Church Online

“Prayer”
January 19, 2025
Cityline Church
Jack Anthony Sheets
Lead Pastor

28  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  29  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  30  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28–30

Spiritual Practices– A practice or activity that helps people align their thoughts, feelings, and actions with Jesus and his way of life.

Prayer – All the ways in which we communicate and connect with God. The soul’s native language.

Prayer is the oxygen for a life with Jesus.

4  Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  5  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.  6  Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  7  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7

1 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. Luke 11:1-4

THE PRACTICE OF PRAYER

• Priority

35  Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Mark 1:35

• Place

15  Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses.  16  But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. Luke 5:15-16

• Posture

9  “This, then, is how you should pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10  your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11  Give us today our daily bread. 12  And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13  And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one.’ Matthew 6:9-13

• Pattern

7 During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Hebrews 5:7

• Power

31  After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. Acts 4:31

Prayer is not simply connecting with God; prayer is life with God.

1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. Luke 18:1

Fixed-Hour Prayer – The consistent daily rhythm of interrupting our everyday routine to connect with God with set times of prayer.

1. Morning: The Lord’s Prayer
2. Afternoon: Friends & Family
3. Evening: Examen & Gratitude

“Fixed-hour prayer gives us a way to anchor our daily lives in rhythms of prayer, ensuring that we do not get too far into any day without orienting or reorienting ourselves to the presence of God in our lives.” – Ruth Haley Barton