Chris Wall • Matthew 6:5-9

Jesus defined prayer simply defined is communication with God. Communication involves both listening and talking. Prayer is a fascinating and remarkable opportunity for us. Every one of us in this room could start talking to God right now and He has the power to not only to completely understand each one of us, but His Holy Spirit miraculously leads each of us in unique ways. We need to pray not because God is somehow needy. God leads us to pray not for Him but for us. Through prayer, we come to see the Lord’s hand uniquely. We come to know the Lord’s heart specifically. We come to understand the Lord’s will directly. This morning, allow the Lord to teach you to pray.

Chris Wall • Matthew 6:14

The call to follow Christ comes with an invitation to pursue heavenly rewards. A life produces heavenly rewards when it is marked by giving, praying, fasting, serving, and growing in faith for the praise of God over man. Giving from selfless desire focused on pleasing God produces heavenly rewards you do not want to miss. At the same time, giving with a selfish desire to look spiritual in front of others produces nothing. Is your giving stretching into eternity or are you missing the blessing by giving for selfish gain, building up an ego, or working to get your name on a little plaque. Allow God to get to the heart of the matter ensuring you are on the path of giving in a way that truly counts.

Chris Wall • Matthew 5:38-48

An unparalleled life is marked by forgiveness, not retaliation. In fact, God calls us to love our enemies and do good to those who wrong you. In fact, loving our enemies is one of the ways God’s love is evident in our lives. Who are our enemies and what does it look like to love them? An enemy is someone who comes against you, curses you, uses you, and abuses you. Of course, we are not called to be “doormats” but we have a responsibility to love our enemies. Ironically, the best way to defeat an enemy is to show forgiveness. Let’s dig into this idea that we are never more like Jesus than when we are forgiving someone.