¤[Theme music]¤
00:00:09.87\00:00:17.01
>>John Bradshaw: This is It
Is Written. I'm John Bradshaw.
00:00:19.21\00:00:22.15
Thanks for joining me.
00:00:22.18\00:00:23.59
I'm in Moldova, a little
country in Eastern Europe
00:00:23.62\00:00:26.86
sandwiched between
Romania and Ukraine.
00:00:26.89\00:00:30.69
It's a quarter of the
size of the state of Tennessee,
00:00:30.73\00:00:32.99
has the population of
the state of Connecticut,
00:00:33.03\00:00:36.06
about three and a
half million people.
00:00:36.10\00:00:38.97
¤[Music]¤
00:00:39.00\00:00:43.91
For 50 years, Moldova was
a Soviet socialist republic.
00:00:43.94\00:00:48.58
It was under communist rule
as part of the Soviet Union.
00:00:48.61\00:00:52.78
But a remarkable thing happened,
00:00:52.81\00:00:54.58
the most significant political
change of the 20th century.
00:00:54.62\00:00:58.92
And it affected the
life of every person here.
00:00:58.95\00:01:03.19
¤[Music]¤
00:01:06.33\00:01:16.34
¤[Music]¤
00:01:16.34\00:01:24.61
As far as
European communism went,
00:01:24.65\00:01:26.92
the winds of change really
began to blow in the 1980s.
00:01:26.95\00:01:30.82
In Poland, the
solidarity movement,
00:01:30.85\00:01:32.79
led by Lech Walesa,
called for a series of strikes
00:01:32.82\00:01:36.39
which crippled
that country's economy.
00:01:36.42\00:01:38.76
In Hungary, Czechoslovakia,
East Germany and Romania,
00:01:38.79\00:01:42.60
governments came
under pressure to roll back
00:01:42.63\00:01:44.83
the oppressive
restrictions of communism.
00:01:44.87\00:01:47.67
In previous times, the
Soviet Union's response
00:01:47.70\00:01:50.37
would have been
swift and severe.
00:01:50.41\00:01:52.94
But this time
things would be different.
00:01:52.97\00:01:55.74
On November the tenth,
1989, the Berlin Wall came down.
00:01:56.18\00:02:00.92
It was a
serpentine, 12-feet-tall,
00:02:00.95\00:02:03.52
100-mile-long barrier
that separated West Germany
00:02:03.55\00:02:07.39
from communist East Germany.
00:02:07.42\00:02:10.19
East Germans celebrated,
00:02:10.23\00:02:12.39
and that falling domino
set off a chain reaction
00:02:12.43\00:02:15.50
that led to the dissolution
of communism in Eastern Europe.
00:02:15.53\00:02:19.33
And by the time
the dust had settled,
00:02:19.37\00:02:21.47
the Soviet Union was no more.
00:02:21.50\00:02:23.94
But the story many
people haven't heard
00:02:25.94\00:02:28.34
is how the fall of
communism had less to do with
00:02:28.38\00:02:30.71
Lech Walesa and protest
and more to do with prayer.
00:02:30.75\00:02:35.35
In 1982, in the city of Leipzig,
00:02:37.49\00:02:40.62
a Protestant pastor
named Christian Fuhrer
00:02:40.66\00:02:43.26
began holding Monday evening
prayer meetings in his church,
00:02:43.29\00:02:46.73
St. Nicholas Church.
00:02:46.76\00:02:48.86
Pastor Fuhrer
conducted those prayer meetings
00:02:48.90\00:02:51.20
in spite of the East German
government's strong opposition
00:02:51.23\00:02:54.70
to religious activities.
00:02:54.74\00:02:57.14
So the government pushed back,
00:02:57.17\00:02:59.11
saying they'd do whatever
they had to to stop what had
00:02:59.14\00:03:02.78
morphed from simple prayer
meeting to peaceful protests.
00:03:02.81\00:03:07.38
But on October the ninth, 1989,
00:03:07.42\00:03:10.39
eight thousand people
gathered in the church,
00:03:10.42\00:03:13.29
and another
seventy thousand people
00:03:13.32\00:03:14.99
massed in the streets outside.
00:03:15.02\00:03:17.89
In the end, the
government let them protest.
00:03:17.93\00:03:22.16
The BBC later reported that East
German officials said that they
00:03:22.20\00:03:25.83
were ready for anything at
all, except candles and prayer.
00:03:25.87\00:03:32.14
¤[Music]¤
00:03:32.17\00:03:38.41
Exactly one month
after that historic night,
00:03:38.45\00:03:41.88
the wall came down.
00:03:41.92\00:03:43.99
And so too did a whole series
of atheistic dictatorships.
00:03:44.02\00:03:48.16
¤[Music]¤
00:03:48.19\00:03:59.73
So while there were certainly
other factors involved,
00:03:59.77\00:04:02.40
it can't be denied that prayer
00:04:02.44\00:04:04.11
played an incredibly
important role in bringing about
00:04:04.14\00:04:07.81
in East Germany and
throughout Eastern Europe
00:04:07.84\00:04:11.21
an incredible change,
00:04:11.25\00:04:13.01
which not long before would have
been completely unimaginable.
00:04:13.05\00:04:18.05
So what's the
secret to effective prayer?
00:04:18.09\00:04:20.52
Can anyone learn
to pray effectively?
00:04:20.56\00:04:24.03
Or do you have to
be specially qualified
00:04:24.06\00:04:27.10
to get your prayers answered?
00:04:27.13\00:04:28.60
¤[Music]¤
00:04:28.63\00:04:33.54
It seems to me a former
Soviet socialist republic
00:04:33.57\00:04:37.31
is a pretty good place to ask,
00:04:37.34\00:04:38.81
and then try to
answer those questions.
00:04:38.84\00:04:43.11
So what is prayer?
00:04:43.14\00:04:44.71
A dictionary will tell you
that prayer is a petition to,
00:04:44.75\00:04:48.42
or communion with,
God or another object.
00:04:48.45\00:04:52.72
Now, for the
purpose of this discussion,
00:04:52.75\00:04:54.79
we'll limit ourselves to
the idea of praying to God.
00:04:54.82\00:04:58.03
Someone once said that prayer
is the opening up of the heart
00:04:58.06\00:05:01.93
to God as to a friend.
00:05:01.96\00:05:05.17
Now, God has asked that we pray.
00:05:05.20\00:05:08.10
And He's promised that
He'll answer our prayers.
00:05:08.14\00:05:11.67
Now, listen to this: it's
Second Chronicles 7, verse 14.
00:05:11.71\00:05:15.81
Solomon has just
dedicated the temple to God.
00:05:15.84\00:05:18.65
It's in the tenth century B.C.
00:05:18.68\00:05:20.95
And God spoke to
Solomon and said this:
00:05:20.98\00:05:24.62
“If My people, which
are called by My name,
00:05:24.65\00:05:27.32
shall humble themselves,
and pray, and seek my face,
00:05:27.36\00:05:31.63
and turn from their wicked ways;
00:05:31.66\00:05:34.40
then will I hear from heaven,
and will forgive their sin,
00:05:34.46\00:05:38.03
and will heal their land.”
00:05:38.07\00:05:40.37
The Sovereign of
the universe says,
00:05:40.40\00:05:43.20
“I will answer your prayers.”
00:05:43.24\00:05:46.41
And you notice He
makes it nice and simple.
00:05:46.44\00:05:48.61
There are very few
conditions involved.
00:05:48.64\00:05:50.75
God simply says that
if you come to Him humbly,
00:05:50.78\00:05:53.78
and if you turn away from sin,
00:05:53.82\00:05:56.15
He will hear and
answer your prayers.
00:05:56.18\00:06:00.49
Now, over in the New Testament,
00:06:00.52\00:06:02.36
we read this in First John,
chapter 5, verses 14 and 15:
00:06:02.39\00:06:08.10
“Now this is the
confidence that we have in Him,
00:06:08.13\00:06:10.57
that if we ask
anything according to His will,
00:06:10.60\00:06:13.47
He hears us.
00:06:13.50\00:06:14.77
And if we know that He
hears us, whatever we ask,
00:06:14.80\00:06:18.11
we know that we
have the petitions
00:06:18.14\00:06:20.14
that we have asked of Him.”
00:06:20.18\00:06:22.14
John, the man who
wrote the gospel of John
00:06:22.18\00:06:24.31
and the Book of Revelation,
00:06:24.35\00:06:25.88
a man who spent
three and a half years
00:06:25.91\00:06:28.22
as one of Jesus' closest
friends, says that if you pray,
00:06:28.25\00:06:32.02
you can know that God hears you,
00:06:32.05\00:06:34.39
and in knowing
that He hears you,
00:06:34.42\00:06:36.69
you can be confident that
He will grant your petitions.
00:06:36.73\00:06:40.93
Now, that has to be one
of the most remarkable things
00:06:40.96\00:06:43.80
ever written.
00:06:43.83\00:06:46.03
So, how do you go
about praying in a way
00:06:46.07\00:06:49.57
that you can be certain
your prayers will be answered?
00:06:49.60\00:06:52.84
Tell you that in just a moment.
00:06:52.87\00:06:54.31
¤[Music]¤
00:06:54.34\00:06:59.01
>>Announcer: Planning
for your financial future
00:07:03.15\00:07:04.82
is a vital aspect of
Christian stewardship.
00:07:04.85\00:07:08.22
For this reason, It Is
Written is pleased to offer
00:07:08.62\00:07:11.43
free planned giving
and estate services.
00:07:11.46\00:07:14.30
For information on
how we can help you,
00:07:14.30\00:07:16.43
please call 800-992-2219
00:07:16.46\00:07:19.77
Call today, or
visit our website,
00:07:19.80\00:07:23.61
HisLegacy.com
00:07:23.64\00:07:25.84
Call 800-992-2219
00:07:25.87\00:07:30.41
>>John: There is
power in the Word of God,
00:07:31.01\00:07:32.91
and power available to you
through the promises of God.
00:07:32.95\00:07:37.72
God wants you to experience
that power, and so do I.
00:07:37.75\00:07:40.46
I'd like you to
have today's free offer,
00:07:40.49\00:07:42.39
“Promises of Power,”
new from It Is Written.
00:07:42.42\00:07:45.86
To receive “Promises of Power,”
00:07:45.89\00:07:47.36
call 800-253-3000
00:07:47.40\00:07:50.47
800-253-3000
00:07:50.50\00:07:52.93
Visit ItIsWritten.com
00:07:52.97\00:07:54.64
or write to the
address on your screen,
00:07:54.67\00:07:57.07
and be sure you
receive “Promises of Power.”
00:07:57.11\00:08:00.41
¤[Music]¤
00:08:01.38\00:08:06.35
>>John: This is It Is
Written. Thanks for joining me.
00:08:06.38\00:08:09.28
The first prayer in the Bible
00:08:09.32\00:08:11.19
appears in the
third chapter of Genesis.
00:08:11.22\00:08:13.69
The last prayer in the
Bible is in Revelation,
00:08:13.72\00:08:16.86
chapter 22, in the
second last verse of the Bible,
00:08:16.89\00:08:20.06
where John rights,
“Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”
00:08:20.10\00:08:24.07
God wants us to pray.
00:08:24.10\00:08:26.30
He wants to communicate with us.
00:08:26.33\00:08:28.70
So how do you pray effectively?
00:08:28.74\00:08:31.07
What's the secret?
00:08:31.11\00:08:32.74
I've come to Orheiul Vechi,
00:08:32.77\00:08:34.74
a fascinating place
about an hour from Chisinau,
00:08:34.78\00:08:37.61
the capital of Moldova.
00:08:37.65\00:08:39.21
Until 1991, Moldova
was a communist land,
00:08:39.25\00:08:42.78
part of the Soviet Union.
00:08:42.82\00:08:44.82
Most people don't know how
significant a part prayer played
00:08:44.85\00:08:48.39
in bringing about
the end of communism.
00:08:48.42\00:08:50.89
And this historic little place
00:08:52.19\00:08:54.60
gives us an opportunity
to reflect on prayer.
00:08:54.63\00:08:58.67
They say the medieval town was
built here around 700 years ago.
00:08:58.70\00:09:03.37
Mongol invaders came
through a little after that.
00:09:03.41\00:09:06.14
And then there was a
time of peace under kings
00:09:06.17\00:09:08.81
such as Alexander the
Kind and Stephen the Great.
00:09:08.84\00:09:12.88
There was a
palace here at one time.
00:09:12.91\00:09:14.98
Governors lived here.
00:09:15.02\00:09:16.22
There was a mosque
and a minaret from which
00:09:16.25\00:09:18.72
the call to prayer was made.
00:09:18.75\00:09:20.62
Ruins of an old
Christian church can be seen.
00:09:20.66\00:09:23.49
And today, there's
still a monastery here.
00:09:23.53\00:09:26.96
The cave monastery
goes back hundreds of years.
00:09:27.00\00:09:31.67
It can't have
been easy to build.
00:09:31.70\00:09:34.30
Monasteries are
places of reflection.
00:09:34.34\00:09:37.44
Some have been built in
the unlikeliest of settings.
00:09:37.47\00:09:40.91
In most every monastery,
00:09:40.94\00:09:42.88
prayer is high on
the list of priorities.
00:09:42.91\00:09:46.72
Here at Orheiul Vechi,
00:09:46.75\00:09:48.58
the monastery is run by
the Eastern Orthodox Church.
00:09:48.62\00:09:52.52
Monks actually used to
stay in these little cells,
00:09:52.55\00:09:56.59
once upon a time.
00:09:56.62\00:09:57.99
Considering that the
temperatures here can be
00:09:58.03\00:09:59.76
absolutely frigid,
that's really something.
00:09:59.79\00:10:03.73
It's not unusual for monks, or
others who live in a monastery,
00:10:03.77\00:10:07.30
to withdraw from the world and
give themselves over to working,
00:10:07.34\00:10:11.91
to reading the
Bible, and to prayer.
00:10:11.94\00:10:15.24
You don't see a monastic life
00:10:19.18\00:10:21.15
modeled or
recommended in the Bible.
00:10:21.18\00:10:23.92
Now, it's true there were
times that people came aside
00:10:23.95\00:10:26.59
for periods of
spiritual devotion.
00:10:26.62\00:10:28.92
But they were connected to
active ministry for others.
00:10:28.96\00:10:32.83
The six weeks or so that
Jesus spent in the wilderness
00:10:32.86\00:10:35.83
after his baptism
were immediately prior to
00:10:35.86\00:10:38.87
the beginning of his
active earthly ministry.
00:10:38.90\00:10:42.34
In Mark 6 and verse 31,
Jesus said to his disciples,
00:10:42.37\00:10:47.08
“Come apart by
yourselves into a deserted place
00:10:47.11\00:10:50.81
and rest a while.”
00:10:50.85\00:10:52.35
Jesus could see
they needed rest.
00:10:52.38\00:10:54.38
They needed time with him
00:10:54.42\00:10:56.62
to be strengthened for the
ministry he called them to.
00:10:56.65\00:10:59.72
Does God hear prayers prayed
in a monastery any more clearly
00:11:00.92\00:11:04.69
than he hears prayers prayed in
the middle of a bustling city?
00:11:04.73\00:11:07.86
Does God hear the prayers of
a monk or a priest or a minister
00:11:07.86\00:11:10.70
any more clearly
than he hears the prayers
00:11:10.73\00:11:12.60
of a construction
worker or a taxi driver?
00:11:12.63\00:11:16.44
Absolutely not.
00:11:17.04\00:11:19.47
The key to
successful prayer is...to pray.
00:11:19.51\00:11:24.85
Whoever you are,
00:11:24.88\00:11:26.41
wherever you are,
00:11:26.45\00:11:28.08
whatever you are:
00:11:28.12\00:11:29.88
if you'll pray, God
will hear your prayers.
00:11:29.92\00:11:34.92
Now, there's a common mistake
that far too many people make
00:11:34.96\00:11:38.26
when it comes to prayer,
00:11:38.29\00:11:39.76
and that is thinking that
prayer is all about getting.
00:11:39.79\00:11:44.77
Now, it's true, when
you come to God in prayer,
00:11:44.80\00:11:46.77
it's okay to do your
fair share of asking.
00:11:46.80\00:11:49.30
But prayer is so much more
00:11:49.34\00:11:51.24
than coming to God
with a shopping list.
00:11:51.27\00:11:54.48
Prayer is communion.
00:11:54.51\00:11:56.28
It's communication.
00:11:56.31\00:11:58.15
It's spending
time in God's presence
00:11:58.18\00:12:00.25
so that you and God
are on the same wavelength,
00:12:00.28\00:12:03.02
so that God's
thoughts become your thoughts,
00:12:03.05\00:12:06.62
and so that you are strengthened
to live a Christian life
00:12:06.65\00:12:10.03
in the very center
of the will of God.
00:12:10.06\00:12:12.53
I got an email a
couple of days ago
00:12:13.29\00:12:15.30
from somebody asking
about a difficult temptation
00:12:15.33\00:12:18.53
he was facing.
00:12:18.57\00:12:19.47
As a matter of fact,
00:12:19.50\00:12:20.64
he said it was beating him
and he was feeling crushed,
00:12:20.67\00:12:24.11
and he couldn't get the
victory over a certain sin.
00:12:24.14\00:12:27.71
And in that email he said,
00:12:27.74\00:12:30.35
“But I don't read my
Bible, and I don't pray.”
00:12:30.38\00:12:34.38
Well, ladies and
gentlemen, there it is.
00:12:34.42\00:12:37.75
He wasn't praying.
00:12:37.79\00:12:38.75
So of course he
was being defeated.
00:12:38.79\00:12:41.22
If he had prayed,
00:12:41.26\00:12:42.69
well, he might not have
got that shiny red truck
00:12:42.72\00:12:44.93
that he was
wanting, for example,
00:12:44.96\00:12:47.03
but he would have been
strengthened to meet the trials
00:12:47.03\00:12:50.47
that were coming into his life.
00:12:50.50\00:12:52.13
Prayer would have
made the difference.
00:12:52.17\00:12:57.14
Now, while it's a good thing
to pray in a peaceful place,
00:12:57.17\00:12:59.84
it's good to get
away from it all,
00:12:59.87\00:13:01.61
it's good to be someplace that
you're not going to be bothered,
00:13:01.64\00:13:04.35
what you need to know is how
you can pray wherever you are
00:13:04.38\00:13:07.88
and still be heard by God.
00:13:07.92\00:13:09.48
There's no special
place that you must pray
00:13:09.52\00:13:12.25
in order to be heard.
00:13:12.29\00:13:13.42
You can pray
anywhere at all and anytime.
00:13:13.46\00:13:16.96
Prayer is where your
desires become molded
00:13:21.10\00:13:24.50
to the will of God.
00:13:24.53\00:13:26.00
In fact, prayer is more
about you trying to find out
00:13:26.03\00:13:28.90
what God's will is on something,
00:13:28.94\00:13:31.11
rather than trying to
bend God to suit your will.
00:13:31.14\00:13:35.38
And prayer is not a
get-out-of-jail-free card.
00:13:35.41\00:13:38.88
You can pray all you want,
but your dog might still die
00:13:38.91\00:13:41.65
and you might
still lose your job.
00:13:41.68\00:13:44.02
But if you pray,
00:13:44.05\00:13:45.45
you'll be strengthened to meet
the trials life brings your way.
00:13:45.49\00:13:49.36
So how's your prayer life?
00:13:49.39\00:13:51.33
God is waiting to hear
and answer your prayers.
00:13:51.36\00:13:55.00
I'll be back with
more in just a moment.
00:13:55.03\00:13:56.33
¤[Music]¤
00:13:56.36\00:14:01.37
¤[Music]¤
00:14:03.24\00:14:06.71
Today I'd like to ask
you to help It Is Written
00:14:06.74\00:14:08.98
open the eyes of the blind.
00:14:09.01\00:14:11.38
India has more blind people
than any country on earth.
00:14:11.41\00:14:14.52
But simple cataract surgery
can make the difference between
00:14:14.55\00:14:17.49
seeing and not seeing.
00:14:17.52\00:14:19.35
Eyes for India is a
project that's providing
00:14:19.39\00:14:21.62
cataract surgery for
people in desperate need
00:14:21.66\00:14:24.46
of the gift of sight.
00:14:24.49\00:14:25.79
Please help today.
00:14:25.83\00:14:26.66
Call 800-253-3000
00:14:26.70\00:14:30.53
Or visit itiswritten.com
00:14:30.57\00:14:34.00
¤[Music]¤
00:14:34.57\00:14:35.60
>>Announcer: In Matthew
4:4, the Word of God says,
00:14:35.64\00:14:37.47
“It is written,
00:14:37.51\00:14:38.54
‘Man shall not
live by bead alone,
00:14:38.57\00:14:40.41
but by every word that
proceeds from the mouth of God.”
00:14:40.44\00:14:44.55
“Every Word” is a one-minute,
Bible-based daily devotional
00:14:44.58\00:14:47.78
presented by
Pastor John Bradshaw,
00:14:47.82\00:14:49.52
and designed especially
for busy people like you.
00:14:49.55\00:14:52.65
Look for Every Word
on selected networks,
00:14:52.69\00:14:55.39
or watch it online
every day on our website,
00:14:55.42\00:14:57.89
ItIsWritten.com
00:14:57.93\00:15:00.26
Receive a daily spiritual boost.
00:15:00.30\00:15:02.40
Watch “Every Word.”
00:15:02.43\00:15:03.77
You'll be glad you did.
00:15:03.80\00:15:05.33
Here's a sample.
00:15:05.37\00:15:07.54
¤[Theme music]¤
00:15:08.00\00:15:12.87
Joseph: sold as a
slave by his own brothers
00:15:12.91\00:15:15.98
and taken off to
a foreign country,
00:15:16.01\00:15:18.01
where's propositioned
by his master's wife.
00:15:18.05\00:15:20.75
To betray his master's trust
00:15:20.78\00:15:22.15
and to sin against God
would have been disastrous.
00:15:22.18\00:15:24.79
But to spurn this woman, well,
we know how that turned out.
00:15:24.82\00:15:28.56
But when Potiphar's
wife was turning up the heat,
00:15:28.59\00:15:31.06
Genesis 39, verse 8
speaks of Joseph when it says,
00:15:31.09\00:15:35.30
“But he refused.”
00:15:35.33\00:15:37.07
Three simple
words that could change,
00:15:37.10\00:15:38.63
or maybe even save, your life.
00:15:38.67\00:15:40.94
Temptation comes at us
every day it attacks us,
00:15:40.97\00:15:43.10
and often when we're
weak or where we're weak.
00:15:43.14\00:15:46.41
But as challenging as temptation
can be, think of Joseph.
00:15:46.44\00:15:49.71
“But he refused.”
00:15:49.74\00:15:50.98
He could have
acquiesced, but he refused.
00:15:51.01\00:15:53.31
He could have
fallen, but he refused.
00:15:53.35\00:15:56.22
Temptation offers you a choice.
00:15:56.25\00:15:57.62
Let it be said of you,
“But he or she refused.”
00:15:57.65\00:16:00.29
And let God's Spirit
keep you in the will of God.
00:16:00.32\00:16:03.29
I'm John Bradshaw
for It Is Written.
00:16:03.32\00:16:04.93
Let's live today by every word.
00:16:04.96\00:16:07.73
¤[Music]¤
00:16:08.60\00:16:13.67
>>John: Thanks for joining
me today on It Is Written.
00:16:13.70\00:16:16.10
People come to monasteries like
this one in Moldova to pray.
00:16:16.14\00:16:21.21
Prayer is fundamental to
the Christian experience.
00:16:21.24\00:16:23.98
In fact, you cannot really
call yourself a genuine believer
00:16:24.01\00:16:27.12
in God without
habitual, personal prayer.
00:16:27.15\00:16:31.55
Prayer is where your mind
meets with the mind of God.
00:16:31.59\00:16:36.36
Prayer is like
breathing the air God breathes.
00:16:36.39\00:16:38.99
It's like downloading
God's thoughts into your own.
00:16:39.03\00:16:43.16
Now, remember Psalm
66, verse 18, which says,
00:16:43.20\00:16:46.50
“If I regard iniquity in my
heart, the Lord will not hear.”
00:16:46.53\00:16:50.61
Now, that does not mean that God
00:16:50.64\00:16:52.01
doesn't hear the
prayers of sinners.
00:16:52.04\00:16:53.58
If that were true,
none of us would be heard.
00:16:53.61\00:16:56.28
But what it does mean is that
if we choose to cling to sin,
00:16:56.31\00:17:00.32
and refuse to
surrender it to God,
00:17:00.35\00:17:03.69
we're really telling God that
we're just not serious about
00:17:03.72\00:17:07.02
his will being done in our life.
00:17:07.06\00:17:09.72
As John Bunyan, who wrote
“The Pilgrim's Progress,” said,
00:17:09.76\00:17:13.13
“In prayer a heart
without words is better
00:17:13.16\00:17:18.60
than words without a heart.”
00:17:18.63\00:17:22.14
Consider the
Lord's Prayer with me.
00:17:22.17\00:17:24.54
It's the model
prayer given in the Bible.
00:17:24.57\00:17:27.58
The disciples came to
Jesus in Matthew, chapter 6,
00:17:27.61\00:17:30.01
and they said,
“Lord, teach us to pray.”
00:17:30.05\00:17:33.82
And what prompted them to
make that request was what Jesus
00:17:33.85\00:17:36.95
had been talking about
immediately prior to this.
00:17:36.99\00:17:40.76
Jesus warned them against
praying like the hypocrites,
00:17:40.79\00:17:44.33
who prayed so that other people
00:17:44.36\00:17:46.26
would see their
religious devotion.
00:17:46.29\00:17:48.96
Now that word, hypocrites,
is translated from a word
00:17:49.00\00:17:52.20
that means an actor.
00:17:52.23\00:17:54.77
Insincere prayers,
just acting the part,
00:17:54.80\00:17:58.41
aren't getting anyone anywhere.
00:17:58.44\00:18:00.84
He went on to say
in Matthew 6, verse 6,
00:18:00.88\00:18:03.45
“But you, when you
pray, go into your room,
00:18:03.48\00:18:06.51
and when you
have shut your door,
00:18:06.55\00:18:07.98
pray to your Father
who is in the secret place;
00:18:08.02\00:18:10.92
and your Father who sees in
secret will reward you openly.”
00:18:10.95\00:18:15.42
Private prayer
should be private.
00:18:15.46\00:18:18.03
When you're pouring
out your heart to God
00:18:18.06\00:18:19.53
about what's nearest to you,
00:18:19.56\00:18:21.10
you want to have a place to go
to pray that's your own space.
00:18:21.13\00:18:24.90
That's important.
00:18:24.93\00:18:26.00
And notice that Jesus
in that passage suggested
00:18:26.03\00:18:28.47
that God will
answer your prayers.
00:18:28.50\00:18:31.07
You find that thought expressed
all the way through the Bible.
00:18:31.11\00:18:34.44
In the next verse,
00:18:34.48\00:18:35.61
Jesus said
there's no place in prayer
00:18:35.64\00:18:38.05
for what He referred
to as vain repetition.
00:18:38.08\00:18:41.58
That's saying the same prayer
over and over and over again.
00:18:41.62\00:18:46.39
You see, when
it comes to prayer,
00:18:46.42\00:18:49.06
what God wants us
to know is that prayer
00:18:49.09\00:18:51.09
is a meeting of
minds and hearts.
00:18:51.13\00:18:54.83
God wants to hear
what's on your heart.
00:18:54.83\00:18:57.83
He wants to hear
from you in communication
00:18:57.87\00:19:00.54
about what's important to you.
00:19:00.57\00:19:02.80
Simply
regurgitating a learned prayer
00:19:02.84\00:19:06.04
doesn't really
constitute true prayer.
00:19:06.07\00:19:08.71
I'll give you a case in point.
00:19:08.74\00:19:11.15
In my life I must have
prayed the Lord's Prayer,
00:19:11.18\00:19:13.31
oh, thousands of times.
00:19:13.35\00:19:16.12
Because as a child we
were taught to pray that prayer
00:19:16.15\00:19:18.92
over and over and over,
and again and again and again.
00:19:18.95\00:19:22.39
But think about it.
00:19:22.42\00:19:24.53
You'd be far better off
praying that prayer once,
00:19:24.56\00:19:27.60
and thinking about
it, and reflecting on it,
00:19:27.66\00:19:31.73
really getting
something out of the experience,
00:19:31.77\00:19:34.47
than you would saying
that prayer a hundred times
00:19:34.50\00:19:37.67
without giving it any thought.
00:19:37.71\00:19:40.11
And then Jesus said
in Matthew 6, verse 9,
00:19:40.14\00:19:43.41
“In this
manner, therefore, pray:
00:19:43.45\00:19:45.78
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.”
00:19:45.81\00:19:49.85
Now, who are you praying to?
00:19:49.88\00:19:51.35
You're praying to your Father.
00:19:51.39\00:19:54.46
And that ought to give
you confidence and assurance.
00:19:54.49\00:19:58.03
And involved in that
little phrase Jesus taught
00:19:58.06\00:20:00.56
was the idea of praise.
00:20:00.60\00:20:04.27
You're to praise
God when you pray.
00:20:04.30\00:20:06.87
Praise Him for who
He is, for what He is,
00:20:06.90\00:20:10.34
for what He's done,
for what He means to you.
00:20:10.37\00:20:14.44
Just that can keep you
busy praying for quite a while.
00:20:14.48\00:20:18.65
Verse 10: “Your kingdom come.
00:20:18.68\00:20:21.18
Your will be done on
earth as it is in heaven.”
00:20:21.22\00:20:25.09
We're to pray for the
coming of God's kingdom,
00:20:25.12\00:20:27.86
the setting up of His eternal
kingdom when Jesus returns.
00:20:27.89\00:20:31.99
You see, prayer focuses your
mind on the important things
00:20:32.03\00:20:35.60
on the big picture.
00:20:35.63\00:20:37.60
And notice we're to
pray that God's will is done.
00:20:37.63\00:20:42.94
Now, you and I both know that
we don't always see our prayers
00:20:42.97\00:20:46.71
answered the way
we wish they were.
00:20:46.74\00:20:49.01
And maybe that's
because God knows
00:20:49.04\00:20:50.85
you don't really
need a raise right now.
00:20:50.88\00:20:53.95
Or you can actually get by
00:20:53.98\00:20:55.35
without fine
weather this weekend.
00:20:55.38\00:20:57.55
And that's fine.
00:20:57.59\00:20:59.19
But what about when your child
doesn't recover from cancer,
00:20:59.39\00:21:02.49
or Dad doesn't come
back from the hospital?
00:21:02.52\00:21:05.23
What then?
00:21:05.26\00:21:06.93
Well, the fact is, that's life.
00:21:06.96\00:21:10.13
That's life in
this sinful world.
00:21:10.17\00:21:12.90
Now, it's not God's will
that children should suffer
00:21:12.93\00:21:15.37
or that parents should die.
00:21:15.40\00:21:16.81
That's not God's will at all.
00:21:16.84\00:21:19.24
But what is God's
will is that you're saved
00:21:19.27\00:21:21.98
into His eternal kingdom,
00:21:22.01\00:21:23.21
that you spend
eternity with God.
00:21:23.24\00:21:26.01
And people who spend
eternity with God are people
00:21:26.05\00:21:28.22
who've learned to
say, like Job said,
00:21:28.25\00:21:31.12
“Though He slay me,
yet will I trust in Him.”
00:21:31.15\00:21:34.89
Now, we don't
always get what we want.
00:21:34.92\00:21:36.96
Our prayers aren't
always answered the way we wish.
00:21:36.99\00:21:40.83
But we can trust God anyway,
and say, “Thy will be done.”
00:21:40.86\00:21:47.57
Matthew 6:11: “Give us
this day our daily bread.”
00:21:47.60\00:21:52.44
God wants us to ask Him for what
we need and for what we want.
00:21:52.47\00:21:56.14
But we need to
remember, God's not Santa Claus.
00:21:56.18\00:21:59.75
He knows what's best
for us in every situation
00:21:59.78\00:22:02.52
as He considers the big picture.
00:22:02.55\00:22:04.95
But He does want us
to pray big prayers.
00:22:04.99\00:22:08.46
John Knox, the
great Scottish reformer,
00:22:08.49\00:22:10.46
didn't just pray for the
salvation of a family member
00:22:10.49\00:22:13.16
or a neighbor.
00:22:13.19\00:22:14.46
He prayed to God and said,
00:22:14.50\00:22:15.80
“Give me Scotland or I die.”
00:22:15.83\00:22:18.20
He prayed for the
salvation of a country.
00:22:18.23\00:22:22.27
In Second Kings, chapter 13, a
king came to the prophet Elisha.
00:22:22.30\00:22:25.87
Elisha said to him,
“Strike the ground,”
00:22:25.91\00:22:28.78
which the king did, three times.
00:22:28.81\00:22:31.81
Elisha was upset.
00:22:31.85\00:22:33.18
He said, “If you had pounded
on the ground five or six times,
00:22:33.21\00:22:37.12
God would have given you
complete deliverance from Syria.
00:22:37.15\00:22:40.49
But you only pounded on
the ground three times.”
00:22:40.52\00:22:42.79
You see, God
understood the king's timidity
00:22:42.82\00:22:45.73
in striking the ground as an
expression of a lack of faith.
00:22:45.76\00:22:49.76
God wanted to do
more for the king.
00:22:49.80\00:22:52.33
And often God
wants to do more for you.
00:22:52.37\00:22:55.57
Pray big prayers.
00:22:55.60\00:22:57.21
Now, if you're praying for a
bigger house and a nicer car,
00:22:57.24\00:23:01.91
well, you want to
be careful about that.
00:23:01.94\00:23:03.58
Sometimes that
might be appropriate,
00:23:03.61\00:23:05.18
but far too often
it's just greed or ego.
00:23:05.21\00:23:09.45
But do pray big
prayers, really big prayers,
00:23:09.48\00:23:12.99
and know that God is
big enough to answer them.
00:23:13.02\00:23:17.36
In verse 12, the
model prayer goes on:
00:23:17.39\00:23:19.93
“And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.”
00:23:19.96\00:23:23.53
First, it's important
to pray for forgiveness.
00:23:23.57\00:23:28.34
If you've sinned against God
00:23:28.37\00:23:29.50
and you have,
then confess that sin.
00:23:29.54\00:23:33.58
John wrote directly about
this in First John 1, verse 9:
00:23:33.61\00:23:36.38
“If we confess our sins, He is
faithful and just to forgive us
00:23:36.41\00:23:41.02
our sins and to cleanse
us from all unrighteousness.”
00:23:41.05\00:23:44.79
There's your
assurance right there that God
00:23:44.82\00:23:47.36
will forgive your sins.
00:23:47.39\00:23:49.22
That's settled.
00:23:49.26\00:23:49.89
Don't doubt that.
00:23:49.92\00:23:51.76
But notice that caveat
“as we forgive our debtors.”
00:23:51.79\00:23:55.80
So how's that
working out for you?
00:23:55.83\00:23:57.90
If you harbor
unforgiveness toward others,
00:23:57.93\00:24:00.24
you're essentially
begging God not to forgive you.
00:24:00.27\00:24:03.87
Pretty simple.
00:24:03.91\00:24:05.41
Verse 13: “And lead
us not into temptation,
00:24:05.44\00:24:09.54
but deliver us from evil.
00:24:09.58\00:24:11.68
For thine is the kingdom,
00:24:11.71\00:24:13.45
and the power,
00:24:13.48\00:24:14.12
and the glory,
00:24:14.15\00:24:15.05
for ever, Amen.”
00:24:15.08\00:24:17.52
Your battle with
sin, your temptations,
00:24:17.55\00:24:20.59
your struggles, that's
all material for prayer.
00:24:20.62\00:24:24.49
Talk to God about it.
00:24:24.53\00:24:26.26
Appeal to God.
00:24:26.29\00:24:27.36
Wrestle with God.
00:24:27.40\00:24:29.53
Paul prayed about
healing three times,
00:24:29.56\00:24:31.67
and then God told him
to pray about that no more.
00:24:31.70\00:24:34.70
But as the great man of
faith George Muller said,
00:24:34.74\00:24:37.24
“The great point [of
prayer] is never to give up
00:24:37.27\00:24:41.21
until the answer comes.” Amen.
00:24:41.24\00:24:44.41
So today, little
Moldova is a free country.
00:24:44.45\00:24:49.85
You could create
a politics for that.
00:24:49.88\00:24:52.52
Or you could
recognize that God on His throne
00:24:52.55\00:24:56.73
hears the prayers
of those who pray.
00:24:56.76\00:24:58.76
Pastor Christian Fuhrer said,
00:25:00.86\00:25:02.83
“Without the church,
00:25:02.86\00:25:04.83
it would have been like
all other revolutions before:
00:25:04.87\00:25:09.10
bloody and unsuccessful.”
00:25:09.14\00:25:10.84
He could have
said, without prayer.
00:25:10.87\00:25:15.71
What would your life
be like without prayer?
00:25:15.74\00:25:19.15
Or should I be asking,
00:25:19.18\00:25:20.25
what would your
life be like with prayer?
00:25:20.28\00:25:23.59
Take time to pray.
00:25:23.62\00:25:25.19
God is waiting to hear from you.
00:25:25.22\00:25:28.29
¤[Music]¤
00:25:28.32\00:25:32.89
There is power
in the Word of God,
00:25:35.00\00:25:36.90
and power available to you
through the promises of God.
00:25:36.93\00:25:41.70
God wants you to experience
that power, and so do I.
00:25:41.74\00:25:44.61
I'd like you to
have today's free offer,
00:25:44.64\00:25:46.37
“Promises of Power,”
00:25:46.41\00:25:47.94
new from It Is Written.
00:25:47.98\00:25:49.84
To receive “Promises of Power,”
00:25:49.88\00:25:51.35
call 800-253-3000
00:25:51.38\00:25:54.48
800-253-3000
00:25:54.52\00:25:56.99
Visit ItIsWritten.com
00:25:57.02\00:25:58.65
or write to the
address on your screen,
00:25:58.69\00:26:01.09
and be sure you
receive “Promises of Power.”
00:26:01.12\00:26:05.29
Thank you for
remembering that It Is Written
00:26:05.33\00:26:07.83
is a faith-based
ministry, and it's your support
00:26:07.86\00:26:10.90
that makes it possible for
us to share God's good news
00:26:10.93\00:26:13.90
with the entire world.
00:26:13.94\00:26:16.24
Your tax-deductible gift
00:26:16.27\00:26:17.41
can be sent to the
address on your screen,
00:26:17.44\00:26:19.14
or through our website,
00:26:19.17\00:26:21.88
itiswritten.com
00:26:21.91\00:26:23.71
Thank you for your
continued prayerful support.
00:26:23.75\00:26:26.35
Our toll-free
number is 800-253-3000
00:26:26.38\00:26:29.82
800-253-3000
00:26:29.85\00:26:31.99
Our web address
is itiswritten.com
00:26:32.02\00:26:35.02
¤[Music]¤
00:26:35.89\00:26:40.60
Let's pray together now.
00:26:41.30\00:26:43.60
Our Father in Heaven,
00:26:43.63\00:26:44.83
we thank you today for
the privilege of prayer.
00:26:44.87\00:26:48.17
I thank you that you
are a prayer-answering God,
00:26:48.20\00:26:51.41
and that you are willing,
eager to do in answer to prayer
00:26:51.44\00:26:55.51
those things that you
have placed on our heart.
00:26:55.54\00:26:58.81
Father, right now I know there's
someone needing a miracle.
00:26:58.85\00:27:01.82
This man, this
woman, this young person,
00:27:01.85\00:27:04.55
needs to see you
intervene in a powerful way.
00:27:04.59\00:27:09.12
We are praying for this.
00:27:09.16\00:27:11.39
We know that Jesus has said,
00:27:11.43\00:27:13.33
“Ask and it shall be given,”
00:27:13.36\00:27:15.50
and we are asking.
00:27:15.53\00:27:17.50
He said, “Seek
and you will find.”
00:27:17.53\00:27:18.93
We are seeking through prayer.
00:27:18.97\00:27:21.74
So Lord, grant our heart's need.
00:27:21.77\00:27:24.14
Grant what you know
would be best for us
00:27:24.17\00:27:26.57
in the plan of salvation and
in the overall flow of eternity.
00:27:26.61\00:27:31.88
And Father, I'm
praying right now for that one
00:27:31.91\00:27:33.65
who needs to give
his or her heart to you.
00:27:33.68\00:27:36.55
I pray for surrender.
00:27:36.58\00:27:37.59
I pray for conversion.
00:27:37.62\00:27:38.69
I pray for
salvation in so many lives.
00:27:38.72\00:27:43.86
So we praise you and honor you,
00:27:43.89\00:27:44.96
and again we thank
you that you hear us,
00:27:44.99\00:27:48.03
and that you act in our behalf.
00:27:48.06\00:27:50.20
And we pray in Jesus' name,
00:27:50.23\00:27:52.37
Amen.
00:27:52.40\00:27:54.24
Thank you so much
for joining me today.
00:27:54.27\00:27:55.67
I'm looking forward to
seeing you again next time.
00:27:55.70\00:27:58.04
Until then, remember:
00:27:58.07\00:27:59.67
It Is Written.
00:27:59.71\00:28:01.28
Man shall not
live by bread alone,
00:28:01.31\00:28:03.28
but by every word that
proceeds from the mouth of God.
00:28:03.31\00:28:08.02
¤[Theme music]¤
00:28:08.05\00:28:23.03