A Fresh Take

03.05 The Whys and Hows of Thees and Thous

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. [Matthew 6:9-13, KJV] In this final episode on prayer, Pastor Paul and Mark step back in biblical tradition to examine the Lord's Prayer. This collection of verses is recited and celebrated by churches the world over, but can it have real meaning in the prayer lives of people today? The answer, it turns out, is yes. The Lord's Prayer, when spoken with genuine thought and intention, is more than just another rote recitation. It is a place where you can learn how to start praying. It is a tool to teach your children how to build flourishing prayer lives. It is a chance for every believer to examine not only their needs but their wants as well and to ensure that they align with what God wants for his people.  In today's episode of A Fresh Take, Paul and Mark break down each section of this prayer and apply it to our lives. From adoration to confession and from thanksgiving to supplication (or, as Paul prefers, the "stuff" of prayer), this final foray into prayer finds new value and worth for the world of today in one of the most well-known sections of Scripture.  :: VIDEO PODCAST :: Not into the audio podcast format? Check out A Fresh Take [https://youtu.be/mEiaMNYsJKU] on YouTube, too! :: FIND OUT MORE :: Trinity Church [https://trinitymentor.com/] | Take 5 [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCZkQZ9qhYv2QEzFR6pq_xuBCBH-PytA0] :: FOLLOW TRINITY :: Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/trinitymentor] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/trinitymentor] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmH9RUdqW0HQFVNupQGZ80g]

03.04 Three Dots, No Answer

"Prayer is not meant to be a grocery list... Prayer is communication with the God of the universe who calls Himself our parent and longs for a deeper fellowship." Ever seen those three dots? They pop up in your text messaging app when you're waiting for a response from someone...they appear, they disappear, they reappear, and still...no answer comes. Prayer can feel like that sometimes. You ask, you please, you beg, and still...nothing. In today's episode, Pastor Paul and Mark look at some of the reasons our prayers might go unanswered, as well as steps we can take to make sure we are in the right place with God before we even begin to pray. They'll cover topics like: * actually asking for what we want during prayer to help us understand the deeper purpose * ensuring that we are relationally right with God whenever we go to him in prayer * examining our motives for prayer * refusing to quit praying even when it seems the answer we want will never come * praying in Christ's name alone, and why this seemingly obvious step is really important; and * doing our own part during the process of prayer. Our series on prayer continues with even more vital information on how our prayers can be more effective, more focused, and more powerful. Thanks for joining us for another episode of A Fresh Take.  :: VIDEO PODCAST :: Not into the audio podcast format? Check out A Fresh Take [https://youtu.be/vsVVSGrA80g] on YouTube, too! :: FIND OUT MORE :: Trinity Church [https://trinitymentor.com/] | Take 5 [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCZkQZ9qhYv2QEzFR6pq_xuBCBH-PytA0] :: FOLLOW TRINITY :: Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/trinitymentor] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/trinitymentor] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmH9RUdqW0HQFVNupQGZ80g]

03.03 Q&A on Prayer

"The power is not in the prayer. It's in the God to whom you are praying." Today's episode of A Fresh Take has it all--questions, answers, and all the gray areas in between. Mark serves as today's mini-panel correspondent, questioning Paul on the multi-faceted topic of prayer and helping create conversations that apply to anyone searching for better ways to talk to God. His questions include: * If God knows everything, why should I pray? * What should we do when we pray? Get on our knees? Close our eyes? Bow our heads? * What's more important: our praying or our doing? * How do we handle unanswered prayer? * What is the role of the Holy Spirit in prayer? If you've ever wondered anything similar to the points above, this episode is for you. Together, let's explore and identify the purpose of prayer and learn how we can best communicate with the God and Creator of the universe.  :: VIDEO PODCAST :: Not into the audio podcast format? Check out A Fresh Take [https://youtu.be/Je8ReULv0yk] on YouTube, too! :: FIND OUT MORE :: Trinity Church [https://trinitymentor.com/] | Take 5 [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCZkQZ9qhYv2QEzFR6pq_xuBCBH-PytA0] :: FOLLOW TRINITY :: Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/trinitymentor] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/trinitymentor] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmH9RUdqW0HQFVNupQGZ80g]

03.02 Real Prayer

"Part of our spiritual lives is to realize, that's real prayer. Sometimes real prayer is long or journal-written but sometimes it just starts with that: 'Lord, help me.'" As we continue with our latest series on prayer, Pastor Paul and Mark are looking at the reasons why we DON'T pray. After all, how do you pray when you're sad, lonely, or depressed? Does God meet us where we are even if we're struggling to pray? In today's episode, we emphasize the importance of remembering that when we pray, we are physical beings participating in a spiritual experience--and as such, it's expected for us to struggle at times. But when we do, there's three things that can help: 1. Keep it short: Prayer doesn't have to be long-winded to be meaningful. 2. Talk it out: Consider talking through your concerns with others and with God. 3. Name your "why:" Work on naming your reasons for your struggle with prayer. Pastor Paul and Mark fill this episode of A Fresh Take with practical steps you can use to help you overcome that feeling of separation from God and answer the question so many of us wrestle with: How can we reach toward heaven when we've hit rock bottom? :: VIDEO PODCAST :: Not into the audio podcast format? Check out A Fresh Take [https://youtu.be/2IfQ5BQr474] on YouTube, too! :: FIND OUT MORE :: Trinity Church [https://trinitymentor.com/] | Take 5 [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCZkQZ9qhYv2QEzFR6pq_xuBCBH-PytA0] :: FOLLOW TRINITY :: Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/trinitymentor] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/trinitymentor] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmH9RUdqW0HQFVNupQGZ80g]

03.01 Are You There, God? It's Us, Paul and Mark

Welcome back to Season 3 of A Fresh Take! Today, we're kicking off the new season with the first episode in a series on prayer: what it is, how we do it, and why it can be both challenging and rewarding to develop it into a consistent habit. In this episode, Paul and Mark cover such topics as: * making deals with God, celebrity Christianity, and the possibility of a Word on the Street cruise (hint: it's remote); * the history and ubiquitousness of prayer in different forms around the world; and * a simple answer to the most important question you'll ever be asked. The conversation today includes not just the definition of prayer but its application, methodology, and common misunderstandings as a way to encourage the listener toward a countercultural life of faithfulness that fulfills the way we were always intended to live. Thanks for tuning in to another season of A Fresh Take! :: RESOURCES :: The Westminster Larger Catechism [http://thewestminsterstandards.com/westminster-larger-catechism/] (specifically, Q.178) :: VIDEO PODCAST :: Not into the audio podcast format? Check out A Fresh Take [https://youtu.be/suZpq7eV7t4] on YouTube, too! :: FIND OUT MORE :: Trinity Church [https://trinitymentor.com/] | Take 5 [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCZkQZ9qhYv2QEzFR6pq_xuBCBH-PytA0]  :: FOLLOW TRINITY :: Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/trinitymentor] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/trinitymentor] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmH9RUdqW0HQFVNupQGZ80g]