Participants: Scott Moore (Host)
Series Code: LOE
Program Code: LOE000033
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00:01 Harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few.
00:04 Pray Ye therefore, the Lord of the harvest, 00:06 that He will, He will send forth laborers 00:09 into His harvest. 00:10 Also, I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 00:13 "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" 00:18 Then said, I. "Here am I, send me, send me". 00:23 Life on the Edge will enable you to be 00:25 an effective harvester for the Lord. 00:28 We now invite you into our classroom 00:30 to come, experience, Life. 00:43 We would just like to welcome you all 00:44 back to our classroom. 00:46 We're located here on the campus of Pine Lake Retreat. 00:49 Those who at home, welcome into the classroom. 00:52 You will be able to see some of our students 00:53 as we video this Bible study. 00:56 The Bible study we're going to do today is on prayer. 01:00 Again those of you that are watching us 01:02 maybe watching on the internet, 01:04 or you have a DVD, or maybe on one of the networks, 01:06 we encourage you go to ComeExperienceLife 01:10 and download the Bible study. 01:13 This is Bible study number 21 in our 01:16 "Life on the Edge" course, and Life on the Edge 01:19 is a course that is designed to make 01:22 the edges of your Bible sharp. 01:25 Doesn't the Bible say in Hebrews Chapter 4 verse 12 01:27 that the word of God is quick, and powerful, 01:31 and sharper than any two-edged what? Sword. 01:34 Than any two-edged sword, that's right. 01:36 So we're going to be sharpening our sword 01:40 and what we've done is 01:41 we've marked these Bible studies in our Bible. 01:44 So right now if you've all been following along, 01:47 maybe you've got the DVD set. 01:48 You should have 20 Bible studies marked 01:50 in our Bible by this time, 01:52 and now we're doing Bible study number 21. 01:55 So we'll go to our graphic there. 01:57 The title of this Bible study is "Prayer." 02:01 And the code for marking it is what? 02:03 P. P. Well, that just makes sense, doesn't it? 02:06 The purpose of this Bible study is to show 02:10 that prayer is powerful, effectual, 02:14 and necessary for the disciple of Christ. 02:18 Prayer is powerful, effectual, 02:21 and necessary for the disciple of Christ. 02:25 What does necessary mean? 02:28 Something that you must to do, right, 02:30 it's necessary, something that is needed. 02:33 Our Center It here shows that Jesus 02:36 wants to hear and answer our prayers. 02:40 Jesus wants to hear and answer our prayers. 02:43 He shows us in His word that there are conditions upon 02:47 which our prayers are heard. 02:51 Now this may come as a surprise to some of us, 02:54 but there are things that you and I can do 02:58 that would cause God not to hear our prayers. 03:02 Now to me that is a thought 03:04 that I don't like to think about. 03:06 But it's true and we will go over this in this study 03:09 that it doesn't matter where we are in our station in life. 03:13 It doesn't matter where our life has put us. 03:16 God's hand is not too short that He can't save us, 03:19 nor His ear too heavy that He cannot hear us. 03:24 So God, if when we hit, you remember 03:26 in one of our other studies, I told you that 03:28 my theory on hitting rock bottom is that 03:30 you really don't hit rock bottom, 03:31 you just hit the rock and the only way to look is 03:34 at the rock because you just smashed into Him 03:37 and that rock is Jesus, 03:38 1st Corinthian Chapter 10 verse 4. 03:41 And so Jesus gives us conditions in His word 03:44 and maybe some of what we learn today is going to be 03:46 shocking for some of us, but when we know it, 03:50 we can apply it and we can know, 03:53 we'll never again where we've to wonder 03:55 if our prayers make it pass the ceiling. 03:59 Because we will be able to say, you know, 04:01 Lord, I've done everything that you've asked me to do. 04:05 Please hear my prayer and we can know that God 04:08 has heard that prayer. 04:10 But again don't misunderstand, 04:12 God can hear the prayer that say save me. 04:15 Did He hear Peter when Peter was sinking. 04:17 He sure did. Did He hear me 04:18 when I was sinking and I have my weight 04:20 is on there in the St. Joseph River in Michigan, 04:22 snow all over the ground and I fell in, 04:24 did He hear me? I said save me Lord, 04:26 and of course, He heard me and He saved me. 04:28 And He will do that for every one of us 04:31 when we give our life to Him. 04:32 So what you see there on the screen now 04:35 are the text that we're going to use in this study? 04:38 We're going to have 14 references 04:40 in this Bible study on prayer, 04:42 and it's broken off into seven different areas. 04:46 So you are looking at the graphic right now. 04:48 Seven different areas and the first area is the need, 04:53 the second area is forgiveness, 04:55 and then faith, then forgiving others, 04:59 persevering, unselfish asking, 05:03 and then asking according to God's will. 05:06 These are the seven different areas 05:08 that this Bible study is broken up into. 05:11 So we will go ahead and we will start 05:13 on our first section, the Need. 05:17 The reason that you and I would even begin 05:20 to pray is because we've a need. 05:26 So we're on, you notice on the graphic there, 05:28 we're in our first prayer text. 05:31 This is Luke 18:1through 7, and when you are marking it 05:35 in your Bible, it's a 1P is in the circle 05:38 then you have the line. 05:39 The line represents the text that we're at which 05:41 is Luke 18:1 through 7. 05:43 The reference we will be going to next is 05:45 Matthew Chapter 5 and verse 6. 05:48 So here we are. 05:49 We're opening our Bibles here in the room. 05:51 Those who that are at home or at school, 05:54 maybe on internet, watching in your DVD player, 05:56 get your Bible out and turn with us 05:58 to Luke the 18th Chapter and we will begin reading 06:03 in verse 1, Luke Chapter 18 and verse 1. 06:07 And Shalida, are you going to read that for us? 06:10 Let's just move that microphone over there to her. 06:13 Luke Chapter 18, you're gonna read 06:15 verses 1 through 7. 06:17 Now I may interrupt you, all right, 06:19 so just be prepared for that. 06:22 "And he spake a parable unto them to this end, 06:26 that men ought always to pray, and not to faint, saying" 06:30 Okay, stop right there. 06:32 What Shalida is the purpose of this parable? 06:40 Verse 1, what was that tells on? 06:44 To teach us to pray, it says right there, 06:46 and he spake a parable unto them to this end, 06:49 that men ought always to what? 06:52 To pray, so the purpose of this parable 06:54 is to teach us to do what? To pray. 06:57 So what happens here in this parable 06:59 that Jesus is using to teach us how to pray. 07:02 Go to verse 2. "Saying, There was in a city a judge, 07:08 which feared not God, neither regarded man. 07:11 And there was a widow in that city and she came unto him, 07:14 saying, Avenge me of mine adversary." 07:19 You were looking for me to interrupt you, weren't you? 07:20 Yes. I'm not, continue on. 07:23 "And he would not for a while but afterward he said 07:27 within himself, Though I fear not God, 07:29 nor regard man, Yet because this widow troubleth me, 07:33 I will avenge her, lest by her 07:36 continual coming she weary me." 07:38 Okay, stop right there. 07:40 What is the reason that this unjust judge 07:43 that doesn't fear God nor regard man. 07:46 What is the reason that he is going to answer 07:48 this ladies petition? Because she is bothering him. 07:51 Because she is bothering him. 07:54 She just keeps coming and coming and coming 07:57 and asking and asking and asking 07:59 and finally he says though I don't fear God 08:02 nor regard man, because this lady is wearing me down, 08:06 I'm going to answer her prayer. 08:09 And then continue reading there in verse 6 and 7. 08:13 "And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. 08:18 And shall not God avenge his own elect, 08:21 which cry day and night unto him, 08:23 though he bear long with them?" 08:26 Okay, so notice that this lady has a need. 08:31 What is this lady's need? 08:34 To avenger her of her adversary. 08:37 Evidently someone was persecuting this lady 08:40 and she knew that it wasn't right 08:42 and so she goes to the judge, the judge is supposed 08:45 to treat all people fairly and she goes to the judge 08:48 and this judge says all right, 08:50 I'm just going to deal with this lady 08:51 because this lady is driving me crazy. 08:54 And then Jesus says in verse 6, 08:56 Here what the unjust judge says, 09:00 and shall not God avenge his own elect 09:03 which crying to him day and night 09:06 though he bear long with them. 09:07 This lady had a need. When you and I recognize 09:13 our need, when you and I recognize our need, 09:17 it drives us to pray. 09:24 One of your friends is in automobile accident. 09:28 What is the first thing you do? 09:31 You pray. An atheist, an atheist, 09:37 one that does not even believe in God 09:39 is in a life and death situation and what is 09:41 the first thing they do? They pray. 09:44 A need compels us to pray, 09:49 whether we're a believer or not, 09:51 if we've a need it compel us to pray. 09:57 So in order to pray we must have a what? A need. 10:03 Let's look at this again in Matthew Chapter. 10:06 Well, before we go there I want to focus 10:07 one more part on this Luke 18:1 through 7. 10:12 Jesus is not comparing 10:14 God with the judge. 10:18 He is contrasting God with the judge. 10:23 He is not comparing the two, He is contrasting the two. 10:28 An unjust man that doesn't fear God 10:30 and doesn't regard man, or the unjust judge 10:32 doesn't fear God and doesn't regard man 10:35 wait until somebody annoys him enough then to help them. 10:39 But then he contrasts God by saying 10:42 won't he avenge them how? Speedily, that's right. 10:46 So let's go to Matthew Chapter 5 and verse 6. 10:50 This is our next reference. 10:52 We're turning to the left there. 10:54 Matthew Chapter 5 and verse 6 10:57 and we will go ahead and let Anida read this, 11:01 Matthew Chapter 5 and verse 6. 11:06 And this is a promise from Jesus 11:08 and when we see a promise from Jesus 11:10 what I've done here in my Bible, 11:12 I don't know if you can see that or not, 11:14 but right there in my Bible, I've put a P right beside 11:17 that because that's a promise for me. 11:19 And what does that say Anida. 11:22 "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst 11:24 after righteousness for they shall be filled." 11:29 You ever get so hungry for something, 11:31 you just can't wait for lunch. 11:33 Yeah, about every day, you know, 11:35 1 o'clock rolls around and we still got 30 minutes 11:37 and then lunch comes, Praise the Lord. 11:39 But the Bible says, "Blessed are they which do 11:42 hunger and thirst after righteousness." 11:47 Do those people have a need? Yes. 11:49 And what is the promise for those people? 11:53 They shall be filled. So the first part 11:56 of this Bible said, we're showing that 11:59 a need compels us to pray. 12:04 A need compels us to pray and that God 12:07 will fill that need. 12:12 Maybe even somebody in this room has a need. 12:17 Maybe you are here at the Lay Institute for Evangelism, 12:21 and you came and you had X amount of funds, 12:24 but those funds would not carry you all the way 12:26 through to the end of the course. 12:31 Your need compels you to what? 12:33 Pray. Pray. 12:35 Not only that, it should compel us 12:37 to action, shouldn't it? 12:40 Maybe you recognize that you have a struggle in your life. 12:46 You've been struggling with it for years 12:47 and you can't get passed it. 12:51 You have a what? A need. 12:55 And so what you're going to do? 12:56 Pray. You're going to pray. 12:59 So the first condition is that 13:02 you and I recognize we've a need. 13:04 That's why humility is so important, 13:08 because a proud arrogant person does not recognize 13:10 that they have the what? A need. 13:14 So when we recognize 13:15 we've a need, then we pray. 13:20 We're gonna go now to our next section. 13:24 We're gonna go to the section on forgiveness, 13:28 the section on forgiveness. 13:29 You see that in the upper right 13:30 of your screen there, forgiveness. 13:33 So our third prayer text is 13:35 Psalm 66 verse 18, 13:39 Psalm 66 and verse 18. 13:42 The Bible says here, Psalm 66 13:46 that's in the middle of the Old Testament, 13:48 well, you may end up in Isaiah if you just go to the middle, 13:51 but or Ezekiel, you want to turn to the left 13:53 from those books and we're in Psalm 66 13:57 and our reference is verse 18. 14:02 What does the Bible say there? 14:04 Why don't we go ahead and let Vanessa read that for us, 14:08 Psalm 66 verse 18. 14:13 "If I regard iniquity in my heart, 14:17 the Lord will not hear me." 14:20 What does the Bible say there? 14:23 What does it say? "If I regard what? 14:26 Iniquity. What is iniquity? Iniquity is sin. 14:29 If I regard, what is it mean to regard something? 14:33 To cherish, to hold it, to like it. 14:36 If I regard or cherish or enjoy iniquity which is sin, 14:42 what does the Bible say there? 14:44 The Lord cannot hear me, will not hear me. 14:50 So if you and I are clinging to something 14:54 that we know to be wrong and sinful. 14:59 Is it right for us to go to God and say, 15:02 please give me something else? 15:05 But the Bible says here that if we regard 15:07 or cherish iniquity or sin in our lives, 15:10 then God will not hear us, because what we've done 15:15 is we've put whatever it is we're cherishing, 15:19 whatever sinful thing that is, 15:20 we've actually put that above God, 15:25 and God is a very jealous God, isn't He? 15:28 He is not a tyrant, don't misunderstand that. 15:31 God is a God that wants what He deserves, 15:36 and that is the service of love. 15:39 So if you and I are cherishing iniquity 15:42 in our hearts maybe we're bitter, 15:46 maybe we're angry towards someone, 15:53 maybe we need to ask God to forgive us 15:56 before we ask God for anything else. 16:00 Let's go to our next reference here. 16:03 We're going to Isaiah 59 verses 1 and 2. 16:07 We're still in the same section on forgiveness. 16:10 We're still in the same section on forgiveness. 16:13 Isaiah 59 verses 1 and 2. 16:15 You can see that there on the graphic on your screen, 16:18 Isaiah 59 verses 1 and 2. 16:23 And Roberto, would you mind reading that for us, 16:26 Isaiah 59 verses 1 and 2, and Roberto, 16:29 his first language is not English, 16:31 so Roberto always says that he is focusing on 16:35 pronunciation while he is trying to look at you at home. 16:38 So he is looking at you while he is focusing 16:41 on pronunciation, so you watch him. 16:44 "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, 16:48 that it cannot save nor his ear heavy, 16:53 that it cannot hear, but your iniquities 16:59 have separated you from your God, 17:02 and your sins have hidden his face from you, 17:06 so that he will not hear." Very nice. 17:12 Again a very heavy text in scripture, isn't it? 17:16 First of all the promise is made that the Lord's hand 17:19 is not shortened, that He cannot save, 17:22 nor His ear too heavy that He cannot hear, 17:25 so again nothing is impossible for God. 17:28 Matthew 19:26, "With men this is impossible 17:30 but with God nothing is impossible". 17:33 So the Lord's hand is not shortened that He can't save, 17:36 nor His ear too heavy that He can't hear. 17:39 Then there is this word but, no it's not but it's, 17:43 and your sins have hid His face from you that He what? 17:49 Will not hear. So again when you and I 17:54 cherish iniquity or sin in our lives. 18:01 What we're doing as we're putting that 18:02 in the place of God? 18:06 Now does Jesus want to deliver us from that? 18:10 He certainly does, doesn't He? 18:12 Does Jesus have the power to deliver us from that? 18:14 Yes. He certainly does. 18:16 Do you and I believe that He can deliver us from that? 18:20 That's, that's the crux, isn't it? 18:25 To actually believe that God can deliver you, 18:28 maybe, maybe you are addicted to something 18:30 that is destroying the temple of God, your body. 18:34 Maybe you have a destructive habit, 18:39 maybe you are just on the inside angry at someone, 18:44 and you like being angry. 18:48 You like hating that person. 18:52 Now this regarding iniquity in your heart, 18:55 this isn't talking about when you and I did 18:57 when we're actually struggling with the sin in our lives. 19:01 We're actually wrestling with God, 19:03 help me with this, I need your help with this, 19:05 I know this isn't right, I need you to help me. 19:08 God hears our prayer, doesn't He? 19:10 But when you and I say, aah, umm, Good morning, 19:13 it's good to see you at church today. 19:15 I cannot stand that low down dirty rotten beast. 19:19 We love to hate that person or we love to be angry, 19:25 or we love something that we know displeases God. 19:32 The Bible says that a double minded man 19:34 is unstable in all of his ways. 19:39 I don't wan to be double minded, do you? 19:41 Maybe it's time you and I ask God to just give us 19:44 that victory that's promised in Christ. 19:48 Just read it, it's in 1 Corinthians 15:57, 19:50 it says that, that we can have victory 19:53 through our Lord Jesus Christ. 19:55 Every one of us can have victory. 20:00 So the Bible says here that one of the conditions 20:04 for God hearing our prayer and answering it 20:10 is that we cannot regard or cherish sin 20:14 in our lives, is this clear? 20:17 Is it convicting? Sure it is. 20:20 God convicts us when we study His word, doesn't He? 20:23 Let's go to our next condition. 20:26 And we just talked about this a moment ago. 20:28 We're gonna go to our fifth text in the prayer study. 20:32 Our fifth text is Hebrews Chapter 11 and verse 6. 20:35 And we will go ahead and have Tim, 20:38 why don't you do that for us? 20:40 Tim will read that for us. 20:41 We're going to Hebrews Chapter 11 and verse 6. 20:46 Hebrews is in the New Testament. 20:48 Hebrews Chapter 11 pass a T section, is that right, Tim? 20:51 Yes. Okay, I'll get there, 20:52 you can go ahead if you like. Okay. 20:56 It says, "But without faith it is impossible 20:59 to please Him, for He that cometh to God, 21:04 must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder 21:07 of them that diligently seek him." 21:11 The Bible says there without faith it is what? 21:16 Impossible to please Him. 21:18 And then it's say there very interestingly, 21:20 for He that cometh to God, must believe that He is. 21:25 How else would you come to God 21:26 if you didn't believe He existed? How else? 21:30 You remember one of the memory, 21:32 the scripture memorizations that we're doing here 21:35 at the Lay Institute for Evangelism 21:37 was all that call upon the name of the Lord will be what? 21:41 Saved. Saved. 21:42 How then shall they call upon Him in whom they have not? 21:45 Believed. Believed. 21:47 And the Bible says right here, 21:49 but without faith it is impossible to believe Him 21:51 for He that cometh to God must believe that He is 21:55 and that He is a rewarder of them that do what? 22:01 Diligently seek Him. 22:04 So faith, we must have faith even to pray to God, 22:08 because we've to believe that God exists 22:12 in order to pray to Him. Do you see that? 22:15 So is faith necessary to have our prayers answered? 22:18 Yes. Absolutely, it is, isn't it? 22:21 And one of the most awesome thing you can do is 22:23 you can write down your prayer requests 22:26 and then when God answers those, 22:27 write down the date that He answered them. 22:29 You know, I shared with you 22:32 that I had written in my Bible, 22:35 I had prayed a prayer for my son, Jason, 22:37 then I prayed it and I actually wrote in my Bible 22:41 here in Psalm 37, it says, 22:43 I pray and claim this for Jason 6/8/2002, 22:47 answered on 6/15/2002. 22:51 So I wrote that I had prayed a prayer and claim 22:54 the promise from God and then God answered 22:56 that prayer seven days later, it's pretty cool. 22:58 Robert, I prayed that prayer on Sabbath 23:00 and then the next Sabbath God gave me the answer 23:03 to my prayer, so it's very powerful. 23:07 So we must believe that God is a rewarder 23:09 of those that diligently seek Him. 23:11 So you are struggling with something, 23:13 you are not cherishing the sin, 23:14 you are struggling with it. 23:16 And you go to God and you ask God to help you, 23:19 because you can't do with yourself. 23:21 That requires faith, that requires faith, 23:24 and will God give you the victory? 23:26 Oh, yeah, He certainly will. 23:27 Let's go to our next reference, 23:29 Mark the 11th Chapter verse 24. 23:33 Mark Chapter 11 and verse 24. 23:36 We're still on the condition of faith here. 23:40 Mark, Matthew, Mark, 23:42 the second book of the New Testament, 23:43 Mark Chapter 11 23:46 and verse 24. 23:51 And we will go ahead and let our brother 23:53 Bill read this for us. 23:55 So Bill just put that microphone under your chin, 23:57 not in front of your mouth but under that chin. 24:00 The Bible says Mark 11:24. "Therefore I say to you, 24:04 "whatever things you ask when you pray, 24:06 "believe that you receive them, 24:08 and you will have them." 24:10 So what's the condition there in that verse? 24:15 To believe, it's very plain, 24:17 isn't it, to believe. 24:21 It's says, therefore, I saying to you, 24:22 whatsoever things you desire when you pray 24:26 believe that you will receive them and what's the promise? 24:30 And you will have them. 24:31 Well, we're gonna get to another reference later on 24:34 in this study that will show why some of our prayers 24:37 that we sincerely believe in God, 24:40 we sincerely are seeking to rid our lives of sin 24:44 through God's power. 24:45 We're sincerely, petitioning the throne of heaven, 24:49 we prayed our way through the sanctuary 24:51 and there we're in the presence of God. 24:52 Why isn't God answering our prayer 24:54 the way we want Him to answer? 24:56 That's different from God answering the prayer 24:59 that you pray in the way that He knows is best, isn't it? 25:03 So here again the condition in 25:06 Mark Chapter 11 verse 24 is what? 25:10 Believe or faith, that's absolutely right, 25:14 believe or faith, well, we do not have to turn 25:16 very far to go to our next reference. 25:19 It's right there in Mark 11 verse 25 and 26. 25:24 Now this is probably one of the most 25:26 convicting verses for me. 25:29 Mark Chapter 11 verses 25 and 26. 25:32 There is a condition of God answering our prayers 25:36 on our willingness to forgive someone else. 25:42 There is a condition of God hearing and answering 25:45 our prayers on our willingness to forgive someone else. 25:51 So we will let Darlene go ahead and read this, 25:53 Mark Chapter 11, we're all there verses 25 and 26. 25:58 "And whenever you stand praying, 26:01 "if you have anything against anybody, 26:03 "forgive him, that your Father in heaven 26:06 may also forgive you in your trespasses" 26:09 But if you do not forgive neither with, 26:11 neither will your Father in Heaven 26:13 forgive your trespasses. 26:16 Isn't that another one of those heavy tasks? 26:19 It says when you stand praying forgive, 26:24 if you have ought against any that your Father also 26:29 which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 26:34 That verse right there tells us that Jesus 26:38 that the Father will only forgive us to the extent 26:43 and measure that we're willing to forgive other people. 26:50 You've been hurt by someone in your life. 26:55 You think about that particular individual 26:57 and you just think aah! The Bible says here 27:03 that when we pray that we need to forgive those people 27:08 that we've ought against. 27:12 Because it says there in verse 25, 27:15 that your Father also which is in heaven 27:21 may forgive you your trespasses. 27:29 But you don't understand what that person 27:31 did to me, Scott. 27:32 You don't understand what I went through. 27:35 You don't understand what I put up with. 27:38 You just don't understand but does God? 27:43 He certainly does. And wasn't it Jesus? 27:47 When they were putting the nails into His hands, 27:52 that said, Father please forgive them, 27:55 because they don't know what they are doing. 27:59 So the Father is willing to forgive us. 28:05 Well, the Father wants to forgive us of everything. 28:08 But He can only go as far as we're 28:10 willing to forgive others, can't He? 28:12 Is that what that text says? 28:13 I mean, am I taken this out of context, 28:16 it's exactly what it says. 28:18 Then verse 26, "But if you do not forgive 28:24 "neither will your Father which is in heaven, 28:27 forgive your trespasses." 28:32 It simply can't be any clearer. 28:35 Maybe it's time for us to make some phone calls. 28:45 Maybe we pray in the morning 28:47 and it feels as if the thought that we're praying 28:50 or the words that we're saying are bouncing right off 28:52 of the ceiling and hitting us right back on the lips 28:54 where the thought and the words came from. 29:00 Maybe that's because we're cherishing. 29:05 Something that somebody has done to us 29:07 and we cherish the emotion that created in us. 29:13 Didn't Jesus say He came to give us peace? 29:19 But if you do not forgive, Mark 11:26, 29:22 neither will your Father which is in heaven, 29:24 forgive you your trespasses. 29:27 So we see there Mark 11:25 and 26, 29:31 that we must forgive others 29:33 in order for our prayer to be heard. 29:36 And we must forgive others in order for God to forgive us. 29:40 Let's go to our next reference in this section. 29:43 Matthew Chapter 6 and verse 12, 29:45 so you turn into the left. 29:48 Matthew Chapter 6 and verse 12. 29:51 Matthew Chapter 6 and verse 12, 29:53 and we will let Ms. Gloria read that for us, 29:57 Matthew Chapter 6 and verse 12. 30:01 Now this is a prayer that is very familiar to us. 30:04 Jesus is teaching us how to pray. 30:06 This is the Lord's Prayer and Jesus says 30:09 something very interesting 30:10 in the middle of the Lord's Prayer. 30:12 Matthew Chapter 6 and verse 12, Ms. Gloria. 30:15 You want to pick up that microphone there? 30:19 That will help us all, we able to hear you a lot better. 30:25 "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." 30:31 Jesus taught us to pray Father, 30:34 forgive us to the extent 30:38 that we will forgive others. 30:41 Isn't that what He says there? 30:45 Isn't it hard sometimes to forgive somebody 30:48 that has just done you so wrong? 30:54 Yet the more of Christ that lives in us, 30:59 the more of His love we will be willing to show, 31:03 and the more we will be willing to say 31:05 just like He did. Father forgive them, 31:08 because they don't know what they are doing. 31:10 They don't know how much this hurts me. 31:15 Maybe we've experienced that, 31:18 and it's time for us to go to God and make it right 31:21 with Him of course and then to go to that individual 31:24 and make it right with that person. 31:28 Let's go to our next, our next section here. 31:33 James Chapter 5 and verse 16. 31:36 This is under the section called "Perseverance." 31:39 This is under the section called Perseverance, 31:41 so we're in James the fifth chapter. 31:44 Now, how do I find James, let's see Daniel, 31:47 tell me how to find James? 31:48 Pick that microphone up and tell me, I'm in Matthew. 31:50 Where do I need to go? Help me get there. 31:56 Now you can go ahead and look in front of your Bible, 31:58 that's perfectly fine because for those of us 32:00 here in the class room, for those of us at home, 32:03 if we don't know where our book is, 32:05 all we've to do is open our Bibles to the very front part 32:09 of our Bibles and there we've the table of contents 32:13 and we're going to the New Testament book of James 32:16 but we're in Hebrew, we're in Matthew. 32:18 So Dania, why don't you now, that you have that open, 32:21 why don't you tell me which direction I need to go. 32:24 You need to go towards the back 32:25 of the Bible pass the T section. 32:28 To the back of the Bible pass the T section, very good. 32:30 Did you hear that? The back of the Bible 32:32 pass the T section and once I get pass 32:34 the T section what do I do? 32:36 Go pass Philemon and Hebrews that's after Hebrews. 32:40 Okay, you know, I didn't even see, 32:41 what did you say, Philemon, is that what you said, 32:43 I didn't see that one, but I do see James now. 32:45 So thank you very much. 32:46 Okay, so we're in James Chapter 5 verse 16, 32:50 and what does the Bible say there? 32:52 "Confess your faults one to another, 32:55 and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. 32:58 The effectual fervent prayer 32:59 of a righteous man availeth much." 33:01 The effectual fervent prayer 33:05 of a righteous man avails much. 33:11 How long has it been? 33:13 Now we're learning here at the Lay Institute for Evangelism 33:16 how to be a better soul winner. 33:18 How long has it been since you went to your knees 33:21 and you literally begged God to save someone. 33:26 You literally begged God to produce fruit 33:30 in that individual's life. 33:33 The Bible says here the prayer that avails much, 33:36 the prayer that results with much fruit 33:40 is the fervent prayer? 33:45 You know, I was doing Bible work 33:46 with somebody once, it was in New Mexico. 33:50 And I said on the way to one of our Bible studies, 33:54 I said, you know, we need to pray for the people 33:55 that we're going to study with again, 33:57 and they said, well, why should we pray again? 34:00 We just finished praying, why should we pray again? 34:03 Well, the Bible says the effectual fervent prayer 34:07 of a righteous man avails much. 34:09 So can we pray for someone too much? 34:11 Certainly can't, can we? 34:13 You know, even in 1st Samuel Chapter 12 verse 23, 34:16 Samuel says, God forbid that I should sin 34:19 against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you. 34:24 So the Bible tells us that we should be praying for others 34:28 and the prayer that avails much is the fervent prayer. 34:34 So let's go to our next slide there. 34:37 Our next slide is Psalm 55 verse 17. 34:42 Psalm 55 verse 17, and we're gonna see 34:45 how often God bless you. 34:46 We're gonna see how often David prayed. 34:50 Psalm 55 verse 17, so we're all just turning there 34:54 to the left going to the Old Testament. 34:58 Psalm, the 55th Psalm and verse, 35:03 Psalm 55 and verse 17. 35:05 Let me tell you something about the book of Psalms. 35:07 I was doing an evangelistic meeting in Sheridan, Oregon 35:10 and Pastor Ron Weiner, he still there. 35:12 He told me, he said, Scott, we're not going to 35:14 Psalms 55:17. I said, what do you mean? 35:19 He said, well, Psalms is plural. 35:21 It is a book of Psalms but we're going to the 55th Psalm, 35:27 so here we're in Psalm 55 verse 17. 35:31 I've never forgotten that he told me that 35:33 and I teach it everywhere I go. 35:34 What does David say, Mike, 35:36 what does he say there in Psalm 55:17? 35:39 "Evening, and morning, and at noon 35:41 will I pray and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice." 35:45 Was David a prayer? Yes. 35:47 He was a prayer. How often did David say 35:49 that he cried unto the Lord? 35:51 Three times. When did he start? 35:56 Evening and morning and noon, isn't that very interesting? 36:00 You remember our Bible study on the Sabbath. 36:03 When does the Sabbath begin? In the evening. 36:07 The day begins, the new day begins in the evening. 36:10 We got that from Genesis. 36:12 The evening and the morning with the first day, 36:14 evening and the morning with the second day, 36:15 evening and the morning with the third day, 36:17 and David here just iterates that in a different way 36:20 when he is talking about prayer and David says, 36:22 evening when the day begins, morning when I wake up, 36:26 and noon in the middle of the day, 36:28 I cry unto the Lord. 36:31 Wasn't it Daniel, in the Book of Daniel 36:34 that pray to the Lord three times a day 36:37 out of his window, but then he got in trouble for that. 36:40 You may get in trouble with the world 36:42 for praying too much. 36:44 But you don't get in trouble with the Lord 36:45 for praying too much, because the Lord saved 36:47 him from the lions, didn't He? Very nice. 36:50 So the Bible tells us that the effectual fervent prayers, 36:54 so we must persevere in our prayers. 36:58 We will go to our next reference which is 37:01 Philippians Chapter 4 and verse 6. 37:04 What is it that we tell, that we can tell God? 37:09 What are the things that we can share with God 37:11 and Philippians Chapter 4 verse 6 37:13 is going to help us understand that. 37:16 Philippians, of course, is in the New Testament, 37:18 you go pass the gospels, pass Romans, 37:21 pass Corinthians, pass go eat popcorn, 37:25 Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 37:28 and we're going, well, I guess you don't go pass 37:31 Philippians because that's where we're going. 37:33 Philippians Chapter 4, uh, put your breaks on, 37:36 Philippians Chapter 4 and verse 6. 37:40 And we will go to those song for that. 37:42 Philippians Chapter 4 and verse 6, 37:45 what does that say Dilzon, "Be careful for nothing 37:51 but in every thing by prayer and supplication 37:53 with thanksgiving let your requests 37:56 be made known unto God." 37:58 Now I want you to notice something 37:59 that happen to Dilzon there. 38:01 You may loose your place when you are making 38:03 eye contact while you read. 38:05 This is a learning moment for us. 38:07 You may lose eye contact while you are looking up, 38:09 or you may loose your place while you are 38:11 looking up to make eye contact. 38:12 And he did exactly what he was trying to do. 38:15 You don't have to apologize, you don't have to say, uh, 38:17 I lost my place. You just simply pause, 38:20 you look, and then you continue reading, 38:22 so you did very well. 38:24 So the Bible says, now we will focus on what the text said. 38:27 The Bible says in Ephesians Chapter, Philippians 4:6, 38:31 "Be careful for nothing but in every thing 38:35 by prayer and supplication, in what? 38:38 Everything by what? 38:41 Prayer and supplication, let your requests 38:46 be made known unto God. 38:49 You know what this means, Bill? 38:51 This means that you and I can ask the God for anything. 38:56 You want a-- Now somebody, 38:58 maybe we get a letter on this one. 39:00 Somebody you may want a red Porsche car with tan interior. 39:05 Can you ask God for that? 39:08 You can suddenly asking, can't you? 39:10 You can ask God for anything. 39:13 The Bible says right there, "Be careful for nothing, 39:18 but in everything by prayer and supplication 39:20 with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God. 39:24 How can you pray with thanksgiving 39:26 if you haven't even received what you're praying for? 39:30 Faith, because you believe without faith 39:32 it is impossible to believe, to please Him. 39:34 For He that cometh to God, must believe that He is, 39:38 and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. 39:43 That's one of our texts that we just went over. 39:46 Be careful for nothing but in everything 39:50 by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving 39:53 let your requests be made known unto God. 39:57 You and I can ask God 40:00 for anything, for anything. 40:05 But we must believe and trust that God 40:09 will give us only that 40:11 which will benefit us for eternity, 40:15 only that which will benefit us for eternity. 40:20 One of the reasons that we do not ask God for things is 40:25 because we're not used to asking God for things. 40:29 You know, when I was growing up, 40:30 Shalida I could go to my dad and I can say, 40:32 hey dad, you know, I need a couple of bucks, 40:34 I want to go to Zippy Mart, get some candy. 40:36 Okay, and he would give me a couple of bucks. 40:38 Dad, I want to get some peanut butter crackers, 40:40 can you give some change, sure, 40:42 he would give me some change. 40:43 Then I got older and I would say to my dad, 40:46 Jessica I would say, dad, I need some money for gas 40:50 in the car, and so he would give me 40:52 some money for gas in the car. 40:54 Did you give it to me all the time? No. 40:55 Did he give it to me a lot of the time? Yes. 40:58 Or I would go to mom, mom I need money for so and so. 41:02 I was used to asking my parents for money. 41:06 It was very easy to go to my parents 41:08 and ask them for money. 41:10 Now I would basically like every cupboard 41:14 in my house get bared before I call my parents 41:17 and asked them for money. 41:19 Now that doesn't happen any more. 41:20 It used to happen, but Lord's been 41:22 very gracious to us in our home. 41:25 But notice the Bible says here that we can ask 41:30 God for anything, but the reason you and I 41:33 are not petitioning the throne of God 41:35 with fervent prayer is because 41:39 when we're not used to ask Him for things. 41:42 It's not easy for me to go to my parents 41:44 and ask them for money now, because I'm out of that habit. 41:48 But God wants to be our God. 41:51 He wants to be our Heavenly Father. 41:54 He wants to us to come to Him, 41:56 don't be careful in any of it, 41:58 just say God would you provide this for me. 42:01 I believe you will do it. Thank you for doing it. 42:05 And I am going to put it in your hands. 42:06 If you know it's best for me, I will take it. 42:09 Otherwise, I will leave it. 42:11 We see this principle here in Matthew Chapter 4, 42:15 isn't that our next reference there, no. 42:17 James Chapter 4 verse 3. 42:19 James Chapter 4, so we're in Philippians, 42:22 we're turning to James Chapter 4 and verse 3. 42:26 So James we've already been there once 42:28 and Danielle taught us how to get that very easily, 42:32 James Chapter 4 verse 3. 42:36 Oh, let's start with verse 2, verses 2 and 3. 42:39 So Jessica, can you read that for us? 42:42 James Chapter 4 verses 2 and 3, 42:46 and make sure we've eye contact with you. 42:49 "You want what you don't have, 42:51 "so you scheme and kill to get it. 42:54 "You are jealous for what others have, 42:57 "and you can't possess it, so you fight and quarrel 43:01 "to take it away from them. 43:04 "And yet the reason you don't have what you want 43:07 "is that you don't ask God for it. 43:11 "And even when you do ask, you don't get it 43:13 "because your whole motive is wrong. 43:16 You want only what will give you pleasure." 43:21 Isn't that powerful? 43:22 You have not the Old King James version said, 43:26 because you ask not and then it says, 43:30 you ask and receive not because you ask amiss 43:36 or you ask according to her version, 43:38 you ask for the wrong motive that you may consume it 43:43 upon your own pleasure. 43:46 What version were you reading from there? 43:48 In out the New Living Translation. 43:51 It said, you do not get anything because 43:54 you don't ask for and then when you do ask for, 43:56 you ask for the wrong motivation. 43:59 Oh, Lord, please help me to get a million dollars. 44:04 I've always wanted to go to school in helicopter. 44:09 Means, you ever have those kind of dreams or visions. 44:11 Wouldn't it be cool if I didn't have to rush 44:14 through breakfast, so that my helicopter 44:16 could just take me to school that fast. 44:18 You know, I used to, 44:19 I used to pray for those kind of things. 44:23 The Lord knew I didn't need it because 44:24 I still don't have it, so anyway. 44:27 The Bible says here that we do not have things, 44:31 because we ask for it for the wrong reason. 44:34 God is the one that reads our heart, 44:36 He knows our motives, and He is the one 44:39 that will decide whether we get it or not, 44:42 but our motive is the key to them. 44:44 Let's go to our next section here 44:48 "Unselfish asking." 44:51 Isn't that what we just notice there in 44:53 James Chapter 4 verse 3 that we asked for the wrong reason? 44:56 We're gonna see this again in unselfish asking. 45:00 We just did, didn't we? 45:01 That's the same--no, James 4:3. 45:04 So there we go, now we will go 45:05 to our next text which is Matthew 7 verse 7. 45:08 We did that already, didn't we? 45:10 No. No we didn't. 45:11 Okay, praise the Lord, we're all caught up with each other. 45:13 Let's go to Matthew Chapter 7 and verse 7. 45:18 And I love this principle here. 45:19 It's very plain, it's very easy, 45:21 it's very simple, Matthew Chapter 7 verse 7. 45:25 And what does scripture say there, Tim? 45:29 It says "Ask and it shall be given to you, 45:32 seek and you shall find, 45:34 knock and it shall be open on to you." 45:37 So the Bible tells us simply to do what? 45:40 Ask. Ask to do what? 45:42 Ask. Ask. 45:44 Why don't we receive things when we ask for them? 45:48 We ask for the wrong motive. 45:51 So we can ask all day long for that red Porsche 45:55 that has tan interior or a helicopter, 45:59 that's right,but if it's not for our best interest, 46:04 will God give it to us? No. 46:07 God is not a pawn in our hands. 46:12 You and I cannot go to the Bible and demand 46:15 that God do something, because God will give to us 46:21 what He knows is best for us. 46:23 But God wants to be made. 46:25 Well, God knows that He is our Heavenly Father. 46:28 But you and I need to recognize Him 46:30 as our Heavenly Father. 46:32 And so we go to Him and it maybe difficult. 46:35 Some of us maybe physicians. 46:36 We may have a job that allows us 46:39 to have anything we want. 46:43 Yet we still must be dependent on Jesus, mustn't we? 46:49 Some of us may own a very successful business 46:53 and we maybe able to get anything we want, 46:58 yet who is that we've to depend on? 47:01 Jesus, because who gave us 47:02 that ability to get that wealth. 47:05 Jesus did, that's absolutely right. 47:08 So here we're. We're in Matthew 7:7, 47:10 the principle is ask. 47:13 But we must ask for an unselfish purpose, 47:19 an unselfish purpose. 47:21 Let's go now, let's go to our next reference 47:24 which is actually our last reference. 47:27 We're going now to 1st John Chapter 5 verses 14 and 15, 47:33 1st John Chapter 5 verses 14 and 15, 47:36 and we're going to notice that 47:37 we must ask according to God's will. 47:41 So we're going now to Shalida. 47:43 Shalida will read for us, 1st John, 47:45 but Shalida I need you to help me get there. 47:48 I have closed my Bible 47:49 and I just have no clue how to get there. 47:53 You go to the last book which is Revelation. 47:55 Okay, Revelation. Got I, I'm in Revelation 13. 47:57 Go to the left. To the left. 48:00 Pass Jude. Pass Jude. 48:02 You see 3rd John. 48:05 Jude is a small book, isn't it? 48:06 Yes, it is. Okay, I just passed, 48:08 I am in 3rd John. Second John. 48:10 I am in second. 48:12 And you should see 1st John Chapter 5 on this page. 48:15 I do, I do 1st John Chapter 5 verses, 48:20 what verse did you say? Fourteen and fifteen. 48:22 Fourteen and fifteen, all right. 48:25 "And this is the confidence that we've in Him, 48:28 that if we ask anything according to his will, 48:31 he heareth us." And what's the condition 48:34 for Him to hear us? Ask according to His will. 48:37 What does that mean we must be willing to do, Shalida? 48:41 I'm sorry. What does that mean 48:42 that we must be willing to do? 48:43 If we ask according to God's will then we must be what? 48:49 We must be willing to accept His answer to our prayer, 48:53 is that right? Yes. 48:55 Okay, keep reading. 48:57 "And if we know that he hear us, 48:59 whatsoever we ask, we know that we've 49:01 the petitions that we desired of him." 49:05 So the Bible says there 1st John 5:14, 49:09 this is the confidence that we've in Him 49:14 that if we ask anything according to His will, 49:18 He does what? He hears us. 49:21 So for the individual that got little uptight 49:25 when we were over there in Isaiah 59 verses 1 and 2, 49:29 where it says that God will not hear us. 49:33 For the person that got uptight there, it says here. 49:36 If we ask anything according to His will, 49:39 so let's suppose that you are a sinner, 49:42 you are living like a Hagen. 49:44 You have absolutely no interest in God 49:46 and all the sudden a tragedy happens in your life, 49:49 and then you begin to pray. 49:52 Is it God's will that you pray to Him. 49:55 So will He hear you? Absolutely! 49:59 So when we pray something according to His will. 50:02 These are not words that are attached 50:05 to the end of a prayer. 50:08 These are not words that are attached 50:11 according to your will, amen. 50:12 These are not words that are attached 50:14 to the end of a prayer. 50:16 These are words that we live by. 50:22 And the only way to have eternal life is, 50:25 well, it's right there in 1st John 5 verse 11, 50:28 it says, and this is the record that God has given 50:32 to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 50:37 He that hath the Son, hath life. 50:39 And he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 50:44 So the only way to have life is to have 50:47 the word of life or Jesus living in us. 50:50 So when we pray according to God's will, 50:53 you and I--Now this, it's not a book of magic, 50:56 don't misunderstand, but we can go through here 50:58 and we can find promises and we can claim those promises. 51:03 Let's go to our promise right now. 51:05 Maybe we were angry with someone, 51:08 maybe we just don't see how God is going to get us 51:11 through this financial situation that we are in. 51:14 Let's go to Philippians Chapter 4, 51:17 Philippians Chapter 4 and verse 19. 51:22 We're struggling, we're struggling financially. 51:24 We don't know how are we going to make it. 51:26 We don't know how our bills are going to be paid, 51:29 and we're praying. 51:30 And now we're going to pray a prayer 51:32 that is according to God's will, 51:34 because God has said it. 51:38 If God says it then we can pray it 51:40 and we will know that it is according to God's will. 51:42 So Anida, can you read for us 51:44 Philippians Chapter 4 and verse 19 51:50 Philippians Chapter 4 and verse 19. 51:55 "But my God shall surely supply all your need, 51:58 according to his riches in glory by Jesus Christ." 52:02 So if we go to God and we say God 52:06 you've already promised me this. 52:09 You've already promised this to be a reality for me. 52:13 I'm going through foreclosure on my house. 52:15 I lost my jobs six months ago. 52:19 My wife hasn't worked, because she has been at home 52:21 with our kids, but you have promised me in 52:25 Philippians 4:19, you've said to me, 52:29 my God shall supply all of my need 52:32 according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. 52:37 Is it God's will to supply all of your needs? 52:42 Absolutely. Now God in His ultimate, 52:46 ultimate vision of things. 52:50 God knows whether or not, 52:53 it is for our best interest that we keep our house. 52:59 God knows whether or not it's for a best interest, 53:02 maybe our money was creating idols 53:06 that we loved more than God. 53:10 Maybe our job gave us a false sense of security 53:14 rather than us depending on Jesus. 53:19 We can go to the word of God. 53:21 Turn to 2nd Peter, turn to 2nd Peter. 53:25 I want you to see this, 53:26 2nd Peter Chapter 1 and verse 4, 53:30 2nd Peter, the first Chapter and the fourth verse. 53:36 What we're doing here is we're praying things 53:38 according to God's will 53:39 and notice what the Bible says here. 53:41 We will go ahead and let Tom read this for us. 53:44 Second Peter Chapter one and verse four. 53:48 Speaking about promises, so I'm going to interrupt you 53:50 in this Tom, so just be prepared for that, okay. 53:53 "By which have been given to us exceedingly 53:57 great and precious promises" 54:00 You want me to interrupt you right now I'll do it. 54:02 Okay, that's a good time, Tom say, interrupt me now. 54:04 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great 54:06 and precious promises, Tom, 54:08 where are God exceeding great and precious promises found? 54:12 In His word. In His word. 54:13 All right, keep reading. 54:17 That through these-- That though these, what Tom? 54:20 You promises. You promises, 54:23 God's promises, right? 54:26 That through these promises what does it say? 54:29 You may be partakers of the 54:34 divine nature, having escaped the corruption 54:38 that is in the world through lust. 54:41 Isn't that a powerful thing there? 54:43 The Bible says that we can take the promises of God 54:47 and we can claim those promises as if they have 54:50 already come to pass, 54:55 and we can live that way 54:57 and become a partaker of the divine nature. 55:01 So when we pray according to God's will, 55:04 we go to the Bible and we find those references 55:08 that are very applicable to our lives. 55:11 And we claim those promises as if they are fact because 55:16 let me ask you a question. 55:18 When God said, let there be light how long 55:20 till there was light. 55:23 Immediately, so if God says that He can supply 55:25 all of our needs through Christ Jesus, 55:30 what does that mean? 55:32 All of them, you and I can have confidence 55:34 that our prayers are heard. 55:38 You and I can have confidence that we're praying 55:40 according to the will of God. 55:44 When we open the Bible and we find those 55:46 exceedingly great and precious promises, Tom, 55:50 and live as if those are reality in our life. 55:56 One person said it this way. 55:58 He said that the promises of God are like a blank check. 56:03 All you've got to do is cash it. 56:06 Even if we're struggling with something, 56:09 the promises of God are like a blank check in our lives. 56:14 So let's do a quick review here. 56:16 I need you to talk loud when you answer. 56:17 What was the first condition that we found there? 56:20 The first condition was what? Having a need. 56:23 What was the second condition? 56:26 To forgiveness, that's right. 56:28 Now we need to ask for forgiveness. 56:30 What was the third condition? Faith. Faith. 56:33 We must believe that God exist in order to please Him. 56:36 Number four? Forgive others. Forgive others. 56:40 God we found out in Mark 11:25 and 26 56:43 and then in Matthew 6:12. 56:45 God will forgive us to the extent that we forgive others. 56:48 What was the fifth one? To persevere. To persevere. 56:51 What was the sixth one? Unselfish asking. 56:53 Unselfish asking, and the seventh? 56:56 God's will. God's will. 56:57 And we just have to pray what God has already promised 57:00 to know that we're praying according to God's will. 57:05 Now everyone of us can think of something in our life 57:08 right now that probably conflicts with one 57:10 of those conditions, and so maybe the best thing 57:15 for us to do when we're finished with this class 57:19 is to go to God and make sure 57:22 that all of those conditions are taken care of. 57:27 God's sincerely wants to hear our prayer. 57:30 He wants to hear your prayer. 57:33 And He has laid out for us today what we need to do 57:36 to know that our prayer is heard. 57:41 Thank you for joining us. |
Revised 2014-12-17