Prayer and a Forgotten Pair of Air Jordans, Part 2

JD Greer got certain things only in response to present you say why is it that way.

I don't know I don't. Maybe suggest or resolve to see how much we actually trust. See how quickly will turn away from him and pursue some other life with. As always, I'm your host Molly bit of edge and I am so glad you joined us today to learn more about prayer you ever wondered how prayer really works like. First of all, does it actually work and if so how and why and maybe most important when of course we won't ever have all the details, but as Pastor Jenny continues teaching through the book of Daniel chapter 9 gives us a behind-the-scenes look at how prayer works demonstrate why prayer is so important part of our series titled shining in Babylon, so grab your Bible and a pen and let's get started in Daniel chapter 9 what if God said you, but you can pray back to him and put his reputation on the line just a few of the present example that I'm playing right now in my own life. Here's one Jesus that all thought is given to me in heaven and on earth, so go make disciples of all the nations something lady says asking me I will give you the nations as your inheritance, so when I pray for the shores of my God, this is this is what you said. So I'm here asking all the craziness that is going on with COBIT at lot. Dale and all the confusion try to figure what in the world is next. I'm asking you to build your church like you promised you would. You promised that you would make your name known in our generation.

If we asked so I'm here asking you to do what you said you would know your reputations on the line God make your name known in this generation. As we think about the triangle of the nations. God do it now because you said you wanted to do. I want to say this is nicely to you as possible, but read the Bible for yourself. I cannot mind all of these promises for you. I love teaching the Bible every weekend, but I cannot spoonfeed all this to you this book is here for you and you've got to search it like for a pair of $20,000 air Jordans in your closet.

There promises about forgiveness and restoration & about joy and suffering, putting purpose in your life. Having fueled bodies and godly marriages and parenting provision and time of me reading for yourself. I can't do it all I could just guide you to and that's it okay to be another great definition of prayer. What were talking about it. Effective prayer perceives the gap between where something is where God wants it to be effective. Prayer perceives the gap between where something is where God wants it to be and where you learn how God wants something to be the Bible but in the Bible is a book of promises is our job to find them in claimant in the model prayer. The people also sometimes referred to as the Lord's prayer. The second phrase Jesus taught us to say right as we pray, your will be done on earth like it is in heaven. I want to know what heaven once your because I know it can be good and when I pray God let your will be done in heaven here.

I know that it's going to get the power of heaven behind so I pray, for example, let it be in the summa church like it's desire to have it, let it be in the Greer family as you want it in heaven. Let it be in my marriage as it is in heaven. Of course it's gotta be sent with humility because we don't always know exactly what the full will of God is see his word tells us a lot of it effective prayer perceives the gap between where something is and what God says he wants it to be. What this means practically is that the quality of your prayer life will be directly related to the quality of your knowledge of the Bible because the prayers that started heaven are the ones that are heard by heaven. That's why when we read the Bible, we encourage you here to use what we call the hearing method HEARH transfer highlight E stands for examine a stance for apply our stands for respondent when I read the Bible, I see a promise or something that God indicates that he desired and highlighted, and I pray back to God. That's how you should pray. Also, it's the real secret the power in prayer touching God in his words, truly amazing things happen when you do this.

John Patton was reading this rereading this biography recently John Patton was a young Scottish pastor in the 19th century was leading a very successful church, but he grew increasingly burdened about a group of islands that he heard about out in the Pacific that was inhabited by people who would never even heard the gospel. The problem was that these islands names the New Hebrides were filled with cannibals. Patton recorded in his diary.

He said I knew though that God had said in his word that he desired all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.

I knew that had to include the people of the New Hebrides and I knew that he would, therefore, would would would make me successful over any opposition, and I was confident that if I went to matter how bad the dangers work that God would help me because he said he wanted that in his word. So Patton went he resigned his church. He went his ministry there and she should read a biography or it was grueling and his wife whom he loved dearly died bearing their first child there on that island get to sleep on their graves. He said for 3 to 4 nights to keep the cannibals from digging them up in an eating, he was under constant siege day and night.

Always on the lookout for his life. Eventually, though, because of his faithfulness and because of his prayer. After years of prayer he saw a breakthrough in a couple of the tribal leaders came to Christ, and that was followed by person after person they say that when Patton arrived on that island of the New Hebrides in 1858 there was not a single Christian when he died 35 years later on that same island. There was not a single island or who who had not professed faith in Jesus Christ. When my favorite story from his biography. There was this one. It was right after one of the Chiefs. The tribal leaders came to Christ the tribe that the tribal leader asked to be sedate question of the meaning to ask you when you first got here was that Arnie that army of men that guarded your heart every single night and where did they go. You see, apparently as he prayed each night the angels of God surrounded his family to preserve this gospel witness. My point is, when you figure out something to God once you start to pray it. Amazing things begin to happen when you take his purposes, and you pray them into reality.

The prayers that started heaven are the ones that are heard by heaven and held by heaven again where you perceive a gap and what God's word says he wants where it is right now. What you say in blank in my family and my life in this community as it is in heaven.

Number two, number two, Daniel would say make it a daily habit making a daily habit. This is gonna be really the whole book of Daniel we saw in Daniel six that the for Daniel prayer was a daily discipline was a routine.

Daniel prayed three times a day, every day for 70 years. I told you that Daniel's remarkable life all goes back to a couple of rather mundane decisions that he made as a young man by the way, if you're younger and you're starting out your life. If I could just listen. We think that that becoming something in life is dreaming. These great dreams.

It's not. It's a couple small decisions that you make early on Dr. Daniel's two big decisions were first resolved not to defile himself in the king's palace by eating eating the things of God had permitted. He determined that he would not compromise his convictions to get ahead in the palace at several points that resolved threatened his future career. But his refusal compromise was the very place where God came through for him. The second of those decisions was his decision to pray daily everyday, no matter what was going on three times a day to open his window toward Jerusalem and he prayed, and from that daily time with God.

He drew an enormous amount of wisdom and strength. This discipline characterizes all great men and women of God. Even Jesus the Gospels tell us that whatever Jesus needed strength or wisdom. He retreated off by himself to pray.

For example, Luke six tells us a before Jesus chose any of the 12 disciples he spent all night praying to God the friend I would suggest to you that if there were ever anyone who was a capable judge of character. Anyone who was wise enough to choose his own coworkers.

It would have been Jesus 40 just a single one before you choose a single one.

He spent all night in prayer to God.

How many big decisions have you rushed into without taking time to seek God's direction you think it is more wise than Jesus and he needed it. You don't come at it from another way on the night before Jesus went to the crucifixion he went out in the garden of Gethsemane by himself to do what to pray to seek strength from God. Before this hour of trial he took with him. He said three of his closest disciples lease on the first part Peter James and John left them in a section of the garden and told them they should. What, pray, pray why prayer, lest you fall into temptation. What did I do. They fell asleep right and I'm sure they thought that a good excuse like Kate order to go through this and have never strengthen best thing we do is get some sleep and I'm also sure when Jesus woke them up. They gave some lame excuse like I was resting my eyes are really was. Pray that you have told you ever get caught sleeping in church and somebody wakes you up to say in Jesus name yes Lord, let it be in the me according to your word or whatever and they will think you're so spiritual okay Jesus one full is could you not even watch and pray with me for an hour Jesus prayed they slept later that night. What happened all three of them caved in the hour of trial. So here's my question. What if they had stayed awake that our prayer Jesus told them, pray that you would not enter into temptation. Had they done that maybe they wouldn't have crumbled and made the greatest mistake of their lives that night after the some of you may fall into temptation to make some terrible mistakes because you don't develop the habit of daily meeting with God is when the hour of trial comes upon you, which usually doesn't announce itself.

You're not going to be prepared and you are going to make a humongous mistake. Be clear, this prayer time is not just for you to check a box or chance for you to dump information on God on things that he already knows the point of this time is that you be with him that you commune with him that you have his spirit fill your mind and your heart with his wisdom and his strength strength for God. You see, comes only from time with God. There's no other way. The biggest credible difference between success and failure in some of your lives might be setting your alarm clock 30 minutes earlier so you can read the Bible and pray before the day.

Here's my challenge.

Try set aside 10 minutes a day in the morning or night for 21 days to break say why 21 because they say after you do something for 21 days is harder to stop and it was start 21 days to minutes earlier payment for you go to bed. Watch 10 minutes less of the latest Marvel movie episode, which by the way the credits like 19 minutes in relation to stringers. Often minutes on prayer or for that matter do in your car in your way to work.

Pray about your life, your family, your kids, your job, your school, your neighbors so you pray about your prayer life Telcom that you just want to know it. So 10 minutes a day to cover lives in prayer. Okay, let's do it. Number three number three quickly. Don't give up in your 69. Don't give up in your 69.

You notice verse 21 says when Gabriel arrived, Daniel was weary from praying weary. Of course he was even praying these requests faithfully for 70 years. Here's a question would you pray for something for that long. How many years before you gave up and lost faith throughout the Scriptures, God teaches us that some answers to prayer only come through persistence in asking Jesus compared it to a neighbor who shows up your house to borrow pop tarts from you at 3 AM.

The only reason you get up in and help them is because you know they're not going to leave you alone learn to keep bang on the door re-compares affected praying to a woman who gets a settlement from a judge only because he knows that she is never going to stop coming to become unrelentingly day and night until he responds her request and Jesus said that's how you should pray persists in asking the city. One other angle of this from Daniel's life is even more fascinating in the next chapter. Chapter 10 for the one page. Daniel was praying about something else. And this time he prayed for 21 days with no answer and then on day 21 verse 10 September suddenly while praying I hand touched me and set me shaking on my hands and knees. He said to me, Daniel, you are a man greatly loved by God, and there it is again from the first day that you set your heart to humble yourself before God. Your words were heard, and I've come because of your words, but the Prince of Persia withstood me 21 days and then Michael, one of the chief princes had to come help me. I have so many questions, so on the day that Daniel started to pray God again dispatched an angel with an answer.

Probably Gabriel, but his game was flying through the air.

He gets tangled up with the Prince of Persia who is evidently a frisky demon who was up to no good in the Persian Empire was trying to thwart God's purposes.

Gabriel and this Prince of Persia demon basically get into a cage match for about 21 days and during all this time Daniel keeps rain thinking that he's not getting an answer. So God dispatches another angel Michael, who I guess is like the Chuck Norris of angels comes in and opens up a cannibal tale on this theme in the Prince of Persia is the evidently Gables like the Nicolas Cage of angels silver Tongan savvy, but in need of some help for true extraterrestrial dump to Godson's and Michael Chuck Norris of angels and just takes care of business again. I have so many questions but only point is, who knows what's happening up there as you pray, so you pray for 20 that no answer.

Keep praying. Help is on the way you pray for 69 years.

No answer. Keep praying because God gives certain things only in response to persistent tenacity. You say, why does it do it that way. I don't know I don't make this test our resolve names to see how much we actually trusted to see how quickly will turn away from him and pursue some other means Martin Luther again. He compared it right was Barbara, the father who has something his kid once is getting handy won't let it go at first to test his child resolve to seal that his kid once it may be God he says is doing that with us saying you really trust me how quickly you can turn away from even some other source how much you trust that I'm actually here and I'm good. Don't give up.

He promises never to turn you away.can help you think here of the story of Joan and Tommy Swain in our church. Most of you don't know them.

Sadly, but Joan really got on fire for God here about 30 years ago before I got her husband Tommy didn't want any part of.

So she came, he stayed home to jump right from she prayed at you anytime. Yes, Joan hey, what's going on your life you say. Pray for Don and she stayed with them. Eventually he moved out on her. He left her for 20 years, but she can't pray and then in February 2009 through some pretty remarkable circumstances. God saved them. God brought him back we baptized him here in the spring of 2009 I can still remember the joy of that moment. Now they are reunited to God reunited to each other and they served in our church every weekend from the spring of 2009 until they were medically unable all this because a woman pray faithfully for him for 20 years and did not give up, do not give up on your 69. Who knows what's happening up there before number four finally did was say hope in God's mercy, not your goodness, hope in God's mercy, not your goodness. When Daniel what Daniel says immersing Z my knee.

One of the most significant single you will rear when I'm presenting on petitions to you God because of our righteous acts will no numbers in them based on your abundant compassion. God I'm not asking you to give this because I'm worthy of it. I'm asking you some blindness out of the rich storehouse of your grace church was in the longer but I won't.

When Jesus personally less competent and not grow in my abilities and change me less confident.

I grow in my worthiness to demand anything God first started out administering out free confident like you know what invite is explained in this these people the right way to force my personality and you apply right illustrator right I can change these people know I cannot even keep myself on the path of righteousness, much less get somebody else there extremely time at all ever say Morgana K got done my work not you was in my God is always of the rags.

So usually when I'm afraid I'm saying things I got on my asking you to work in this person's life, this kids life. Are these people's lives because of liabilities. I'm sure when I asking you toward me because of my righteousness because I don't really have any of my best days are still an unprofitable servant God needs you to give to them and to me according to the abundant riches of Christ, immersing according to the abundance of his capabilities because that's a well that will never run dry often told you using as my example the story of the Cyrus Venetian woman in the Gospels comes to Jesus to ask for healing for her daughter. She was a Gentile right, not you. Jesus said to her when she asked for miracle is a woman is not proper to take the food intended for the children choose given to the dogs.

Gentiles not first sound a little bit like a racial slur, but is not just testing this woman. The woman perceives that not to be a racial slur but a description of her own personal unworthiness when it comes to demanding anything of God. None of us is any more worthy then the dog so she response says yes Lord, but in a really wealthy man's house there so much food on the table, but even the little dogs get to eat.

This is not just balls off.

In other words, I do acknowledge when it comes to worthiness almond all believe there is so much grace abounding on your table table can contain it just balls off and that means there's enough for even an unworthy person like me stop and turn and he said I've never seen it like this in his room because her home was not in the abundance of her goodness. Her robe was in the abundance of his mercy friend that is a well that never runs dry. That is something you can never hope to much in you may have nothing to bring to God. And that's okay because he is God so much grace in this table just flows all so that every dog in the universe feast until they were full. This is what we mean when we pray in Jesus name. You understand that's not just a little verbal clue to God that were about done so many Christians think is counseling. In conclusion, you say in Jesus name that's that's not what is therefore when you say in Jesus name.

What you're actually saying is I know that I don't have the worthiness to demand this so I'm asking based on your compassion on my worthiness.

My hope is not in my righteousness or ability.

So I bring this prayer not in my name. I'm bringing it in your grace and power in your name. I'm asking you to hear it because of how much worthiness is in your heart, not how much worthiness is in my life so matures me ask you what area of your life do you need, throw yourself down the mercy of Jesus where you where you were you exhausted what you say I don't need to demand this anymore of God like him were the oddest things in God.

This is what you said this is grace in your table and I need help numb teaching on prayer is great reading about it is great but the most important thing we can do is talk at the end of your life. You had prayed. Prayer is the most undervalued resource of the church collected by so many blessings that God has for us through prayer.

You're listening to Summit life with pastor JD clear teaching series through the book of Daniel titled shining in Babylon. If you join us late.

You can listen again online or as always, you can download the free unedited message transcript@jeanniegreer.com.

We only have a couple days left in this teaching series so pastor JD help us see the big picture. What would you say is the theme of Daniel Molly Escamilla, a reflection question that's I would say in one sentence. Is this if you want to make a difference in Babylon. You have to be different. I get to be distinct from Babylon in the right ways. In many ways, Daniel is going to take on the culture of Babylon is going to be so different because he lives for a different kingdom by different sets of values to honor a god that is totally unknown in Babylon. Daniel and his friends. You can see them resolved to be guided by the Bible and the many ways swim against the stream there in Babylon and and when that happens in our lives when we are saved by the Bible and we start to become strange and offensive.

Not because were just weirdos know that there are a lot of Christian weirdos, but because because were living by an entirely different set of kingdom rules if you will walk through this book of the Bible with us listening to these messages and then also if you get one of these Bible studies were providing us a companion study is it will show you through nine sessions what what study in the Scripture looks like to press into these timeless and timely trues of Daniel that really can transform your life and show you what it means to be different to be like Jesus in 21st-century America. That's really listening to that dude to see what looks like to be different in a way that makes a difference. You can reserve your copy of this Bible study that will help take you deeper@jdgreer.com don't miss out on getting your copy request this Bible study through the book of Daniel. When you donate to Summit my suggested donation amount of $35 or more. This ministry still others have the opportunity to dine deeper into the gospel when I stand, thanks.

335-5220 335-5220 JD clear.com JD are our Molly bit of it inviting you to join us Friday and they are likely to only get darker.

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