Prayer part 1
LESSONS LEARNED ON LIFE’S BATTLEFIELD
There are times when the walk of the Christian is difficult. It is difficult to live in community, it is difficult to pray, to read your bible and be responsible.
This is so difficult that the government has to run ads on television reminding us to ‘Act, Commit and Belong’. Because living life with others is good but difficult.
So it is with talking with God. It is hard to trust a God that is constantly requiring you to improve. It is also hard to trust a God that doesn’t help you improve. What do you do?
So I would like to start with a joke before I start on an important issue.
A journalist was assigned to the Jerusalem bureau of his newspaper. He gets an apartment overlooking the Wailing Wall. After several weeks he realizes that whenever he looks at the wall he sees an old Jewish man praying vigorously.
The journalist wondered whether there was a publishable story here. He goes down to the wall, introduces himself and says: "You come every day to the wall. What are you praying for?"
The old man replies: "What am I praying for? In the morning I pray for world peace, then I pray for the brotherhood of man. I go home, have a glass of tea, and I come back to the wall to pray for the eradication of illness and disease from the earth."
The journalist is taken by the old man's sincerity and persistence. "You mean you have been coming to the wall to pray every day for these things?"
The old man nods.
"How long have you been coming to the wall to pray for these things?"
The old man becomes reflective and then replies: "How long? Maybe twenty, twenty-five years."
The amazed journalist finally asks: "How does it feel to come and pray every day for over 20 years for these things?"
"How does it feel?" the old man replies. "It feels like I'm talking to a wall."
Exodus 17:8-16
I. They learned that a trial often comes on the heels of a victory
II. They learned that they could depend on God in battle
III. They learned the value of prayer
IV. They learned the importance of praying for one another
I. They learned that a trial often comes on the heels of a victory
Let me read some of the verses just before our main passage.
1 The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the LORD commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. 2 So they quarrelled with Moses and said, "Give us water to drink."
Moses replied, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the LORD to the test?"
3 But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?"
4 Then Moses cried out to the LORD, "What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me."
5 The LORD answered Moses, "Walk on ahead of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink." So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the LORD saying, "Is the LORD among us or not?" Exodus 17: 1 - 7
The children of Israel had just been blessed by the miracle of water from the rock.
If you feel like the devil always gets you right after something good has happened you are in good company.
a. Job
1 In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. ... He was the greatest man among all the people of the East. (Job 1:1)
Job later loses his children, money, health and friends
b. Waters of Marah
In Exodus 15:1 God has just released the people from captivity in Egypt.
1 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD :
"I will sing to the LORD,
for he is highly exalted.
The horse and its rider
he has hurled into the sea.
For three days they travelled in the desert without finding water. ... 24 So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, "What are we to drink?" Exodus 15: 23, 24
c. Temptation after Jesus’ baptism
16As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. 17And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."
1Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. (Matthew 3: 16 – 4:1)
d. Then came Amalek. Notice the connection with verse six.
6 I (God) will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink." So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel... 8 The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim.(Exodus 17: 6, 8)
In 1995 a 20yr old, Canadian, alternative rock singer wrote a song called ‘Ironic’. The song rocketed to number 1 in many countries because it captured this idea of something good and something bad happening side by side. I would like to read it out to you:
An old man turned ninety-eight
He won the lottery and died the next day
It's a black fly in your Chardonnay
It's a death row pardon two minutes too late
And isn't it ironic... don't you think
It's like rain on your wedding day
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
Who would've thought... it figures
Mr. Play It Safe was afraid to fly
He packed his suitcase and kissed his kids goodbye
He waited his whole life to take that flight
And as the plane crashed down he thought
"Well isn't this nice..."
And isn't it ironic... don't you think
Well life has a funny way of sneaking up on you
When you think everything's okay and everything's going right
And life has a funny way of helping you out when
You think everything's gone wrong and everything blows up
In your face
A traffic jam when you're already late
A no-smoking sign on your cigarette break
It's like ten thousand spoons when all you need is a knife
It's meeting the man of my dreams
And then meeting his beautiful wife
And isn't it ironic...don't you think
A little too ironic...and, yeah, I really do think...
Life has a funny way of sneaking up on you
Life has a funny, funny way of helping you out
Helping you out (Alannis Mossiette, Grammy Nominated song)
II. They learned that they could depend on God in battle
While most of us will never go to battle, everyday life can be difficult. By their nature balancing friendships, finances and family etc can be difficult. Some days you feel like you are in a war balancing everything. This is where prayer is essential.
GOD, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; Courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Living ONE DAY AT A TIME; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardship as the pathway to peace. Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it. Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will; That I may be reasonably happy in this life, and supremely happy with Him forever in the next. Karl Paul Reinhold Niebuhr (German/american theologian 1892 - 1971)
This prayer has been adopted by Alcoholics Anonymous and is said all over the world by people who are suffering but seeking release from this world’s hardship. It maybe the prayer you need to say today, suffering relationship and financial hardship.
Moses had learned that he didn’t need to worry or fret when confronted by the enemy, he needed to pray.
By faith he immediately put a plan in motion that would give Israel victory involving prayer and practical action.
Moses said to Joshua, "Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands." (verse 9)
From the tone of what he said, Moses had no doubt as to the outcome of the battle. There wasn’t even a hint of wavering in his orders.
He told Joshua to “go out”—step out in faith.
For Moses the symbolism is quite strong
He would stand on the rock with the rod of God in his hand (v. 9). It was no longer the rod of Moses but the rod of God.
9 Moses said to Joshua, "Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands." (Verse 9)
Psalm 121:1 1 I lift up my eyes to the hills— where does my help come from?
The emphasis is on the communication between Moses and God. Where God shows his power because Moses has faith in him.
10 So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. (verse 10)
I know some of you wish you were stronger Christians. Wished you could pray more and be more eloquent. But even the words of prayer come from God.
10 Moses said to the LORD, "O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue." Exodus 4:10
I believe that he now spoke of the rod as the rod of God because he had learned everything is about God. Is everything you have, surrendered into the hands of God?
III. They learned the value of prayer
A beautiful life does not just happen; it is built daily by prayer, humility, sacrifice and love. May that beautiful life be yours always
Dennis Castillo (Philippine/American pastor)
In 1994 the East Carolina University School of Medicine released a paper showing half of patients wanted their doctor to pray with them. The majority of patients also reported that their doctor never discussed spiritual things.
As a pastor I did a wedding for a friend of mine from university who was a non-Christian. Before the wedding i offered to pray with him, normally he would decline but this time said yes. As I prayed for him and his dad he said it was one of the most powerful parts of the day. Prayer with others is an important part of the Christian life.
“As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.” Verse 11
When Moses held up his hands to the Lord, he revealed his dependence on God and his faith in Him.
That day the people learned that strength and victory was found only in a CONTINIOUS drawing to God and faith in Him.
When Moses’ prayer ceased, the flow of divine power ceased.
It is the same today. If we fail to call upon God daily in prayer, then God’s blessings will begin to cease flowing toward us.
Our only assurance of victory lies in continually drawing near to God through Christ for help. It should be a regular part of any Christian home to pray for peace and prosperity for your family members. Because peace and prosperity come from God not from our own efforts.
IV. They learned the importance of praying for one another
Order your soul; reduce your wants; live in charity; associate in Christian community; obey the laws; trust in Providence.
(St. Augustine 354 – 430)
God has given you a community to pray with you, so that your burdens do not have to be alone. Praying with someone else, gives them the ability to support you and you the ability to support them. Who do you regularly pray with? The bible calls us to be people of grace, few words, to love our enemy, to be self controlled but it also calls us into community where we can be supported in this gracious living.
12 When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. Verse 12
Galatians 6:2 Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
But this is tricky. John Ortberg is a wonderful Christian author that I am really enjoying at the moment.
“Talk about porcupine and the need to lower quills to let people get close.”
If the majority of your Christian faith is pointing out other people’s faults, if you are asserting your rights and defending yourself you are like a porcupine and people cannot get close to pray for you.
But if you lower your guard and just ask someone to pray for you, ‘they can take that burden off your shoulders and pray for you’.
Moses’ hands became heavy. Sometimes the burden you bear becomes too heavy to carry alone.
I am thankful for the Aaron’s and Hur’s I have known.
As a Christian, who are the people in your life that can pray for you, and have the right to speak into your life?
Do you need to pray for someone to day, or do you need to lower your guard and pray for someone else.
I. They learned that a trial often comes on the heels of a victory
II. They learned that they could depend on God in battle
III. They learned the value of prayer
IV. They learned the importance of praying for one another
In the beginning we see that
8 The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. (Verse 8)
But God answered Moses’ prayers.
14 Then the LORD said to Moses, "... I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven." (Verse 14)
