Well hello and welcome
to the 3ABN Worship Center
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right here in beautiful
Thompsonville, Illinois
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for the third part in
our series of, Walk This Way,
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as we continue in
this message that is coming
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to us from, Pillars of Faith.
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So we want to
encourage everyone of you to
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get your Bibles, take
notes, listen as Pastor Murray
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brings you this
third part in this series.
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The first part in this
series was, Stay This Way.
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The second part
was, The Wise Way.
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Now this one
tonight is, Pray This Way.
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So all of these, he's
showing us how to walk this way,
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which is walking the way of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
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You know, something I would
like to encourage you to do
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is to take the
Scripture to heart that says,
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"Faith cometh by hearing,
and hearing by the Word."
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Get every one of these sermons,
listen to them over and over.
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Allow Christ to
form Himself in you
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as you listen to
the anointed Word.
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Pastor Murray has been
with us now for 11 years.
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We love him and
we appreciate him.
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He has studied to
show himself approved.
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And something that we all
know is that Pastor Murray
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is a true man of God.
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So receive him now as
he comes to present the
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message tonight, Pray This Way.
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Pastor Murray.
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I'm very happy and
very thankful once again
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to be able to open up the
Word as we look at the subject,
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Pray This Way.
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And I'm going to ask you
to turn with me, if you will,
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to the New Testament,
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the book of James,
for our consideration.
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The book of James, James 5.
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And we want to consider verse...
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Let me just check.
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I've got two or
three I want to look at.
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So let's look at James 5:16.
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James 5:16
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In fact, let's
start with verse 15.
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In fact, let's go all
the way back to verse 13.
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I think we'll do that.
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Verse 13. So
we're in James 5:13.
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But before we open
God's Word, let's pray
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and talk with Him
for just a moment.
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Father God, we
praise You and we thank You
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for Your Word, the
power of Your Word,
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for the entrance of
Your Word which brings light
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to our lives and to our souls.
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Bless our sitting here
just now as we open Your Word.
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Feed us from that Word,
fill us with Your Spirit.
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Fit us for heavenly
habitation, we do pray.
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And we thank You, mighty
Father, in Jesus' name, amen.
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I want to read this particular
passage from the New King James,
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then I want to read the
same passage from The Clear Word
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to give you just a different
shade of understanding.
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So I'm in James 5 and
I'm beginning at verse 13.
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Join me, if you will.
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For the Bible says, "Is
anyone among you suffering?
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Let him pray.
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Is anyone cheerful?
Let him sing psalms.
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Is anyone among you sick?
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Let him call for the
elders of the church,
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and let them pray over him,
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anointing him with oil
in the name of the Lord.
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And the prayer of
faith will heal the sick,
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and the Lord will raise him up.
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And if he has committed
sins, he will be forgiven."
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Now I want to read that
same passage from The Clear Word
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paraphrase, which I
enjoy reading so much
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for inspirational purposes.
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The Bible says,
"Are you suffering?
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Are you suffering misfortune?
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Take it to the Lord in prayer.
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He'll give you
strength to get through it."
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I like that.
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"He'll give you
strength to get through it."
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Now you will note in this
paraphrase that the author
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doesn't say He will
necessarily remove you from it,
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take you out of it.
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But you do have a guarantee
that God, in answer to the
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prayer of faith, will give
you strength to get through it.
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"Are you happy?
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Sing about it
and praise the Lord.
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Are any of you sick?
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Call the elders of the church
and ask them to pray for you.
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They'll anoint you with oil
and call on the name of the Lord
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to heal you.
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If the Lord sees
fit, this kind of prayer
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offered in faith
will heal the sick
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and restore them to health."
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Now you'll note the
slight shade of difference here
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as the Word is mined
through The Clear Word.
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"If the Lord sees fit..."
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And God is always sovereign.
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God can say yes, God can say no.
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God can say, not now.
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"But if the Lord sees
fit, this kind of prayer
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offered in faith
will heal the sick
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and restore them to health."
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God does indeed
answer the prayer of faith.
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And so in
Matthew 6 and in Luke 11,
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both record a particular
interlude that we want to
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discuss a little bit today
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between Christ
and His disciples.
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And their
discussion centered on prayer.
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I like a very important
statement that one of my
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favorite writers says.
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She says, "Prayer is
the key in the hand of faith
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to unlock heaven's storehouse,
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where are
treasured the boundless
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riches of Omnipotence."
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Now that's a short
saying that says so very much.
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It says prayer is the
key in the hand of faith.
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So prayer and faith
must go hand in hand.
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And I'm going to give you
a text in just a little bit
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to reinforce that.
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Prayer and faith
unlocks the door.
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Prayer without faith
is not going to help you.
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Faith without prayer is
not going to do you much good.
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They've got to go hand in hand.
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You've got to believe in Him
and you've got to talk to Him
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if you want to
get things from God.
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"Prayer is the key
in the hand of faith
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to unlock
heaven's storehouse..."
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So if you want to get
in and get the goodies,
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and get what God
has to offer you,
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you need to pray, and
you need to pray in faith.
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"Faith cometh by hearing,
and hearing by the Word of God,"
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as Mollie said so
rightly said some time ago.
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You need to believe.
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So Matthew and Luke both
record this intimate discussion,
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this little interlude, between
Christ and His disciples.
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You will find, interestingly
enough, Christ did not
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address His disciples
directly many, many times.
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He allowed them to
glean from His discussions
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with the public the truths
that He wanted them to know.
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There were times when He
said things rather cryptically
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in parables, and the disciples
were asked to, or encouraged to,
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take from that
and make application.
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But in this particular
instance a question was asked,
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and Christ took the time to
answer that particular question.
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And the subject was
the subject of prayer.
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Now what I like about
everything in Jewish life,
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there were always
times when Christ had to,
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how shall I say,
demystify or de-mythologize.
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You know, just about
everything in Jewish life,
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by the time of Jesus,
had become enshrouded in
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or darkened by
man-made traditions.
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Matthew talks about
teaching for doctrine
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the commandments of men.
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Or teaching for commandments
the doctrines of men.
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And so everything
that Christ had given for
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the benefit of
His people had been...
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Oh, what's the word I can use?
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...had been clouded over
by a lot of man-made tradition
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that turned a lot of
the freedom given by God
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into bondage given by man.
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So the sentiments
expressed in the model prayer,
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not necessarily the words,
are what Christ gave to them
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in answer to
their particular query.
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Prayer is a way
of contacting God.
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Prayer is a way of
communing with God.
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It is an essential
discipline when it comes to
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walking with Jesus.
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So let's look at
what inspiration says.
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All that Christ
had given was good.
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And Jesus acknowledged
that in Matthew 5:17.
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This was true of this prayer
that we're going to discuss.
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And perhaps I should
have you turn with me now,
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even now to Matthew 21.
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Matthew 21
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And we'll use that
as our entrance into
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our discussion of prayer.
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I'm in Matthew 21.
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This prayer, this model prayer
that we call, the Lord's prayer,
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was really modeled
on prayers that existed
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since Old Testament time.
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Prayers that had
come from the rabbis
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and Old Testament times.
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People taught them to learn,
recite and repeat these prayers.
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But I need to say
here parenthetically.
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A repeated prayer
or a learned prayer
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or a ritual prayer
doesn't really help you.
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Prayer is the opening of
the heart to God as to a friend.
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When you talk to God,
you want to talk to God
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as somebody who loves
you and who knows you,
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and who you know and love.
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You don't want to
just repeat words.
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You don't want to
just repeat phrases.
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And one of the mistakes
that the Old Testament rabbis
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had made, and which we do
sometimes, is you say a prayer.
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There is a difference,
brothers and sisters,
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in saying a prayer and praying.
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Saying a prayer is
a ritual recitation
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of a bunch of words.
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But praying is talking to God as
to a heavenly Father and Friend.
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So in the
Protestant dispensation or the
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Protestant churches,
we don't say a prayer.
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We don't say a,
"Hail Mary," or a prayer.
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What we do is pray.
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And there is a difference
between saying a prayer
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and praying.
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Because praying
is talking to God
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like you're talking to a Friend.
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So we don't recite prayers.
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And I always get a
little antsy when somebody says,
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"Well, just say a prayer."
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No, you don't just say a prayer.
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Pray.
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And you talk to God
from your heart rather than
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reciting formal words.
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Even the Lord's prayer.
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When God, when Jesus
gave this model prayer
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to His disciples, He wasn't
saying, "Say these exact words."
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He was trying to
get them to understand
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how a prayer was put together,
and how to construct a prayer,
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and how prayers
are wont to be made.
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He also tells us that if we
have faith and do not doubt,
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then our prayers become
powerful and become acceptable
00:14:07.84\00:14:11.08
to a holy God.
00:14:11.78\00:14:14.55
So in a moment or
two we're going to parse
00:14:15.32\00:14:17.65
the Lord's prayer and take a
look at what the Lord has for us
00:14:17.69\00:14:22.56
in this particular prayer.
00:14:24.69\00:14:26.09
Praying in Jesus' name
makes our prayers powerful
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and takes advantage of the
work of Christ in our lives
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and the work that He is doing
in the course of glory just now.
00:14:36.77\00:14:40.64
So by the time that Christ
came, prayer had degenerated,
00:14:40.68\00:14:45.41
it had become opaque.
00:14:45.61\00:14:47.42
It had turned into
personal liturgical, phraseology
00:14:47.52\00:14:51.82
which had no
real meaning or heart.
00:14:51.85\00:14:54.96
They had nice sounding words,
00:14:54.99\00:14:56.56
but they lacked
sincerity or spirit.
00:14:56.89\00:14:58.63
And one of the things
Christ came to do when He talked
00:14:58.79\00:15:00.86
with His disciples was
to tear down that mindset,
00:15:00.90\00:15:05.30
to tear down that
mindset that you just say words.
00:15:05.50\00:15:09.60
What Christ wanted
you to do was to pray,
00:15:09.80\00:15:13.88
not just say a prayer.
00:15:13.91\00:15:16.71
Because prayer is
effectual communication
00:15:16.75\00:15:20.92
between God and man.
00:15:20.95\00:15:23.22
Jesus restored prayer to what
heaven had intended it to be.
00:15:23.85\00:15:29.22
Jesus restored prayer to
the communication between
00:15:29.72\00:15:34.36
God and man, and not
just a bunch of words
00:15:34.40\00:15:36.56
that someone is
saying in an obligation
00:15:36.60\00:15:39.07
or in a way to try to
wrench something from God.
00:15:39.10\00:15:42.14
The Adventist
commentary adds this
00:15:42.90\00:15:44.94
in talking about this
prayer that we find in
00:15:45.37\00:15:48.78
Matthew 6, and we
begin with verse 8.
00:15:49.08\00:15:54.42
But the Adventist
commentary says this...
00:15:54.82\00:15:56.89
It has something
very interesting to say.
00:15:56.92\00:15:58.42
It says, "The universal
acceptance of the Lord's prayer
00:15:58.72\00:16:06.09
reflects the fact that
it expresses more perfectly
00:16:06.53\00:16:11.43
than any other
prayer the fundamental needs
00:16:11.47\00:16:14.87
of the human heart."
00:16:15.07\00:16:16.40
That's why God's
prayer, the Lord's prayer,
00:16:16.44\00:16:19.41
the prayer that Jesus
recited to the disciples,
00:16:19.61\00:16:22.51
was never intended to be
something that you just say.
00:16:22.54\00:16:25.31
These words express the
need of the human heart,
00:16:26.68\00:16:30.69
of the human soul.
00:16:31.02\00:16:32.35
And when we pray,
that's what God wants from us.
00:16:32.39\00:16:35.49
He wants us to express
the deepest needs of our heart
00:16:35.96\00:16:39.66
and our soul.
00:16:39.89\00:16:41.30
As long as it takes,
as many words as it takes,
00:16:41.83\00:16:45.93
you break through to heaven
and you talk to your Father.
00:16:46.13\00:16:49.60
And I guarantee you, your Father
in heaven will talk back to you.
00:16:49.84\00:16:54.94
Christ then was addressing
Himself in intimate terms
00:16:55.88\00:17:00.85
to the twelve charter
members of the nation church.
00:17:01.15\00:17:10.26
They asked Him,
"Lord, teach us to pray."
00:17:10.63\00:17:15.53
Now you would think that these
men already knew how to pray.
00:17:16.13\00:17:19.87
No, they had been
taught to say prayers.
00:17:20.24\00:17:24.37
Jesus now was teaching
them how to open their hearts
00:17:24.94\00:17:29.54
to the Father in heaven
and to pray in a new way,
00:17:29.81\00:17:35.38
saying, "When you
pray, pray this way."
00:17:35.82\00:17:40.39
So go with me, if
you will, to Matthew 6.
00:17:40.76\00:17:45.03
And while you're
doing that, let me say this:
00:17:48.06\00:17:51.13
If James 5 is true, then
Hebrews 11:6 must also be true.
00:17:51.43\00:17:56.81
And maybe we ought to just
take a look at Hebrews 11:6.
00:17:56.84\00:17:59.41
Because this is a
prayer prerequisite.
00:18:00.74\00:18:04.85
So I'm turning over
with you to Hebrews 11
00:18:05.01\00:18:09.62
and we want to
take a look at verse 6.
00:18:10.09\00:18:12.65
Hebrews 11:6
00:18:13.12\00:18:14.46
"But without
faith," the Bible says,
00:18:25.27\00:18:27.57
"it is
impossible to please Him..."
00:18:28.10\00:18:30.54
Now I want to stop there.
00:18:30.57\00:18:32.01
Because we read in James
that fervent, effectual prayer
00:18:32.51\00:18:37.68
avails much with God.
00:18:37.98\00:18:40.18
So we're getting a
little road map for prayer here.
00:18:40.75\00:18:44.92
One, prayer has to be fervent.
00:18:44.95\00:18:49.16
You've got to agonize
with God for what you want.
00:18:50.83\00:18:52.89
Not just a casual
something thrown up.
00:18:53.50\00:18:55.80
And let me say this also:
00:18:56.00\00:18:57.33
For those of you who have ever
fallen asleep during prayer,
00:18:58.47\00:19:02.70
or had your mind
wander during prayer,
00:19:03.67\00:19:08.21
prayer does not necessarily
have to be the last thing
00:19:10.11\00:19:16.92
you do at night
before you go to sleep.
00:19:16.95\00:19:20.86
Usually we wait till
we're ready to go to bed.
00:19:22.32\00:19:27.63
Many of us get in
bed and then pray.
00:19:28.43\00:19:32.43
And we offer up to
God a bunch of words
00:19:33.17\00:19:38.44
that are the product of
a tired mind that is ready
00:19:39.04\00:19:44.18
to go to sleep.
00:19:44.28\00:19:46.61
And I've had it
happen to me before.
00:19:47.62\00:19:49.18
We use to tease each other
when I was dating my wife, Irma.
00:19:49.58\00:19:52.55
We always talked in the
evening before going to bed.
00:19:52.75\00:19:57.13
And usually the last
part of the conversation
00:19:57.86\00:20:01.60
we took some
time out for prayer.
00:20:01.80\00:20:03.33
And I can remember...
00:20:03.70\00:20:05.10
And I'm sort of talking out of
school here, but it's the truth.
00:20:05.43\00:20:08.40
I can remember talking to Irma,
and then praying with Irma,
00:20:09.94\00:20:14.98
and then getting to the, "Amen,"
00:20:15.21\00:20:18.05
and hearing no corresponding,
"Amen," from the other end.
00:20:18.98\00:20:23.72
Unusual for just
silence on the phone.
00:20:24.85\00:20:27.46
And that was indication
to me that Irma had sort of
00:20:28.22\00:20:34.36
left the building, as it were.
00:20:34.40\00:20:35.73
She had gone to sleep.
00:20:35.76\00:20:37.57
And if I tell the truth,
there were one or two times
00:20:38.03\00:20:41.74
when she would pray, and I would
sort of exit the conversation
00:20:42.10\00:20:47.38
before her prayer was over.
00:20:47.58\00:20:49.04
And she would say, "Amen,"
00:20:49.08\00:20:51.08
and wait for the
corresponding, "Amen,"
00:20:51.78\00:20:54.12
from my side of the
phone that never came.
00:20:54.15\00:20:57.25
So prayer does not necessarily
have to be the last thing
00:20:57.89\00:21:02.82
you do before you go to bed.
00:21:02.86\00:21:04.33
Because usually when you go
to bed, your mind is centered on
00:21:04.69\00:21:09.70
sleeping, not praying.
00:21:09.73\00:21:12.33
So what I invite people
to do or encourage them to do
00:21:12.63\00:21:16.30
is to push your prayer up a
little earlier in the evening.
00:21:16.34\00:21:20.08
Take a little time with the
Lord before you jump in the bed
00:21:21.34\00:21:25.95
so that you can
be awake and alert,
00:21:26.05\00:21:30.49
and you can spend
some quality time with God.
00:21:31.19\00:21:34.02
Not time that is
burdened by sleep
00:21:34.29\00:21:37.36
and your desire
to get some rest.
00:21:37.56\00:21:39.89
You will find that
your prayer life is sweeter,
00:21:39.93\00:21:44.03
you are more refreshed,
and you're not so sleepy
00:21:44.33\00:21:48.97
that you can't
concentrate on the Lord.
00:21:49.17\00:21:52.64
Number two, how many
have ever had a thought
00:21:52.91\00:21:57.11
come into their mind
while they're praying
00:21:57.15\00:21:59.18
that is unlike God
or unlike your prayer?
00:21:59.21\00:22:02.48
Sometimes you pray,
you say a statement,
00:22:02.58\00:22:05.05
your mind
wanders, you come back,
00:22:05.09\00:22:06.42
you say the statement
again, and you find yourself
00:22:06.45\00:22:08.49
struggling against your
own mind to try to talk to God.
00:22:08.52\00:22:12.03
That is because your mind
does not make hard right turns
00:22:12.19\00:22:16.43
or hard left turns.
00:22:16.46\00:22:17.90
Before you go to the Lord,
you've got to divorce yourself
00:22:17.93\00:22:21.60
from the world a little bit and
then open yourself up to God.
00:22:21.64\00:22:25.87
One good way to do
that is to sing a hymn,
00:22:26.07\00:22:28.68
or sing a little song.
00:22:29.41\00:22:30.91
Or to spend a moment
or two in praise to God.
00:22:31.11\00:22:34.28
And that ushers you
out of the worldly mindset
00:22:34.32\00:22:37.85
and ushers you into
the presence of God.
00:22:37.95\00:22:41.06
We've had that happen.
00:22:41.56\00:22:42.89
People who work right up
to the edges of the Sabbath,
00:22:42.92\00:22:45.13
and then they try
to open the Sabbath.
00:22:45.69\00:22:48.43
And those weekday thoughts,
those six days of work thoughts,
00:22:48.53\00:22:52.57
encroach on the Sabbath hours
because your mind hasn't had
00:22:52.67\00:22:56.27
any wind down time to separate
itself from the Sabbath,
00:22:56.30\00:23:02.54
or from the world,
and move into the Sabbath.
00:23:02.58\00:23:05.31
So before you go to
the Lord, it's always good
00:23:05.35\00:23:08.55
to do some exercise that
separates you from the world
00:23:08.82\00:23:13.62
or from your thought
pattern so that when you come
00:23:13.66\00:23:16.42
before God, your mind is
stayed on and focused on Him.
00:23:16.46\00:23:20.73
And a great way to
do that is to praise Him
00:23:20.76\00:23:23.97
before you pray to Him.
00:23:24.07\00:23:25.40
Is to talk with Him in
praise before you pray.
00:23:25.57\00:23:28.34
And also, praise
before you make requests.
00:23:28.37\00:23:32.71
So many people
make their prayers
00:23:32.91\00:23:34.48
basically a shopping list.
00:23:34.78\00:23:36.48
"Lord, give me, give me,
give me, give me, give me.
00:23:37.45\00:23:40.22
Amen."
00:23:40.25\00:23:41.58
Well thank Him and praise Him.
00:23:41.62\00:23:43.65
And that will bring
you into His presence.
00:23:43.69\00:23:45.52
Then you can ask for things.
00:23:45.79\00:23:47.49
But make sure you usher yourself
into the presence of God.
00:23:47.52\00:23:50.36
Now it's just a little obiter
dictum that I threw in here.
00:23:50.39\00:23:53.19
Not necessarily my notes.
00:23:53.23\00:23:54.60
But I know that many people,
and I've heard it from people,
00:23:54.76\00:23:58.97
and I've
wrestled with it myself,
00:23:59.00\00:24:01.30
struggle with talking to
God and concentrating on God
00:24:01.40\00:24:07.08
and focusing on Him as we pray.
00:24:07.28\00:24:10.51
So we're in Hebrews 11:6.
00:24:10.55\00:24:12.61
Hebrews 11:6
00:24:12.98\00:24:14.62
The Bible says, "But
without faith it is impossible
00:24:15.85\00:24:19.09
to please Him..."
00:24:19.12\00:24:20.46
So faith is a prerequisite to
coming into the presence of God
00:24:20.49\00:24:26.06
and having the smile
of God shine upon you.
00:24:26.09\00:24:29.73
"...for he who comes to
God must believe that He is,
00:24:29.76\00:24:35.77
and that He is a rewarder of
those who diligently seek Him."
00:24:36.20\00:24:43.41
Now what is the Bible saying?
00:24:43.45\00:24:45.71
One, a prerequisite for
having your prayers heard
00:24:46.38\00:24:50.99
and answered is the
belief that God will hear
00:24:51.02\00:24:55.92
and answer your prayers.
00:24:56.29\00:24:58.89
God has got to know that
you believe that when you
00:25:00.00\00:25:05.87
bow your knee and lift
up your voice in prayer
00:25:06.17\00:25:10.34
that there is a God on
the other end who is ready,
00:25:10.67\00:25:14.84
who is willing, and certainly
able to answer your prayers.
00:25:15.18\00:25:20.08
So before you go to
God, "he that cometh unto God
00:25:20.12\00:25:23.89
must believe that He is."
00:25:24.12\00:25:27.12
You've got to
believe that God exists.
00:25:27.16\00:25:28.86
That there's somebody on
the other end of that prayer
00:25:29.36\00:25:31.36
who can help you.
00:25:31.39\00:25:32.73
More than that, or
certainly as much as that,
00:25:33.19\00:25:37.73
you've got to believe
that "He is a rewarder
00:25:38.27\00:25:43.14
of those who
diligently seek Him."
00:25:43.44\00:25:46.24
Now that's a mouthful.
00:25:46.27\00:25:47.61
What's it saying?
00:25:47.64\00:25:48.98
Got to believe that
when you ask, He will answer.
00:25:50.18\00:25:57.49
There used to be an old ball
player, I'm trying to think of
00:25:57.82\00:25:59.65
his name, when I
was back in New York.
00:25:59.69\00:26:01.16
He use to play
for the New York Mets.
00:26:01.42\00:26:03.66
I think it was Tug McGraw.
00:26:04.79\00:26:06.23
And his statement was,
on the year that they won
00:26:06.49\00:26:09.50
the World Series,
I think 1969 or so,
00:26:09.53\00:26:11.87
"You've got to believe."
00:26:12.50\00:26:14.04
And that was the
statement that took them through
00:26:14.74\00:26:17.64
to the world championship
of the World Series.
00:26:17.67\00:26:20.18
"You've got to believe."
00:26:20.21\00:26:21.54
Well, Paul is saying in the
book of Hebrews the same thing.
00:26:21.58\00:26:24.48
"You've got to believe."
00:26:24.51\00:26:25.85
You've got to believe
that when you come to God
00:26:25.88\00:26:28.05
He's going to listen, He's going
to hear, He's going to answer.
00:26:28.08\00:26:30.95
And if you don't
believe that, why go?
00:26:30.99\00:26:33.46
Why pray if you don't
believe that someone's on the
00:26:34.46\00:26:38.09
other end of that
prayer that wants to help you.
00:26:38.13\00:26:41.26
So a prerequisite to
fervent effectual prayer
00:26:42.40\00:26:45.97
is the belief that God will
answer fervent effectual prayer.
00:26:46.00\00:26:50.31
When you're
lonely, when you're crying,
00:26:50.34\00:26:52.11
when you're on your
knees, you've got to believe
00:26:52.14\00:26:54.91
that God is going to help you.
00:26:55.61\00:26:56.98
And God will indeed help you.
00:26:57.61\00:26:59.88
So you've got to
"believe that He is,
00:26:59.91\00:27:02.18
and that He is a rewarder of
those who diligently seek Him."
00:27:03.22\00:27:08.56
Now let me parse
that just a little bit.
00:27:08.59\00:27:10.23
You've got to believe
that when you stick with God,
00:27:12.59\00:27:17.30
God will stick with you.
00:27:18.23\00:27:21.30
That when you agonize with God,
that God respects the fervency,
00:27:22.34\00:27:28.58
the agony, the strength,
the energy, the exigency,
00:27:28.61\00:27:33.95
call it what you will, that
God respects everything you pour
00:27:34.28\00:27:38.42
into that prayer and
will give you what you need
00:27:38.45\00:27:43.12
in answer to the energy,
the urgency, the exigency,
00:27:43.16\00:27:47.80
of that prayer.
00:27:47.83\00:27:49.16
Not just a casual
prayer, "Lord, help me. Amen."
00:27:50.90\00:27:53.77
That's a casual prayer.
00:27:55.00\00:27:56.40
When you really need something,
you ask and you keep on asking.
00:27:56.84\00:28:01.74
When you really want something,
00:28:01.78\00:28:03.21
you request and
you keep on requesting.
00:28:03.35\00:28:06.41
And so the Bible
says God answers prayer
00:28:06.45\00:28:09.85
when you stick to it.
00:28:09.88\00:28:11.35
I'm so sad to see how many
times people lose their blessing
00:28:11.39\00:28:15.29
or fall short of their blessing
00:28:15.32\00:28:16.66
simply because they
don't stay with God.
00:28:16.69\00:28:18.23
We live in this world
where everything comes quick
00:28:18.26\00:28:21.16
and you want to have it
your way like Burger King,
00:28:21.20\00:28:23.30
and you want it fast.
00:28:23.33\00:28:24.67
And you want fast
food and you want it quick.
00:28:24.70\00:28:26.47
So you pray some
little motto prayer
00:28:26.57\00:28:29.00
and you figure,
"Well, God heard it.
00:28:29.04\00:28:30.64
Or God already
knows what I need.
00:28:30.67\00:28:32.01
That's enough."
00:28:32.04\00:28:33.38
But God says, "No, no, no, no.
00:28:33.41\00:28:34.74
You want a blessing?
00:28:34.78\00:28:36.11
Your fervency, your
energy has to be in concert
00:28:36.14\00:28:39.61
with the
blessing that you want."
00:28:39.65\00:28:41.02
If you want a blessing real
bad, you need to pray real hard.
00:28:41.05\00:28:44.89
Um-hmm.
00:28:46.29\00:28:47.62
And if you want to
get a big blessing,
00:28:48.52\00:28:51.46
you've got to pray a big prayer.
00:28:51.49\00:28:54.06
And you've got to
exercise a lot of faith.
00:28:54.56\00:28:57.27
And you've got to stay with God.
00:28:57.30\00:29:00.20
You've got to
"believe that He is,
00:29:00.24\00:29:02.47
and that He is a rewarder of
those who diligently seek Him."
00:29:02.80\00:29:10.58
Be diligent in your prayers.
00:29:10.61\00:29:13.01
Pray, and keep on praying.
00:29:13.05\00:29:15.18
I must admit, I
have not done it lately,
00:29:15.78\00:29:19.62
but there was a
time in my ministry,
00:29:20.89\00:29:22.66
particularly my
pastoral ministry,
00:29:22.69\00:29:24.19
when I would spend all night
or most of the night in prayer.
00:29:24.63\00:29:27.90
I'm not saying that to
pat myself on the back.
00:29:28.10\00:29:30.00
Because the amount of
time you spend in prayer
00:29:30.17\00:29:33.17
really is a consequence
of the burden you have.
00:29:33.20\00:29:36.17
And if you want something
real bad, you pray real hard.
00:29:36.20\00:29:39.14
And you also pray real long.
00:29:39.17\00:29:41.04
And I've done that.
00:29:42.94\00:29:44.28
I've sat myself in the chair and
prayed, and prayed, and prayed
00:29:44.38\00:29:48.62
all night long.
00:29:48.82\00:29:50.29
And I've had other prayers,
other nights where I prayed,
00:29:50.39\00:29:52.95
dosed off, got up and prayed,
dosed off, got up and prayed,
00:29:53.12\00:29:56.49
dosed off, got up and
prayed, but I never went to bed.
00:29:56.52\00:29:59.43
I sat in the
chair all night long.
00:29:59.46\00:30:01.50
And I prayed for an
hour and slept an hour,
00:30:01.53\00:30:04.30
and prayed for an
hour and slept for an hour.
00:30:04.33\00:30:06.50
Some nights,
prayed straight through.
00:30:06.53\00:30:08.34
But when you've got
a burden on your heart
00:30:09.40\00:30:12.31
and you need
something from God real bad,
00:30:12.41\00:30:15.18
you find that
you pray real hard.
00:30:15.21\00:30:18.05
And the Bible says God
answers diligent prayer.
00:30:18.08\00:30:22.85
That's the way to pray.
00:30:23.35\00:30:24.69
Pray this way.
00:30:24.72\00:30:26.12
Pray believing, pray
in faith, pray diligently,
00:30:26.15\00:30:31.19
and stay with God, and
He will answer your prayer.
00:30:31.43\00:30:35.96
"He that cometh
must believe that He is,
00:30:36.30\00:30:39.27
and that He is a rewarder..."
00:30:39.73\00:30:42.40
Matthew 7 and Luke 11 both
assert that the God we serve
00:30:43.61\00:30:52.88
is more willing, more
willing, to give us good gifts
00:30:52.91\00:30:58.72
than human parents
are to their own children.
00:30:59.25\00:31:03.29
And I like the
way the Bible puts it.
00:31:04.06\00:31:05.63
"If we being evil give
good gifts, how much more
00:31:06.39\00:31:15.34
is God willing to give
good gifts to those who ask?"
00:31:16.17\00:31:20.68
You know, I enjoy giving gifts.
00:31:21.34\00:31:24.85
Most people do.
00:31:27.12\00:31:28.45
You know, you get the
chance to play Santa Clause
00:31:29.62\00:31:32.29
at Christmas time, and you
tell your young children that,
00:31:32.32\00:31:36.36
"There's no such
thing as Santa Clause.
00:31:36.79\00:31:38.23
He's not real.
00:31:38.26\00:31:39.59
Daddy went in his pocket
and paid for these gifts."
00:31:39.66\00:31:44.20
And you like to do that.
00:31:44.73\00:31:46.17
When we go home to my
in-laws, Irma and I tend to
00:31:46.20\00:31:51.37
kid of pool our
pennies so that we take some
00:31:52.31\00:31:54.81
gifts down to Panama.
00:31:54.84\00:31:56.28
And we really enjoy it.
00:31:56.41\00:31:58.18
One of the times we have...
00:31:58.21\00:32:00.32
And I'm taking a
little side step here, but.
00:32:00.35\00:32:02.32
One of the times
we really like...
00:32:02.62\00:32:03.99
See, in Panama they open their
gifts, their Christmas gifts,
00:32:04.02\00:32:07.86
the night before.
00:32:07.89\00:32:09.22
Because Christmas day
everybody goes to the beach.
00:32:09.49\00:32:12.43
So you have a big dinner,
and it's usually pretty late.
00:32:12.66\00:32:16.46
Around about eight o'clock,
everybody sits down to eat.
00:32:16.50\00:32:19.17
Which we know that's not
good or healthy for them, but
00:32:19.20\00:32:21.80
it's only once a year.
00:32:21.84\00:32:23.17
Well twice a year, because they
do it on New Year's Eve too.
00:32:23.54\00:32:25.61
But we sit down to
eat, and about midnight
00:32:25.94\00:32:30.55
everybody opens their gifts.
00:32:30.65\00:32:32.05
And it is such fun to see the
grand kids opening their gifts,
00:32:32.08\00:32:35.92
and to see the
adults exchange gifts.
00:32:36.25\00:32:39.35
And you like to give good gifts.
00:32:39.39\00:32:41.62
And you really like when
your gifts are appreciated.
00:32:41.82\00:32:45.79
You know, you give
something and they say,
00:32:45.83\00:32:47.60
"Man, that's just what I needed.
00:32:47.63\00:32:49.56
So what we tend to do is
we call my brother-in-law
00:32:50.43\00:32:53.70
and ask him what
his wife would like,
00:32:53.74\00:32:55.47
and then we call my
sister-in-law and ask
00:32:55.50\00:32:57.54
what her husband would like.
00:32:57.57\00:32:58.91
So we get just the right gifts.
00:32:58.94\00:33:00.28
Because you want
your gifts to be perfect.
00:33:00.31\00:33:02.44
And of course, when you
take a gift down to Panama,
00:33:02.48\00:33:04.68
you can't bring it
back and exchange it.
00:33:04.71\00:33:06.31
That's the gift
they're going to have.
00:33:06.35\00:33:07.88
So we like to give good gifts.
00:33:07.92\00:33:10.05
It makes you feel good to
be able to give good gifts.
00:33:10.09\00:33:13.56
And Ellen White says in
her writings, it's pleasant
00:33:13.59\00:33:16.73
to give a good gift
to those that you love.
00:33:16.99\00:33:19.89
Well, if we being evil can get
such joy out of giving gifts,
00:33:20.53\00:33:27.34
Matthew 7 and Luke 11 are
saying, if we who are evil
00:33:27.87\00:33:33.71
like that kind of thing,
just think how God feels,
00:33:33.98\00:33:38.61
who is righteous and
holy and just, when we ask
00:33:38.65\00:33:41.88
and He, out of the
abundance of heaven,
00:33:42.28\00:33:44.69
can give us good gifts
that makes our hearts swell
00:33:44.79\00:33:49.49
in gratitude to
the God who gave them.
00:33:49.52\00:33:52.53
So if you being
evil can do good stuff,
00:33:52.56\00:33:55.56
then God who is righteous and
holy can do even better stuff,
00:33:56.16\00:33:59.90
and really enjoys
answering your prayers
00:34:00.04\00:34:03.00
and giving you good things.
00:34:03.04\00:34:05.27
And He who sacrificed
His Son, the Bible says
00:34:06.01\00:34:09.24
He's not going to
withhold anything good from you.
00:34:09.38\00:34:10.88
If He gave up Jesus
for you, you can be assured
00:34:10.91\00:34:13.58
that He's going to give
you what you need when you ask.
00:34:13.62\00:34:17.39
So the mindset here
is that someone receiving
00:34:18.19\00:34:21.99
something good ought
to be thankful to God,
00:34:22.02\00:34:25.66
and the recipient of the gift
ought to draw closer to God,
00:34:25.69\00:34:30.90
because you realize and know
that it was God who gave you
00:34:30.93\00:34:35.00
that good thing.
00:34:35.04\00:34:36.91
Jesus said, "Ask believing."
00:34:37.27\00:34:42.18
Prerequisite number
two, faith is belief.
00:34:42.78\00:34:46.68
You've got to believe
that God will do this for you,
00:34:47.05\00:34:51.45
and that He's willing.
00:34:51.49\00:34:53.39
You don't have to arm twist Him,
00:34:54.12\00:34:55.69
you don't have to beg
as though you're trying to
00:34:56.59\00:35:00.23
wrench something from Him.
00:35:00.26\00:35:02.20
Just ask, and keep on asking,
because you're asking a God
00:35:03.10\00:35:08.50
who is willing.
00:35:08.87\00:35:11.14
So let's take a moment
and parse the Lord's prayer
00:35:12.67\00:35:17.55
as found in Matthew 6.
00:35:17.65\00:35:20.02
I want to go back to Matthew 6.
00:35:20.05\00:35:21.65
And in our
closing moments together,
00:35:22.18\00:35:24.42
I've got a little time,
we want to walk you through
00:35:24.72\00:35:27.59
the elements of
the Lord's prayer.
00:35:27.69\00:35:30.83
Because the
disciples asked Jesus...
00:35:31.23\00:35:34.33
You're in Matthew 6 with me.
00:35:34.36\00:35:36.53
And they asked Him...
00:35:36.90\00:35:42.07
I'm at verse 8,
"Therefore do not be like them."
00:35:42.10\00:35:47.08
Now Christ is saying, "Don't get
into this vain repetition stuff.
00:35:47.11\00:35:51.45
Just talk to Me.
Don't get liturgical.
00:35:51.48\00:35:54.15
And don't do like the heathens
do and figure you've got to just
00:35:54.18\00:35:57.52
go into a mantra or
some transcendental state.
00:35:57.55\00:36:00.29
Just talk to Me and ask."
00:36:00.39\00:36:02.82
"In this manner,
therefore, pray..."
00:36:03.96\00:36:06.39
In other words, I'm in
verse 9, "In this manner,
00:36:06.43\00:36:09.20
therefore, pray," He's
saying, "Pray this way."
00:36:09.23\00:36:12.67
So let's parse it.
00:36:14.07\00:36:15.40
Again I need to say
that Jesus didn't say,
00:36:16.91\00:36:20.54
"Pray these exact words."
00:36:20.58\00:36:22.78
He didn't say,
"Say these words."
00:36:22.81\00:36:25.41
He said, "Pray this way."
00:36:25.51\00:36:27.95
Which simply means,
"What I'm going to give you now
00:36:28.42\00:36:31.15
is a template, is a
model for your prayers."
00:36:31.19\00:36:35.56
You don't have to
say these exact words.
00:36:35.79\00:36:37.13
And when we were
young, we learned,
00:36:37.16\00:36:38.49
"Our Father which art in
heaven, hallowed be Thy name.
00:36:38.53\00:36:39.93
Thy kingdom come..."
00:36:39.96\00:36:41.30
We did that.
00:36:41.33\00:36:42.66
That's not what Christ is
telling His disciples to do.
00:36:42.76\00:36:44.77
He didn't say,
"Say these words."
00:36:44.80\00:36:46.90
He said, "Pray this way."
00:36:46.94\00:36:48.80
So what Christ is giving
you now is a model prayer
00:36:48.84\00:36:53.01
along which lines
you are to follow.
00:36:53.44\00:36:55.98
You don't have to
say these exact words.
00:36:56.01\00:36:58.01
So let's parse this
prayer for just a moment.
00:36:58.05\00:37:00.38
"Our Father
which art in heaven..."
00:37:00.68\00:37:03.28
Why, "Our Father
which art in heaven"?
00:37:04.12\00:37:05.79
Well, "Our Father," is
giving recognition that we are
00:37:06.86\00:37:10.73
the children of a holy God.
00:37:10.76\00:37:12.66
And I know in modern
days there's this idea
00:37:12.69\00:37:16.90
to think of God as, and
even though the Bible says
00:37:17.17\00:37:19.90
call Him, "Abba,"
which is, "Daddy,"
00:37:19.93\00:37:22.47
but it's still
a term of respect.
00:37:22.80\00:37:24.94
God is not your homeboy.
00:37:25.21\00:37:28.14
He's not your buddy,
He's not your sidekick,
00:37:28.74\00:37:32.88
He's not your street pal.
00:37:33.31\00:37:35.22
He's a holy God.
00:37:35.62\00:37:37.05
And although He is
close and wants to be close,
00:37:37.39\00:37:40.96
and wants a Father-son or
Father-daughter relationship,
00:37:41.06\00:37:44.16
let's never make the mistake
and think that we're dealing
00:37:44.26\00:37:46.96
with one of our
mates, or one of our buddies,
00:37:47.16\00:37:49.76
or one of our
homeboys from the street.
00:37:49.80\00:37:52.03
You're dealing with a holy God.
00:37:52.07\00:37:53.97
And so addressing
Him as, "Our Father,"
00:37:54.24\00:37:57.44
is your way of saying to
God, "I recognize who I am
00:37:57.47\00:38:03.51
and who You are.
00:38:03.55\00:38:05.31
You are holy, I am not.
00:38:05.81\00:38:08.25
You are righteous, I am not.
00:38:08.75\00:38:11.19
You have
everything, I am nothing.
00:38:11.49\00:38:15.02
I am coming to You
because You've summoned me.
00:38:15.06\00:38:18.23
And in response to
Your call, here I am.
00:38:18.26\00:38:21.50
You are my Father."
00:38:21.60\00:38:23.47
Now, "Our Father
who art in heaven..."
00:38:23.50\00:38:27.40
Well that's pretty simple.
00:38:28.67\00:38:30.01
He's in heaven...
00:38:30.54\00:38:31.87
...and you're not.
00:38:32.37\00:38:33.71
So you're recognizing
His exalted position.
00:38:34.08\00:38:37.95
You know, we say, "Our Father."
00:38:41.32\00:38:43.05
I really believe in my
heart that He wouldn't be upset
00:38:44.42\00:38:46.42
if you said, "My Father."
00:38:46.45\00:38:47.89
In fact, I kind of
think He'd like it.
00:38:48.39\00:38:50.19
A little less formal,
a little more intimate.
00:38:50.79\00:38:53.60
And I know many
people who, when they pray,
00:38:53.80\00:38:55.86
they say, "My Father."
00:38:56.06\00:38:58.17
Because He is your Father.
00:38:58.90\00:39:01.30
So when we come to
heaven to God, heaven rejoices.
00:39:02.54\00:39:08.98
It's like the
prodigal in Luke 15:21.
00:39:09.28\00:39:12.08
Isn't it interesting, I
look at my own dad's life.
00:39:12.18\00:39:16.72
My father only gave
his heart to the Lord
00:39:16.75\00:39:19.95
one month before he had
a heart attack and died.
00:39:21.06\00:39:23.96
And my wife Irma's dad,
he gave his heart to the Lord
00:39:24.16\00:39:29.06
one week before he had
a heart attack and died.
00:39:30.43\00:39:34.10
But if you read the story of
the prodigal there in Luke 15,
00:39:34.67\00:39:37.74
you will note that when
the prodigal turned and came
00:39:38.27\00:39:43.48
to meet his dad,
the father came running.
00:39:44.05\00:39:47.25
And isn't it wonderful to know
that when you come to the Lord
00:39:47.98\00:39:51.59
in prayer,
heaven stops everything
00:39:51.62\00:39:54.32
to listen to your petition.
00:39:54.36\00:39:55.89
And when you give
your heart to the Lord,
00:39:56.19\00:39:57.69
regardless of how long
you've run after the devil,
00:39:57.73\00:40:00.50
when you make that
turn and come to the Lord,
00:40:00.53\00:40:03.43
praise God, heaven
rejoices for one soul
00:40:03.53\00:40:08.24
that gives their
heart to the Lord.
00:40:08.54\00:40:09.87
So when you pray, when you
come to the Lord in prayer,
00:40:09.90\00:40:13.04
heaven rejoices and
heaven bends a listening ear
00:40:13.34\00:40:17.38
to hear your prayer.
00:40:17.41\00:40:19.65
So, "Our Father
which art in heaven..."
00:40:20.58\00:40:25.09
Heaven is His dwelling place.
00:40:27.32\00:40:29.69
And one day we will be there.
00:40:30.33\00:40:34.00
I need to add also
while I'm thinking about it,
00:40:35.46\00:40:37.30
when you say, "Our
Father who art in heaven,"
00:40:37.33\00:40:38.83
it inspires reverence for God.
00:40:39.97\00:40:42.87
Ecclesiastes 5:2,
maybe I'll take just a moment
00:40:44.84\00:40:47.94
and turn to that for a second.
00:40:47.98\00:40:49.31
Ecclesiastes 5:2
00:40:49.51\00:40:51.45
We'll find it in the Word.
00:40:52.75\00:40:54.98
I'm thinking...
00:40:58.42\00:40:59.75
Ecclesiastes 5:2
00:41:02.82\00:41:08.40
Looking at Ecclesiastes
and thinking about Ephesus.
00:41:11.17\00:41:13.90
"Do not be rash with your mouth,
00:41:15.94\00:41:18.21
and let not your heart utter
anything hastily before God.
00:41:18.61\00:41:22.21
For God is in
heaven, and you on the earth.
00:41:22.31\00:41:25.91
Therefore let
your words be few."
00:41:25.95\00:41:28.78
What's being said here,
what the wise-man is saying
00:41:30.89\00:41:33.36
is that, don't make a lot of
promises and say a lot of things
00:41:33.39\00:41:37.36
and try to
bargain with the Lord.
00:41:37.39\00:41:39.06
Because He's up
there and you're down here.
00:41:39.19\00:41:41.96
You cannot make the
sun shine or the rain come.
00:41:42.00\00:41:45.10
You don't know what's
going to happen tomorrow.
00:41:45.13\00:41:46.74
So don't throw a
lot of promises to God.
00:41:46.84\00:41:49.10
"Lord, if You..."
00:41:49.14\00:41:50.47
And I've heard
people and have done this.
00:41:50.51\00:41:51.84
"Lord, if You get me out
of this fix, I promise You
00:41:51.87\00:41:54.38
I'll straighten
up, I'll fly right."
00:41:54.41\00:41:56.68
I know a good
friend that I grew up with,
00:41:56.71\00:41:59.35
every time he gets sent
to jail, he gets converted.
00:41:59.38\00:42:02.38
And when he gets out of
jail, he gets unconverted.
00:42:02.58\00:42:05.45
And he's always
making promises to God.
00:42:05.49\00:42:07.32
"If you get me out of this fix,
oh Lord, I'll take care of You.
00:42:07.36\00:42:11.13
I'll put You first in my life,"
until he gets out of the fix.
00:42:11.16\00:42:14.50
Then he forgets about the
promises that he made to God.
00:42:14.53\00:42:16.63
So the wise-man
Solomon is saying,
00:42:16.67\00:42:19.43
"Don't be rash with your mouth."
00:42:19.80\00:42:21.20
Don't try to bargain with God,
don't try to dicker with God.
00:42:21.24\00:42:23.81
Don't try to pull some
sort of fast one on God.
00:42:23.84\00:42:27.28
Let your words be few.
00:42:27.31\00:42:28.64
Don't let your mouth
get you into trouble.
00:42:28.68\00:42:31.41
Just surrender to Him.
00:42:31.65\00:42:33.31
Ask for what you need.
00:42:33.52\00:42:34.85
And then, ladies and gentlemen,
when you're finished praying,
00:42:34.88\00:42:38.85
stop talking and listen.
00:42:38.89\00:42:41.76
That's the part of prayer
that so many people fail upon.
00:42:42.79\00:42:45.59
"Lord, give me, give me,
give me, give me, give me."
00:42:46.26\00:42:49.43
And then you're gone.
00:42:51.20\00:42:52.53
And you never let God
have a chance to talk to you.
00:42:53.17\00:42:57.11
Listening to God is as
important as talking to God.
00:42:57.91\00:43:04.01
Spend some time in listening.
00:43:04.71\00:43:06.18
Because God has much to
say that we need to hear.
00:43:06.21\00:43:10.22
So Solomon says
in Ecclesiastes 5:2,
00:43:10.55\00:43:12.89
"Don't be rash with your words.
00:43:12.92\00:43:16.89
Because God is in heaven
and you are on the earth."
00:43:17.23\00:43:21.26
"Our Father which art in heaven,
00:43:21.76\00:43:24.27
hallowed," or
holy, "is Your name."
00:43:25.43\00:43:29.67
God is holy.
00:43:30.31\00:43:32.74
Never forget that
even in the face of Abba,
00:43:33.38\00:43:37.21
you're dealing with a holy God.
00:43:37.25\00:43:39.65
"Holy is Your name."
00:43:39.88\00:43:42.68
In today's world names
don't really mean too much.
00:43:44.62\00:43:48.26
It's kind of just a
handle that you call people.
00:43:48.29\00:43:50.36
You get named
after aunts and uncles.
00:43:51.53\00:43:54.70
You get named after
different kinds of things.
00:43:54.73\00:43:56.90
People name their children
some pretty strange names.
00:43:57.20\00:44:00.37
I am a junior; my father
was Clement Augustus Murray.
00:44:00.40\00:44:03.54
I am Clement
August King Murray, Jr.
00:44:03.74\00:44:07.38
You know, so names don't
really carry that much weight.
00:44:07.41\00:44:11.01
It's just a name.
00:44:11.91\00:44:13.25
But in Bible times,
names were intimately connected
00:44:13.28\00:44:17.15
with character.
00:44:17.25\00:44:18.59
When a parent saw a
character trait in the child,
00:44:19.49\00:44:24.66
or perhaps a character trait
that they hoped would exist
00:44:24.86\00:44:29.23
in that child, they associated
the name with that identified
00:44:29.26\00:44:35.94
or perceived or anticipated
or revealed character trait.
00:44:35.97\00:44:41.41
So God's name is holy.
00:44:42.14\00:44:47.28
"Holy is Your name."
00:44:47.38\00:44:50.02
God is holy in two ways.
00:44:50.59\00:44:52.39
He is holy, one,
because of what He is.
00:44:52.42\00:44:55.82
He is holy.
00:44:56.26\00:44:57.59
He is holy, two,
because of what He does.
00:44:59.03\00:45:02.76
He acts holy.
00:45:03.60\00:45:05.87
God is holy and He acts holy.
00:45:06.60\00:45:09.44
Now He is not holy
because He acts that way.
00:45:09.47\00:45:14.48
He acts that way
because He is that way.
00:45:14.51\00:45:19.21
So holy is God's name.
00:45:19.61\00:45:23.28
You recall in Exodus
34:5-7, the Bible says
00:45:23.32\00:45:29.09
God's name stands
for His character.
00:45:29.12\00:45:30.69
Now I want to take a
moment just to go to that.
00:45:30.73\00:45:32.33
Come back with me to
the book of Exodus 34.
00:45:32.43\00:45:35.63
I like this. Exodus 34.
00:45:36.33\00:45:38.10
I'm in Exodus 33,
and now we're in 34.
00:45:38.70\00:45:41.30
And we want to
pick it up at verse 5.
00:45:41.34\00:45:44.04
The Word of God
says, the Bible says,
00:45:44.07\00:45:46.57
"Now the LORD
descended in the cloud
00:45:46.91\00:45:50.15
and stood with
him," that is Moses,
00:45:50.25\00:45:53.01
and proclaimed
the name of the LORD."
00:45:53.45\00:45:55.75
Proclaimed the name of the Lord.
00:45:55.78\00:45:57.12
So we get a little context here.
00:45:57.15\00:45:58.49
"And the LORD passed
before him and proclaimed,
00:45:59.12\00:46:02.52
'The LORD, the LORD
God, merciful and gracious,
00:46:02.82\00:46:07.60
long suffering, and
abounding in goodness and truth,
00:46:07.63\00:46:11.80
keeping mercy for
thousands, forgiving iniquity
00:46:12.23\00:46:15.87
and transgression and sin,
by no means clearing the guilty,
00:46:15.90\00:46:20.94
visiting the iniquity of
the fathers upon the children
00:46:21.04\00:46:23.81
and the children's
children unto the third
00:46:23.91\00:46:26.48
and the fourth generation.'"
00:46:26.51\00:46:28.15
So God, in declaring who He
was, in declaring the pedigree
00:46:28.18\00:46:35.09
of His name, said, "The
LORD, merciful and gracious,
00:46:35.12\00:46:41.93
long suffering, and abounding
in goodness and truth..."
00:46:42.33\00:46:47.37
So God is worthy of praise.
00:46:47.64\00:46:50.91
God is holy because of
what He is and what He does.
00:46:51.24\00:46:56.75
As a holy God,
God can only be holy.
00:46:57.15\00:47:03.25
And He can only act holy.
00:47:03.82\00:47:06.32
And He can only
relate to us in a holy way.
00:47:06.35\00:47:10.49
So when you ask God His name,
what you're going to get is,
00:47:10.53\00:47:15.93
"...gracious, long suffering,
abounding in goodness and truth,
00:47:16.26\00:47:23.14
and keeping mercy for
thousands, and forgiving
00:47:23.34\00:47:26.64
iniquity and
transgression and sin..."
00:47:26.68\00:47:29.71
So why is God holy?
00:47:29.74\00:47:31.11
Because He acts holy.
00:47:31.31\00:47:34.45
Why does God act holy?
00:47:34.78\00:47:37.12
Because He is holy.
00:47:37.15\00:47:39.72
And so when we pray,
we have to acknowledge
00:47:40.02\00:47:43.22
early on, early on, that
we're dealing with a holy God.
00:47:43.26\00:47:48.30
Now you'll notice, everything
that we've done so far
00:47:48.33\00:47:50.73
in this model prayer
precedes asking for stuff.
00:47:50.77\00:47:55.57
So if your prayers
are what we like to call,
00:47:56.17\00:47:59.77
shopping lists,
then something is wrong.
00:47:59.81\00:48:03.38
Because it's not God's will
that you just come and request.
00:48:04.11\00:48:08.68
Before you request,
you've got to acknowledge
00:48:09.02\00:48:11.89
who God is and who you are.
00:48:11.92\00:48:14.22
You know, if you had a friend,
and every time you saw that
00:48:14.26\00:48:17.56
friend his hand was out,
after a while you'd start
00:48:17.59\00:48:23.43
trying to find
someplace else to go.
00:48:23.47\00:48:25.33
If every time you saw
your friend he's always
00:48:25.37\00:48:28.34
asking for stuff,
after a while I doubt if
00:48:28.37\00:48:31.77
he'd be your closest friend.
00:48:31.81\00:48:33.24
Because every time you'd see
him, you know, "Here he comes.
00:48:33.27\00:48:35.74
Here she comes.
00:48:35.78\00:48:37.11
She's going to
ask me for something."
00:48:37.15\00:48:38.51
You know, if every time you see
that person, they're borrowing
00:48:39.38\00:48:42.08
money from you
and never paying back,
00:48:42.12\00:48:44.82
never saying thank you,
after a while you're going to
00:48:45.19\00:48:47.72
get a little irritated.
00:48:47.76\00:48:49.09
Always asking for stuff.
00:48:50.06\00:48:51.69
Well God doesn't get
irritated, because He's
00:48:52.53\00:48:54.43
too loving for that.
00:48:54.46\00:48:55.80
But if you want an
intimate relationship with God,
00:48:55.83\00:48:58.30
you've got to spend a little
time acknowledging who He is
00:48:58.40\00:49:02.60
and who you are before
you start asking for stuff.
00:49:03.30\00:49:08.28
Pray this way.
00:49:09.48\00:49:10.81
"Our Father which art in heaven,
halloweth, holy is Your name.
00:49:11.18\00:49:18.22
Thy kingdom come.
00:49:20.02\00:49:21.99
Thy will be done..."
00:49:22.62\00:49:23.96
Jesus came to bring entrance
to the kingdom of heaven.
00:49:24.63\00:49:30.27
Revelation 11:15, "The kingdoms
of this world will one day
00:49:31.70\00:49:36.40
become the kingdoms of
our Lord, and of His Christ."
00:49:36.44\00:49:40.84
Jesus' message, the
message preached by John,
00:49:42.28\00:49:48.35
is that the kingdom
of heaven is at hand.
00:49:48.58\00:49:52.75
And this is repeated in
Matthew 3:2, Matthew 10:7
00:49:53.15\00:49:59.33
and Mark 1:15.
00:49:59.36\00:50:02.33
John came to preach,
and Jesus came to affirm,
00:50:02.86\00:50:07.10
that you can
participate in the joys of the
00:50:07.40\00:50:11.04
kingdom even now.
00:50:11.07\00:50:13.07
"Thy kingdom come."
00:50:13.48\00:50:15.24
And I submit to you,
brothers and sisters,
00:50:15.28\00:50:17.18
that the kingdom comes
the moment you get Jesus.
00:50:17.41\00:50:20.68
Now you may not get entrance
into heaven at that point,
00:50:21.48\00:50:25.52
but you get
entrance into heavenly realms
00:50:25.92\00:50:29.56
and into the heart of Jesus,
and Jesus into your heart.
00:50:29.59\00:50:33.29
And so the kingdom
of heaven visits you,
00:50:33.33\00:50:37.07
resides with you, when you
accept Jesus into your life.
00:50:37.10\00:50:42.87
That's what John's message was,
as the forerunner of Christ.
00:50:43.37\00:50:46.98
The kingdom of God is at hand
in the presence of Jesus Christ.
00:50:47.71\00:50:53.75
So, "Thy kingdom come."
00:50:53.78\00:50:55.62
Not only is that a request
for the second coming of Christ,
00:50:55.72\00:50:59.09
that's a request for
Christ to come into your heart
00:50:59.12\00:51:01.89
and dwell there here and now.
00:51:01.92\00:51:04.89
And praise God, when
we surrender ourselves
00:51:05.06\00:51:07.26
as a living
sacrifice, as Romans 12:1 says,
00:51:07.46\00:51:11.70
we get Christ in all of
his fullness through the power
00:51:11.80\00:51:16.44
of the Holy Ghost,
and we begin to experience
00:51:16.71\00:51:21.48
the joys of the
kingdom even before we get
00:51:21.68\00:51:25.25
residence in the kingdom.
00:51:25.28\00:51:27.32
Because at that
point, the kingdom becomes
00:51:27.35\00:51:30.22
resident in you and in me.
00:51:30.25\00:51:34.52
So the quickest way
to get into that kingdom
00:51:35.42\00:51:38.03
or to get that kingdom
in you is to ask God for it
00:51:38.33\00:51:43.53
through prayer.
00:51:44.17\00:51:45.70
Is to request God to
give it to you through prayer.
00:51:46.20\00:51:50.97
"Deliver us from evil."
00:51:51.84\00:51:53.94
Lord, don't we need to
be delivered from evil?
00:51:54.91\00:51:57.05
There are two
deliverances from evil.
00:51:58.21\00:52:02.52
One is deliverance
from the power of evil.
00:52:03.28\00:52:07.89
The other is deliverance
from the presence of evil.
00:52:08.62\00:52:12.99
Um-hmm.
00:52:14.10\00:52:15.43
When you give
your heart to the Lord,
00:52:16.56\00:52:18.33
when you ask Jesus
to come into your life,
00:52:19.37\00:52:21.84
you get deliverance
from the power of evil
00:52:22.47\00:52:27.28
right then, right now.
00:52:27.78\00:52:30.98
That's the
justifying experience,
00:52:31.81\00:52:35.28
moving into the
sanctifying experience,
00:52:35.58\00:52:38.19
of God in answer to your prayer.
00:52:38.52\00:52:40.46
When you say,
"Jesus, come into my life.
00:52:40.76\00:52:44.13
Take residence on my throne.
00:52:44.56\00:52:46.80
Take control of my life,"
00:52:47.70\00:52:49.60
He gives you deliverance
from the power of evil
00:52:50.17\00:52:55.60
so that the old man is slain,
the old desires are destroyed,
00:52:56.34\00:53:02.88
the old life is put to bed, and
you become new in Christ Jesus.
00:53:03.24\00:53:09.78
So sin no longer
has dominion over you.
00:53:09.98\00:53:14.36
It no longer has power over you.
00:53:14.39\00:53:17.39
It no longer has
an attraction to you.
00:53:17.56\00:53:20.53
You are delivered
from the power of evil.
00:53:21.60\00:53:26.13
The Bibles says if we sin,
if we make a little mistake,
00:53:26.84\00:53:29.70
we have an
Advocate with the Father.
00:53:30.27\00:53:31.84
Deliverance from the
power of evil: immediate.
00:53:33.34\00:53:36.08
Deliverance from the presence:
00:53:36.68\00:53:38.18
probably take a
little while longer.
00:53:38.38\00:53:40.12
Won't get that
until Jesus comes.
00:53:40.88\00:53:42.82
But you can overcome it by
being delivered from the power.
00:53:43.05\00:53:46.05
One day when sin is destroyed,
the presence will be gone.
00:53:46.09\00:53:50.43
We'll be sitting with
God in heavenly places.
00:53:50.63\00:53:53.40
But for now, we can
crush the power of sin
00:53:53.43\00:53:58.43
and be delivered
from the power of sin
00:53:58.47\00:54:01.47
through the
indwelling Jesus Christ,
00:54:01.84\00:54:03.64
who will one day takes us
away from the presence of sin
00:54:03.81\00:54:08.18
when sin will exist no more.
00:54:08.48\00:54:11.11
"Deliver us from evil."
00:54:12.61\00:54:13.95
"But keep us in Thy way."
00:54:15.42\00:54:17.79
Let's go back to Matthew.
00:54:19.15\00:54:20.49
I want to go back before
our time runs away from us.
00:54:20.52\00:54:22.52
I'm looking at the
last few minutes here.
00:54:22.56\00:54:24.26
I want to run to
Matthew real quick.
00:54:24.29\00:54:26.26
Go back to Matthew 6.
00:54:26.29\00:54:27.90
"Our Father which art in
heaven, hallowed be Thy name.
00:54:29.03\00:54:31.20
Thy kingdom come.
00:54:31.23\00:54:32.57
Thy will be done on
earth, as it is in heaven.
00:54:32.60\00:54:36.74
Give us this
day our daily bread.
00:54:37.47\00:54:40.08
But deliver us from evil.
00:54:40.61\00:54:42.28
Forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors."
00:54:43.08\00:54:45.71
When I was young, we learned it
as, "Forgive us our trespasses,
00:54:45.88\00:54:48.48
as we forgive those
who trespass against us."
00:54:48.52\00:54:50.72
Basically the same thing.
00:54:50.75\00:54:52.09
Basically you're
saying, "Lord, forgive me,
00:54:52.75\00:54:54.92
and then help me to pass
that forgiveness onto others."
00:54:54.96\00:54:57.59
That's like, "Give
me a forgiving heart,
00:54:58.19\00:55:00.10
just like You have a
forgiving heart for me."
00:55:00.86\00:55:03.13
Forgive me my sins, and
then help me to be big enough,
00:55:03.16\00:55:07.14
grown enough, Christian enough,
00:55:07.24\00:55:09.37
to forgive those who
trespassed against me.
00:55:09.40\00:55:12.17
Because just as I
wound You through my actions,
00:55:12.21\00:55:16.91
there are going to be those who
wound me through their actions.
00:55:17.01\00:55:20.58
And as You are so kind
and gracious to forgive me
00:55:20.78\00:55:23.59
of my misdeeds, allow me,
Lord, enough Christ in my life
00:55:23.62\00:55:28.46
to forgive others
of their misdeeds.
00:55:28.56\00:55:31.39
In fact, the Bible says
you're going to be forgiven
00:55:31.43\00:55:33.73
in proportion
to your willingness
00:55:33.76\00:55:35.96
and desire to forgive others.
00:55:36.00\00:55:37.37
You forgive, and
you will be forgiven.
00:55:37.40\00:55:39.37
If you don't forgive, then
it's going to be hard for heaven
00:55:39.40\00:55:42.34
to give you a break if
you're not going to give others
00:55:42.37\00:55:44.71
the same kind of
break in their lives.
00:55:44.74\00:55:46.07
So Lord, forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
00:55:46.11\00:55:50.18
Forgive us our
trespasses, as we forgive those
00:55:50.51\00:55:53.01
who trespass against us.
00:55:53.18\00:55:55.22
"For Yours is the
kingdom, the power,
00:55:56.35\00:56:01.02
and the glory, forever. Amen."
00:56:01.42\00:56:05.53
It's just stating a fact.
00:56:06.03\00:56:08.36
Yours is indeed the kingdom.
00:56:09.36\00:56:11.50
Now you'll notice that
I did jump over one verse.
00:56:11.53\00:56:15.70
It's verse 11.
00:56:16.10\00:56:17.44
"Give us this
day our daily bread."
00:56:18.21\00:56:21.41
That's the request list
that's tucked in the middle
00:56:22.48\00:56:26.21
of that prayer.
00:56:26.25\00:56:27.58
It's just one line.
00:56:27.85\00:56:29.35
How interesting it is
that for so many of us
00:56:30.09\00:56:32.69
the request list
takes up most of our prayer.
00:56:33.89\00:56:38.39
But I submit to
you, if you praise God,
00:56:38.99\00:56:42.83
if you worship Him,
if you acknowledge your
00:56:43.13\00:56:46.10
dependence upon Him,
your praise will get longer,
00:56:46.13\00:56:50.41
your requests will get smaller,
and your prayer will draw you
00:56:50.81\00:56:55.31
closer to the
power of Omnipotence.
00:56:55.34\00:56:59.55
Then He closes that prayer
with these wonderful words,
00:57:00.12\00:57:03.62
"For Yours is the kingdom..."
00:57:03.65\00:57:05.85
You're surrendering your heart.
00:57:06.29\00:57:07.66
"...and the power,"
praise God, "and the glory..."
00:57:08.29\00:57:12.79
All glory belongs to Him.
00:57:13.23\00:57:15.16
"...forever," from
now on, "and ever. Amen."
00:57:15.70\00:57:21.34
And amen.
00:57:21.64\00:57:22.97
Pray this way.
00:57:23.00\00:57:26.21