1. Remember God Is Near!
Title Slide—Prayerlessness!

2. Prayer Romans 12:12 Philippians 4:6 Ephesians 6:18
1 Thessalonians 5:17
1 Peter 4:7
Colossians 4:2
Matthew 14:23
Prayer:
Rom.12:12—continue steadfastly in prayer.
Phil.4:6—make your requests known to God.
Eph.6:18—pray with all supplication for the saints.
1 Thess.5:17—pray without ceasing.
1 Pet.4:7—be serious and watchful in your prayers.
Col.4:2—continue earnestly in prayer with thanksgiving.
Matt.14:23—Jesus went to the mountain alone to pray.
Prayer is our means of communicating with the Father. Blessings and commanded obligation.

3. Building a Relationship
God’s family
Father/child relationship
God desires closeness
Talking with God
Do we use prayer as a safety valve?
Reintroduce myself?
Last time you really prayed?
Building a relationship.
We belong to God’s family.
Father/child relationship.
God desires a close relationship.
Talking with God builds strength and dependence on Him.
Do you use prayer as a safety valve.
Do you feel the need to reintroduce yourself when you pray to God?
When is the last time you really prayed?

4. Prayerlessness Burden Bearing Burdens never intended to be borne alone
Psalm 55:22
1 Peter 5:7
Philippians 4:13
Ephesians 6:10
Consequences of Prayerlessness:
Burden-bearing. We begin to bear burdens alone that God never intended for us to bear ALONE!
Psa.55:22—cast your burdens on the Lord—He will sustain you!
1 Pet.5:7—He cares for us.
Phil.4:13—strength is with Him.
Eph.6:10—be strong in the Lord.
What a Friend We Have in Jesus (Song)

5. Weariness Getting Tired Isaiah 50:4 Matthew 11:28 1 Peter 5:8
Galatians 6:9
Weariness.
Next step we become WEARY. When we get tired, the devil has us just where he wants us! God’s love and power can sustain us.
Isa.50:4—learn to talk to the Lord when you’re weary.
Matt.11:28—God calls to all who are weary.
1 Pet.5:8—Satan is like a roaring lion. (Lion waits to attack the weak, sick, and lame).
Isa.40:28-31—wait on the Lord; He never grows weary, and He gives strength to the weak.
Gal.6:9—we’ll reap if we don’t become weary.
Song—Did You Think to Pray?

6. Discouraged Overwhelmed by earthly struggles We lose focus
Deuteronomy 31:6-8
Joshua 1:6-9
Luke 21:34
Discouraged—
Overwhelmed by little earthly struggles.
We begin to lose focus on the spiritual and to focus more on the temporal.
Deut. 31:6-8—Moses’ instructions to Joshua and Israel.
Josh.1:6-9—God’s assurance to Joshua.
Lk.21:34—take heed or things will discourage you.

7. Doubt When people begin to doubt God, you can see it in their eyes.
Doubt greatest threat to our faith
Life is cursed, many problems
Hebrews 11:6
Hebrews 3:12
Jude 20
Doubt.
When people begin to doubt God, you can see it in their eyes!
Doubt is the greatest threat to faith.
Life is cursed, many problems.
Heb.11:6—without faith we cannot please Him.
Heb.3:12—unbelief causes departure from God
Jude 20—building ourselves up on our faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.

8. Disillusioned No joy or happiness
We begin to question the Christian life
Joshua 1:9
Luke 18:1
Hebrews 13:5,6
Disillusioned
No joy or happiness in living for Christ.
We begin to question our lives as Christians. We are drifting away from the CLOSE RELATIONSHIP we once had (Illus—GOD/ME}
Josh.1:9—we must not be afraid; the Lord is with us.
Lk.18:1—we must not lose heart.
Heb.13:5-6—He will never leave us or forsake us!

9. Disaster The end is inevitable; disaster will come! Ephesians 2:12
John 15:5
Psalm 55:17
Disaster—
The end is inevitable; disaster will surely come!
Eph.2:12—a dim picture; no hope and without God.
Jno.15:5—without Him, we can do nothing.
Psa.55:17—pray and He will hear your voice!

10. Concluding Thoughts
If you have no relationship with God, it’s easy to leave.
What kind of prayer life do you have?
What kind of relationship with God?
Remember David and Daniel. Those who had a relationship with God were not defeated by their circumstances!
Summary and Invitation—End lesson with a prayer…