Transform | Nov. 5, 2023

This morning, we were blessed to hear from our friend Pastor Steve, who began diving into our third corner of the triangle of transformation that we are using as a guide in this series, practices. Practices do not save us. Rather, they tune our hearts to hear from our Father. One of the practical ways we do this as followers of Jesus is to put into practice what Jesus did, and that is to pray. 

One of the most well-known passages in Scripture, the Lord's Prayer (Luke 11:1-4), is a central prayer for followers of Jesus. As we look at the prayer, three observations can be made.

Prayer is Access. God desires a relationship with us, and through Jesus, we have access to the Father.Prayer is an Alignment. When we pray, we open our hearts to Him so that our will and desires can be submitted and realigned to those of our Father. Prayer is Authority. To pray in Jesus' name is powerful, and when we do so, we are claiming the reigning authority of God's Kingdom. 

The question becomes, how do we put this into practice? 

• Pray first. What would it look like to pray before taking action?
• Talk with God, not at God. When you pray, allow time and space for our Father to respond.
• Borrow prayer. When we don't know what to pray, we can borrow prayers from the saints who have gone before. One place to begin is the book of Psalms.

A prayer card was provided to help guide you through different options to integrate this practice into your life. For those who were unable to attend in person, a card will be available in the chapel lobby next Sunday, and we invite you to take one. You can also access today's teaching and a digital version at calvarylg.com/transform.