Today’s message is about the power of prayer. For the past several weeks I have been blessed with the opportunity to sit in on the youth group at Scottsdale Bible Church’s Cactus Campus. This past week their leader Ryan asked them some really Great questions that I’d like to ask you today. Sidenote if you are looking for a church or youth group and you are in the area near Cactus and Cavecreek this is the place to go. The church is so welcoming and their youth program on Sunday’s is an awesome place to learn about God. 

So let’s get to the questions. How often do you pray? Do you pray once a day? Once a month? Only when it’s absolutely necessary? I’m not asking this question to guilt trip anyone, Just to get you thinking.

 Prayer is one of the most important things that we can do to keep our connection with God strong. If you don’t think prayer is important just remember Jesus himself was often found going off on his going to pray. That was Jesus. And he’s perfect. I don’t know about you but I sure am not          

“But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Luke 5:16 . 

Next question, when you pray, what is it that you pray for? Is it for something to happen in your life. Maybe that God would ease your stress at work, or he would help you if you were troubling time, or maybe that your sports team would win this week Sunday game. Go Cardinals just saying! How about praying for others and the events in their life, do you pray for your sick friend to get better? For your worst enemy to have a nice life? Yeah most people don’t pray for for that last one but that’s A sermon for another day.

 Let me ask you this question. do you believe that God truly answers those prayers? I mean true answers them…. The bible says, 

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8

Problem is a lot of the time we fear asking for the Big things. Or if we are willing to actually ask for these things we don’t truly believe in my heart that God has the power to do that. We doubt the power of God. Don’t worry you are not alone it’s human nature. 

Those of you who don’t know my story I was hospitalized for a long period of time and they didn’t think that I was going to make it. There were a lot of struggles during that time and I was presented with many opportunities to hate God. For instance I lost function to my fingers and my toes. Something that anyone could be willing to get mad about. Instead I made the choice to take it as a blessing that God spared my life. Not that God ruined it or took things away but that I was blessed to be alive and breathing. This verse comes to my mind when I think of that time, 
““ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”’ Mark 9:23 NIV

I am healed due to my faith and belief that anything is possible with God. Back to my point on prayer. I am still in healing and I am currently dealing with my kidneys not coming back. I’ve caught myself praying that he would heal me but not believing it in my heart, but I finally caught myself. We have to remember if we don’t fully believe in what we’re praying Will come true, how do we expect God to come through with it. God knows everything that is on our hearts which means he knows when we are doubting him. So I pray diligently, I pray for a full recovery of my kidneys, I’ll pray that I would not only be healed but I would grow from the experience and be used by God. Because isn’t that why were all here? To be used by God.  

So remember not to be afraid to ask for the big things. We serve a big God who is capable of all things. Thank you for your time. God bless!