Journey Church Fredericton

Sunday, April 13, 2025

Series: The Cruciformed Life
Week 3: Cross Shaped Prayer

Speaker: Matthew Palmer

Title: CROSS-SHAPED PRAYER
2 Chronicles 7:14
"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

IF
God doesn’t break promises—but some come with a condition.
James 4:8 – “Draw near to God and He will come near to you”
“Without Him we CAN’T. Without us, He WON’T.”

MY PEOPLE WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME
This starts with us—the Church, not the world.
Political platforms won’t heal the land… “If My People…” will.
Ephesians 2:11–13 – You were once outsiders, far from the promises of God—separated, strangers. But now, because of Jesus, you have been brought near. You belong. You are His people.

HUMBLE THEMSELVES
James 4:6 – God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.
Colossians 3:12 – Clothe yourselves with humility.
Posture before power.

PRAY
The disciples asked: “Lord, teach us to pray.”
They saw everything Jesus did flowed from prayer.
Jesus' power came from His time with the Father.

AND SEEK MY FACE
Hebrew Word for Pray: pālal – to plead, intercede
Hebrew Word for Seek: bāqaš – to pursue presence, not just results
Jeremiah 29:13–14 – “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you”…
Matthew 6:33 – “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Where your attention is placed, your affection is found.


AND TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS
“Wicked” often looks like drift, not disaster.
Don’t follow your heart—lead it.
The 4 R’s of Repentance:
Reveal – Let the Holy Spirit expose
Relinquish – Surrender your way
Renew – Let God reshape your heart
Repeat – Make it a rhythm

THEN I WILL HEAR… FORGIVE… HEAL
Before God heals the land, He heals the heart.
It’s about reconciliation—God with us, and us with others.