BECOMING: Prayer

Hello church (and anyone else reading)!

This week we continued our 10-week study of spiritual practices that we are calling BECOMING. (If you were absent, click here to watch the sermon back--you won’t want to miss it!) 

Who we are becoming should be intentional, not accidental. In this series, we are exploring nine ancient practices that position us to be formed by Christ and so become like Him. This week, Pastor Makenzie shared with us on the practice of prayer, and the journey she and many others are on of taking prayer from an obligation to a delight. Prayer is a mystery, but it forms the basis of our lives with Jesus--so we need to learn how to do it.

The Scripture from this sermon was Luke 11:1-13: 

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

2 He said to them, “When you pray, say:

“‘Father,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come.

3 Give us each day our daily bread.

4 Forgive us our sins,

    for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.

And lead us not into temptation.’”

5 Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6 a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ 7 And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.

9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

We have a wealth of resources on prayer for you this week--get ready!

Resource 1: Struggling to get started with a practice of regular prayer? Father Ronald Rolheiser shares 7 Easy Tips for Prayer in this short article to help you enter honestly into this rhythm. 

Resource 2: Want to go a little deeper? This podcast series by 24-7 Prayer USA called Praying in Color has some rich teaching on the practice of prayer.

Resource 3: Maybe you’d like a book recommendation? Tyler Staton, a pastor in Portland and the director of the 24-7 Prayer ministry, wrote a book on the wonder and mystery of prayer called Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools. 

Resource 4: During her sermon, Pastor Makenzie referenced the Half-Million Mobilization, a prayer journey that the Church of the Nazarene is taking from Easter to Pentecost. If you would like to join in this movement, you can download the app or grab a physical copy of the prayer guide from the church!

Know that you are deeply loved and called to share that love with others. We hope to see you next week as we continue to learn and grow alongside you! 

Grace and Peace, 

Community Cup staff