WEBVTT 00:00:00.180 --> 00:00:07.940 Morning everyone. Who prayed for a long hot summer? Well done. 00:00:10.980 --> 00:00:19.179 Excellent. Devote yourself to prayer. This morning as we think about exploring prayer 00:00:19.179 --> 00:00:26.699 and that's what we're going to do now for a few minutes is just explore what prayer is and how we 00:00:26.699 --> 00:00:34.560 use exploratory prayer and in this series of great prayers of the Bible Paul who is at this point 00:00:34.560 --> 00:00:44.340 in prison, he's in chains, there is no excuse for not praying because Paul finds himself in that 00:00:44.340 --> 00:00:51.140 place yet here we've got this outpouring where he's encouraging the early church to pray for one 00:00:51.140 --> 00:00:58.480 another, to devote themselves to prayer, for asking them to pray for him and for others as well, 00:00:58.640 --> 00:01:07.240 to share their faith, to share the good news of Jesus with others. This is a great prayer and but 00:01:07.240 --> 00:01:14.200 as we explore this month we have heard that and maybe you've been listening to the podcast while 00:01:14.200 --> 00:01:20.620 you've been away or if you've been away, prayer is about a relationship. It's about that relationship, 00:01:20.620 --> 00:01:28.820 it's not a one-way thing, it's not a transaction. Jesus says he calls us his sheep, he calls us by 00:01:28.820 --> 00:01:38.460 name, he knows us and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. The thing is in exploratory 00:01:38.460 --> 00:01:45.000 prayer is hearing what the Lord is saying to us and not just hearing what the Lord's saying to us 00:01:45.000 --> 00:01:51.879 but responding to it as well. So I'm going to ask you, whose voice is familiar to you? 00:01:53.579 --> 00:01:59.019 What is that voice that you instantly recognise? 00:01:59.019 --> 00:02:08.139 You see, many of us, if we've had children or maybe grandchildren, there is something inbuilt in 00:02:08.139 --> 00:02:13.639 us, isn't there, that in the middle of the night all you hear is a squeak and you wake up, you're 00:02:13.639 --> 00:02:21.840 attentive, you know, that's it. And so in our prayer relationship with Jesus we need to get to know 00:02:21.840 --> 00:02:29.099 his voice, what he's saying, how he speaks to us, the way in which he communicates with us. And if we're 00:02:29.099 --> 00:02:35.439 in a prayer relationship with Jesus we need to fully explore more and more how that is for us 00:02:35.439 --> 00:02:41.640 and how we can respond to it. So welcome, welcome to the exciting world of exploratory prayer. 00:02:42.259 --> 00:02:46.180 And we're going to think this morning about different ways and maybe challenge ourselves as 00:02:46.180 --> 00:02:53.219 to how we respond. So how do you talk to God? And more importantly, what do you talk to God about? 00:02:54.620 --> 00:03:03.120 Because often we think, maybe think of something specific maybe, maybe healing, maybe for a decision 00:03:03.120 --> 00:03:09.540 you're having to make, maybe something missional, prayer for increased confidence maybe in sharing your 00:03:09.539 --> 00:03:17.039 faith, prayer for more opportunities to come alongside people. What are we praying about? 00:03:17.859 --> 00:03:23.939 What are the opportunities? So many people say to me and probably say to you as well, if they know 00:03:23.939 --> 00:03:31.239 that you're a Christian, oh send one up for me, will you? And it's an interesting one. I think the 00:03:31.239 --> 00:03:38.539 response is I'm happy, you know, I'm happy really to fire off a few prayers for people. But it's really 00:03:38.539 --> 00:03:45.180 nice to say to people, well, you know, maybe join me, I pray with you as whatever you want to pray about, 00:03:45.639 --> 00:03:54.599 you know? But sometimes these rocket prayers, I call them, or arrow prayers, are quite a part of our life. 00:03:55.659 --> 00:04:02.819 I thought we'd try that this morning. So rocket prayers. Oh yes. 00:04:02.819 --> 00:04:13.280 No. You see, it's really good. I mean, the way we communicate with God, it's not wrong. 00:04:13.859 --> 00:04:23.180 When there's an immediacy that something needs to happen, it may well be it's, oh Lord, I need your help now. 00:04:23.180 --> 00:04:36.160 Now. Or even now. You see? And also as well, maybe it's your immediate prayer for somebody. 00:04:36.720 --> 00:04:41.399 Is there a young person that would like to come and have a go? I'm sure there would be. 00:04:41.399 --> 00:04:51.079 Even an adult. Come on, we're all children at heart. Oh, come on. Well done, Jim. Give Jim a hand. 00:04:51.719 --> 00:05:00.959 You see, I mean, whatever Jim's rocket prayer is at that moment would be. Yes. Send one out. Well done, mate. 00:05:01.120 --> 00:05:01.859 Round of applause. 00:05:01.860 --> 00:05:12.980 There is nothing wrong with rocket prayers. Immediately arrow prayers. But, as Paul says, 00:05:13.439 --> 00:05:21.340 that can't really sustain us all the time. If life is just about immediacy, about prayers, so we explore 00:05:21.340 --> 00:05:30.300 how we prayer. I'd like to suggest that prayer isn't a spectator sport. We all get involved. We all get 00:05:30.300 --> 00:05:36.540 into the relationship. And if you're not used to praying, if you don't get used to talking to Jesus, 00:05:36.879 --> 00:05:42.800 if you don't know about the power of the Spirit, if you think that God is remote, then today is a good 00:05:42.800 --> 00:05:49.300 place to start with exploring prayer in our relationship and how we talk with him, how we react with him, 00:05:49.300 --> 00:05:57.019 how we listen to him. But what's the barriers? What stops us? And like you, I hear it so often. 00:05:57.019 --> 00:06:06.799 You know, God isn't speaking to me. God's not talking to me. God's not answering my prayers. 00:06:07.419 --> 00:06:16.039 Why? Explore that for people. Explore that with them. Why? Maybe it's like the man in this clip. He lives 00:06:16.039 --> 00:06:23.699 in this life in his everyday. He lives in his everyday. Yet, he isn't aware that God longs to speak to him. 00:06:23.699 --> 00:06:31.079 He wants to speak to him and wants to communicate with him like he does with each and every one of us, 00:06:31.579 --> 00:06:39.519 moment by moment, day by day, minute by minute. This clip is a reminder of how many times we could 00:06:39.519 --> 00:06:47.360 respond and hear God if only we listened. You know, I'd love it if I returned home and found my house 00:06:47.360 --> 00:06:53.400 covered in post-its. But on the other hand, I would feel slightly guilty of the fact that he needed to 00:06:53.400 --> 00:07:01.000 do that to seize my attention. You know, what is it that God needs to seize our attention in order to 00:07:01.000 --> 00:07:08.480 have that deeper, real prayer relationship with him? Paul's direct prayer is direct. Get into a 00:07:08.480 --> 00:07:16.160 relationship with God who is longing to deepen the relationship with you. Make the most of every 00:07:16.160 --> 00:07:24.840 opportunity. Pray that we may proclaim Jesus and encourage others. How do we do that? Be real with 00:07:24.840 --> 00:07:35.600 God. Like Pete Gregg says, be real with him. Encourage others. Be real with God. People put a lot of effort 00:07:35.600 --> 00:07:45.820 into maybe shaping well-crafted prayers, frankly crafted sometimes, and I've done it and I'm guilty of it, 00:07:46.060 --> 00:07:54.020 which were crafted for other people and not for God. It's being real. I've used flowery historic Christian 00:07:54.020 --> 00:08:01.560 language because it fits with the setting in which I'm in, but it's not real. It's based on a, you know, 00:08:01.560 --> 00:08:08.639 theology rather than a conversation with the one I love. I found it helpful to talk to him in the voice 00:08:08.639 --> 00:08:18.540 that he gave me. I always loved my gran. My gran was very down to earth, very Somerset, and yet I remember 00:08:18.540 --> 00:08:23.100 as a child, when she answered the phone, it was totally different. 00:08:23.100 --> 00:08:38.300 Hello. It's Yeovil 369. This is Mrs. Jennings. To whom am I speaking? You know, how often do we do that 00:08:38.300 --> 00:08:48.740 with God? Oh Lord, it's me again here today, and I'm using this voice so you just know who I am. 00:08:48.740 --> 00:08:59.680 You know, be real. Be real. God loves us to be real with him and him with us, and can I just bust 00:08:59.680 --> 00:09:06.200 the myth, if I can, which if you've been a Christian for years or whether you're new, prayer isn't 00:09:06.200 --> 00:09:15.419 complicated. Prayer is just about living in the everyday and speaking to God. Be yourself, the real 00:09:15.419 --> 00:09:22.360 you. Maybe start exploring being the real you in prayer, talking about the things that you think 00:09:22.360 --> 00:09:30.279 in the past that God hasn't been interested in, but really is, and to be real in that. Secondly, 00:09:30.679 --> 00:09:37.259 be in tune for his response, watching for the answer, watching for his guidance, watching and waiting 00:09:37.259 --> 00:09:43.179 sometimes, having the wisdom and patience to wait. For that, maybe God's response will be a quiet 00:09:43.179 --> 00:09:49.479 response. As I've often found, the quiet response is because he wants me to be part of the answer 00:09:49.479 --> 00:09:56.599 as well, rather than just receiving it all nightly tied up. As Pete Gregg says, keep it simple, keep it 00:09:56.599 --> 00:10:06.239 real, but most importantly, keep it up. Keep it up. Explore persistent prayer. Like you, I have been praying 00:10:06.240 --> 00:10:14.560 for years for many people to come into relationship with Jesus. I won't give up. I won't give up. 00:10:15.519 --> 00:10:17.680 God honours us in persistent prayer. 00:10:20.080 --> 00:10:24.320 But I can share with you lots of ways in which to pray, and I think Paul is saying to his listeners, 00:10:24.500 --> 00:10:32.419 his readers, to us, it's about the heart. It's about our heart of how we relate to him. 00:10:32.419 --> 00:10:39.439 Explore that connectivity and conversation with Jesus. Maybe we got stuck in an old language. 00:10:40.019 --> 00:10:47.639 That's okay. Explore something new. Maybe we got stuck a veer towards selfish prayers. 00:10:48.399 --> 00:10:54.120 Me, me, and me, and more about me. Maybe explore something that's more outward looking. 00:10:55.159 --> 00:11:01.919 Prayers that avoid us. Maybe we rambled on in our prayers. It became, rather than actually getting to 00:11:01.919 --> 00:11:08.379 the point, going round the houses, when actually God, when any conversation wants to get to the point, 00:11:08.639 --> 00:11:13.099 and says, what are you really wanting? What are you talking to me about? I'm talking about this. 00:11:13.519 --> 00:11:22.000 Yeah, okay, I get it. Maybe we've avoided prayers that have challenged us, and have avoided us being 00:11:22.000 --> 00:11:28.759 challenged by him. That impacted us, encouraged us to make changes to our lives, and our attitude. 00:11:28.759 --> 00:11:34.439 Prayers that went something like, please, Lord, please, Lord, would you grow your church here? 00:11:34.819 --> 00:11:42.480 Would you bring more people to know you? Yet, when we pray that prayer, we've got no intention, 00:11:42.659 --> 00:11:48.559 maybe, in our heart of giving a lift to people to church, of being bold, inviting our neighbours to 00:11:48.559 --> 00:11:55.879 Alpha, of actually being the solution to the prayer. And so the Lord sometimes challenges us in that. 00:11:55.879 --> 00:12:01.639 Lord, you know, we pray for so-and-so in their bereavement. Lord, we know, we know how much they 00:12:01.639 --> 00:12:06.700 need you. Maybe the answer to the prayer is we knock on their door and say, why don't you come to 00:12:06.700 --> 00:12:11.659 the bereavement course with me? Because that might be the answer to the prayer that we're praying. 00:12:12.419 --> 00:12:16.820 I haven't seen so-and-so in church, Lord. I pray you'd bring them back. And the Lord says, 00:12:17.039 --> 00:12:21.759 have you followed them up? Have you given them a call? Have you dropped round? Have you gone round with 00:12:21.759 --> 00:12:27.439 the cake? Have you knocked the door? Because it's up to you as well. We're working together in this. 00:12:28.279 --> 00:12:35.120 I pray, Lord, for those who will be energy of poverty this week, this autumn, who will be 00:12:35.120 --> 00:12:41.860 suffering from the cold. Lord, be with them, please. And the Lord says, well, why don't you invite them 00:12:41.860 --> 00:12:47.419 around a couple of days a week into your nice warm lounge and have tea with them or do knitting 00:12:47.419 --> 00:12:53.979 or whatever? Why don't you invite them in? We are the solution to the prayer. It's not just a one-way 00:12:53.979 --> 00:13:00.299 experience. And when we explore what prayer really is, we realise more and more that it responds to 00:13:00.299 --> 00:13:07.419 prayer by wanting us to get involved with him. Prayers are more than a fleeting nod to his sovereignty 00:13:07.419 --> 00:13:14.519 and his wisdom and his action. Exploratory prayer is, as Paul says, being watchful and thankful. 00:13:14.519 --> 00:13:25.019 Explore more and more of him in our thankfulness. Explore ways of praying, maybe that are focused on 00:13:25.019 --> 00:13:32.679 giving thanks for the everyday. And how much more of our prayer time is where I'm challenged, 00:13:33.059 --> 00:13:40.919 is more about asking than thanking? Maybe that needs a shift in our exploratory prayer. 00:13:40.919 --> 00:13:50.039 Maybe more about thanking than asking for things. Paul says to the early church in Thessalonica, 00:13:50.379 --> 00:13:56.559 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. And Paul is living 00:13:56.559 --> 00:14:02.319 it out in chains. And Paul says, pray for us too, that God may open a door for our message, 00:14:02.320 --> 00:14:11.500 so that we may proclaim Jesus. It's about the everyday. Explore prayer in new ways this week. 00:14:12.100 --> 00:14:20.520 Maybe on the way to school, on the way to shops, on the way on holiday, the person in the car next to 00:14:20.520 --> 00:14:27.000 you at the traffic lights, just praying for them. People in the news, articles in the local newspaper, 00:14:27.000 --> 00:14:33.799 things around you, give it a try. It's really exciting. And on the way to the shops tomorrow, 00:14:34.679 --> 00:14:45.639 maybe a scenario. Lord, I went to church yesterday. And I heard this sermon, and it said about talking 00:14:45.639 --> 00:14:53.080 to you in the everyday. So here I am on my way to the shops. Lord, would you just show me maybe 00:14:53.080 --> 00:15:00.160 whether this really works? Whereupon, you are drawn to a lady that stood there, 00:15:00.940 --> 00:15:08.220 as you're approaching, and she looks really crestfallen. You say, Lord, is there something 00:15:08.220 --> 00:15:13.660 you'd like me to say to this day? The Lord says, that's really strange you should ask. 00:15:13.659 --> 00:15:20.120 That? And I'm glad you're there. Because while you're on your way to Tesco's, but other shops 00:15:20.120 --> 00:15:29.360 are available, while we're on our way there, she's actually got a problem with her foot. 00:15:30.240 --> 00:15:36.699 Really, Lord? Yes, she has. Thank you. What would you like me to do? Well, just go over and have a 00:15:36.700 --> 00:15:42.500 chat to her. Hello, how are you? Oh, good to see you. Oh, hello, how are you? You're looking really sad. 00:15:42.620 --> 00:15:49.040 Are you okay? Well, no, I'm not, actually. I'm not. I've been waiting for this operation for two years, 00:15:49.259 --> 00:15:57.920 and it's just got a little bit much today. It's your foot, isn't it? Well, how did you know that? 00:15:59.080 --> 00:16:06.040 Well, strangely enough, I went to church yesterday. And there's this bloke who's giving a talk, 00:16:06.039 --> 00:16:12.599 and he said, we ought to listen to what God's telling us. And so, how is your foot? Well, 00:16:12.620 --> 00:16:18.500 I've been waiting for two years for this. Oh, really? That must be a real, real difficulty for 00:16:18.500 --> 00:16:24.519 you. Well, can I pray for you? Because the vicar said yesterday that it's all about prayer. Would 00:16:24.519 --> 00:16:30.919 you mind? She said, well, I've tried everything else. And I'd love you to. Is that okay? So, 00:16:30.919 --> 00:16:37.519 now, this is the point where you don't have to gather people from across the street to gather 00:16:37.519 --> 00:16:43.279 around and do the thing. You know, this can be quite non-threatening, quite simple. 00:16:44.879 --> 00:16:49.360 So, do you mind if I pray for you? Sorry, what's your name? Doris. Doris, my name's Clive. It's good 00:16:49.360 --> 00:16:54.579 to see you. Could I say a brief prayer for you? Yes, I'd love you to, actually. That's fine. Doris, 00:16:54.580 --> 00:17:00.160 Holy Spirit, Lord, would you come and would you be with Doris now in her pain, Lord? And would you 00:17:00.160 --> 00:17:07.640 bring healing to her foot, Lord? We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. Oh, thank you. That was a 00:17:07.640 --> 00:17:12.960 lovely thing to do. That's really brightened my day. By the way, so what was your name again? 00:17:13.120 --> 00:17:18.900 Oh, it's Clive. And what church do you go to? I'll probably see you there on Sunday. That sounds 00:17:18.900 --> 00:17:29.100 really nice. Anybody like to try that tomorrow? Everybody. Well done. You see, it hasn't got to be 00:17:29.100 --> 00:17:36.920 difficult. It hasn't got to be difficult. And it makes going shopping far more exciting. Because you 00:17:36.920 --> 00:17:42.780 never know what the Lord's going to do. Because Jesus is faithful. And if it's in his timing and in 00:17:42.779 --> 00:17:49.759 his purposes, and if we are listening and prepared to respond, you sense him prompt you in some very 00:17:49.759 --> 00:17:59.980 exciting and unusual places, but in the everyday. And as we, this may sound, but I was just thinking, 00:18:00.519 --> 00:18:10.220 maybe in this exploratory phase that we're in of praying, maybe you are already asking, 00:18:10.220 --> 00:18:17.200 how do I explore this? On the desks around, if you're near a desk, is some post-its. 00:18:18.539 --> 00:18:25.640 And over here is a table with some post-its. Now, I'm aware, and I have been aware in my life and in 00:18:25.640 --> 00:18:30.779 my Christian journey, it's great to be challenged with different ways to pray. And it may well be 00:18:30.779 --> 00:18:37.420 that your desire today is to say to the Lord, Lord, would you help me to do some of that stuff? 00:18:37.420 --> 00:18:44.220 Would you help me to explore prayer, to be more open? Maybe it is, Lord, just make me more open 00:18:44.220 --> 00:18:52.080 to what you want to do in the everyday. Lord, maybe help me, like the man in the clip, to know what 00:18:52.080 --> 00:18:58.580 you're saying so I can respond. Help me pray more during the day. In fact, a lot more than I'm doing 00:18:58.579 --> 00:19:06.240 now. Maybe that's your prayer. Help me listen for you. Maybe like the man, you are just so busy 00:19:06.240 --> 00:19:12.379 that God's been speaking, but you haven't heard the fullness of what he wants for you. To hear his 00:19:12.379 --> 00:19:20.859 well done in your life. To hear how well and how much he loves you. Maybe he wants to stir up the 00:19:20.859 --> 00:19:26.419 gifts of prophecy in you. Maybe you would like that more and more. Jesus, I want to increase the way 00:19:26.419 --> 00:19:33.500 I can be more in tune with my work colleagues. How can I do that through my prayer in the everyday? 00:19:34.599 --> 00:19:40.479 Jesus, I want to maybe, I'm sorry for the way we haven't talked for a while. 00:19:40.480 --> 00:19:49.240 Lord, I know I haven't been honest with you. Maybe that's our prayer. Lord, help me to be honest with 00:19:49.240 --> 00:19:57.259 you more and more about the real things in my life. Holy Spirit, I want to experience you in power 00:19:57.259 --> 00:20:05.620 in my life. Give me a tangible sign of your presence and of your love that I've been asking for for some 00:20:05.619 --> 00:20:11.839 time. Lord, would you do that? And Lord, I realise that it's been other people's prayers for me 00:20:11.839 --> 00:20:20.819 and not my own. Show me how to pray. Very simple. Lord, show me please how to pray. 00:20:22.919 --> 00:20:29.699 Lord, you know my life. You know my busyness. Where is the best place that we can meet each day? 00:20:29.700 --> 00:20:40.180 Where do you want to meet with me? And Lord, Clive talked about opportunities. Lord, would you help me 00:20:40.180 --> 00:20:46.519 to explore new opportunities for me to share my faith with other people through prayer? 00:20:48.000 --> 00:20:52.600 And perhaps you're into long rambling prayers where God never gets a chance to speak. 00:20:52.599 --> 00:21:02.379 You know, maybe again, your prayer would be, Lord, help me listen more. Help me watch more. Help me look 00:21:02.379 --> 00:21:11.399 for where you're at work. And here is one. Ask for courage. Lord, would you give me courage to pray? 00:21:12.639 --> 00:21:17.599 Courage to pray when I need to, when the opportunities come. The courage to pray. 00:21:17.599 --> 00:21:25.439 So this morning, maybe you'd like to explore courageous prayer. Explore bold prayers. Be 00:21:25.439 --> 00:21:33.319 expectant, knowing that he's active. Explore guidance. Lord, where do you need me now? What are you asking 00:21:33.319 --> 00:21:39.240 of me? Maybe that's a question for somebody here or somebody listening on the podcast. 00:21:39.240 --> 00:21:50.420 Maybe being humble in prayer. You know, we haven't got a corner on prayer. Maybe we need to be more 00:21:50.420 --> 00:21:56.359 humble sometimes. Humbling my heart. Where do you want me to be in this community, in this church 00:21:56.359 --> 00:22:02.000 community, in my workplace? Where do you want me to witness and share your love with others? Explore being 00:22:02.000 --> 00:22:09.220 active in prayer. Maybe the Lord's saying to you, do you know what? I love the fish on the back 00:22:09.220 --> 00:22:15.519 of your car. Why don't you just match the advertising and talk to the people in the garage when you go in? 00:22:17.400 --> 00:22:21.660 What's that fish on the back of your car? Well, it's because I'm a Christian. Really? That's fine. You 00:22:21.660 --> 00:22:26.819 service my car all the time. Have you ever, have you ever thought about what can I pray for you for 00:22:26.819 --> 00:22:33.480 your business? You know, we put these signs up, don't we? But we don't follow them up. Maybe we need 00:22:33.480 --> 00:22:42.860 more courage. Lord, explore having fun with Jesus. The disciples didn't stick with him for three years 00:22:42.860 --> 00:22:52.860 because it was an exercise in monotony. They stayed with Jesus because he was fun to be around. 00:22:53.860 --> 00:23:01.220 We wake up in the morning. What's he going to do next? We've seen the fish thing. We've seen the food. 00:23:01.220 --> 00:23:08.720 what else is going to happen. Let's be expectant of what Jesus is going to do in us and explore that. 00:23:11.380 --> 00:23:12.779 So are we up for this? 00:23:15.700 --> 00:23:17.940 Let's pray. Holy Spirit, would you come 00:23:17.940 --> 00:23:21.960 and would you reveal to us, Lord, 00:23:22.960 --> 00:23:25.299 new and exciting ways 00:23:25.299 --> 00:23:28.700 as we explore our relationship with you 00:23:28.700 --> 00:23:30.079 through prayer. 00:23:31.859 --> 00:23:32.339 Amen.