Gospel Fluency & Prayer

Gospel fluency and prayer we are going to continue our series on gospel fluency. And I love to start with reading scripture every time so I'm going to ask you to grab your bible as your electronic devices, whatever you have and turn the Hebrews chapter 4 verses 14 through 16. And then for just a second. I'm going to go to Revelation chapter 8. I never going to pray. So here's what the Bible says. The writer of Hebrews said since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens Jesus the son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are yet without sin. Let us then with confidence. Draw near to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find Grace to help. in the time of need Revelation 1 when the land lamb opened the seventh seal there was silence in heaven. for about an hour pray as if everything depends on it because it does gospel fluency in prayer. Let's pray Heavenly Father.

We're together is your family the reminder always to me that your presents are reminder that your Holy Spirit dwells within us and Christ a reminder that you're speaking if we listen and I pray that we can hear you Lord God or do we want to be fluent in the good news about what you came to do in the good news of Jesus Christ. We're everywhere we go and all the things that we do and all the things we say would be overshadowed by that. We want to be so in love with you because of what you've done for us. We want to have open and honest transparent communication with you no matter where we go, and no matter what we do or we thank you for this morning and your word in Jesus name. amen

So one of the things being flew in the gospel means is understanding we have access. I'm going to pause there for a minute and several weeks ago Jeremy and I got talking about a book and it's called letters to the churches and is written by.

Francis Chan, thank you and asked me if I'd read it and I had not so I read the book and there's some things that kind of screamed at me now the phrase I just used pray because everything depends on it because it does didn't come out of that book is just but what's been ringing in my head as I read the book and one of the things Pastor Chan said to his pastor's is he creates Community Church in house after house question? Do you pray at least 2 hours a day? Which I thought was a pretty bold straightforward shocking answer and he said that those that answer no. I find a way to replace them. And that was shocking to me that he'd be that directing Bolton up front and then he said something else which really it cuts in my heart as a password cut to my heart as a human being is a husband and a father and everything else. He said that

because When we don't pray. We demonstrate a lack of humility in the presence of God. We demonstrate to God that we believe we can do what we do without him. And then he said something that shocked me said I would prefer my pastors do nothing but pray and nothing else. Then to not pray and do things. So when I say I'm being flew in the gospel means understanding we have access. I want to start with unpacking a little bit some of the big picture items of prayer. Can I do that?

I'm going to go to Hebron back to Hebrews chapter 4 and I want to read through this and talk about it just a bit. Because this is all about what gospel fluency is and it starts with Jesus. The gospel is what primarily it's a person and the person's name is Jesus and it's all that he did for us. It's not a a system. It's not a behavior is not actions is not things like that is actually having a relationship with a person that transforms our lives from the inside out as we live our life here on this Earth. And here's what the writer Hebrew says since then we and we are us in the church. We have a great high priest. I understand. They understood the priests is someone that represents. the people to God I want the right of Hebrews is saying we have a great high priest and we know he's Jesus cuz it's going to come here in a minute. He represents us to got he's already done and he's the great high priest. He's not a high priest and he's represented as to God. He's passed through the heavens. He came from Heaven to Earth as a baby. He was born normally if your baby were born, but he was born. He grew up. He was in obedience to his parents. He became an adult's he entered the ministry that God had for him. He lived a sinless life. He died on the cross was buried you wouldn't spoke to the prisoners that were in Hell the prisoners that were in Hades at the time. He raised from the dead in 3 days and you send it back into we're into the heavens. So he's been there. He's been here he's done. What he needed to do ear. He died on the cross for our sins. He became the good news on our behalf. And he returned to the father and then he says Jesus is son of God. Let us hold fast to our confession if we confess with our mouths, Jesus is Lord. We're supposed to hold fast to the fact that Jesus is the one that's done all that for us and that he is the Lord. He's the king of kings. He is the one that is it is about everything for everything that we do we're supposed to hold fast to that and believe that God has raised him from the dead. We're holding faster a confession of faith. It goes on to say because of what Jesus did for we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses. There's something significant about the King of Kings comes as a man that experience is the exact same things. We have to experience as we live in this life. It means it's not a mystery to them. It means he didn't create us and let us go and just watch us do and not know exactly what it means to live in the flesh to be in the body to have to depend on the Holy Spirit just like we depend on to get things done. He knows what it's like to sympathize with our weakness but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are tempted me trials challenge, it means all the hardships and difficulties in joys of life. He went through he knows what that's like what he did it without he never miss the mark. Did God intended for he was able to do that only being a human being and he did that for us? What then?

draw near to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find Grace to help. In the time of need here's what it's saying. Jesus did it all. He returned to the throne room. He's giving us access to his throne room through him in as a result of that. He says let us draw near the throne room of Ray so we can find Mercy and we can have Grace when When we need it, I want you to consider the possibility that that is true when we talked about prayer even moves on and this is found in the book of Ephesians chapter 2 verses 5 and 6. This is written by Paul.

Any phrase that just a little bit differently, but the messages virtually the same even when we were dead in our trespasses all the things we did to miss the mark of what God would have us to do. He is implied there based on the first before he made us alive together with Christ. So, who are we alive with? Did you know you and Christ have been crucified with Christ? Did you know you're already dead in Christ? That's literally what that means. We are raised with him. We live with him. by grace his unmerited favor, even though we didn't deserve it. This is part of the good news you have been. Say any raises up with him. And where are we seated?

with Christ where And how many rounds know that is hard to understand. We just read the passage before that in Hebrews were says he's in the heavens and he's giving his complete and direct access to the throne room. Let me say that we have access to the throne room right now and not only does he say that there will be a day when physically physically Spiritually together we will be there right now. Where are you seated?

With Christ in the Heavenly Realms, we talked about heaven and Earth being folded over on one another not really separate places. They're almost like parallel universe with lots of fold went when when Steven when the heavens were open and he saw the kingdom of God. They're open right where he was standing Heaven Wasn't a long ways off somewhere. It was right here in his presence. The heavenlies heaven is in our presents right now and you are seated with him in the Heavenly Realms. What does that mean? It is a follower of Christ you have access to the throne room of Grace know that's important because when we talk about prayer and we feel like prayers are bouncing off the ceiling and it's not getting anywhere. Where is God Did he miss it know he hears it we're going to talk about there must be something else going on because I think it's important that we clearly understand. That is God's people that to be proficient to be fluent in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You must understand is part of your prayer life that Jesus has given us access. I mean move on. Being fluent in the gospel means understanding that prayer has impact even when it doesn't appear like it is and that's important as well because sometimes we don't understand prayer and I'm going to go to the last chapter in the book. I'm going to go to Revelation because Revelation tells us a glimpse of figurative glimpse of what happens when we pray and I think this matters and I think you need to hear it because there's all the times in our lives when we pray and we say, oh God, how come you're not hearing me? Oh God. How come you're not doing the things I like? Oh God. How come you didn't save my parents? How come you didn't save my daughter? How come you didn't save? How come you didn't do? How come you didn't prevent the shooting? Oh God. How come you didn't do those things? And we believe that God can't do anything and isn't involved in what's happening in this world, but I'm here to tell you that he is. And the prayers of God have impact.

Revelation chapter 5 verse 8 now. I can't don't have the time to give you the context of what's going on here, but I can tell you that John isn't it is in the presence of the throne room of God. He's in the presence of the Heavenly and what's happening now is God is sitting on his throne and in his handy as a scroll it's written on both sides and it's sealed with Seven Seals and the call goes out who is able and worthy to open the scroll the scroll is going to reveal the will of God the scroll this going to reveal ultimately with Jesus going to do to get rid of all the evil. We've been praying against and all the all that the challenges of the Fall. We live in through sickness and death in things that go bad and Things That Go Right everything that's wrong with the world is because of the Fall is because Adam and Eve fell and we were born under the fall and we know Lucifer send even before there was a sin here Lucifer rebelled and stepped outside of God. Everything is all Askew in a ride because of that and so John's in the presence of God and there's the seal it needs to be open and it's going to reveal how God's going to reclaim all the evil that's happened here. And what he's going to do in the car goes out who is worthy to open the seals the scroll and they looked and they looked in fact if it was a movie they have tension music going on right now because no one's been able to find who was able to open it. Finally. Someone says wait a minute.

Jesus the lion of the tribe of Judah the birth the descendant of David the Messiah he is able to open the scroll and there's almost inaudible.

In the room when you hear that.

And when you're taking the scroll, that's Jesus. He's going to open it. He's going to begin revealing what's going to happen to make everything, right? The four living creatures with her around the throne room in the 24 Elders which represent the nation of Israel the 12 tribes of Israel in the 12 apostles in the Christian church. They fell down before the land. Is this an act of worship they worship that's what the word mean each holding a heart. Yes. There's going to be instruments in heaven. And golden bowls full of incense which are the prayers of the Saints you get this is magnificent picture in heaven. It's it's beautiful it Sparkles. It shines its piercing and then this bloody lamp shows up. In fact, the scripture says, he looks like a lamb that was slain. So that's not going to be that pretty this bloody lamp shows up and he's he is able to open the scroll and when he opens the scroll we reveal that the 24 Elders representing Israel and Christianity modern day, they fall down in their face and what do they have in their hands?

Your prayers in Golden bowls. They have them there being presented to God just like Incense so we don't know how all that works right now. We we don't symbolically, you know how to figure this out and put it all together. What would that mean does every prayer you've ever prayed? I believe based on the review of the scripture is where It's in a Golden Bowl being held by those who represent us in heaven Before the Throne Room of God. It's there. I'm going to jump forward. The Revelation chapter 8 and hear seals are open a lot of stuff happens judgement happens famine happens people died plays occur. There's all kinds of things that go on in heaven and then they get to the seventh seal. Now 7 means completion that means perfect and complete and they get to the seventh seal. And so the lamb Jesus who's the only one that was able to open the seal open the seventh seal and the thing that happened it hasn't happened in the entire Book of Revelation up to this point was there was silence

I've only done it about 15 seconds, and it's already unnerving. Just imagine. you get to this climax in the heavenlies and there is Silence it's been a noisy place. There's been singing There's Been praising. There's been things happening. There's been thunder and lightning. There's been there's been seals have been broken and things that are happening on the earth. It's been a pretty noisy seeing Heaven and Earth together and how they work together place and all of a sudden there's dead complete silence and it was for about 30 minutes. Could you imagine silence in this room After experiencing the holy moment you've seen and nothing's going on. I'm going to say alive silence Not Dead Silence. I almost said Dead Silence. That would be probably inappropriate in this context alive silence.

Then I saw this is John. The seven angels stand before God and seven trumpets were getting given to them. Now. It's what's interesting in Revelation is every time there's a 7 the next seven comes in the seven. So they're overlapping or they run circuitously not quite sure how that works, but they're overlapping but you get to the seventh seal their seven trumpets you get to the end of the seven trumpets and they're seven bowls full of Wrath and they always happen in the 707 is is the act of perfection Seven trumpets were given to them which of the trumps trumpets they're going to be thrown in another. Angel could have came and stood at the altar with a golden censer and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of

all the saints and I want you to think about this just for a minute. somehow it seems like there was a transaction that occurred that we didn't see where the 24 Elders gave prayers to this powerful Angel and I'm sure prayers are always being presented by guy. But but there they are.

And he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the Saints on the golden altar Before the Throne. Rozonda say and the smoke of the incense. With the prayers of the Saints Rows up from God in the hand of the angel.

Emagine silence in my mind's eye. I see the stuff going on in dead silence when prayers are being offered to God. And it's a holy moment things are beginning to change in the heavenlies at this point. Things are going to go from what is to the Judgment that's coming after the thing that's beginning to set the world straight with with the plagues and stuff when the trumpets are blown is going to begin the wrath of God on people and on the world and on the Earth. They're not with him. That's what's beginning to happen in for all those times. We cried out how long God for all those times we cried out. How could you allow people to do this for all those times that we cried out to him because of the evil that's in the world. And yes evils in the world. This is exactly a moment in time figuratively the scripture demonstrates where your prayers go the power they have and what they do. Even if it doesn't seem like it happens right now. You got to remember Heaven's Timeless. Remember that? We don't know how this happens in this is Sterling what order but we do know your prayers matter that they have impact. Then the angel took the censer filled it with fire from The Altar and threw it on the earth and they were peals of thunder in Rumblings and flashes of lightning. In an earthquake now all seven trumpet blasts after this which is the wrath of God beginning to be poured out on the earth come with things being thrown to the Earth. It just makes me wonder. The prayers mixed with fire and incense was thrown to the Earth. Maybe that is God's answer to our prayer for how long you have to understand that the world we live in right now is not it. The world we live in right now is not final if we're looking for things to be perfect year were in the wrong place. It's not going to be perfect hear. There's going to be probably just going to be issues are going to be bad things that happen. We're going to pray about those in there going to appear to seem an answer. But when you stand Before the Throne Room of God, what do we open with? But when you stand Before the Throne Room of God from that throne room is going to come God's answer to all the evil that happens on the year. and part of it is a result of your prayer

being fluent in the gospel means understanding prayer is relational. I'm not going to completely unpacked this this week. But this is one of the really important things. I think we really need to talk about the understand what prayers about Trevor's relational. I'm going to go to Romans 8:15 now listen to the language here because I think this is really important it all begins when Jesus declares a model prayer this then is how you should pray our father

now, what's the father? the family member What's the father? He's a relationship? I think it's very clear how to identify the fact that this is a family relationship and that's who were speaking to. How does a perfect and good and loving father. Speak to you.

Paul in Romans chapter 8 says this For you did not receive the spirit of slavery when the Holy Spirit came within you you're not enslaved. to fall back into fear but you received the spirit of adoption as sons that weird always means daughters it when you read it in the Greek and implies both of you.

You receive adoption as his children by whom we cry what?

Abba Father is a little bit different than just father. It's Dad. Which makes it even more intimate to what we're talking about when you talk to your children, they're talking to their dad. That's intimate. That's close that's relational when you're talking to your father and you have to address him as father. It's not so much is really clear. You are part of God's family and you communicate to him as in family. I'm going to pack that a little bit later but not today. Galatians 4:6 same thoughts different book and because you are Sons and Daughters got his set his Spirit know. This is a little bit different. God has said his Spirit into our hearts. And what does the spirit cry?

Wow, not only do we cry Abba Father. We were in the first before but the spirit within us from sister cry Abba Father and we can talk to him. anyway We need to now we've been unpacking. A process it. We've been calling it fruit to route in route to fruits and I'm going to do that for a little bit with prayer this morning. So we get an understanding of kind of what I'm talking about understanding. It's that I pray has impact understanding that our first relational understanding that the gospel God did everything so that we can have access to the throne room understanding all of that was take a look at. When I do not pray, so here's my question and I have to ask myself this I was convicted is a begin reading that book again and it's not that we're not all convicted over and over again. I was sober and Ali convicted just by the way. This is read to me in the question is why don't I pray when I don't pray and we walked through this process. What am I doing it in? My mind's eye. What am I doing? When I don't play I who am I when I don't pray, what is God doing when I don't pray what how do I perceive he's doing? How do I receive God is and when we come to the place of repentance, which will talk about here in a minute. We begin to ask question, really? From the bottom up on the left. Who is God. Who is he really? What is God actually doing based on the scripture reveal and what he's promised to us, who am I because of that has he made me because of that and what am I doing is a result of that. So when I do not pray, what am I doing? First of all, this is call the Denny's and when I'm not praying I am not praying.

I got Dan to laugh. That was amazing. Not believing it really matters. Why don't we pray? Honestly, why don't we pray somehow we believe it really doesn't matter because we bought into the narrative and I've heard this is all the school shooting where people are coming out and saying I know you're praying. I don't want your prayers. I want action do something. Don't pray and I'm here to tell you based on what we've already unpacked prayer makes a difference and it has in fact, I'm not believing it matters at all. I'm not trusting God. I'm too busy how many of you are too busy to pray. I have use that excuse before it's not worth my time. Every time I pray things don't turn out the way they want to what do what I'm telling what I'm doing. The reason I'm doing it is based on this release that and I'm handling things. I'm going to do something I don't need to or I don't know how that's a real common answer. I can't tell you how many people talk to my wife are friends. There aren't necessarily part of this church most tomorrow and they say I need to pray for me. And if I come on don't you realize you have the same access to God that I have you don't need to ask me to pray for you. They don't know how So, who am I how do I perceive myself on a map Frank? I believe I'm self-esteem is opposed to goddess tea. Let me put that in there. My esteem comes from me. What I want to be is Christ to steam. But I'm selfish thing that I take care of myself. I'm self-centered the world rotates around the I'm the one in charge. Or it could be the opposite. I am just not good enough. I've had those prayers God. I believe you'll do this, but I don't believe you'll do it for me. I'm not deserving. God won't do it for me. I do not believe he answers me. That's kind of what we think about ourselves when we don't pray. What about how do we perceive what God is doing when we're not praying? Sometimes we think he's not doing anything. I can't see a god he's unreliable these powerless. I pray and pray and pray and let there has been some really important things that I prayed for my wife that were Godly and good and right and true and I prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed for months about those things and God didn't answer in the way. I wanted an answer and I was very angry with me him about that because and we almost feel like God can't you do something? And we get in those places and points in Lahore. again What's God doing? I just don't think God doesn't because he doesn't care about me. I see him doing this for other people around me, but I don't believe God really cares about me that demonstrates how we pray or he doesn't hear me. Maybe God doesn't like me. Maybe I'm the baby may be home. This ugly step headed red head kid that sits out. And you know, maybe that's to me. I don't know. What's God doing. How do we perceive who got it? Who is God we believe he may be too busy? He's got a lot going on. We may believe that he's wound up the Earth and set it into motion. He's not going to do anything about it until the end. We may believe he's an absent father. Some of us know what that feels like what it's like to have an absent father. We believe that maybe we feel like he just doesn't care. about small stuff like we're dealing with he's not concerned. He doesn't really love the aren't those the kind of things we say when we're not praying or we live is if they're true.

Then there comes repentance repentance. It's not going one way and turning and going the other way, even though very often. That's what it results in doing. What it is you're going one way your own way yourself esteemed way, you're self-centered way that I'm in charge way when it comes to these things you're doing that and you come to the place where you realize that God's the only answer for this and I turn in my start walking toward God now God promises when you walk toward him. He's going to take your life and begin to transform it from the inside out from the bottom to the top. You understand could want him saying he's going to start putting the right nutrients in The Roots. You know, so they move about but repentance means a change of mine. I realized I'm following the ways of the world my own way, but I need to follow God and I turned to follow God that's what repentance is and when they repent there's another set of questions that come up. What is God doing who is God because the root of everything we do is in Christ in a guy that centers on who is God really? God is love and I know we know that but if God is love and that's really who he is. That means all the stuff in the world happened around is that doesn't seem like his good has purpose in a loving father stands for us. I know that's a leap of faith, but that's what it says about who God is he is present. There's no place you can go there's nothing you can do. There's not any where you can hide from who God is because he is always present in the circumstances no matter what happens in the big word. These are the $25 theological works his omniscient omnipotent omnipresent. All of those things is exactly who God is and he is the one in control and we think the world is ending out of control. It is not God's in control world when we think the United States of America is out of control is not God is in control of the United States of America. He will work out his will and his way in this or that's because he loves us. It's the reason he came and died on the cross for us.

What is God doing?

He's whining. He's sustaining all things. He's causing all things work together for good to those who love him and are called according to his purpose now. That's really matter in Christ. That is the biggest promise that I've ever taken and understand it doesn't matter all the things that have happened in my life. And I know from this point of view, I look like life has been great for me my whole life and it has it. There's been a lot of problems and issues and trials of mistakes. I made in my years of insanity, but I call him when it when I absolutely open rebelled against God, but the point is I'm God causes all of it even in our sin to work together for good in Christ those who love him and are called according to his purpose, but that's what he doesn't your life with everything that comes your way. God is Forgiving it doesn't matter if you walked into the church building today declaring that you weren't going to pray to God because you didn't trust them. And now you may be rethinking that Stan said that God is forgiving anything happen you forgive. Who am I? I'm his child. We hear the word beloved. I'm his beloved. I'm loved by him. I'm dependent and humble the things that I do ever completely and totally dependent on what God calls me to do and what God calls you to do and I'm completely humble about that. Okay? Okay. I'm not all the time. God has to Humble me, but I try to recognize in my life without God I can do nothing and I really mean nothing I can do that with that. I didn't used to believe that when they was younger. I thought I could do some things and you know that life stuff that gets in your way guy convinced me know you can't do something. You need me to do those things. I'm a child of needing Direction. I'm not in charge. I'm trusting in Him. And I protected he hems me in in front beside me puts his hand on me even when it doesn't feel like it. What am I doing praying in faith? What am I doing when I begin to pray? Praying face I talk to God that this is a preschool line which Olympic a little bit more later. But when I talk to God, it means having communication with him and it can be anywhere. Anytime about anything because God is always with you. It doesn't matter how that works. And when that repels occurs, and we work from the root of who got is all the way at what does that bring us to do? the prey I'm going to challenge you the way I've been challenged by a book from Francis Chan to begin. praying being floor in the gospel means evaluating fruit through it. If your fruit demonstrates the things we talked about that are not trusting him. You need to evaluate that and ask yourself. Why? repentance is a matter of that when we come to the place where you consider the possibility that things can be different than they are if I just come to embrace and understand who God really is it changes everything and being fluent the gospel means confessing? Roots different when we understand who God is that's why I've told you before that I if I if I have to operate on on a background that I have to do something just because it's the right thing to do and do it. I will fail every time. If I operate from a system where I know God loves me and based on that relationship that he loves me that I can do things because he know he has my best interest at heart no matter what he asked me to do. I can do that because it's based on the strength of a relationship in his love for me that begins with the route and work to the fruit. I Jeremy said last week we don't have to declare stop it.

What were you going to do is walk down the road of because of who God is. I get to pray. I have access to him the prayers that I pray have impact. They do. They have they have significant impact and its relation which will be the topic from we gather together again, let's bow our heads and pray.