You are Welcome here!! We are so glad you are joining us for worship.

Why we struggle to pray
1) Pride.(Luke 18:9–14)

a) We are not needy enough– 1 Corinthians 4:7

b) We often seek to be self-sufficient. James 4:6

c) Prayer takes Patience (An assault on our pride) Psalm 37:7

d) Prayer requires. Luke 22:42

2) Unbelief. (James 1:5–8)
a) We do not believe prayer works.
b) We do not believe God hears us.
c) We do not believe he is willing
d) We do not believe prayer is worth it

3) Discouragement. (Jas 5:13–14)
a) Life is too messy (Overwhelming)
b) Disappointment
c) Comparison,
d) Distance because of Sin Guilt & Suffering (Jas 5:15–16).
e) We do not know how to pray.(Luke 11:1)

4) Distraction.
a) Boredom & Forgetfulness.
b) Busyness
c) Diversions & Distractions
d) We forget the real battle Ephesians 6:12

What does prayer do in us?
· Makes us trust God with timing Isaiah 26:3-4 3

· Makes us trust God’s definition of good Psalm 84:11

· Makes us Trust & Obey1 Peter 3:7

· Makes us Rely on God alone Hebrews 11:6

· Makes us Trust God for better not instant James 1:2-4

· Makes us Desire the Relationship over the Gift Matthew 7:7-11

· Makes us reorient our desires to be in line with His better priorities Psalm 37:4

· Makes us place our difficult circumstances in the right hands.

Which of these is most keeping you from prayer?
· Pride
· Unbelief
· Discouragement
· Distraction
What might God be most trying to work in you to trust right now?
· Timing
· Definition of Good
· Obedience
· Trust in God alone
· Waiting for better rather than instant
· Relationship over Receiving
· Reorienting Desires
· Placing life in His hands
This week – two assignments –
· Look at all that God has to say about prayer in the book of James
· Spend some time looking at the prayer life of Daniel