"Prayer Transforms Us" - Sat. June 24, 2023

"Prayer Transforms Us" - Sat. June 24, 2023

Jun 24, 2023

Preacher: Pastor Mike Sager

Series: The Value and Purpose of Prayer

Category: Worship Services

Notes:

When we think of prayer, we often think about informing God of what our needs, hopes and desires are at that moment. We pray for family and friends, for help with a stressful situation, and for forgiveness of our sins. We bring to God our list, hoping that God will answer us in a way that we desire. These are all good things to lift up to God, but my guess is that after we are done praying, we never really think about what happens, and how prayer is an opportunity for God to transform and renew our hearts and minds. When we look at the good news of Jesus, we discover that God wants more for us than to go to heaven when we die or to have the strength to hang on until the end, hoping for something better. No, the good news of Jesus is that God wants to bring about the transformation of our minds and hearts. God does not want to leave us in our brokenness but to move us towards healing, and towards wholeness where we can live different lives because of God’s good news for us and the world. Prayer is one of the vehicles God uses to bring about that change. As we open ourselves and lives to God, God can mold us in new ways. Think of the apostle Paul who went from a man who was determined to get rid of any trace of Jesus’ message to one of Jesus’ greatest messengers. This movement happened because Paul did not rely on his own understanding but was in constant prayer to God, bringing all that he was doing or wanting to do before God. And in this process, Paul was changed, his life more and more reflecting the heart of God.

Dig Deeper:

When you think about prayer, what do you see as its purpose? What would it look like in your life if the purpose of your prayers was your transformation to be more like Jesus each day?

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