Pray Without Ceasing (part 2)
1 Thessalonians • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
Please turn to Matthew 6, as we prepare to pick up where we left off a couple weeks ago.
As you recall, we have been inching our way through 1 Thessalonians, and last time we were together, we reached:
pray without ceasing
While it is certainly an easy enough verse to understand, there is far more depth to its meaning than meets the eye.
To gain a firmer understanding of this command, we need to take a peek back at the previous verse: rejoice always.
Seemingly impossible to accomplish due to the trials we face
Certainly impossible in our own strength
Requires us to keep our eyes fixed on God:
His Character and Ability To Save His People
His Redemption Offered Through Jesus Christ
In order to maintain a focus to rejoice always, we must be able to overcome very difficult situations.
To overcome very difficult situations, we must keep our eyes fixed on the Lord.
As we keep our eyes fixed on the Lord, we are to pray without ceasing.
Not in an impossible to keep command of literally praying all the time
But with the intent of being in constant communication with Him
Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
praying without ceasing means you never really stop conversing with God; you simply have frequent interruptions.
Donald S. Whitney (author, Praying the Bible)
At any time… anywhere… for any purpose… we have the ear of our heavenly Father, our Creator and Redeemer.
The Disciples Prayer
The Disciples Prayer
Read Matthew 6:9-13
There are six reasons given in this text right here for what we ought to be approaching God for in prayer:
(the first three we covered previously, so they will be an overview)
The glory of God’s name
The glory of God’s name
Hallowed be Your name…
The glory of God ought to be our intention in all things.
The Westminster divines, in constructing the Shorter Catechism, leads off with that point:
Q1: What is the chief end of man?
A1: Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
There can be no more important request made to the Almighty Creator and Redeemer than for Him to enable us, and others, to glorify him in all that we say, do, and think.
The arrival of God’s kingdom
The arrival of God’s kingdom
Your kingdom come…
We ought to pray that Satan’s kingdom be destroyed; and that the kingdom of God be advanced.
His is a Kingdom of perfect justice and perfect peace
His is a Kingdom that will stand forever and will be defined by righteousness
Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.
The will of God to be done
The will of God to be done
your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven…
We are naturally inclined to our own will and way, which always leads us away from God.
Our prayer ought to be that God would make us able and willing to know, obey, and submit to his will in all things.
Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain!
That God would provide our daily need
That God would provide our daily need
give us this day our daily bread…
We pray that God will be merciful and gracious in providing our daily need for nourishment.
Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.
Many people depend on others to help meet this need in their lives.
The worse off that our economy grows, the harder it is on these folks.
Only the God of all creation can bring about the circumstances to cause people’s paths to come together to make that need be met
If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?
Let’s be careful to contextualize this verse, so we don’t make it mean something it is not intended to mean.
This is found in a part of James’ epistle where he is making the case that saving faith will bring about a fruit-filled life
Part of the fruit-filled life is being a tool used by God to bless others.
There are people… God-fearing believers… who are not blessed with the means to be able to meet the needs of others in this way.
In fact, some of those people are the ones who need the help.
Principle: “As God has blessed you, bless others, too.”
Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.
God’s “welfare” program has always been generous people.
It was never intended to be, nor should it ever be, the government’s responsibility.
Let us be prayerful for our needs to be met, and that the Lord will make it clear if we are to be the source of meeting someone else’s need.
That God would forgive our debts
That God would forgive our debts
forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors…
The loudest cry of the truly repentant sinner is to be cleansed of their sin.
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!
When we understand the filth of our sin, there is no greater satisfaction than knowing it is cleansed through the mercy of God.
This is God’s desire for us!
Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.
The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some consider slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
By the grace of God, we have the command to come to Him for cleansing, even after our salvation.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
When you sin, don’t hesitate to go to the throne of grace.
Don’t let the guilt you feel keep you from the cleansing you need
Don’t let the Liar convince you that you are too dirty to come before the King
Don’t entertain the thought of being too unworthy to be in the presence of the very God who desires to save and cleanse you.
That God would protect us from temptation
That God would protect us from temptation
lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil
We pray, that God would either keep us from being tempted to sin, or support and deliver us when we are tempted.
Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
As you are tempted without ceasing, so pray without ceasing.
Charles Spurgeon
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
As we have considered the seemingly impossible command to pray without ceasing, we have seen from the Disciple’s Prayer six reasons we should approach the throne of grace:
To seek the glory of God’s name
To cry out for the arrival of God’s kingdom
To desire for God’s will to be done
To ask for God to provide our daily need
To beg God to mercifully forgive our debts
To petition God for protection from temptation
So let us be aware of the ever present need to go to the throne of grace, and seek to pray without ceasing, that we may be living our lives to the glory of God.
