Courageous Prayers Pt 2
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Last week we covered the courageous prayer, Lord, make me bold. How did you do with that? God wants us to speak and act and behave in ways that would be aligned with His will. To tell and show others about truth. I think that just kinda makes sense.
Boldness is, in a very real way, saying no to ourselves…our wants, saying no to the evil that might be around us…and living as though the Kingdom of Heaven is real and that we’re a part of it…because it is. Boldness is all about serving others, in God’s will, …rather than serving self.
Today…we’ll, in a way, add to this ‘make me bold’ prayer.
Lord, speak to me.
Lots of times we have sanitized prayers. We might say expected prayers. And normally all of these prayers are fine and even good. It’s just that sometimes, we stay with expected because it’s easy or its out of habit or tradition.
Probably one of the go-to-prayers all of us participate in is the meal prayer. And don’t get me wrong, it’s perfectly good if not even appropriate to thank God for food. Gratitude is something that we often forget about…simply being thankful.
....for Nacho Grandes and Double Cheeseburgers with Ketchup only and Pizza Oven double cheese sausage and onion pizzas. Right? Gratitude.
And for sure asking God to bless those meals....that Taco Bell Doritos Locos Taco. Bless that taco please. And the Large Pepsi that I am going to wash it down with.
Now we laugh be now…being honest, God created the idea of food…of nourishment…of ways of acquiring food…we might be away from the Garden of Eden, but He still supplies. And we can be grateful.
How about prayers for someone who’s ill or suffering? Absolutely. We often read of where prayer for each other and for those who are sick or suffering are called for…not because we need to be obedient to those scriptures, but because it just makes sense that we would ask for God’s help in situations like that. It’s logical. God wants us to reach out to Him in times like that.
Let me ask you this...
“How many of you, by raise of hands, would say that you really would like to build your prayer life…make it stronger, more active, deeper....?”
Like…you want to go beyond just prayers…and really get to know God more…like a real relationship. Prayer being a fancy word for talking with God. How many of you would like to simply talk with God in a deeper way?
___________________CHALLENGE
Let me start off with a challenge here right away…something to think about.
How many of us pray, sometimes pray like this… “Lord we ask you to be here with us...”
Here’s a challenging thought for you. What’s off with that prayer? Didn’t Jesus promise to always be with us? If He promised that…why do we ask? Could it be because our faith sometimes is less-than what it could be?
He said I’ll always be with you. So if that’s that case…how would that change your approach to prayer… Now you’re not waiting on God to show up, you know he’s already there waiting for us to talk with Him. Ready and waiting...
How would that change your approach to God? Never saying…God we hope that you’ll be here with us...” again....
Just a quick challenge right off the bat. We’ll end with a response to that question at the end.
__________________________
Our text today is from 1 Samuel chapter 3. I’m going to paraphrase the storyline for you.
So Samuel is a young man…probably around 12 years old, and its recorded that he prayed this prayer…Lord Speak to me.
He’s been growing up in the temple, working for Israel’s priest Eli. Eli is an older man now, his two sons are adults themselves…but even as they serve in roles before God…serving God in the temple, there’s a lot going on that is not right at all.
They simply disregard God and His commandments for what should be done in the temple....and Eli has a problem calling them out on it.
Samuel is sleeping one night and he thinks he hears Eli calling to him. “Samuel, Samuel.”
He runs in beside Eli…Yes Eli what’s up?
Eli - What? I didn’t call you. Go back to sleep.
Samuel, Samuel, Eli. you called!?
Eli - Samuel, I didn’t call you, please go back to sleep. I’m a tired old man!
Samuel, Samuel. Eli, i heard my name being called.
Eli, at this point pauses…and thinks …and then responds…Samuel, I believe something might be happening here. I believe that you’re hearing something. But it isn’t me…It must be the Lord.
Next time…if it happens just lay there and say, “Lord, Speak to me. Your servant is listening.”
Can you imagine being Samuel…knowing that God might actually be speaking to you?
SLIDE
The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
Wow…the Lord came and stood there…and said…Samuel, Samuel...
And here in one small response, we have some huge things to think about.
We’re going to look at Samuel’s approach. His still and quiet approach. His willingness to respond. His understanding that there was going to be something to do…being ready.
Samuel went back and waited…even maybe going back to sleep, but expecting.
We’re going to read a passage written by the Sons of Korah. Many of you will be familiar with this passage.
SLIDE
“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth.”
Be still.
Samuel went back and simply laid back down. He didn’t press God…or search for Him…He was quiet.
I was talking with a friend recently and they were discussing how they like to have a fan on in the evenings for noise. I know other people who have nature sounds, white noise, brown noise, pink noise…music…TV on in the background...
My friend was talking about sleeping…and mentioned this too…when nothing is on or making noise…the silence is deafening. Can anyone relate?
How many of us…if we have a spare minute…won’t just sit in silence, but we’ll scroll on our phone…or turn on the tv or radio or netflix or youtube or the news or …we’ll find something to do…to clean…to put away...
Our culture right now is very anti “still and silence.” And I believe that this is almost a habit or even like we’re addicted to sound or motion.
Be still and know…I am God.
Sometimes I think we’re replacing what might be great with poor substitutes.
Be still in the Hebrew is incredibly insightful.
Don’t fight…Stop fighting against something…Stop resisting.
Now…looking at that scripture in view of our culture…wow. This is the battle. Us sitting still long enough to hear God. Wait....to hear?
Most of the times our prayers are God do this, please bless this…please help me do this...
Be still…stop fighting against me…know me.
That kind of sounds like the first challenge question I proposed right? How can we change our prayer to know God.
Hold on to that thought…we’ll tie this up at the end...
1 Be still....2 Be willing...
Samuel willingly went back expecting this to probably happen again…willing …thinking…if this does happen, I’m going to be willing to acknowledge Him...
And how does he acknowledge God…Speak LORD…your SERVANT is listening.
He’s been a servant…he’s worked under Eli for some time. He’s willing to hear God…and not just listen…but truly hear God…meaning…
And God can speak in many ways. Some of you can probably say you’ve heard the voice of God in some way. Some will say you’ve had a vision or a dream or a thought that you knew…without a doubt came from God. Some will say you read God’s Word and something bounced off the page you knew was just for you. The Word doesn’t change. God has spoken and will keep speaking. His Word keeps speaking to us. His Spirit keeps speaking....the question is....are we listening?
And so then the next question is…like Samuel was probably contemplating…how will I respond?
He waited for God to speak…He was still before God.
Willing to hear…and willing to respond…and ready to respond.
I read a commentator this week who said God speaks to inform and to invite. God here is going to inform Samuel of something…and then invite him to be involved in His will. God speaks to inform us and to form us. God speaks to relay information but also for our formation as a Kingdom citizen.
STILL before God, WILLING before God, Ready....
Have you ever thought about starting a prayer like this....maybe being still…but then changing your approach. Instead of praying…Lord help me in my job…maybe pray…Lord, what would you like me to do …in my job. Lord how can I be a better employee? That’s an invitation to know God more isn’t it…His will for you…His plan for the day…You’re inviting God to respond…and you’re saying....you’re willing and ready to listen and respond.
....better spouse, better parent, better neighbor… you’re not asking Him to do something…you’re asking Him to reveal something to you. Lord, Speak to me, Your servant is listening.
You’re inviting Him to Invite you to Kingdom living....and into a deeper relationship with Him.
SLIDE
Proverbs 3:6 (NIV)
...in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
You might have memorized this...Acknowledge…means…notice that He is right there, and acknowledge who He is. Samuel said…Speak…Your servant is listening.. this is an approach of submitting to the LORD.
God you’re here. You want to speak into my life. I’m willing to hear....and....
....if you’re willing…you also need to be ready.
Be still (stop fighting against Him…His will), Be willing, Be ready.
Be ready for what? Hearing all of this might be a different approach to prayer for you right? Usually we ask God for things…and lots of times good things or honorable things or even out of desperation…right? good and honorable things....
However, this is probably an approach we go to last or go to reluctantly.
God spoke to Samuel and he listened. God then asked Samuel to do something.
…Here’s what God said.
And the Lord said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle. At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family—from beginning to end. For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God, and he failed to restrain them. Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, ‘The guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.’ ”
Before this, we would read in chapter 3, that God had judged Eli and his sons. He said that they would not grow to see old age and that there would be distress in the house of worship.
Samuel’s call to service? God gave him this information…1 to inform him…but also to form him. To trust God and to pass on the message.
Everyone wakes up…Eli sees Samuel in the morning and says…tell me what the Lord said. It’s ok…whatever it is, let me know. Don’t hide it from me.
He told him. Eli’s response…He is the Lord. He will do what is good.
The next words…Samuel grew and the Lord was with Him.
Be still before God
Be willing to hear God
Be ready to follow God.
Lord, Speak to me.
In the beginning Adam and Eve were truly with God. Prayer was simply calling to the other side of the garden and seeing God walk toward them. Like me calling out to one of you in this room…that’s closeness.
That closeness was ruined by sin. We know that because of Adam and Eve hiding from God after sin. Separation.
God allowed prayer to continue so we could have a connection…communication.
God through the rest of scripture is pursuing us…to have a relationship with us. Eventually giving us His spirit…those who follow Jesus. His spirit one step closer to being like it was in the beginning.
The challenge is to pray differently. Approach God differently. Our approach isn’t a long walk in the dark…Jesus is with us. He’s there waiting to talk to us. Talk with us....
Sometimes I think our prayer time might better look like this…us, quiet with a pencil and a blank piece of paper…listening…and receiving words from Him...
He’s with us. Ready to show us and share with us His will…so we can be in an active relationship with Him, with purpose and meaning, in His Kingdom.
The creator of the universe knows everything about us. But we don’t know about Him unless we listen to Him…read about Him…allow Him to reveal things about Himself to us.
SLIDE - READ TOGETHER
“Thus says the Lord who made the earth, the Lord who formed it to establish it—the Lord is his name:
Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.
The moment you wake up each morning, all your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job each morning consists in shoving it all back; in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that other, larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in.
C.S. Lewis
Lord Help us change our prayers. Help us…show us the relationship you want with us. Help us get rid of those obstacles that keep us from you. We thank you for your spirit who is with us always. Help us to stay in step and in tune with Him.
Thank you for Jesus who made this all possible.
We want to pursue you like you pursue us.
In Jesus’ name we pray…and everyone said....