January 8, 2017

Now wow, cool that little skin illustrates the fact that too often. We just pull a verse out of scripture and project onto that verse our Assumption of its meaning and John 14:13 is a good example where Jesus says ask anything in my name and you will get it and so we know maybe ourselves at our own life or others that have prayed for something and I didn't get it until suddenly. Well Jesus has failed me or God hasn't come through or my faith is a failure or I prayed and I got what I wanted, but you pray that you didn't get what you wanted. So that's judgment on your faith and so many Songs that verse like other versus is Miss You So, I want us to talk about the proper way to understand that verse and understand scripture in general this morning as part of the series. Here's the verse John 14 1314. Jesus said to his disciples and I will do whatever you ask in my name so that the father may be glorified in the son. You may ask me for anything in my name and I will do it. Now it's kind of a preference for what I'm going to do the next 10 minutes or so. I want to point this verse out Mark 12 says love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and all your strength and so it is the case that scripture commands us to love the Lord Our God with all of our mind. Okay, so I'm going to put on my professor hat for just a few moments and we're going to talk like a lecture in a classroom about studying scripture. Is that okay to do that on a Sunday morning this you might want to take notes and if you're asleep if the cold has frozen your brain that I'm challenging you to wake up this morning and to do some thinking as professors often site put on your thinking cap. We're going to talk about the proper way to understand and interpret scripture to protect ourselves as disciples as students of the Bible from being one of the many folks who so easily kind of misuse or Miss quote scripture. I'll be the first one to admit. I'm sure there's been X and which I misused or Miss quoted scripture would anyone else say that you perhaps have done that in your lifetime. I can be more generous if you ever misunderstood of us. Would you raise your hand? Is it easy to do that until we're challenged to be students Fairfax when Jesus talks about loving the Lord your God with all your heart soul mind and strength that would have been pretty common in Jewish years. They spent years and years in school dedicated students of the word of God. That was the norm to be a student who studied in order to understand. It wasn't just I flip it open. I read it. There's the meaning I move on instead. It was normal to be a student of the word on a regular basis. So when we talked about studying scripture, there's exegesis and eisegesis exit. Jesus is digging unearthing the truth out of a text Ex beans out of eisegesis is what we do too often that's reading or planting into the text what you want to see or already think sometimes that's called proof texting. You've got a conviction You just go to the Bible you find a verse that seems to support that conviction. And you say they're there it is right in scripture ask anything that you want and Jesus will give it to you and we just read into it what we mean in that moment instead of being students and doing the work of studying the passage the number one rule for reading the Bible for meaning or understanding is context I call it the real estate rules because what are the three most things about real estate location location location? And that's what's most important about reading a verse of scripture for meaning or understanding you have to ask yourself about the location of that verse of scripture. It is not a fortune cookie just because LifeWay needlepoints it and puts it on a plaque and frame it and hang it on the wall. Does it mean reading that verse right there on that wall is the meaning of that verse often times to be honest. They rip it out of context and it sounds like a wonderful thing that you can sell somebody needlepoint it framed and hung on the wall. But if you go read the full context you realize wait a minute. That doesn't mean what we think it means and so we have to do the work of being students and looking at location. There's three locations you look at in a passage the big Google location. What is the location of the verse in the book in which is found of the document in which is found where does it fit in the writers flow of ideas? That's vinyl that's vital to reading anything's there's this trend sometimes today and I say this for the benefit of movies are college students who might hear there's there's this trend to say that meaning resides in the reader of a document. That is to put it politely bologna. It goes against common sense. If you wrote a love letter to your girlfriend or your boyfriend or a long serious letter to your parents. Would I have the right to pick it up and say Plano Brent wrote this but here's what I say. It means he say you're full of baloney. I wrote it. I wrote it intentionally, I wrote it with meaning and soap to discover that you design. What did the author of this letter this document? What did they intend? That's the meaning snow after I understand its meaning I may ask myself. What lessons do I learn? How do I apply that to myself but I don't skip that step altogether was kind of modern arrogance that says it doesn't matter what any author ever thought or said before me. I arrive at the moment fully equipped to give meaning to anything that I read. I'm sad and we do that in scripture. We just kind of have our own convictions our favorite preachers our favorite books and we just so I know what it means and we just go look for the verse to support us but we start by saying in this book. Where is this verse of this passage located in the author's flow of thought he is the one that is giving meaning in that passage write the primary meeting is the meaning for the original characters. Sometimes people will go to the Book of Revelation for example, and then we'll get these exotic meanings of the book Revelation. I can make a good living having seminars on end times and the book Revelation cuz people are fascinated with that and I can point to Modern think all this points for this person. This is what I was saying this verse hear what a marvelous teacher. It's a bunch of baloney. The Holy Spirit would have never inspired John to write something in Revelations that the original here's could have never understood. When your preacher teacher says here's the meaning of that passage and the meaning is something that the original here would have never been able to comprehend. Holy Spirit would not have said to John write this verse so that those here's to know is thousands of years from now will do something and that's what you're telling them. The primary meaning is the author's original intended meaning that's where you get. We don't bring our meaning from our sensory today and shove it into the scriptures and say here's what it means. I'm able to cross-reference just with the news that I watch last night and there's the meaning of it and said we start by saying what is the authors intended meaning? What's what's the flow of thought what's the location? Second location we look at in scripture is the theological location. What is the location or the fit of the passage or the verse in the Bible as a whole we interpret scripture with scripture again. We don't just bring our own personal experience our own convictions. And so I had this experience and therefore this verse means this. We interpret it in the context of all of scripture you interpret the unclear with the clear how often have it has a virus that's kind of unclear or challenging just been taken and made the foundation for a whole new theology nominations come from that's where splits and divisions and disunity in the church in North America and all over the globe comes from somebody will take one obscure verse that somewhat unclear and they will make it a foundation for theology or belief and they will divide and start their own group. But the challenges looks when you're looking at a passage you interpret scripture by scripture you interpret the unclear by the clear if this seems to be saying something that doesn't quite make sense. Then you back up and said wait a minute. Is there a clear teaching in scripture as a whole about this particular subject? And if there is then you go back and look at that verse again in the context of what is clearly taught. You don't let one little obscure thing. So I'm going to pick up Brent cuz friends here this morning. Sorry, you're already stuck in my head as a personal picked on and you have your lovely girlfriend with you, right? Can you remind me of your name Becca? Nice to have you suicidal theoretically bring his written dozens and dozens of Love Letters to Becca. Is that a safe assumption?

Blog post emails text whatever we want to say. I'll be kind you don't have to fear too much. Unless I there's a consistent theme in those letters that he likes her that a safe assumption. Yeah, they like each other and we really we can apply this to anybody any of us could go dig their attic. We might find a shoebox full of love letters when we were dating. We might find this record of our marriage of that relationship right now. Could I go through that box and find one letter word David maybe said something that you know that Kate I could take that one line is it's all what he didn't like her at all. I'm going to take this one the one here, so we didn't lock her up know anybody who knew the full picture would say there's no way that's what it means. They're married. They love each other. I know the wider context, but sometimes you could take one little thing and you can construe it or twist in such a way to make it meets actually the opposite of what we know. that document as a whole really indicates our means if it's a record of this love relationship, you can't take one little moment. Has anybody ever had a moment in your marriage in your relationship if somebody took a snapshot?

Right, you can do that my marriage you could do that to you can do with parenting. You can take a moment. I don't like their kids at all. But as soon as you back up and you look at the whole you going to wait a minute, wait a minute. That was an exception to the rule that we see in this long-term commitment and love and service and dedication. You look at the whole you look at you. Look at the author's intention, but you also look at the whole of scripture so that you don't take one will ever since they will clearly God love some people but not others right? You can find a person twist that way God has his chosen people his favorite people but not everybody is in that category. You can take it. There's a few verses that you can start to build a little case for this sort of Summer Destin and some are not God have condemned some to Hell by his great sovereignty and then others he's destined for heaven and it sounds pretty convincing. You can find enough versus available. But as soon as you back up and look at the whole of scripture, You look at Jesus constantly saying if anyone wants to follow me anyone any man any woman and pick up your cross and follow me if anyone hears, this message wants to let them respond. You see this broad message that really keeps us from misunderstanding that small message. That's all we have to look not only the author's intent, but it all of scripture and then thirdly we have to look at the application location. Where are you in relation to the meaning of the text? How do you need to adjust? Because again scripture does not serve me. I do not look at it as literature to say. Well, I've got my meeting and I'm just looking for justification for what I already believe instead. We come as students who sit under the authority of the word of God and we love the Lord. Thy God with all our mind we study and we discern and we come to a solid conclusion about the meaning of that passage and then we are in mission to that Passage. So that last location is where am I in relation to this truth or building scripture? And how do I need to adjust myself? The line up with it. Not too often again. Like I said, we prefer to say why don't like that verse cuz that challenges me in the way. I'm living. So I'm going to twist it or I'm going to go find another verse that I can make seem like what I'm doing is okay. Now that's the last little bit about studying scripture. And so we're back to John 14, and I will do whatever you ask in my name so that the father may be glorified in the son. You may ask me anything in my name and I will do it. so if we apply those rules to this verse What is the theme of John's gospel if we look at John's gospel as a whole we start by saying this verse is located in the Gospel of John. He's the author. So I need to figure out what is his agenda his goal. His theme as a whole and order to fairly understand what he's meaning in these vs. And so what is John's name of John's gospel? You can really look at and you have to trust me on this. You're welcome to challenge me later, but we don't have time to go detail do the whole. You don't want that either. Do you need my pack a lunch with his go through the Gospel of John this morning, but when you look at John 1:1 through 18th, that kind of introduces the theme of The Gospel. It's all about the Divinity of Christ. The Gospel of John is all about the John revealing the truth about Christ identity and you can see that again it against the Miracles in the Gospel of John are called signs. It's all about signs that reveal his identity. Do you say it again? John? 3:16 is a reasonable summary in some ways of the theme of John's gospel is all about Christ and his identity as Savior of the world and John 20:31 John makes it really clear for us talking about what he's just written but these are written everything is just written the Constable of John so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah the Son of God and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of His name and so John makes it clear that's his theme to make the case to Bill Christ identity as God's son sent to be our savior. So that's the overall theme of what John is about it. So when you say what does chapter 14 where does it fit? It's a John's flow of thought. John 13 through 17 is Jesus teaching the disciples and Jesus focus is there preparation for his departure. He wants them to continue the ministry and message of God's work through him for me or the Gospel of John. That's a fair assessment of where John 14 fits in the gospel as a whole. It's this season with Jesus sees the approaching cross his death and departure from the disciples and so he pulls them aside and he wants to prepare them for that departure. Does that sound reasonable those of you who've read the Gospel of John over and over that's the sense of what's going on in these passages. So he talks about a leader loves and serves. He models that for them. He gets down and he washes their feet and that's the less that he's teaching his own actions that a leader loves inserts that he will be denied that he will be killed and then he will resurrect. I'm in that same little section. He also kind of implies the same things going to happen to you to cycle. You're going to be struck in such a way that the Sheep are going to scatter your ear to the overwhelmed by what happens when you see me go to the Cross. But hang in there. Hang in there. It's going to be okay the sun will rise in the morning. Not only the sunshine but the sun himself Merrifield. I'm going away to prepare a place for you. Don't let your hearts be troubled. I'm going to prepare a place for you if it wasn't so I wouldn't have told you and I will come and get you. So we talked about his own denial and his own death in his own resurrection. And he says you guys are going through the same Valley, but don't worry. You're going to come out of that Valley. I'm going to come and get you. I'm going to resurrect and that's the context when he's encouraging them that he says what he says and John chapter 14 that were talking about this morning after that. He talks about the holy spirit will come and Aid them in advancing the gospel in the good news that will help them be Witnesses help conviction occur in those are preaching to and then he talks about how they will face trouble. Be protected and change the world. That's John 13 through 17. That's the context. And so then we say we're to Jesus words and John 14 fall in his teachings in John when you focus down on Jesus particular word. It's a section about his own self Revelation. This Siri says look, I am the way. On the way. Don't worry. You're you're you're panicking. You're worried about this. Look I am the way if you know me, you know the way if you see me, you see the father. He's encouraging them. I am the vine what you must do during this time is stay connected to me. You're the branches. I'm the vine and then we don't we don't think of these as I am statements are self-revelation statements, but I do he continues In this passage and essentially says as he teaches the disciples I have received the Father's Love as the father has loved me. He says so I have loved you. So I received the Father's Love and I shared it and then he also says I will bring the father commands he gave me these commands go back to and I will pay them. I feel this and I'm asking you to do the same thing to receive the Father's Love and share it to receive the father's commands and Obey it do these things also is what he's teaching about In this passage. So where does John 14 fall in the grand Narrative of scripture? One question. I always like to ask that one of my undergrad professors taught me. Where was the party's terms and promises because scripture in the large picture. It's two covenants. We have an old Covenant and a newcomer and a covenant is a contract and any contract I get an amen from a lawyer in the room. Right any contract has parties terms and Promises. Here's Who's involved in this contract hear the terms of the contract was involved and here's the promises or Consequences for fulfilling or not fulfilling this contract. And so whenever you want to locate any verse of scripture your reading you want to say, you know in the large Narrative of scripture who are the parties what are the terms and what are the promises and so In this passage of scripture where in the New Covenant so you immediately located within the New Covenant in that grand Narrative of scripture and more specifically, it's the Fulfillment of God's promises with the New Covenant. This is what's going on in this passage John 13 through 17. It's what we celebrate every week. You can look at the other passages that are similar Matthew 26 Mark 14 Luke 22, Jesus gathers his disciples and he says what this is the blood of what a new covenant. I talked about this before it had to be mind-blowing for those Jewish disciples have Jesus say I'm establishing a New Covenant you talk about declaring his divinity as God In the Flesh, who are you to establish a new covenant? Thomas don't you even get it yet. If you seen me you've seen the father. That's who I am. And so this is my blood poured out for you this New Covenant Jose Hills passage and John 14th cute contacts in terms of the scope of scripture from Genesis to Revelation because it sets in this moment when Jesus is establishing the New Covenant it reminds me and you could go to a dozen verses in the Old Testament, but one that comes to mind for me that talks about the New Covenant is Ezekiel 36 26 and I will give you a new heart and I will put a new spirit in you I will take out your Stony stubborn heart and give you a tender responsive part. That's what's going on in this passage. Where the Messiah takes off his garments and gets down on his hands and knees and starts washing the disciples feet.

And models for them. This is what it means to be who God has always longed for us to be. This is what it means to be a leader. You don't Lord it over others instead those who want to be great among you will be a servant and he models in the chest of God himself this tender responsive heart that washes the disciples feet and then teaches them. Look I'm going to be denied. I'm going to go to the Cross you're going to deny me three times even before the morning and right after that he immediately Comforts them. Run after him talking to Peter about denying him. He says don't let your hearts be troubled. Don't be so down. So discouraged about your Frailty your Humanity, you know, what's going on here. I'm going to the cross and I'm going to be resurrected so that you will get new Hearts. This is the New Covenant you will be transformed people the holy spirit will come he actually has the audacity at least in the way. We think about things to say, it's good for you that I'm going I wish I could have been there if I have been there with Jesus. I would have never denied him if I'd have seen it before miracle in person. I would have been such a devoted follower. Jesus knows better than us and he says to the disciples it's good for you that I'm going away because the father is going to send the Holy Spirit. He's going to put this new spirit in our hearts and our hearts can no longer be Stone but become flesh. Amazing what's going on in this passage? So we done study questions? What are these? What meaning do these answers to these questions? We did talk about on Earth for us. I think two two things about this verse all that work is to come back to that verse in Matthew and say what's the proper meaning of that verse two things? The power of prayer is centrally connected to our relationship with Jesus. Does that sound like a fair conclusion centrally connected prayer is not something separate from our relationship with Jesus prayer is not the secret thing that we discovered that has power to it. I found this verse and it says if you use the word in Jesus name, you'll get anything you want. And so we need to have prayer and say in Jesus name at the end and we'll get anything. We want to see how you can isolate. When you look at the full context, there's no way you can't see that this verse is organically squarely centrally connected to the health and the reality and legitimacy of our relationship with Jesus Christ prayer Rises out of that relationship with Jesus Christ, depending on him knowing him loving him. Even if it's the first prayer that says maybe I think what John has said is true and you're the Divine Son of God, even that very first prayer of someone seeking God is based on what Jesus and a relationship with him help me Jesus. I'm calling out to you. So you don't have to have a long history of her students use at that very first pair of saying Jesus. I am reaching out to you is based on his identity and based on relationship with him. That's what it means and you notice in both those verses. He says in my name when you pray in my name, it is not just when you pray. if you discover the secret of prayer the power of prayer and you ask everything you want is ask in my name and it's not just Linguistics. It's not just a phrase in Jesus name. It's all about relationship. One author says it this way in my name. It means that prayer is to be in accordance with all that the name stands for it is prayer for seeding from faith in Christ prayer that gives expression to a Unity with all that cry stands for prayer with seeks to set forward Christ himself. I used to think about this in his name. I used to think about it as a power thing in the sense that if I pray in Jesus name, it's almost like the time I was stopped in the high school speeding and I was definitely speeding and I was in trouble and the police officer came to the car and I thought man my life is over over over because there was just absolute Clarity that I deserve to possibly be taken to jail for that moment. And the officer was talking to me. Look at my license and he said hey, are you waiting for Ellipsis boy? And then I thought all my I'm completely that this guy knows my father and my dad will kill me. He literally I mean he will it would and I reluctantly said, yes. He said what did he knows might he knew my dad's always said that we think your dad will do to you. And he can probably tell by the look on my face and all the color leaving my body. I said I'll be in big trouble and he said okay just slow it down. Any back my license walked away and I wasn't a Christian man, but I got in the car and I Think Jesus.

If you are, thank you. Sunshine tomorrow and will not die tonight I used to think of this is purely that sort of thing. I've got some sort of connection and it gets me off the hook and some ways that might be a little bit true. But over the years I think of praying in Jesus name differently, I think of it more my dad and I never had a great relationship. He wasn't a Christian man. I didn't grow up a Christian. He was kind of a hard heavy-handed man. My mom on the other hand the sweetest person I've ever known the most godly woman I've ever known. And and raised us to eventually love the Lord even though we strayed as young people sweet sweet woman, I think of it more like somebody who might say to me. Hey are you Phyllis is boy and then what I want to do. I want to make sure I'm behaving when I don't cuz I fear my mom at all because she's so wonderful and I hate the thought of bringing shame to her name. I hate the Barbie doing something that somebody would tell your phyllis's boy and you're doing that. Phyllis she would want to be doing that and break my heart that hurt me more than my dad's back and could ever hurt me. I think when we pray in the name of Jesus, it's out of real relationship with Christ out of love and respect and all and adoration that we praise His name so we don't flippantly say I'd like a brand new sports car in Jesus name. right That's just disrespectful. That's just not even thinking about Jesus is it that's just thinking about me when we take that verse only say this is about me or misunderstanding the verse when you look at the contact. It's about Jesus gathering with his disciples. They look it's going to be rough. But you're going to continue to advance the good news about what God is doing to me and in the Mist about advancing the good news in the midst of glorifying God in the midst of doing things in my name when you ask you'll get what you need. But it's certainly not about me and getting a yes to every prayer I utter. They too often prayer is about me. Look Lord. I'd like to slide fat dumb and happy from the Cradle to the Grave. Can you just arrange that I would like no Financial hardships? No Health hardships. I don't like everything just well, I don't know was Jesus life empty of hardship.

And was he a man of Prayer?

God's goal is for us to be like Christ. The journey back to that state he created us in the garden to be his loving children to reflect his character to others and going toward that goal means picking up across. And submitting to Christ. And so when we pray we do it in his name in a completely different spirit that we sometimes think the second thing means about prayer. Not only that it's about our relationship with Jesus. It's all so focused on God's glory again and again and all of those verses and you can look at first John the same author of The Gospel of John 5:14 and 50 he repeats this verse again and goes out of his way again to say in Jesus name for God's glory. He says those same things again. Whenever you're praying you're going to get an answer to your prayer. And here's the qualifiers you're praying in Jesus name and you're praying for things that are for God's glory and God's glory is all about revealing the goodness of God. That's the context of this this prayer where we get our answers. It's about doing what Jesus did continue his ministry and John 5 John 4. When Jesus is the disciples are away and is with the woman at the well and then come back and say have you eaten and he says I have food that you don't know about my food is to do The will of the father and I John 5. He said the same sort of thing when they're confronting him. How do you make decisions by what Authority you doing? The things you're doing? This is look I know what the father wants done. I know the father's will I see where he's working already and I join him.

Our prayers asking anything in his name is about advancing the glory of God about revealing his goodness to others. And so what we pray for is Lord. Help me through whatever I'm going through in such a way that I can bring you glory instead of just Lord, you know, I would like to never be sick or I'd like to never have a financial struggle. I'd like to never have a hardship and said Lord help me walk through this hardship the sickness or this challenge or this relationship. Help me handle it in such a way that I'm like your son Jesus Christ. And even from the very cross in my own life. I reveal your goodness the way Christ if he looked down and said father forgive them. They know not what they're doing. It's All About Us submitting ourselves to the will and the glory of God when we pray this verse and these prayers Implications are it's really not about the activity of prayer elsewhere Matthew 6. Jesus said they're people who make that mistake and I think if I have enough words that add up somehow I'm going to be a good prayer and and sometimes we can make that mistake. It's all about volume. If I pray for 8 hours a day for you know, 10 days in a row and you know, the heavens are going to open it as if God is up there going well how they figured out that you know, once I get a certain number of hours in prayer. What's that word count hits a certain number. My hands are tied. I have to answer their request. It's not that sort of dynamic prayer is not this mechanism is not about this activity. This many words that's about our relationship with Christ and submitting and praying and seeking God's glory his goodness revealed. It's also not about the visibility of Prayer in that same passage Matthew 6. Jesus talks about those who make the mistake of thinking I will pray in such a way that everyone knows I'm praying I'll get on the street corner and I'll just pray aloud and ever want to say isn't Robbie and I'm pregnant Jefferson and Jesus and says go to your closet and pray because it's about your relationship with me. Now. That doesn't mean public prayer isn't a wonderful thing it is but for choosing it purely for the public element of its were Miss understanding. It's all were invited to pray in such a way that it's about our relationship with Christ. And it's about God's glory. And where do you stand in relation to the meaning of these verses and I'm going to buy the worship team to come come up now. Have done halfway decent have enough for all the Kelly saw the notes and said old man. We're going to be here till 4.

If I don't if I don't linger too long here had a lot to share this morning and this lays the foundation for the coming weeks and we're talk about other verses that are often misunderstood. Like I said next week the verse that says judge not lest ye be judged is so misused and we're going to look at the full context of it and the meaning of it but haven't looked at this verse the question for you is where do you stand in relation to the meaning of this verse?

Do you need to adjust your prayer life?

It is prayer something that you just come to as a last means. You try to solve all your own problems and then if nothing works out you said well, I guess there's nothing left to do but pray.

If if if that's your perspective, then you may need to be adjusted by these verses. And be challenged to say a prayer should be this natural outflow of my relationship with Jesus.

Secondly it if you find yourself only praying when you have a need or crisis, you don't you mail a check and you realized that one might bounce just really praying toward could somehow you get money in my account before that check is received and cashed. Maybe have some sort of Crisis the doctor gives you the the long face and the news and suddenly prayer jumps to the top of your agenda.

Now fortunately, the Lord is gracious and he welcomes us to come to him in prayer at any moment for any reason just like a parent welcomes a child. We don't go I'm sorry your motives are pure our child turns to us and we just grab them and hug them and say, how can I help you out. I love you. But as we grow as disciples as we grow our prayers should grow they should be this natural outflow of our relationship with Jesus and they should be more and more Focus not on needs alone. Turn on the kingdom of God. This church body on your lost friends and family and loved ones and Neighbors on Lexington. When's when's the last time you spent a significant amount of prayer praying for others?

I'm about you, but it's just easier to slip into your immediate list of needs my immediate family. Whatever crisis I'm facing Lord bless these things move on. Maybe we need to adjust our prayers. Maybe we're praying but we need to adjust what we pray for. Make a list. I've got a friend that can't sleep. I think I've told you this and he says you're on my shortlist and I feel so blessed by that cuz he's a godly man. He has insomnia and for years. He said they know that just suck. I just thought why can't I sleep well and then it finally occurred to him that he could turn it into a good thing. And so whenever he's not sleeping he gets out his short list and praise over those names Folks at 4 in the morning 5 in the morning when he can't sleep. Maybe we need to have a short list and we did have some folks were praying for outside our immediate circle praying for those who don't know the Lord praying for our city our leaders our nation praying that the Lord to bring somebody across our path that we could witness to that we could serve. South Carolina to pray the way Jesus did I think in some ways? I'm going to end on this it makes me think of this purse which Caleb talked about last week about God working in your life and the challenges to put yourself in a position for God to work in your life. And you refer to this verse if you cleaned your lock you lose it if you let your life go go you will save it in some ways. If we take this verse when we applied to prayer. It means that we shift and prayer is not necessarily about ourselves. It's about the kingdom of God. It's about praying for the things that God wants happening in our lives. Pray Lord. Help me be more like Christ. Maybe the prayer isn't Lord save me from whatever I'm going through to off and that's just the immediate assumption right or doesn't want me to be sick or just want me to struggle financially or doesn't want my relationship to be difficult. And so we just pray Lord. Like I said earlier. I just want to slide fat dumb and happy from the Cradle to the Grave if I could just get through with no headaches. Sometimes we're sorting the word work of God. Maybe this verse we applied our prayer life when we come to God and we still got what I want is your will. What is it that you want in my heart? What is it that you want in my mind? What is it that you want of my family and my relationships does my career do my career goals need to be submitted to you. Am I making assumptions about what you want for my life that aren't accurate my relationships. So maybe it's Lord Heal Me Yes. Amen. That's always a good and first prayer, but if not healing Lord, then let me walk through this Valley in such a way that I reveal your goodness to others and if it's not Financial rescue, you know, I prayed to win the lottery many times. I've never played the lottery, but I thought the awesome if I won the lottery, you know, if the news story had to say a pastor won the lottery without buying a ticket

So far, I have not won the lottery without buying a ticket and maybe it's not the Lord's will that I have all my financial roads just smooth and easy. Maybe he wants me to have a heart or mind that makes different decision about my finances based on who is

maybe he's more interested in working inside me than he is necessarily smoothing out all my circumstances. If I take this verse and I applied to my prayer life, then it it challenges me to adjust myself to scripture as opposed to adjusting scripture to my assumptions. That's the way you twist a verse back into its right place where it's authoritative over you.

I want to sing a song here in a moment. If you if you've never made a decision to accept Christ and you're looking for that sort of decision, please find me. I'll be in the back and I'd love to pray with you and talk to you about that for all of us here. It's a time to pray during the song will have Folks up front and the back but pray in your seat. And if you're seeking prayer for something specific than find me or one of the prayer warriors in the front or the back and let us pray with you and for you but for all of us, it's a chance to have this song Just Be A Prayer of dedication to God on our hearts to spend time praying right in her seat, if that's what the Lord puts on her heart or just seeing someone else out and have them pray with us and for us please stand this we sing.

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