Essential 8- #5 Praying for Godliness
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· 5 viewsPrayer, often neglected, is a critical part of the believers life as it s the mode that God has ordained for us to speak to Him.
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As we continue this morning in our Essential 8 of discipleship we have walked through these though far
1- Salvation of a believer- Gospel sharing
2- Living a New Life - In Christ made new and HS filled
3- Spiritual Disciplines- Training in Godliness
4- Bible intake for Godliness- Digesting Gods truth for godliness
5- Praying for in pursuit of Godliness
When we speak of prayer- my heart always somewhat hurts
For I know I can always spend more time in it
For the new believer or maturing believer I believe we all can and must grow in this area
Donald Whitney used an illustration of the largest group satellites used to capture radio waves from outer space allowing them to map the universe
27 massive satellites along 37 miles of railway that pick up even the faintest radio waves
Of which was said that if you combined all radio waves ever, the equal the amount of force of one snowflake hitting the ground
These disk scan the heavens for the slightest radio wave all the while Whitney remarked
And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts,
God has spoken through his word clearly and his word clearly says we must pray and beyond that we must pray that and he will hear us
Just as the promises of God are for Gods people- so is the ear of God
Prayer from the unsaved heart has no promise of making it to the ear of God
God is not obligated to her their prayers outside the prayer of repentance of which he always answers
But this very action is one of an intimate relationship bought by the blood of Jesus alone and empowered by the HS living in you
So for me and you, the expectation of Scripture is for you and I to pray
The saints of old prayed
Gen 20:17 Abraham prayed and abimelechs family was healed
Gen 25:21- Isaac prayed and Sarah bore children
In Exodus- Deut Moses is often praying
1 Sam 1-2 Hannah is praying for a son fervently
1 Samuel 7:5- that son of Hannah is praying for the repentance of Gods people
2 Sam 7:18- david is praying
2 Kings 4- Elisha is praying
2 Kings 19- Hezekiah is praying
2 Chronicles 6- Solomon is praying
Ezra 10:1- Ezra we fond Ezra praying
Nehemiah 2:4- We find Nehemiah praying and all throughout the book he is doing the same
Not to mention the Psalms- all virtually are prayers and praise to God
We cant forget in Daniel- Who has to trapped by his godliness as he prays 3 times a day
pray without ceasing,
Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
Jesus will go away to pray or pray publically a recorded 35 times in the Gospel of Luke
He instructs his disciples in
“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.
And we will look at Luke 11 this AM as look at the Jesus instruction to the disciples on prayer
Read Luke 11:1-13
Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.”
The habit of Jesus was to pray
He often has special places he loved to pray, like the Mt of Olives
At times he takes the disciples with him and others he doesnt
But here is clear, after this prayer session- the Disciples have a desire to pray like Jesus as religious teachers were expected to teach there followers how to pray
And he said to them, “When you pray, say:
“Father, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
For all the years of being called the Lords prayer- it would be better named the disciples prayer- for the Lord will never seek forgiveness
Disclaimer- this prayer doesn't make you play any better before a sporting event and doesn't make skipping church for a baseball game permissible
But what it is a proper framework for our hearts to seek God with and if Jesus says in such a way he has, then it would be wise for us all to listen and apply
Its intimate
Father- Abba is the Aramaic
-Many have made the leap to “Daddy” but I think that lacks the reverence needed for the Holy One but it does grab the intimacy
No one in OT History called God “Father”
Jesus did and instructed his disciples to do so
This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
This very intimacy that Jesus expressed is why they seek to kill Jesus
We have been invited into intimate conversation of with King of World
2. Its reverent
-you wouldnt talk to the President- well maybe we shouldnt use him- just kidding
-when speaking to someone in authority- we should speak respectfully
-When we speak to God- we should do so reverently
-the name of God is to be used in prayer and praise not some derogatory loose lipped term that 90% of church uses profanely
-Beloved, he made the universe by his very word- there is none like him
-IF we dont revere his name properly, why would the world
Exodus 19- God descends on Mt Sinai in spoke and lightning and the people sit in fear
Same God we are speaking about
Or in Tabernacle or Temple- the HP alone was able to enter the HOH and even then we would have a rope tied around his foot least he not confess and be pure of heart before the Lord and him strike him down out of His holiness
Same God beloved
In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory!”
And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”
Same God beloved
When we speak to the Holy One- we need to come more so in reverence like Moses- taking our shoes spiritually because we are treading on Holy ground
But yet the Holy One- condescends in grace for you and I to call him “Father”
3. Pray his kingdom come
This is not only in regards to the here and now but also in the second coming of Christ
As Jesus was present- he even says the Kingdom of has come among them
But also its the praying for the day when all wrongs are righted and Christ returns
I find that easier the older the I get and the more I see the world falling apart
But its easy to so heavenly minded that I become no earthy good for the Kingdom
We should pray for lost family members and friends, that the Kingdom would prevail and sin would be put away, that nations would turn and trust God
But should also pray for his return, knowing that in that moment the perfect will of God is complete
4. Meet our needs
-Prayer therefore also has a personal needs element
-The Bible reminds us Matt 6 that God knows we need these things
-Jesus ate too
-But there a natural dependency that is to be seen here
-Every bit of food we eat, clothes we wear, breath we take is given by God
-We in and of ourselves have nothing- its all a gift
-So as Jesus instructs the disciples concerning their daily bread- he is emphasizing our daily dependence on God for all things
-You cant eat two meals at once, you cant take two breaths at a time and you cant take two days at a time
-Its one day, one breath, one step, one meal- all by Gods grace
-We need to be remind ourselves of that
-Because far to often, we look back and say look what we did
-We are daily dependent on God for all things
5. Forgive our sins
How can ever forget about our greatest need of God
-We can miss a meal or two and be ok- be we cannot even for one sin come into the presence of God and expect to let in
-Sin is abhorrent to the Holy one hence the horrific nature of the cross
-By the precious blood of Jesus, we can are saved
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins
The hymns goes- “a Child of the King”
I once was an outcast stranger on earth,
A sinner by choice, an alien by birth!
But I've been adopted, my name's written down,
An heir to a mansion, a robe and a crown.
May we never go back to vomit pile of sin and dwell on who we used to be but may we also never forget its smell
Its grace we need beloved, and its grace we find in Christ
But just as Peter didnt need Jesus need wash his whole body in the upper room, he needed his feet washed
That was symbolic of our daily need for seeking forgiveness from the Lord
Jesus anchors our daily necessity of forgiveness to Lord, to our necessity of forgiving others there infraction against us
Many may still be sitting here with a long list of wrongs that they wont let go
All the while forgetting their is innocent blood on our hands
Not to mention the grace and forgiveness I want people to show me
I sat in a youth room at camp one night and had a fella come up in tears and begging for forgiveness because of the words he said to me
I remember telling him, “a real man admits when he made a mistake, I forgive you.”
Can I encourage us all to keep short accounts with God and man
Seek forgiveness and give forgiveness
5. Guide our steps
Temptations are coming our way, we dont need to give them directions to our house and heart
We need to pray, “God keep me from the sin that wants to get me”
-That may require a change of hobbies, movies, etc to accomplish it
Speaking of the adultering woman and the danger that surrounds her Prov 6
Can a man carry fire next to his chest
and his clothes not be burned?
Or can one walk on hot coals
and his feet not be scorched?
So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife;
none who touches her will go unpunished.
Beloved, that goes for all sin but can I encourage every person here today guard your mind and heart in sexual purity
We need to pray for protection from sin that so easily traps us
6. We need to pray often Vs 5-10
And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.
Jewish had one common sleeping room, so when one got up, most probably would
So each knows he imposition he is creating by knocking late at night
-in just as opposite a way, Jesus ask, seek, knock
-Pray and pray often
-God desires to hear our prayers of dependence not just bail me out
the greatest prayer is simply one of “Thy will be done”
-may we continue onward knowing
Delight yourself in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
7. We need to pray because God is faithful Vs 11-13
What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
His point is no father would deliberately do harm to his child
Only a deranged fool would be deliberately hurtful
In just the opposite- God is ever so much the faithful and kind
But beyond a gift of food and clothing- how much greater they gift of HS to all who repent and trust in Jesus
The HS becomes our prayer guide and autocorrect
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
Beloved the HS steps in when we dont even know what to pray and being God himself- intercedes and autocorrects our prayer to the will of God
Gods will is always good for his people as he take us and conforms us into His image
So beloved, lets us be people of prayer