WEBVTT 00:00:00.800 --> 00:00:05.759 My name is Elon, and I have had the privilege to be here before you a few times. 00:00:05.919 --> 00:00:13.279 I'm just gonna give a couple quick announcements and a very exciting update on our high school road trip, and then Justin will be out to give you the message. 00:00:13.679 --> 00:00:18.160 We have Adventure Week coming up in a couple of weeks, July 12th through the 16th. 00:00:18.399 --> 00:00:25.519 If you have a two-year-old through fifth grader, we would love to have them be here with us that week to have a lot of fun and learn about God. 00:00:25.760 --> 00:00:33.840 If you are interested in learning more or registering your child, please go to the Connect Desk out into the in the maid lobby after the message today. 00:00:34.159 --> 00:00:37.840 The next announcement is about the 4th of July, which is right around the corner. 00:00:38.000 --> 00:00:48.960 We invite, yes, woohoo! We invite you and your family to have a front row seat to uh see the Woodstock City fireworks display, which pretty much shoot off right behind our church building. 00:00:49.119 --> 00:00:51.600 So the parking lot will be open all day. 00:00:51.759 --> 00:00:54.880 You can bring your tent, you can bring your chairs and your kids. 00:00:54.960 --> 00:00:56.880 There's gonna be food and games for the kids. 00:00:57.039 --> 00:01:02.240 Our building is gonna open up at five o'clock for you to use the restroom because we do not believe in porta potties. 00:01:02.640 --> 00:01:02.960 No? 00:01:03.200 --> 00:01:03.840 Yes. 00:01:06.400 --> 00:01:11.599 So bring your family and um and enjoy the celebration of our country together. 00:01:11.920 --> 00:01:14.079 The last announcement is about giving. 00:01:14.159 --> 00:01:17.280 Um, for those of you who give financially to his hands, we thank you so much. 00:01:17.359 --> 00:01:20.879 Your contribution makes a difference not only here but in our community. 00:01:21.040 --> 00:01:25.760 Uh, for those of you who are new to His Hands Church, our philosophy on giving is very simple. 00:01:25.840 --> 00:01:32.719 And it comes from 2 Corinthians 9, verse 7, which says, You must each decide in your heart how much to give. 00:01:32.879 --> 00:01:38.560 And don't give reluctantly or in response to pressure, for God loves a person who gives cheerfully. 00:01:38.719 --> 00:01:46.879 Um, if you would like to give, please uh find one of the four columns at the back of the room after the service, and we appreciate your your support very much. 00:01:47.200 --> 00:02:03.840 Um, uh for those of you who don't know, I've been a part of the teaching team here for a couple of months now, and most recently I have had the privilege of leading the junior high and high school students as their teacher on uh Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights, and it has been a huge blessing. 00:02:04.000 --> 00:02:07.040 So if you have a junior high student or high school student, thank you. 00:02:07.200 --> 00:02:08.479 Um they are wonderful. 00:02:08.639 --> 00:02:11.599 I love walking alongside them and getting to know them. 00:02:11.840 --> 00:02:18.879 Um, I am very happy to report uh that we just got back from our senior or high school road trip. 00:02:19.039 --> 00:02:20.400 It was incredible. 00:02:20.560 --> 00:02:27.360 We promised that God would show up, and He did in amazing, amazing, life-changing ways. 00:02:27.520 --> 00:02:37.520 We had 103 um high school students, very energetic high school students, and 20 very brave volunteers, and we all made it back. 00:02:37.680 --> 00:02:38.639 Um, yeah. 00:02:40.240 --> 00:02:41.520 The most ever. 00:02:42.960 --> 00:02:44.960 It was really, really incredible. 00:02:45.039 --> 00:02:46.560 Um, lives were changed. 00:02:46.800 --> 00:02:47.680 We had a theme. 00:02:47.759 --> 00:02:57.280 It was the theme of awake, and we talked a lot about what it means for Christ to awaken our hearts, our minds, and our soul. 00:02:57.439 --> 00:03:04.240 And I truly do believe that souls were awakened on this trip and that lives were changed forever. 00:03:04.479 --> 00:03:13.599 And I'm just so thankful and overjoyed to report that 58 of our students dedicated their lives to Jesus and were baptized. 00:03:19.680 --> 00:03:29.919 It is a celebration, and and we want to thank you for those of you who prayed, um, for our students and for our volunteers, uh, for our safety and for God to move. 00:03:30.159 --> 00:03:32.080 He heard your prayers and thank you. 00:03:32.319 --> 00:03:40.400 For those of you who have high school students and um and you sent them on the trip, thank you for entrusting us um in their their care in our lives. 00:03:40.479 --> 00:03:42.479 Um it was an honor to serve them. 00:03:42.639 --> 00:03:55.039 And for those of you who donated uh financially, you give you gave the opportunity for students who otherwise would not be able to attend to experience community and God in hopefully a way they never have before. 00:03:55.280 --> 00:04:01.919 And I just would like to challenge all of us to really be intentional about walking alongside our young people. 00:04:02.159 --> 00:04:11.280 Being a teenager is difficult in the best circumstances, and the way that the world is today makes it even more challenging than it's ever been before. 00:04:11.439 --> 00:04:22.160 And so we need to give it give our best to our kids and support them and encourage them and walk alongside them so that they can grow in their relationship with God. 00:04:22.399 --> 00:04:27.360 And we um are thankful to do that and partner um in that effort with you. 00:04:30.160 --> 00:04:34.800 Man, how awesome is that! 58 high school students went on with Jesus. 00:04:34.879 --> 00:04:42.879 I remember the very first time we ever took a road trip, it was uh I think six years ago, maybe seven years ago, and we took 30 high school students total. 00:04:43.040 --> 00:04:51.519 And so to think that this year we had almost double the number of students get baptized than we even took the very first time we did that trip, that's that's unbelievable. 00:04:51.600 --> 00:04:54.560 That's God moving in a big way, which is so cool. 00:04:56.959 --> 00:05:00.720 Well, if it is your very first time here at His Hands, we want to start by saying welcome. 00:05:00.800 --> 00:05:02.399 We are so glad you're here. 00:05:02.560 --> 00:05:06.879 We're gonna jump into the message and pick up where we left off last week talking about prayer. 00:05:07.040 --> 00:05:08.399 But uh, I want to take just a second. 00:05:08.480 --> 00:05:16.160 I think it's really important when we take a moment and just address what happened this past week in South Carolina. 00:05:16.319 --> 00:05:23.680 Um many of us know, I'm sure all of us uh have probably heard, if you've seen any news, you've definitely seen it about the church shooting that took place on Wednesday night. 00:05:23.759 --> 00:05:30.160 And there's really no way to even address how tragic that is on so many different levels. 00:05:30.399 --> 00:05:31.360 So many different levels. 00:05:31.439 --> 00:05:33.680 It hits close to home for many of us. 00:05:33.839 --> 00:05:41.040 It hits close to home because it's a church, because it's people that uh that are like-minded, because it's people that have given their lives to Jesus. 00:05:41.279 --> 00:05:48.000 I spent a lot of time just thinking about that and praying about that this week, and what kept coming to my mind was our our mission as a church. 00:05:48.079 --> 00:05:50.639 And if you're new here, you haven't heard this, our mission is really simple. 00:05:50.800 --> 00:05:53.199 We want to love people to Jesus. 00:05:53.439 --> 00:05:54.720 We want to love people to Jesus. 00:05:54.879 --> 00:05:57.839 We want people to get and grow and give God's love away. 00:05:58.000 --> 00:06:08.160 And sometimes when we when we talk about love, we get this idea in our heads that love is this very, uh, this very nice thing, it's this touchy-feely thing, it's this uh very sweet, tender thing. 00:06:08.240 --> 00:06:10.000 And obviously, love is that. 00:06:10.879 --> 00:06:18.079 And we have moments where we realize and get a very gruesome reminder that there's a lot of hate in this world. 00:06:18.560 --> 00:06:27.920 It's also a reminder of what God's love really is, because God's love is so much more than this soft, cuddly love that we might picture. 00:06:28.079 --> 00:06:31.279 It's so much more than the kind of love that gets celebrated on Valentine's Day. 00:06:31.360 --> 00:06:39.839 God's love is intense, God's love is all-encompassing, God's love is more powerful than any hate in this world. 00:06:40.160 --> 00:06:49.360 And our mission as a church is to make sure that we take it upon ourselves, it's our responsibility to share God's love with people. 00:06:50.160 --> 00:06:56.800 Because his love is the only thing, and I believe this to my core, his love is the only thing that can overcome the hate that is in this world. 00:06:56.879 --> 00:06:57.920 And it will overcome it. 00:06:58.000 --> 00:06:59.439 I believe it has overcome it. 00:06:59.600 --> 00:07:06.399 And as we continue to live out that mission, to make sure that we are dedicated to sharing the love of God with people. 00:07:06.959 --> 00:07:10.160 There's no hate this world can bring that can stop that. 00:07:10.480 --> 00:07:11.920 And this week was a reminder for us. 00:07:12.079 --> 00:07:19.199 Obviously, pray for the church, pray for that community in South Carolina, pray for everyone in this nation that's affected by that. 00:07:20.000 --> 00:07:22.079 Pray for unity in this nation. 00:07:22.399 --> 00:07:26.160 There's crazy some of the things that have happened in the last year in terms of race relations. 00:07:26.319 --> 00:07:27.759 We are all God's kids. 00:07:28.000 --> 00:07:28.959 We love people. 00:07:29.199 --> 00:07:30.160 We are people. 00:07:31.040 --> 00:07:37.199 We want to make sure that we stay focused on that mission to love people in such a way that hate doesn't even stand a chance. 00:07:37.600 --> 00:07:38.240 Pray with me. 00:07:38.720 --> 00:07:39.839 We can have that. 00:07:40.959 --> 00:07:42.639 Jesus, thank you so much for your love. 00:07:42.800 --> 00:07:44.319 Thank you that you have given it to us. 00:07:44.480 --> 00:07:48.399 We didn't even ask for it, we weren't even alive yet, but you gave it to us. 00:07:49.199 --> 00:07:50.800 We want to take hold of it, Lord. 00:07:50.879 --> 00:07:54.639 We want to live in it, we want to grow in it, we want to give it away. 00:07:56.160 --> 00:08:07.839 Holy Spirit, we just ask that you would move in this place, that you would uh that you would do your thing, that you would open our hearts and our minds to what you have for us, that we would be ready to receive something from you so that our lives can be what they're meant to be. 00:08:07.920 --> 00:08:09.680 And we ask all this in your name, Jesus. 00:08:10.000 --> 00:08:10.639 Amen. 00:08:11.040 --> 00:08:11.439 Amen. 00:08:11.600 --> 00:08:14.879 Well, last Sunday we started a conversation about prayer. 00:08:15.199 --> 00:08:17.439 It's part of our summer series that we're calling how-to. 00:08:17.759 --> 00:08:20.319 We're looking at some of the how-to teachings of Jesus. 00:08:20.560 --> 00:08:33.519 Specifically Matthew chapter 6, where Jesus tells us how to give, tells us how to have generous hearts, he tells us how to pray, how to communicate with God on a regular basis, and he tells us how to fast, how to have self-control, how to have discipline. 00:08:33.679 --> 00:08:44.879 And so we're looking at those how-to teachings, and last Sunday we we got on prayer, and we're going to be with prayer for a while because prayer is literally the most powerful tool that we have at our disposal. 00:08:45.519 --> 00:08:47.440 Prayer is so powerful. 00:08:48.320 --> 00:08:50.159 It is something that we are meant for. 00:08:50.320 --> 00:08:53.759 Some of us may have believed that we're not spiritual enough to pray. 00:08:54.480 --> 00:09:00.320 Or we're not spiritual enough to pray for someone, we're not spiritual enough to pray in a meaningful way, but that's not the truth. 00:09:00.399 --> 00:09:03.840 There is no such thing as a spiritually superior person. 00:09:04.720 --> 00:09:07.759 Prayer is meant for all of us, and all of us are meant. 00:09:07.919 --> 00:09:09.600 And when I say meant, I mean we're destined. 00:09:09.759 --> 00:09:15.440 We are created to have a life in prayer that is full of passion, that is full of results. 00:09:15.600 --> 00:09:16.799 We're gonna see God do things. 00:09:16.879 --> 00:09:21.200 We we're destined to have a life in prayer that is fresh, that's exciting, that's real. 00:09:21.360 --> 00:09:23.840 Prayer is supposed to be as natural for us as breathing. 00:09:23.919 --> 00:09:26.799 We are created to communicate with God. 00:09:28.240 --> 00:09:35.840 But oftentimes, because of the influence of religion, prayer becomes confusing, it becomes intimidating, it can become monotonous and routine. 00:09:36.960 --> 00:09:38.559 We want to change that. 00:09:39.039 --> 00:09:43.039 By the time we're done with this, we want all of us to be able to say, prayer's my thing. 00:09:43.120 --> 00:09:45.440 I'm good at prayer, I'm meant for prayer. 00:09:46.480 --> 00:09:50.399 We all want to be able to approach prayer in a way that is comfortable and powerful. 00:09:50.559 --> 00:09:52.480 And so I'm so excited to spend time on this. 00:09:52.559 --> 00:09:53.200 I love prayer. 00:09:53.360 --> 00:09:54.639 I love it for several reasons. 00:09:54.720 --> 00:09:56.639 One of my favorite reasons is really simple. 00:09:56.799 --> 00:09:58.000 Prayer works. 00:09:58.320 --> 00:10:05.600 James chapter 5, verse 16 says this the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. 00:10:05.840 --> 00:10:07.919 The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. 00:10:08.000 --> 00:10:11.440 If you look at that verse and go, oh, that excludes me because I'm not righteous. 00:10:11.759 --> 00:10:13.840 All righteous means is made right with God. 00:10:14.000 --> 00:10:16.240 That's what righteous means, right with God. 00:10:16.399 --> 00:10:18.799 And Jesus has made us right with God. 00:10:19.039 --> 00:10:22.080 So if we have our trust in Jesus, we are righteous by default. 00:10:22.240 --> 00:10:25.279 And the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. 00:10:25.440 --> 00:10:28.879 I have had reminders in my life of how effective prayer can be. 00:10:29.600 --> 00:10:36.000 A few weeks ago, I got a reminder, and my mother-in-law got a bigger reminder of just how powerful and effective prayer can be. 00:10:36.159 --> 00:10:39.519 See, my son Liam, who's five, was swimming in their pool. 00:10:39.759 --> 00:10:41.039 He loves being at their house. 00:10:41.120 --> 00:10:44.080 It's Papa and Layla, that's what he calls Megan's parents. 00:10:44.240 --> 00:10:50.480 And he's swimming in their pool, he's having a blast, but it came this time where Layla said to him, Liam, it's time to get out of the pool. 00:10:50.559 --> 00:10:54.320 And Liam asked, like any child would, can I please swim just a little while longer? 00:10:54.559 --> 00:10:56.240 Can I please swim just a few more minutes? 00:10:56.320 --> 00:10:58.480 And Layla said no. 00:10:59.279 --> 00:11:01.840 Now, I need to hit the pause button on this story. 00:11:01.919 --> 00:11:05.039 We're gonna come back to this moment, but you need to understand something. 00:11:05.679 --> 00:11:09.759 No is not a word that Liam is used to hearing from Layla. 00:11:10.240 --> 00:11:11.279 It's just not. 00:11:11.519 --> 00:11:14.240 All grandparents have the right to spoil their grandchildren. 00:11:14.320 --> 00:11:20.480 All of all of you do, those of you who are grandparents, that is your God-given right, and it's a right that you can choose to exercise or not. 00:11:20.639 --> 00:11:25.360 Layla loves to exercise her right to spoil our children. 00:11:25.679 --> 00:11:26.799 She does. 00:11:27.120 --> 00:11:31.679 So no is not a word that Liam is used to hearing because Liam isn't just spoiled sometimes. 00:11:31.759 --> 00:11:32.320 I'll just be honest. 00:11:32.480 --> 00:11:34.960 Liam is treated like royalty by Layla. 00:11:35.039 --> 00:11:37.200 He is little King Liam, he really is. 00:11:37.440 --> 00:11:41.919 She loves him so much, but he is little King Liam, and he knows it. 00:11:42.159 --> 00:11:43.200 He knows it. 00:11:43.440 --> 00:11:44.480 I'll give you an example. 00:11:44.639 --> 00:11:47.039 Uh, about a year ago, we were staying with them for a few weeks. 00:11:47.120 --> 00:11:50.960 We had sold a house and we were getting ready to move into a new house, but those dates didn't line up. 00:11:51.039 --> 00:11:56.000 So we had about two weeks in limbo, and they were gracious enough to let us come and live with them during that time. 00:11:56.080 --> 00:12:00.240 Well, one Saturday morning I woke up and I saw something that I did not expect to see. 00:12:00.320 --> 00:12:02.320 I saw something a little unusual, I thought. 00:12:02.480 --> 00:12:05.679 My son was up early, he was playing video games on the couch. 00:12:05.840 --> 00:12:06.720 That's not unusual. 00:12:06.879 --> 00:12:12.000 That's pretty normal for children ages four through 30 in this day and age, I think. 00:12:12.240 --> 00:12:12.879 Right? 00:12:13.919 --> 00:12:16.399 I'm 31, so I'm way past that stage of life. 00:12:16.639 --> 00:12:18.720 But but that wasn't the unusual thing. 00:12:18.879 --> 00:12:29.279 The unusual thing was that Layla was right next to Liam, and she had a plate in her hand, and she was cutting up pieces of a waffle, dipping it in syrup, and then feeding it to Liam while he played. 00:12:29.519 --> 00:12:30.879 While he played. 00:12:31.759 --> 00:12:33.360 So that he didn't have to stop playing. 00:12:33.519 --> 00:12:39.519 He didn't even have to take his eyes off the TV, he's just holding a controller, and then he opens his mouth and she puts it in. 00:12:52.000 --> 00:12:59.200 So the concept of taking 20 entire minutes of your day to sit at a table and eat, it's like the biggest waste he can imagine. 00:12:59.360 --> 00:13:02.639 And it's a fight, and I never knew why it was such a great fight. 00:13:02.720 --> 00:13:04.639 I never understood what I am coming against. 00:13:04.720 --> 00:13:07.039 Why is it that he has such a hard time with this? 00:13:07.200 --> 00:13:10.879 And when I saw that, I was like, aha! Now I know. 00:13:11.120 --> 00:13:11.759 Now I know. 00:13:11.919 --> 00:13:13.679 How long has this been going on? 00:13:14.080 --> 00:13:14.720 Right? 00:13:15.519 --> 00:13:17.360 I asked her, Layla, what are you doing? 00:13:17.440 --> 00:13:18.000 And she said, What? 00:13:18.080 --> 00:13:18.960 He's hungry. 00:13:19.200 --> 00:13:22.559 I was like, Yeah, but he's he's not a Turkish prince. 00:13:22.639 --> 00:13:29.600 I mean, this is one step removed from like palm leaves, fanning him while he sunbates or something crazy like that. 00:13:29.679 --> 00:13:31.039 I'm like, come on, you gotta help me out. 00:13:31.120 --> 00:13:32.240 You have to help me out. 00:13:32.399 --> 00:13:34.559 But that's not what grandparents are for. 00:13:34.799 --> 00:13:41.039 And the only hope that those of us who are parents, but we don't have grandchildren yet, we just can't even fight it. 00:13:41.200 --> 00:13:46.399 What we need to look forward to are the moments where we'll get to undermine our children, just like we've been undermined. 00:13:46.480 --> 00:13:47.759 That's what we do as parents. 00:13:47.840 --> 00:13:49.120 That's all we've got. 00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:54.000 He loves being there, and they're so good to him. 00:13:54.159 --> 00:13:59.840 And so you gotta understand that little King Liam is in the pool, and he has been told no by Layla of all people. 00:14:00.000 --> 00:14:04.240 So there must have been a really good reason why, and in fact, there was, it's because it was about to storm. 00:14:04.320 --> 00:14:05.279 It was about to rain. 00:14:05.519 --> 00:14:09.360 The weather had predicted 60% chance of heavy rain. 00:14:10.080 --> 00:14:15.519 The sky was black, there were clouds everywhere, there was thunder in the distance, and so Layla said, I need you to get out of the pool. 00:14:15.679 --> 00:14:17.120 It's about to rain. 00:14:17.440 --> 00:14:20.960 And once Liam learned the reason, he asked her a question that she could not say no to. 00:14:21.039 --> 00:14:24.240 He said, Well, can I pray and ask God to make it not rain? 00:14:25.039 --> 00:14:28.320 And she said, Well, yes, yes, you can do that. 00:14:28.399 --> 00:14:34.399 And so he bows his head and she's thinking as he's praying of how she's going to deal with the disappointment that's about to happen. 00:14:34.480 --> 00:14:35.440 Because it's it's going to rain. 00:14:35.519 --> 00:14:36.799 It's not a matter of if it's when. 00:14:36.879 --> 00:14:39.919 You know how the sky looks about two seconds before it just comes down. 00:14:40.080 --> 00:14:40.960 That's what's happening. 00:14:41.120 --> 00:14:48.720 And so she's going through in her mind, how am I gonna tell them that sometimes God says no to prayers and you know, sometimes there's more important things, and we just have to learn to accept his will. 00:14:48.799 --> 00:14:53.679 She's going through all these words in her head, but Liam opens his eyes and he said, Layla, I can stay in the pool. 00:14:53.759 --> 00:14:55.120 The rain's gonna go south. 00:14:55.279 --> 00:14:56.720 It's gonna go south. 00:14:58.320 --> 00:15:00.639 And here's the crazy thing it did. 00:15:01.039 --> 00:15:08.320 It did, it did, it did not rain a drop at their house and it went south. 00:15:08.639 --> 00:15:10.159 She's going, What is going on? 00:15:10.240 --> 00:15:12.320 And you know, he's like, I told you it was gonna go south. 00:15:12.399 --> 00:15:13.679 I mean, I I prayed. 00:15:13.919 --> 00:15:16.320 And to make it even better, that was two weeks ago. 00:15:16.399 --> 00:15:19.200 It still has not rained at her house. 00:15:19.519 --> 00:15:21.759 And I'm not lying, she sent me a text last night. 00:15:21.919 --> 00:15:23.279 Not a drop of rain. 00:15:23.519 --> 00:15:25.519 It's been two weeks, it's rained everywhere else. 00:15:25.600 --> 00:15:28.480 We've had rain five times at our house in the last two weeks. 00:15:28.639 --> 00:15:35.120 We live 20 minutes from them, but it has not rained, and she's got plants that are dying, she's trying to water her grass. 00:15:36.159 --> 00:15:37.759 A few nights ago, she asked Liam. 00:15:37.919 --> 00:15:42.159 We were over for dinner, she said, Liam, please pray that it rains at my house. 00:15:42.559 --> 00:15:43.360 Please. 00:15:44.559 --> 00:15:46.159 And Liam said, No. 00:15:47.360 --> 00:15:47.759 Amen. 00:15:48.399 --> 00:15:50.960 He said, No, I want to swim. 00:15:53.039 --> 00:15:56.000 The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. 00:15:56.159 --> 00:16:00.960 There should just be an asterisk there and a disclaimer at the bottom of the page that says, in some cases, too effective. 00:16:01.120 --> 00:16:02.559 That's what it should say in that verse. 00:16:02.720 --> 00:16:03.200 It really is. 00:16:03.279 --> 00:16:05.519 Now, you might say, hey, that wasn't an answered prayer. 00:16:05.600 --> 00:16:14.320 That was just coincidence that God has caused a mini drought in Marietta, Georgia on behalf of this little boy who wanted to swim for another 15 minutes. 00:16:14.879 --> 00:16:15.440 Maybe. 00:16:15.600 --> 00:16:18.000 But uh, man, try convincing my son of that. 00:16:18.159 --> 00:16:19.120 You will not. 00:16:19.679 --> 00:16:20.639 You will not. 00:16:21.519 --> 00:16:24.080 When I really think about it, his prayer was pretty profound. 00:16:24.879 --> 00:16:27.360 It was pretty profound because this is all Liam was thinking. 00:16:27.440 --> 00:16:28.720 He's like, Well, I want to swim. 00:16:29.360 --> 00:16:30.559 That's what I want. 00:16:31.519 --> 00:16:35.360 He would tell you he needed to swim, but you know, we we all know it's what he wanted. 00:16:35.679 --> 00:16:38.159 And rain was about to stop him from having what he wants. 00:16:38.240 --> 00:16:40.000 And in Liam's mind, I am God's son. 00:16:40.399 --> 00:16:41.840 I am little King Liam. 00:16:42.000 --> 00:16:43.519 My father in heaven is the king. 00:16:43.600 --> 00:16:46.159 I'm little King Liam, so I would like to swim. 00:16:46.320 --> 00:16:51.279 And if rain is gonna stop me, I'll just ask my dad, I'll just ask God to make it not rain. 00:16:51.360 --> 00:16:54.320 He's he's learned the Bible stories of Jesus telling the storms to stop. 00:16:54.480 --> 00:16:58.639 He knows his context, and he just said, God, make the rain go south. 00:16:58.960 --> 00:17:00.720 Make it go south, and it did. 00:17:01.519 --> 00:17:07.440 I look at my life and I think about how rarely I approach God in the same in the same line of thinking. 00:17:08.000 --> 00:17:09.359 You know, God, I'm your son. 00:17:09.519 --> 00:17:12.480 This is something that I value, this is something that I need. 00:17:12.720 --> 00:17:13.359 God, I need it. 00:17:13.519 --> 00:17:14.480 He might say, No, you want it. 00:17:14.559 --> 00:17:15.759 Well, I need it, God. 00:17:16.799 --> 00:17:18.160 Please make this happen. 00:17:19.279 --> 00:17:22.160 I don't approach prayer that that way very often. 00:17:22.960 --> 00:17:24.960 As we grow up, we we complicate things. 00:17:25.119 --> 00:17:29.200 We start to worry about the right way to pray and the proper approach to prayer. 00:17:29.599 --> 00:17:32.640 And I've learned so much through my kids that I I have a lot to unlearn. 00:17:32.720 --> 00:17:37.119 In fact, I think I have more to unlearn than I actually have to learn most days. 00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:40.640 Liam's prayer was was just honest. 00:17:41.200 --> 00:17:42.319 It was honest. 00:17:42.720 --> 00:17:49.680 We talked last week about the difference between religion and relationship when it comes to prayer, and we're gonna talk about that a lot as we as we have this conversation. 00:17:49.839 --> 00:17:58.319 We're gonna personify religion a little bit because religion is something that fights our ability to approach God the correct way in prayer. 00:17:59.119 --> 00:18:02.720 We're supposed to have a prayer life that is passionate and free and real. 00:18:03.200 --> 00:18:06.720 We're supposed to look forward to time in prayer, religion will ruin that. 00:18:08.000 --> 00:18:12.000 My son prayed an honest prayer, but religion does not value honesty. 00:18:13.279 --> 00:18:15.359 Religion values propriety. 00:18:16.400 --> 00:18:18.319 Praying in the right way at the right time. 00:18:19.359 --> 00:18:21.279 Religion values restraint. 00:18:22.240 --> 00:18:24.319 When you pray, just hold back. 00:18:24.720 --> 00:18:26.160 Remember that you're praying to God. 00:18:26.240 --> 00:18:28.559 Don't just don't just rush in with all what you all the things you want. 00:18:28.640 --> 00:18:30.160 You need to start by praising him first. 00:18:30.240 --> 00:18:39.039 You need to start by saying 10 or 15 things that you're thankful for before you even get to your request, even though he knows that the whole reason you're praying is because you kind of need something. 00:18:39.440 --> 00:18:40.240 Just pretend. 00:18:40.640 --> 00:18:46.400 Hey God, oh, oh, by the way, before I go, there was this one little thing I was gonna ask you for. 00:18:47.680 --> 00:18:51.039 Religion does not value honesty, but relationship is all about honesty. 00:18:51.119 --> 00:18:55.759 If we're gonna have a relationship with God, we have to have honest communication with God. 00:18:56.640 --> 00:19:02.319 We have to have very honest communication because honest communication, it's the cornerstone of a healthy relationship. 00:19:03.200 --> 00:19:07.599 And when we pray, we can be completely honest with God. 00:19:08.480 --> 00:19:15.119 In fact, the only way to have a prayer life that is what it's meant to be is to pray honest prayers. 00:19:16.400 --> 00:19:19.359 So the question just becomes, how honest can we really be? 00:19:19.839 --> 00:19:20.319 Right? 00:19:20.640 --> 00:19:25.759 Because we have lots of different relationships, and in some of those relationships, we are we're honest. 00:19:25.920 --> 00:19:30.799 We're not lying to anyone, we're just not divulging deep dark things in our soul for obvious reasons. 00:19:30.960 --> 00:19:33.680 Some of us have friends that do divulge things that we'd rather they not. 00:19:34.319 --> 00:19:36.079 And we say, whoa, hold on there. 00:19:36.240 --> 00:19:38.240 I don't think we're as close as you think we are. 00:19:38.400 --> 00:19:40.960 Um I wasn't ready for that. 00:19:42.240 --> 00:19:45.839 We also have relationships, usually very few, where we can really share anything. 00:19:46.000 --> 00:19:50.319 We can open up completely, we can share very, very deep, very personal things. 00:19:50.640 --> 00:19:52.799 And then we have a hundred relationships in between. 00:19:52.880 --> 00:19:54.559 What kind of relationship do we have with God? 00:19:54.720 --> 00:19:56.079 How honest can we be? 00:19:56.240 --> 00:19:57.440 How much does He care? 00:19:58.799 --> 00:20:08.480 The truth is we can be more honest in our relationship with God than we can be with any relationship on this earth because we have a love from God that is unconditional. 00:20:09.359 --> 00:20:13.519 And there is not one relationship we have on this earth that is truly unconditional. 00:20:13.599 --> 00:20:25.839 There are relationships that get close, and if we live in a relationship with God where his love kind of becomes our love, we can get close to loving people unconditionally, but I don't know if we have it in us to love in the same unconditional way that God does. 00:20:26.400 --> 00:20:27.039 And that's okay. 00:20:27.119 --> 00:20:30.079 I just don't know if we have that capacity, but we try. 00:20:30.720 --> 00:20:33.759 We try, but God, he doesn't even have to try. 00:20:34.160 --> 00:20:38.079 His love for you is completely unconditional. 00:20:39.519 --> 00:20:42.240 There will never be a TMI moment in your prayer life with God. 00:20:42.319 --> 00:20:44.559 There'll never be a moment where you pray and he's like, whoa. 00:20:45.039 --> 00:20:46.400 I didn't even know that. 00:20:47.440 --> 00:20:48.799 He already knows. 00:20:50.079 --> 00:20:54.960 See, he wants us to pray in a passionate, honest way. 00:20:55.839 --> 00:20:58.400 Honestly, in a way that religion would be uncomfortable with. 00:20:58.799 --> 00:21:02.880 Religion would stop us and we'd have thoughts in our minds where we'd say, I don't know if this is okay. 00:21:03.039 --> 00:21:04.720 I don't know if it's okay to pray like this. 00:21:04.799 --> 00:21:07.200 This doesn't feel okay. 00:21:08.720 --> 00:21:14.079 But to prove to all of us that it is, I want to take a look at the prayer life of one person in Scripture, a man named David. 00:21:14.240 --> 00:21:17.440 David was a king, he was the greatest king that Israel ever had. 00:21:17.599 --> 00:21:21.039 He's a man that the Bible describes as a man after God's own heart. 00:21:21.119 --> 00:21:29.119 In other words, he was so close with God, he walked so closely and intimately with God that it was like their hearts beat at the same rhythm. 00:21:30.079 --> 00:21:38.240 He's a man that God looked at, and of all the people on the earth, he said, That's the one that I want to be my king, and I want Jesus to come through his bloodline. 00:21:39.279 --> 00:21:49.519 This man was as close to God as anyone, and we have this amazing privilege through scripture to see into his prayer life with more clarity than we can see into anyone else's. 00:21:49.839 --> 00:21:52.000 Because he wrote most of the Psalms. 00:21:53.200 --> 00:21:59.680 You open your Bible to the halfway point, you'll probably be in Psalms, and the Psalms are this collection of Psalms, that's what Psalms. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:00.319 Means. 00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:03.200 And these songs were prayers that David wrote down. 00:22:03.279 --> 00:22:09.119 These are prayers to God that he wrote down, he recorded, and we can look at his life, and it's like a personal journal. 00:22:09.200 --> 00:22:10.400 It's like his prayer journal. 00:22:10.480 --> 00:22:12.079 We can read what he prayed. 00:22:12.240 --> 00:22:14.799 We can see how he talked to God. 00:22:15.119 --> 00:22:18.559 And David was honest with God. 00:22:20.480 --> 00:22:23.119 Even honest in a way that many of us might feel uncomfortable with. 00:22:23.279 --> 00:22:24.319 David was honest with God. 00:22:24.400 --> 00:22:26.319 I'll give you an example, Psalm chapter 3. 00:22:26.480 --> 00:22:28.319 This is one of my favorite chapters of the Bible. 00:22:28.480 --> 00:22:30.880 He says, O Lord, I have so many enemies. 00:22:31.119 --> 00:22:32.480 So many are against me. 00:22:32.640 --> 00:22:35.440 So many are saying, God will never rescue him. 00:22:35.680 --> 00:22:37.920 But you, O Lord, are a shield around me. 00:22:38.000 --> 00:22:40.880 You are my glory, the one who holds my head high. 00:22:41.119 --> 00:22:44.000 I cried out to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy mountain. 00:22:44.079 --> 00:22:48.240 I lay down and slept, yet I woke up in safety, for the Lord was watching over me. 00:22:48.319 --> 00:22:51.519 I'm not afraid of ten thousand enemies who surround me on every side. 00:22:51.759 --> 00:22:57.359 Arise, O Lord, rescue me, my God, slap all my enemies in the face. 00:22:58.240 --> 00:22:59.920 Shatter the teeth of the wicked. 00:23:00.079 --> 00:23:01.759 Victory comes from you, O Lord. 00:23:01.920 --> 00:23:03.279 May you bless your people. 00:23:03.519 --> 00:23:04.880 I love that prayer. 00:23:05.039 --> 00:23:07.440 That is my absolute favorite prayer in all of Scripture. 00:23:07.599 --> 00:23:08.559 I said that last week. 00:23:08.799 --> 00:23:11.519 Slap my enemies in the face. 00:23:12.400 --> 00:23:13.519 Bust some teeth. 00:23:13.680 --> 00:23:15.359 That's what he just prayed. 00:23:17.359 --> 00:23:20.640 I love it because that sounds like the prayer of a child, doesn't it? 00:23:20.960 --> 00:23:28.559 Like, God, there's some people being mean to me, and if you could send your angels to earth tonight and slap them in the face as they sleep, I think it would teach them a lesson. 00:23:28.720 --> 00:23:29.279 Please do that. 00:23:29.359 --> 00:23:34.480 That sounds like the prayer of a young child, but no, no, that's the prayer of a grown man. 00:23:34.720 --> 00:23:42.480 And a grown man that God had identified as the person that he saw as most capable of being his king. 00:23:43.440 --> 00:23:44.960 Slap my enemies in the face. 00:23:45.039 --> 00:23:46.240 That is honesty. 00:23:46.480 --> 00:23:47.599 That's not holding back. 00:23:47.680 --> 00:23:49.920 See, that's how David approached God in prayer. 00:23:50.079 --> 00:23:51.839 He held nothing back. 00:23:53.680 --> 00:23:57.279 When we have complete honesty with God, it means that we hold nothing back. 00:23:57.440 --> 00:23:58.799 We bring it all to God. 00:23:59.039 --> 00:24:05.200 We bring every emotion, we bring every feeling, we bring every circumstance to God, and we hold nothing back. 00:24:05.359 --> 00:24:07.279 We don't keep anything from Him. 00:24:07.839 --> 00:24:12.799 And that's so important for us because when we bring what we have to God, there's an exchange. 00:24:13.039 --> 00:24:16.319 Anytime we bring what we have to God, there is an exchange that happens. 00:24:16.480 --> 00:24:18.799 Isaiah 61 describes it beautifully. 00:24:18.960 --> 00:24:28.000 To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. 00:24:28.240 --> 00:24:34.000 In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory. 00:24:35.039 --> 00:24:39.920 That first part, beauty for ashes, it was really significant to the people of Israel at that time. 00:24:40.079 --> 00:24:57.200 Because in their culture, if they experienced a tragedy, if something happened in their life, something befell them that was very, very difficult, they lost a loved one or they lost all that they had, they would tear their clothing, they would put on sackcloth, they were very demonstrative people, and they would put ashes on their heads. 00:24:57.359 --> 00:25:04.480 They would cover their head in ash so that then when they walked around, because there were no Facebook status updates in those times, people would know what was going on in their life. 00:25:04.720 --> 00:25:08.160 If you saw someone with ash on their heads, you wouldn't go up to them and say, Hey, how's your day going? 00:25:08.240 --> 00:25:08.880 How are you? 00:25:09.119 --> 00:25:13.359 You would know this is a person that is dealing with something very intense. 00:25:14.400 --> 00:25:20.720 And so God says, I will take the ashes and I will place a crown of beauty on your head instead. 00:25:20.880 --> 00:25:25.279 I will exchange your brokenness for joy. 00:25:25.519 --> 00:25:28.640 I will exchange despair for hope. 00:25:29.119 --> 00:25:31.519 I will exchange mourning for dancing. 00:25:31.680 --> 00:25:33.519 There's an exchange that happens. 00:25:33.759 --> 00:25:39.279 But God cannot transform our ashes into beauty if we never bring him our ashes. 00:25:40.000 --> 00:25:42.079 We have to bring what we have to him. 00:25:42.240 --> 00:25:45.519 We have to pray with honesty and hold nothing back. 00:25:46.240 --> 00:25:50.400 That means that we cannot hold back our complaints from God. 00:25:51.839 --> 00:25:53.279 You ever complained to God? 00:25:53.519 --> 00:25:54.799 I mean really complained. 00:25:54.880 --> 00:25:56.400 I don't mean complained in a nice way. 00:25:56.480 --> 00:25:58.319 Have you ever whined to God? 00:25:58.880 --> 00:26:01.599 Thrown a fit with God, stomped your feet and complained? 00:26:01.759 --> 00:26:02.640 David did it all the time. 00:26:02.799 --> 00:26:03.839 David was a big whiner. 00:26:04.319 --> 00:26:06.000 Psalm 142, 1. 00:26:06.319 --> 00:26:14.640 David said, I cry out to the Lord, I plead for the Lord's mercy, I pour out my complaints before him, and I tell him all my troubles. 00:26:14.799 --> 00:26:19.440 What he's saying is, I lay it on thick with God, I pour out all my complaints. 00:26:20.000 --> 00:26:21.039 Every single one of them. 00:26:21.200 --> 00:26:30.400 And he was not joking, by the way, just a few verses later, in 142, verse 4, he says, I look for someone to come and help me, but no one gives me a passing thought. 00:26:30.640 --> 00:26:33.920 No one will help me, no one cares a bit what happens to me. 00:26:34.079 --> 00:26:35.839 It's a little melodramatic. 00:26:36.079 --> 00:26:38.240