your posture and what's the position of God in your life? See, 643 00:55:26.594 --> 00:55:28.735 in prayer, we elevate God. 644 00:55:30.745 --> 00:55:33.725 We restore him to his rightful place saying, God, you're above all. 645 00:55:34.945 --> 00:55:39.565 We lower ourself. Listen, if Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, 646 00:55:39.566 --> 00:55:43.364 it says He lowered his face to the ground. If Jesus had to take on that posture, 647 00:55:43.435 --> 00:55:47.125 like, don't you think every now and then we should be broken to that same place? 648 00:55:48.835 --> 00:55:53.135 So we elevate God, we lower self, and then we center in on his will. 649 00:55:54.915 --> 00:55:57.135 And so with all of these practices, um, 650 00:55:57.485 --> 00:56:00.695 there's only a benefit to them if we do them right. 651 00:56:02.035 --> 00:56:03.815 So we've been thinking through, you know, 652 00:56:03.816 --> 00:56:07.375 as Jason has talked about where we're headed as a church and this new identity 653 00:56:07.376 --> 00:56:09.775 that we believe that God wants to place on us, we thought, man, 654 00:56:09.955 --> 00:56:14.375 we should really spend time like not just leadership, not just staff. 655 00:56:14.375 --> 00:56:18.775 Like our entire church should spend time in deep prayer 656 00:56:19.485 --> 00:56:22.735 seeking the face of God, learning his will, 657 00:56:23.565 --> 00:56:26.565 aligning our hearts and minds to his will. And so we said, well, what's, 658 00:56:26.566 --> 00:56:29.085 what's a way that we can do this? And so, um, 659 00:56:29.086 --> 00:56:33.885 what we've created is a 40 day of plan, uh, a 40 day, 660 00:56:34.165 --> 00:56:38.085 uh, prayer plan that later on you'll get instructions on how to opt into it. 661 00:56:38.225 --> 00:56:41.525 But man, what if every day when you woke up, 662 00:56:41.695 --> 00:56:46.125 there was something on your phone that guided you through a prayer? 663 00:56:46.325 --> 00:56:46.926 Because I know some of you, 664 00:56:46.926 --> 00:56:49.245 you hear 40 days of prayer and that sounds really intimidating. You're like, 665 00:56:49.246 --> 00:56:50.885 man, but every time I try to pray, I don't know what to pray. 666 00:56:51.005 --> 00:56:53.325 And then they get intimidated and then sometimes I fall asleep. What do, 667 00:56:53.355 --> 00:56:55.325 what do I do with this? So, um, 668 00:56:55.326 --> 00:56:59.765 what we did was we got our staff together and we recorded 40 prayer prompts that 669 00:56:59.766 --> 00:57:01.125 every morning you'll get one on your phone. 670 00:57:01.126 --> 00:57:02.765 It'll be a link that comes via text message. 671 00:57:03.065 --> 00:57:07.645 You click on that and it'll be a guided prayer time about five minutes long that 672 00:57:07.646 --> 00:57:10.525 leads you through a time of reflection and thinking about, uh, 673 00:57:10.526 --> 00:57:12.805 what you're gonna say, really getting in tune with, 674 00:57:12.806 --> 00:57:16.645 with what you feel and how to bring and present those things to God, honestly. 675 00:57:18.925 --> 00:57:23.465 And so, um, we're gonna officially kick that off on July 1st on Monday. 676 00:57:23.645 --> 00:57:26.905 But we wanted to give everybody a moment here to, um, 677 00:57:27.465 --> 00:57:30.345 actually see what that's gonna be like. So in just a moment, 678 00:57:30.485 --> 00:57:33.705 you're gonna hear this audio that plays at all of our campuses watching online. 679 00:57:33.706 --> 00:57:35.305 You're gonna hear this audio, um, 680 00:57:35.365 --> 00:57:40.185 and I just wanna invite you to lean into the moment and let this be a 681 00:57:40.186 --> 00:57:42.625 guide for the way that you pray. 682 00:57:43.335 --> 00:57:46.955 Now just imagine if everybody that calls Hope Community Church home, 683 00:57:47.235 --> 00:57:48.395 everyone who says they're a part of this family, 684 00:57:48.465 --> 00:57:52.795 imagine if all of us we're praying the same thing 685 00:57:53.905 --> 00:57:56.575 every morning, the same thing every day, 686 00:57:57.965 --> 00:58:01.345 to align our hearts and mind to God's will. Here's what we're gonna do, 687 00:58:01.346 --> 00:58:02.745 we're gonna go ahead and play that for you in just a second. 688 00:58:02.746 --> 00:58:05.145 But I've been doing this practice over the last couple of months. 689 00:58:05.145 --> 00:58:06.745 It's been really helpful for me, um, 690 00:58:06.945 --> 00:58:09.105 because I notice a lot of times when I pray it's in transition, 691 00:58:09.175 --> 00:58:10.945 like I pray on my way to do something else, 692 00:58:11.005 --> 00:58:14.145 or like I'm praying before a meal and all I do is smell the food the whole time. 693 00:58:14.146 --> 00:58:15.345 So I'm not thinking about what I'm saying, 694 00:58:15.405 --> 00:58:17.465 I'm thinking about getting to the food afterwards. You know what I mean? 695 00:58:17.485 --> 00:58:20.865 So let's just take a moment and, uh, and let's just slow down. 696 00:58:21.555 --> 00:58:24.545 Let's not think about what we're gonna do or what's gonna happen next. Um, 697 00:58:24.905 --> 00:58:25.945 everyone close your eyes with me 698 00:58:29.185 --> 00:58:34.135 and I want you to take a deep breath in and then let it out. 699 00:58:36.355 --> 00:58:41.135 And let's just focus our minds and our hearts on talking to our Heavenly 700 00:58:41.136 --> 00:58:41.969 Father. 701 00:58:47.115 --> 00:58:50.325 Welcome to the beginning of our 40 days of prayer journey. 702 00:58:50.915 --> 00:58:52.085 Over the next 40 days, 703 00:58:52.305 --> 00:58:56.365 we are committing to allowing God to align our hearts and minds with his will. 704 00:58:57.025 --> 00:59:01.525 Prayer is an opportunity to begin each day by echoing the words and heart 705 00:59:01.526 --> 00:59:05.845 posture of our ultimate example, Jesus Christ, as we cry out to God, 706 00:59:06.425 --> 00:59:10.445 not our will, but yours be done in these prayer times, 707 00:59:10.585 --> 00:59:15.445 you'll be invited to think, reflect, rejoice mourn and listen, 708 00:59:16.295 --> 00:59:20.965 there will be times where we look introspectively upon ourselves and other times 709 00:59:21.055 --> 00:59:24.445 where we will turn our attention towards others. Either way, 710 00:59:24.985 --> 00:59:27.165 we fix our gaze on our Heavenly Father, 711 00:59:27.785 --> 00:59:31.805 the one who knows us and our needs better than we know ourselves. 712 00:59:32.745 --> 00:59:36.005 To begin, scripture emphasizes the importance of gratitude. 713 00:59:36.735 --> 00:59:40.645 Let's start by reading and reflecting on Psalm 100. Together. 714 00:59:41.895 --> 00:59:46.485 Shout with joy to the Lord all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness. 715 00:59:47.235 --> 00:59:52.205 Come before him singing with joy. Acknowledge that the Lord is God. 716 00:59:52.865 --> 00:59:57.565 He made us and we are his. We are His people. 717 00:59:58.345 --> 01:00:02.165 The sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving. 718 01:00:02.865 --> 01:00:07.005 Go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name. 719 01:00:07.665 --> 01:00:09.365 For the Lord is good. 720 01:00:10.025 --> 01:00:14.845 His unfailing love continues forever and his faithfulness continues to 721 01:00:14.875 --> 01:00:19.845 each generation. Now pause and reflect on what we just read. 722 01:00:33.005 --> 01:00:37.405 Now I'm going to ask you a few questions that will help and inform how you pray. 723 01:00:38.145 --> 01:00:42.285 Number one, what are three things you have to be grateful for today? 724 01:00:49.585 --> 01:00:53.605 Number two, how can you express joy throughout the day? 725 01:01:01.385 --> 01:01:05.845 Number three, what does it mean for us? That the Lord is God, 726 01:01:06.195 --> 01:01:08.245 that he made us, and that we are his. 727 01:01:17.285 --> 01:01:21.085 I am going to lead us in a prayer and then give you time to pray in your own 728 01:01:21.086 --> 01:01:24.005 words. But first, let's take a deep breath in 729 01:01:27.585 --> 01:01:28.418 and let it out. 730 01:01:31.215 --> 01:01:32.725 Let's focus our hearts on God. 731 01:01:34.835 --> 01:01:38.325 Dear God today, we don't ask you for a thing, 732 01:01:39.185 --> 01:01:41.565 we just cry out and express our gratitude. 733 01:01:42.495 --> 01:01:45.205 Thank you for today and thank you for your goodness. 734 01:01:46.015 --> 01:01:49.805 Thank you that you are so great and so good that we can trust you. 735 01:01:50.655 --> 01:01:52.845 Thank you for allowing us to see another day, 736 01:01:53.545 --> 01:01:56.685 and thank you for all this day will bring. Father, 737 01:01:56.905 --> 01:01:59.805 we love you now in your own words, 738 01:02:00.725 --> 01:02:04.605 consider your answers from the previous questions and express gratitude to your 739 01:02:04.606 --> 01:02:05.439 heavenly Father. 740 01:02:22.225 --> 01:02:24.885 God, we thank you for all you've done and all you will do. 741 01:02:25.345 --> 01:02:27.645 In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.