WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:11.240 So, today we're going to start talking about prayer, and I want to start with a confession. 00:00:13.380 --> 00:00:20.320 When we're talking about Bible intake and reading the Bible, I come at it with a sense 00:00:20.320 --> 00:00:26.900 of I do know how to read the Bible, which is, you know, I don't read the Bible as well 00:00:26.900 --> 00:00:27.420 as I might. 00:00:27.420 --> 00:00:32.740 I don't read the Bible as, you know, consistently as I would like to. 00:00:32.880 --> 00:00:38.579 I don't, you know, I have all kinds of weaknesses there, but when we come to prayer, I feel even 00:00:38.579 --> 00:00:41.079 more keenly my weakness is here. 00:00:42.600 --> 00:00:48.859 So, I don't want to give the impression of being an expert or anything like that, and 00:00:48.859 --> 00:00:53.799 I feel it's pretty humbling to be teaching on prayer. 00:00:53.799 --> 00:00:57.259 I feel like I have a whole lot to learn. 00:00:58.219 --> 00:01:03.859 I feel like, well, I should have learned more by now, but I'm grateful that God has brought 00:01:03.859 --> 00:01:04.539 me where I am. 00:01:04.540 --> 00:01:07.580 So, just hear me with that. 00:01:08.300 --> 00:01:09.460 I'm not an expert. 00:01:10.380 --> 00:01:13.700 And so, some of what I'm sharing is things that have helped me. 00:01:15.040 --> 00:01:18.500 Some of the things I'm sharing I don't do as consistently as I would like to do. 00:01:19.100 --> 00:01:20.300 I find prayer hard. 00:01:20.299 --> 00:01:24.599 So, I come at it from that angle. 00:01:26.939 --> 00:01:28.979 Let's just ask the Lord's blessing on our time. 00:01:28.980 --> 00:01:34.600 Father, we thank you for the amazing gift of prayer. 00:01:34.960 --> 00:01:43.579 We pray that you would open our eyes and our ears to see what a wonder it is and to see 00:01:43.579 --> 00:01:44.740 what a privilege it is. 00:01:45.680 --> 00:01:50.680 Pray that you would draw near, that you would help us to look at your word and look at what 00:01:50.680 --> 00:01:56.340 it says and look at some ways that we might strengthen our prayer lives. 00:01:56.340 --> 00:01:59.340 And Lord, that your Holy Spirit would lead us and teach us. 00:01:59.640 --> 00:02:01.299 In Jesus' name, amen. 00:02:04.180 --> 00:02:10.640 So, I'm going to assume that most of us here don't need to be convinced that we ought to 00:02:10.640 --> 00:02:10.939 pray. 00:02:13.539 --> 00:02:17.879 But I'll run through a few things, not to neglect that. 00:02:20.099 --> 00:02:22.939 The first one is, it's expected in Scripture. 00:02:23.560 --> 00:02:24.800 We see it all over. 00:02:24.800 --> 00:02:26.500 We see the saints praying. 00:02:28.620 --> 00:02:34.120 We hear Jesus as he's introducing, for instance, the Lord's Prayer, but other times as well. 00:02:34.200 --> 00:02:42.320 He says, and when you pray, and then says what he wants to say about it, not if you pray. 00:02:43.820 --> 00:02:47.420 It was part of, it's part of religion, right? 00:02:47.419 --> 00:02:50.379 It's part of, you know, many, many religions. 00:02:51.859 --> 00:02:55.000 And it's just expected that we're going to participate in this. 00:02:56.459 --> 00:02:58.299 It's also commanded. 00:02:58.300 --> 00:03:06.520 And there are, you know, there are a number of places where that's true, although I think 00:03:06.520 --> 00:03:11.000 the expectation sort of precludes some of the commandments we might have. 00:03:11.540 --> 00:03:13.820 But here are just two from the New Testament. 00:03:14.760 --> 00:03:16.800 Continue steadfastly in prayer. 00:03:16.800 --> 00:03:20.400 And then pray without ceasing. 00:03:20.719 --> 00:03:24.080 So these are commands that we ought to pray. 00:03:26.120 --> 00:03:29.860 Continue steadfastly in prayer, prayer, pray without ceasing. 00:03:30.160 --> 00:03:32.180 They're almost synonymous. 00:03:32.180 --> 00:03:40.599 I think when we look at prayer, pray without ceasing, we're clearly not going to be on 00:03:40.599 --> 00:03:42.620 our knees before God 24-7. 00:03:43.280 --> 00:03:46.780 We have other things that God has commanded us to do that we need to do. 00:03:47.439 --> 00:03:52.020 And we can't always be constantly giving our attention to prayer at the same time as we're 00:03:52.020 --> 00:03:54.600 giving our attention to whatever he's put before us to do. 00:03:54.599 --> 00:04:05.219 But, you know, ideally, and I'm always super grateful when this happens, is we put our minds 00:04:05.219 --> 00:04:06.060 on what we're doing. 00:04:07.579 --> 00:04:13.180 And then there might be a pause or a gap in what we're doing or we're moving on to the 00:04:13.180 --> 00:04:13.799 next task. 00:04:13.919 --> 00:04:19.899 And our minds might, you know, under the best of circumstances, our minds will wander to 00:04:19.899 --> 00:04:24.279 the Lord and, you know, give thanks for what we just did and pray for what we're about 00:04:24.279 --> 00:04:26.639 to do or whatever it might be. 00:04:28.019 --> 00:04:33.419 This is something I long for in my life and have for some time, and I've continued to pray 00:04:33.419 --> 00:04:38.179 about it, that I would be more focused on the Lord throughout the day. 00:04:38.659 --> 00:04:45.259 Like, I have a good time in the morning, but then too often I just go off and do my thing. 00:04:45.259 --> 00:04:49.339 And God is gracious when I do that. 00:04:49.339 --> 00:04:53.639 But, you know, I'd like to be more in touch. 00:04:55.719 --> 00:05:01.819 One of the Puritans, I love the Puritans' language because it's just, you know, it's dated. 00:05:02.199 --> 00:05:03.099 So it's interesting. 00:05:03.639 --> 00:05:04.979 And I love words. 00:05:05.379 --> 00:05:10.359 So one of them, and I can't remember who, I didn't even write this down, but he says, 00:05:10.479 --> 00:05:12.099 keep close touches with God. 00:05:12.100 --> 00:05:15.840 And I like that because it is touches, right? 00:05:15.980 --> 00:05:21.780 It's, he's always with us, but we're going to, we're going to touch, reach out and touch, 00:05:22.200 --> 00:05:25.800 you know, on the margins of what we're doing during the day and our busyness. 00:05:27.820 --> 00:05:28.300 Yeah. 00:05:28.379 --> 00:05:29.680 So I like that. 00:05:29.680 --> 00:05:36.439 And I have seen improvement for myself as I've continued to pray about it and as I've continued 00:05:36.439 --> 00:05:43.319 to learn better habits in the morning, my morning time, which doesn't need to be morning. 00:05:43.519 --> 00:05:44.420 It's just, that's what I do. 00:05:45.899 --> 00:05:48.519 So that's what praying without ceasing, I think, looks like. 00:05:51.460 --> 00:05:54.240 The third reason to pray is that he hears us. 00:05:57.120 --> 00:05:58.480 I think this is amazing. 00:05:58.480 --> 00:06:03.840 It's really struck me over the past couple of years, like, what a wonder that the God 00:06:03.840 --> 00:06:12.200 of the universe, who is exalted and transcendent, who is eternal, who is omniscient, he knows 00:06:12.200 --> 00:06:12.980 all things. 00:06:13.379 --> 00:06:16.600 He sees into the hearts of every man and woman. 00:06:18.340 --> 00:06:21.660 He's way different from us in many ways, right? 00:06:21.759 --> 00:06:22.640 He's God. 00:06:22.939 --> 00:06:24.060 This is a big deal. 00:06:24.060 --> 00:06:27.980 I think we sometimes get comfortable with God as our pal. 00:06:28.459 --> 00:06:34.240 But think a minute about what it means that he created the heavens and the earth. 00:06:34.540 --> 00:06:37.519 And he sustains all that goes on. 00:06:37.759 --> 00:06:42.199 That he knows what's happening to Plankton X somewhere. 00:06:42.199 --> 00:06:46.539 And he's aware of that, or it wouldn't be happening. 00:06:46.680 --> 00:06:52.219 Like, there's a sense of his bigness that I think is helpful to keep in mind. 00:06:52.279 --> 00:06:58.719 And then to read the reassurances that he hears us. 00:06:58.980 --> 00:06:59.599 He listens. 00:07:00.039 --> 00:07:00.939 He pays attention. 00:07:00.939 --> 00:07:06.259 And when the Bible says hear, it usually means, like, hear, not just hear. 00:07:06.339 --> 00:07:07.439 Oh, yeah, she's talking again. 00:07:08.060 --> 00:07:11.939 But hear with a will to respond. 00:07:12.519 --> 00:07:20.420 With a, you know, hearing is accepting it, welcoming it, and responding to it. 00:07:20.420 --> 00:07:29.939 So this verse is the verse that my Echo Dot reads to me every morning, right after my alarm goes off. 00:07:30.860 --> 00:07:33.879 But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself. 00:07:34.220 --> 00:07:36.140 The Lord hears when I call to him. 00:07:37.939 --> 00:07:38.819 That's amazing. 00:07:39.520 --> 00:07:42.660 And as I follow him, I'm set apart for him. 00:07:42.920 --> 00:07:44.439 And he's listening to me. 00:07:46.500 --> 00:07:48.319 Yeah, I just, that's amazing. 00:07:48.319 --> 00:07:51.099 The next one there, Psalm 145. 00:07:51.420 --> 00:07:54.279 He fulfills the desire of those who fear him. 00:07:54.759 --> 00:07:57.540 He also hears their cry and saves them. 00:07:59.439 --> 00:08:11.219 So as we seek him and fear him in the sense that we look to him for all our needs, we respect and reverence him, we worship him. 00:08:11.899 --> 00:08:13.159 He hears our cries. 00:08:13.620 --> 00:08:15.959 And those cries are not always articulate, right? 00:08:15.959 --> 00:08:25.799 They're not always, yeah, I mean, some of those cries, as we know, are tears, are groans, are just, Lord, help. 00:08:26.539 --> 00:08:28.139 And he hears all of that. 00:08:28.139 --> 00:08:40.240 And then in 1 John, and this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 00:08:40.980 --> 00:08:45.319 And again, hear that hears as hears and responds. 00:08:46.779 --> 00:08:56.500 He's not just, it's not just flowing over him like, you know, like if I turn on a podcast and then my mind wanders, I'm not hearing it, right? 00:08:56.500 --> 00:09:01.940 And if I read the Bible and just run my eyes over it, I'm not really hearing it either. 00:09:02.120 --> 00:09:05.419 So it's this hearing with a heart to respond and accept and welcome. 00:09:05.419 --> 00:09:09.419 So this is how God approaches us. 00:09:09.419 --> 00:09:19.879 And not to make anyone feel guilty, but to consider this amazing privilege that we have to pray and to know that he hears us. 00:09:19.979 --> 00:09:23.120 And these are just three verses out of hundreds. 00:09:23.120 --> 00:09:27.480 The Psalms especially are filled with this. 00:09:28.100 --> 00:09:34.659 The examples we have in Scripture are prayers that expect to be heard, and rightly so. 00:09:39.659 --> 00:09:43.299 And the last one is because we want to pray because we need help. 00:09:43.299 --> 00:09:46.059 We need it. 00:09:46.219 --> 00:09:50.240 We need the Lord to help us in all kinds of circumstances. 00:09:50.639 --> 00:09:52.559 We need him to help us on the good days. 00:09:52.699 --> 00:09:54.399 We need him to help us on the hard days. 00:09:54.500 --> 00:09:57.439 We need him to help us with things we think we're good at. 00:09:57.799 --> 00:10:00.740 We need him to help us with things we have no idea what to do. 00:10:02.459 --> 00:10:05.079 We are the created ones. 00:10:05.219 --> 00:10:07.259 We are created to rely on him. 00:10:07.339 --> 00:10:10.299 We are created with needs that only he can fill. 00:10:10.299 --> 00:10:12.859 And he's called us to come to him. 00:10:13.419 --> 00:10:18.939 He knows those needs, but he's invited us to express them to him. 00:10:19.259 --> 00:10:22.199 And that's what he honors that. 00:10:22.719 --> 00:10:26.779 And sometimes it might feel a little bit like, if he already knows, why do I need to tell him? 00:10:28.279 --> 00:10:31.979 But he's interested in more than just... 00:10:31.979 --> 00:10:34.659 He's interested in cultivating our hearts, right? 00:10:34.699 --> 00:10:36.519 Our hearts that know that we need him. 00:10:36.939 --> 00:10:39.179 Our hearts that reach out to him. 00:10:39.179 --> 00:10:40.419 Our hearts that fear him. 00:10:40.419 --> 00:10:42.859 That honor him for who he is. 00:10:43.299 --> 00:10:48.539 In all his transcendence and glory and otherness. 00:10:49.179 --> 00:10:54.139 We want to honor this God who created us and rely on him. 00:10:54.699 --> 00:10:59.099 And we express that reliance in prayer and in other ways. 00:10:59.100 --> 00:11:14.460 So the writer of Hebrews says, let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. 00:11:16.100 --> 00:11:17.720 We need mercy, right? 00:11:17.840 --> 00:11:23.320 We're sinning every day in many different ways. 00:11:23.320 --> 00:11:24.660 And we need his mercy. 00:11:25.000 --> 00:11:28.540 We need to seek him for that. 00:11:29.540 --> 00:11:31.600 And to find grace to help in time of need. 00:11:31.720 --> 00:11:34.960 Now, you know, as I said, we're in time of need all the time. 00:11:34.960 --> 00:11:37.320 And we need what he can give. 00:11:37.960 --> 00:11:40.259 So those are just some reasons. 00:11:40.379 --> 00:11:42.560 Y'all could have come up with those on your own. 00:11:43.019 --> 00:11:46.639 And, you know, I'm sure there are others that we could add. 00:11:46.820 --> 00:11:50.519 But I think most of us know that we ought to be praying. 00:11:51.040 --> 00:11:52.120 And that it's a good thing. 00:11:52.139 --> 00:11:53.340 And I think many of us are praying. 00:11:53.519 --> 00:11:56.519 I'm not assuming people aren't praying. 00:11:56.519 --> 00:12:00.000 But I was supposed to say barriers. 00:12:00.379 --> 00:12:01.360 There's a typo up there. 00:12:01.500 --> 00:12:03.259 Barriers, not borrowers. 00:12:06.199 --> 00:12:08.100 So some of the ways it's hard. 00:12:08.259 --> 00:12:10.519 And, again, you can come up with all these from your own experience. 00:12:11.340 --> 00:12:14.000 And they won't all be the same as these. 00:12:14.100 --> 00:12:14.659 But just some. 00:12:15.039 --> 00:12:17.159 We're not used to thinking in silence. 00:12:17.159 --> 00:12:22.959 I think especially in these days when we're bombarded with information. 00:12:23.339 --> 00:12:29.799 When we have, you know, alarms, alerts going off on our phone. 00:12:30.139 --> 00:12:36.500 When, you know, some people turn the TV on in the morning and never turn it off. 00:12:37.319 --> 00:12:39.039 And just have it going in the background. 00:12:39.240 --> 00:12:40.779 Some people need music in the background. 00:12:41.019 --> 00:12:42.220 Some people, you know, there's just. 00:12:42.220 --> 00:12:54.340 And then to sit alone and actually be in silence before the Lord can be really hard. 00:12:55.700 --> 00:12:59.340 I suspect the ancients had it a little easier. 00:12:59.680 --> 00:13:07.080 Because there wasn't all this noise and confusion and information and bombardment with media and all of that. 00:13:07.080 --> 00:13:14.660 But, nevertheless, this is the problem for many of us. 00:13:15.040 --> 00:13:20.360 So we're not used to that silence and thinking it's hard to concentrate and stay focused. 00:13:22.040 --> 00:13:24.980 I'm going to assume that many of us have that experience. 00:13:25.720 --> 00:13:27.440 Because of that, our minds wander. 00:13:28.560 --> 00:13:29.879 We sit down to pray. 00:13:29.879 --> 00:13:35.299 And we start thinking about what we need to do in the day. 00:13:35.779 --> 00:13:38.779 Or last night's argument with our spouse. 00:13:39.080 --> 00:13:42.939 Or our worries about whatever. 00:13:43.700 --> 00:13:45.439 The bills that need to be paid. 00:13:47.360 --> 00:13:52.200 We might be thinking about, you know, things we hope for and dream for. 00:13:53.740 --> 00:13:55.259 All kinds of things, right? 00:13:55.259 --> 00:13:59.580 And you can fill in all those blanks with your own, where your mind goes. 00:14:01.279 --> 00:14:03.419 And this is part of sitting in silence. 00:14:03.679 --> 00:14:08.700 It's part of, it's just part of having super busy minds filled with all kinds of stuff. 00:14:10.580 --> 00:14:12.879 And it's a challenge. 00:14:13.480 --> 00:14:18.340 So we're going to hopefully talk about some things that may help that challenge. 00:14:20.159 --> 00:14:21.419 We bore ourselves. 00:14:21.419 --> 00:14:23.779 Sometimes, you know, you sit down and pray. 00:14:23.959 --> 00:14:26.679 And it's just like, okay, I did this yesterday. 00:14:26.679 --> 00:14:27.759 But here I go again. 00:14:28.339 --> 00:14:31.919 And we tend to say the same thing over and over. 00:14:31.979 --> 00:14:33.819 Because we have the same concerns. 00:14:34.500 --> 00:14:36.479 Today is not radically different from yesterday. 00:14:36.659 --> 00:14:38.079 We still want to pray for our families. 00:14:38.679 --> 00:14:42.240 You know, we still want to pray for things going on in the world, like Ukraine. 00:14:42.459 --> 00:14:45.819 We still want to pray for all kinds of things, right? 00:14:45.820 --> 00:14:50.960 And it just feels, it gets to feel stale. 00:14:53.060 --> 00:14:56.280 And it's just, then it becomes boring, right? 00:14:56.379 --> 00:14:58.860 And you're kind of like, okay, God, I told you all this yesterday. 00:14:59.440 --> 00:15:01.879 But again, would you, you know. 00:15:04.460 --> 00:15:09.660 So again, I hope some of the tips are going to be a little helpful in that regard. 00:15:09.659 --> 00:15:23.179 You know, on the other hand, as long as we're actually praying our concerns, he hears every single, draw my child to yourself, Lord. 00:15:23.459 --> 00:15:26.879 And I may say it pretty much the same way every day. 00:15:27.059 --> 00:15:29.600 And that's, he hears that. 00:15:30.319 --> 00:15:33.419 As long as it's not, we don't want to be mindlessly repeating things. 00:15:34.519 --> 00:15:37.720 And I think it has a lot to do with our motivation. 00:15:37.720 --> 00:15:44.759 Like, if we're just like, it feels the same every day, we're not going to be very motivated to do it every day. 00:15:47.259 --> 00:15:57.000 And I think, and this is like, we don't often say this, but I think we often actually don't expect God to answer. 00:15:57.420 --> 00:16:00.120 And this is something I've wrestled with in my own life. 00:16:00.820 --> 00:16:04.700 Like, do I really think God is going to respond to this prayer? 00:16:04.700 --> 00:16:12.879 And many times in my life, I know I have prayed and walked away assuming nothing's going to happen. 00:16:13.300 --> 00:16:14.540 I did what I was supposed to do. 00:16:14.600 --> 00:16:15.000 I prayed. 00:16:15.580 --> 00:16:18.920 But I just don't always believe he's going to do it. 00:16:19.000 --> 00:16:21.120 And there are prayers I've been praying for years. 00:16:21.920 --> 00:16:26.320 And I don't see him answering. 00:16:26.320 --> 00:16:32.840 And I just expect, well, you know, probably not going to come in at the last minute. 00:16:33.160 --> 00:16:34.580 So my mother is 90. 00:16:35.340 --> 00:16:36.840 She turns 91 this month. 00:16:37.180 --> 00:16:41.780 And I've been praying for her salvation for many years. 00:16:42.379 --> 00:16:45.040 Like 80. 00:16:45.760 --> 00:16:46.600 Not 80. 00:16:46.700 --> 00:16:47.379 I'm not 80. 00:16:47.600 --> 00:16:49.980 But 50 years. 00:16:50.460 --> 00:16:51.520 A little less than that. 00:16:51.560 --> 00:16:51.820 48. 00:16:51.820 --> 00:16:51.940 48. 00:16:53.580 --> 00:16:58.620 And I don't see the Lord at work in her. 00:16:58.740 --> 00:17:00.500 I don't see any of that. 00:17:00.580 --> 00:17:02.460 And she could die, you know, today. 00:17:04.240 --> 00:17:06.460 I mean, any of us could die today. 00:17:06.580 --> 00:17:11.500 But, you know, I've prayed for her for a long time and have not seen the Lord work. 00:17:11.500 --> 00:17:20.819 So when I pray for her, I really have to wrestle with myself to believe that, yes, he could still save her. 00:17:21.140 --> 00:17:24.880 And I've read of people saved in their 90s. 00:17:24.980 --> 00:17:26.720 So I know it happens, you know. 00:17:26.940 --> 00:17:34.019 But knowing it in my head because someone else had this experience is not the same as in my heart. 00:17:34.180 --> 00:17:36.680 And I, so I struggle with that. 00:17:36.680 --> 00:17:39.160 I struggle with really believing is God going to answer. 00:17:40.320 --> 00:17:42.960 And I do see answers to prayer. 00:17:43.140 --> 00:17:48.700 But I'm also very, I think I'm just cynical about this, which is terrible. 00:17:50.279 --> 00:17:53.700 But I think, oh, that was just a coincidence, you know. 00:17:53.700 --> 00:17:58.360 And God is in control of all those coincidences, right? 00:17:58.539 --> 00:18:01.100 So, yeah. 00:18:01.240 --> 00:18:11.100 Anyway, so some of what, some of these helps I'm going to talk about are hopefully faith building as well as, you know, practical, 00:18:11.340 --> 00:18:14.940 keeping us from saying the same things every day and that kind of thing. 00:18:15.200 --> 00:18:19.360 So I have found I need my faith built. 00:18:19.359 --> 00:18:29.559 I need to remember who he is and that he is all powerful and that he is full of what to us are surprises and unlikely occurrences. 00:18:30.779 --> 00:18:32.439 And he loves to work that way. 00:18:32.699 --> 00:18:36.299 We see all kinds of unlikely things happen throughout scripture. 00:18:36.500 --> 00:18:39.879 We see unlikely heroes and just unlikely events. 00:18:40.419 --> 00:18:41.799 And that's our God. 00:18:41.899 --> 00:18:42.740 That's what he's like. 00:18:42.740 --> 00:18:56.099 So I need to, you know, for myself and maybe some of you, I need to strengthen my faith and believe that he really cares and believe that he really can answer. 00:18:56.200 --> 00:19:03.559 And when I don't see an answer, that he is answering in a way, right, in ways I don't see usually. 00:19:04.079 --> 00:19:06.039 Or maybe he's just at work in my heart. 00:19:06.160 --> 00:19:10.940 And maybe, you know, praying for my mom for all these years is something that's been necessary to build my faith. 00:19:10.940 --> 00:19:21.720 You know, so there's a lot we don't know and we don't want to make assumptions that, well, God's just not going to because he's just not going to, you know. 00:19:23.000 --> 00:19:28.400 So that's something that I personally wrestle with and need to sort of check myself. 00:19:28.500 --> 00:19:29.940 Do I expect God to answer this? 00:19:31.900 --> 00:19:35.740 So that's, and I don't think I'm alone in this. 00:19:35.960 --> 00:19:39.880 I think many of us experience this. 00:19:39.880 --> 00:19:44.840 So this is familiar from the Sermon on the Mount. 00:19:45.000 --> 00:19:47.420 Jesus speaking, ask and it will be given to you. 00:19:48.160 --> 00:19:49.460 Seek and you will find. 00:19:50.100 --> 00:19:51.940 Knock and it will be opened to you. 00:19:52.340 --> 00:19:54.500 For everyone who asks receives. 00:19:55.000 --> 00:19:56.280 And the one who seeks finds. 00:19:56.860 --> 00:19:58.820 And to the one who knocks, it will be opened. 00:19:59.300 --> 00:20:02.540 Or which one of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 00:20:03.020 --> 00:20:05.260 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 00:20:05.259 --> 00:20:15.220 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your father who's in heaven give good things to those who ask him? 00:20:15.220 --> 00:20:27.779 I think there are a lot of, I think there's a fair amount of mystery in how prayer works and how God responds to prayer. 00:20:28.100 --> 00:20:30.620 And I'm not going to go into all that today. 00:20:30.619 --> 00:20:33.919 I think we can acknowledge that there's some mystery. 00:20:35.259 --> 00:20:41.619 That we are likely to go to our graves with prayers that seem to us to be unanswered. 00:20:41.619 --> 00:20:50.739 On the other hand, I love this passage in that it points me to a father who loves me. 00:20:51.179 --> 00:20:52.379 And I have children. 00:20:52.959 --> 00:20:59.939 And, you know, I mean, if one of them came and asked me for bread, I'm not going to send him out to the woods to find a stone. 00:21:00.079 --> 00:21:01.579 I mean, that's not going to happen. 00:21:01.779 --> 00:21:05.279 And I'm not, like, the best person in the world. 00:21:05.500 --> 00:21:07.099 So God is. 00:21:07.299 --> 00:21:09.799 And he's going to give us good things. 00:21:09.799 --> 00:21:14.960 And so keeping the character of God in mind, this verse helps me. 00:21:15.339 --> 00:21:18.819 It is a promise that we can depend upon. 00:21:21.500 --> 00:21:21.980 Yeah. 00:21:23.059 --> 00:21:24.019 Enough about that. 00:21:24.099 --> 00:21:25.000 It's a big topic. 00:21:25.299 --> 00:21:29.399 It's not enough in that that solves everything for me or anyone else. 00:21:29.399 --> 00:21:34.980 But, yeah, I want to acknowledge it as sometimes an issue. 00:21:34.980 --> 00:21:40.279 And say that I do think there are answers. 00:21:40.839 --> 00:21:42.880 But I don't always know what they are. 00:21:42.880 --> 00:21:49.320 So some more practical things. 00:21:49.680 --> 00:21:51.040 Not that that stuff is not practical. 00:21:51.220 --> 00:21:53.960 But we talked last week about meditation. 00:21:54.620 --> 00:21:56.420 And I mentioned this then. 00:21:56.800 --> 00:21:57.820 And I'll mention it again. 00:21:57.920 --> 00:21:59.380 And I'm going to mention it again next week. 00:21:59.380 --> 00:22:02.420 As we meditate on scripture. 00:22:03.200 --> 00:22:07.020 Remember, we choose a verse or passage. 00:22:07.440 --> 00:22:09.920 And we go over it in our minds. 00:22:10.460 --> 00:22:11.620 In our notebooks. 00:22:12.300 --> 00:22:13.440 On a whiteboard. 00:22:13.720 --> 00:22:14.820 Whatever works for us. 00:22:15.080 --> 00:22:16.340 We go over it. 00:22:16.820 --> 00:22:20.900 And let the words really sink in. 00:22:21.320 --> 00:22:22.360 What does this mean? 00:22:23.359 --> 00:22:25.359 What does it imply? 00:22:27.339 --> 00:22:28.939 Why is this word here? 00:22:29.219 --> 00:22:31.019 Why this word and not that other word? 00:22:33.279 --> 00:22:34.359 Word by word. 00:22:34.579 --> 00:22:41.859 The example we did last week was choosing one word at a time to emphasize and think about in a given verse. 00:22:44.500 --> 00:22:48.039 And the insights that can flow from that, I think we saw. 00:22:48.039 --> 00:22:49.519 There's just a lot. 00:22:49.619 --> 00:22:51.839 And you could keep going for a long time on that. 00:22:51.839 --> 00:22:55.419 It's especially fun in a group because you have all kinds of different minds to do that. 00:22:57.099 --> 00:23:06.399 But what I've found is I've spent more time meditating in scripture is that it just evolves naturally into prayer. 00:23:09.480 --> 00:23:11.439 I'm going to give you an example that isn't me. 00:23:11.440 --> 00:23:19.440 So I mentioned, I think, in the first class, George Mueller and his autobiography. 00:23:21.700 --> 00:23:29.460 He includes this sort of an explanation of how he learned a better pattern for his morning devotions. 00:23:29.460 --> 00:23:45.340 He is well known, in case you don't know, for answered prayers, for ministering to orphans in 19th century England and relying on God for every financial need and every other need. 00:23:46.000 --> 00:23:51.420 And he was a man who prayed and saw dramatic answers. 00:23:51.420 --> 00:23:58.300 So I'm going to listen to things that he learned. 00:23:58.299 --> 00:24:05.919 And so he describes that he had a longstanding habit at the time of his writing. 00:24:06.019 --> 00:24:11.480 He said for the past 10 years, a longstanding habit of getting up from bed and going right to prayer. 00:24:11.480 --> 00:24:15.000 But he would get up from bed. 00:24:15.640 --> 00:24:19.299 And some of this I'm paraphrasing and inserting some of my own experience. 00:24:19.420 --> 00:24:25.519 He doesn't actually say it was sleepy, but, you know, one is sleepy many times when one wakes up. 00:24:26.220 --> 00:24:32.299 But he expresses that it would take him 15 minutes or 30 minutes to kind of get into it. 00:24:32.299 --> 00:24:42.440 And I think, I don't know if I need to explain that, but just the sense of you can say words but not really be praying. 00:24:45.720 --> 00:24:49.379 And it's hard, right? 00:24:49.419 --> 00:24:57.980 It just feels like you're repeating things mindlessly or you're really trying to say them meaningfully, but you're just not. 00:24:58.419 --> 00:25:00.039 It just doesn't feel like it's there, right? 00:25:00.039 --> 00:25:05.000 And something that goes on in our hearts, I think God is listening from the very get-go as soon as we wake up. 00:25:06.639 --> 00:25:11.659 But we wake up, we don't necessarily feel spiritual. 00:25:13.799 --> 00:25:15.839 And it would take him some time. 00:25:15.980 --> 00:25:21.899 And this is, again, you know, this is this guy who's like a paragon of prayer for many of us. 00:25:25.819 --> 00:25:28.279 And he found this to be a problem. 00:25:28.279 --> 00:25:35.180 So he would stick in there for 15 or 30 minutes or however long it took until he was really praying. 00:25:36.059 --> 00:25:40.980 Now, he's going to find a different way to do this, and I'm going to describe that. 00:25:41.139 --> 00:25:47.279 But I think about this, and I think, how often do I give it 30 minutes? 00:25:47.279 --> 00:25:49.599 I give up. 00:25:50.240 --> 00:25:53.180 I mean, 30 minutes, that seems like a long time to really struggle. 00:25:53.500 --> 00:25:55.339 And I don't have that much time in the morning. 00:25:55.599 --> 00:25:58.160 So it's like, well, I tried, Lord. 00:25:59.240 --> 00:26:05.879 And I don't get to that point of sensing his comfort, his encouragement, his presence. 00:26:05.880 --> 00:26:13.700 And we're not always, we can't really go by our feelings, but we long to have that, right, that sense of connection. 00:26:14.960 --> 00:26:17.500 But it's really hard to wait that long. 00:26:17.640 --> 00:26:22.380 Now, George Mueller did, presumably, habitually. 00:26:22.380 --> 00:26:30.560 One old saint, and I can't remember who it was, of course, he said, pray until you pray. 00:26:31.740 --> 00:26:38.960 And that's that idea of, you know, you get past just the saying the words and really speak to the Lord. 00:26:39.920 --> 00:26:41.220 And that can take time. 00:26:41.740 --> 00:26:44.920 And the less we pray, the more time it's going to take. 00:26:44.920 --> 00:26:49.820 So Mueller had this experience, just as we might. 00:26:50.660 --> 00:26:54.820 And he discovered a better way to approach his prayer time. 00:26:54.920 --> 00:26:57.519 He began with Bible reading and meditation. 00:26:58.820 --> 00:27:10.740 And as he meditated, he found much opportunity, quite naturally, to turn to prayers of confession, intercession, praise, petition. 00:27:10.740 --> 00:27:16.680 He got himself into a position to fuel his prayers with the word of God. 00:27:17.400 --> 00:27:20.859 This is what meditation does for us, Bible reading and meditation. 00:27:22.200 --> 00:27:25.859 It provides the fuel we need for prayer. 00:27:26.200 --> 00:27:31.380 Now, this is a long quote from George Mueller, but I find it very helpful. 00:27:32.980 --> 00:27:35.400 He says, now, what is food for the inner man? 00:27:35.920 --> 00:27:38.000 Not prayer, but the word of God. 00:27:38.000 --> 00:27:45.480 And here again, not the simple reading of the word of God so that it only passes through our minds, just as water passes through a pipe. 00:27:46.180 --> 00:27:53.680 But considering that we, considering what we read, pondering over it and applying it to our hearts. 00:27:54.700 --> 00:27:56.619 Let's try and track it here. 00:27:56.779 --> 00:27:57.220 Where am I? 00:27:59.460 --> 00:28:01.779 When we pray, we speak to God. 00:28:01.779 --> 00:28:11.460 Now, prayer, in order to be continued for any length of time in any other than a formal manner, requires, generally speaking, a measure of strength or godly desire. 00:28:12.200 --> 00:28:17.799 And the season, therefore, when this exercise of the soul can be most effectually performed, 00:28:18.240 --> 00:28:22.879 is after the inner man has been nourished by meditation on the word of God. 00:28:22.880 --> 00:28:33.560 Where we find our father speaking to us to encourage us, to comfort us, to instruct us, to humble us, to reprove us. 00:28:34.100 --> 00:28:40.280 We may, therefore, profitably meditate with God's blessing, though we are ever so weak spiritually. 00:28:40.980 --> 00:28:45.760 Nay, the weaker we are, the more we need meditation for the strengthening of our inner person. 00:28:45.759 --> 00:28:54.720 Thus, there is less to be feared from wandering of mind than if we give ourselves to prayer without having had time previously for meditation. 00:28:55.940 --> 00:29:05.079 So, a lot of words there, but just the idea that we need fuel for prayer, and we get that from the word of God. 00:29:05.579 --> 00:29:12.039 And as I have done this more and more, my prayer life has dramatically improved. 00:29:12.039 --> 00:29:18.819 As I meditate on a passage of scripture, different things will come to mind. 00:29:19.539 --> 00:29:23.879 I'll realize I have a sin here to confess. 00:29:24.319 --> 00:29:28.399 I'll see something that I really want in my own life and pray for it. 00:29:29.000 --> 00:29:35.399 I might be reminded of someone else who's under a circumstance like this and pray for them. 00:29:35.400 --> 00:29:42.120 This morning, this morning, I read Psalm 140. 00:29:44.140 --> 00:29:49.820 And David is, as so often, he's in a fight. 00:29:50.320 --> 00:29:51.640 It feels like he's losing. 00:29:53.400 --> 00:29:58.640 And one of the things that came to my mind was the people of Ukraine. 00:29:58.640 --> 00:30:04.980 And I prayed for them as I was reading through this, because I don't feel embattled in a particular way. 00:30:05.320 --> 00:30:06.700 Didn't feel that this morning. 00:30:07.420 --> 00:30:13.820 But I know people who are really, literally embattled and losing lives and losing loved ones. 00:30:14.080 --> 00:30:16.900 And it's just so brutal and heartbreaking. 00:30:16.900 --> 00:30:20.800 But I prayed for them in that context. 00:30:21.019 --> 00:30:23.140 I prayed, you know, that the Lord would. 00:30:23.259 --> 00:30:26.480 And some of that Psalm is like, make the evil stop. 00:30:26.800 --> 00:30:28.759 That's not a quote, but essentially. 00:30:29.280 --> 00:30:30.480 And so I prayed that. 00:30:32.340 --> 00:30:35.580 Anyway, so that's just an example of how these things can come to your mind. 00:30:35.640 --> 00:30:38.820 And you can be praying them even as you read and meditate. 00:30:38.819 --> 00:30:44.619 But it gives you the fuel that you need for this hard work of prayer. 00:30:44.899 --> 00:30:50.379 And we wake up and we're not typically ready to do that hard work right away. 00:30:50.559 --> 00:30:52.220 And we need the Lord's strength. 00:30:52.419 --> 00:30:59.399 We need his grace, his mercy, and his help in prayer. 00:30:59.519 --> 00:31:01.179 And he gives that through his word. 00:31:01.619 --> 00:31:07.519 It also can build our faith as we read his word and we remember who he is. 00:31:07.519 --> 00:31:17.359 If I spend time worshiping God through meditation, then I'm far more likely to believe this God can answer my prayer. 00:31:17.799 --> 00:31:19.119 This God cares about me. 00:31:19.680 --> 00:31:24.139 This God is powerful enough to save my mother. 00:31:26.480 --> 00:31:29.440 So, yeah. 00:31:29.720 --> 00:31:32.599 So I have just found this really, really helpful. 00:31:32.599 --> 00:31:38.019 And Mueller goes on to say he found it very helpful. 00:31:38.500 --> 00:31:40.259 So I feel like I'm in good company there. 00:31:41.699 --> 00:31:48.019 And we're going to talk a little bit more next week about, specifically about praying through a Bible passage. 00:31:49.079 --> 00:31:51.939 Which is, you know, for me, it's often connected. 00:31:52.079 --> 00:31:57.219 All these lines kind of begin to blur from Bible reading to meditation to prayer. 00:31:57.220 --> 00:32:00.180 And I'll find myself sort of cycling through. 00:32:01.559 --> 00:32:10.420 Reading, stopping at something that I really want to think about, you know, and then focusing on that, meditating on that for a brief time. 00:32:10.480 --> 00:32:11.900 And then that turns into prayer. 00:32:12.120 --> 00:32:14.079 And then I go back to the passage. 00:32:14.380 --> 00:32:15.420 Like that sometimes happens. 00:32:15.539 --> 00:32:22.200 Sometimes I do all the reading and then I focus on something from that or from somewhere else to meditate on. 00:32:22.200 --> 00:32:34.799 But when I just tried in the past to pray, my mind was everywhere and my heart was everywhere. 00:32:35.220 --> 00:32:37.920 And it was really hard to focus. 00:32:38.840 --> 00:32:43.380 The words in scripture helped me to focus my attention. 00:32:43.380 --> 00:32:49.940 Another thing that can help, I wrote down journal here. 00:32:50.980 --> 00:32:55.740 I thought about and probably should just amend it to writing things down. 00:32:56.180 --> 00:33:00.140 So it doesn't sound so, you know, I don't want it to sound like I have to start a journal. 00:33:00.960 --> 00:33:03.940 Which can feel like a big chore and not really of interest. 00:33:03.940 --> 00:33:10.019 But it can be as simple as having a notebook nearby to write down a few things as you meditate on God's word. 00:33:10.620 --> 00:33:13.640 And a few things you were prompted to pray for as you meditated. 00:33:14.400 --> 00:33:18.059 For me, it goes generally, loosely. 00:33:19.200 --> 00:33:23.620 Reading, meditating. 00:33:24.299 --> 00:33:26.240 And then I do some of that in writing. 00:33:26.559 --> 00:33:32.980 Because then again, that helps me to focus my attention on the words as I write them. 00:33:32.980 --> 00:33:40.079 So, you know, I'll write down a verse that I really want to focus on that morning. 00:33:40.680 --> 00:33:42.380 And I'll be meditating on it. 00:33:42.440 --> 00:33:43.680 And some of that will just be writing. 00:33:43.799 --> 00:33:44.420 I'll just be writing. 00:33:44.539 --> 00:33:50.240 And for me, thoughts flow really well when I have a pen in my hand. 00:33:50.460 --> 00:33:52.000 And that's not going to be true for everyone. 00:33:52.120 --> 00:33:52.960 I recognize that. 00:33:53.420 --> 00:34:01.099 But something about writing something down does give us like an anchor point to return our attention to if our mind wanders. 00:34:01.099 --> 00:34:08.319 It gives us something not quite concrete, but something visible, something we can look at. 00:34:08.319 --> 00:34:13.759 It can also be something we look back at maybe at the end of the day and think about. 00:34:17.659 --> 00:34:22.059 And then often as I'm meditating, that just turns into prayer. 00:34:22.360 --> 00:34:25.219 And I'll often write those down as well. 00:34:25.219 --> 00:34:26.839 And I didn't do that for many, many years. 00:34:26.919 --> 00:34:30.219 I kept a journal for off and on most of my life. 00:34:31.839 --> 00:34:34.619 But I didn't start writing prayers until a few years ago. 00:34:36.039 --> 00:34:38.879 And it's been really, really helpful. 00:34:39.439 --> 00:34:40.779 Again, it anchors me. 00:34:40.899 --> 00:34:43.000 It gets me started. 00:34:43.519 --> 00:34:45.859 I'll sometimes start not knowing what I'm going to say. 00:34:45.860 --> 00:34:49.120 Like, that's those times when I'm just like, I don't feel like praying. 00:34:50.579 --> 00:34:57.140 I just, you know, but I'll usually like have a verse written down or something, a phrase, something, and just start. 00:34:57.440 --> 00:34:58.680 And sometimes I don't even have that. 00:34:58.780 --> 00:34:59.860 Like, I've read my Bible. 00:35:00.620 --> 00:35:04.200 I just don't feel like there's anything there I really want to think about. 00:35:04.280 --> 00:35:06.820 Like, I'm tired or I have something else on my mind. 00:35:07.220 --> 00:35:08.120 Whatever that is. 00:35:08.119 --> 00:35:10.099 And I'll just start writing sometimes. 00:35:11.420 --> 00:35:14.559 You know, some boring sentence will start it off. 00:35:14.819 --> 00:35:17.920 Like, wow, I don't really feel like praying today. 00:35:18.059 --> 00:35:22.279 Like, I might start that way and just offer that to God. 00:35:22.279 --> 00:35:26.960 And then as I find starting is the hardest part. 00:35:27.519 --> 00:35:30.880 And as I get going, the Lord brings things to mind. 00:35:30.960 --> 00:35:31.659 He is faithful. 00:35:32.039 --> 00:35:35.619 If we desire to commune with him, we ask for his help. 00:35:35.619 --> 00:35:42.699 You know, and we ought to be asking for his help, you know, when our minds wander or whatever like that. 00:35:43.719 --> 00:35:48.380 We ought not to be beating ourselves up, I don't think, if our minds wander. 00:35:48.960 --> 00:35:50.239 I don't think that's helpful. 00:35:51.420 --> 00:35:58.599 But trying to give ourselves some anchor points that we can bring our minds back to and build that habit of concentration. 00:35:58.599 --> 00:36:02.299 And it is a habit, and it's one often we don't have. 00:36:03.460 --> 00:36:11.440 We're not building it in our daily lives because they're so full of interruption and noise and so on. 00:36:12.119 --> 00:36:15.000 So for me, writing things down helps a lot. 00:36:15.480 --> 00:36:19.500 Sometimes I don't write something down every day. 00:36:20.619 --> 00:36:25.599 Sometimes I just don't, you know, I got up late and I don't have time and I move on. 00:36:25.599 --> 00:36:27.420 And I'm okay with that. 00:36:28.400 --> 00:36:30.319 But often I do. 00:36:30.420 --> 00:36:34.400 I try to find something to key in on. 00:36:39.360 --> 00:36:39.839 Okay. 00:36:40.699 --> 00:36:50.659 This is something that in the class that I took at seminary, Dr. Whitney, he gets, 00:36:50.659 --> 00:36:55.059 so I've given you, I've given you a handout, said, why should God answer your prayers? 00:36:56.119 --> 00:37:02.239 And he encouraged us to, whenever we pray, always have a reason for God to answer. 00:37:02.799 --> 00:37:06.299 Now, this isn't, this isn't to convince him. 00:37:06.739 --> 00:37:09.960 I don't think, like, that doesn't make sense to me. 00:37:09.960 --> 00:37:22.199 But, but as we, we turned him, we see this throughout scripture of saints praying and pointing to why, why? 00:37:22.280 --> 00:37:23.840 That your name would be glorified. 00:37:24.199 --> 00:37:25.980 That your word would go forth. 00:37:27.720 --> 00:37:29.679 Because I belong to you. 00:37:30.019 --> 00:37:33.500 That was one in this morning, in Psalm 140. 00:37:33.500 --> 00:37:42.280 It was, in one verse, David anchors it in his relationship with God. 00:37:43.800 --> 00:37:46.559 So, I've listed a bunch here. 00:37:46.639 --> 00:37:47.780 They all come off the sheet. 00:37:47.960 --> 00:37:51.360 All of the Bible references are on your sheet. 00:37:51.460 --> 00:37:54.659 And I'm not going to go through all of that. 00:37:54.659 --> 00:37:58.899 But, I think there are two things that this does. 00:38:00.699 --> 00:38:04.659 First, it guards our prayers from praying selfishly. 00:38:06.099 --> 00:38:09.519 And, you know, with mixed motives. 00:38:09.799 --> 00:38:11.719 All of our prayers will be with mixed motives. 00:38:11.960 --> 00:38:13.039 I'll just say that. 00:38:13.359 --> 00:38:15.219 But, but it helps. 00:38:17.539 --> 00:38:21.920 And it forces us to really think about, well, why should God answer this prayer? 00:38:21.920 --> 00:38:28.980 And, how might, how might he be glorified in this situation? 00:38:31.280 --> 00:38:38.920 And, he talks, you know, under Roman numeral one, they're the general reason. 00:38:40.039 --> 00:38:41.579 We need to belong to him. 00:38:41.740 --> 00:38:42.900 We need to be his people. 00:38:43.159 --> 00:38:44.340 That's who he listens to. 00:38:44.720 --> 00:38:45.700 It's his people. 00:38:46.139 --> 00:38:49.800 So, we need to be sure that we are in relationship with him. 00:38:51.920 --> 00:38:54.260 That we are trusting him for our salvation. 00:38:54.780 --> 00:39:05.159 We want to check ourselves for any sin that's preventing us from having answers from God. 00:39:05.340 --> 00:39:10.099 He will withhold if he wants to convict us of some sin. 00:39:10.180 --> 00:39:11.420 And, we need to fix something. 00:39:12.159 --> 00:39:15.519 And, I think we usually know what that is. 00:39:15.619 --> 00:39:19.119 I think he is faithful to bring us that conviction. 00:39:19.119 --> 00:39:20.119 Yeah. 00:39:22.400 --> 00:39:22.799 Yeah. 00:39:22.980 --> 00:39:26.059 So, those are just sort of general caveats. 00:39:26.779 --> 00:39:28.059 And, then some of these reasons. 00:39:28.159 --> 00:39:29.500 And, again, the references. 00:39:30.179 --> 00:39:32.440 I've just turned them into a question. 00:39:33.480 --> 00:39:35.859 Has he promised to answer this prayer? 00:39:36.500 --> 00:39:38.480 There are so many promises in the scripture. 00:39:39.119 --> 00:39:45.319 And, we need to be careful not to take a promise that was given to a particular individual in a particular situation. 00:39:45.320 --> 00:39:47.160 And, assume it's for us. 00:39:47.480 --> 00:39:49.460 We need to read our Bibles carefully. 00:39:49.820 --> 00:39:55.480 And, understand that not every promise is directed in a general way. 00:39:56.300 --> 00:39:59.880 But, there are plenty of promises in scripture. 00:40:00.680 --> 00:40:03.600 And, we can claim those. 00:40:05.840 --> 00:40:06.360 Yeah. 00:40:06.539 --> 00:40:07.000 I just. 00:40:07.559 --> 00:40:09.680 And, that will fuel our faith. 00:40:09.679 --> 00:40:12.379 If we realize, well, God promised this. 00:40:12.639 --> 00:40:13.759 He keeps his promises. 00:40:14.079 --> 00:40:15.019 That's who he is. 00:40:16.219 --> 00:40:17.539 So, we think about that. 00:40:17.719 --> 00:40:21.919 Is there a promise that I can be praying for? 00:40:23.079 --> 00:40:26.779 Would it be according to his revealed character to answer? 00:40:26.780 --> 00:40:32.960 Here, he talks about where an attribute of God is given as a reason God should answer. 00:40:34.940 --> 00:40:36.280 Lord, you are merciful. 00:40:37.860 --> 00:40:39.980 You know, please forgive me. 00:40:40.320 --> 00:40:41.019 And, we know. 00:40:41.120 --> 00:40:43.100 And, there's a promise for that. 00:40:43.820 --> 00:40:47.180 That he is faithful and just to forgive us when we confess our sins. 00:40:47.640 --> 00:40:49.280 And, it's according to his character. 00:40:49.420 --> 00:40:52.940 We know that he is a merciful and faithful God. 00:40:52.940 --> 00:40:57.740 You know, does it comport with his holiness? 00:40:58.780 --> 00:40:59.220 Does it. 00:41:02.099 --> 00:41:02.500 Yeah. 00:41:02.840 --> 00:41:04.139 Any number of attributes. 00:41:04.260 --> 00:41:05.960 Does this seem to be in line with who God is? 00:41:06.000 --> 00:41:07.320 It's the kind of thing he would do. 00:41:08.380 --> 00:41:09.880 Might be another way to think of it. 00:41:10.360 --> 00:41:11.179 And, again. 00:41:12.059 --> 00:41:14.360 We're not always going to know precisely. 00:41:16.679 --> 00:41:17.980 But, think about. 00:41:18.220 --> 00:41:19.079 Will it bring him glory? 00:41:19.920 --> 00:41:21.380 Will others praise him? 00:41:21.380 --> 00:41:23.059 Will I praise him more? 00:41:23.619 --> 00:41:25.960 Will this person I'm praying for praise him more? 00:41:26.400 --> 00:41:29.460 Will his glory be greater? 00:41:29.740 --> 00:41:32.140 That is, the knowledge of who he is. 00:41:32.700 --> 00:41:35.860 And, his beauty enhanced in people's eyes. 00:41:36.619 --> 00:41:38.059 Will it bring him glory? 00:41:39.599 --> 00:41:41.820 Will an answer point people to God? 00:41:41.820 --> 00:41:41.900 God. 00:41:43.660 --> 00:41:53.440 And, you know, I think, I think in many cases we can look at this and say, God, look what people will see. 00:41:53.620 --> 00:41:54.840 And, they will see who you are. 00:41:54.940 --> 00:41:56.680 I will give you praise for this. 00:41:57.380 --> 00:41:59.519 David often says, I'll give you praise for this. 00:41:59.760 --> 00:42:01.720 I'll, you know, I'll praise you in the sanctuary. 00:42:02.340 --> 00:42:04.200 He's going to declare what God has done. 00:42:04.199 --> 00:42:10.919 And, people who weren't involved in that or who, you know, just members of the congregation are going to hear that. 00:42:11.179 --> 00:42:12.739 And, their faith is going to be encouraged. 00:42:13.059 --> 00:42:15.359 And, they're going to look to God and say, well, you did it for him. 00:42:15.399 --> 00:42:16.279 Would you do it for me? 00:42:16.539 --> 00:42:18.019 And, that glorifies him. 00:42:20.299 --> 00:42:24.319 Will it bear witness to those who are unbelievers? 00:42:24.320 --> 00:42:32.880 Will it make people stand up and notice something and be pointed to God? 00:42:33.880 --> 00:42:36.380 Can we look to our relationship with him as a reason? 00:42:36.440 --> 00:42:37.480 I mentioned that before. 00:42:38.100 --> 00:42:39.360 Lord, I am your child. 00:42:39.700 --> 00:42:40.680 You are my father. 00:42:41.300 --> 00:42:43.920 Would you give me this good gift? 00:42:46.800 --> 00:42:50.900 And, we, I mean, he delights in us as his children. 00:42:51.260 --> 00:42:52.700 He loves us as his children. 00:42:52.699 --> 00:42:58.619 And, we can, we can claim that. 00:42:58.739 --> 00:43:00.919 We can claim, look, I'm your child. 00:43:01.579 --> 00:43:04.319 And, you are a good father. 00:43:06.199 --> 00:43:09.799 And, ask for things like that. 00:43:10.819 --> 00:43:13.919 Will it help us or others be obedient to God? 00:43:14.699 --> 00:43:17.839 Will it lead to greater holiness in my life? 00:43:18.359 --> 00:43:19.460 In someone else's life? 00:43:19.460 --> 00:43:23.820 Will it be encouraging? 00:43:24.519 --> 00:43:28.179 Will it strengthen my faith? 00:43:28.340 --> 00:43:31.059 Will it strengthen that other person's faith? 00:43:33.119 --> 00:43:37.420 And, then finally, and these are not in any particular order, is it according to his will? 00:43:37.500 --> 00:43:40.840 And, we know that there are many promises in scripture that are key to his will. 00:43:40.840 --> 00:43:43.980 And, sometimes we know his will, right? 00:43:44.059 --> 00:43:52.960 We know, we don't maybe know in a particular situation exactly, but we know, we know what he's like. 00:43:53.039 --> 00:43:58.200 Again, this goes back to his attributes and his promises and what brings him glory. 00:43:58.199 --> 00:44:02.039 And, this can help us. 00:44:02.119 --> 00:44:04.839 And, we can say, Lord, you have said it is your will. 00:44:05.559 --> 00:44:06.739 And, pray. 00:44:08.339 --> 00:44:15.039 So, he talks about then on the handout, praying this way is valuable to us. 00:44:15.039 --> 00:44:21.960 In that it helps us pray more effectively, though it doesn't obligate or manipulate God. 00:44:22.039 --> 00:44:23.340 That's not what we're trying to do. 00:44:25.019 --> 00:44:27.340 It helps us pray with more faith and eagerness. 00:44:27.539 --> 00:44:28.599 This is where I've found this. 00:44:28.659 --> 00:44:30.619 I've found this to be really faith building. 00:44:30.779 --> 00:44:34.559 As I was saying before, sometimes I just feel like, well, God's not going to do anything anyway. 00:44:34.559 --> 00:44:40.719 But, if I'm looking to his word and I'm seeing these promises, or I'm seeing, well, but this is what God's like. 00:44:41.840 --> 00:44:42.679 He'll do this. 00:44:43.259 --> 00:44:43.420 You know? 00:44:45.059 --> 00:44:48.019 It helps us pray with a better understanding of the character of God. 00:44:48.119 --> 00:44:49.320 That's kind of the same thing. 00:44:49.500 --> 00:44:52.059 Helps us to pray less flippantly and selfishly. 00:44:52.239 --> 00:44:55.719 If we're checking our motives, you know, is this really for God's glory? 00:44:55.880 --> 00:44:56.840 Is it just for my comfort? 00:44:58.579 --> 00:45:02.099 Is it, you know, because, is it just something I want? 00:45:02.380 --> 00:45:04.460 Is it, is this coming out of my ambition? 00:45:04.960 --> 00:45:10.139 Is it coming out of, you know, yeah, whatever. 00:45:10.299 --> 00:45:14.299 How we feel about ourselves or what we think others think about us or whatever. 00:45:14.539 --> 00:45:16.940 There can be a million selfish reasons for prayer. 00:45:24.019 --> 00:45:28.659 Yeah, so, so that's, those are the, those are some reasons. 00:45:28.659 --> 00:45:32.199 And, and again, you can write these things down as part of your prayer, 00:45:32.199 --> 00:45:37.460 which again gives you an anchor point and reminds you of what you're praying. 00:45:41.319 --> 00:45:41.679 Yeah. 00:45:41.679 --> 00:45:41.719 Yeah. 00:45:42.259 --> 00:45:45.559 So I did want to tell one story that's sort of related to this. 00:45:45.719 --> 00:45:49.299 So during the, during the course of the seminary class that I took during eight weeks, 00:45:49.940 --> 00:45:51.379 and I knew this ahead of time, 00:45:51.380 --> 00:45:56.119 Dr. Whitney had us engaging in a number of spiritual disciplines. 00:45:56.559 --> 00:45:59.960 And one of them was evangelism. 00:46:00.019 --> 00:46:01.340 He has a chapter in his book on that. 00:46:01.340 --> 00:46:11.460 And I knew that one of our responsibilities would be, through the course of the, through the course of the course, 00:46:11.660 --> 00:46:16.740 the class, we were keeping a journal, because journaling was one of the, one of the disciplines. 00:46:17.300 --> 00:46:19.760 And we had to have, there were certain required entries. 00:46:19.760 --> 00:46:27.400 So I had to have an entry describing my sharing the gospel with someone within that eight weeks. 00:46:28.440 --> 00:46:34.760 Now, I am not around unbelievers very much. 00:46:35.320 --> 00:46:39.520 I work here at the church, so I cross paths with some unbelievers who come in, 00:46:39.620 --> 00:46:43.680 but it's not really that frequent that I have really a conversation. 00:46:43.679 --> 00:46:50.319 They're on their way to meet with someone else, or, or they're not on their way anywhere, 00:46:50.440 --> 00:46:51.699 and they don't want to stand around and talk. 00:46:56.119 --> 00:46:59.960 I've been in many situations where I was with non-Christians, 00:47:00.139 --> 00:47:02.500 but there just wasn't a, there just wasn't a, 00:47:02.519 --> 00:47:05.059 it wasn't the kind of setting where you would be sharing the gospel. 00:47:05.379 --> 00:47:09.159 For a number of years, I studied karate, and I would go to these classes, 00:47:09.159 --> 00:47:14.299 and, and these people became my friends, and I prayed for them, 00:47:14.500 --> 00:47:18.399 but there was very little opportunity to say more than, you know, 00:47:18.739 --> 00:47:23.739 yeah, I've been praying about that, or just, just enough to say something about my faith, 00:47:23.839 --> 00:47:25.940 but, but there were not opportunities. 00:47:25.940 --> 00:47:28.420 We were busy learning how to defend ourselves. 00:47:30.000 --> 00:47:37.179 So, and during this class, like, they're just, this is my life, right? 00:47:37.179 --> 00:47:42.679 And, and, and A, maybe I need to fix that, and I, and that's something to think about, 00:47:42.919 --> 00:47:44.659 and I continue to think about that. 00:47:45.339 --> 00:47:48.739 But B, okay, Lord, I have eight weeks, and I'm supposed to do this, 00:47:48.799 --> 00:47:53.919 but clearly this is according to, is it not your will? 00:47:54.059 --> 00:47:55.679 Would it not glorify you? 00:47:56.079 --> 00:47:58.019 Would this not point someone to Jesus? 00:47:59.879 --> 00:48:02.279 Would it not help me be obedient? 00:48:02.280 --> 00:48:09.160 All of this, I thought, well, of course he's going to answer this prayer. 00:48:09.500 --> 00:48:14.019 So I began praying, and I got to say, I did not pray daily. 00:48:14.280 --> 00:48:16.880 I meant to, but I didn't. 00:48:18.340 --> 00:48:21.440 And I just prayed for an opportunity to share the gospel, 00:48:21.920 --> 00:48:24.180 and that I would be ready and take the opportunity. 00:48:24.179 --> 00:48:31.480 And I went through those eight weeks, most of them, looking for that opportunity, 00:48:32.019 --> 00:48:36.139 and I really did have confidence that he would bring this to me. 00:48:37.119 --> 00:48:39.719 I worried a little that my motives were a little mixed up, 00:48:39.779 --> 00:48:42.799 because, you know, it was for a class, it was an assignment, 00:48:43.059 --> 00:48:44.239 and, you know, I want to get an A. 00:48:46.279 --> 00:48:49.359 But at the same time, and I acknowledge that, you know, 00:48:49.360 --> 00:48:53.160 but at the same time, I really did want to be able to do this, 00:48:53.720 --> 00:48:57.240 and I really did believe it would bring him glory. 00:48:57.440 --> 00:49:02.260 Not me to get an A, but me to have an opportunity to share the gospel with someone. 00:49:03.079 --> 00:49:07.120 So I asked a number of other people to pray along with me, 00:49:07.700 --> 00:49:10.579 and I just kept praying. 00:49:10.579 --> 00:49:18.440 And I had at least one moment where I thought, 00:49:18.519 --> 00:49:20.460 this is it, this is God's answer. 00:49:21.059 --> 00:49:24.639 And I was on the beach on Cape Cod during vacation, 00:49:25.400 --> 00:49:30.900 and I had been sitting, I was doing another assignment for the course, 00:49:31.000 --> 00:49:33.259 which was four hours of silence and solitude. 00:49:33.539 --> 00:49:36.799 So I had been sitting by myself, praying and reading scriptures, 00:49:36.980 --> 00:49:39.059 and I was far enough away that I could sing a little bit. 00:49:39.059 --> 00:49:42.779 It was early morning, and the beach was not crowded, and it was September. 00:49:44.299 --> 00:49:48.299 But, and then I had bicycled there, 00:49:48.380 --> 00:49:51.299 and then I was walking back up the beach to bicycle to another location 00:49:51.299 --> 00:49:54.179 where I would continue this, and I prayed as I biked. 00:49:55.159 --> 00:49:57.739 But I was walking up the beach, and there was this woman sitting there 00:49:57.739 --> 00:50:02.860 in what appeared to be like a wheelchair, 00:50:03.099 --> 00:50:06.079 but it was these giant, it was a sand wheelchair. 00:50:06.079 --> 00:50:11.880 So she was sitting there, and she spoke to me, 00:50:12.779 --> 00:50:15.440 and I don't remember the whole conversation, 00:50:15.579 --> 00:50:18.920 but she said something like, lovely day, or something, I don't know. 00:50:20.579 --> 00:50:23.559 And so I'm like, okay, here's a perfect stranger. 00:50:23.819 --> 00:50:24.920 I'm not in a rush. 00:50:25.319 --> 00:50:26.360 Like, she's just sitting there. 00:50:26.539 --> 00:50:28.519 She's probably not going off for a jog. 00:50:28.519 --> 00:50:35.780 And so I just engaged in conversation, as I might have anyway. 00:50:36.000 --> 00:50:41.139 But she said something, I don't know. 00:50:41.199 --> 00:50:44.219 She was talking about what her family, they were off on a walk, 00:50:44.320 --> 00:50:46.480 and she was here, and she had this, I don't know. 00:50:46.559 --> 00:50:50.800 It was just some things about, you know, why she was there 00:50:50.800 --> 00:50:54.120 and what was going on in her family, and nothing deeply personal, 00:50:54.340 --> 00:50:56.100 just a little, yeah. 00:50:56.680 --> 00:50:59.680 And I mostly listened, and I thought, 00:50:59.800 --> 00:51:01.420 she seems maybe kind of lonely. 00:51:01.560 --> 00:51:02.160 I just listen. 00:51:02.640 --> 00:51:06.200 And then she said, well, well, I don't want to keep you. 00:51:06.360 --> 00:51:07.420 You've got things to do. 00:51:07.860 --> 00:51:10.780 And I said, well, actually, I was just, really, 00:51:10.900 --> 00:51:13.780 I was actually just spending some time alone with God. 00:51:13.780 --> 00:51:16.680 And, you know, it was just a beautiful day 00:51:16.680 --> 00:51:19.180 and a beautiful place to be praying and praising him. 00:51:20.040 --> 00:51:25.100 And she looked at me, and she said, what did she say? 00:51:25.120 --> 00:51:26.460 It was something about the environment. 00:51:26.600 --> 00:51:30.900 It was something about, yes, we need to take care of the environment. 00:51:31.600 --> 00:51:36.720 And I thought, okay, that wasn't exactly the opening I was looking for. 00:51:36.719 --> 00:51:44.000 And I was just, you know, that was pretty much, 00:51:44.299 --> 00:51:47.980 I said, yes, we do need to take care of it, and isn't it beautiful? 00:51:48.099 --> 00:51:50.500 And then I moved on, because it just wasn't a conversation. 00:51:50.659 --> 00:51:54.119 She was, it was not a conversation that was going to turn into something 00:51:54.119 --> 00:51:55.299 as far as I could see. 00:51:55.359 --> 00:51:58.000 And I really had been alert, eager, trying. 00:51:58.439 --> 00:52:02.099 So I have this experience, and I go, okay, Lord, 00:52:02.179 --> 00:52:04.179 I thought that was it, but I guess it wasn't. 00:52:04.179 --> 00:52:07.500 And, I mean, you know, I said something about him, 00:52:07.659 --> 00:52:08.960 but I didn't share the gospel. 00:52:10.319 --> 00:52:13.219 So I had that experience, and that was fairly late in the class, 00:52:13.359 --> 00:52:17.480 and I was beginning to think, is God, I was beginning to doubt, 00:52:17.619 --> 00:52:19.719 I was beginning to think, God, are you really going to answer this? 00:52:20.299 --> 00:52:23.980 You know, we're out of eight weeks, we were maybe in week seven. 00:52:26.179 --> 00:52:32.659 And then, so I, anyway, what happened? 00:52:32.659 --> 00:52:33.480 He did answer the prayer. 00:52:33.480 --> 00:52:36.000 So what happened, and it might have been in the last week, 00:52:36.119 --> 00:52:37.639 I don't know, it was under the wire. 00:52:39.880 --> 00:52:43.579 My, I have an aunt who is not a believer, 00:52:43.940 --> 00:52:47.920 and who is curious about all of life, 00:52:48.340 --> 00:52:52.420 and brilliant, and delightful, and I love her to pieces. 00:52:53.000 --> 00:52:54.659 I have shared the gospel with her, 00:52:54.659 --> 00:52:59.359 and she's like, you know, yeah. 00:53:00.519 --> 00:53:04.159 She loves it that I have this, but it's just not, you know. 00:53:04.339 --> 00:53:05.779 Well, that's not how I see it. 00:53:05.839 --> 00:53:07.379 It's kind of like her response. 00:53:08.039 --> 00:53:11.019 And she doesn't see God as a personal God, and so on. 00:53:11.019 --> 00:53:15.519 Anyway, she texted me, which is all she does. 00:53:15.559 --> 00:53:16.340 She doesn't email. 00:53:16.539 --> 00:53:19.179 She doesn't, she texted me and asked me, 00:53:19.300 --> 00:53:21.500 I should have looked it up, what exactly she asked me. 00:53:21.539 --> 00:53:21.940 Do you remember? 00:53:22.320 --> 00:53:24.920 She asked, can you explain? 00:53:25.880 --> 00:53:27.880 And then it was something, and I was like, 00:53:27.880 --> 00:53:30.720 oh, I guess this is where I share the gospel, 00:53:30.920 --> 00:53:33.059 because her question was very much out there, 00:53:33.220 --> 00:53:35.860 like, why do people believe this, 00:53:35.960 --> 00:53:38.700 or what, it was something about Christianity, 00:53:39.180 --> 00:53:41.099 and... 00:53:41.099 --> 00:53:42.619 It was the difference between religions. 00:53:42.880 --> 00:53:44.860 The difference between religions, thank you. 00:53:44.940 --> 00:53:46.539 Dave has a much better memory than I do. 00:53:47.000 --> 00:53:48.780 What's the difference between all these different religions? 00:53:49.240 --> 00:53:50.519 And I'm like, okay. 00:53:51.820 --> 00:53:54.420 And I ended up calling her, 00:53:54.539 --> 00:53:55.579 we had a long conversation, 00:53:55.579 --> 00:53:56.940 every conversation with her is long, 00:53:56.940 --> 00:53:57.940 but... 00:53:57.940 --> 00:54:01.679 And, you know, 00:54:01.880 --> 00:54:04.260 and I answered her question, 00:54:04.639 --> 00:54:07.240 and tried to explain how Christianity was different, 00:54:07.380 --> 00:54:08.400 and did explain the gospel, 00:54:08.639 --> 00:54:10.840 and so that was my opportunity, and I took it. 00:54:11.360 --> 00:54:13.860 I have not seen particular fruit from that, 00:54:13.920 --> 00:54:16.220 but she is very curious about many things, 00:54:16.679 --> 00:54:19.059 and she's in her late 80s, 00:54:19.099 --> 00:54:21.539 so I'm also praying for her, as well as my mom. 00:54:23.579 --> 00:54:26.179 But, so that was, I saw that. 00:54:27.179 --> 00:54:29.960 I hope I wasn't testing God in a negative way, 00:54:30.299 --> 00:54:32.759 but I was like, okay, I'm stepping out on faith 00:54:32.759 --> 00:54:35.839 that this will happen. 00:54:38.079 --> 00:54:42.179 And I was, I did enough extra credit in the class 00:54:42.179 --> 00:54:45.239 that I was willing to skip that entry, if need be, 00:54:45.699 --> 00:54:48.819 and, you know, I still would have been fine, grade-wise, 00:54:48.919 --> 00:54:51.059 so it wasn't, the grade did not hinge on that. 00:54:51.059 --> 00:54:55.000 But I just saw it as an opportunity. 00:54:55.179 --> 00:54:57.639 We had read the biography of George Mueller, 00:54:57.960 --> 00:54:59.480 written by someone else, not his autobiography, 00:54:59.599 --> 00:55:01.179 but a biography, and I just said, 00:55:01.619 --> 00:55:02.980 God, you answered all these prayers. 00:55:03.400 --> 00:55:05.320 He prayed for bread, and bread came to the door 00:55:05.320 --> 00:55:07.299 right before breakfast, you know, 00:55:07.300 --> 00:55:09.519 and he prayed for money, 00:55:09.519 --> 00:55:12.280 and the exact amount he needed for that bill came in. 00:55:13.180 --> 00:55:15.240 So, example after example, 00:55:15.700 --> 00:55:18.120 and I'm like, Lord, you can give me an opportunity 00:55:18.120 --> 00:55:19.280 to share the gospel. 00:55:19.700 --> 00:55:22.200 And I returned to that prayer. 00:55:22.199 --> 00:55:24.980 Now that I'm long past the class, 00:55:25.179 --> 00:55:26.919 I continue to return to that prayer, 00:55:27.000 --> 00:55:28.599 because it is something that we know 00:55:28.599 --> 00:55:32.199 God delights in having his word shared, 00:55:33.159 --> 00:55:36.159 and it doesn't always come naturally to me or easily, 00:55:36.379 --> 00:55:38.759 but, yeah. 00:55:39.480 --> 00:55:41.759 Anyway, yeah, so I saw God answer. 00:55:42.119 --> 00:55:42.779 It was hard. 00:55:43.079 --> 00:55:45.079 It was a test, and I did have doubts, 00:55:45.759 --> 00:55:47.119 but the Lord answered. 00:55:47.119 --> 00:55:51.059 And I would encourage you, 00:55:51.259 --> 00:55:52.400 you know, not to, you know, again, 00:55:52.559 --> 00:55:55.519 not a test of God, like, you know, 00:55:55.819 --> 00:55:56.799 are you really faithful? 00:55:57.179 --> 00:55:59.359 Not really that, but just, you know, 00:55:59.420 --> 00:56:00.920 what is there that you've been praying for 00:56:00.920 --> 00:56:02.559 that you're kind of not sure he's going to answer, 00:56:02.799 --> 00:56:04.619 but you really believe it's according to his will? 00:56:05.699 --> 00:56:07.799 Maybe take a little firmer stance on that, 00:56:08.259 --> 00:56:09.880 and pray it more regularly, 00:56:10.059 --> 00:56:11.019 and give him the reasons, 00:56:11.659 --> 00:56:13.719 and build up your faith, 00:56:14.259 --> 00:56:16.139 because I think he responds to, 00:56:16.139 --> 00:56:18.699 well, I know he responds to our prayers, 00:56:18.960 --> 00:56:21.219 and he responds to our faith, 00:56:21.659 --> 00:56:22.920 and he encourages us, 00:56:23.019 --> 00:56:24.139 and he builds our faith, 00:56:24.699 --> 00:56:26.879 and if we're weak in faith, 00:56:27.319 --> 00:56:29.400 we need to ask him for help, 00:56:29.539 --> 00:56:30.920 and ask him to build our faith. 00:56:31.440 --> 00:56:33.719 So those are just some things about prayer. 00:56:33.859 --> 00:56:35.219 It's not like the whole thing. 00:56:36.099 --> 00:56:37.940 Next week, we're going to talk specifically 00:56:37.940 --> 00:56:39.000 about praying the Bible, 00:56:39.099 --> 00:56:40.879 and that will be the close of the class. 00:56:40.880 --> 00:56:46.240 But, yeah, so that's what I got. 00:56:47.500 --> 00:56:51.300 Any questions? 00:56:51.559 --> 00:56:53.700 There were a few other things I might have mentioned, 00:56:53.880 --> 00:56:55.000 but, you know, it doesn't matter. 00:56:55.059 --> 00:56:56.079 There are many helps to prayer, 00:56:56.200 --> 00:56:58.660 like there are books with written prayers 00:56:58.660 --> 00:57:00.460 that you can sometimes use. 00:57:01.559 --> 00:57:04.320 There are apps that will sort of keep track 00:57:04.320 --> 00:57:05.579 of who you're praying for, 00:57:05.579 --> 00:57:07.719 and recycle them at different, 00:57:08.880 --> 00:57:10.659 you know, if I want to pray for this person once a week. 00:57:10.779 --> 00:57:11.159 Yeah, Tyler. 00:57:12.199 --> 00:57:15.360 Thank you so much for encouraging us 00:57:15.360 --> 00:57:16.340 to persevere in prayer. 00:57:17.880 --> 00:57:19.840 And that last point just reminded me 00:57:19.840 --> 00:57:21.279 of the parable of the persistent widow. 00:57:21.940 --> 00:57:22.799 Continue to knock. 00:57:23.059 --> 00:57:23.840 Continue to knock. 00:57:23.840 --> 00:57:25.480 And Jesus lifts that widow up. 00:57:25.660 --> 00:57:26.519 Like, be like that widow. 00:57:26.800 --> 00:57:26.940 Yeah. 00:57:27.180 --> 00:57:27.920 Continue to knock, 00:57:27.980 --> 00:57:29.980 even though it might not seem like 00:57:29.980 --> 00:57:31.019 God's not answering your prayer, 00:57:31.100 --> 00:57:31.820 but persevere. 00:57:32.260 --> 00:57:35.019 And I was reminded of, you know, 00:57:35.039 --> 00:57:36.420 when someone's really good at something, 00:57:36.800 --> 00:57:38.340 you'll ask them to teach you to do it. 00:57:38.559 --> 00:57:40.460 So, like a master expositor, 00:57:40.640 --> 00:57:42.340 like, teach me to read the Bible like you do. 00:57:42.500 --> 00:57:42.680 Yeah. 00:57:42.840 --> 00:57:44.280 And the disciples asked Jesus, 00:57:44.460 --> 00:57:45.340 teach us how to pray, 00:57:45.620 --> 00:57:46.559 because you do it so well. 00:57:46.860 --> 00:57:48.840 And he teaches them the Lord's Prayer in Luke 11. 00:57:48.840 --> 00:57:51.840 And it's just amazing how, like, 00:57:51.900 --> 00:57:53.539 even Jesus himself was, 00:57:53.800 --> 00:57:56.640 like, George Mueller is just like an echo of Jesus 00:57:56.640 --> 00:57:59.860 who was the master prayer warrior 00:57:59.860 --> 00:58:02.019 who would get alone with his father. 00:58:02.640 --> 00:58:04.019 And even the Lord's Prayer 00:58:04.019 --> 00:58:09.200 is just a wonderful example of praying God's will. 00:58:09.460 --> 00:58:09.660 Yeah. 00:58:09.900 --> 00:58:11.940 Of reminding God to do the things, 00:58:12.200 --> 00:58:13.240 to fulfill his promises, 00:58:13.539 --> 00:58:14.240 our daily bread, 00:58:14.680 --> 00:58:15.600 and that kind of thing. 00:58:15.780 --> 00:58:16.700 So, but thank you. 00:58:16.740 --> 00:58:17.600 I just wanted to comment. 00:58:17.600 --> 00:58:18.180 Yeah, yeah. 00:58:18.840 --> 00:58:19.640 Yeah, and that's, I mean, 00:58:19.680 --> 00:58:22.700 that's something else I've done, 00:58:22.820 --> 00:58:24.019 is, like, just take the Lord's Prayer 00:58:24.019 --> 00:58:26.100 and just go, you know, 00:58:26.260 --> 00:58:27.420 sort of petition by petition 00:58:27.420 --> 00:58:28.440 or section by section 00:58:28.440 --> 00:58:31.500 and not just read the words 00:58:31.500 --> 00:58:32.340 or pray the words, 00:58:32.460 --> 00:58:33.380 but think about, 00:58:33.519 --> 00:58:35.940 well, what is this, you know, 00:58:36.019 --> 00:58:37.960 what can I pray for this under this? 00:58:38.059 --> 00:58:39.380 Give us this day our daily bread. 00:58:40.460 --> 00:58:41.579 I'm on a low-carb diet. 00:58:41.680 --> 00:58:42.360 I don't eat bread. 00:58:43.079 --> 00:58:47.100 But there are things I need, right? 00:58:47.099 --> 00:58:51.480 And so that's a great model in that way, 00:58:51.559 --> 00:58:52.739 but it's also praying the scripture. 00:58:52.880 --> 00:58:54.039 We'll talk about it more next week. 00:58:54.199 --> 00:58:55.339 But, yeah, that's great. 00:58:56.319 --> 00:58:56.480 Yeah. 00:58:56.639 --> 00:58:57.139 Someone else? 00:59:05.319 --> 00:59:05.679 Amos? 00:59:05.679 --> 00:59:07.139 Nobody else has a question. 00:59:07.940 --> 00:59:12.519 This was in a bedtime story 00:59:12.519 --> 00:59:13.559 with our kids last night. 00:59:14.440 --> 00:59:16.919 I was just talking a little bit about prayer, 00:59:17.000 --> 00:59:18.879 and I realized that I wasn't clear 00:59:18.879 --> 00:59:19.759 on all the differences 00:59:19.759 --> 00:59:21.159 between the way an Old Testament 00:59:21.159 --> 00:59:22.399 saint would have prayed 00:59:22.399 --> 00:59:24.279 and a new, like, 00:59:24.359 --> 00:59:25.960 what did the cross really change 00:59:25.960 --> 00:59:26.739 in terms of, 00:59:27.239 --> 00:59:28.440 because before the cross, 00:59:28.899 --> 00:59:30.519 people did pray, 00:59:30.519 --> 00:59:31.679 but the temple still meant 00:59:31.679 --> 00:59:32.899 something concrete 00:59:32.899 --> 00:59:33.859 with regards to prayer. 00:59:34.079 --> 00:59:34.359 Mm-hmm. 00:59:34.759 --> 00:59:35.079 Mm-hmm. 00:59:35.639 --> 00:59:37.899 And I think some of that question, 00:59:38.059 --> 00:59:38.359 I think, 00:59:38.480 --> 00:59:40.099 is relevant for us today 00:59:40.099 --> 00:59:40.659 to consider 00:59:40.659 --> 00:59:42.619 when we read 00:59:42.619 --> 00:59:43.679 about the way that people 00:59:43.679 --> 00:59:44.759 prayed in the Old Testament, 00:59:46.500 --> 00:59:47.460 how much, 00:59:47.859 --> 00:59:48.079 I mean, 00:59:48.219 --> 00:59:50.440 I've never heard anybody say 00:59:50.440 --> 00:59:51.179 that none of that still, 00:59:51.719 --> 00:59:52.000 you know, 00:59:52.059 --> 00:59:53.179 none of that has become 00:59:53.179 --> 00:59:54.940 obsolete or anything. 00:59:55.179 --> 00:59:55.480 Right. 00:59:56.159 --> 00:59:56.919 But nevertheless, 00:59:56.919 --> 00:59:58.159 there are some differences. 00:59:58.159 --> 01:00:01.299 But I realized I couldn't really, 01:00:02.960 --> 01:00:03.179 like, 01:00:03.199 --> 01:00:04.139 could you not confess 01:00:04.139 --> 01:00:05.179 in a prayer? 01:00:05.519 --> 01:00:06.079 Did you have to go 01:00:06.079 --> 01:00:06.899 to the temple for that? 01:00:07.679 --> 01:00:08.699 I don't think that's right. 01:00:09.159 --> 01:00:09.519 Anyway. 01:00:09.599 --> 01:00:10.159 Yeah, yeah. 01:00:10.460 --> 01:00:10.779 I mean, 01:00:10.779 --> 01:00:11.559 I think we have, 01:00:11.659 --> 01:00:13.139 I think we have examples. 01:00:14.839 --> 01:00:15.099 You know, 01:00:15.239 --> 01:00:16.759 David writing the Psalms, 01:00:16.799 --> 01:00:17.519 those were prayers, 01:00:17.659 --> 01:00:18.799 and he was not necessarily 01:00:18.799 --> 01:00:19.500 in the temple 01:00:19.500 --> 01:00:20.480 offering them. 01:00:21.159 --> 01:00:22.319 And he would look forward 01:00:22.319 --> 01:00:23.899 to being in the temple 01:00:23.899 --> 01:00:24.799 and offering them. 01:00:24.800 --> 01:00:27.800 But I think 01:00:27.800 --> 01:00:29.300 he wasn't necessarily. 01:00:29.960 --> 01:00:30.460 I think, 01:00:30.940 --> 01:00:31.340 you know, 01:00:31.340 --> 01:00:32.160 I think a genuine 01:00:32.160 --> 01:00:34.280 relationship with the Lord 01:00:34.280 --> 01:00:37.280 as we have, 01:00:37.440 --> 01:00:39.220 but perhaps not as full 01:00:39.220 --> 01:00:39.980 because now we have 01:00:39.980 --> 01:00:40.720 the Holy Spirit, 01:00:41.440 --> 01:00:43.240 was certainly possible 01:00:43.240 --> 01:00:44.060 in the Old Testament. 01:00:44.400 --> 01:00:44.620 I see, 01:00:44.740 --> 01:00:46.420 I think of Hezekiah 01:00:46.420 --> 01:00:49.420 receiving these demands 01:00:49.420 --> 01:00:50.180 from the enemy 01:00:50.180 --> 01:00:52.300 and bringing the letter 01:00:52.300 --> 01:00:53.400 before God 01:00:53.400 --> 01:00:53.820 and saying, 01:00:53.820 --> 01:00:54.200 look, 01:00:54.440 --> 01:00:55.580 look, 01:00:55.800 --> 01:00:55.960 look, 01:00:56.019 --> 01:00:57.200 he's making fun of you. 01:00:57.380 --> 01:00:58.340 You have to do something 01:00:58.340 --> 01:00:58.840 for us. 01:01:00.380 --> 01:01:00.860 And, 01:01:00.980 --> 01:01:02.640 and I think 01:01:02.640 --> 01:01:03.880 those are ways we pray. 01:01:06.180 --> 01:01:07.320 I think God 01:01:07.320 --> 01:01:08.280 has always honored 01:01:08.280 --> 01:01:08.800 the prayer, 01:01:09.080 --> 01:01:10.080 the sincere heart, 01:01:10.320 --> 01:01:10.600 whether, 01:01:11.420 --> 01:01:12.380 whether it goes through 01:01:12.380 --> 01:01:13.440 the temple 01:01:13.440 --> 01:01:14.660 and all that kind of stuff. 01:01:14.780 --> 01:01:16.000 I think they had those, 01:01:16.240 --> 01:01:17.260 they had those kinds 01:01:17.260 --> 01:01:18.240 of anchor points 01:01:18.240 --> 01:01:19.760 that were helpful, 01:01:20.420 --> 01:01:21.360 but I don't think 01:01:21.360 --> 01:01:22.260 they were required 01:01:22.260 --> 01:01:23.960 in terms of having 01:01:23.960 --> 01:01:25.040 a relationship with God 01:01:25.040 --> 01:01:25.420 because, 01:01:25.820 --> 01:01:26.280 I mean, 01:01:26.420 --> 01:01:28.940 if you were a male Jew, 01:01:29.140 --> 01:01:29.640 you went 01:01:29.640 --> 01:01:30.740 and you lived 01:01:30.740 --> 01:01:32.820 not in Jerusalem, 01:01:33.040 --> 01:01:34.140 but some distance away, 01:01:34.220 --> 01:01:34.880 you went maybe 01:01:34.880 --> 01:01:35.860 three times a year. 01:01:36.420 --> 01:01:37.980 And I know I need help 01:01:37.980 --> 01:01:39.140 more than three times a year. 01:01:39.320 --> 01:01:40.460 So I think there was, 01:01:41.240 --> 01:01:41.720 you know, 01:01:41.780 --> 01:01:42.440 there was prayer 01:01:42.440 --> 01:01:43.480 other times. 01:01:44.100 --> 01:01:44.600 I don't know 01:01:44.600 --> 01:01:45.360 if that helps at all. 01:01:45.480 --> 01:01:45.960 It's not something 01:01:45.960 --> 01:01:46.760 I've thought about a lot. 01:01:46.760 --> 01:01:47.240 Yeah. 01:01:50.700 --> 01:01:51.140 Good. 01:01:51.400 --> 01:01:51.580 Well, 01:01:51.640 --> 01:01:52.200 thank you. 01:01:54.340 --> 01:01:56.520 And go pray. 01:01:56.520 --> 01:01:56.560 Pray.