Title: necessary steps to a true prayer
 
Think about question: how do prayer and faith work together.  
Pray
 
We get to pray with God--a one-on-one conversation. It's a privilege that we are able to talk to God. Prayers don't have to sound perfect, but in faith and trust in God.
 
Why are prayers difficult?  
Are my priorities out of order?  
Am I spiritually dry?
 
If you answered yes, trust Jesus--he wants to guide and answer our prayers.  
Start to worry about the words and what others are thinking.  
Example: went to collegiate day of prayer. Wanted to have a sincere prayer. I ripped my pants. Distracted me constantly in my mind.  
Couple of other distractions: when got into group, room was loud, multiple people praying. Decided to pray when room was quiet--actually prayed over soft-spoken girl! Felt bad and embarrassed. God was listening to us both. God heard both, praying over each other didn't cancel each other out.
 
Ps 100:45 - no limit to God's understanding that He hears all prayers, all over the earth, all at the same time
 
Hebrew 10:19-25  
Meant to encourage us and a stern warning.
 
Heb 10:22 - let us draw near w/ sincere heart, full assurance of faith,  
Context - old covenant would not take away sin  
NT is God and the follower of Christ  
Main teaching of Heb 10 is that animal sacrifices would not take away sin--foreshadowing the perfect sacrifice of Christ  
Now an offering is not required. Doesn't mean we don't do anything. We have to take the initiative in asking forgiveness for sin.
 
Now that we know Jesus has paved the way, we can draw near.  
Five things are part of drawing near.

1. Let us draw near
    
    1. To whom: God
    2. How: all parts of worship, conversations, how would you?
2. A true heart
    
    1. Without hypocrisy
    2. Embodies the truth, believing the gospel is true
    3. Full assurance of faith and salvation
    4. Towards: God, selves, others
    5. Jer. 17:9 - heart deceitful, we can't pray with a deceitful heart, a true heart is one given up to God
    6. Matt 6:10 - Jesus gave a true prayer, God's will be done on earth as in heaven
    7. Praying for his will
3. A full assurance of faith
    
    1. Do doubt to our acceptance in God
    2. Sometimes we have doubt--God understands because we are human
    3. Fully trust that God forgives out sins and Christ was that sacrifice
4. Having hearts sprinkled from evil conscience
    
    1. First glance: not knowing what it meant
    2. Sprinkled from: hearts need to be cleansed
    3. Indicates consistent character and dedicated to God
    4. Evil conscience: murder mystery-type shows and how the murderer has an evil conscience, but this is extreme! But we all have it, just a guilty conscience from sin
    5. When we confess, God cleanses our heart
5. Our bodies washed with pure water
    
    1. Our outward body, is the outward man, the flesh
    2. No longer condemned as bodies are washed clean
 
When we draw near, we need to ask for forgiveness in trust in God.
 
Back to original question: how do prayer and faith work together? Simple: cannot have true prayer without faith. We pray because we know we are not self-sufficient.
 
Quote from John Bunyan: A sincere, sensible and affection pouring out of the heart and soul through Christ.