R1350 The Pathway of Salvation

Key building blocks in our faith and our prayer. What are they will discover today with Dr. Don Wilton during these next few moments will be opening God's word to the work of Mark chapter 11 with today's message on prayer and faith completing yesterday's message from Dr. Wilton well-known author and evangelist in today he would want me to remind you where they will not just this message, but also give-and-take you need someone to talk with someone to pray with. We are here 24 hours a day at 866-899-WORD. That's 866-899-WORD 9673, and online@theencouragingword.org to talk to listen to pray in a course connected with free resources for ministry The Encouraging Word ballots open our hearts and God's word together with Dr. Don Wilton on today's topic prayer and I'm going to invite you to turn in your Bibles this morning to Mark's gospel. The gospel according to Mark chapter 11 in verse 24 mock Chapter 11 and verse 24. This is an incredible subject. I want to read to you something that Jesus said in mock Chapter 11. In verse 24, Jesus saved therefore I tell you whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours. I'm going to read it again in a moment… When I was about 13 or 14 years of age. I did what a lot of us boys did growing up in Africa I went to tracking.

I used to do that for many of our summer and winter holidays and I get a friend. I had a friend by the name of Charles a Rasmussen, and we literally would hit track all of the southern and central Africa we would go up into some of the different nations in Africa and literally stand on the road Tyco for three or four weeks and hit track all over the place and I certainly can tell you a lot of stories but one story I remember I was in a place called Bond which is in the kingdom of Swaziland and we were just on the outskirts of Mbabane and Swaziland and the we were hit tracking and eventually this motorist stopped and he picked us up and back then it was still fairly safe to hitchhike if I could just add, I don't recommend it today and he picked us up and off we went tearing off into Africa. An unlikely United States of America folks they don't have McDonald's behind every bush and you can drive for hours and hours and hours and hours and seem very little accepting the animals and and various other things that you see in Africa and it's beautiful it's spectacular. Well we been driving for number hours and Charles and I was starving today and finally we came to this little gas station that had a little sort of a kind of a restaurant attached to it and we stopped in this man who was rarely a strange birdie lobby same one would address. He said boys you want something to eat. Yes he said will come on so we went into this gas station stuck out in the middle of nowhere in Africa sat down, and whoever the proprietor was brought out a little menu and sat down nocturne to draw the same.

I said Charles what you can. He said I don't know what you going to have. I said I know what you gonna hit. He said I do know what you and I have folks I'm here to tell you that that man who I will never forget stood up. He said well boys saying you can't make their minds up we better get going, and he walked out guarding trees motorcar. We ran out, got in trouble, folks. Now you know my lack fast food places I may not drive, the parties cannot have that right.

Thank you.

You know I was thinking about that the other day in the floor and feeling that Charles and I headed being abandoned. Dillydallying around about what we would guide Ethan and this man doing what he did to us, which is I think back was most cruel, don't you think most ungenerous you know that the Lord Jesus sits us down at his table, and he gives to us a menu and on the menu if I was to hold up this card on the menu is written all the things that pertain to our lives. Everything, everything in the Lord Jesus, in the sense seems to us, what would you like to have today. Well, let's see. Lord, I'm going to test coming up.

I'd like to have peace in my heart. Let's see.

Lord, I'm I'm about to get married. Lord, I've got a financial decision might Lord I've had an accident Lord.

My mother is very ill. All the things of life are on the menu that the Lord gives puts in our hands as we sit down, as it were, at his table and he is the monster ship. He is the owner of the restaurant, if you please, and he's the one who is able to go back into his kitchen into the inner recesses of a heart that loves us so much and he's able to fix and prepare what ever it is that we need in order to fulfill that order. Now, folks, I want you to listen this morning. I want you to listen mock Chapter 11 and verse 24, Jesus saved therefore I tell you what ever you ask in prayer, which qualifies by the way, what we're asking, whatever you ask in prayer leaves that you have received it, Boston's, in other words, believe that you've already received what you lost for before you get now that's hard to understand is that unless you understand the book ends of this particular instruction. What a booking they come at either side, and if you look at the book ends of this particular prayer of the Lord Jesus Christ and his instruction booking number one. He tells us they is faith booking number two at the other side of what the Lord Jesus is giving to us forgiveness. He says on the first side if you want to understand what I'm saying to you, you need to understand that what this is going to require review is faith. Faith is truly the dictation or the giving of myself in favor of God. It's kind of literally just handing it over.

That's the one booking on the other side of this instruction that the Lord you gave to us.

He says to us.

Make certain that you forgive others for what they've done to you and for what you've done to them, so faith and forgiveness are the two bookends that sits on each side of what God is saying to us here. I want you to notice something.

There are three things about prayer and faith as far as Jesus is concerned that I think we need to understand in our own hearts. Listen to what Jesus Christ assigned. First of all, if we gain understand the importance of what he is saying we need to note the freedom which is expanded here. The freedom expanded Jesus Christ what the Lord is saying to you and me here concerning this prayer is he's grunting all giving to us.

Unbelievable freedom. When we pray you note that the word whatever. What is whatever whatever is whatever. It's it's it's an unqualified statement given from the heart of God and connected into our human condition friends who understands and knows human condition more and better than anybody else the Lord Jesus see the Lord Jesus became sin for us, he took upon flash, he knew what it was like to be tempted. He went he got tired. He was hungry. He was maligned he was blasphemed he was beaten up. He traveled, he journeyed, he talked about sick people. He raised people from the day he stood alongside those who mourn, and who grew weary Jesus understood all of these things and if we going to understand prayer in five number one we need to understand the freedom which is been extended to us.

So what is the Lord saying about this freedom.

He signed three things. Number one that our prayers and the freedom that we are given means that we are limitless in scope. We are limitless in scope. Whatever we can talk about anything I'm going to confess something to you today the many times when I pray that I wonder whether whether or not it's really relevant or apropos for me to talk to the Lord about it.

I mean does the Lord really is he really interested in my toothache is a really interested in my tummy ache. Is he really interested in the small little details of my life that might only affect me. Is he really interested in the big things in the little things in the important things in them. Not so important things.

What he is saying here is listening. I want you to know that you'll prayer your communication to me is limitless in scope. Number two. It is endless and desire. It is endless and desire infecting the King James version of the Scriptures. What God says here is, you can pray what so ever you desire can help folks what pertains to my design.

It pertains to my senses it pertains to touching the feeling distracted. The hearing and twice and God says listen when I give you that menu of your human condition. I want you to know that what ever you decide you can place before me at my table frames. We have great difficulty with the stunt because it almost sounds arrogant. Are you telling me Lord that I can just come up to you and tell you look I want this and I want them. I want this. No, that's not what the Lord is saying what the Lord Jesus Christ is saying here is listen. I want you to know that the desires of your heart and the things that pertain to the soul of man the things that affect you the things that you place the things that you see the things that you touch the things that you hear the things that directly impact into your human condition.

I want you to know that the moving and the ablation of your soul with my permission be presented to me. Whatever you decide, endless, and desire what we decide we desire to be loved.

We desire to be made whole again. We desire to be free of pain.

We desire shelter over our heads. We desire for our families to be protected bluntly. You see when God says what ever you desire is saying listen. Your prayers are limitless in scope and by all endless and desire and number three they all balked of listen expression never seen a bottomless pit will look down into a well and you can't see the bottom of what sighing has listen. It doesn't matter how you express herself to me, just do it is an exciting message.

Prayer and faith part two Dr. Don Wilton and will continue in just a few moments with my like prayer request to break 186-6899. Are you thinking or rejecting God. Vlad is the investment time. Yorty know that lets you down across beers need to be forgiven and free. Have you ever wondered how to love him in return. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your strength.

You practically lived out that Trent Lott Dr. Don Wilton wants to help encourage and inspire you to pursue the godless proceeding going after Jesus is available on CD or DVD. Your gift of any amount right PO Box 110 Spartanburg, SC 29304-3899 where more than nine The Encouraging Word L-arginine, thank you for your support The Encouraging Word you are and putting Jesus Christ around the world.

Welcome back to Dr. Don Wilton continued in the rear and is available for downloading online and The Encouraging Word.com. Love to hear from you as we study the word of God together on we express ourselves in prayer is a way to express yourself little is saying to us here is listen. Expression needs to be the hallmark of your soul and what Jesus is doing is giving us permission. With tears running down our cheeks. He's giving us permission to frustrated giving us permission to him when we're angry friend listen if you ever got angry with God. I believe people get angry with God all the time God gives us permission to talk to him out of the frustration of our hearts and also he gives us permission to talk to him about complexion, gives us permission on a hospital bed to cry out to him in the midst about what is this freedom all about whatever you desire is really good person. Scope this in desire, bottomless and expression, but I want you to note in the second place, the occasion recommended the occasion recommended.

What was he saying here. Therefore I tell you whatever you are suffering. Pray, believe that you have received it and will it will be yours.

He's talking about the occasion of pray and what does that mean Jesus is saying here, my friends, that when you pray, I want you to know something about. First of all the appropriate moment to pray not just the question when is it appropriate when is an appropriate moment. My suggest something to you all the time.

When is it appropriate for us to talk to the Lord, you know, could we perhaps suggest that there are some people who actually believe that the only time you need to talk to the Lord Jesus, when you come to church on Sunday morning while it's appropriate but you know something, it's appropriate to talk to the Lord.

When you walking it's appropriate to talk to the Lord. When you sleeping it's appropriate to talk to the Lord when you're driving. I just encourage you not to close your eyes, little it's appropriate to talk to the Lord when you swimming it's appropriate to talk to the Lord when you bathing it's appropriate to talk to the Lord.

When you're shopping, it's appropriate to talk to the Lord when you're starting it's appropriate to talk to the Lord when you're playing appropriate bliss and the moment about this concerning the Lord Jesus Christ is anytime, anywhere at any place, talk to the Lord.

That's the occasion that he's trying to tell us about number two he's talking about the appropriate method. Whatever you want to talk about an appropriate moment to pray.

What about an appropriate method. People do a lot of things. I know many people who use different methods to pray.

One of the best methods that are here people utilizes the list method.

People keep journals and I highly recommend that it's a halt hard habit to cultivate, but I know it will serve you well. Keep a list you cite Foster why do I need a list.

Well let me give you an example, one of the things that I don't do too well, but I promise you I'll try's Grove grocery shopping. All right grocery shopping. Now let me tell you, there's a big difference between my wife and your Foster the tuba date. There's a huge difference between the two of us and I know you will say, praise the Lord for that. But let me tell you one of the things that my wife does that just frustrates me and she's watching me right now waiting for him and see what I'm going to say you know what she does folks when she goes grocery shopping. She makes a list list and she says to me every time we go now Don you need a list you let me tell you how I like to go grocery shopping.

I like to get out of my motorcar and walk and then say to RI. I like to get that little trolley get on top of it and start going down the and as I go down have one of their thank you not have one of the spokes everything I get is nutrition. Listen, you know what happens when I show up without a list, usually with four times more than what I actually need second level I come out of it with absolutely the tastiest things in that entire grocery store all the nutritious stuff ice creams and chocolates and everything else like that Oreo cookies and plaintiff moved to be put in all those things. And then of course I always forget and I know that we might just need these things, so I added a few more, and by the way, don't forget the trips in the this also needs to be medium Mohawk rock Mobic was got no ties and I followed up there and I walked out and I arrived home and my wife is. Thank you for going shopping and then she looked and she says, but you don't have the vegetables here and where is the fruit and that piece of meat that I lost you to get and where is this you know what went wrong folks. I have a list you know that we pray like that. Sometimes we going to the Lord's presence in our method is just to simply say, well, let's see.

Thank you Lord for letting me enter into your grocery store and in God's grocery store. My friend is every delicacy in every delight you could ever imagine. And what happens is we end up becoming frustrated me tell you what a list does for you gives you focus it, it conserves your time and it makes your time special it it it it conserves your energy. It gives you a discipline when you pray, friend. If there's anything in my own life that I need to do more of its exactly that journaling keeping a list writing down so that when I come into the presence of the Lord I'm trying without distinctiveness, and other method people use relates to prayer and fostering I'm not going to be preaching on fostering this morning, but fostering literally means according to Scripture, you'll willingness to give up something that means something to you physically or materially informative of gaining all that you can spiritually so let's take a meal. We all need to eat physically.

Some people will foster a dire week so far from sunrise to sunset. All they will foster they will miss out one meal a week. Some people will foster seven days. Jesus himself Austin for 40 days. There are people who fought for as long as that if you going to go on a spiritual foster go to consult your doctor will position you need to do it right. You need to do it properly in the Bible has a lot to say about caustic but guess what happens. The bottom line is that it's the appropriate method that we are using God speaking to our hearts and what the Lord is saying is simply listless list.

The occasion recommended has neither an appropriate moment Knoll and appropriate method and number three.

It does not have an appropriate manner. What is the matter with which we ought to pray, well, we can price sitting down we can price standing up to comply with our eyes open our eyes closed, appropriate manner to pray what Jesus was saying here folks is listen when you talk to me, prayer and faith become the copartners together that intermingle your requests into the heart of a God who knows you and loves you beyond yourself the freedom expanded the occasion recommended the requirement. The long.

What is the requirement for prayer and faith. According to the Lord Jesus will number one. It means that I must understand, to whom I'm trying this is the requirement is what he says. Therefore I tell you whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will beat you, you are talking to somebody who knows everything that you need to set the requirement for prayer is that you understand, to whom you are, pray you see friends when I come to him and I say Lord I know that this is you that I'm talking to. I know that you, God, I know that you own the capital on thousand who I know that you own the wealth in every mine. I know that you are God of grace. That's wireframes pray always to begin, at least with adoration and praise because when we adore and when we praise the Lord Jesus Christ. We all putting into perspective the requirement that God requires of us. When Jesus told us to Priceline our father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, but that right up front top of the list.

I need to understand and remember I need to understand in the second place what I'm permitted to say when I pray that's another requirement doesn't and what am I permitted to say Limited to limitless in scope.

It is endless in design and its bottom is an expression so what's my requirement when I pray I need understand what I'm permitted to say what I permitted to say anything. Everything number three I need to understand when I will be on soon, when I will be on soon when am I going to be on sick.

I am going to be on said before I've even lost. Why because I'm talking to the Lord. That's what Jesus says.

He says when you believe in my name, I want you to know that you have already received what you've lost for because of who I am, not because of who you are.

I need to know when I'm being honest when I got off the Lord to heal me. He's already on stream our prayer. When I asked the Lord to help me. He's already on stream. I pray when all the Lord and not ready such a powerful concept to know that he is already fitting the answer to our prayer almost as we can bring it to our mind this is The Encouraging Word and we would love to pray along with you as God is answering your prayer if there's a way we can echo together your request or need.

Or maybe help you walk through a new season of life we are here for you phone numbers 866-899-WORD. I'll tell you more but first let's hear one final thought from our pastor Dr. Don Wilton are you ready to give your heart and 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 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 repent of my sin. I can face my soon to you and I invite you to come into my heart into my life by faith in Jesus name I pray, if you prayed that pray that Mimi the first want to welcome you to the family of God. This is wonderful. I hope that you know how much I'm going to be praying how very important this is for me.

Corliss said we can talk to connect to the right place you can begin this wonderful journey. What a privilege it is to share my pastor my pastor now 25 years Don Wilton with you every day.

Thank you so much for your continued prayer. Your financial support. We are very grateful.

If you like to discover how you can get involved visit us online@theencouragingword.org or feel free to call 866-899-WORD is our toll-free number available 24 hours a day. That's 866-899-WORD 9673 would love to connect with you and now 24 hours from now let's get together and spend some more time tomorrow we talk about prayer faith as well. The conclusion of this very special message from Dr. Don Wilton till then. Have a blessed day