Welcome back...
00:00:01.36\00:00:02.70
before the break,
we were talking about
00:00:02.73\00:00:04.07
how prayer is the
breath of the soul
00:00:04.10\00:00:06.67
and the secret
of spiritual power.
00:00:06.70\00:00:09.30
Prayer is like
talking to God as to a friend.
00:00:09.37\00:00:13.74
I finished a book recently,
it's from Susan Scott entitled,
00:00:13.78\00:00:18.25
"Fierce Conversations"
00:00:18.28\00:00:20.02
and listen to what she says,
00:00:20.05\00:00:21.45
"Our lives
succeed or fail gradually,
00:00:21.48\00:00:24.72
then suddenly, one
conversation at a time.
00:00:24.75\00:00:28.19
While no single
conversation is guaranteed
00:00:28.22\00:00:31.59
to change the trajectory
of a career, a business,
00:00:31.63\00:00:35.76
a marriage or a life...
any single conversation can.
00:00:35.80\00:00:39.90
The conversation
is the relationship. "
00:00:39.93\00:00:49.04
Now, when I first read this
book and I read that one line...
00:00:49.08\00:00:52.31
"The conversation is
the relationship... "
00:00:52.35\00:00:56.08
I just sat back... I said,
"What a profound thought. "
00:00:56.12\00:01:00.32
Remember we said that
prayer is conversation?
00:01:00.36\00:01:03.49
Now, many times we talk
about our relationship with God
00:01:03.53\00:01:07.53
as though it's this nebulous
ethereal thing that's out there
00:01:07.56\00:01:11.80
but in reality, when we're
talking about our prayer life,
00:01:11.83\00:01:16.07
what are we talking about?
00:01:16.10\00:01:17.44
We're talking about conversation
and what is conversation?
00:01:17.47\00:01:21.01
Conversation is
our relationship.
00:01:21.04\00:01:24.68
In other words,
no conversation...
00:01:24.71\00:01:28.28
no relationship.
00:01:28.32\00:01:30.92
So, when we talk
about our prayer life,
00:01:30.95\00:01:34.16
we're not talking about
this discipline or this thing
00:01:34.22\00:01:37.09
that we have to
do, no, no, no, no...
00:01:37.13\00:01:38.83
we're talking about
our relationship with God
00:01:38.86\00:01:42.36
because
conversation is relationship.
00:01:42.40\00:01:46.03
Now, I was dating the
person that now became my wife,
00:01:46.07\00:01:50.74
and she went over to
Africa for a period of time...
00:01:50.77\00:01:55.14
about nine months...
00:01:55.18\00:01:56.51
how did we
maintain our relationship?
00:01:56.54\00:02:01.08
Now, when you're
talking about a relationship
00:02:01.12\00:02:03.45
with that individual
that you're about to marry,
00:02:03.49\00:02:05.75
there is nothing
ethereal about it,
00:02:05.79\00:02:08.49
you know exactly
what is necessary
00:02:08.52\00:02:11.19
to maintain that relationship
00:02:11.23\00:02:12.73
and it was very
expensive to call Africa
00:02:12.76\00:02:15.86
and I would go off to this
local international food store
00:02:15.90\00:02:20.04
where they sold
these calling cards
00:02:20.07\00:02:21.97
which was like
70... 80 cents per minute
00:02:22.00\00:02:25.04
and I would buy a stack of those
00:02:25.07\00:02:26.51
and every month, my bill
was 400 to 600 dollars per month
00:02:26.57\00:02:33.52
and it was worth every penny.
00:02:33.55\00:02:36.72
Why?
00:02:36.75\00:02:38.09
Because talking to the person
that was going to be my wife
00:02:38.12\00:02:41.89
and maintaining that
relationship was so essential
00:02:41.92\00:02:45.26
because conversation
is the relationship.
00:02:45.29\00:02:50.27
It's the same way in
our relationship with God.
00:02:50.30\00:02:53.07
You cannot have a
relationship with an individual
00:02:53.10\00:02:55.87
that you never talked to...
00:02:55.90\00:02:57.24
that you never
opened your heart to...
00:02:57.27\00:02:59.81
that you never show the
insides of the inner sanctum
00:02:59.84\00:03:04.98
of what's happening
in your heart and mind,
00:03:05.01\00:03:07.08
if you don't talk to a person,
00:03:07.12\00:03:09.02
you don't have a
relationship with that person...
00:03:09.05\00:03:11.69
the conversation
is the relationship.
00:03:11.72\00:03:14.99
Notice how much this
conversation is to take place
00:03:15.02\00:03:19.26
during the course of a
day, Psalm 55 verse 17,
00:03:19.29\00:03:23.30
"Evening, morning,
and at noon will I pray,
00:03:23.33\00:03:28.14
and cry aloud: and he
shall hear my voice. "
00:03:28.17\00:03:32.91
In other words, prayer is
not just something that you do
00:03:32.94\00:03:35.51
during breakfast
and lunch and dinner,
00:03:35.54\00:03:38.45
prayer is something that
you do over the course of a day.
00:03:38.48\00:03:41.35
You don't always have to
be on your knees to pray,
00:03:41.38\00:03:44.05
although there are times where
that's the appropriate posture,
00:03:44.09\00:03:47.92
but you need to be in prayer as
you're going through the day...
00:03:47.96\00:03:51.73
as you're walking the streets...
00:03:51.76\00:03:53.29
as you're going
about your business,
00:03:53.33\00:03:55.16
as you're having a critical
conversation with a co-worker,
00:03:55.20\00:03:58.47
you can be uplifting
your heart to God in prayer
00:03:58.50\00:04:01.20
and saying, "Lord,
help me to have the words
00:04:01.24\00:04:03.91
in this conversation. "
00:04:03.94\00:04:05.51
You're conversing
with God as to a friend
00:04:05.54\00:04:08.21
and the beauty of
our conversation with God
00:04:08.24\00:04:10.81
is that God is available
any time... any place...
00:04:10.85\00:04:14.92
His appointment
book and His schedule
00:04:14.95\00:04:17.09
is always open... we can
talk with the King of the kings
00:04:17.12\00:04:20.66
and the Lord of lords
at any point of our day,
00:04:20.69\00:04:25.09
evening, morning and at
noon will I pray to God.
00:04:25.13\00:04:29.50
Now, I want to share with you
about one way that we can pray
00:04:29.53\00:04:34.90
that incorporates the
important elements of prayer
00:04:34.94\00:04:38.01
and now, this is not the
only way that we can pray,
00:04:38.04\00:04:40.88
and there's time
for structured prayer
00:04:40.91\00:04:43.11
and there's time we just
throw a prayer to God and say,
00:04:43.14\00:04:44.81
"Lord, I need your help... "
00:04:44.85\00:04:46.18
but this is one
way that we can pray
00:04:46.21\00:04:47.78
that can help us in approaching
God through the sanctuary
00:04:47.85\00:04:52.19
using the sanctuary
as a reference point
00:04:52.22\00:04:54.96
and the first part of this
is, you enter into the Courtyard
00:04:54.99\00:04:58.19
and the Bible says,
00:04:58.23\00:04:59.56
"Enter his courts with
praise" Psalm 100 verse 4,
00:04:59.59\00:05:02.03
"Enter His gates
with thanksgiving,
00:05:02.06\00:05:03.83
and his courts with praise:
00:05:03.87\00:05:05.80
give thanks to Him,
and praise His name. "
00:05:05.83\00:05:08.14
Sometimes, we
can get into this rut
00:05:08.20\00:05:11.37
of just going to God
all the time and just asking
00:05:11.41\00:05:14.48
and asking and
asking and asking.
00:05:14.51\00:05:16.38
Now, there's appropriate times
when we need to make "asking"
00:05:16.41\00:05:21.85
especially in critical moments
00:05:21.88\00:05:23.52
the primary
objective of our prayers
00:05:23.55\00:05:26.29
but have you ever had a friend
00:05:26.32\00:05:28.56
that the only time
that they called you
00:05:28.59\00:05:30.03
was when they wanted something?
00:05:30.06\00:05:31.89
How does that feel?
00:05:31.93\00:05:33.29
Well, here, God loves
to have us come to Him
00:05:33.33\00:05:37.63
and praise Him,
00:05:37.67\00:05:39.00
and the difference
between praise and thanks
00:05:39.03\00:05:43.54
is praise... is giving
adoration for who God is,
00:05:43.57\00:05:48.21
thanks... is giving
gratitude for what He does.
00:05:48.24\00:05:52.81
Both of them are essential
00:05:52.85\00:05:54.55
but which one do you think
is more appreciative to God?
00:05:54.58\00:05:58.32
If I go to my wife and I say,
00:05:58.35\00:05:59.79
"Thank you for
cooking the wonderful dinner,
00:05:59.82\00:06:01.29
thank you for what you did?"
00:06:01.32\00:06:02.66
I'm sure she'd be...
have gratitude for that...
00:06:02.69\00:06:05.69
be thankful for that...
00:06:05.73\00:06:07.40
but what if I went
to my wife and I said,
00:06:07.43\00:06:09.26
"Honey, you have a tender heart,
00:06:09.30\00:06:11.37
I want to thank
God for who you are. "
00:06:11.43\00:06:16.14
Which one do you think
would mean more to her?
00:06:16.20\00:06:19.41
I guarantee, it would be...
00:06:19.44\00:06:21.18
"I have a heart full of
gratitude for who you are... "
00:06:21.21\00:06:25.11
and that is where
worship comes from,
00:06:25.15\00:06:28.52
when we are
touched with who God is,
00:06:28.55\00:06:31.59
that is where
adoration and praise come from
00:06:31.65\00:06:35.22
and I believe that
God wants to bring us
00:06:35.26\00:06:38.49
from this
transactional relationship
00:06:38.53\00:06:42.50
to a... to a true
relational dynamic
00:06:42.53\00:06:46.03
from transaction
to a transformative
00:06:46.07\00:06:49.50
relational experience.
00:06:49.54\00:06:51.07
Then we come into the Courtyard
with praises on our lips
00:06:51.14\00:06:55.28
so, in our praise
life... in our prayer life,
00:06:55.31\00:06:57.81
one thing that we can
do is open our prayer time
00:06:57.85\00:06:59.95
by just thanking God...
00:07:00.02\00:07:01.35
"I want to thank
You for Who You are,
00:07:01.38\00:07:02.72
I want to thank You for
what You have done in my life"
00:07:02.75\00:07:04.79
and just fill your
prayer time with praise.
00:07:04.82\00:07:07.36
Then we come into the
Altar of Burnt Offering,
00:07:07.42\00:07:09.52
that is where we
receive forgiveness of sins
00:07:09.56\00:07:11.63
and that is where we can
say, "Lord, clean my heart,
00:07:11.66\00:07:14.90
wash me and make me new...
00:07:14.93\00:07:16.46
create in me a clean heart
00:07:16.50\00:07:18.00
and renew a right
spirit within me. "
00:07:18.03\00:07:19.97
We can come to
God openly and say,
00:07:20.00\00:07:21.90
"Lord, I'm a
sinner in need of grace...
00:07:21.94\00:07:23.84
I want to accept You as my
Savior and Lord of my life. "
00:07:23.91\00:07:26.88
We come in and look
at Jesus on the cross
00:07:26.91\00:07:30.28
and accept Him again
as our personal Savior.
00:07:30.31\00:07:33.62
We need to die every day...
00:07:33.68\00:07:35.02
not just in the beginning
of our Christian experience
00:07:35.05\00:07:37.99
but every moment of our day,
so, we come into the Courtyard,
00:07:38.02\00:07:40.92
we thank God
for what He has done
00:07:40.96\00:07:42.36
and then we look at
the Altar of Burnt Offering
00:07:42.39\00:07:45.13
and we accept
Jesus again as our Savior
00:07:45.16\00:07:47.30
and Lord of our life,
00:07:47.33\00:07:48.73
we ask for
forgiveness of sins...
00:07:48.76\00:07:50.33
we think of the
times in our lives
00:07:50.37\00:07:51.87
when we have been selfish,
00:07:51.90\00:07:53.23
we think of the day
before and we recollect
00:07:53.27\00:07:55.37
and we say, "Look, I am sorry
for the ways that I've hurt you
00:07:55.40\00:08:00.01
by the sins
that I have done... "
00:08:00.08\00:08:03.55
and I believe that
the confession should be
00:08:03.58\00:08:07.55
specific in nature.
00:08:07.58\00:08:09.18
Now, there are
times for general prayers,
00:08:09.22\00:08:11.45
but there's something
that happens when you say,
00:08:11.49\00:08:13.56
"Lord, forgive me for the
way that I spoke to my wife...
00:08:13.59\00:08:17.56
forgive me for the way
that I spoke to my children. "
00:08:17.59\00:08:21.53
This is where we can come in
00:08:21.56\00:08:23.20
and then we come to
the Altar of Burnt Offering
00:08:23.23\00:08:25.57
and ask for the
forgiveness of sins
00:08:25.60\00:08:28.00
and we behold the
sacrifice of God...
00:08:28.04\00:08:30.37
behold the Lamb of God
00:08:30.41\00:08:31.97
who takes away
the sins of the world.
00:08:32.01\00:08:34.71
Then we come to the Laver...
the next article of furniture
00:08:34.74\00:08:38.28
and we ask God to
cleanse the heart,
00:08:38.31\00:08:40.38
the Bible says, "If
we confess our sins,
00:08:40.42\00:08:42.38
He is faithful and
just to forgive us our sins
00:08:42.42\00:08:44.85
and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness. "
00:08:44.89\00:08:47.26
We ask for God's cleansing
power in our lives at the Laver
00:08:47.32\00:08:51.76
as we come into the sanctuary,
00:08:51.79\00:08:53.83
then we come to the Lampstand
00:08:53.86\00:08:55.83
and this is an important
part in our prayer life,
00:08:55.86\00:08:57.93
the Bible tells us
in the book of Luke
00:08:57.97\00:08:59.87
that we should ask for
the Holy Spirit every day...
00:08:59.93\00:09:02.07
evidenced by the oil
that is in the lampstands
00:09:02.10\00:09:04.74
and when we
have the Holy Spirit,
00:09:04.77\00:09:06.78
we have the fruit
of the Spirit as well.
00:09:06.81\00:09:08.98
We can ask for the
fruit of the Spirit
00:09:09.01\00:09:11.11
of love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, gentleness,
00:09:11.15\00:09:15.88
goodness,
faithfulness and self-control.
00:09:15.95\00:09:18.45
I know I can use
more of that in my life.
00:09:18.49\00:09:21.16
In other words, this
is a fruit not a root,
00:09:21.19\00:09:23.73
you can't fabricate
love in your own heart.
00:09:23.76\00:09:26.26
You can't fabricate
gentleness in your own heart
00:09:26.29\00:09:28.70
but you can ask for
the Holy Spirit to fill you
00:09:28.76\00:09:31.13
and when the
Holy Spirit comes in,
00:09:31.17\00:09:33.54
these are the
natural outgrowths,
00:09:33.57\00:09:35.90
the natural result
of a Spirit-filled life.
00:09:35.94\00:09:38.81
So, every single day as
you come in your prayer life,
00:09:38.84\00:09:43.35
you can ask for the
Holy Spirit to fill you
00:09:43.38\00:09:45.68
each and every day... an
important element of prayer.
00:09:45.71\00:09:49.68
Then we come to the
next article of furniture...
00:09:49.72\00:09:52.35
the Table of Shewbread...
and we feed on the Word...
00:09:52.42\00:09:55.02
Jeremiah chapter
15 verse 16 says,
00:09:55.06\00:09:57.13
"When your words
came, I ate them;
00:09:57.19\00:09:59.23
and they were in my mouth...
00:09:59.26\00:10:01.26
my joy and my heart's
delight, for I bear Your name,
00:10:01.30\00:10:06.87
O LORD God Almighty. "
00:10:06.90\00:10:08.84
And this is a good time to
pause in your devotional life,
00:10:08.87\00:10:11.31
feed on the Word...
00:10:11.34\00:10:13.34
spend time
reading and meditating
00:10:13.38\00:10:16.48
on the words of life.
00:10:16.51\00:10:18.05
Then you come to the
next article of furniture,
00:10:18.08\00:10:20.78
you come to the
Altar of Incense,
00:10:20.82\00:10:22.25
and this is where you
have intercessory prayer...
00:10:22.28\00:10:25.72
Psalm 141 verse 2 says,
00:10:25.75\00:10:27.39
"Let my prayer be set
forth as incense before Thee. "
00:10:27.42\00:10:31.06
This is where you can go
through the list of people
00:10:31.09\00:10:34.70
that you are praying for
00:10:34.73\00:10:36.06
and ask God to
intervene in their life.
00:10:36.10\00:10:40.24
Ask God to... to
put forth His angels
00:10:40.27\00:10:44.47
to surround that individual
that you are praying for.
00:10:44.54\00:10:47.71
Our prayers should not
just be about ourselves...
00:10:47.74\00:10:50.91
we should pray for others.
00:10:50.95\00:10:52.78
We should have a list of people
00:10:52.81\00:10:55.75
that we pray for
on a daily basis.
00:10:55.78\00:10:58.12
Our family members that
we want to be in the kingdom
00:10:58.15\00:11:00.86
and there's something
about intercessory prayer
00:11:00.89\00:11:03.86
that is so beautiful.
00:11:03.89\00:11:05.69
In other words, I
believe that intercessory prayer
00:11:05.73\00:11:09.96
gives God permission
to move above and beyond
00:11:10.00\00:11:14.24
in the scheme of
the great controversy,
00:11:14.30\00:11:17.24
that He would normally be able
00:11:17.31\00:11:19.57
unless He has authorization.
00:11:19.64\00:11:21.91
In other words,
00:11:21.94\00:11:23.28
when you pray for
another individual,
00:11:23.31\00:11:25.68
God has special authorization
to move in that person's life
00:11:25.71\00:11:31.65
above and beyond what
He normally would be able.
00:11:31.69\00:11:34.56
Then we come to the
last article of furniture.
00:11:34.59\00:11:37.49
The Ark of the Covenant.
00:11:37.53\00:11:38.86
Inside the Ark of the
Covenant was the Law of Love,
00:11:38.89\00:11:42.90
Romans chapter 13 verse 10 says,
00:11:42.93\00:11:45.37
"Therefore love is the
fulfilling of the law. "
00:11:45.40\00:11:50.21
We come into the Most
Holy Place and there we say,
00:11:50.27\00:11:55.01
"Lord, I don't want You to write
Your law on tablets of stone
00:11:55.04\00:12:00.28
but I want You to write them
on the tablets of my heart. "
00:12:00.32\00:12:04.75
And God says, "I
will do this thing...
00:12:04.79\00:12:07.66
I will be the One that
transforms your character... "
00:12:07.69\00:12:10.93
and you say, "Lord,
just like Adam and Eve
00:12:10.96\00:12:12.89
had the law of God on
the tablets of their hearts,
00:12:12.93\00:12:16.56
I want You to do the same
for me in my life today. "
00:12:16.60\00:12:20.07
So, we can use the sanctuary as
a reference point in our minds
00:12:20.10\00:12:25.47
to enter the
Courtyard with praise...
00:12:25.54\00:12:27.58
ask for
forgiveness and cleansing
00:12:27.61\00:12:29.54
and then move on and
ask for the Holy Spirit...
00:12:29.58\00:12:32.41
intercede for others...
00:12:32.48\00:12:33.85
feed on the Word...
00:12:33.88\00:12:35.22
and then, go to
the Law of Liberty...
00:12:35.25\00:12:38.09
the Law of Love and say,
00:12:38.12\00:12:39.45
"Lord, I want
You to write Your Law
00:12:39.49\00:12:40.82
in my heart and in my mind. "
00:12:40.86\00:12:42.46
Prayer is the
breath of the soul...
00:12:42.49\00:12:45.56
the secret of spiritual power,
00:12:45.59\00:12:48.80
we are dependent on prayer
just as we are dependent on air.
00:12:48.83\00:12:53.97
I want to encourage you
in your prayer life today
00:12:54.00\00:12:58.27
to ask God to create in
you a deeper desire for Him.
00:12:58.34\00:13:02.58
Won't you ask God of that today?
00:13:02.61\00:13:04.45
Won't you come to Him
just that the way that you are
00:13:04.48\00:13:06.65
and say, "Lord, help
me in my prayer life.
00:13:06.68\00:13:09.45
Create in me a
desire to seek Your face
00:13:09.48\00:13:12.25
and to seek it
on a daily basis. "
00:13:12.29\00:13:14.59
Continue to study with us
as we go through the sanctuary
00:13:14.62\00:13:17.93
as a model for understanding
the work of Jesus Christ...
00:13:17.96\00:13:21.23
what He has done...
00:13:21.26\00:13:22.60
is doing...
00:13:22.63\00:13:23.97
and will do...
00:13:24.00\00:13:25.33
God bless you... and
join us again as we study
00:13:25.37\00:13:27.44
the sanctuary,
salvation and our Savior.
00:13:27.47\00:13:30.71