Truth Has Two Wings
Prayer - AW Tozer • Sermon • Submitted
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Transcript
Truth is like a bird, it can’t fly with one wing.
We as people, many times try to fly with only one wing flapping as quickly as it can.
We keep the other tucked out of sight.
Many times, we want to look at one side of the truth and not the other side of it.
There are many times we want to look at the side of truth that fits our situation and leave it at that.
Looking at all sides of truth, helps give us a balanced look at things the same way the second wing on the bird gives it balance and enables it to fly.
Many of the doctrinal divisions of the church come from this.
Each side holds on to the side of truth they claim and will not even give consideration to the other side.
This is a huge evil in churches.
How many divides in churches, whether that be an actual split or a dividing wall built between individuals because they refuse to look at the other side of the truth. Or to quote a famous radio voice, “and now the rest of the story.”
On a side note, yes I pay attention to our pastor when he is preaching. Hence the reference to Sunday’s sermon.
When we take these stances it effects our devotional lives since we are closed off to the Spirit working through these situations when they arise.
The lack of balance in our Christian lives can occur when we quote favorite scriptures, but forget the ones that correspond with it, or taking the verse out of context and the way it was used.
Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
When we only focus on part of the truth, it really isn’t truth.
We like to call them half-truths.
These can be more damaging ourselves, others, and our Christian walk.
When we do this, we are not putting the truth into practice.
It is like an unused muscle.
Jaylyne’s shin before and after surgery.
When we refuse to hear the other side of the story, or the verse, we become heretics.
Example: Christ died for our sins - past, present, and future. If this is true, then I don’t need to confess my sins.
This statement ignores the verses where it clearly states we need to confess the sins we have been convicted of.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Example: Praying for something twice.
Fallacy: If we pray for something more than once, we are saying we don’t have faith in the first prayer we offered.
#1 - It ignores a large body of Scripture
#2 - It rarely works in practice.
#3 - It robs the praying man of one of the strongest weapons he has in this battle we are waging.
If this were true:
David wouldn’t have written as many of the Psalms (about a third)
Elijah would’ve prayed once for one instead of seven times.
Paul continually prayed for God to remove the thorn from his side
Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.
Those who refuse to confess their sins are setting themselves up in spiritual pride.
How many prophets, psalmist, and saints confessed their sins in the Bible?
They didn’t hide from them when they were convicted. They placed them in the Bible so we could see this practice.
When we refuse to confess these sins before our Father, we are making ourselves better than the ones we read about in the Bible.
“Perhaps that is why they were such great souls and those who claim to have found a better way are so small.”
The devil has no issue or fear of the one-stop or one-prayer Christian.
It is the one who agonizes in intercession for the benefit of His people and the lost that Satan fears.
These are the people who you will typically see dealing with physical, emotional, and spiritual battles. Satan is going to do everything he can to dissuade them from their prayer life.
How can we test when we are unbalanced?
First, who gets the glory?
Does God get the credit when you have a prayer that is answered when you only pray once?
Second, is my relationship with God enhanced when I am praying to him?
Do I just go to God with requests? Do I spend time with him just to praise him?
Third, is there a supernatural element to the answers to my prayer?
Did God move the pieces of the answer together or was I just in the right place at the right time?
Fourth, do I feel a burden to pray for people who are beyond my area of influence.?
Lastly, do I have eyes to see the spiritual battle that’s going on around me?
James 4:1-10 focuses on the balance and symmetry we should have in prayer.
What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
Pay particular attention to verses 6-10
But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
If we are either slowly or quickly pulling away from God, me we realize that and draw near to Him. If we do that, He will draw near to us, that a promise.