Participants: Pr. Dwight K Nelson
Series Code: NP
Program Code: NP091308
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00:28 Because you are the primetime generation,
00:30 I want to begin today with the story. 00:33 I got a letter from one of our listeners. 00:35 We're not only on television but we're on radio 00:37 and he was listening on WAUS several years ago. 00:42 So he is responding to what we shared that 00:46 Sabbath here in the pulpit. 00:50 I wrote him back, responded back to him 00:53 and out of that conversation in the mail, 00:57 we set up an appointment to meet. 00:59 He was living up in St. Joe and businessman in St. Joe. 01:05 So I made arrangements to go to his home, 01:07 met him, his wife, family. 01:11 And out of that, 01:13 out of that meeting through the radio at first... 01:19 a steady relationship developed. 01:22 He was eager to get into the word. 01:23 Now, this gentleman, 01:26 a quasi God believer... 01:31 but I am agnostic about Jesus. 01:33 I just don't know about this thing 01:35 you're saying about Jesus, you Christians. 01:40 Considered himself a Christian. 01:43 So he made a deal, okay, every Wednesday 01:45 he is a controller of his company, still, still is. 01:49 Okay, every Wednesday noon, I'll come up there 01:52 and let just walk the beach together, 01:53 we might have a brownbag, might not, 01:56 but we just study for one hour. 01:57 You give your lunch break 01:58 and I'll give mine and so we did, 02:01 week after week after week 02:02 and that went around for three years. 02:09 And I'm telling you he is just not getting it 02:12 about this Jesus and I am at my wits end. 02:17 I'm saying there is-- what more I can do, please. 02:23 And then the man went through a crisis. 02:27 A meltdown crisis. 02:30 And one night alone in his home, 02:34 something supernatural happened. 02:38 And I want him to tell you what happened. 02:40 And so where is my friend Dick Mackie? 02:42 Where are you, Dick? 02:43 There you are. Come on up. 02:46 Dick and I become friends. 02:49 He is a runner, he encouraged me 02:51 in this life of running but, Dick, here you are, 02:57 you're going through that meltdown. 03:00 Wife, children gone separated, 03:02 you're in that house all alone one night. 03:06 Tell us what happened? 03:09 Well, it was-- it was probably 03:12 the lowest point of my life. 03:15 I know a bunch of people here 03:17 and they've been supporting me and encouraging me. 03:19 But I was really depressed and lonely this night. 03:22 And I made a few phone calls, 03:24 this is before cell phones, nobody was home. 03:29 I'm just feeling really, really alone. 03:31 I'm in the kitchen and I'm washing dishes 03:33 and guys do wash dishes. 03:38 Especially if there's nobody else in the house, 03:41 and I'm washing dishes 03:43 and I'm crying and guys do cry too. 03:47 And I'm talking to God, 03:49 I've been talking to God all my life 03:51 but talking to Him and saying, 03:54 I just-- I just want to be helped, 03:57 I just want someone to be there, 03:58 I just want to helped. 04:01 And I'm standing there at the sink 04:04 and I felt arms wrapping around me from behind. 04:11 I don't understand what happened 04:14 but I knew, somehow I knew this was Jesus. 04:20 I had prayed to God and God had sent Jesus 04:25 and I still didn't understand all the connections. 04:28 But I knew that Jesus must come from God 04:32 and be with God, and that was the beginning. 04:36 And we connected after that story 04:38 you told me about what had happened. 04:41 And then it was just-- everything started falling 04:44 in place after that and pretty soon, 04:47 we're getting ready to stand in that 04:48 baptistery together you and I, so you write this poem to-- 04:52 Because you're a poet 04:53 and I used to share your poetry with me. 04:56 But you write a special poem, tell us about that poem? 05:02 I wanted to do my testimony 05:04 and it come out in poetry form. 05:07 But I'm still struggling with this cross. 05:10 I don't-- you know, 05:13 how do you reconcile the world through blood guts and gore, 05:16 I just don't understand that 05:18 and I wrote this poem, I showed it to Dwight, 05:20 I showed it to the person who was going to sing it. 05:23 And they came back and they said, 05:26 we have a problem with this because it's not biblical. 05:30 And Dwight said, 05:32 we can't-- we can't use this 05:35 and I went home that night and I opened the door, 05:38 I got about few feet inside hit the wall slid down the wall. 05:44 I'm on the floor crying, 05:47 because I don't know what to do. 05:49 I mean, this is-- I'm depressed together 05:52 you know, and I'm just-- I said to God, 05:55 what do I do, what do I do? 05:59 And inside my head very distinctly 06:03 the words came, let Jesus speak for Himself. 06:10 And I got a pencil and paper 06:13 and within couple of minutes, 06:15 I wrote down these lines. 06:20 "Weep not my child, 06:22 embrace the love of my heart with share, 06:25 I know you're ashamed and your unspoken prayer, 06:31 upon my cross that prayer and God were reconciled. 06:37 When faith proclaimed my grace forever there." 06:43 Amen. 06:44 And I'd like to say two things to this congregation. 06:47 One, thank you for being there when I needed it. 06:52 And secondly, 06:54 I was raised in a congregational church. 06:57 I was practicing Catholic for 15 years or so 07:02 but I have never met the Jesus you know 07:06 until I came here, 07:09 you know Jesus different than anyone else 07:12 and the world needs to know your Jesus. 07:16 Amen, beautiful. Thank you, Dick. 07:18 Excellent. 07:25 So we were in that baptistery together, 07:28 it was a hallelujah day for you and for me. 07:32 Now I tell you why I'm wanting 07:34 Dick to share his story several reasons. 07:36 Number one, 07:38 here's a story of a God who says, 07:43 okay, you've done everything, 07:44 you can step out of the way, this is My moment. 07:48 And supernaturally, 07:50 God can step in to the people we care about, 07:52 just supernaturally do whatever He's got to do 07:55 like He did for you. 07:56 God answers prayer. 07:57 Yeah. 07:59 Number two, here you are a friend 08:02 and servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ. 08:05 We saw Dick this morning, he was receiving the offering. 08:07 He's also one of our... 08:09 first grade Sabbath school leaders, yeah. 08:12 And number three, number three, 08:16 several years ago we huddled up 08:19 with our senior leadership team 08:20 and we said we have to got to put something together 08:23 to equip contemporary Christian Adventist 08:27 with the ability to be a winsome contagious witness. 08:30 So for years now under Skip McCarty's leadership 08:34 we've been working on something called 08:35 the Contagious Adventist Seminar. 08:37 So to put that little study team together 08:40 we said, wait a minute, 08:41 we have got to have a quasi agnostic serving 08:46 on that-- on that team and Dick-- 08:47 Someone who saw light. Someone who saw light. 08:50 Who could, better could sit in our circle 08:52 and now say, hey, let me tell you, 08:54 how it comes across to me. 08:56 And so, Dick, you had a part in the research 08:57 and the writing process 08:59 and you actually wrote some of the material 09:02 for that study on the Lord Jesus Christ. 09:04 This is an incredible seminar 09:06 and we're just ready to offer the alpha version that Dick 09:09 and our team have been working on for years, years. 09:13 If you would reach into your bulletin right now, 09:15 you're gonna see a little piece of paper like this 09:17 and I need you while Dick is standing right here with me, 09:19 I need you to pull it out 09:21 because I want you to take this. 09:23 I want you this-- this is gonna be 09:24 so user friendly for you. 09:26 This is gonna be no pressure. 09:31 Easy learning, 09:34 how you can become a winsome contagious 09:36 disciple of the Lord Jesus in the third millennium. 09:39 Come on, we can't use the old methods 09:40 of our grandpas and grandmas, 09:42 we've got to have something fresh. 09:44 And so if you would turn it over, 09:46 there is a place for you to scribble down 09:48 your name, your address, 09:50 give us your cell phone, put your email in twice, 09:52 so that we make sure we can get in touch with you. 09:54 Because next Sabbath we're gonna offer first time 09:58 in history hallelujah, the alpha version 10:01 of the Contagious Adventist Seminar. 10:02 We're gonna offer in the Physics Amphitheater 10:04 10 o'clock. 10:06 You can come at 10 o'clock. 10:08 We're gonna have topnotch team of teachers there. 10:10 We're gonna give the syllabus to you 10:13 that Dick has helped to prepare. 10:14 You will never be the same again 10:16 after the Contagious Adventist Seminar. 10:18 And so I wish you take a moment right now just-- 10:21 just scribble your name down and address, 10:24 so that we can have it in just a moment 10:26 when the ushers come to give extra study guides out, 10:29 they also receive these from you, 10:30 so take a moment real quick right now. 10:33 And, Dick Mackie, God bless you, 10:35 your testimony is what Jesus is all about. 10:37 Thank you very much. 10:38 How about another hand for Dick Mackie? 10:48 The ushers are gonna come your way, 10:49 take a pen, I'm serious 10:51 just grab a pen right now and fill that out. 10:53 Combine about three moments to receive it. 10:58 But I'm not gonna wait for them 10:59 because I'm so excited about today's teaching. 11:02 It's the third story in the Book of Acts 11:04 and we just come to it by the journey we are on 11:09 two Sabbaths already in this series of primetime 11:10 but is there a more primetime story than Acts 3. 11:13 Open your Bible to Acts 3. 11:15 This is one of my favorite in the whole Book of Acts. 11:18 Acts Chapter 3. 11:20 We got to go to the story because there is a secret 11:22 tucked away in this story that is the primetime key. 11:29 Primetime key to this prayer, 11:31 "Give me, give me Your eyes, 11:32 oh, God, give me Your eyes." 11:35 So if you didn't bring your Bible, 11:36 take a pew Bible, it will be page 734. 11:38 Let's go 734, 11:40 that's a New King James Version in the pew, 11:41 but I'm gonna be here, I got to find it myself. 11:43 I'm gonna be here 11:45 in the Today's New International Version, 11:48 the TNIV. 11:50 All right, Acts Chapter 3, follow along. 11:56 Ushers, we're gonna wait a little bit, 12:00 I didn't see you guys jump up 12:01 and actually they're not through filling it out. 12:03 So hold on and then we get 12:04 to the study guide in just a moment. 12:06 That way though they will have just that 12:08 extra moment to fill it out. 12:10 We got the best ushers in the world 12:12 and they're ready to go, 12:13 but I want to give you just one more moment. 12:15 I see some of you are still writing, that's okay. 12:17 Fill it out, we'll be away in just a moment. 12:20 Acts 3:1, "One day Peter and John..." 12:24 And how old was John? 12:25 We don't know, John was probably a teenager 12:27 when Jesus called him, he might have been 19. 12:30 He's John boy, this is the kid in the group. 12:32 So if he was 19 or 20 when Jesus called him, 12:35 he's three and half, 12:36 he's 23 in this-- he's 23 in the story, 12:39 I want you university students to know that, 12:41 he's 23, 24 may be max out to 25, 12:45 okay, so he is your age. 12:47 Peter and John, 12:48 I'm talking about them, not Jeff. 12:50 We don't know-- we don't know Peter's age 12:52 but if Peter were 35 and we know he was married 12:55 when Jesus called him but if Peter in his 30s 12:58 you know, he's late 30s maybe early 40s. 13:01 So you have this, you have this 25 year old kid 13:03 as it were 23 with the big old bragger 13:07 so fishermen, they're both fishermen actually 13:10 trained on the Sea of Galilee. 13:12 So here is what's happened, verse 1, 13:14 "One day Peter and John were going up to the temple 13:18 at the time of prayer-- at three in the afternoon." 13:23 It's the time of the evening sacrifice. 13:24 Wherever they were in Jerusalem, 13:26 Peter looked over John and John boy looked at Peter 13:27 and say, hey, you want to go to prayer, 13:30 let's go to pray together. 13:31 There's nothing wrong with two men praying. 13:32 Is that a sin for two men 13:33 to be friends and pray together? 13:35 Are you kidding? 13:36 Let's go to prayer. And they both agree. 13:39 Verse 2, "Now a man who was lame from birth..." 13:44 We know from the end of the story 13:46 in Chapter 4 he's 40 years old, 13:47 he's been-- he's been lame, 13:49 ladies and gentlemen, for 40 years, 13:50 "A man who was lame from birth was being carried 13:53 to the temple gate..." 13:55 Now, what's the name of the temple gate? 13:57 What does it say in your Bible? 13:58 It's a gate Beautiful and I'm telling you what, 14:01 I've been to Jerusalem 14:02 and I've seen what the architects 14:05 and archeologists have collaborated, 14:06 they have this incredible spread to show 14:09 what Jerusalem looked like at the time of Christ 14:11 and its heritage temple. 14:13 You cannot imagine the glory of that temple. 14:16 This gate Beautiful, 14:17 these are massive white ivory colonnades 14:21 and carved into the white in gold 14:25 is the trellis of a vine all the way to the top. 14:28 They say in the afternoon when that sun begins 14:30 to dip towards the west and it shines on that gate, 14:35 it is resplendent hence the name gate Beautiful. 14:39 All right, "Now a man was lame from birth," 14:41 it is verse 2, "was being carried 14:42 to the temple gate called Beautiful, 14:44 where he was put every day to beg 14:46 from those going into the temple courts.' 14:48 'It's not a dishonorable profession, 14:49 you can't do anything else with these legs, 14:51 these legs have never sustained your body's weight. 14:57 So, you gonna have to beg. 15:01 And who better-- who better to make the appeal to, 15:04 than the people are gonna worship God. 15:05 There is no heart this more open to you 15:07 than a heart that's on its way to worship God 15:09 and so that's strategic wise planning, 15:11 they put them at that gate, he's gonna ask. 15:15 Verse 3, "When he saw Peter and John about to enter." 15:22 You know, there is a law about giving, 15:24 the people who give the most are usually the poorest. 15:27 You want to get money, go to a poor person, 15:28 don't go to wealthy person, go to a poor person. 15:30 Now I know there are so many exceptions to that rule, 15:33 don't lock me into it, but you understand. 15:35 He sees these two fishermen just two threadbare fishermen 15:39 on the way to prayer meeting together 15:41 and he says, you know what, 15:42 these goys got a coin in those deep pockets, 15:44 I'm gonna try so that's what-- 15:46 that's what Luke tells us here, 15:47 "When he saw Peter and John about to enter." 15:49 They're just stepping off that last stair going 15:51 into the gate Beautiful, he asked them for money. 15:54 Hey, fellows alms for the poor, 15:57 hey, hey, hey, over here, over here, 15:58 over here, over here, alms for the poor. 16:01 Puts his boney hand out. 16:05 And verse 4, Peter stops dead in his track. 16:10 "Peter looked straight at him, as did John." 16:14 They stop, big man looks, younger man looks, 16:18 they both lock on... 16:20 to that lame man sitting beneath the colonnade. 16:25 And then Peter said and I'm telling you what, 16:27 the lame man's heart just soars into heaven 16:30 when he hears these words. 16:31 Peter said, hey, boy, look at us 16:35 and the guy's heart leaps you know why, 16:37 because obviously the only time 16:39 anybody in this temple yells out for attention 16:42 is when he's going to do something mighty 16:45 to be applauded by the public. 16:48 And so the beggar's heart leaps, 16:49 all right, I'm looking. 16:51 Look at us he says, and Peter sees that. 16:56 He sees that expectation on a face 16:58 and he has to cut it out right now 17:01 and he looks into that beggar's faces, 17:02 he said hey, I have no silver, 17:09 I have no gold. 17:13 The guy says, what a sucker I am, 17:18 I thought, look at me, 17:21 look at me boy, I have no silver, gold. 17:26 I'd learn this verse as a kid growing up. 17:29 "Silver and gold have I none, 17:33 but such as I have I give thee in the name 17:36 of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk." 17:41 And that man, that 40 year old is paralyzed, 17:47 physically and emotionally 17:49 he is in that split second that is not unfamiliar 17:55 with all of our journey that split second 17:57 between unbelief and belief, he's not sure. 18:03 Forty years of wasted vegetable legs, 18:07 you're asking me to get up and walk. 18:10 And Peter sees in that split second as well, 18:13 there is a faith crisis right here. 18:14 By the way it's okay to have a faith crisis. 18:16 It's okay to be an unbeliever. 18:18 It's okay to be suspended between unbelief and belief 18:21 if you don't stay there forever. 18:24 And God send us a good friend 18:25 who in that moment says, I want to help your belief 18:27 because that's exactly what Peter does. 18:29 Look at the next verse. 18:30 Peter reaches out and he grabs the man, 18:32 he grabs the man probably his right hand, 18:34 the man's right hand and he said all right, go. 18:38 Now this guy, this guy isn't even a sack of potatoes, 18:42 Peter has pulled in, he's pulled in hundreds, 18:45 hundreds of pounds of fish look at that torso. 18:50 So he reaches down and just like picking up 18:51 a little, little gunny sack, he says, come on. 18:56 And you notice this, ladies and gentlemen, 18:58 isn't this amazing, isn't this amazing, 19:01 watch this, verse 7, 19:02 "Taking him by the right hand, 19:04 he Peter helped him up the lame man up, 19:06 and somewhere between down and up 19:09 instantly the man's feet and ankles iron, iron. 19:21 And here is the greatest understatement 19:22 in the entire Book of Acts. 19:24 "He humped to his feet and began to walk. 19:27 And then he went with them into the temple courts, 19:30 walking and jumping and praising God." 19:33 Do you remember when you were a kid come on, 19:35 don't pretend like that all. 19:37 Do you remember when you were a kid 19:38 and your daddy would come waking into the room 19:39 and say hey, we're going to the zoo today. 19:44 You remember how you reacted. 19:45 Come on, you start, you start, 19:47 I remember my kids they would just start jumping 19:49 and then they go like this, 19:50 did you do that, did you do that? 19:52 You were so excited, 19:53 you couldn't hold that back physically 19:55 and that is precisely what's happened 19:58 with this man with iron legs now, 20:00 he is leaping and jumping 20:02 and it's Luke's favorite phrase praising God. 20:07 And old boy does it start a commotion? 20:09 Verse 10, 20:11 "When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 20:13 they recognized him as the same man 20:15 who used to sit begging at the temple called Beautiful, 20:17 and they were filled with wonder and amazement 20:19 at what had happened to him the end?" 20:23 Isn't that a great story? 20:25 I just love that story. 20:27 It reminds me of another story 20:29 about Thomas Aquinas the great Middle Ages 20:32 theologian of the church and philosopher. 20:35 One day he was having personal audience 20:37 with Pope Urban IV, there in Rome. 20:41 And the pope was taking his beloved counselor 20:44 and theologian and showing him 20:46 the amassed treasures of Rome, 20:48 heaped high on the tables and the pope says to him, 20:52 you see Thomas my son, 20:55 the church can no longer say silver and gold have I none. 21:01 The theologian shut back, 21:05 oh yes, Holy Father 21:08 but neither can she say in the name of Jesus 21:11 of Nazareth get up and walk. 21:16 Ladies and gentlemen, 21:17 I grant you the wealth of the church today, 21:19 we are a wealthy church relatively speaking. 21:23 We got wealth but where is the power 21:26 of the Risen Christ? 21:28 Where is the power that can cry out, 21:30 silver and gold have we none 21:32 but in the name of Jesus of Nazareth 21:33 get up and walk boy now, where is it? 21:41 Makes you wonder. 21:45 Big time we may be sitting here today 21:48 in need of the secret that set ablaze that first church. 21:54 If I understand my Bible correctly 21:55 what happened to the church in the beginning 21:56 it's supposed to happen all over again 21:58 with the church in the ending, is that not true. 22:00 Then we need to know that secret. 22:02 Jot it down, you'll never forget the secret. 22:03 Once you jot it down you will never forget it, 22:05 I have been praying. 22:07 Take out your study guide now. 22:09 Now, ushers, that's when I need you to go, all right? 22:13 Study guides are already out, 22:14 everybody's got them, all right. 22:16 Have you turned in the-- this beautiful yellow cards 22:18 everything's done, head deacon is saying, 22:20 Dwight, it's under control. 22:21 Thank you, Milan. 22:23 All right, those of you watching on television, 22:24 let me take a moment with you. 22:26 We're delighted to have you. 22:27 Please go to our website. 22:28 Let me put it on the screen for you, 22:29 www.pmchurch.tv. 22:35 And those of you in here if you still didn't get it, 22:36 you got to get the study guide. 22:38 If you didn't get the study guide, 22:39 this may be the most important study guide in this series. 22:41 Just hold your hand up, if you didn't get it. 22:43 It's not one per family. 22:44 This will be a private study guide 22:46 as you'll see in just a moment. 22:47 Now those of you watching on TV, 22:48 you can get the same study guide, 22:50 you're looking for the series primetime, 22:51 this is part 3. 22:53 If you didn't get the first two parts, 22:54 go to our website 22:56 and get the podcast you can get it. 22:57 But you're looking for Down on All Fours 22:59 that's the title of today's teaching 23:01 Down on All Fours. 23:02 When you see that it will say study guide, 23:04 click there and you'll have it. 23:07 We got it here, we are ready to go. 23:09 All right, number one, 23:10 you see the first line there, fill it in please. 23:13 The primetime secret of the church in the beginning 23:17 and at the ending remains the same: 23:19 It is the time of prayer that unleashes the time of power." 23:25 Now, that is a crucial point. 23:27 If I got the direct quote straight out of the TNIV, 23:30 let's put it on the screen please, 23:31 verse 1 again of Acts 3, 23:33 "One day Peter and John were going up to the temple 23:36 at the time of prayer." 23:40 It was while they were on their way to prayer meeting 23:43 that this miracle took place. 23:45 The man would not have been healed, 23:46 if the man had not headed to prayer meeting. 23:51 No prayer, in that case no power. 23:55 And I suppose Peter and John, John was 25 like you, he's 24. 23:59 I suppose he had a dozen, maybe two dozen, 24:01 maybe three dozen reasons why he should not be going 24:04 to prayer meeting this week, I just can't do it. 24:08 And they would have been valid and we would have said, 24:09 yeah, you bet I understand, you don't have to go to this. 24:13 But they went to prayer 24:15 and it was on their way to prayer 24:17 that the power was unleashed, it's at the time of prayer. 24:22 Wow, obviously there is nothing more essential 24:26 than prayer at least in the Book of Acts. 24:30 Makes you wonder, doesn't it? 24:31 I mean if we really believed that ourselves, 24:34 wouldn't we be praying all the time. 24:37 I mean if you really believed in the power of prayer. 24:40 There is a great line here, Frank Laubach. 24:43 Put it on your-- in your study guide, 24:45 fill this in please, 24:46 "Prayer is the mightiest power on earth. 24:49 Listen, enough of us, if we prayed enough, 24:54 could save the world-- if we prayed enough." 24:58 Three enoughs 25:00 are just enough for us to get the message 25:03 that if we prayed enough, enough of us, 25:05 this world would be a different place. 25:11 John Dawson in his marvelous book 25:13 Taking Our Cities for God. 25:16 I read that book three or four times through, 25:18 it just keeps moving me every time I go through it 25:20 and there is one line every time I come on it, 25:22 it just stirs my heart. 25:23 It's in a series of lines, 25:24 you know I want to give them to you. 25:26 There are three lines here. Let me give you the first one. 25:27 It's in there in your study guide. 25:28 "The priorities of eternity and the spiritual world 25:31 should be the realities that dominate our thinking." 25:34 And then he asked the question that made me stop. 25:36 Boy, when he asks this question 25:37 the first time I'm reading the book, 25:38 wow, he asked the question. 25:41 "Are you a Christian in belief but an agnostic in practice?" 25:49 Hey, what's an agnostic? 25:51 What's an agnostic? 25:52 Somebody said, I'm not sure, 25:53 I'm not sure, I really believe this 25:54 and that, I mean, I just don't know. 25:57 Are you a Christian? Am I a Christian? 25:58 But of course, I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, 26:00 hallelujah. 26:01 But am I practically and in practice an agnostic. 26:05 He said, Dwight, I never call you an agnostic, 26:07 I wouldn't do that to you. 26:09 Why would you call anybody an agnostic? 26:11 Because if I'm not tapping in 26:13 to the supernatural power of almighty God 26:17 and I'm trying to handle my life always in my own, 26:19 I'm always coming up with the solution, 26:21 I'm always looking to get my way out of stuff, 26:23 nothing wrong with using our brains that we've been given, 26:25 but if I'm totally dependant on me, 26:28 I'm an agnostic. 26:29 I just don't believe that 26:30 God is really able in this case to do much at all. 26:36 Are you a Christian in belief but an agnostic in practice?" 26:39 And then, hold on now, 26:40 Dawson just blew me out of the water 26:43 with what you're about to read. 26:44 It's there in your study guide. 26:46 The prayer, look at this, "The prayer of a human being 26:50 can alter history by releasing angels into the earth." 26:56 I had to pause button right there. 26:58 I know that there are some of you here. 27:00 Your very sterile paradigm of life 27:03 on this planet does not allow 27:04 for angelic intervention at any point. 27:07 It's just to-- that's for old ladies and children, 27:09 you're too bright, you're too wise, 27:11 too many degrees. 27:14 Who angels? 27:15 Please, there are no angels. 27:19 I got to share with you my-- 27:21 my other most favorite story in Acts. 27:23 Just go over there to Chapter 12 for a moment. 27:25 Can't stay long here. Cannot stay long. 27:27 Acts Chapter 12 27:29 and wait, I'm gonna put it on the screen here, 27:32 "It was about this time that Herod arrested 27:33 some who belonged to the church, 27:34 intending to persecute them." 27:36 And guess what? 27:37 John boy, remember John boy, 27:38 this is his older brother James, 27:40 he's out there James. 27:41 Herod arrested James and listen to this 27:45 had him beheaded, adios. 27:50 And then when he saw that 27:51 it pleased the religious authorities, 27:53 you know what Herod did? 27:54 He said, man, you guys gonna like this, don't you? 27:56 Let me get another one those apostles 27:58 and he takes Peter, and Peter is put into prison 28:02 prepared to be beheaded the next day 28:05 when the story starts here. 28:07 And isn't this amazing, I used to wrestle with it. 28:10 Look at verse 5, "So Peter was kept in prison, 28:14 but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. 28:16 And I'm saying, man, 28:17 come on guys you really blew it for James 28:19 why didn't you have a prayer meeting for James, 28:21 you could have got him out 28:24 and he said, isn't weird 28:25 they didn't have the prayer meeting 28:26 until the second guy is in and then it hit me. 28:29 'Cause Steven's already been martyred 28:31 and it hit me, you know what? 28:33 I bet the church thought, the early church, 28:35 hey, the guys that were with Jesus, 28:39 can't touch him, can't touch him. 28:41 If you are an apostle, you're guaranteed, 28:44 and then James gone. 28:47 And boy when wicked King Herod says, 28:49 I'm gonna take number 2, that place goes berserk. 28:54 We have got to pray. 28:56 You know the word there by the way in the Greek 28:58 what it says, they earnestly pray for Peter. 29:00 It's the same word that the same author Luke uses 29:03 in his gospel Chapter 22:44, 29:05 when he describes Jesus Down on All Fours 29:08 in the garden of Gethsemane 29:10 pleading with God to save his life. 29:12 They are doing the same kind of praying 29:13 it's all four praying, it's called Down on All Fours. 29:17 They are begging God constantly, 29:21 earnestly, save Peter. 29:25 And the old Peter blesses 29:26 so, he figures he's gonna be gone tomorrow. 29:28 Look if it's good for James, 29:29 we fish together for so many years, I'm next. 29:33 Peter is sound asleep in the prison. 29:36 I tell you what? 29:37 That's the peace that passes understanding. 29:41 I don't understand it. 29:43 I'd be up saying prayer all night long. 29:46 Is there any sin I left out because I'm going tomorrow. 29:51 Peter is sound asleep, snoring away. 29:55 And unfortunately for Peter, 29:57 he has an impolite guardian angel. 30:02 That angel just doesn't have courtesy at all. 30:04 You look at the next verse. 30:06 It says the angel shows up, what verse is this? 30:08 It says the angel shows up in verse 7, 30:10 "Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared to him 30:12 and a light shone in the cell." 30:13 And get this, he strikes him, 30:17 when I'm asleep all you have to just say, 30:19 hey, Dwight, shh, shh, Dwight, hey, hey. 30:22 You don't hit me, 30:25 but that's what the angel did, wake up. 30:29 You know the angel probably knows 30:30 that these fishermen can sleep through anything 30:32 and he knows a little gentle call. 30:36 You know, Peter up and just like that, 30:42 chains all gone, come on, come on, 30:44 come on, come on we got stuff to do. 30:46 Go, follow me. 30:49 Four units of Roman guards, four each, 30:51 four door opens, they're asleep, 30:55 four door opens they're all asleep. 30:58 Four more door opens all are asleep, 31:01 four more and its outdoors, 31:03 door opens angel and Peter gone 31:05 and they-- the 16 sleep through it all. 31:09 The record says, that the angel went one block 31:11 with Peter and shh, it's gone. 31:15 Peter says, I'm not dreaming. This is fresh air. 31:18 And you know where Peter goes, 31:20 he goes straight to prayer meeting, 31:21 they're in prayer meeting for him. 31:23 I wish we had time to unpack the story 31:25 because when he goes to the prayer meeting, 31:26 he knocks on the door, there is a servant Granny Rose, 31:29 in Greek it's Rhoda but her name is Rose. 31:31 She answers the door, she said, who's there, who's there? 31:34 He says, it's Peter. 31:36 She said, I said, who's there. 31:39 He said, I said Peter. 31:42 Peter who? 31:44 Peter me. 31:48 She is so excited 31:50 the one they've been praying for is here. 31:53 She leaves the door locked, 31:55 goes back to the prayer meeting, 31:56 she said, hey guys, time outs, 31:57 hey, hey, takes the young adult to do this, 31:59 stop praying, enough prayers, 32:02 shh, woman get down, 32:04 no, hey Peter is at the door. 32:06 Get down and pray girl. 32:09 How long you've been praying? 32:11 No, I'm serious Peter is at the door. 32:13 You got to be crazy. 32:15 No, I'm telling, he's at the door. 32:17 And they opened the door and Peter comes walking 32:19 and they said, why didn't you tell us he was at the door. 32:23 I love that story because ladies and gentlemen, 32:25 it's counterculture to the paradigm 32:27 you and I have grown up in. 32:28 Our paradigm is you pray, 32:30 who cares maybe something happen, 32:31 maybe be doesn't but they believe 32:32 they said, no God, 32:34 you have angels that you can release 32:38 and that's John Dawson's point. 32:40 That's Dawson's point. 32:41 Let me read it again, "The prayer of a human being 32:43 can alter history by releasing angels into the earth." 32:47 And here is what struck me. 32:49 I tell you I was reprimanded with this line. 32:54 "If we really believed this truth, Dawson writes, 32:58 we would pray with intensity, and we pray constantly." 33:03 I read that line years ago and every time I read it 33:05 I just go, huh, 33:07 if I really believed that the almighty God 33:10 of the universe when I pray is prepared 33:13 if need be to release the forces 33:16 of his army in heaven to answer that prayer, 33:19 I would be in prayer intensely and constantly. 33:25 I would be praying all the time 33:26 and so would you, don't you go look at me 33:28 like you wouldn't, you would if you believed. 33:32 "No wonder in the Book of Acts 33:34 we find the record that the praying 33:35 of its primetime players Acts records 33:38 that praying 25 times, 33:40 write it down 25 times there in prayer, 33:45 I counted it in the Greek. 33:47 That's why I'm convinced, ladies and gentlemen, 33:49 that prayer is the most potent weapon 33:51 in this arsenal of the primetime generation. 33:54 You are the primetime generation 33:56 and listen, prayer is your most potent weapon in your arsenal. 34:00 And by the way this is not any old prayer, 34:02 oh, God is gracious, God is good, 34:04 let us thank Him for this-- no, it's not any old prayer. 34:06 Lord, I lay me down to sleep my pray this, 34:08 my soul to keep-- no, no, no. 34:12 This is prayer for lost people. 34:15 Now listen by name, 34:18 by name, by name. 34:24 In fact if you like to take this entire teaching 34:29 and reduce it to a single sentence here it is 34:32 in your study guide, fill it in please. 34:34 "Prayer is the power of passion put to practice." 34:41 That's it. 34:42 Prayer is the power of passion put to practice. 34:45 You're saying, hey, Dwight, 34:47 what passion are you talking about? 34:48 What we've been talking about for the last two Sabbaths, 34:50 that God's unrelenting passion for lost people. 34:54 That is the most, that is the most 34:55 explosive power in the universe. 34:57 Are you following the news? 34:59 Did you hear what happened this last week 35:00 beneath the grassy sod of the border 35:03 between Switzerland and France, 35:04 did you hear about that? 35:06 The world's largest atom smasher, 35:10 particle accelerator 17 miles circuit underground 35:14 was put in operation. 35:16 They want to find out how the Big Bang, 35:18 how could the universe have started 35:20 with immense power. 35:21 Ladies and gentlemen, that power is nothing 35:25 in comparison to the God who's the Lord of the universe. 35:30 Prayer, prayer is tapping the passion. 35:34 In fact, you know what? 35:35 God's love for lost people 35:37 is the great... Write this down. 35:38 "God's love for lost people is the greatest power 35:41 in the universe bar none." 35:44 When you and I go to our knees 35:46 and we remember by name an individual who is lost, 35:49 we are tapping into his passion, 35:50 we are tapping into his power. 35:52 Prayer is the power of passion put to practice. 35:59 My friend Joe Engelkemier in his marvelous book, 36:02 30 days, 30 days to Intercessory Prayer. 36:09 He's quoting Andrew Murray the great South African divine, 36:13 and it's in your study guide, 36:14 these are the words of Andrew Murray, 36:16 30 days to more powerful Intercessory Prayer 36:19 "Where there is much prayer, Murray is writing, 36:22 there will be much of the Spirit 36:24 and where there is much of the Spirit 36:25 there will be much prayer." 36:26 Now hold on. 36:27 Between our Impotence, you know what? 36:30 Im means no, potence means power, no power. 36:33 Between our no power and God's Omnipotence, 36:37 Omni means all so that's all power 36:39 between our no power and God's all power 36:42 intercession, write it down 36:44 intercession is the blessed link." 36:49 And what is intercession? 36:51 Intercession is praying for other 36:52 is what Jesus does for you and me 24/7. 36:55 Have you ever read Hebrews 7:25? 36:57 And He always lives to make intercession for us 24/7. 37:01 And by the way hold on, 37:03 this isn't something He started 37:04 once He got back to heaven after the ascension. 37:07 No, no, no, no. 37:08 Jesus was an intercessor when He was here on earth. 37:10 In fact the night before He was executed, get this, 37:13 He sees the same Peter, the same Peter. 37:16 He sees Simon and He says, 37:19 this is Luke 22, "Simon, Simon, 37:22 Satan has desired to sift you like sand 37:26 but I have prayed for you that you will be converted." 37:32 He was an intercessor before He left us. 37:35 He prayed for the lost and so should we. 37:38 In fact jot this down. 37:39 This is Paul, one of the great intercessors 37:42 of Christian history. 37:43 This is what I Timothy, I Timothy 2:1, 3 fill it in. 37:48 Paul says, "I urge then that petitions, 37:49 and prayers, and intercession 37:50 and thanksgiving be made for everyone. 37:52 This is good and pleases God our Savior, 37:55 who wants all people to be saved..." 38:00 And notice there's still more to that. 38:01 "Who wants all people to be saved 38:04 and to come to a knowledge of the truth." 38:07 Some people say, well, if you just get him up to Jesus 38:09 and that's all they need. 38:10 No, no that's to be saved 38:12 but you also need to come to a knowledge of the truth. 38:16 I wish God wants all to be saved. 38:20 Clearly prayer is the power of God's passion 38:22 put to human practice. 38:23 I'm telling you what? 38:24 It's the most potent weapon 38:26 in the arsenal of faith and love. 38:32 God could do for Dick Mackie. 38:34 Listen to me carefully now. 38:36 Dick was standing right here with me, 38:37 sitting out there now. 38:39 God could do for Dick Mackie what Dwight could not do 38:42 if he had spend another 30 years, 38:45 I've done all the arguing, done all the logic, 38:47 looked at all the scripture, not enough 38:51 but God says, all right, hey, Dwight stand back now, 38:54 you're praying for Dick, good. 38:57 Let me show what I can do boy, 38:59 and Dick on a night when he's collapsed in tears, 39:04 senses somebody come behind him 39:07 and say you are not alone. 39:10 And in his heart he says, this is Jesus. 39:15 Look, I could with Saul with the little light 39:17 on the road to Damascus, now he believes in Jesus. 39:20 I can do with Dick in the kitchen. 39:22 You guys, you write me off too soon. 39:24 What do you think I am, impotent? 39:27 I can do anything I want. 39:29 You just talk to me about the lost, 39:30 I'll take care of the rest, isn't it something. 39:33 No wonder Wesley Duewel, 39:34 I love this line, boy, you fill it in, 39:37 "You can love more people through prayer 39:39 than any other way." 39:42 You wanna love this world, 39:44 you love people through prayer 39:45 more than any other way. 39:46 So here is the question. 39:47 Dwight, how can I effectively pray for lost people? 39:49 Let me close by sharing with you five very simple 39:51 but successful strategies. 39:54 You'll be able to do this to pray for your family, 39:56 your friends, your neighbors and even strangers. 39:59 Watch this, you pray for strangers. 40:01 Jot this down now in closing. 40:02 Number 1, make a list. 40:06 Without a list you'll never remember to pray for the lost. 40:08 Who goes on that list keep your pen moving. 40:10 Anyone you care about who needs to know Christ 40:12 and his truth. 40:14 So that can be members of your family 40:15 but of course start with those closest to you. 40:17 You might have family member who are lost. 40:18 It could be your parents, it could be your children, 40:20 it could be your brother-in-law, 40:21 it could be your cousin. 40:23 Look, I know you have a huge family tree, 40:25 you don't have to put your whole family tree 40:26 on that prayer, on that prayer list, 40:28 but you have a special burden for some of your family, 40:32 put their names on your prayer list. 40:35 Who else goes on that list? Put your friends. 40:36 Well, you're talking about my friends. 40:37 Well, I'm talking about your classmates, 40:39 I'm talking about roommates, 40:41 I'm talking about buddies from childhood, 40:43 I'm talking about golfing partners. 40:44 I don't how you have your friends, 40:46 you got your friends. 40:47 Do I have to put all my friends on? 40:48 No, just put the lost friends number 1 40:50 and those that you're especially burdened for, 40:53 just put him down. 40:55 Do you got any neighbors? 40:56 Yeah, I got the guy in the next room in the dorm, 40:58 pray for him, I got neighbors at home. 40:59 Are they lost? 41:00 Pray for them by name. 41:02 You have associates at work, 41:04 you have colleagues in your profession, 41:05 you know they are lost. 41:06 Pray for them. 41:08 Now hold on, you can even pray for strangers 41:14 who have no idea that you are praying for them. 41:17 You are a total stranger to them. 41:19 I have two names on my prayer list 41:23 of well-known preachers and I pray for them. 41:29 If you would go to them and say hey, 41:31 this guy name Dwight he's praying for you, 41:34 they would be affronted as it were 41:36 by that-- by the very thought, 41:37 what do you mean praying for me, I'm saved. 41:40 Ah, but you see... 41:43 I'm desperate for these leaders 41:48 to know the truth of the book they preach, 41:54 and I'm thinking if this guy could find that truth. 42:01 Oh, what God could do on this planet. 42:06 They know nothing by the human being name Dwight, 42:11 but I pray for them, they are on my prayer list. 42:13 You can pray for strangers. 42:16 Point is you got to pray for somebody. 42:19 Make the list, all right let me put a quotation 42:21 on the screen for you, 42:23 "In our petitions we are to include 42:25 our neighbors as well as ourselves. 42:27 No one prays aright who seeks a blessing 42:29 for herself alone." 42:32 If our prayers of all become me, me, me, me, me, me, me, 42:35 I'm telling you what you can still get through to God, 42:37 you're getting the great blessing 42:38 until you get off you sister, until you get off you bro, 42:42 your prayers are not having the maximum effect 42:45 they can have back on you, 42:46 pray for other people all right. 42:48 Number 1, make a list. 42:49 Number 2, pray the list. Pray the list. 42:53 Should I pray this list every day? 42:54 No, you don't have to, the list is gonna get too long, 42:56 you won't be able to do it every day. 42:57 There is other stuff you and God have got to deal with. 43:01 I pray the list every Friday, 43:03 Friday morning is my prayer list 43:04 to go through that prayer list in its entirety once a week. 43:09 The point is there is no point in a prayer list, 43:11 if you're not praying it. 43:12 I used to have prayer list all over the house 43:14 but I never prayed them. 43:16 It took me a while to realize 43:18 the whole point of a prayer list is to use it. 43:22 Make the list. Pray the list. 43:24 And by the way look at the blessing in store for you, 43:26 we can put this on the screen for you, 43:27 "As we seek to win others to Christ, 43:29 bearing the burden of souls in our prayers, 43:32 our own hearts will throb 43:34 with the quickening influence of God's grace, 43:36 our own affections will glow with more divine fervor, 43:39 our whole Christian life will be more of a reality, 43:42 more earnest and more prayerful." 43:44 I'm telling you the residual, 43:45 the reciprocal benefits are out of sight 43:50 when you pray for somebody else. 43:52 All right, number 3, Work the list. 43:53 Make the list. Pray the list. 43:54 Work the list for sometime I've had the name 43:57 of a college professor on my prayer list. 44:00 He teaches at another college in our vicinity. 44:03 We studied the Bible together, 44:05 the spirit seemed to be leading us 44:06 deeper and deeper and deeper 44:07 when all of the sudden I'm telling you, 44:09 he went through a crisis, it was a meltdown. 44:12 And when that crisis was over 44:15 every effort I made to reconnect 44:17 and get that, get our studies going again, 44:19 it was all rebuffed, no, no, no. 44:22 Emais, phones I say God, he is on my prayer list, 44:26 I got to keep him on my prayer list. 44:29 So I kept praying. 44:30 One day, when I'm praying my prayer list 44:32 on Friday this name came with special burden to me 44:37 and I prayed again for him and I said God you know what, 44:39 I've done everything I can, 44:40 I don't know what to be doing now, 44:42 I'm at my wits end, 44:44 this professor what do you think? 44:46 Here's the deal God if you want me, 44:48 if this thing is over it's over, 44:50 sometimes it's over I understand that. 44:52 But if this is not over and You want us 44:54 to study together again, you have him contact me. 44:59 Two hours later he wrote me an email said, 45:01 Dwight, I've missed our time together, 45:03 when can we reconnect in study? 45:05 Ladies and gentlemen, 45:06 this is not a story about Dwight. 45:08 This is a story about an our almighty God 45:09 who says, why don't you talk to me about these people? 45:12 I'm the one that wants to save them. 45:14 You pray for them, 45:16 I act for them, you ask me. 45:19 You got to work your list, that's the point. 45:20 You can't just say, oh, do something for them. 45:22 You have to be willing to get out 45:23 of your comfort zone, make that contact, 45:25 have that conversation. 45:26 You say, now, Dwight, there is no way 45:28 I could ever have a Bible study with anybody, 45:30 lead somebody to Jesus or teach, 45:32 show somebody the teachings of the Bible. 45:34 My friend, you are so wrong, 45:37 that's why we have 45:38 the Contagious Adventist Seminar. 45:40 That's why you haven't handed it in yet, 45:42 please hand it in, 45:43 that's why that little yellow slip 45:45 gives you a chance to get in on the ground floor 45:48 and help us, raise up a generation 45:53 that is equipped to tell the truth about Jesus. 45:57 You deal with the most primetime teachings 45:59 in all the Holy Scripture and it's gonna be no threat, 46:02 user friendly, it is gonna work with you. 46:06 You come next Saturday. 46:10 You come 10 o'clock Physics Amphitheater, 46:12 there is room for you, you come, you can know. 46:17 All right, number 1, Make a list. 46:19 Number 2, Pray the list. 46:20 Number 3, Work the list. 46:21 Number 4, Grow the list. Grow the list. 46:25 God will keep bringing new names to you 46:26 if you'll faithfully keep adding them. 46:28 Because you know what? 46:29 You know what's happening, don't you? 46:30 God's walking up and down your dormitory hallway, 46:32 God say, man, I need somebody 46:33 in this dormitory hallway praying 46:35 but nobody is praying. 46:36 God comes along to you and you're the guy praying. 46:38 He says, you know what? 46:39 My, man, you are my intercessor on that hallway, 46:41 I'm gonna bring more names to you, 46:42 I'm gonna bring more names and more names and more names 46:44 because you're the guy acting on it. 46:46 You live in your neighborhood 46:47 and nobody else in your neighborhood 46:48 is praying for the lost. 46:49 But God finds your heart. 46:51 Trust me, if your are willing to pray for lost people, 46:54 He will bring them more and more and more. 46:58 Grow your list. 47:00 In fact, would you jot this down, please? 47:02 "You will grow your passion for the lost 47:04 as you grow your prayers for the lost." 47:08 You want to have passion for lost people. 47:10 Pray for them. 47:11 It will come, it will come. 47:14 Oh, look at this prayer, isn't it some, 47:15 put it on the screen for you. 47:16 "Oh, that earnest prayer of faith, 47:18 that the earnest prayer of faith may arise everywhere." 47:21 What prayer is this? 47:22 Oh, I love this. 47:23 "Give me souls buried now in error or I die!" 47:29 Just give me somebody to reach 47:34 in my business for you. 47:36 Give me somebody, please. 47:39 God will honor that and finally number 5, 47:41 keep the list. 47:42 You know what that means? Keep on praying no matter what. 47:44 No matter what happens, no matter what doesn't happen. 47:47 Don't quit praying because it doesn't happen, 47:49 just keep praying. 47:54 Don't quit bringing that 47:55 lost heart to Jesus in your prayers. 47:56 I want to close-- I want to close 47:58 with the story of George Muller 48:00 who through sheer faith and prayer raised get this, 48:06 he raised the equivalent of $180 million 48:12 without ever asking a human being for a penny. 48:15 He said, God, here's the deal early on in his life, 48:17 he was burdened for the orphans of England. 48:20 He said, God, here's the deal. 48:22 If you provide I'll never ask a soul for money 48:25 and God says, let's go. 48:27 And so George Muller 180 million 48:29 he never asked one soul, 48:31 God just supernaturally put a burden on somebody, 48:34 somebody show, hey, I thought you might need this. 48:36 Ten thousand orphans in his string of orphanages 48:40 in England in the mid 1800s, 10,000 orphans got saved 48:45 because a man had a passion for lost kids. 48:49 Don't you tell me God doesn't know 48:50 what He's doing? 48:52 Anyway this is George Muller 48:53 so he-- so early on in his life 48:55 he says, okay God, I'm picking five lost friends 48:58 and I'm gonna pray for these friends. 49:00 I 'm gonna pray for these friends until they're saved. 49:02 Here is the story. 49:03 So with these five lost friends early on 49:06 after fiver years one friend came to Christ, halleluiah. 49:10 I got four lost friends, he kept praying, 49:12 10 more years of prayer, 49:14 two more friends were converted. 49:17 I got two lost friends now. 49:19 He came over here to United States, 49:21 he was in Chicago. 49:22 And he told the crowd I have prayed for two men 49:26 by name every day for 35 years 49:28 on land or sea, sick or well, 49:30 I have remembered them before God by name 49:32 and I shall continue to pray for them daily by name 49:35 until they're saved or die. 49:37 And after 35 years of prayer the fourth friend was saved, 49:41 one friend left. 49:44 And for 52 years George Muller prayed 49:48 for that one friend 49:51 until death came and took Muller. 49:55 Three days after his funeral the friend was saved. 50:00 You can't quit. 50:01 Keep the list means keep praying. 50:05 Don't you-- as long as you're alive, 50:09 you keep praying. 50:11 There has got to be somebody in your life right now 50:14 that desperately needs you to be praying. 50:16 You know what? 50:17 I suppose there's somebody that you know that 50:20 if you didn't pray for that lost person, 50:22 there wouldn't be another soul on this planet 50:24 who by name would be praying for that individual. 50:26 There has to be somebody. 50:29 Five lost friends you got them. 50:31 Five people who are lost, you got them. 50:35 What would happen if you and I said hey, 50:38 come on we're the primetime generation, 50:41 let's use the most potent weapon we have. 50:43 You don't have to go to school for this weapon, 50:45 you just go to your knees. 50:46 What would happen if you and I agree, okay, 50:48 Dwight, I'm gonna pray for five lost people. 50:50 We're congregation of 3,000 50:52 that would be 15,000 lost people 50:54 who would be prayed for every single week. 50:56 That's not an insignificant number. 50:59 And you can come up with more than five. 51:03 They are at the end of your study guide, you see it there. 51:05 I wish you take your study guide right now 51:08 and I wish you'll fill it out, I'm giving you a moment, 51:10 quiet I'm gonna bring my friend Brad Krueger out here 51:12 with his psalm that he put together, 51:14 there is an old gospel hymn, ''For You I'm Praying", 51:17 I need you to listen to the words of this hymn 51:18 because it's so great. 51:19 But I don't want you to be distracted 51:21 from writing the names down 51:23 because at the end of the hymn just three stanzas. 51:25 At the end of it, we're gonna go to our knees 51:27 and we're gonna hold this up to God 51:28 and we're-- this would be the first prayer 51:30 for some of you for the lost-- for five lost friends. 51:36 So right now take that study guide 51:38 and by the way when you're doing the study guide, 51:39 let me just remind you, 51:41 you see the little asterisk at the bottom, 51:43 circle the ones you want to invite to Discoveries '08. 51:46 Mark Finley is gonna be here in, in four weeks. 51:51 You want to invite some of these, 51:53 your heart maybe needs to be prepared for, 51:54 just circle the names of the ones you want to invite. 51:58 Singers back come on sing for us, 51:59 sing us that "For you I'm praying". 52:01 Now, I tell you what? 52:02 If you know the chorus, if you know the chorus 52:04 it's a great chorus, I heard it at first service. 52:06 If you know that chorus you sing with them, 52:08 you sing with them. 52:10 "For you I'm praying," "For you I'm praying" 52:23 I have a Savior 52:26 He's pleading in glory 52:32 A dear, loving Savior 52:37 Though earth friends be few 52:41 And now He is watching 52:46 In tenderness o'er me 52:53 And oh, that my Savior 52:59 Were your Savior, too 53:07 For you I am praying 53:11 For you I am praying 53:15 For you I am praying 53:22 I'm praying for you 53:29 When Jesus has found you 53:32 Tell others the story 53:36 That's my loving Savior is your Savior, too 53:43 Then pray that your Savior may take them to glory 53:51 And prayer will be answered 53:57 'Twas answered for you! 54:01 For you I am praying 54:05 For you I am praying 54:09 For you I am praying 54:23 For you I am praying 54:39 Amen. 54:44 Now, we need to pray. 54:46 Let's go to our knees right now, 54:47 right where you are, take this list, 54:49 with the list in your hand just, 54:51 we're gonna lift this list, this list corporately to God. 54:55 For you I am praying let's do. 55:02 And so Holy Father we are here on our knees. 55:09 We look at the church in Acts, 55:11 apparently they move forward 55:12 on their knees for lost people. 55:16 And so wanting to follow that example set, 55:20 we've gone to our knees. 55:23 Oh, God, our prayer is the simple one, 55:25 just two prayers. 55:26 Prayer number 1, keep us on our knees 55:29 for these lost friends and family. 55:34 Keep us on our knees. 55:39 On behalf of these we love. 55:42 On behalf of these we hardly know 55:45 but they're lost. 55:47 Just two prayers, Jesus, keep us on our knees 55:50 and keep them these names we scribbled down, 55:54 keep them on Your heart. 55:56 Don't You ever turn away from them, 56:02 as long as there is a breath in that boy's body. 56:07 As long as a heart of that girl beats, 56:12 Jesus, do whatever it takes. 56:17 We tried everything. 56:20 It have to be supernatural, 56:24 but surely You can. 56:29 Pour out upon us is the ancient Prophet 56:31 Zechariah said a spirit of supplication in grace 56:35 and we may we pray for the lost as long as we have breath 56:41 or until You come... 56:49 in your name we collectively pray right now, 56:56 amen. 56:58 Let me take one more moment 56:59 as we close out our worship time together 57:01 and tell you about our weekly sermon podcast. 57:04 Each week around here we got a very special group 57:07 of technically savvy volunteers 57:09 from our media department 57:10 and gather together to publish a podcast 57:12 of the sermon messages like the one you heard today. 57:16 These messages by the way, 57:17 automatically downloaded to your computer via iTunes 57:20 everything set up and ready to go. 57:22 All you have to do to receive 57:24 this free podcast subscription just go to our website. 57:26 Let me give you the address www.pmchurch.tv. 57:30 And while there you'll see podcast 57:32 just click on the podcast, 57:33 then you're gonna be given some easy 57:35 to understand directions 57:36 that will guide you through the set of process, 57:38 it's that simple. 57:40 Once again our website www.pmchurch.tv. 57:44 And by the way, while you are there 57:45 you can also download the study guides 57:47 to follow along with each week's teaching. 57:49 I hope you join the thousands of others, 57:51 enjoy that podcast each week and share it 57:55 with your friends that's what it's for, 57:56 to bless you and then pass it on. 57:59 In the mean time, God bless you 58:01 and keep you as you journey on 58:03 and I'm looking forward to seeing you again right here 58:05 as we continue to share God's Holy Scriptures together. |
Revised 2015-03-05