Asking For Directions

One mother said, “One day I decided to take my three children to an ice skating party in a nearby town, but after several wrong turns and stops to ask directions, I pulled over to the side of the road and suggested we all ask God to help us find the rink. When we finally arrived, we were nearly an hour late. The following week, as we got into the car to go skating again, my five-year-old son exclaimed, “Mom, let’s pray now and save time!”” Elesha Hodge, ed., Today’s Best Illustrations, vol. 1–4, Today’s Best Illustrations (Christianity Today International, 1997).

The Philistines let the Jews do all the hard work of farming and harvesting. They come in to attack and collect the seasons harvest from the people of Keilah.

Ryrie Study Bible Expanded Edition: New American Standard Bible, 1995 Update 1 Samuel 23

Keilah, a city of Judah about three mi. (five km) S of Adullam, bordered on the territory of the Philistines, who would raid the threshing floors after the Israelites had done the hard work of harvesting and processing the grain.

Inquired is used 2 times:

New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries: Updated Edition 7592 שָׁאַל (shaal)

שָׁאַל shaal (981b); a prim. root; to ask, inquire:

The second time he prayers the word is longer. It’s a triple compound word with the same root word for “Inquired.” He ADDED TO HIS PRAYER.

Have you ever added things to your original prayer about something?

David rescues the people after praying and asking God if he should go and save them. V.5

Then Saul know where David is at and prepares for war. He is planning to fight David and kill the people at Keilah. Saul felt that David was trapped. 7-8.

Abiathar the priest shows up and brings the Ephod, used in priestly prayers in the OT.

Prayers are Relational and Fluid.

Prayers are Conversational and Consistent.

Prayers are Inquisitive and Responsive.

Prayers are worshipful and active.

David prays, asking God for directions:

New Cyclopaedia of Prose Illustrations 4537. Prayer, Directness In

A plain man once said, “Before my conversion, when I prayed in the presence of others, I prayed to them; when I prayed in secret, I prayed to myself: but now I pray to God.”

ASK GOD FOR DIRECTIONS IN PRAYER.

We Need God’s Instructions.

His instructions assured the men who were afraid.

His instructions provided a way for David to go.

His instructions answered his questions about what to do...

Like an old map or a GPS, David knew where to go next because he asked the Lord.

10,000 Sermon Illustrations Oswald Smith

The year was 1920. The scene was the examining board for selecting missionaries. Standing before the board was a young man named Oswald Smith. One dream dominated his heart. He wanted to be a missionary. Over and over again, he prayed, “Lord, I want to go as a missionary for you. Open a door of service for me.” Now, at last, his prayer would be answered.

When the examination was over, the board turned Oswald Smith down. He did not meet their qualifications. He failed the test. Oswald Smith had set his direction, but now life gave him a detour. What would he do? As Oswald Smith prayed, God planted another idea in his heart. If he could not go as a missionary, he would build a church which could send out missionaries. And that is what he did. Oswald Smith pastored The People’s Church in Toronto, Canada, which sent out more missionaries than any other church at that time. Oswald Smith brought God into the situation, and God transformed his detour into a main thoroughfare of service.

We Need God’s Instructions.

We Need God’s Involvement.

TIME: We always have time to Pray.

People are in danger.

Time is of the essence.

It is Always a good time to pray.

TROUBLE: We always will have troubles.

David could have been caught, had he not asked the Lord.

God delivered David from trouble yet again.

TEMPTATION: There will always be temptations.

Matthew 6:13 KJV 1900

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.

Today's Best Illustrations, Volumes 1-4 Humor: Just Visiting Heaven

Our former pastor would occasionally go on a personal retreat to pray and seek God’s direction for his ministry. During one retreat, someone called the church office and asked, “May I speak with the pastor?”

The secretary replied, “I’m sorry, he’s gone to be with the Lord.”

There was a long silence on the other end. Then the secretary realized what she had said. “But he’ll be back next week.”

We Need God’s Instructions.

We Need God’s Involvement.

We Need God’s Insight. 9-12, 13

What is my next step, God?

How should I look at this situation?

Where do I go from here?

Who can I trust or rely on in life?

When will this trouble be over?

Conclusion:

God loves to hear our prayers:

Proverbs 15:8 KJV 1900

The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: But the prayer of the upright is his delight.

God loves to answer our prayers!

Psalm 34:4 KJV 1900

I sought the Lord, and he heard me, And delivered me from all my fears.

Jude 20 KJV 1900

But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

Luke 6:28 KJV 1900

Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.

Mark 11:24 KJV 1900

Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 KJV 1900

Pray without ceasing.

ASK GOD FOR DIRECTIONS IN PRAYER.

We Need God’s Instructions.

We Need God’s Involvement.

We Need God’s Insight.

D and A

Why is prayer often a “last resort?”

What “Prayer Practices” would you recommend to a newer Christian?

How do you define “praying?

Share examples of answered prayers.

Discuss the power of prayer in daily life.