2 Corinthians 1:1-11

2 Corinthians is Paul's Apology (Defense)

In defense of his not coming, his ministry, his team, suffering, giving, foolishness, the new covenant, his previous letter

1:1-2 TYPICAL GREETING

1:3-11 SUFFERING

I. Surviving Suffering

a. Focus on praise (IN the troubles, 3-4a)
b. Focus on blessings (comfort, deliverance, 3b)
c. Focus on others (we can comfort others, 4b, 6-7)
d. Focus on Christ (He can sympathize, 5)
e. Focus on resurrection hope (ultimate hope, 6-7, 9)

II. Second Look at Suffering

a. Binds us together, 4, 11
b. Builds patience & endurance, 6
c. Helps us to appreciate comfort, 7
d. Humbles us, 9

2 Corinthians

Below are my notes from 2 Corinthians

1:1-11 (Introduction)
1:12-2:13 (Character in Conflict)
2:14-17 (Learning to Smell)
3:1-18 (Letters and Veils)
4:1-6 (Ministry Temptation)
4:7-5:10 (In Defense of Suffering)
5:11-6:13 (Man, Message, Mission)
6:14-7:1 (The Power of a Yoke)
7:2-16 (Anatomy of Apology)
8:1-9:15 (Gift of Generosity)
10:1-11:33 (The Reluctant Resume)
12:1-13:14 (Concluding Remarks)

Part 1: 1:1-4:43

Possessing the Promise
Part 1: Deuteronomy 1:1-4:43

“These are the words”
The original name for the 5th book of the Bible is Devarim (which means words, 1:1). When the OT was translated into Greek it was re-titled Deuteronomy (which means second law, 17:18).

“Moses spoke”
Until recently, Mosaic authorship of this material was undisputed. 14 other OT books attributed it to Moses as did multiple NT authors and Jesus Himself. Liberal scholars have attempted to undermine this tradition by pointing out that Moses' own death is recorded in chapter 34 (and parenthetical statements are made throughout). But conservative scholars point out that claiming Mosaic authorship is not the same thing as saying he is responsible for every word. Authorship, in ancient times, simply referred to the most famous or most significant contributer of the material. All the external evidence points to Moses and the internal evidence does as well (for instance, Jerusalem is not mentioned as God's capital city, 12:5).

“To all Israel in the desert east of the Jordan…”
Moses was addressing a younger generation of Israelites (60 years old and younger, see Numbers 14:29-34). They were on the threshold of the Promised Land and were entering into an agreement with the King of Kings. This phrase (King of Kings) has taken on new significance since the archaeological find of ancient Suzerainty Treaties which established the agreement between a Suzerain (sovereign king) over his vassal's (lesser kings). Moses, being educated in the formal writings of the world at that time, seems to have picked up the common form. In other words, Deuteronomy is a sort of Suzerainty Treaty in which God is the sovereign King and the tribes of Israel are the subordinate vassals. He is truly the King of kings.

I. Preamble (1:1-5)
If it was only an 11 day trip from Horeb (Sinai) to Kadesh-Barnea (entrance to the Promised Land, 1:2), then why were they only now about to enter? This question is answered when Moses gives the historical prologue which describes why and how they wandered in the desert for about 40 years.

II. Historical Prologue (1:6-4:43)
III. Stipulations (General: 5-11, Specific 12-26)
IV. Sanctions (27-30)
V. Final Considerations (31-33)
VI. Epilogue (34)


QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

1. How does the Old Covenant call to “go” (1:7) compare and contrast to the New Covenant call to “go” (Matthew 28:19)? Also consider 1:23-25.
COMPARE- Waiting... CONTRAST- For Law vs. For Spirit
COMPARE- Going... CONTRAST- Land vs. World
COMPARE- Possession... CONTRAST- Physically vs. Spiritually
COMPARE- Twelve... CONTRAST- Tribes vs. Apostles
COMPARE- Fruit... CONTRAST- Fruit vs. Converts

2. How does Moses’ request in 1:13 compare and contrast to the Apostles’ request in Acts 6:1-7?

3. The desert generation failed to accomplish its mission. What attitudes and behaviors prevented them from victory? Consider 1:26-28, 41.
A. Unwillingness to go
B. Rebellion against commands
C. Grumbling i. at Lord ii. each other iii. b/c of enemies
D. Flesh driven programs

4. What are we to make of wilderness wanderers? How does God view them? Consider 2:7 & Numbers 14:20-25. Remember, Moses himself was banned from the Promised Land (3:23-29).
I believe it is left somewhat ambigous on purpose. They may be saved, but they have no sense of security.


5. Why does God forbid Israel from provoking certain peoples to war (2:5, 9)? How does this fit with those who say that God in the OT is utterly wrathful?

6. Why does God allow the older generation to experience some victories toward the end of their lives (2:24-3:11, 21-22)? Why does He allow some Israelites to remain east of the Jordan (3:12-20)?

7. What was the whole point of God bringing the Israelites into the Promised Land (4:6-8)? And what was the risk in doing so (4:9-31)?
A. The wisdom would draw pagans to God
B. That they'd end up dragging God's name through the mud

Deuteronomy

Below you will find my notes from a study through the book of Deuteronomy

Possessing the Promises
1:1-4:43 (Introduction)
5:1-11:32 (Character Traits)
12-26 (Worship & Administration)
12-26 (Domestic & Foreign Policy)
27-31 Blessings, Curses & Transitions

Interpretation

That’s Just Your Interpretation!
-A Guide to Better Bible Interpretation-

The word hermeneutics is defined as the art and science of biblical interpretation. The word is likely rooted in the name for the Greek god Hermes who was a mythical messenger between the gods and mortals. The task of hermeneutics is just that: To determine the meaning of Scripture.

Why is Interpretation so Difficult?
1. Distance of Time
2. Distance of Culture
3. Distance of Geography
4. Distance of Language
* We bring our own time, culture, geography & language to the text

Despite these difficulties, two gifts from God make it possible to access the meaning of the Scriptures:
1. The Holy Spirit
2. The Human Head
* Both of these gifts may be claimed without actually being utilized!

The Gift of the Spirit in Interpretation
1. We interpret better when we are believers
2. We interpret better when we are obedient
3. We interpret better when we are Spirit-filled
4. We interpret better when we are in the church

The Gift of the Head in Interpretation
Christians believe that God has communicated using discernable human language with discerning human beings. Correct interpretation is possible.

How to R.E.A.D. the Bible Well
Recognize Progressive Revelation
Evaluate the Context(s)
Accept the Genre for what it is
Define the Terms correctly

Examples of Bad Interpretation
* Identify which rules are being broken in the interpretations below

1. President Bartlet’s Speech
2. Health & Wealth Theology
3. Proverbial Children
4. Non-Bodily Resurrection
5. Apocalyptic Literalism
6. Individualistic Insights
7. Dispensationalization

Examples of Tough Interpretation
* Identify which rules are important in regards to the debates below
1. Creation Debate
2. Nephilim Debate
3. Song of Solomon Debate
4. Jesus’ Genealogy Debate
5. Romans 11 Debate
6. Role of Women Debate
7. Millennium Debate

When we read the Bible well, we safeguard ourselves from many incorrect interpretations. Scripture’s meaning is usually clear, but some difficulties remain urging restraint from dogma.

On Translation

Lost in Translation?
-The Story through the Centuries-

1. The vast majority of the OT was written in Hebrew, but was translated into Greek in the centuries prior to Christ. Legend developed about the miraculous nature of this translation work. The Septuagint (as it was called) was the common Bible for most early Christians.

2. Jesus spoke Aramaic, but the vast majority of the NT was written in Greek (so there was, even in the 1st century, a lot of ‘translating’ going on). Because the Gospel was so important, many copies were made. And because the Gospel was relevant to the whole world, it was translated into other languages.

3. In the early 5th century, Jerome finished a fresh translation of the entire Bible into Latin from the original languages. This new translation was rejected at first, but became the preferred Bible in Europe during the Middle Ages. In fact, it was the 1st book off the printing press.

4. In the 16th century, Erasmus published the 1st complete NT in Greek with a fresh Latin translation in a parallel column. As per usual, this ‘new’ work was rejected, but Erasmus’ project eventually gained approval and was used as the basis for translating into contemporary languages (like English).

- The Making of English Bibles -

Wycliffe Bible (1380’s)
John Wycliffe had a passion that the words of Scripture be given to the common people. He translated the Bible from Latin in English.

Tyndale Bible (1520’s)
The Renaissance and the printing press prepared the way for more/better translations. William Tyndale authored such a Bible, for which he died.

Other Bibles (1530’s)
The authorities soon realized that they couldn’t just condemn Tyndale’s Bible, they had to offer an alternative. The Bishop’s Bible, however, failed to gain wide usage. Others (Coverdale/Rogers) sought to improve/complete Tyndale’s work. The Great Bible (named for its size) became the dominant Bible in the mid 16th century.

Geneva Bible (1560)
William Whittingham compiled an underground Bible during the reign of Queen Mary. This was the first Bible with verse divisions and contained controversial notes on difficult passages.

Institutional Bibles (Late 1500’s)
RC Scholars, in response to the Reformation, translated the Douay-Rheims Bible from the Latin. A new version of the Bishop’s Bible was made to overtake the two most popular Bible’s of the day (Great Bible & Geneva Bible)
-The KJV & the Rise of Modern Translations-

King James Bible (1611)
King James appointed 54 scholars from Oxford & Cambridge to make a new translation from the original languages. This translation dominated the world of English translations for the next 300 years and is still a very popular translation today.

Problems with the KJV
1. The scholars were given guidelines
2. The scholars didn’t have many manuscripts
3. The scholars didn’t have the best manuscripts
4. The scholars were fallible human beings
5. The English language has changed over time

Problems with KJV-Onlyism
1. It misses the entire point of Bible translation, which is thoroughly evangelistic
2. It misplaces our faith by placing it in a translation rather than in God alone
3. It ignores the original intent of the KJV translators and their disclaimers
4. It may lead to a sense of superiority over other Christians who use a lesser (or evil) version

Why English Translations Differ
1. Based on different manuscripts (modern translations based on older manuscripts)
2. Based on different approaches to translation (word-for-word vs. thought-for-thought)
3. Translated by different people/teams
4. Translators for different audiences

Life of David

His Early Life
Facing His Giants
True Friendship
Dealing with Adversaries
Holy Lies & Holy Bread?
The Road to the Throne
God's Great Promise
David's Downfall
Family Feuds
The Later Years

Facing His Giants

A Man After God’s Own Heart
Lessons from the Life of David
Part 2: Facing the Giant

1. He was obedient to his father in every detail (17:15, 20) despite the fact that, as the youngest, son, his father had not even considered him a candidate for Samuel’s anointing (16:11)

2. He truly believed in the power of God (17:26). He didn’t view Goliath has a giant enemy, but as a rebel against the Lord. David may have seen this as an opportunity to take a step toward his calling.

3. His oldest brother didn’t like him (17:28-29). He angrily believed David was negligent, conceited, and wicked.

4. He had defeated lions & bears in the past while shepherding (17:34-36) and this gave him the confidence to take on Goliath (17:37)

5. He wasn’t comfortable in Saul’s armor (17:38-39) and felt he could succeed with just his shepherd supplies (17:40).

6. He believed the Lord was stronger than anything the world could throw at him (17:45-47)

7. He defeated Goliath, brought his head to Jerusalem, and kept his weapons (17:54). This caused King Saul to seek further information in regards to who David actually was (17:55-58)

Early Life

A Man After God’s Own Heart
Lessons from the Life of David
Part 1: His Early Life

1. The story of Ruth gives his ancestry (4:13-22). He was from the tribe of Judah via Perez (4:18) and lived in the small town of Bethlehem (16:1)

2. He was the youngest of the 8 sons of a man named Jesse (1 Sam. 16:1, 10)

3. He was a handsome young man (16:12)

4. He worked for his father as a shepherd (16:11)

5. He was chosen by God to be King (16:1), not because of any outward appearances, but because He had a heart that pleased God (16:7). Samuel anointed him for this future role (16:13)

6. From the day of his anointing on, the Spirit of the Lord came upon him in power (16:13)

7. He became skilled at playing the harp (16:18) and was brought in to play the harp for King Saul (16:19) to bring Saul relief from an evil spirit (16:23)

8. He was known as a brave warrior and a well-spoken young man (16:18)

9. He became a part time armor-bearer (16:21, 17:15) and Saul was pleased with him (16:22)

Lust

LUST

7 Verses on Lust

1. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. (1 John 2:16)
2. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. (Colossians 3:5)
3. It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5)
4. For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. (1 Peter 4:3)
5. You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember all the commands of the LORD, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by going after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes. (Numbers 15:39)
6. I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl. (Job 31:1)
7. But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (Matthew 5:28)

7 Quotes on Lust

1. “Perhaps as good a classification as any of the main types is that of the three lusts distinguished by traditional Christianity - the lust of knowledge, the lust of sensation, and the lust of power” (Irving Babbitt)
2. “Society drives people crazy with lust and calls it advertising” (John Lahr)
3. “Love comforteth like sunshine after rain, But lust's effect is tempest after sun; Love's gentle spring doth always fresh remain, Lust's winter comes ere summer half be done; Love surfeit's not, Lust like a glutton dies, Love is all truth, Lust full of lies” (William Shakespeare)
4. I will far rather see the race of man extinct than that we should become less than beasts by making the noblest of God's creation, woman, the object of our lust. (Gandhi)
5. “Lust is an ancient malady, but one could argue that technology enables this sin to be worse for us… the Web is peculiarly well-suited for the exercise of, and encouragement of, lust, which tends to be one of the most secretive of the seven” (Will Willimon)
6. In modern life, the only damaging thing about lust is suppressing it. ‘Deny thyself’ is not a watchword of our age. Who wants to be labeled a prude?… In an earlier day, masturbation was a sin. Now, it’s a cure. (Will Willimon)
7. “As a pastor, give me a lustful, seeking, reaching, desirous person in my congregation rather than a detached, cool, controlled, repressed apathetic person. It’s easier to contain and direct a fire than it is to raise the dead.” (Will Willimon)

..................

Jesus said that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart... and maybe every man present (and every future man) felt a good bit uneasy. If adulterers have no part in the kingdom and lustful thoughts qualify as adultery, won't the kingdom be lacking the important ingredient of citizenry?

However we answer that question, we must admit the problem of lust (apparently real even before the invention of the internet) has only gotten worse. As I type this I've just been looking at a long list of terrible statistics about the American addiction to pornography. I won't share the stats because we all know they're bad. Will Willimon states that "lust is an ancient malady, but one could argue that technology enables this sin to be worse for us... the Web is peculiarly well-suited for the exercise of, and encouragement of, lust, which tends to be one of the most secretive of the seven."

I'm not sure, though, that the problem is much worse now than it used to be (after all, the NT addresses the problem of lust and sexual immorality often, seemingly because it was indeed a problem). But certainly the secret is out. Our culture wants us to lust (for sex and for sales) and we find it difficult not to oblige.

I'll make an embarrassing admission. Though I've personally never struggled with pornography, I did, into my early 20's, keep a computer file full of pictures of pretty actresses. It was pretty innocent by most standards (they were all fully clothed, these weren't even swimsuit type pics). But what did God think of that file on my laptop? Why did I have it? In the end, I realized that it was keeping my focus on surface level beauty and could have become, were it not for repentance, a first step toward pornography.

If we are going to learn not to lust, we will have to identify and defeat dangers in their introductory forms. Sexually immoral people don't wake up after 20 years of faithfulness to their spouse and decide to commit adultery. More often, adultery comes after a series of decisions that tolerate a little 'yes' to lust and a little 'no' to love.

Gluttony

Gluttony

7 Verses on Gluttony
1. “The righteous eat to their hearts' content, but the stomach of the wicked goes hungry.” (Proverbs 13:25)
2. “In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has.” (Proverbs 21:20)
3. “Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.” (Proverbs 23:20-21)
4. “The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners." (Luke 7:34)
5. “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food” (Matthew 6:25)
6. “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.” (John 6:27)
7. “Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things.” (Philippians 3:19)

7 Quotes on Gluttony
1. “Of all the seven only Gluttony is today more condemned, feared, and shunned than any of the other sins… Perhaps our contemporary condemnation is because the effects of Gluttony are remarkably external… On the other hand, Gluttony is viewed as something that you can actually do something about” (Will Willimon)
2. “Gluttony is the source of all our infirmities” (Robert Burton)
3. “In general, mankind, since the improvement of cookery, eats twice as much as nature requires” (Benjamin Franklin)
4. “Glutton: one who digs his grave with his teeth.” (French Proverb)
5. "Gluttony is an emotional escape, a sign that something is eating us." (Peter De Vries)
6. “Life’s necessities, when abused, become life’s threat.” (Will Willimon)
7. “Gluttony was also a matter of being overly concerned about food… We tend to feel compassion for those whose abuse of eating makes them too thin and yet we feel condemnation for those whose abuse of eating makes them too fat… I expect that what we call bulimia and anorexia both qualify for what the Christian moralists called Gluttony.” (Will Willimon)

Within arms reach, as I type this post on the Deadly Sin of Gluttony, is a large bag of cookies left on my desk by my mother-in-law. Well, more accurately, half of a large bag of cookies. I'm well known in these parts as a cookie connoisseur, and come October (pastor appreciation month), I'll probably have a whole bunch more cookies to critique. Spoiler alert... they will all pass my 'test' with flying colors.

But is a cookie monster like myself really a sinner in disguise? Does taking an extra taste or two (or twelve) really measure up to lust, greed, and the rest? The Bible doesn't say very much against over-eating. In fact, in the Old Testament extra weight was interpreted as a sign of God's blessing. And in the New Testament Jesus Himself was accused of being a glutton (after all, He went to a lot of parties and talked a lot about great banquets). If anything, the Bible simply tells us not to spend too much time thinking or worrying about food.

Then again, that's exactly what was meant by the sin of gluttony. Gluttony is defined as excessive eating or drinking. I would change that definition just a bit and say that the sin of Gluttony is any excessiveness connected with eating or drinking. For some, the excess might be the traditional over-indulgence in food. For others, though, Gluttony may take the form of obsessing over one's diet. In America, we sin the sin of gluttony in both ways every day.

One-third of all Americans are overweight, but it's also true that we spend more on dieting than the gross national product of Ireland. Most Americans are either excessive in their food intake or in their dietary details. To both groups Jesus asks, "is not life more important than food?" In truth, obesity, bulimia & anorexia may all be connected to the sin of gluttony.

We need to eat. And we also need to know when to stop. But mostly we need to stop being so obsessed with food in either of the above directions. You are not what you eat, or don't eat, except perhaps in the most important meal of communion.

Greed

GREED

7 Verses on Greed
1. “For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God” (Ephesians 5:5)
2. “A greedy man brings trouble to his family” (Proverbs 15:27)
3. “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” (1 Tim 6:10)
4. “Whoever loves money never has money enough” (Ecclesiastes 5:10)
5. “Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."” (Luke 12:15)
6. “But godliness with contentment is great gain… if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.” (1 Timothy 6:6+8)
7. “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." (Hebrews. 13:5)

7 Quotes on Greed
1. “We are all born brave, trusting and greedy, and most of us remain greedy.”
2. “Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed” (Gandhi)
3. “Greed tends to be solitary, miserly, because there is something about Greed that puts us in competition with our neighbors and ultimately in alienation form them.” (Will Willimon)
4. “We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.”
5. “Greed turns love into lust, leisure into sloth, hunger into gluttony, honor into pride, righteous indignation into anger, and admiration into envy.” (Ogilvy)
6. “I think that a major theological justification for giving to the church and to the poor, for tithing of our income, is as a remedy for greed… This may be one of the most radical, countercultural, defiant acts the church demands of us” (Will Willimon)
7. “We need the sort of character that is able to look at the world and all it has to offer, and at certain key moments say simply, ‘Thank you, but I’m now satisfied’” (Will Willimon)

In the 1987 film Wall Street, Gordon Gekko (played by Michael Douglas) made the following comments about greed:

"The point is, ladies and gentleman, that greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right, greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind. And greed, you mark my words, will not only save Teldar Paper, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA. Thank you very much." (click HERE for Video)

Gekko was right. If the game is competing against one another to win the market, greed is good. If the game is a love for money, greed is good. If the game is to become all that we can be in and of ourselves, greed is good. If the game is becoming the most powerful nation under the sun, greed is good.

But what if that is not the game? What if life isn't a game at all? What if life is bigger than consumerism, materialism, selfishness, and patriotism? What if there is something beyond the sun? Greed makes all the sense in the world if the world is all there is to sense. But Christianity declares that there is someone beyond the sun and that we don't just live for ourselves, but for that someone and for others. And if this is true, then greed becomes a very bad, even a very ugly thing.

Greed, by definition, hurts others. One person cannot gain without another one (or more often, many) losing. Greed, by definition, can't be satisfied. Whatever a man gains, if he is greedy, there will always be something else to acquire. Greed, by definition, can't love. Love is sacrifice of self for others, greed is the sacrifice of others for self. Greed is not good. Rather, it is the very sin that turns good into bad. Ogilvy notes, "Greed turns love into lust, leisure into sloth, hunger into gluttony, honor into pride, righteous indignation into anger, and admiration into envy."

Time to Talk

Time to Talk
Developing a Life of Prayer

Intro: My own increased thinking about prayer

God is a relational being and, therefore, prayer is a natural and necessary component of the Christian life. Prayer should not be a matter of IF but a matter of WHEN

- Relational
- Natural
- Necessary
- When not IF

Why don't we pray???
- Skeptical (maybe we think it's like an email hoax, we don't hit 'reply')
- Lazy
- Ignorant
- Busy

SO what should we do?

1. Find out how NOT to pray
2. Find out how TO pray
3. Make a commitment

Not all prayers are the same. Your life and method play a role in the power of your prayer life. Let's talk about some barriers to an effective prayer life:

1. The Look At Me Prayer
- Matthew 6:5-6
- Luke 18-9-14
- God doesn't owe you anything, you owe God everything

2. The Long Winded Prayer
- Matthew 6:7-8
- You don't have to get God's attention (vs. the worshippers on Mt. Carmel)
- Don't feel guilty if your prayers are short and sweet

3. The Lacking Authority Prayer
- John 14:14, 15:7
- Not necessarily "in Jesus' name" but with His authority
- Like 'stop in the name of the Law'
- Not faith in faith, faith in the Lord!

4. The Love of Self Prayer
- James 4:3, 1 John 5:14
- We come as Christ's representative, not ours

We don't have to wonder how to pray. The disciples asked Jesus this question and he provided them with a model prayer. Let's take a look at this prayer in Luke 11:1-4:

1. It's relational (intimate)
- Our Father (give, forgive, lead, deliver)

2. It's reverent (not too casual)
- in heaven, hallowed, thine is the kingdom...
- Not a meeting of equals

3. It's confident (change is possible!)
- On earth as it is in heaven, deliver us from evil
- We have God on our side
- We have a God who cares for this world.

4. It's consistent
- Give us this day (not this week, not this month)
- Forgive us (chances are we did something displeasing today)
- Expresses our basic dependence
- Luke 11:5-13

How healthy is your prayer life?
How healthy is the prayer life of this church?

If from now till 10 years from now, there are zero prayers in this church, we may be 300 people, but we won't be a church. If from now till 10 years from now there are tons of prayers in this church, we may be 30 people, but we'll be a church. A Church is a group of people in communion with God.

Here are some commitments we could make...

1. Morning prayer
2. Prayer of Examen
3. Saying Grace/Fasting
4. Prayer Group

Is it time for a talk?