CALL TO PRAY
the perpetually present practice of prayer produces praise power and perspective
contiueal crisis crying cannot create christcentered character or conduct
“Do you know why I often ask Christians, “What’s the biggest thing you’ve asked God for this week?” I remind them that they are going to God, the Father, the Maker of the Universe, the One who holds the world in His hands. What did you ask for? Did you ask for peanuts, toys, trinkets, or did you ask for continents? I want to tell you, young people, it’s tragic! The little itsy-bitsy things we ask of our Almighty God. Sure, nothing is too small- but also nothing is too big. Let’s learn to ask for our big God some of those big things He talks about in Jeremiah 33:3: ‘ ’Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know. ’Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’”
Dawson Trotman
“The spiritual disciplines are the things I do as a citizen of the Kingdom to connect with the realities and resources of the Kingdom.” Bill Tell
“The spiritual disciplines allow me to have what is already mine.” Bill Tell
“Spiritual disciplines- the activities I purposely undertake with my body and mind to bring all that I am in cooperation with how things work in the Kingdom of God.” Bill Tell
What are the spiritual disciplines? Prayer, quiet time, fellowship, witnessing, bible study, bible reading, scripture memory, journaling, solitude...to name a few.
Tonight I want to talk about the spiritual discipline we call prayer!
Kenneth Boa “Spiritual growth is impossible apart from the practice of prayer.”
Ministry is impossible apart from the practice of prayer. Lorne Sanny meant that when he said “Prayer is the ministry”
There are two ways you can see the depth of someone’s spiritual life: look at their checkbook (how they spend their money); secondly, look at their prayer life (how much time do they spend in prayer).
We must take the time to sharpen our axe!
1. PRIORITY OF PRAYER (Lk. 11:1)
__JOHN THE BAPTIST__ was remembered for his prayer emphasis.
We usually think of him as a prophet or martyr, yet Jesus’ disciples remembered him as a man of prayer.
John was the “miracle baby” filled with the HS before he was born and yet he had to pray.
John was privileged to introduce the Messiah to Israel, yet he had to pray.
Jesus called John the greatest of the prophets (Lk. 7:28), and yet John had to depend on prayer.
If prayer was vital to a man who had all these advantages, how much more important should it be to us who don’t have those advantages!
_JESUS_ was a man of prayer.
He prayed at His baptism (Lk. 3:21)
He prayed before he chose the 12 (Lk. 6:12)
He prayed when the crowds increased (Lk. 5:16)
He prayed regularly in the mornings alone (Mk. 1:35)
He prayed before He went to the cross (garden)
He prayed while He was on the cross (Father forgive them..into thy hands..)
If Jesus, the perfect Son of God, had to depend on prayer during “the days of His flesh” Heb. 5:7, then how much more do you and I need to pray!
2. PATTERN FOR PRAYER (Lk. 11:2-4)
Emphasizing our __RELATIONSHIP__ with God.
When we pray, we are talking to our heavenly father.
The purpose of prayer is to glorify God name, and to ask for help to accomplish His will on earth.
It begins with God’s interests not ours; God’s name, God’s kingdom, and God’s will.
Robert Law said “Prayer is a mighty instrument, not for getting man’s will done in heaven, but for getting God’s will done on earth.”
We have no right to ask God for anything that will dishonor His name, delay His kingdom, or disturb His will on earth.
There are no singular pronouns in Jesus’ prayer, all plural.
When we pray, we must remember that we are part of a worldwide family of believers..
Recognizing our daily __DEPENDANCE__ on Him.
There are 5 requests mentioned here
First, that God’s reputation would be revered by all
Second, that God’s kingdom would come.
Third, the we would look to God for our daily needs (more than physical food)
Forth, that we would display Christ’s forgiveness by forgiving others
Fifth, that God would deliver us from any situation that might cause us to sin.
3. PERSISTANCE IN PRAYER (Lk. 11:5-8)
Unlike this “friend” who didn’t want to be bothered, God WANTS us to pray to Him!
We must never _CEASE_ praying!
Not that we can change God’s mind but that we show our dependence on Him.
God’s answers: Yes, __NO_ and _WAIT_.
4. POWER OF PRAYER (Lk. 11:9-13)
**You and I don’t need to pray for the HS because this prayer was answered at Pentecost…and all believers have the HS inside us!
Prayer changes _THINGS_!
Billy Grahams success: An old lady named Pearl sold all her belonging and traveled with Billy wherever he held a crusade, she rented a hotel room and prayed during the whole crusade.
Little prayer, little power; more prayer, more power, much prayer, much power.
2 Chron. 7:14 “if” “My people= believers” humility, devotion, commitment, surrender
**we must not separate prayer and the Word. The Bible has over 5,000 promises in it that you and I can plead for our lives and ministry.
Prayer changes _ME_!
RESPONSE(S):
What action do you need to take to improve your prayer life?
Will you ask God to make you a man or woman of prayer?
Keith Green says “Jesus rose from the dead, but you can’t get out of bed”
Make prayer a priority and ask God to make you a man or woman of prayer.
Come to 7am Prayer at OBF and help change (and claim) our campus for Christ.
MY DREAM: to see the same number of people attending our prayer meeting (7am MWF) as their our coming to Nav Night.
In groups of 3-4, would you ask God to deepen your prayer life?
In the book, Steps Toward Spiritual Growth, the story is told of a man who was opening an adult bookstore in a small town despite the objections of many people in the community. A group of Christians from a neighboring church decided to gather for an all-night prayer meeting to ask to somehow block the establishment of this store. That evening there was a tremendous thunderstorm in the area. During the storm, lightening struck the adult bookstore building and it burned to the ground.
The owner of the bookstore brought a lawsuit against the church that claimed they were responsible for the fire. The Christians hired an attorney who denied that they had anything to do with it. When the case was brought before the judge, he stated, “No matter how this case comes out, one thing is clear; the bookstore owner believes in prayer and the Christians do not.”
Our study is on prayer. But, what is prayer? Here is a suggested definition.
Prayer is a means by which we establish, deepen, and sustain our relationship with God.
Prayer is a much-discussed topic and a sometimes-frequent source of discouragement and despair. It also is sometimes the source of great insight as we study the prayers of others, especially children, like the four year old who was heard to pray, “And forgive us our trash baskets as we forgive those who put trash in our baskets.” Keen insight isn’t it?
Early in his earthly ministry Jesus sat down with His disciples and took time to instruct them in several important areas and topics. We read that instruction in Matthew chapters 5 through 7. It has been called, “The Sermon on The Mount” because it took place on a mountainside.
Among those topics addressed was prayer and Jesus’ comments on prayer are found in Matthew 6:5-18.
There are five sections to this passage on prayer that we need to be aware of:
Verses 5 and 6 – The Correct Attitude of Prayer
Verses 7 and 8 – The Correct Practice of Prayer
Verses 9 – 13 – A suggested pattern of prayer
Verses 14 and 15 – Prayer and Forgiveness
Verses 16 – 18 – Prayer and Fasting
All are important in understanding and practicing prayer. I want to focus on the suggested pattern because it is here that we learn how to establish, deepen, and sustain our relationship with God.
Dale Galloway has given us a wonderful illustration and thought on prayer that we are going to us as a guide through this passage that we now know as the Lord’s Prayer.
Dale calls prayer “the hand that moves the hand of God.” And so, we are going to use our right hand as a guide in understanding how the elements of Jesus’ model prayer help us establish, deepen, and sustain our relationship with God.
Here is a diagram for you to follow:
To establish something means to put it on a firm basis. Prayer is a very important means in establishing our relationship with God and we establish our relationship with God when we tune into God in and through praise as we say “Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored.”
What does it mean to praise God? We say that a lot. We sing it, “Let’s just praise the Lord!” But what does it mean to praise God?
Two important things: First of all praise is thanking God for who He is. Who is God? Words fail us in answering this question. But, we establish our relationship with God as we thank Him for who he is. We must thank Him and acknowledge Him for His holiness, for His purity, for His power, for His majesty, and other aspects of His being. This kind of praise gives God His rightful place in our lives and thus establishes a relationship with Him.
We also praise God when we thank Him for what He has done for us and His mighty acts through history. Once again acknowledging God’s work in our lives and the lives of others in words of praise and thanksgiving create the environment by which we establish our relationship with God.
Psalm 103:1-2 “Praise the Lord, I tell myself; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, I tell myself, and never forget the good things he does for me.”
But there is more to prayer than saying “Thank you God!” We also establish our relationship with God when we connect with God through cooperation as we say, “May your kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth just as it is in heaven.”
What does it mean to cooperate with God? Well for one thing it means to obey God and do what he tells us to do. We cooperate through obedience.
But, Jesus also tells his audience, and us, to cooperate as we pray for God’s kingdom to come to our lives, homes, schools, workplaces, communities, nation, and world. We establish our relationship with God through cooperation as we realize that we are not here for our own benefit. We are here to cooperate with God in the establishment of His kingdom.
Now the Kingdom of God is not a political group. It is spiritual, not governmental, in nature. God’s kingdom is about the redemption of humankind. It is about bringing people to a right relationship with God.
And prayer is important in that because we are on a mission. Our mission is about people and their souls. It is about helping others find and experience God and His forgiveness and life. So when we pray, we must also pray for God’s plans and purposes to be accomplished. And that also means that we must individually submit to God’s plans and purposes for us.
However, we must not only establish our relationship with God we must also deepen our relationship with God. And we deepen our relationship with God through prayer when we petition, when we ask for and receive God’s provisions for us as we pray, “Give us our food for today.”
Elsewhere in this major segment of scripture, Jesus tells the disciples not to worry about their need for food and clothing because He will provide. But one thing that Jesus is underscoring is, that as we trust and ask God for what we need and believe that He will provide, such faith and trust deepens our relationship with God because we believe that God will provide for our immediate needs.
In Philippians 4:6 Paul has said, “Don’t worry about anything; instead pray about everything.” Prayer deepens our relationship with God because it deepens our trust in Him.
A man returned to his car in a parking lot and found a note under the windshield wiper. The note read as follows: “I just smashed into your car. The people who witnessed the collision are watching me. They probably think that I am writing down my name and address. I am not. They are wrong.” There was nothing more written on the note.
Two things about confession stand out to me in this story. First of all, the man admitted the truth about what he done. But, second, he failed to take responsibility for what he did. Confession and forgiveness are both about admitting the truth and additionally about taking responsibility for one’s action.
Another way we deepen our relationship with God is by confession and forgiveness as we pray, “forgive us our sins, just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us.”
Now a case can be made for this aspect of prayer being a primary way of establishing our relationship with God. Through a sincere prayer of repentance we are able to receive forgiveness of our sins and establish our relationship with God.
However, confession also serves to deepen our relationship with God through the years because telling the honest truth about our self and taking responsibility for our actions and thoughts, keeps our hearts and minds open to God. But, there is also another aspect to forgiveness in prayer, “just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us.” And there’s the rub. And Jesus does not let it go unnoticed as we read in verses 14 and 15.
For forgiveness to freely flow from God to us, there cannot be anything blocking its path: our own sin and our unwillingness to forgive others. It is not that God won’t forgive our sin; it is that He can’t because He will not force us to forgive. Forgiveness, real forgiveness, is freely given. And when we refuse to forgive others, God is unable to forgive our sins because we are block the flow of forgiveness.
Now, I know, I know that many, many people have trouble forgiving others because of the terribly tragic things that have been done and said to them. Forgiveness seems an impossibility.
I am reminded of the story of Dr. Dave Gyertson. Dave is the President of Taylor University. He grew up in an extremely dysfunction family. In fact, he ended up in the local Free Methodist pastor’s home after his mother threw him out.
This wonderful couple, by the name of Poynter, took Dave in and raised him not just to manhood but Christian manhood. Many years went by and one day Dave came face to face with the reality of forgiving his father who was known to be living in Toronto. (Dave is a native of Canada.)
If I remember correctly, Dave had re-established contact with his dad after many years. But, in the re-establishment of that contact, all the memories came flooding back. Dave Gyertson had to make a choice – forgive and learn to love his father or allow his spirit and his life to be poisoned by unforgiveness. One of the things that Dave said was that he became willing to be willing.
I believe that as Dave Gyertson was willing to forgive his father his relationship with God the Father grew and grew and grew and deepened. I also think that had he not made the decision to forgive that Dave Gyertson would not be where he is today.
Forgiveness for a Christian is not option. It is a requirement. It is also, in some situations, a process because sometimes it takes time.
Finally, we sustain our relationship with God through what Dale Galloway calls the “can-do” step – victory as we pray “and don’t let us yield to temptation but deliver us from the evil one.”
Last week, we studied the wonderful truth and beautiful reality that God can help us live victoriously over temptation and sin! Such victorious living is sustained as we actively ask for and accept, through prayer, God’s help and protection in resisting temptation and delivery from the influence of Satan.
Have you ever stopped to consider that, at the beginning of His earthly ministry in this larger segment of Matthew, and, at the end of his ministry, in the John 14 – 17 passage, that Jesus repeated some things to his disciples?
One thing, perhaps the most remembered thing, is that there will be trouble and persecution. Matthew 5:11 and John 15:21 speak of this reality. “God bless you when you are mocked and persecuted and lied about because you are my followers.” “The people of the world will hate you because you belong to me, for they don’t know God who sent me.”
Jesus understood and knew that they would be engaged in a struggle, a battle, which had nothing to do with human issues. They instead had everything to do with spiritual issues.
These troubles and persecutions came because the disciples were following God and the other side did not want that to happen. The same holds true for us. If we are going to follow God, then there will be opposition – direct as we sense and experience evil and indirect through temptation.
What is required of us is prayer that allows us to seek victory over and resistance to temptation as we read in James 4:7-8. “So humble yourselves before God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you. Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you.” This kind of relationship includes praying for strength and willingness to resist temptation and be led in the right direction.
Prayer is an essential part of our relationship and life with God. It is important for us to develop and maintain a strong prayer life as we seek to establish, deepen, and sustain a strong relationship with God.
A gospel song came to my mind as I prepared this sermon. It speaks directly both to the place of and the necessity for prayer in our relationship with God and why that it is important:
How long has it been since you talked with the Lord and told Him your heart’s hidden secrets? How long since you prayed? How long since you stayed on your knees till the light shone through? How long has it been since your mind felt at ease? How long since your heart knew no burden? Can you call him your friend? How long has it been since you knew that He cared for you?
How long has it been since you knelt by your bed and prayed to the Lord up in heaven? How long since you knew that He’d answer you and would keep you the long night through? How long has it been since you woke with the dawn, and felt that the day’s worth the living? Can you call Him your friend? How long has it been since you knew that He cared for you?
How is your prayer life? How is your relationship with God today? They are very closely connected together. Our prayer life influences the quality and depth of our relationship with the Lord. But, just like every other area of our lives, God is more than willing to help us in our prayer life. All we have to do is ask.
Prayer is important. Prayer is essential to our lives. Prayer is sometimes frustrating and challenging. However, prayer is worth it. Prayer is like the mining equipment that digs out precious stones. It goes through a lot of resistance but when it gets to where it needs to be the riches are unbelievable! May you this day, may we this day, “find the riches,” as Paul put it, “that are in Christ Jesus” as we pray and establish, deepen, and sustain our relationship with Him. Amen.
WHAT IS PRAYER?
Rev. Bruce A. Shields DD
House of Faith Ministries
www.PS127.org (989) 362-7831
NKJ Luke 18:1
* Prayer is our approach to God.
To persist in prayer and not to give up does not mean endless repetition or painfully long prayer sessions. Constant prayer means keeping our requests continually before God as we live for Him day by day, believing He will answer. When we live by faith, we are not to give up. God may delay answering, but His delays always have purpose. As we persist in prayer, we grow in character, faith and hope.
* Sometimes it takes God time to answer
NKJ Luke 18:7
NKJ John 14:12-14 (Power in Prayer)
* How Jesus Prayed for His Church
NKJ John 17:20-21
CONCLUSION
NKJ 1 Timothy 2:8
* The time for prayer is ALWAYS.
NKJ Luke 18:1
* Subjects for prayer are EVERYTHING.
NKJ Philippians 4:6
* Answers to prayer ALL THINGS GLORIFYING THE FATHER
NKJ John 14:14
14. "If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.
God’s Farm
Prayer
I. Definition
A. How others see it?
1. William Bright: Prayer is simply talking to God.
2. Richard Eastman: Prayer is to verbalize our total dependence on God concerning all our efforts
3. Andrew Murray: Prayer is fellowship with the Unseen and Most Holy One. The powers of the eternal world have been placed at its disposal. It is the very essence of true religion, the channel of all blessings, the secret of power and life.
4. Dr. Jack Taylor: Prayer is weakness plugged into God’s strength. Prayer is saying “I can’t; but You can,” and plugging into God’s will.
Discussion: What commonalities are there in these definitions?
Dictionary Definition: Prayer is worship that includes all the attributes of the human spirit in its approach to God.
B. Prayer as Worship
1. Worship – What is worship?
2. Giving worth to God in response to seeing Him work in power –
a. Ps. 95:6 – let us bow down in worship….
b. Matt. 4:9 “all this will I give you” Satan said “If you bow down and worship me”
c. Rev. 19:10 “at this I fell at his feet to worship Him (John)
d. Heb. 12:28 Therefore since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.
Discussion: What do these verses tell you about worship?
e. Worship as a response to a relationship…
i. 5,000 vs disciples
ii. People probably wouldn’t complain as much about a church’s worship if they really had something to be thankful to God for.
1. Faith- Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we cannot see
a. Faith in God’s Power- God holds the right of all-encompassing power - Jim Cymbala- The devil is not terribly frightened of our human efforts and credentials. But he knows his kingdom will be damaged when we begin to lift our hearts to God.”
i. Jesus says – Apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:6); Jeremiah writes: Nothing is too hard for God (Jer. 32:17)
b. Faith in God’s Promises – God has promised us a hope and future in Jeremiah.
i. 2 Cor. 1:12; Gal. 3:29
c. Faith that God wants to give you a good life – Too many people are plagued with the hint that god wants You to suffer only while on Earth.
i. Matt. 7:9-11 Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Of if he asks for a fish will give him a snake? If you, though you are evil, know how tom give good gifts to your children, how much more will your father in heaven give good gifts to you?
ii. John 1:10 I came that they might have life…
iii. Psalm 119:68-80 – A different perspective of God’s goodness
iv. Prayer is not conquering God’s reluctance, but taking hold of His willingness- Philip Brooks
d. Faith that God will fulfil His promises – Matt. 7:7-8
i. Matt:21:22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for
ii. (this type of faith demands complete surrender)“God is not aloof. He says continually through the centuries “I’ll help you, I really will. When you’re ready to throw up your hands, throw them up to me.” Cymbala
iii. We must learn to trust God in such a way that does not account for a possibility of a back-up plan in case God fails. (Umbrella story)
2. humility- Isaiah 57:15 (broken and contrite)
A. The Bible reveals that we can only understand God’s power when we are able to see our own weakness. Cymbala - “God is attracted to weakness. He can’t resist those who humbly and honestly admit how desperately they need him.”
B. Humility is the natural outcome of God removing the things in your life that compete for His attention.
i. Prayer enlarges the heart until it is capable of containing God’s gift of Himself – Mother Teresa
C. When we realize how totally sinful we are, we will never again be burdened with thinking we have nothing to pray about.
i. Spurgeon: The best style of prayer is that which cannot be called anything else but a cry. (Parable of the Tax collector and Pharisee)
D. Humility in prayer helps up to realize how great God really is – He has a daily in his life that makes me ugly. Shakespeare
E. Humility in prayer reveals that we truly desire to walk as Jesus did. – He was obedient even to death on a cross - Humility reflects a heart of obedience.
3. Discipline - What about the spirit???? Any relationship takes time and discipline
A. Perseverance is the Bible’s trademark of discipline - Ask, Seek, Knock…
i. Jer. 29:13 You will seek me and find me when…
ii. And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint." (Lk. 18:1)
iii. Pray without ceasing- a discipline of dependence
B. Listening to God is just as important as talking
1. Elijah – still small voice - PS. 95:7 Today if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. Conviction, unbelief. Mother Teresa interview Jesus – my sheep know my voice.
2. A heart tuned to God’s voice becomes deaf to the world- Max Lucado – head phone
1. Simplicity is a discipline helps prayer to stay fresh and meaning ful (Matt. 6:7) Parable of the Tax collector and Pharisee
4. Always say what you mean and mean what you say. Anything else is a waste of God’s time. Matt 6:7, pray in truth,
5. Private prayer is possible the greatest evaluation of a believers faith in Christ. Matt 6:6 When you pray, go into your room…
1. Comm study – Attitude and behavior
6. Discipline means being an active pray-er….morning….
Conc. Faith, Humility, Discipline
ACTS
Take risks!
