WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.299 Now I want you to consider for a moment the enormous amount of instruction that the Bible 00:00:06.299 --> 00:00:15.000 has on prayer. Just think about it for a moment. It is impossible to read the scriptures and conclude 00:00:15.000 --> 00:00:22.940 that regular communion with God is anything less than a paramount discipline in the life of a 00:00:22.940 --> 00:00:28.339 believer. You just can't do it. You can turn anywhere in the Bible you want to. It doesn't 00:00:28.339 --> 00:00:31.879 matter. You can go to any book you want and you're going to read through that book and you cannot 00:00:31.879 --> 00:00:37.679 conclude after reading through that book that prayer doesn't really matter because it's everywhere. 00:00:38.219 --> 00:00:44.920 It's everywhere either by a descriptive example of the way that God is blessing people and the way that 00:00:44.920 --> 00:00:50.060 God's people are responding to him and they are faithful to commune with him in prayer or you're 00:00:50.060 --> 00:00:57.600 seeing explicit commands for it. You'd be hard-pressed to find a section in the Bible that does not include 00:00:57.600 --> 00:01:05.700 in some way a note of prayerfulness. And of course Jesus is the most remarkable example of this, 00:01:06.079 --> 00:01:10.540 especially when it comes to developing a faithful and fruitful prayer life. 00:01:11.960 --> 00:01:19.740 Time and time again as we read through the Gospels, we find Jesus committing himself to seasons of 00:01:19.740 --> 00:01:26.240 prayer. He was consistently instructing his disciples to do the same thing. Even in Mark's Gospel, 00:01:26.239 --> 00:01:32.019 we see it time and time again from the very first chapter. After Jesus's baptism, what does he do? 00:01:32.140 --> 00:01:36.379 For 40 days, he's driven of the Spirit into the desert. What does he do there in the wilderness? 00:01:36.659 --> 00:01:43.939 He prays. He communes with the Father. Just a little bit after that, he has a busy few days. 00:01:44.259 --> 00:01:49.359 What does Jesus do? He gets up way before the rest of the disciples get up. It's the middle of the 00:01:49.359 --> 00:01:54.439 night and he goes to a place where they can't easily find him. And what does he do? He spends hours in 00:01:54.439 --> 00:02:00.920 prayer over and over and over again. We see this as the pattern of Jesus's life. He is faithfully 00:02:00.920 --> 00:02:07.420 communing with the Father in prayer all the way up to his crucifixion when we see this magnificent 00:02:07.420 --> 00:02:13.960 prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. As sweat drops of blood pour down his face and he cries out to the 00:02:13.960 --> 00:02:20.200 Lord or to the Father, let this cup pass from me, not my will, but your will be done. 00:02:21.320 --> 00:02:29.800 This is amazing. His life on earth was consumed with communing with the Father, which brings a very 00:02:29.800 --> 00:02:40.080 simple question. If prayer was such a vital part of Jesus's life, the perfect Son of God, the Messiah 00:02:40.080 --> 00:02:54.860 and Savior, why do we so regularly neglect it? If Jesus so faithfully dedicated time in his relentless 00:02:54.860 --> 00:03:01.540 schedule, and we can easily say, well, things just get so busy and it's just easy to forget about prayer, 00:03:01.780 --> 00:03:07.120 just not to have a lot of time for prayer. We can't read the gospels and not figure out that Jesus was 00:03:07.120 --> 00:03:13.500 busy. I mean, the man couldn't go anywhere. He couldn't go anywhere without being crowded by 00:03:13.500 --> 00:03:17.920 hordes of people that were trying to push up against him. Even his disciples wouldn't leave him 00:03:17.920 --> 00:03:22.620 alone long enough for him to have a dedicated time of prayer. What did he do? He made time. He was 00:03:22.620 --> 00:03:30.420 dedicated to it. He was fervent in it. In his relentless schedule, he made time to commune with the 00:03:30.419 --> 00:03:39.500 Father. Why then are we so quick to make excuses as to why we can't? He's our example. We follow him, 00:03:39.919 --> 00:03:45.879 and it's what he did. And I think a misunderstanding of the nature and purpose of prayer 00:03:45.879 --> 00:03:55.639 is part of what contributes to our neglect of it. There's some people that may be the more cynical of 00:03:55.639 --> 00:04:03.579 us would say, well, I mean, what really is the purpose of prayer if God is sovereign and he has 00:04:03.579 --> 00:04:13.479 it all worked out anyway? Well, I think what these people fail to acknowledge is that prayer 00:04:13.479 --> 00:04:21.180 or the lack of prayer is a means by which God accomplishes his sovereign work. 00:04:21.180 --> 00:04:31.900 God doesn't work in a vacuum. He uses real means, right? He uses real people to do his work. 00:04:32.319 --> 00:04:39.139 He uses real circumstances to accomplish his will and to accomplish his purposes. 00:04:39.840 --> 00:04:45.160 Why would we think that prayer isn't a part of that? Prayer is a means that God has said 00:04:45.160 --> 00:04:50.899 he provides blessings to us. A lack of prayer is a means by which he withholds those blessings 00:04:50.899 --> 00:05:01.120 from us. So we can't blame his sovereignty for our neglect. That doesn't work. Others fail to develop 00:05:01.120 --> 00:05:08.019 a genuine prayer life, I think, because they've really reduced prayer to nothing more than a means 00:05:08.019 --> 00:05:15.219 of asking for and receiving things from God. And of course, that's a part of what prayer is. 00:05:15.220 --> 00:05:33.640 But some of us reckon that the only purpose for prayer is to communicate our personal desires. It's a means of letting God know what we want and hoping in the process of that, that he will oblige himself to grant our requests. 00:05:34.780 --> 00:05:36.580 Listen, prayer is so much more than that. 00:05:36.579 --> 00:05:45.439 It is so much more than asking and receiving. It's a means of communing with your creator. 00:05:46.219 --> 00:05:57.659 It's a means of fellowshipping with your redeemer so that we might experience the joy of knowing God and growing closer to him in personal fellowship. 00:05:57.660 --> 00:06:10.380 That's what prayer really is. It's a form of worship. In prayer, we express our adoration for God's greatness. That's the point of Psalm 145. 00:06:10.580 --> 00:06:18.680 That's why we read a psalm almost every Sunday before we begin our worship. We go to the psalms. Why? Because it focuses our attention on his greatness. 00:06:18.680 --> 00:06:23.860 And then we immediately pray. Why? Because prayer is a means by which we worship. 00:06:24.220 --> 00:06:30.819 Lord, you are great when we consider the work of your hands. What is man that you are mindful of him? You are an amazing God. 00:06:30.980 --> 00:06:36.860 Prayer is a part of our worship. We offer adoration to the Lord. We offer gratitude to the Lord. 00:06:37.980 --> 00:06:40.319 Didn't David talk about that in Psalm 145? 00:06:40.699 --> 00:06:43.480 You open your hand and you feed us when we're hungry. 00:06:43.480 --> 00:06:46.340 And you protect us when we're weary. 00:06:46.780 --> 00:06:49.280 And you lift us up when we're bowed down. 00:06:49.480 --> 00:06:52.800 Lord, you've been so good to me. You've been so good. 00:06:56.180 --> 00:07:08.920 King Hughes wrote that someone once asked George MacDonald why, if God loves us so much and knows everything we need before we ask, must we pray? 00:07:09.819 --> 00:07:12.379 And here's how George MacDonald answered. 00:07:13.480 --> 00:07:19.100 What if he knows prayer to be the thing we need first and most? 00:07:20.819 --> 00:07:31.240 What if the main object in God's idea of prayer be the supplying of our great, our endless need, the need of himself? 00:07:32.280 --> 00:07:40.660 What if the good of all our smaller and lower needs lies in this, that they help drive us to God? 00:07:40.660 --> 00:07:47.560 Communion with God is the one need of the soul beyond all other needs. 00:07:47.920 --> 00:07:51.120 And prayer is the beginning of that communion. 00:07:51.120 --> 00:07:54.899 That's a wonderful picture of what prayer is. 00:07:55.680 --> 00:08:00.699 And sometimes we get in this rut and we think, well, prayer, I don't really have a particular need right now. 00:08:00.759 --> 00:08:03.220 What's really the need in me having a lot of time in prayer? 00:08:03.860 --> 00:08:05.980 Well, prayer is not just about asking for stuff. 00:08:06.160 --> 00:08:08.240 That's just a part of what we do in prayer. 00:08:08.620 --> 00:08:10.439 Prayer is about communing with God. 00:08:10.780 --> 00:08:16.660 Prayer is about us learning that we need him more than we need all the stuff that we're asking him to do. 00:08:16.660 --> 00:08:19.160 And it draws us close to him. 00:08:19.280 --> 00:08:25.180 That's why we see it over and over and over and over again from Genesis to Revelation. 00:08:25.720 --> 00:08:30.820 The presence and the importance of prayer is unmistakable. 00:08:30.819 --> 00:08:37.100 But in addition to those who misunderstand the nature and purpose of prayer, 00:08:37.220 --> 00:08:41.200 there are some people who have come to this particular passage in Mark chapter 11, 00:08:41.379 --> 00:08:43.799 and they have utterly perverted its meaning. 00:08:45.179 --> 00:08:52.080 The Word of Faith movement in particular has developed its entire theology of prayer on this one text. 00:08:52.080 --> 00:08:59.379 And it continues to proclaim this heresy that we call name it and claim it theology. 00:08:59.980 --> 00:09:05.800 This idea that what Jesus was teaching in this passage is that if there's something that you really want, 00:09:05.920 --> 00:09:08.520 you only need to have enough faith to get it. 00:09:08.700 --> 00:09:14.780 And what you really need to do is say, God, I really want this thing, and I'm claiming it for myself. 00:09:14.840 --> 00:09:19.460 And if you just do that with a faithful heart, God has no other choice but to give it to you. 00:09:19.460 --> 00:09:22.860 His one motivation in life is to give you whatever you want. 00:09:23.019 --> 00:09:24.560 That's the problem. 00:09:25.440 --> 00:09:27.500 That's not what Jesus is teaching here. 00:09:28.200 --> 00:09:29.940 That's not what prayer is. 00:09:31.220 --> 00:09:34.460 They ignore the collective teaching of Scripture, 00:09:35.220 --> 00:09:40.480 and they use this text to proclaim that God will just grant your every desire. 00:09:40.480 --> 00:09:45.560 as long as you believe strong enough, and you pray hard enough, 00:09:45.659 --> 00:09:49.720 and you give to their ministries generously enough. 00:09:52.159 --> 00:09:55.720 Name it and claim it theology is fundamentally narcissistic. 00:09:57.480 --> 00:10:00.399 It treats God like a slave to his creation, 00:10:00.960 --> 00:10:04.519 and it's a twisted perversion of the Bible. 00:10:04.519 --> 00:10:09.240 Now, the meaning of this passage is not complicated, 00:10:10.299 --> 00:10:13.139 but as one of my teachers said when I was growing up, 00:10:13.519 --> 00:10:16.899 it might require us to put our thinking caps on here for just a few minutes. 00:10:17.639 --> 00:10:21.360 And I think it will be helpful for us to come to this amazing lesson on prayer. 00:10:21.980 --> 00:10:24.779 And it is an amazing promise that Jesus gives here, 00:10:24.939 --> 00:10:30.819 but we need to understand it rightly for what Jesus meant for it to teach us. 00:10:30.820 --> 00:10:33.400 And I think probably the best way for us to do that is to pray 00:10:33.400 --> 00:10:35.920 and to ask for his help as we jump in, okay? 00:10:36.620 --> 00:10:39.680 Lord, you are good, and we are grateful for this passage and this truth. 00:10:40.620 --> 00:10:44.780 And we ask that you would help anything that might cloud our minds 00:10:44.780 --> 00:10:46.780 from understanding it the right way, 00:10:46.860 --> 00:10:48.260 that you would remove those things, 00:10:49.280 --> 00:10:50.600 and that you would open our hearts, 00:10:51.260 --> 00:10:53.840 and that as we engage with this text today, 00:10:54.300 --> 00:10:58.120 we will be encouraged and astonished once again 00:10:58.120 --> 00:11:02.200 at your amazing love and graciousness in our lives, 00:11:02.460 --> 00:11:05.720 and that you will open our hearts to understand what you meant, 00:11:06.460 --> 00:11:09.560 and that we will then be encouraged and strengthened by it. 00:11:10.080 --> 00:11:12.120 In Jesus' name, amen. 00:11:12.679 --> 00:11:14.659 The first thing I want you to see here in this text 00:11:14.659 --> 00:11:16.980 is the object of faithful prayer. 00:11:17.700 --> 00:11:20.860 The object of faithful prayer. 00:11:21.200 --> 00:11:22.500 Look with me at verse 22. 00:11:22.500 --> 00:11:26.220 And Jesus answered them simply, one sentence, 00:11:26.980 --> 00:11:29.580 Have faith in God. 00:11:30.779 --> 00:11:33.500 Have faith in God. 00:11:34.259 --> 00:11:40.259 Now the sequence in Jesus' lesson is crucial to understanding its meaning. 00:11:41.659 --> 00:11:44.940 Notice that he did not lead with an explanation, 00:11:45.500 --> 00:11:47.340 but an imperative. 00:11:49.120 --> 00:11:52.340 He doesn't provide an explanation of the prayer yet. 00:11:53.299 --> 00:11:56.980 He leads with a command for these disciples to obey. 00:11:57.879 --> 00:11:58.580 The command? 00:11:59.620 --> 00:12:01.480 Have faith in God. 00:12:01.940 --> 00:12:03.399 Trust God. 00:12:04.179 --> 00:12:07.000 And everything in this lesson that he gives moving forward 00:12:07.000 --> 00:12:11.860 has to be filtered and processed through this opening command. 00:12:13.019 --> 00:12:14.639 How did you do that, Jesus? 00:12:15.399 --> 00:12:17.460 Men, trust God. 00:12:18.759 --> 00:12:20.600 And faith is only as good as its object. 00:12:20.600 --> 00:12:25.980 And the only person worthy of our trust 00:12:25.980 --> 00:12:27.800 is our sovereign God. 00:12:27.799 --> 00:12:32.979 And the false teachings of groups like the word of faith movement 00:12:32.979 --> 00:12:36.299 takes the focus off of God. 00:12:36.500 --> 00:12:40.639 It actually removes the faith from being focused on God 00:12:40.639 --> 00:12:42.339 and on God's will. 00:12:42.340 --> 00:12:47.720 And it places the focus on faith in faith itself. 00:12:47.720 --> 00:12:54.399 It turns the focus to where it's not that they're trusting God to provide something. 00:12:54.540 --> 00:13:01.660 They're trusting on their ability to lay claim on something that they believe God wants to give them. 00:13:01.659 --> 00:13:03.139 That's not faith in God. 00:13:03.519 --> 00:13:05.059 That's faith in faith. 00:13:06.339 --> 00:13:08.959 But faith is only as strong as its object. 00:13:09.500 --> 00:13:12.579 And the real prayer of faith, according to Jesus, 00:13:13.039 --> 00:13:17.299 is the one that wholeheartedly trusts in God. 00:13:17.299 --> 00:13:23.699 But it trusts not only in God's power to accomplish magnificent things, 00:13:23.839 --> 00:13:28.659 it trusts in God's will to always answer in the way that is right 00:13:28.659 --> 00:13:31.579 and answer in the way that is best. 00:13:33.179 --> 00:13:37.519 The prayer of faith is trusting God's power to do what is impossible 00:13:37.519 --> 00:13:40.779 and trusting His will to do what is right, 00:13:40.899 --> 00:13:47.279 even when that means His answer is no or not now. 00:13:48.240 --> 00:13:52.539 And some people, they've never been told that a possible answer to their prayer is no. 00:13:53.120 --> 00:13:54.240 And they need to hear that. 00:13:55.179 --> 00:13:58.879 God says no a lot, a lot. 00:13:59.439 --> 00:14:02.240 And having faith in God in the context of prayer 00:14:02.240 --> 00:14:05.039 is not just believing that God can, 00:14:05.039 --> 00:14:09.019 it's trusting that He will do what is right, 00:14:09.019 --> 00:14:13.899 even when we don't understand why He won't do what we are asking. 00:14:16.079 --> 00:14:18.860 Rather than imposing on the will of God, 00:14:19.679 --> 00:14:22.199 the prayer of faith submits to it. 00:14:23.299 --> 00:14:27.579 And this is the filter through which everything we understand in Jesus' lesson here, 00:14:27.779 --> 00:14:32.199 and as we begin to wrap our minds around the biblical teaching about prayer, 00:14:32.339 --> 00:14:34.779 it all has to be filtered through this one imperative. 00:14:35.039 --> 00:14:36.819 Have faith in God. 00:14:37.199 --> 00:14:40.439 Trust Him, His plan, His power, His will. 00:14:41.219 --> 00:14:44.139 And you say, well, I'm not exactly sure how to put that into practice. 00:14:44.199 --> 00:14:45.519 What does that mean that I need to do? 00:14:46.259 --> 00:14:49.939 Well, we start with trusting the promises of His Word. 00:14:51.939 --> 00:14:56.799 You struggle to practically practice faithful prayer. 00:14:56.799 --> 00:15:02.179 Start by opening your Bible and trusting what God has spoken. 00:15:02.819 --> 00:15:05.279 Let me give you just a few easy examples here. 00:15:05.799 --> 00:15:05.959 Okay? 00:15:06.399 --> 00:15:08.019 How about 1 John 1, 9? 00:15:08.019 --> 00:15:11.059 If we confess our sins, 00:15:11.059 --> 00:15:16.159 He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins 00:15:16.159 --> 00:15:18.699 and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 00:15:19.120 --> 00:15:20.759 There's a promise in that, isn't there? 00:15:21.639 --> 00:15:23.659 That if we come to God in faith, 00:15:23.799 --> 00:15:27.759 if we come to Him and confess and repent of our sins, 00:15:27.759 --> 00:15:31.799 God promises then that He will forgive our sin, 00:15:32.259 --> 00:15:36.480 that He will cleanse us from the unrighteousness that has plagued us. 00:15:36.679 --> 00:15:38.279 This is a wonderful promise. 00:15:38.600 --> 00:15:41.639 The prayer of faith goes to 1 John 1, 9, 00:15:41.759 --> 00:15:44.399 and reads that and believes it and trusts God 00:15:44.399 --> 00:15:46.939 despite the fact that you may not really feel forgiven. 00:15:48.519 --> 00:15:50.740 Because some of us really struggle with that, don't we? 00:15:51.519 --> 00:15:55.060 Many people struggle with believing that they are actually forgiven. 00:15:55.639 --> 00:16:01.100 They are crippled by fear and burdened by their past sins. 00:16:01.299 --> 00:16:01.919 And they just think, 00:16:02.019 --> 00:16:02.159 How? 00:16:02.379 --> 00:16:04.980 I just feel so much guilt and I just feel so much weight 00:16:04.980 --> 00:16:08.419 and I'm just so ashamed and embarrassed by what I've done. 00:16:09.159 --> 00:16:13.259 And what you need to do is come to the Word of God and open it. 00:16:13.259 --> 00:16:15.740 And when you read 1 John 1, 9, 00:16:16.259 --> 00:16:17.500 trust God with it. 00:16:17.980 --> 00:16:18.799 Believe Him. 00:16:18.799 --> 00:16:20.819 That when we confess our sin, 00:16:20.959 --> 00:16:23.159 He forgives us of our sin. 00:16:23.500 --> 00:16:24.899 That's the prayer of faith. 00:16:25.439 --> 00:16:26.740 The prayer of faith isn't, 00:16:26.879 --> 00:16:30.240 Lord, I really want one of those new Broncos 00:16:30.240 --> 00:16:32.000 with a soft top 00:16:32.000 --> 00:16:34.279 and the black fenders over the wheels 00:16:34.279 --> 00:16:35.639 and the really big tires. 00:16:35.759 --> 00:16:37.120 And if you would just give it to me, 00:16:37.139 --> 00:16:38.179 it would just be amazing. 00:16:39.159 --> 00:16:40.500 That's not the prayer of faith. 00:16:40.740 --> 00:16:41.679 The prayer of faith is, 00:16:41.679 --> 00:16:44.379 Lord, you said that if I confess and forsake my sin, 00:16:44.419 --> 00:16:45.059 you'll forgive me. 00:16:45.120 --> 00:16:46.919 And I just want you to know I don't feel forgiven, 00:16:47.039 --> 00:16:47.899 but I trust you. 00:16:47.899 --> 00:16:50.120 And I believe you because you're good and gracious 00:16:50.120 --> 00:16:51.299 and this is your promise. 00:16:52.379 --> 00:16:53.360 Let me give you another one. 00:16:53.639 --> 00:16:57.919 How about Isaiah chapter 40 and verse 31. 00:16:58.340 --> 00:16:59.019 You know this one. 00:17:00.779 --> 00:17:02.439 They who wait for the Lord 00:17:02.439 --> 00:17:04.180 shall renew their strength. 00:17:04.900 --> 00:17:07.400 They shall mount up with wings like eagles. 00:17:08.139 --> 00:17:10.160 They shall run and not be weary. 00:17:10.839 --> 00:17:13.299 They shall walk and not faint. 00:17:13.299 --> 00:17:15.419 You know that verse. 00:17:16.379 --> 00:17:17.680 It's beautifully poetic. 00:17:18.339 --> 00:17:21.279 Sometimes that makes it hard for simple minds like mine to understand. 00:17:21.700 --> 00:17:23.240 But it basically means this. 00:17:24.000 --> 00:17:26.259 Those who wait on the Lord are those who trust God. 00:17:27.460 --> 00:17:28.899 And those who trust God, 00:17:29.460 --> 00:17:32.240 he says, you're going to go through some difficult times. 00:17:32.240 --> 00:17:35.900 And you're going to be in some positions where you might faint. 00:17:36.799 --> 00:17:38.259 And where you might fall. 00:17:38.980 --> 00:17:41.039 And it may even get severe in your life. 00:17:41.099 --> 00:17:42.120 But if you trust me, 00:17:42.160 --> 00:17:44.480 I will always give you the strength 00:17:44.480 --> 00:17:47.319 to get through whatever it is I've allowed in your life. 00:17:48.759 --> 00:17:50.200 That's an amazing promise. 00:17:50.640 --> 00:17:51.900 You know what the prayer of faith is? 00:17:52.059 --> 00:17:53.339 The prayer of faith says, 00:17:53.700 --> 00:17:54.640 Lord, I'm struggling. 00:17:55.640 --> 00:17:57.340 And I don't see an end to this. 00:17:57.400 --> 00:17:58.320 And I don't know how this is. 00:17:58.420 --> 00:18:00.820 I don't think I can handle this any longer. 00:18:00.940 --> 00:18:03.420 And then it comes to Isaiah chapter 40 and verse 31. 00:18:03.680 --> 00:18:05.660 And it's reminded again of God's promise 00:18:05.660 --> 00:18:07.080 that if we would just trust him, 00:18:07.280 --> 00:18:08.860 that those who wait for the Lord, 00:18:08.860 --> 00:18:12.280 he will strengthen them to persevere. 00:18:12.440 --> 00:18:17.259 To persevere in the task that he has brought you in. 00:18:18.020 --> 00:18:19.300 That's the prayer of faith. 00:18:19.660 --> 00:18:20.540 Have faith in God. 00:18:21.240 --> 00:18:22.100 Let me give you another one. 00:18:22.820 --> 00:18:23.900 We could do this all day. 00:18:24.540 --> 00:18:25.940 How about Acts 16.31? 00:18:27.000 --> 00:18:27.960 Acts 16.31. 00:18:28.620 --> 00:18:29.700 Remember the Philippian jailer? 00:18:30.100 --> 00:18:31.700 He says, Paul, what do I have to do to be saved? 00:18:31.900 --> 00:18:32.560 What does Paul say? 00:18:32.860 --> 00:18:34.200 Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ 00:18:34.200 --> 00:18:35.420 and you shall be saved. 00:18:36.240 --> 00:18:36.880 Believe on the Lord. 00:18:37.120 --> 00:18:38.080 You know what the prayer of faith is? 00:18:38.080 --> 00:18:39.540 The prayer of faith is conversion. 00:18:41.440 --> 00:18:42.940 The prayer of faith says, 00:18:43.480 --> 00:18:46.280 okay, I'm a sinner. 00:18:47.940 --> 00:18:49.400 And I recognize Jesus. 00:18:49.960 --> 00:18:51.100 How could he not be God? 00:18:51.960 --> 00:18:53.140 And he was perfect. 00:18:53.900 --> 00:18:57.080 And his death was a substitution for me. 00:18:57.960 --> 00:19:00.900 And it was enough to cover my sin 00:19:00.900 --> 00:19:04.320 and to take the wrath of God in my place. 00:19:05.160 --> 00:19:06.860 And he doesn't ask for anything in return. 00:19:06.940 --> 00:19:08.100 He just says, if I come to him 00:19:08.100 --> 00:19:09.740 and believe him and follow him, 00:19:09.820 --> 00:19:10.860 that he will forgive me 00:19:10.860 --> 00:19:12.240 and I'll be saved for all of eternity. 00:19:12.420 --> 00:19:13.460 The prayer of faith says, 00:19:13.820 --> 00:19:14.460 Lord, I believe. 00:19:15.180 --> 00:19:15.840 I believe. 00:19:15.839 --> 00:19:18.759 One more. 00:19:19.879 --> 00:19:20.980 1 Peter 5, 7. 00:19:23.259 --> 00:19:25.339 Cast all your anxieties on him 00:19:25.339 --> 00:19:29.199 because he cares for you. 00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:31.199 He cares for you. 00:19:32.799 --> 00:19:34.419 I don't know if we live 00:19:34.419 --> 00:19:36.379 in the most anxious age in history 00:19:36.379 --> 00:19:39.220 or if people are just more willing 00:19:39.220 --> 00:19:41.179 to talk about it openly right now. 00:19:41.180 --> 00:19:42.960 The truth is, 00:19:43.019 --> 00:19:43.720 Christians struggle 00:19:43.720 --> 00:19:45.400 with all kinds of anxiety. 00:19:45.799 --> 00:19:46.600 Maybe some of you 00:19:46.600 --> 00:19:48.779 are struggling with some severe anxiety today. 00:19:49.840 --> 00:19:50.680 If you're not, 00:19:50.860 --> 00:19:52.660 I'm certain that you know somebody that is. 00:19:55.460 --> 00:19:57.060 I don't deny that there's 00:19:57.060 --> 00:19:59.820 physiological deficiencies 00:19:59.819 --> 00:20:02.679 that can contribute to anxiety 00:20:02.679 --> 00:20:03.279 and depression, 00:20:03.379 --> 00:20:03.799 all those things. 00:20:03.879 --> 00:20:05.599 I'm not denying that at all. 00:20:05.799 --> 00:20:06.980 I know that's not the case. 00:20:08.419 --> 00:20:10.059 But I wonder how many believers 00:20:10.059 --> 00:20:12.559 just aren't trusting God 00:20:12.559 --> 00:20:14.039 when he says, 00:20:14.259 --> 00:20:15.480 he cares for you. 00:20:16.480 --> 00:20:17.819 He cares for you. 00:20:19.899 --> 00:20:20.619 And he says, 00:20:20.700 --> 00:20:22.259 if you will cast your care on me, 00:20:23.259 --> 00:20:25.000 you will find rest 00:20:25.000 --> 00:20:26.039 and you will find peace 00:20:26.039 --> 00:20:29.579 because I care for you. 00:20:29.819 --> 00:20:32.659 Sometimes our fears 00:20:32.659 --> 00:20:33.819 are exacerbated 00:20:33.819 --> 00:20:34.480 by the fact 00:20:34.480 --> 00:20:36.980 that we don't honestly believe 00:20:36.980 --> 00:20:37.899 God is concerned 00:20:37.899 --> 00:20:39.159 about our personal battles. 00:20:41.480 --> 00:20:42.859 The prayer of faith, 00:20:43.039 --> 00:20:45.099 it doesn't issue from a life 00:20:45.099 --> 00:20:46.480 that is free from worry. 00:20:48.159 --> 00:20:50.439 It just submits its worry 00:20:50.439 --> 00:20:52.000 to the loving care 00:20:52.000 --> 00:20:53.679 of its heavenly father. 00:20:55.599 --> 00:20:56.879 Faith doesn't mean 00:20:56.879 --> 00:20:58.000 you're never concerned. 00:20:59.819 --> 00:21:01.659 Faith doesn't mean 00:21:01.659 --> 00:21:03.139 that you don't have 00:21:03.139 --> 00:21:04.259 some sleepless nights. 00:21:06.480 --> 00:21:07.700 Faith doesn't mean 00:21:07.700 --> 00:21:09.059 that you're never afraid. 00:21:11.200 --> 00:21:13.319 Faith is when we submit 00:21:13.319 --> 00:21:14.599 those fears to the Lord 00:21:14.599 --> 00:21:16.559 and we trust him 00:21:16.559 --> 00:21:18.579 and we follow him 00:21:18.579 --> 00:21:20.279 in spite of our fear. 00:21:21.379 --> 00:21:22.200 Have faith in God. 00:21:22.259 --> 00:21:22.460 You say, 00:21:22.559 --> 00:21:23.960 how do I have faith 00:21:23.960 --> 00:21:24.639 in God in prayer? 00:21:24.640 --> 00:21:25.040 Well, 00:21:25.040 --> 00:21:26.800 you start with his word. 00:21:27.160 --> 00:21:28.500 You have to start there. 00:21:29.520 --> 00:21:30.480 And from there, 00:21:30.620 --> 00:21:31.780 it branches out 00:21:31.780 --> 00:21:33.220 into all these other things. 00:21:33.940 --> 00:21:34.820 Get in the word. 00:21:35.860 --> 00:21:37.000 Believe the promises 00:21:37.000 --> 00:21:37.700 that are there. 00:21:38.759 --> 00:21:39.880 Pray like you've never prayed. 00:21:40.780 --> 00:21:41.200 Number two, 00:21:41.800 --> 00:21:43.200 the power in faithful prayer. 00:21:44.000 --> 00:21:44.120 See, 00:21:44.180 --> 00:21:45.380 the object in faithful prayer. 00:21:45.920 --> 00:21:46.980 Let's see now the power. 00:21:47.240 --> 00:21:47.880 Verse 23. 00:21:47.880 --> 00:21:50.800 Truly I say to you, 00:21:51.720 --> 00:21:53.600 whoever says to this mountain, 00:21:53.880 --> 00:21:55.080 be taken up 00:21:55.080 --> 00:21:56.120 and thrown into the sea 00:21:56.120 --> 00:21:57.860 and does not doubt 00:21:57.860 --> 00:21:58.420 in his heart, 00:21:58.840 --> 00:22:00.000 but believes that 00:22:00.000 --> 00:22:00.700 what he says 00:22:00.700 --> 00:22:01.640 will come to pass, 00:22:01.880 --> 00:22:03.120 it will be done 00:22:03.120 --> 00:22:04.120 for him. 00:22:05.580 --> 00:22:06.440 That's amazing, 00:22:06.520 --> 00:22:06.900 isn't it? 00:22:07.860 --> 00:22:08.840 That's amazing. 00:22:09.880 --> 00:22:10.600 You've got to understand 00:22:10.600 --> 00:22:11.260 it the right way. 00:22:12.480 --> 00:22:13.640 This is an amazing promise. 00:22:14.340 --> 00:22:15.400 What's Jesus getting on 00:22:15.400 --> 00:22:15.860 about here? 00:22:17.640 --> 00:22:18.500 He wasn't saying 00:22:18.500 --> 00:22:19.120 that you can 00:22:19.120 --> 00:22:21.000 magically wave your hand 00:22:21.000 --> 00:22:23.019 and witness 00:22:23.019 --> 00:22:24.700 a huge mountain 00:22:24.700 --> 00:22:25.519 in North Carolina 00:22:25.519 --> 00:22:26.060 be thrown 00:22:26.060 --> 00:22:27.160 into the Atlantic Ocean. 00:22:27.740 --> 00:22:28.880 That's not what Jesus is saying. 00:22:30.580 --> 00:22:32.019 This is metaphoric 00:22:32.019 --> 00:22:32.860 hyperbole here, 00:22:33.040 --> 00:22:35.300 which basically means 00:22:35.300 --> 00:22:37.120 God can do 00:22:37.120 --> 00:22:38.120 the impossible. 00:22:39.280 --> 00:22:40.080 God can do 00:22:40.080 --> 00:22:40.640 the impossible. 00:22:41.460 --> 00:22:42.460 The things that seem 00:22:42.460 --> 00:22:43.780 impossible to you 00:22:43.780 --> 00:22:45.220 are not so 00:22:45.220 --> 00:22:46.360 with God. 00:22:46.799 --> 00:22:47.279 Think about 00:22:47.279 --> 00:22:48.160 the context here. 00:22:50.400 --> 00:22:51.400 These disciples 00:22:51.400 --> 00:22:51.980 are amazed 00:22:51.980 --> 00:22:52.559 that Jesus 00:22:52.559 --> 00:22:53.420 cursed a tree 00:22:53.420 --> 00:22:53.900 and it withered. 00:22:55.059 --> 00:22:56.059 That's the extent 00:22:56.059 --> 00:22:56.819 of their astonishment 00:22:56.819 --> 00:22:57.279 right now. 00:22:58.400 --> 00:22:59.299 And Jesus 00:22:59.299 --> 00:22:59.880 essentially 00:22:59.880 --> 00:23:01.360 responds this way. 00:23:02.279 --> 00:23:02.880 Guys, 00:23:03.339 --> 00:23:04.980 you ain't seen 00:23:04.980 --> 00:23:05.799 nothing yet. 00:23:07.059 --> 00:23:07.860 You think 00:23:07.860 --> 00:23:08.860 this is a big deal? 00:23:09.460 --> 00:23:10.200 You think 00:23:10.200 --> 00:23:10.640 the tree 00:23:10.640 --> 00:23:11.440 is a big deal? 00:23:12.440 --> 00:23:13.860 For one who believes 00:23:13.859 --> 00:23:14.939 in his following God 00:23:14.939 --> 00:23:16.119 and is trusting him, 00:23:16.439 --> 00:23:17.619 God will move mountains 00:23:17.619 --> 00:23:19.119 to accomplish his purposes 00:23:19.119 --> 00:23:20.019 in your life. 00:23:20.099 --> 00:23:20.539 This tree 00:23:20.539 --> 00:23:21.979 really is nothing. 00:23:23.979 --> 00:23:25.240 He wasn't signing 00:23:25.240 --> 00:23:26.059 a blank check 00:23:26.059 --> 00:23:26.699 for us here. 00:23:26.919 --> 00:23:28.099 He wasn't guaranteeing 00:23:28.099 --> 00:23:28.719 an affirmative 00:23:28.719 --> 00:23:29.759 answer 00:23:29.759 --> 00:23:31.579 for any possible 00:23:31.579 --> 00:23:32.039 request 00:23:32.039 --> 00:23:32.799 that we imagine. 00:23:33.279 --> 00:23:33.599 Remember, 00:23:33.679 --> 00:23:34.879 we have to filter this 00:23:34.879 --> 00:23:36.199 through the promise 00:23:36.199 --> 00:23:36.659 and through 00:23:36.659 --> 00:23:37.399 the command 00:23:37.399 --> 00:23:38.619 of trusting God's will. 00:23:38.619 --> 00:23:39.659 But what Jesus 00:23:39.659 --> 00:23:40.739 was doing here 00:23:40.739 --> 00:23:42.559 was assuring us 00:23:42.559 --> 00:23:43.299 that God 00:23:43.299 --> 00:23:43.899 has never made 00:23:43.899 --> 00:23:44.339 a promise 00:23:44.339 --> 00:23:45.339 that he cannot keep. 00:23:47.899 --> 00:23:48.739 He's never 00:23:48.739 --> 00:23:49.659 overpromised. 00:23:50.299 --> 00:23:51.459 It's not possible. 00:23:52.459 --> 00:23:53.419 And when he says 00:23:53.419 --> 00:23:54.079 all those things 00:23:54.079 --> 00:23:54.639 in his word, 00:23:54.739 --> 00:23:55.439 even if he has 00:23:55.439 --> 00:23:56.719 to move a mountain 00:23:56.719 --> 00:23:57.799 in front of your eyes 00:23:57.799 --> 00:23:58.699 to accomplish it, 00:23:58.819 --> 00:23:59.959 he can move a mountain 00:23:59.959 --> 00:24:00.859 in front of your eyes 00:24:00.859 --> 00:24:02.139 to accomplish it. 00:24:03.259 --> 00:24:04.539 He was proclaiming 00:24:04.539 --> 00:24:05.259 that when we pray 00:24:05.259 --> 00:24:05.940 in faith, 00:24:06.519 --> 00:24:08.420 we tap into 00:24:08.420 --> 00:24:09.960 the unlimited resources 00:24:09.960 --> 00:24:11.359 and power 00:24:11.359 --> 00:24:12.799 of the Holy God 00:24:12.799 --> 00:24:13.819 and creator 00:24:13.819 --> 00:24:14.619 of the universe. 00:24:15.480 --> 00:24:16.640 That's the source. 00:24:18.579 --> 00:24:19.200 We're going to move on, 00:24:19.299 --> 00:24:19.980 but do you remember 00:24:19.980 --> 00:24:22.279 the man 00:24:22.279 --> 00:24:22.680 that brought 00:24:22.680 --> 00:24:24.220 his demon-possessed boy 00:24:24.220 --> 00:24:26.619 to Jesus' disciples 00:24:26.619 --> 00:24:27.259 while he was up 00:24:27.259 --> 00:24:27.660 on the Mount 00:24:27.660 --> 00:24:28.519 of Transfiguration? 00:24:28.599 --> 00:24:29.279 Was that chapter 9? 00:24:29.940 --> 00:24:30.779 And he brings him 00:24:30.779 --> 00:24:31.319 and the disciples 00:24:31.319 --> 00:24:32.359 can't do anything about it. 00:24:33.279 --> 00:24:34.920 Jesus catches up 00:24:34.920 --> 00:24:35.300 to them 00:24:35.300 --> 00:24:36.080 a little bit later 00:24:36.080 --> 00:24:36.500 in the day 00:24:36.500 --> 00:24:38.360 and sorts through 00:24:38.360 --> 00:24:39.000 what's going on 00:24:39.000 --> 00:24:40.080 and the man says, 00:24:40.480 --> 00:24:41.380 Lord, if you can, 00:24:42.060 --> 00:24:43.019 if you can, 00:24:44.120 --> 00:24:44.620 will you please 00:24:44.620 --> 00:24:45.279 help my son? 00:24:46.240 --> 00:24:46.620 Do you remember 00:24:46.620 --> 00:24:47.460 how Jesus responded 00:24:47.460 --> 00:24:47.920 to the man? 00:24:48.740 --> 00:24:49.000 He said, 00:24:49.039 --> 00:24:49.640 if you can? 00:24:50.980 --> 00:24:51.980 If you can? 00:24:52.840 --> 00:24:53.220 He says, 00:24:53.279 --> 00:24:53.539 no, 00:24:54.220 --> 00:24:54.420 no, 00:24:54.519 --> 00:24:55.539 the question is not 00:24:55.539 --> 00:24:56.300 if I can. 00:24:56.480 --> 00:24:58.039 Of course I can. 00:24:58.220 --> 00:24:59.240 The question is, 00:24:59.400 --> 00:25:00.200 will you believe 00:25:00.200 --> 00:25:00.840 because anything 00:25:00.840 --> 00:25:01.420 is possible 00:25:01.420 --> 00:25:01.920 for the one 00:25:01.920 --> 00:25:02.460 who believes? 00:25:03.380 --> 00:25:04.220 And when Jesus said that, 00:25:04.220 --> 00:25:05.019 he didn't mean that 00:25:05.019 --> 00:25:06.279 whatever you ask for 00:25:06.279 --> 00:25:07.279 is just going to 00:25:07.279 --> 00:25:08.100 automatically be given. 00:25:08.220 --> 00:25:08.440 No, 00:25:08.519 --> 00:25:09.279 that's not what he means. 00:25:09.460 --> 00:25:10.220 He means that God 00:25:10.220 --> 00:25:11.299 can do the impossible, 00:25:11.660 --> 00:25:13.180 the thing that you can't do, 00:25:13.380 --> 00:25:14.259 the thing that no one else 00:25:14.259 --> 00:25:14.700 can do, 00:25:15.019 --> 00:25:15.819 God can do. 00:25:16.100 --> 00:25:17.680 So have faith in God 00:25:17.680 --> 00:25:20.380 and pray in that faith. 00:25:21.200 --> 00:25:21.740 Number three, 00:25:22.759 --> 00:25:24.360 the practice of faithful prayer. 00:25:25.039 --> 00:25:26.559 The practice of faithful prayer. 00:25:26.720 --> 00:25:27.500 Look at verse 24. 00:25:27.500 --> 00:25:28.119 Therefore, 00:25:28.119 --> 00:25:29.880 therefore I tell you, 00:25:30.079 --> 00:25:31.700 whatever you ask in prayer, 00:25:32.259 --> 00:25:33.960 believe that you have received it 00:25:33.960 --> 00:25:36.599 and it will be yours. 00:25:37.599 --> 00:25:38.559 So let's summarize 00:25:38.559 --> 00:25:39.460 the sequence again. 00:25:40.339 --> 00:25:40.839 First, 00:25:40.920 --> 00:25:41.579 Jesus says, 00:25:42.039 --> 00:25:43.000 trust in God. 00:25:43.880 --> 00:25:45.000 That's the filter. 00:25:45.839 --> 00:25:46.940 And we begin 00:25:46.940 --> 00:25:48.400 by trusting God's power 00:25:48.400 --> 00:25:49.319 and his plan. 00:25:49.519 --> 00:25:49.799 Okay? 00:25:50.079 --> 00:25:51.000 Have faith in God. 00:25:51.079 --> 00:25:52.140 And then in this teaching, 00:25:52.240 --> 00:25:53.240 the sequence moves on 00:25:53.240 --> 00:25:54.259 to step number two, 00:25:54.259 --> 00:25:56.180 which Jesus assures us 00:25:56.180 --> 00:25:57.900 that God can do the impossible. 00:25:58.400 --> 00:25:59.900 He's not limited by anyone. 00:26:00.059 --> 00:26:01.500 He's not limited by anything. 00:26:01.640 --> 00:26:02.579 So he's telling the disciples, 00:26:02.900 --> 00:26:03.500 trust God. 00:26:03.700 --> 00:26:05.099 He can do what you cannot do. 00:26:05.279 --> 00:26:06.920 And then there's this magical word 00:26:06.920 --> 00:26:08.339 at the beginning of verse 24. 00:26:09.259 --> 00:26:09.740 You see it? 00:26:10.619 --> 00:26:11.019 Therefore. 00:26:12.099 --> 00:26:12.779 What is it? 00:26:13.059 --> 00:26:13.879 What is that all about? 00:26:14.379 --> 00:26:14.640 Well, 00:26:14.759 --> 00:26:16.420 I had a professor one time 00:26:16.420 --> 00:26:16.759 that said, 00:26:16.819 --> 00:26:17.980 whenever you come to a therefore, 00:26:17.980 --> 00:26:18.740 you look to see 00:26:18.740 --> 00:26:19.599 what it's there for. 00:26:20.460 --> 00:26:21.379 And what it's there for 00:26:21.379 --> 00:26:22.980 is a practical response 00:26:22.980 --> 00:26:24.980 to these first two points. 00:26:25.620 --> 00:26:26.200 Jesus says, 00:26:26.279 --> 00:26:26.799 trust God. 00:26:26.980 --> 00:26:29.220 He can do the impossible. 00:26:29.860 --> 00:26:30.220 And now, 00:26:30.360 --> 00:26:30.960 now boys, 00:26:31.079 --> 00:26:32.519 it's time to put it into practice. 00:26:33.220 --> 00:26:33.599 And he says, 00:26:33.640 --> 00:26:34.720 it's actually time to pray. 00:26:35.700 --> 00:26:37.440 And it's actually time to ask. 00:26:38.059 --> 00:26:39.920 And it's actually time to believe 00:26:39.920 --> 00:26:42.920 these things that God has promised. 00:26:43.799 --> 00:26:45.539 Because we trust God 00:26:45.539 --> 00:26:46.740 and recognize his power, 00:26:46.940 --> 00:26:49.299 we can pray without reservation. 00:26:49.299 --> 00:26:53.059 And we don't presume upon his will, 00:26:53.299 --> 00:26:55.000 but we don't limit it either. 00:26:57.220 --> 00:26:59.839 We can genuinely bring our request to him, 00:27:00.819 --> 00:27:02.319 seeking his perfect plan, 00:27:03.259 --> 00:27:05.319 believing that he will answer. 00:27:05.879 --> 00:27:07.440 And there's just two practical dynamics 00:27:07.440 --> 00:27:08.639 to this that I want you to see. 00:27:09.119 --> 00:27:10.139 First thing is this. 00:27:10.140 --> 00:27:13.400 the prayer of faith, 00:27:14.180 --> 00:27:14.620 ask. 00:27:15.700 --> 00:27:16.620 It asks. 00:27:18.380 --> 00:27:19.600 You have to ask. 00:27:21.180 --> 00:27:22.860 You have to actually pray. 00:27:24.460 --> 00:27:24.880 Remember, 00:27:25.740 --> 00:27:27.100 God doesn't work in a vacuum. 00:27:29.820 --> 00:27:31.400 You have to actually ask him. 00:27:32.520 --> 00:27:34.020 And he told us that plainly. 00:27:34.019 --> 00:27:36.859 Do you realize this morning 00:27:36.859 --> 00:27:39.539 that God wants you? 00:27:40.740 --> 00:27:41.920 This is his desire. 00:27:42.500 --> 00:27:45.059 He wants you to bring your request to him. 00:27:46.059 --> 00:27:47.240 He wants you to do that. 00:27:48.139 --> 00:27:49.039 No matter what they are, 00:27:49.059 --> 00:27:50.019 he wants you to bring it to him. 00:27:50.900 --> 00:27:53.019 This is not like when on Sundays, 00:27:54.000 --> 00:27:55.039 Sunday nights in particular, 00:27:55.400 --> 00:27:56.559 after our Sunday evening service 00:27:56.559 --> 00:27:57.299 when I was growing up, 00:27:57.339 --> 00:27:58.500 especially when I was at a teenager 00:27:58.500 --> 00:27:59.500 and I could drive 00:27:59.500 --> 00:28:00.920 or at least one of my friends could drive. 00:28:00.920 --> 00:28:03.660 I knew that my dad would always stand 00:28:03.660 --> 00:28:04.920 at the back door of the church 00:28:04.920 --> 00:28:06.580 and there would be a line of people 00:28:06.580 --> 00:28:07.519 walking out to greet him, 00:28:07.600 --> 00:28:08.100 shake his hand, 00:28:08.539 --> 00:28:09.320 complain, 00:28:09.560 --> 00:28:10.400 whatever was happening. 00:28:10.800 --> 00:28:12.840 And that's what those lines were for. 00:28:13.100 --> 00:28:15.580 And I knew that if I caught dad and mom 00:28:15.580 --> 00:28:16.740 at just the right place 00:28:16.740 --> 00:28:17.360 because they're in a hurry 00:28:17.360 --> 00:28:18.300 because they don't want to talk to me, 00:28:18.340 --> 00:28:19.160 they want to talk to these other people. 00:28:19.420 --> 00:28:20.380 And if I were to just say, 00:28:20.640 --> 00:28:21.680 dad, can I have 10 bucks 00:28:21.680 --> 00:28:22.740 to go out with my buddies 00:28:22.740 --> 00:28:25.420 to Hardee's or McDonald's, 00:28:25.480 --> 00:28:26.620 wherever we were eating. 00:28:27.740 --> 00:28:29.720 And it was almost always accompanied 00:28:29.720 --> 00:28:30.539 with an eye roll 00:28:30.539 --> 00:28:32.359 but because he's in a hurry, 00:28:33.740 --> 00:28:34.940 he reaches in his pocket 00:28:34.940 --> 00:28:35.779 and he gives me five bucks 00:28:35.779 --> 00:28:36.359 or whatever it is 00:28:36.359 --> 00:28:36.799 or he just says, 00:28:36.879 --> 00:28:37.399 no, leave me alone, 00:28:37.500 --> 00:28:38.180 whatever it was. 00:28:38.379 --> 00:28:39.500 But I could come to my dad, 00:28:39.539 --> 00:28:40.119 I could ask him 00:28:40.119 --> 00:28:41.420 and I might have this eye roll 00:28:41.420 --> 00:28:44.079 and he hated when I did it that way 00:28:44.079 --> 00:28:45.539 but I would continue to do it 00:28:45.539 --> 00:28:46.799 and sometimes it worked 00:28:46.799 --> 00:28:48.180 and sometimes just to get me out of the way, 00:28:48.319 --> 00:28:49.379 he'd give me five bucks, right? 00:28:50.000 --> 00:28:51.759 That's not how God sees us when we pray. 00:28:53.639 --> 00:28:56.240 We never get on our knees before God 00:28:56.240 --> 00:28:58.879 and experience the divine eye roll. 00:28:58.880 --> 00:29:02.300 Oh, here's Marty again. 00:29:04.660 --> 00:29:06.140 What's Faye done to him now? 00:29:08.340 --> 00:29:09.760 Whatever it is, you know. 00:29:10.180 --> 00:29:11.620 God doesn't look at us like that. 00:29:12.920 --> 00:29:15.040 He wants you to ask him. 00:29:15.860 --> 00:29:19.260 He invites you to speak to him 00:29:19.260 --> 00:29:23.460 and he desires that you ask him 00:29:23.460 --> 00:29:25.880 to meet your needs and supply your wants. 00:29:25.880 --> 00:29:27.880 He's not annoyed by your prayer. 00:29:28.980 --> 00:29:32.500 He longs for that communion with you. 00:29:33.700 --> 00:29:35.580 One of the most prominent titles 00:29:35.580 --> 00:29:37.780 in the Bible for God is Father. 00:29:39.280 --> 00:29:42.260 He is our loving heavenly Father 00:29:42.260 --> 00:29:45.060 and he wants us to rely on him 00:29:45.060 --> 00:29:47.340 and seek his blessing in our lives. 00:29:47.339 --> 00:29:49.759 Jesus taught this wonderfully 00:29:49.759 --> 00:29:50.799 in the Sermon on the Mount. 00:29:51.559 --> 00:29:52.619 Matthew chapter seven. 00:29:53.199 --> 00:29:53.659 Jesus says, 00:29:54.179 --> 00:29:56.399 ask and it will be given to you. 00:29:57.139 --> 00:29:59.059 Seek and you will find. 00:29:59.740 --> 00:30:02.559 Knock and it will be opened to you. 00:30:02.639 --> 00:30:04.879 But the door doesn't open when you don't knock. 00:30:06.480 --> 00:30:08.740 Nobody just walks down the street of your house 00:30:08.740 --> 00:30:10.559 and you just magically open the door. 00:30:10.559 --> 00:30:13.139 If they knock on the door, 00:30:13.699 --> 00:30:14.559 you open the door. 00:30:14.559 --> 00:30:17.639 He goes on. 00:30:17.940 --> 00:30:19.319 For everyone who asks receives 00:30:19.319 --> 00:30:21.659 and the one who seeks finds 00:30:21.659 --> 00:30:23.700 and the one who knocks it will be opened. 00:30:24.079 --> 00:30:25.799 Or which one of you, Jesus says, 00:30:25.919 --> 00:30:28.639 if his son ask him for bread, 00:30:28.899 --> 00:30:30.179 we'll give him a stone. 00:30:31.379 --> 00:30:32.099 Don't answer that. 00:30:32.919 --> 00:30:33.879 Some of you might would do that. 00:30:34.759 --> 00:30:36.579 Or if he asks for a fish, 00:30:36.839 --> 00:30:38.240 we'll give him a serpent. 00:30:39.559 --> 00:30:42.359 If you then, who are evil, 00:30:42.359 --> 00:30:44.959 know how to give good gifts to your children, 00:30:44.959 --> 00:30:48.419 how much more will your father who is in heaven 00:30:48.419 --> 00:30:52.719 give good things to those who ask him? 00:30:53.639 --> 00:30:55.059 That's amazing. 00:30:55.959 --> 00:30:58.199 Not only has he created you, 00:30:58.319 --> 00:30:59.139 but he says, 00:30:59.359 --> 00:31:01.139 I am your father. 00:31:01.399 --> 00:31:03.479 And if you will come and ask, 00:31:03.719 --> 00:31:05.359 I want to provide. 00:31:05.959 --> 00:31:08.419 I want to pour out blessings on your life. 00:31:08.420 --> 00:31:11.120 I want to do my work 00:31:11.120 --> 00:31:13.580 and accomplish my purposes in you. 00:31:13.660 --> 00:31:15.460 And I think many people refuse to pray 00:31:15.460 --> 00:31:17.860 because they believe God is naturally unwilling. 00:31:18.640 --> 00:31:20.860 They don't view him as a loving father. 00:31:21.080 --> 00:31:23.060 They view him as a stingy ruler. 00:31:23.460 --> 00:31:25.539 But that's not at all what the Bible tells us 00:31:25.539 --> 00:31:26.480 is true of him. 00:31:27.500 --> 00:31:28.880 He won't always say yes to you 00:31:28.880 --> 00:31:30.900 because let's face it, 00:31:31.160 --> 00:31:32.560 if we always got a yes, 00:31:32.759 --> 00:31:33.779 we'd be in rough shape. 00:31:33.779 --> 00:31:36.079 God doesn't always say yes to us, 00:31:36.079 --> 00:31:39.339 but you will miss out on an abundance 00:31:39.339 --> 00:31:41.220 of divine blessings 00:31:41.220 --> 00:31:43.879 if you don't have faith enough to ask. 00:31:45.399 --> 00:31:46.680 The prayer of faith, ask. 00:31:46.879 --> 00:31:48.619 The prayer of faith, surrenders. 00:31:49.599 --> 00:31:50.160 Surrenders. 00:31:51.240 --> 00:31:55.019 So God indeed wants us to bring our request to him 00:31:55.019 --> 00:31:58.180 and it's true that he desires to bless us, 00:31:58.180 --> 00:32:01.680 but we have to remember that our request 00:32:01.680 --> 00:32:04.480 must be surrendered to his sovereign will. 00:32:05.720 --> 00:32:06.980 Again, the prayer of faith, 00:32:07.080 --> 00:32:08.860 it doesn't only trust God's power, 00:32:09.039 --> 00:32:10.220 it trusts his plan. 00:32:11.180 --> 00:32:12.400 And this is where the word of faith 00:32:12.400 --> 00:32:13.480 moving at others like it, 00:32:13.539 --> 00:32:14.279 they go wrong 00:32:14.279 --> 00:32:16.400 because they ignore the rest 00:32:16.400 --> 00:32:18.000 of what the Bible teaches about this. 00:32:18.860 --> 00:32:20.039 So we're going to look at it together. 00:32:20.580 --> 00:32:22.360 How about this one from 1 John 5? 00:32:22.840 --> 00:32:25.360 This is the confidence that we have toward him 00:32:25.359 --> 00:32:30.899 that if we ask anything according to his will, 00:32:31.339 --> 00:32:32.659 he hears us. 00:32:33.839 --> 00:32:36.539 And if we know that he hears us 00:32:36.539 --> 00:32:37.459 in whatever we ask, 00:32:38.039 --> 00:32:39.639 we know that we have the request 00:32:39.639 --> 00:32:41.279 that we have asked of him. 00:32:43.159 --> 00:32:44.139 John's clear there. 00:32:45.079 --> 00:32:46.639 Yes, God will grant your request 00:32:46.639 --> 00:32:48.979 according to his will. 00:32:49.359 --> 00:32:50.919 And the prayer of faith 00:32:50.919 --> 00:32:54.039 doesn't impose our will unto him. 00:32:54.039 --> 00:32:56.180 It surrenders to his will 00:32:56.180 --> 00:32:58.319 even when we don't get what we hoped. 00:32:59.420 --> 00:33:00.119 How about this one? 00:33:00.819 --> 00:33:01.519 John 14. 00:33:01.659 --> 00:33:02.879 This is from Jesus himself. 00:33:04.180 --> 00:33:06.859 Whatever you ask in my name, 00:33:07.259 --> 00:33:09.039 this I will do, 00:33:09.500 --> 00:33:12.159 that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 00:33:12.559 --> 00:33:15.399 If you ask me anything in my name, 00:33:15.720 --> 00:33:17.940 I will do it. 00:33:17.940 --> 00:33:20.100 Now we've taken that 00:33:20.100 --> 00:33:21.480 in kind of a ritualistic way 00:33:21.480 --> 00:33:25.259 where we kind of tack on 00:33:25.259 --> 00:33:26.180 at the end of a prayer, 00:33:26.320 --> 00:33:27.799 we tack on in Jesus' name. 00:33:27.860 --> 00:33:28.500 There's nothing wrong with that. 00:33:28.559 --> 00:33:29.000 I do it. 00:33:29.440 --> 00:33:31.000 Every prayer, I do it. 00:33:31.559 --> 00:33:33.000 But it's not because Jesus said 00:33:33.000 --> 00:33:34.140 we have to say the words 00:33:34.140 --> 00:33:35.279 in Jesus' name 00:33:35.279 --> 00:33:35.940 every time we pray. 00:33:36.019 --> 00:33:36.380 You don't. 00:33:37.059 --> 00:33:38.000 You don't have to do that. 00:33:39.100 --> 00:33:40.640 To pray in Jesus' name 00:33:40.640 --> 00:33:42.519 is praying according to his character 00:33:42.519 --> 00:33:45.119 and surrendering to his will. 00:33:45.720 --> 00:33:48.019 It's the idea of lordship. 00:33:49.000 --> 00:33:51.079 It's that when I bring my prayer to the Lord, 00:33:51.279 --> 00:33:53.859 I'm acknowledging that he is actually the Lord, 00:33:53.960 --> 00:33:55.519 not me in this equation. 00:33:56.859 --> 00:33:57.900 And I'm gonna surrender 00:33:57.900 --> 00:33:59.019 to whatever it is he wants. 00:33:59.220 --> 00:34:00.839 And the things that I bring to him, 00:34:00.980 --> 00:34:03.039 when I'm bringing them in Jesus' name, 00:34:03.099 --> 00:34:04.359 I'm bringing them in accordance 00:34:04.359 --> 00:34:06.339 with his character and with his word, 00:34:06.440 --> 00:34:08.380 which means I'm never gonna ask God 00:34:08.380 --> 00:34:10.240 to provide something 00:34:10.240 --> 00:34:11.640 that he's already told me in his word, 00:34:11.820 --> 00:34:12.660 he's not gonna provide. 00:34:14.340 --> 00:34:15.140 I've heard people say 00:34:15.140 --> 00:34:16.760 that they've divorced their spouse 00:34:16.760 --> 00:34:17.900 and they've married another 00:34:17.900 --> 00:34:19.260 and their excuse for it, 00:34:19.320 --> 00:34:20.519 they say, I love God 00:34:20.519 --> 00:34:21.320 and I love Jesus. 00:34:21.440 --> 00:34:23.119 This is God's will for my life. 00:34:23.180 --> 00:34:24.900 He just wants me to be in love 00:34:24.900 --> 00:34:25.980 with this other person. 00:34:26.559 --> 00:34:27.660 And their marriage falls apart. 00:34:27.760 --> 00:34:30.079 And listen, the Bible says that's a lie. 00:34:31.039 --> 00:34:32.800 So there's no point in going to God 00:34:32.800 --> 00:34:33.380 and asking him 00:34:33.380 --> 00:34:34.840 if he can just give you this other man. 00:34:35.599 --> 00:34:36.440 That's not asking, 00:34:36.559 --> 00:34:38.340 even if you say the words in Jesus' name, 00:34:38.480 --> 00:34:39.059 it doesn't matter. 00:34:39.200 --> 00:34:40.820 That's not what praying in Jesus' name is. 00:34:41.019 --> 00:34:42.340 It's praying according to his will, 00:34:42.840 --> 00:34:44.599 praying according to his character. 00:34:44.880 --> 00:34:45.480 How about this one? 00:34:45.700 --> 00:34:46.440 Matthew 6. 00:34:46.820 --> 00:34:48.539 Pray then like this. 00:34:48.960 --> 00:34:50.220 Jesus, this is the Lord's prayer. 00:34:50.579 --> 00:34:51.500 Our Father in heaven, 00:34:51.940 --> 00:34:53.400 hallowed be your name. 00:34:53.720 --> 00:34:54.700 Your kingdom come. 00:34:54.940 --> 00:34:55.760 What's the next phrase? 00:34:56.800 --> 00:34:58.700 Your will be done. 00:34:59.059 --> 00:35:00.140 Your will be done 00:35:00.140 --> 00:35:01.760 on earth as it is in heaven. 00:35:02.980 --> 00:35:04.840 That's before he gets to the, 00:35:05.579 --> 00:35:06.920 give us this day our daily bread 00:35:06.920 --> 00:35:08.800 and forgive us our sins 00:35:08.800 --> 00:35:10.780 as we've forgiven the sins of others. 00:35:11.700 --> 00:35:12.780 Your will be done. 00:35:13.380 --> 00:35:15.119 Isn't that what Jesus himself prayed? 00:35:15.740 --> 00:35:16.900 Has he knelt in the garden? 00:35:17.659 --> 00:35:18.700 Not my will, Lord. 00:35:18.780 --> 00:35:21.159 Your will be done. 00:35:21.420 --> 00:35:23.019 The prayer of faith surrenders. 00:35:23.019 --> 00:35:25.039 So prayer is not about convincing God 00:35:25.039 --> 00:35:26.780 to align his will to ours. 00:35:27.420 --> 00:35:30.500 It's about surrendering our will to his. 00:35:31.079 --> 00:35:33.599 I'll give you this quote from East Stanley Jones. 00:35:34.239 --> 00:35:35.380 This is fantastic. 00:35:35.719 --> 00:35:35.980 He said, 00:35:35.980 --> 00:35:37.119 prayer is surrender. 00:35:37.940 --> 00:35:39.320 Surrender to the will of God 00:35:39.320 --> 00:35:41.740 in cooperation with that will. 00:35:42.539 --> 00:35:45.440 If I throw out a boat hook from the boat 00:35:45.440 --> 00:35:47.740 to catch hold of the shore and pull, 00:35:48.280 --> 00:35:50.139 do I pull the shore to me 00:35:50.139 --> 00:35:53.019 or do I pull myself to the shore? 00:35:54.360 --> 00:35:56.400 Prayer is not pulling God to my will, 00:35:56.400 --> 00:35:58.719 but the aligning of my will 00:35:58.719 --> 00:36:01.280 to the will of God. 00:36:02.119 --> 00:36:03.440 Prayer of faith surrenders. 00:36:03.440 --> 00:36:05.260 Number four and we're done. 00:36:05.780 --> 00:36:07.059 The hindrance to faithful prayer. 00:36:07.820 --> 00:36:09.079 The hindrance to faithful prayer. 00:36:09.179 --> 00:36:10.019 Look at verse 25. 00:36:10.760 --> 00:36:11.880 Whenever you stand praying, 00:36:12.079 --> 00:36:14.280 forgive if you have anything against anyone 00:36:14.280 --> 00:36:17.039 so that your Father also who is in heaven 00:36:17.039 --> 00:36:19.220 may forgive you your trespasses. 00:36:21.099 --> 00:36:22.260 This is kind of tough, isn't it? 00:36:23.480 --> 00:36:26.599 The final element of this lesson is 00:36:26.599 --> 00:36:31.220 that God will keep from blessing us 00:36:31.219 --> 00:36:33.679 if there are certain things 00:36:33.679 --> 00:36:34.739 that are true in our life. 00:36:37.679 --> 00:36:38.839 Regardless of our faith, 00:36:39.379 --> 00:36:42.019 there is a hindrance to prayer. 00:36:44.219 --> 00:36:45.399 In this context, 00:36:45.500 --> 00:36:47.719 Jesus says that it's an unforgiving spirit 00:36:47.719 --> 00:36:49.679 and that when we have 00:36:49.679 --> 00:36:51.579 an unforgiving bitterness in our hearts, 00:36:51.579 --> 00:36:55.179 we forfeit the forgiveness of God. 00:36:55.179 --> 00:36:58.960 Jesus isn't talking about eternal salvation here. 00:36:59.579 --> 00:37:02.440 He's not talking about God withholding salvation 00:37:02.440 --> 00:37:04.980 or taking our salvation away from us. 00:37:05.079 --> 00:37:06.139 That's not the context. 00:37:06.219 --> 00:37:07.219 The context is prayer. 00:37:08.960 --> 00:37:10.980 Bringing our request to the Lord 00:37:10.980 --> 00:37:14.899 assumes that we seek his daily forgiveness 00:37:14.899 --> 00:37:17.239 and gracious provision, right? 00:37:18.799 --> 00:37:20.940 If we weren't seeking God's gracious 00:37:20.940 --> 00:37:22.440 and merciful provision in our life, 00:37:22.480 --> 00:37:23.059 we wouldn't pray. 00:37:23.059 --> 00:37:25.420 Okay, it assumes that we're coming to God. 00:37:25.480 --> 00:37:26.259 And in this context, 00:37:26.340 --> 00:37:28.619 we're coming to God to receive from him 00:37:28.619 --> 00:37:31.779 something that we refuse to provide to someone else. 00:37:32.980 --> 00:37:34.159 And Jesus says, 00:37:34.360 --> 00:37:35.960 don't expect, 00:37:36.340 --> 00:37:38.400 don't expect to get the blessings 00:37:38.400 --> 00:37:40.519 from God that you desire 00:37:40.519 --> 00:37:43.119 when you are living in unrepentant sin, 00:37:43.500 --> 00:37:46.019 when you have bitterness in your heart. 00:37:47.380 --> 00:37:49.840 It's similar to the parable 00:37:49.840 --> 00:37:51.119 of the unforgiving servant. 00:37:51.119 --> 00:37:51.940 Do you remember that one? 00:37:52.779 --> 00:37:53.900 It's in Matthew 18. 00:37:54.059 --> 00:37:55.519 I think Luke shares it too, 00:37:55.619 --> 00:37:58.019 but there was this servant, 00:37:58.259 --> 00:37:58.900 Jesus said, 00:37:58.960 --> 00:38:00.259 who despite being forgiven 00:38:00.259 --> 00:38:02.019 of a tremendous debt himself, 00:38:02.319 --> 00:38:05.119 refused to forgive a much lesser debt 00:38:05.119 --> 00:38:06.639 to someone else. 00:38:07.500 --> 00:38:10.000 And that servant ended up being judged 00:38:10.000 --> 00:38:11.480 for his unfaithfulness 00:38:11.480 --> 00:38:13.659 and he lost the blessing 00:38:13.659 --> 00:38:17.199 that he would have otherwise enjoyed 00:38:17.199 --> 00:38:20.439 and would have been joyfully provided to him 00:38:20.439 --> 00:38:21.719 by his master. 00:38:22.119 --> 00:38:23.199 And the point is this, 00:38:23.319 --> 00:38:25.139 when we seek forgiveness 00:38:25.139 --> 00:38:27.639 or when others seek forgiveness from us, 00:38:28.119 --> 00:38:31.279 God desires that we show his mercy to them. 00:38:32.039 --> 00:38:33.319 And when we're doing that, 00:38:33.559 --> 00:38:36.119 we open the doorway for God's blessings 00:38:36.119 --> 00:38:37.279 when we come to him in prayer. 00:38:37.280 --> 00:38:41.100 And I believe that Jesus is using this 00:38:41.100 --> 00:38:42.040 as an illustration, 00:38:42.420 --> 00:38:43.820 really, but as an example 00:38:43.820 --> 00:38:46.100 of a much greater, broader truth. 00:38:47.100 --> 00:38:49.600 The hindrance to the prayer of faith 00:38:49.600 --> 00:38:52.080 is unrepentant, unconfessed sin. 00:38:52.880 --> 00:38:53.820 And in your life, 00:38:54.100 --> 00:38:56.160 whether that's an unforgiving spirit 00:38:56.160 --> 00:38:56.900 or a bitterness, 00:38:57.200 --> 00:38:58.460 or whether it's something else 00:38:58.460 --> 00:38:59.820 that's disobedient to the Lord, 00:39:00.180 --> 00:39:02.000 we cannot expect God's blessings 00:39:02.000 --> 00:39:04.519 when we do not pursue holiness. 00:39:05.140 --> 00:39:05.980 It just doesn't work. 00:39:05.980 --> 00:39:10.280 James 4, chapter 4, verse 3. 00:39:10.599 --> 00:39:11.719 You ask and do not receive 00:39:11.719 --> 00:39:13.599 because you ask wrongly 00:39:13.599 --> 00:39:16.320 to spend it on your own passion. 00:39:17.360 --> 00:39:19.099 You're just consumed with self. 00:39:20.360 --> 00:39:21.159 That's sin. 00:39:21.960 --> 00:39:23.000 God doesn't hear that prayer. 00:39:23.559 --> 00:39:25.240 He doesn't grant that request. 00:39:25.619 --> 00:39:26.679 Psalm 66, 18. 00:39:26.980 --> 00:39:28.940 If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, 00:39:29.300 --> 00:39:31.000 the Lord would not have listened. 00:39:33.480 --> 00:39:34.079 All right. 00:39:34.500 --> 00:39:35.559 Let's finish this way. 00:39:35.980 --> 00:39:40.260 Prayer is, of course, 00:39:40.320 --> 00:39:41.440 one of the most important 00:39:41.440 --> 00:39:42.460 spiritual disciplines. 00:39:43.900 --> 00:39:45.000 It's also many times 00:39:45.000 --> 00:39:45.920 one of the most neglected. 00:39:47.099 --> 00:39:48.760 I want to give you a handful 00:39:48.760 --> 00:39:49.900 of practical tips 00:39:49.900 --> 00:39:51.860 that will help all of us, 00:39:51.900 --> 00:39:52.519 I think, okay? 00:39:53.159 --> 00:39:54.559 Just a few things to keep in mind. 00:39:55.559 --> 00:39:57.139 How to have a faithful prayer life. 00:39:57.139 --> 00:39:58.440 Number one, 00:39:59.659 --> 00:40:00.619 designate a time. 00:40:02.619 --> 00:40:03.319 Designate a time. 00:40:05.319 --> 00:40:07.019 Find whatever time works for you, 00:40:07.159 --> 00:40:11.099 but remember that nobody prays by accident. 00:40:12.480 --> 00:40:14.199 You always pray on purpose. 00:40:14.199 --> 00:40:16.719 And to obey this command 00:40:16.719 --> 00:40:19.359 and to enjoy the sweet fellowship 00:40:19.359 --> 00:40:21.279 of communion with God, 00:40:21.480 --> 00:40:22.879 we have to be intentional. 00:40:24.139 --> 00:40:25.500 Now, how you work it into your day 00:40:25.500 --> 00:40:27.179 is up to you, 00:40:27.199 --> 00:40:28.619 and only you know the best way to do that. 00:40:28.980 --> 00:40:29.739 I would encourage you, 00:40:29.799 --> 00:40:30.759 if it's possible, 00:40:31.539 --> 00:40:33.179 give your mornings to God. 00:40:34.179 --> 00:40:35.419 Go to bed at night 00:40:35.419 --> 00:40:37.339 knowing that the first thing I'm doing 00:40:37.339 --> 00:40:38.099 when I get up 00:40:38.099 --> 00:40:40.199 is I'm communing with God. 00:40:40.519 --> 00:40:41.719 I'm spending time with Him. 00:40:42.759 --> 00:40:43.319 Schedule it. 00:40:43.739 --> 00:40:44.860 Write it down in your planner. 00:40:45.199 --> 00:40:46.500 What gets scheduled gets done. 00:40:47.019 --> 00:40:47.819 Designate a time 00:40:47.819 --> 00:40:49.539 and go to that time in prayer. 00:40:49.799 --> 00:40:50.199 Number two, 00:40:50.699 --> 00:40:51.639 keep a prayer list. 00:40:52.759 --> 00:40:53.639 Keep a prayer list. 00:40:54.980 --> 00:40:56.179 And I know how this works sometimes 00:40:56.179 --> 00:40:57.559 because it's happened to me 00:40:57.559 --> 00:40:58.460 so many times before 00:40:58.460 --> 00:40:59.619 where I get frustrated 00:40:59.619 --> 00:41:00.679 because I want to pray 00:41:00.679 --> 00:41:01.779 and I start 00:41:01.779 --> 00:41:03.139 and I get four or five minutes 00:41:03.139 --> 00:41:03.860 into the prayer 00:41:03.860 --> 00:41:04.920 and I just kind of run out 00:41:04.920 --> 00:41:05.539 of things to say. 00:41:06.139 --> 00:41:06.759 You know what I mean? 00:41:06.940 --> 00:41:07.440 You've been there. 00:41:07.440 --> 00:41:08.619 You run out of things to say 00:41:08.619 --> 00:41:09.280 and you're not really sure 00:41:09.280 --> 00:41:10.059 and then you feel like, 00:41:10.139 --> 00:41:11.760 I don't know about this prayer thing. 00:41:11.840 --> 00:41:12.559 I can't really do it 00:41:12.559 --> 00:41:14.519 like other people can do it. 00:41:15.139 --> 00:41:15.599 And I'm telling you, 00:41:15.619 --> 00:41:16.500 the simple solution 00:41:16.500 --> 00:41:18.000 is a pencil 00:41:18.000 --> 00:41:19.039 and a piece of paper. 00:41:19.960 --> 00:41:20.740 Get a journal 00:41:20.740 --> 00:41:21.960 and keep it on your nightstand 00:41:21.960 --> 00:41:23.300 and have one page 00:41:23.300 --> 00:41:24.000 that's designated 00:41:24.000 --> 00:41:24.940 for daily needs. 00:41:24.980 --> 00:41:25.460 You're going to pray 00:41:25.460 --> 00:41:26.659 over these things every day. 00:41:26.900 --> 00:41:27.539 Start listing out 00:41:27.539 --> 00:41:28.659 all the things that matter to you 00:41:28.659 --> 00:41:30.139 that much for daily prayer. 00:41:30.619 --> 00:41:31.300 On mine, 00:41:31.360 --> 00:41:32.159 I have a one day 00:41:32.159 --> 00:41:33.099 that it's got 00:41:33.099 --> 00:41:34.920 a bunch of personal things. 00:41:34.980 --> 00:41:36.139 It's got my wife 00:41:36.139 --> 00:41:37.380 and it's got a bunch of things for her 00:41:37.380 --> 00:41:38.740 and it's got each of my girls 00:41:38.740 --> 00:41:39.619 and it's got a bunch of things 00:41:39.619 --> 00:41:40.360 for each of them 00:41:40.360 --> 00:41:41.500 and it's got things for our church. 00:41:41.599 --> 00:41:42.599 It's things that I'm praying over 00:41:42.599 --> 00:41:43.460 every day 00:41:43.460 --> 00:41:44.800 and then I've got a different page 00:41:44.800 --> 00:41:45.860 for each day of the week 00:41:45.860 --> 00:41:47.460 where I start with the main page 00:41:47.460 --> 00:41:48.019 and then I'm moving 00:41:48.019 --> 00:41:48.880 to the daily page 00:41:48.880 --> 00:41:49.940 and every one of you 00:41:49.940 --> 00:41:50.599 that's in this room 00:41:50.599 --> 00:41:51.780 is on one of those pages. 00:41:52.340 --> 00:41:53.240 There's a day every week 00:41:53.240 --> 00:41:54.000 where I'm spending time 00:41:54.000 --> 00:41:55.079 and I've got a list of things 00:41:55.079 --> 00:41:56.079 that I pray for you about 00:41:56.079 --> 00:41:57.019 that you may not even know 00:41:57.019 --> 00:41:57.940 that I'm praying for you about 00:41:57.940 --> 00:41:58.760 but I'm praying for you about 00:41:58.760 --> 00:41:59.760 and I'm praying through it 00:41:59.760 --> 00:42:00.559 and before you know it, 00:42:00.700 --> 00:42:02.400 you're praying for 30 or 45 minutes 00:42:02.400 --> 00:42:03.440 and you don't even realize it. 00:42:03.500 --> 00:42:03.660 Why? 00:42:03.839 --> 00:42:04.839 Because you just wrote it down. 00:42:05.279 --> 00:42:06.659 Sometimes it's as simple as that. 00:42:07.019 --> 00:42:08.339 Write it down and pray. 00:42:09.399 --> 00:42:10.059 Number three, 00:42:11.639 --> 00:42:12.659 pray the scriptures. 00:42:13.940 --> 00:42:14.839 Pray the word. 00:42:16.699 --> 00:42:18.239 Sometimes I just get started with prayer 00:42:18.239 --> 00:42:19.159 and I don't really know what to say 00:42:19.159 --> 00:42:20.039 and I'm kind of struggling 00:42:20.039 --> 00:42:22.059 and my list seems stale. 00:42:23.059 --> 00:42:23.839 I'm telling you, 00:42:24.239 --> 00:42:25.000 open your Bible 00:42:25.000 --> 00:42:26.319 and start to pray those words. 00:42:26.980 --> 00:42:28.059 Go to the Lord's Prayer. 00:42:28.159 --> 00:42:29.420 This one is so helpful for me 00:42:29.420 --> 00:42:30.139 on days like that. 00:42:30.359 --> 00:42:31.099 Go to the Lord's Prayer 00:42:31.099 --> 00:42:31.699 and start praying 00:42:31.699 --> 00:42:32.960 the way Jesus said to pray. 00:42:33.939 --> 00:42:34.899 Heavenly Father, 00:42:36.559 --> 00:42:37.639 holy is your name 00:42:37.639 --> 00:42:39.379 and just let your mind 00:42:39.379 --> 00:42:40.159 think on that 00:42:40.159 --> 00:42:42.199 and start telling him 00:42:42.199 --> 00:42:43.099 how holy he is 00:42:43.099 --> 00:42:45.439 and how wonderful he is. 00:42:46.579 --> 00:42:47.539 Your kingdom come. 00:42:47.619 --> 00:42:48.399 Lord, I can't wait. 00:42:48.899 --> 00:42:50.059 I'm longing for the day 00:42:50.059 --> 00:42:51.439 when your kingdom 00:42:51.439 --> 00:42:53.099 is finally and forever established 00:42:53.099 --> 00:42:54.079 and we can enjoy it 00:42:54.079 --> 00:42:56.480 and perfect freedom from sin 00:42:56.480 --> 00:42:58.599 and peace and joy 00:42:58.599 --> 00:42:59.539 and start praying 00:42:59.539 --> 00:43:00.179 through that prayer. 00:43:00.480 --> 00:43:01.359 Go to those Psalms. 00:43:01.360 --> 00:43:02.960 You got sin to confess? 00:43:03.180 --> 00:43:04.120 Go to Psalm 51. 00:43:04.340 --> 00:43:05.200 Pray David's Prayer. 00:43:05.440 --> 00:43:06.860 Have mercy on me, Lord. 00:43:07.420 --> 00:43:08.920 Create in me a clean heart, 00:43:09.019 --> 00:43:09.360 O God, 00:43:09.460 --> 00:43:11.280 and renew a right spirit within me. 00:43:11.579 --> 00:43:12.059 God's not, 00:43:12.140 --> 00:43:12.760 God's not, 00:43:13.420 --> 00:43:14.140 he's not bothered 00:43:14.140 --> 00:43:15.440 when you pray his words back. 00:43:16.000 --> 00:43:16.900 He likes that. 00:43:17.660 --> 00:43:18.320 Pray the word. 00:43:19.340 --> 00:43:19.700 Number four, 00:43:20.019 --> 00:43:21.039 pray all day long. 00:43:21.559 --> 00:43:22.220 All day long. 00:43:24.220 --> 00:43:25.500 Paul famously wrote, 00:43:25.900 --> 00:43:26.740 pray without ceasing. 00:43:27.860 --> 00:43:28.800 Pray all the time. 00:43:29.039 --> 00:43:29.900 Pray when you're driving. 00:43:29.900 --> 00:43:31.619 Whenever you're having 00:43:31.619 --> 00:43:33.160 a conversation with a coworker 00:43:33.160 --> 00:43:34.200 and they confide in you 00:43:34.200 --> 00:43:35.660 about something seriously 00:43:35.660 --> 00:43:36.920 going on in their life, 00:43:37.180 --> 00:43:37.780 pray about it. 00:43:38.320 --> 00:43:38.639 Then, 00:43:39.900 --> 00:43:42.619 when you're walking 00:43:42.619 --> 00:43:43.240 around the neighborhood 00:43:43.240 --> 00:43:43.900 or on the greenway, 00:43:44.039 --> 00:43:44.260 pray. 00:43:45.360 --> 00:43:46.400 Pray all the time. 00:43:46.760 --> 00:43:47.559 Something comes up. 00:43:47.840 --> 00:43:48.680 A blessing comes up. 00:43:48.820 --> 00:43:49.200 Stop. 00:43:49.440 --> 00:43:49.660 Pray. 00:43:50.300 --> 00:43:50.780 Number five, 00:43:51.160 --> 00:43:52.119 pray with other people. 00:43:53.380 --> 00:43:54.059 Pray with other people. 00:43:55.280 --> 00:43:56.160 Pray with your spouse. 00:43:56.159 --> 00:43:58.819 Come early to church 00:43:58.819 --> 00:43:59.699 or stay a little bit late 00:43:59.699 --> 00:44:00.279 after the service 00:44:00.279 --> 00:44:01.059 just to find somebody 00:44:01.059 --> 00:44:01.519 and talk to them, 00:44:01.599 --> 00:44:02.420 pray with them a little bit. 00:44:03.699 --> 00:44:05.159 Go to coffee with one another 00:44:05.159 --> 00:44:06.179 and talk about whatever 00:44:06.179 --> 00:44:06.920 you want to talk about, 00:44:07.000 --> 00:44:07.899 but whenever you get ready 00:44:07.899 --> 00:44:08.299 to leave, 00:44:08.559 --> 00:44:09.099 stop and say, 00:44:09.179 --> 00:44:10.039 why don't we just thank God 00:44:10.039 --> 00:44:10.980 for the time he's given us 00:44:10.980 --> 00:44:11.799 for our friendship today? 00:44:12.839 --> 00:44:13.659 Pray with other people. 00:44:13.980 --> 00:44:16.539 Let prayer be an important part 00:44:16.539 --> 00:44:17.619 of your relationship 00:44:17.619 --> 00:44:18.779 with other people. 00:44:19.679 --> 00:44:20.039 Finally, 00:44:20.699 --> 00:44:21.420 it's a big one. 00:44:22.319 --> 00:44:23.699 Just stop making excuses. 00:44:23.699 --> 00:44:26.259 Just stop making excuses 00:44:26.259 --> 00:44:28.039 because it's so easy to do, 00:44:28.099 --> 00:44:28.419 isn't it? 00:44:29.539 --> 00:44:30.679 It's just so busy. 00:44:31.639 --> 00:44:32.639 There's a lot going on. 00:44:32.679 --> 00:44:33.079 I forget. 00:44:35.139 --> 00:44:35.799 You know, 00:44:35.939 --> 00:44:37.399 I'm not a morning person 00:44:37.399 --> 00:44:39.899 and it's hard for me to get up. 00:44:42.299 --> 00:44:42.980 I'm telling you, 00:44:43.039 --> 00:44:44.559 that extra half hour of sleep, 00:44:44.879 --> 00:44:47.259 it's not worth forfeiting 00:44:47.259 --> 00:44:48.460 the benefits of growing 00:44:48.460 --> 00:44:49.279 close to Jesus. 00:44:50.659 --> 00:44:51.679 But whatever it is 00:44:51.679 --> 00:44:52.439 that's in your life, 00:44:52.440 --> 00:44:54.860 what is it that's there 00:44:54.860 --> 00:44:56.360 that you find 00:44:56.360 --> 00:44:57.659 more worthy 00:44:57.659 --> 00:44:58.800 of your time and effort 00:44:58.800 --> 00:45:00.700 than some time 00:45:00.700 --> 00:45:01.280 communing 00:45:01.280 --> 00:45:02.400 with your God? 00:45:04.059 --> 00:45:05.360 Whatever that thing is, 00:45:05.980 --> 00:45:06.639 you need to get rid 00:45:06.639 --> 00:45:07.119 of that thing. 00:45:07.920 --> 00:45:09.200 It needs to diminish. 00:45:10.380 --> 00:45:11.639 Stop making excuses 00:45:11.639 --> 00:45:12.559 and pray. 00:45:13.780 --> 00:45:14.940 Look at all the blessings 00:45:14.940 --> 00:45:15.619 that await you. 00:45:16.340 --> 00:45:17.280 Look at this promise 00:45:17.280 --> 00:45:18.360 that Jesus has given 00:45:18.360 --> 00:45:19.139 in this passage. 00:45:19.460 --> 00:45:20.079 It's amazing. 00:45:20.079 --> 00:45:21.980 Now ask, 00:45:22.840 --> 00:45:23.340 pray, 00:45:24.000 --> 00:45:24.779 and trust.