Well welcome back. And we've been enjoying 00:00:15.14\00:00:18.44 this great spiritual feast that we're having here tonight 00:00:18.64\00:00:22.81 and getting ready for the second message. 00:00:23.11\00:00:26.22 This is a message that will be coming to us from 00:00:26.62\00:00:29.73 Pastor Mark Finley. 00:00:29.83\00:00:31.28 And he's going to be talking to us about prayer 00:00:31.48\00:00:34.46 and how prayer really does make a difference. 00:00:34.76\00:00:37.24 And I will tell you that I've known Pastor Mark 00:00:37.54\00:00:41.88 for many, many years. 00:00:41.98\00:00:43.57 We... He was just beginning his internship as a minister 00:00:43.87\00:00:48.50 and I was just finishing my internship as a minister. 00:00:48.71\00:00:51.92 So we're not that far apart in age. 00:00:52.12\00:00:54.25 And he began his ministry in New England 00:00:54.55\00:00:59.76 as did I. And we enjoyed our friendship back then. 00:00:59.96\00:01:04.34 Through the years we've kept in touch, 00:01:04.54\00:01:06.29 and we certainly have had 00:01:06.49\00:01:09.91 a great fellowship at times together. 00:01:10.11\00:01:13.99 And so tonight we're going to enjoy as the Holy Spirit 00:01:14.29\00:01:18.53 lays a message upon him 00:01:18.73\00:01:20.88 that he's going to be sharing with us. 00:01:21.08\00:01:22.83 And I want to also tell you that he is now 00:01:23.13\00:01:28.40 the assistant to the president of the General Conference 00:01:28.50\00:01:32.72 of Seventh-day Adventists. 00:01:32.82\00:01:34.11 Now, he was vice president of the General Conference. 00:01:34.41\00:01:38.46 Vice president hardly ever sees the president, 00:01:38.70\00:01:42.06 but the assistant to the president is working right with 00:01:42.36\00:01:45.48 him constantly. 00:01:45.58\00:01:47.32 And they have been developing together 00:01:47.63\00:01:50.28 these plans for revival and plans for evangelism 00:01:50.49\00:01:55.63 around the world. And I ask that you keep 00:01:55.83\00:01:58.38 that administrative team - Pastor Ted Wilson, 00:01:58.59\00:02:02.93 Pastor Mark Finley, and those that work very closely 00:02:03.13\00:02:07.26 with them - in working towards an evangelistic plan 00:02:07.36\00:02:12.00 led by the Spirit of God to go into the great cities of this 00:02:12.20\00:02:17.20 world beginning with New York City. 00:02:17.40\00:02:19.12 And over the weekend I think Mark will probably 00:02:19.33\00:02:22.61 share some of the plans that so far have been developed. 00:02:22.81\00:02:27.28 And they will be having hundreds of evangelistic series 00:02:27.48\00:02:32.27 in the New York City area as well as using media. 00:02:32.47\00:02:36.60 We have offered 3ABN as one of those means. 00:02:36.80\00:02:41.78 Danny and I are meeting together with Pastor Ted Wilson 00:02:41.98\00:02:45.65 and with Pastor Mark Finley, and we made the offer to them 00:02:45.85\00:02:49.88 that in any way that 3ABN can be used 00:02:50.09\00:02:54.75 in this outreach we want to be used. 00:02:54.95\00:02:58.58 That's why God has brought this organization into being. 00:02:58.88\00:03:02.17 That's why you have sustained it all these years: 00:03:02.27\00:03:05.45 in order to see this message go around the world. 00:03:05.65\00:03:10.66 And any time the gospel of Jesus is being preached 00:03:10.96\00:03:14.82 we certainly want to be a part of that. 00:03:15.02\00:03:18.58 Just before Pastor Finley comes 00:03:18.88\00:03:20.97 we're going to enjoy one more message of music 00:03:21.17\00:03:24.31 from Reggie and Ladye Love Smith. 00:03:24.51\00:03:26.52 One of the songs that I love to hear them sing 00:03:26.82\00:03:29.71 more than any other: Great Is Thy Faithfulness. 00:03:29.92\00:03:34.74 "Great is Thy faithfulness, " 00:03:39.33\00:03:44.89 O God my 00:03:46.40\00:03:49.50 Father, 00:03:49.70\00:03:53.30 There is no shadow of 00:03:54.45\00:03:58.94 turning with Thee; 00:03:59.14\00:04:05.11 Thou changest not, 00:04:06.51\00:04:11.10 Thy compassions, 00:04:11.30\00:04:13.43 they fail not; 00:04:13.63\00:04:17.91 As Thou has been 00:04:18.69\00:04:23.08 Thou forever 00:04:23.28\00:04:26.11 will be. 00:04:26.31\00:04:30.33 "Great is Thy faithfulness! 00:04:31.57\00:04:35.99 Great is Thy faithfulness! " 00:04:37.30\00:04:42.81 Morning by morning 00:04:43.50\00:04:47.91 new mercies I see; 00:04:48.31\00:04:54.29 All I have needed 00:04:56.11\00:05:00.35 Thy hand hath 00:05:00.55\00:05:03.50 provided, 00:05:04.38\00:05:08.12 "Great is 00:05:09.83\00:05:12.06 Thy faithfulness, " 00:05:12.46\00:05:18.39 Lord, unto 00:05:20.24\00:05:25.45 me! 00:05:25.75\00:05:31.75 Summer and winter 00:05:39.46\00:05:43.74 and springtime and harvest; 00:05:44.14\00:05:49.94 Sun, moon and stars 00:05:50.78\00:05:54.99 in their courses above, 00:05:55.29\00:06:00.89 Join with all nature 00:06:01.29\00:06:06.04 in manifold witness, 00:06:06.24\00:06:11.70 To Thy great faithfulness, 00:06:12.11\00:06:17.51 mercy and love. 00:06:17.91\00:06:22.75 "Great is Thy faithfulness! 00:06:22.85\00:06:27.92 Great is Thy faithfulness! " 00:06:28.22\00:06:33.18 Morning by morning 00:06:33.48\00:06:37.74 new mercies I see; 00:06:38.04\00:06:43.71 All I have needed 00:06:44.01\00:06:48.23 Thy hand hath provided, 00:06:48.33\00:06:53.85 "Great is Thy faithfulness, " 00:06:54.15\00:06:58.93 Lord, unto me! 00:06:59.23\00:07:04.17 "Great is Thy faithfulness! 00:07:04.58\00:07:09.14 Great is Thy faithfulness! " 00:07:09.44\00:07:14.20 Morning by morning 00:07:14.50\00:07:18.77 new mercies I see; 00:07:19.07\00:07:24.46 All I have needed 00:07:24.66\00:07:28.81 Thy hand hath provided, 00:07:29.02\00:07:34.59 "Great is Thy faithfulness! 00:07:34.89\00:07:39.42 Great is Thy faithfulness! 00:07:39.73\00:07:44.41 Great is Thy 00:07:44.71\00:07:47.31 faithfulness, " 00:07:47.51\00:07:53.44 Lord, unto 00:07:55.41\00:08:00.25 me! 00:08:00.55\00:08:06.50 Amen. 00:08:15.71\00:08:17.30 Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me! 00:08:21.62\00:08:27.07 Amen. In a time of economic uncertainty 00:08:27.27\00:08:30.17 and political uncertainty 00:08:30.27\00:08:31.78 and a time of uncertainty when you look at the weather patterns 00:08:31.88\00:08:35.39 in our world, a time of uncertainty when you look at 00:08:35.49\00:08:38.88 the future of our world, 00:08:39.08\00:08:41.09 God is faithful. Amen. 00:08:41.29\00:08:44.98 As I travel around the world I've noticed that 00:08:45.28\00:08:46.98 there is a new wind blowing 00:08:47.18\00:08:50.35 in the Seventh-day Adventist church. 00:08:50.55\00:08:52.41 More and more people are gathering together to seek God 00:08:52.71\00:08:56.49 in prayer. Little prayer bands are being formed 00:08:56.69\00:09:00.43 in conference offices, in union offices, 00:09:00.63\00:09:03.84 in division offices, in the General Conference headquarters. 00:09:04.04\00:09:07.44 In local Adventist churches 00:09:07.64\00:09:10.24 members are gathering for prayer, 00:09:10.44\00:09:12.99 and in many places the winds of spiritual revival 00:09:13.19\00:09:17.26 are blowing. 00:09:17.29\00:09:18.94 There has never been a revival in the history of the world 00:09:19.24\00:09:22.47 that has not been bathed in and saturated in prayer. 00:09:22.67\00:09:28.64 In fact, we're told by the messenger of the Lord 00:09:29.75\00:09:32.84 a revival need not be expected without prayer 00:09:32.95\00:09:37.24 because God must do something in us 00:09:37.54\00:09:40.93 before He can do something through us. 00:09:41.23\00:09:44.91 And God must do something to us 00:09:45.22\00:09:48.72 before He can do something with the world. 00:09:48.92\00:09:53.39 The problem with the preaching of the gospel is not 00:09:53.69\00:09:56.28 the hardness of the hearts in the world, 00:09:56.38\00:09:58.62 it's the hardness of our hearts at times, isn't it? 00:09:58.75\00:10:00.78 There are many that long for the gifts of the Spirit, 00:10:01.08\00:10:05.62 but God loves to give us the fruits of the Spirit. 00:10:06.02\00:10:08.78 Because if the fruits of the Spirit are characterized 00:10:09.19\00:10:11.61 in our lives, God will manifest the gifts of the Spirit. 00:10:11.71\00:10:17.29 Tonight I want to study with you 00:10:17.69\00:10:20.01 five essentials from the prayer life of Jesus. 00:10:20.31\00:10:24.36 I want to walk through the New Testament with you 00:10:24.66\00:10:27.01 and look at the prayer life of Jesus. 00:10:27.11\00:10:28.97 What was Jesus' prayer life like? 00:10:29.27\00:10:32.88 And what can we learn for our spiritual lives 00:10:33.18\00:10:37.56 from the very prayer life of Christ? 00:10:37.76\00:10:39.41 Let's pray. Father in heaven, 00:10:39.61\00:10:42.71 as we open the New Testament 00:10:42.91\00:10:44.54 and see the life of Jesus, 00:10:45.62\00:10:47.58 as we understand more deeply His prayer life, 00:10:47.88\00:10:51.33 I pray that You would enable us tonight 00:10:51.63\00:10:55.27 to drink from that heavenly stream. 00:10:55.47\00:11:00.02 That we would be fed with the bread of life. 00:11:00.32\00:11:03.89 That we would hear the Spirit of God speaking to our hearts. 00:11:04.19\00:11:08.42 This is no time for an apathetic, complacent, 00:11:08.62\00:11:13.31 Laodicean spiritual experience. 00:11:13.51\00:11:15.86 This is no time merely to believe with our head 00:11:16.16\00:11:20.90 but not be committed in our hearts. 00:11:21.10\00:11:23.77 This is no time for formal, academic religion. 00:11:24.07\00:11:28.96 This is a time for heart- agonizing, heart-throbbing 00:11:29.36\00:11:35.28 prayer. This is a time to be on our knees seeking God. 00:11:35.48\00:11:38.98 It's a time to open our hearts to be filled with the 00:11:39.08\00:11:41.96 Holy Spirit. It's a time for a genuine, authentic experience 00:11:42.06\00:11:46.93 with the living Christ. 00:11:47.13\00:11:48.80 And so I pray Thee that You would come and touch our hearts. 00:11:49.00\00:11:51.75 That You would open our eyes. 00:11:51.95\00:11:53.35 That You would help us to hear the voice of Jesus 00:11:53.55\00:11:55.87 speaking to us tonight, 00:11:56.07\00:11:57.38 drawing us closer to His side. 00:11:57.69\00:12:00.08 We thank you that You're going to be here 00:12:00.38\00:12:03.09 with all of Your power. In Christ's name, Amen. 00:12:03.29\00:12:06.46 A number of years ago 00:12:06.86\00:12:09.01 I was invited to hold a major evangelistic meeting 00:12:09.21\00:12:13.57 in Port Moresby, Papua, New Guinea. 00:12:13.77\00:12:16.25 Just before we got there 00:12:16.55\00:12:18.90 the government made a decision to sell off 00:12:19.10\00:12:22.51 a lot of their land to multi- national corporations. 00:12:22.71\00:12:28.06 The university students recognized that if that happened 00:12:28.36\00:12:31.62 that they would lose their natural resources 00:12:31.82\00:12:36.27 and the country in years to come would be impoverished. 00:12:36.57\00:12:39.61 So the students marched by the hundreds in the streets of 00:12:39.91\00:12:44.33 Port Moresby, the capital city. 00:12:44.53\00:12:46.21 The police overreacted. 00:12:46.51\00:12:49.18 They shot into the crowd, 00:12:49.48\00:12:51.53 and as they did seven students were killed. 00:12:51.83\00:12:54.68 The students rioted. 00:12:54.98\00:12:57.82 The dissident elements of society joined these students 00:12:58.02\00:13:01.22 and they rioted as well. 00:13:01.42\00:13:02.69 Cars were burned. 00:13:02.99\00:13:04.84 The plate glass windows of shops were broken 00:13:05.14\00:13:08.58 and throughout that city there was rioting, revolution, 00:13:08.88\00:13:13.87 devastation. 00:13:14.07\00:13:15.60 The government, in an attempt to control it, 00:13:15.91\00:13:18.46 put a curfew on the city. 00:13:18.76\00:13:21.34 Nothing moved from 7 o'clock at night till 7 o'clock 00:13:21.64\00:13:25.66 in the morning. Now that posed a real problem for us. 00:13:25.86\00:13:30.04 I arrived in Port Moresby on a Monday 00:13:30.24\00:13:32.71 and the curfew was still on. 00:13:32.91\00:13:34.65 And we were told that we would not be able to have our meetings 00:13:34.95\00:13:38.28 unless the curfew lifted. 00:13:38.39\00:13:40.47 We organized 1,000 people to pray... 00:13:40.77\00:13:44.23 1,000 prayer warriors. 00:13:44.53\00:13:46.78 They prayed morning, noon, and night. 00:13:46.98\00:13:50.31 And if you've ever been to Papua, New Guinea, 00:13:50.61\00:13:52.69 these folk know how to pray. 00:13:52.89\00:13:54.93 They do not simply "say" their prayers... 00:13:55.13\00:13:58.15 they pray. 00:13:58.36\00:13:59.96 And I've met with them - 50, 100- in a small room 00:14:00.26\00:14:03.63 where it was so crowded you couldn't even stand up 00:14:03.83\00:14:05.88 on our knees praying and seeking God 00:14:06.08\00:14:09.11 and listening to the agony of their hearts. 00:14:09.32\00:14:11.29 "Oh, God, move upon the government officials. " 00:14:11.49\00:14:14.30 "Oh, God, move upon parliament. " 00:14:14.50\00:14:16.53 Monday curfew, Tuesday curfew, Wednesday curfew, 00:14:16.83\00:14:21.48 Thursday curfew. But on Thursday we told our staff 00:14:21.78\00:14:25.28 "Go set up the stadium. There's nothing against 00:14:25.38\00:14:28.90 setting up the stadium in the daytime. 00:14:29.11\00:14:31.30 Set it up. We can't preach at night, but Thursday set it up 00:14:31.50\00:14:35.13 by faith. " We went to bed Thursday night with the curfew. 00:14:35.23\00:14:39.61 Woke up Friday morning and the first thing I did after praying 00:14:39.71\00:14:42.85 was ran to the little kiosk to buy a newspaper. 00:14:43.05\00:14:45.44 This newspaper today is one of my most treasured possessions. 00:14:46.52\00:14:50.36 My wife and I keep this as a keepsake of what 00:14:50.66\00:14:53.71 God can do. Headlines of the newspaper: 00:14:53.81\00:14:56.19 Parliament meets until 2 AM in the morning. 00:14:56.39\00:14:59.61 Curfew lifted so Seventh-day Adventists 00:14:59.81\00:15:02.64 can have their meeting. Amen! 00:15:02.74\00:15:04.94 Subtitle: The entire nation is invited to the Sir John Guise 00:15:06.80\00:15:11.68 Stadium tonight to hear the prime minister speak 00:15:11.78\00:15:15.05 on the state of the nation. 00:15:15.15\00:15:16.91 Then the prime minister will introduce American evangelist 00:15:17.11\00:15:20.02 Mark Finley who will speak a message of peace to this nation. 00:15:20.22\00:15:24.14 The entire nation is to come. 00:15:24.34\00:15:25.66 That night 100,000 people by count 00:15:25.97\00:15:31.61 came to the stadium. Amen. 00:15:31.71\00:15:33.27 What is the largest stadium in Chicago? 00:15:33.47\00:15:36.66 Soldier Field. How many does that place seat? 00:15:36.96\00:15:39.39 60,000? 70,000? 00:15:39.70\00:15:41.74 That's too small. 00:15:41.94\00:15:43.58 100,000 people came to the stadium. 00:15:43.88\00:15:47.15 The prime minister of the nation introduced me that night. 00:15:47.45\00:15:50.24 The message was taken by television. 00:15:51.49\00:15:53.76 It's estimated that in that country 2-1/2 million people 00:15:53.97\00:15:57.18 listened to the message. 00:15:57.28\00:15:58.29 And every night they came... 100,000 people. 00:15:58.49\00:16:02.75 And the first appeal 10,000 people came forward for baptism. 00:16:02.95\00:16:07.53 When God's people are on their knees praying 00:16:08.85\00:16:12.99 something happens that does not happen when we do not pray. 00:16:13.19\00:16:18.66 You say: "I don't understand all that. " 00:16:18.96\00:16:21.16 You don't have to understand it, just pray. Amen. 00:16:22.62\00:16:25.25 In the controversy between good and evil 00:16:25.92\00:16:28.82 there are ground rules. 00:16:30.36\00:16:31.94 And one of those ground rules is this: 00:16:32.24\00:16:34.76 God will never violate our freedom of choice. 00:16:34.96\00:16:38.71 Now God is doing everything He can for your son or your 00:16:40.09\00:16:42.91 daughter who doesn't know Christ before you pray. 00:16:43.01\00:16:45.94 He's doing everything He can for your husband or wife 00:16:46.24\00:16:48.94 who doesn't know Christ before you pray. 00:16:49.14\00:16:50.84 But God is limited. 00:16:52.30\00:16:54.37 He is limited by their freedom of choice. 00:16:54.57\00:16:57.30 But when we pray, God looks at the devil 00:16:57.60\00:17:01.55 and He says: "I respect that Christian's freedom of 00:17:01.75\00:17:06.22 choice and I will pour out the river of water of life 00:17:06.33\00:17:09.94 through them. And they will be a conduit of blessing. " 00:17:10.14\00:17:13.00 And God does for us when we pray 00:17:13.20\00:17:16.47 things that don't happen when we don't pray. 00:17:16.67\00:17:19.52 Amen. You say: "I don't fully understand all that. " 00:17:19.62\00:17:22.21 Don't worry about what you don't understand. 00:17:22.41\00:17:24.66 Let's suppose here's a cornologist. 00:17:24.96\00:17:27.71 Do you know what a cornologist is? 00:17:27.91\00:17:30.58 He got his Ph. D. studying one kernel of corn 00:17:30.79\00:17:34.50 so he's a cornologist. 00:17:34.80\00:17:37.36 He's over here at the University of Illinois. 00:17:37.76\00:17:40.24 He knows every single thing about that kernel of corn. 00:17:40.44\00:17:43.49 He knows every vitamin. He knows there's lysine and 00:17:43.69\00:17:46.23 niacin. He knows everything about that kernel of corn. 00:17:46.33\00:17:48.69 He is the foremost authority on corn in the world. 00:17:48.89\00:17:52.23 There's nobody greater than him in the whole world on corn. 00:17:52.43\00:17:55.80 He's written his Ph. D. dissertation 00:17:57.18\00:18:00.42 on the 13th kernel from the bottom up 00:18:00.63\00:18:04.51 in my imagination. 00:18:04.81\00:18:07.08 Now I have a question for you: 00:18:07.38\00:18:09.40 here is a man living in the jungles of Brazil 00:18:09.61\00:18:11.95 that doesn't know anything about corn. 00:18:12.25\00:18:15.43 Nothing. Doesn't know one vitamin, one mineral. 00:18:15.63\00:18:18.51 The man possibly can't even read, 00:18:18.71\00:18:20.68 but his wife cooks him a kernel of corn. 00:18:20.88\00:18:24.29 And on one summer day the cornologist in his back yard 00:18:25.89\00:18:29.37 eats a kernel of corn at the same time that the guy in Brazil 00:18:29.57\00:18:33.63 who can't read and who's illiterate... doesn't know 00:18:33.74\00:18:35.17 anything about corn... eats his kernel. 00:18:35.27\00:18:37.04 Who gets the most vitamins and minerals? 00:18:37.35\00:18:39.61 Who gets the most vitamins and minerals? 00:18:42.38\00:18:44.09 You don't need to know everything 00:18:45.55\00:18:48.62 to appreciate the something you don't know everything about. 00:18:48.82\00:18:53.88 You don't need to know everything about something 00:18:54.28\00:18:57.28 to appreciate the something you don't know everything about. 00:18:57.48\00:18:59.79 Don't try to figure out the ins and outs, 00:19:00.29\00:19:03.36 the whys and wherefores about prayer. 00:19:03.56\00:19:05.80 Simply believe by faith 00:19:06.10\00:19:09.43 that God hears! 00:19:09.73\00:19:13.04 Take your Bible, please. Five essentials from the prayer life 00:19:13.35\00:19:17.85 of Jesus. Five essentials from the prayer life of Jesus 00:19:17.95\00:19:22.32 that can transform your prayer life. 00:19:22.52\00:19:24.76 Five essentials from the prayer life of Jesus 00:19:25.06\00:19:27.88 that can enable you to have a vibrant, fresh, 00:19:28.09\00:19:32.56 new relationship with God in prayer. 00:19:32.76\00:19:35.68 Every revival in history has been bathed in prayer. 00:19:35.78\00:19:39.81 Every Biblical revival has been bathed in prayer. 00:19:40.11\00:19:43.42 Where there is revival - a renewal of spiritual life - 00:19:43.72\00:19:47.25 somebody is praying. 00:19:47.45\00:19:49.34 Mark the first chapter the 35th verse. 00:19:49.54\00:19:52.20 Mark chapter 1 verse 35. 00:19:52.40\00:19:54.47 "Now in the morning, having risen a long while before 00:19:54.67\00:19:58.89 daylight, He went and departed to a solitary place 00:19:58.99\00:20:02.53 and there He prayed. " 00:20:02.73\00:20:04.18 Jesus had a time to pray. 00:20:04.48\00:20:07.75 Jesus had a time to pray. 00:20:08.05\00:20:10.93 Mark it down... principle #1 in Jesus' prayer life: 00:20:11.13\00:20:16.19 Jesus had a time set aside to pray 00:20:16.39\00:20:19.71 for communion and fellowship with the Father, 00:20:19.91\00:20:22.89 and nothing separated Jesus from His Father 00:20:23.19\00:20:27.99 during that prayer time. 00:20:28.09\00:20:29.63 These times of unbroken communication with the Father 00:20:29.83\00:20:33.56 were times that Jesus set apart. 00:20:33.76\00:20:36.05 He was not too busy to pray. 00:20:36.45\00:20:38.29 Not too active to pray. 00:20:38.49\00:20:41.06 Take your Bible and look at a second vision here of Jesus' 00:20:41.36\00:20:45.13 time in praying: Luke the 5th chapter. 00:20:45.33\00:20:48.27 Dr. Luke describes Jesus' prayer life more times than any other, 00:20:48.57\00:20:53.88 than any other Bible writer. 00:20:54.08\00:20:56.10 Luke the 5th chapter. 00:20:56.30\00:20:58.41 Again we notice that Jesus had a time to pray. 00:20:58.61\00:21:02.06 Luke chapter 5 verse 16: 00:21:02.26\00:21:04.96 "So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness 00:21:05.16\00:21:08.99 and there prayed. " 00:21:09.19\00:21:10.30 Jesus' prayer life was not spasmodic. 00:21:10.50\00:21:12.94 It was not off again and on again. 00:21:13.14\00:21:14.73 He didn't pray on Monday and not pray on Tuesday and Wednesday. 00:21:14.93\00:21:17.80 Jesus often had times alone. 00:21:18.10\00:21:21.95 Every morning He had time set apart. 00:21:22.15\00:21:24.79 Before He faced the multitude He went to the mountain. 00:21:25.09\00:21:28.85 Before Jesus went to the crowds He went to the Father. 00:21:29.05\00:21:32.25 Jesus could stand before kings because He knelt before 00:21:32.45\00:21:35.39 the King of the universe. 00:21:35.49\00:21:37.19 He could face earthly judges because He had come to the 00:21:37.49\00:21:42.71 judge of all mankind. 00:21:42.91\00:21:44.48 Jesus was empowered in those moments that He prayed. 00:21:44.78\00:21:49.43 And if Christ, the Son of God, had time set aside to pray, 00:21:49.64\00:21:53.06 can we do any less? 00:21:53.26\00:21:55.47 Luke the 9th chapter... Again, the gospel of Luke records 00:21:55.77\00:22:00.60 these alone times that Jesus had with the Father. 00:22:00.80\00:22:04.41 Times that He set apart to be alone. 00:22:04.71\00:22:07.06 Times that when every earthly voice was hushed 00:22:07.26\00:22:11.10 and every human voice still 00:22:11.30\00:22:13.57 that He could listen to the voice of God. 00:22:13.77\00:22:16.39 We live in a society of noise, 00:22:16.69\00:22:19.47 and it's hard to get away from the noise... 00:22:19.67\00:22:21.63 it's hard to get away from the clamor and the chatter. 00:22:21.83\00:22:24.35 People talk to me about labor-saving devices. 00:22:24.58\00:22:28.04 And they say to me: "Pastor Mark, 00:22:28.25\00:22:30.62 here's a cell phone. 00:22:30.82\00:22:32.47 This cell phone can do everything you need. 00:22:32.67\00:22:35.64 I mean, this cell phone... you can talk to people on it. 00:22:35.94\00:22:38.70 This cell phone... you can get a message on it. 00:22:38.90\00:22:41.64 This cell phone... you can get your computed data on it. 00:22:41.94\00:22:45.38 This cell phone has maps on it. Take this with you 00:22:45.48\00:22:48.61 and you'll have everything you need. " 00:22:48.81\00:22:50.71 The problem is: when they send me 40 or 50 e-mails a day, 00:22:51.65\00:22:57.32 when they send me text message after text message, 00:22:57.62\00:23:01.72 when I fly on the airplane for 2 hours and I look on this 00:23:01.93\00:23:04.73 little thing and I find out that I have 12 new phone calls 00:23:04.83\00:23:08.44 that I have to answer... 00:23:08.54\00:23:10.20 it's difficult to get away from people today. 00:23:10.40\00:23:14.06 In the busyness of our society 00:23:14.36\00:23:17.69 it's hard to be alone. 00:23:19.16\00:23:22.25 You know, in the late 1800's 00:23:22.55\00:23:26.42 a European visited America. And he came back to Europe 00:23:26.72\00:23:31.94 and one of his friends said to him: 00:23:32.14\00:23:34.83 "What impressed you most about America? " 00:23:35.03\00:23:37.86 You know, the Europeans have a very wry sense of humor. 00:23:38.17\00:23:41.52 And he said: "Those Americans are always moving. 00:23:41.72\00:23:45.97 In fact, they've invented a chair called a rocking chair 00:23:46.27\00:23:49.16 and they can't even sit still when they sit down. " 00:23:49.26\00:23:51.72 Does your life sometimes feel hectic? 00:23:53.18\00:23:57.28 Do you at times feel rushed? 00:23:57.48\00:24:00.14 You have retired and you wonder how you ever found time to work. 00:24:00.44\00:24:06.09 In the hectic stream of life 00:24:07.56\00:24:10.89 Jesus calls us to quietness. 00:24:11.09\00:24:13.86 Do you have a time to pray? 00:24:14.16\00:24:16.51 A time that is set apart for you and God? 00:24:16.81\00:24:21.32 Well I have people say to me: "Pastor Mark, 00:24:21.62\00:24:23.35 I just pray all the time. " 00:24:23.55\00:24:25.66 That's like a person saying "I eat all the time. " 00:24:25.96\00:24:28.36 Yeah, you look like it, too. 00:24:28.56\00:24:29.98 If you eat all the time, what are you eating? Potato chips 00:24:31.67\00:24:35.06 and Hershey bars? And Hostess Twinkies? 00:24:35.26\00:24:39.36 If you eat all the time, what's happening? 00:24:39.66\00:24:42.56 Usually you're eating a junk food diet that doesn't provide 00:24:42.86\00:24:47.24 adequate vitamins and minerals to the diet, right? 00:24:47.44\00:24:50.15 Certainly God says: "Pray without ceasing; 00:24:51.88\00:24:55.32 be in an attitude of prayer. " 00:24:55.52\00:24:56.86 But if all you're doing through the day is darting 00:24:57.16\00:25:00.47 19-second prayers to God, 00:25:00.57\00:25:02.91 you will not have the experience with Jesus 00:25:03.11\00:25:07.57 to live through the crisis 00:25:07.77\00:25:08.90 at the close of this earth's history. 00:25:09.10\00:25:10.81 Jesus set aside a time to pray... 00:25:11.02\00:25:14.31 a time that He would be alone with God. 00:25:14.34\00:25:16.81 A time that He could listen to God's voice 00:25:17.11\00:25:19.27 speaking to His heart. 00:25:19.37\00:25:20.88 Do you have a time to pray? 00:25:21.18\00:25:23.80 A time that nothing interrupts? 00:25:24.10\00:25:26.92 A time alone with God? 00:25:27.23\00:25:29.69 The second thing we notice about Jesus' prayer life is this: 00:25:29.99\00:25:32.54 you find it in the text in Mark chapter 1. 00:25:32.74\00:25:34.73 So back to Mark chapter 1. Jesus had a time to pray. 00:25:34.93\00:25:38.33 A time that nothing interrupted. 00:25:38.56\00:25:40.74 A time to spend alone time with God. 00:25:40.94\00:25:42.84 A time that He could be spiritually nourished 00:25:43.04\00:25:47.07 by the Father. 00:25:47.27\00:25:48.31 A time the Spirit could speak to His heart. 00:25:48.61\00:25:50.72 A time that He could receive strength from the Almighty. 00:25:50.92\00:25:53.55 A time that He could receive wisdom from the Almighty. 00:25:53.85\00:25:56.25 Mark chapter 1. We look there again at verse 35. 00:25:56.55\00:26:00.61 "Now in the morning having risen a great while before daylight 00:26:00.91\00:26:03.56 He went out and departed to a solitary place 00:26:03.76\00:26:06.54 and there He prayed. " 00:26:06.74\00:26:08.02 Jesus not only had a time to pray, 00:26:08.32\00:26:10.65 Jesus had a place to pray. 00:26:10.85\00:26:14.10 Jesus often went to the Garden of Gethsemane, 00:26:14.40\00:26:16.85 and there in Gethsemane He knelt and He prayed. 00:26:17.05\00:26:19.70 That was His prayer place 'neath the olive trees. 00:26:19.90\00:26:22.08 When Jesus wasn't in Jerusalem 00:26:22.28\00:26:24.27 He often went out into the fields of Galilee 00:26:24.37\00:26:27.06 and there He prayed. 00:26:27.26\00:26:28.96 Do you have a place to pray? 00:26:29.26\00:26:31.96 A place that you've set aside? 00:26:32.26\00:26:33.86 Often in the morning my wife is up and out. 00:26:34.06\00:26:37.71 We now live in the state of Virginia 00:26:37.91\00:26:40.37 and my wife Ernestine - you know her as Teenie - 00:26:40.57\00:26:42.80 is out walking the trails. 00:26:43.00\00:26:44.63 And she has her place to pray on those trails, 00:26:44.83\00:26:47.59 alone in the morning. 00:26:47.70\00:26:48.99 My prayer place is in my study. 00:26:49.19\00:26:51.13 There's an old blue chair, and I kneel by that each morning 00:26:51.33\00:26:54.18 in my study and I say: "God, take me today. 00:26:54.38\00:26:56.48 God give me wisdom today. 00:26:56.68\00:26:58.68 God help me as we have to make critical decisions in the 00:26:58.88\00:27:02.22 General Conference office today. Lord, I don't know what to do. 00:27:02.32\00:27:04.96 Those decisions are so complex. 00:27:05.16\00:27:06.83 You look at one side of the question then you look at 00:27:07.03\00:27:08.55 another side of the question. 00:27:08.65\00:27:09.66 Lord, I need wisdom from You today. 00:27:09.69\00:27:12.27 Lord, today give me strength. Today there'll be temptations. " 00:27:12.57\00:27:16.09 There at my prayer time, 00:27:16.29\00:27:18.66 there in my prayer place I seek God. 00:27:18.86\00:27:21.35 You know, I was not brought up in a Seventh-day Adventist home. 00:27:21.65\00:27:26.23 My father was a Protestant; 00:27:27.37\00:27:29.73 my mother was a Catholic. 00:27:30.03\00:27:32.68 I never saw them argue once over religion. 00:27:32.98\00:27:36.72 When my father married my mother the priest said: 00:27:37.12\00:27:41.39 "Yes, I will marry you but not in the Catholic church. 00:27:41.59\00:27:44.06 You've got to be married in the rectory. 00:27:44.26\00:27:45.72 And I'll only marry you, " he said to my father, 00:27:45.92\00:27:50.05 "to this Catholic woman if you promise 00:27:50.25\00:27:52.22 when you're married that when you have children 00:27:52.42\00:27:54.44 you'll bring them up Catholic. " 00:27:54.55\00:27:55.68 My father wasn't an Adventist so he made that promise. 00:27:55.98\00:27:58.37 Later on my dad became a Seventh-day Adventist. 00:27:58.67\00:28:02.09 My mom was a Catholic. 00:28:02.29\00:28:04.56 But I can remember so distinctly in my mind 00:28:04.87\00:28:08.96 on Friday nights I would come home and watch the late, 00:28:09.26\00:28:13.17 late, late show. I'd be out playing basketball 00:28:13.37\00:28:16.41 on Friday nights. Sports were my god in those years. 00:28:16.51\00:28:19.55 Come back from playing basketball and I'd watch 00:28:19.75\00:28:21.92 the late, late, late show. I'd watch Frankenstein 00:28:22.02\00:28:24.42 and Alfred Hitchcock. Any of you remember those movies? 00:28:24.62\00:28:27.43 You do? I thought you were Adventists. 00:28:27.73\00:28:29.06 What are you watching that stuff for? 00:28:29.26\00:28:30.34 I have an excuse... I wasn't an Adventist back then. 00:28:30.54\00:28:32.93 These were the days of black and white television. 00:28:36.66\00:28:40.92 And the thing would be so snowy 00:28:41.22\00:28:43.74 and I'd be in front of that screen, you know, watching. 00:28:44.04\00:28:48.44 Friday night; 11 o'clock. 00:28:48.74\00:28:50.63 And I would look through the crack in the door 00:28:50.83\00:28:54.24 and there was dad kneeling down 00:28:54.44\00:28:58.93 by an old black and white chair. We didn't have much money. 00:28:59.13\00:29:02.50 Stuffing coming out of that chair. 00:29:02.70\00:29:04.93 Old vinyl chair. 00:29:05.13\00:29:06.70 I can see it in my mind now. Look through that light 00:29:06.90\00:29:09.43 there was dad praying... 11 o'clock Friday night. 00:29:09.63\00:29:12.29 "Dear Jesus, bless my boy. 00:29:12.59\00:29:15.10 Jesus, he doesn't know You. 00:29:15.30\00:29:17.71 Jesus, bless him. Surround him with Your love. 00:29:17.91\00:29:21.29 Surround him with Your grace. Somehow open his heart 00:29:21.32\00:29:23.84 and mind. " And the Lord began to work on my heart. 00:29:23.94\00:29:28.52 Dad shared Jesus' love with me and ultimately led me 00:29:28.72\00:29:31.81 into the Adventist church. 00:29:32.01\00:29:33.51 Dad had a place to pray. 00:29:33.81\00:29:37.03 Do you have a sacred place? 00:29:37.33\00:29:41.18 A place where God comes down? 00:29:41.38\00:29:44.61 A place that you can look back at and say: 00:29:44.81\00:29:47.23 "That's where God visited me. 00:29:47.43\00:29:49.75 That's where God spoke to me. 00:29:49.95\00:29:52.22 By that chair God strengthened me; God gave me wisdom. 00:29:52.52\00:29:56.46 God impressed my mind. " 00:29:56.76\00:29:58.78 Jesus had a what? 00:29:59.08\00:30:01.65 Time to pray. 00:30:01.95\00:30:03.44 Jesus had a what? 00:30:03.64\00:30:05.34 A place to pray. 00:30:05.54\00:30:07.12 I am not talking about a candy cotton religious experience 00:30:07.32\00:30:13.08 that is sweet in your mouth but provides you 00:30:13.28\00:30:16.23 with no spiritual nourishment. 00:30:16.33\00:30:18.26 I'm talking about knowing God. 00:30:18.56\00:30:20.54 Knowing Him in the depth of your being. 00:30:20.94\00:30:24.14 Knowing Him with every fabric of your being. 00:30:24.34\00:30:27.88 Knowing Him deep within your heart. 00:30:28.08\00:30:30.76 Knowing Him in your mind. 00:30:31.06\00:30:32.63 Setting aside time to pray. 00:30:32.93\00:30:35.18 Setting aside a place to pray. 00:30:35.49\00:30:36.90 Now there's a third thing about Jesus' prayer life 00:30:37.00\00:30:39.12 that may surprise you. 00:30:39.32\00:30:40.48 Secret prayer is not necessarily silent prayer. 00:30:41.74\00:30:47.67 Jesus prayed aloud. 00:30:49.42\00:30:51.66 Now don't misunderstand me. There are times 00:30:51.96\00:30:53.84 that praying out loud might be inappropriate. 00:30:54.04\00:30:57.21 If you are a computer expert working over here at IBM 00:30:57.51\00:31:01.41 and you're working with all secular people 00:31:01.61\00:31:04.48 and there's a snafu with the computer system 00:31:04.58\00:31:06.94 and you get down on your knees in the middle of the office 00:31:07.15\00:31:09.55 and begin praying out loud, well... 00:31:09.75\00:31:12.42 there may be... may be a lot wiser to pray silently 00:31:12.62\00:31:16.38 at that point. 00:31:16.48\00:31:18.59 There is never a time that it's inappropriate to pray silently. 00:31:18.90\00:31:22.71 But if you want a vibrant experience with God, 00:31:24.01\00:31:29.31 a time to pray, a place to pray, 00:31:30.78\00:31:32.96 praying aloud. Let's look at Jesus' prayer life. 00:31:33.16\00:31:35.38 Matthew the 26th chapter. 00:31:35.68\00:31:37.89 Matthew the 26th chapter. 00:31:38.29\00:31:41.37 Matthew 26:39. 00:31:44.96\00:31:47.04 Matthew 26:39. 00:31:47.44\00:31:50.08 "He went a little farther... " 00:31:51.40\00:31:52.91 This is Jesus. He has His time to pray. 00:31:53.10\00:31:54.83 This is Jesus. He has His place to pray. 00:31:55.03\00:31:56.98 Matthew 26:39: 00:31:57.28\00:31:59.38 "And He went a little farther. He fell on His face 00:31:59.58\00:32:01.38 and prayed thinking... " 00:32:01.58\00:32:03.32 He fell on His face and prayed what? 00:32:06.02\00:32:09.12 Prayed what? "Saying... " Verse 42: 00:32:09.32\00:32:12.25 "And He went again a second time 00:32:12.45\00:32:14.28 and prayed saying: 'Oh My Father, if this cup 00:32:14.48\00:32:18.77 cannot pass from Me unless I drink it, 00:32:18.87\00:32:21.25 Your will be done. ' " Verse 44: 00:32:21.35\00:32:23.71 "So He left them, went again and prayed the third time 00:32:23.91\00:32:27.42 saying the same words. " 00:32:27.62\00:32:29.26 Jesus had His time to pray; Jesus had His place to pray; 00:32:29.56\00:32:32.49 and Jesus prayed out loud pouring His heart out 00:32:32.69\00:32:35.04 to the Father. On our way to Hebrews, let's look at 00:32:35.24\00:32:39.05 Luke 11 verse 1. 00:32:39.25\00:32:40.63 Why did the disciples ask Jesus to teach them to pray 00:32:40.83\00:32:45.98 in the Lord's Prayer? Why? 00:32:46.18\00:32:47.81 Because they came to Jesus at His prayer time; 00:32:48.01\00:32:52.08 they found Jesus in His prayer place; 00:32:52.28\00:32:54.83 and they heard Him praying out loud. 00:32:55.03\00:32:56.57 And these disciples never had heard anybody pray like that. 00:32:56.78\00:32:59.98 Jesus wasn't saying a prayer. 00:33:00.28\00:33:02.33 These were not the formal, ritualistic 00:33:02.53\00:33:04.01 prayers of the Pharisees... Jesus was talking to God. 00:33:04.13\00:33:07.14 Jesus was communicating with the Father. 00:33:07.45\00:33:09.32 Luke 11 verse 1: 00:33:09.63\00:33:11.59 "And it came to pass as He was praying in a certain place" - 00:33:11.79\00:33:14.35 there's His prayer place; this is His prayer time - 00:33:14.55\00:33:16.44 "when He ceased... " How did they know He ceased? 00:33:16.64\00:33:19.47 Because He stopped praying verbally. 00:33:19.67\00:33:21.61 And so they'd never heard anybody pray like that before. 00:33:21.81\00:33:23.86 They were overhearing His prayers! 00:33:24.06\00:33:26.05 And they said: "Jesus, teach us to pray. " 00:33:27.30\00:33:29.24 Hebrews the 5th chapter... Jesus prayed out loud. 00:33:29.54\00:33:33.20 Hebrews the 5th chapter. 00:33:33.50\00:33:35.68 You were looking there at the 7th verse. 00:33:35.98\00:33:38.09 Here it is again. When you study Jesus' prayer life 00:33:38.12\00:33:41.85 not only did He have a time to pray, 00:33:42.05\00:33:44.27 not only did He have a place to pray, 00:33:44.47\00:33:46.41 but Jesus was on His knees out loud pouring His soul out 00:33:46.61\00:33:50.64 to God in intimate communion with the Father. 00:33:50.84\00:33:53.35 Here you go: Hebrews chapter 5 verse 7: 00:33:53.66\00:33:57.04 "Who in the days of His flesh 00:33:57.34\00:33:59.72 when He had offered up prayers and supplication with... " What? 00:33:59.92\00:34:03.59 "strong or vehement cries and tears to Him who was able 00:34:03.79\00:34:07.27 to save Him from death. " 00:34:07.37\00:34:08.77 Why is it valuable to pray out loud? 00:34:09.87\00:34:11.82 Has your mind ever wandered when you prayed? 00:34:12.02\00:34:16.16 You get on your knees, you begin to pray 00:34:17.91\00:34:20.04 "Dear Lord" and you're praying say mentally in your mind 00:34:20.25\00:34:23.32 and you begin to think "Um, wait a minute... 00:34:23.52\00:34:26.60 I should have... what time do I have to pick up the kids 00:34:26.80\00:34:29.93 at school? You know, I went grocery shopping today 00:34:30.03\00:34:33.44 and I forgot to get this... " 00:34:33.54\00:34:34.84 "What was the score of that sports game? " 00:34:35.14\00:34:38.32 "Um, wait a minute, what do I have to do at work? " 00:34:38.62\00:34:41.21 You're on your knees praying - right? - 00:34:41.41\00:34:43.35 and your mind begins to do what? 00:34:43.45\00:34:44.95 Anybody's mind ever wandered in prayer here? 00:34:45.45\00:34:47.86 Any honest people here? 00:34:48.06\00:34:49.55 Yeah sure, but what happens? Your mind wanders 00:34:49.85\00:34:54.47 and as it does 00:34:54.57\00:34:56.65 you go on 2 or 3 minutes in prayer. 00:34:57.05\00:35:01.25 You started praying but 4 minutes later your mind's 00:35:01.55\00:35:04.24 all over the place and you say: "Wait a minute... 00:35:04.34\00:35:06.89 oh, I'm supposed to be praying here, " right? 00:35:07.09\00:35:09.08 But when you pray aloud 00:35:09.48\00:35:12.12 the brain is engaged to form the words that come out of your 00:35:12.32\00:35:16.96 mouth, and when you stop verbally talking 00:35:17.06\00:35:22.77 you recognize it. "Hey, wait a minute. 00:35:22.97\00:35:25.03 My mind just began to wander. " 00:35:25.23\00:35:27.66 And you bring it back much more quickly. 00:35:27.86\00:35:30.05 Jesus had a time to pray; Jesus had a place to pray; 00:35:30.25\00:35:33.65 Jesus prayed aloud. "Pastor, Pastor, I don't want to 00:35:33.75\00:35:36.18 pray aloud. " Why not? 00:35:36.28\00:35:37.89 "Because the devil will hear my prayers 00:35:38.19\00:35:40.66 and he will know exactly what I'm thinking and praying about 00:35:40.86\00:35:46.16 and he will be able to develop a strategy against me. " 00:35:46.36\00:35:49.60 So because the devil can't read my thoughts 00:35:49.73\00:35:52.46 but he can hear what I say 00:35:52.66\00:35:54.40 I don't want to pray out loud. 00:35:54.60\00:35:56.55 Anybody think that way? 00:35:56.85\00:35:58.84 I have a question to ask you. 00:35:59.14\00:36:00.75 Is the devil omnipresent? 00:36:00.95\00:36:02.98 Well... there are some people not sure. 00:36:04.57\00:36:06.85 All right, is the devil omnipresent? 00:36:07.05\00:36:08.92 No, he's not. Who's only omnipresent? 00:36:09.22\00:36:11.53 God. Is the devil omniscient? 00:36:11.73\00:36:13.94 That means does he know everything. 00:36:14.24\00:36:16.60 No, he doesn't. 00:36:16.90\00:36:17.95 So how can the devil hear your prayers, then, 00:36:18.91\00:36:22.83 and know what you're praying if he's not omnipresent? 00:36:23.03\00:36:24.78 Only by sending the evil angels, right? 00:36:25.08\00:36:27.15 But when you pray God shuts you in 00:36:28.80\00:36:34.19 with a circle of good angels 00:36:34.40\00:36:39.45 who beat back the forces of hell. 00:36:39.65\00:36:42.54 The last place that the devil wants to be 00:36:42.84\00:36:46.86 is where a saint is praying... a believer is praying. 00:36:47.06\00:36:51.09 Let me show you that. 00:36:51.39\00:36:52.94 Do not take my word for it, 00:36:53.24\00:36:55.02 take the word of divine inspiration. 00:36:55.22\00:36:57.28 Here it is: 00:36:57.38\00:36:58.48 "At the sound of earnest prayer 00:36:58.88\00:37:04.03 Satan's whole host trembles and flees. " 00:37:04.23\00:37:08.52 Say it together with me, please. 00:37:08.82\00:37:10.70 At the sound... Together! 00:37:11.00\00:37:12.66 Wherever you are. Television audience, this is your time too. 00:37:12.76\00:37:14.74 Join us: "At the sound of earnest prayer 00:37:14.94\00:37:19.07 Satan's host trembles and flees. " 00:37:19.27\00:37:23.53 One more time: 00:37:23.83\00:37:24.84 "At the sound of earnest prayer 00:37:25.04\00:37:28.91 Satan's host trembles and flees. " 00:37:29.11\00:37:32.91 First volume of the Testimonies page 346. 00:37:33.11\00:37:35.86 When you pray, when your prayers ascend to God, 00:37:36.06\00:37:38.66 Satan's whole host trembles because good angels 00:37:38.86\00:37:41.94 wing their way from worlds afar to beat back 00:37:42.15\00:37:44.57 the forces of hell. They shut you in. 00:37:44.67\00:37:46.96 A place to pray; a time to pray; 00:37:48.83\00:37:50.99 praying out loud to seek God. 00:37:51.20\00:37:53.40 Fourth thing about Jesus' prayer life. 00:37:53.60\00:37:55.02 Here it is: fourth thing about Jesus' prayer life. 00:37:55.22\00:37:57.14 Jesus prayed for His friends by name. 00:37:58.47\00:38:02.14 Jesus prayed for people by name. 00:38:02.44\00:38:04.82 Luke chapter 23. 00:38:05.02\00:38:06.35 Jesus' prayer life was not so vague and general 00:38:06.66\00:38:10.28 that you couldn't know if it was answered or not answered. 00:38:10.48\00:38:14.27 Luke chapter 22. Here we go... Luke chapter 22. 00:38:15.66\00:38:19.58 Some people pray so general prayers 00:38:19.88\00:38:23.38 that they could never know whether God answered them 00:38:23.41\00:38:26.10 or not. Luke chapter 22. 00:38:26.20\00:38:29.04 Verse 31: "And the Lord said 00:38:29.24\00:38:33.13 'Simon, Simon. Indeed Satan has asked for you 00:38:33.33\00:38:37.33 that he might sift you as wheat 00:38:37.54\00:38:39.45 but I have prayed for you 00:38:39.66\00:38:41.97 that your faith should not fail. ' " 00:38:42.17\00:38:44.26 Jesus said to Simon: 00:38:44.56\00:38:46.43 "Satan has asked for you 00:38:46.63\00:38:48.61 but I have prayed for you. " 00:38:48.81\00:38:52.24 Jesus is saying that about you today. 00:38:53.64\00:38:55.51 There may be temptations, there may be challenges, 00:38:55.71\00:38:58.49 there may be difficulties, 00:38:58.68\00:38:59.70 but Jesus in the sanctuary in heaven 00:38:59.80\00:39:02.64 is praying for you. You are on His lips. 00:39:02.84\00:39:05.85 You are on His heart. 00:39:06.15\00:39:07.50 You are on His mind... Jesus is praying for you. 00:39:07.70\00:39:10.46 Jesus prays for Peter by name. 00:39:11.84\00:39:14.51 Now there's a few things in the text we need to see. 00:39:14.71\00:39:16.52 "And the Lord said: 'Simon, Simon. 00:39:16.82\00:39:19.27 Indeed Satan has asked for you. ' " 00:39:19.47\00:39:21.56 Who did Satan... 00:39:21.86\00:39:24.62 When Satan asked for Peter, who was Satan asking for Peter? 00:39:27.30\00:39:30.50 Who was Satan asking for Peter? 00:39:31.58\00:39:34.69 Well some are going to say God and some are going to say Jesus. 00:39:36.09\00:39:39.25 But I want you to think this through. 00:39:41.63\00:39:43.74 Why would Satan ask God to give him Peter? 00:39:44.04\00:39:47.85 Would God even consider giving the soul of Peter... 00:39:48.05\00:39:51.40 giving the life of Peter to Satan? 00:39:51.50\00:39:53.68 Would He do that? 00:39:53.88\00:39:54.88 No. 00:39:55.08\00:39:56.66 Would Satan ask Jesus to give him Peter? 00:39:56.96\00:39:58.68 Why would He do that? 00:40:00.06\00:40:01.27 I mean, why would Jesus even consider that? 00:40:01.47\00:40:03.61 I'm going to make a suggestion for you. 00:40:03.81\00:40:05.60 Who is Satan asking? 00:40:05.80\00:40:07.47 He's asking the evil angels. 00:40:07.77\00:40:09.70 He is saying: "You go get that man. 00:40:09.90\00:40:12.20 That man has great possibilities for the kingdom of God. 00:40:12.40\00:40:16.45 You go get that one. I want Peter! 00:40:16.65\00:40:18.33 I want him to fall. 00:40:18.53\00:40:20.13 If we can get Peter to fall, we have created a great crisis. " 00:40:20.43\00:40:25.53 Satan says to his evil angels: 00:40:25.73\00:40:28.39 "Go get that young man. " 00:40:28.59\00:40:29.95 "Go get that young woman. " 00:40:30.15\00:40:31.47 Satan studies our genetic backgrounds. 00:40:31.78\00:40:34.90 He knows the genetic weaknesses that are embedded in every 00:40:35.10\00:40:38.45 nerve and tissue of the bodies. 00:40:38.65\00:40:40.23 Satan knows our inclinations toward evil. 00:40:40.37\00:40:43.62 Satan knows our tendencies toward evil. 00:40:43.82\00:40:46.22 Satan knows where we are most likely to fall. 00:40:46.42\00:40:50.33 If it's criticism, he will give you reason to criticize. 00:40:50.53\00:40:54.94 He will dangle some juicy tidbit before your face. 00:40:55.14\00:40:59.31 If it is lust, he knows how to parade certain images 00:40:59.51\00:41:03.99 before your mind. 00:41:04.19\00:41:05.36 If it's overeating and indulgence, 00:41:05.56\00:41:07.31 Satan studies a) our genetic background; 00:41:07.51\00:41:10.15 b) Satan studies where we've fallen in the past 00:41:10.35\00:41:13.30 and we're most weak; 00:41:13.40\00:41:14.42 and Satan says to his evil angels: "Go get that man. " 00:41:14.62\00:41:17.50 "Go get that woman. " 00:41:17.70\00:41:18.74 "Go get their son... go get their daughter. " 00:41:18.94\00:41:20.59 And Jesus says to you and me: 00:41:20.99\00:41:22.99 "In your time of prayer, in your place of prayer, 00:41:23.19\00:41:26.08 in your... when you're praying out loud, 00:41:26.28\00:41:29.18 as you are praying for your son, 00:41:29.38\00:41:31.56 as you're praying for your daughter, 00:41:31.76\00:41:33.19 as you're praying for your neighbor, 00:41:33.29\00:41:34.37 as you're praying for your husband, 00:41:34.57\00:41:35.71 as you're praying for your wife, 00:41:35.92\00:41:36.96 I will send a retinue of angels if you pray for them by name. " 00:41:37.16\00:41:40.98 As we are on our knees praying 00:41:41.18\00:41:44.29 just like Jesus prayed for Peter... 00:41:44.49\00:41:47.26 And although Peter fell, he was supernaturally empowered 00:41:47.47\00:41:50.95 by God. He came and knelt in forgiveness before God 00:41:51.15\00:41:55.27 and repentance before Jesus. 00:41:55.37\00:41:57.25 And Peter was supernaturally endowed with the Holy Spirit 00:41:57.55\00:42:00.56 on the Day of Pentecost and 3,000... 3,000 00:42:00.76\00:42:03.94 were led to Christ. Prayer is powerful. 00:42:04.14\00:42:07.80 Jesus prayed for Peter. Are you praying for your son? 00:42:08.00\00:42:10.65 Are you praying for your daughter? 00:42:10.85\00:42:12.17 Are you praying for your husband? 00:42:12.37\00:42:13.41 Are you praying for your neighbors? 00:42:13.62\00:42:15.05 Great Controversy page 525 00:42:15.25\00:42:17.47 "God will grant an answer to the prayer of faith... 00:42:17.67\00:42:21.01 that which He would not do did we not thus pray. " 00:42:21.21\00:42:24.75 I love it. "God will grant an answer to the prayer of faith... 00:42:25.05\00:42:28.29 that which He would not do did we not thus pray. " 00:42:28.49\00:42:32.49 There are many texts in the Bible that tell us 00:42:34.56\00:42:36.77 that we ought to pray but there are few 00:42:36.97\00:42:39.30 that tell us what happens when we pray. 00:42:39.50\00:42:41.69 Here's one. Take your Bible, please. I John chapter 5. 00:42:41.89\00:42:44.85 What happens when I kneel down? 00:42:45.05\00:42:46.57 What happens when I pray for my son or daughter? 00:42:46.78\00:42:48.98 What happens when I pray for a husband or wife? 00:42:49.18\00:42:51.28 What happens when I pray for a neighbor 00:42:51.38\00:42:52.82 that doesn't know Christ? 00:42:53.02\00:42:54.04 What does God do? How does prayer work? 00:42:54.24\00:42:56.66 We may not understand everything about it, but this is a 00:42:56.96\00:42:59.22 marvelous text. I John chapter 5: here it is. 00:42:59.32\00:43:01.57 Verse 18 and onward: 00:43:01.87\00:43:03.31 I John chapter 5. 00:43:03.51\00:43:07.01 And we're looking there. Verse 14 rather... verse 14 00:43:07.31\00:43:11.06 and onward... I John chapter 5 verse 14: 00:43:11.16\00:43:13.29 "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him... " 00:43:13.49\00:43:16.50 Where is our confidence when we pray? 00:43:16.70\00:43:19.00 Is it in ourselves? Is it in our prayers? 00:43:19.20\00:43:21.70 This is the confidence we have where everybody? 00:43:21.90\00:43:24.19 In Him. "This is the confidence we have in Him: 00:43:24.49\00:43:26.66 if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. " 00:43:26.86\00:43:29.48 Is it His will to save your neighbor? 00:43:29.68\00:43:31.74 Is it His will to save your husband, your wife, 00:43:32.04\00:43:33.97 your son, your daughter? Certainly! 00:43:34.17\00:43:35.92 He will work powerfully in their lives. 00:43:36.22\00:43:38.76 Now certainly they have freedom of choice. 00:43:38.96\00:43:40.59 Certainly they can reject it. 00:43:40.79\00:43:42.44 But it will be harder for them to reject than to accept 00:43:42.65\00:43:45.49 if we pray. 00:43:45.69\00:43:46.83 You see, if we pray, rejecting the gospel becomes difficult 00:43:47.13\00:43:52.19 because the Holy Spirit's working in their hearts. 00:43:52.39\00:43:54.15 The Holy Spirit's bringing them conviction. 00:43:54.35\00:43:55.80 Now notice verse 16: 00:43:56.00\00:43:57.67 "If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not 00:43:57.77\00:44:01.41 lead to death... " What is the sin that leads to death? 00:44:01.61\00:44:03.31 The unpardonable sin. 00:44:03.51\00:44:05.10 So here we see somebody. He hasn't rejected the Holy Spirit 00:44:05.30\00:44:08.28 in their life. "If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin 00:44:08.48\00:44:11.48 that does not lead to death, He will ask... " 00:44:11.59\00:44:14.17 Who is the He that's doing the asking? 00:44:14.37\00:44:15.89 The Intercessor. "He will ask 00:44:16.09\00:44:18.78 and He... " Who is that He? 00:44:18.99\00:44:22.17 God. "Will give Him... " Who is the Him? 00:44:22.37\00:44:25.27 The Intercessor. "Life for those who commit sin 00:44:25.47\00:44:28.74 not leading to death. " 00:44:28.95\00:44:29.96 This is wonderful. 00:44:30.16\00:44:31.41 On our knees we're praying for somebody 00:44:31.61\00:44:33.86 that doesn't know Jesus. 00:44:33.96\00:44:35.33 Just like Jesus prayed for Peter by name 00:44:35.63\00:44:38.10 we're praying for somebody in temptation. 00:44:38.30\00:44:41.08 We're praying for somebody who's in a struggle 00:44:41.28\00:44:44.62 between life and death. And as we pray 00:44:44.82\00:44:46.99 the river of water of life from the throne of God 00:44:47.29\00:44:51.56 flows through us to touch their lives in miraculous ways. 00:44:51.77\00:44:55.19 We becomes channels for the conduit of the Holy... 00:44:55.49\00:44:58.54 We becomes channels - conduits - for the Holy Spirit 00:44:58.74\00:45:01.32 to touch that man, that woman, that son or that daughter. 00:45:01.52\00:45:04.00 Here is one of the most marvelous statements ever 00:45:04.30\00:45:08.29 written by the pen of inspiration, God's messenger 00:45:08.49\00:45:11.81 for this last hour. Listen to it: 00:45:12.01\00:45:13.46 "Ministering angels are waiting about the throne... " 00:45:13.66\00:45:16.79 Where are the angels? Where are they? 00:45:16.99\00:45:18.84 About the throne. 00:45:19.14\00:45:20.19 "to instantly obey the mandate of Jesus Christ 00:45:20.59\00:45:24.95 in answer to every prayer offered in living faith. " 00:45:25.15\00:45:28.45 II Selected Messages 377. 00:45:28.65\00:45:31.73 Ministering angels around the throne. 00:45:32.03\00:45:34.56 Waiting... Waiting to answer 00:45:34.97\00:45:39.93 the mandate of Christ - the command of Christ - 00:45:40.13\00:45:42.78 as prayers ascend to heaven. 00:45:42.98\00:45:44.54 Here is some godly father, some godly mother. 00:45:44.84\00:45:47.52 They're on their knees. They're praying for a daughter 00:45:47.72\00:45:49.91 or a son who's up there in Chicago. 00:45:50.11\00:45:51.79 And that son or daughter is about ready to make a decision 00:45:51.99\00:45:55.05 that will take them further from Christ. 00:45:55.35\00:45:57.76 And that mom is in her bedroom. She's kneeling down 00:45:58.06\00:46:01.78 by that chair at her prayer time that evening 00:46:01.88\00:46:04.37 and she's praying: "Lord, bless my daughter Alice. " 00:46:04.57\00:46:06.76 "Lord, bless Judy. " And as she prays, 00:46:06.79\00:46:09.22 her prayers ascend to heaven and the angels gather round 00:46:09.42\00:46:12.47 the throne and they say: "Jesus, can I go? " 00:46:12.57\00:46:15.07 "Jesus, can I go? " "Jesus, can I go? " 00:46:15.27\00:46:17.38 And Jesus looks at an angel and He says: "You go. " 00:46:17.58\00:46:20.87 And that angel wings his way from the throne of God 00:46:21.07\00:46:24.25 and beats back the angels of hell. 00:46:24.45\00:46:26.81 And that young woman makes the right decision. Praise God! 00:46:27.01\00:46:30.15 Praise God! 00:46:30.45\00:46:31.67 Jesus had a time to pray. Jesus had a place to pray. 00:46:32.84\00:46:37.21 Jesus prayed aloud. 00:46:40.20\00:46:42.41 Jesus prayed for His friends by name. 00:46:42.71\00:46:45.97 And you are on His heart tonight. 00:46:46.27\00:46:48.32 You're on His mind tonight. 00:46:48.52\00:46:49.72 There's one more thing about Jesus' prayer. 00:46:50.02\00:46:52.14 Take your Bible and go back to the gospel of Luke 00:46:52.34\00:46:54.79 the 9th chapter. 00:46:54.89\00:46:56.26 Jesus often prayed with others. 00:46:56.56\00:47:00.61 There's power in praying alone 00:47:00.91\00:47:03.72 but there's power in getting another man, another woman. 00:47:03.92\00:47:06.85 There's power in little prayer bands as they form together. 00:47:07.05\00:47:11.03 Luke the 9th chapter 28th verse. 00:47:11.43\00:47:17.34 "And it came to pass about 8 days after these sayings 00:47:17.64\00:47:20.58 that He took Peter, John, and James 00:47:20.68\00:47:23.29 and went up on the mountain to pray. " 00:47:23.49\00:47:25.52 Three men meeting to pray. 00:47:25.82\00:47:29.22 Three women who form a prayer band. 00:47:29.53\00:47:32.42 Oh, to come into an Adventist church on Sabbath morning 00:47:32.72\00:47:35.93 and look over that congregation at 8:30 AM 00:47:36.13\00:47:39.26 and see 15 prayer bands scattered throughout the church 00:47:39.47\00:47:42.46 praying for the anointing of the Holy Spirit 00:47:42.67\00:47:45.00 that Sabbath morning. 00:47:45.20\00:47:46.65 Oh to come to an Adventist church on a Wednesday night 00:47:48.09\00:47:50.86 and see prayer bands scattered throughout the sanctuary 00:47:51.06\00:47:54.03 praying for that city that there'll be a breakthrough 00:47:54.23\00:47:56.35 for the kingdom of God. 00:47:56.55\00:47:57.95 Oh to come to a conference office, 00:47:58.25\00:48:00.49 come to the General Conference division, and see prayer bands 00:48:00.79\00:48:04.62 praying for the anointing of the Holy Spirit. 00:48:04.82\00:48:07.27 There's something that happens when people unite in prayer. 00:48:07.47\00:48:11.07 Matthew the 18th chapter. 00:48:11.27\00:48:12.78 Matthew the 18th chapter. 00:48:12.88\00:48:14.97 And look there at Matthew chapter 18 00:48:17.52\00:48:20.01 verses 18 and 19. 00:48:20.31\00:48:25.15 Matthew 18:18-19. 00:48:25.45\00:48:27.53 "Assuredly I say to you whatever you bind on earth 00:48:27.63\00:48:29.94 will be bound on heaven and whatever you loose on earth 00:48:30.14\00:48:32.56 will be loosed in heaven. " 00:48:32.76\00:48:33.96 How do we bind up heaven? 00:48:34.16\00:48:35.84 How do we loose heaven? 00:48:36.14\00:48:37.20 "Again I say to you, if two of you agree on anything 00:48:37.50\00:48:40.46 concerning anything that they ask, 00:48:40.66\00:48:42.28 it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. 00:48:42.48\00:48:44.34 For where two or three are gathered together 00:48:44.54\00:48:46.36 in My name... " That doesn't mean 00:48:46.46\00:48:48.73 that the church is empty and only 2 or 3 people come 00:48:48.93\00:48:51.29 so the preacher gets up and says: "The Bible says 00:48:51.49\00:48:53.30 when 2 or 3 together are gathered, He's there. " 00:48:53.40\00:48:55.18 I'm sure He's there, but that's not the primary meaning 00:48:55.38\00:48:57.80 of the text. The primary meaning of this text is a prayer band. 00:48:57.90\00:49:00.40 Where two or three people get together 00:49:00.60\00:49:02.52 and in the unity of their lives heart beats with heart 00:49:02.72\00:49:05.24 mind beats with mind 00:49:05.44\00:49:06.46 and they get together to pray. 00:49:06.66\00:49:08.24 Women are having a prayer group at their house 00:49:09.45\00:49:11.41 on a Thursday afternoon and 2, 3, 4, 5 women pray. 00:49:11.61\00:49:14.89 Men meeting for a prayer breakfast in the morning 00:49:15.13\00:49:17.22 before they go to work and feeding a little bit. 00:49:17.42\00:49:19.69 Sharing the Word of God; getting down on their knees and praying. 00:49:19.79\00:49:21.74 "Again I say to you that if 2 or 3 agree on earth 00:49:22.04\00:49:25.63 anything they'll ask it will be done for them 00:49:25.83\00:49:27.83 of My Father in heaven. 00:49:28.03\00:49:29.27 For where 2 or 3 are gathered in My name 00:49:29.47\00:49:31.57 I am in the midst. " 00:49:31.77\00:49:33.44 Do you have a time to pray 00:49:33.74\00:49:38.77 that nothing interrupts? 00:49:39.07\00:49:40.88 Do you have a place to pray 00:49:41.18\00:49:43.85 where you pour your heart out to God alone? 00:49:44.05\00:49:46.87 Do you have a prayer list? 00:49:47.17\00:49:49.09 Five names... six names. People you've written down 00:49:49.39\00:49:51.84 on your list and you're praying for them. 00:49:52.04\00:49:53.53 You're believing God for them. 00:49:53.83\00:49:55.38 Do you have somebody you're praying with? Prayer partners? 00:49:55.68\00:50:00.00 A few years ago there was a very significant pastor's meeting 00:50:01.62\00:50:06.86 in Boston, Massachusetts. 00:50:07.06\00:50:09.52 It was not a meeting of Seventh- day Adventist pastors. 00:50:10.75\00:50:13.10 These pastors were evangelical pastors, and they were coming 00:50:13.11\00:50:15.75 from all over the United States, 300-400 pastors. 00:50:15.95\00:50:18.45 One of the pastors from Chicago 00:50:18.75\00:50:21.27 was on an American Airlines flight. 00:50:21.47\00:50:23.21 He was sitting on the aisle. 00:50:23.31\00:50:24.52 And as he was sitting on the aisle 00:50:24.72\00:50:26.59 there was nobody in the middle seat and there was a man 00:50:26.79\00:50:28.77 sitting at the window seat. And the plane took off, and 00:50:28.97\00:50:30.93 this man - pastor, going to the pastor's meeting, 00:50:31.13\00:50:34.35 sitting on the aisle - looked across and he saw 00:50:34.56\00:50:37.78 the man at the window praying. 00:50:37.98\00:50:40.00 And he thought to himself: 00:50:40.20\00:50:42.26 "Great, I've got a Christian seatmate, but I don't want to 00:50:42.56\00:50:45.81 intimidate him too much and tell him I'm a pastor. 00:50:45.91\00:50:48.29 I'm so thankful that I have somebody that's a Christian. " 00:50:48.49\00:50:50.88 So he looked over. The man prayed for a while 00:50:51.08\00:50:53.21 and he prayed and he prayed. 00:50:53.41\00:50:54.69 And the pastor looked over and he said: 00:50:54.89\00:50:56.46 "You know, I'm just wondering... You're a... You must be 00:50:56.66\00:50:59.83 a Christian. I saw you praying and I'm a Christian too. " 00:50:59.93\00:51:02.58 And the man looked up with a very scowly-looking face 00:51:02.78\00:51:06.50 and he said: "What are you talking about? 00:51:06.60\00:51:08.73 I'm not a Christian. Are you so arrogant you only think 00:51:08.93\00:51:11.49 Christians pray? " The pastor did not quite know 00:51:11.59\00:51:14.77 what to say. And sometimes, you know, you put your foot 00:51:14.87\00:51:17.39 in your mouth... you kind of say the wrong thing? 00:51:17.50\00:51:18.86 So the pastor looked at him and he said: 00:51:19.06\00:51:20.88 "Well if you're not a Christian, who are you? 00:51:20.98\00:51:22.44 What are you praying about? " 00:51:22.65\00:51:23.70 And the man said: "I'm a Satanist. 00:51:23.90\00:51:25.90 I'm a Satanist and I've been praying. 00:51:26.22\00:51:29.49 And I'll tell you what I'm praying about. 00:51:29.69\00:51:31.13 You may not be aware of this but there's a pastor's meeting 00:51:31.33\00:51:33.81 in Boston. " 00:51:34.01\00:51:35.10 And the pastor said his heart began to beat, 00:51:35.30\00:51:37.25 the hair on the back of his neck stood up. And he said: 00:51:37.45\00:51:40.34 "There's a pastor's meeting in Boston 00:51:40.55\00:51:42.02 and I am meeting with a group of Satanists 00:51:42.12\00:51:45.51 because we believe that Christianity is a relic 00:51:45.71\00:51:48.89 of the Dark Ages. When you look at the Crusades and all the 00:51:49.09\00:51:51.98 brutal persecution, " he said, "Christianity hasn't done 00:51:52.18\00:51:54.68 anything good for the world. " Which is a total lie, of course. 00:51:54.78\00:51:57.68 But he said: "I am meeting with a group of Satanists, 00:51:57.88\00:52:01.06 and we're going to pray that disunity will come into that 00:52:01.26\00:52:04.15 pastor's meeting. 00:52:04.35\00:52:05.63 We're going to pray that divorce will take place 00:52:05.84\00:52:07.80 among those pastors. We're going to pray that their 00:52:07.99\00:52:09.43 kids will be lost, and I'm meeting with 300-400 Satanists. 00:52:09.53\00:52:12.76 If you are not praying for your pastor, 00:52:12.96\00:52:16.94 the Satanist may be praying against your pastor. 00:52:17.14\00:52:19.62 If you're not praying for your city, 00:52:19.92\00:52:22.47 the Satanist may be praying against it. 00:52:22.67\00:52:24.91 I was going to Melbourne, Australia, to hold an 00:52:25.11\00:52:27.08 evangelistic meeting. I met with a group of Adventist 00:52:27.18\00:52:28.90 pastors and I told them this story. 00:52:29.00\00:52:30.93 At the end of my series on prayer 00:52:32.28\00:52:35.00 in which I urged Adventists to be praying and seeking God 00:52:35.21\00:52:39.94 at the end of that the coordinator of my evangelistic 00:52:40.14\00:52:43.37 meetings - an Adventist pastor - stood up and he said: 00:52:43.47\00:52:45.37 "I have to speak to all these pastors. " 00:52:45.47\00:52:47.13 He said: "My wife was on a train the other day 00:52:47.34\00:52:49.93 here in Melbourne, Australia. 00:52:50.14\00:52:51.49 It was noon. She looked... saw somebody praying 00:52:51.70\00:52:56.77 and she said: 'Oh, you must be a Christian. ' " 00:52:57.07\00:53:00.26 She said: "The lady looked up and said: 'I am not a Christian 00:53:00.46\00:53:02.32 at all. At 12 o'clock every day in Melbourne 00:53:02.42\00:53:05.74 the Satanists covenant to meet together to pray 00:53:05.84\00:53:08.73 that Satan will have victory in this city. ' " 00:53:08.93\00:53:11.05 My brother, my sister, do you know Jesus Christ? 00:53:11.35\00:53:14.15 Are you on your knees praying every single day? 00:53:14.45\00:53:17.98 Maybe you've turned in to this broadcast 00:53:18.18\00:53:21.28 and you're looking for something deeper 00:53:21.48\00:53:23.26 in your own spiritual life. 00:53:23.46\00:53:25.58 Maybe you have had a superficial Christian experience. 00:53:25.88\00:53:31.30 Maybe you've been apathetic. 00:53:32.84\00:53:35.63 God is speaking to you. 00:53:35.93\00:53:37.49 He's calling you to set aside a time to pray. 00:53:37.79\00:53:39.90 He's calling you to set aside a place to pray. 00:53:40.30\00:53:43.28 He's calling you to pour your heart out to God. 00:53:43.58\00:53:45.83 The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, they are spiritual. 00:53:46.13\00:53:51.94 There is a battle - a battle between Christ and Satan. 00:53:52.24\00:53:56.14 A battle between good and evil. 00:53:56.44\00:53:59.03 We cannot win that battle 00:54:00.85\00:54:04.95 without the divine power of the Living God filling our lives. 00:54:05.15\00:54:08.80 Will you commit your life right now to earnest intercession? 00:54:09.10\00:54:14.02 Will you say: "Jesus, I don't want the superficial. 00:54:14.12\00:54:17.93 I don't want an external Christian experience. 00:54:18.23\00:54:21.70 I want something deep, and each day I will meet You 00:54:22.00\00:54:25.32 at the time of prayer. 00:54:25.52\00:54:27.33 Each day I will meet You at the place of prayer. " 00:54:27.53\00:54:30.74 Will you bow your heads with me just now? 00:54:31.04\00:54:32.59 Oh my Father, we've heard the call of the Spirit tonight. 00:54:32.99\00:54:35.89 We thank you that we can open our hearts to You. 00:54:36.09\00:54:40.75 We thank you that the God of the universe 00:54:40.95\00:54:45.38 wants to communicate with us through prayer. 00:54:45.58\00:54:50.01 We thank you that the sovereign, almighty God 00:54:50.31\00:54:54.55 imparts His power through us 00:54:54.75\00:54:58.28 by means of the Holy Spirit. 00:54:58.58\00:55:01.22 Oh, Lord, we are weak but You are strong. 00:55:01.72\00:55:05.63 We are ignorant but You are wise. 00:55:05.93\00:55:08.12 We are frail but You are almighty. 00:55:08.43\00:55:10.26 Come and lead us to a deep spiritual experience 00:55:10.56\00:55:15.18 with you. We pray Thee in Christ's name, Amen. 00:55:15.38\00:55:21.15 Amen. 00:55:21.45\00:55:22.50 Thank you, Pastor Mark. 00:55:26.27\00:55:28.05 Praise the Lord! What a message! 00:55:28.35\00:55:30.96 What a message. 00:55:31.26\00:55:33.11 We start back again tomorrow morning. Those of you that are 00:55:33.31\00:55:35.98 here in person... 8 o'clock for your breakfast. 00:55:36.18\00:55:39.44 And those of you that are at home, you can eat breakfast 00:55:39.74\00:55:42.41 whenever you want. And... But at 9 o'clock 00:55:42.61\00:55:47.05 we will begin our seminars here. They will be televised live, 00:55:47.25\00:55:51.92 and the first presenter tomorrow morning 00:55:52.12\00:55:54.11 at 9 o'clock is Brenda Walsh. 00:55:54.32\00:55:56.30 And she is going to be speaking on Out Of Your Comfort Zone. 00:55:56.60\00:56:00.79 And then at 10:30 AM Pastor Mark Finley will be back: 00:56:01.09\00:56:04.81 The Holy Spirit and Revival at 10:30 AM. 00:56:05.01\00:56:09.36 At 12 o'clock: Good Man Lost, Bad Man Saved 00:56:09.66\00:56:14.38 with Pastor Charles Bradford. 00:56:14.58\00:56:17.18 So that's the morning tomorrow morning. 00:56:17.48\00:56:19.43 And we hope that those of you that are at home 00:56:19.73\00:56:22.41 will join us just like those of you that are here. 00:56:22.44\00:56:25.73 And if you live within... you know, close enough, 00:56:26.03\00:56:29.31 drive on in and join us. We'll be happy to have you. 00:56:29.51\00:56:32.64 And by the way, we hope that 00:56:32.94\00:56:37.28 each of you receives a blessing 00:56:37.48\00:56:42.97 that you have been searching for in your own spiritual life. 00:56:43.17\00:56:46.54 Because I know that you wouldn't be here 00:56:46.84\00:56:49.85 if you weren't looking for that blessing. 00:56:50.05\00:56:52.33 Remember, we don't recharge our batteries here... 00:56:52.43\00:56:54.86 we make sure we're plugged in. 00:56:55.06\00:56:56.56 Because we are not battery- operated, 00:56:56.76\00:56:59.48 we are plugged in only to the power of our Lord and Savior 00:56:59.68\00:57:04.20 Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. 00:57:04.40\00:57:06.41 And that plug must be plugged in all the time. 00:57:06.61\00:57:10.80 Well He's ready to bless us all the time, 00:57:11.10\00:57:13.96 and we'll be looking for you tomorrow morning. 00:57:14.17\00:57:16.39 May God bless you each one. 00:57:16.59\00:57:19.07