Favorite Book Friday October 23,2020
We’re back and better than ever! I’ve read this book already but I thought we’d all benefit from this book. I read it back in May. No we’re not reading “Life is__” Judah Smith. We will someday guys. But we are reading “Dangerous Prayers” by Craig Goeschel.
You may be wondering how can prayer be dangerous?! Well following Jesus was never meant to be safe. In the introduction, Craig has this thought of maybe God was bored of his prayer. He was amazed at people asking for boldness and all’s to literally for walls to come down. These kind of prayers seemed so real and desperate. We all feel like we pray simple stuff like thank you God for the food. Sure that’s good but what if there was something more. We all wonder if there’s any power in prayer. The prayers that move God are simple now showy. But there’s a difference between simple and safe. We often pray too safely. Prayer is dangerous. Look what Jesus prayed in the garden in Luke 22. “Not my will Father, but yours be done. Jesus never offers us comfort. He offers us a life of faith. Jesus revolutionized prayer for us but what he taught. This books had three main short but powerful prayers that make a dangerous prayer.
Search me. Break me. Send me.
Jesus never calls us to comfort but drop everything and follow him. He makes his request in love. Jesus not called us to pray a dangerous prayer but Jesus lived that dangerous life. These prayer aren’t fun they are uncomfortable. They will be worth all the joy, miracles, surrender and pleasing God.
If you want to check out the book more, check out the blog!
So we’re going to look at two sections in part 1 of this book. So we’re praying this prayer of “search me” David prayed this prayer in Psalm 139:23-24
“Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”
Psalm 139:23-24 ESV
Prayer is personal. It’s for you and God. You get to know God more intimately when you just talk to him! Talk to him straight from your heart. He can handle it. Your relationship with God as unique as you are. For some reason we’re afraid of talking to God like this. Prayer shouldn’t be boring. The only reason it is when we make a chore on our checklist instead of talking to the God who made you and loves you.
Prayer is simply talking to your Heavenly Father who loves you and is eager to listen. Your prayers matter. How you pray matters. What you pray matters. Your. Prayers. Move. God. God asks us to come boldly to the throne of grace.
“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Hebrews 4:16 ESV
That’s we’re we find the grace and mercy we need. This isn’t a safe prayer. Instead of just praying for ourselves, we can pray for others. Instead of safety, we can pray for God to lead us. We can thank you for what God has done. Instead of checking a box, we can change eternity, shaking hell, scaring demons, and enlarging heaven. It’s not as an extreme idea as you think. It’s a promise of God. Jesus asks to pray with our whole hearts. Pray with everything you have. What would happen if you prayed a dangerous prayer? Let’s find out.
Chapter Highlights (Introduction-1.2)
For one thing, God hates showy prayers, there’s no pressure, no right way other than being open and honest with him.
The prayers that move God are simple, authentic and heartfelt
Prayers are inherently dangerous
Jesus never asks us to do something he wouldn’t do himself. He calls us to a life of faith, not of comfort.
Prayer from the heart is personal and unmistakable
Prayer is sacred communication, the language of longing, a divine between you and your Heavenly Father.
These prayers requires faith. Courage. They ask you to risk.
Your prayers become dangerous. But following Jesus was never supposed to be safe.
Even even in the middle of painful trials, Jesus invites us to respond with grace and pray what feeling like a vulnerable and dangerous prayer.
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