WEBVTT

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 The scripture reading comes from Matthew, chapter 6.

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 Please follow along in your bulletins or on the screen.

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 And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites,

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 for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues

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 and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others.

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 Truly, I say to you, they have received a reward.

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 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door

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 and pray to your Father who is in secret.

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 And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

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 And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do,

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 for they think that they will be heard for their many words.

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 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

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 Pray then like this.

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 Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.

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 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

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 Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts,

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 as we also have forgiven our debtors.

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 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

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 For if you forgive others their trespasses,

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 your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

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 But if you do not forgive others their trespasses,

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 neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

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 This is the word of God.

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 Thank you, Pui.

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 Welcome again.

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 My name is Chris.

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 I'm one of the leaders here.

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 If you don't know me, it's just exciting to welcome you this morning.

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 We're continuing in our series in the Sermon on the Mount.

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 And if you've been following along, Jesus has been saying,

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 He's not looking, God's not looking for us to have an outward religion in our lives.

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 He's looking not for a religion that just obeys the rules and does the right thing on the outside,

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 but he's looking for a religion from the heart.

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 And Kevin last week said,

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 outward religion leads to a situation like a parent who has told his child to sit at the dinner table for repeated attempts,

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 and finally manages to get them sitting down.

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 And the child then says to them,

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 I'm sitting down, but I'm standing up on the inside.

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 And Jesus says, religion like that is dead religion.

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 I want to transform your heart to love me from the inside out.

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 And so in Matthew 5, Jesus has been applying this principle of the heart to anger, to lust, to many areas in life.

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 And today he's going to come to the area of prayer.

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 And as we did when we looked at salt and light and evangelism,

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 we're actually going to camp out on the idea of prayer for the next four weeks.

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 Because this is, we want to really get deep into what Jesus is actually talking to us about.

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 Because this is important.

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 And so we're going to talk about prayer.

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 How many of you feel like you are good at praying?

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 Overwhelming response.

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 You know, I think that's where most of us are.

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 You know, Fiona and I, my wife and I, we pray usually just briefly before we go to bed.

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 And I remember one time I started praying.

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 And then I realized I was dozing off.

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 Only to hear myself at one point saying,

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 Father, would you bless Mickey Mouse?

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 I don't know why I was praying for Mickey Mouse.

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 But the whole thing is prayer is difficult.

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 You lose concentration.

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 You get distracted.

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 There's Facebook.

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 There's food.

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 There's sleep.

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 Whatever it is, it all seeks to draw us away from prayer.

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 And we live in an age where we've got to be productive.

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 And doesn't it feel like if you've got 15 emails to do right now,

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 or the choice to pray for the next 15 minutes,

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 what seems to be more productive?

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 Because prayer sometimes feels like you're not really doing anything.

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 And we also live in an age of entertainment where we have to have instant gratification.

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 So then you have a choice.

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 I either look at YouTube or I pray.

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 And YouTube normally wins, right, if we're honest.

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 And prayer is hard work because we want instant things.

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 If your prayers were answered within 30 seconds of you asking for them,

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 I reckon all of us would be constantly on our knees in prayer.

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 But it doesn't.

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 And so we don't pray as much as we should.

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 And the Bible continually calls us and says prayer is vital,

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 is totally about spiritual vitality.

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 It's like what oxygen is to breathing.

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 You may believe in your head that God loves you,

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 but you'll not experience the depth of his love

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 if you do not talk to him and pray.

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 You know, Jesus in this passage, he says,

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 when you pray, he didn't say if you pray.

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 Jesus says he expects Christians to pray.

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 But you know, in Hong Kong, we're like a diver

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 that's often starved of oxygen,

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 who's drowning and gasping for air,

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 seeking to find rest in our holidays, in yoga,

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 in meditation, in whatever,

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 when we don't realize that there is an oxygen tank available for us,

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 which is called prayer.

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 Tim Keller says this,

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 prayer is the only entryway into genuine self-knowledge.

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 It's also the main way we experience deep change,

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 the reordering of our loves.

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 Prayer is how God gives us so many

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 of the unimaginable things he has for us.

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 Indeed, prayer makes it safe for God to give us

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 many of the things we desire.

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 It's the way we know God.

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 It's the way we finally treat God as God.

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 Prayer is simply the key to everything we need to do

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 and be in life.

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 Wow.

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 So how's our prayer life?

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 Because if we're honest,

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 most of us actually feel a little bit guilty about prayer.

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 We know we should pray,

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 but we know that our hearts often choose other things

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 rather than spending time with the God of the universe.

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 And some of us,

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 if we're actually honest,

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 we're actually a little cynical

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 that prayer really makes any difference anyway.

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 Sometimes it feels like you're praying to the ceiling.

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 That's why as a church,

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 we need to talk about prayer

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 for these next four weeks.

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 Because the whole spiritual vitality of Watermark

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 depends on it.

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 It depends.

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 If this church is to be a place

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 filled with God's power and his love and his presence,

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 presence,

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 both individually and corporately,

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 then prayer is the key

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 which opens the door to invite God

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 to come in in power to us.

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 So we're going to look at prayer today.

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 Are you ready?

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 Okay, three people.

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 Great.

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 So to get an understanding of prayer,

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 we need to understand what it is to pray rightly.

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 And to do that,

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 Jesus is going to show us how not to pray,

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 and then he's going to show us

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 how gospel praying reorients our prayers

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 to God, to others,

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 and to our need for him.

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 Okay?

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 So if you've got the passage with you,

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 we're just going to go through a little bit,

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 and we're really just going to go through

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 the first few verses together.

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 We're not going to do the whole thing today.

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 So how not to pray.

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 And when you pray,

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 Jesus says,

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 you must not be like the hypocrites,

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 for they love to stand and pray

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 in the synagogues and at the street corners,

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 that they may be seen by others.

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 Jesus says,

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 one of the wrong ways to pray

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 is to pray like a hypocrite.

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 A hypocrite literally means

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 someone who puts on a mask

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 in their lives.

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 Hypocrites are more worried

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 about what others think about them

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 than what God thinks about them.

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 You know, in Jewish culture at the time,

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 if you prayed beautiful, eloquent prayers,

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 everyone would be amazed

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 at how holy you were.

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 That had street cred.

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 And so the Pharisees,

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 the religious people,

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 they prayed long,

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 they prayed loud,

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 they prayed so everyone could see.

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 But their prayers were more about

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 what other people thought about them

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 than actually what God thought about them.

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 You know, I had a friend.

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 He was a great guy.

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 He was a godly guy.

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 But he would never pray in public.

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 In our community group,

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 he would never pray.

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 He'd serve,

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 he'd do anything else

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 except pray.

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 And one day I asked him about it

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 and he said,

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 I'm just not very good at praying.

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 He said,

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 my words kind of come out wrong

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 and everyone else

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 kind of prays these amazing prayers

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 and then I just feel like

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 I'll look stupid if I pray

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 because I don't know how to say it.

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 And I challenged him

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 because I asked him,

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 who's at the center of your idea about prayer?

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 Because it's how other people will see him.

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 You see, the Pharisees,

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 you can wear a mask,

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 you can be like a mask wearing prayer

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 by praying very eloquently

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 all the beautiful words.

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 Or you can be a mask wearing prayer

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 by not praying at all.

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 But the focus in both of them is the same.

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 You're both worried about

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 what everyone else will think

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 rather than what God will think.

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 Anyone like that?

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 And Jesus says to us

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 who struggle with that,

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 he says,

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 what you need to do

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 is to shut the door

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 and pray in a secret place.

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 What he doesn't mean

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 is that the only place you can pray

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 is in your room.

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 Because he's talking about

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 where your reward is in prayer.

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 Whose eyes count for you?

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 Is it God's or other people's?

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 That's what he's saying.

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 And so we need to be those

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 who learn how to shut the door in prayer.

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 So when we come to pray,

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 whether it's praying together

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 with other people

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 or by yourself,

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 you shut the door

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 so you actually stop thinking

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 about what everyone else is thinking.

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 You shut the door of other people.

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 Forget about that.

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 You shut the door

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 and forget about yourself,

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 about constructing beautiful sentences.

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 And then you focus on talking

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 to your heavenly father.

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 And others may overhear

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 and be encouraged by that.

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 But our focus is on his eyes,

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 not everyone else's.

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 That's the first wrong way to pray.

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 The second wrong way to pray,

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 and this really actually fills

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 a lot of Christian books on prayer,

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 is to think that prayer

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 is like a sales pitch.

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 Okay?

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 It's like God is your potential customer

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 and you've got to kind of

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 come up with the right technique

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 to persuade him

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 to get the deal

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 to give you what you want.

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 You know, the Gentiles

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 had this special kind of formula.

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 They kind of had magic words

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 that they would repeat many times,

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 kind of like abracadabra,

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 abracadabra, abracadabra.

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 And they would say that

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 and they thought

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 if they prayed long enough

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 or they prayed hard enough,

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 then their God

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 was surely going to listen to them.

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 You know, when Christian pray,

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 sometimes we can do

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 exactly the same thing.

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 Have you ever noticed

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 that Christians sometimes

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 change their tone of voice

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 when they start praying?

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 Kind of very holy.

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 And then sometimes, you know,

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 we start using a whole lot

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 of very spiritual kind of language

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 which you never use any other time.

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 And then there's other times

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 where some people say

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 you can only pray in Jesus' name

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 if you didn't say in Jesus' name

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 it's not a real prayer.

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 Or some others, it's like

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 you have to get very loud

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 and emotional

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 because the more emotional

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 and loud you are

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 then God's going to hear you more.

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 Now emotion's good.

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 You should get excited about prayer.

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 But that's not what

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 actually makes God hear you.

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 God's not interested

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 in how great your presentation is.

00:12:18.079 --> 00:12:19.939
 You know, if a two-year-old child says

00:12:19.939 --> 00:12:21.399
 go toilet,

00:12:22.139 --> 00:12:23.979
 the parent doesn't stand back

00:12:23.979 --> 00:12:24.539
 and say

00:12:24.539 --> 00:12:26.439
 I'm not taking you anywhere

00:12:26.439 --> 00:12:27.839
 until your grammar improves.

00:12:29.759 --> 00:12:31.459
 No, they want to hear.

00:12:31.460 --> 00:12:32.040
 It says

00:12:32.040 --> 00:12:33.720
 your father already knows

00:12:33.720 --> 00:12:34.680
 what you need.

00:12:35.220 --> 00:12:36.600
 God calls us to pray

00:12:36.600 --> 00:12:37.720
 because he's inviting us

00:12:37.720 --> 00:12:39.320
 into relationship with himself.

00:12:41.320 --> 00:12:42.780
 Tim Keller again says this

00:12:42.780 --> 00:12:44.420
 the power of our prayers

00:12:44.420 --> 00:12:46.100
 lies not primarily

00:12:46.100 --> 00:12:46.800
 in our effort

00:12:46.800 --> 00:12:47.540
 and striving

00:12:47.540 --> 00:12:49.240
 or in any technique

00:12:49.240 --> 00:12:50.320
 but rather

00:12:50.320 --> 00:12:52.160
 in our knowledge of God.

00:12:53.500 --> 00:12:54.780
 Rather in our knowledge

00:12:54.780 --> 00:12:56.259
 of who we're praying to.

00:12:58.300 --> 00:12:59.220
 And so what you see

00:12:59.220 --> 00:13:00.399
 is in the Lord's Prayer

00:13:00.399 --> 00:13:02.460
 you'll see the first half

00:13:02.460 --> 00:13:03.259
 of the Lord's Prayer

00:13:03.259 --> 00:13:04.500
 is actually all focused

00:13:04.500 --> 00:13:05.639
 upwards on God.

00:13:06.840 --> 00:13:07.519
 You notice that?

00:13:07.700 --> 00:13:08.680
 It's about your name,

00:13:08.899 --> 00:13:09.720
 your kingdom,

00:13:09.980 --> 00:13:10.759
 your will.

00:13:11.620 --> 00:13:12.700
 And then the second half

00:13:12.700 --> 00:13:13.940
 is focused on us.

00:13:14.220 --> 00:13:15.120
 Our daily bread,

00:13:15.340 --> 00:13:15.860
 our sins,

00:13:15.960 --> 00:13:16.480
 lead us not,

00:13:16.580 --> 00:13:17.399
 deliver us.

00:13:18.740 --> 00:13:19.740
 You see the order

00:13:19.740 --> 00:13:20.700
 that he puts it in?

00:13:21.720 --> 00:13:22.800
 And what Jesus is doing

00:13:22.800 --> 00:13:24.519
 he's not giving a magic formula

00:13:24.519 --> 00:13:25.279
 to repeat.

00:13:26.860 --> 00:13:28.079
 He's looking internally

00:13:28.079 --> 00:13:28.980
 at our hearts

00:13:28.980 --> 00:13:30.500
 and he's wanting to reshape

00:13:30.500 --> 00:13:31.699
 not just our prayer list

00:13:31.699 --> 00:13:32.639
 but our loves

00:13:32.639 --> 00:13:33.699
 of who we want

00:13:33.699 --> 00:13:35.419
 the priority in our life.

00:13:36.559 --> 00:13:37.519
 Because prayer

00:13:37.519 --> 00:13:39.519
 is always a personal conversation

00:13:39.519 --> 00:13:41.340
 where we respond

00:13:41.340 --> 00:13:43.720
 to who God really is.

00:13:45.299 --> 00:13:46.299
 So we're going to focus

00:13:46.299 --> 00:13:47.360
 on the first line

00:13:47.360 --> 00:13:47.939
 of that prayer

00:13:47.939 --> 00:13:51.740
 and see how that reorients us

00:13:51.740 --> 00:13:52.600
 in our lives.

00:13:54.580 --> 00:13:55.860
 So here's my second point.

00:13:55.919 --> 00:13:56.899
 That's how not to pray.

00:13:57.460 --> 00:13:58.100
 We don't pray

00:13:58.100 --> 00:13:59.659
 by just praying to be seen.

00:13:59.919 --> 00:14:00.560
 We don't pray

00:14:00.560 --> 00:14:01.620
 by trying to get

00:14:01.620 --> 00:14:02.519
 a special technique

00:14:02.519 --> 00:14:03.460
 to God hear us.

00:14:03.700 --> 00:14:04.480
 But we pray,

00:14:05.759 --> 00:14:08.340
 Our Father in heaven,

00:14:09.820 --> 00:14:10.740
 hallowed be your name.

00:14:10.840 --> 00:14:13.840
 Our Father in heaven.

00:14:15.360 --> 00:14:16.519
 You know when you hear

00:14:16.519 --> 00:14:17.399
 the word Father,

00:14:17.879 --> 00:14:18.879
 I don't know what comes

00:14:18.879 --> 00:14:19.659
 into your minds.

00:14:19.659 --> 00:14:22.799
 I had a good Chinese friend

00:14:22.799 --> 00:14:23.879
 of mine say to me once,

00:14:24.279 --> 00:14:26.299
 My boss is like a father to me.

00:14:27.600 --> 00:14:29.019
 Every time I make a mistake,

00:14:29.120 --> 00:14:29.939
 he shouts at me

00:14:29.939 --> 00:14:30.639
 and points out

00:14:30.639 --> 00:14:31.199
 all the things

00:14:31.199 --> 00:14:32.079
 that I was doing wrong.

00:14:33.679 --> 00:14:34.699
 And I listened to that

00:14:34.699 --> 00:14:35.039
 and I thought,

00:14:35.139 --> 00:14:36.000
 that's not the image

00:14:36.000 --> 00:14:36.779
 I get of a father

00:14:36.779 --> 00:14:37.600
 when I hear that.

00:14:38.699 --> 00:14:40.019
 And so what I realized

00:14:40.019 --> 00:14:40.779
 is that we need

00:14:40.779 --> 00:14:41.439
 to understand

00:14:41.439 --> 00:14:42.579
 what Jesus means

00:14:42.579 --> 00:14:43.759
 by the word Father.

00:14:44.059 --> 00:14:44.360
 Otherwise,

00:14:44.500 --> 00:14:45.220
 we're going to project

00:14:45.220 --> 00:14:46.240
 our own fathers,

00:14:46.360 --> 00:14:47.439
 whether they're good or bad,

00:14:47.539 --> 00:14:48.179
 onto God

00:14:48.179 --> 00:14:48.899
 and we're going to miss

00:14:48.899 --> 00:14:49.579
 completely

00:14:49.579 --> 00:14:51.059
 what he wants to see

00:14:51.059 --> 00:14:52.399
 of who God truly is.

00:14:54.759 --> 00:14:55.379
 You see,

00:14:55.539 --> 00:14:57.240
 when Jesus was praying

00:14:57.240 --> 00:14:57.620
 Father

00:14:57.620 --> 00:14:58.319
 and calls us

00:14:58.319 --> 00:14:59.100
 to pray Father,

00:14:59.419 --> 00:15:00.439
 he's telling us

00:15:00.439 --> 00:15:01.299
 that God

00:15:01.299 --> 00:15:02.340
 is the source,

00:15:02.720 --> 00:15:03.959
 the sovereign source

00:15:03.959 --> 00:15:04.819
 of our life.

00:15:06.220 --> 00:15:06.480
 You see,

00:15:06.579 --> 00:15:07.600
 Deuteronomy 32,

00:15:07.759 --> 00:15:08.439
 6 says this,

00:15:08.639 --> 00:15:09.340
 Is he,

00:15:09.459 --> 00:15:10.199
 is God

00:15:10.199 --> 00:15:10.899
 not your Father

00:15:11.480 --> 00:15:13.000
 who created you,

00:15:13.120 --> 00:15:14.159
 who made you

00:15:14.159 --> 00:15:15.659
 and established you?

00:15:15.659 --> 00:15:17.759
 He's your maker.

00:15:18.399 --> 00:15:19.620
 He's your sustainer.

00:15:19.959 --> 00:15:21.779
 Every facet of your life

00:15:21.779 --> 00:15:23.519
 is in his hands.

00:15:24.579 --> 00:15:25.279
 He's sovereign.

00:15:26.199 --> 00:15:27.839
 That's why we pray to him,

00:15:28.299 --> 00:15:29.600
 not anyone else.

00:15:30.699 --> 00:15:31.779
 He's not like

00:15:31.779 --> 00:15:33.120
 our earthly father

00:15:33.120 --> 00:15:34.740
 because he's our father

00:15:34.740 --> 00:15:36.179
 in heaven.

00:15:37.139 --> 00:15:38.179
 What that means is

00:15:38.179 --> 00:15:40.360
 he sits at the control center

00:15:40.360 --> 00:15:41.939
 of the entire universe.

00:15:41.940 --> 00:15:44.740
 I don't know if you know

00:15:44.740 --> 00:15:45.880
 in the Old Testament,

00:15:46.320 --> 00:15:47.720
 kings were often called

00:15:47.720 --> 00:15:48.500
 the father

00:15:48.500 --> 00:15:49.760
 of the nation.

00:15:50.220 --> 00:15:51.580
 Sometimes they still are today.

00:15:52.340 --> 00:15:53.360
 But the kings

00:15:53.360 --> 00:15:54.240
 had the power

00:15:54.240 --> 00:15:54.980
 of life

00:15:54.980 --> 00:15:55.680
 and death

00:15:55.680 --> 00:15:56.660
 in their hands.

00:15:57.440 --> 00:15:58.420
 If someone said,

00:15:58.640 --> 00:15:59.340
 if they said

00:15:59.340 --> 00:16:00.060
 someone dies,

00:16:00.140 --> 00:16:00.620
 they died.

00:16:00.900 --> 00:16:01.700
 If they said

00:16:01.700 --> 00:16:02.320
 someone lives,

00:16:02.420 --> 00:16:02.960
 they lived.

00:16:03.980 --> 00:16:05.280
 They had power

00:16:05.280 --> 00:16:06.160
 and authority.

00:16:07.500 --> 00:16:08.240
 When we say

00:16:08.240 --> 00:16:09.280
 Father in heaven,

00:16:09.380 --> 00:16:10.380
 we're talking to the one

00:16:10.379 --> 00:16:11.659
 who has ultimate power

00:16:11.659 --> 00:16:12.379
 to determine

00:16:12.379 --> 00:16:13.919
 and to change lives

00:16:13.919 --> 00:16:15.240
 and to change everything

00:16:15.240 --> 00:16:15.939
 in this world.

00:16:17.379 --> 00:16:18.539
 We don't pray

00:16:18.539 --> 00:16:19.220
 because he's like

00:16:19.220 --> 00:16:19.820
 a therapist

00:16:19.820 --> 00:16:21.939
 who cannot really

00:16:21.939 --> 00:16:23.279
 change our situations

00:16:23.279 --> 00:16:24.179
 but it's just nice

00:16:24.179 --> 00:16:24.740
 to get things

00:16:24.740 --> 00:16:25.519
 off your chest.

00:16:27.399 --> 00:16:28.539
 Prayer is not a crutch

00:16:28.539 --> 00:16:29.279
 to make yourself

00:16:29.279 --> 00:16:29.980
 feel better.

00:16:30.700 --> 00:16:31.419
 No, in prayer,

00:16:31.659 --> 00:16:32.639
 we come before

00:16:32.639 --> 00:16:33.360
 the one who has

00:16:33.360 --> 00:16:34.019
 the resources

00:16:34.019 --> 00:16:35.700
 to make the global

00:16:35.700 --> 00:16:36.639
 autonomy tick,

00:16:36.919 --> 00:16:37.539
 the one who has

00:16:37.539 --> 00:16:38.179
 your marriage,

00:16:38.279 --> 00:16:39.039
 your singlehood,

00:16:39.120 --> 00:16:39.759
 your grades,

00:16:39.759 --> 00:16:40.580
 the conversation

00:16:40.580 --> 00:16:41.120
 you've got to have

00:16:41.120 --> 00:16:41.779
 with your boss

00:16:41.779 --> 00:16:42.740
 tomorrow

00:16:42.740 --> 00:16:45.480
 all in his hands.

00:16:49.179 --> 00:16:50.720
 And so when we pray,

00:16:51.139 --> 00:16:52.379
 we remind ourselves

00:16:52.379 --> 00:16:53.559
 that the source

00:16:53.559 --> 00:16:54.360
 of our life

00:16:54.360 --> 00:16:55.500
 isn't on getting

00:16:55.500 --> 00:16:56.700
 our to-do lists done.

00:16:57.360 --> 00:16:58.340
 It's not in getting

00:16:58.340 --> 00:16:59.179
 in our holidays.

00:16:59.779 --> 00:17:01.659
 The source of our real life

00:17:01.659 --> 00:17:02.500
 is God himself.

00:17:02.720 --> 00:17:03.439
 That's why we pray

00:17:03.439 --> 00:17:03.980
 our Father.

00:17:05.900 --> 00:17:06.319
 And you know,

00:17:06.420 --> 00:17:07.099
 if as a church

00:17:07.099 --> 00:17:07.939
 we don't pray,

00:17:09.500 --> 00:17:10.619
 we're also saying

00:17:10.619 --> 00:17:11.399
 functionally,

00:17:12.399 --> 00:17:14.000
 our hard work,

00:17:14.480 --> 00:17:15.500
 our organization,

00:17:16.079 --> 00:17:17.000
 all the other things,

00:17:17.099 --> 00:17:18.019
 the busyness that we do,

00:17:18.079 --> 00:17:18.719
 that's really where

00:17:18.719 --> 00:17:19.719
 our life comes from,

00:17:20.159 --> 00:17:20.819
 not God.

00:17:21.659 --> 00:17:22.079
 And do you know

00:17:22.079 --> 00:17:22.579
 in a church

00:17:22.579 --> 00:17:23.119
 that's the road

00:17:23.119 --> 00:17:24.259
 to spiritual death?

00:17:25.219 --> 00:17:26.179
 That's the diver

00:17:26.179 --> 00:17:27.139
 holding a breath

00:17:27.139 --> 00:17:28.119
 and refusing to put

00:17:28.119 --> 00:17:29.399
 on the oxygen mask.

00:17:30.019 --> 00:17:32.119
 But prayer recognizes

00:17:32.119 --> 00:17:33.579
 the sufficiency of God

00:17:33.579 --> 00:17:34.639
 in every situation.

00:17:36.799 --> 00:17:37.679
 That's the first thing

00:17:37.679 --> 00:17:38.219
 that prayer,

00:17:38.479 --> 00:17:39.759
 that Father means.

00:17:39.959 --> 00:17:41.179
 He's the sovereign source

00:17:41.179 --> 00:17:41.659
 of our life.

00:17:41.719 --> 00:17:42.579
 But it's not just that.

00:17:42.619 --> 00:17:43.339
 It also means

00:17:43.339 --> 00:17:44.799
 that he is the close

00:17:44.799 --> 00:17:45.819
 and personal.

00:17:45.959 --> 00:17:46.739
 He's not distant

00:17:46.739 --> 00:17:47.659
 and detached.

00:17:49.579 --> 00:17:50.419
 You know the word

00:17:50.419 --> 00:17:52.259
 Father in Aramaic,

00:17:52.839 --> 00:17:53.679
 which is what Jesus

00:17:53.679 --> 00:17:54.359
 would have spoken,

00:17:54.699 --> 00:17:55.379
 is the word

00:17:55.379 --> 00:17:56.239
 Abba.

00:17:57.500 --> 00:17:57.939
 Abba.

00:17:58.939 --> 00:17:59.919
 He uses it

00:17:59.919 --> 00:18:00.959
 in the Garden

00:18:00.959 --> 00:18:01.599
 of Gethsemane.

00:18:01.599 --> 00:18:03.459
 It's this very

00:18:03.459 --> 00:18:04.359
 personal word.

00:18:04.439 --> 00:18:05.659
 For a Jewish boy,

00:18:06.639 --> 00:18:07.259
 and actually,

00:18:07.459 --> 00:18:08.359
 if you ever see

00:18:08.359 --> 00:18:10.839
 Ethan running around

00:18:10.839 --> 00:18:11.559
 here,

00:18:12.459 --> 00:18:13.959
 he's a Jewish boy.

00:18:14.459 --> 00:18:15.679
 When he calls out

00:18:15.679 --> 00:18:16.559
 for his dad

00:18:16.559 --> 00:18:19.379
 and to come to him

00:18:19.379 --> 00:18:20.199
 from the other side

00:18:20.199 --> 00:18:20.619
 of the room,

00:18:20.699 --> 00:18:20.959
 do you know

00:18:20.959 --> 00:18:21.559
 what he says?

00:18:22.559 --> 00:18:23.359
 He says,

00:18:23.599 --> 00:18:23.919
 Abba.

00:18:24.659 --> 00:18:25.099
 Abba.

00:18:26.339 --> 00:18:27.779
 And when he's

00:18:27.779 --> 00:18:28.219
 in trouble,

00:18:28.379 --> 00:18:29.119
 it's Abba.

00:18:29.480 --> 00:18:30.419
 When he's suffering,

00:18:30.579 --> 00:18:30.980
 Abba.

00:18:30.980 --> 00:18:31.420
 Abba.

00:18:31.420 --> 00:18:32.099
 It's Abba.

00:18:32.960 --> 00:18:33.539
 And do you know

00:18:33.539 --> 00:18:33.980
 what happened?

00:18:34.039 --> 00:18:34.720
 His Abba,

00:18:35.200 --> 00:18:36.240
 even from the opposite

00:18:36.240 --> 00:18:37.059
 side of the room,

00:18:37.120 --> 00:18:38.240
 even if it may be noisy,

00:18:38.339 --> 00:18:39.400
 when he hears his voice,

00:18:39.480 --> 00:18:39.839
 do you know what?

00:18:39.860 --> 00:18:40.940
 His ears are tuned

00:18:40.940 --> 00:18:42.059
 to his son

00:18:42.059 --> 00:18:44.920
 because he's his Abba.

00:18:46.720 --> 00:18:47.779
 And so he comes to him

00:18:47.779 --> 00:18:48.839
 and he picks him up

00:18:48.839 --> 00:18:50.559
 and he walks with him.

00:18:52.440 --> 00:18:52.660
 You know,

00:18:52.720 --> 00:18:53.860
 Romans 8 says,

00:18:54.400 --> 00:18:55.740
 you have received,

00:18:56.440 --> 00:18:57.480
 if you're in Christ,

00:18:57.480 --> 00:18:58.599
 you have received

00:18:58.599 --> 00:18:59.819
 the spirit of adoption

00:18:59.819 --> 00:19:00.480
 as sons

00:19:00.480 --> 00:19:03.339
 by whom we cry

00:19:03.339 --> 00:19:05.200
 to the God of the universe,

00:19:06.019 --> 00:19:06.599
 Abba,

00:19:07.380 --> 00:19:07.920
 Father.

00:19:09.920 --> 00:19:10.640
 You know,

00:19:10.680 --> 00:19:11.299
 in prayer,

00:19:11.420 --> 00:19:13.420
 we come as the adopted children

00:19:13.420 --> 00:19:14.880
 of the one

00:19:14.880 --> 00:19:16.120
 who is sovereignly

00:19:16.120 --> 00:19:16.819
 over everything.

00:19:18.120 --> 00:19:19.039
 I don't know

00:19:19.039 --> 00:19:19.660
 if you realize

00:19:19.660 --> 00:19:21.279
 how incredible that is.

00:19:21.279 --> 00:19:23.139
 like,

00:19:23.379 --> 00:19:24.500
 if a stranger

00:19:24.500 --> 00:19:27.180
 walks into my parents' house,

00:19:27.539 --> 00:19:28.779
 goes up to the fridge

00:19:28.779 --> 00:19:29.539
 and starts trying

00:19:29.539 --> 00:19:30.519
 to help themselves

00:19:30.519 --> 00:19:31.379
 to some dessert

00:19:31.379 --> 00:19:32.279
 from the fridge,

00:19:32.899 --> 00:19:33.539
 do you know

00:19:33.539 --> 00:19:34.299
 what's going to happen?

00:19:34.980 --> 00:19:36.000
 They're going to either

00:19:36.000 --> 00:19:37.000
 experience the wrath

00:19:37.000 --> 00:19:37.700
 of my mom

00:19:37.700 --> 00:19:38.899
 or she's going to

00:19:38.899 --> 00:19:39.660
 call the police

00:19:39.660 --> 00:19:41.220
 because strangers

00:19:41.220 --> 00:19:42.240
 can't just walk in.

00:19:43.420 --> 00:19:44.299
 But if I,

00:19:44.440 --> 00:19:45.180
 as their son,

00:19:45.779 --> 00:19:47.099
 walk right into the house,

00:19:47.200 --> 00:19:47.740
 walk right up

00:19:47.740 --> 00:19:48.379
 to the fridge,

00:19:48.559 --> 00:19:49.740
 my mom will call out

00:19:49.740 --> 00:19:50.519
 to me from the back.

00:19:50.619 --> 00:19:50.819
 She'll say,

00:19:50.819 --> 00:19:50.980
 hey,

00:19:51.059 --> 00:19:52.200
 I left you some extra dessert

00:19:52.200 --> 00:19:53.039
 at the back of the fridge.

00:19:53.119 --> 00:19:53.659
 Help yourself.

00:19:55.019 --> 00:19:56.259
 How can I do that?

00:19:56.379 --> 00:19:57.559
 I can only do that

00:19:57.559 --> 00:19:58.679
 because I am a son.

00:19:58.879 --> 00:20:00.259
 I am part of the family.

00:20:00.399 --> 00:20:00.919
 I belong.

00:20:01.700 --> 00:20:02.700
 I have access.

00:20:05.259 --> 00:20:05.779
 You know,

00:20:05.839 --> 00:20:06.559
 no one gets

00:20:06.559 --> 00:20:07.899
 the president's ear

00:20:07.899 --> 00:20:10.299
 like their child does.

00:20:11.639 --> 00:20:13.319
 No one has access

00:20:13.319 --> 00:20:15.359
 like a son or a daughter

00:20:15.359 --> 00:20:17.139
 of the king does.

00:20:17.140 --> 00:20:20.660
 You know,

00:20:20.720 --> 00:20:21.100
 at the heart

00:20:21.100 --> 00:20:22.300
 of the gospel message

00:20:22.300 --> 00:20:24.460
 is the idea

00:20:24.460 --> 00:20:25.640
 that you and me

00:20:25.640 --> 00:20:26.340
 are just like

00:20:26.340 --> 00:20:27.100
 those hypocrites

00:20:27.100 --> 00:20:27.880
 and Gentiles

00:20:27.880 --> 00:20:28.640
 that we talked about

00:20:28.640 --> 00:20:29.120
 at the beginning.

00:20:30.580 --> 00:20:31.460
 We make life

00:20:31.460 --> 00:20:32.380
 all about ourselves

00:20:32.380 --> 00:20:33.300
 and we actually

00:20:33.300 --> 00:20:34.400
 have no right,

00:20:34.759 --> 00:20:35.460
 no access

00:20:35.460 --> 00:20:36.880
 into God's presence.

00:20:38.280 --> 00:20:39.280
 No human being,

00:20:39.520 --> 00:20:39.940
 listen to this,

00:20:40.020 --> 00:20:40.980
 no human being

00:20:40.980 --> 00:20:41.940
 has any right

00:20:41.940 --> 00:20:42.860
 to ever be heard

00:20:42.860 --> 00:20:43.680
 by God in prayer.

00:20:44.360 --> 00:20:44.940
 Did you know that?

00:20:44.940 --> 00:20:46.759
 We have no right

00:20:46.759 --> 00:20:47.460
 at all

00:20:47.460 --> 00:20:49.140
 because our performance

00:20:49.140 --> 00:20:50.759
 does not merit

00:20:50.759 --> 00:20:51.500
 an audience

00:20:51.500 --> 00:20:52.180
 with the king.

00:20:53.340 --> 00:20:54.360
 We don't have

00:20:54.360 --> 00:20:55.860
 righteousness enough

00:20:55.860 --> 00:20:56.759
 to enter.

00:20:58.360 --> 00:20:58.680
 Now,

00:20:58.960 --> 00:21:00.100
 God is so gracious

00:21:00.100 --> 00:21:00.880
 that sometimes

00:21:00.880 --> 00:21:01.920
 he allows the prayers

00:21:01.920 --> 00:21:02.680
 of non-believers

00:21:02.680 --> 00:21:03.539
 to kind of pass

00:21:03.539 --> 00:21:04.320
 through security

00:21:04.320 --> 00:21:06.160
 but actually

00:21:06.160 --> 00:21:07.380
 there's no right

00:21:07.380 --> 00:21:08.440
 for him to hear them

00:21:08.440 --> 00:21:09.840
 automatically.

00:21:10.900 --> 00:21:11.880
 But if you are

00:21:11.880 --> 00:21:12.480
 a believer

00:21:12.480 --> 00:21:13.539
 here in Christ,

00:21:13.539 --> 00:21:15.099
 what you have

00:21:15.099 --> 00:21:15.859
 is God

00:21:15.859 --> 00:21:16.740
 through Christ

00:21:16.740 --> 00:21:17.619
 coming to die

00:21:17.619 --> 00:21:18.319
 on the cross

00:21:18.319 --> 00:21:18.920
 for you,

00:21:19.059 --> 00:21:20.399
 he has made a way

00:21:20.399 --> 00:21:21.680
 that you have access

00:21:21.680 --> 00:21:23.019
 into his presence

00:21:23.019 --> 00:21:24.779
 like no one else does.

00:21:26.700 --> 00:21:28.159
 We say Christianity

00:21:28.159 --> 00:21:29.500
 is not a religion,

00:21:29.639 --> 00:21:30.319
 it's a relationship.

00:21:31.960 --> 00:21:32.259
 Right?

00:21:32.960 --> 00:21:33.980
 So where is that

00:21:33.980 --> 00:21:34.579
 relationship

00:21:34.579 --> 00:21:35.779
 with our Father

00:21:35.779 --> 00:21:36.720
 to be expressed?

00:21:38.720 --> 00:21:39.799
 In prayer.

00:21:41.099 --> 00:21:42.039
 In prayer.

00:21:42.039 --> 00:21:43.579
 Can I put it like this?

00:21:44.039 --> 00:21:45.500
 Jesus died for you

00:21:45.500 --> 00:21:47.180
 so that you can pray.

00:21:48.879 --> 00:21:50.639
 Jesus died for you

00:21:50.639 --> 00:21:53.619
 so that you can come in

00:21:53.619 --> 00:21:55.299
 and you can cry to God,

00:21:55.639 --> 00:21:56.059
 Abba,

00:21:56.700 --> 00:21:58.460
 and he will hear you.

00:22:00.119 --> 00:22:01.940
 That is not just a duty

00:22:01.940 --> 00:22:03.259
 that we have to do,

00:22:03.399 --> 00:22:04.599
 that is a privilege

00:22:04.599 --> 00:22:06.500
 of sons and daughters

00:22:06.500 --> 00:22:07.659
 of the living God.

00:22:08.399 --> 00:22:09.220
 Isn't that amazing?

00:22:09.220 --> 00:22:12.120
 But sometimes

00:22:12.120 --> 00:22:13.380
 we forget that,

00:22:13.460 --> 00:22:13.680
 right?

00:22:14.880 --> 00:22:15.940
 Which is why

00:22:15.940 --> 00:22:19.279
 practically before we pray,

00:22:19.860 --> 00:22:21.000
 Martin Lloyd-Jones,

00:22:21.400 --> 00:22:22.579
 he said this,

00:22:22.579 --> 00:22:24.619
 if you want to make

00:22:24.619 --> 00:22:25.759
 contact with God

00:22:25.759 --> 00:22:27.980
 and if you want to feel

00:22:27.980 --> 00:22:29.419
 his everlasting arms

00:22:29.419 --> 00:22:30.119
 around you,

00:22:31.000 --> 00:22:31.960
 before you pray,

00:22:32.659 --> 00:22:33.519
 put your hand

00:22:33.519 --> 00:22:34.319
 upon your mouth

00:22:34.319 --> 00:22:34.899
 for a moment.

00:22:36.259 --> 00:22:36.740
 Recollection.

00:22:37.220 --> 00:22:38.960
 Just stop for a moment

00:22:38.960 --> 00:22:40.519
 and remind yourself

00:22:40.519 --> 00:22:41.799
 of what you're about

00:22:41.799 --> 00:22:42.379
 to do.

00:22:43.119 --> 00:22:44.179
 We can put it

00:22:44.179 --> 00:22:45.000
 in a phrase.

00:22:45.639 --> 00:22:46.460
 Do you realize

00:22:46.460 --> 00:22:47.579
 the true essence

00:22:47.579 --> 00:22:48.199
 of prayer

00:22:48.200 --> 00:22:48.940
 is found

00:22:48.940 --> 00:22:49.860
 in the two words

00:22:49.860 --> 00:22:50.740
 in verse 9,

00:22:51.200 --> 00:22:52.720
 our Father.

00:22:54.759 --> 00:22:55.759
 So before you even

00:22:55.759 --> 00:22:56.160
 come to prayer,

00:22:56.360 --> 00:22:57.340
 remind yourself

00:22:57.340 --> 00:22:58.380
 of whose presence

00:22:58.380 --> 00:22:59.360
 you're coming into.

00:23:00.420 --> 00:23:01.519
 I'm coming into

00:23:01.519 --> 00:23:02.539
 the one

00:23:02.539 --> 00:23:03.279
 who controls

00:23:03.279 --> 00:23:03.900
 the universe.

00:23:04.600 --> 00:23:05.380
 I'm coming to

00:23:05.380 --> 00:23:05.680
 the one

00:23:05.680 --> 00:23:06.360
 who loves me

00:23:06.360 --> 00:23:06.920
 so much

00:23:06.920 --> 00:23:07.860
 that Christ died

00:23:07.860 --> 00:23:08.900
 that I could enter

00:23:08.900 --> 00:23:09.900
 into his presence

00:23:09.900 --> 00:23:11.319
 and I can come

00:23:11.319 --> 00:23:12.299
 with confidence

00:23:12.299 --> 00:23:13.880
 to the throne

00:23:13.880 --> 00:23:14.559
 of grace

00:23:14.559 --> 00:23:16.359
 to receive mercy

00:23:16.359 --> 00:23:17.220
 and grace

00:23:17.220 --> 00:23:18.319
 in my time of need.

00:23:19.659 --> 00:23:21.759
 Prayer reorients us

00:23:21.759 --> 00:23:22.839
 to the presence

00:23:22.839 --> 00:23:23.639
 of God

00:23:23.639 --> 00:23:25.019
 right in the midst

00:23:25.019 --> 00:23:26.159
 of our busyness.

00:23:31.579 --> 00:23:32.220
 Next,

00:23:33.019 --> 00:23:34.240
 prayer reorients us

00:23:34.240 --> 00:23:34.759
 to God.

00:23:35.579 --> 00:23:36.839
 Prayer reorients us

00:23:36.839 --> 00:23:38.159
 also to others.

00:23:40.319 --> 00:23:40.659
 You know,

00:23:41.279 --> 00:23:41.759
 did you notice

00:23:41.759 --> 00:23:42.579
 there are two words

00:23:42.579 --> 00:23:43.639
 in prayer

00:23:43.639 --> 00:23:45.039
 in the first line?

00:23:46.039 --> 00:23:47.439
 Our Father.

00:23:48.319 --> 00:23:48.639
 You notice

00:23:48.639 --> 00:23:49.279
 he didn't say

00:23:49.279 --> 00:23:50.679
 my Father,

00:23:51.539 --> 00:23:51.839
 right?

00:23:51.939 --> 00:23:52.299
 He said

00:23:52.299 --> 00:23:53.740
 our Father.

00:23:55.279 --> 00:23:55.579
 You see,

00:23:55.720 --> 00:23:56.159
 intrinsic

00:23:56.159 --> 00:23:56.899
 in the idea

00:23:56.899 --> 00:23:57.579
 of prayer

00:23:57.579 --> 00:23:58.399
 is that

00:23:58.399 --> 00:23:59.759
 when we pray

00:23:59.759 --> 00:24:00.960
 through Jesus

00:24:00.960 --> 00:24:02.119
 and that the Father

00:24:02.119 --> 00:24:02.819
 has made us

00:24:02.819 --> 00:24:03.359
 his children,

00:24:03.500 --> 00:24:04.220
 when he did that

00:24:04.220 --> 00:24:04.960
 he also made us

00:24:04.960 --> 00:24:05.799
 brothers and sisters.

00:24:07.059 --> 00:24:08.159
 He gave us

00:24:08.159 --> 00:24:09.259
 brothers and sisters

00:24:09.259 --> 00:24:10.039
 the church.

00:24:11.919 --> 00:24:12.099
 You know,

00:24:12.099 --> 00:24:13.079
 prayer can be done

00:24:13.079 --> 00:24:13.679
 in groups

00:24:13.679 --> 00:24:14.939
 or by yourself

00:24:14.939 --> 00:24:15.759
 but it's never

00:24:15.759 --> 00:24:16.779
 individualistic.

00:24:17.799 --> 00:24:18.000
 Do you know,

00:24:18.079 --> 00:24:19.839
 a church that doesn't pray

00:24:19.839 --> 00:24:20.699
 is a church

00:24:20.699 --> 00:24:21.579
 that doesn't love.

00:24:22.619 --> 00:24:23.059
 Do you know that?

00:24:24.219 --> 00:24:25.740
 Because if we do pray,

00:24:26.139 --> 00:24:27.159
 if you're like me,

00:24:27.319 --> 00:24:28.799
 my natural tendency

00:24:28.799 --> 00:24:29.980
 is actually

00:24:29.980 --> 00:24:31.279
 to be wrapped up

00:24:31.279 --> 00:24:31.899
 in myself

00:24:31.899 --> 00:24:33.119
 because my prayer

00:24:33.119 --> 00:24:34.159
 revealed my priorities

00:24:34.159 --> 00:24:35.179
 and most of my priorities

00:24:35.179 --> 00:24:35.879
 about me.

00:24:37.439 --> 00:24:38.279
 But when we say

00:24:38.279 --> 00:24:39.019
 our Father,

00:24:39.199 --> 00:24:40.379
 we're instantly reminded

00:24:40.380 --> 00:24:41.700
 of our responsibility

00:24:41.700 --> 00:24:43.420
 towards each other,

00:24:44.140 --> 00:24:45.280
 our brothers and sisters.

00:24:47.180 --> 00:24:47.480
 You know,

00:24:47.700 --> 00:24:48.200
 Hong Kong

00:24:48.200 --> 00:24:49.360
 is incredibly busy.

00:24:49.900 --> 00:24:51.580
 I get so distracted

00:24:51.580 --> 00:24:52.860
 by so many things.

00:24:52.980 --> 00:24:53.960
 I know I'm supposed

00:24:53.960 --> 00:24:54.960
 to love people

00:24:54.960 --> 00:24:57.540
 but when it comes

00:24:57.540 --> 00:24:58.160
 to pray,

00:24:58.420 --> 00:24:59.660
 I need to have

00:24:59.660 --> 00:25:00.160
 something

00:25:00.160 --> 00:25:01.260
 which will remind me

00:25:01.260 --> 00:25:02.060
 of how to pray

00:25:02.060 --> 00:25:02.660
 for people.

00:25:02.800 --> 00:25:03.900
 I need a prayer list.

00:25:03.900 --> 00:25:06.800
 I actually have

00:25:06.800 --> 00:25:07.460
 one on my phone.

00:25:08.240 --> 00:25:09.380
 So if I have a minute

00:25:09.380 --> 00:25:10.660
 waiting for the bus

00:25:10.660 --> 00:25:11.320
 or the MTI,

00:25:11.519 --> 00:25:12.280
 I can open it up

00:25:12.280 --> 00:25:12.900
 and I can see,

00:25:13.000 --> 00:25:13.140
 oh,

00:25:13.259 --> 00:25:15.060
 there's Archie

00:25:15.060 --> 00:25:16.000
 or there's Theo

00:25:16.000 --> 00:25:17.040
 or whoever it is

00:25:17.040 --> 00:25:18.080
 and I can pray for them.

00:25:21.360 --> 00:25:22.200
 And so when I start

00:25:22.200 --> 00:25:22.660
 to pray,

00:25:22.740 --> 00:25:23.680
 do you know what it does?

00:25:24.120 --> 00:25:25.140
 It actually reminds me

00:25:25.140 --> 00:25:25.500
 of them.

00:25:26.019 --> 00:25:26.600
 Most of the time

00:25:26.600 --> 00:25:27.200
 I forget about

00:25:27.200 --> 00:25:27.660
 everyone else

00:25:27.660 --> 00:25:28.259
 except me.

00:25:28.259 --> 00:25:32.079
 But you see,

00:25:32.180 --> 00:25:32.740
 what happens

00:25:32.740 --> 00:25:34.960
 is when you start

00:25:34.960 --> 00:25:35.339
 doing that,

00:25:35.379 --> 00:25:35.640
 then you think,

00:25:35.700 --> 00:25:35.859
 oh,

00:25:35.940 --> 00:25:36.579
 maybe I can send them

00:25:36.579 --> 00:25:36.960
 a text

00:25:36.960 --> 00:25:37.759
 and see how they're doing

00:25:37.759 --> 00:25:38.660
 and how can I pray for them.

00:25:38.839 --> 00:25:39.619
 And then when you send

00:25:39.619 --> 00:25:40.079
 them a text

00:25:40.079 --> 00:25:40.859
 and they tell you

00:25:40.859 --> 00:25:41.480
 about stuff that's

00:25:41.480 --> 00:25:42.220
 going on in your lives

00:25:42.220 --> 00:25:42.720
 then it gives you

00:25:42.720 --> 00:25:43.440
 an opportunity to think,

00:25:43.519 --> 00:25:44.240
 how can I love them?

00:25:44.299 --> 00:25:45.180
 How can I encourage them?

00:25:45.359 --> 00:25:46.099
 Maybe I can meet up

00:25:46.099 --> 00:25:46.859
 for them for coffee.

00:25:47.119 --> 00:25:48.039
 And when you do that,

00:25:48.180 --> 00:25:49.379
 then what happens is

00:25:49.379 --> 00:25:51.240
 you realize

00:25:51.240 --> 00:25:52.400
 very quickly

00:25:52.400 --> 00:25:53.460
 that you often

00:25:53.460 --> 00:25:54.379
 don't have the resources

00:25:54.379 --> 00:25:55.039
 to love them

00:25:55.039 --> 00:25:55.559
 as you should.

00:25:56.640 --> 00:25:57.839
 And so what it does

00:25:57.839 --> 00:26:01.039
 it fuels you

00:26:01.039 --> 00:26:02.220
 to pray for them again

00:26:02.220 --> 00:26:04.539
 because you realize

00:26:04.539 --> 00:26:05.699
 that only our sovereign

00:26:05.699 --> 00:26:06.839
 Abba who cares

00:26:06.839 --> 00:26:07.539
 for that person

00:26:07.539 --> 00:26:08.199
 has enough

00:26:08.199 --> 00:26:09.099
 to truly change

00:26:09.099 --> 00:26:09.500
 their life

00:26:09.500 --> 00:26:09.879
 and change

00:26:09.879 --> 00:26:10.720
 their circumstances.

00:26:11.459 --> 00:26:12.379
 And so what you see

00:26:12.379 --> 00:26:13.399
 is that prayer

00:26:13.399 --> 00:26:14.720
 is the fuel for love

00:26:14.720 --> 00:26:15.439
 and love

00:26:15.439 --> 00:26:16.599
 is the fuel for prayer

00:26:16.599 --> 00:26:17.679
 and it's this cycle.

00:26:19.480 --> 00:26:20.799
 And if we don't pray

00:26:20.799 --> 00:26:21.859
 for our church family

00:26:21.859 --> 00:26:22.759
 we won't love

00:26:22.759 --> 00:26:23.579
 our church family

00:26:23.579 --> 00:26:24.619
 with God's resources

00:26:24.619 --> 00:26:26.000
 as he calls us to.

00:26:26.000 --> 00:26:29.119
 You know,

00:26:29.319 --> 00:26:30.900
 when we don't pray

00:26:30.900 --> 00:26:31.900
 we just get centered

00:26:31.900 --> 00:26:33.200
 on our own little worlds,

00:26:33.720 --> 00:26:34.539
 our own little tiny

00:26:34.539 --> 00:26:35.740
 narrow little concerns

00:26:35.740 --> 00:26:36.859
 for others.

00:26:36.920 --> 00:26:37.519
 But a church

00:26:37.519 --> 00:26:38.859
 that is constantly praying

00:26:38.859 --> 00:26:40.420
 our Father

00:26:40.420 --> 00:26:41.799
 will radiate

00:26:41.799 --> 00:26:42.839
 God's Father's,

00:26:43.119 --> 00:26:44.619
 His fatherly love

00:26:44.619 --> 00:26:45.299
 and care

00:26:45.299 --> 00:26:46.119
 for each other.

00:26:46.839 --> 00:26:47.200
 Do you see?

00:26:47.339 --> 00:26:48.140
 Prayer orients us

00:26:48.140 --> 00:26:49.839
 not to just who God is.

00:26:50.119 --> 00:26:51.299
 It reorients us

00:26:51.299 --> 00:26:52.039
 to each other.

00:26:52.039 --> 00:26:54.079
 Thirdly,

00:26:54.779 --> 00:26:56.059
 prayer reorients us

00:26:56.059 --> 00:26:56.639
 to see

00:26:56.639 --> 00:26:58.279
 our own need

00:26:58.279 --> 00:26:59.059
 for God.

00:27:01.659 --> 00:27:02.359
 You know,

00:27:02.460 --> 00:27:03.299
 one of the problems

00:27:03.299 --> 00:27:05.259
 when we pray,

00:27:05.379 --> 00:27:06.240
 when Jesus says,

00:27:06.720 --> 00:27:08.619
 when you pray,

00:27:08.740 --> 00:27:09.720
 pray our Father,

00:27:10.680 --> 00:27:12.099
 what does that make us?

00:27:14.099 --> 00:27:15.779
 That makes us children,

00:27:16.680 --> 00:27:17.000
 right?

00:27:17.740 --> 00:27:18.299
 Generally.

00:27:19.619 --> 00:27:19.920
 Okay,

00:27:19.920 --> 00:27:21.320
 one person agrees.

00:27:21.480 --> 00:27:21.620
 Okay,

00:27:21.640 --> 00:27:22.340
 we might have to have

00:27:22.340 --> 00:27:23.500
 a conversation about this.

00:27:25.259 --> 00:27:25.400
 Yeah,

00:27:25.480 --> 00:27:25.960
 children.

00:27:26.279 --> 00:27:26.400
 Now,

00:27:26.519 --> 00:27:27.519
 just like we mentioned

00:27:27.519 --> 00:27:28.340
 about sheep

00:27:28.340 --> 00:27:29.560
 a few weeks ago,

00:27:29.779 --> 00:27:30.460
 the images

00:27:30.460 --> 00:27:32.160
 that Jesus uses

00:27:32.160 --> 00:27:33.180
 for human beings

00:27:33.180 --> 00:27:34.140
 are not flattering.

00:27:35.160 --> 00:27:35.800
 They're actually

00:27:35.800 --> 00:27:36.840
 about weakness

00:27:36.840 --> 00:27:38.080
 and humbleness

00:27:38.080 --> 00:27:39.120
 and dependence.

00:27:40.800 --> 00:27:41.779
 How much

00:27:41.779 --> 00:27:42.720
 we're in need.

00:27:44.240 --> 00:27:45.000
 Someone said it

00:27:45.000 --> 00:27:45.420
 like this,

00:27:45.600 --> 00:27:46.580
 helplessness

00:27:46.579 --> 00:27:48.240
 is the real secret

00:27:48.240 --> 00:27:49.019
 and the impelling

00:27:49.019 --> 00:27:49.980
 power of prayer.

00:27:50.419 --> 00:27:51.439
 Nothing so furthers

00:27:51.439 --> 00:27:52.319
 our prayer life

00:27:52.319 --> 00:27:53.299
 as the feeling

00:27:53.299 --> 00:27:54.819
 of our own helplessness.

00:27:57.039 --> 00:27:57.779
 Some of you know

00:27:57.779 --> 00:27:58.519
 what that's like.

00:27:59.539 --> 00:28:00.159
 Jesus knew

00:28:00.159 --> 00:28:00.819
 what that was like.

00:28:00.939 --> 00:28:01.059
 You know,

00:28:01.099 --> 00:28:01.779
 in John 5,

00:28:01.859 --> 00:28:02.259
 he says,

00:28:02.819 --> 00:28:04.599
 I can do nothing,

00:28:04.960 --> 00:28:06.299
 nothing by myself.

00:28:07.319 --> 00:28:08.199
 The Son can do

00:28:08.199 --> 00:28:09.059
 nothing by himself,

00:28:09.139 --> 00:28:10.679
 but only what I see

00:28:10.679 --> 00:28:11.759
 my Father doing.

00:28:13.919 --> 00:28:14.240
 The guy,

00:28:14.299 --> 00:28:14.679
 Paul Miller,

00:28:14.819 --> 00:28:15.439
 puts it like this.

00:28:15.440 --> 00:28:15.720
 He says,

00:28:15.799 --> 00:28:18.180
 if you had a 35-year-old man

00:28:18.180 --> 00:28:20.400
 who came and said

00:28:20.400 --> 00:28:21.200
 that to you,

00:28:21.460 --> 00:28:22.840
 I only do what I see

00:28:22.840 --> 00:28:23.980
 my dad doing,

00:28:24.880 --> 00:28:25.740
 you would think

00:28:25.740 --> 00:28:26.600
 he had some boundary

00:28:26.600 --> 00:28:27.740
 issues with his dad.

00:28:28.840 --> 00:28:29.039
 Right?

00:28:29.259 --> 00:28:30.160
 You'd think he needs

00:28:30.160 --> 00:28:30.940
 to get a little bit

00:28:30.940 --> 00:28:32.059
 of independence there,

00:28:32.140 --> 00:28:32.519
 probably.

00:28:34.120 --> 00:28:35.180
 Because that's just

00:28:35.180 --> 00:28:35.960
 like a child,

00:28:36.240 --> 00:28:36.500
 right?

00:28:38.140 --> 00:28:39.740
 But we're so adult

00:28:39.740 --> 00:28:40.840
 that we don't want

00:28:40.840 --> 00:28:41.440
 to be children.

00:28:42.220 --> 00:28:42.880
 We don't want

00:28:42.880 --> 00:28:43.680
 to feel helpless.

00:28:43.680 --> 00:28:45.039
 We don't want

00:28:45.039 --> 00:28:45.519
 to feel like

00:28:45.519 --> 00:28:46.460
 we can't do it.

00:28:46.620 --> 00:28:47.299
 We want to feel

00:28:47.299 --> 00:28:48.200
 like we're in control.

00:28:48.860 --> 00:28:50.080
 That's why we often

00:28:50.080 --> 00:28:50.740
 only pray

00:28:50.740 --> 00:28:51.560
 when we're desperate,

00:28:51.940 --> 00:28:52.960
 like before your exam

00:28:52.960 --> 00:28:54.160
 or before that job interview,

00:28:54.259 --> 00:28:54.880
 because you feel

00:28:54.880 --> 00:28:55.720
 helpless then,

00:28:55.820 --> 00:28:56.060
 right?

00:28:57.400 --> 00:28:58.120
 It's amazing

00:28:58.120 --> 00:28:59.880
 how your prayer life

00:28:59.880 --> 00:29:00.600
 just takes off

00:29:00.600 --> 00:29:01.279
 at those moments.

00:29:01.279 --> 00:29:08.500
 But if we're children,

00:29:08.899 --> 00:29:10.480
 and I'm going to embarrass

00:29:10.480 --> 00:29:11.799
 her this morning,

00:29:12.680 --> 00:29:14.039
 but we went to Turkey

00:29:14.039 --> 00:29:15.639
 last year with Rhoda.

00:29:16.879 --> 00:29:17.819
 And one of the things

00:29:17.819 --> 00:29:19.099
 that really struck me

00:29:19.099 --> 00:29:20.039
 during our trip

00:29:20.039 --> 00:29:21.839
 is that every while

00:29:21.839 --> 00:29:23.259
 we'd be looking for something

00:29:23.259 --> 00:29:24.519
 like a car park space.

00:29:25.139 --> 00:29:25.759
 And I'd be kind of,

00:29:25.859 --> 00:29:26.779
 I'd be stressing out

00:29:26.779 --> 00:29:28.019
 because someone just got

00:29:28.019 --> 00:29:28.920
 in that parking space

00:29:28.920 --> 00:29:30.039
 just before we get there.

00:29:30.039 --> 00:29:31.359
 I'm like, oh, that's just

00:29:31.359 --> 00:29:31.960
 the one we needed.

00:29:32.200 --> 00:29:33.059
 And Rhoda would be going,

00:29:33.399 --> 00:29:33.980
 help us, Father.

00:29:34.399 --> 00:29:35.059
 Help us, Father.

00:29:35.359 --> 00:29:35.960
 Help us, Father.

00:29:36.299 --> 00:29:37.099
 And I'd be going, oh,

00:29:37.139 --> 00:29:37.480
 like this.

00:29:37.599 --> 00:29:38.139
 And we'd be going

00:29:38.139 --> 00:29:38.779
 further along,

00:29:38.899 --> 00:29:39.819
 and then finally

00:29:39.819 --> 00:29:40.500
 we'd get into

00:29:40.500 --> 00:29:41.759
 like a car parking space

00:29:41.759 --> 00:29:42.079
 and we'd be going,

00:29:42.139 --> 00:29:42.940
 oh, it's so annoying.

00:29:43.000 --> 00:29:44.240
 It's like 200 meters away

00:29:44.240 --> 00:29:45.279
 from where we were before.

00:29:45.399 --> 00:29:46.159
 I can't believe it.

00:29:46.379 --> 00:29:46.920
 And she'd be going,

00:29:47.000 --> 00:29:47.599
 thank you, Father.

00:29:48.099 --> 00:29:48.879
 Thank you, Father.

00:29:49.119 --> 00:29:49.559
 Just kind of,

00:29:49.740 --> 00:29:50.680
 she was calm.

00:29:50.819 --> 00:29:51.839
 I was stressed.

00:29:51.839 --> 00:29:55.079
 And you know,

00:29:55.480 --> 00:29:56.720
 what I realized,

00:29:57.240 --> 00:29:59.659
 I realized how little

00:29:59.659 --> 00:30:00.799
 I pray as a child.

00:30:02.339 --> 00:30:03.699
 Because a child comes

00:30:03.699 --> 00:30:04.379
 to their father

00:30:04.379 --> 00:30:05.659
 about the most minute

00:30:05.659 --> 00:30:07.500
 details of their life.

00:30:07.559 --> 00:30:08.319
 They're bothering them

00:30:08.319 --> 00:30:08.759
 all the time.

00:30:08.819 --> 00:30:09.619
 That's why if you're parents,

00:30:09.679 --> 00:30:10.639
 you just get so annoyed

00:30:10.639 --> 00:30:10.919
 by like,

00:30:11.079 --> 00:30:11.759
 are we there yet?

00:30:11.919 --> 00:30:12.559
 Are we there yet?

00:30:12.779 --> 00:30:13.359
 You know,

00:30:13.819 --> 00:30:14.939
 that's what children are like.

00:30:16.419 --> 00:30:17.619
 But in their messiness

00:30:17.619 --> 00:30:18.959
 and in their self-centeredness,

00:30:19.019 --> 00:30:19.980
 they keep coming

00:30:19.980 --> 00:30:21.079
 to their parents,

00:30:22.120 --> 00:30:23.579
 to every little thing.

00:30:25.720 --> 00:30:26.559
 But I don't think

00:30:26.559 --> 00:30:27.559
 God would be that interested

00:30:27.559 --> 00:30:28.960
 in the little things.

00:30:30.059 --> 00:30:30.960
 I think he's,

00:30:31.140 --> 00:30:32.160
 I'm kind of more adult

00:30:32.160 --> 00:30:32.920
 than that.

00:30:33.960 --> 00:30:35.220
 And you know what adults do?

00:30:35.380 --> 00:30:36.539
 We do what men do

00:30:36.539 --> 00:30:37.240
 when they're driving

00:30:37.240 --> 00:30:37.980
 and they're lost.

00:30:38.680 --> 00:30:39.440
 And we don't want

00:30:39.440 --> 00:30:40.000
 to admit it.

00:30:40.680 --> 00:30:41.000
 We go,

00:30:41.059 --> 00:30:41.620
 oh, do you need help?

00:30:41.660 --> 00:30:41.839
 And we go,

00:30:41.960 --> 00:30:42.799
 no, I'm fine.

00:30:42.920 --> 00:30:43.680
 I'm going to fix this

00:30:43.680 --> 00:30:44.240
 by myself.

00:30:44.339 --> 00:30:44.900
 Thank you.

00:30:46.500 --> 00:30:47.940
 And then we kind of

00:30:47.940 --> 00:30:49.140
 desperately trying to make sure

00:30:49.140 --> 00:30:49.799
 we can navigate

00:30:49.799 --> 00:30:51.000
 our way all the way

00:30:51.000 --> 00:30:51.339
 to the end.

00:30:51.480 --> 00:30:51.859
 And you know,

00:30:51.980 --> 00:30:52.779
 in that process,

00:30:52.879 --> 00:30:53.859
 we're hardly the most loving,

00:30:54.019 --> 00:30:55.119
 kind, gracious people

00:30:55.119 --> 00:30:55.659
 on the way.

00:30:55.819 --> 00:30:57.119
 And even if we do make it

00:30:57.119 --> 00:30:57.559
 to the end,

00:30:57.599 --> 00:30:58.159
 we've been stressed

00:30:58.159 --> 00:30:58.899
 the whole way.

00:31:00.279 --> 00:31:01.819
 And isn't that exactly

00:31:01.819 --> 00:31:02.619
 like most of us

00:31:02.619 --> 00:31:03.299
 are in life?

00:31:06.339 --> 00:31:08.119
 That much of our stress

00:31:08.119 --> 00:31:09.139
 in Hong Kong

00:31:09.139 --> 00:31:10.899
 is due to us

00:31:10.899 --> 00:31:11.980
 trying to figure out

00:31:11.980 --> 00:31:12.619
 our lives

00:31:12.619 --> 00:31:13.579
 by ourselves.

00:31:14.019 --> 00:31:14.779
 The big things

00:31:14.779 --> 00:31:15.899
 and the little things.

00:31:17.399 --> 00:31:19.000
 Just look at your stress

00:31:19.000 --> 00:31:20.039
 over the last week

00:31:20.039 --> 00:31:21.119
 and then look at

00:31:21.119 --> 00:31:22.119
 your prayer life

00:31:22.119 --> 00:31:23.400
 and see if there isn't

00:31:23.400 --> 00:31:24.660
 a direct correlation

00:31:24.660 --> 00:31:26.480
 between your stress levels

00:31:26.480 --> 00:31:27.420
 and your prayerlessness.

00:31:29.279 --> 00:31:30.640
 Because we have

00:31:30.640 --> 00:31:32.000
 this oxygen tank

00:31:32.000 --> 00:31:32.920
 that God is wanting

00:31:32.920 --> 00:31:33.559
 to give us

00:31:33.559 --> 00:31:34.940
 and our whole city

00:31:34.940 --> 00:31:35.740
 is drowning

00:31:35.740 --> 00:31:36.599
 in stress

00:31:36.599 --> 00:31:37.460
 and anxiety

00:31:37.460 --> 00:31:38.980
 because it doesn't know

00:31:38.980 --> 00:31:40.079
 that we have a father,

00:31:40.440 --> 00:31:40.980
 an Abba,

00:31:41.140 --> 00:31:42.279
 who knows what we need,

00:31:42.359 --> 00:31:43.299
 who cares for us

00:31:43.299 --> 00:31:44.640
 and he wants to be present

00:31:44.640 --> 00:31:45.059
 with us

00:31:45.059 --> 00:31:45.500
 in the midst

00:31:45.500 --> 00:31:46.759
 of every little thing.

00:31:46.759 --> 00:31:47.779
 Whether it's even

00:31:47.779 --> 00:31:48.700
 you just can't find

00:31:48.700 --> 00:31:49.640
 your iPhone cable

00:31:49.640 --> 00:31:50.539
 or whether it's

00:31:50.539 --> 00:31:51.119
 you can't find

00:31:51.119 --> 00:31:52.079
 your car parking spot

00:31:52.079 --> 00:31:52.859
 or whether it's

00:31:52.859 --> 00:31:53.759
 your kids' education,

00:31:53.960 --> 00:31:55.220
 whatever it is,

00:31:55.759 --> 00:31:56.819
 he wants to be involved

00:31:56.819 --> 00:31:57.819
 in our lives

00:31:57.819 --> 00:32:00.319
 because he's our father.

00:32:02.319 --> 00:32:03.859
 The old hymn says,

00:32:04.579 --> 00:32:05.619
 Oh, what peace

00:32:05.619 --> 00:32:06.720
 we often forfeit.

00:32:07.200 --> 00:32:09.019
 Oh, what needless pains

00:32:09.019 --> 00:32:09.720
 we bear.

00:32:10.160 --> 00:32:11.779
 All because we do not

00:32:11.779 --> 00:32:13.180
 carry everything

00:32:13.180 --> 00:32:14.400
 to God in prayer.

00:32:14.400 --> 00:32:16.780
 Isn't that so true?

00:32:20.880 --> 00:32:22.440
 And so like with little children,

00:32:23.880 --> 00:32:25.500
 little children don't give up

00:32:25.500 --> 00:32:26.620
 until they get an answer.

00:32:28.160 --> 00:32:29.200
 Are we there yet

00:32:29.200 --> 00:32:29.920
 doesn't stop

00:32:29.920 --> 00:32:31.460
 until you're actually there.

00:32:33.800 --> 00:32:35.060
 But that's how

00:32:35.060 --> 00:32:36.300
 our father wants us

00:32:36.300 --> 00:32:37.140
 to pray to him

00:32:37.140 --> 00:32:40.040
 again and again.

00:32:40.200 --> 00:32:40.800
 And some of us

00:32:40.800 --> 00:32:41.740
 get disillusioned

00:32:41.740 --> 00:32:42.680
 because we've been waiting

00:32:42.680 --> 00:32:43.700
 a long time

00:32:43.700 --> 00:32:44.440
 for our prayers

00:32:44.440 --> 00:32:45.180
 to be answered.

00:32:47.759 --> 00:32:48.799
 And one of the things

00:32:48.799 --> 00:32:49.500
 that is amazing

00:32:49.500 --> 00:32:50.400
 in our prayer

00:32:50.400 --> 00:32:50.940
 is

00:32:50.940 --> 00:32:53.779
 can children pray

00:32:53.779 --> 00:32:54.820
 with selfish motives?

00:32:57.720 --> 00:32:59.180
 The answer is yes.

00:33:01.060 --> 00:33:01.779
 In fact,

00:33:01.880 --> 00:33:03.039
 we pray all the time

00:33:03.039 --> 00:33:04.340
 with kind of mixed motives.

00:33:05.180 --> 00:33:05.840
 So if you're waiting

00:33:05.840 --> 00:33:06.799
 to have a pure motive

00:33:06.799 --> 00:33:07.460
 before you pray

00:33:07.460 --> 00:33:07.960
 for something,

00:33:08.160 --> 00:33:08.660
 you're going to wait

00:33:08.660 --> 00:33:09.580
 a very long time.

00:33:09.579 --> 00:33:12.679
 but that's why

00:33:12.679 --> 00:33:13.059
 Jesus,

00:33:13.199 --> 00:33:14.139
 when he tells us to pray,

00:33:14.220 --> 00:33:14.980
 he puts this little

00:33:14.980 --> 00:33:16.000
 safety valve.

00:33:16.379 --> 00:33:16.579
 You know,

00:33:16.599 --> 00:33:17.139
 like on a gun,

00:33:17.199 --> 00:33:18.359
 you have a little safety catch

00:33:18.359 --> 00:33:19.759
 to stop it kind of just

00:33:19.759 --> 00:33:21.359
 causing chaos.

00:33:21.899 --> 00:33:22.639
 In the safety catch,

00:33:22.679 --> 00:33:22.919
 he says,

00:33:23.000 --> 00:33:24.019
 hallowed be your name.

00:33:25.919 --> 00:33:27.199
 Hallowed means holy.

00:33:28.059 --> 00:33:29.740
 It means may your name

00:33:29.740 --> 00:33:30.699
 be made holy.

00:33:30.839 --> 00:33:31.539
 May you be glorified

00:33:32.339 --> 00:33:34.919
 in my life.

00:33:34.920 --> 00:33:36.100
 So as children,

00:33:36.220 --> 00:33:37.060
 you come with any

00:33:37.060 --> 00:33:38.220
 kind of requests

00:33:38.220 --> 00:33:40.680
 and then with the safety valve

00:33:40.680 --> 00:33:41.019
 you say,

00:33:41.259 --> 00:33:41.580
 but Lord,

00:33:41.680 --> 00:33:43.100
 I want you to get glory

00:33:43.100 --> 00:33:44.279
 more than I even want

00:33:44.279 --> 00:33:45.240
 to get this thing.

00:33:48.039 --> 00:33:49.259
 With all of my life.

00:33:49.380 --> 00:33:50.320
 So it doesn't matter.

00:33:50.980 --> 00:33:52.460
 If you get more glory

00:33:52.460 --> 00:33:53.920
 from answering this immediately,

00:33:54.240 --> 00:33:55.440
 that's great, God.

00:33:56.660 --> 00:33:58.080
 I want you to do that.

00:33:58.080 --> 00:33:59.519
 Please do that right now.

00:34:00.080 --> 00:34:00.600
 But,

00:34:01.039 --> 00:34:03.620
 if you get even more glory,

00:34:03.619 --> 00:34:07.019
 by me having to wait

00:34:07.019 --> 00:34:08.460
 or you answering

00:34:08.460 --> 00:34:09.619
 in a different way,

00:34:10.400 --> 00:34:11.420
 then Father,

00:34:11.960 --> 00:34:13.159
 even though that's kind of

00:34:13.159 --> 00:34:14.400
 not exactly what I'd like

00:34:14.400 --> 00:34:14.880
 right now,

00:34:14.940 --> 00:34:16.299
 I know I can trust you

00:34:16.299 --> 00:34:17.000
 because I know

00:34:17.000 --> 00:34:18.319
 that you are my Abba.

00:34:19.900 --> 00:34:21.480
 And you love me more

00:34:21.480 --> 00:34:23.299
 than I can ever imagine.

00:34:25.000 --> 00:34:25.239
 Do you know,

00:34:25.299 --> 00:34:26.699
 sometimes God gets more glory

00:34:26.699 --> 00:34:27.739
 by making us wait.

00:34:29.579 --> 00:34:29.880
 You know,

00:34:29.960 --> 00:34:30.559
 I've had,

00:34:31.039 --> 00:34:32.579
 I've prayed for jobs

00:34:32.579 --> 00:34:33.940
 and got nothing

00:34:33.940 --> 00:34:35.639
 for month after month

00:34:35.639 --> 00:34:36.480
 after month.

00:34:36.739 --> 00:34:38.619
 And just as I was giving up hope,

00:34:38.940 --> 00:34:40.139
 totally out of the blue,

00:34:40.860 --> 00:34:42.299
 I received job offers

00:34:42.299 --> 00:34:43.179
 from jobs

00:34:43.179 --> 00:34:44.599
 I've never even applied for.

00:34:45.880 --> 00:34:46.279
 It's true.

00:34:47.619 --> 00:34:48.840
 And then,

00:34:48.920 --> 00:34:49.340
 you know,

00:34:49.420 --> 00:34:50.219
 it's only God

00:34:50.219 --> 00:34:50.699
 who's done it.

00:34:50.739 --> 00:34:51.840
 It's not my hard work.

00:34:52.519 --> 00:34:53.599
 He gets the glory.

00:34:54.860 --> 00:34:55.440
 Some of you

00:34:55.440 --> 00:34:56.679
 have had family members,

00:34:56.799 --> 00:34:58.199
 family members recently,

00:34:58.299 --> 00:34:58.960
 you've been praying

00:34:58.960 --> 00:35:00.139
 for years for them.

00:35:00.139 --> 00:35:02.219
 And you've wondered,

00:35:02.339 --> 00:35:03.480
 when could they ever come?

00:35:03.519 --> 00:35:04.420
 You've just got no hope

00:35:04.420 --> 00:35:05.379
 and then God has just

00:35:05.379 --> 00:35:05.980
 broken through

00:35:05.980 --> 00:35:06.619
 into their lives

00:35:06.619 --> 00:35:07.519
 and you've seen their lives

00:35:07.519 --> 00:35:08.400
 just turn around you

00:35:08.400 --> 00:35:09.599
 like it's only God.

00:35:10.879 --> 00:35:12.480
 Because then he gets the glory.

00:35:14.079 --> 00:35:15.019
 A good parent

00:35:15.019 --> 00:35:16.679
 will never give their children

00:35:16.679 --> 00:35:18.099
 everything they ask for.

00:35:19.279 --> 00:35:20.239
 If you're parents,

00:35:20.359 --> 00:35:21.239
 you know that is true.

00:35:22.839 --> 00:35:24.119
 But God gives us

00:35:24.119 --> 00:35:26.059
 everything that we would pray for

00:35:26.059 --> 00:35:27.379
 if we knew everything

00:35:27.380 --> 00:35:28.380
 that he knows.

00:35:30.980 --> 00:35:31.460
 And so,

00:35:31.980 --> 00:35:34.780
 the opposite of a praying church

00:35:34.780 --> 00:35:36.800
 is a self-reliant,

00:35:37.260 --> 00:35:38.320
 busy planning,

00:35:38.539 --> 00:35:39.680
 organizing church

00:35:39.680 --> 00:35:41.220
 with lots of programs

00:35:41.220 --> 00:35:42.440
 and just prays for God

00:35:42.440 --> 00:35:43.800
 to bless our plans.

00:35:44.160 --> 00:35:45.160
 But it doesn't have

00:35:45.160 --> 00:35:46.420
 a desperate sense

00:35:46.420 --> 00:35:47.800
 of our own need

00:35:47.800 --> 00:35:49.039
 of God as his children.

00:35:53.039 --> 00:35:54.539
 Tim Keller said this,

00:35:54.539 --> 00:35:56.239
 to fail to pray

00:35:56.239 --> 00:35:57.500
 is not to merely

00:35:57.500 --> 00:35:58.820
 break some religious rule.

00:35:59.039 --> 00:35:59.779
 It is a failure

00:35:59.779 --> 00:36:01.059
 to treat God as God.

00:36:01.340 --> 00:36:02.099
 It is a sin

00:36:02.099 --> 00:36:03.059
 against his glory.

00:36:03.360 --> 00:36:04.000
 It is to say,

00:36:04.179 --> 00:36:05.440
 I don't need you.

00:36:06.860 --> 00:36:07.860
 But our Abba

00:36:07.860 --> 00:36:10.159
 wants us to come to him

00:36:10.159 --> 00:36:11.460
 with everything

00:36:11.460 --> 00:36:13.039
 of our lives.

00:36:14.360 --> 00:36:15.779
 For our church,

00:36:16.539 --> 00:36:17.500
 for us individually.

00:36:17.500 --> 00:36:20.940
 if we see

00:36:20.940 --> 00:36:21.559
 what Christ

00:36:21.559 --> 00:36:22.159
 in the gospel

00:36:22.159 --> 00:36:22.820
 has done

00:36:22.820 --> 00:36:23.760
 for us

00:36:23.760 --> 00:36:24.739
 to make his children,

00:36:24.900 --> 00:36:25.699
 what would that mean

00:36:25.699 --> 00:36:26.860
 for us as watermark

00:36:26.860 --> 00:36:28.920
 if we started praying

00:36:28.920 --> 00:36:30.239
 as children

00:36:30.239 --> 00:36:30.880
 of our Father,

00:36:30.940 --> 00:36:31.860
 not as hypocrites,

00:36:31.980 --> 00:36:33.039
 not as Gentiles?

00:36:35.119 --> 00:36:35.539
 Well,

00:36:35.940 --> 00:36:38.199
 I think many of us

00:36:38.199 --> 00:36:38.980
 struggle in prayer

00:36:38.980 --> 00:36:40.139
 as we've seen.

00:36:41.239 --> 00:36:42.239
 Many of us feel like

00:36:42.239 --> 00:36:42.940
 we actually really,

00:36:43.059 --> 00:36:43.440
 if we're honest,

00:36:43.480 --> 00:36:44.559
 we don't have any real desire

00:36:44.559 --> 00:36:45.079
 to pray.

00:36:46.079 --> 00:36:46.900
 We've tried

00:36:46.900 --> 00:36:47.679
 and it just didn't seem

00:36:47.679 --> 00:36:48.139
 to work

00:36:48.139 --> 00:36:49.079
 and so we've given up.

00:36:49.840 --> 00:36:50.719
 There's plenty of other things

00:36:50.719 --> 00:36:51.360
 we want to do.

00:36:52.759 --> 00:36:53.239
 And so I think

00:36:53.239 --> 00:36:54.219
 the place where we need

00:36:54.219 --> 00:36:55.519
 to start as a church

00:36:55.519 --> 00:36:58.239
 is actually to repent

00:36:58.239 --> 00:36:59.119
 of our prayerlessness.

00:37:01.000 --> 00:37:02.039
 It's actually to come

00:37:02.039 --> 00:37:02.319
 and say,

00:37:02.400 --> 00:37:02.539
 God,

00:37:02.579 --> 00:37:03.739
 we've been self-sufficient.

00:37:05.319 --> 00:37:06.219
 It's actually to say,

00:37:06.880 --> 00:37:08.119
 I think I've been religious

00:37:08.119 --> 00:37:09.059
 in my praying.

00:37:09.639 --> 00:37:10.460
 Maybe I've prayed,

00:37:10.579 --> 00:37:11.539
 but I haven't prayed

00:37:11.539 --> 00:37:13.119
 with you as my Father.

00:37:13.480 --> 00:37:14.440
 I've prayed with you

00:37:14.440 --> 00:37:15.260
 as my genie

00:37:15.260 --> 00:37:18.400
 just to get stuff from you.

00:37:19.420 --> 00:37:20.539
 That God has called us

00:37:20.539 --> 00:37:21.400
 into relationship

00:37:21.400 --> 00:37:22.079
 with himself,

00:37:22.280 --> 00:37:23.039
 but I've just wanted

00:37:23.039 --> 00:37:23.579
 his stuff

00:37:23.579 --> 00:37:24.760
 and I haven't wanted him.

00:37:28.440 --> 00:37:29.260
 And so we start

00:37:29.260 --> 00:37:30.200
 by asking God

00:37:30.200 --> 00:37:31.380
 to make us desperate

00:37:31.380 --> 00:37:32.240
 for him.

00:37:33.380 --> 00:37:33.800
 God,

00:37:33.880 --> 00:37:34.760
 let us want you

00:37:34.760 --> 00:37:37.000
 more than I even want

00:37:37.000 --> 00:37:39.019
 that job offer

00:37:39.019 --> 00:37:40.800
 or whatever else it is.

00:37:40.980 --> 00:37:42.240
 Change my heart.

00:37:42.239 --> 00:37:43.619
 That's where we start

00:37:43.619 --> 00:37:44.139
 in prayer.

00:37:45.279 --> 00:37:46.139
 That's where I want us

00:37:46.139 --> 00:37:47.019
 to start this morning.

00:37:48.779 --> 00:37:49.659
 And then I think

00:37:49.659 --> 00:37:50.899
 we make a plan to pray.

00:37:51.299 --> 00:37:52.299
 This is the final thing.

00:37:53.579 --> 00:37:54.739
 Don Carson said,

00:37:54.799 --> 00:37:55.559
 the facts remains

00:37:55.559 --> 00:37:56.719
 that unless we plan

00:37:56.719 --> 00:37:57.239
 to pray,

00:37:57.319 --> 00:37:58.159
 we will not pray.

00:37:59.019 --> 00:38:00.159
 The reason we pray

00:38:00.159 --> 00:38:00.659
 so little

00:38:00.659 --> 00:38:01.479
 is that we do not

00:38:01.479 --> 00:38:02.279
 plan to pray.

00:38:03.399 --> 00:38:04.379
 Wise planning

00:38:04.379 --> 00:38:04.899
 will ensure

00:38:04.899 --> 00:38:06.019
 that we devote ourselves

00:38:06.019 --> 00:38:06.939
 to prayer often,

00:38:07.179 --> 00:38:08.919
 even if for brief periods.

00:38:08.920 --> 00:38:10.400
 It is better to pray

00:38:10.400 --> 00:38:11.619
 often with brevity

00:38:11.619 --> 00:38:13.099
 than rarely at length.

00:38:16.940 --> 00:38:18.099
 I know that's true.

00:38:18.240 --> 00:38:19.220
 If you don't plan

00:38:19.220 --> 00:38:19.840
 your prayer,

00:38:20.260 --> 00:38:21.380
 you have all the greatest

00:38:21.380 --> 00:38:22.480
 intentions in the world

00:38:22.480 --> 00:38:22.920
 to pray,

00:38:23.039 --> 00:38:24.079
 but it never happens.

00:38:24.680 --> 00:38:25.860
 I know that is so true.

00:38:25.940 --> 00:38:26.480
 There are so many,

00:38:26.519 --> 00:38:27.099
 there's so many great

00:38:27.099 --> 00:38:28.139
 YouTube videos out there

00:38:28.139 --> 00:38:28.940
 to distract you.

00:38:30.880 --> 00:38:31.920
 But that's why

00:38:31.920 --> 00:38:32.840
 as a church,

00:38:33.519 --> 00:38:34.300
 at 10.05,

00:38:35.139 --> 00:38:36.099
 on a Sunday morning,

00:38:36.099 --> 00:38:37.259
 we have a time

00:38:37.259 --> 00:38:38.319
 where we come together

00:38:38.319 --> 00:38:38.900
 to pray.

00:38:39.940 --> 00:38:40.960
 It's not just something

00:38:40.960 --> 00:38:42.799
 we do because we're Christians

00:38:42.799 --> 00:38:44.460
 and Christians should pray.

00:38:45.000 --> 00:38:47.000
 This is oxygen tank time.

00:38:47.319 --> 00:38:49.480
 This is spiritual vitality time.

00:38:49.779 --> 00:38:51.519
 This is awaken the dead bones

00:38:51.519 --> 00:38:52.799
 and bring us to lifetime.

00:38:53.339 --> 00:38:54.159
 This is the time

00:38:54.159 --> 00:38:54.559
 where we say,

00:38:54.619 --> 00:38:55.699
 God, we need you.

00:38:55.860 --> 00:38:56.860
 We need your spirit

00:38:56.860 --> 00:38:58.219
 to awaken us.

00:38:58.860 --> 00:38:59.759
 We will not have

00:38:59.759 --> 00:39:00.880
 your spirit's presence

00:39:00.880 --> 00:39:02.019
 as you want to bring it

00:39:02.019 --> 00:39:03.599
 unless you come

00:39:03.599 --> 00:39:04.239
 in your power.

00:39:04.239 --> 00:39:05.579
 So we're asking Abba,

00:39:06.099 --> 00:39:08.039
 thank you for this privilege

00:39:08.039 --> 00:39:08.799
 we can pray.

00:39:08.900 --> 00:39:09.839
 Now please come

00:39:09.839 --> 00:39:12.239
 and be manifested amongst us.

00:39:13.559 --> 00:39:15.279
 So come and join us

00:39:15.279 --> 00:39:16.699
 at 10.05.

00:39:16.900 --> 00:39:18.299
 It may mean you wake up early,

00:39:19.299 --> 00:39:20.259
 but that's okay.

00:39:21.539 --> 00:39:22.860
 And in your own life,

00:39:23.519 --> 00:39:24.900
 set a time to pray.

00:39:25.799 --> 00:39:26.619
 Read scripture.

00:39:27.099 --> 00:39:27.920
 Remind yourself

00:39:27.920 --> 00:39:28.839
 of whose presence

00:39:28.839 --> 00:39:29.619
 you're entering.

00:39:30.299 --> 00:39:32.119
 The one who loves you so much

00:39:32.119 --> 00:39:32.900
 that he died

00:39:32.900 --> 00:39:34.079
 that you could enter.

00:39:36.099 --> 00:39:38.599
 And remember,

00:39:39.259 --> 00:39:41.679
 above all,

00:39:43.500 --> 00:39:44.480
 Jesus died

00:39:44.480 --> 00:39:45.759
 that you could say,

00:39:46.659 --> 00:39:47.420
 our Father,

00:39:48.380 --> 00:39:49.179
 our Abba

00:39:49.179 --> 00:39:50.179
 in heaven,

00:39:51.019 --> 00:39:52.579
 hallowed be your name.

00:39:53.559 --> 00:39:54.400
 Let us pray that

00:39:54.400 --> 00:39:55.139
 as a church.

00:39:55.559 --> 00:39:56.380
 Let's pray.

00:39:56.380 --> 00:39:56.440
 Let's pray.

00:39:56.440 --> 00:40:11.119
 Abba, Father.

00:40:15.119 --> 00:40:16.400
 Father, we just admit

00:40:16.400 --> 00:40:17.900
 that sometimes prayer,

00:40:18.039 --> 00:40:19.059
 we find prayer difficult.

00:40:19.059 --> 00:40:23.099
 Sometimes our hearts

00:40:23.099 --> 00:40:23.679
 are just,

00:40:24.139 --> 00:40:24.759
 we kind of know

00:40:24.759 --> 00:40:25.639
 we should pray,

00:40:25.779 --> 00:40:26.940
 but we kind of don't,

00:40:27.000 --> 00:40:27.799
 and then we feel guilty

00:40:27.799 --> 00:40:28.340
 that we should,

00:40:28.440 --> 00:40:29.659
 but that never motivates us

00:40:29.659 --> 00:40:30.340
 to come to you.

00:40:31.920 --> 00:40:33.119
 Show us how amazing

00:40:33.119 --> 00:40:34.460
 your generosity is

00:40:34.460 --> 00:40:35.279
 towards us.

00:40:36.840 --> 00:40:37.960
 Show us that you are

00:40:37.960 --> 00:40:38.659
 both the one

00:40:38.659 --> 00:40:39.739
 who is all sufficient

00:40:39.739 --> 00:40:40.559
 for us,

00:40:40.679 --> 00:40:41.779
 but you are the one

00:40:41.779 --> 00:40:43.099
 who is so tender

00:40:43.099 --> 00:40:44.360
 and close to us.

00:40:45.860 --> 00:40:46.799
 Show us that you're

00:40:46.800 --> 00:40:47.280
 at Abba.

00:40:49.460 --> 00:40:50.780
 I pray as a church

00:40:50.780 --> 00:40:51.580
 that you'd help us

00:40:51.580 --> 00:40:52.360
 to be a church

00:40:52.360 --> 00:40:53.360
 that prays.

00:40:54.200 --> 00:40:55.580
 A church that knows

00:40:55.580 --> 00:40:56.519
 our need of you.

00:40:57.420 --> 00:40:58.240
 A church that's going

00:40:58.240 --> 00:40:59.480
 to love each other

00:40:59.480 --> 00:41:01.220
 by praying

00:41:01.220 --> 00:41:02.700
 for each other regularly.

00:41:03.800 --> 00:41:04.980
 A church that doesn't

00:41:04.980 --> 00:41:06.140
 just plan all the other

00:41:06.140 --> 00:41:07.000
 things in our lives,

00:41:07.060 --> 00:41:07.940
 the things that we find

00:41:07.940 --> 00:41:09.039
 important in our lives,

00:41:09.180 --> 00:41:10.519
 and forgets to plan

00:41:10.519 --> 00:41:11.220
 to pray,

00:41:11.519 --> 00:41:12.700
 to pray for each other,

00:41:12.860 --> 00:41:14.019
 to pray for your kingdom,

00:41:14.240 --> 00:41:15.660
 to pray for those around us,

00:41:15.700 --> 00:41:16.780
 to pray with our children,

00:41:16.800 --> 00:41:18.019
 to pray, Lord,

00:41:18.140 --> 00:41:19.060
 because we know

00:41:19.060 --> 00:41:19.840
 we need you.

00:41:22.380 --> 00:41:23.620
 Would you just fill us

00:41:23.620 --> 00:41:24.580
 again with your spirit?

00:41:26.960 --> 00:41:28.200
 Would you open our eyes

00:41:28.200 --> 00:41:29.140
 to see the privilege

00:41:29.140 --> 00:41:29.980
 that it is

00:41:29.980 --> 00:41:32.440
 to pray to you?

00:41:34.360 --> 00:41:35.580
 In Jesus' name,

00:41:37.060 --> 00:41:37.519
 Amen.