Chapter 11: The Privilege of Prayer. 00:00:31.83\00:00:35.23 Hello and Welcome to Steps to Christ in song. 00:00:36.77\00:00:38.80 Today, we're gonna be looking at the privilege 00:00:38.83\00:00:40.74 of prayer. Let me tell you a little personal secret 00:00:40.77\00:00:43.91 I used to be afraid to pray, I grew up in the 00:00:43.94\00:00:47.58 Anglican Church and there was a Reverend Blackstock. 00:00:47.61\00:00:51.01 They used to wear these big robes and he would 00:00:51.05\00:00:53.92 pray in a very formal way to God and so I thought 00:00:53.95\00:00:57.65 if I can't pray to God that way then he is probably 00:00:57.69\00:01:00.69 not interested in my prayers and there were 00:01:00.72\00:01:02.69 other people in the church, adults, 00:01:02.72\00:01:04.16 who would pray like that and so that's where 00:01:04.19\00:01:06.33 I formed this idea. So, as I came to different 00:01:06.36\00:01:12.50 situations, where I would have to pray always 00:01:12.53\00:01:14.10 be terrified. And so there was a situation 00:01:14.14\00:01:16.77 where I was asked to pray in public and I was so 00:01:16.81\00:01:20.64 terrified I refused and afterwards the person 00:01:20.68\00:01:23.88 who ask me to pray came to me and said 00:01:23.91\00:01:25.55 why are you so afraid to pray in public 00:01:25.58\00:01:28.32 and I told him that I was afraid not to use the 00:01:28.75\00:01:31.92 right language and that I couldn't pray like that. 00:01:31.95\00:01:34.16 And so he said to me something that I 00:01:34.19\00:01:36.32 would never forget, he said prayer is the opening 00:01:36.36\00:01:39.63 of the heart to God as to a friend and when I heard 00:01:39.66\00:01:42.83 that it made me feel warm and comfortable inside 00:01:42.86\00:01:46.50 like I could talk to God about my worries, 00:01:46.53\00:01:49.27 my fears whether I was happy or sad 00:01:49.30\00:01:52.41 and he'd be very interested, and so today 00:01:52.44\00:01:55.58 we're gonna talk about prayer and before we get 00:01:55.61\00:01:58.61 too far into it, I'm gonna ask Jennifer 00:01:58.65\00:02:00.88 if she will lead us in a word of prayer. 00:02:00.92\00:02:03.55 Could you do that Jennifer? Sure. Let's pray. 00:02:03.59\00:02:06.39 Dear heavenly Father, thank you so much for the 00:02:07.69\00:02:10.03 privilege we have to communicate with you. 00:02:10.06\00:02:11.93 I ask this in your Holy Spirit to mend our hearts 00:02:12.86\00:02:15.86 as we learn more about our need for you, 00:02:16.43\00:02:20.17 thank you in your name, amen. 00:02:20.74\00:02:22.50 Understanding what I do about God's love and power, 00:02:24.54\00:02:27.28 I sometimes wonder why we don't talk to him 00:02:27.78\00:02:29.98 more often about our problems. 00:02:30.01\00:02:31.65 I mean talking to God should be like talking to a 00:02:32.28\00:02:34.95 friend, the difference is that this friend has all 00:02:34.98\00:02:38.35 the answers to all our problems. 00:02:38.39\00:02:40.49 Jesus says in Matthew 7:9 through 11 what man 00:02:41.49\00:02:44.96 is there among you who, if the son asks for bread, 00:02:44.99\00:02:48.06 will give him a stone or if he asks for a fish, 00:02:48.10\00:02:51.40 will he give him a serpent. If you then being evil, 00:02:52.00\00:02:55.20 know how to give good gifts to your children 00:02:55.24\00:02:57.74 how much more will your Father who is in heaven 00:02:57.77\00:03:00.18 give good things to those who ask him. God is on your 00:03:00.21\00:03:03.95 side and he wants you to be happy, 00:03:03.98\00:03:05.78 so why not ask him to help you find that 00:03:06.28\00:03:08.42 true happiness which nothing can take away. 00:03:08.45\00:03:11.79 My Jesus Knows When I'm Lonely 00:03:15.32\00:03:19.13 He Knows Each Pain, He Sees Each Tear 00:03:19.16\00:03:24.93 He Understands Each Lonely Heartache 00:03:24.97\00:03:29.20 He Understands Because He Cares 00:03:29.24\00:03:34.24 My Jesus Knows Just What I Need 00:03:34.28\00:03:38.98 Oh, Yes He Knows Just What I Need 00:03:39.01\00:03:43.59 He Satisfies And Every Need's Supplied 00:03:43.62\00:03:48.42 Yes, He Knows Just What I Need 00:03:48.46\00:03:53.23 When Other Friend Seem To Forget Me 00:03:53.26\00:03:57.77 When Skies Are Dark Can Hope Scenes Gone 00:03:57.80\00:04:02.67 By Faith I Feel He Surrounds Around Me 00:04:02.70\00:04:07.24 And Hear Him Say You're Not Alone 00:04:07.28\00:04:12.05 My Jesus Knows Just What I Need 00:04:12.08\00:04:16.82 Oh, Yes He Knows Just What I Need 00:04:16.85\00:04:21.56 He Satisfies And Every Need's Supplied 00:04:21.59\00:04:26.36 Yes, He Knows Just What I Need 00:04:26.39\00:04:31.23 Yes, He Knows Just What I Need. 00:04:31.27\00:04:39.07 In James 4:2, it says we have not because we ask not. 00:04:41.84\00:04:45.05 And even though Jesus knows what we need 00:04:45.68\00:04:47.52 before we ask him, he still wants us to ask. 00:04:47.55\00:04:50.05 Hebrews 4:16 encourages us to come boldly 00:04:51.32\00:04:53.89 before the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy 00:04:53.92\00:04:56.73 and find help in time of need. But Rebecca what about 00:04:56.76\00:04:59.83 little children, does that apply to little children. 00:04:59.86\00:05:02.30 I think it does, when I was little me and my sister 00:05:02.33\00:05:05.37 really wanted a playhouse and so we prayed 00:05:05.40\00:05:08.07 and asked God to give us a playhouse, 00:05:08.10\00:05:09.90 but not just any playhouse. We wanted a playhouse 00:05:09.94\00:05:12.61 that had a deck, two windows and a door with 00:05:12.64\00:05:15.68 the handles, so we could open it and like 00:05:15.71\00:05:17.05 walk-in it. Specific details, yes, okay. 00:05:17.08\00:05:19.25 And so we prayed every night and asked God 00:05:19.28\00:05:21.38 and mom and dad, they prayed too but they're 00:05:21.42\00:05:23.75 kind of little bit skeptical because we had a lot, 00:05:23.79\00:05:26.19 we wanted specifics and, but we trusted that 00:05:26.22\00:05:28.76 God would, you know, listen and answer our prayer 00:05:28.79\00:05:30.96 and so we prayed and prayed and. 00:05:30.99\00:05:33.09 One night my mom and dad were looking through 00:05:33.13\00:05:34.86 the newspaper and they saw an ad for a playhouse 00:05:34.93\00:05:37.47 and we read about it, but we weren't quite sure 00:05:37.50\00:05:40.17 if there was and so we want to go and look at it. 00:05:40.20\00:05:42.04 And we went and my sister and I saw it, 00:05:42.07\00:05:44.81 we were so excited because it had exactly 00:05:44.84\00:05:47.44 what we prayed for. Wow, it is a little playhouse 00:05:47.48\00:05:50.11 and had a deck, had two windows, 00:05:50.15\00:05:51.85 the windows opened, had a door with the handle 00:05:51.88\00:05:54.72 and then when you walked in there is a rainbow 00:05:54.75\00:05:56.85 inside and then up on the roof there is blue sky with 00:05:57.65\00:06:01.96 clouds and it was like absolutely amazing 00:06:01.99\00:06:04.43 and I don't know it was just a real blessing 00:06:04.46\00:06:07.66 because you know even though we were so little 00:06:07.73\00:06:09.76 we had that faith, yeah, and you know faith is the 00:06:09.80\00:06:15.37 key in the hand of, prayer is the key in the hand of 00:06:15.40\00:06:18.34 faith to open heaven's door house. And we had that 00:06:18.37\00:06:21.71 and God answered our prayer and 00:06:21.74\00:06:23.24 I just think that's what we need. 00:06:23.28\00:06:24.85 That's a good promise, prayer is a key in the 00:06:24.88\00:06:27.82 hand of faith to unlock heaven's door house. 00:06:27.85\00:06:30.82 That's true and I've experienced the same type 00:06:30.85\00:06:32.89 of thing. I've prayed for people in different 00:06:32.92\00:06:35.16 situations I remember one time with the elder 00:06:35.19\00:06:37.39 of our church, we went and prayed for a little baby, 00:06:37.43\00:06:40.66 who had had a number of operations on her. 00:06:40.70\00:06:43.03 She was, she had so many operations that she was 00:06:43.06\00:06:45.90 afraid of anyone wearing a white coat 00:06:45.93\00:06:47.97 because these doctors used to wear white you know 00:06:48.00\00:06:50.64 when they would come in and so we went to pray for her. 00:06:50.67\00:06:53.64 They, the doctors had given up and they said the next 00:06:53.68\00:06:56.01 day she would die and we just heard about this at 00:06:56.04\00:06:58.48 our church and so we went and prayed for her 00:06:58.51\00:07:00.42 and she was completely healed, 00:07:00.45\00:07:02.05 they didn't have to do anymore operations 00:07:02.08\00:07:03.59 and her parents came to us and they were just crying 00:07:03.62\00:07:06.35 and they said thank you praying for this little baby 00:07:06.39\00:07:09.46 and it wasn't us it was God who healed her 00:07:09.49\00:07:12.19 and just yesterday, I had an answered prayer. 00:07:12.23\00:07:15.40 I mean we had many answered prayer 00:07:15.43\00:07:16.93 that I could talk about, but this was yesterday 00:07:16.97\00:07:19.97 I was feeling this kind of an abdominal pain, 00:07:20.00\00:07:22.30 it was really a strange sort of pain, it was all 00:07:22.34\00:07:24.67 morning, it was going on for hours and then finally 00:07:24.71\00:07:27.31 I had to teach a class it was social studies nine 00:07:27.34\00:07:29.94 and before class I went to the cafeteria you were 00:07:29.98\00:07:34.78 there Rebecca and I looked for some charcoal 00:07:34.82\00:07:37.22 tablets to take away maybe or something I ate 00:07:37.25\00:07:39.85 or something inside, so I took these tablets 00:07:39.89\00:07:41.72 and about two or three minutes later 00:07:42.39\00:07:44.33 I was back in the class and I was in so much pain 00:07:44.36\00:07:46.73 I couldn't even kneel down to pray and before class 00:07:46.76\00:07:49.20 we always pray and I asked Benjamin to pray 00:07:49.23\00:07:51.77 and Benjamin prayed for the rest of the class 00:07:51.80\00:07:53.77 and then he prayed for me that I would be healed 00:07:53.80\00:07:55.97 and when I got up off my knees I was healed, 00:07:56.57\00:07:59.94 it was gone, it was completely gone. 00:08:00.04\00:08:02.04 Yesterday you know and it was an immediate 00:08:02.08\00:08:04.78 answer to prayer. Have any of you had lately an 00:08:04.81\00:08:10.02 answer to prayer to see how God was leading in 00:08:10.05\00:08:12.05 your life. Oh actually I have something I really 00:08:12.09\00:08:16.93 like to share do you don't mind I share it real quick? 00:08:16.96\00:08:18.59 Sure go ahead, Leighton. Well, okay being on the 00:08:18.63\00:08:22.13 Steps to Christ Filming Crew has been a big 00:08:22.16\00:08:25.10 blessing for me and just lately like 00:08:25.13\00:08:28.84 when we've been filming these Bible studies, 00:08:28.87\00:08:30.84 we had so many answers to prayer like the first day, 00:08:31.47\00:08:34.41 we were out here at the river, I remember that, 00:08:35.08\00:08:38.28 and yeah the wind was blowing and okay it would 00:08:38.31\00:08:42.52 not stop, we were just waiting for it to stop 00:08:42.55\00:08:45.52 and so we decided okay let's pray. 00:08:45.95\00:08:48.82 So we stopped and we prayed and like while 00:08:48.86\00:08:53.96 we were praying the wind stopped, 00:08:54.00\00:08:56.00 wow and I was like wow, you know, 00:08:56.03\00:08:58.30 and that was such an answer to prayer 00:08:58.33\00:09:00.64 and it was great, the second day we were filming, 00:09:00.67\00:09:05.61 we were going up to a lake and so we're driving in the 00:09:05.64\00:09:10.25 van and we're going up this hill and all of a sudden 00:09:10.28\00:09:14.05 the van just stutters to a stop. Yes, that's true, 00:09:14.08\00:09:17.19 I was driving that van, yeah, it wouldn't go, 00:09:17.22\00:09:19.32 it sputtered and then it just cut out completely. 00:09:19.35\00:09:23.26 Yeah and so one of the students that was with us, 00:09:23.29\00:09:27.76 he is like well we should pray, so we are like you 00:09:27.76\00:09:29.66 know that's a good idea. So we prayed and just like 00:09:29.70\00:09:34.80 as soon as we try starting the van again it fired 00:09:34.84\00:09:37.57 right up and just went like normal. 00:09:37.61\00:09:39.24 Yeah, it went straight up the hill, we went out 00:09:39.27\00:09:41.14 and we filmed and we came back, 00:09:41.18\00:09:42.54 there was no problem with the van after that, yeah. 00:09:42.58\00:09:44.61 And so, then the third day I was like wow we've had 00:09:44.65\00:09:48.98 so much answer to prayer and so we're out filming 00:09:49.02\00:09:52.62 actually here on campus and we're filming away 00:09:52.65\00:09:56.99 and everything was just fine and then we hear 00:09:57.03\00:10:00.70 this engine that was all the way across the river 00:10:00.73\00:10:03.20 and it fired out and we're like oh you know yeah 00:10:03.23\00:10:06.97 it was some guy on his motorcycle just winding it 00:10:07.00\00:10:09.64 out and it wasn't that loud, but it is just like 00:10:09.67\00:10:13.74 you know just enough to disturb our filming 00:10:14.04\00:10:16.78 and so we again we prayed and the engine 00:10:16.81\00:10:22.35 it stopped after I don't know it was a few minutes, 00:10:22.38\00:10:25.05 about a couple of minutes and when we were ready 00:10:25.09\00:10:26.96 to film it stopped, it was just totally silent. 00:10:26.99\00:10:29.42 And it's just been such a blessing, it has been, 00:10:29.46\00:10:32.89 filming here on the Steps to Christ. 00:10:32.93\00:10:34.46 So, those are real answers to prayer, yeah, 00:10:34.46\00:10:37.27 and thanks for interrupting the program to tell us 00:10:37.30\00:10:39.60 about that answer to prayer, 00:10:39.63\00:10:40.84 yeah, thanks Leighton. 00:10:40.87\00:10:42.17 God like a wise parent doesn't always give us 00:10:44.47\00:10:47.24 everything we want. He knows what will make us 00:10:47.28\00:10:49.81 happy and what won't. Paul puts it in this way in 00:10:49.84\00:10:53.48 Romans 8:26, the Holy Spirit helps us in our distress. 00:10:53.52\00:10:57.55 For we don't even know what we should pray for, 00:10:57.59\00:11:00.22 nor how we should pray, but the Holy Spirit prays 00:11:00.26\00:11:03.63 for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in 00:11:03.66\00:11:06.43 words. So go ahead and pray knowing that your prayer 00:11:06.46\00:11:11.87 will be answered in a way that will turn out even 00:11:11.90\00:11:14.20 better then you expected, but remember God's first 00:11:14.24\00:11:17.87 priority is to get you into heaven. 00:11:17.91\00:11:19.91 So if you're doing things that you know are wrong 00:11:20.51\00:11:22.68 he makes sure to help you with those things first. 00:11:23.18\00:11:25.38 Trust in God, because he is much wiser and more 00:11:26.41\00:11:29.38 experienced than you are and in the end you'll be 00:11:29.42\00:11:32.12 eternally grateful that you did. 00:11:32.15\00:11:33.96 When we have close friends, we like to communicate 00:11:36.69\00:11:39.06 with them often, in the same way God wants us to 00:11:39.09\00:11:42.76 communicate with him often. So you can talk to him 00:11:42.80\00:11:46.07 anytime, even when you're busy during the day. 00:11:46.10\00:11:49.10 You don't have to say anything because God 00:11:49.80\00:11:51.81 can read your mind. So simply lift up your 00:11:51.84\00:11:54.61 thoughts, concerns, and questions to him 00:11:54.64\00:11:56.88 and he'll understand exactly what you are thinking. 00:11:56.91\00:11:59.48 In this way God can be your constant companion 00:12:00.45\00:12:03.59 and you can have the assurance that he not 00:12:03.92\00:12:05.75 only knows what you're going through, 00:12:05.79\00:12:07.36 but he is with you through it all. 00:12:07.99\00:12:09.99 Dying with Jesus, by death reckoned mine; 00:12:12.29\00:12:18.97 Living with Jesus, a new life divine; 00:12:19.00\00:12:26.78 Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine, 00:12:26.81\00:12:34.68 Moment by moment, O Lord, I am Thine. 00:12:34.72\00:12:46.36 Moment by moment I'm kept in His love; 00:12:46.39\00:12:53.74 Moment by moment I've life from above; 00:12:53.77\00:13:01.91 Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine; 00:13:01.94\00:13:10.12 Moment by moment, O Lord, I am Thine. 00:13:10.15\00:13:22.00 Never a trial that He is not there, 00:13:22.03\00:13:30.51 Never a burden that He doth not bear, 00:13:30.54\00:13:38.78 Never a sorrow that He doth not share, 00:13:38.81\00:13:46.96 Moment by moment, I'm under His care. 00:13:46.99\00:13:58.67 Moment by moment I'm kept in His love; 00:13:58.70\00:14:06.27 Moment by moment I've life from above; 00:14:06.31\00:14:14.45 Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine; 00:14:14.48\00:14:22.92 Moment by moment, O Lord, I am Thine. 00:14:22.96\00:14:35.30 Never a weakness that He doth not feel, 00:14:35.97\00:14:43.21 Never a sickness that He cannot heal; 00:14:43.24\00:14:50.95 Moment by moment, in woe or in weal, 00:14:50.99\00:14:58.66 Jesus, my Savior, abides with me still. 00:14:58.69\00:15:10.27 Moment by moment I'm kept in His love; 00:15:10.31\00:15:17.55 Moment by moment I've life from above; 00:15:17.58\00:15:25.89 Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine; 00:15:25.92\00:15:34.10 Moment by moment, O Lord, I am Thine. 00:15:34.13\00:15:48.74 The fact that God knows what I'm going through, 00:15:51.31\00:15:53.62 makes me want to be in his presence more and more. 00:15:53.65\00:15:56.69 The Bible says in Isaiah 53 that Jesus bore our guilt 00:15:56.72\00:16:01.36 and carried our sorrows. He loves us so much 00:16:01.39\00:16:04.29 and he hates to see us in pain or suffering. 00:16:04.33\00:16:07.13 So if we keep our eyes on him and listen to 00:16:07.60\00:16:09.50 what he has to tell us he'll see us 00:16:09.53\00:16:11.53 through any storm that we encounter. 00:16:11.57\00:16:13.77 That's true Robby and there are times though 00:16:13.80\00:16:16.30 when God answers our prayers in very 00:16:16.34\00:16:18.94 unexpected ways. I know that Jennifer told me a 00:16:18.97\00:16:21.24 story about how she was planning for her future, 00:16:21.28\00:16:24.08 where she was gonna go to school and she 00:16:24.11\00:16:26.65 and her parents were praying diligently 00:16:26.68\00:16:29.38 and she got an answer to prayer that was in an 00:16:29.42\00:16:31.85 unexpected way. Jennifer, since you're here, 00:16:31.89\00:16:34.49 can you tell us that experience. 00:16:34.52\00:16:36.79 Sure, well, I was home schooled at that time 00:16:37.69\00:16:40.96 and I was in junior high and both my parents had to go 00:16:40.96\00:16:44.27 work. So, I was alone most of the time and I needed to 00:16:44.30\00:16:49.27 find an academy to go to, so I was the age for it 00:16:49.30\00:16:52.34 and I didn't know where yet, so we just prayed about it 00:16:52.37\00:16:56.24 nothing really came up, so I just stayed at home 00:16:56.28\00:16:58.68 and then one day, is this was Sunday and my mom came 00:16:58.71\00:17:07.59 in, I was on the computer. My mom comes in and 00:17:07.62\00:17:10.19 informed me that a man from our church had passed 00:17:10.23\00:17:12.46 away that morning, did you know that man? 00:17:12.49\00:17:14.46 Yeah, I know him pretty well yeah, 00:17:15.06\00:17:16.43 and I was shocked because I just seen him at the church 00:17:16.46\00:17:21.30 the day before and came closer at the time of 00:17:21.34\00:17:25.51 funeral and the day before I got asked to 00:17:25.54\00:17:27.94 play my violin. So I told my word and then after the 00:17:27.98\00:17:34.85 memorial and after the dinner. My mom needed to 00:17:34.88\00:17:38.49 go to the church to do something and so my dad 00:17:38.52\00:17:40.96 and I are waiting for her and while we were waiting 00:17:40.99\00:17:43.66 the daughter of the man that had died came up to me 00:17:43.69\00:17:46.43 and thanked me for playing my violin, and she said 00:17:46.46\00:17:49.73 that her daughter also plays violin and then she 00:17:49.76\00:17:53.64 asked me what grade I was in I told her junior high 00:17:53.67\00:17:55.80 and I was home schooled and so then just out of the blue she, 00:17:55.84\00:18:02.48 she started to tell me about a school that her 00:18:02.51\00:18:04.78 daughter is going to up in Montana and, 00:18:04.81\00:18:07.98 you were interested because you were looking 00:18:08.02\00:18:10.69 for a school to go to, yeah. So, I was in Washington, 00:18:10.72\00:18:16.76 so this was like two states away maybe 00:18:16.79\00:18:19.66 and just this couple ran the school and at the most 00:18:19.69\00:18:26.40 they take 10 students. So, when my parents 00:18:26.43\00:18:30.87 listened and they didn't think much of it 00:18:31.44\00:18:34.04 they just thought it is pretty neat, 00:18:34.08\00:18:35.14 but when we got home I told my dad that this school 00:18:35.18\00:18:38.98 would be kind of, I might be interested in going 00:18:39.01\00:18:42.22 to this school. He looked to me and he was, 00:18:42.25\00:18:44.69 he was like are you serious, I don't think you 00:18:45.05\00:18:47.49 would be because it's too far from home and yeah, 00:18:47.52\00:18:51.19 out in the middle of nowhere, and look why 00:18:51.23\00:18:52.89 can't, I'm not interested. So, we got on the phone 00:18:52.93\00:18:56.46 right away contacted the lady and she told us 00:18:56.50\00:19:00.17 more information and gave us the phone number, 00:19:00.20\00:19:02.10 so we contacted the school and they send some 00:19:02.14\00:19:05.07 information and the more I read about it, 00:19:05.11\00:19:07.64 the more I liked about it, and at the end of that 00:19:07.68\00:19:10.45 month this was in April, I, we drove up to check out 00:19:10.48\00:19:15.68 the school and when we got there and looked at it, 00:19:15.72\00:19:21.66 we're all very impressed with it and I wanted to go 00:19:21.69\00:19:24.76 there, but there is one problem and that was 00:19:24.79\00:19:28.36 they had a waiting line, wailing list, 00:19:28.40\00:19:30.57 but I wasn't the only one in line, there was 00:19:31.07\00:19:33.30 another girl that wanted to go there too. 00:19:33.34\00:19:35.14 And the day that I was gonna come back home the guy, 00:19:35.17\00:19:38.81 the school told us that he would have accepted me 00:19:40.04\00:19:42.98 right on the spot except the had to be fair with the 00:19:43.01\00:19:45.41 other girl they think about it at least for a few more 00:19:45.45\00:19:48.75 days, so they told me that they have let me know in 00:19:48.78\00:19:51.65 one week. So, exactly one week later, 00:19:52.42\00:19:54.96 this was Tuesday night, so just before 8:30 00:19:54.99\00:19:57.86 we got a phone call and my mom picked it up 00:19:58.26\00:20:00.20 and pretty soon I heard her say, oh thank you, 00:20:00.23\00:20:03.93 I'll tell her, I tell the whole world then 00:20:04.47\00:20:07.60 you're right, then I had been accepted. 00:20:07.64\00:20:10.91 That's an answer to prayer, but it was totally unexpected 00:20:10.94\00:20:13.41 the way you had expected. You didn't know this man 00:20:13.44\00:20:16.08 was going to die, you didn't know that you were going to 00:20:16.11\00:20:17.81 meet his daughter and all those other things that happened. 00:20:17.85\00:20:20.95 So God is interested in, and he answers our prayers, 00:20:20.98\00:20:24.32 not exactly the way we expected, but he still answers our 00:20:24.35\00:20:27.46 prayers. Thank you for that experience. 00:20:27.49\00:20:29.46 There is a very important part of prayer 00:20:31.93\00:20:33.96 that's often neglected. When we are in trouble, 00:20:34.00\00:20:36.67 we naturally cry out to God for help, 00:20:36.70\00:20:38.90 but how often do we praise God for his constant 00:20:38.93\00:20:41.00 faithfulness. Prayer is not just about asking 00:20:41.04\00:20:45.41 and receiving, it is just as important to acknowledge 00:20:45.44\00:20:48.64 God for all he has done for us. You see, the main 00:20:48.68\00:20:52.41 purpose of prayer is not to convince God to bless us. 00:20:52.45\00:20:55.65 He already loves us and wants to give us all good 00:20:55.68\00:20:58.69 things. Matthew 6:8 says, your Father knows 00:20:58.72\00:21:02.76 exactly what you need even before you ask him, 00:21:02.79\00:21:06.03 but the purpose of prayer is to make a change in us. 00:21:06.06\00:21:09.53 Prayer helps us recognize how much God loves us 00:21:09.96\00:21:12.63 and does for us, even before you receive the 00:21:12.67\00:21:15.90 answer to your prayer you can thank God 00:21:15.94\00:21:18.81 because you know he is trustworthy and will do 00:21:18.84\00:21:21.84 what's best. So, why not thank God right now as this 00:21:21.88\00:21:25.68 psalmist says for his goodness and for his 00:21:25.71\00:21:28.38 wonderful works to the children of men. 00:21:28.42\00:21:30.89 Thy loving kindness Is better than life 00:22:00.35\00:22:20.80 My lips shall praise thee Thus will I bless thee 00:22:20.84\00:22:32.01 I will bless thee as long as I live 00:22:32.85\00:22:43.29 O I will bless thee as long as I live, 00:22:43.32\00:23:04.31 My lips shall praise thee Thus will I bless thee 00:23:04.35\00:23:15.46 I will bless thee as long as I live. 00:23:15.49\00:23:27.70 My heart shall make me and I shall be, 00:23:29.74\00:23:39.01 give me understanding that I may obey, 00:23:39.05\00:23:49.26 O, Lord the man blesses because I love thee. 00:23:49.29\00:24:00.64 I will bless thee as long as I live. 00:24:00.67\00:24:11.91 You know we can praise God for his loving 00:24:43.31\00:24:44.98 kindness towards us even at times 00:24:45.01\00:24:47.05 when the road of life that we were traveling 00:24:47.08\00:24:48.52 along seems to take some strange twists and turns. 00:24:48.55\00:24:51.35 I know that Amy's parents had an experience 00:24:51.99\00:24:54.72 when the road that they were, 00:24:54.76\00:24:56.12 literal road they were traveling on didn't seem 00:24:56.16\00:24:58.76 to be exactly straight. Amy, do you wanna tell 00:24:58.79\00:25:02.43 us about that experience? Sure, back in May of 1990 00:25:02.46\00:25:06.43 my parents were going on a road trip to Yellowstone 00:25:06.47\00:25:08.44 National Park and they were from Alberta, CA 00:25:08.47\00:25:11.71 and they went down there in a little town called 00:25:11.74\00:25:15.38 Old Montana. They stopped for gas and when they 00:25:15.41\00:25:19.38 stopped for some gas, I was chatting away with the gas 00:25:19.41\00:25:21.82 attendant and they got the gas and they went on down 00:25:21.85\00:25:24.25 the road, we went to the next town about 175 miles down the 00:25:24.29\00:25:28.49 road and they needed to get more gas and my dad went to pay for 00:25:28.52\00:25:31.43 with the credit card which they needed on the road for 00:25:31.46\00:25:33.66 any little emergency expenses and the gas 00:25:33.70\00:25:36.23 and stuff. And he realized he didn't have his credit 00:25:36.26\00:25:38.93 card anymore. So, he had left it at the other gas 00:25:38.97\00:25:41.94 station 175 miles away, so he's got to go back 00:25:41.97\00:25:44.17 and get his credit card. So they paid with what cash 00:25:44.21\00:25:47.68 they had and then they pulled away from, 00:25:47.71\00:25:49.08 mom is there discussing whether we should go back 00:25:49.11\00:25:50.85 or not, well they prayed about it. 00:25:50.88\00:25:53.31 Mom just kept being impressed, we need to go back, 00:25:53.35\00:25:55.42 we need to go back and so they finally decided to turn 00:25:55.45\00:25:58.79 around and go back to 175 miles and, 00:25:58.82\00:26:00.82 so we went back and like this was late in the 00:26:01.59\00:26:04.36 evening and by the time they got back there is like 00:26:04.39\00:26:06.26 9 in the evening. In small town stores usually close 00:26:06.29\00:26:08.63 around 6 or 7 right and he was still open, 00:26:08.66\00:26:11.37 he was planning on closing two hours before, 00:26:11.40\00:26:14.10 but he got so busy that he just stayed open until 9, 00:26:14.44\00:26:17.77 like when they got back. Praise the Lord, 00:26:17.81\00:26:19.74 that's an answer to prayer. And he 00:26:19.77\00:26:22.84 also been thinking about destroying the card 00:26:22.88\00:26:24.51 and calling the bank and stuff and he decided 00:26:24.55\00:26:27.42 to wait just a few more minutes and my parents 00:26:27.45\00:26:29.42 came along and they were able to get their credit card 00:26:29.45\00:26:31.35 back and actually it was a real blessing 00:26:31.39\00:26:33.62 because a few days later they're in another town 00:26:33.66\00:26:35.96 and the car broke down and like if they hadn't had 00:26:35.99\00:26:39.26 the credit card they would not have been able to 00:26:39.29\00:26:41.90 afford the repairs and get back safely 00:26:42.36\00:26:44.77 and everything. Wow, that seems like a kind of 00:26:44.80\00:26:47.20 not the straight way to go they had to go 00:26:48.04\00:26:50.47 and then they had to go back to get the credit card 00:26:50.51\00:26:52.11 that it was a good thing that God had answered 00:26:52.14\00:26:54.14 their prayer in that situation, thanks Amy 00:26:54.18\00:26:56.81 for that experience. You know we used to have 00:26:56.85\00:27:00.45 this little plant in our kitchen window 00:27:00.48\00:27:03.18 and every morning when I'd wake up it look like 00:27:03.72\00:27:06.15 it was kind of leaning outside towards the window 00:27:06.19\00:27:08.46 and so I would move it around because it look kind 00:27:08.49\00:27:11.26 of awkward and throughout the day it would 00:27:11.29\00:27:14.30 stand up straight, but the next morning guess 00:27:14.30\00:27:16.93 what it was leaning towards the window again. 00:27:16.97\00:27:19.27 Why was it doing that? Because the light that 00:27:19.30\00:27:22.37 was streaming in through the window from the 00:27:22.40\00:27:24.14 sun was attracting this plant and like all good 00:27:24.17\00:27:28.44 little plants it was leaning towards the window 00:27:28.48\00:27:30.55 and to the light, that little plant reminds me 00:27:30.58\00:27:34.32 of Jesus. In Mark chapter 1 verse 35 it tells us 00:27:34.35\00:27:38.49 that very early in the morning while it was still 00:27:38.99\00:27:41.29 dark Jesus would get up and go to a solitary place 00:27:41.32\00:27:45.09 and there he would pray. Now if Jesus the creator 00:27:45.13\00:27:49.33 of you and I needed to pray what about you 00:27:49.36\00:27:52.23 and I as weak sinful mortals. We also need to pray. 00:27:52.27\00:27:56.71 Let's take sometime right now to pray. 00:27:57.47\00:27:59.87 Heavenly Father, we thank you for the privilege 00:28:00.78\00:28:03.04 of prayer and we pray that you will convict our 00:28:03.08\00:28:05.58 hearts of our great need to be drawn to you 00:28:05.61\00:28:08.62 anytime or anywhere to be in the place of prayer, 00:28:08.65\00:28:11.82 in Jesus name we pray, amen. 00:28:11.85\00:28:15.09 Steps to Christ in Song is a 13 part series. 00:28:20.30\00:28:23.37 Designed to be an easy Non threatening way to 00:28:23.40\00:28:26.43 share the good news about Jesus Christ with friends, 00:28:26.47\00:28:29.64 relatives and co-workers. 00:28:29.67\00:28:31.24 Order your copies now by calling 00:28:31.27\00:28:33.51 1-877-490-4141 or visit us 00:28:33.54\00:28:38.98 online at www.fountainviewproductions.com. 00:28:39.01\00:28:43.82 Steps to Christ in Song is also available at your local 00:28:43.85\00:28:48.19 ABC Christian Book Store. 00:28:48.22\00:28:50.13