Feb 3rd 2013 Psalms – Authentic Prayer for Today Week 4 – Honesty

This week we continue to learn authentic prayer through the example of the Psalms. This message unpacks the many prayers of honesty with God.

If you want a study tool to go along with the podcast, see Lift Notes here:

Psalms: Authentic Prayer for today, week 4:

Prayers of Honesty

February 3rd, 2013  by Kasey Crawford

Today’s Passages:  Psalm 35:1-5; 51:16-17; 147:3, Matthew 5:3, Mark 2:17

Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. ² Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit. ³ When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. ⁴ For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. ⁵ Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin.    Psalm 32:1–5

According to this psalm, we are trying to __________ God when we keep silent about and cover up our struggles.

We all want to hide our _________ but the prayers of the psalms invite us to have the __________ to do otherwise.

You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;   a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.  Psalm 51:16–17

God is not impressed with outward actions that ________ holy but honest prayers that ________ we don’t have it all together.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, theirs is the kingdom of heaven” Matthew 5:3

If you aren’t regularly coming to God and praying “_________  ______” then you are going into a battle that you can ________ ________!

You hear all sorts of honest confessions in the prayers of the Psalms, because they know that honesty about our brokenness is the ­­­­­­________ for God to come in and heal.

Honest prayers in the Psalms are building on a long tradition that runs throughout the bible: everybody is ­­­­__________, nobody has it all together.

Abraham had a struggle with _________.

Joseph had a struggle with __________.

Moses had a struggle with _________.

Every hero in the bible is also a broken and flawed mess, at times. And that’s the point, because it’s not about how perfect they are. The good news of the bible is that God has come to ___________ and ________ broken people.

Jesus lived this out and said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners. Mark 2:17

Or as the Psalms say…

[God] heals the broken in heart and binds up their wounds.                                                                                                                      Psalm 147:3

God wants to heal our brokenness but we have to choose to take honest ­­­­­______________ and admit it to God so that he can then bring in the freeing power of forgiveness and healing.

 

Taking it Home this week….

What is an area of your life that you have not been honest with God about in asking for help, healing and forgiveness?

Can you commit to bringing that honestly to God in prayer this week?

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