Grace Fellowship – January 23, 2008
When I considered what I wanted to speak on at Grace Connections, as always, it seemed that I wasn't certain until the very last minute. When you hear someone say the expression “duh” it most always implies that the target of the expression missed something that was obvious to most in the audience our at least to the person making the expression. It's kind of like looking for your keys when you're holding them in your hand. When you realize that you've got them in your hand, you want to say “duh”. Or, when you ask a question of which the answer is obvious, like “what date does Independence Day fall on this year?”
I realize that the expression is somewhat derogatory and certainly not appropriate for Christians or at least when not in jest. And, I'm confident that God would never use such a phrase about one of his beloved children, but when it comes to me and me recognizing what God is trying to tell me, He certainly would be entitled. I'm kind of thick skulled (better known as hard headed). Because what I want to talk about is something God's been trying to tell me for quite a while and even more so over the last couple of months.
Most of the men of our group are active deacons and may recall me emphasizing something that God had been keeping fresh in my mind lately. Actually, there have been a couple of thinks that fall into that category; one was an in-dept bible study for the men of our church and the other is “prayer”. Even in my first year at New Heights, I really felt that God was calling us into a prayer time, specifically during the worship service. I had been a part of a ministry that prayed during the worship service and I felt that perhaps God wanted me to lead that at New Heights. I even told the pastor about it later and he supported the idea. However, he informed me that John and Kathy Chapman were already leading a prayer time immediately before the worship service and that perhaps I should discuss this idea of praying during the worship service with them. But, when the pastor mentioned that someone else was already leading a prayer time, I quickly concluded that my idea must be only of my own interest rather than something God was leading me to. As I mentioned earlier, I'm thick skulled and sometimes I dismiss God's call as not from God and just harden my heart to the whole idea. Even when I realized that the group praying before the service was no longer meeting, I didn't go forward with it. However, it never left my mind as something that God really wanted.
And, as you deacons know, Nathan Trevett shared at one of the deacon meetings earlier this year that God laid on his heart that we should have a prayer time during the worship service. That's when God said to me: “John, Duh!!!!”. Not really, but he was entitled. I believe now that God was all along trying to move me in that direction.
Here is a truth that I believe with all my heart and this story emphasizes. God's work won't be thwarted even by “hard headed” believers. Nathan recognized what I was too stubborn to act upon on and that is “God's call”. However, now that I recognized what you may want to call the obvious, I have felt God continuing to call me to this ministry called “Prayer”.
Of course, it took more for this thick skulled believer to see it.
I'm in the Sunday evening precept class studying James and if you've been in one of the precept classes, you know there's homework that has to be done through out the week and last week as I was reading in James, I read the verse
Jas 5:14 If any among your are sick, let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
When I read that verse, I wondered if we weren't somehow missing out on an opportunity for God's blessing. I can count on one hand the number of times, I've been involved in a service where we anoint someone with oil and pray over their illness. I know it's still done, but it is certainly not main stream in our church or any other church that I've been a member of. Well, last Wednesday evening I ran into Charlie and Beth Trevino in the lobby of the church and we greeted each other as normal and I went home. Later that night, I had one of my vertigo spells and it left me feeling ill all night and most of the next day. I stayed home Thursday because I didn't feel well.
Thursday afternoon, Beth Trevino calls Lorrie and ask if they can come over because they wanted Lorrie and the boys to pray with them about them the prison ministry. Lorrie told them that I was home not feeling well but they were welcome to come over and her and the boys would certainly pray with them, but she was not sure about my involvement. Here was a another chance for me to recognize God's call, but I told Lorrie that I would probably stay upstairs while they were here because, you know when you're not feeling well, you really don't feel like entertaining company.
However, when the Trevino's arrived and told Lorrie that they had seen me the evening before and had thought that I wasn't feeling well and when Lorrie told them on the phone that I was home sick, they believed that God wanted them to pray for me. Lorrie came up and told me that they wanted to pray for me and while a little upset that I was going to have to come down and entertain company, I felt it would be rude to reject the invitation. So, I go down and greet the Trevinos and after chatting for a few moments, Charlie tells me that God was leading them to anoint me with oil and to pray over me. So, Charlie, Beth, Lorrie, Timothy and Daniel pray over me while Charlie anoints my head with oil.
And, while Charlie is praying, I'm reminded of the verse that I had just read in James (read it again).
It was then that I saw clearly that this was not happening by chance. And, I could hear the Father saying to me, “John, Duh!!”.... Not really, but he was entitled. Because I came, once again, so close to missing the call of God.
So here I am talking about Prayer!
I want to share some of my thoughts about prayer and I want to ask some questions. You can consider the questions rhetorical and just ponder them or if you have some thoughts, I would welcome you to elaborate.
What I want to share about prayer, I'll call the Four P's of Prayer
The Proposition to Pray
The Purpose of Prayer
The Power of Prayer
The Posture of Praying
The First "P", The Proposition to Pray
For reasons of my argument, we will define a “proposition” as a declarative statement of something to be considered; Is there a proposition to pray?
Zep 3:9 For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent.
Gen 4:26 To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the LORD.
All through the scriptures, we see examples where people are compelled to call upon the name of the Lord. Even our Lord Jesus while on earth led in the example of prayer. So I won't belabor the point, because I think that we would all agree that the “Holy Scriptures” are indeed a “proposition to pray”.
Will you agree with that statement so far?
Then here are some questions to consider: When Jesus drove out the merchants from the Temple and he said: “My house shall be called a house of prayer”, what do you think he had in mind? (Matt 21:13)
What does a "house of prayer" look like?
Do you think our church models the “house of prayer”?
You can argue that the building doesn't represent the temple and that it's actually the body of believer as individuals that makes up the temple. However, if you take a dozen of eggs and you throw them in a bowl, no matter how much you mix it up, the contents are still eggs. So, even if the church building is not the temple, if it's full of little temples that are suppose to be “houses of prayer”, then what should the worship service look like?
Sunday, when you get the bulletin, look at all of the events that will occur through out the week and consider, how much time is dedicated to prayer.
2nd "P", The Purpose of Prayer
Enough about the proposition to pray, let's consider the purpose of prayer. If I were to ask you why do you think we should be praying, you may say:
God has called us to and you would be right. Paul writes:
1Th 5:16 Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Or perhaps you may state:
It's our opportunity to present our needs to God and again, you would be right.
Php 4:6 In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Then, you might say:
It is through our prayers, that God reveals his will. Yes, that is another good reason.
James 1:5 But if any one of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach and it will be given to him.
These are all certainly good reasons to pray; but, are they really the “purpose of prayer”? Doesn't God already know what our needs are before we ask them? Doesn't the Bible tell us that even nature declares the Lord? So why pray?
Perhaps the “purpose of prayer” is more than his “proposition (or declaration) to pray” and more basic than any of the reasons we can give to pray. Perhaps, we find the “purpose of prayer” in creation. When we look at Genesis we find these verses:
Gen 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:
Gen 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
Perhaps we see more clearly in
Gen 3:8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day.
Why was God walking in the garden? (Do you remember the song, “In the Garden”?) I would suggest the “purpose of prayer” is simply God's provision for the Father to spend time with his children.
The psalmist wrote: Psa 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God:
One of my favorite songs several years ago was Larnelle Harris' singing, “I miss my time with you”. The words were written as if God were saying to his children: I miss my time with you. (I'll put a link to the song on the side bar)
Ok... and the question is: If you were to spend the same amount of time talking to your spouse as you do talking with God, would you still be married? If you feel you relationship with God is suffering, and it seems as if God is not very close, then, perhaps we've missed our time with Him.
Let's move on to the 3rd P... The Power of Prayer.
Question first: Listen closely, this is a trick question: Do you pray with reservations or do you pray beyond your expectations?
Is either way appropriate?
One of my favorite statements about prayer came from a “CWT” manual. It read: “Prayer puts us in contact with the unfailing resources of God”.
I think all too often we rationalize “unanswered prayer” as God saying no, when we simply lack the faith that God will do the impossible.
James 1:6 But he must ask in faith, without doubting. For the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. That man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the lord.
Consider this question: Can the work of God be done through prayer alone or does he require our hands in addition to our knees?
Pro 15:29 The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.
Jas 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Remember the story of the Father who brought his demon possessed son to the disciples and the disciples were not able to drive out the demon. The disciples asked Jesus why they couldn't drive the demon out. How did Jesus answer? Are you sure he didn't say: You need to sing your praise songs a little louder? Or perhaps he told them: You need to worship a little longer. How about: You need to study a little harder or maybe give a little more. These are all things that God may challenge his believers to do, but that's not what he said it would take to drive out the demon.
Mat 17:20 And Jesus said to them, Because of your unbelief. For truly I say to you, If you have faith as a grain of mustard, you will say to this mountain, Move from here to there! And it will move. And nothing shall be impossible to you.
Mat 17:21 But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.
Consider this statement: As it relates to the work of God, the church will never understand fully or finish the work completely until it truly becomes a “House of Prayer”.
My last P is for the “Posture of Prayer”.
Mat 6:6 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. Mat 6:7 "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. Mat 6:8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
We know that prayer is not about eloquent words, in fact prayer is not about words at all. Prayer is all about coming face to face with God. So what is the posture of our prayer?
When Abraham came face to face with God, he fell on his face.
When Moses came face to face with God, he hid his face.
When Isaiah, in his vision, came face to face with God, he fell on his face and cried “Woe is me”.
When John sees in his vision, the face of God, he falls down on his face as one dead.
Even Peter, after fishing all night and then witnessing the miracle of Jesus with the full nets, falls at the feet of Jesus and cries, go away from me, for I am a sinner.
Simply put, the posture of prayer is always humility. I believe this is best described by Jesus himself in the story found in Luke 18:
Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
Alright, here is my profound statement for tonight:
Pride and Prayer are two P's that will never be found in the same pod!
There you have it: The Four P's of Prayer
One last question:
If you believe that God through the Holy Scriptures establishes a proposition to pray, and
If you believe that God created prayer for the purpose of spending time with us, and
If you believe that we will never complete the work of God until we become prayer warriors.
And if you believe that prayer is not about what we can do, but what God can do through us, then why is it so hard to get people to pray?
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