Time for Prayer
Psalm 66:18-20
18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
19 But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.
20 Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.
Lately I have been made aware that people in God’s church are facing struggles and battles that are wearing them down and breaking their hearts. The people in need of prayer are you and I. We who are called the Saints of God have our eyes fixed on the storm instead of the one who walks on the waves of the storm. (see Matthew 14:24-26)
I know how the storms of life can really put fear and a sense of hopelessness in a person’s heart. I too have been there. Job changes, raising children, marriage, sickness and health, are all very real places were a storm can break out at any time.
But we must remember “that greater is He that is in you than he who is in the world” 1 John 4:4
That may sound like a trite comment but it is actually a promise from God’s word and God keeps His promises.
Sometimes we may fear what we know we deserve as a consequence of our sins. But still we expect things to work out in our favor that is our sinful nature.
We lie to ourselves instead of being honest like the Psalmist tells us in verse 18 of Psalm 66.
18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
Let me illustrate what I mean with this little story…
One Sunday a young child was "acting up" during the morning worship hour. The parents did their best to maintain some sense of order in the pew but were losing the battle. Finally, the father picked the little fellow up and walked sternly up the aisle on his way out. Just before reaching the safety of the foyer, the little one called loudly to the congregation, "Pray for me! Pray for me!"
You see the child knew what he deserved and what was coming but he could have avoided it all if he had just obeyed his Father’s instructions the first time. There will be times when you and I will need the prayers of others to help you face what you know will be difficult times ahead. Like that little boy we need to shout out to the congregation – pray for me everybody.
Prayer is so very important to the Christian life that Jesus took time to teach His followers how to pray, what to pray for and when to pray. I also think it’s great that Jesus followers asked to be taught to pray. They were around Jesus a lot and knew that He often prayed and they realized that they too needed to understand its power and importance.
The Lord’s Prayer is just one example but even we sometimes get that wrong just like the little girl who prayed.
"And forgive us our trash baskets as we forgive those who put trash in our baskets."
Children exhibit spiritual wisdom even when they’re not trying just like this little girl’s mistake. Out trespasses is what she was trying to say but I think she really got it right for all of us. Our Trespasses really are the things that belong in our trash baskets and we need to forgive those who put their trash in our baskets too.
Saints Jesus taught us about prayer for some very good reasons.
Firstly He wanted to let us know that we too have direct access to the Holy Father, the Creator of all that is seen and unseen, The Living God. Think about that – that is some kind of privilege. Your prayers go into the very Sanctuary of Heaven – the Throne of Grace. Hebrews 4:16
The Bible tells us that our prayers rise like incense a fragrant offering. Imagine that your prayers are like the scent of perfume or a bouquet of flowers. Psalms 141:2 It may be hard to imagine how all our prayers turn into something so wonderful.
I don’t know about you but sometimes I find my prayers are a long list of complaints instead of compliments. God takes even our complaints and turns them into a fragrant offering when we pray sincerely and humbly.
Job was a good example of this type of prayer.
Sometimes like Job we need to be reminded that no matter how good or obedient we think we are there is always room for improvement. Job 13:23 We fool ourselves when we talk like that because we are all sinners in need of God’s salvation and grace. Romans 3:23
A little boy was overheard to offer this prayer….
“Lord if you can’t make me a better boy don’t worry about it. I’m having a real good time like I am”.
Unfortunately too many of us are like this little boy. We think we’re happy and content to be just the way we are even though we know we are not the people that God wants us to be. It reminds me of the Sunday school teacher who asked her class “why is it necessary to be quiet in church”? A little girl put her hand up and said “because people are sleeping”
Saints the Bible talks about our need to wake up. It even uses the word sleeper. Wake up oh sleeper - it says and that is what we all need to do as it concerns our prayer life. Ephesians 5:14
We take prayer for granted. Many of us only pray when we need something. Pastor Randy Frazee in his book “Think, Act, Believe Like Jesus calls them 9-1-1 prayers. But prayer should be praise as well as requests.
We of all people should be experts at praying but sadly some of us need to be taught again the basics of prayer. There is a new movie out called “The war room” I have not seen it yet but it was recommended to me this week by a fellow Pastor Glenn Hart from Lakeshore St. Andrews Church.
It is a dramatic presentation of why we should pray, how we should pray and when and for whom we should be praying.
I encourage each of you to see it if you have not yet had the chance. Seldom do we see prayer as an offensive weapon. But it can be used to bring down strongholds. 2 Corinthians 10:4
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;
Jesus told us in Mark 11:24
24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
Saints it is time that we made prayer a priority in our daily living. If you do not have a regular prayer time you need to establish one. Jesus did. If you do not have a war room of your own you need to make one today. The enemy of our God is our enemy make no mistake about it. But God has equipped us to be victorious over the enemy through the Body, Blood and sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Today we will celebrate that victory as we gather at the Lord’s Table. There we will remember how He gave His Body and Blood so that we might be saved and covered by His sacrifice.
Jesus victory is alive in you all and all you need do is give it breath through your prayers. Fight the good fight and finish the course, keep the faith. 2 Timothy 4:7. Satan is never more afraid of Christians then when they are on their knees before the Living God.
Let us give the enemy something to fear. Let us pray. – Amen.
