When Parents Pray | Part 2

Believe God hears your prayers. Listen to Adrian Rogers parents we need to pray for our children. What is the assurance that God will hear our prayers. First of all, because God is good know when a good where imperfect but we love our children imperfect as we are. If you leave know how to give good gifts of your children, how much to your father in heaven give good things to them that God is good all the time. Welcome to love worth finding between the dynamic teaching and practical biblical insights of trusted pastor and author Adrian Rogers part one of today's program. We learned that nothing bring you to your knees in prayer like having children. It also gives us a clearer picture of how God the father provides for his children.

If only they would ask in Matthew chapter 7 Jesus shows us how to pray. If you have your Bible turn there now as Adrian Rogers shares what happens when parents pray back to chapter 7 verse seven Jesus says, ask and it shall be given you see and you shall find not and it shall be opened unto you forever. One ask if receive a secret file and I am not, it shall be open to what man is there of you, if his son asked Brad. Will he give him a stone.

Ask a fish, will he give him a serpent. If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him another three keywords in the passage that I read before you. They are asked see and not ask see in Knoxville found in verse seven. Look at it ask and it shall be given you see and you shall find not and it shall be opened to you. Now these are three little words but I want to tell you a big dork and swing all little hinges and open up into a vast room where there are multiplied treasures wants to think about these three keywords in getting prayer answered. Now remember, this is not some theoretician speaking this is Jesus, and this is a rock rib ironclad promise from the word of God asking you shall receive, seek and ye shall find, not and it shall be open to you. I submit to you that see the true is not true.

It is true, and therefore we need to learn about prayer today, especially if where parents could not only where parents are three things I want to lay on your heart today. Number one when we ask desire is expressed when we are asking that things that we want. We desire. Now back to you that the greatest problem that we face is not on answered prayer. It is offered prayer, Jesus said that we are to ask the devil cannot keep God from answering. So what he will endeavor to do is to keep you from asking to keep you from asking Jesus at and it shall be given you when you say I vast and I am in receipt what is not finished yet read over. First of all when we ask our desires expressed but now secondly when we see direct action is explored. Now sometimes we don't want to ask.

Sometimes we asked for the wrong thing and so we have to find direction in our prayers.

We have to see and asking is always willing with seeking ask and it should be given. You see, and ye shall find the idea of seeking is that there something is lost and we need to find other something unknown and we need to understand and so what is it that we seek when we pray, well, first of all we may be seeking the purpose of God. We may be seeking the will of God go back to the passage in James. Remember James Agee, you have not because you ask not. And then he also said in the ask and receive not because you ask amiss, that you might consume upon your last. You might be asking God for the wrong thing that God is not going to give you the wrong thing, no matter having time to ask. You ask and receive.

Not because you ask amiss you ask wrongly that you might consume it upon your last.

Now we can ask for personal needs, but we cannot ask for selfish needs and so it may be that when we seek were trying to find the will of God about a map I can God not just some glorified bellhop that I say not God do this or do that know I can ask and to be given, but that asking is linked to seeking that I may find it might be the purpose of God that I'm trying to seek for it might be the presence of God that I'm seeking. When I prayed James in the same full chapter goes on to talk about prayer. He says in James four verse eight brought neither God and he will go and I do you cleanse your hands, he centers, and purify your hearts, you double minded be afflicted morning we let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to have in this humble yourselves in the side of the Lord and he will lift you up.

It just might be that God's very presence is what you need to see here the gift without the givers bear or it might be that that's the power of God that you need to see James goes on to say in James five, verse 16. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed. Effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man. They with much so when I pray I asked I asked Garcia God is what I need is what I want answered as income.

Then I begin to seek Lord, what is your purpose Lord where is your presence. Lord, what about your power and I began to see these things will all of my heart. Now, first of all I ask. That's a desire to express it and I see that is the direction explored. I'm trying to find the will of God. Prayer is not bending God's will to fit our will. Prayer is finding the will of God in getting in on Celeste. The reason we must seek God in prayer but then third third look. First of all asking is desire expressed seeking his direction, explored but then thirdly, when we not determination is exerted. What is the idea now is not just saying Lord is what I want the Lord show me away is saying old God, oh God, I need this door open and remember its present tense.

It is knocking and keeping on, knocking there maybe closed doors. There may be barriers prayer is a battle that the devil we are up against all the minions of hell. And indeed, we sometimes have to not is present tense keep on asking. Keep on seeking key on knocking McKay some about how prayers are answered. Sometimes, prayers are direct answer to prayer is ask God for something in he gives it to Everett in the habit of you just just simply say God I want us in such a let me do that such a business in such an just ipso facto immediately God's answer to prayer is that you ask your see sometimes that prayer is so direct, it is unmistakably the hand of God. That's one way God answers prayer. But another way God answers prayer is not only is the answer direct. It is different.

He doesn't give us what we ask. He gives us something better than we banks you know if he doesn't get to watch ask you give something better if you asking the will of God and asking the right spirit that we know not what we should ask is we offer the Spirit himself makes intercession for sometimes the answers direct and sometimes answers different.

Sometimes answers denied he just is not why because what you asking for is wrong yes and receive not because you ask amiss to give something that will harm your virtue and so sometimes answers direct sometimes different, sometimes denied, but sometimes delayed, sometimes delayed and that's the reason the Bible says not, and it shall be open and be you and again I remind you it is present at key all knocking people, knocking people, knocking people knocking don't quit praying over and over again.

The Bible teaches that we are to continue in prayer. Now let me give you an illustration of this, wherein the gospel of Matthew just turned over to look. Luke 11 verse five. Jesus is speaking and he said under them, which of you shall have a friend and you going to him at midnight and saying to him, friend, lend me three loaves for friend of mine in his journey has come to me and I have nothing to set before him, and he from within shall answer and say probably not.

The door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed.

I cannot rise and give the Eisai do though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity.

That is his persistent, he will rise and give him as many as he needed and I said to you, ask and it shall be given you seek and ye shall find document shall be open at BU for everyone that ask if the receiver than he that seek to find if needed, knocking it shall be open at the I'm so glad that Jesus gave this parable because this so illustrates what I call back, keeping all knocking. I understand the background here in Bible times, there were no motels and hotels. There were no convenience stores in all of this and one of the greatest sin is that a person could commit would be to fail to show hospitality to a stranger, much less a friend serves a man and it's late at night as a friend on his journey. His other friend he comes back midnight and says can we spend the night here tonight man's all here so welcome in our home, come only in sitdown. Get comfortable with give you a little something to eat before you go to sleep. I know you been journeying all day.

He says his wife. He says fix something for friends. She said there's nothing in the house. There's no food. He said just a minute we will have something for you just sit down there.

She said go ask the neighbors as midnight. He goes over to the neighbors house please and be quiet. You will wake up the kids to neighbor John had got have some some bread you got any bread man look back you will start the dogs barking. If you wake up the babies I'm telling is everybody in the houses were small.

They kept animals under the house many times and up top is whether people slipped. The room is very small. Sometimes it all be in one day babies and everything there that the locks were very complicated, not just a key like we have together door open was very difficult easily go all the way finances. I said go way he said what you want he said look man, the handsome grant I've got a friend.

I've got the feeling Laura if you just stop that knocking you just stop. Just be quiet get up and get some bread for you. That's the parable Jesus is telling he says is a look my babies are in bed with me is my so forth. But the man won't quit jobs keeps all that. That's the illustration Jesus gave to illustrate this text. Ask and it shall be given to seek and ye shall find not and it shall be opened to you. Is he saying that God is like that man in bed that want to be bothered with the snow that is not what he say what he is saying is that asking is very much like knocking on that goal. That is what he saying over and over in the Bible God gives us illustrations of people who just persisted in prayer to give another when you and Luke 11. Just fast-forward, Luke 18 and he spake a parable unto them to this in that man ought always to pray and not to faint. That is not to quit praying, saying there was any city a judge, which feared not godly the regarded man and there was a widow in that city and she came on to him, saying, avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while, but afterward he said within himself, though I fear not God nor regard man yet because this little problem with me. I will avenge her list by her continual coming she weary me and the Lord said Jesus said here what the unjust judge say and shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night of the him, though he bear long with them again.

God is not saying that I'm like an unjust judge what God is saying is get the idea. This woman won't stop asking this judge, and so he finally says I'm going to get her out of my hair. Whatever she wants on.

I want to get rid of.

I'm tired of her time weary with her.

Now notice in verse seven, and shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night in the him, though he bear long with them. I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Now you can find this over and over in the Bible. I can explain what I'm telling you that delays are not denials ask see not keep on asking. Keep on seeking people knocking I was reading last night I just I went to bed about Elijah.

Elijah was praying for rain you could read about it and in the first Kings 18 I believe Andy's praying for rain has been a drought in the last three and half years and he goes, he says that he puts his head between his knees and begins to pray, he says, to serve it go look and see if there's any rain Savior steering cladding when said no, no rain. Glad Elijah prayed some more to go look again. No rain cloud brace of Martha go look again. No rain. Classic phrase of Martha go several times. He sent his servant on the seventh time the service that I see little clout about the size of a man's hand like so I get up I hear the sound of abundance of worry you Jones key on asking. Keep on seeking people knocking whether you understand it or not you agree with or not there is a principal and it is a wonderful principle that even though it seems that God is delay.

He is not deny what that brings a real question. When should you stop asking when should you stop seeking when should you stop knocking in a particular matter. Three times number one you stop asking when you have more testable. God gives it to you have people asking number two you stop asking though you don't have the answer in your hand you have the answer in your heart. I have a very big prayer that God gave me in my heart. One time I got to neighbor and you asking me to do something on my going to do what you really need is this and I've heard your prayer. I did have it in my hand but I had time to show me that I did have you just stop asking you so thank you Lord. That's it.

Thank you. Now when you already have in your hand or else. When you have it in your heart. Thirdly, you stop asking when God says no because may say no Paul was asking. I think with loan in the flesh, and he said three times asking God to do it.

Paul, my grace is sufficient for you, and so sometimes God just simply says no.

Now parents we need to pray for our children. What is the assurance that God will hear our prayers. Notice how Jesus concludes this.

Look, if you will. Now in verse nine or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone. Harvey ask a fish, will he give him a serpent.

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts under your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him why we have the assurance of answered prayer. When these couple verses. Three reasons.

First of all, because God is good in a way not good, we're imperfect, but we love our children the imperfect as we are. If you being evil, know how to give good gifts on your children, how much more to your father in heaven give good things to them that asking God is good all the time and number two. Not only is God good God is wise. God knows what we need it. We ask a fish is not going to start God is not capricious, to something else. God is so wise if you ask Estonia not give you stone and if you ask a serpent.

He will not give you serpent the Lord thy God is a sun and shield the Lord will give grace and glory no good thing will he withhold from them the walk up rightly. He is too wise to make a mistake and too good to be cool. So God is good God is time and wise and last of all, we know that our prayers are going to be answered, not only because God is good and God is wise, but God is able look. He speaks of your father which is in heaven met in the sixth chapter of Matthew, Jesus taught us to pray our father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. He concludes that prayer by saying, for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.

Our father is in heaven. I think about your father is a king. Thine is the kingdom, I can save my heavenly father Lord.

Yours is the kingdom you see, when I pray I have a a father who will hear me and I have a king who can answer me in the green of father who will hear me and a king who will answer me. You know what I have together. When I pray I have the sympathy of a father in the sovereignty of a king is the kingdom and power and the glory forever. That's what Jesus is saying how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that asking no one should ever try to be a mother or father who does know how to pray. Learn to pray, ask, see, not when you asked that desire.

When you see that's direct when you're not bad is determination. Just like that man saying look it up and opened this some bread until you God will hear your you learn how to pray as Jesus teaches is maybe as you listen today to this message from Adrian Rogers you have a prayer request that you'd like to share that love worth finding. It's one of our great honors to come alongside you, and pray with you and for you if you can go to our website homepage@lwf.org/radio and scroll down to where prayer wall. There you will find the option to submit a prayer request or pray for others. This resource is one of our favorite ways to keep the ministry in the community praying continually for one another's needs. We can't wait to hear from you today. Now if you like to order a copy of today's message in its entirety.

You can call us at 1877 love God and mention the title. When parents pray. You can also order online@lwf.org/radio or write us at love worth finding box 38, 600 Memphis, TN 38183 Adrian Rogers said. Learn to pray, ask, seek, not when you ask that's desire when you seek that's direction when you not, that is, determination.

So glad you joined us for a study of God's word today. Tune in next time for more timeless truth from Adrian Rogers mighty online were fine. We were so encouraged by a Facebook friend who wrote this about Adrian Rogers. Recently he was a great man of God and disciple are in our generation don't love worth finding our great hope is to continue past Rogers work in introducing people to Jesus. Share what it means to follow Christ fully why when you donate to the ministry right now you want to send you a copy of the book discovered Jesus written for new believers discover Jesus is also a resource that pastors and teachers, soul winners and encouragers of the faith can use to motivate others to grow and mature. Request a copy of discovered Jesus when you call the gift right now. 1877 love God or you can give online LWF.org/radio. Thank you for your generous support of love worth find