TMG
Crossroads Community Church
Nevada MO
Dear Church Family,
I look forward to being with you this Sunday morning for worship starting at 10:00 at the Osage Prairie YMCA. We’ll have a good time of re-connecting with the Lord and with each other.
We’re going to begin a series of sermons in the first eleven chapters of the book of Genesis. These are critical chapters for understanding, life, the family, God, and man! To get started, this Sunday we’re going to simply ask the question, “Can we trust the Bible?” Before digging into a book as foundational as Genesis, we ought to review whether or not we can consider the Bible to be a trustworthy source of such information. I hope you’ll join us this Sunday! (If you’re unable to make it, the sermon will be available on the Crossroads Facebook page by Saturday evening. You can also find it on my own Facebook page and on my YouTube channel.)
Women of Joy Conference this fall
As you know, the Women of Joy conference, “Embrace Joy,” is scheduled for October 1-3 in Branson. Tickets and lodging for this conference go quickly, so if you’re interested in a weekend of deepening your faith, and strengthening relationships with other Christian women, please contact Heather (417-321-0303) to reserve a spot. Tickets are $109 if purchased before July 7. Lodging costs will be in addition to the conference cost. Please pray about joining some from Crossroads for an uplifting weekend.
Q & A about Prayer:
“Prayer is our greatest Christian privilege … and our greatest Christian failure,” said Adrian Rogers once.
Following are a few questions and answers about prayer:
- Why should we pray when God already knows our needs?
- We don’t pray to impress God. We don’t pray to inform God of things. We pray to invite God. Through prayer, we are inviting God into our lives.
- There is a fellowship factor; we experience fellowship with Him.
- There is a development factor; as we pray, we grow.
- There is a dependency factor; if we got from Him all we needed without ever asking, we would attempt to live without Him. Prayer binds us to God.
- For what is it proper to pray?
- Everything! (Philippians 4:6-7)
- Nothing in life is outside the reach of prayer.
- If it concerns you, it concerns God.
- Nothing is too big — the biggest problem you have is small to God.
- Nothing is too small — the smallest thing you are thinking about is important to God because it’s important to you.
- Pray about it! God already knows you’re thinking about it anyway!
- Why should we pray in the name of Jesus?
- Because Jesus taught us to (John 15:16). His name stands for three things:
- His approval: Jesus approves this request.
- His authority: I am a co-heir with Him. Jesus has granted me permission to go to the Father in prayer.
- His acclaim: This request is for His glory. (See Acts 19:13-17 for prayers not for His glory.)
- Does God always give us what we ask?
- Thankfully, no! (See, for example, Numbers 11:10-15 ; Mark 10:38.)
- Sometimes we ask for the wrong things.
- Sometimes we ask with wrong motives.
- Sometimes we ask when there’s sin in our lives.
- Does prayer change the mind of God?
- Prayer is not a matter of overcoming God’s reluctance; prayer is laying hold of God’s will (1 John 5:14-15). Just like a human parent, God delights in His children coming to Him and asking. He does things when we pray that He may not do when we don’t pray.
- What should we do if our requests are not granted?
- Either keep on praying (Daniel prayed for three solid weeks about a matter — Daniel 10:2. Delays are not denials.) … or quit praying (God said, in response to Paul’s request, “My grace is sufficient for you.” He gave Paul something better than what Paul had asked for.) If God doesn’t give what you ask, it doesn’t mean He doesn’t love you, or that you’ve necessarily done something wrong.
Don’t wait to understand everything about prayer in order to start praying! Electricity is the same way — you don’t have to sit in the dark just because you don’t understand it!
See you this Sunday!
— Tom
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