WEBVTT 00:00:11.473 --> 00:00:13.976 That is just so accurate. 00:00:13.976 --> 00:00:18.469 Good morning. 00:00:18.469 --> 00:00:22.483 Good morning, someone brought me Kleenexes. 00:00:22.483 --> 00:00:28.092 In case I cry, I already have them. 00:00:28.092 --> 00:00:28.873 I put them in the sink. 00:00:28.873 --> 00:00:33.189 I've been doing this way too long to not have that. 00:00:33.189 --> 00:00:36.706 There is an outline this morning. 00:00:36.706 --> 00:00:40.701 If you need an outline or to borrow a Bible, the ushers have those. 00:00:40.701 --> 00:00:56.313 Thank you. 00:00:58.435 --> 00:01:07.612 As I start today, I'd like to talk to you a little bit for a quick moment about last Sunday and give you some information about next Sunday. 00:01:07.612 --> 00:01:15.490 So last Sunday, john told a humorous story about how he and Diana were unequally yoked when they got married. 00:01:15.490 --> 00:01:22.549 She had a car and no bike, and he had a bike but no car. 00:01:22.549 --> 00:01:27.031 Well, I must confess that Nicole and I were also unequally yoked. 00:01:27.031 --> 00:01:33.688 She had a car and no bike, and well, I had no car and no bike. 00:01:33.688 --> 00:01:43.531 I will say, though, about a year later we did purchase bikes for each other for our one-year anniversary. 00:01:43.531 --> 00:01:46.667 Not sure what that's all about bikes and early marriage. 00:01:46.667 --> 00:01:48.111 I guess it's just a thing. 00:01:50.980 --> 00:02:02.091 In a few moments I'm going to talk to you about prayer in this morning's message, but before I do that, I want to tell you a little bit about next week's service, so that you're prepared for it. 00:02:02.091 --> 00:02:06.570 Next Sunday we're going to give the service over to a time of prayer. 00:02:06.570 --> 00:02:10.270 There'll be lots of prayer and lots of time of worship. 00:02:10.270 --> 00:02:19.752 You'll have the opportunity, at different times, to come forward to a microphone and pray about a certain topic, and these will be led by different elders. 00:02:19.752 --> 00:02:30.090 You'll also have the opportunity to come forward during the service and get prayer for yourself from the elders Anything you would like the church leaders to pray about for you. 00:02:30.090 --> 00:02:48.838 You'll also have the opportunity to just stay in your seat, prayer, pray and worship with the congregation without having to come forward in front of a microphone in case you were wondering with the congregation, without having to come forward in front of a microphone in case you were wondering. 00:02:48.838 --> 00:02:55.379 It's going to be a great service and I hope that each one of you are here next week. 00:02:57.407 --> 00:03:06.372 Today's message, as I mentioned, is about prayer, but it's not about all prayer necessarily, because there are a lot of different kinds of prayer. 00:03:06.372 --> 00:03:11.592 There are different prayers based on circumstances, based on time, based on the environment we're in. 00:03:11.592 --> 00:03:26.121 Today's prayers are about mostly personal, quiet prayers, prayers as part of maybe a quiet time or a devotional time, and you'll see what I mean as we get into this. 00:03:26.121 --> 00:03:35.961 The application for each of us that I'm hoping to get from this message is three things. 00:03:35.961 --> 00:03:50.701 Now I know you're probably thinking who starts a message with the application, some message with the application? 00:03:50.701 --> 00:03:51.342 Well, today I'm going to. 00:03:51.342 --> 00:03:54.009 I'd like you to see what the goal in mind is at the end of this message as we work through it. 00:03:54.009 --> 00:04:02.685 We're going to work through some of Paul's things, and Paul sometimes can be a little complicated, so I want you to know where we're headed right from the beginning. 00:04:02.685 --> 00:04:31.639 The application is these three things that we should think about our prayers, that we should think about why we pray, the things we pray, and that we should think about where our prayers are leading, about where our prayers are leading. 00:04:31.639 --> 00:05:01.946 An example of thinking about prayers and priorities of prayers In the first world war, jeffrey Stutter Kennedy he was a chaplain Facing the very real possibility of death on the battlefield said this the first prayer I want my son to learn to say for me is not God, keep daddy safe, but God make daddy brave and if there's hard things to do, make him strong to do them. 00:05:03.680 --> 00:05:04.884 Life and death don't matter. 00:05:04.884 --> 00:05:17.247 Pat my son, right and wrong, do Daddy injured or even killed? 00:05:17.247 --> 00:05:18.130 Is daddy still? 00:05:18.130 --> 00:05:25.148 But, daddy, dishonored before God is something awful, too bad for words. 00:05:25.148 --> 00:05:32.170 I suppose you'd like to put a little bit in about safety, too, old chap, and I'm sure mother would as well. 00:05:32.170 --> 00:05:40.452 Well put it in, but afterwards, always afterwards, because it doesn't matter near so much. 00:05:44.521 --> 00:05:56.000 This morning we're going to move through some of Paul's prayers and I will show you something that I saw in his prayers that should have an influence and an impact on our prayer lives. 00:05:56.000 --> 00:06:04.512 After that we'll stop and focus on one specific prayer of his and break it down and dig into it. 00:06:04.512 --> 00:06:25.490 We're going to start by looking at five different prayers of the Apostle Paul as we see them in the scriptures, and what I'd like to see have you see is some specific and repeated thing that happens over and over again in a lot of Paul's prayers that we have recorded Not all of them, but in a lot. 00:06:25.490 --> 00:06:30.310 The first one is in the book of Ephesians, 1, 15 through 19. 00:06:30.310 --> 00:06:44.988 If you want to follow along, ephesians 1, 15 through 19. 00:06:44.988 --> 00:06:51.084 For this reason, I too, having heard of the faith, ephesians 1, 15-19. 00:06:51.165 --> 00:07:32.350 In verse 18, what I'd like you to see mostly happens in verse 18, where it says this Paul says I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened. 00:07:32.350 --> 00:07:35.966 And he could have stopped there. 00:07:35.966 --> 00:07:45.232 But the next two words is so that and we're going to continue to see this over and over again because Paul thinks about what he's praying. 00:07:45.232 --> 00:07:49.810 Paul doesn't just pray, he thinks about what he's praying and what he hopes to accomplish with it. 00:07:49.810 --> 00:07:58.733 And verse 18 says this I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you will know what is the hope of his calling. 00:07:58.733 --> 00:08:08.274 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you will know what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. 00:08:08.274 --> 00:08:17.374 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you will know what is the surpassing greatness of his power toward us. 00:08:17.374 --> 00:08:24.502 I don't pray like that, I'd like to pray like that. 00:08:24.502 --> 00:08:35.650 I'd like to pray like that, and I think it's a great example of Paul thinking about praying for something but having a reason behind it, and you can tell he was thoughtful in this prayer. 00:08:37.980 --> 00:08:43.404 Let's move to the book of Philippians 1, 9-11. 00:08:43.404 --> 00:08:57.777 Philippians 1, 9-11. 00:08:57.777 --> 00:09:18.964 And this I pray that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ, having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God. 00:09:18.964 --> 00:09:21.269 Verse 10. 00:09:21.269 --> 00:09:28.201 So that, so just before that, paul prays that your love may abound still more and more, but why? 00:09:28.201 --> 00:09:39.394 So that you may approve things that are excellent and like that is the next phrase in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ. 00:09:39.394 --> 00:09:54.611 Paul was thinking about why our love should abound more and more in real knowledge. 00:09:54.611 --> 00:09:56.879 Paul here has been doing some thinking. 00:09:56.879 --> 00:10:04.764 Sometimes has spent thinking through. 00:10:04.764 --> 00:10:06.336 Some time has been spent thinking through what God's will would be for us. 00:10:06.336 --> 00:10:10.357 As he prayed this prayer, we're just going to keep moving. 00:10:17.113 --> 00:10:19.417 Thessalonians 1 Thessalonians 3. 00:10:19.417 --> 00:10:26.094 1. 00:10:26.094 --> 00:10:26.716 Thessalonians 3,. 00:10:26.716 --> 00:10:27.379 11 through 13. 00:10:27.379 --> 00:10:47.971 Now may our God and Father himself and the Lord Jesus Christ direct our way to you and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another and for all people, just as also we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts without blame and holiness before our God and Father, in the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:10:47.971 --> 00:10:57.466 Now, again, I mentioned earlier Paul doesn't always do this, but he does this in these five that we're going to look at, and then the sixth, which is where we'll spend some more time breaking it down. 00:10:57.466 --> 00:11:07.950 Verse 12 says and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another and all people. 00:11:07.950 --> 00:11:20.167 It could stop there it doesn't so that he may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father. 00:11:20.388 --> 00:11:24.971 At the coming of our Lord Jesus with his saints Romans 15. 00:11:24.971 --> 00:11:35.898 At the coming of our Lord Jesus with his saints Romans 15. 00:11:35.898 --> 00:11:45.198 5 and 6. 00:11:45.198 --> 00:11:58.399 Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another, according to Christ Jesus, so that, with one accord, you may, with one voice, glorify God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:11:58.399 --> 00:12:10.522 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another, according to Christ Jesus. 00:12:10.522 --> 00:12:16.422 He's praying for unity so that, with one accord, that you may, with one voice, glorify God. 00:12:16.422 --> 00:12:17.909 He doesn't just pray for unity. 00:12:17.909 --> 00:12:20.648 He prays for unity with a purpose. 00:12:20.648 --> 00:12:22.585 Why should there be unity? 00:12:22.585 --> 00:12:34.245 There should be unity so that we glorify God with one voice and in the same chapter Romans 15, 13. 00:12:34.245 --> 00:12:48.660 Now, may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. 00:12:48.660 --> 00:12:53.158 Now, may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing it could stop. 00:12:53.158 --> 00:12:57.355 That's great, but there's a reason. 00:12:57.355 --> 00:13:01.640 He wants us to abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. 00:13:01.640 --> 00:13:05.636 I think these are just awesome. 00:13:05.889 --> 00:13:20.874 You can tell Paul is thinking through why he prays the first prayer, what he thinks about the second part of the prayer and eventually, as we'll see, paul just continues on often in thinking that through and I think it should affect our prayer lives. 00:13:20.874 --> 00:13:37.956 And thinking that through, and I think it should affect our prayer lives, instead of being a basic praying for something simple, maybe we should pray for something simple for someone and then go why do I want them to have this, why do I want them to succeed at this, and where is that prayer leading? 00:13:37.956 --> 00:13:54.339 I'd like to take a look at one more of Paul's prayers and spend some time breaking it down, as I mentioned, looking at what Paul might be thinking and seeing how God could be using this to lead our prayers by way of example. 00:13:54.339 --> 00:13:58.677 I do want to be clear here. 00:13:58.677 --> 00:14:02.596 I'm not saying that we should follow some formula every time we pray. 00:14:02.596 --> 00:14:11.221 There are many occasions and many types of prayer and I'm certainly not saying the following formula will get all of our prayers answered. 00:14:11.221 --> 00:14:19.360 Sometimes the answers to our prayers are different than what we expect or what we think we need at the time. 00:14:21.070 --> 00:14:22.897 There's a story maybe you've heard of the missionary. 00:14:22.897 --> 00:14:26.070 Amy Carmichael told the story of when she was a child. 00:14:26.070 --> 00:14:31.201 She was praying that her eyes would change from brown to blue. 00:14:31.201 --> 00:14:38.918 She went to bed one night fully convinced, after praying and believing in the morning that she would awake with blue eyes. 00:14:38.918 --> 00:14:41.735 And as she rushed to the looking glass in the morning, she would awake with blue eyes. 00:14:41.735 --> 00:14:45.738 And as she rushed to the looking glass in the morning, she discovered her mere brown eyes. 00:14:45.738 --> 00:15:02.961 Years later, as a missionary in India in order to gather needed information to rescue girls from a temple of prostitution, she stained her hands and arms with coffee and wore an Indian dress to pass as a native. 00:15:02.961 --> 00:15:08.460 One of her children commented I know why God gave you brown eyes. 00:15:08.460 --> 00:15:14.977 If your eyes were blue, someone would see right through your disguise. 00:15:18.731 --> 00:15:24.379 Sometimes the answers to our prayers are different than what we think we need. 00:15:24.379 --> 00:15:36.900 So where I'd like to spend some time this morning is a sixth prayer of Paul's from the book of Colossians, chapter 1. 00:15:36.900 --> 00:15:42.932 Colossians 1, 9-14. 00:15:42.932 --> 00:15:50.359 I'm very thirsty today. 00:15:50.359 --> 00:15:51.179 I don't know what it is. 00:15:51.179 --> 00:15:53.642 You'd think I wouldn't be, it's so humid out. 00:15:53.642 --> 00:15:59.886 Colossians 1, 9-14. 00:15:59.886 --> 00:16:09.081 I'm going to read that passage for us For this reason also. 00:16:09.081 --> 00:16:26.033 Since the day we heard it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will and all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord to please Him in all respects. 00:16:26.033 --> 00:16:27.832 Thank you. 00:16:27.852 --> 00:16:29.433 Some quick background on the book of Colossians. 00:16:29.433 --> 00:17:11.242 Paul wrote the book of Colossians from prison approximately AD 61. 00:17:11.242 --> 00:17:15.621 It was in response to a report he had received from Epaphras. 00:17:15.621 --> 00:17:21.000 Paul knew that there was a believing church there in Colossae. 00:17:21.000 --> 00:17:25.212 He mentions it a few times in chapter 1. 00:17:25.212 --> 00:17:28.580 Paul also knew that there were many problems at the church in Colossae. 00:17:28.580 --> 00:17:38.500 There was some Jewish legalism mixing in with some Greek philosophy, smashed together with some Oriental mysticism. 00:17:38.500 --> 00:17:45.599 There was religious, dietary things going on, sabbath issues and even worship of some angels. 00:17:45.599 --> 00:18:08.305 There were believers there, but they were distracted by many things With all this going, on the occasion for the book, ryrie makes these comments that Paul set out to emphasize the significance of Christ as Lord of creation and the head of the church. 00:18:10.010 --> 00:18:24.442 That he set out asserting that any teaching or practice that distracts from the uniqueness or the centrality of Christ was against the faith that was his goal as he wrote the book of Colossians. 00:18:24.442 --> 00:18:51.307 Now, looking back at this passage from Colossians 1, 9, through, paul prays that they would be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 00:18:51.307 --> 00:18:53.876 That's his original prayer for them. 00:18:53.876 --> 00:19:01.103 And then he says so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord to please him in all respects. 00:19:01.103 --> 00:19:09.839 That you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord to please him in all respects, filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord to please him in all respects. 00:19:09.839 --> 00:19:14.960 Okay, that's a little complicated, but that's okay, I got it. 00:19:14.960 --> 00:19:24.853 So what he does is he goes on to list four things after that of what it means to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please him in all respects. 00:19:25.634 --> 00:19:34.607 Number one bearing fruit in every good work, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord to please him in all respects. 00:19:34.607 --> 00:19:35.309 How do you do that? 00:19:35.309 --> 00:19:38.935 One by bearing fruit in every good work. 00:19:38.935 --> 00:19:49.300 John 15, 1 and 2 says this I am the true vine and my Father is the vinedresser. 00:19:49.300 --> 00:20:01.936 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that bears fruit he prunes so that it may bear more fruit. 00:20:01.936 --> 00:20:10.640 Paul says Be filled with the knowledge of his will and all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord to please him in all respects. 00:20:10.640 --> 00:20:12.876 Number one bearing fruit in every good work. 00:20:12.876 --> 00:20:15.479 Number two increase in the knowledge of God. 00:20:15.479 --> 00:20:20.419 How do we please the Lord in all respects? 00:20:20.419 --> 00:20:21.855 Increase in the knowledge of God. 00:20:21.855 --> 00:20:27.980 2 Peter, 3, 17 and 18. 00:20:27.980 --> 00:20:46.354 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, jesus Christ. 00:20:46.354 --> 00:20:51.703 To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. 00:20:51.703 --> 00:20:52.305 Amen. 00:20:52.305 --> 00:21:02.422 Filled with the knowledge of his will, with all spiritual understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord to please him, bearing fruit in every good work, increasing in the knowledge of God. 00:21:02.422 --> 00:21:09.519 Three strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience. 00:21:09.519 --> 00:21:30.059 Hmm, we need power and might to be steadfast and patient, bearing fruit in every good work, increasing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience. 00:21:30.059 --> 00:21:34.000 We need power and might to be steadfast and patient. 00:21:34.000 --> 00:21:38.038 1 Corinthians 15.58 says this. 00:21:38.038 --> 00:21:50.200 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord. 00:21:50.200 --> 00:21:54.517 Steadfast Proverbs 16.32. 00:21:54.517 --> 00:21:59.917 Proverbs 16.32. 00:21:59.917 --> 00:22:08.598 He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who captures the city. 00:22:08.598 --> 00:22:32.190 Patience we need power and might to be steadfast and patient, filled with the knowledge of his will, with all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord to please him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work, increasing in the knowledge of God, attaining steadfastness and patience. 00:22:32.190 --> 00:22:35.780 And number four joyously giving thanks to the Father. 00:22:35.780 --> 00:22:46.852 This is how Paul says we please the Lord, please him in all respects, joyously giving thanks to the Father Ephesians 5.20,. 00:22:46.852 --> 00:22:52.703 Always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God, even the Father. 00:22:52.703 --> 00:22:54.354 That's Ephesians 5.20,. 00:22:54.354 --> 00:22:58.988 Always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God, even the Father. 00:22:58.988 --> 00:23:03.173 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God, even the Father. 00:23:03.173 --> 00:23:07.097 And later on, in Colossians 3.17,. 00:23:07.097 --> 00:23:32.476 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God, the Father, filled with the knowledge of his will, with all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that we walk in a manner worthy of the Lord to please him in all respects. 00:23:32.476 --> 00:23:34.121 How do we do that? 00:23:34.121 --> 00:23:43.970 Bearing fruit in every good work, increasing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with all power for attaining steadfastness and patience. 00:23:43.970 --> 00:24:00.866 And four joyously giving thanks to the Father, prayer. 00:24:00.866 --> 00:24:08.864 Why, how? 00:24:08.864 --> 00:24:09.145 Four things? 00:24:09.690 --> 00:24:11.012 Now it gets complicated. 00:24:11.012 --> 00:24:25.508 Paul is really a deep thinker, because this fourth thing, joyously giving thanks to the Father. 00:24:25.508 --> 00:24:25.950 It doesn't end there. 00:24:25.950 --> 00:24:30.194 It says joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has. 00:24:30.194 --> 00:24:38.487 Okay, so we started out with Spiritual wisdom and understanding, the man are worthy of the Lord to please him. 00:24:38.487 --> 00:24:43.588 The four things underneath, and then he ends it with the Father who has. 00:24:43.588 --> 00:24:50.209 And then he says three things about the Father Qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints and the light. 00:24:50.209 --> 00:24:56.151 The Father who has rescued us from the domain of darkness. 00:24:56.151 --> 00:24:59.173 The Father who has transferred us into the kingdom of darkness. 00:24:59.173 --> 00:25:03.009 The Father who has transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son. 00:25:05.080 --> 00:25:13.788 I'm like, okay, I'm starting to remember, like math class when I was a kid and trying to pin numbers as Paul just keeps moving down. 00:25:13.788 --> 00:25:18.670 This is why I gave you the application at the beginning. 00:25:18.670 --> 00:25:41.068 Right, we don't want to follow Paul's necessarily formula for prayer, but I want you to be encouraged to think like this that there's always a reason why we pray this and what it's trying to accomplish, filled with the knowledge of his will and all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that we will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord to please him in all respects. 00:25:41.068 --> 00:25:42.332 How do we do that? 00:25:42.332 --> 00:25:51.582 Bearing fruit in every good work, increasing in the knowledge of God, attaining steadfastness and patience, joyously giving thanks to the Father, thanks Paul. 00:25:51.582 --> 00:25:52.484 Oh, paul's not done. 00:25:52.484 --> 00:25:53.429 Move it up. 00:25:53.429 --> 00:25:58.512 The Father in who qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints. 00:25:58.512 --> 00:26:01.730 The Father who rescued us from the domain of darkness. 00:26:01.730 --> 00:26:05.027 The Father who transferred us into the kingdom of his Son. 00:26:05.027 --> 00:26:08.012 Thanks, paul. 00:26:08.012 --> 00:26:13.349 This is where I think Paul's a little mean, because he's not done. 00:26:15.540 --> 00:26:18.628 The kingdom of his son in whom? 00:26:18.628 --> 00:26:33.047 In whom we have redemption and the forgiveness of sins Ephesians 1.7,. 00:26:33.047 --> 00:26:42.107 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the glorious riches of his grace. 00:26:42.107 --> 00:26:43.372 Amen. 00:26:43.372 --> 00:26:47.067 Galatians 1, 3 and 4. 00:26:47.067 --> 00:27:03.373 The son in whom grace to you and peace from God, our father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins that he might rescue us from this present evil age. 00:27:03.373 --> 00:27:22.686 The Son in whom Galatians 3.13, christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us All the way back to verse 9. 00:27:22.686 --> 00:27:33.071 Filled with the knowledge of his will for us, with all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that we will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord to please him in all respects. 00:27:33.071 --> 00:27:34.545 How do we do that? 00:27:34.545 --> 00:27:44.585 Four things Bearing fruit in every good work, increasing in the knowledge of God, attaining steadfastness and patience, joyously giving thanks to the Father. 00:27:44.585 --> 00:27:50.903 The Father who qualified us to ensure the inheritance of the saints of the light. 00:27:50.903 --> 00:27:53.967 The Father who rescued us from the domain of darkness. 00:27:53.967 --> 00:27:54.388 Amen. 00:27:54.388 --> 00:28:04.032 The Father who transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, the Son in whom we have redemption and the forgiveness of sins. 00:28:04.032 --> 00:28:14.849 This is where our prayers should end Praising the Father for the work of the Son. 00:28:14.849 --> 00:28:20.133 Praying for all to be rescued from darkness, transferred to the kingdom of the Son. 00:28:20.133 --> 00:28:28.933 Praying for all to be rescued from darkness, transferred to the kingdom of the Son, because in the kingdom of the Son, we are redeemed and our sins are forgiven. 00:28:28.933 --> 00:28:42.467 Application the application I'm hoping we can all get is three things To think about our prayers. 00:28:44.681 --> 00:29:01.528 To think about why we pray, the things we pray and, by way of example, a prayer like this Lord, I pray for my nephew Mark to pass his test. 00:29:01.528 --> 00:29:02.852 Why? 00:29:02.852 --> 00:29:07.202 Well, so he can get into college Good college. 00:29:07.202 --> 00:29:07.584 Why? 00:29:07.584 --> 00:29:08.528 So he can get a good job? 00:29:08.528 --> 00:29:10.246 Why, so he can make a lot of money? 00:29:10.246 --> 00:29:17.094 Why, so he can get a nice house and be happy Really, or is it? 00:29:17.094 --> 00:29:20.386 I pray that my nephew Mark would pass his test? 00:29:20.386 --> 00:29:21.730 Why? 00:29:21.730 --> 00:29:26.790 So that he praises you for helping him pass the test. 00:29:26.790 --> 00:29:38.321 I pray for him to pass the test so that he gets into college and he can get a job where he serves you. 00:29:44.587 --> 00:29:45.910 We need to think about our prayers. 00:29:46.609 --> 00:29:52.875 We need to think about why we pray, the things we pray, and we need to think about where our prayers lead. 00:29:52.875 --> 00:30:10.433 At that final point, because we want all of our prayers, one way or another, to end in the kingdom of the Son. 00:30:10.433 --> 00:30:13.788 I'll close with another verse of Paul's 2 Thessalonians 1, 11 and 12. 00:30:13.788 --> 00:30:41.550 And it says this and it says this To this end also we pray for you always that our God will count you worthy of your calling and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, so that, in the name of our Lord, jesus will be glorified in you and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:30:41.550 --> 00:30:45.145 Father, help us this day. 00:30:45.145 --> 00:30:56.050 Help us this day to think about eternity, to think of the kingdom of the Son, the work of the Father. 00:30:56.050 --> 00:31:03.465 Lord, guide our prayers so that we are thinking of your eternal will in all things. 00:31:03.465 --> 00:31:09.328 We thank you for the gift of Jesus and the gift of the cross. 00:31:09.328 --> 00:31:10.564 Lord, be with us as we go. 00:31:10.564 --> 00:31:11.587 In Christ's name, amen.