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November 18, 2021 1:00 am
The stress of life can get you down. Pressures and trials can drain your joy. But the average Christian prays only five minutes a day. What’s the meaning, value, and practice of prayer? How can you foster a love for praying? The answer is the Word of God. When you use verses of Scripture as your prayer, you’ll dive into a wealth of new and profitable prayers. Most of all, you begin to think and pray God’s thoughts. In this message, you learn lessons on praying biblically.
Click here to listen (Duration 25:02)The stress of life pressures and trials drain our jewelry word of God is in ring resource that can help us focus on the answers to our dilemmas and help us pray effectively. Today lessons on praying biblically stay with us from the movie church this morning to when with Dr. Sir, we're teaching helps us make it across the finish line after Luther, as you continue your series on being changed by the word tell us about today's message word of God helps us pray Dave, I have to tell you that today's message can be absolutely transforming to those who listen. Nothing will change your prayer life more than understanding what it is like to pray Scripture what that means is you will be taught to be able to pray different kinds of prayers, but always prayers that honor God. To put it very clearly. You won't be simply praying the same old thing in the same old way. This is a critical message and by the way I want to thank the many of you who helped this ministry, would you consider becoming a part of the running to win family. Here's what you can do. Go to RTW offer.com that's RTW offer.com when you dare click on the endurance partner button.
We call those who join the family endurance partners or if you prefer, call us at 1-888-218-9337 but RTW offer.com. Click on the endurance partner button or call us at 1-888-218-9337. Now let us listen to a message that has the potential to changes for the rest of our lives in Gethsemane Jesus said to the disciples men ought always to pray and not to faint. And of course when he said that he included women in that statement as well. But the point is, I think that what Jesus was trying to say is that either you are going to pray or you're going to faint. It's one of the other and that's why he emphasized prayer he himself modeled prayer for us went out and spent the night in prayer, a number of times, it says that in the gospel.
What was Jesus doing their was he just repeating himself. What is prayer really all about.
A number of years ago there was a conference with 17,000 evangelicals now if you attend a conference you're probably a little bit more committed than some other folks who maybe didn't. In a survey was done, how long they spent in prayer.
What would you believe that 10 according to the survey, the average Christian spends five minutes in prayer a day you say will thank God.
Pastors aren't average by no means they spend a lot more time in prayer course we go to heaven every evening return in the morning.
Yeah pastors at the conference did 40% better. They were seven minutes a day. Why don't we pray.
Well let me give you some reasons we could blame it on the devil and that he certainly has responsibility for a great deal of it, but that's not the whole. The simple fact is that one of the reasons is because we don't feel like it, you know, the book of James is drawn near to God, then God will draw near to you. But not sure if we want to draw near to God because there's so many issues there are sins there are and pieties and so we want to keep God at arms length and so we kind of stay away and we never really get a burden for prayer because God doesn't share his burden just with anyone he shares his burden to those who really are serious who draw near.
So we don't feel like it and were into it feel generation. Second reason I'm sure is because them. I'm going to be very blunt here. Prayer can be very boring. That's why many people don't go to prayer meetings and they think that the prayer meeting here at Moody church is the same as they grew up with, which could be a very boring permitting.
Thankfully it isn't, but people think that and the reason is because prayer you say the same thing about the same old people. The same old circumstances. How many times can you just say no blessed someone so blessed so-and-so. I mean, put it on her record and let God hear it something else boring. The third reason is because it's one way communication. I mean here we are. Were talking to and in visible God and he isn't necessarily talking back to us. At least we sure can't hear them. I remember many many years ago I was sitting on a couch with a man, an older man to whom I was trying to explain the niceties of the relationship between Satan and God in Job chapter 1 because he had a view that I thought was wrong and so I thought God was leading me to help them stand away more perfectly, as I was talking, he began to nod off and when he drifted into a light snow or I could talk, here we are, we come to God. God do this do this and we want to you to take care of this take care of her children keep us from danger.
The whole thing and well I suppose he's listening but were not hearing back could be another reason and that is that we lost the meaning of prayer. We think that prayer is indeed God's way of us getting things from him not understanding that that's only a small part of the larger part and that's what Jesus was doing out in the amount all night is fellowship with the Almighty. What if we had a way to pray. Now you are here today, and many others are listening either by Internet or radio or other means you're listening to this by divine appointment. I believe that what if there were a way to pray. That would have variety never pray the same old thing in the same old way again.
What if you had a way to pray like that. What if you had a way to pray in which God's agenda becomes important, and in a sense he does talk to us and, furthermore, our own spirits are refreshed and unsatisfied, and we leave satisfied with God and so we look forward to prayer we say.
While this a special time.
You know God is a very important person not to put too fine a point on it, most assuredly, and that just to think I get to connect with him this morning. Imagine prayer like that. I believe that there is prayer like that as we are changed by the word of God. Last week's message was on the topic of meditation today we're going to combine meditation and prayer. In effect, what we're going to do is to pray Scripture and learn to pray Scripture and make that a consistent habit and there are hundreds of you listening to me today whose lives is prayer life will be changed forever because of this message.
I believe that and the reason I do is because one day perhaps almost 20 years ago down in Florida I was speaking and another man came for a seminar in I decided to see what he had to say.
So I sat in the back and he gave a lecture on praying Scripture, and it was transforming transforming some of the ideas I'm sure I'm sharing with you again from that lecture and it can change you to. If you have a heart hunger for God. This is the message for which you've been waiting so let's begin at the basic level if were going to pray Scripture the best way to do it initially and it's easiest. It's the low hanging fruit so to speak is to pray the prayers of Scripture and by that I mean both old and New Testament, you know, as you look through the Old Testament. I mean why not pray the prayer of Jacob in Genesis chapter 32, when he said in his distress having to meet Esau. The next day and he wrestled with a man who turned out to be God. I will not let you go unless you bless me. Have you ever been that desperate. It's a great prayer to pray God brought Jacob to that point because God wanted to hear that from Jacob that that ultimately I will not let you go, God love desperate people pray in your member Jacob received his blessing with a limp as God loves to weaken us so that we don't trust in ourselves.
But what a prayer to break I'm thinking of Moses in chapter 33 of the book of Exodus, Moses is up on the mountain. 40 days and 40 nights with God you think it's a and I've had enough of God.
It's time to move on to other things. Moses show me my glory. I still don't have enough of you and God allows them to be hidden in a rock in the Lord comes and he can see at least a glimpse of God's glory. And you know what happens.
How much time later, many, many centuries later, may be, 12, 13, 14 centuries later, I forgot to do the math he's he's there on the Mount of Transfiguration and what is he doing seeing more of the glory of God.
He still hasn't enough pray that prayer of Moses we won't be hidden in a rock. We won't see a vision.
But isn't it important that at the end of the day. The only thing that matters is the glory of God. There is nothing else that matters God at Moody Church in my life in my family shown me your glory.
That's a prayer to pray. You know sometimes people say oh I don't know how to pray for missionaries. What are their need. I am going to solve that problem for you forever you ever wonder what you should pray for the pastoral staff for me and I thank God for the hundreds of who pray for me and sometime you don't know.
I don't know exactly what Pastor Luther needs today walked out exactly what he needs.
You never have to worry about it again. He needs a prayer like this.
For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus.
I do not cease to give thanks for you that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of glory, may give you here.
We are a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him having your eyes enlightened, that you might know what is the hope to which God has called you and what are the riches of the glory of the inheritance of the saints, and the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe and it goes on to talk about the sovereignty of Jesus, who is above all things every single day.
I need that missionaries need that you open your Bible and you go to Ephesians chapter 1 don't do it now because this is a different kind of message were going to be a lot of different passages but what you do is you pray, Scripture, and when you pray that prayer you don't have to ended by saying, if indeed I will. This is the will of God.
You are praying the mind of God. We pray Scripture we pray scriptural prayers.
But we could go on but I must hurry. We pray things like the Psalms and Proverbs, Psalms and Proverbs. Of course that also is low hanging fruit because many of the Psalms are prayers, but you even take a Psalm like this, Psalm 23 your read it you memorize it. By the way, I quote this home at least once or twice a day, because if I ever need to nap I find out that this song really does it for me.
Don't misinterpret that but is just a way of me focusing on God and something other than my anxieties and concerns much after you know it you pray it like this father I thank you that Jesus is my shepherd. Thank you that he's my good Shepherd. Thank you father that I have the privilege of being his sheep make me an obedient sheep Lord, thank you for the way in which you supply in my life. You make me to lie down in green pastures. You lead me beside still waters. Thank you for leading me in the path of righteousness and help me to stay on it. And Lord during those days of darkness and fear when I walk through the valley of the shadow of death of father you're with me. Help me to believe that and that you will not allow me to encounter or become part of an evil all the way through your praying a prayer for yourself or someone else you know and and you have somebody who's attacking you in any enemies. Have you got people who are not. You're working with, and they are not committed to your personal happiness got people like that, why not just prayers. Some of the prayers of David and you will. Lord I take refuge, let me not be brought to shame in your righteousness.
Deliver me incline your ear to me, rescue me speedily been my rock and my refuge for your my rock and my fortress, and for your namesake. You lead me, and you guide me. And if you go to verse five it says into your hand I commit my spirit. The words of Jesus on the cross. Even in the midst of all the criticism that Jesus was getting and the injustice he was praying this prayer and at the end he said, I commit myself to you, believing that God is bigger than the injustice and that God uses the injustice so you pray those prayers don't just make up prayers on your own.
What we must hurry along.
First of all what you do is you pray the prayers of Scripture you pray the Psalms. I was thinking about this.
I've never done it but if I were a father with young children in the home, I'd probably want to pray the entire book of Proverbs just for my children. So what shall we pray for them. Work your way through Proverbs. Not all of them may be suitable to pray, but most of the Proverbs are Proverbs and wisdom. And that's what we want our children to have.
So you pray and you can pray with them and teach them how to pray.
Scripture third, praying the prophets praying the Old Testament prophets. This is more difficult but there are passages as your reading Jeremiah for example, that are so applicable to America. My people have committed two evils. They have forsaken me, the fountain of living water and hewn out for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water. What an amazing passage of Scripture, and that is simply true of America.
You know what I was talking about, to praying the prayers of the prayers of Scripture I forgot to tell you this, and it comes to mind when I pray for my children I use different passages of Scripture. Sometimes I may pray the same prayer for them, but this morning since I happen on Sundays to pray for our oldest grandson Jack. This is what I prayed for him. I said father I pray that he might abound in love and all discernment, I pray all Lord God, that he might be able to do that and that he might be pure and blameless until the day of Christ being filled with the fruit of righteousness which is by Jesus Christ on the glory and the praise of God. Doesn't matter trump, oh God bless Jack that this is Scripture that you are praying, and if you are open to looking at the passages as you read them and making a note of all of the different prayers in the New Testament. You'll begin to pray different prayers. But we must hurry on praying the Gospels praying the Gospels you could do that to I mean if you're reading Mark chapter 1 where the demons were subject to Christ, and even where they affirmed the fact that he was the son of God, the way in which you turn that into a prayer is you stop and you thank God you thank Jesus for his absolute total triumph over evil and you thank him that the demons are subject to him then and you take the miracles that he did and you turn those miracles into miracles of praise and gratitude to God and pretty soon you see when you approach the Scriptures with the intention of saying how can I pray this back to God. It's amazing how that almost every place you can do that now. Of course there is some passages that don't lend themselves at all really to prayer and so what do you do then well it doesn't hurt you know for you to simply read those passages to God because God will be blessed God will be honored as you read his word to him because he says I have magnified my word about my name or at least equal to mine. But what you're doing is you're always coming to the Scriptures and the reason that you are coming is because you want to encounter not merely the text but you want to encounter God like that song goes beyond the sacred page. I see the Lord. That's why we read the Bible see this is why so many people get turned off because they think well you know I'm told I should be disciplined. I should be in the word, and so they look at it as if this is a box I have to check I read the Bible today. Well yes it is. Many of us are listening to all of the New Testament.
I listen to about five chapters last night at about seven this morning I was listening to the Bible on my iPhone. By the way, just wanted everybody to know that you left that flowed out there and end world doing it so easy were so preoccupied doing that that were not spending a lot of time I'm missing my time reading the word so I have to find other ways and other times to continue to read the words so that I can pray Scripture and in that way encounter the Lord God so what were always doing this I like to shock seminary student sometimes and say you know the Bible was written, studied what all the tuition that I just paid and is not written study Bible was written to transform your life then means to get there is study so you didn't waste your money when you put in that money for tuition. It is important, but it's important to get to a goal. The Bible says knowledge prophets up if all that you have is look at all the knowledge that I have you missed the whole point you read the word you pray the word to encounter God. You can pray the letters of the New Testament. Once again, for the most part they are easy to pray but I'm thinking of people. I have a friend and I met him at founders week and he shared with me a huge trial that he is going through and I prayed for him right there by the way, but you know, it dawned on me later. What I could've done and what I'll do is to pray the book of James for him. The opening verses 00 may so-and-so count it all joy when he meets various kinds of trials. All Lord I pray that he might know that the testing of his faith produces steadfastness and let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Give him wisdom and all the way through your ear just praying.
Now God's word. I'm not just saying, oh God bless them. I'm praying something different because the word is filled with opportunities to pray or to praise.
If you only look for them, this is Pastor Luther. I hope that you understand how transforming this message can be can change your prayer life for the rest of your life. If you are blessed as a result of the ministry of running to win.
It's because other people have contributed to this ministry and I'm holding in my hand a letter from someone who said through your ministry. You led me to saving faith in Jesus and my husband followed and together we were baptized along with her daughter and her husband and then she goes on to say that her husband passed into glory. Some time ago, my friend, do you have had a part in this conversion, and I mentioned that because as our partners pray for us and become involved together. We are getting the gospel to thousands upon thousands would you consider becoming a part of the running to win the family.
We call these people endurance partners. Of course you need more info. Here's what you can do. Go to RTW offer.com that's RTW offer.com and when you're there, click on the endurance partner button or if you prefer, call us at 1-888-218-9337 thanks in advance for helping us is this ministry goes to 20 different countries in three different languages right now. Go to RTW offer.com.
Click on the endurance partner button or call us at 1-888-218-9337 you can write to us running to win 1635 N. LaSalle Boulevard Chicago, IL 60614. Next time I'm running to win. Join us for more insights from the New Testament on praying scriptural prayers for Dr. Erwin Sir this is David McAllister running to win is sponsored by the Moody Church