The Precautions of Prayer, Part 2

Is Dr. Tony Evans is sincere prayer is in a one-way request. It's a two way conversation was never meant to be a monologue but a dial. This is the alternative Dr. Tony Evans, author, speaker, pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas Texas and president of the alternative.

Sometimes when we pray we only think we're talking to God. Dr. Evan says that's because we don't understand what prayer really is what's joined him as he offers us some precautions were prayer. The disciples never asked Jesus to preach and teach them to do miracles to teach them to heal the sick man of the blind see the teach them how to make the lame walk, but the one thing they did ask him is will you teach us to pray in Luke chapter 11 verse one because they saw every time that Jesus prayed something happened. Something supernatural took place every time he prayed, and so they was saying show was how to do. How do you make contact with God that makes things happen on earth.

He starts off in verse five, and says and when you pray not. And if you pray there is an assumption as Jesus talks to his disciples that if you are a follower of Christ. You are a praying follower of Christ is when you pray biblical prayer is simply defined as relational communication with God.

When people go to God for what they want without a concern about the cultivation of the father child relationship then they want to use God not relate to God, and nobody likes being used so prayer is relational communication with God. Why do I have relational munication with God because I believe to do something down.

I need a paternity to enter time. I need help in to enter history I need God to come into the context of me, but God does not want to do that outside of a relationship. Prayer is relational communication with God. So when you pray, you talking to God.

Verse six but you talk about his followers. Christians disliked when you pray because I'm assuming you do go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your father who is in secret, and your father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. He says to talk to you about how we connect in your prayer closet. Prayer in the Bible is a partnership, God has entered an agreement with man that we will have a communication relationship with one another and in this sacred closet communication relationship that we're going to partner on to hear from you. Watch this. I also want you to hear from me point. Prayer was never meant to be a monologue but a dialogue. Most people think of prayer as me talking to God. But if that is your only definition of prayer, relationship of being cultivated become your relationship, you get a two way communication. God wants to talk to us, but when they want to talk to us in secret. He says when you pray verse seven stop using meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, is like saying the same thing over and over again.

That's what you say Lord bless his food were about to receive Jesus name, amen chamber every day.

That's called meaningless repetition of what you just saying it but there's little thought content connected with it like when you show up at church in US about how you doing what you want to hear how you doing me for anything I'm doing Lord is nigh. I need you to take me serious understand what I'm supposed he says don't do like the Gentiles do, meaningless repetition talking to talk says no no no you are cultivated a relationship I want your mind, not just your mouth, private prayer is to proceed public prayer. I want a serious meeting and I want to close the door print dials out so you can be 100 with me so you can be totally honest with me about the good the bad and ugly. I want this relationship. I want to talk to you when you talk to me and us us have a clear understanding and he says in the father who sees in secret. In other words, he's waiting in room for you to show up looking for a secret conversation because that's what you're doing with the guys from when a girl you have a lot of people around long running trip you lost inside because he's pursuing a relationship sick and he wants to know you want to connect with the father, not just God with dad for different deal. Our father who art got people still praying in the King James version old English with a different brain repetition is a relational conversation conversation conversation about the dialogue dialogue is more than one person on this money would you want another Amazon order just pick up and tell me what you want them currently around in your pocketbook, a wallet like a AAA card on vacation. We have a flat that's not what I'm interested I'm interested in a relational communication and if you can come clean you will have plenty to talk about will be brain repetition, give you a private place with just you and me. And when you do that he says I I will see you in private.

Now to sketches of the theology verse eight do not be like them non-Christians the Gentiles for all your father piece of the relationship that big God up. If your phone know what you need before you ask okay what you don't pray to inform God. Prayer for God Gaza.

I will say before you open your mouth.

He says when you come to me. Don't just come to give me information already completely well.

I already know what you need. Women so if you know what I mean. I got the premium anyway.

You know what I'm thinking you know when I'm struggling. Why do I have to pray because in a relationship you do things because of the connection. I know you want me, not what you can get from me.

I already know what you won't already know what you mean but I want to know. Do you want me like focal just come to be blessed. That is in the South of God to come to the blessing and not want the blaster. How do we know we know what the blaster could really show up for the blessing. He says no.

This conversation is not just about what you need already know that okay so what I'm going to God is saying is that you have me let you have helped me financially creamy, relationally, emotionally, that you have needs because it is only when you have a name that I'm getting old time which is only when you when things are bad enough that you relational think about talking to me is only when everything is shut down that I get extra time in spite of the rush you just simply think you're supposed to sell some. I let them be like maybe I get some time, which is also not know that one bad enough to get down below. Maybe you give me some time now. Let me make it so hopeless. I get all your time because of a relationship with you sometime. No needs of the words. He says I know you needs before US I love Isaiah chapter 65 is $0.24 before you call I will answer this before you ever pray okay so here is God has an unconditional will and the condition will to wills unconditional will is what he has determined to do regardless of what anybody else does or does not do as called his sovereign will of what he just go do it because he wanted to do anything or not do something the matter is going do it because he decided to do, but he has also taken additional will the conditional will is one who chooses to do, but only when the conditions are met. So if the conditions are met.

Whatever is on the conditional will sigh is not dispensed because it was conditional will now the Bible will give you a list of his conditional will, but sometimes things in his conditional will. The Bible doesn't directly speak about and you don't know what is unconditional and additional that's what about since pray about all because you sometimes you don't know God will do it anyway whether he's waiting on you to pray first, what is waiting for you to obey first before he does so if this is conditional will that means he's waiting on you to meet the condition. That's why James 42 says you have not because you asked not you did meet the condition of asking so I didn't give it why because you want pursuing a relationship between a powerful this thing is goddesses already know what you come to talking about I just want to come talk to me, that I decided before you came to dispense it. So when you come I can then allow it to be delivered to hold onto it until I get a little time so you hold onto it until it's not just about this already know about about me. Dr. Evans has an incredible truth about prayer that he'll share with us when he continues her message just a moment. In the meantime, if you'd like to learn more about how to make a real connection with God. Get a copy of Tony's popular and well-received book God is more than enough to often.

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God's word with exclusive and I Dr. Tony interactive online study experience allows you to explore theology and biblical history application anytime anywhere training data like to get started next 10 Evans training powerful this thing is God is given so much clout to prayer that relationally drip to draw heavily the history that he will even allow prayer to change his mind. I don't know that there's anything prayer God is allowed to be so powerful when is relationally driven that you can switch him from what he was going to do to what you want them to do that's different than what he was going to the Bible says God changes not the same yesterday today and tomorrow is the change was not yet the Bible says God changes his mind and a 32 verse 14 it says God changed his mind about judging his people in Jeremiah 2619 says God changes my with regard to the circumstances in Amos chapter 7 verses two and three, God was going to bring judgment itself, but the people cried out to God and God changed his mind and body to God to change your mind about about a health situation of financial situation personal situation switch it back. God says relationally driven prayer will give God at least can choose whether you want to get a changeless God change his mind like this, God can never change regarding his character, but he can change regarding his actions being his person's attributes are changeless but is I want God decides to judge you for sin and I'm going to judge you because my character jumped and ran means I must respond to unrighteousness and so God decides to do that but I get Amos chapter 7 you go to God in repentance, you go to God for pardon. You go to God for restoration.this is option. But God is an option to ship your sin to his mercy, give up his judgment but he may decide to use another part of his character, his mercy made not giving you what you God decide not to ship his judgment into his mercy he stayed the same as related to a different part of its changeless nature which allows him to change his toward your situation so don't let things that God is willing to change change because we refuse to meet him in a private place to meet them in a place of supernatural intervention calls with the passage in chapter 7 of Matthew verse seven ask, it will be given to you seek and you will find knock and it will be open to you. For everyone who has received 65 kn and will be open. What man is there among you when his son asked for low will give them a stone or a fiasco. This will give him a snake willing if you know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your father who is in heaven give what is good, though the last treatment like a day in my microphone to talk to with no meaning and no relationship, you'll find out how good I am. Use a couple of illustrations. He says if the kid wants a loaf of bread loaves of bread of Israel. And when that bank bail brown and ran. If you would put them out among stones that would look like round stone that also brown is a good wooden son and bring him a stone when the son asked just because it look like it was.

No good father take a poisonous snake that's unclean so that it now looks like a liver on looks like some kind of me and give you a poisonous snake but he tricks his son because it's really a snake made it look like me so I can fully son name you don't know how to write. Being able to do that okay what makes you think your heavenly father is no trick you got good gift. I like the way looks and says that he'll give the Holy Spirit to anyone west of the spirit of God's post office. The delivery service of the goodness of God. You say experience goodness right now and finish cooking. If you give God the attention you give God be in the sink and the relationship everything may not be good, but he knows how to work all things blog good to be able to love God, to be able to love God too little. Love God with a 28 if you don't love God." Romans 828 if you are not presently endlessly would God he will do good things for those who love God and are called according to his purpose of wanting a relationship one to be conformed to Jesus Christ.

If you pursue a relationship and bring your knees along with your secret place. You will hear from God because God will hear from you. Dr. Evans will come back in a moment to wrap up our program with the startling statistic and thought-provoking illustration. Stay with us for so don't forget to make the arrangements to receive those powerful resources I mentioned earlier Tony's life-changing book God is more than enough in all eight messages from his current series, the Lord's prayer on CD and digital download. This entire package of resources is yours is or thank you gift when you make a contribution to help keep this broadcast coming your way each day. Again, this is a limited time offer so don't put it off. Visit us today at Tony Avenue and start or to get all the details you can make your contribution and your request online.

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That's 1-800-800-3222. The disciples saw firsthand the intimacy Jesus had with the father when he prayed, so it's no surprise they asked him to teach them how to pray. Dr. Evans will explore that tomorrow but right now he's back with this interesting observation almost 1 dollar can't go on news every year paid for by somebody else but not about to receive. You have a story which own name on that storage has two compartments is an unconditional and a conditional side conditional side… What is going to let you do anything, but when you walk up to your storage unit and find all things God plan was inspired to do, but you never met the condition, so you haven't your storage conditional side. You never had a relational life in private God. Don't take my word for the first time you try, you may only do it for one minute to his liking working out. You may only run one block the first time you will become a mile one, but when it gets good to you when you get to be 20 minutes and then you'll wind up like disciples one hour because when you talk and you and you talking to God is holy going up that space you will be God by Tony is made possible by the generous confusion