Sunday, October 15, 2017

sermon, "P Is for Prayer", by Pastor Ruth Foss, Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church, Patten, ME, October 8, 2017



October 8, 2017
Stetson Memorial UMC
Sermon Series “P.A.T.T.E.N.”
(P is for “Pray Every Day”)
Matthew 18:18-20 MSG
Isaiah 56:6-8 MSG
Hebrews 10:19-25 MSG
Revelation 5:8-10 NLT
Acts 1:12-14 MSG
 Acts 2 (Various Verses from both MNLT and MSG Bible)


“P Is For Prayer…”

The Lord be with you…let us pray… (prayer for the Spirit’s indwelling as bring God’s words of hope this morning…)

Please stand for the reading of the Gospel according to Matthew, chapter 18, verses 18 through 20. Listen to the Word of God …His Love Letter…to His people…

I was sitting in the sanctuary the other day looking at the banners that we have on display. One says a Hope Giving Church and the other has Patten spelled out. For each letter in Patten it tells about how we live out that letter in community and in the world. Well this got me thinking and reflecting about what each statement says and if we, you, and I, truly live what we say. It is easy to put statements on a banner but a whole different thing to live it out.

Last week I sent us out into the world to make a change. We had talked about all those things that give us hope and the fact we needed to share that same hope. But I think…now tell me if I am wrong, we need to look at the statements we make and if we enact them out I the world. As I looked at the statements we have on the wall one thing became very clear to me. To be who, we say we are we actually have to act upon the statements we make. They look good and all but actions speak volumes about who and whose we are.

So…the first letter in the P.A.T.T.E.N. Banner is “P”. P is for “Pray Every Day”. Pray every day. Do we really do that? Do we pray every day or should I say without ceasing? So, we pray every day…what does that look like?  There are many ways to pray and we have talked about several through the past 4 years I have been here but the scripture that I read from Matthew has really got me thinking. It states:

“When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I’ll be there.”

Where two or more are gathered. Do we gather together for prayer? Well, every Sunday we have prayer time together. There is usually two or more of us so that fits the criteria. But is that enough, just Sunday mornings when we gather to Worship and Praise God for Who He is? Let’s look at what a couple of pieces of scripture say about praying together…

But first let’s understand one thing…we are called to be a house of prayer. Listen to Isaiah 56 verses 6 through 8 say about this fact:
Isaiah 56:6-8The Message (MSG)
6-8 “And as for the outsiders who now follow me,
    working for me, loving my name,
    and wanting to be my servants—
All who keep Sabbath and don’t defile it,
    holding fast to my covenant—
I’ll bring them to my holy mountain
    and give them joy in my house of prayer.
They’ll be welcome to worship the same as the ‘insiders,’
    to bring burnt offerings and sacrifices to my altar.
Oh yes, my house of worship
    will be known as a house of prayer for all people.”
The Decree of the Master, God himself,
    who gathers in the exiles of Israel:
“I will gather others also,
    gather them in with those already gathered.”

A House of Prayer for all people. So, what does that look like? Well in doing my research on the subject I found an interesting article that states:
“First of all, Christ himself was a house of prayer and he was teaching his disciples to become one by modeling this for them when He continually withdrew and was talking with His Father and drawing strength from that intimate relationship He had in heaven. This same intimate relationship is one we can have because Jesus Christ came and hung on a cross to pay the price for us with his life, a perfect sacrifice shedding His blood for the forgiveness of all of our sins”
So, we become houses of prayer in and through Jesus as we follow His example for us.  I like the analogy it used when it stated:
Think about it this way. As a child you have an intimate relationship with your earthly father or mother and you want to be around them and you depend upon them for certain things like food, clothing, a home to live in, and all the good things you like and need. Well, even though Jesus had those earthly parents, He came from heaven and longed for the intimate relationship with His Father in heaven. Prayer was that connection of intimacy that He left behind when He came to earth. He was modeling this for His disciples, and for us to follow, as He restored the relationship for us with the Father by His death, burial and resurrection.
OK…so this is all about what prayer is.  What is meant by “house of prayer”?

Defining the House of Prayer
I will attempt to give some definition and expression to the House of Prayer. As I understand, there are two expressions of it, so here they are.
1.      You are personally a House of Prayer. After you receive Jesus Christ as Savior, you become the temple of the Holy Spirit.
2. The Church is a House of Prayer. As we assemble together we are the corporate expression of prayer. 
Hebrews 10:19-25 tells us:
A Call to Persevere
19 And so, dear brothers and sisters,[a] we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. 20 By his death,[b] Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place.21 And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house,22 let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.
23 Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. 24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
Persevere in prayer and come together in prayer.

Persevere – We all love the PUSH Pray Until Something Happens way of thinking. We all say we believe it but do we do it. Are we there until the birthing has happened. Think of it this way. When a woman gives birth to a child she needs to push…harder at time but still push. She continues push until what she wants is birthed…that new born child. She doesn’t give up in the middle. She continues until the end. Pray…P.U.S.H….is very much the same exact thing. We PUSH and PUSH until what we are praying for is birthed. We persevere…

Come together – Where two or more are gather together… We need to come together in prayer…and not just during our praise and worship times. We need to deliberately come together and pray. Things happen, lives are changed and we see people coming to Christ as we deliberately come together. Listen to some of my favorite scriptures about coming together and praying and what happens as Christ’s Followers come together in prayer… Found I Acts 2 and Acts 2…the BIRTH of the church.
Acts 1:12-14The Message (MSG)
Returning to Jerusalem
12-13 So they left the mountain called Olives and returned to Jerusalem. It was a little over half a mile. They went to the upper room they had been using as a meeting place:
Peter,
John,
James,
Andrew,
Philip,
Thomas,
Bartholomew,
Matthew,
James, son of Alphaeus,
Simon the Zealot,
Judas, son of James.
14 They agreed they were in this for good, completely together in prayer, the women included. Also Jesus’ mother, Mary, and his brothers.
Acts 2:1-4, 41-42, 46-47New Living Translation (NLT)
The Holy Spirit Comes
On the day of Pentecost[a] all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages,[b] as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.

41 Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.
The Believers Form a Community
42 All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper[i]), and to prayer.

46 They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity[j]47 all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.
Holy Spirit came, lives were saved…were changed, and the church was birthed as Christ followers got together and “PUSH”ed. We too can see things birthed as we pray together. WE have seen miracles in this church as we pray together on Sunday’s. How much more would we see happen as we gather more as a house of prayer?

We have several times to get together here during the week but have we become like those who have forgotten about gathering together? How much more would the world be blessed…this community be blessed if we would get back into the practice of praying with one another? The world needs change. How much more would our prayers have an effect on our community, our state, our country, and our world if we gathered together as the Holy Spirit brings us a new zephyr, a new indwelling, of its power in our lives and the lives of others?

P is for Pray Every Day. How are you and I doing with that? Do you think that there needs to be a renewed indwelling of the Spirit in our lives and the life of our church? Do you want to be part of the new thing God is doing in our church and in Patten? Pastor Jim Cimbala, who is the Brooklyn Tabernacle Church that began with only 14 members, states that prayer is the “engine of the church.” Prayer is the large engine that knows it can…not a little engine that thinks it can… Are you willing to give an hour to bring God’s “kingdom come here on earth as it is in heaven”? Are your ready to join the heavenly choir in heaven and become the Kingdom of priest interceding for the world as described in Revelation 5:8-10:
Revelation 5:8-10New Living Translation (NLT)
And when he took the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. And they sang a new song with these words:
“You are worthy to take the scroll
    and break its seals and open it.
For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God
    from every tribe and language and people and nation.
10 And you have caused them to become
    a Kingdom of priests for our God.

I know what my choice is…I hope to see you here as we bring down heavens grace and mercy upon our church, upon our community…upon Patten, and upon the world. Let us become that House of Prayer we are called to be…praying every day, in every way…

Amen 

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October 14, 2017
we must be honest, authentic – v2
October 14, 2017
we need to be deliberate
edited October 14, 2017
are we honest, authentic – v3
(changing the order of the stanzas)
merged October 14, 2017
are we honest, authentic – v2
edited/ new title October 14, 2017
we must be honest, authentic
October 14, 2017
are we honest, authentic
edited October 14, 2017
do we pray without ceasing – v3
(editing original)
edited October 13, 2017
pray for each other – v2
October 13, 2017
pray for each other
edited October 13, 2017
advocating, petitioning God – v2
October 13, 2017
advocating, petitioning God
October 13, 2017
praying for them - 3
October 13, 2017
by faith and grace
Psalm 106:19-23
Psalm 106:1-6, 19-23
Exodus 32:1-6
Exodus 32:1-14
The Golden Calf
The Upper Room Disciplines for 2017
“Supplicate, Sing, See”
October 9, 2017 to October 15, 2017
by Wen-Ling Lai
devotion for October 13, 2017
read October 13, 2017
&
edited October 12, 2017
yet I still receive grace – v2
October 12, 2017
yet I still receive grace
October 12, 2017
confessing our sins
Psalm 106:1-6
Psalm 106:1-6, 19-23
Philippians 4:7-9
Philippians 4:1-9
The Upper Room Disciplines for 2017
“Supplicate, Sing, See”
October 9, 2017 to October 15, 2017
by Wen-Ling Lai
devotion for October 12, 2017
read October 12, 2017
&
edited October 11, 2017
God remembered His promise – v2
edited October 11, 2017
Moses saved the Israeli people
edited October 11, 2017
he saved his people – v2
October 11, 2017
he saved his people
October 11, 2017
His prayer was effective – v2
edited/merged October 11, 2017
He prayed for his people – v2
October 11, 2017
His prayer was effective
October 11,2017
He prayed for his people
October 11, 2017
God remembered His promise
Exodus 32:11-14
Exodus 32:1-14
The Golden Calf
Philippians 4:6
Philippians 4:1-9
The Upper Room Disciplines for 2017
“Supplicate, Sing, See”
October 9, 2017 to October 15, 2017
by Wen-Ling Lai
devotion for October 11, 2017
read October 11, 2017
&
October 13, 2017
as we pray together
October 13, 2017
come together in prayer
October 13, 2017
we manifest prayer
October 13, 2017
as we gather together
October 13, 2017
Christ withdrew
October 12, 2017
All about prayer
October 12, 2017
Do we gather in prayer
edited October 12, 2017
make of me a house of prayer – v2
edited/ new name October 12, 2017
make of me a house of prayer
October 12, 2017
make me a house of prayer
edited October 12, 2017
we promise to pray – v2
October 12, 2017
I lift up my prayers
edited October 12, 2017
do we pray without ceasing – v2
October 11, 2017
do we pray without ceasing
October 10, 2017
we promise to pray
October 10, 2017
called to be a house
October 10, 2017
I’ll be there
October 9, 2017
praying every day
October 9, 2017
praying without ceasing
edited October 9, 2017
Christ sat down beside me
(my testimony 10/8/17)
October 9, 2017
He sat down beside me
(my testimony 10/8/17)
October 9, 2017
you answered my prayer
(my testimony 10/8/17)
October 9, 2017
you forgave me
(my testimony 10/8/17)
October 9, 2017
I was active in church
(my testimony 10/8/17)
edited October 8, 2017
our temple a house – v2
October 8, 2017
our temple a house
October 8, 2017
Giving God Our Hopes
October 8, 2017
standing on prayer
October 8, 2017
walking in prayer
October 8, 2017
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
Sermon Series: “P.A.T.T.E.N.”
(“P is for “Pray Every Day”)
(P.A.T.T.E.N. banner in the church)
Psalm 25:1-9
Matthew 18:18-20
Isaiah 56:6-8
Hebrews 10:19-25
Revelations 5:8-10
Acts 1:12-14
Acts 2
and sermon, “P Is for Prayer”
text:

video:
(including testimony of Raymond A. Foss)
by Pastor Ruth Foss
sermon blog
meditation blog
“God’s Whisper” blog
Children’s Message
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
October 8, 2017

All of my poems, photographs, and videos are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 45,190 of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Christ, Spirit, God, Faith, love, grace, hope, prayer, Pastor Ruth Foss, Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church, poem, PATTEN, ME, Psalm 25, Matthew 18, house of prayer,

#Christ #God #Spirit #Faith #love #grace #poem #Patten #Psalm25 #Matthew18 #pray #praying #prayer #hope

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