THE PRAYER LIFE OF JESUS

-Jesus was always praying, in times of happy or sorrowful
-why Jesus pray all the time.. its how we can connect with God

Hebrews 5:7
luke 18:7
acts 4:24,31
*there's nothing as great as prayer

*the secret to enjoy praying is mediation
   -mediating on God's word
   -remembering the scriptures and pray using them

don't be sad or ashamed of what you are weak at for God will use them for His glory

PRAYER IN TROUBLED TIMES

knowing God's name is being close to prayer

what to do when we are in the mist of challenges...how shall we pray
1. be honest

-God knows what we need even before we ask
   -negative words are more harmful than swords and guns
         -words hurt deeper

-David was rejected by his own ppl, but David called upon God in Psalm
   -Johovah - I am who I am

-God reveals Himself as merciful, gracious, long-suffering and abounding in goodness and truth

2. be focused

-David turned his focus on the Lord
   -shield is the image of protection and refuge

 -David is confident cos he took refuge in God
   *God i always near to those who calls upon Him

3. trust

 -prayer is absolute trust in God who will protect and fight for us

4. expect

-expect God to do what is consistent to His nature and character

the cost of following Jesus check pic

ppl followed then years later turned away

  
Luke 18
   -he knew the Bible, he kept the commandments, very spiritual
   -Jesus saw that this young ruler does not keep the 10th commandment... This man has greed, he values money, power, status
   *we cannot trust faith in Jesus and in money
   -Jesus wants us to be rich but not greed to take over our heart
   18:23   -he chose wealth
   18:24.  -
Luke 9:23

1. Deny self
   -if we are lovers of self, we can't be lovers of God
      2 Timothy
   -reject the unrighteous craving and do the opposite

Temptation Jesus faced picture
-self gratification --- Jesus lived a life of fasting and prayer
-self vincication --- Jesus denied himself of pride and humbled himself.. He didn't carry Himself as though He is so impt
-self exaltation --- Jesus lived His whole life serving our Heavenly Father
   -in the process of going after bigger things, ppl sell their soul away.. what's the point of getting the whole world and lose our soul
*We can overcome them cos Jesus has and He is in us!

How to develop the fruit of the Spirit
   -there is only 1 way that is to deny self
LOVE 
  -forgiveness is not for others...but for ourselves! We are angry and the other party don't care!
JOY
   -happiness depends on the situation
   -joy is from heaven
   -though we may be in sadness, but still we have joy in our heart cos we know that God is with us! "The Joy of the Lord is my strength"
PEACE
   -resist tt worry
   -"be still and know that I'm God"
   -be wise and don't walk in fear
   -stay in peace
LONG-SUFFERING
   -learn forbearance : bear all things, endure, perserve
KINDNESS
   -we get tired and worn out after years
   -be kind to others
GOODNESS
   -purity
   -dont give in to cravings
   -dont put ourself in a risk to temptation
FAITHFULNESS
   -the agreement and promises made and keep it
GENTLENESS
   -Jesus never once lose His cool
   -allow the Holy Spirit to calm us
   -nothing to wrong to be angry but not lose cool
SELF CONTROL
   -resist the craving
   -dont keep talking abt things that we crave for and put our lives ard it
   -dont feed our greed

Galatians  5:24
   *We got to take up the cross daily
      -means taking all unrighteousness and put to death
Luke 9 23
   *Only the Holy Spirit can set us free..but we need to surrender daily

*Out of

Following Jesus add pic.

Matt 4:19-20
   -we got to have a total surrender in our heart
Matt 4:21
Matt 9:9
   -Jesus called Matthew, a tax collector who is a terrible person to follow Him.. Jesus even went to dine tgt with him
John 8:12
John 21
John 22
1peter 2:21
   -Peter gone through many failures, but He ended well
Revelation 14:4

To follow a person means to stay close, to do what the person does, to become like the person in character, virtues

Eph 1:4

Romans 8:29
Corinthians 3:18

1john 3:2
   -till the day we met the Lord, we shall be like Jesus

*Our first, primary calling is to be like Jesus
   -our vocation comes and goes

1john 2:6
   -in faith, power, in suffering,
   *Yes, we will suffer but we will be victorious in the mist of suffering
Galatians 4:19

How is Jesus like?
The fruit of the spirit
   -the more you walk in the spirit, the more Jesus like
Galatians 5:22-23
   -the 9 fruits of the Spirit
      -we won't know the real us until we are in pressure
      -it is very difficult... We need the help of the Holy Spirit!
   -long suffering is to have the fruit of spirit even if all things are thrown in your life
   -type A personality..the bigger the organization the more excuse you make to be not in the fruits of the spirit
      -but Jesus who owns the largest organization (the universe) does not forgo any of the fruit of the spirit!

*Following and imitating Jesus, the fruit of the Spirit.. it's more impt than anything in the world

John 15
   -fruit of the spirit
John 15:8
   -we may be very successful in life, but we need to have the fruit!!
John 15:16

*Happiness depends of the situation.. but the Joy is from the Lord!