Get Together Series

GET TOGETHER

Daniel 2:17-18

S: Praying with people

Th: Live a Prayer Life (A Passion for His Presence)

Pr: GOD’S PEOPLE PRAY TOGETHER.

?: Why?

KW: Reasons

TS: Using Daniel 2 as our basis, we will find three reasons why God’s people are to pray together.

The _____ reason we should pray together is

I. ASSAULT

II. ADVANCEMENT

III. AFFECTION

Version: ESV

RMBC 01 Sept 02 AM

INTRODUCTION:

ILL Notebook: Prayer (piece of tape)

A Sunday School teacher was struggling to open a combination lock on the supply cabinet. She had been told the combination, but couldn’t quite remember it. Exasperated, she went to the pastor’s study and asked for help.

The pastor came into the room and began to turn the dial. After the first two numbers he paused and stared blankly for a moment. Finally, he looked serenely heavenward and his lips moved silently. Then he looked back at the lock, and quickly turned to the final number, and opened the lock.

The teacher was amazed. "I’m in awe at your faith, pastor," she said.

"It’s really nothing," he answered. "The number is on a piece of tape on the ceiling."

While there was not an attempt of deception here, I am concerned that it sometimes appears that we are people of prayer.

So, as a matter of practicality, we must ask ourselves today…

Are we a people of prayer?

You see…

We can look good.

We can look like we have it all together as a church family.

But it can be appearance.

You know, when a church interviews for a new pastor, do you know what the most common trait that a church looks for?

They want a pastor who prays.

Do you know what every pastor really wants?

He wants a church that prays!

He wants a church that prays because the pastor knows that a church will do not better than maintain itself if there is insufficient prayer.

So, here we have this subject of prayer.

It is something that we all agree is absolutely essential to our lives and to the church.

And yet it is something that seems to frustrate us all.

Prayer is something that we realize ought to be a fundamental priority, and yet, at best, more often than not, it becomes an afterthought.

TRANSITION:

It is our goal this month to do what we can to make prayer a priority in our individual lives and in the church as a whole.

So…

1. Our theme for the month is “Live a Prayer Life.”

Pastor Dick Murphy has written an excellent introduction regarding our theme for discipleship month.

Here is what Dick writes in the opening paragraph of today’s issue of Current:

“The focus this month is that as true disciples of Jesus Christ, prayer must be an integral part of our lives – we must constantly turn to God in prayer as our very lives are dependent upon Him and upon maintaining an on-going relationship with Him.”

“Live a prayer life.”

We have an example in Scripture that demonstrates how to live a prayer life–Daniel.

Today, our study finds its basis in the 2nd chapter of Daniel.

And we find here that…

2. Daniel had reason to pray (Daniel 2:13).

The chapter opens up with Nebuchadnezzar having some troublesome dreams.

They had been so troubling that he lost sleep over them.

So, Nebuchadnezzar wants to know what the dreams mean and he calls in his wise men to give the interpretation.

There is one problem.

He won’t say what the dream is.

Now we don’t know why exactly.

Perhaps, he doesn’t remember himself or he decides to test the wise men.

Naturally, the wise men want to hear the dream first and then give their interpretation.

But Nebuchadnezzar will have none of that and he threatens them to come up with the “whole enchilada” or it’s “curtains” for the whole lot of them.

Their response is that no one can do that!

It is impossible.

So Nebuchadnezzar sentenced all the wise men to death.

Though Daniel had not been a part of these proceedings, he was, nevertheless, included.

So the decree went out, and the wise men were about to be killed; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them.

Now if you were Daniel, this would not be the news you would be looking for.

Obviously, you do not want to be clumped in with all these other wise men who appeal to idols, and yet, condemned with them you are.

You have to appreciate Daniel’s response because he deals with it intelligently and with his faith in gear.

For…

3. Daniel sought help (Daniel 2:17-18).

We might think the answer would be that he would start praying first.

But that’s not the report of the text here…