Any children ages three and under that would like to take advantage of the nursery, you may do so at this time.
Looks like they've already made their exit, so they're welcome to stay in here or take advantage of the nursery, either one at your discretion.
But if you would, let's open up our Bibles this morning to Genesis chapter 18, and we're picking up halfway through in the second half of chapter 18
this morning in verse 16, going through the end of the chapter, verse 33. So Genesis chapter 18,
verses 16 through 33, and when you found that in your Bibles, let's stand in honor of the reading of God's Word this morning.
Then the men set out from there, and they looked down towards Sodom, and Abraham went with them to set them on their way.
The Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great
and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him. For I have chosen him,
that he may command his children and his household after him, to keep the way of the Lord,
by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.
Then the Lord said, Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great,
and their sin is very grave,
I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me,
and if not, I will know. So the men turned from there and went towards Sodom,
but Abraham still stood before the Lord. Then Abraham drew near and said, Will you indeed sweep
away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then
sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing.
To put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked. Far be that
from you. Shall not the judge of all the earth do what is just? And the Lord said, If I find at Sodom
fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake. Abraham answered and said,
Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. Suppose five of the fifty
righteous are lacking. Will you destroy the whole city for the lack of five? And he said, I will not destroy it
if I find forty-five there. Again he spoke to him and said, Suppose forty are found there. He answered, For
the sake of forty, I will not do it. And he said, Oh, let not the Lord be angry and I will speak. Suppose thirty
are found there. He answered, I will not do it.
He said, Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there. He answered, For
the sake of twenty, I will not destroy it. And then he said, Oh, let not the Lord be angry and I will speak
again but this once. Suppose ten are found there. He answered, For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.
And the Lord went his way when he had finished speaking to Abraham. And Abraham returned to his
place. The grass withers and the flower fades, but the word of the Lord endures forever. Father God, we
are grateful, Lord, that you are a God who hears our prayers. And that you are a God that sees all and
that knows all, that you are a just and a holy God. And so we pray this morning, Lord, we pray
God, would you bless the preaching of the word this morning. Would you bring non-believers to faith and
would you bring believers to maturity this morning? We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. You may be seated.
It has been an interesting few weeks, to say the least. If you pay attention to the news and follow
the headlines that are put before us, you'll notice often it's very little good news, is it?
And this week, the headlines read, Shooter opens fire at ICE facility kills one detainee.
A week or so ago, the headlines were about a shooting at a school in Evergreen, Colorado,
and of course, Charlie Kirk at the campus of Utah Valley University. Before that, it was
Irina Zarutska, a refugee, stabbed on a train in Charlotte late August. It's really never much
good news that we get. And of course, it's not just here in our country. If you zoom out just a
little bit beyond our borders, you zoom out. You may not have even heard about this. I'm not even sure
if it made the major headlines or not. But just a few weeks ago, over 100 Christians were killed in the
Democratic Republic of Congo. They were gathered together worshiping at a funeral for one of their members
when a militant group from the Islamic State came in and began to open fire and wipe them all out.
And just before that, towards the end of July, about 200 Christians were murdered in Yelwada,
Nigeria. Very similar type of story. And this sort of wickedness is profound and it is widespread.
And you hear stories like this and oftentimes as Christians, we might wonder, well, how in the world
are we supposed to respond to the wickedness all around us? And what can we do as Christians all
the way here in all in all South Carolina for our brothers and sisters throughout the world who are
experiencing great and terrible wickedness? Well, there are many ways that we can respond, but I want to
show us one from our passage this morning. Our passage gives us one very simple way, and it's this.
God's people are called to pray. God's people are called to devote themselves to prayer.
In our passage this morning, Abraham shows us what it looks like for God's people to pray
in light of the wickedness all around us. And so what I'd like to do this morning as we look at our
passages. First, I want to just briefly try and explain what's going on here. We'll just kind of
review what's happening here in the passage. And then I want us to see five takeaways for our prayers.
Five takeaways, five ways to pray in light of the wickedness all around us. So first, let's take a
look at the passage here. And look there with me starting in verse 16. We're starting halfway through
the chapter this morning. Again, we saw last week, if you remember, these three men come and appear
before Abraham and Sarah in the first half of chapter 18. And if you remember, there's no doubt
that this is the Lord. This is another theophany. The Lord appears here in human form to Abraham.
And there are two angels there with him. They come and they promise him yet again,
this reminder of the promise of the coming birth of Isaac. That was last week. The verse 16 picks up
from here. And it tells us that the men set out from there. They're leaving and they they look down
towards Sodom. The Hebron, where they are, is up on a hill. Sodom is down by the Dead Sea. And so up in
Hebron, they have a pretty good vantage point where they can literally look down and see the city.
And as they make their way out, we're told Abram, he goes with them to send them on their way. And the
Lord, he begins to speak. He says, shall I hide from Abraham what I'm about to do? Why? Well, because
Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed
in him. I've chosen him that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way
of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has
promised him. We see right away a reminder of this special place that the Lord has has brought Abraham
into. All right. Why does the Lord want to fill Abraham in on his plans? Well, it's the same reason
why the Lord has appeared again and again and again and again to Abraham over these chapters, speaking with
him and making promises to him. Abraham, by God's grace, has been brought into this special
covenantal relationship with the Lord. And we see here Abraham enjoys this privileged relationship
with God. That's one thing we ought to notice. We also notice again, God is making here a distinction,
isn't he? God is marking off Abraham and his offspring from the wicked, in particular from the inhabitants
of Sodom. There's a distinction between the righteous and the wicked. Abraham and his children are to keep
the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and doing justice so that the Lord may bring to Abraham all
these promises. They are to be distinct. And the Lord, as we'll soon see, he certainly will do righteousness
and he will do justice and his people must also do the same. We see here God makes a distinction between
the righteous and the wicked. And ultimately, as we'll look ahead to next week, we see a distinction in
their end destination. The righteous are delivered by the grace of God, but the wicked are ultimately
destined for destruction. Well, the lesson for God's people here is do not be like Sodom. Be distinct.
In one way, a very clear way that we ought to respond to the wickedness around us, Christian, is to make
certain that we're not a part of it. We, as God's people, are called to stand out. We ought to stand
out and be distinct in the midst of great wickedness all around us. God's people are called to be light.
And so we see the Lord plans to go down and see what's going on there in Sodom. And verse 20 picks up
and explains the reason why. He says it's because this outcry has come against Sodom and Gomorrah.
And this outcry is very great and the sin is very grave. So I'm going to go down and I'm going to see
whether or not this outcry is true. And if it is, or if it's not, I will know. This is courtroom language
here. The outcry has come to the Lord. An accusation has been made. The charges have been filed.
Now this is the cry of somebody who has been oppressed and who needs justice. This outcry has come to the Lord,
the judge, and so the men go down and head towards Sodom. But look what happens here in verse 22.
It says Abraham is still standing before the Lord. He doesn't just simply send them off and say
goodbye, does he? He stands there and he does something very bold here. He begins to bargain
with God. And so I want you to get this courtroom image in your mind, okay? Imagine a courtroom scene
with me here. God the judge sits with gavel in hand. He is ready to render the verdict.
He is ready to give a sentence of complete destruction on the entire city of Sodom. He's heard
the accusation. He's ready to render judgment. The people of Sodom sit there in their seat. They are
awaiting their sentence. But before that gavel can come down, Abraham stands up and he presents his case
to the judge. Abraham is serving as their defense attorney. But notice here who it is that he represents.
He doesn't represent all of Sodom without qualification, without distinction, does he? Who is he representing
here? He stands up to defend the righteous. His argument to the judge is that it would not be just for God,
the judge, to destroy the righteous with the wicked. You see that? Don't lump them all up together and
punish them all the same way. That would not be just. Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with
the wicked? He says, verse 23, surely not. And he begins to bargain him down. And suppose there are
50 there. Will you indeed sweep away the place for 50 and not spare the 50 righteous who are in it?
Far be that from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the
righteous fair as the wicked, far be that from you shall not the judge of all the earth do what is just. And we see
the Lord agrees. If I find that Sodom, even 50 righteous, he says, I will spare the whole place for their sake.
So Abraham keeps bargaining him down. He's like negotiating the price of a used car, isn't he? He's just whittling
him down little by little by little by little from 50 to 45, from 45 to 40, from 40 to
30, all the way down to 10. And God, the judge says, if I even find 10 there, Abraham, I promise you,
I will spare the whole city for their sake. Abraham stands here and intercedes for the righteous.
That's his primary aim. He's defending the righteous. He's praying for the righteous there in the city.
But do you notice how the wicked are blessed as well? His primary aim is to save the righteous.
But did you notice in preserving the righteous there in that city? Guess what? The whole place is spared
for their sake. The wicked also are blessed. You know, the same is true today. We know, Christian, that God has appointed
a day soon to come when God will judge the wickedness of all the world. But God delays his wrath
for the sake of the salvation of his people. And in this moment of God's patience, guess what?
Well, the wicked enjoy all sorts of blessings, don't they? The wicked enjoy all sorts of common grace gifts
from the Lord. They enjoy life and joy and children and family and riches and prosperity. But you know,
the most obvious blessing that the wicked enjoy in this moment of God's patience, do you know what it is?
It is the opportunity to repent and to come to the Lord so that they may no longer be counted in this
category of wicked, but may be included amongst the righteous. God will one day judge America and Nigeria and the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, but not before every last one of his people are redeemed. Until then, the wicked enjoy
many, many, many, many mercies that are called to repentance.
Here Abraham, he stands before the Lord and he intercedes on behalf of the people of God. He is praying
as mediator between God and man. Here he is standing in the gap and he's looking out in light of the
wickedness all around him and Abraham is interceding on behalf of the people of God. And now church and the
rest of our time together, what I want us to see is that we too are called to pray like this.
Five ways.
Because I'm sure you've noticed that Abraham is not the only one to live in a wicked world. Amen?
I mean, the wickedness that Abraham saw in Sodom, the wickedness that Abraham endured in a fallen world
thousands of years ago here in the book of Genesis, is it any different today?
We too live in a world that is cursed by sin. The curse of sin is just as real in our day now,
2025 as it was all the way back here in Genesis. So how should we pray? Five takeaways here. First, church,
we must pray in light of who God is. Pray in light of who God is. This is the foundation of our prayers.
God's character is the basis of our prayers. If Abraham thought for a second that the judge of all
the earth was corrupt, he wouldn't waste his time bringing his case before the Lord, would he? But because
he knows God's holy character, he pleads with him, he begs him, he brings his case before him. Church,
we pray because God is holy. Our God is perfectly righteous in all his ways. Our God is totally pure. God
delights in righteousness and God abhors wickedness. If we have any sort of anger in our hearts towards
towards the wickedness around us, if we look out and say, that's not right. If it makes you angry that
our brothers and sisters are put to death throughout the world, just think of the holy, righteous anger of
the Lord. If we are offended by sin, we can be certain that God who is holy, holy, holy does not take sin
lightly. He does not have a live and let live attitude towards sin. Not only this, we pray, because our God is
just. He is totally just in all his ways. This holy God will not let wickedness have the last word.
evil will not triumph. Our God will execute justice. Do you believe this?
Sometimes it's hard to believe this because we look around and it looks like evil is winning.
And sometimes it looks like we can't find justice. And sometimes church, I'll be honest with you,
we will not get justice on this side of glory.
But we know
in the end, our God will bring
justice. If not immediately in this life, then ultimately, certainly
at the return of Christ. So we pray
that our God is holy. Our God
is just. We also pray because our God is omniscient.
That's a big word.
God. It simply means that our God knows
everything.
We see that here in verse 21.
Don't we? He's heard this outcry.
He's going to see and
he will know.
Whatever is happening there in Sodom,
it is not a secret
to the Lord.
No sin, no
wickedness catches the Lord
by surprise. No
rebellion is a new
discovery for him. He sees
all. He knows
all. God knows
about all the evil in the world.
Sometimes in human courts, they get it wrong, don't they?
Sometimes evidence
is withheld.
Sometimes they don't have all the information
they need to render a proper
verdict. Sometimes they just
get it wrong. Sometimes people know,
they think they know what's going on,
but they're wrong. They really don't have a clue.
They don't have the knowledge to execute
justice.
Not
so
with God.
God knows.
We cry out to God
for justice because
He knows.
Some people take that as reason
not to pray.
Right?
If God already knows,
if He already sees what's going on,
why in the world would I pray to Him about it?
And may I just say
that that's not how Jesus sees it?
You know, the most
famous prayer in the Bible,
the Lord's Prayer,
we just had it read
earlier this morning.
Right before the Lord's Prayer,
what does He say?
Your Father in Heaven
knows what you need
before you ask Him.
Pray then like this,
He says.
His omniscience
is a reason to pray
with confidence
because God sees.
God knows.
But praise God,
we also pray
because our God
is merciful
and gracious.
God is willing
to be patient.
Far more willing
than you and I are.
He is willing
to delay
His wrath
for the sake
of the salvation
of His people.
So we pray
because our God
is not willing
that any should perish
but that all
should reach repentance.
So we see,
first,
Abraham,
he speaks in light
of God's character
and so must we.
We pray in light
of who God is.
Not only this,
second,
we pray in light
of who we are.
We must pray
in light
of who we are.
are.
And for one thing,
we ought to recognize
our unworthiness
in prayer,
church.
Abraham knows
exactly who he is.
Look there
to verse 27.
As he's reasoning
with the Lord,
as he's bargaining
with God,
what does he say?
Behold,
I have undertaken
to speak to the Lord,
I who am
but dust
and ashes.
I mean,
it's like he just
recognized,
I am talking
with almighty
God here.
What have I gotten
myself into?
This is the creator
of the universe.
This is the Lord
of all the earth.
This is the king
of kings.
I'm face to face
with God almighty.
Who am I
to speak
to do something
like this?
This is dust
and ashes
speaking to the Lord.
He recognizes
his unworthiness.
Church,
I wonder,
do you pray
like this?
Do you recognize
your unworthiness
before the Lord
in prayer?
I mean,
don't pray to the Lord
like you're just
texting your buddy.
We ought to pray
as the Puritans
prayed.
Have you ever read
some Puritan prayers?
I love,
there's this little
prayer book,
it's called
The Valley of Vision.
It's a collection
of Puritan prayers
and in it
there's this little
prayer,
it's called
Self-Deprecation.
Now if you want
to be encouraged,
go read
Self-Deprecation.
Let me read it to you.
It's very encouraging.
Oh Lord,
my every sense,
member,
faculty,
affection
is a snare
to me.
I can scarce
open my eyes
but I envy
those above me
or despise
those below.
I covet
honor
and riches
of the mighty
and I'm proud
and unmerciful
to the rags
of others.
If I behold
beauty,
it's a bait
to lust.
If I see
deformity,
it stirs up
loathing
and disdain.
How soon
do slanders,
vain jests
and wanton
speeches
creep into my heart?
Am I comely?
It's fuel for pride.
Am I deformed?
What an occasion
for repining.
Am I gifted?
I lust
after applause.
Am I unlearned?
How do I despise
what I have not?
Am I in authority?
How prone
to abuse
my trust,
make my will
my law,
exclude others'
enjoyments,
serve my own
interests
and policy.
Am I inferior?
How much I grudge
others' preeminence.
Am I rich?
How exalted
I become.
You see?
You see the picture.
Thou knowest
that all these
are snares
by my corruptions
and that my
greatest snare
is myself.
I bewail
that my apprehensions
are dull,
my thoughts mean,
my affections stupid,
my expressions low,
my life unbeseeming.
Yet what
canst thou expect
of dust
but levity,
of corruption
but defilement?
Keep me ever
mindful of my
natural state,
but let me
not forget
my heavenly title
or the grace
that can deal
with every sin.
Do you pray
like that?
And maybe not
quite like that
but do you pray
humbly
recognizing
your unworthiness
and your
weakness
before the Lord?
But did you catch
the last line?
He said,
keep me ever
mindful of my
natural state
but let me
not forget
my heavenly
title
or the grace
that can deal
with every
sin.
We see Abraham,
he prays humbly,
he recognizes
his natural state
that he is
dust and ashes
but he also
prays boldly.
Why?
Because of an
awareness
of his heavenly
title
and the grace
of God
that is
for him.
church,
we pray
with boldness
before the Lord,
we come to him
with confidence
because of our
heavenly title
in Christ.
God has brought
Abraham into this
covenant relationship
with himself
and church,
in Christ
we have
this access.
when we pray,
yes,
we pray in
light of
who we
are
and that
includes
who God
has made
us to be.
Yes,
we are unworthy
by our own
right but God
by his grace
has given us
this access
in Christ.
We are his
children
in Christ.
We are
declared
righteous
by faith
in Christ.
we are
washed
clean
of every
sin.
We are
adopted
into his
family.
We are
given
full
access
to God
the Father
in Christ.
Christ Jesus
died and rose
to buy this
access for us.
But we can
pray with boldness
because of who
we are
in Christ.
In Christ
Jesus.
Church,
we are
his chosen
people.
We are
the children
of Abraham.
we are
his privileged
his chosen
his beloved
children
in Christ.
This preferred
privileged place
is ours
in Christ.
Do you realize
what an
extraordinary
privilege that
is?
Anytime
you want
you can
bow your
head and
speak to
God Almighty
and be
welcomed
as his
own child.
God.
So we
pray in
light of
who God
is.
We pray
in light
of who
we are
third.
We pray
in light
of God's
purposes.
Look at
what Abraham
asks God
to do
here.
And notice
again his
concern is
primarily for
the salvation
of the
righteous.
That's his
primary argument
here.
Don't sweep
the righteous
away with
the wicked.
Right?
Abraham does
not argue
the fact
that the
wicked have
earned God's
judgment.
He doesn't
even bring
that up.
He doesn't
say a word
about it.
He knows
that they
deserve
judgment.
But he
also knows
that God
will certainly
save his
people.
So he
speaks with
this big
picture in
mind.
Church,
and so
must we.
When we
pray,
we need
to pray
in light
of God's
heart,
God's
plan,
God's
purposes.
And we
know,
don't we,
with even
greater clarity
than Abraham,
we know
that God
has appointed
a day
when Christ
will return
and all
his people,
the righteous,
those who
have put
their faith
in Christ,
those who
have been
made righteous
by faith
in him,
all of his
people will
be redeemed.
and ultimately
we know
all of
the wicked,
those outside
of Christ,
will be
judged.
As we
pray in
light of the
wickedness all
around us,
as we see
wickedness in
our town,
in our nation,
in our
community,
in our life,
it is good
and right for
us to pray
that that
ultimate,
final judgment
would break
into the
present.
And so
we pray,
God,
judge the
wicked.
Of course,
when we pray
for the wicked,
our first
inclination
ought to be
to pray
that the
Lord God
would be
gracious to
them as
he has been
gracious to
us.
Amen?
That in
this moment
of delay,
this moment
of God's
patience,
our first
prayer ought
to be,
God,
would you
redeem them?
Would you
save them?
Would you
give them
the gift of
faith?
Would you
bring them
to repentance?
Would you
bring them
out of the
category of
the wicked
and into
the category
of the
righteous?
But if
not,
it is
good and
right to
pray for
justice.
Now,
the Psalms
are not shy
about this.
you read
through the
Psalms and
you will
find David
praying that
God would
bring justice
here and
now,
this ultimate
picture of
justice,
that it
would break
into the
present moment.
Psalm 58,
he says
things like,
break the
teeth in
their mouths.
Psalm 58.
We hear that,
we say,
that doesn't
sound very
nice.
Let them
vanish like
water that
runs away.
That sounds
mean,
doesn't it?
Let them
be like the
snail that
dissolves into
slime.
We don't
talk like
that,
do we?
Could you
imagine,
Treg comes
up for the
pastoral
prayer and
he starts
praying,
let them
be like
the snail.
Pour some
salt on
them,
God.
We live
in a
world that
doesn't
think anybody
deserves
judgment.
Church,
we know
better,
don't we?
We know
the wicked
deserve
judgment.
And we
know that
we,
by our
natural state,
belong to
the category
of the
wicked,
that we
are rightfully
deserving of
God's
judgment.
But by
his grace,
Christ paid
the price
for our
sin.
The only
reason that
we are not
in the
category of
the wicked,
bound for
hell,
is that
Christ endured
the wrath of
God for
us.
That's the
only reason.
We don't
pray from a
moral high
ground saying
we are better
than you.
We pray,
God,
would you
save them?
And if
not,
Lord,
judge the
wickedness of
the world.
God,
judge the
wicked and
God,
save your
people.
God,
would you
redeem your
elect?
Would you
rescue them
from the
schemes of
the evil
one?
God,
would you
protect them?
Would you
help them?
Would you
bless them?
Would you
turn the
plans of
the wicked
on their
own heads?
You think
again of the
persecuted
church in
the Congo
and places
of China
and Sudan.
It is right
to pray,
Lord,
would you
shield,
be a
shield for
your people?
Would you
protect them
as they
gather in
a dangerous
place?
Would you
preserve their
lives,
protect their
families,
protect the
believers there?
And Lord,
would you
just put an
end?
Would you
capture the
murderers?
Would you
bring justice
to them?
Would you
put a stop
to their
evil?
Would you
draw them
to faith
in Christ
and be
merciful to
them?
But Lord,
would you
bring
justice?
Church,
we are
called like
Abraham to
intercede on
behalf of
God's people.
We're called
to pray for
the church
to be built
amongst all
nations.
This is the
big picture
plan of
God.
We have
the responsibility
and the
blessing of
interceding for
our brothers
and sisters
before the
Lord.
Church,
are you
praying for
your brothers
and sisters
in Christ?
Start right
here.
I would
encourage you
to start
right here
in this
church family.
You look
around.
This isn't
a big
room.
You look
around here.
Start right
here.
You recognize
the schemes
of the
wicked would
love to
destroy the
righteous in
this room.
The enemy
would love
if the
righteous were
swept away
with the
wicked in
this room.
Would you
pray for one
another?
Would you
pray for
me?
Pray for
your pastor?
You see
another pastor
seems almost
weakly,
failing because
of some
disqualifying
sin.
Church,
I realize
I am
but dust
and ashes.
Would you
pray that
your pastor
would not
be swept
away with
the wicked?
Would you
take your
membership
directory and
pray this
for one
another?
Pray that
the Lord
would preserve
you by
his grace,
that he
would
finally
rescue
his
people
from the
wickedness
of this
world?
Would you
pray that
for each
other?
We are
called to
intercede
like Abraham
for others
around us.
And again,
church,
what a privilege
that is to
pray.
We stand
in the gap,
intercede
on behalf
of God's
people.
But notice
also,
fourth,
notice how
specific
Abraham
is here.
You notice
that?
How specific
he is with
his prayers?
This is the
fourth way
we are
called to
pray.
We are
called to
pray boldly
and specifically
before the
Lord.
Just look
there with
me at how
specific he
is.
He doesn't
say,
God,
spare the
righteous in
Sodom.
Although that
would have
been perfectly
fine.
What does
he say?
God,
if there
are 50
there,
would you
spare them?
God,
let me,
five more.
If there
are 45
there,
God,
would you
spare them?
All the
way down
to 10.
God,
if there
are 10
there,
would you
spare them?
He is
being direct
and specific
with what
he wants
the Lord
to do.
How specific
are your
prayers?
A pastor
named
Justin
Dillehay,
he wrote
an article
reflecting on
this passage
and he
brought up
George
Mueller.
Do you
know the
story of
George
Mueller?
George
Mueller is
famous for
running several
orphanages and
he said this,
he said,
instead of
vague requests
like,
Father,
please provide
for our
needs,
Mueller's
prayers tended
to sound
more like,
Father,
we need
110 loaves
of bread
and 75
pairs of
shoes
by tomorrow
morning.
he shared
how one
time he
was sailing
to America
for a
preaching
crusade
and his
ship was
stuck in
a dense
fog threatening
to derail
his entire
preaching tour
and according
to the
captain,
Mueller knelt
down on his
knees and
prayed,
oh Lord,
if it is
consistent with
thy will,
please remove
this fog in
five minutes.
He could
have said,
God,
just get us
through this.
God,
remove the
fog,
please,
as soon as
possible,
but five
minutes,
he thought
five minutes
was perfectly
possible for
the Lord.
He figured
he'd be
specific.
And of
course,
that's exactly
what God
did.
Exactly as
Mueller
asked,
church,
as we
pray,
in light of
the wickedness
all around
us,
friend,
let me
encourage you
to pray
specifically.
God knows
exactly what
you need.
Ask him.
Ask him
specifically,
pointedly,
directly.
Put a
number on
it,
a time on
it.
Ask him
specifically
for what
you like
to see
him do.
So let's
get specific.
Church,
it is
good and
right to
pray for
an end
to
abortion.
It is
better to
pray,
God,
would you
bankrupt
Whole Woman's
Health
Abortion
Clinic in
Charleston
this year?
Would you
provide
counseling
and help
for the
mothers in
need this
year?
Would you
raise up
more Christian
families who
would be
willing to
foster and
adopt in
my community?
it is
good to
pray,
God,
would you
save my
family and
friends?
It is
better to
pray,
God,
would you
give me an
opportunity to
share the
gospel with
my brother
tomorrow?
And then
would you
give him
ears to
hear it
and a
heart to
receive it?
It is
good to
pray,
God,
bless my
daughter as
she goes
to college.
It is
better to
pray,
Lord,
send a
campus
minister to
her dorm
room door
this week.
It is
good to
pray,
Lord,
bless your
church.
Would you
bless
Seawee Bay?
It is
better to
pray,
God,
would you
send us
50 children,
five more
elders?
God,
would you
give us
the funds
and the
resources to
expand this
room and
add a
hundred more
seats?
And God,
would you
fill every
single one?
Not for
our sake,
Lord,
but for
your sake,
because we
know,
big picture,
you are
committed to
build your
church,
magnify the
glory of
God in
the gospel
of Jesus
Christ.
That's what
we want to
see happen.
Church,
would you
be bold
and specific
with your
prayers?
Finally,
as we
pray,
number five,
pray in
a posture
of trust.
Look how
the passage
ends,
verse 33.
Abraham
here,
he's done
negotiating,
he's said
his piece,
he's gotten
it all
out,
and then
what happens?
The Lord
goes his
way,
and Abraham
goes back
home.
And we
have to wait
until next
week to see
what happens.
All Abraham
knows at the
close of our
passage this
week is he
has spoken
with the
Lord.
He has
spoken with
God who
is just,
who is
holy,
God who
sees all
and knows
all and
will do
what is
right.
He's been
as specific
as he can
in his
prayers.
He's laid
it all
out.
And so
now,
Abraham can
go back
home in
confidence
that God
will do
what is
right.
The judge
of all
the earth
will do
what is
just.
He doesn't
have to
worry about
the results,
does he?
That's in
God's hands.
Church, you
realize prayer
is where
worry goes
to die,
don't you?
Because we
pray with
confidence
and trust
that the
Lord will
do what
is right.
Church, do
you pray
like this?
When we
come before
the Lord
and bring
our request
to him,
you may
get what
you ask
for in
this life
and you
may not.
You may
see the
Lord move
quickly and
immediately
and you
may not.
You may
get justice
in this
life and
you may
not.
But church,
in every
case, when
we get up
off of our
knees and
when we say
amen, we
can leave
in confidence
and trust
that we
leave it
in the
hands of
a fully
good and
capable
God.
We can
trust that
the judge
of all
the earth
will do
what is
just.
Do you
believe this?
I want to
close with
Jesus'
parable from
Luke chapter
18 as we
end our
time together.
It says,
Jesus told
them a
parable to
the effect
that they
ought always
to pray
and not
lose
heart.
He said,
in a certain
city there
was a
judge who
neither feared
God nor
respected
man.
There was
this widow
in that
city who
kept coming
to him
and saying,
give me
justice
against my
adversary.
For a
while he
refused,
but afterward
he said
to him,
though I
neither fear
God nor
respect man,
yet because
this widow
keeps bothering
me, I
will give
her justice
so that
she will
not beat
me down
by her
continual
coming.
The Lord
said,
hear what
this unrighteous
judge says,
and will
not God
give justice
to his
elect who
cried to
him day
and night?
Will he
delay long
over them?
I tell you,
he will give
justice to
them speedily.
Nevertheless,
when the
son of man
comes,
will he
find faith
on earth?
Father,
you are
good and
you are
holy.
You are
righteous in
all your
ways.
We praise
you,
Lord,
that you
hear us
and you
love us
in Christ.
And we
pray now,
even as
we've heard
from your
word,
God,
would you
take it
and would
you cause
it to
bear fruit
in us
this morning?
Specifically,
God,
specifically,
we ask,
would you
bring
some
this morning
who are
in this
category
of the
wicked?
And would
you bring
them to
faith and
repentance
this morning?
And for
your church,
God,
we pray that
each of us
would go from
here,
Lord,
praying in
confidence that
the judge of
all the earth
will do
what is just.
We pray this
in Jesus' name.
Amen.