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Our sermon will be on Luke 10:17-20

We have a website: https://tahlequahworshipcenter.com/

We have a change to our Constitution

Prayer requests:

Sue

Georgey

Billy and his Dad

Dorcus

Ashley

Barbara’s Sisters

Songs

At Calvary

How Beautiful Heaven Must Be

Bring Them In

Somebody’s Prayin’

Pray, Pray, Pray

A few days ago, Lizzie had a game. It was in Westville. Which is a weird name for a town that is right on the eastern edge of OK.

Anyways, she texted that her game was over and they were going to stop by Subway and head home.

Then she said Probably 40 minutes - and a couple of minutes later she said “Dad”.

I figure she was making sure I got the message.

I texted “Yeah I saw your message. I was busy making grilled chicken and mac & cheese”

My grilled chicken is a one of our favorites. And mac & cheese

She texted, “Save me some”

and “I don’t have money”

I texted “Why didn’t you have any money”

She replied “Cause no one gave me any”

I texted “You didn’t ask”

She replied “That’s a dumb reason”

But is it?

If I go to work and I deal with a chair that is a piece of junk, Is it my employer’s fault or is it mine?

We are going to explore those questions today in Pray, Pray, Pray.

Luke 11:1–13 NKJV

1 Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.” 2 So He said to them, “When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. 3 Give us day by day our daily bread. 4 And forgive us our sins, For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one.” 5 And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; 6 for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? 8 I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs. 9 “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 11 If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

The Process

There’s a parallel passage of sorts in Matthew 6. It’s part of t he Sermon on the Mount. In it Jesus said to not pray with vain repetitions as the heathen do. Then he said to pray in this manner or way.

Many people actually pray this as a mantra, not following what Jesus asked us to do.

Jesus is telling us that there is a Process, a manner, a method to Prayer

We need to address who we are talking to: God, our Father, Yahweh or Jehovah, El Shaddai or the Almighty. Even the Man Upstairs.

We need to understand his holiness. his pureness. We need to understand that he is the maker, the creator and that we are lowly and sinful

We need to remember that there is a coming kingdom where God will set it all right. We need to understand that all is under God’s kingdom and his kingdom is now and his will, will be done.

We need to ask God for our daily needs. God cares for us and he will provide for us. In the Matthew account, Jesus talks about the lilies of the field and how God cares for them and they don’t care for anything. He says we should care for nothing, but understand that God will take care of us.

We need to ask for forgiveness. We need to have an attitude of repentance. We need to understand that we are sinful beings. Let me see the hands of everyone that doesn’t sin.

We need to forgive. How many people do you know that holds on to hate? Let me ask you this: how many church issues are because of unforgiveness? We hold on to things we shouldn’t. Listen to this: in Matthew, it adds another saying. Matthew 6:15

Matthew 6:15 NKJV

15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

We need to ask God for protection. Protection from temptation and protection from evil. There are all kinds of things out there with evil intentions. Spiritual and physical. Whether it’s coming after us physically, or spiritually, we need protection.

We shouldn’t pray this as a mindless prayer, but instead it’s the way or manner or the process in which we pray.

If you pray this word for word every day and mean it, that’s fine. It’s not the words we say, but the way we pray.

Some of my most powerful prayers came without words.

So not only the Process of Prayer is important, but also ...

The Persistence

The next teaching of Jesus is called the Parable of the Persistent Friend

We have a story of someone who is asking for food. The details are not important, but the fact that he continues to ask again and again.

There is a similar passage in

Luke 18:1–8 NKJV

1 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, 2 saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. 3 Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ 4 And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, 5 yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ” 6 Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. 7 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? 8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”

The Persistence

This is an unjust judge. So the question is what will a just God give us?

Luke 11:9–10 KJV 1900

9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

But God is not a Genie in a bottle.

How many of you have prayed a prayer that God didn’t answer?

How many of you have prayed a prayer that God did answer?

There are 2 passages that address this:

James 4:3 NKJV

3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.

So how do we ask properly? We need to read a passage to get the context.

1 John 3:18–23 NKJV

18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. 20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. 22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.

Ask, and it shall be given to you

Here’s the problem: We don’t have peoples or our best interests at heart.

The truth is that God knows what’s best for us.

I heard a story years ago. I’m sure I’ve told you before. There was an evangelist visiting this church. While he was preaching, his young boy started acting up. The evangelist, without skipping a beat, started down toward the boy. He grabbed him as he was still preaching, and headed out the door. As they passed the last pew, the boy grabbed the back of the pew and yelled “Pray, Saints, Pray.”

Here’s the deal, although the boy couldn’t see it, he was getting what he needed. His father knew what was best for him.

The power lies not in prayer itself, but the power lies in the one to whom we are praying!

The Person

What’s important is who we are praying to.

God knows what’s best for us.

He’s going to give us what we need.

If Lizzie had asked me for money, I would have given it to her. It was too late for that, but I made a plate for her and although it was cold, at least she had some food.

God loves us and he will provide. He will answer.

We must pray.

If you have health problems, ask God to help.

If you need comfort, ask God to help.

If you need help, ask God for it.

If someone has wronged you, ask God bless them.

Matthew 5:44 NKJV

44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,

It may not change them, but it could change you.

"The reality is, my prayers don't change God.  But, I am convinced prayer changes me. " - Lysa TerKeurst

The Person

The thing that we are missing in this world is love.

The only thing that can change that is prayer.

What if Christians were known not for their hate, but for their love?

This community need prayer, our country needs prayer, this world needs prayer.

See, we are too busy preaching Hell fire and damnation to the world to reach down and lift them out of the flames.

Yesterday I went to see Billy at St. Francis.

It’s named after St. Francis of Assisi. He once wrote:

No brother should preach contrary to the form and regulations of the holy Church nor unless he has been permitted by his minister … All the Friars … should preach by their deeds.

The Person

In other words, make sure your deeds match your words.

That’s our problem: (not necessarily this church) We are not loving others like Jesus told us to.

So when you pray, pray that you may act like Jesus did.

When we ask with the right intentions, then the Father, through the Holy Spirit, will give us.

God wants good things for us and we should pray for it.

Let’s pray that this church becomes a beacon for this community.

Let’s pray that those in this church are healed.

Let’s pray that God takes care of us.

Let’s pray that the lost are saved!

The power of prayer doesn’t come from our process, persistence, or person

Instead it comes from power of the one to whom we are praying.

Are you ready for the power of God?

Will you pray with me?