IN HIS PRESENCE

Memory Verse
"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:" Matthew 7:7
BIBLE PASSAGE: Matthew 6:5-15
INTRODUCTION
It is a common practice to lock up valuables in special rooms and with special keys. Where to keep these valuables whether in the outer rooms or in the inner strong rooms, depends on how valuable they are to you. Though there are different keys to these rooms, there is a 'master key, however, that is available to the master of the house to unlock at will any of the doors to these rooms. Today, we will begin to examine the spiritual master key of the house to unlock doors to answers to petitions of God's children, that is, prayer.
OUTLINES
1. WHAT IS PRAYER?
2. WHY SHOULD WE PRAY?
3. WHERE AND WHEN CAN ONE PRAY?
WHAT IS PRAYER?
Prayer, simply put, is the soul of man talking to God. It is worship addressed to God the Father, in the name of God the Son and through the power of the Holy Spirit Acts 12:5; John14:13; Ephesians 6:18; Romans 8:26-27. Prayer should consist of the following:
(a) Adoration i.e. praises and worship of God for what God is e.g. God is good, merciful, kind, powerful, faithful, just etc. When you praise God for what He is rather than what He has done for you, it is true worship - Ps. 95:6. (b) Confession and repentance from every known sin - Ps. 32:5. Washing in the blood of Christ will follow. If you are already sanctified and you have no sin to confess, wash in the blood all the same. You can never be too clean.
(c) Thanksgiving. Be thankful for anything and everything that God has done - Phil. 4:6.
(d) Supplication Le. Intercession, requests, petitions and desires can now be addressed to God, in the name of Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit – ITim. 2:1.
WHY SHOULD WE PRAY?
God commands us to pray - Luke 18:1; 1 Thess.5:17; 1 Chron.16:11; James 5:13; Psalm 50:15. Jesus prayed and Christian followers of Jesus are expected to pray - Mark 1:35; Luke 6:12; Luke 3:21. The early Church prayed, so, churches too should pray - Acts 4:23-31; Acts 12:5-6; Eph. 1:15-20; CoI.4:12. The believers of old prayed too e.g. Moses in Exodus 15:23-25; Jesus, Matthew 26:39-42, David in Psalm 51:1-2 and Elijah too­1 Kgs.18:37-39; James 5:17-18.

                                                                  
WHERE AND WHEN CAN ONE PRAY?
We can pray everywhere - I Timothy 2:8, in the closet - Matthew 6:6, or in the church, - Luke 18:10. Private prayer may be made in the secret place. Family prayer will involve a large group and may be made in the sitting room while public prayer may be made before the congregation.
We can pray in the morning - Psalm 5:3, at noon and in the evening ­Psalm 55: 17, day and night - Psalm 88: 1, daily - Psalm 86:3, and always ­Luke 18:1-. It is not only when you are on your knees with your eyes closed that you can pray. You can pray as you drive to work, while at work or while resting. Singing praises to God is also a form of prayer. Pray without ceasing 1 Thess. 5:17.
CONCLUSION
We have just discovered some fundamental truths about the master key, especially the aspects of when and where to apply it. Let us, therefore, act now and present all our petitions to God in the name of Jesus Christ. It is certain that He will answer accordingly to His perfect will for us.

BE YE HOLY (Part One)

Memory Verse
"But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;” 1 Peter 1:15
BIBLE PASSAGE; Psalm 15:1-5
INTRODUCTION
It is the counsel of God for every believer to prosper and to be free from sickness - 3 John 2. God's storehouse is full of blessings prepared for His children because His thoughts towards us are good and not evil. However, to partake and take abundant benefit of these blessings, He demands that we be holy like Him - Psalm 84:11.
OUTLINES
1. WHY BELIEVERS MUST BE HOLY
2. BENEFITS OF HOLINESS
WHY BELIEVERS MUST BE HOLY
Our God is a holy God and He commands every believer to be perfect in His sight. God desires to use believers as His chosen vessels to reach out to the numerous sinners out there hence, believers must be holy. Holiness is necessary for a believer to do exploits and do even greater works than Jesus did. Sinners cannot fellowship with a holy God. The believer must be holy in order to be able to see God on the last day· Ephesians 1:4; Genesis 17:1; 1 John 1:3-7; John 14:12; 1 Corinthians 6:13.
BENEFITS OF HOLINESS
A holy believer receives classified information from God. God builds a wall of protection around such a believer. The believer will also have peace with his enemies. He 'will receive divine provision and long life. Living holy enables every believer to enjoy God's presence and living ever with God in eternal life -Amos 3:7; Genesis 18:12-21; Proverbs 18:10; Proverbs 16:17; Job 11:10; 1 Kings 5:1-4; Proverbs 3:1-2; Proverbs 4:10; Proverbs 9:11.

                                                                  
CONCLUSION
The benefits of holiness are inexhaustible since God cannot be separated from His holiness. Living holy must be the yawning of the heart of a true believer, day by day. Do not strive to be holy?