How to Influence the World - 10

You ever get tired of singing about him are surely built well today is a national observance of Mother's Day and we ought her mother's daughter. The institution of motherhood that has been designed by God designed by God to bring children into this world and to nurture them a challenging role that God is assigned to mothers but it is indispensable.

It is honorable, it is influential. It is rewarding today. I don't have a traditional Mother's Day sermon not going to preach to you about sandal in Hanover. That's a worthy text of Scripture or from Proverbs 31 another wonderful passage of God's word but I'm going to rather continue in the exposition of the book of Philippians because I have decided that the section that comes next is very suitable for our purposes today occasionally not often, but occasionally someone has asked me over the years.

Why did you preach that today the answer is very simple because it was next, that really solves a lot of problems out as you dare preach that today couldn't help but it was next will today. It's what comes next and that is applicable to our celebration of Mother's Day, mothers, fathers, grandparents who are Christians desire to see our children reared in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. We want to see them saved. We want to see them walking with the Lord and we want to see them and our homes and our Christian churches. Having an influence upon this ungodly world. I can remember a time probably about 40 or 50 years ago when the Christian school movement was still fairly new, and a lot of people were going to rallies about Christian schools, Christian education. Many times the message seemed to be full just get this done for just get Christian schools built and get our children Christian schools that we will turn the nation around then we will bring the United States of America back to Christ didn't happen did it didn't happen. More recently, the homeschool movement is had a similar emphasis at least in some quarters we will bring our children home and spend educate them at home. Then we will raise a strong generation of Christian warriors. Then we will have an influence upon our world, then we will turn our nation back to Christ. But now there are enough years of gone by in the homeschool movement for us to realize that isn't really producing that affect either back to the drawing board and those are good things. By the way, I highly recommend Christian schools. I highly recommend good godly homeschooling. But back to the drawing board that doesn't guarantee that we are going to turn our nation around for Christ but what will influence the world in which we live in the Bible tells us the Bible tells us what we need we saw last week in Philippians 212 the necessity of Christian obedience. Christ set the example he became obedient to the father obedient even in death the death of the cross and showed us how to be obedient to the word of God to the commands of God. That's our responsibility, but we learned in verse 13 the necessity of divine enabling. We will not. We cannot be obedient to the Lord except God is working in us. We are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, but it is God who is working in us to do and to will of his good pleasure well is this text continues on this.

This passage continues on, we see there's really no break between what we had last Sunday and what were taking up today. It's all part of the same section and so were not surprised that in our verses for today, we find an additional understanding of Christian obedience verse 12 we were told to a bank to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Now in verses 13 and following verses 14 following. We are told number one how we should obey and number two I we should obey how we should obey. There are four things suggested to us throughout these verses. How should we obey number one with contentment. Number two with guidance. Third, with expectation and forth with joy. This is how we should obey the word of God. How should we obey with contentment others is interesting. We might've expected that after the command, in general, to obey to work out our salvation with fear and trembling that the Holy Spirit of God would guide Paul to come back and say no this is how you do it, do this do that do this don't do that, but he doesn't really give us a detailed list of things to do or not to do.

He rather begins by giving us on all prevailing attitude that we must have in everything we do. If it's going to be pleasing to God if it's going to be effective, must obey with contentment. Verse 14 do all things without complaining and disputing, it doesn't say what the all things are. But he says when you figure out what they are. It's important that you do it this way because if you don't doing a list of things isn't going to be as effective as you hope. Do all things all things that phrase all things is in the emphatic position in the Greek grammar. Therefore, it means it's emphasizing all things. Everything thing left out here. Everything a believer does is to be done without complaining, without grumbling without disputing. It's also the present tense which means this is something we must continue to do over and over and over as long as we live all things continually done without complaining and disputing, that means the things we do in private. The things we do when no one else is around the means of things we do in the privacy of our home do them all without complaining and disputing, that means the things we do in the corporate body of the church.

The relationship center here in the exchanges that we have with one another to all things without complaining and disputing, that means the things we do out in the world at our jobs at our school that are in our neighborhoods wherever we go. We are to do all things without complaining and disputing, one commentator defined complaining is a bad attitude expressed in grumbling.

That's complaining and the problem with complaining is that expresses in gratitude toward God.

Now this is not what we would consider a big thinking about since the gotta be obedient to the Lord. We need to avoid sin so we don't get drunk and we don't steal, and we don't commit adultery.

And that's not even mentioned in this passage, but the Holy Spirit of God says it's very important that you do all things without complaining and without arguing. That's what disputing it that so common that I think most Christians don't even list that among the sands that we think about what we think about sin. Everybody does that, yes, stop it. Let's my right it is American if I get to express my opinion, it's not nothing that involves complaining and arguing.

You may be an American, but above that if you been saved your Christian you have a high responsibility and being an American patriot. You have a high responsibility than the privileges that are allowed to you in the Constitution of the United States. You have an Almighty God in heaven and you have his word that he said I didn't say it, the Constitution didn't say it. The president didn't say it wouldn't matter if they did, because God Almighty says do all things without complaining and arguing God is given us an example of this sin and how serious it is in the nation of Israel in the wilderness and makes reference to that example in the New Testament, particularly in first Corinthians chapter 10 where we are told that that was the problem with God's people in the Old Testament, they continually complained, grumbled, murmured, objected to what God was doing how God was leading them how God was providing for them. They were expressing their in gratitude to God, in spite of the fact that the evidence was that God always provided for them. God always took care of them. Sometimes they came up to a crisis, but it never created any lasting problem. God always provided what was needed, but they call ways almost always grumbled and complained all the way through and there were several times throughout that wilderness experience, where God judged them for their complaining by killing thousands of them. You say while that's a pretty big judgment for such a little sin, no no no no no no that's a big judgment that tells you it's not a little sin. It's a big sale. That's why it's a big judgment. Adjust your thinking. Let your mind be reoriented according to the truth of God's work. That's what I'm trying to tell you this isn't a little matter. This is a little stuff this isn't something that we can just do every day and it really doesn't matter.

This is huge. Everything at home, at work wherever you are doing everything without complaining, without murmuring without arguing.

That's a big assignment. And don't forget we were talking about were talking about what's it gonna take for Christians really make an influence in the world and we got all kinds of ideas of what it will take it. We do this if we do that if we boycott this week. If we march on that if how about if we start here all things without murmuring and arguing when you've got that one well in hand. And then we can talk about some other thing grumbling, complaining spreads discontent to others your discontent so you express your discontent. Pretty soon you've got other people around you who are likewise discontented it breaks a special and division. One of the problems of Paul is dealt with earlier in this epistle was the lack of of unity in the Philippian church not that there was none, but not to the degree that there ought to be and that's what he's addressing here and that's part of what he saying is that if you're going to have unity you got to have the mind of Christ. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. Now he saying something else. If you're going to have God honoring unity in your church of enough to cut out this complaining was criticizing this gossip.

This is the grumbling your poisoning the well your poisoning the water of life that God has given to us. Your complaining reveals an un-submissive heart.

That's what it was for Israel in the wilderness, they were un-submitted to God. They were unhappy with God's leadership. They were unhappy with God's provision.

In spite of the fact that he always provided for them wonderfully and perfectly, but they were content and your grumbling, and some of you are constant complainers and you need to understand what this is demonstrating it's demonstrating a heart that is not submitted to God. Recognize that deal with that understand that confess that repent of that. Ask God to change the like that him we sing by James Montgomery boys from time to time how marvelous how wise, how great, how infinite to contemplate Jehovah's saving plan he saw me in my lost a state yet purpose to regenerate this faithless fallen man foreknown before the world began, according to his gracious plan. God destined, I would be conformed to Jesus Christ.

The man who lived and loved is no man can a glorious decree. He bore my sin on Calvary's tree and righteousness bestowed on me that I might see his face. God justified me, set me free and glorified. I soon will be, how marvelous this grace and then stands before.

What have I now but to embrace the God who saved me from disgrace and love him evermore and with contentment, run my race, my eyes fixed ever on his face to praise him in the door whatever boils it down doesn't what we do in the face of this marvelous declaration of salvation of rescue by God through Jesus Christ and the grace that is poured out, what have I to do. I have listed are to embrace what he has declared to believe a tooth to receive the hold onto and beyond that we contentment run my race. Anything less is an act of un-submission to Almighty God. How should we obey one with contentment.

Number two with guidance. We go to verse 16 skipping over 15 will come back to that in the moment we go to verse 16 and we read holding fast the word of life, holding fast the word of life, no that can accurately be translated a couple of different ways. Some translations say holding forth the word of life, others similar to mine say holding faster holding firmly the word of life in the context doesn't help us a whole lot in deciding which of these options we have, because if we go with holding forth the word of life that seems to flow from verse 15 verse 15 says that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life that would seem to to lead us toward the holding forth translation but then when you look at it in the verse in which it's found a look. Read the rest of the verse. What is it say it says holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain that seems to point to what I need to do to be persevering the faithful in my Christian life that suggests the translation holding fast holding firmly the word of life. So which is it welding could we combine them.

Let's try that.

See how that works. Let's combine them. We are declaring the word of life were holding forth the word of life declaring it to the world and we are demonstrating how important it is to us by our submission and obedience to it. We are holding fast the word of life to demonstrate the value that this message has in our lives and will have the lives of other but the point I want to make is that we are not without guidance. When I told the obedient to the Lord and figure out what that means, by your own thinking your own opinions your own own ideas. No obedience is defined for us the way we obey God is with guidance that is the guidance of God's word. We hold forth we hold firmly to the word of God as we are obeying him. That's how we obey with guidance.

How many times when talking to someone about a particular issue. They say well I think this is my take. Okay, what's the Bible say oh I don't know I don't care is what is the attitude a lot of people have. This is what I think that's the problem isn't it.

That's the problem you not being obedient your sanctioning your own desires and if there contrary to the Bible their sinful desires. Obedience means submitting to what God has declared even when in fact, especially when it conflicts with what you desire, so we haven't completely forgotten that today is Mother's Day so how do we have strong Christian marriages by obedience to what the Bible tells us about marriage. How do we rear strong Christian children will for our part, by following with the Bible says about rearing children. By the way, is not a whole lot. It's it's kind of like the passage were dealing with now where to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling.

We might've expected a 15 page list of what to do and not to do. Note we just move right into the attitude with which we are to do whatever God's word tells us to do would hold fast the word of life, and when it comes to marriage and when it comes to raising children.

There's not a whole book is not a big manual on that. But what there is is critical if you don't get the things that are clearly set into place in your life, your marriage or hold your child-rearing you will be amazed at what God may do in God's got to do it. So in our workplace we obey the word of God, not what everybody else does in our choices of entertainment we select them according to what were told in God's word. In fact, all of life must be submitted to the word of God.

That's what guides us. Number three. How do we obey with expectation and that we move on in verse 16 holding fast the word of life so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not read invader labored in vain. Now this takes a surprising twist actually this refers to the coming of Christ, the day of Christ, when he will come. Paul says I want you I want you to obey so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not labored a very will plot you egotistical twit what you talking about here, putting yourself inserting yourself this should should be saying I want you to obey the word of God, so that in the day of Christ, you will receive his well done.

You will be rewarded and commended.

You will have a good finish on your Christian life but in the surprising twist. He says I want you to obey so that I can rejoice in the day of Christ is Paul being egocentric at this point I don't think so. He is out of report, pointing to his response to the second coming of Christ in relationship to them that I may rejoice in the day of Christ. That's a day of final judgment when Christ returns. What Paul is indicating is that there is the possibility of empty professions of faith that will be revealed in that day. Can Paul rejoice in the day of Christ.

If he watches the Philippian standing before Christ.

Instead of hearing. Well done good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of thy Lord. He hurts Christ saying to them, depart from me, you workers of iniquity. I never knew you.

Paul wouldn't be able to rejoice in that situation would so you run in such a way that I will rejoice in the day of Christ, because what Paul is telling us here is that obedience is evidence of the new birth.

And one way for us to stay on track is to always be looking forward to that day when Christ shall return that day is coming a day of judgment is coming a day of reckoning is coming a day of accountability is coming a day when Stewart's are going to have to to report to their master on their life and their faithfulness with what he placed in our hands that did not belong to us, but belongs to him and we are to manager for his glory.

That day is coming and we must obey with an eye of expectation upon that day when we shall stand before Christ. Number four. How do we obey with joy. Verses 17 and 18 yes said Paul. And if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith.

I am glad and will rejoice with you all for the same reason also. You also be glad and rejoice with me. The drink offering the Paul refers to it was one of the Old Testament offerings that is a little bit obscure. We find several references to it. It was the act of pouring out wine upon the altar and evidently pouring it out on top of the animal sacrifice that had been offered and in when it was employed.

It seems to have been sort of a crowning touch a second offering a lesser offering, but a completion of the major offering that has just been offered. Here's what Marty or JA Mautner. I think that a stands for Alec.

Here's what Mautner said. He said the drink offering is the accompaniment of a larger sacrifice the small thing that brought a major offering to completeness and what Paul is envisioning here is that the Philippians by their life of faith and obedience are the main offering. And Paul sees himself as the completing at the drink offering was poured out on the main offering.

Another words, is not being egotistical.

In fact it's actually the other way around. He's putting himself in a minor role. He says if you are faithful if you serve the Lord sacrificially that your life, your whole life becomes a living sacrifice unto God and my sacrifices, which are great, as we know, reading the life of the apostle Paul Bulger says that's little stuff. I'm glad I could have a part that's the that's the drink offering poured out upon the major offering of your life.

But he says I will rejoice. If I can have some little part in your reading the true sacrifice pleasing unto God. And I'm sure you will rejoice in the park that I played and so he puts the two elements together the major sacrifice of the Philippians Christian lives and the minor addition of the pouring out of his life and labors for the Lord, and he says both of those will fill all of us with great joy. That's the way we obey him with great joy. So that's how we should obey. Now we have to consider why we should obey. That brings us back to verse 15 we skipped over that now we come back to it. Verse 14 says do all things without complaining and disputing. Verse 15 that in order that were because were so that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world. Why should we obey three reasons. Number one because of our position number two because of our testimony number three because of our assignment. First of all because of our position. Why should we obey because we have been made children of God.

Let that sink in, is not a little deal that is huge that the biggest biggest deal possible. I think in some ways it takes a comprehension of the doctrines of grace for the magnitude of this privilege. To really sink in just such a trivial thing. You know anybody can just decide to become a child of God whenever they want to dig deal. It doesn't really take on the same importance as it does when you realize I am blind I am spiritually dead unless God does something first. I'm doomed unless God comes to me and creates life and gives me repentance and faith, then there's no hope for me because we don't don't even understand the destruction that were headed to without the spirit of God teaching us these things. The one God has done that for us and made us his children. That should fill our hearts with on ending gratitude that will never diminish in any way. We are so incredibly grateful for this privilege. How can we do anything but serve him with all of our hearts with all of our energies with all of our lives. Why should we obey because of our position as children of God are unending gratitude for such a privilege. The earnest desire that we have to uphold the family reputation. I don't know how many of you lived in homes were sometimes your father or mother said to you now as you go to wherever you're going now. Don't forget you are a Nelson don't you let down the family name. Don't you don't you hurt our reputation.

You are a Johnson you are a Nelson, you are expected to uphold the honor of our name will if that's true in an earthly sphere, that is, to some extent than just imagine how much greater. That is in this realm. You are a child of God, a child of God. Don't you understand the responsibility to uphold the family honor to exalt the family name.

You represent that that's your position.

That's why you out all day. Why else number two because of our testimony and Paul goes through some things here that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault. Blameless means above reproach. This is the idea of what others think about you.

What others say of you know people are sinful and nasty and they may say things that aren't even true or warranted, but not as a general rule, when your name comes up in a conversation among unsaved people. What we hope, and very often should hear them say something like, will that person pays their debts.

That person is honest and believe that person there there word is good and they say something it it's true. And don't you understand how rare that is in this world and what a powerful testimony that is for Christ blameless not what I have forget they are, they call themselves a Christian. They owe everybody all over town.

They don't pay their debts. What a Crip hypocrite. They are, they call themselves a Christian. There shacking up with somebody on the side. What hypocrite they are. They call themselves a Christian and they get drunk on weekends. See that's that's full of blame, public blame.

Now we are to be blameless. This is why we should obey because of our testimony, blameless, harmless, harmless, is the idea of a clear conscience.

Literally it means unmixed with foreign matter and I thought about that when I have to recognize that I don't know that I have done anything with out any mixture of sin I don't think I have. I don't think you have either.

I don't think anybody has. If you think you have you really don't understand your nature, but what we pray is that God will show us our sin not only forgive us for it but cleanse us of it. Remove it from us and give us the ability to ever more do everything we do for nothing except his honor and glory. No selfish motive. No, no prideful desire, no desire for applause, but simply to do it for the honor and glory Christ to have a clear conscience.

That's the only reason that we are obeying and serving him. That's what we need to have a good testimony. So because of our position as children of God. Number two because of our testimony before the world number three because of our assignment. What's our assignment, our assignment is to be lights in the world that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without out fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world. That's our assignment, we could break it down. What's our assignment as Christians, it is number one. To live in a wicked world that bothers us. It really does. Sometimes we try to escape that I don't like living in this wicked world builder for wall the world out wall myself and my family again so that I don't have to live in a wicked world that's not your assignment friend.

Your assignment is to live in a wicked world. That's where God placed us read Christ high priestly prayer. John 717 of his disciples. He said they are not of this world, but they are in the world but not of it. We are in it. We live in a wicked world in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, how true that is a crooked world dishonest and untruthful.

We can't keep up with all the lies.

The lies are spinning so fast it almost make you think maybe the devils behind this, the father of lies. Yes indeed he is and he can spend a thousand lies while were grappling with one trying to straighten that out. You can spend 10,000 lies while were trying to bring truth to bear on what wow what a what discouraging proposition.

We live in a dishonest crooked world we live in a perverse world a perverted world which has everything backwards.

The world hates what's good and loves what's evil. The world labels, good evil and evil good were saying that more and more we abortion is good because it allows me woman I'm not getting a transgender things in allows a woman to control her own body. You the baby in your womb is not your body that's a different body.

That's a separate body that's another body spring truth to be, but it's hard to do it in a crooked in and perverse world where truth is turned upside down, lies are applauded as truth and truth is denigrated as lies, and that's the world we live in and that's the world. The Bible tells us to expect it to be like and that's the world that God has assigned us to do this, but that's where God has placed us so quick grumbling and complaining about your assignment, but as God to show you how to fulfill your assignment and the kind of world that he has placed you in a world that's going to stay this way until Jesus comes.

So assignment is to live in a wicked world. Our assignment is to remain faithful in a wicked world, blameless, harmless, children of God without fault in a in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation that's a big assignment. Our assignment is to bear an effective testimony in a wicked world shine as lights in this world.

That's not new information did Jesus say the same thing in the sermon on the Mount. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven. The city, which is set on a hill cannot be hid. And don't light a candle and put it under a bushel. You don't hide it you you let it shine. That's your assignment to bear an effective testimony in a wicked world to shine as lights. You know how we best shine as lights by being lights. If you ever thought about it, if a light is a light it's doing what it was designed to do the training think that one through your darkness. You got a flashlight you turn it on immediately. You have light and what's it doing exactly what it was designed to do. It's being what it supposed to doing what it's supposed to do because as being what it is. It's being what it supposed to be this may take a little bit of the weight off my shoulders.

I got domain to disregard those things are not to think about them. But hey, Paul really simplifies things for sick when he tells us to obey.

It really boils down to some very simple ideas and one is just D what you are the light that the new birth has made you to be just shy. We bear an effective testimony in a wicked world by being what we are, which is distinctly different from a crooked and perverse world. They are dishonest. We are honest they are immoral. We are moral, they are unkind. We are kind they are selfish and stingy and up unhelpful and we are helpful. We really stand out in a world like this if we just be what we are as children of the living God just taking what Jesus taught us to do would be and let that shine as lights we do this by living not only speaking the gospel and we need to speak it but we need to live it to two to speak the gospel not to live the gospel is to cause people to think there's that's a bunch of nonsense. You're a hypocrite. You don't even believe what you say to try to live the gospel without speaking, the gospel fails to tell people why you are the way you are.

You must be one of those Jehovah's Witnesses you live so strictly. I don't know know know know know is the gospel. Let me tell you who I am is a Christian why I live this way takes both within shine way. This is how we influence the world for Christ.

Now let me draw a few closing applications that pertain to homes and families and children lessons for homes number one make God's word central in your home. Need to demonstrate to our children and others that we value the truth of God's word above everything else how to do that by daily involvement in Scripture. I highly recommend that you have what we call family worship, family devotions will house the right way to do that will give you some ways that we have done it if you want to know.

But frankly, I don't know there's any prescribed way or any right way. Just honor God's word on a daily basis in your home, get God's word before your family before your children to demonstrate the value you place upon it. How important that is. That'll do it as a thousand different ways you can do it but you have to get God's word in prominent place daily involvement with Scriptures. How do you do that by making church a priority church were God's word central just enough to go to church. Some people like to go to church to be entertained and there plenty churches and will do that will teach you anything from God's word. But if you value God's word going to go to a church.

You can choose a church and valuing church were God's word is central so make God's word central number two reject wrong thinking there's a lot of wrong thinking. Erroneous philosophies all around us. You have to think those things through and cling to the truth and reject was false ideas like our children come into this world innocent until they are corrupted by others wrong that's not what the Bible says so. A lot of people think wrong.

Children coming to this world of sinners.

They need regenerating grace. That's the truth that's a whole different philosophy whole different perspective. You gotta reject the error cling to the truth or how about the year that I've seen many hold on to the basically says all other people are responsible for my lack of success with my children. It's their failures know avoid the blame game number one.

You gotta honestly acknowledge that you as a parent are the greatest influence in a child's life.

Yes, others have an influence, but folks you didn't raise them perfectly, and then somebody else came along and ruined it didn't happen that way you'd like to think so, but you maybe ought to be looking more carefully at your own life and activities. Here's the point.

None of our children no matter how they reared turnout as Christians.

Unless God sovereignly saves them how many Christians of how many children are growing up in good Christian homes and have gone out to the world and waywardness. Now, as long as they're living there is still hope, and were still praying yes daily praying that the Lord will save them and bring them back but were so oriented toward if I do this that I get this result if I do that I get that result I get a better result than somebody did something wrong probably was me, but probably somebody also influence them. No, no, no, we all need God's grace daily. When I was younger my children were young people comfort to me from time to time and say we need to give us some sermons on how to rear children might say when my children are reared hi sick too many to many pastors who preached on how to rear godly children older children went out in the world disgraced the name of Christ. So when my children are reared, we see how they turn out. Then maybe we'll talk about some messages on how to rear children. Now that my children are all reared and are all adults in the role.

Walking with the Lord and God has been so gracious and I still feel like giving you instructions I I'm not responsible for that. I did the best I could and and my wife did better than I did but we both failed.

It isn't because of the great job we did.

It's because of the great grace of the great God, gracious God's will cast yourself daily upon a gracious powerful forgiving God. There is no formula for success. Some, but he will come along with the new book sprays. It is gotta whole following hey, let's do it the way this guy says to do it.

Boy, that's that really sounds great and everybody does it that way. That is working any better than the other ways to God's word before them daily pray for them daily. Have them in church honor God's word cut out the complaining and griping and grumbling and criticizing that will undermine an awful lot of the truth you're trying to reach and cast yourself daily, upon the grace of God my last application is don't expect others to do your job as parents a good church will help you a lot and it's indispensable. But a church can't replace parents wasn't intended to a Christian school can greatly help you, but it cannot replace your role as parents. It's not expected to homeschooling can be a powerful influence if it's done well sometimes it's not.

Sadly, but that cannot replace the grace of God what you need you need the grace of God to help you be the parents, God intends for you to be in trust him and I will say one final thing in all of this be encouraged. God doesn't require perfection of parents. There is no such thing in a fallen world.

What God requires is humility. Repentance daily dependence upon him.

Can you offer that to him. Humility, repentance, daily dependence upon him and see people do, shall we pray father teach us your ways, show us your pants for Jesus sake