HoHum:
My 2 inside dogs are always begging. “I want some of that,” even though when they get it they don’t want it (Like fruit). Even so they still keep asking. Children also ask quickly and boldly. They ask without reservation, without any fear that they will be denied. Might have to tell them they cannot have this because not good. Alex and Andy at any store would do this. When a child requests something that we have and it is good for them and us, we gladly grant their request. Jesus said similar things. Look up and read Matthew 7:7-11. Notice that Jesus chose 2 of the most common, everyday requests a child might make of a father or mother in those days. Mom pulls some warm flatbread from the oven: “I want some of that.” Dad strips a morsel from the meat on the spit: “I want some of that.” What parent would deny a hungry child? Who in their right mind would substitute a stone or a snake and give that to a child? No one. The point Jesus makes is, “How much more?” How much more loving and giving is our heavenly Father? How much more certain is He to answer our requests? How much more gracious and giving and generous is He? How much more willing? Wealthy? Wise?
WBTU:
Look up and read Mark 11:12-14. We find out the results in Mark 11:20-25. Other gospels bring out different aspects of this account but want to focus on prayer here. This seems like a self centered miracle but Jesus uses this to talk about prayer. Bob Hostetler translation says this: “Rabbi! Look at that! The fig tree you cursed is all withered.” “Of course, it is, Peter. Have faith in God! A fig tree is nothing; if you had the faith and the boldness, you could pray for this mount right over there (either Mount Zion or the Mount of Olives, not sure) to be thrown into the sea- some 30 plus miles away- and it would happen! The question is not will a fig tree wither at your word or a mountain move at your command; the question is, will you ask for it in prayer and believe that your Father will do it?” Need to believe enough to “approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).
Thesis: Pray with…
For instances:
1. Pray with faith
Read John 14:12-13
Greater than cursing a fig tree and making it wither? Yes, Acts 5 talks about how Peter confronted Ananias and Sapphira and what happened to them? Ananias and Sapphira got together to conspire a plot! To cheat! The church and get ahead. They knew God's power…didn't fear it… tried to cheat the Holy Spirit… Peter prophesied it and they both dropped dead! Hey! God loves a cheerful giver, Give it all you got! He loves to hear you laughing When you're in a an awful spot... So when the odds are up against you And you cannot do a thing... Praise God! To praise Him is a glorious thing!
Greater than healing a paralyzed man? Apparently so because in Acts 3 Peter and John…. Peter and John went to pray; They met a lame man on the way. He asked for alms and held out his palms, And this is what Peter did say: “Silver and gold have I none, But such as I have give I thee. In the name of Jesus Christ Of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” Walking and leaping and praising God, Walking and leaping and praising God. “In the name of Jesus Christ Of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”
Greater than raising a widow’s son from the dead? Apparently so because Peter raised Dorcas
Ok, but that was for that day. Yes, but we find the early disciples praying for boldness (Acts 4:29). They prayed for prisoners to be released (Acts 12:5). They prayed for the sick to be healed. “Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed” Acts 5:16. And God answered their prayers!
Love the Scriptures that Samuel Logan Brengle mentioned. Go to 2 Kings 13:14-21. Why all the precise directives (east window, shoot, take the arrows, strikes the ground)? Is he playing an ancient version of “Simon says?” How can Elisha assure Jehoash of complete victory (vs. 17) and then only a partial victory (vs. 19). Pray just a few times- pray and faint not (Luke 18).
Go to Matthew 15:21-28. Setting aside the racial slurs, this is how God treats us today. We pray and get no answer. God is silent. The woman would not be denied. She was willing to receive the dogs’ portion. Oh, how her faith triumphed, and Jesus, amazed, said, “Your faith is great! Your request is granted.” Jesus meant to bless her all the time, if her faith would hold out. And so He means to bless us.
Praying with faith means don’t…
A. Be timid. Esther was queen but she could not approach the king’s throne without an invitation. Esther took her life in her hands and marched into the King’s throne room to make life changing, world altering requests of him. His was hardly a “throne of grace” {remember approaching God’s throne of grace with confidence (Hebrews 4:16)} yet she threw off all caution and gained what she asked- what she and all her people needed. We should do the same with God’s throne.
B. Try to hedge our bets. “God we want you to heal but if not make this person comfortable.” Now we should strive to pray prayers that align with God’s priorities (Hallowed by thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven), but faith goes out on a limb. It strikes the arrow on the ground over and over and over…. It asks for even the crumbs from the master’s table.
C. Try to protect God from embarrassment. Need to pray realistic answers to prayer? No Big Hairy Audacious Goals, Prayers here. What if God does not answer? Remember the words of Jesus after the cursing of the fig tree. Mark 11:23-24: “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Remember Romans 8:28: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 1 Corinthians 15:58: “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” Intercessory prayers offered in faith to the Lord Jesus are never in vain.
2. Pray with desperation
Look up and read Matthew 18:19-20. Considering this we need to get as many people praying as possible. With my grandmother had family praying and put on prayer chain. 2 Corinthians 1:10-11- God delivers but prayers helped Paul. God delivers but God answers the prayers of his saints. God wants to do certain things but without prayer He cannot release His power the way He would like. We cannot all preach; we cannot all lead; we cannot all give gold and silver, but we can all contribute our prayers. “Nothing I can do”- can pray. God collects the prayers and uses them to give power to the church. Talking about faith promise. Whether we personally go to the mission field or not, we can have a powerful role in missions. We must not take prayer for missions lightly, even if it does not come to us easily. A.B. Simpson said, “There is no missionary force more prevailing than prayer. The great art of prayer in all the fulness of its power has been learned only by a few. God has His priests who stand with holy hands at the footstool of the throne, sharing the intercession of the great High Priest, and some day it will be found that these are the greatest missionaries of all.”
3. Pray with imagination
As praying, I have received guidance about what to do and when to do it. Go to 2 Chronicles 20:1-4, 13-19. Here is the amazing part 2 Chronicles 20:20-23, and then vs. 27-28.
Acts 27:22-25: But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’ So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.
Like the words of this song by Charles Wesley: Faith, mighty faith, the promise sees, and looks to that alone; Laughs at impossibilities, and cries, It shall be done!
What do we want see done here at Louisville Christian Church? Have not because you ask now
