Is He Praying for Us or Are We Praying to Him - Part 1

No matter what you have a full time into season, lifting you up in prayer 24th.

Today the David Jeremiah explains this vital but often overlooked role Jesus provides for Ms. Emily continuing the series. The Jesus you may not know he is today's message us praying to him and thank you for joining us today for the primary mission of Turning Point were so happy to have you. I believe we have gained a few listeners during these days when people are not on another schedule and if you happen to be one of those new listeners, we welcome you and thank you for joining us in one of the most astounding statements in the Bible to me has always been this word from the Lord Jesus that he spoke to Peter.

He said Peter I have prayed for you and you know that Jesus prays for us.

I know we pray to Jesus, but did you know that he prays for us. He is seated at the right hand the father in heaven and he prays for you and he prays for me when I talk about that today and again on Monday.

The title of today's message is.

Is he praying for us, or are we praying to him and the answer is yes. The answer is yes friends we have a lot of tools that God has given us to help make a difference in your life and one of them that I'm so proud every time I see a new issue of it is Turning Points magazine and devotional published here. From our offices. Our creative department just outdoes themselves. It seems like every month, this magazine comes out with a new and fresh message for us and usually it's coordinated what's on the air.

What were teaching what were talking about and the magazine has articles in the front of it.

Short articles that help you understand your faith better how to live your faith more aggressively and then the back part of the magazine. The entire second half is still up with devotionals for every day of the week, Monday through Friday and one for every weekend. They fill a column and the kind of like jump starts for your devotional life. Every day you prime the pump with these devotionals you read them you think about them. You look up the Scriptures and then perhaps you read your own Bible study material and go forward would love for you to have this magazine and there's a couple ways you can get it. You can have it mailed to your home were happy to do that. If you'll just let us know you want it you can have the devotional material downloaded into your email box so that every morning when you wake up. There's a new devotional there waiting for you. I call it fresh bread in the oven every morning, fresh material to motivate you and keep you going. If you're the kind of person who you are more geared to what's going on in your phone your PC, then this is a good thing for you. It's all free and it's all there to help you to bless you and to add value to your life. Ask about it when you call or write or email us today and will make it happen for you right now to finish out this week with part one of this question. Is he praying for us. We praying to him.

I want to talk today about this question is Jesus just a lawyer or does he really care is Jesus just there watching us, or is involved with us in some way that would show us that he has compassion for us and our needs after the death of former Pres. George H. W. Bush, at the age of 94, the media began discovering a lot of activities that he had secretly pursued during his life. In some cases it came as a surprise to those who knew him. Unfortunately, usually when we hear secrets that come out after somebody dies, we cringed but in the case of H. W we smile, the news was it about scandal or shame but about compassion and care. Turns out he had been quietly helping many people using the name Jean Walker so that they would know he was the president.

For example, four years Bush sponsored a penal boy named Timothy through the nonprofit organization, compassion international he made contributions toward Timothy supporting regularly wrote him letters of the two started corresponding when Timothy was seven and in his first letter, Bush wrote I want to be your new penpal. I'm an old man 77 years old. I don't like that part of the story, but I love what I love kids and though we have not met.

I love you already. I live in Texas. I will write to you from time to time. Good luck Jean Walker occasionally Bush would drop hints about his real identity. In one letter he sent a picture of his dog, saying, this is Millie. She's met lots of famous people know the time he wrote were going to have Christmas this year with my son at his house and all he lives in a big white house, but Timothy never caught on, he would write Mr. G Walker and Mr. G Walker would read the letters in reply, offering encouragement after Timothy graduated from the program at the age of 17. A compassion international worker flew to the Philippines to tell Timothy the true identity of the man who would been such a blessing to him. Timothy was dumbfounded.

I knew he was a kind and encouraging and wonderful man, but I had no idea he was the president was hard for him to grasp that the president of the United States would know his name care so much about like Timothy we find it difficult to believe such a great man would care about his life. We too can find it difficult to believe that Jesus cares for us. Sometimes we know he's there. But we don't know that he cares we don't know for sure that he cares people sometimes tell us that he does, but it's hard for us to believe that he can really mean so many of us, how could he care for us. Yet when you survey the life of Jesus you find a man who cared for the people around him in surprising ways to touch lepers secured the sick.

He befriended social pariahs. He cherished children.

His last acts were to pray for the forgiveness of his murderers and then to look beside it and feel compassion for the dying thief whom he encouraged and assured of salvation, the more difficult Jesus life became more people crowded around him with demands and the closer he moved to a torturous death, the more loving and caring and forgiving. He became when Jesus saw broken humanity. He reached out to care for them and I know about you but one of the first verses I learned as a little child was first Peter 57 cast all your care upon him, for he cares for you. Although Jesus is no longer walking beside us in the physical realm.

His concern for us is no less real.

In the Bible tells us that one of the ways he chooses to care for us is through prayer. I mentioned this to you earlier in the series that Jesus is praying for us. But I want to unpack and explore that a little bit further today.

After Jesus accomplished all that was necessary for our redemption and salvation at the cross. He took his place at the right hand of the father and from there for the last 2000+ years.

He has continued his ministry to us through prayer. We all know that we pray to Jesus, but we may not know that Jesus prays for us. The Bible speaks about this in several places in generality, for instance. Romans eight says it this way, who shall bring a charge against God's elect is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns it is Christ who died and furthermore also risen was even at the right hand of God. Also makes intercession for us. He's interceding for us St. Paul to the Romans. The writer of Hebrews echoes these words because he continues forever. He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through him, since he always makes intercession for them market down in your notes that Jesus is praying for us have the experience of knowing that someone was praying for you. I mean that there's not anything like that in the world to know that people are praying for you so many times you guys send me notes or personally. Tell me passively pray for you every day and you have no idea what that means to me to know that you pray for me and I pray for you. I remember reading about John Patton of Scotland who grew up in a small Scottish cottage where he could hear his father praying for him in the next room and the sound of his father's voice in prayer follow him throughout all of his life even after his father's death. He said he could still hear his father praying for him as he would think about him and Worthington is a lifelong Christian worker who now is retired in North Carolina.

She recalls her parents rising every morning for devotion. She said when my father was working he would get up at 430 and study and play as long as I live I will remember hearing him in the bathroom praying out loud over his prayer list. I remember hearing my mother pray for me I would come home from the game or from some outing and oftentimes I will walk in and out here. My mother praying for me out loud for anything better than the noted people pray for you to know that they care enough to pray perhaps you thinking as you listen to Dr. Jeremiah. I don't think anybody's ever told me that there praying for me. I'm sure to somebody like that. Well you can have that joy right now because on the final night of his normal earthly life. Jesus gives us a glimpse of his prayer life.

How he prays for us is recorded for us in the 17th chapter of the Gospel of John. This passage is normally referred to as Christ's high priestly prayer. It's the longest section of the words of Jesus in the Bible and some of the great past teachers of the Bible have said this is such a special passage, but they don't dare preach on it so when their preaching to the book of John. They preached to the 16th chapter, then they preach from 18 on and they just read John 17. Some people say John 17 is holy ground.

Take your shoes off when you come to John 17 this is Jesus praying and we have the words of his prayer. Another chapter is organized so that the first five verses record Jesus prayer for himself and verses 6 to 26 record him, praying for his disciples, and in that section where he prays for his disciples. He's praying for us there. We can learn several things about what Jesus prays when he prays for you and me very interesting that his pleasure quite different than ours, although in some ways that the same what's the one thing we pray about most often when we pray for our children, especially if you're not around us. Pray for their protection and their safety. And I want you to know, first of all, today that Jesus cares about your security read with me.

John 17 verses 11 and 15. This is what it says. Holy father keep through your name those whom you have given me. I do not pray that you should take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from the evil one in these verses Jesus is praying that the father would keep us secure in the world has there ever been a time in your history, your mind when we needed that more to know that the father is hearing players from the sun for our protection. We are living in a dangerous world and a frightening world in many respects, but Jesus is praying for us. He's asking the father to keep us safe, as he himself had kept his disciples safe while he was on this earth would keep is a wonderful word.

It means to guard to watch over the picture I did in my mind when I see that bird I think of Jesus. On one occasion in the Gospels in the sixth of John is the story you know the story when I tell you which one it is.

The disciples are out in the middle of the sea of Galilee in the boat and there in deep trouble. There's a big storm water out in the boat.

Jesus is up in the mountain.

The Bible tells us he went up to the mountains to pray and when they got to the moment of their greatest trial. Jesus comes to them in the midst of the storm because they been watching over them from the mountains and when he wasn't in the boat with them. He was watching over them in prayer and that's what he prays for us. Father in the midst of their storm in the midst of their difficulty in this world watch over them, protect them and keep them. He's praying for your security for your safety and for mine if you listen to me prays for very long, you know I love the stories of World War II of the war. I just love the stories of the war. There's a story from World War II about the town of Dover which ended up on the front line of battle, not because they wanted to be there but because of the way the battle was going. They were on the French coast of England, and they found themselves right at the front line. They were being bombarded by long range guns located on the occupied French coast and in imminent danger every day of being invaded by the Germans were at the other end of their little village and looking at their situation. You would've thought there was no way they would've lasted till the end of the war, but when World War II ended, there was Dover. They survived and were there to encourage others with the joy of victory basically military experts tell us they survived for three reasons. Number one, there was an internal garrison of artillery within the city and then artillery was able to offset the other shots that were coming in the guns at work pointed toward number two ships of the Royal Navy that patrolled the English Channel kept at bay. The invading forces of the French and thirdly fighter planes of the Royal Air Force flew overhead and provided a protective umbrella for them. So in spite of the mortal danger and the fact that nobody thought they would survive Dover survived the war and shared in the total victory. Just like Dover you and I are protected.

We have a threefold protection just as they did. The indwelling spirit in our hearts is the garrison against the attack of the enemy the word of God in our hands as the guard with which we must do combat and up in heaven. Overhead, just like the Royal Air Force is Jesus seated at the right hand of the father, praying for us, that we might be protected back over my life and I'm sure you could do this as well and I realize that there were many times when I was at a crossroads where I had a decision to make and I didn't know what to do and if I made the wrong decision, it would've changed everything about my life. I surely wouldn't be here today. I could've gone the wrong way. It was the indwelling Holy Spirit brought conviction to my heart kept me from doing the wrong thing and often times when I was at a point of decision. I would be reading the word of God and a portion of God's word would jump off the page into my heart. It was like God was speaking out loud and I would know this is the way walk in this way, and I would do the right thing where it had been left myself, I would've probably done the other thing you know is you look back over your life. You did a lot of things you didn't want to do, but they turned out to be the right things. The one thing I'll never understand till I get to heaven is this when the Holy Spirit has done all he can do to keep me out of trouble and the word of God is that all it can do to keep me out of trouble there still more for up in heaven. Next to the father is my Savior and he's praying for me. He's praying. Take care Jeremiah down there in El Cajon. Don't let him do something foolish. Keep them from the evil one. Don't let him get caught up in something that could ruin his life. The word of God in the spirit of God and the prayer of the Lord at the right hand of the father. I found these words again from the Old Testament. Psalms they fit right here.

Let me read them to you. Some hundred and 21 verses three through eight. He will not allow your foot to be moved.

He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold him who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper.

The Lord is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve you from all evil shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall preserve your going out in your coming in from this time forth, even for evermore. The Lord is our keeper and he is playing for us at the right hand of the father. Then in the next verse, Jesus asks his father to protect us from the evil one. How many of you know that Satan is our accuser. He's called the accuser of the brethren. The Bible says he goes around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. What is he trying to give our he's trying to devour our influence is trying to devour our testimony for Jesus. He can't devour our salvation because he has no right to take that from us but he can destroy our reputation and destroy our influence for God is always about that testing us in trying to get us to make the wrong decision but did you know that the Lord Jesus is praying for us that we will not be overcome by Satan. The best illustration of that is in the verse of Scripture concerning Peter chapter 22 verse 31. Jesus is talking to Peter and this is what he says.

Simon, Simon, indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you that your faith should not fail.

And when you have returned to me, strengthen your brethren. When Satan singled out Peter, Jesus assured Peter that he would not face the evil one alone and told Peter that he was praying for his faith not to fail no way no hours later, it appeared as if Peter did fail to deny the Lord Jesus Christ. Three times, but how many of you know that wasn't the end of the story you have to read all the way through the book of John to the 21st chapter and after Jesus resurrection Peter returns to Jesus and Jesus gives him an assignment to strengthen the brothers.

In other words, in response to Jesus prayer God allowed Satan to sift Peter but he did not allow Peter to fall through the sieve. Although Peter fell his faith not fail a reminder to us men and women that Jesus cares enough to play us through our failures.

All of us are men and women who have failed were not failures because we fail.

But we have all failed in some way and when we fail, the Bible gives us this encouragement that, as Jesus prayed for Peter during his three-point denial of Jesus.

Jesus prays for us. We think well. When we succeed. It's Jesus praying for snow when were failing. Jesus is praying for us and he praises through our failures so that we get back to the place of fellowship with him, we don't fully understand the spiritual warfare that we face every day.

We do not know all the ways in which the devil accuses us before God we have the blood of Jesus Christ pleading for us and we have the one whose blood is pleading for us. Jesus protects us from the evil one. He shields us by his prayers and by the power of his blood. His prayers are a protective force around us. Jesus is praying for us. What is he praying he's praying for our protection. He's praying for our security to Jesus cares about our sufficiency 13 of chapter 17 says, now I come to you and these things I speak in the world that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. In verse 13 Jesus prayed that the joy he has might be fulfilled in us, he wasn't talking about just joy but fulfilled joy overrunning joy, abundant joy, sufficient joy. He was talking about Jesus joy.

Let me tell you, as you know is not talking about happiness that depends on the happenings is talking about joy that depends on Jesus and Jesus joy is so amazing Jesus joy is the answer to the Hebrew greeting shalom may tell us that the word shalom means more than peace means a sense of well-being within a person joy of Jesus is that since you have no matter what's going on around you.

But most important thing is okay and in your heart.

There is this feeling this sense of the sufficiency of the joy of Jesus. I've seen this illustrated in so many believers and I've even experienced it.

Sometimes in my own life that during very troubling times and times that would normally take a smile off of your face the inward, Jesus, joy in your heart that's beyond anything you can explain that the truth and have it out recently as Friday and will speech on Friday to all of you. It's kind of instant speech because his weight goes today. If you back in church get back in church if not keep listening online to your pastor. However, you involved in church at this particular time. Obviously we produce this a little bit ahead of schedule, so I don't know for sure where we are but I do know this.

The church is the core no matter whether it's online or in person.

Make sure you understand and I know you do in a better way now than ever before that the church is here for us.

At times like this in the church is God's idea, not ours. It's his best idea for this current generation to forsake not assembling ourselves together is the manner of some is but to make sure that every time church is available to us and were available to it where they're making a difference in only helping one another, reaching out to our world. We got blushing this weekend. They continue to hear you and make you whole see the message you have just originated at Shadow Mountain Community Church with senior pastor David Jeremiah. She with us the difference.

Turning Point is making me what Turning Point PO Box San Diego, CA 92163 visit our website and David Jeremiah doll/right for copy of David's Jesus, you may not help rediscover the joy of salvation is the Jeremiah study Bible and the English as well as the new international standard will not send articles by Jeremiah David Jeremiah/right join us Monday as we continue the series Jesus you may know, Jeremiah will