The Prayer of a Text Driven Life
"Living By the Book: A Text-Driven Life" • Sermon • Submitted
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· 25 viewsThe intention God has in us reading the Bible is to hear from Him, but it is not enough simply to sit down, read the words, and rise to walk away with no response. No prayerful response leads to no fruitful results.
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1001 Illustrations that Connect Illustration 551: Clicking Prayers to God
Newprayer.com
1001 Illustrations that Connect Illustration 572: No-Answer Prayer
However much he may want to, I do not believe God will answer the prayer of the student who turned in his test and prayed, “O God, please let Paris be the capital of England!”
—Nicky Gumbel, “How and Why Should I Pray?” Alpha Evangelism Series (HTB Publications, 1994)
1001 Illustrations that Connect Illustration 551: Clicking Prayers to God
You can now send your prayers to God via a website.
Newprayer.com says, “Simply click on the Pray button and transmit your prayer to the only known location of God.” The site claims it can send prayers via a radio transmitter to God’s last known location: the star cluster M13, believed to be one of the oldest in the universe.
Crandall Stone, fifty, a Cambridge, Massachusetts, engineer and freelance consultant, set up the site after a winter’s night of sipping brandy and philosophizing with friends in Vermont. The conversation turned to Big Bang theories of creation. Someone suggested that if everything was in one place at the time of the explosion, God must have been there too.
“It’s the one place where we could be sure he was,” Stone said. “We thought that if we could find that location and had a radio transmitter, we could send a message to God.”
After consulting with NASA scientists, the friends settled on M13 as the likely location. They chipped in about $20,000 to build a radio wave-transmitting website.
Newprayer.com transmits about 50,000 prayers a week from seekers around the globe.
Note: Newprayer.com is no longer operational.
—Judith Gaines, “Tapping into God,” Denver Rocky Mountain News (March 13, 2000)
It has been said that what drives most people to prayer is either:
Devastation - something bad has happened and you need God to deal with it.
Desperation - something good needs to happen and you need God to do it.
There is another factor that leads people to pray:
What is that factor? Glad you asked.
Devotion - God is in control of your life regardless of what bad or good happens, you love God, you love His Word to us, and you just want to display it.
Two different text I want to read this morning: and .
ONCE YOU FIND YOUR WAY TO THOSE PASSAGES EITHER ON YOUR PHONE, TABLET OR LITERAL BIBLE - PLEASE JOIN ME IN STANDING TO HONOR GOD
10 They are more desirable than gold— than an abundance of pure gold; and sweeter than honey dripping from a honeycomb.
11 In addition, your servant is warned by them, and in keeping them there is an abundant reward.
12 Who perceives his unintentional sins? Cleanse me from my hidden faults.
13 Moreover, keep your servant from willful sins; do not let them rule me. Then I will be blameless and cleansed from blatant rebellion.
14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.
Psalm
38 Confirm what you said to your servant, for it produces reverence for you.
39 Turn away the disgrace I dread; indeed, your judgments are good.
40 How I long for your precepts! Give me life through your righteousness.
41 Let your faithful love come to me, Lord, your salvation, as you promised.
42 Then I can answer the one who taunts me, for I trust in your word.
43 Never take the word of truth from my mouth, for I hope in your judgments.
44 I will always obey your instruction, forever and ever.
45 I will walk freely in an open place because I study your precepts.
46 I will speak of your decrees before kings and not be ashamed.
47 I delight in your commands, which I love.
48 I will lift up my hands to your commands, which I love, and will meditate on your statutes.
Ps
PRAYER
In our series on “Living by the Book: A Text Driven-Life.” - we have discovered from scripture proof of such a life is seen in our convictions that help us make godly choices and commitments leading us to fulfill the Great Commission - in all of God’s word we are content. We have been promised by God in His Word that by his word we will be transformed, educated and joy-filled. He declares His Word will enlighten us, stabilize us and satisfy our need for justice.
The focus today, in this sermon titled “The Prayer of a Text Driven-Life.” is on prayer driven by our devotion to God and love for His Word.
There is no greater texts that reveals this connection between prayer and God’s Word than what we read in and in the entirety of .
As we have learned, the text-driven life is the focus of the text-driven sermon, both of which are as Dr. Steven Smith says, “A re-presentation of scripture.” He also says that, “A text-driven life is a life that responds to God through His Word.” That response begins with our prayer.
The intention God has in us reading the Bible is to hear from Him, but it is not enough simply to sit down, read the words, and rise to walk away with no response. No prayerful response leads to no fruitful results.
a text-driven life is a life that responds to God through His Word.
We must seek to begin our time of reading by asking God for His Illumination and we must end by asking God for transformation. We must begin our time commitment to evangelization by asking God for His conviction upon the one needing conversion.
There is no greater texts that reveals this connection between prayer and God’s Word than what we read in and in the entirety of .
There is an important truth that the Psalmist teaches us in
Prayer is your response to God about His revelation and your greatest act of worship.
Prayer is your response to God about His revelation and your greatest act of worship.
When the Psalmist finishes his praise of God’s glory seen in the world and God’s grace seen in His word, he responds with a prayer.
When the Psalmist finishes his praise of God’s glory seen in the world and God’s grace seen in His word, he responds with a prayer.
When the Psalmist finishes his praise of God’s glory seen in the world and God’s grace seen in His word, he responds with a prayer.
As we have learned, the text-driven life is the focus of the text-driven sermon, both of which are as Dr. Steven Smith says, “A re-presentation of scripture.” He also says that, “A text-driven life is a life that responds to God through His Word.” That response begins with our prayer.
A “meditation” can mean “a thought process that can include speaking the thoughts out loud.” But he does not want to mutter just anything. His desire is to offer prayers of worship acceptable to the one He is worshipping.
The term “acceptable” - pertains to offering a sacrifice, which in OT times was their act of worship equivalent to our prayers. In Leviticus it often speaks of the sacrifice offered by the priest as being a fire offering of a pleasing aroma to the Lord. In we find Cornelius praying at the customary hour of prayer and an angel visiting to tell him to send for Peter. The angel tells Cornelius, “Your prayers and your acts of charity have ascended as a memorial offering before God.” gives us a vision of heaven to see an angel bring incense to the altar in front of the throne, and the smoke along with the prayers of the saints (us) going up in the presence of God.
is the epitome of that, and is the core text for the prayer of a text-driven life.
As we have learned, the text-driven life is the focus of the text-driven sermon, both of which are as Dr. Steven Smith says, “A re-presentation of scripture.” He also says that, “A text-driven life is a life that responds to God through His Word.” That response begins with our prayer.
The intention God has in us reading the Bible is to hear from Him, but it is not enough simply to sit down, read the words, and rise to walk away with no response. No prayerful response leads to no fruitful results.
“The Word of God is inseparably linked with prayer. The two are solidly joined, twins from birth, and twins by life... The Word of the Lord is dependent on prayer for its rapid spread and for its full and most glorious success.” - E. M. Bounds
We must seek to begin our time of reading by asking God for His Illumination and we must end by asking God for transformation.
We must begin our time of commitment to evangelization by asking God for His empowerment upon us who share and for conviction upon the one needing conversion.
We must bathe every ministry we have or will have in prayer if we are to ever see changed hearts and changed lives.
Brethren, why so many meetings with our fellow men and so few meetings with God? - ANDREW BONAR
The one concern of the devil is to keep the saints from prayer. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work, prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray. - SAMUEL CHADWICK
Brethren, why so many meetings with our fellow men and so few meetings with God? - ANDREW BONAR
The one concern of the devil is to keep the saints from prayer. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work, prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray. - SAMUEL CHADWICK
We are discussing the idea of reviving our Care Teams - Care Teams can become our Reaching Teams - and one of these Teams will be the UP-reach team - a team whose sole purpose is to spend its time praying for the IN-reach team whose sole purpose is to minister to our members and praying for our OUT-reach team whose sole purpose is to connect with our 1st time, 2nd time and long-time guests and people of our community, county to make disciples. The UP-reach team will also be praying for our members and those we are trying to reach to become members.
We are discussing the idea of reviving our Care Teams - Care Teams can become our Reaching Teams - and one of these Teams will be the UP-reach team - a team whose sole purpose is to spend its time praying for the IN-reach team whose sole purpose is to minister to our members and praying for our OUT-reach team whose sole purpose is to connect with our 1st time, 2nd time and long-time guests and people of our community, county to make disciples. The UP-reach team will also be praying for our members and those we are trying to reach to become members.
Prayer is the roof and the foundation for everything we do.
Prayer is our worship. Rejoicing in Jesus begins with prayer.
15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.
Rejoicing in Jesus begins with prayer.
Prayer is the roof and the foundation for everything we do.
is the epitome of that, and is the core text for the prayer of a text-driven life.
Text-driven lives lead to a text-driven church. A text-driven church is a praying church. A praying church is a church Reaching the World to make disciples who live text driven lives.
is the epitome of that, and is the core text for the prayer of a text-driven life.
How do I read this passage in such a way that the words are alive and living right now in my context, my circumstances, my course of life?
How do I allow the scripture to adjust my feelings, thoughts, attitudes and actions?
is the epitome of that, and is the core text for the prayer of a text-driven life.
In this Psalm we find 22 sections. 8 verses per section. 176 verses - most all form one of 3 types of prayers: Affirmation or Adoration (26x), Request or Confession (51x) and Declaration (118x). From these 3 types most all other prayers can be formed, from these 3 types we can form our text-driven life of prayer.
In your text-driven prayers:
Before you say anything else in Prayer focus on the One to Whom you are praying.
Before you say anything else in Prayer focus on the One to Whom you are praying.
Remember what I said last week about the Bible being for us but not about us. That holds true for pray as well. Prayer is for us but prayer should never be about us. Prayer is to God about God.
Our prayer should always begin with an affirmation of who God is or proclaiming our adoration for Him.
Some researchers suggest there are about 222 prayers in the Bible. Some say more. Most of which are God’s people repeating God’s promises, or giving God praises.
How do I read this passage in such a way that the words are alive and living right now in my context, my circumstances, my course of life?
The OT gives us great examples of that:
- Nehemiah receives a horrible report about the condition of his homeland and his people. His first response is prayer, but his first portion of his prayer is to occupy his mind with who God is: “O Great and Awesome God.”
How do I allow the scripture to adjust my feelings, thoughts, attitudes and actions?
5 And I said: “I pray, Lord God of heaven, O great and awesome God, You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love You and observe Your commandments,
5 I said, Lord, the God of the heavens, the great and awe-inspiring God who keeps his gracious covenant with those who love him and keep his commands,
Daniel in exile after reading God’s revelation according to the prophet Jeremiah responds to God by saying in essentially the same prayer.
4 And I prayed to the Lord my God, and made confession, and said, “O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments,
4 I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: Ah, Lord—the great and awe-inspiring God who keeps his gracious covenant with those who love him and keep his commands—
Daniel 9:
We find the same in the NT:
Jesus when teaching us to pray teaches us to begin with our focus upon who God is:
“Our Father” - A personal God who loves and cares for His children
“Who Art in Heaven” - A transcendent who is Sovereign and above His creation
“Hallowed be thy Name” - Holy and worthy of reverence
The new church when facing times of persecution prayed as a united group for boldness by first focusing on who God is and what He has the power to do:
24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together to God and said, “Master, you are the one who made the heaven, the earth, and the sea, and everything in them.
Acts
These believers were rejoicing in what they knew about God from His revelation in His Word. They went on to quote scripture () in their prayer.
While you have been reading through the Bible maybe you have begun to ask:
How do I read this passage in such a way that the words are alive and living right now in my context, my circumstances, my course of life?
How do I allow the scripture to adjust my feelings, thoughts, attitudes and actions?
With each passage you read look first for what it is saying about God, his character, his nature, his faithfulness, etc. Then during your prayer time - paraphrase that, repeat it, in some fashion use what His Word says about Him guide you to give him the sacrifice of praise - and Rejoice in Him.
Fill your mind with who God is and you will recognize better who you are and what you need prayer for and about.
Let your request of God begin with your greatest need from God.
Let your request of God begin with your greatest need from God.
In - the writer declares that from God’s laws he is “warned” - which is also means “enlightened”
The more we read of God’s Word the more we become enlightened and aware of our greatest problem and our greatest need.
- “Errors” - are those sins or wrongs committed w/o knowledge of God’s moral and ethical requirements which can only be changed by Holy Spirit education. The “secret or hidden” sins are the ones that are too characteristic to register in our minds without the Holy Spirit illumination. “Presumptuous” sins are the arrogant and audacious behaviors against God with a conscious knowledge. All of these sins will have dominion or rule over us without Holy Spirit transformation.
Errors - are those sins or wrongs committed w/o knowledge of the moral requirement
There was a preacher running late for an appointment in downtown. He drove around the parking lot 10 times looking for an empty space. The only clear spot had a sign reading “No Parking.” He put a note on his window after parking there that said, “Late for my appointment. Tried 10 times. Forgive our trespasses.”
He came back to his car an hour later to find a note written by the policeman to say, “Been riding this neighborhood for 10 yrs. Will lose my job if I don’t ticket you. Lead us not into temptation.”
v.12 - “cleanse” means to keep punishment from me
v.13 - “keep back” means to restrain me.
29 Put false ways far from me and graciously teach me your law!
176 I wander about like a lost sheep; so come and look for me, your servant, because I have not neglected your laws.
29 Put false ways far from me and graciously teach me your law!
Ps. 119:176
When reading a passage look for specific sins you may need to confess, look for something about your nature or attitude God may be trying to transform.
When you read in scripture about the sins of others, take the same approach as Isaiah, Nehemiah and Daniel. They made a confession of sin - not about those out there but included themselves
When you read in scripture about the sins of others, take the same approach as Isaiah, Nehemiah and Daniel. They made a confession of sin - not about those out there but included themselves
Ask God for yourself and others to be:
redeemed from the punishment of sin
restrained from the practice of sin
released from the power of sin
Then our conscious and our connection will be clear to remind God with His word how He has promised to be faithful in His provisions for us and those who are called according to His name.
When reading a passage look for actions God is leading you to take and ask him when, where and how He wants you to accomplish them.
The requests “Thy will be done. Thy Kingdom Come” is a declaration that we want to be the ones to do His will and build His kingdom. Understanding = obedience
Let your prayers become your life-song you sing for God.
Let your prayers become your life-song you sing for God.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.
16 But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
Hebrews
“Meditation” - carries this image the original readers would have had of a musician plucking on the strings of a harp.
You’ve heart the old saying that pulls at my heartstrings - your deepest emotions or affections. The prayer the psalmist is praying and that you and I should pray everyday is, “God because I have read your word, and because I am in love with you and your word, please control the music of my heart. Please move me by what moves you. Please make me compassionate for those you are for. Please break my heart for people who are lost and destined for hell unless you save them.”
Casting Crowns sings a song with a similar title: “lifesong sing” with these words:
Lord, I give my life
A living sacrifice
To reach a world in need
To be Your hands and feet
So may the words I say
And the things I do
Make my lifesong sing
Bring a smile to You
Conclusion: The intention God has in us reading the Bible is to hear from Him, but it is not enough simply to sit down, read the words, and rise to walk away with no response. No prayerful response leads to no fruitful results.
“The Word of God is inseparably linked with prayer. The two are solidly joined, twins from birth, and twins by life... The Word of the Lord is dependent on prayer for its rapid spread and for its full and most glorious success.” - E. M. Bounds
Text-driven lives lead to a text-driven church. A text-driven church is a praying church. A praying church is a church who will make disciples who live text driven lives.
We must bathe every ministry we have or will have in prayer if we are to ever see changed hearts and changed lives.
We must begin our time of commitment to evangelization by asking God for His empowerment upon us who share and for conviction upon the one needing conversion.
We must bathe every ministry we have or will have in prayer if we are to ever see changed hearts and changed lives.
The one concern of the devil is to keep the saints from prayer. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work, prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray. - SAMUEL CHADWICK
The one concern of the devil is to keep the saints from prayer. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work, prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray. - SAMUEL CHADWICK
We are discussing the idea of reviving our Care Teams - Care Teams can become our Reaching Teams - and one of these Teams will be the UP-reach team - a team whose sole purpose is to spend its time praying for the IN-reach team whose sole purpose is to minister to our members and praying for our OUT-reach team whose sole purpose is to connect with our 1st time, 2nd time and long-time guests and people of our community, county to make disciples.
The UP-reach team will also be praying for our members and those we are trying to reach to become members and hopefully everyone in our community. - Pray4everyhome campaign coming soon.
Prayer is our worship.
Prayer is our worship.
15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.
Rejoicing in Jesus begins with prayer.
Rooted in the Word begins with prayer.
Reaching the World begins with prayer.
Prayer is the roof and the foundation for everything we do in a text-driven life and a text-driven church.
Devotion - God is in control of your life regardless of what bad or good happens, you love God, you love His Word to us, and you just want to display it.