I would like to talk to you for just a few minutes this morning upon a subject simply entitled, “The best position in The Church”.
Seven times in our Scripture text James exhorts The Church to pray. He teaches different aspects of prayer, how it should be done and what its results should be.
I would like to take just a few minutes of you time this fine Sunday morning to look into what the Bible has to say about Prayer.
Today, April 8th, marks the 2 month anniversary of the day my mother in law passed away. Barbara Keith Whitman was a woman of prayer. This woman had been in the church for many years and on February 8th, 2001 passed away in her home on Young Road. She had spent the majority of her life in prayer, so much was the case that she actually had callused knees. She spent her last days not worrying about herself or complaining, but praying for that had knees. I would say that she died on her knees.
She was “Momma” to me, “Nanny” to the church, and a “Prayer Warrior” to God and His church! But if I were to have her come before you today and ask her what was the best thing she ever did in the church. “Momma” so many years in the church, so many things you’ve done, what would you say was your biggest accomplishment? She would tell you that her prayers were her biggest accomplishment.
I’m reminded how that in the Book of Acts, The Lord told Cornelius that his prayers and his alms had come up before Him as a memorial before God.
Your prayers will not go unnoticed young person!!! I did not say you would get everything, right when you prayed for it, but you hear me when I say to you that God does hear you!!!
I have prayed in times past for things I felt I needed an answer right then and got no response from God. I remember how I felt at the time too, I felt as though maybe my need wasn’t so important to God. Maybe I wasn’t so important to God. Hey I know what it’s like to feel like there’s nobody in the whole wide world that cares about you, but then right in the nick of time God comes in and rescues me!! He has always been there for me!!!
I like how Isaiah recorded it, “And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer, and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.” (Is. 65:24)
Matthew said, “…your Father knoweth what things you have need of, before ye ask him.” (Matt. 6:8)
Jesus speaking in the Book of Luke says, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock , and it shall be opened to you.” (Luke 11:9)
In other words… it’s gonna take some prayer to get things done!!! And you may not be able to ask just once for God to do it either. It may take a little time for God to fix the situation you are in, but it’s like I always say; you may not have gotten into trouble over night, so don’t expect God to get you out of it overnight either!!
I guess what I’m trying to teach this morning is that God can and will meet our needs, but He knows what and when is best. If we would give the Lord liberty in our lives, he can make all the wrongs right.
I once heard it said that, “a man stands tallest when he is on his knees.” We can get more accomplished in just 5 minutes in prayer with God than we could a lifetime on our own.
Awe, you didn’t hear me!!! I said, “You can get more accomplished in just 5 minutes with God than you can a whole lifetime on your own”!!!!!
Prayer changes things!!! Look at vs. 16 of our scripture text. “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” It means a lot to God when you pray!!!
I’m telling you that the best position in the church one can have is on his or her knees.
Before I close, I would like to share with you 3 things that you can find while on your knees.
1.) Repentance can be found on your knees.
I heard a man say that repentance felt so good to him that sometimes he just wanted to go sin, so he could have something to repent over.
Well… I’m not saying to do that, but I do believe he had at least part of that right!!! Repentance does feel good!!! Getting our sins forgive is like lifting a major weight off our shoulders.
2.) Humility is found on your knees.
Sometimes we focus so much on what we do and our own accomplishments that we forget who brought us where we are.
3.) Lastly, Victory can be found on your knees.
Look at Elijah, when he was in the worst situation he could have ever faced in his life. His faith and his God were on trial from the prophets of Ba al. Not one, not two, but 450 prophets of Ba al were against him and him alone. (I Kings 18:30-38)
Young People, God does hear your prayers and prayer does change things,
Let’s all stand as we goto the Lord in Prayer
