R355 Meaningful Prayer

God has an encouraging word for you and me today to the Bible-based preaching of Dr. Don Wilton had a message called meaningful prayer for our whole team is so excited about today's message because not only is Dr. going to be teaching about meaningful prayer from the book of Ephesians, but we have been united our hearts and praying for you as God would share through his servant Dr. Don Wilton that we would all be changed by this powerful message and then we would become men and women of prayer like never before prayer if you like to have someone to pray with you or for you were here 24 hours a day of 866-899-WORD. That's 866-899-9673 or online@twonline.org so let's not only study about prayer, but be ready to pray with and for each other is God's word comes to life with Dr. Don Wilton with me in your Bibles this morning to Paul's letter to the Ephesians chapter 3 Paul's letter to the Ephesians chapter 3, I am more convinced today as a pasta as a husband is the father that the weakest area of my life is my prayer life. I have become more convinced today that until I come personally to the point at which I not only preach about prayer, but that I practice it in the annals of my heart that God will not and cannot do with me what God wants to do. I have become more convinced in my own path in life. Beloved, that the future of the United States of America is not going to be determined by the ballot box in November. The future of these United States of America again to be determined by the prayer closet. I'm more convinced than I have ever been before that marriages are not going to find their solutions to the problems that come up through the wise counsel of a psychiatrist, a pasta or any other means in any way that would be greater than upon one's knees. I'm more convinced than ever that the needs that our young people have as teenagers, communities are schools, churches, that the key that God's word sets before us is that we should be found upon our knees in his presence. I want you to turn with me to Ephesians chapter 3 in verse 14, because here in this incredible chapter, the apostle Paul begins to revisit and rekindle what perhaps could be termed as the central focus of everything that he believed as a believer I want to read it for you again and I will pours from time to time. Verse 14 for this reason I kneel before the father. The immediate question.

I began to ask myself was what reason did Paul have 212 kneel before the father.

And so I began to go back into the pre-seating chapters just to this particular prison epistle, and I began to discover some things they were six major and hidden general reasons why pull found a compelling evidence to kneel before the father. Number one was his own unworthiness pull rainy times speaks about that in his ministry, pull regarded himself as the chief of sinners. He regarded himself as being totally unworthy of the calling that God had placed in his life, let alone his salvation. Second, his appreciation of the enormity of the cost of God set before him fall had an enormous drop of work to do. As I look at the United States of America today and as we hear all the political rhetoric ringing around from one state to another. We are reminded yet again of the enormity of the Tosca class before to keep America beautiful to keep this country on the moral principles and precepts upon which she was founded and grounded to Keep Us Way, God wants us to be to pray for revival to come up on our land to get God's people to turn back to him and to see how people turn to him for salvation.

What an enormous cost. It's an enormous thing to rear children.

It's an unbelievable thing to be joined together in matrimony. It boggles the mind to even contemplate. 1997 at First Baptist Church of Spartanburg.

How can we be involved in all these ministries.

How can we keep on doing what we're doing, pull fell to his knees because of his own unworthiness because of the appreciation of the enormity of the Tosca God given to him because of he Saints of one at the saints at the message of redemption.

He talks about in chapter 1 God's redemptive work in the fourth instance he fell to his knees because of the scope of God's redemptive purpose.

I was just fellowship thing this morning with call came our missionary through the foreign mission board in Brazil. God's anointed their lives and what a precious couple and and as we began to talk about resume and as I began to think about our own churches involvement in the churches that are being built and the teams that go down there I began to think again of the scope of God's redemptive purpose. But then in the first place. The unique Tosca God assigns to God's people. What an unbelievable thing Paul came to grips with, even here in the third chapter he fell to his knees, because I think that Poole gave us a refreshing glimpse if you please into the special nature of God's unique assignment upon the lives of different people that God would come upon us, and he would instruct us and he would encrypt us and he would give to us the keys that unlock the key to the work of his redemptive purpose upon earth. Then finally but not conclusively. I'm convinced that fulfilled trees knees because of the wonderful nature of the gospel of grace is not one of us in this place who could never stand and say we all.

What we all outside of anything but the grace of God. Paul understood that and so it is here in these few verses from verse 14 to verse 21 that he revisits a subject that was and is close to the hearts of all those who love the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let's read for this reason I kneel before the father from his whole family in heaven is not a remarkable start and on earth derives its name I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his. In your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of God and furthermore, to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably in the authorized text we we find the word exceedingly abundantly above all, we could all scream and think very expressive. The descriptive language that the apostle Paul drags up from within his very soul inspired by the spirit of God to try to give us an understanding of the highest in the depth and the witness of God's love and he says now to him who is able to dream measurably more than we could even ask or imagine, according to his power that gives it work within us, to him be glory.

Here it is again in the church.

We talked about the church last week something very special about the church about God's church. To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and forever. And then he even uses the word all man army and be mean. So be it. God has spoken.

Thus it is written, thus it has been spoken. There is nothing more to argue about all man said the apostle Paul meaningful prayer. I remember several years ago sitting in my study in New Orleans and all of a sudden being impressed to pray for a man by the name of Clyde. He is in charge of all youth ministry. Safe knows him very well.

His work with them many times before, as I have all our youth ministry in the Southern Baptist convention and on this particular day. It was a Friday, sitting in my study, for no reason. I just felt impressed to pray for brother Klein. Well, sometime later we were in a meeting at Green Lake conference center in Wisconsin, just outside of Green Bay. And I'll never forget Clyde coming up to me and saying to me Don I want to tell you something. You see, when I had gone through praying for Clyde on that Friday. Some months before I got out a piece of paper I wrote down something I said dear brother Klein I just wanted to pray for you today.

I feel this overwhelming need and are praying for your protection and your safety and and I just want you to know that he walked up to me and he said to me, Don.

He said on that particular Friday, I was in Manila in the Philippines and he said a friend of mine and I went out into an area we were told not to go into, which is quite typical of brother Klein and he said I went roaming around in the next minute. A group of bandits, people with machine guns and what ever came and captured us, blindfolded us took us into some place on the ground and and and we just knew that they would guide executors. They try to suck and put us up against the wall and and they were very abusive to us and he said at exactly 12 o'clock on the Friday. All of a sudden the leader walked in and told us to get out of there and so we left in a hurry and he said when I got back to Nashville.

It was a letter from you to say you had prayed for me at 12 o'clock. The very moment we had been released. Some people no doubt would say well that's just a coincidence. Other people would say well these terrorists might've just been smitten with a little goodwill. Clyde would've said it was because he was so good looking. They were having some kind of reason why we could have found some kind of excuse that defined the parameters that God had given to us out of the riches of his grace, but I believe is does Clyde in the power of prayer. I remember July 7 when this church called me to be your pasta 1993, immediately following that incredible service. I remember leaving South Carolina and flying to Mozambique in Africa to fulfill an obligation that I had had on my calendar for many years.

One of the first white people as Christians to go into that country and I remember getting into Mozambique and being in Maputo and I remember the day so clearly that a group of 12 pastas from Mozambique got a hold of me and took me about 100 or 200 miles outside of Maputo into the jungle to go and visit France will write. It was quite an experience. We got out there somewhere.

When nobody is in a war-torn country and all of a sudden there they were 2025 terrorists with machine guns and hand grenades and they held us up and my heart began something.

I began to think of all things in and say Lord I know I shouldn't come to Mozambique. I thought about Spartanburg in my family and I remember them getting us out of that vehicle and hurting the driver very serious and I remember the words that use because I could speak a little Zulu many years ago when I was speaking some Don and I kept hearing the word Lila bladder which means kill them kill them. All of a sudden, after a lot of arguing and carrying on for no reason at all.

After a number of hours they put us back in the vehicle and I knew that was gonna throw hand grenades and they are just kill us all, and that would be the end of that we would've gone to heaven to receive our reward. But for some reason they did and we drove doubt they're the best you've ever seen anybody drive out of anyplace.

When we got back my wife looked at me and she said to me, what were you doing on Wednesday morning 10 o'clock and I told her she said I got on Mondays and Wednesday morning for no reason. I just felt a burden to pray for you and that was the exact time that those terrorists would let us go. Some of you nice. I will foster that's just a coincidence.

These things just sort of happened.

I'm going to say to you, beloved friends because I know that so many of you believe it. I believe in the power of prayer and share the apostle Paul writing in chapter 3, people supporting sleaze and what is he pray for, he prays. First of all that God would strengthen you. You say to me today will foster why do we need to pray.

What is so meaningful about prayer. The apostle writing in verse 16.

Here says I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you what he saying here is, I'm going to guarantee you that when you get up on your knees you going to find a strength that will come from nowhere else but from the heart of God.

I wonder if there's anybody in this place. This morning who has ever wish that you didn't have to get up in the morning. I wonder if there's anyone here today who said enough is enough.

I wonder there's anyone here today whose marriage is so weak that you would say nothing could ever come of it.

He says how my going to strengthen you. Verse 16 tells us out of his riches. Who is going to strengthen you.

His spirit is going to strengthen you. Where is he going to strengthen you in your reading. He's going to dive into the very close on your very heart and soul. God is going to give to you through prayer.

I strength no man can give. Forgive the interruption will be back with the rest of today's message on meaningful prayer from Dr. Don Wilton but as he is preaching and teaching about prayer documents is Britt please make sure we know that we believe in the power utilizing prayer we would love to pray with you and for you stand ready to do so anytime day or night at 866899 word that's 866-899-9673 if you feel comfortable online Beta's online RTW online.org website is filled with opportunities to connect defined prayer resources and to share your prayer request that's on line@tewonline.org or on the phone.the number down stored in yourself, 866899673 will connect with one of us 24 hours a day 12 listen, pray, connect with resources to help you go into effect. Now it's dive back into today's teaching with Dr. Don Wilton but he also believed with all his heart that God would not any strengthen you, but that he would dwell in you look at verse 17 I love this.

He says I pray that Christ may dwell in your hearts, I began to go back and look at this would dwell in the best description that I could understand it in terms of what all is saying is that God is going to as a quick take up residence in your life. I like adventure. There is a sense in which God says when you get up on your knees says I'm going to literally I'm going to step over there and I'm going to arrive at your hearts goal and and then I'm going to step inside your very being, in an undated type residence at the wounded will inside of you is the same way that we find rights throughout the Old Testament when God speaks about the dwelling place of God. The sanctuary of God. The central focus of where God is and God says I am going to come an undated. Well I'm going to take up residence I'm going to unpack my bags under my my self at home in your life. That's what Paul says God. That's why got on his knees but he also says if you get on your knees you going to be established in love this verse 17 doesn't finish at the point of dwelling or taking up Rev. residence. He uses two words juxtaposed together that basically are similar means that I'm going to be not only is published in you but I'm going to be. I'm going to be your anchor. I'm going to hold you down.

I'm going to keep you steady. I'm going to keep giving you confidence it says it were that the apostle maybe painting a picture here of life both X parents in which we find ourselves in the middle of a tomorrow to see and marriages and actual Roman politics and morality in an old lesson about life in the boat is rocking terribly and we say what we got an alligator. We gonna be able to do things now that we been diagnosed with cancer and pull says get on your knees because when you're on your knees you going this, that God has anchored going to hold you for he's going to keep her solid right day where you need to be, but he also says that if you get on your knees in the fourth place you going to have joint power joint power. Look at verse 18. Marvelous verse he says.

May you that you might have power, together with all the signs. It seems to me to beloved friends that that pool keeps coming back to this question of spiritual unity. He comes back to this question. The docs have a phrase that goes like this in Dr. Mark mar it means unity means strength. That means what you can do together is far greater than what you can do by Sue. That's the greatness of the football team. Folks that's why South Carolina one yesterday because they played as a unit. That's why Clemson one yesterday they played as a you yes they were ranked as high as the other team. Perhaps. But when they come in and they play as a team and I get together and that becomes all it is an absolute meaning. It is in Anchorage what's happening. Paul puts up like this. He says listen in the church when you get up on your knees as a church you have joint power. That's why it's so important for us to pray together. That's why we believe when we all ask you to stand for prayer on a Sunday morning order come down here and lost the church to pray for you, my friends, if you don't believe in prayer than done, but if you believe in prayer. God is going to do something. Why because the world tells us that when we report on these together with all the saints listen to what happened.

We all of a sudden come to a fresh understanding of how wide and long and deep is the love of the Lord Jesus Christ and outsiders and to know that this love surpasses all knowledge is that amazing. We have joint power but finally he would not conclusively. He says when we get on our knees that we will be filled to overflowing exit). In those verses in verse 19 he says to know that this love surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

I'm going to ask you a question this morning. Do you believe in the power of prayer.

I want you to bow your heads with me all across the congregation before anybody leaves anybody goes anywhere we going to pray as a congregation this morning. I'm convinced in my heart friends that there are people who would stand in this congregation incite pasta. It's a physical thing.

It's an emotional thing.

It's material has to do with my work.

It has to do with my children. It has to do with my marriage but I believe in the power of prayer.

Maybe you been diagnosed with with some terrible disease and you're struggling with it.

Maybe there's another struggling your life and you cannot describe it. You'd say today as I acknowledge God and I'm going to office folks if I know that everybody here this morning could stand but no doubt about that. I'm saying if you got a specific need this morning.

I want you to allow God's people to pray for you and if we believe what the Bible says is true, my friends, we believe that when we as a group of people come before his throne. He's going to do for us, but we cannot do for us what a powerful teaching today. Dr. Don Wilton actually what he would be quick to say it is from God's word. He's just the messenger, and as he's carried this message today from God's word is our prayer that none of us move from this point forward the same that were all open to what God wants to change in us and through us by the power of his living Word, the Bible itself, but some of us need to make some course corrections, some new adjustments as to who were following and who's in charge of her life would you open your heart is Dr. Don comes back in the studio you've heard from the pulpit down the studio to share his heart.

Are you ready to give you half of life to the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm so happy to hear that wanted to pray this prayer with me today. Dear God, I know that you love me very, very much and I know that the Lord Jesus Christ came God on the cross so that I might be forgiven of my sin. Today I painted myself. I confess my sins and I invite you in Jesus name I pray, if you prayed that bit me me the first want to welcome you to the family of God. This is one I hope that you know how much I'm going to be praying how very important this is for me. Call us so we can talk to connect to the right place you can begin this wonderful journey.

And in just a moment I'm in a come back with the final if you just prayed to receive Christ, pray to dedicate your life to Jesus. Welcome to the family of God. Welcome back. The family resources.

The doctor done. Once you have absolutely free. If you call us at 866899 word that's 866-899-9673 we can beat us online as well. Online presence is something that's 24 hours a day connecting you with great resources of great teaching. You could hear today's message again share with a friend what some of the video of Dr. Donna gets all online@tewonline.org where we stand to connect with you and connect with great resources that would change her life on a daily basis.

Resources to teach them first of all, to kiss, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving.

The need for people for kings and all those in authority that we may live peacefully and quiet life in all godliness and in the times that we live our lives are anything that peacefully clients find peace and find it very prayer and Bible reading. God wants to give myself three would be honored to pray for, we would be honored to pray for you in your life The Encouraging Word the 24 hour live prayer line you can call 86699 866-899-WORD 9673 into her thing moving the lab.

The Encouraging Word is a newer and listener supported ministry for listening and wonderful day. One of the weaker broadcasts here at The Encouraging Word and before we get away our past would like to share one closing thought. Thank you for your partnership with The Encouraging Word is doing right and wonderful thing I want you to know that I want to pray for.

In fact, you can see that number on the vision screen we booked people 24 seven. Praying for you. You can place it any time, let me pray for you right now. I want to pray for my precious right now. Someone is spatially in need of prayer, Lord Jesus, please touch their lives in the lacing to them today in every way and not pray this in the strong and wonderful and I of the Lord Jesus a man in the numbers to stay connected 866-899-WORD 866-899-WORD 9673 or me this online. It W online.org and yes, I got a text during the program, asking about Dr. call Saturdays with Billy is continuing to be available it's it's really a record-setting book such a powerful insight to the time the doctor will get to spend with Dr. Billy Graham of the last 20 years in the details are online@twonline.org again, thank you so very much. This program is sponsored by The Encouraging Word and your generous prayer and financial support