WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.900 We looked at the first four verses where his disciples asked the Lord to teach them to pray. 00:00:05.640 --> 00:00:11.780 And these verses we're going to look at this morning, verse 5 through 13, they're going to be a continuation of that. 00:00:12.300 --> 00:00:16.579 And we're going to just read all of those verses right now to get us in the context of it. 00:00:16.579 --> 00:00:19.020 And here's what the Bible says in verse 1 of chapter 11. 00:00:19.579 --> 00:00:24.719 And it came to pass that as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, 00:00:24.820 --> 00:00:28.800 Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. 00:00:28.800 --> 00:00:58.780 And he said unto them, 00:00:58.799 --> 00:01:26.280 And I say unto you, 00:01:26.900 --> 00:01:28.400 Ask, and it shall be given you. 00:01:29.040 --> 00:01:30.299 Seek, and ye shall find. 00:01:30.980 --> 00:01:33.439 Knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 00:01:34.120 --> 00:01:37.659 For everyone that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth. 00:01:37.879 --> 00:01:40.700 And to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 00:01:41.700 --> 00:01:46.460 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? 00:01:46.459 --> 00:01:51.939 Or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? 00:01:52.599 --> 00:01:56.000 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 00:01:56.000 --> 00:02:09.199 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? 00:02:09.199 --> 00:02:14.359 Jesus is teaching us a lot about prayer here in these first 13 verses. 00:02:14.360 --> 00:02:17.360 But he wants to remind us that we don't just pray. 00:02:17.460 --> 00:02:20.860 We're not going to just repeat some of these words that we heard in the first four verses. 00:02:21.120 --> 00:02:22.360 He's giving us a pattern. 00:02:22.480 --> 00:02:23.420 He's giving us a model. 00:02:23.700 --> 00:02:26.340 But here's what he's teaching us here this morning. 00:02:26.480 --> 00:02:27.920 That we need to keep on asking. 00:02:28.839 --> 00:02:34.780 Because sometimes we pray, God doesn't answer it immediately, and we think, well, I might as well just move on. 00:02:35.560 --> 00:02:40.979 Jesus wants us to show that persistent prayer is important in all of our lives. 00:02:41.019 --> 00:02:44.319 So let's go to him in prayer and ask him to bless the word this morning. 00:02:44.399 --> 00:02:45.679 Father, thank you for this time to gather. 00:02:46.119 --> 00:02:48.159 Thank you for the songs and the reminder of your goodness. 00:02:48.159 --> 00:02:50.599 Thank you that you have promised to come back again. 00:02:51.339 --> 00:02:55.319 Lord, I pray that before that happens, that there's somebody here today, even in this service, 00:02:55.319 --> 00:03:01.180 that doesn't know you as their Savior, Lord, that today would be that day that they come to that saving knowledge of you. 00:03:01.919 --> 00:03:04.419 Lord, I pray that you'd be with us now as we walk through this text. 00:03:04.539 --> 00:03:08.180 Lord, that you would quiet our hearts and minds of all the things that are going on in our life. 00:03:08.299 --> 00:03:12.419 Lord, that you would show us some truths that we can take, we can apply to our lives. 00:03:12.519 --> 00:03:14.019 Lord, that you would convict us where need be. 00:03:14.500 --> 00:03:15.359 Lord, I pray you'd be with me. 00:03:15.439 --> 00:03:16.240 Lord, I need you. 00:03:16.780 --> 00:03:17.639 I need your power. 00:03:17.719 --> 00:03:18.479 I need your strength. 00:03:18.479 --> 00:03:21.979 Lord, I have nothing to give the hearer this morning. 00:03:22.099 --> 00:03:24.780 But Lord, we're asking that you would speak to our hearts. 00:03:24.780 --> 00:03:26.080 And we would respond when you do. 00:03:26.140 --> 00:03:27.879 And we ask this in your Son's precious name. 00:03:28.560 --> 00:03:28.879 Amen. 00:03:29.060 --> 00:03:29.819 Thank you so much for standing. 00:03:29.900 --> 00:03:30.300 You may be seated. 00:03:33.659 --> 00:03:40.159 Have you ever sent a text and then immediately started overthinking the text you sent? 00:03:40.960 --> 00:03:42.420 Any overthinkers in here? 00:03:43.479 --> 00:03:44.740 I know we send it. 00:03:45.080 --> 00:03:47.699 You send the text and you're thinking, maybe I should have just called. 00:03:48.120 --> 00:03:50.460 But now if I call, then it's going to seem really weird. 00:03:50.699 --> 00:03:52.699 And you're sitting there and you're kind of watching it. 00:03:52.900 --> 00:03:54.139 And then you see the three little dots. 00:03:54.139 --> 00:03:55.039 You know what I'm talking about. 00:03:55.379 --> 00:03:56.159 Dot, dot, dot, dot. 00:03:56.699 --> 00:03:57.419 You're like, okay. 00:03:58.259 --> 00:03:59.259 They're going to respond. 00:04:00.539 --> 00:04:01.339 And then nothing. 00:04:02.599 --> 00:04:04.099 And then you're just like, oh, great. 00:04:04.379 --> 00:04:05.519 Now, I mean, you're overthinking. 00:04:05.639 --> 00:04:07.039 Now it's in hyperdrive. 00:04:07.339 --> 00:04:09.319 Now you don't have a clue what's going on. 00:04:09.359 --> 00:04:11.599 And you're thinking, I knew I shouldn't have sent that. 00:04:12.439 --> 00:04:13.479 Was it something I said? 00:04:13.500 --> 00:04:15.759 And you go back and you read the text over and over again. 00:04:15.879 --> 00:04:17.120 And you're thinking, well, maybe they're busy. 00:04:17.159 --> 00:04:17.680 Well, they're not busy. 00:04:17.719 --> 00:04:18.300 They're ignoring me. 00:04:18.300 --> 00:04:18.840 They don't like me. 00:04:18.840 --> 00:04:18.840 00:04:20.879 --> 00:04:21.740 Ever been there? 00:04:23.420 --> 00:04:27.180 And the longer the silence lasts, the worse that it gets. 00:04:28.400 --> 00:04:30.540 And then you're laying in bed at 2 in the morning. 00:04:31.460 --> 00:04:33.020 Should I send another text tomorrow? 00:04:34.020 --> 00:04:35.220 Or will that seem desperate? 00:04:36.120 --> 00:04:39.019 You know, and you're kind of playing this all in your mind. 00:04:39.280 --> 00:04:41.879 And you think, preacher, what are you talking about? 00:04:41.879 --> 00:04:47.779 But I think if we really think about it, sometimes I think that's how prayer can feel to us. 00:04:48.800 --> 00:04:49.560 That we pray. 00:04:50.199 --> 00:04:51.800 We know we're supposed to pray. 00:04:52.500 --> 00:04:54.420 The Lord really, He commands us. 00:04:54.480 --> 00:04:55.079 He guides us. 00:04:55.139 --> 00:04:56.540 He gives us the pattern to pray. 00:04:56.819 --> 00:04:57.659 And so we pray. 00:04:58.120 --> 00:05:00.240 And we ask some serious things in our life. 00:05:00.360 --> 00:05:01.719 And maybe we're dealing with things. 00:05:01.800 --> 00:05:03.540 And we're needing guidance in this area. 00:05:03.600 --> 00:05:04.579 And we're needing help here. 00:05:04.759 --> 00:05:05.519 And you've got parents. 00:05:05.800 --> 00:05:06.319 You've got kids. 00:05:06.339 --> 00:05:07.180 You better be praying. 00:05:08.159 --> 00:05:09.519 And you're like, Lord, I need you. 00:05:09.920 --> 00:05:11.719 And it just seems like you're just waiting. 00:05:12.379 --> 00:05:13.060 And you're waiting. 00:05:13.719 --> 00:05:14.339 And you're waiting. 00:05:14.459 --> 00:05:16.139 And you're thinking, is it something I said? 00:05:16.779 --> 00:05:17.939 Did I not say it right? 00:05:19.100 --> 00:05:26.019 And when that happens, those questions, just like when you send a text, those questions kind of start to surface in our mind. 00:05:26.939 --> 00:05:28.019 Well, did God hear me? 00:05:29.540 --> 00:05:31.819 Why isn't this getting taken care of? 00:05:31.860 --> 00:05:33.399 I mean, I was sincere. 00:05:33.500 --> 00:05:34.139 And I was serious. 00:05:34.139 --> 00:05:36.519 And I even used Christian words in there. 00:05:37.040 --> 00:05:39.040 And I heard things that I heard other people pray. 00:05:39.819 --> 00:05:40.860 We begin to overthink that. 00:05:40.860 --> 00:05:43.960 And we may not say it, but we think, does God even love me? 00:05:45.199 --> 00:05:48.439 I mean, if God loved me, wouldn't He answer my prayer immediately? 00:05:49.120 --> 00:05:52.360 Wouldn't He give me exactly what I'm asking for? 00:05:52.360 --> 00:06:02.500 As we come here into Luke's gospel in chapter number 11, we saw in the opening verses that Jesus taught His disciples to pray. 00:06:03.280 --> 00:06:04.740 They had seen Him pray. 00:06:04.840 --> 00:06:08.240 The Bible says there in verse 1 that when He was done praying, they were there. 00:06:08.420 --> 00:06:10.439 And maybe they were in earshot of it. 00:06:10.460 --> 00:06:13.100 And He was praying maybe audibly to His heavenly Father. 00:06:13.100 --> 00:06:21.620 And as we mentioned last week, sometimes you've just maybe been around somebody that when they pray, you think, man, they've got a direct line to God. 00:06:22.379 --> 00:06:23.879 I want to pray like that. 00:06:24.420 --> 00:06:26.060 And I think that's kind of how the disciples were thinking. 00:06:26.600 --> 00:06:32.300 They realized that every time something was coming in Jesus' life, He went to His Father about it. 00:06:32.300 --> 00:06:36.560 And when He got done praying, they said, teach us to do that. 00:06:37.220 --> 00:06:40.160 They didn't ask to learn how to do miracles and draw crowds. 00:06:40.400 --> 00:06:48.259 No, they began to realize that Jesus' fuel for His mission was His dependence on the Father, and it was found in prayer. 00:06:49.100 --> 00:06:53.019 And so what He did there is He didn't give us some words just to repeat. 00:06:53.800 --> 00:06:55.220 Some call this the Lord's Prayer. 00:06:55.220 --> 00:07:00.180 I would more label it the model prayer, but it doesn't mean that we are to quote this word for word. 00:07:00.640 --> 00:07:02.040 There's nothing wrong with that. 00:07:02.600 --> 00:07:05.560 But really what Jesus was doing is He was giving us a pattern. 00:07:05.920 --> 00:07:12.060 And this pattern, as we walked through last week, we're not going to dive back in, but it's an attitude consumed with God. 00:07:12.760 --> 00:07:18.760 That when we go, we pray to our Father by a relationship, that we understand who He is. 00:07:18.820 --> 00:07:23.040 And really, it's an attitude that is completely reliant on God. 00:07:23.520 --> 00:07:24.500 That's what prayer is. 00:07:25.220 --> 00:07:27.079 Prayer is a posture of dependence. 00:07:27.800 --> 00:07:30.379 We are going to our Father because we understand this. 00:07:30.519 --> 00:07:31.439 We can't do it. 00:07:32.379 --> 00:07:33.560 We can't do anything. 00:07:33.560 --> 00:07:38.060 In fact, Jesus says, without me in John 15, ye can do nothing. 00:07:38.920 --> 00:07:40.459 We're reminded of that when we pray. 00:07:41.579 --> 00:07:47.980 And really what He's doing in those first four verses is He is showing us it's not necessarily about the words. 00:07:48.220 --> 00:07:51.139 It's about the heart that we have in prayer. 00:07:51.980 --> 00:07:53.839 That it's a heart that is turned to God. 00:07:55.000 --> 00:07:56.220 But Jesus knows us. 00:07:56.800 --> 00:07:57.839 Obviously, He knows us very well. 00:07:57.860 --> 00:07:58.519 He knows everything. 00:07:59.300 --> 00:08:06.819 But He knows that when we begin to pray, especially nowadays, I think humans have always been like this, but we live in an instant society. 00:08:06.819 --> 00:08:10.680 We want everything when we want it right then, right now. 00:08:10.899 --> 00:08:12.040 You're going to pull up to a drive-thru. 00:08:12.240 --> 00:08:13.399 You're going to go to the restaurant today. 00:08:13.480 --> 00:08:14.480 And you're like, where's my food? 00:08:14.699 --> 00:08:16.019 They're cooking it. 00:08:17.240 --> 00:08:18.339 That's a good thing. 00:08:18.339 --> 00:08:21.179 But we think it should just be instantly ready. 00:08:21.179 --> 00:08:24.000 You know, we want things instantaneously. 00:08:24.959 --> 00:08:34.939 And Jesus knows that just because He's given us the pattern of prayer, that just because we know how to do it, doesn't automatically give us the answers we want when we want it. 00:08:34.940 --> 00:08:43.000 So the question we have this morning is, what do you do when you've prayed and nothing happens? 00:08:43.740 --> 00:08:47.000 What do you do when you pray and it seems like heaven is silent? 00:08:47.440 --> 00:08:52.140 What do you do when you pray and it seems like nobody's listening to you? 00:08:52.139 --> 00:08:59.840 So what Jesus does, He understood the disciples' thought process, and as He gives them the pattern, He goes right into verse number 5. 00:09:00.519 --> 00:09:07.620 And He begins to teach, and He wants us to see that verse 1 through 4 and 5 through 13, they're not two separate conversations. 00:09:08.279 --> 00:09:10.340 It's one lesson on prayer. 00:09:11.159 --> 00:09:19.419 The first four verses show us how to pray, and verses 5 through 13 show us how to keep praying and why we should keep praying. 00:09:19.419 --> 00:09:22.779 But before we dive into this text, I want us to see something. 00:09:23.699 --> 00:09:32.360 What Jesus is not doing in verses 5 through 13 is teaching us how to pressure God and wear Him down so He gives us what we want. 00:09:33.039 --> 00:09:34.559 That is not what He's doing. 00:09:35.159 --> 00:09:41.860 Because we've all been in a place, sometimes as parents, like, I'm just like, I'm just going to give in because I am sick and tired of you asking. 00:09:43.039 --> 00:09:47.079 I know it's not best parenting, but sometimes you're like, just get out of here. 00:09:47.080 --> 00:09:50.320 That's real life parenting, in case you're wondering. 00:09:51.080 --> 00:09:52.879 Even pastors parent that way sometimes. 00:09:54.220 --> 00:10:00.620 But what He is doing is He is teaching us how to trust God when answers don't come immediately. 00:10:01.700 --> 00:10:03.900 That's really the idea behind this text. 00:10:04.180 --> 00:10:08.180 Here's what He's showing us, that prayer is not just about a single request. 00:10:09.220 --> 00:10:11.240 Prayer, really, when it boils down to it, is this. 00:10:11.460 --> 00:10:15.680 It's that persistent relationship with our faithful, heavenly Father. 00:10:15.679 --> 00:10:17.959 That that's what prayer is really doing. 00:10:18.199 --> 00:10:20.659 It's not just running to God and getting what we want. 00:10:20.839 --> 00:10:22.899 No, it's really this, getting God. 00:10:23.799 --> 00:10:25.339 That that's what we should be seeking. 00:10:25.639 --> 00:10:26.879 That's what we should be searching. 00:10:27.159 --> 00:10:29.319 That prayer draws us closer to Him. 00:10:29.739 --> 00:10:31.359 It shows us His heart. 00:10:31.479 --> 00:10:36.079 And when we see His heart, then it's going to align our life the way that it should be. 00:10:36.839 --> 00:10:38.939 So the first thing that Jesus shows us is this. 00:10:39.199 --> 00:10:42.620 Is that persistent prayer, it reveals what we really believe about God. 00:10:42.620 --> 00:10:45.720 It reveals how badly we need Him. 00:10:46.179 --> 00:10:51.139 Persistent prayer, it reveals the seriousness of our request. 00:10:52.120 --> 00:10:56.560 That's what He's teaching here in these verses, especially verse 5 through 8. 00:10:57.919 --> 00:10:59.960 That He's speaking to the same crowd. 00:11:00.039 --> 00:11:03.679 He's speaking to His disciples that He was addressing on how to pray. 00:11:04.460 --> 00:11:07.720 And He begins to tell them a story that they would relate to. 00:11:07.720 --> 00:11:09.860 And that's what we see there in verse number 5. 00:11:09.940 --> 00:11:12.139 He says, which of you shall have a friend? 00:11:13.139 --> 00:11:17.399 And really when you dive into it, this friend doesn't mean just a friend that you have around town. 00:11:17.519 --> 00:11:18.440 It would have been a neighbor. 00:11:19.139 --> 00:11:20.259 It had that idea. 00:11:20.759 --> 00:11:22.340 And you study the Gospels. 00:11:22.500 --> 00:11:27.040 You realize some of these times the Jewish people have a hard time with neighbors. 00:11:27.379 --> 00:11:28.980 Like, well, who's my neighbor? 00:11:29.700 --> 00:11:32.720 And Jesus is just saying, listen, let's pretend like you have a neighbor. 00:11:32.779 --> 00:11:33.720 Anybody have a neighbor in here? 00:11:34.460 --> 00:11:34.700 Yeah. 00:11:34.700 --> 00:11:37.640 Some of you built way out there so you wouldn't have neighbors. 00:11:38.420 --> 00:11:40.720 You're like, yeah, I tried that once, not trying it again. 00:11:41.700 --> 00:11:42.640 Sometimes you have good neighbors. 00:11:42.759 --> 00:11:43.759 Sometimes you have bad neighbors. 00:11:44.920 --> 00:11:48.000 But He begins to speak on this and tells them this story. 00:11:48.060 --> 00:11:50.480 And He says, listen, okay, pretend like you have a neighbor. 00:11:51.460 --> 00:11:58.040 And in this culture and in this time period, they were highly dependent on their neighbors. 00:11:58.039 --> 00:12:05.659 This would have been something, especially in this situation where this man shows up at a late night needing something. 00:12:06.360 --> 00:12:08.399 Because there were no grocery stores. 00:12:09.139 --> 00:12:11.459 There were no QTs or Buc-ee's. 00:12:12.759 --> 00:12:13.959 Some of y'all live there. 00:12:15.079 --> 00:12:17.759 I like those roasted pecans that are warm at Buc-ee's. 00:12:18.279 --> 00:12:20.500 If you're ever coming back through Denton, just get some for your preacher. 00:12:20.579 --> 00:12:21.299 He'll love you forever. 00:12:21.299 --> 00:12:28.279 There are no 24-hour fast food restaurants that he could just drive through to help this friend. 00:12:28.620 --> 00:12:31.879 And people at this time especially didn't have stockpiles of food. 00:12:32.519 --> 00:12:36.139 They're not like us where we go home and we open the fridge and say, there's nothing to eat in here. 00:12:36.219 --> 00:12:37.559 And it's completely full. 00:12:38.459 --> 00:12:43.159 No, I mean, when we really think about it, they would work every day just to eat. 00:12:43.679 --> 00:12:44.559 Just to live. 00:12:44.559 --> 00:12:48.319 And when things were hard, they would have depended upon one another. 00:12:49.579 --> 00:12:54.559 But when Jesus gets this story, he says, okay, well, that's understandable that, yeah, you have a neighbor, you need something. 00:12:55.319 --> 00:12:55.819 That's okay. 00:12:56.000 --> 00:12:58.379 But notice what he says when he shows up at midnight. 00:12:59.939 --> 00:13:00.779 Absolutely not. 00:13:01.639 --> 00:13:04.439 My mom told me that nothing good happens after 9 p.m. 00:13:06.259 --> 00:13:09.479 And the older I'm getting, I think the earlier that's happening in my life. 00:13:09.559 --> 00:13:11.979 I'm like, I'm ready to go to bed at 8 o'clock. 00:13:11.980 --> 00:13:19.220 And what Jesus is saying, he's just showing us this obviously isn't a normal time to visit. 00:13:19.920 --> 00:13:21.379 Especially here in this day. 00:13:21.980 --> 00:13:23.420 No one was up at this time. 00:13:23.980 --> 00:13:28.580 You know, you can get around town and even if you're out late one time, there's still people moving around. 00:13:29.379 --> 00:13:33.100 But in this culture, they would have went to bed soon after sunset. 00:13:33.440 --> 00:13:37.480 They didn't have social media or Netflix just to waste their time and waste their night away. 00:13:37.980 --> 00:13:41.159 No, they went to bed when the sun went down and they got up with the sun. 00:13:41.159 --> 00:13:42.919 Some of y'all never seen that before. 00:13:43.539 --> 00:13:45.139 You didn't know the sun went down and up. 00:13:45.199 --> 00:13:46.319 You just thought it was up all the time. 00:13:48.799 --> 00:13:51.699 But why was he so dead set on being here? 00:13:51.759 --> 00:13:53.500 Why would he show up at midnight? 00:13:54.719 --> 00:13:58.199 Because in this culture, hospitality was everything. 00:13:59.139 --> 00:14:06.720 It was a big deal that when somebody showed up and at this time, sometimes they would travel because of the heat during the day. 00:14:06.720 --> 00:14:08.800 So people would travel at night time. 00:14:08.879 --> 00:14:12.680 And so he would have been coming in and he wouldn't have had any food on his journey. 00:14:12.680 --> 00:14:16.019 And he shows up and he's starving and you need to take care of him. 00:14:16.840 --> 00:14:18.580 So this man's kind of in a bind. 00:14:19.440 --> 00:14:26.340 He could either be a poor host to his guest or a poor neighbor by waking him up at midnight. 00:14:26.340 --> 00:14:29.200 And he said, I'd rather be a poor neighbor. 00:14:30.000 --> 00:14:31.180 So he shows up. 00:14:31.980 --> 00:14:35.460 Verse number seven tells us a very predictable response. 00:14:36.160 --> 00:14:37.840 He goes over to his neighbor's house. 00:14:39.220 --> 00:14:41.000 Hey, you up? 00:14:41.000 --> 00:14:45.460 He said, leave me alone. 00:14:46.440 --> 00:14:51.740 You know, the fact that he even responded, all of you probably have ring doorbells and you're like, I'm absolutely not even going to the door. 00:14:51.960 --> 00:14:53.700 You look at your phone like, yep, not talking to him. 00:14:54.679 --> 00:14:56.100 He's always wanting something. 00:14:56.799 --> 00:14:58.600 Like he needs to learn where the store is. 00:14:59.519 --> 00:15:00.779 But that's what he says in verse number seven. 00:15:00.779 --> 00:15:03.759 And he said from within, trouble me not. 00:15:04.259 --> 00:15:05.139 The door's shut. 00:15:05.799 --> 00:15:08.179 And my children are in bed with me and cannot rise. 00:15:08.179 --> 00:15:15.000 And in Jewish houses this day, they would have probably had one main room and there was a large mat that's laying there on the floor. 00:15:15.159 --> 00:15:16.739 And everybody would have been in there. 00:15:16.879 --> 00:15:17.739 And don't misunderstand. 00:15:18.139 --> 00:15:19.620 This man is not being cruel. 00:15:20.459 --> 00:15:22.519 He's just stating the obvious. 00:15:22.819 --> 00:15:24.899 Hey, buddy, the timing's not great. 00:15:25.620 --> 00:15:27.859 We were awake at six o'clock this evening. 00:15:28.319 --> 00:15:30.000 Midnight's not a good time to come to my house. 00:15:30.719 --> 00:15:31.539 He doesn't want to get up. 00:15:31.599 --> 00:15:33.359 He doesn't want to stir the house. 00:15:33.439 --> 00:15:35.059 He's not willing to wake them up. 00:15:35.059 --> 00:15:39.179 I just picture when I read this story, maybe they had a little baby that was crying all night. 00:15:39.299 --> 00:15:40.339 And now he's finally asleep. 00:15:41.179 --> 00:15:42.939 Like, you've got to be kidding me. 00:15:43.759 --> 00:15:45.159 Who's at my house at this time? 00:15:45.559 --> 00:15:47.799 He's saying, listen, it's not a great time, man. 00:15:48.500 --> 00:15:50.539 This is not what I want to see. 00:15:52.119 --> 00:15:54.839 But I think we've all met people like this. 00:15:55.659 --> 00:15:56.919 This guy didn't take no for an answer. 00:15:56.919 --> 00:16:00.319 I imagine when he said, hey, go away. 00:16:00.399 --> 00:16:01.620 I can't help you. 00:16:02.319 --> 00:16:03.539 He's like, turn over the van. 00:16:03.659 --> 00:16:04.639 I'm glad he left. 00:16:05.039 --> 00:16:06.199 I'm glad he's not there anymore. 00:16:08.219 --> 00:16:10.299 Hey, Josiah. 00:16:10.860 --> 00:16:12.439 Sounds like a good Jewish name, doesn't it? 00:16:13.259 --> 00:16:14.360 I know you're in there. 00:16:14.399 --> 00:16:15.379 I just talked to you. 00:16:16.479 --> 00:16:20.120 I saw a Walmart grocery deliver bread earlier today. 00:16:20.799 --> 00:16:23.159 Don't act like you don't have any in there. 00:16:23.159 --> 00:16:26.439 That's kind of the idea that we see here. 00:16:26.500 --> 00:16:28.919 I know it's a silly way to think of it, but that's what's going on. 00:16:29.339 --> 00:16:34.000 This guy's trying to go, and it just seems like every time he thinks he's done, 00:16:34.199 --> 00:16:36.860 and maybe he waited five minutes and said, good night, thank goodness he's gone. 00:16:39.139 --> 00:16:42.659 Like, hey, I really could use those pieces of bread. 00:16:43.480 --> 00:16:46.139 Like, if you, listen, you go, I'll meet you. 00:16:46.219 --> 00:16:47.100 Like, just come out the window. 00:16:47.179 --> 00:16:48.019 Just throw it out the window. 00:16:48.279 --> 00:16:49.699 Just give me the bread. 00:16:49.700 --> 00:16:53.320 Jesus says this in verse 8. 00:16:54.600 --> 00:16:56.320 Jesus says he didn't give up. 00:16:56.500 --> 00:16:59.820 He didn't get up out of bed and give him what he needed because he was his friend, 00:17:00.680 --> 00:17:01.759 because he was his neighbor. 00:17:02.500 --> 00:17:04.580 Notice what Jesus says there in verse number 8. 00:17:05.680 --> 00:17:12.019 Yet because of his importunity, he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. 00:17:12.740 --> 00:17:14.319 Now, that's not a word that we use all the time. 00:17:14.380 --> 00:17:16.299 It's not a word that's probably in your vocabulary. 00:17:16.580 --> 00:17:17.180 What does it mean? 00:17:17.180 --> 00:17:20.080 Here's the idea behind importunity. 00:17:20.440 --> 00:17:21.960 It's shamelessness. 00:17:22.519 --> 00:17:23.860 It's audacity. 00:17:24.320 --> 00:17:25.980 It's boldness. 00:17:26.560 --> 00:17:29.640 That he was not going to take no for an answer. 00:17:30.259 --> 00:17:32.400 He knew that he had a dire need. 00:17:32.680 --> 00:17:34.400 He understood hospitality. 00:17:34.740 --> 00:17:37.680 He didn't want to be known as the guy that was a poor host. 00:17:38.360 --> 00:17:42.940 And so he was willing to go to uncomfortable lengths to be that annoying person 00:17:42.940 --> 00:17:45.920 and just keep knocking and keep knocking and keep knocking. 00:17:46.840 --> 00:17:49.039 And I think we can picture him outside of the house. 00:17:49.380 --> 00:17:53.500 It's not that he's trying to be polite, but he needs something. 00:17:54.360 --> 00:17:55.380 And it wasn't a one-time thing. 00:17:55.460 --> 00:17:57.140 He said, hey, man, can I borrow some bread? 00:17:57.340 --> 00:17:57.620 No. 00:17:57.980 --> 00:17:58.299 Okay. 00:17:58.400 --> 00:17:58.960 We'll see you later. 00:17:58.960 --> 00:18:01.720 That's not what's taking place here. 00:18:03.380 --> 00:18:05.680 And here's what Jesus is teaching us here. 00:18:07.140 --> 00:18:12.160 That persistent prayer reveals how deeply we depend on God 00:18:12.160 --> 00:18:17.640 and how serious the request that we bring to him is to us. 00:18:17.640 --> 00:18:22.900 If it's that important, are we just going to pray one time and forget about it? 00:18:23.660 --> 00:18:26.920 If it's important enough to bring to the Father, here's what Jesus is reminding. 00:18:27.160 --> 00:18:31.080 It's important enough to keep asking and keep asking and keep seeking. 00:18:31.400 --> 00:18:35.420 The idea is that often the things that we stop praying about the quickest 00:18:35.420 --> 00:18:38.820 are the things that we are trying to handle ourself. 00:18:40.600 --> 00:18:42.640 That's kind of what Jesus is getting to the point of. 00:18:43.160 --> 00:18:44.780 That we're still trying to manage it. 00:18:44.779 --> 00:18:50.119 That we think, you know what, I'll see if God answers it, but if not, I'll find a way. 00:18:50.579 --> 00:18:51.940 If there's a will, there's a way. 00:18:52.039 --> 00:18:53.039 You know, that's kind of our mindset. 00:18:55.740 --> 00:18:57.079 Because here's the problem with that. 00:18:58.099 --> 00:19:00.379 When persistence in our prayer life fades, 00:19:01.139 --> 00:19:04.399 it's usually because self-reliance has found its way in. 00:19:05.720 --> 00:19:07.500 And that's not where we should be relying on. 00:19:08.079 --> 00:19:10.240 You know who lets me down more than anybody I know? 00:19:11.759 --> 00:19:12.440 This guy. 00:19:12.440 --> 00:19:15.100 You know who's never let me down? 00:19:15.799 --> 00:19:16.420 Our Father. 00:19:17.559 --> 00:19:21.400 But yet, you know who I rely on more in my life if I'm just being 100% honest? 00:19:21.640 --> 00:19:21.900 Me. 00:19:22.799 --> 00:19:24.960 And then I say, Lord, can you get me out of this mess? 00:19:25.160 --> 00:19:27.960 And he's almost, sometimes I think he's like, well, you put yourself in there. 00:19:29.059 --> 00:19:30.160 You didn't ask me. 00:19:30.240 --> 00:19:31.539 You just assumed. 00:19:33.140 --> 00:19:35.779 And so kind of here's a simple heart check from these first three verses. 00:19:37.400 --> 00:19:38.779 I don't know the answer, but you do. 00:19:38.840 --> 00:19:40.360 What do you quit praying about real fast? 00:19:40.359 --> 00:19:45.039 Maybe there's something in your life right now that you should be praying about, 00:19:45.259 --> 00:19:48.659 but you didn't get an answer right away, so you thought, well, obviously he didn't hear. 00:19:49.319 --> 00:19:50.159 He doesn't care. 00:19:50.959 --> 00:19:52.179 Maybe I can handle it myself. 00:19:52.839 --> 00:19:54.599 Maybe I can take care of this. 00:19:55.059 --> 00:20:00.740 Because if we quit praying early, it often reveals that we still think we have a whole bunch of other options. 00:20:01.859 --> 00:20:03.899 Maybe you can say, well, I'll just go to the next house. 00:20:04.059 --> 00:20:04.679 I'll just go here. 00:20:04.799 --> 00:20:05.759 I'll figure it out. 00:20:05.759 --> 00:20:10.099 If you're not going to help me inside this house, then I'll go to the, I'll find somebody else that will help me. 00:20:10.940 --> 00:20:12.519 I think sometimes we treat God like that. 00:20:14.059 --> 00:20:19.480 If we don't get it immediately, if it's not an answer to prayer, as soon as we pray it, well, does God even love me? 00:20:20.400 --> 00:20:24.299 And we may, listen, we may not physically say that, but we live that way. 00:20:24.299 --> 00:20:30.299 You know, when my kids want something, they don't stop asking. 00:20:31.079 --> 00:20:37.659 And I say things like this, if you don't, if you ask one more time, we're never eating ice cream again, which they know is an empty threat. 00:20:39.419 --> 00:20:44.579 And that's not, I hope you understand, Jesus is not teaching us to pester God. 00:20:45.440 --> 00:20:47.599 But he's teaching us, where's our reliance? 00:20:48.899 --> 00:20:52.440 Because this man had no other option besides his neighbor. 00:20:52.440 --> 00:20:58.880 And yet, sometimes we view God as a option, not the option. 00:20:59.580 --> 00:21:03.140 And when we quit praying, it reveals that we're not fully dependent on him. 00:21:03.279 --> 00:21:05.880 And it reveals that we still think that we're the ones in control. 00:21:06.580 --> 00:21:11.160 What Jesus is just reminding us is, instead of quitting, just keep coming back. 00:21:11.759 --> 00:21:16.180 You don't have to be bold, and you don't have to be, these long-winded prayers. 00:21:16.580 --> 00:21:18.519 Sometimes persistent doesn't look like long prayers. 00:21:18.740 --> 00:21:20.519 It looks like this, Lord, I need you. 00:21:20.519 --> 00:21:24.039 Because maybe you're walking through a difficult time in life. 00:21:24.599 --> 00:21:26.160 You don't have all the things to say. 00:21:26.420 --> 00:21:28.759 And you may just say, Lord, I cannot do this. 00:21:29.019 --> 00:21:30.440 Please help me. 00:21:31.240 --> 00:21:32.759 Maybe that's your prayer every single morning. 00:21:33.480 --> 00:21:34.079 That's okay. 00:21:34.879 --> 00:21:36.960 And Lord, I don't know what to do in this situation. 00:21:37.279 --> 00:21:38.759 God, I'm not giving up. 00:21:38.859 --> 00:21:39.879 I need your strength. 00:21:40.139 --> 00:21:42.339 Persistent prayer doesn't mean just pray harder. 00:21:42.619 --> 00:21:46.220 No, it just means coming back again and again and again. 00:21:46.220 --> 00:21:55.400 Listen, I bet we have testimony in this room of a prayer that was answered, and you prayed for it for 5, 10, 15, 20 years. 00:21:56.460 --> 00:21:57.579 And God answered it. 00:21:58.059 --> 00:21:59.279 What if you would have just stopped praying? 00:22:00.180 --> 00:22:01.400 What if you would have just given up? 00:22:02.240 --> 00:22:05.059 It wasn't that God didn't want to answer that prayer. 00:22:05.319 --> 00:22:06.759 But here's the beautiful thing. 00:22:07.120 --> 00:22:08.500 God knows the perfect timing. 00:22:08.500 --> 00:22:14.240 Sometimes the prayers that you pray right now, it's not good for you right now. 00:22:16.039 --> 00:22:19.380 Maybe there's a, sometimes, listen, a no doesn't mean no. 00:22:19.460 --> 00:22:20.960 It means there's a better yes sometimes. 00:22:22.180 --> 00:22:23.880 And here's just the truth. 00:22:24.140 --> 00:22:27.559 Sometimes we don't even know what we're praying is not good for us. 00:22:28.940 --> 00:22:33.119 I'm thankful the Lord hasn't answered some of my prayers, and I bet you are too. 00:22:34.500 --> 00:22:37.019 You had to sit back and say, Lord, thank you for not answering that prayer. 00:22:37.019 --> 00:22:38.559 What was I thinking? 00:22:40.639 --> 00:22:48.119 Now, if we stop here and we stop after these verses, we might think to ourselves, so prayer is about pestering God until he gives in. 00:22:49.180 --> 00:22:57.420 No, that's why Jesus moves from this little story into the next few verses, and we see that persistent prayer is met with a promise from God. 00:22:58.960 --> 00:23:03.019 That God, listen, God wants to answer your prayers. 00:23:03.019 --> 00:23:07.440 You think, wow, that sounds kind of like health, wealth, and prosperity. 00:23:09.559 --> 00:23:15.119 But here's the thing sometimes when we persistently, we ask, and we seek, and we knock. 00:23:15.660 --> 00:23:20.220 Sometimes when we first go and we pray the prayer, it's not in line with what God has for us. 00:23:20.940 --> 00:23:22.240 You know what kind of prayer God wants to answer? 00:23:22.400 --> 00:23:23.759 The one he wants to place in our heart. 00:23:23.759 --> 00:23:32.359 The more that we go back to God, and the more that we seek him, we realize maybe that prayer I started with wasn't on the right vein, and God is working on our hearts. 00:23:32.579 --> 00:23:38.819 And as we ask, and as we seek, and as we knock, God is molding us to the way that he wants us to be. 00:23:38.819 --> 00:23:44.099 And when we're in line with our Father in heaven, when we're on the same page with him, here's what he's going to say. 00:23:44.439 --> 00:23:44.759 Yes. 00:23:45.819 --> 00:23:47.099 That's what he's teaching us. 00:23:47.379 --> 00:23:48.439 That's what he's reminding us. 00:23:48.679 --> 00:23:53.960 That these idea of asking, it's to recognize that you have a very conscious need. 00:23:55.439 --> 00:23:58.019 Because when we go to the Lord in prayer, it's not because we think we can do it. 00:23:58.839 --> 00:24:01.139 No, sometimes we go to the Lord in prayer because we need a quick fix right now. 00:24:01.740 --> 00:24:02.519 And that's okay. 00:24:02.599 --> 00:24:03.179 Sometimes you do. 00:24:03.599 --> 00:24:04.359 Lord, I need you. 00:24:05.119 --> 00:24:07.000 I don't know what to do in this situation. 00:24:07.000 --> 00:24:08.299 Maybe you're about to walk into work. 00:24:08.299 --> 00:24:09.740 Lord, give me the words to say. 00:24:10.779 --> 00:24:12.140 Maybe you're going to walk into work. 00:24:12.220 --> 00:24:13.960 You have a strained relationship. 00:24:14.180 --> 00:24:14.940 I don't know what it is. 00:24:15.119 --> 00:24:18.000 But sometimes our prayer is just, Lord, I need you. 00:24:18.660 --> 00:24:20.140 I need you in this situation. 00:24:21.259 --> 00:24:23.400 To ask, it's humbling. 00:24:24.619 --> 00:24:27.140 You know, sometimes people are like, I don't ask anybody for anything. 00:24:28.420 --> 00:24:29.960 You should ask God for everything. 00:24:31.380 --> 00:24:32.640 He knows what you need. 00:24:33.059 --> 00:24:35.420 He knows where he's trying to take you. 00:24:35.420 --> 00:24:40.740 And it's coming to God and admitting, Lord, I don't have what I need. 00:24:41.800 --> 00:24:47.100 I mean, the word ask, it just implies requesting help from someone greater than you. 00:24:49.180 --> 00:24:52.740 When he says to seek, it takes it a step farther. 00:24:53.600 --> 00:24:55.400 Because there's action involved now. 00:24:56.460 --> 00:24:58.740 It's easy sometimes to express the need. 00:24:58.740 --> 00:25:05.740 But when we begin to seek, we're pursuing God with effort and intention. 00:25:07.000 --> 00:25:08.980 And sometimes it looks different in different ways. 00:25:09.640 --> 00:25:11.019 We're going to maybe fast. 00:25:11.120 --> 00:25:12.539 We're going to maybe do certain things. 00:25:12.599 --> 00:25:15.120 But we're seeking God in every single way. 00:25:15.440 --> 00:25:16.960 You know, like sometimes we play hide and seek. 00:25:17.120 --> 00:25:18.160 I played when we were little. 00:25:19.019 --> 00:25:20.200 And my sister would go hide. 00:25:20.299 --> 00:25:21.319 I said, let's play hide and seek. 00:25:21.519 --> 00:25:23.079 And she'd go hide and I just wouldn't look. 00:25:24.099 --> 00:25:25.099 That's a real fun way. 00:25:25.819 --> 00:25:26.679 She's like, I'm the best. 00:25:26.740 --> 00:25:28.079 I'm in here just watching TV. 00:25:29.159 --> 00:25:30.839 But sometimes that's how we treat prayer. 00:25:31.559 --> 00:25:33.899 We ask and then we just leave. 00:25:34.839 --> 00:25:36.199 Are we seeking God? 00:25:36.859 --> 00:25:39.719 Are we coming to him over and over? 00:25:39.719 --> 00:25:44.179 Because sometimes he's showing us that we need to come to him over and over. 00:25:44.419 --> 00:25:45.299 Not ourselves. 00:25:47.299 --> 00:25:49.199 And to knock it, it goes even further. 00:25:49.339 --> 00:25:51.719 It includes asking plus acting. 00:25:52.019 --> 00:25:54.199 And it's persevering in this. 00:25:54.200 --> 00:25:58.140 It pictures this man that we saw earlier standing at the door. 00:25:59.240 --> 00:26:01.460 Lord, I know it's Tuesday. 00:26:01.580 --> 00:26:02.360 I prayed about this yesterday. 00:26:02.460 --> 00:26:03.259 But I need you still. 00:26:03.880 --> 00:26:04.920 Lord, I know it's Wednesday. 00:26:05.120 --> 00:26:06.299 And I prayed the last couple days. 00:26:06.400 --> 00:26:07.460 But Lord, I still need you. 00:26:08.620 --> 00:26:09.519 We sing that old song. 00:26:09.640 --> 00:26:11.500 Every hour I need thee. 00:26:12.240 --> 00:26:13.640 That's how much we need the Lord. 00:26:14.299 --> 00:26:17.420 And Jesus is stacking these words intentionally. 00:26:17.880 --> 00:26:21.240 And the force of it is strong when you think about it. 00:26:21.240 --> 00:26:23.279 When you look at it, I know you love English. 00:26:23.519 --> 00:26:25.180 They're present tense, by the way. 00:26:26.200 --> 00:26:26.400 I know. 00:26:26.500 --> 00:26:27.440 I used to hate school. 00:26:27.559 --> 00:26:30.660 And now it's like I study and it's like all I do is look at verb tenses. 00:26:31.400 --> 00:26:32.599 It annoys me. 00:26:33.420 --> 00:26:34.400 But it's important. 00:26:34.940 --> 00:26:36.440 Because here's really what Jesus is saying. 00:26:37.079 --> 00:26:37.799 Keep asking. 00:26:38.640 --> 00:26:39.359 Keep seeking. 00:26:40.000 --> 00:26:40.740 Keep knocking. 00:26:41.240 --> 00:26:42.240 This is not a one and done. 00:26:42.460 --> 00:26:44.240 Prayer is not a one and done thing. 00:26:44.380 --> 00:26:45.680 It's a once in a while event. 00:26:45.680 --> 00:26:49.220 No, it's a posture of ongoing obedience. 00:26:50.640 --> 00:26:57.140 That Jesus is painting a picture that when you ask and when you seek and you knock, you're going to find what you're looking for. 00:26:57.279 --> 00:26:58.440 Because you know what you're going to find? 00:26:58.799 --> 00:26:59.480 The Lord. 00:27:00.960 --> 00:27:03.500 Because prayer is not always just about the answer. 00:27:04.220 --> 00:27:06.880 It's about knowing him more. 00:27:07.580 --> 00:27:09.980 Because you know what you're going to realize sometimes when you pray? 00:27:10.180 --> 00:27:12.400 You thought you needed an answer and you didn't. 00:27:12.519 --> 00:27:14.279 You just needed to know him in a better way. 00:27:14.279 --> 00:27:16.259 You just needed to be closer to him. 00:27:16.460 --> 00:27:18.740 That your relationship had drifted just a little bit. 00:27:18.940 --> 00:27:24.259 And it really just kind of begs the question, do I just pray once about something or do I keep praying? 00:27:26.319 --> 00:27:29.000 You know, we can treat prayer sometimes like voicemail. 00:27:29.899 --> 00:27:34.660 Call God, leave a message, and then just go on our way and wait for him to respond at one point. 00:27:35.519 --> 00:27:36.639 That's not what he's saying. 00:27:37.420 --> 00:27:39.519 That's not what he's talking about. 00:27:39.519 --> 00:27:43.299 So maybe instead of saying, well, I already prayed about that. 00:27:44.139 --> 00:27:47.400 Maybe we need to learn in our heart to say, I'm still praying about that. 00:27:47.940 --> 00:27:49.819 I'm still seeking the Lord about that. 00:27:50.519 --> 00:27:56.019 If something matters enough to pray about, it matters enough to keep bringing it before the Lord. 00:27:57.400 --> 00:27:58.059 Don't misunderstand. 00:27:58.460 --> 00:28:01.500 Persistence doesn't mean we're trying to change God's mind. 00:28:01.500 --> 00:28:05.960 It means that God is shaping us while we keep going to him. 00:28:06.980 --> 00:28:09.519 That we're going to be conformed to his image. 00:28:10.859 --> 00:28:13.019 Prayer is, I think we can get it all mixed up. 00:28:13.099 --> 00:28:15.259 We think, well, I'm just trying to get God to bless my plans. 00:28:15.339 --> 00:28:15.539 No, no. 00:28:15.660 --> 00:28:17.160 We're trying to get on his plan. 00:28:18.079 --> 00:28:19.599 We're trying to seek his face. 00:28:20.099 --> 00:28:23.700 We're trying to see where he would guide us, where he would leave us. 00:28:23.940 --> 00:28:26.500 Listen, prayer is not some passive waiting game. 00:28:26.500 --> 00:28:29.299 It's an active trust and a faithful father. 00:28:30.079 --> 00:28:33.119 That we are actively saying, Lord, I can't do this. 00:28:33.299 --> 00:28:34.740 I'm just going to keep trusting you. 00:28:35.319 --> 00:28:38.759 And that's why you keep praying and you keep praying and you keep praying. 00:28:38.980 --> 00:28:42.799 And maybe God leads you to do something and to go here and he gives you some answers. 00:28:43.140 --> 00:28:46.680 But here, keep going back to the Lord. 00:28:48.799 --> 00:28:51.059 But maybe you're thinking like I've thought in my life sometimes. 00:28:51.059 --> 00:28:58.399 Well, okay, what if God answers my prayers and it's not what I want? 00:28:59.339 --> 00:29:00.000 You ever thought that? 00:29:01.779 --> 00:29:04.059 I mean, I think we should just be real honest. 00:29:04.339 --> 00:29:06.859 Sometimes we don't pray because we don't want the answer. 00:29:08.359 --> 00:29:11.700 Sometimes we don't pray because we already probably know what the answer is. 00:29:12.299 --> 00:29:13.940 Because he's given it to us sometimes. 00:29:14.440 --> 00:29:16.039 We're thinking, definitely don't want that. 00:29:17.019 --> 00:29:17.839 Well, that's what we think. 00:29:18.200 --> 00:29:20.480 So we just decide we're just not going to pray about it. 00:29:21.700 --> 00:29:23.019 But Jesus knows our heart. 00:29:23.599 --> 00:29:24.480 He knew the disciples. 00:29:25.079 --> 00:29:27.539 I think, well, I'm definitely not going to pray about that because he's going to make me do that. 00:29:27.659 --> 00:29:28.460 Not going to do that. 00:29:29.319 --> 00:29:33.019 So Jesus addresses that fear head on in verses 11 through 13. 00:29:33.879 --> 00:29:35.200 And here's what he teaches us. 00:29:35.700 --> 00:29:40.119 That persistent prayer, it rests in the goodness of the Father. 00:29:41.700 --> 00:29:45.440 And he gives kind of a weird illustration where you read it and you're thinking, what is he talking about? 00:29:46.039 --> 00:29:48.319 Scorpions and eggs and snakes and fish. 00:29:48.500 --> 00:29:49.359 What in the world? 00:29:49.359 --> 00:29:52.359 He's just painting a picture that we understand. 00:29:53.059 --> 00:29:56.019 That he reminds us and he's really shifting our focus. 00:29:56.740 --> 00:30:00.699 Because I think if we're not careful, we can look at prayer and it's just about the request. 00:30:01.979 --> 00:30:02.439 No, no, no. 00:30:02.439 --> 00:30:03.539 I think it's much more than that. 00:30:03.740 --> 00:30:07.799 I think it's to show us the character of the one that we're asking. 00:30:08.799 --> 00:30:12.119 That the more we pray, the more we get to know our Father. 00:30:12.119 --> 00:30:17.859 We get to know how he thinks and how he loves and how he guides and how he leads our life. 00:30:18.539 --> 00:30:19.759 And so he gives this example. 00:30:19.959 --> 00:30:24.299 He says, if a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will you give him a stone? 00:30:25.139 --> 00:30:27.179 I mean, sometimes as a father you want to. 00:30:28.219 --> 00:30:29.119 Sometimes you're like, you know what? 00:30:29.219 --> 00:30:30.959 I need to teach these kids a lesson. 00:30:30.960 --> 00:30:34.559 Don't act like you've never thought that. 00:30:37.240 --> 00:30:39.980 But he's showing us, even if we may have thought that. 00:30:40.039 --> 00:30:41.980 Even if we thought, man, it's my job to do that. 00:30:42.240 --> 00:30:43.279 You know, here's what it is. 00:30:43.360 --> 00:30:48.559 A good father, even an earthly sinful father, gives good gifts to their children. 00:30:48.559 --> 00:30:52.079 Now, my kids love when I say no. 00:30:53.480 --> 00:30:54.399 That was a joke. 00:30:56.379 --> 00:30:59.980 But I don't say no to make their life miserable. 00:31:01.440 --> 00:31:05.000 Because sometimes they think, well, Dad, every, you know, I hear this all the time. 00:31:05.059 --> 00:31:05.700 I love this line. 00:31:05.759 --> 00:31:06.440 This is my favorite line. 00:31:06.960 --> 00:31:08.599 All my friends have that. 00:31:09.500 --> 00:31:10.720 All my friends get to do that. 00:31:10.839 --> 00:31:11.759 And I say, really? 00:31:12.220 --> 00:31:16.419 I'm going to call all your friends' parents and ask, well, not all my friends. 00:31:16.420 --> 00:31:19.440 But I say, listen, I'm not their dad. 00:31:20.660 --> 00:31:22.400 And my job is to be your dad. 00:31:23.500 --> 00:31:26.480 And I'm going to give you what I feel is best for you. 00:31:27.200 --> 00:31:30.779 Because it's my job to help you grow and to help you learn. 00:31:31.019 --> 00:31:32.519 And sometimes I say yes. 00:31:32.960 --> 00:31:34.140 And sometimes I say no. 00:31:34.420 --> 00:31:38.480 But Jesus is saying, just as an earthly father says yes to their kids and no their kids, 00:31:38.660 --> 00:31:39.640 here's what an earthly father does. 00:31:39.840 --> 00:31:42.500 Everything that's best for that child's interest. 00:31:42.500 --> 00:31:51.680 And he says, if you, being evil, being sinful, being human, know how to give good gifts to your children, 00:31:51.900 --> 00:31:55.200 how much more does your heavenly father love you? 00:31:55.940 --> 00:31:57.940 Because God's not just a good father. 00:31:58.500 --> 00:32:00.140 He is a perfect father. 00:32:00.500 --> 00:32:02.619 That everything that he does is love. 00:32:02.839 --> 00:32:06.039 And maybe you're here this morning and it feels like God is saying no. 00:32:06.039 --> 00:32:11.019 I just want to remind you, he still loves you and he knows what is best for you. 00:32:11.519 --> 00:32:13.960 That he knows exactly what you need. 00:32:14.659 --> 00:32:16.119 And here's what he shows us at the end. 00:32:16.359 --> 00:32:18.000 That God doesn't just give us gifts. 00:32:18.339 --> 00:32:23.420 How much more shall your heavenly father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask of him? 00:32:23.920 --> 00:32:25.019 Here's the beautiful thing. 00:32:25.279 --> 00:32:26.859 God's not just in the answer business. 00:32:27.079 --> 00:32:29.539 He wants you to have something even better himself. 00:32:30.579 --> 00:32:31.940 That's what he wants to give you. 00:32:31.940 --> 00:32:37.720 That's what he wants to have rule and reign in your life because he loves you that much. 00:32:38.940 --> 00:32:41.019 But I think that's where we can really struggle. 00:32:41.580 --> 00:32:45.019 And I think that's where I struggle in my own life is that I trust God's power. 00:32:45.880 --> 00:32:48.519 I mean, we'll say, you think God can do this and this? 00:32:48.980 --> 00:32:49.380 Absolutely. 00:32:50.860 --> 00:32:52.920 But I think sometimes we wrestle with his goodness. 00:32:53.940 --> 00:32:55.180 Not that he's not good. 00:32:55.900 --> 00:32:57.580 But it's not what we would choose. 00:32:57.579 --> 00:33:01.779 We think, well, God, I know you're powerful and I know you're good. 00:33:02.019 --> 00:33:05.359 But, you know, I'm not sure I want that answer. 00:33:06.119 --> 00:33:07.659 We believe he's going to answer. 00:33:08.439 --> 00:33:11.259 We're just not always sure we're going to like the answer. 00:33:14.319 --> 00:33:23.619 So maybe ask yourself, do I trust God's heart even when I don't understand maybe his timing or his purpose? 00:33:23.619 --> 00:33:28.000 Because sometimes you might be walking through a valley right now. 00:33:29.139 --> 00:33:33.039 Maybe the doctor said this and maybe works a mess and you're not sure how it's going to come out. 00:33:33.119 --> 00:33:34.019 And you're thinking all these things. 00:33:34.279 --> 00:33:35.919 And you're thinking, God, what are you doing? 00:33:36.679 --> 00:33:41.759 Let me just remind you, he works all things together for good to them that love him, to those who are called according to his purpose. 00:33:42.299 --> 00:33:43.479 That's not some words on a page. 00:33:43.639 --> 00:33:45.679 That's a promise from our heavenly father. 00:33:46.019 --> 00:33:47.979 That we can rest in his goodness. 00:33:48.259 --> 00:33:50.159 That he knows what you need. 00:33:50.160 --> 00:33:54.060 A good father, a heavenly father, never gives the wrong gift. 00:33:54.620 --> 00:33:56.980 He's never carelessly giving out answers. 00:33:57.300 --> 00:33:59.880 He never withholds what is truly good for you. 00:34:00.140 --> 00:34:02.900 And maybe what is best for you right now is no. 00:34:03.860 --> 00:34:04.540 Or wait. 00:34:05.120 --> 00:34:05.920 Or yes. 00:34:06.480 --> 00:34:07.740 Or take that step. 00:34:07.960 --> 00:34:08.720 Or do this. 00:34:08.920 --> 00:34:09.740 Or go here. 00:34:09.960 --> 00:34:13.880 Listen, yes, sometimes God answers prayers by changing those circumstances. 00:34:14.139 --> 00:34:15.300 And it's a beautiful thing. 00:34:15.300 --> 00:34:19.580 But God also answers prayers by changing us. 00:34:21.580 --> 00:34:24.420 I know in my life, I've said, God, I need you to get rid of this. 00:34:25.860 --> 00:34:29.840 Lord, you know I could do a lot more for you if you would just take care of this situation. 00:34:30.760 --> 00:34:31.740 And we pray for removal. 00:34:31.860 --> 00:34:33.019 But you know what sometimes God gives us? 00:34:33.519 --> 00:34:33.840 Peace. 00:34:35.060 --> 00:34:37.840 And I've seen some of you walk through some very dark valleys. 00:34:38.300 --> 00:34:39.240 Health and all these. 00:34:39.480 --> 00:34:40.780 And you know what you found? 00:34:40.980 --> 00:34:43.380 A peace that passes understanding. 00:34:43.380 --> 00:34:45.539 You know where you found that? 00:34:45.820 --> 00:34:46.880 In your heavenly father. 00:34:47.800 --> 00:34:49.180 Going to him and going to him. 00:34:49.360 --> 00:34:51.280 And you prayed, Lord, would this diagnosis not be right? 00:34:51.340 --> 00:34:52.220 Would this job situation be right? 00:34:52.360 --> 00:34:53.220 Lord, get rid of this. 00:34:53.260 --> 00:34:53.720 And he said, no, no. 00:34:54.140 --> 00:34:55.980 My strength is made perfect in weakness. 00:34:57.740 --> 00:35:00.800 Sometimes he gives us strength instead of escape. 00:35:01.079 --> 00:35:04.360 Sometimes he gives us his presence instead of explanation. 00:35:05.280 --> 00:35:07.619 Sometimes I wish God would say, all right, Tyler, here's what's going on. 00:35:07.740 --> 00:35:08.380 This is going to happen. 00:35:08.440 --> 00:35:08.900 This is going to happen. 00:35:08.940 --> 00:35:09.360 This is going to happen. 00:35:09.559 --> 00:35:09.860 Good? 00:35:10.079 --> 00:35:10.340 Good. 00:35:11.480 --> 00:35:12.140 But you know what he says? 00:35:12.140 --> 00:35:12.660 I'm here. 00:35:13.380 --> 00:35:14.920 I'll never leave you nor forsake you. 00:35:15.840 --> 00:35:16.140 You know what? 00:35:16.140 --> 00:35:18.700 That's a lot more comforting than all the explanation. 00:35:19.720 --> 00:35:21.260 Because maybe I can't even handle the explanation. 00:35:22.059 --> 00:35:24.059 Maybe I don't understand how God's working. 00:35:24.320 --> 00:35:29.200 But I just want to remind us that when God says no or he says wait, it's not a punishment. 00:35:30.660 --> 00:35:31.579 You know what sometimes God's doing? 00:35:31.760 --> 00:35:32.780 He's protecting us. 00:35:34.460 --> 00:35:36.220 Maybe he's preparing you for something. 00:35:37.119 --> 00:35:40.840 I'd imagine there's people in this room that went through a really hard time at some point in your life. 00:35:40.840 --> 00:35:43.200 And you thought, God, why would you let me go through this? 00:35:44.120 --> 00:35:48.039 And then five years down the road, ten years down the road, you see somebody else going through that same thing. 00:35:48.079 --> 00:35:50.019 You say, let me tell you what God did for me. 00:35:50.720 --> 00:35:51.260 You know what? 00:35:51.660 --> 00:35:53.380 Everything you go through is not just about you. 00:35:54.920 --> 00:35:57.039 It might be God's allowing you to do something. 00:35:57.280 --> 00:36:03.420 He's growing you closer to him so you can walk alongside somebody that's going through the same thing and say, listen, I don't know why. 00:36:03.420 --> 00:36:04.680 And I don't know all the answers, but I know this. 00:36:04.940 --> 00:36:05.619 God is good. 00:36:06.200 --> 00:36:07.639 And you can make it through this. 00:36:07.680 --> 00:36:08.880 And he cares about you. 00:36:10.720 --> 00:36:12.159 It's always for his purposes. 00:36:14.159 --> 00:36:19.400 And Jesus reminds us in these verses that we're not praying to some reluctant neighbor. 00:36:20.340 --> 00:36:27.280 We're praying to a loving, heavenly father that knows exactly what we need before we even ask. 00:36:27.280 --> 00:36:35.500 So when prayer feels delayed, when answers seem unclear, when heaven feels quiet, Jesus says, just keep asking. 00:36:36.320 --> 00:36:38.740 Just keep coming back. 00:36:39.260 --> 00:36:44.100 And you're going to find the same good God every single time. 00:36:44.099 --> 00:36:51.380 In these opening 13 verses of chapter 11, he's showing us to pray with the right heart. 00:36:52.099 --> 00:36:54.539 A heart and an attitude that's consumed with him. 00:36:55.659 --> 00:36:58.679 And he reminds us not to quit when answers delay. 00:36:59.980 --> 00:37:02.839 See, prayer is not about wearing God down. 00:37:03.860 --> 00:37:06.579 It's about drawing closer to him. 00:37:08.139 --> 00:37:10.779 You know, I love my kids, even when they're getting a little older. 00:37:10.780 --> 00:37:14.519 I can say it because they're actually visiting Nakona with Brother Doty today. 00:37:14.980 --> 00:37:16.220 That's where Kinsey and Elijah are. 00:37:16.400 --> 00:37:20.460 But I love that even when they get a little older, and don't tell them I use them as an illustration, 00:37:21.300 --> 00:37:23.340 but they still want to just kind of be with their dad sometimes. 00:37:24.160 --> 00:37:25.940 And as a dad, that makes me happy. 00:37:26.580 --> 00:37:28.000 And I love to spend time with my kids. 00:37:29.040 --> 00:37:32.360 And the more they get to hang out with me, they learn things about me, and they're like, 00:37:32.400 --> 00:37:33.240 Dad, you're weird. 00:37:33.820 --> 00:37:34.740 I'm like, I know. 00:37:35.460 --> 00:37:35.860 I know. 00:37:35.860 --> 00:37:37.740 I thought it was cool, but it's just weird. 00:37:37.739 --> 00:37:41.839 Listen, do you spend time with your Heavenly Father? 00:37:42.859 --> 00:37:44.539 Do you have a desire to know him? 00:37:45.439 --> 00:37:46.279 How do you do that? 00:37:46.779 --> 00:37:47.579 Go to him in prayer. 00:37:48.699 --> 00:37:49.359 He's waiting. 00:37:50.039 --> 00:37:50.779 He's wanting. 00:37:51.239 --> 00:37:52.679 He's there to listen. 00:37:54.639 --> 00:37:56.639 Maybe you're here today, you know the Lord is your Savior. 00:37:58.879 --> 00:38:00.899 But your prayer life's not super persistent. 00:38:02.339 --> 00:38:03.539 It's kind of hit or miss. 00:38:04.339 --> 00:38:06.579 Life's pretty good, so I can kind of handle this. 00:38:07.579 --> 00:38:09.799 No, we're to take every care and cast it on him. 00:38:10.619 --> 00:38:11.980 He's the burden bearer. 00:38:12.739 --> 00:38:14.699 Maybe here's what you need to do this week. 00:38:14.960 --> 00:38:19.799 Pick one burden, one person, one situation, maybe one answered prayer that you just kind 00:38:19.799 --> 00:38:22.179 of stop giving up on, and just keep praying. 00:38:23.099 --> 00:38:28.420 Just keep taking it to the Lord and commit to praying about it every single day this week. 00:38:28.420 --> 00:38:34.619 It might not change your situation, but you'll probably know your Father better by next week. 00:38:35.539 --> 00:38:35.740 Why? 00:38:35.800 --> 00:38:39.340 Because you spend time with him, and you spend time with him, and you spend time with him. 00:38:40.539 --> 00:38:42.599 Prayer's not about fancy words or long speeches. 00:38:42.599 --> 00:38:47.239 It's just an honest, open heart to a Father that already knows it. 00:38:48.039 --> 00:38:51.839 When you're tempted to quit, just remember that he's still there. 00:38:51.840 --> 00:38:51.920 Prayer. 00:38:53.500 --> 00:38:57.340 Maybe you're here today, and maybe you're honest enough to say, well, I don't really pray, 00:38:57.480 --> 00:39:00.720 and I don't even know if there's a God or he's even listening to me. 00:39:01.019 --> 00:39:02.740 I try, but it just seems empty-handed. 00:39:03.980 --> 00:39:04.880 I want to encourage you. 00:39:04.900 --> 00:39:06.680 It's not about religious language. 00:39:07.640 --> 00:39:10.680 It's not about, well, I've got to clean myself up first before I come to God. 00:39:11.640 --> 00:39:12.420 No, he says, come. 00:39:13.340 --> 00:39:14.100 Come unto me. 00:39:14.780 --> 00:39:16.360 He's inviting you this morning. 00:39:16.360 --> 00:39:20.200 And Jesus already taught us that when we pray, we say, our Father. 00:39:20.480 --> 00:39:24.400 And that invitation is there because of what Jesus Christ did on the cross of Calvary. 00:39:25.220 --> 00:39:29.360 That Jesus came to this earth, and he lived a perfect, sinless life, and he lived for us, 00:39:29.380 --> 00:39:31.960 and he died on the cross, and he was buried, and he rose again. 00:39:32.140 --> 00:39:32.280 Why? 00:39:32.380 --> 00:39:34.700 So we might have a relationship with that Father. 00:39:35.599 --> 00:39:41.380 There was a great goal fixed, and sin was the culprit, and the cross built a bridge. 00:39:41.380 --> 00:39:46.440 And the invitation today is, come unto me, all you that are heavy laden. 00:39:46.640 --> 00:39:49.700 And your prayer might be as simple as, Lord, if you're real, I need you. 00:39:50.740 --> 00:39:52.280 It might be, Lord, I'm a sinner. 00:39:52.380 --> 00:39:53.280 Would you forgive me? 00:39:53.400 --> 00:39:55.200 And the Bible promises he will. 00:39:56.539 --> 00:39:59.480 Because if you don't have a relationship, if you're not in the family, 00:40:00.400 --> 00:40:02.160 then prayer's not going to really do much. 00:40:02.820 --> 00:40:04.380 You have to start it there. 00:40:04.960 --> 00:40:09.079 Did you have to go to him and say, Lord, would you forgive me of all my sins? 00:40:09.079 --> 00:40:14.299 See, the same Father who invites his children to keep praying 00:40:14.299 --> 00:40:17.400 is inviting you to maybe begin that relationship today. 00:40:19.299 --> 00:40:23.059 Either way, as we leave here this morning, we have a moment of invitation. 00:40:23.900 --> 00:40:27.039 Don't leave deciding if prayer works. 00:40:28.179 --> 00:40:31.219 Leave here deciding this morning that I'm going to keep praying, 00:40:31.739 --> 00:40:33.159 that I'm going to keep going to the Father, 00:40:33.360 --> 00:40:37.159 and I'm going to keep getting to know him more and more each day. 00:40:37.159 --> 00:40:39.539 Would you stand with your heads bowed and with your eyes closed? 00:40:39.539 --> 00:40:39.980 Amen. 00:40:39.980 --> 00:40:40.480 Amen. 00:40:40.480 --> 00:40:40.539 Amen. 00:40:40.539 --> 00:40:40.980 Amen. 00:40:40.980 --> 00:40:41.039 Amen. 00:40:41.039 --> 00:40:41.039 00:40:41.039 --> 00:40:41.099 Amen. 00:40:41.099 --> 00:40:41.099 00:40:41.099 --> 00:40:41.099 00:40:41.099 --> 00:40:41.099 00:40:41.099 --> 00:40:41.099 00:40:41.099 --> 00:40:41.099 00:40:41.099 --> 00:40:41.099