Focus on Prayer
August 23
Children’s Prayers
"Lead us not
into temptation
but deliver us
some e-mail,
Amen."
Children’s Prayers
"And forgive us our
trash baskets as we
forgive those who
put trash in our
baskets."
Children’s Prayers
“Dear God, if you
watch in church
on Sunday, I’ll
show you my
new shoes.”
Children’s Prayers
“Dear God, please put
another holiday
between
For the Christmas
next couple of weeks
andwant
Easter,tothere’s
we
study and become
nothing good in there
involved in prayer
right now.”
Focus on God’s Attributes
• For each of the following passages what
attributes of God do you see listed? What
actions of God do you see portrayed?
• 1 Chron. 16:10-12 (NIV) Glory in his holy
name; let the hearts of those who seek the
Lord rejoice. [11] Look to the Lord and his
strength; seek his face always. [12] Remember
the wonders he has done, his miracles, and
the judgments he pronounced,
Focus on God’s Attributes
• Neh. 9:17 (NIV) They refused to listen and
failed to remember the miracles you
performed among them. They became stiffnecked and in their rebellion appointed a
leader in order to return to their slavery. But
you are a forgiving God, gracious and
compassionate, slow to anger and abounding
in love. Therefore you did not desert them,
Focus on God’s Attributes
• Psalm 29:1-4 (NIV) Ascribe to the Lord, O
mighty ones, ascribe to the Lord glory and
strength. [2] Ascribe to the Lord the glory due
his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of
his holiness. [3] The voice of the Lord is over
the waters; the God of glory thunders, the
Lord thunders over the mighty waters. [4] The
voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the
Lord is majestic.
Focus on God’s Attributes
• Psalm 86:15 (NIV) But you, O Lord, are a
compassionate and gracious God, slow to
anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
Focus on God’s Attributes
• Psalm 89:2-8 (NIV) I will declare that your love
stands firm forever, that you established your
faithfulness in heaven itself. [3] You said, "I
have made a covenant with my chosen one, I
have sworn to David my servant, [4] 'I will
establish your line forever and make your
throne firm through all generations.' " Selah
…
Focus on God’s Attributes
[5] The heavens praise your wonders, O Lord,
your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the
holy ones. [6] For who in the skies above can
compare with the Lord? Who is like the Lord
among the heavenly beings? [7] In the council
of the holy ones God is greatly feared; he is
more awesome than all who surround him. [8]
O Lord God Almighty, who is like you? You are
mighty, O Lord, and your faithfulness
surrounds you.
Focus on God’s Attributes
• Psalm 99:2-3 (NIV) Great is the Lord in Zion;
he is exalted over all the nations. [3] Let them
praise your great and awesome name-- he is
holy.
Focus on God’s Attributes
• Psalm 145:17-20 (NIV) The Lord is righteous in
all his ways and loving toward all he has made.
[18] The Lord is near to all who call on him, to
all who call on him in truth. [19] He fulfills the
desires of those who fear him; he hears their
cry and saves them. [20] The Lord watches
over all who love him, but all the wicked he
will destroy.
Focus on God’s Attributes
• Daniel 9:9 (NIV) The Lord our God is merciful
and forgiving, even though we have rebelled
against him;
• What other characteristics of God might you
add to this list?
Holiness
• To be holy is to be distinct, separate, in a class
by oneself.
– primary meaning: separateness
– ancient word that meant, ‘to cut’
– more accurate would be the phrase ‘a cut above
something.
Holiness
• The one who is holy is
– uniquely holy
– with no rivals or competition
• God is transcendentally separate
– He is far above and beyond us
– He seems almost totally foreign to us
Holiness
• When you come face to face with the holiness
of God, how does this impact your daily life?
God
Prayer Together
• As a class and as individuals, let’s pray and
praise Him for His holiness, for His awesome
attributes
• Pray aloud just short prayers … a sentence or two
• As you feel led – pray aloud and praise God for
Who He is
• _______ will open, start us off
• I will close
Focus on Cleansing
• Contrast God’s holiness with our sin stained
lives
• In the passages that follow
– Look for sins we consider “acceptable”
– Look for things we tolerate … even though they
are sin
Focus on Cleansing
• Proverbs 6:16-19 (NIV) There are six things the
Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him:
[17] haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that
shed innocent blood, [18] a heart that devises
wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush
into evil, [19] a false witness who pours out
lies and a man who stirs up dissension among
brothers.
Focus on Cleansing
• Proverbs 8:13 (NIV) To fear the Lord is to hate
evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior
and perverse speech.
• Zeph. 1:12 (NIV) At that time I will search
Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who
are complacent, who are like wine left on its
dregs, who think, 'The Lord will do nothing,
either good or bad.'
Focus on Cleansing
• 2 Cor. 12:20-21 (NIV) For I am afraid that when I
come I may not find you as I want you to be, and
you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear
that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts
of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and
disorder. [21] I am afraid that when I come again
my God will humble me before you, and I will be
grieved over many who have sinned earlier and
have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and
debauchery in which they have indulged.
Focus on Cleansing
• Ephes. 4:31 (NIV) Get rid of all bitterness, rage
and anger, brawling and slander, along with
every form of malice.
Focus on Cleansing
• What of our affections and priorities can
revolve around people and things more than
Jesus? What kinds of things can be more
important to us than Jesus is?
• In what ways do our actions, words, motives
and attitudes sometimes not honor God?
Grieving the Holy Spirit
• To grieve: ‘to afflict with deep sorrow.’
• Eph 4:29 – 31 ‘Let no unwholesome word
proceed out of your mouth, but only such a word
that is good for edification according to the need
at the moment, so that it will give grace to those
who hear. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by
whom you were sealed for the day of
redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and
anger and clamor and slander be put away from
you, along with all malice.
Praying Together
• In what areas of our lives might we return to
old ways and grieve the Holy Spirit?
• As a class and as individuals, let’s pray
– Ask God to search us
– Show us common place sins
– Help us to be willing to confess
– Lead us into an attitude of brokenness and
repentance.
Application
• If the Holy Spirit has convicted (convinced)
you of something, apply the verse
– Proverbs 28:13 (NIV) He who conceals his sins
does not prosper, but whoever confesses and
renounces them finds mercy
Application
• Be encouraged by this today: Philip. 1:6 (NIV)
being confident of this, that he who began a good
work in you will carry it on to completion until the
day of Christ Jesus.
• Read more about the struggles of David, “a
man after God’s own heart” in Ps 51
• Read the Daily Devotionals written by MBC
Pastor and staff
Focus on Prayer
August 23