Covenant Orientation Talk 2

Prayer,
Scripture
and
Sacraments
PRAYER
- form of communication

-means of talking to
God
Why should we have a
personal prayer time?
1. To develop an intimate relationship
with God

Falling more deeply Getting to know His

in love with God heart and mind
 2. To grow in humility

Acknowledge our
littleness before Him

Unworthy but
forgiven
Resist the devil
For one who is proud and full of himself
will find it difficult to hear the voice of
Someone greater than himself
3. To strengthen ourselves in fighting
temptation

Main weapon in the fight against evil

4. To help us become more attuned to
God’s will for us
Surrender ourselves completely to Him
We no longer seek
We seek to desire
to have Him do what
what He wants for us
we desire
What should we do to
improve our prayer
life?
1. COMMITMENT
2. Start with a short time then
gradually increase

3. A place with no
distraction
4. Be open to the
inspiration of the Holy
Spirit
A doration

C ontrition

T hanksgiving

S upplication
Quiet vs expressive
prayer
Different physical
postures

Speaking and
listening

Praying in tongues
It’s not what we
can do for God
It’s what God can
do for us when
we put our trust
in Him
 Dealing with OBSTACLES to Prayer
• Anxieties and concerns that distract us

FAITH
INTERCEDE
SURRENDER
 Dealing with OBSTACLES to Prayer
• Too much concern about your prayer quality

DESIRE TO BE WITH HIM

CHILD RUNNING TO HIS FATHER
HOLY SPIRIT
 Dealing with OBSTACLES to Prayer

•Dryness
PERSEVERE
P ray
U ntil
S omething
H appens
COMMITMENT
Not an emotional experience
 Dealing with OBSTACLES to Prayer
• Difficulty in listening to or hearing the Lord
Scripture Reading
• Guide to a life in the Holy Spirit
• Has power to convict us and
change us
“For the word of God is alive and
active. Sharper than any double-
edged sword, it penetrates even to
dividing soul and spirit, joints and
marrow; it judges the thoughts and
attitudes of the heart.”
Hebrews 4:12 NIV
• Know God and His plans for us
• Inspires and strengthens us
 Passages that speak directly to our situation
 Consistent from age to age
Incorporate into our daily
personal prayer time

Grow in knowledge of God

Read Christian books

Sacraments
• Encounter with God
• Physical sign of God’s presence in our lives
• Give GRACE
Undeserved
Favor
Free
• Christ’s power resides
 “Truly, I say to you, unless you eat
Receive the body the flesh of the Son of man and
and blood of Christ drink his blood, you have no life in
you.”
Become more like John 6:53

Christ and obtain

God’s favor

HOLY
EUCHARIST
Reconciliation
• Receive the fullness of His sanctifying grace
• Restores the merits of our past good works lost
by mortal sin
• Fortifies us against relapse into sin
Conclusion
• Faithful to the Lord
• Power, peace, and follow more closely God’s direction into
our lives
• Tap into God’s mind and heart which gives us knowledge
• Overcome life’s struggles
• Weapons against the devil
• Stronger faith in God
• Sustain our faith journey
Reflection Questions
• What makes it difficult to have a consistent prayer
and Scripture reading time?
• What inhibits me from participating in the
sacraments (Eucharist and Confession)
regularly?
• What will I commit to do to develop a relationship
with God?