What is hindering my prayers?
Notes
Transcript
Background
Background
In 1 Samuel 27 David the future king and servant of God has forsaken God because of a lack of faith
Saul, the current king stopped trusting the Lord and being obedient to the Lord a long time ago
Chapters 28-31 begin to alternate back and forth as the stories of these two men unfold (meanwhile . . .)
So finally we get to the point where both men are now facing a catastrophe and probable death
David because his town was raided and families taken, men want to kill him
Saul because he is facing a Philistine army greater than his
David sought God’s help and God helps him rescued everything
Saul also sought God’s help, and the next day he was killed, sons killed, army defeated, towns and territory lost
What’s up with that? We need to make a comparison, because don’t want to be like Saul, we all want David like results
Now when Saul was in trouble:
God is not into answering prayers, just because you prayed
God is not into answering prayers, just because you prayed
Sometimes I say yes because . . . .
I get tired of saying no
I don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings
I feel for the person so much, I go against my better judgment
God has none of my weaknesses, and thus none of those issues.
5 When Saul saw the camp of the Philistines, he was afraid and his heart trembled greatly. 6 When Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by prophets.
Saul asked the Lord for help . . . no response by dreams, by sacred lots, nor by any prophets
just silence . . . doesn’t seem fair, poor Saul . . . . but we must remember that
The heart of prayer is more important than the words of prayer
The heart of prayer is more important than the words of prayer
Jesus warned of vain repetitions, babbling on when praying
Then Christians have the Holy Spirit to intercede for us when we pray
Jesus gave a parable of one man who only said, “Lord be merciful to me, a sinner”, and that simple prayer made him right with God
Good news is that if your heart is right, your words don’t have to be perfect, religious sounding, deep . . . they just have to be real
from his history, Saul is one who tries to use God like a rich uncle, genie . . . doesn’t care to follow God, just wants the blessings . . . his heart is not right
God sought a replacement for him for that exact reason, paraphrase “I need a king whose heart is right”
Saul is not interested in pleasing God, but just in what can God do for me
I will be/look religious
like how we say a prayer over Thanksgiving dinner, but not over all the other meals throughout the year
I will follow God, but if things become inconvenient
and God knows this about Saul’s prayer, so his prayer goes unanswered
God has a history of exposing this truth in Saul, by making Saul wait when he is in a tough situation . . . (explain about waiting for Samuel)
something that God uses with us . . . waiting exposes a lot
some people will move on and not wait on consumation . . . you’re not worth all that
and Saul fails again . . .after not getting what he wanted from God, when he wanted it, he went to the next rich uncle, genie
7 Then Saul said to his servants, “Seek for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “Behold, there is a woman who is a medium at En-dor.”
I can’t hear from God, let’s see if I can hear from a medium, witch, spiritist . . . .
his heart was not right . . . he didn’t want to hear God’s voice, he just wanted to hear a voice
Saul just wanted some information, wherever he could get it from
though he had banned all such people, he turns to one in a tight situation
we see that he will only follow religion when convenient
God knows the heart
The Lord’s prayer provides an example of a heart in the right place
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
verse 9 - after this manner - this is how you come correctly
still in verse 9 - give God praise
verse 10 - focus on God and his will
verse 11 - ask for something you need
verse 12 - forgiveness
verse 13 - help me act right, praise
how do we come to God most time?
probably skip to verse 11 and stay on verse 11 the whole time - oh lawd help me!
save me, rescue me . . . .
when you talk to God, and your conversation is all about you . . . you must ask, “is my heart right?”
and if your heart is not right, you are chasing ghost
now when David was in trouble . . .
6 David was now in great danger because all his men were very bitter about losing their sons and daughters, and they began to talk of stoning him. But David found strength in the Lord his God.
Seek God more than you seek answers
Seek God more than you seek answers
notice that David has not asked a question or asked for help . . . . but found strength in the Lord
getting back right with God
learning to depend upon God again
going back to trusting the Lord again
getting that faith back
fixing the relationship
Don’t seek the solution, seek God
Don’t seek the miracle, seek God
Saul looks for answers, but David looked for God
David is in trouble too but he doesn’t see out an answer, David seeks out The Answer
Saul just wants an answer
So when Saul did not get answers from God, he had no problem going to a medium
11 Finally, the woman said, “Well, whose spirit do you want me to call up?” “Call up Samuel,” Saul replied.
this broke God’s law
broke his own law - mediums and those who practiced in the occult had been outlawed by Saul (Saul did this when he was still influenced by Samuel’s leadership), and this was based on the laws of God
6 “I will also turn against those who commit spiritual prostitution by putting their trust in mediums or in those who consult the spirits of the dead. I will cut them off from the community.
the fact that Saul went to a medium proved that he didn’t want God
he did not want to hold to God’s unchanging hand, he just wanted a hand out
he did not want to be restored, he just wanted to be rescued
commercial to people who are not married: be careful . . . many times they doesn’t want you, they WANTS something from you . . . your body, your money, a place to stay, a dinner . . .and after they get what he wants from you, gone . . . because they never wanted YOU
God knows when we want Him or we just want something from him
Question to ponder: What do you want, God or his stuff?
and when we don’t want HIM, but just something from him . . . back to our title . . . we are chasing ghosts
Chasing Ghost
Chasing Ghost
instead of chasing God, chasing ghost
and that idiom means that you are chasing something that you will never get
you’ll get something, but never get what you want or need
Here’s how we chase ghosts - trying to get help, trying to get answers, trying to live life, trying to succeed . . . on our terms, we try to dictate the method and the means, we try to control the schedule
we want a good relationship, want that special someone
but don’t want to make sure they are a real Christians and have godly character
don’t want to wait till the committment of marriage to have intimate relations . . . chasing ghosts
we want to fix relationships
but don’t want to forgive
but don’t want to make the first move toward reconciliation like he did with us
we want them to come crawling and begging (and they probably should) . . . chasing ghosts
we want financial prosperity
but don’t want to try anything new, don’t want any more training or education
don’t want to stay on the job for more than a month
don’t want to save or invest
don’t want to be generous with our church or those in need
just want God to drop it in our laps . . . chasing ghost
we want strength of spirit and character, serve the Lord, grow spiritually, and please God
but don’t want to be down at that church all the time (like my grandma)
I don’t want to be all involved in everything, and them always calling on me
and everybody is not meant to be at the church “all the time” and who knows what “all the time” really means
health professionals, pro athletes, missionaries, on call at the utility company, some other job
and I understand vacations and sometimes being just really, really tired
and you might have to set some boundaries on what you can or cannot do (as God leads you)
but the Bible does say in Hebrews, chapter 10, verse 25, don’t forsake meeting together as a lot of people do, all the more as you see the end approaching
but if you want to set the terms of your walk with Christ . . . chasing ghosts
When Saul wanted to bring up Samuel, it started impressively because the medium was indeed able to bring up Saul (God allowed it)
15 “Why have you disturbed me by calling me back?” Samuel asked Saul. “Because I am in deep trouble,” Saul replied. “The Philistines are at war with me, and God has left me and won’t reply by prophets or dreams. So I have called for you to tell me what to do.”
16 But Samuel replied, “Why ask me, since the Lord has left you and has become your enemy?
we forget that there are two sides only: The Lord’s side and the losing side
Samuel is saying, “God has left you (he left God first) and you are not on his side . . . and you do realize that I am still on the Lord’s side and so I will not have anything good to say . . . why ask me?
So Samuel said . . . .
17 The Lord has done just as he said he would. He has torn the kingdom from you and given it to your rival, David.
18 The Lord has done this to you today because you refused to carry out his fierce anger against the Amalekites.
19 What’s more, the Lord will hand you and the army of Israel over to the Philistines tomorrow, and you and your sons will be here with me. The Lord will bring down the entire army of Israel in defeat.”
it’s been a while Saul, but God is going to keep his promise to give your kingdom away
because you refused to obey
not just a slip up, but refusing to obey
you will lose the battle, you will die, your sons will die
ok . . . i wasn’t expecting it to be so blunt and tragic . . . and Saul passed out
Stop chasing ghosts and pick the Lord’s side.
Stop chasing ghosts and pick the Lord’s side.
pick the Lord’s side already!
Here’s what Saul should have done
made a proclamation and abdicated his throne
bring David back home, apologize to David, and bow down to him as the new king
some of us need to abdicate the throne of our lives and bow down to God’s will
God not hearing your prayers?
Why would I do a favor for somebody who has stolen my car? Drive back up and ask for some help
you have stolen God’s life!
David picked the Lord’s side
7 Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Please bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought the ephod to David.
8 David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I pursue this band? Shall I overtake them?” And He said to him, “Pursue, for you will surely overtake them, and you will surely rescue all.”
seek the lord while he may be found
Invitation and Altar Call
Ulltimately, There is the overall picking of a side . . . saved or unsaved . . . I suggest picking the Lord’s side
For those of us who are saved, in our daily living we constantly pick sides . . . . again I suggest that you pick the Lord’s side
Ekklesia example - enrollment vs. day to day acting right
in what you are going through right now, who’s side have you picked?
announcement review
We have Bible Study this Wednesday on Zoom at 7pm. Our Pastor will teach part 1, of a 3 part series called “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas”
Christmas Brunch: We will eat, share, and have a fun family activities! First Lady Caver will contact you on what to bring.
Showing the love and power of God: We have a history of being a church that reaches out and serves. There have been different seasons: food baskets, after school tutoring, car ministry, elementary school, nursing home, and everything in between.
God has shown me that this is the season for partnering. Assisting established ministries that outreach the community. For example:
if another church has a food basket giveaway, and they need volunteers.