“Fill the GAP”
Alan Hughes
July 15. 2007
Introduction:
I often find that I am missing things in my life.
1. Relationships – My son, my daughters, my grandchildren, and even my wife. They get broken either by death, neglect, or misunderstandings,
2. Finances – just not enough money to cover the bills.
3. Health
4. Just wants and needs.
Are you missing things in your lives?
What are they? Can you name some?
Missing things in our lives create GAPS. We all got them, GAPS.
Missing things = GAPS
The problem is “How do we fill the GAPS?"
Can you say: “Fill the GAP”?
Say it: “Fill the GAP”!
God has the answer:
Phil 4:6-7
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (NIV)
Prayer equals FILL!
The question is: “How do we pray”?
Look at the word, FILL.
First:
1. F = Focus on God or FOG
1 Kings 8:10-13
10 When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the LORD. 11 And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled his temple. 12 Then Solomon said, "The LORD has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud; 13 I have indeed built a magnificent temple for you, a place for you to dwell forever."
Focus on God!
When the disciples wanted to learn to pray they came to Jesus and asked Him. Look at what He said:
Matt 6:9-10
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.10 Thy kingdom come.(KJV)
A. His Name
B. His Holiness
C. His Kingdom
Matt 6:33-34
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. (KJV)
Second:
2. I = Inquire of the Lord!
Matt 6:10b
10b Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. (KJV)
A. His will
John 9:31
31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. (KJV)
1 John 5:14
14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: (KJV)
Matt 7:21-23
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. KJV
B. His Sovereignty
A term by which is expressed the supreme rulership of God. This is rightly held to be not an attribute of God but a prerogative based upon the perfections of the divine Being. He is under no external restraint whatsoever. He is the Supreme Dispenser of all events. All forms of existence are within the scope of His dominion.
(from The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary. Originally published by Moody Press of Chicago, Illinois. Copyright (c) 1988.)
His kingdom is His ultimate right and we can not do anything against it.
C. We are to accomplish His will.
Rom 12:1-2
12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (KJV)
Third:
3. L = Live by faith
Matt 6:10-13
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: (KJV)
Heb 11:1
11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. KJV
Heb 11:6
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. KJV
Ask
Seek
Knock
Matt 7:7-8
7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. KJV
Prayer is like a football game. Some play defensively and others play offensively. Too many times we are always playing on the defense and consequently we never score. We got to play offensively to score. Get on the offensive and ask, seek, and knock.
Be persistent like the widow that came to the judge.
Luke 18:1-8
18:1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ’Grant me justice against my adversary.’ 4 "For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ’Even though I don’t fear God or care about men, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming!’" 6 And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" (NIV)
And last is:
4. L = Love with the heart
Matt 6:12-13
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. KJV
John 3:16-17
16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
(from New International Version)
1 John 4:19-21
19 We love him, because he first loved us.
20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also. KJV
Loving with the heart is putting Him first and sacrificing for Him.
Illustration:
Dwight L. Moody was visiting a large church in London. When he went to the morning service it was dead. He was invited to come back and preach the evening service. The more he thought about it the more he began to dread the thought of going back to that dead church. At that morning service was an elderly woman who had an invalid sister. When the elderly woman went home and told the invalid sister that D.L. Moody was going to preach the evening service, the invalid sister responded that God had answer her prayers and brought Mr. Moody there to revive the church. The ladies prayed and fasted the rest of the day and that night the whole church was changed and a revival broke out all over England from that church because of the prayer of those two women.
Will you “Fill the GAP” this morning.
Will you pray and Fill the GAP.
When the GAP is filled God Answers Prayer.
Invitation:
It starts with you this morning.
Here is what I want you to do this morning.
First:
You must realize that you are a sinner
Rom 3:23
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
You can not save yourself.
Rom 6:23
23 For the wages of sin is death,
God has already done it for you.
but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Just accept it and receive it from Him:
John 1:12
12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-
In your heart today won=t you reach out and pray this prayer:
Dear Lord, I know that I have sinned and unworthy of your grace. I am asking you today to forgive me of my sins through the death and resurrection of Jesus. I am trusting in His death and resurrection for my salvation. Save me this moment. In Jesus, name Amen.
