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Connecting To God
Through PRAYER |
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Archive
2008
30 Days of Prayer [Jan 08]
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Candy Prayers [Mar 08]
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National Day of Prayer [May 08]
Comm. PrayerWalk [Jun 08]
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We Are All One Body [Aug 08]
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Archive
2007
Prayer Tool Fun [Jan 07]
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Incorporating Worship [Apr 07]
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The New Prayer Cloths [Jun 07]
The Names of God [Jul 07]
Soul Tree [Aug 07]
10/40 Window [Sep 07]
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Adoration Alphabet [Nov 07]
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Archive
2006
Family Prayer [Jan 06]
Connecting to God [Feb 06]
Praise Banners [Mar 06]
Declarations [Apr 06]
Garments of Praise [May 06]
Children at Risk [Jun 06]
Crying Out [Jul 06]
Drumming Warfare [Aug 06]
"Key Ceremony" [Sep 06]
Revelation 4 & 5 [Oct 06]
LABB Prayer [Nov 06]
Archive
2005
Holy
Spirit Training, 1 [Jan 05]
Holy
Spirit Training, 2 [Feb 05]
Curriculum Reviews
[Mar 05]
A Little Bit of History [Apr 05]
Listening to God...[May 05]
...Filled w/Holy Spirit [Jun 05]
Prayer Trophies [Aug 05]
M&Ms for Missions
[Sep 05]
New Statistics [Oct 05]
Block Parties [Nov 05]
"Pickling" [Dec 05]
Archive
2004
Starting Out [Jan 04]
Daughters of Zion [Feb 04]
Virtual Prayer Walk [Mar 04]
Making Room [Apr 04]
Praying Light & Love [May 04]
"Inter-generational" [Jun 04]
The Next Level... [Aug 04]
Kids Prayer Camp [Sep 04]
Brainstorming [Oct 04]
Kids Connect! [Nov 04]
Christmas Spirit [Dec 04]
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While I was in Bangladesh, I received a glowing
report from home. During Youth Week a former
Shekinah Kid did a sermonette on "Connecting to
God Through Prayer." Her notes looked so good, I
couldn't resist sharing them with you. Tiffany
just turned 13 years old. |
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Hello, my name is
Tiffany and I am going to be speaking to ya’ll
for a little bit tonight. My subject is about
connecting with God, through prayer.
If I was to come up here and ask you to go two
weeks with out our beloved cell phones, our
blackberries, IM, internet, or email you would
think I was crazy and tune me out for the rest
of my sermonette. This is because everyone wants
to be connected. Every one wants to be informed,
on the latest news, and on the latest gossip.
Without being caught up on the local news and
being “hip” to exactly what is taking place in
the life of others, many teens feel that they
are not a part of anything other than their own
problems, joys, and circumstances. Also, without
communication, we know it’s impossible to stay
connected to friends, family and the world
around us. Take away friends and you take away a
lifeline, take away email and we now feel like
we should be hooked on life support, why?
Because these tools are vital to our two-way
communication and communication is a vital part
of teen life that allows the person in question
to feel connected and involved in something
bigger than themselves.
Connection through communication has been around
for a long time, and is shockingly biblical. The
tribe of Levi was ordained of God to be the
priests of Israel and as such, this tribe was
the connecting force of communication between
God and his chosen people. Only once a year
could the high priest enter into the holiest of
holies, but at this time, God’s awesome power
would saturate the room and his glory be
revealed….. Talk about your limited connection!
I am so glad we now have the chance to talk to
God ourselves, anywhere, any day of the year. We
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can be directly connected to God.
When I think of direct connect, I think of Nextel plans. They
have a certain bonus feature that is called two-way. It’s like
having a phone and a walkie talkie all in one. I have it and
every so often, I will direct connect someone and it will give
me a message saying user unavailable. But through prayer, if you
direct connect God for any reason, you will never get that
message. As of Calvary, you and I have a constant connection to
God through prayer. We just have to learn how to use it. John 15
4-7 says;
4. Abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of
itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye
abide in me.
5. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me,
and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me
ye can do nothing.
6. If a man abides not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and
is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire,
and they are burned.
7. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask
what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
I am going to show you how to develop a plan to stay connected
to God by using the word P.R.A.Y.E.R.
P. PERSONAL PLACE
The greatest thing about a wireless connection is that it works
almost anywhere, but we all know there are certain wireless
locations called “Hot Spots.” There are also certain places
where our phones don’t have service at all.
You see, having a personal place is important to the connection
and the relationship. Genesis 19:27 says “and Abraham got up
early in the morning, to the place where he stood before the
Lord”. And Daniel 6:10 says “now when Daniel knew that the
writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows
being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his
knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his
God, as he did aforetime.
The Lord gave us an understanding of this when he said in
Matthew 6:6, “But though, when thou prayest; enter into thy
closet, and when thou hast shut thy door; pray to thy Father
which is in secret; and they Father which seeth in secret shall
reward thee openly.
Our connection with Jesus stars by establishing a personal place
that we meet with Him each day. It must be a place free from
disturbance. God ahead; find your wireless “hot spot”.
Now….R – REAL RELATIONSHIP
The internet is filled with chat rooms. Email is constantly
bombarded by spam. Sometimes, it’s easier to send quick replies
or no replies at all because of the amount of info. It is also
easier to quick read and miss important communications. If we
are not careful, we can begin building casual relationships that
have limited depth and surface conversation. It is critical in
our Prayer Connection with God that we understand His desire is
nothing less than a real relationship with you and me.
James 2:23 says, “And the scripture was fulfilled which saith,
Abraham believed God and it was imputed unto him for
righteousness; and he was called the Friend of God.
WOW! What had finding his place where he stood before God done?
It had actually developed into such a relationship that God
called Abraham His friend! Think about how much you communicate
with your closest friends. Consider how much you communicate and
put into the relationships that matter the most to you. Now,
purpose in your heart to let your connection through prayer
become what Jesus intends – the continual growth of a true
relationship with you and Him.
A – ASK
Let’s talk about a wireless connections that beats Ebay any day,
shall we?
Luke 11:9-10
“And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and
ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For
everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and
to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
What a privileged connection. In your place of relationship you
ASK and it will be given to you. No bidding, no begging, no
buying, just asking. I wish it was that way when I asked for
something from my parents. It’s important to understand that
relationship comes before asking. James 4:3 tells us why. “Ye
ask, and receive not because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume
it upon your lusts.
As mine and yours relationship grows, we no longer ask amiss. As
a result of our relationship we learn what’s important to the
One we’re asking. We then begin to ask according to his will as
he instructs us.
I John 5:14 “And this is the confidence that we have in him,
that if we ask anything according to His will, he heareth us.
Y – YIELD
This is where we find out who’s really in control of the
connection. Are we sending more info than we are receiving? Are
we plugged in and downloading or are we simply filling the air
with our stuff? Matthew 6:9-10 says, “After this manner
therefore pray ye…Thy kingdom come. They will be done in earth
as it is in heaven.
At least once a day, when you are in your personal prayer place,
you find yourself praying “What do I do today God?” but, what we
need to pray is “Lord, please lead me in prayer”. It is in
yielding that you, as a young man or woman of God, begin to be
used by Him to pray in ways that you never thought possible.
E – EXPECT
I John 5:14-15 says “And this is the confidence that we have in
him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, he heareth
us. And we know that he hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know
that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
When you and I pray, we should expect a result for our action of
obedience to his word. Sometimes we don’t expect a result
because we’ve earned it, we expect a response because his word
promises it. We pray expecting because his Word teaches it.
Matthew 21:22 says “and all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in
prayer; believing, ye shall receive.
R – REPEAT
Whenever you set-up a password, it will prompt you to re-enter
the password to verify. Why does it make you do that? Simple,
the repeated process confirms the information and intent. The
access you desire is always limited until you’ve repeated the
password. This pattern of connecting with prayer must be
continually repeated or the access you and I desire will be
limited. Just like making circles in the sand. The more times
that you complete the circle, the deeper the indention in the
sand becomes. Our prayers can become deeper and our relationship
with God fuller as we repeat the process of prayer.
Luke 18:1 “And he spake a parable until them to this end, that
men ought always to pray, and not to faint:
I Thessalonians 5:17 “Pray without ceasing”
Do you depend on your pastor or parents for your connection? Are
you using the network as often as you should? Go ahead and
connect.
PRAYER can be your emergency phone number.
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Submitted by: Tiffany Braswell, age: 13
(c) 2006 |
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CONNECTING TO GOD
THROUGH
PRAYER |
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