WEBVTT 00:00:00.479 --> 00:00:04.559 Verses 42 through 43, Acts chapter 2, 42 through 43. 00:00:04.879 --> 00:00:14.320 I'm not actually gonna preach out of that till the very end of the message, but what I want you to do before we even begin the message is get there and highlight that message. 00:00:14.480 --> 00:00:20.480 It is incredibly important to understand the purpose of the gathering of the church. 00:00:20.719 --> 00:00:26.160 So the church is a unique reality established by God here on earth for your benefit. 00:00:26.320 --> 00:00:33.520 And if you missed last week's message as I began this series called Becoming a Jesus Church, please, please, please, please, please. 00:00:33.679 --> 00:00:37.439 In fact, I would get on my knees if my right knee didn't hurt because of the rain. 00:00:37.600 --> 00:00:42.240 And I would beg you, beg you to go back and listen to last week's message if you missed it. 00:00:42.479 --> 00:00:45.520 It is really important to understand the purpose of the church. 00:00:45.600 --> 00:00:48.719 And here's what the church is: the church is God's design. 00:00:49.039 --> 00:00:57.439 He created it for you, for me, for people to gather together to be with him and become more like him. 00:00:57.840 --> 00:01:00.159 That's what becoming a Jesus church is all about. 00:01:00.320 --> 00:01:02.079 Understanding the purpose of the church. 00:01:02.240 --> 00:01:08.000 And so what we heard last week is that the church is people, not a building. 00:01:08.239 --> 00:01:14.400 And I know that that makes intuitive sense when you read the word, but how many of you woke up this morning and said, I've got to go to church? 00:01:14.640 --> 00:01:14.879 Right? 00:01:15.120 --> 00:01:16.319 As like it's a place. 00:01:16.480 --> 00:01:17.519 It's not a place. 00:01:17.760 --> 00:01:18.799 It's a people. 00:01:19.040 --> 00:01:24.159 Everyone who professes to be a follower of Christ, wherever we gather, we are the church. 00:01:24.239 --> 00:01:32.079 And God, through his Holy Spirit and through the group of people, is shaping us more into the image of his very own Son. 00:01:32.480 --> 00:01:37.840 Now I want you to consider for a moment the people that you spend most of your time with. 00:01:38.480 --> 00:01:45.280 Now you might not like those people very much, but you find yourself spending an inordinate amount of time with certain people, right? 00:01:45.439 --> 00:01:52.480 And you can't help but to pick up some of their behaviors and attitudes when you're with them. 00:01:52.719 --> 00:01:55.120 Now, my wife and I have been married 18 years. 00:01:55.280 --> 00:01:56.959 We have five awesome kids. 00:01:57.120 --> 00:02:05.120 And over the course of 18 years, there are things that I will say, and I'll catch myself going, oh, oh, I got that from Amy. 00:02:05.200 --> 00:02:07.359 That's like something Amy brought into this family. 00:02:08.000 --> 00:02:11.759 There's things that she'll say, and she'll be like, oh yeah, that's definitely me. 00:02:11.919 --> 00:02:12.960 She picked that up from me. 00:02:13.120 --> 00:02:15.360 There's things that our kids say, right? 00:02:15.520 --> 00:02:18.719 And you go, oh man, that's your mom. 00:02:19.680 --> 00:02:20.080 Right? 00:02:20.319 --> 00:02:29.520 Like the fact of the matter is, when you're with people and you're in relationship, you will begin to adopt behaviors, beliefs, patterns of speech. 00:02:29.680 --> 00:02:37.680 You'll become like one another because conformity produces, or proximity produces some conformity. 00:02:37.840 --> 00:02:40.719 Proximity produces internal formation. 00:02:40.960 --> 00:02:43.439 You will be changed by the people you spend your time with. 00:02:43.520 --> 00:02:49.199 And that's why when you were growing up, your mom and dad always told you, don't hang out with those kids, do hang out with those kids. 00:02:49.360 --> 00:02:50.560 You ever heard that? 00:02:50.879 --> 00:02:55.520 Because we intuitively understand that who you're with shapes who you become. 00:02:55.840 --> 00:02:59.199 Now, Christ has given you his Holy Spirit. 00:02:59.439 --> 00:03:02.319 The Holy Spirit of God indwells you. 00:03:02.560 --> 00:03:05.280 That's pretty close proximity, wouldn't you say? 00:03:06.560 --> 00:03:07.439 Come on, church. 00:03:07.520 --> 00:03:09.840 I know it's early and rainy, but help me out. 00:03:10.080 --> 00:03:10.400 Okay? 00:03:11.360 --> 00:03:14.479 The Spirit of God has been given to you and he indwells you. 00:03:14.560 --> 00:03:17.039 That's pretty close proximity, wouldn't you say? 00:03:17.680 --> 00:03:18.159 Yes. 00:03:18.319 --> 00:03:21.759 And you're sitting within inches of other people inside of this body. 00:03:21.840 --> 00:03:24.080 That's pretty close proximity, wouldn't you say? 00:03:24.560 --> 00:03:25.199 Yes. 00:03:25.840 --> 00:03:30.879 All of this works together to help you become the person of Jesus Christ. 00:03:31.039 --> 00:03:36.240 The Holy Spirit, working through his people in relationship, produces formation. 00:03:36.479 --> 00:03:39.439 That's why you cannot neglect the meeting with other believers. 00:03:39.599 --> 00:03:40.719 You've got to be here in church. 00:03:40.800 --> 00:03:45.120 And if you're online for any other reason than you're on vacation, you should be here. 00:03:45.360 --> 00:03:45.680 Okay? 00:03:46.800 --> 00:03:48.319 So I got my dad voice out. 00:03:48.479 --> 00:03:49.039 Sorry about that. 00:03:49.120 --> 00:03:50.400 It's been a day. 00:03:51.520 --> 00:03:52.560 Here's why. 00:03:52.800 --> 00:03:54.879 Listen to Romans 8.29. 00:03:55.360 --> 00:04:00.800 For those God foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son. 00:04:01.680 --> 00:04:06.159 This is the foundation of the entire series and all church journey. 00:04:06.240 --> 00:04:15.199 And it's the foundation of the mandate that the elders have agreed to that over the next three to four years we will become a Jesus church. 00:04:15.360 --> 00:04:20.959 And so if you think becoming a Jesus church stops at the end of the all-church journey, you're mistaken. 00:04:21.199 --> 00:04:29.439 We are now producing a three-year journey ahead of us where we are going to emphasize the six various things that we're talking about. 00:04:29.600 --> 00:04:31.040 And I want to explain something. 00:04:31.199 --> 00:04:39.199 If you believe that these six things are good things to do, things we should know and things we should become, then you're right. 00:04:39.439 --> 00:04:46.079 But if we think they're merely behaviors that we should possess, then we're missing out the reality of what we're trying to do. 00:04:46.319 --> 00:04:49.759 This entire journey is about internal formation. 00:04:50.160 --> 00:04:58.240 If we wanted to just help you have more behaviors, then we should have titled this teaching series, Six Good Behaviors Every Christian Should Have. 00:04:58.480 --> 00:04:59.360 That's it. 00:04:59.680 --> 00:05:04.959 It's not about just your external behavior, it's about shaping your internal heart. 00:05:05.279 --> 00:05:08.079 Because sincere behavior, okay? 00:05:08.399 --> 00:05:12.079 Sincere behavior comes from internal formation. 00:05:12.480 --> 00:05:15.680 When you were a kid, you ever had an argument with your brother or sister? 00:05:15.759 --> 00:05:21.439 And if you didn't have a brother or sister, maybe just like a friend in school, and your parents found out about it. 00:05:21.600 --> 00:05:23.680 And what do they tell you to do? 00:05:23.920 --> 00:05:26.000 You need to go say you're sorry. 00:05:26.240 --> 00:05:27.519 You ever had that moment? 00:05:27.920 --> 00:05:37.759 And you walk over there and you apologize, your lips did the behavior, the words came out of your mouth, but in your heart, you still wish you could punch that dude right in the face. 00:05:38.959 --> 00:05:39.279 Okay? 00:05:40.879 --> 00:05:47.680 Lots of good Christians have good behaviors, but their heart has never really been transformed. 00:05:48.000 --> 00:05:59.120 They have studied and they have learned, and by being in proximity with others, we know what to do, but we're not doing it out of an internal formation by the Holy Spirit of God where our heart is more like Jesus. 00:05:59.279 --> 00:06:05.519 So becoming a Jesus church is about internal heart transformation, not just external behaviors. 00:06:05.759 --> 00:06:09.839 Because when your heart changes, your behavior will change. 00:06:10.079 --> 00:06:14.319 So let's talk about our first behavior that comes from a deeply transformed heart. 00:06:14.560 --> 00:06:18.720 What it means to be a Jesus church that is prayerful, to become prayerful people. 00:06:18.959 --> 00:06:20.240 Friends, here's why we're doing this. 00:06:20.399 --> 00:06:25.519 A Jesus church prays because Jesus was a man of prayer. 00:06:25.759 --> 00:06:26.879 Oh, of course, Pastor Dan. 00:06:27.120 --> 00:06:28.560 That's just on the nose, isn't it? 00:06:28.800 --> 00:06:29.439 It is. 00:06:29.759 --> 00:06:30.720 For a reason. 00:06:30.959 --> 00:06:37.199 We're looking at the heart and the lifestyle of Jesus, and we're going to see these things just stand out from the page. 00:06:37.439 --> 00:06:38.959 Jesus was a man of prayer. 00:06:39.120 --> 00:06:43.120 I want you to go through and in your spare time this week read all four gospels. 00:06:43.199 --> 00:06:44.319 And yes, you have the time. 00:06:44.480 --> 00:06:45.920 Just don't watch that one Netflix show. 00:06:46.000 --> 00:06:47.279 It only takes an hour and a half. 00:06:47.439 --> 00:06:47.759 Okay? 00:06:48.319 --> 00:06:49.759 Read all four gospels. 00:06:50.000 --> 00:06:56.959 You'll see Jesus praying at least 34 different times in all kinds of various circumstances and instances. 00:06:57.199 --> 00:06:59.600 Jesus prays before major decisions. 00:06:59.920 --> 00:07:01.680 Anybody here pray before a major decision? 00:07:01.839 --> 00:07:02.879 Oh, yeah, you've done that. 00:07:03.040 --> 00:07:03.360 Okay. 00:07:03.600 --> 00:07:05.439 Jesus prays in times of distress. 00:07:05.680 --> 00:07:06.160 Anybody? 00:07:06.399 --> 00:07:07.360 Distressful prayer? 00:07:07.519 --> 00:07:09.680 Jesus prays with daily gratitude. 00:07:09.839 --> 00:07:12.399 Did you ever wake up and say, Lord, thanks for they aired my lungs today? 00:07:12.480 --> 00:07:12.800 Okay? 00:07:12.959 --> 00:07:14.240 Jesus prays all the time. 00:07:14.399 --> 00:07:17.120 He prays for his friends, he prays in public, he prays in private. 00:07:17.360 --> 00:07:19.519 Jesus was a prayerful person. 00:07:20.160 --> 00:07:25.040 He didn't just pray, his general disposition was one of being prayerful. 00:07:25.199 --> 00:07:27.600 Listen to Luke chapter 5, verse 16. 00:07:28.319 --> 00:07:32.800 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. 00:07:33.360 --> 00:07:34.399 See the word often? 00:07:34.560 --> 00:07:35.839 I like that word often. 00:07:36.079 --> 00:07:38.000 Jesus often withdrew. 00:07:39.199 --> 00:07:40.879 What do you do often? 00:07:41.360 --> 00:07:42.560 That's an important question. 00:07:42.800 --> 00:07:44.079 What do you do often? 00:07:44.319 --> 00:07:50.079 It's something that people in your life would know it's something that you do because you do it so frequently. 00:07:50.319 --> 00:07:52.800 A lot of us have hobbies and passions in our life. 00:07:52.959 --> 00:07:54.480 Oh, well, what does that person do? 00:07:54.639 --> 00:07:57.759 He goes hunting often, especially in a couple of weeks, right? 00:07:58.000 --> 00:07:59.519 Hey, what do I do often? 00:07:59.600 --> 00:08:01.040 I ride motorcycles often. 00:08:01.199 --> 00:08:03.519 People know that about me because I ride often. 00:08:03.839 --> 00:08:05.759 Jesus prayed often. 00:08:05.920 --> 00:08:07.759 Why do the disciples know that? 00:08:08.000 --> 00:08:10.160 Because they were in proximity with Jesus. 00:08:10.319 --> 00:08:11.680 They could see his behaviors. 00:08:11.759 --> 00:08:14.319 And I here's probably how this happened, by the way. 00:08:14.639 --> 00:08:20.319 First time all 12 disciples were together and they were hanging out, and one said, Hey, where's Jesus? 00:08:20.480 --> 00:08:22.959 And Peter was like, I don't know, we should probably go looking for him. 00:08:23.120 --> 00:08:27.519 And they went looking for him and they found him alone by himself, praying. 00:08:27.680 --> 00:08:28.959 And they said, Jesus, what are you doing? 00:08:29.040 --> 00:08:30.480 He goes, Oh, I'm praying right now. 00:08:30.560 --> 00:08:31.120 I'm in prayer. 00:08:31.199 --> 00:08:32.399 And they're like, okay, cool. 00:08:32.639 --> 00:08:35.039 The next day, all 12 were together. 00:08:35.120 --> 00:08:36.240 Hey, where's Jesus? 00:08:36.720 --> 00:08:37.440 I don't know. 00:08:37.679 --> 00:08:42.639 Well, after 30 or 40 times of probably having to go look for Jesus, where's Jesus? 00:08:42.799 --> 00:08:44.159 Well, you know, Peter's in the back. 00:08:44.320 --> 00:08:45.919 Jesus is out praying again. 00:08:46.159 --> 00:08:48.080 It's what he does often. 00:08:48.960 --> 00:08:51.679 People understand what we do often. 00:08:51.840 --> 00:08:58.559 So here's my question for you: Do people know that you are a prayerful person? 00:08:59.919 --> 00:09:03.279 And if not, it's because you are not. 00:09:04.080 --> 00:09:06.639 I'm not saying that you don't pray. 00:09:06.879 --> 00:09:10.080 I'm simply saying it's not your primary disposition. 00:09:10.240 --> 00:09:13.600 Your heart is not one of being a prayerful individual. 00:09:13.840 --> 00:09:15.360 Yes, it's something that we do. 00:09:15.600 --> 00:09:19.519 Most Christians pray, but it's not necessarily how we live our life. 00:09:19.840 --> 00:09:23.840 Let me explain to you some research that's been done by Pew, Pew Research Company. 00:09:24.000 --> 00:09:28.480 In a most recent survey from 2025, they surveyed Christians. 00:09:28.639 --> 00:09:30.159 How often do you pray? 00:09:30.559 --> 00:09:35.279 60% of Christians said they pray at least once a day. 00:09:35.519 --> 00:09:39.919 40% of Christians said they rarely, if not ever, pray. 00:09:40.080 --> 00:09:49.759 And of the 60% who pray once a day, that means that they're probably praying in a structured environment, praying before dinner, praying before they go to bed, but they're not living a lifestyle of prayer. 00:09:50.000 --> 00:09:54.399 When you know a prayerful person, you know it because it's often a part of their behavior. 00:09:54.559 --> 00:10:05.759 Church, if those stats are true about the American church, and if they're even remotely true about our church, I can confidently stand here before you and say, we are not a prayerful church. 00:10:06.080 --> 00:10:07.039 We pray. 00:10:07.440 --> 00:10:08.399 I know we pray. 00:10:08.559 --> 00:10:10.080 We pray before meetings, I've been in them. 00:10:10.159 --> 00:10:11.919 We pray at the end of small groups, we take prayer requests. 00:10:12.000 --> 00:10:13.519 We got a prayer team down front. 00:10:13.840 --> 00:10:18.559 We pray, but are we prayerful in everything we do? 00:10:19.200 --> 00:10:22.799 This is a place where we need to grow over the next three to four years. 00:10:23.039 --> 00:10:25.519 Let's begin by talking about the function of prayer. 00:10:25.679 --> 00:10:26.399 What is prayer? 00:10:26.480 --> 00:10:27.039 Why do we do it? 00:10:27.200 --> 00:10:30.159 The function of prayer is conversation with God. 00:10:30.480 --> 00:10:31.759 Conversation with God. 00:10:32.000 --> 00:10:37.120 This is not like some small children's teaching about what it means to talk to God. 00:10:37.279 --> 00:10:48.159 I want to help you understand the theological implications of what it means to be able to converse with a holy, eternal God and how that actually transforms who you are internally. 00:10:48.399 --> 00:10:50.720 So let's talk about what prayer is accomplishing. 00:10:50.879 --> 00:10:57.759 When you are a person of prayer, prayer is keeping you in a close relationship with God. 00:10:58.480 --> 00:11:02.720 I want to take you all the way back to the beginning of the Bible, Genesis chapters 1 through 3. 00:11:02.879 --> 00:11:09.120 You're going to see that Adam and God and Eve, they spoke together. 00:11:09.360 --> 00:11:10.960 They had conversation. 00:11:11.200 --> 00:11:14.159 Adam would ask God a question, God would speak back to Adam. 00:11:14.320 --> 00:11:15.840 God declared what Adam should do. 00:11:16.000 --> 00:11:17.840 They lived in constant conversation. 00:11:18.000 --> 00:11:25.279 In fact, it tells us that, as was God's habit, he would walk through the garden in the evening and he and Adam would converse together. 00:11:25.519 --> 00:11:29.279 They talked daily, regular conversation. 00:11:29.840 --> 00:11:32.879 But then sin entered the world. 00:11:33.120 --> 00:11:37.600 And one of the immediate consequences of sin is this thing called distance. 00:11:37.840 --> 00:11:38.159 Okay? 00:11:38.559 --> 00:11:44.000 Real emotional distance, but also physical distance was created when sin entered the world. 00:11:44.080 --> 00:11:46.480 It's what sin does is it separates. 00:11:46.720 --> 00:11:50.879 Where once Adam and Eve walked with God and they enjoyed being near God. 00:11:51.039 --> 00:11:53.279 They had face-to-face conversations with God. 00:11:53.519 --> 00:11:57.519 Now all of a sudden, at the end of Genesis 3, they're hiding from God. 00:11:58.480 --> 00:12:04.159 What a unique emotional transition that occurred because sin has entered the world. 00:12:04.320 --> 00:12:08.720 And as a result, it changed the way that Adam and Eve communicated with God. 00:12:08.799 --> 00:12:12.000 It's changed the way that you and I have communicated with God ever since. 00:12:12.240 --> 00:12:19.679 Now you intuitively know what it is like for sin to create distance inside of a relationship with somebody you love. 00:12:20.320 --> 00:12:26.960 You may be six inches apart from somebody, but if there is sin between you, it might as well feel like six miles. 00:12:27.360 --> 00:12:28.720 You know that feeling. 00:12:28.960 --> 00:12:32.639 You are proximately close, but you are emotionally far. 00:12:33.360 --> 00:12:38.000 And those emotional distances, what happens after a while is you turn it into physical distance. 00:12:38.159 --> 00:12:40.000 You're like, you know what, I gotta get out of the house. 00:12:40.080 --> 00:12:41.360 I can't be here with you. 00:12:41.600 --> 00:12:47.200 And so you physically leave as a representation of your spiritual and emotional distance that you have with somebody. 00:12:47.360 --> 00:12:51.840 This is what happens with sin is it just creates distance. 00:12:52.080 --> 00:12:53.919 And then it creates avoidance. 00:12:54.000 --> 00:12:59.360 And with avoidance and with distance, it's hard to have any kind of conversation, isn't it? 00:12:59.519 --> 00:13:03.279 When you're just ignoring the people, oh, I see that call, but I'm not ready to take it. 00:13:03.440 --> 00:13:04.879 And so you put it down. 00:13:05.120 --> 00:13:06.240 That's what it does. 00:13:06.480 --> 00:13:08.799 How do you draw near together again? 00:13:08.960 --> 00:13:10.879 That's really the question that we're trying to answer. 00:13:11.039 --> 00:13:14.799 How is it that when sin and distance exist, can you draw near together again? 00:13:14.960 --> 00:13:25.840 And the only way for nearness to exist between two people, including us with a holy God, when sin is created distance, is there has to be repentance followed by forgiveness. 00:13:26.960 --> 00:13:30.159 Think about the one that you love most that you've hurt so deeply. 00:13:30.720 --> 00:13:36.879 The second that you've repented and then they forgive you, what do you do? 00:13:37.360 --> 00:13:38.639 You hug it out. 00:13:38.960 --> 00:13:39.279 Right? 00:13:39.519 --> 00:13:40.159 You hug it out. 00:13:40.240 --> 00:13:41.360 If you're a guy, you know what this is like. 00:13:41.440 --> 00:13:42.320 Alright, let's hug it out. 00:13:42.639 --> 00:13:44.799 Couple of pops, you're good to go. 00:13:45.120 --> 00:13:45.759 Right? 00:13:47.039 --> 00:13:53.039 You went from being physically distant with repentance and forgiveness now being physically close. 00:13:53.360 --> 00:13:59.039 Because when sin is removed, distance is removed, both emotionally and physically. 00:13:59.200 --> 00:14:01.039 All you have to do is say, I'm sorry. 00:14:01.279 --> 00:14:08.000 All you have to do is then give forgiveness, and when forgiveness is given, you've now been given permission to draw near. 00:14:08.240 --> 00:14:10.240 That's how forgiveness works. 00:14:10.480 --> 00:14:18.399 Now God created a way for forgiveness to be given to you for your sin against him that allows you to draw near to his presence. 00:14:18.799 --> 00:14:28.720 This is what the scriptures tell us that God gave Israel a system of sacrifice, a system in what allowed people to draw near to God. 00:14:28.799 --> 00:14:41.360 So when you look at Adam and Eve in the garden, Adam and Eve sin, there's distance, they're avoiding God, but God kills an animal and he clothes Adam and Eve as their sin is exposed to their shame, and they enter back into his presence. 00:14:41.600 --> 00:14:46.000 So God kills an animal, clothes their sin, and reunites the distance. 00:14:46.240 --> 00:14:47.600 You get to the nation of Israel. 00:14:47.759 --> 00:14:51.679 God creates a tabernacle system of sacrifice, a system of drawing near. 00:14:51.759 --> 00:14:56.960 And if you look at the uh previous series we did from three years ago called How to Worship the King, you can watch it online. 00:14:57.120 --> 00:15:01.679 I talk about the tabernacle, a system of drawing close to the presence of God. 00:15:01.919 --> 00:15:04.000 God dwelt with his people in the tabernacle. 00:15:04.159 --> 00:15:09.360 Once a year the priest could draw near to the physical presence of God, but it required animal sacrifice. 00:15:09.519 --> 00:15:15.519 The blood of sin, or the blood of the animal, has got to cover the sin of the individual, and they draw near. 00:15:16.080 --> 00:15:21.519 And then God sends Jesus, and we see the story replay itself again. 00:15:21.679 --> 00:15:31.039 That through Jesus, a man who lived a perfect life, goes to the cross, gives his life as a sacrifice, and his blood covers the sin of everyone who believes. 00:15:31.200 --> 00:15:32.559 Listen to John 1.29. 00:15:32.720 --> 00:15:36.799 Before Jesus even began his ministry, John the Baptist says this about Jesus. 00:15:37.039 --> 00:15:40.480 Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. 00:15:40.559 --> 00:15:49.519 It's a proclamation that Christ was going to go to the cross before it was ever declared to anybody else, that his blood would be shed, and that the shedding of his blood would remove the sin. 00:15:49.679 --> 00:15:52.960 And when sin is removed, what do we get to do with God? 00:15:53.440 --> 00:15:54.639 Draw near. 00:15:55.039 --> 00:15:56.240 We get to draw near. 00:15:56.399 --> 00:15:59.759 This is what Hebrews chapter 10, verses 19 through 22 says. 00:15:59.840 --> 00:16:06.000 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the most holy place by the blood of Jesus. 00:16:06.159 --> 00:16:10.399 In other words, by the blood of Jesus, you have confidence to enter the very presence of God. 00:16:10.559 --> 00:16:15.600 As a result, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart. 00:16:16.399 --> 00:16:19.519 How do you, as people, draw near to God? 00:16:19.919 --> 00:16:23.279 Can we physically go to where the presence of God dwells on earth? 00:16:23.519 --> 00:16:23.840 No. 00:16:24.480 --> 00:16:25.919 His presence is already left. 00:16:26.080 --> 00:16:30.159 And in return, for followers of Christ, He's let His presence indwell you. 00:16:30.399 --> 00:16:31.919 Indwell means inside. 00:16:32.080 --> 00:16:34.240 How do you go inside yourself? 00:16:34.559 --> 00:16:35.840 Through prayer. 00:16:36.320 --> 00:16:38.000 That's how prayer works. 00:16:38.159 --> 00:16:49.360 It's an internal dialogue with the Spirit of God where you're communing with each other and conversating and learning what it means to have the Spirit of God richly speak back to you. 00:16:49.759 --> 00:16:53.679 Jesus created a way to draw near to the Father relationally, spiritually. 00:16:53.759 --> 00:16:56.960 And listen, one day we will physically be near the presence of God. 00:16:57.120 --> 00:17:05.680 But right now, the presence of God is in you through the Spirit, and prayer is the conversation you get to have with the Spirit of God, who is the person of God. 00:17:05.920 --> 00:17:09.039 It's an internal, face-to-face conversation. 00:17:09.200 --> 00:17:10.640 That's what prayer is. 00:17:11.359 --> 00:17:15.519 And when you really pray that way, you'll recognize it's a conversation. 00:17:15.759 --> 00:17:23.359 Unfortunately, most of us think that prayer is this thing that happens across a vast cosmic distance. 00:17:23.599 --> 00:17:34.559 That God is out there and I am here, and if I shout my prayers out into the wind, they'll transverse time and space and somehow enter the presence of God, and you treat it like leaving God a voicemail. 00:17:35.759 --> 00:17:38.319 Hey God, it's Dan. 00:17:38.960 --> 00:17:40.880 Couple things I need today. 00:17:41.920 --> 00:17:44.480 Pastor Mike is losing his mind. 00:17:45.279 --> 00:17:46.880 I need patience. 00:17:47.200 --> 00:17:48.720 Whatever your list is, okay? 00:17:48.880 --> 00:17:49.519 Pick your list. 00:17:49.680 --> 00:17:53.119 Help me with my kids, help me with my wife, help me with my job. 00:17:53.440 --> 00:17:56.000 And by the way, uh thanks for everything else you've done. 00:17:56.160 --> 00:17:57.279 Goodbye. 00:17:57.920 --> 00:17:59.920 And then you sit back and you wait. 00:18:00.000 --> 00:18:00.559 And you wait. 00:18:00.640 --> 00:18:03.200 And you're like, well, maybe God got my voicemail, maybe he didn't. 00:18:03.279 --> 00:18:04.880 Imagine, you know, just think. 00:18:05.680 --> 00:18:12.079 Is there any other relationship in your life that you could treat that way and still have a good relationship? 00:18:12.319 --> 00:18:18.079 Like if I treated my wife Amy that way, if I just like popped down the stairs every morning before I left for work, like, hey, Amy, check it out. 00:18:18.160 --> 00:18:19.839 Here's the 10 things I need you to do today. 00:18:20.079 --> 00:18:21.359 Pop, pop, pop, pop, pop. 00:18:21.440 --> 00:18:23.359 By the way, when I get home at five, have them done. 00:18:23.519 --> 00:18:24.400 Peace out. 00:18:25.279 --> 00:18:32.640 If I treated my spouse this way, eventually that transactional relationship is going to fail. 00:18:32.799 --> 00:18:39.039 There will be more and more distance because I'm not actually drawing near to my spouse in conversation. 00:18:39.920 --> 00:18:43.359 In fact, prayer is prayer is one of these things. 00:18:43.519 --> 00:18:48.480 Prayer is not transactional in the sense that you give God whatever you want and He figures it out on the back end, yes, no, or maybe. 00:18:48.720 --> 00:18:50.079 That's not how prayer is supposed to work. 00:18:50.319 --> 00:18:52.640 Okay, prayer is conversational. 00:18:53.279 --> 00:19:02.000 And anytime you have a conversation with somebody, that conversation will change you as much as what you're asking them to do will change them. 00:19:02.400 --> 00:19:02.720 Right? 00:19:02.799 --> 00:19:04.240 The goal is relationship. 00:19:04.640 --> 00:19:08.240 I have conversations with my wife all the time about how we should raise our kids. 00:19:08.480 --> 00:19:12.000 I have an opinion about how I should do it, she has an opinion about how it should be done. 00:19:12.319 --> 00:19:19.920 The more we are in conversation, the more I'm changed by the way she thinks, feels, and thinks, or desires to do things with our kids a certain way. 00:19:20.079 --> 00:19:22.319 I'm changed by the conversation. 00:19:22.960 --> 00:19:24.640 That's what prayer does for you. 00:19:24.799 --> 00:19:27.440 Prayer doesn't always change your circumstances. 00:19:27.599 --> 00:19:34.400 God's not obligated to the yes no maybe, but prayer will always change you before it changes your circumstances. 00:19:34.720 --> 00:19:40.240 Genuine, heartfelt conversation, sincere prayer with God transforms you. 00:19:40.960 --> 00:19:51.920 We speak, we worship, we confess in prayer, we thank him in prayer, we pour out our hearts to God in prayer, and then on the backside of that, we need to spend time listening. 00:19:52.559 --> 00:19:54.720 What does God want to say back to us? 00:19:54.880 --> 00:19:57.440 What will his spirit impress on our hearts? 00:19:57.599 --> 00:20:01.680 How will he change us as a result of the conversation? 00:20:02.559 --> 00:20:05.200 All right, friends, here's a trick trick question for you. 00:20:05.359 --> 00:20:05.599 Ready? 00:20:06.240 --> 00:20:08.640 Do you believe that God speaks today? 00:20:08.960 --> 00:20:10.000 Trick question, right? 00:20:10.319 --> 00:20:11.920 Do you believe God speaks today? 00:20:12.799 --> 00:20:13.119 Okay. 00:20:13.599 --> 00:20:14.640 Sure, Pastor. 00:20:14.720 --> 00:20:17.039 I I that's clearly the answer you want, right? 00:20:17.680 --> 00:20:20.640 Scripture's clear that we have a living God, a God who speaks. 00:20:20.880 --> 00:20:22.079 God spoke through the prophets. 00:20:22.160 --> 00:20:24.160 God spoke directly to their hearts through the Spirit of God. 00:20:24.240 --> 00:20:27.119 God speaks to us today through his Holy Spirit that indwells us. 00:20:27.279 --> 00:20:28.240 God speaks through his word. 00:20:28.480 --> 00:20:32.400 We seek and we serve a living God who speaks. 00:20:33.279 --> 00:20:36.799 But we have to expect and anticipate his voice. 00:20:36.880 --> 00:20:38.480 And his voice is never audible. 00:20:38.559 --> 00:20:39.839 It's rare, I shouldn't say never. 00:20:39.920 --> 00:20:42.079 It's rarely, and I mean rarely, rarely audible. 00:20:42.240 --> 00:20:44.960 And that usually when it happens, it's recorded in the Bible, okay? 00:20:45.200 --> 00:20:48.640 So God always speaks, but He'll speak to your heart. 00:20:48.799 --> 00:20:51.599 He speaks to your soul through the Spirit of God through deep impressions. 00:20:51.680 --> 00:20:54.640 And I'll give you an example of how this works in my life, okay? 00:20:55.039 --> 00:20:59.920 When I'm angry, and I've shared with you a couple times, anger is my default sin in my life. 00:21:00.079 --> 00:21:02.240 I go straight from being happy to be super mad. 00:21:02.559 --> 00:21:15.680 And in my super angry moments of life, when I go to God in prayer and I confess my anger before him, and I start dealing with the things that are making me anger, here's what the Spirit of God often does to me. 00:21:15.920 --> 00:21:24.640 He reminds me deeply of how people have sinned against him and how much grace he has given them, chiefly me. 00:21:25.039 --> 00:21:33.359 And he says to me, Dan, through the Holy Spirit, if anybody has a right to be angry, it's me at you for how much sin you've brought to my table. 00:21:33.599 --> 00:21:38.640 But I have lovingly forgiven you and poured out my grace upon you through the purse of Jesus Christ. 00:21:38.720 --> 00:21:39.839 And here's what you need to do, Dan. 00:21:40.000 --> 00:21:51.359 Take all that anger at that person for they sinned against you, and I need you to take that and remember how much I've forgiven you, and to the same measure I've forgiven you, forgive them and help that person draw near to you once again. 00:21:52.079 --> 00:21:53.680 That's how the Spirit of God works. 00:21:53.839 --> 00:21:59.680 You're in conversation with the Holy Spirit of God, He begins shaping your heart to see and be reminded of all truth according. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:02.559 The word of God and what the heart of God wants for you. 00:22:02.720 --> 00:22:05.279 If I come to God afraid, I know it's hard to believe. 00:22:05.759 --> 00:22:08.880 Big, strong, confident Pastor Dan gets fear, but I do. 00:22:09.440 --> 00:22:21.680 When I get fear inside my heart, and when fear begins to creep in, and I take that fear to the footstone of Jesus Christ, he reminds me exactly of who he is, not of who I am. 00:22:21.920 --> 00:22:25.519 Because if he reminded me of who I am, I've got a lot to be afraid of. 00:22:25.839 --> 00:22:36.160 But when he reminds me of who he is, his promises, his confidence, I am assured in my soul, in prayer, you become changed. 00:22:36.319 --> 00:22:38.480 Jesus Christ, the night before he was crucified. 00:22:38.799 --> 00:22:40.640 He goes to the Garden of Gethsemane. 00:22:40.799 --> 00:22:41.920 What is he doing there? 00:22:42.400 --> 00:22:43.599 He's praying. 00:22:43.920 --> 00:22:48.880 And in his prayer life, he's going to God and saying, I don't want to go to the cross. 00:22:49.039 --> 00:22:51.200 I don't want to be crucified for these people. 00:22:51.359 --> 00:22:54.720 But then he says this, because his heart is being changed through prayer. 00:22:54.960 --> 00:22:59.680 Luke 2, 22, 42, not my will, but your will be done. 00:23:00.240 --> 00:23:03.039 That's how prayer changed Jesus' heart. 00:23:03.279 --> 00:23:07.039 His heart was formed in prayer with the Father of God through the Spirit of Christ. 00:23:07.279 --> 00:23:08.640 That is how this works. 00:23:08.880 --> 00:23:16.799 If Christ's heart needs to be encouraged, needs to be formed, needs to be shaped through prayer, how much more does our heart need the same thing? 00:23:17.279 --> 00:23:22.480 And so when we enter into prayer, we're entering into conversations that change us. 00:23:23.200 --> 00:23:24.880 That's the function of prayer. 00:23:25.119 --> 00:23:37.359 Prayer is your God-given privilege through Christ to draw near to God the Father, to enter into a conversation with him, and to allow that conversation to change your heart. 00:23:38.240 --> 00:23:40.000 Here's how your heart is changed. 00:23:40.480 --> 00:23:46.240 The heart is changed because the heart of prayer becomes full dependence on God. 00:23:46.559 --> 00:23:48.720 Listen to Psalm 62, verse 8. 00:23:48.960 --> 00:23:53.920 Trust in Him at all times, you people, pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge. 00:23:54.160 --> 00:23:59.839 Okay, there's three critical words there: trust, pouring out, and refuge. 00:24:00.480 --> 00:24:09.599 Many of us spend an enormous amount of time trying to build lives in which we don't have to depend on anybody for anything. 00:24:09.839 --> 00:24:12.799 We want to make sure we have enough money in the bank so that we'll be okay. 00:24:12.960 --> 00:24:17.599 We want to make sure that we have enough wisdom or knowledge in our minds so that we'll always know what to do. 00:24:17.759 --> 00:24:22.640 We want to make sure that we have enough emotional strength so no matter what the circumstances are, we can handle it. 00:24:22.799 --> 00:24:23.119 Right? 00:24:23.200 --> 00:24:25.519 That's how people spend an enormous amount of their time. 00:24:25.680 --> 00:24:29.279 And if you're young in this room, I want to encourage you with this. 00:24:29.759 --> 00:24:41.279 Life is going to teach you real quick that you are not in control, that you are not as strong as you think, you're not as wise as you think, and you'll never have as much money as you want. 00:24:41.599 --> 00:24:44.079 Life is going to teach you that real fast. 00:24:44.799 --> 00:24:49.680 And when you come into that place, you have to acknowledge something that nobody wants to acknowledge. 00:24:49.920 --> 00:24:51.200 I'm not in control. 00:24:52.160 --> 00:24:59.200 No matter how much we try to ignore that little fact of life, we all come to a point where we need help beyond ourselves. 00:24:59.359 --> 00:25:04.319 Even pagans, and I'm not talking about religious pagans, I'm talking about just people who don't follow after Jesus. 00:25:04.559 --> 00:25:09.680 Even the pagan world around you knows eventually they need help greater to themselves. 00:25:09.759 --> 00:25:12.720 And what did all of these societies form throughout history? 00:25:12.960 --> 00:25:13.920 Various religions. 00:25:14.079 --> 00:25:16.880 If they needed rain and they can't make it rain, what do you do? 00:25:17.039 --> 00:25:22.160 Pray to the rain god, do a rain dance, figure out something for the power beyond you to intervene. 00:25:22.319 --> 00:25:23.359 Oh, you want to have a baby? 00:25:23.519 --> 00:25:24.960 Well, what do you do when you want to have a baby? 00:25:25.119 --> 00:25:29.119 Call out the fertility gods because we we can't make ourselves have children. 00:25:29.200 --> 00:25:33.440 So let's find something beyond ourselves that can step into our circumstances. 00:25:33.759 --> 00:25:35.519 Pagan people understand this. 00:25:35.680 --> 00:25:40.079 The people of God, we should intuitively know this because we've never saved ourselves. 00:25:40.240 --> 00:25:42.240 We've always depended on Christ for salvation. 00:25:42.400 --> 00:25:47.519