First Assembly Church - Sunday Service (January 1, 2023)

In this message Cody dives into the basics of prayer, sharing with us different forms of prayer and the heart postures behind them. He reminds us of the childlike prayers and the ways in which we can simplify our hearts and minds towards our Father's heart. ✍️ Notes Teach Us To Pray | A message by: Cody Matchett Give With Us: fa.church/give Set List: Ancient Gates - Brooke Ligertwood Living For You - Tehillah Worship Your Love - Tehillah Worship Goodness of God - Bethel Music Notes: Jesus regularly retreated in prayer Jesus prayed to connect with God Jesus prayed to ensure that his priorities remained rightly-ordered Jesus experienced transformation in/through prayer Distraction Comfort Secularism Theological Pointlessness Matthew 6:5-8 “And when you pray, do not be like those who are play-acting; for they love to pray while standing in the synagogues and on the corners of streets, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have their reward in full. But when you pray, enter into your private room and, having closed the door, pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father, who watches what is secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not babble repetitions phrases like the ethnic-groups, who imagine they will get a hearing because of the sheer amount of their talk. Do not be like them! For your Father knows what you need before you ask him…” Prayer Audible / Silent Private / Public Liturgical / Extemporaneous Prayer is communication with God that comprises both word and deed, both verbal discourse and nonverbal, performative acts. “There is nothing more worthwhile than to pray to God and to converse with him, for prayer unites us with God as his companions. As our bodily eyes are illuminated by seeing the light, so in contemplating God our [being] is illuminated by him. Prayer is the light of our [being], giving us true knowledge of God.” — St. John Chrysostom “Our prayer must not be self-centred. It must arise not only because we feel our own need as a burden we must lay upon God, but also because we are so bound up in love for our fellow-men that we feel their need as acutely as our own.” — John Calvin “To clasp the hands in prayer is the beginning of an uprising against the disorder of the world.” — Karl Barth “The ‘performers’ do it, in the final analysis, because they love themselves. Prayer, supposedly the most intimate expression of love to God, has turned into its very opposite, preoccupation with oneself…” — Hans Dieter Betz The God of Israel cannot be manipulated The God of Israel does not need to be manipulated “When we come to pray with serious intention, the tongue does not outrun the heart, nor is God’s favour secured by an empty flow of words, but rather, the longings which the devout heart sends out like arrow shots are those that reach to heaven…” — John Calvin “[The Lord’s Prayer] is the scaffolding around the tower of prayer, or the guiding handrails along which the disciple walks in forming his or her own prayers.” — Jonathan Pennington Summary What: Prayer is conversation with God. When: As part of our regular rhythm. Why: Relational connection with God and one another. How: raw-honesty, plain-speech, active presence The Handrails of Prayer — The Content — The Lord’s Prayer “Prayer is an act of love; words are not needed. Even if sickness distracts from thoughts, all that is needed is the will to love.” — St. Teresa of Avila Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi = “The law of prayer [is] the law of belief.” Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi, Lex Vivendi = “The law of what is prayed [is] what is believed [is] the law of what is lived.” Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be your name, Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. 📅 Coming Up 🫱🏻‍🫲🏼 Newcomers Connect | January 15 🔗 STAY CONNECTED First Assembly | @fa.church https://www.fa.church   / fa.church     / fachurchyyc     / fachurchyyc   https://www.tiktok.com/@fachurch?is_f...   / fachurch   🎵 LIKE OUR WORSHIP Tehillah Worship | @tehillahworshipyyc https://www.tehillahyyc.ca/worship   / tehillahworshipyyc     / tehillahworshipyyc     / tehillahwyyc