WEBVTT 00:00:23.980 --> 00:00:24.859 Good to see you this morning. 00:00:24.940 --> 00:00:26.539 I hope everybody had a great week. 00:00:26.699 --> 00:00:30.460 Hope everybody had a great memorial day and a great four-day work week. 00:00:30.539 --> 00:00:32.140 I think we ought to make that a permanent thing. 00:00:32.299 --> 00:00:33.579 That's just my opinion there. 00:00:33.740 --> 00:00:51.260 But if you're new with us or you haven't been with us uh for a long time, we're in the part of the summer where Pastor Brandon takes a little bit of a break and he takes a sabbatical to pray and to uh think about direction and to recharge the batteries and such. 00:00:51.420 --> 00:01:01.020 And so we are in that part of the summer, and during that time our teaching team comes together and they fill in the gaps, and so that's why you're seeing me up here today and not Pastor Brandon. 00:01:01.179 --> 00:01:12.939 If I haven't ever gotten to meet you before, if you've not been here on one of the days that I've been teaching, my name is Brandon Gillum, and it's an honor to be a part of this church, and it's an honor to be a part of the teaching team as well. 00:01:13.180 --> 00:01:20.460 I've been coming to RLC for I have no idea. 00:01:20.780 --> 00:01:22.939 I should have thought of that before I said that. 00:01:23.180 --> 00:01:24.859 I have no idea how long I've been here. 00:01:25.099 --> 00:01:25.819 Quite a while. 00:01:25.979 --> 00:01:27.180 My whole family comes here. 00:01:27.259 --> 00:01:31.180 Uh, we followed my mother-in-law over here, and she used to be the children's pastor here. 00:01:31.340 --> 00:01:38.699 She's great, and now my entire family comes here, and it is so good to be able to come in on Sunday mornings and to worship with them. 00:01:39.020 --> 00:01:43.580 And it's so good to be able to come in on Sunday mornings and worship with you as well. 00:01:43.740 --> 00:01:50.539 We're going to be continuing this morning in the series that we've been in for the last couple weeks called One Church. 00:01:50.699 --> 00:01:54.460 But before we get into that, I want to give you a couple announcements that I almost forgot about. 00:01:54.699 --> 00:02:02.620 First off, if you have a student and your student is between the grades of 6 and 12, it is not too late to sign up for Student Life Camp. 00:02:02.780 --> 00:02:05.500 You can find information about that at the Welcome Center. 00:02:05.580 --> 00:02:08.780 Uh stop, stop there and get information about that. 00:02:09.020 --> 00:02:13.500 Also, the second thing is that our life group launch is today. 00:02:13.740 --> 00:02:14.139 Amen. 00:02:14.539 --> 00:02:14.939 Amen. 00:02:15.340 --> 00:02:17.099 They launched today, and that's amazing. 00:02:17.180 --> 00:02:19.659 But if you haven't gotten in one, it's not too late for that, too. 00:02:19.740 --> 00:02:24.860 So you can check the board, find an open life group spot, and we'd love to have you in there as well. 00:02:25.020 --> 00:02:30.939 Uh, our fourth, fifth, and sixth grade also, if you notice, came to worship with us this morning. 00:02:31.020 --> 00:02:39.259 And so they took a little bit of time to get out in the back there, but they're going to be coming to worship with us from now on as we uh do the songs in the morning. 00:02:39.340 --> 00:02:41.259 You'll see them in the back few roads there. 00:02:41.340 --> 00:02:42.620 That's amazing as well. 00:02:42.859 --> 00:02:47.819 Now that they've left, I want to start you off with a story here about my middle son, Carter. 00:02:48.219 --> 00:02:51.180 This has absolutely nothing to do with the message. 00:02:51.340 --> 00:02:56.539 I tried to fit it in, I tried to find a spot for it, but I'm just calling it the icebreaker. 00:02:56.620 --> 00:02:57.900 But I got to tell you this. 00:02:58.139 --> 00:03:03.180 This week he was helping clean some gutters for uh a neighbor of ours. 00:03:03.340 --> 00:03:08.699 And uh he was with a friend, and they were they were taking turns getting up on the ladder and clearing the gutters out. 00:03:08.939 --> 00:03:14.699 And he said, Um, you know, his friend asked him, Carter, how'd you get so how'd you get to be so smart? 00:03:14.859 --> 00:03:16.620 You know, he's he's a an older friend. 00:03:16.699 --> 00:03:18.060 He said, How'd you get to be so smart? 00:03:18.139 --> 00:03:19.579 Where'd you get those smarts? 00:03:19.819 --> 00:03:35.579 And so Carter's up there on the ladder and he's cleaning out the gutters, and and I could see him in my mind thinking he's he's a little genius, but uh he's thinking up there and he says, you know, he said, My dad's probably smarter, but my mom's more successful. 00:03:36.139 --> 00:03:36.780 Yes. 00:03:37.180 --> 00:03:39.739 My nine-year-old, that's what he thinks about me. 00:03:39.900 --> 00:03:43.579 I don't know, I mean, I don't know if I'm offended or if that's a great thing. 00:03:43.819 --> 00:03:48.060 So Lydia is very successful, and I'm fooling everybody. 00:03:48.299 --> 00:03:57.659 So all right, before we get into God's word together, uh, like I said, we're gonna be in the one church series again that we've been in the last couple of weeks. 00:03:57.819 --> 00:04:06.620 And if you've got your Bible with you, we're going through Acts chapter two, and specifically this series is themed by looking at verse 42. 00:04:07.019 --> 00:04:13.019 Now, if I were to give you a breakdown of Acts chapter 2, this is a very pivotal moment in the Bible. 00:04:13.099 --> 00:04:16.139 Okay, this is a very important story. 00:04:16.379 --> 00:04:21.420 There's a lot of things going on here, and two very important things that happen that I want you to realize. 00:04:21.500 --> 00:04:30.060 If you remember when Chris in the first week read Acts chapter 2 to us, this is where the disciples are baptized with fire. 00:04:30.220 --> 00:04:38.220 This is where the Holy Spirit comes into the picture, and the apostles are finally introduced to this helper that Jesus is telling them about. 00:04:38.939 --> 00:04:47.339 And also, the second most important thing is that this is the start of or the birth of the New Testament church. 00:04:47.659 --> 00:04:56.779 So the apostles in Acts chapter 2, the apostles are all gathered in this one place, in this one house, and they're celebrating what's called Pentecost. 00:04:56.939 --> 00:05:03.980 And Pentecost in the Old Testament was a celebration of God's provision over the harvest and over the crops. 00:05:04.219 --> 00:05:13.980 And the chapter tells us that this roaring wind, this loud wind from heaven, came down and descended upon this house. 00:05:14.219 --> 00:05:14.540 Okay? 00:05:14.699 --> 00:05:18.860 And then tongues of fire came down and fell upon the apostles. 00:05:19.019 --> 00:05:25.579 And a lot of times when you see a picture of it, this is what, this is the generated picture that you get. 00:05:25.740 --> 00:05:33.259 You see this, these tongues of fire that are coming down, and all the apostles are are standing there and they're all smiling and they're in this house. 00:05:33.500 --> 00:05:35.339 But that's not what the Bible says happens. 00:05:35.500 --> 00:05:41.500 The Bible says that this roaring wind from heaven, this violent wind happened. 00:05:41.980 --> 00:05:49.899 Now, I'm a firefighter, so it is not lost on me what happens when wind is introduced to fire. 00:05:50.300 --> 00:05:52.139 It intensifies everything. 00:05:52.300 --> 00:05:55.740 The flames intensify, the heat intensifies. 00:05:55.899 --> 00:06:02.060 And the Bible tells it that this was a loud enough noise that everybody came running from around. 00:06:02.219 --> 00:06:04.060 Everybody heard the noise. 00:06:04.379 --> 00:06:08.379 This is probably more like what it looked like. 00:06:08.620 --> 00:06:10.540 It was a scary situation. 00:06:11.019 --> 00:06:18.300 And I don't know why I put all the rocks and stuff in there, and it it also put them in a cave, it looks like they were in a house. 00:06:18.540 --> 00:06:22.300 But this is probably more like what it looked like. 00:06:22.620 --> 00:06:23.899 It was scary. 00:06:24.379 --> 00:06:35.659 And it is not lost on me that if we were there during that time, during the original descent of the Holy Spirit, you would know exactly what it meant to fear God. 00:06:36.459 --> 00:06:39.180 You would be in awe of his power. 00:06:39.420 --> 00:06:43.740 That's the kind of event that happened in Acts chapter 2. 00:06:43.980 --> 00:06:54.379 And then it goes on to say that all the disciples began speaking these different languages, languages that they had never heard before or never known before. 00:06:54.620 --> 00:06:59.339 And people from all around came and heard their native languages. 00:06:59.579 --> 00:07:04.459 Now, there's a few very important things that I want to point out to you here that happened. 00:07:04.779 --> 00:07:15.180 During the time of Pentecost, this is important, there would have been many nationalities and many different people that gathered in Jerusalem for the celebration of Pentecost. 00:07:15.339 --> 00:07:21.500 That's what makes the idea of them, the happening of them speaking in different languages so important. 00:07:22.219 --> 00:07:28.459 All these people came to the house and heard their native languages that nobody in this region should have known. 00:07:28.699 --> 00:07:32.459 And they were able to understand then the word of God. 00:07:33.579 --> 00:07:38.620 So the disciples were tasked with spreading the good news of Jesus at this time. 00:07:39.019 --> 00:07:41.740 This allowed them to be able to do that. 00:07:42.139 --> 00:07:49.659 This is the fulfillment of the prophecy that Jesus was talking about when he said, I will send a helper for you. 00:07:50.139 --> 00:07:52.540 The Holy Spirit is the helper. 00:07:53.019 --> 00:08:04.300 And the third very significant thing is that it says that 3,000 people or more believed what the apostles had said and joined among them. 00:08:04.860 --> 00:08:10.219 That's the birth of the New Testament church, those original group of people. 00:08:10.939 --> 00:08:19.339 And so the theme or the idea of the series one church is focusing on these few key things that we hear about in verse 42. 00:08:19.740 --> 00:08:30.699 And verse 42 says that all of the believers devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship and to sharing of meals and to prayer. 00:08:31.259 --> 00:08:39.100 And the first week, Chris focused on the teaching he walked us through is unity in God's word. 00:08:39.659 --> 00:08:41.740 Unity in the apostles' teaching. 00:08:41.980 --> 00:08:43.340 Now we have God's word. 00:08:43.740 --> 00:08:52.700 And last week, Pastor Derek taught on the fellowship portion as he talked about the importance of unity in the community together. 00:08:53.500 --> 00:08:56.140 Fellowship, sharing of meals. 00:08:56.540 --> 00:09:03.260 Now we're in the third week, and I want to talk to you about what it means to be one church in the last part of this verse. 00:09:03.580 --> 00:09:05.660 One church in prayer. 00:09:06.220 --> 00:09:08.379 And if it's okay, we're going to talk about that. 00:09:08.460 --> 00:09:15.020 And we're going to talk about what it means to be a strong church that prays together and is unified in prayer. 00:09:15.260 --> 00:09:21.580 But I also want to take this opportunity to dive a little bit deeper into the subject of prayer by itself. 00:09:22.060 --> 00:09:37.580 And my hope is that when we leave here today and we go through these things together, we'll be able to answer some questions about prayer, but we'll also walk out of here with a respect for the importance of what it means to be one church that prays together. 00:09:37.820 --> 00:09:39.340 There's power in that. 00:09:39.500 --> 00:09:45.020 There's power in groups of the body of Christ that get together and pray together. 00:09:45.260 --> 00:09:50.780 So here's the questions that I want us to look at today is this what is prayer? 00:09:51.260 --> 00:09:52.460 What does it mean? 00:09:52.620 --> 00:09:53.660 What is it? 00:09:54.060 --> 00:09:56.220 How should we pray? 00:09:57.340 --> 00:09:59.260 When should we pray? 00:09:59.740 --> 00:10:03.900 And then finally, why is it that we pray? 00:10:04.220 --> 00:10:08.780 So let's talk about first what prayer actually looks like biblically. 00:10:09.260 --> 00:10:11.740 Biblically, what is prayer supposed to be? 00:10:11.900 --> 00:10:14.620 What are we doing in prayer? 00:10:15.260 --> 00:10:27.420 See, I feel like a lot of times prayer for us, and I know for me certainly, it becomes sort of like uh an Amazon shopping cart of things that we want from God. 00:10:28.140 --> 00:10:31.740 Until we need them, until we want them, we never open that app. 00:10:32.060 --> 00:10:33.580 We never look at it. 00:10:33.820 --> 00:10:43.820 But then when we when we do open the app, when we finally want it, we want it to be quick and easy, and we want it right now, at the footstep of our door. 00:10:44.460 --> 00:10:47.260 Expedite the shipping on that prayer, please. 00:10:47.420 --> 00:10:49.180 That's Amazon prayer. 00:10:50.060 --> 00:10:52.460 And that's what prayer is a lot of times to us. 00:10:52.540 --> 00:10:54.300 That's kind of what it becomes. 00:10:54.620 --> 00:11:03.660 Or maybe you'll hear of a friend or an acquaintance on social media or on Facebook, and they say, Well, I need I need some prayer for this. 00:11:04.140 --> 00:11:06.060 Or I'm struggling with this. 00:11:07.100 --> 00:11:16.300 And then so prayer to us becomes this response to them on the internet where we send them some prayer emojis or some praise hands. 00:11:16.940 --> 00:11:18.460 That's Facebook prayer. 00:11:18.700 --> 00:11:26.620 Maybe, maybe if you're a devout friend, you'll close your eyes for a second and say, Lord, I pray for so and so. 00:11:27.100 --> 00:11:28.460 Watch over so and so. 00:11:29.500 --> 00:11:32.540 But for most of us, that's the extent of it. 00:11:32.940 --> 00:11:43.820 Or maybe we sit at the dinner table together, and we sit at the dinner table and we say, Lord, thank you for this day, thank you for this food, bless it to the nourishments of our body. 00:11:44.379 --> 00:11:48.860 Or we we teach our kids these great rhyming prayers, right? 00:11:49.500 --> 00:11:51.100 Which I'm not knocking. 00:11:51.980 --> 00:12:02.460 But those prayers that are meant for our children to turn their hearts to God first and foremost become our go-to as well, don't they? 00:12:02.860 --> 00:12:05.260 Let's say the the kids' prayer tonight. 00:12:05.500 --> 00:12:07.900 Let's get it done so we can eat. 00:12:08.460 --> 00:12:12.700 To most of us, that's the extent of our prayer life. 00:12:13.340 --> 00:12:18.379 And I know we do these things because I do these things. 00:12:19.580 --> 00:12:20.940 That's the truth of it. 00:12:21.180 --> 00:12:22.220 We're busy. 00:12:23.100 --> 00:12:24.700 We have full days. 00:12:24.940 --> 00:12:29.820 We've got to be here or there, or I've got to get this done. 00:12:30.300 --> 00:12:37.740 And for me, in those moments, they're usually followed by great conviction. 00:12:38.700 --> 00:12:41.820 And that's when I hear the Holy Spirit speak the loudest. 00:12:42.300 --> 00:12:47.100 And a lot of times the Holy Spirit is saying, Oh, too much on your plate. 00:12:47.980 --> 00:12:49.580 Whose fault is that? 00:12:50.940 --> 00:12:53.500 Or is that really important? 00:12:54.540 --> 00:12:56.860 Or are you doing that for me? 00:12:57.100 --> 00:12:59.100 Or are you doing that for you? 00:13:00.379 --> 00:13:03.900 Or maybe he just says, slow down. 00:13:05.180 --> 00:13:08.300 Slow down and pray. 00:13:09.740 --> 00:13:13.580 So what is it then that prayer is supposed to be? 00:13:14.860 --> 00:13:20.300 And it's simple, in its simplest definition, is it is it just become a request for us? 00:13:20.620 --> 00:13:22.940 Is it just a list of wants? 00:13:24.220 --> 00:13:39.020 Because for me, a lot of times I find that it's my worries and my pain, my sickness, and my need, and my desires, and my wants, and my me stuff. 00:13:39.820 --> 00:13:41.900 And I'm not saying that's all bad. 00:13:41.980 --> 00:13:48.460 I mean, the Bible does say bring everything before the Lord, bring all your requests before the Lord. 00:13:49.260 --> 00:14:00.620 But I think that prayer at its fullest and at its greatest intent in the Bible means so much more than just a list of desires and requests from God. 00:14:01.820 --> 00:14:03.580 It's about worship. 00:14:05.100 --> 00:14:08.620 It's about worship at the same time that you're crying out. 00:14:08.860 --> 00:14:09.980 It's a lament. 00:14:11.100 --> 00:14:14.780 Prayer is about confession and repentance. 00:14:15.100 --> 00:14:19.660 Prayer should be as much listening as it is you speaking. 00:14:20.460 --> 00:14:23.740 It's a gratitude, it is a direction. 00:14:24.620 --> 00:14:29.020 It's seeking his will, it's seeking God's direction. 00:14:30.220 --> 00:14:33.420 And it becomes this intimate conversation. 00:14:34.620 --> 00:14:38.460 And the Bible says that prayer is not limited to simply words. 00:14:38.540 --> 00:14:52.220 In scripture, prayer includes conversations, and it includes groanings, it's songs, it's tears, it's silence, and a lot of times it's just your focused thoughts toward God. 00:14:53.500 --> 00:15:00.140 Jesus tells us in Matthew 6, 8, your father knows what you need before you even ask him. 00:15:04.060 --> 00:15:08.460 Your father knows what you need before you even ask him. 00:15:10.700 --> 00:15:14.860 So I tell you, you are doing God no favors. 00:15:16.060 --> 00:15:17.100 Slow down. 00:15:17.820 --> 00:15:19.020 Be intentional. 00:15:19.260 --> 00:15:25.740 And here's what I want you to know focused prayer produces focused action. 00:15:26.540 --> 00:15:39.580 And if you slow your prayer life down, you will notice your life start to slow down, and you will begin to have focused action on what's really important. 00:15:42.540 --> 00:15:52.460 So then, if prayer is all of these things and any of these things all at once, how should we be praying? 00:15:54.140 --> 00:15:57.180 There are all different types of prayer. 00:15:57.980 --> 00:16:02.460 Simple conversation is great, and that's what most of us turn to. 00:16:02.940 --> 00:16:04.940 Prayer should be intentional. 00:16:05.660 --> 00:16:09.580 There are a bunch of great biblical resources on how to pray. 00:16:09.820 --> 00:16:15.900 Some people journal, some people keep an ongoing prayer list or a prayer request list. 00:16:15.980 --> 00:16:17.180 Those are great. 00:16:17.420 --> 00:16:21.500 And structured prayer is a great way to start your prayer life. 00:16:21.820 --> 00:16:28.540 Having structure in your prayers keeps your quiet time intentional and keeps it on that focus that I'm talking about. 00:16:28.700 --> 00:16:33.340 So I want us to walk through one quick example of a structured prayer. 00:16:33.580 --> 00:16:33.900 Okay? 00:16:34.379 --> 00:16:40.700 And what a better way than the Lord's Prayer, the one that Jesus teaches us in the Bible. 00:16:41.260 --> 00:16:47.420 Such a great thing to let the Lord's prayer be your temperate template. 00:16:47.580 --> 00:16:57.020 The Lord's prayer says, Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 00:16:57.260 --> 00:17:08.779 Give us today our daily bread and forgive us our sins as we have forgiven those who sin against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. 00:17:09.740 --> 00:17:11.339 Anybody know the last part? 00:17:13.180 --> 00:17:13.900 Anybody? 00:17:15.180 --> 00:17:17.740 For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. 00:17:17.900 --> 00:17:18.379 Amen. 00:17:18.779 --> 00:17:20.859 You know that's not part of the Lord's Prayer. 00:17:22.299 --> 00:17:22.940 Not in there. 00:17:23.099 --> 00:17:25.900 When Jesus says it, that's from 1 Colossians, I think. 00:17:26.220 --> 00:17:29.419 So just a little tidbit there for you. 00:17:31.740 --> 00:17:35.899 So the Lord's Prayer says, Our Father who is in heaven. 00:17:36.619 --> 00:17:37.980 This is the greeting. 00:17:38.139 --> 00:17:40.059 Let's break that down together. 00:17:40.299 --> 00:17:42.859 The opening that starts your prayer. 00:17:43.339 --> 00:17:47.980 This is the initiation of your conversation in prayer. 00:17:48.779 --> 00:17:50.859 Does God need you to do this? 00:17:51.179 --> 00:17:53.819 Does God need to know that you're about to talk to him? 00:17:54.299 --> 00:17:56.460 No, he doesn't. 00:17:56.779 --> 00:18:03.579 But it is important because this part, the opening, the greeting to God, this postures your heart. 00:18:04.139 --> 00:18:07.419 This reminds you who you're about to talk to. 00:18:07.659 --> 00:18:12.220 The creator of all the heavens and the earth, God the Father. 00:18:13.099 --> 00:18:18.460 You are about to pray with the good the one good true King. 00:18:19.019 --> 00:18:23.339 And the Lord's Prayer says, Our Father who is in heaven. 00:18:24.619 --> 00:18:30.939 Isaiah 65, 24 says, I will answer them before they even call to me. 00:18:31.500 --> 00:18:34.539 I will answer them before they even call out to me. 00:18:34.700 --> 00:18:41.899 And while they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers. 00:18:42.779 --> 00:18:46.379 This first shows God's eagerness to talk to us. 00:18:46.859 --> 00:18:48.379 He knows what we need. 00:18:50.700 --> 00:18:54.299 He knows because he's always working for you. 00:18:54.700 --> 00:18:56.939 Not for you, but for you. 00:18:57.579 --> 00:19:00.939 But he waits for you to come to him. 00:19:01.579 --> 00:19:04.700 He waits for you to say his name. 00:19:05.019 --> 00:19:09.259 He's a father eager eagerly waiting to hear from his children. 00:19:10.299 --> 00:19:14.619 He wants us, you and I, to seek him out. 00:19:16.059 --> 00:19:17.980 He wants to hear from you. 00:19:19.179 --> 00:19:21.819 And this is evident in James 4.8. 00:19:22.220 --> 00:19:27.339 James 4.8 says, draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. 00:19:29.259 --> 00:19:39.500 Did you know that God is only referred to like 15 times as Father in the Old Testament of the Bible? 00:19:40.059 --> 00:19:41.899 About 15 times. 00:19:42.539 --> 00:19:50.059 In the New Testament, he's returned referred to as Father or referenced as Father over a hundred and fifty times. 00:19:50.619 --> 00:20:05.819 And if you remember in the Old Testament, God chose to dwell, or His presence with the people was in the temple, or it was in the tabernacle, or it became known as the Holy of Holies. 00:20:05.980 --> 00:20:08.779 He would reveal his presence to them in this place. 00:20:09.740 --> 00:20:13.179 And where this was was on the innermost part of the temple. 00:20:13.419 --> 00:20:17.579 So this is a rendering of what Solomon's temple may have looked like. 00:20:18.139 --> 00:20:23.339 And this would be considered the Holy of Holies, the very most center part. 00:20:23.500 --> 00:20:31.500 This would be the Ark of the Covenant, and God's presence, the Bible says, rested between the cherubim on top, the mercy seat. 00:20:31.899 --> 00:20:36.619 And that's where in the Old Testament the people of God would find his presence. 00:20:37.419 --> 00:20:46.939 And this whole entire area, from the outer courtyard to the innermost holy of holies, this part that you see, you wouldn't have seen. 00:20:47.419 --> 00:20:49.819 It would have been covered by a veil. 00:20:50.059 --> 00:20:57.740 And the Bible says, a veil made of all these materials as thick as your hand, as thick as the human hand. 00:20:58.139 --> 00:20:59.659 That's a huge curtain. 00:20:59.740 --> 00:21:01.819 Look how big this area is. 00:21:02.059 --> 00:21:03.419 And it was thick. 00:21:03.980 --> 00:21:07.419 And God's presence was made known in this place. 00:21:08.139 --> 00:21:11.899 And only one person could ever enter in the presence of God. 00:21:12.139 --> 00:21:13.899 And it was the high priest. 00:21:14.059 --> 00:21:18.220 And the high priest could only go into the presence of God one time a year. 00:21:18.460 --> 00:21:21.899 And that one time a year was during the Day of Atonement. 00:21:22.220 --> 00:21:32.460 And if you remember, the Bible says, if you were to come into the presence of God with any sin in your life, any unatoned for sin, you would fall dead instantly. 00:21:33.259 --> 00:21:50.539 And so what they would do, the high priest would take the week before the Day of Atonement, and he would begin cleansing his life, confessing his sins, making sacrifices to atone for his sins, and they would burn incense to create a cloud around the presence of God. 00:21:51.500 --> 00:21:59.259 And then the high priest would enter into the presence of God to speak for all the people, to speak for everyone. 00:22:00.460 --> 00:22:03.179 And they would even tie a rope around the priest. 00:22:03.419 --> 00:22:09.019 So if he got in there, should he have any unconfessed sin and he fell dead, then they could pull him out. 00:22:09.419 --> 00:22:11.500 Because they wouldn't go in there and get him. 00:22:12.779 --> 00:22:18.460 And now some would say maybe that's a little cruel that God would do that. 00:22:19.659 --> 00:22:20.460 It's not. 00:22:23.819 --> 00:22:25.500 It's his nature. 00:22:26.059 --> 00:22:34.539 Just as fire consumes what is flammable, just as light consumes dark, God's holiness wipes sin. 00:22:35.500 --> 00:22:38.460 It cannot coexist with sin. 00:22:39.579 --> 00:22:41.500 This was so important. 00:22:42.939 --> 00:22:49.259 One man would enter one day a year to talk to the presence of God. 00:22:50.859 --> 00:23:00.700 And we know that when Jesus came and he hung on the cross and he gave up his life for us, the Bible says that a great earthquake came. 00:23:00.939 --> 00:23:30.939 And the veil, the veil of the temple, here as thick as your hand, torn in two to symbolize that now all people, you and I, priests, third grade teachers, plumbers, everybody had access to the presence of God. 00:23:32.700 --> 00:23:33.659 All of us. 00:23:35.740 --> 00:23:38.939 That is what is happening in Acts two. 00:23:39.899 --> 00:23:45.740 The Holy Spirit, the presence of God being made opened for us. 00:23:51.019 --> 00:23:59.099 The importance of the word father, then takes on a whole different meaning. 00:23:59.819 --> 00:24:09.899 He made a way for us to be with him, to be not only just the presence of God, but to be a father. 00:24:10.859 --> 00:24:13.099 And there's an analogy that's often used. 00:24:13.179 --> 00:24:22.299 I'm sure you've heard it before, maybe you haven't, but it kind of uh it kind of illustrates what the Old Testament was like versus what the New Testament is. 00:24:22.379 --> 00:24:35.740 And it's I don't even know who said it, but it says, a servant that approaches a king with fear for a cup of water, but a child will climb into his father's lap in the middle of the night just to tell him he's thirsty. 00:24:37.659 --> 00:24:42.059 That's us, the children of God. 00:24:43.339 --> 00:24:47.579 And it says, Our Father in heaven, the greeting. 00:24:48.379 --> 00:24:50.299 Hallowed be thy name. 00:24:50.619 --> 00:24:53.500 How great is your name, O God. 00:24:54.779 --> 00:24:56.939 This is where you give praise to God. 00:24:57.099 --> 00:24:59.980 This is where you insert gratitude. 00:25:00.379 --> 00:25:04.619 Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. 00:25:05.019 --> 00:25:09.740 Thank you, Lord, for fill in the blank. 00:25:10.299 --> 00:25:11.579 Fill in the blank. 00:25:11.819 --> 00:25:14.299 Tell him all you're grateful for. 00:25:15.099 --> 00:25:21.019 If you cannot find something to be grateful for, you have not searched yourself hard enough. 00:25:22.059 --> 00:25:25.740 Every single breath you take is a gift. 00:25:26.379 --> 00:25:30.299 Every breath you should be grateful. 00:25:30.619 --> 00:25:34.299 Every single breath, he is worthy of your praise. 00:25:34.700 --> 00:25:42.379 And then it goes on to say, Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 00:25:43.099 --> 00:25:46.139 Lord, we eagerly await your arrival. 00:25:47.259 --> 00:25:50.220 Your will be done, Father. 00:25:50.460 --> 00:25:55.019 Here's what I might say, Lord, I'm struggling with this decision. 00:25:55.579 --> 00:26:00.859 I think this is the direction that you want me to go, but I'm seeking your will. 00:26:01.099 --> 00:26:02.379 I'm listening, Lord. 00:26:02.539 --> 00:26:06.779 Speak to my heart and continue to guide me in what you would have me do. 00:26:07.339 --> 00:26:11.259 Let me not serve myself, but let me seek you out in all I do. 00:26:11.419 --> 00:26:12.539 Keep me humble. 00:26:13.339 --> 00:26:14.460 Search my heart. 00:26:14.619 --> 00:26:16.539 Search my heart for pride. 00:26:18.379 --> 00:26:21.659 I seek to carry the cross that you've provided for me. 00:26:22.539 --> 00:26:26.700 And then it goes on give us this day our daily bread. 00:26:27.819 --> 00:26:29.899 This is grateful for provision. 00:26:30.139 --> 00:26:35.899 Lord, your provision over me and my family is a blessing, a blessing that we don't deserve. 00:26:36.139 --> 00:26:39.899 Thank you for continuing to watch over us and provide for us. 00:26:40.299 --> 00:26:45.659 Lord, should there be a need that I'm to fill today, please bring it to my attention. 00:26:45.980 --> 00:26:51.019 Please help me to see the needs of others and provide as you've provided for me. 00:26:52.220 --> 00:26:57.579 Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. 00:26:58.379 --> 00:27:00.139 Forgive us our sins. 00:27:00.779 --> 00:27:02.859 Lord, my sins are many. 00:27:03.339 --> 00:27:07.740 I'm sorry for fill in the blank. 00:27:08.539 --> 00:27:10.299 This is my longest part. 00:27:11.500 --> 00:27:15.500 I'm sorry, Lord, for all of these things. 00:27:16.139 --> 00:27:23.259 And like gratitude, if you don't have anything to put here, you have not searched hard enough. 00:27:23.579 --> 00:27:25.099 I promise you do. 00:27:26.779 --> 00:27:29.899 And the next part of the prayer is always the hardest for me. 00:27:33.419 --> 00:27:36.059 Forgive those who sinned against us. 00:27:37.259 --> 00:27:41.659 And this is a section where I always try and pray for somebody I just don't want to. 00:27:43.819 --> 00:27:46.779 Somebody I'm just not right with. 00:27:49.419 --> 00:27:55.579 But I promise you, if you will struggle through it and you will pray for them, it will be rewarding to you. 00:27:57.579 --> 00:28:03.419 Release all of your anger, release all of your frustration and prayers over them. 00:28:04.939 --> 00:28:07.899 Do it for them, and it will change you. 00:28:08.379 --> 00:28:13.099 It is difficult to do, but it is very, very rewarding. 00:28:13.500 --> 00:28:17.899 And it's a part of the prayer that Jesus Himself gives to us. 00:28:18.779 --> 00:28:22.779 Lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from the evil one. 00:28:23.819 --> 00:28:25.019 This one's easy. 00:28:25.259 --> 00:28:27.980 Lord, help me to put on your full armor today. 00:28:28.779 --> 00:28:30.939 Protect me from the enemy, Lord. 00:28:31.179 --> 00:28:35.980 Help me to discern when to fight, when to battle, and when to flee. 00:28:36.299 --> 00:28:39.099 Help me to see sin, Lord. 00:28:39.259 --> 00:28:42.460 Help me to not let the enemy take a foothold today. 00:28:43.259 --> 00:28:46.859 That's a template of the Lord's Prayer. 00:28:47.579 --> 00:29:02.379 And then at the very end, before you say Amen, but only after gratitude, only after gratitude and after your repentance, after your forgiveness for others, then God bring bring everything. 00:29:03.259 --> 00:29:09.179 Your requests, your desires, the things that you feel that you need. 00:29:10.779 --> 00:29:14.220 And then at the very end, just listen. 00:29:15.099 --> 00:29:21.740 Just stop and sit in silence in the presence of God, the gift that has been given to you. 00:29:21.980 --> 00:29:23.259 Just wait. 00:29:23.899 --> 00:29:26.379 Slow down and just listen. 00:29:27.740 --> 00:29:30.939 And there are several other biblical templates for prayer. 00:29:31.099 --> 00:29:37.579 There's templates that actually walk through the um the temple and do prayers according to the parts of the temple. 00:29:37.659 --> 00:29:39.339 And you can look those up. 00:29:39.659 --> 00:29:46.139 But sometimes it is just easier to focus during your quiet time if you have a structure. 00:29:46.460 --> 00:29:49.179 And I think it postures your heart right for that time. 00:29:49.259 --> 00:29:51.899 It keeps you from rushing through it. 00:29:51.980 --> 00:29:55.819 And then it always starts you with gratitude and forgiveness first. 00:29:56.779 --> 00:29:58.220 And forgiveness is important. 00:29:58.379 --> 00:30:01.659 Actually, it says in Matthew 6, 14. 00:30:02.220 --> 00:30:08.220 This is the very, very next verse after Jesus talks about the Lord's Prayer. 00:30:08.460 --> 00:30:09.980 This is the next verse. 00:30:10.299 --> 00:30:15.419 If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 00:30:15.980 --> 00:30:21.259 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. 00:30:22.139 --> 00:30:26.939 That's the very next verse after the prayer he gives us. 00:30:27.099 --> 00:30:28.939 That's how important it is. 00:30:30.379 --> 00:30:31.419 That hurts. 00:30:40.539 --> 00:30:48.859 Did you know that in the Bible there's actually eight very specific things that God points out as to why your prayers aren't being answered? 00:30:49.259 --> 00:30:51.179 Anyone ever thought about that before? 00:30:51.419 --> 00:30:52.379 Anyone ever? 00:30:52.700 --> 00:31:00.460 I mean, I know that I've diligently put in the prayer time before, and I thought, man, I thought this is exactly where I was supposed to be going. 00:31:00.539 --> 00:31:02.700 I thought this is exactly what I should be doing. 00:31:02.859 --> 00:31:04.859 And I'm just not hearing anything. 00:31:05.019 --> 00:31:07.019 I'm not feeling anything. 00:31:07.339 --> 00:31:10.220 Let me list them for you, and I want you to take a look at these. 00:31:10.619 --> 00:31:15.259 These are eight ways in the or eight reasons in the Bible your prayers may not be being answered. 00:31:15.500 --> 00:31:17.099 And God lays them out to us. 00:31:17.259 --> 00:31:25.659 If I had thought about it in time, I wanted to print these out on little um, you know, business cards and give them to you guys so you can be thinking about them. 00:31:26.139 --> 00:31:28.779 But when you're praying, think about these things. 00:31:29.019 --> 00:31:30.619 Take a picture of it. 00:31:30.939 --> 00:31:34.139 Think about these things in your heart as you pray. 00:31:34.379 --> 00:31:35.099 As you pray. 00:31:35.259 --> 00:31:39.099 The first one is maybe it's because you didn't ask. 00:31:40.139 --> 00:31:44.299 James 4, 2, you have not because you asked not. 00:31:45.819 --> 00:31:48.700 You may not have received because you didn't ask. 00:31:49.019 --> 00:31:51.099 Does God need to know what you need? 00:31:51.259 --> 00:31:52.539 No, he knows. 00:31:53.500 --> 00:31:55.179 But he wants you to ask. 00:31:55.419 --> 00:31:57.740 He wants you to seek him out. 00:31:57.980 --> 00:32:03.419 He wants to partner with you on how important that is in your life. 00:32:04.220 --> 00:32:07.019 If you need something, ask for it. 00:32:07.179 --> 00:32:09.579 You have not because you ask not. 00:32:10.700 --> 00:32:16.700 Number two, your prayer may be going unheard because of unconfessed sin or cherished sin. 00:32:17.659 --> 00:32:19.579 Psalm 66, 18. 00:32:19.819 --> 00:32:24.299 If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. 00:32:24.859 --> 00:32:25.899 That's important. 00:32:26.460 --> 00:32:34.460 Now I'm not talking about the sins that you commit unintentionally or advertently or inadvertently every now and then. 00:32:34.619 --> 00:32:38.379 I mean, these are, the Bible says, cherished sins. 00:32:39.259 --> 00:32:43.500 These are the ones that you feel conviction for, but you don't do anything about. 00:32:43.980 --> 00:32:47.019 These are the ones that you're making your excuses for. 00:32:48.220 --> 00:32:50.859 These are the ones that you hold deep in your heart. 00:32:51.019 --> 00:32:54.779 They're locked away in the box and you don't want anybody to know about them. 00:32:54.939 --> 00:32:57.659 These are the ones that you're that you're living in. 00:32:58.220 --> 00:33:00.939 That's what cherished sin is. 00:33:01.339 --> 00:33:06.700 And sometimes God will point to that sin to call correction. 00:33:07.179 --> 00:33:14.539 And sometimes he'll let your prayers go silent to draw your attention to what you need to change first. 00:33:15.980 --> 00:33:20.379 Number three is your prayers may not be an answer because you have doubt. 00:33:20.700 --> 00:33:22.220 James 1, 6. 00:33:22.539 --> 00:33:26.220 But when you ask him, be sure your faith is in God alone. 00:33:26.460 --> 00:33:34.299 Do not waver for a person with divided loyalty, is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed in the wind. 00:33:34.619 --> 00:33:40.220 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 00:33:41.339 --> 00:33:43.980 Do you have doubt in your life? 00:33:44.220 --> 00:33:46.539 Or is your faith fully in God? 00:33:46.700 --> 00:33:49.659 Are you trying to do the things yourself first? 00:33:50.139 --> 00:33:53.099 And then if that doesn't work, then you'll ask God? 00:33:53.339 --> 00:33:57.980 Or do you ask God first and let his will be done in your life? 00:33:59.019 --> 00:34:03.500 Number four, your prayers may go unheard because you have the wrong motives. 00:34:03.819 --> 00:34:05.259 James 4, 3. 00:34:05.579 --> 00:34:09.900 And even when you ask, you do not get it because your motives are all wrong. 00:34:10.220 --> 00:34:14.460 You only want what will give you pleasure. 00:34:15.260 --> 00:34:18.940 In other words, don't take the Lord's name in vain. 00:34:20.139 --> 00:34:24.380 Don't put God's name on something in your life that He didn't give to you. 00:34:26.539 --> 00:34:29.659 He's not gonna give you the lottery and a Lamborghini. 00:34:29.900 --> 00:34:33.420 Let me just tell you up front, that's not the way he works. 00:34:33.660 --> 00:34:34.940 That is a pleasure. 00:34:35.180 --> 00:34:36.539 That is not a need. 00:34:39.340 --> 00:34:40.860 Wrong motives. 00:34:42.940 --> 00:34:46.940 God may not grant your prayers because you ignore the needs of others. 00:34:47.260 --> 00:34:48.700 Are you generous? 00:34:49.019 --> 00:34:51.260 Proverbs 21:13. 00:34:51.500 --> 00:34:57.100 Those who shut their eyes to the cries of the poor will be ignored in their own time of need. 00:34:57.740 --> 00:34:59.900 That is from the Bible. 00:35:05.420 --> 00:35:06.380 Men only. 00:35:07.180 --> 00:35:08.780 This is for you men. 00:35:09.420 --> 00:35:13.019 I have to check this one all the time. 00:35:13.900 --> 00:35:20.220 Your wives are your equal partner and get in uh in God a gift of new life. 00:35:20.460 --> 00:35:25.900 Treat her as you should, so your prayers should not be hindered. 00:35:27.660 --> 00:35:33.180 Men, you're married to the daughter of the Most High King. 00:35:33.420 --> 00:35:38.140 If you are not treating her correctly, God says, Don't even think about it. 00:35:39.660 --> 00:35:42.860 Treat your wife as she should be treated. 00:35:43.660 --> 00:35:47.340 Number seven, the unforgiveness thing. 00:35:47.900 --> 00:35:50.300 The unforgiveness thing that we talked about. 00:35:50.620 --> 00:35:52.860 Holding unforgiveness in your heart. 00:35:53.180 --> 00:35:54.940 Matthew 6, 14. 00:35:57.500 --> 00:35:59.180 Reflect on these things. 00:35:59.500 --> 00:36:01.180 There's one that's not up here. 00:36:01.820 --> 00:36:03.340 One more I want to add to you. 00:36:03.820 --> 00:36:05.820 This has happened a lot in my life. 00:36:08.059 --> 00:36:13.180 God may not be answering your prayers simply because He's got something better for you. 00:36:14.300 --> 00:36:17.180 You may not know what's best for you. 00:36:18.220 --> 00:36:23.019 And sometimes He's got something different planned for you. 00:36:24.620 --> 00:36:27.500 Check these eight things when you're praying. 00:36:27.820 --> 00:36:29.420 Do I have any of these? 00:36:29.740 --> 00:36:31.019 Did I ask right? 00:36:31.260 --> 00:36:32.700 Am I cherishing sin? 00:36:32.940 --> 00:36:34.059 Am I living in doubt? 00:36:34.220 --> 00:36:35.820 Do I have the wrong motives? 00:36:36.059 --> 00:36:37.420 Have I been generous to others? 00:36:37.580 --> 00:36:40.620 Have I ignored others' needs that God's put in front of me? 00:36:41.820 --> 00:36:43.740 Am I treating my wife right? 00:36:45.420 --> 00:36:47.340 Do I have forgiveness? 00:36:49.340 --> 00:36:51.660 So then when do we pray? 00:36:52.700 --> 00:36:55.340 When is the best time to pray? 00:36:55.740 --> 00:36:57.500 Here's my suggestion. 00:36:57.820 --> 00:37:01.500 The moment you open your eyes, start praying. 00:37:02.300 --> 00:37:05.260 Then don't stop until you fall asleep at night. 00:37:05.820 --> 00:37:07.820 That's what the Bible says, right? 00:37:08.300 --> 00:37:15.500 1 Thessalonians 5 17, Paul writes this rejoice always, pray without ceasing. 00:37:16.220 --> 00:37:19.019 Give thanks in all circumstances. 00:37:20.220 --> 00:37:22.539 Pray without ceasing. 00:37:23.500 --> 00:37:25.340 What did Paul mean by that? 00:37:26.539 --> 00:37:36.140 I don't think this is really a verbal prayer that you're praying all day from the moment that you open your eyes until the moment that you fall asleep at night. 00:37:36.380 --> 00:37:44.860 I would say more that Paul is talking about in this passage that we should be in constant communion with God throughout the day. 00:37:45.340 --> 00:37:48.940 I'm going to give you a very cheesy example of what I mean by this. 00:37:49.660 --> 00:37:54.380 But it illustrates exactly what I think Paul is talking about here. 00:37:55.420 --> 00:38:03.420 When my wife and I uh started dating, and we started talking back and forth, I was in the military. 00:38:03.660 --> 00:38:07.180 So my wife and I, before we met, wrote letters back and forth. 00:38:07.260 --> 00:38:10.140 It's actually how we met each other, old school snail mail. 00:38:10.380 --> 00:38:16.780 So we were writing letters back and forth, and I was serving overseas, and eventually those letters turned to email. 00:38:16.940 --> 00:38:19.340 And we would email back and forth. 00:38:19.820 --> 00:38:23.660 But we didn't do phone calls because we were hours and hours apart. 00:38:24.300 --> 00:38:27.500 And so I looked forward to letters and emails. 00:38:27.660 --> 00:38:32.780 And in my head, continuously, I would always think, I wonder what she really sounds like. 00:38:33.260 --> 00:38:34.780 I know what she sounds like in my head. 00:38:34.860 --> 00:38:38.780 I know as she's talking to me up here, but I wonder what she's she really sounds like. 00:38:39.100 --> 00:38:48.460 And so it built up this anticipation when I got back to the States of the first time that I was actually going to hear her voice, the first time that I was going to talk to her. 00:38:49.019 --> 00:38:56.380 And we did talk the very first night that I got back to the States uh for seven and a half hours. 00:38:57.260 --> 00:39:02.380 Never sounded nothing like what she sounded like in my head. 00:39:02.780 --> 00:39:05.420 But maybe you did this with your spouse when you first met. 00:39:05.500 --> 00:39:08.539 Me and Lydia stayed up, this cheesy, sorry, Lydia. 00:39:09.180 --> 00:39:12.700 Stayed up probably for seven and a half hours on the phone. 00:39:13.019 --> 00:39:17.500 And you can't fill conversation for seven and a half hours. 00:39:17.740 --> 00:39:19.100 It's not what we did. 00:39:19.340 --> 00:39:21.019 We just didn't want to hang up. 00:39:21.260 --> 00:39:22.780 We would fall asleep for a little bit. 00:39:22.860 --> 00:39:31.019 It'd be 2:30, 3 in the morning, we'd fall asleep for a little bit, and then I'd wake up or she'd wake up and I'd hear, oh, I can hear breathing. 00:39:31.260 --> 00:39:34.220 And we'd go back to sleep and we'd stay on the phone. 00:39:34.460 --> 00:39:40.220 And we did that probably for the first two, three weeks that we were getting to know each other. 00:39:40.460 --> 00:39:45.340 And I think that illustrates exactly the communion with God that we need to have. 00:39:45.420 --> 00:39:54.460 You're not in verbal communication the entire time, but your first thought is always who's on the other line? 00:39:54.780 --> 00:39:55.740 God first. 00:39:57.100 --> 00:39:58.700 Always talking to him. 00:40:00.059 --> 00:40:05.820 And that's exactly what Lydia and I, as a matter of fact, my first phone bill was like$780 something dollars. 00:40:06.059 --> 00:40:06.460 Yes. 00:40:06.700 --> 00:40:08.940 This is back when we paid by the minute, folks. 00:40:09.100 --> 00:40:09.500 Yeah. 00:40:09.740 --> 00:40:11.260 And free nights and weekends. 00:40:11.420 --> 00:40:12.140 That's a scam. 00:40:12.220 --> 00:40:13.900 Don't ever fall into that one. 00:40:14.380 --> 00:40:19.500 Just so you know, if you ever get called into free nights and weekends, I don't even think they do it anymore. 00:40:19.820 --> 00:40:27.500 One very important lesson I could teach you is at 7 o'clock when your night starts, you must hang up and recall back. 00:40:27.660 --> 00:40:28.780 Just so you know. 00:40:29.019 --> 00:40:30.140 There's the scam. 00:40:30.380 --> 00:40:30.700 Yeah. 00:40:30.940 --> 00:40:31.980 $780. 00:40:32.620 --> 00:40:35.420 But absolutely the best money I've ever spent. 00:40:36.059 --> 00:40:40.380 So that's what you do when you love somebody. 00:40:40.620 --> 00:40:49.740 When you love somebody, their silence, that communion with them in silence is just as important as anything that you could ever be saying. 00:40:50.620 --> 00:40:59.660 So what would change in your life if God was a continual part of your prayer and a continual part of your day? 00:41:00.940 --> 00:41:12.059 What if we lived letting a little bit of our life into our relationship with God instead of letting a little bit of God into our relationship with life? 00:41:12.380 --> 00:41:13.660 Does that make sense? 00:41:14.140 --> 00:41:20.220 What if your prayers became a daily discipline before they became a desperation? 00:41:20.940 --> 00:41:27.100 What if you did it every day before you desperately needed something from God? 00:41:29.019 --> 00:41:30.940 You know who prays well? 00:41:31.900 --> 00:41:34.780 You know who's a model for good prayer? 00:41:36.220 --> 00:41:37.980 The Muslim community. 00:41:39.340 --> 00:41:42.780 Prayer to them is an important part of their culture. 00:41:42.940 --> 00:41:44.220 You gotta give it to them. 00:41:44.380 --> 00:41:45.900 They are devoted. 00:41:46.059 --> 00:41:49.660 They're devout and they're religious. 00:41:50.300 --> 00:41:58.300 Prayer and fasting to them has always been a part of their culture and it's ingrained into them since they were kids. 00:41:59.340 --> 00:42:08.220 As a matter of fact, you could almost say that it's sort of that blind devotion that prevents being able to see the truth. 00:42:09.260 --> 00:42:19.420 But imagine, imagine if that kind of community could come together and pray the truth and pray to Jesus. 00:42:20.700 --> 00:42:26.140 A converted Muslim to Christian is a prayer warrior. 00:42:26.860 --> 00:42:28.700 It is ingrained in them. 00:42:28.940 --> 00:42:38.059 Matthew 6, 6 says this, when you pray, go into your room and close the door and pray to your father who is unseen. 00:42:40.700 --> 00:42:45.180 Your father who sees it done in secret will reward you. 00:42:46.460 --> 00:42:48.460 Do you have a quiet place? 00:42:49.420 --> 00:42:52.539 Do you have someplace you go and shut the door? 00:42:53.100 --> 00:42:54.300 Do you go outside? 00:42:54.460 --> 00:43:00.780 Do you go someplace with your coffee and do you sit in silence and do you listen for the voice of the Holy Spirit? 00:43:01.100 --> 00:43:03.660 Do you make that time during the day? 00:43:03.980 --> 00:43:08.940 Are you able to pray and just sit still? 00:43:11.260 --> 00:43:14.300 So then, when should we pray? 00:43:15.340 --> 00:43:21.180 I would say every single moment made available to do so throughout the day. 00:43:24.059 --> 00:43:27.580 Every moment you can talk to God. 00:43:28.380 --> 00:43:30.940 He is the only thing that matters. 00:43:31.260 --> 00:43:36.300 Not your job, not your worries, not your regrets. 00:43:36.620 --> 00:43:42.140 But what he has for you is the only thing that you need to hear. 00:43:44.300 --> 00:43:47.660 So then some would say, Why pray? 00:43:48.300 --> 00:43:56.059 If God already knows everything and God's sovereign over everything already, which he is, then what's the point? 00:43:57.180 --> 00:43:59.340 Why pray? 00:44:01.660 --> 00:44:06.860 The simplest Sunday school answer that I can give to you is because he said so. 00:44:08.220 --> 00:44:23.420 Because you're commanded to, because it's for your own good, it's for your own benefit, and because you're given the opportunity to talk and sit in. 00:44:24.140 --> 00:44:27.019 Presence of the creator of the universe. 00:44:28.300 --> 00:44:34.140 You're invited into the everlasting presence of God every single day. 00:44:35.019 --> 00:44:36.860 Charles Spurgeon said this. 00:44:37.180 --> 00:44:38.140 This is a quote. 00:44:39.340 --> 00:44:44.860 Prayer is neither a mere mental exercise nor a vocal performance. 00:44:45.260 --> 00:44:47.340 It is far deeper than that. 00:44:47.980 --> 00:44:54.140 It is a spiritual transaction with the creator of heaven and earth. 00:44:55.180 --> 00:44:58.220 Prayer is our benefit. 00:44:59.500 --> 00:45:05.420 We live in a world where the world and the flesh of this world are desperately trying to tear us apart. 00:45:05.900 --> 00:45:12.940 And prayer as a community, as a church, and as a body of Christ is what brings us together. 00:45:13.980 --> 00:45:18.220 Prayer will turn our minds and our hearts on each other's knees. 00:45:19.900 --> 00:45:22.460 It focuses the heart on the will of God. 00:45:23.180 --> 00:45:26.300 Prayer will increase your spiritual discipline. 00:45:27.340 --> 00:45:29.980 It is your invitation to be heard. 00:45:31.180 --> 00:45:34.860 It makes you able to vent, to release worry. 00:45:35.820 --> 00:45:37.980 It's mission-mindedness. 00:45:38.539 --> 00:45:41.980 It aligns the human will with God's will. 00:45:43.100 --> 00:45:44.460 It's intimate. 00:45:46.780 --> 00:45:48.300 It's emotional. 00:45:49.100 --> 00:45:50.700 It's worshipful. 00:45:51.500 --> 00:45:53.740 But it is also commanding. 00:45:55.420 --> 00:45:59.820 Prayer is your God-given offensive attack on the enemy. 00:46:00.780 --> 00:46:15.740 To call down the name of Jesus and to wage war against the things of darkness in this world, the things that are hurting your life, prayer is your protection and it's your peace. 00:46:16.620 --> 00:46:19.900 And there are so many reasons to pray. 00:46:20.860 --> 00:46:30.300 But if you can't think of any other reason at all, why not just pray because he's worthy? 00:46:32.300 --> 00:46:37.019 Because he is worthy of every single breath that we have. 00:46:37.180 --> 00:46:40.140 Surely that is enough to pray. 00:46:41.260 --> 00:46:52.220 There's an account in the Bible, you've probably heard the story, it's Genesis 18 and 19, if you want to go back and read it later, but it's a conversation between a man named Abraham and God. 00:46:53.019 --> 00:46:59.180 And Abraham stands with God and they discuss the outcome of a city, Sodom and Gomorrah. 00:46:59.260 --> 00:47:03.580 And Sodom and Gomorrah at the time was a town that had completely lost itself to sin. 00:47:03.980 --> 00:47:08.460 There was no evidence of God there between the people. 00:47:09.580 --> 00:47:14.700 And God was to destroy the people and the city as punishment of that sin. 00:47:14.860 --> 00:47:21.900 And Abraham has the courage to stand in the presence of God and plead for these people. 00:47:22.860 --> 00:47:24.059 Awful people. 00:47:25.100 --> 00:47:28.539 People that are doing wrong things. 00:47:29.260 --> 00:47:33.019 People that don't care and don't love God. 00:47:34.380 --> 00:47:38.620 And Abraham goes back and forth with God and pleads for mercy with these people. 00:47:38.700 --> 00:47:41.340 And he says, Lord, what if I could find 50 people? 00:47:42.059 --> 00:47:43.260 Would you save the city? 00:47:43.340 --> 00:47:44.539 And God agrees. 00:47:44.780 --> 00:47:48.059 And then it says, Well, what if I could only find 45? 00:47:48.220 --> 00:47:50.059 Surely you wouldn't destroy them then. 00:47:50.780 --> 00:47:52.140 And then 30. 00:47:52.380 --> 00:47:53.500 And then 20. 00:47:53.580 --> 00:47:56.380 And he says, Well, what if I could find 10 righteous? 00:47:56.700 --> 00:47:58.220 What would you say then? 00:47:59.500 --> 00:48:03.740 And there weren't even 10 righteous people in the city that could be found. 00:48:04.220 --> 00:48:09.500 But one man stood in the presence of God and pleaded for them, anyways, on their behalf. 00:48:10.300 --> 00:48:14.620 Because the lives of every single person in the city depended on it. 00:48:15.900 --> 00:48:25.420 And Martin Luther once said, to be a Christian without prayer is as impossible as it is to be alive without breathing. 00:48:31.980 --> 00:48:46.140 And I wonder, what would happen if we could come together as a church and we could pray together in the presence of God the same way that Abraham did? 00:48:47.740 --> 00:48:55.740 What would happen if one church could unify in prayer together as if the lives of the people in their city depended on it? 00:48:56.539 --> 00:48:58.220 What would happen? 00:48:59.900 --> 00:49:01.340 Because it does. 00:49:02.620 --> 00:49:04.539 It certainly matters. 00:49:05.500 --> 00:49:08.780 Would it be worth it if we could save 30? 00:49:10.460 --> 00:49:11.980 What about 20 lives? 00:49:12.140 --> 00:49:13.500 Is that worth it? 00:49:14.460 --> 00:49:15.100 10? 00:49:17.100 --> 00:49:19.820 What if it was just one life? 00:49:21.500 --> 00:49:23.820 Just as Jesus did for us. 00:49:24.780 --> 00:49:28.780 When Jesus said to God, what if I could give you one righteous life? 00:49:29.019 --> 00:49:30.380 Would you save them then? 00:49:32.059 --> 00:49:33.019 And he did. 00:49:34.860 --> 00:49:36.460 Would you pray then? 00:49:36.940 --> 00:49:42.059 One church and one prayer for one life. 00:49:47.660 --> 00:49:50.059 Because somebody did it for me once. 00:49:51.260 --> 00:49:54.539 And I promise you, somebody is doing it for you as well. 00:49:57.820 --> 00:49:59.900 And that's why we pray. 00:50:01.420 --> 00:50:12.620 There is power in a church that will unify themselves and pray together and plead for the people of this world to see the goodness of God. 00:50:15.100 --> 00:50:17.180 Let's do that this morning, church. 00:50:17.340 --> 00:50:19.500 If you'll bow your heads with me. 00:50:27.100 --> 00:50:30.539 Lord, let us sit here in the stillness of your presence. 00:50:35.180 --> 00:50:41.420 Lord, we plead for mercy on this world that has lost themselves. 00:50:43.180 --> 00:50:46.380 I ask for mercy in my own life, Father. 00:50:49.580 --> 00:50:52.620 My sins are many, and my sins are great. 00:50:55.660 --> 00:51:01.420 I'm sorry for every time that I fall short of your glory. 00:51:07.180 --> 00:51:09.100 Unify us, Lord. 00:51:10.460 --> 00:51:14.539 Make us one church that is mission-minded toward you. 00:51:17.900 --> 00:51:32.059 I thank you for sending your son Jesus to die on the cross, Father, to tear the veil away and allow us the opportunity to come together on Sunday mornings, 2,000 years later, and just sit in the presence of the Holy Spirit. 00:51:33.900 --> 00:51:37.980 That it would be important enough to you to be in this place with us. 00:51:41.660 --> 00:51:44.700 Thank you, Father, that you've never forgotten about us. 00:51:47.340 --> 00:51:50.539 That you've never let us fall away to our own sins. 00:51:50.700 --> 00:51:55.660 That you've always given us the second chances that we don't deserve, Lord. 00:51:57.660 --> 00:52:13.260 I pray for everybody under the sound of my voice, Father, that you would just rain down blessings upon them, Father, fill them with the Holy Spirit and open their hearts to see your goodness and the greatness of your gift of grace. 00:52:14.780 --> 00:52:17.500 We ask these things in your Son's name. 00:52:17.820 --> 00:52:18.460 Amen. 00:52:20.940 --> 00:52:23.500 We're going to worship together one more time. 00:52:24.780 --> 00:52:27.420 This is a very important part of the service. 00:52:29.660 --> 00:52:38.539 And I think that we don't get up out of our seats enough and come and simply kneel before the Lord. 00:52:38.780 --> 00:52:44.940 If you've never given your life to Christ, today is a very important day. 00:52:45.260 --> 00:52:46.220 Do not wait. 00:52:46.380 --> 00:52:49.420 The Bible says that He will return soon. 00:52:50.059 --> 00:52:54.700 If you would like to unify with somebody in prayer, we've got people back at the prayer table. 00:52:54.780 --> 00:52:58.539 You can step back there and they would love to partner with you in prayer. 00:52:59.500 --> 00:53:06.460 If you would like to come up to the altar and kneel down and pray, you don't have to be accepting Jesus today. 00:53:06.860 --> 00:53:09.820 You don't even have to need anything today. 00:53:10.300 --> 00:53:16.700 What if we came together and prayed today just because we have the opportunity to? 00:53:17.420 --> 00:53:20.620 Just because he is worthy. 00:53:21.180 --> 00:53:22.300 Let's do that today. 00:53:22.460 --> 00:53:25.180 Will you stand with me as we worship together?