Whether you are here in person or engaging from home, we are thankful you have chosen to worship with us today. If it is your first time, welcome! we would love to get to know you better. Would you consider filling out our Next Steps card and let us know you stopped by?

At Grace Family we focus our worship on Sunday to impact our lives every other day of the week as well. We also believe no one is perfect but everyone is welcome to worship God with us. So, no matter where you're from, what you've done, or what your week has been like, let's worship God and learn from His word together today.

How do I pray?

Matthew 6:5-6

"5 “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. 6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you."

Prayer requires a plan.

Prayer requires focus.

Prayer requires humility.

The way you grow a relationship with a person is the same way you grow a relationship with God.

Matthew 6:7-8

"7 “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. 8 Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! "

Say what you want to say!

Speaking eloquently does not impact the effectiveness of your prayers.

Romans 8:26-27

"26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. 27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers[a] in harmony with God’s own will."

Even when you don't know what to pray, the Holy Spirit is communicating for you.

Matthew 6:9

"Pray like this:

Our Father in heaven,

    may your name be kept holy."

First: recognize who you are talking to.

Judge

Vending machine

Father

We have an open door, but reverence is still important in prayer.

Matthew 6:10

"May your Kingdom come soon.

May your will be done on earth,

    as it is in heaven."

Second: ask for God's will to be done and not yours.

We don't need God to change his plan, we need our desires to reflect God's plan.

Matthew 6:11

"Give us today the food we need,"

Third: don't get too far ahead of yourself.

Daily dependence > Life plans

Matthew 6:12

"and forgive us our sins,

    as we have forgiven those who sin against us."

Fourth: recognize your sin and don't allow hate, resentment, or contempt to live in your heart. 

Don't downplay the sin in your life.

Matthew 6:13

"And don’t let us yield to temptation,[b]

    but rescue us from the evil one"

Fifth: ask God to help you overcome sins you are tempted to pursue.

Hebrews 4:15-16

"15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most."

Jesus understands you.

God wants to hear from you.

Prayer is a daily exercise in faith, trust, and dependence on God and not ourselves.

What about when I feel like God isn't answering my prayers?

How am I going to pray this week?

Time

Location

Journal

Use the space below to ask a question and one of our pastors will get back to you!

Every week we spend time praying for your requests at our staff meeting. Submit your request below and we will be sure to pray for you this week!