Convincing Prayer? (Exodus 32:1-14)
Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 49 viewsNotes
Transcript
There was a young boy who had a Geography test on countries and their capitals coming up and he was reviweing and studying for His test. At the end of His study He started to Pray, “Tokyo, Tokyo, Tokyo.” His father asked Him what he was doing, and he replied I want God to make Tokyo the capital of France.
I want to talk to you this morning about Persuasive or Convincing Prayer.
Introduction
Introduction
Why bother praying to God if He knows everything? If He has His own will?? Why won’t he do what I want Him to do?
In Pagan religions you do things to get the god’s attention, to get him to do what you want.
Jesus tells us not to worry about getting God’s attention
When you pray, don’t babble like the Gentiles, since they imagine they’ll be heard for their many words. Don’t be like them, because your Father knows the things you need before you ask him.
Last week, I told you to pray and not give up.
Today I'm telling you to pray convincing prayers. Although this statement is paradoxical (a seemingly self-contradictory statement that when investigated or explained may prove to be true.)
Humanly speaking when we need or want something bad enough we often resort to convincing whoever it is that we are asking.
Today’s teaching may be uncomfortable and this Scripture may go against what is traditionally taught (not biblical) regarding prayer.
The Scripture will help you understand more the Lord and Prayer.
Will God do what we want? Can we convince God?
READ Exodus 32:1-14
Background:
Background:
Egyptians are headed to the promised land but still in the wilderness
The people are rebellious. Complained about everything (no food, too much food, no water, too much water…)
They are tired of hearing from the Lord, So they just send Moses (Exodus 20:19)
Moses is up getting the Law from God
They disobey God’s rule regarding idol worship.
The people are convinced Moses is not coming back and tell Aaron to make them a false god.
God knows and tells Moses that the people have acted corruptly and deserved death.
God and Moses speak about the future of the people.
The Omniscient God
The Omniscient God
The Lord spoke to Moses: “Go down at once! For your people you brought up from the land of Egypt have acted corruptly. They have quickly turned from the way I commanded them; they have made for themselves an image of a calf. They have bowed down to it, sacrificed to it, and said, ‘Israel, these are your gods, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.’ ” The Lord also said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and they are indeed a stiff-necked people.
When you pray you pray/talk to an Omniscient God
Omniscient (Omni= all; scire=knowing)
God knows all.
God knows His people (their whereabouts, their needs)
Don’t be like them, because your Father knows the things you need before you ask him.
The Hebrews broke the second commandment (No other gods before me) because they were delayed Moses presence.
The Hebrews thought they got ahead of God in making provisions for themselves.
God knows the disposition of mankind (stiff-necked) They do not hear God and they are in opposition to Him!
Remember these Hebrews are in need of God. Moses is talking to God on their behalf.
Imagine if God would do what these people wanted?! We are like these people sometimes.
We often WANT what we don’t need, and NEED what we don’t want!
And my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Sin does not stop the will of God, but you might experience the consequence of not following His will.
A few weeks ago my car broke down and I called my mechanic. My mechanic specializes in BMW’s. This conversation lasted 1 minute exactly. I told him my cars symptoms and he told me exactly what was wrong and how much it would cost to fix it.
Because he specializes in BMW’s he knows how to cure the needs of repair.
God specializes in His creation and knows what we need.
Prayer is rooted in the Purpose of God!
The Immutable God
The Immutable God
Now leave me alone, so that my anger can burn against them and I can destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.”
But Moses sought the favor of the Lord his God: “Lord, why does your anger burn against your people you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and a strong hand? Why should the Egyptians say, ‘He brought them out with an evil intent to kill them in the mountains and eliminate them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce anger and relent concerning this disaster planned for your people. Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel—you swore to them by yourself and declared, ‘I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and will give your offspring all this land that I have promised, and they will inherit it forever.’ ” So the Lord relented concerning the disaster he had said he would bring on his people.
God is Immutable meaning He does not Change
“Because I, the Lord, have not changed, you descendants of Jacob have not been destroyed.
God doesn’t make idle threats! He keeps His promises!
God knows what we need before we ask, He keeps His promises and doesn’t renig
“Blessed be the Lord! He has given rest to his people Israel according to all he has said. Not one of all the good promises he made through his servant Moses has failed.
Moses dosn’t try to persuade the Lord or Convince the Lord, but Moses intercedes for the People.
Imagine two people about to fight and a third person steps in to take the blow.
Moses states three things about God’s character of consistency and faithfulness
1.Why should God nullify the result of his demonstration of divine power? (“whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand”).
2.Why should God grant the Egyptians delight in seeing the Israelites crushed—and by their own God? (“Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth’ ”).
3.Why should God go back on his promises to the patriarchs? (“Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever’ ”).
Moses' prayer was not about his convincing but about God’s character.
The only one who was convinced in this prayer was Moses (His repeating of God’s character didn’t inform God but it reminded Moses)
Moses’ prayer was about who he believed God to be (His faith in God).
God “relented” the text says
God is not a man, that he might lie,
or a son of man, that he might change his mind.
Does he speak and not act,
or promise and not fulfill?
meaning he showed Grace (He did not give them what they deserved)
Moses’ prayer helped him to see the will of God
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.
The righteous man will see the Will of God manifested.
Moses prayed God’s will (v. 11-13)
This is the confidence we have before him: If we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears whatever we ask, we know that we have what we have asked of him.
If anyone sees a fellow believer committing a sin that doesn’t lead to death, he should ask, and God will give life to him—to those who commit sin that doesn’t lead to death. There is sin that leads to death. I am not saying he should pray about that.
“Truly I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do. And he will do even greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
“If you love me, you will keep my commands.
In prayer, God’s will is the issue.
You can not manipulate or convince God.
The day before Thanksgiving an elderly man in Phoenix called his son in New York and said to him, "I hate to ruin your day, but I have to tell you that your mother and I are divorcing; 45 years of misery is enough. We’re sick of each other, and so you call your sister in Chicago and tell her."
Frantic, the son called his sister, who exploded on the phone. "Like heck they’re getting divorced," she shouted, "I’ll take care of this."
She called Phoenix immediately, and said to her father. "You are NOT getting divorced. Don’t do a single thing until I get there. I’m calling my brother back, and we’ll both be there tomorrow. Until then, don’t do a thing, DO YOU HEAR ME?"
The man hung up his phone and turned to his wife. "Okay, honey. The kids are coming for Thanksgiving and paying for their flights."
It’s not your WAY unless its His WILL!
“Therefore, you should pray like this:
Our Father in heaven,
your name be honored as holy.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And do not bring us into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Don’t Pray your way, but pray his will
Prayer is purposed in God
Prayer binds us to God (relationship)
Prayer is a classroom that teaches who God is.
The prayer that gets to heaven is the prayer that starts in HEaven.