Divine Teachings on Prayer and Faith

Matthew 7:7-12

Torah - Moses received the Torah as a written text Talmud - hakhnasat orekhim (hospitality to guests) The Talmud even says that welcoming guests is greater than welcoming the Divine Presence Talmud - Talmud is considered the explanation of the written text

Then, Then, teaching them more about prayer teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: Suppose you went to a used this story: Suppose you went to a friend s house at midnight, wanting to borrow friend s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, A three loaves of bread. You say to him, A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat. And suppose he have nothing for him to eat. And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, Don t bother me. calls out from his bedroom, Don t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can t help you. family and I are all in bed. I can t help you. But I tell you this But I tell you this though he won t do it for though he won t do it for friendship s sake, if you keep knocking long friendship s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless you need because of your shameless persistence. persistence. Luke 11:5 Luke 11:5- -8 8 , he

And so I tell you, keep on asking .. (Luke 11:9)

7 7Keep on Keep on asking receive what you ask for. receive what you ask for. Keep on Keep on seeking seeking, and you will find. find. Keep on Keep on knocking knocking, and the door will be opened to you. will be opened to you. asking, and you will , and you will , and you will , and the door 8 8For everyone who asks, For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be knocks, the door will be opened. opened. Matthew 7:7,8 Matthew 7:7,8

John 14:14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it Mark 11:24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours Matthew 17:20 Matthew 17:20 I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, Move from here to there, and it would move. Move from here to there, and it would move. Nothing would be impossible. Nothing would be impossible.

1 John 5:14 1 John 5:14 And we are confident that he hears us And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything according to His whenever we ask for anything according to His will. will. James 4:3 James 4:3 And even when you ask, you don t get it because your And even when you ask, you don t get it because your motives are all wrong motives are all wrong you want only what will give you pleasure. you want only what will give you pleasure. Matthew 6:33 And when you pray, you must not be Matthew 6:33 And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites like the hypocrites Psalm 66:18 If I had not confessed the sin in my Psalm 66:18 If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. heart, the Lord would not have listened.

Psalm 143:6 Psalm 143:6 I stretch out my hands to you; my soul I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land thirsts for you like a parched land Jeremiah 29:12 Jeremiah 29:12- -13 pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart when you seek me with all your heart 13 Then you will call upon me and come and Then you will call upon me and come and Matthew 5:6 Matthew 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied righteousness, for they shall be satisfied

Revelation 3:20 Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me and eat with him, and he with me . Matthew 24:33 So you, too, when you see all these things taking Matthew 24:33 So you, too, when you see all these things taking place, know for certain that He is near, right at the door. place, know for certain that He is near, right at the door. Jo John 10:9 hn 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture pasture

The Golden Rule Matthew 7:12 Matthew 7:12 Therefore do to others whatever you would like do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets. the law and the prophets. M Matthew 22:37 atthew 22:37- -40 Jesus replied, 40 Jesus replied, You must love the love the L LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: Love your neighbour as equally important: Love your neighbour as yourself. yourself. The entire law and all the demands The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two of the prophets are based on these two commandments. commandments. You must ORD your God with all your heart, all This is the first A second is

The Golden Rule Is the Golden Rule related to the teaching on prayer? Is the Golden Rule related to the teaching on prayer? The conjunction The conjunction Therefore links it to the teaching on prayer links it to the teaching on prayer James 2:15,16 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, Go in peace, be warmed and filled, without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? Cook meals Cook meals Provide transport Provide transport Help clean Help clean Serve others in the church or community Serve others in the church or community Visit and pray for people Visit and pray for people Etc Etc We can be the answer to prayer by serving others We can be the answer to prayer by serving others We can: We can:

Summary Summary In our prayer life: In our prayer life: Are we Are we Asking Not selfishly Not selfishly Not hypocritically Not hypocritically Always surrendering to God s will Always surrendering to God s will Asking for the right reason? for the right reason? Are we Are we Seeking Seeking correctly? Hungering and thirsting after God s presence Hungering and thirsting after God s presence Are we seeking God with all of our heart Are we seeking God with all of our heart correctly? Are we Are we Knocking Knocking enough? Do we give up too soon because we haven t seen an answer Do we give up too soon because we haven t seen an answer Do we believe that God is listening to us? Do we believe that God is listening to us? enough? Are we prepared to do something for others and be the Are we prepared to do something for others and be the Answer Answer to prayer? to prayer?

Matthew 7:7-12