Class 5 from this series was used in GCT Episode 310.
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We we all know the importance of
prayer, but we constantly are
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We we all know the importance of
prayer, but we constantly are
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reminded of that in the Bible.
We have such passages as pray
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without ceasing, pray always and
everything by prayer.
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And yet it’s evident, brothers
and sisters, that we have
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problems with prayer.
Most of us do have problems we
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we struggle with it and if we
struggle with prayer then we are
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struggling with our relationship
with God because prayer is a
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barometer of our relationship
with the Father.
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Now in the first part of this
talk, I want to stop and analyse
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the problems that we have.
I did a survey some years back
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now with a couple of ecclesias
to try and ascertain what these
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problems were and that the the
results of that survey were very
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sobering and enlightening.
The predicaments that we have
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generally fell into two groups.
I need to turn it on, as I
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mentioned to the brother Daniel,
this is just a sample of the
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issues that came from the survey
concentration.
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It’s a big one, isn’t it?
Repetition and sameness and
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content and language.
These are people admitting to
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this having problems with these
things, tiredness finding that
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we’re too busy wondering whether
God answers our prayers and and
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so on.
And most of these these problems
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fall into the realm of
motivation.
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Now, I also asked respondents if
they had questions about prayer
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and these are some of the
typical questions.
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Should we use through the Lord
Jesus Christ or in the name of
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the Lord Jesus Christ?
And variations on that idea,
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should we pray or can we pray to
Christ?
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Does Christ filter our prayers?
Is he like a filter through to
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God as it were?
Should we keep our eyes shut?
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How do we know when our prayers
align with God’s will?
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Because we know that it should
be according to His will.
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How do we know that?
I need tips on how to pray so
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that God will hear.
These are genuine questions that
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people ask and can I get it
wrong?
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And really that last question
sums up all of those in the
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second or these these questions
that people have.
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Really it’s all as if prayer is
some technical process that one
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must get right to make it work.
So we find then that we have two
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core principle courses for our
problems with PRE, a technical
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approach and motivation.
The this is my summation of
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those surveys that we conducted,
They did, they fell into these
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two categories.
So let’s consider each of these.
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First of all, a technical
approach.
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When we want to get it right, we
really mean that we’re looking
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for the thing that will make our
prayers work, that will fix our
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prayers.
But anything that’s a magic pill
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usually always spawns other
problems.
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And they do.
Brothers and sisters crave
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practical advice about prayer.
That’s been my history and the
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truth.
And that advice has been given,
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but unfortunately what happens
is that we turn that advice into
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rules about prayer, and that
generates formulaic prayer that
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disempowers prayer and our
spiritual life and therefore our
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relationship with God.
It’s a ritual.
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We often hear people using this,
and this is, I have to say right
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from the beginning, if I say
something that sounds critical,
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it’s not meaning to be critical.
It’s analysing the problems that
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we have.
To be honest.
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Most of the problems I, I
reflected on myself and my own
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prayers.
So I include myself in these
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things.
So please let that be
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understood.
When we hear this is the kind of
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thing that shows ritualism in
prayer, We hear expressions like
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saying our prayers.
We’ll say a word of prayer as if
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prayer is a procedure that we go
through.
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And then there’s we’ll just give
a short word of prayer.
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We hear these expressions, don’t
we?
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I know I’ve used these
expressions.
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It’s like an an apology for
occupying time in something
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we’re obligated to do before we
get on with the real stuff.
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Now the telltale signs of
formulate Preheat is when
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they’re cluttered and clogged
with cliches and platitudes.
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Now you may recognise some of
these.
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We ask that you guide God and
direct us this dark and
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degenerate age.
Bless both Speaker and hearer
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alike.
We come on the way appointed, we
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come before thy face, we humbly
approach Thee, or we humbly
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beseech thee.
Bless these gifts or this food
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to our youth and us and thy
service.
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We hear a lot, and I’ve got a
great long list, many of which
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are my own, that I’ve analysed.
So what happens is that we use
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an expression that strikes us as
eloquent, and so we use it
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again, and eventually we use it
by default, and then others pick
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up on that and they use it too.
And we find security in such
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expressions because they come
readily to mind in our prayers.
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These expressions are like the
treasures that we enshrine in
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our homes.
Pictures, plaques, photos,
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ornaments, quotations.
And we put them in prominent
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places and for a while they
strike us, but after a while
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they just merge into the
background.
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They become part of the
furniture and the well used
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ornaments and quotes and
pictures in our prayers are just
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the same.
They have the same effect.
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Now the expressions aren’t at
fault, but they’ve become
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automatic.
And if we’re honest, brothers
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and sisters without thought, and
therefore that’s dishonouring to
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God with whom we speak.
But the problems go deeper than
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stock phrases.
We’ve also got stock prayers.
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And at times you know precisely
what a brother is going to say
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in his prayer because those are
the things he always says.
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Now, that’s often a security
mechanism.
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For some people, particularly,
who struggle with communal
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prayer, it’s a fall back.
But the problem doesn’t lie with
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those people with that problem
alone, does it?
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When I analysed my prayers, I
found I have stock phrases,
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stock subjects, and stock order
in which I say them.
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It’s like a default prayer that
you say.
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The stock prayers contribute to
the sense of sameness and
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blandness in our prayers.
Lifeless and mechanical.
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It becomes ritualistic.
Now.
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These stop phrases and prayers
must also be a factor in that
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great problem that we do have of
concentration and prayer.
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It’s a universal problem,
especially in communal prayers.
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Now.
It doesn’t need someone or
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something else to blame for our
lack of concentration.
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I experience it when I am giving
the prayer.
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I can speak the words, but my
mind is on something else.
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Now how can that happen?
It’s those cliches and
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platitudes again and what
happens?
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They sit in the subconscious
mind and they entice me into
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this automatic mode and outcomes
what I always say, allowing my
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mind to dwell on something else.
It’s like driving a car.
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And then there’s the rules that
we’ve made about prayer,
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probably in our attempt to get
it right.
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Prayer should open and close
with praise.
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Prayer should contain scripture
and some people only Scripture
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we should use in the name of the
Lord Jesus Christ at the end of
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our prayers.
And it’s the congregation that
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should say Amy, not the praying
brother in communal praise.
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I’ve heard all of these things.
I, I, I don’t know whether you
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have, but there are things that
I’ve heard.
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And then there’s those that
throw the book at anyone who
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gives longer praise, citing that
incontestable clause.
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Let thy words be few.
And there’s scriptural support
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for such ideas, brothers and
sisters, but making them
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imperative is to earn.
For the Lord Jesus Christ did
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not always abide by these rules,
nor did the apostle Paul, nor
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did many of those whose prayers
are written in the Bible.
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So in our endeavours, in our
obsession to get it right, we
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get it wrong.
So what should we do about these
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problems with formulate prayer?
What’s the answer to these
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things?
Now that that’s the technical
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side, now we should move to the
motivation for prayer.
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Now, a desire to get things
right also effects motivation.
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We hear that a prayer, our
prayers should be sincere, so we
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try to sound sincere.
We pray with our prayer voice.
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It’s a different voice to our
regular voice, perhaps because
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we’re trying to be reverential.
Some prayers are so eloquent and
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passionate and so dramatic, you
wonder whether it was meant to
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be witnessed rather than
consented to by the the the
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congregation, let alone the
Father in heaven.
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It’s a prayer performance.
I’ve seen brethren, thankfully
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not many, but I have witnessed
brethren aping evangelicals by
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laughing and crying, impressed.
Not that I think that’s wrong
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crying, but it’s dramatic,
ostensibly to show their joy or
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their humility.
And our Lord, in the very
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passage we had as our reading,
warned us about praying to be
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seen of men.
Exhibitions may fill some with
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admiration or the person who
prayed thus with himself, as the
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Lord said, but deflates others
and it fills them with doubts.
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People struggle.
People that are honest people
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try to do the right thing.
And they witnessed this.
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And I think, well, if that’s
what’s required, I can’t do
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that.
And they just give up because
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it’s so, so beyond them.
It’s not their experience.
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And there’s also how we talk
about prayers, even how we write
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about prayer.
Some of our writings we, and
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once again, I am not trying to
be critical of anybody, I’m just
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trying to analyse what the
problems are.
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We speak about prayer.
Sometimes that’s so unhelpful.
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We talk about prayer in great
swelling terms that enshroud
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prayer in a mystique.
We we speak of the comfort of
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prayer.
What do we mean by that?
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As if prayer has this power to
envelope us and to warm our
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hearts.
Now, that’s not the experience
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of many, and it’s not found in
the Bible.
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In that way.
We know that we can see the way
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that they pray.
It’s an open book in the Bible.
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The language discourages.
It’s as if people are really
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striving to have this feeling
with God because this is the
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closest we get and we’ve got to
have this feeling so we feel
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close to God.
I, I, I tend to think that we
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often borrow some of this
language about prayer from
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Christian writers.
Here’s one who is a prominent,
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he’s, I think it was in the
1800s and EM Bounds and much of
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his work is quoted by Christians
today.
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This is what he said.
Prayer should not be regarded as
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a duty which must be performed.
That’s OK, but rather as a
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privilege to be enjoyed, a rare
delight that is always revealing
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some new beauty.
So while arguing against being
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technical, Bound speaks as if
prayer is something mystical,
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something almost magical, a
power that causes us to revel in
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delight, as if prayer is all
about what we get out of it.
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But we find no such mystical
magic in the Bible, in people’s
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prayers.
Our brethren have also spread
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warm and fuzzy sayings about
prayer.
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This is one that that I happen
to see.
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When you make prayer a habit,
miracles become your lifestyle.
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Now many Christadelphians are
centred to this and gave it a
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like, but it’s the same true?
Well, I guess it depends on what
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you mean by habit and what you
mean by miracles.
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But where’s the substance?
We can’t rely on platitudes for
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spiritual sustenance.
I think a lot of this lofty
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language arises, as I mentioned
before, out of this desire for
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some kind of feeling with God
that we know he’s there, that
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he’s with us.
We desire this confirmation of
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God’s presence that he’s hearing
us.
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And the problem is we can’t see
him and he doesn’t talk back to
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us with words.
We don’t receive direct answers
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from him.
But it begs the question then,
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how can we be assured of God’s
acceptance of us and our
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prayers?
Another problem with motivation
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was that the business many of
the people surveyed admitted to
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this that even the Internet took
up far too much time in their
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lives.
They admitted that that got on
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the road of their time with God
and prayed.
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But a lot of it was life is so
busy, there’s just not enough
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time and so on so that our world
Lords efficiency, time
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management, multitasking to do
lists and and so it goes on.
220
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And so we’ve we’ve got to be the
very best we can be.
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Success requires and all the
jargon that our world is filled
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up with and we get caught up in
it.
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And so there’s fascinating
technologies that that absorb
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our attention and that allow us
to be available 24/7.
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And employers, customers,
friends, family, everyone
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00:18:58,440 –> 00:19:04,280
expects your availability.
And it has impacted on us
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personally in our family and
collegial lives, let alone with
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our relationship with God.
So how do we fit all this in?
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Brothers, sisters, how do we fit
God into our lives?
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What’s the answer to this?
And that’s what we want to look
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at God willing, through our
series answers to these things.
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And we’re going to go to the
Bible for those answers.
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I spent five years analysing
this and, and going to the
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Bible.
And I’m not saying I’m any kind
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00:19:40,360 –> 00:19:44,080
of guru, but let’s go together
and look at these passages and
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the answers are there.
And it’s very, very powerful
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because we can see in the Bible
people that prayed and we, we,
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we can learn the secret that
enabled them to have a
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00:19:56,160 –> 00:20:01,520
relationship with God and speak
to him like he is real and that
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he is there working in their
lives.
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We can see this.
So let’s begin with some
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foundations.
We need to answer the question,
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why do we need to pray?
Does God need our prayers?
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00:20:24,560 –> 00:20:29,800
Does he need our prayers?
Without our prayers God can’t
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00:20:30,800 –> 00:20:39,000
act well.
A God that needs renders him
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00:20:39,080 –> 00:20:46,080
impotent is something he is not.
His word reveals that it is God
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who is in control and that is we
who need him.
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00:20:51,680 –> 00:20:57,760
So is it because God won’t act
without our friends?
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James does say, doesn’t he, that
you don’t receive because you
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ask not so It all depends on us
to pray for things to happen.
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So if someone leaves the truth
or someone who is sick dies,
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it’s because they didn’t pray
enough or didn’t pray the the
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00:21:22,800 –> 00:21:26,200
right way, or it was the right
people didn’t pray for them.
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How does that work?
That too makes God impotent.
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And it’s very, very legalistic,
isn’t it?
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God becomes like a genie.
If we don’t rub the lamp, he
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won’t or can’t come out to grant
our wish.
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So is prayer solely for our
benefit?
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00:21:53,400 –> 00:21:59,920
We sort of touched on this and
there is quite a substantial
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00:22:00,160 –> 00:22:05,120
argument put forward that this
is the reason for prayer, not
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00:22:05,120 –> 00:22:10,360
necessarily in the brotherhood.
So is the reason solely for of
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00:22:10,360 –> 00:22:15,960
prayer for our benefit.
Prayer comforts, calms,
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00:22:15,960 –> 00:22:21,280
invigorates, strengthens faith,
much like modern meditation.
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And they say this is the sole
reason for prayer, so that we
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get this feeling and these good
responses and and so on.
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Well, if, if, why pray at all?
If all we get is some inward
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00:22:36,960 –> 00:22:40,240
edification, we all we need is
the word for that.
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I’m not belittling the Word.
And why pray to God the other
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00:22:51,000 –> 00:22:57,240
party in this act of
communication if it’s all about
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00:22:57,400 –> 00:23:02,000
us?
And why pray thy Kingdom come if
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it’s all about personal
edification?
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You see, that’s God’s purpose
and His work.
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And that back begs another
question, why pray when God is
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in control Now in Matthew
chapter 6 and verse 8, if you
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00:23:25,440 –> 00:23:30,520
have that open, it said there in
verse 8, your Father knows what
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00:23:30,520 –> 00:23:32,720
things he had need of before you
ask him.
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00:23:33,120 –> 00:23:36,720
So why pray if God already
knows?
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00:23:38,600 –> 00:23:42,840
And why does Paul the apostle
several times ask brothers and
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00:23:42,840 –> 00:23:47,280
sisters in various eccleses to
pray for him in his work if it’s
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God’s work?
And for that matter, why did the
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00:23:51,000 –> 00:23:56,400
apostles in Acts chapter 6 verse
four say it’s not meant for us
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00:23:56,400 –> 00:24:02,040
to serve at tables, but our job
is to minister in the word and
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00:24:02,040 –> 00:24:04,320
prayer.
Those are the two things they
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00:24:04,400 –> 00:24:08,800
singled out, that their work was
not to be impinged upon, and
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00:24:08,800 –> 00:24:12,400
prayer was one of them.
Why on earth was prayer needed
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00:24:12,880 –> 00:24:19,400
by the apostles when they were
guided by the Spirit and doing
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00:24:19,400 –> 00:24:27,440
God’s work?
And of course that leads us to
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00:24:27,440 –> 00:24:30,960
the question, why did Christ
need to pray, which he did
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00:24:31,240 –> 00:24:37,040
often?
Wasn’t God working through him
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00:24:37,040 –> 00:24:44,400
with him in His purpose?
Here’s another passage about
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00:24:44,400 –> 00:24:49,480
God’s purpose.
I’d like you to turn Isaiah 62
292
00:24:49,480 –> 00:24:55,320
in a verse 6.
I have set Watchmen upon thy
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00:24:55,320 –> 00:25:00,560
walls, O Jerusalem, which shall
never hold their peace day nor
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00:25:00,560 –> 00:25:03,960
night.
Ye that make mention of Yahweh,
295
00:25:04,320 –> 00:25:09,360
keep not silence, and give him
no rest till he establish, until
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00:25:09,360 –> 00:25:12,120
he make Jerusalem a praise in
the earth.
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00:25:12,280 –> 00:25:17,520
Now I’ve heard brethren say that
we can bring the Kingdom.
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We should be praying harder,
really.
299
00:25:23,760 –> 00:25:28,240
We’ve already shown that that is
not right, that God needs us to
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00:25:28,240 –> 00:25:30,680
do something for Him to do His
work.
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00:25:31,200 –> 00:25:39,600
It can’t be right, can it?
Psalm 102 and verse 13 says thou
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00:25:39,600 –> 00:25:44,600
shalt arise and have mercy upon
Zion for the time to favour her.
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00:25:44,680 –> 00:25:52,200
Yeah, the set time is come.
There’s a set time in God’s
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00:25:52,200 –> 00:25:58,040
purpose to favour Zion.
God has these things all in
305
00:25:58,040 –> 00:26:03,360
hand, in His hands.
It’s not as if our prayers alter
306
00:26:03,360 –> 00:26:09,680
His purpose or His mind or His
timing of things.
307
00:26:11,480 –> 00:26:16,360
God has predestinated everything
according to His purpose and
308
00:26:16,360 –> 00:26:19,480
works all things after the
counsel of His own will.
309
00:26:19,480 –> 00:26:23,000
Ephesians one, verse 11.
It’s all in His hands.
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00:26:25,320 –> 00:26:30,240
So what’s the answer to this?
Well, the answer lies in why
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00:26:30,240 –> 00:26:34,440
God’s own Son needed to pray.
Come with me to Hebrews in
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00:26:34,440 –> 00:26:39,320
chapter 5.
Hebrews 5, verse seven.
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00:26:39,320 –> 00:26:42,720
Who in the days of His flesh,
when He had offered up prayers
314
00:26:42,720 –> 00:26:46,960
and supplication, with strong
crying and tears unto Him, that
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00:26:46,960 –> 00:26:50,720
was able to save him from death,
and was heard, and that He
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00:26:50,720 –> 00:26:55,320
feared, though He were a Son,
yet learnt He obedience by the
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00:26:55,320 –> 00:26:58,040
things which He suffered.
I want you to know just two
318
00:26:58,040 –> 00:27:04,440
things.
First of all, his need in that
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00:27:04,480 –> 00:27:14,200
Christ revered God, crying unto
him to save him, shows his need
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00:27:14,320 –> 00:27:20,200
for the Father.
And secondly, that in Christ
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00:27:20,200 –> 00:27:24,640
obeyed his Father through all
these sufferings that required
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00:27:24,640 –> 00:27:31,760
His prayers, shows us that
Christ involved himself in God’s
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00:27:31,760 –> 00:27:35,560
purpose, which happened to be in
him.
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00:27:37,360 –> 00:27:45,240
Two things, his need, and he
involved himself in God’s
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00:27:45,240 –> 00:27:50,440
purpose.
Christ was dependent upon his
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00:27:50,440 –> 00:27:56,040
Father and Christ worked with
God in His purpose.
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00:27:56,920 –> 00:27:59,320
Those are the reasons that he
prayed.
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00:27:59,960 –> 00:28:01,760
You think that I’ve come up with
something.
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00:28:03,680 –> 00:28:06,760
How do I get that?
Well, it’s there in those in in
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00:28:06,760 –> 00:28:12,640
those that verse, but isn’t
you’ll find either or both
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00:28:12,640 –> 00:28:15,720
elements in everyone of Christ’s
prayers.
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00:28:18,120 –> 00:28:22,320
For example, in the garden,
Christ says in Matthew 26, verse
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00:28:22,320 –> 00:28:26,840
39, O my Father, if it be
possible, let this cup pass from
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00:28:26,840 –> 00:28:29,400
me.
Nevertheless, not as I will, but
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00:28:29,520 –> 00:28:33,680
as thou wilt.
So the two elements are there.
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00:28:35,240 –> 00:28:40,400
His dependence upon God.
He asked God to take the cup
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00:28:40,400 –> 00:28:45,480
away.
Only God could do that.
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00:28:47,120 –> 00:28:52,680
And secondly, He was working
with God’s will or purpose, not
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00:28:52,680 –> 00:28:57,320
as I will, but as thou wilt.
And the apostles prayed for the
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00:28:57,320 –> 00:29:00,800
same reasons.
They were involved in God’s
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00:29:00,800 –> 00:29:05,200
work, but they were dependent
upon God to accomplish Him.
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00:29:07,240 –> 00:29:13,840
And this is the twofold reason
for prayer for us as well.
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It shows our dependence upon
God, our need, and it involves
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00:29:20,640 –> 00:29:24,000
us in God’s work.
It’s our involvement with him.
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00:29:24,240 –> 00:29:32,560
Now we, we mentioned we and we
read Matthew chapter 6 and the
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00:29:32,560 –> 00:29:35,440
Lord’s Prayer.
It’s a model of prayer, isn’t
347
00:29:35,440 –> 00:29:37,400
it?
Christ gave it as a model
348
00:29:37,440 –> 00:29:41,640
prayer.
It contains those two elements.
349
00:29:41,920 –> 00:29:44,960
Look here it is.
Here it’s in reverse.
350
00:29:48,960 –> 00:29:57,000
The Lord’s Prayer is basically
two sets of three petitions.
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00:29:57,200 –> 00:30:00,720
That’s the prayer it’s got.
It opens and it closes, but
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00:30:00,720 –> 00:30:04,880
that’s the prayer.
Two sets of petitions.
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00:30:05,160 –> 00:30:08,920
Hallowed be thy name, thy
Kingdom come, thy will be done.
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00:30:09,320 –> 00:30:13,000
That’s all about God’s purpose.
We’re involving ourselves with
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00:30:13,000 –> 00:30:16,680
Him, wanting to do what he’s
accomplishing.
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00:30:17,480 –> 00:30:20,680
We desire it.
We’ve evolved ourselves with
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00:30:20,680 –> 00:30:22,800
him.
Now the second set of three
358
00:30:22,800 –> 00:30:25,360
petitions.
Give us this day, Our Daily
359
00:30:25,400 –> 00:30:28,560
Bread.
Forgive us our sins and as we
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00:30:28,560 –> 00:30:32,160
forgive others and lead us not
into temptation, but deliver us
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00:30:32,160 –> 00:30:35,200
from evil.
That’s all about our a disciples
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00:30:35,200 –> 00:30:40,560
need for God.
And there it is this.
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00:30:40,560 –> 00:30:45,320
Is why we pray.
And you know, being able to see
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00:30:45,320 –> 00:30:49,200
this helps us with so many
things about prayer.
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00:30:50,240 –> 00:30:53,440
In the first three petitions,
the disciple involves themselves
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00:30:53,440 –> 00:30:58,000
in God’s purpose by praying for
his purpose to come.
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00:30:58,760 –> 00:31:03,040
For the same reason we pray for
the peace of Jerusalem.
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00:31:04,600 –> 00:31:07,680
And the second three.
Petitions expresses our need for
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00:31:07,680 –> 00:31:10,120
God.
A father.
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00:31:10,320 –> 00:31:15,200
Knows what his child needs
before they ask, but they he
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00:31:15,200 –> 00:31:20,640
loves to hear them say it.
Because it.
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00:31:20,640 –> 00:31:26,320
Expresses their need for him.
It’s part of their development
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00:31:30,280 –> 00:31:37,480
and so these two principles.
Show the purpose.
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00:31:37,520 –> 00:31:41,720
Of prayer, our need and
involvement with God.
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00:31:41,720 –> 00:31:47,240
It motivates prayer, why we
pray, what we pray for, and even
376
00:31:47,640 –> 00:31:50,960
how we pray.
And as a basis of.
377
00:31:50,960 –> 00:31:55,680
How God answers prayers.
So the next question we should
378
00:31:55,680 –> 00:32:02,600
ask is what is prayer?
And it’s a bigger question that
379
00:32:02,600 –> 00:32:06,760
we may have first thought
certainly was for me.
380
00:32:09,480 –> 00:32:15,960
What makes when we commune with
God a prayer?
381
00:32:18,280 –> 00:32:22,040
Does it require us to be
kneeling with our hands clasped
382
00:32:22,040 –> 00:32:26,840
or like this or flat on our?
What makes a prayer?
383
00:32:31,080 –> 00:32:33,800
Does it require a certain?
Pattern of words or certain
384
00:32:33,800 –> 00:32:38,160
words.
We have the special.
385
00:32:38,160 –> 00:32:42,360
Word we use for speaking with
God called prayer.
386
00:32:43,280 –> 00:32:47,400
We don’t simply speak to God, we
pray to God.
387
00:32:49,520 –> 00:32:52,360
Do we pray to other?
People no.
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00:32:53,080 –> 00:32:58,000
We pray to God.
So this makes prayer somewhat
389
00:32:58,000 –> 00:33:00,640
mystical.
There’s something different to
390
00:33:00,640 –> 00:33:02,840
what we normally do.
And of course, anything we do
391
00:33:02,840 –> 00:33:08,720
with God is different and the
God is holy, He is totally
392
00:33:08,720 –> 00:33:12,960
different from all of us.
So it sort of makes sense.
393
00:33:13,720 –> 00:33:19,560
But is it real?
But when we look at the Bible,
394
00:33:19,560 –> 00:33:24,840
we find that that, that that
concept of a different way of
395
00:33:24,840 –> 00:33:28,080
speaking to God or whatever it
is that we call pray, that
396
00:33:28,080 –> 00:33:32,880
mystical element is not there.
Now, I, I want to show you this
397
00:33:32,880 –> 00:33:35,840
because in Bible times,
particularly in the Old
398
00:33:35,840 –> 00:33:39,480
Testament times, but also in the
new, people did pray to one
399
00:33:39,480 –> 00:33:42,680
another.
There are two primary words for
400
00:33:42,680 –> 00:33:46,360
prayer in the Old Testament.
Is Palau.
401
00:33:46,440 –> 00:33:49,680
And tefilla.
Tefilla actually comes from the
402
00:33:49,680 –> 00:33:53,800
verb.
The verb is is the root word
403
00:33:53,800 –> 00:34:02,640
Palau, and these words are used
as I say they’re the predominant
404
00:34:02,640 –> 00:34:06,640
words.
And the verb is.
405
00:34:06,640 –> 00:34:13,120
Used of speaking to other people
in Isaiah 45.
406
00:34:13,560 –> 00:34:16,520
I’m just going to read it out
just at the same time toward the
407
00:34:16,520 –> 00:34:20,600
end of verse 14, it says
concerning Israel, They shall
408
00:34:20,600 –> 00:34:26,560
fall down unto thee Israel.
They shall make supplication
409
00:34:28,320 –> 00:34:33,560
unto thee Israel.
It’s Palau saying, surely God is
410
00:34:33,560 –> 00:34:38,199
with thee, so Palau is correctly
rendered supplication there.
411
00:34:39,760 –> 00:34:44,120
But it’s to.
People so the word can apply to
412
00:34:44,120 –> 00:34:48,679
humans and immediately some of
the mystique about a special
413
00:34:48,679 –> 00:34:54,440
word for speaking with God
diminishes.
414
00:34:55,800 –> 00:35:00,160
Also, while this this word is
the most useful prayer, it’s
415
00:35:00,240 –> 00:35:03,360
it’s not the only one.
In fact, there are at.
416
00:35:03,360 –> 00:35:07,560
Least seven others that have the
same idea as this word Palau,
417
00:35:07,600 –> 00:35:12,920
which basically has the idea of
asking and so we have all these
418
00:35:12,920 –> 00:35:16,760
words that mean the same thing.
There’s Palau, tufila, paga,
419
00:35:16,800 –> 00:35:22,520
nathar and Canaan, khanan,
tukina, and so on.
420
00:35:22,520 –> 00:35:31,480
All of these words, so there are
eleven of these, and then we can
421
00:35:31,480 –> 00:35:38,280
add to this list of words all
the words that mean to call,
422
00:35:38,920 –> 00:35:42,720
because that’s also these words
are used for prayer as well
423
00:35:42,920 –> 00:35:45,560
eight times.
And then we can add the words
424
00:35:45,560 –> 00:35:51,200
for weeping or tears.
It says in Job 16 verse 20, my
425
00:35:51,200 –> 00:35:56,000
friends scorn me, but my eye
pours out tears unto God.
426
00:35:56,800 –> 00:36:06,960
So even tears can be a prayer.
So all of these words, 22 of
427
00:36:06,960 –> 00:36:12,760
them imply asking and need.
Hear the echo.
428
00:36:13,080 –> 00:36:20,000
They all refer to our need.
Well, there’s another side to
429
00:36:20,000 –> 00:36:23,680
prayer, isn’t there?
And that’s.
430
00:36:24,320 –> 00:36:27,040
Praise.
And what do we praise God for?
431
00:36:29,240 –> 00:36:32,120
Well, for him.
For His purpose, His will,
432
00:36:32,120 –> 00:36:35,240
everything about him that’s
involving ourselves with God and
433
00:36:35,240 –> 00:36:36,400
His purpose.
There it is.
434
00:36:36,640 –> 00:36:39,880
There’s two sides to this thing
we call prayer.
435
00:36:40,040 –> 00:36:42,040
And so we’ve got all the words
for praise.
436
00:36:42,040 –> 00:36:44,360
Now that we can add, there’s ten
of those.
437
00:36:44,600 –> 00:36:47,680
And we can also add the words
for rejoicing because they’re
438
00:36:47,680 –> 00:36:50,840
also used for prayers.
And there’s eight of those.
439
00:36:51,000 –> 00:36:54,920
And we can add to that sing.
There are two of those.
440
00:36:55,240 –> 00:36:59,760
So that’s 20 words used for
prayers of praise.
441
00:37:01,200 –> 00:37:06,080
So the Bible uses all these
words for what we style prayer.
442
00:37:08,200 –> 00:37:12,240
So the Old Testament.
Especially is especially rich.
443
00:37:12,440 –> 00:37:16,600
The Greek has its equivalent,
but far less words to use them
444
00:37:16,760 –> 00:37:20,480
to use, but they it definitely
the Greek has their equivalence
445
00:37:20,480 –> 00:37:22,680
of these words that we’ve just
looked at.
446
00:37:23,880 –> 00:37:28,480
But the point is this.
There are lots of words for
447
00:37:28,480 –> 00:37:32,960
prayer, and there are common
words for other things used for
448
00:37:32,960 –> 00:37:35,560
other things, not a special
word.
449
00:37:35,760 –> 00:37:40,400
And immediately what that says
is there is no particular word
450
00:37:40,400 –> 00:37:46,040
for prayer in the Bible.
And that fact ought.
451
00:37:46,040 –> 00:37:49,880
To reduce the mystique
surrounding prayer.
452
00:37:51,360 –> 00:37:56,320
That’s and acknowledging that
fact does not diminish either
453
00:37:56,320 –> 00:38:00,480
God or prayer.
In fact, having so many words,
454
00:38:01,640 –> 00:38:06,440
surely that’s telling us how
wonderful it is, how expensive
455
00:38:06,440 –> 00:38:09,600
it is.
It’s special.
456
00:38:12,520 –> 00:38:17,560
So look how rich prayer is.
But the fact is, brothers.
457
00:38:17,560 –> 00:38:19,520
And Sisters at its base, it’s
very simple.
458
00:38:21,600 –> 00:38:24,040
Do you know what the?
Most common word for
459
00:38:24,040 –> 00:38:31,720
communication with God is in in
the Old Testament, it’s the word
460
00:38:32,040 –> 00:38:37,720
said.
The word Amar.
461
00:38:38,000 –> 00:38:44,760
Is the most common word.
In the end, brothers and.
462
00:38:44,760 –> 00:38:49,560
Sisters, prayer is simply
talking with God.
463
00:38:53,040 –> 00:38:56,760
And what an amazing.
Thing that is for us just to
464
00:38:56,760 –> 00:39:04,160
talk with God, that’s an
incredible thing that’s.
465
00:39:04,160 –> 00:39:06,200
What you do in a?
Relationship isn’t it?
466
00:39:06,920 –> 00:39:10,720
It’s not a ceremony.
It’s not prescribed words or a
467
00:39:10,720 –> 00:39:14,640
set sort of position or a
special place.
468
00:39:16,720 –> 00:39:20,640
It’s just talking with him.
And we have that privilege.
469
00:39:22,360 –> 00:39:25,800
Now I I want to.
Illustrate Now my wife is going
470
00:39:25,800 –> 00:39:29,680
to go get mad at me now because
I’m going to ask.
471
00:39:30,840 –> 00:39:33,680
What time I have to?
Finish because we got under way
472
00:39:33,680 –> 00:39:38,240
that I got held up and I I’m
really lost as far as the time
473
00:39:38,240 –> 00:39:40,520
is.
I did check my watch, but my a
474
00:39:41,320 –> 00:39:43,000
few minutes before a second
would be fine.
475
00:39:43,560 –> 00:39:47,480
OK, so I’ve got 20 minutes,
about a bit less than that.
476
00:39:47,520 –> 00:39:50,360
OK, that’s fine.
Yeah.
477
00:39:50,440 –> 00:39:54,560
Thank you.
I’ll just adjust.
478
00:39:54,560 –> 00:39:56,800
Accordingly, that’s all.
All right.
479
00:39:59,120 –> 00:40:02,560
I want to illustrate this
talking with God, and we’re just
480
00:40:02,560 –> 00:40:04,480
going to use Moses for as an
example.
481
00:40:04,480 –> 00:40:11,920
Come back to Exodus chapter 3.
Exodus 3 and.
482
00:40:11,920 –> 00:40:18,360
Moses is at the burning Bush,
and he sees this wonder, and he
483
00:40:18,360 –> 00:40:22,520
goes to look.
And in verse four it says, And
484
00:40:22,520 –> 00:40:27,560
when Yahweh saw that he turned
aside to see, God called unto
485
00:40:27,560 –> 00:40:31,680
him out of the midst of the Bush
and said, Moses, Moses.
486
00:40:31,800 –> 00:40:37,120
And he said Here am I.
And he said draw not.
487
00:40:37,120 –> 00:40:42,200
My thither hit her, put thy
shoes off from thy feet.
488
00:40:42,440 –> 00:40:45,840
And then he goes on to say that
he had heard the cries of the
489
00:40:45,840 –> 00:40:50,400
children of Israel, and that he
was come down to to respond to
490
00:40:50,400 –> 00:40:54,640
their needs.
And then in verse 10, it says,
491
00:40:55,200 –> 00:40:58,320
Come now therefore, and I will
send thee unto Pharaoh, that
492
00:40:58,320 –> 00:41:01,360
thou mayest bring forth my
people, the children of Israel
493
00:41:01,360 –> 00:41:05,000
out of Egypt.
And Moses said to God, Who am I
494
00:41:05,000 –> 00:41:08,480
that that I should go unto
Pharaoh, and that I should bring
495
00:41:08,560 –> 00:41:10,560
forth the children of Israel out
of Egypt?
496
00:41:10,720 –> 00:41:14,880
And he said, Certainly I will be
with thee, and this shall be the
497
00:41:14,880 –> 00:41:17,000
token unto thee that I’ve sent
thee.
498
00:41:17,120 –> 00:41:20,280
When there has brought forth the
people out of Egypt, you shall
499
00:41:20,280 –> 00:41:24,640
serve God upon this mountain.
And Moses said unto God, Behold,
500
00:41:24,840 –> 00:41:28,200
when I come unto the children of
Israel, and say unto them, The
501
00:41:28,200 –> 00:41:31,680
God of your Father’s had sent me
unto you, and and they shall say
502
00:41:31,680 –> 00:41:34,600
unto me, What is his name?
And what shall I say unto them?
503
00:41:34,720 –> 00:41:40,400
And shall I come to news?
Now can we say that?
504
00:41:40,400 –> 00:41:43,560
Most people are talking to him
at the fourth verse one.
505
00:41:43,920 –> 00:41:47,200
And Moses answered and said, But
behold, they will not believe
506
00:41:47,200 –> 00:41:50,680
me, nor hearken unto my voice,
but they will say, Yahweh have
507
00:41:50,680 –> 00:41:53,120
not appeared unto thee.
And Yahweh said unto him, What
508
00:41:53,120 –> 00:41:55,680
is that in thine hand?
And he said, Rob.
509
00:41:55,920 –> 00:41:59,000
And he said, Cast it on the
ground, and he cast it on the
510
00:41:59,000 –> 00:42:03,280
ground, and it became a serpent,
and Moses fled from before it.
511
00:42:03,280 –> 00:42:08,000
So the conversation continues.
And Moses.
512
00:42:10,600 –> 00:42:12,920
Is highly.
Reluctant, isn’t he?
513
00:42:13,840 –> 00:42:18,320
And then we read in verse 10.
And Moses said unto Yahweh, Oh
514
00:42:18,320 –> 00:42:21,560
my Lord.
I am not eloquent.
515
00:42:21,880 –> 00:42:26,160
Neither heretofore nor since
thou has spoken unto thy servant
516
00:42:26,360 –> 00:42:28,880
that I am slow as speeching of a
slow tongue.
517
00:42:29,440 –> 00:42:32,240
Well, that sounds very sort of
similar to a prayer.
518
00:42:32,440 –> 00:42:35,400
You know, it’s got the, the
title of God, what we would
519
00:42:35,400 –> 00:42:40,920
normally find in our prayer.
And there’s the humility and so
520
00:42:40,920 –> 00:42:42,920
on.
And Yahweh said unto him, Who
521
00:42:42,920 –> 00:42:46,960
hath made man’s mouth, or who
maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the
522
00:42:47,040 –> 00:42:49,520
seeing, or the blind?
Have not I Yahweh?
523
00:42:49,840 –> 00:42:52,560
And now therefore go, and I will
be with thy mouth.
524
00:42:52,560 –> 00:42:56,120
And verse 13 And he said, Oh my
Lord, send, I pray thee, by the
525
00:42:56,120 –> 00:42:58,240
hand of him with whom thou
wolves in him.
526
00:42:58,240 –> 00:43:01,320
And the anger of Yahweh was it
was against Moses.
527
00:43:01,320 –> 00:43:03,560
And he told him he was going to
send his brother to be with him.
528
00:43:03,720 –> 00:43:08,160
And so off they go into Egypt
and they appear before Pharaoh.
529
00:43:08,240 –> 00:43:11,080
And of course we we know the
results of that.
530
00:43:11,200 –> 00:43:15,680
And Pharaoh increases their
burdens and the the officials.
531
00:43:17,440 –> 00:43:20,360
Are very upset.
By this and so they make this
532
00:43:20,360 –> 00:43:25,720
appeal unto to Pharaoh and in in
chapter 5 and verse 20.
533
00:43:27,160 –> 00:43:30,480
They come.
Out from an enraged Pharaoh.
534
00:43:31,200 –> 00:43:34,560
And they see Moses and Aaron
standing there.
535
00:43:34,560 –> 00:43:38,840
Verse 20 And they met Moses and
Aaron, who stood in the way as
536
00:43:38,840 –> 00:43:43,080
they came forth from Pharaoh.
And they said unto them, Yahweh,
537
00:43:43,080 –> 00:43:46,560
look upon you, and judge,
because you have made our savour
538
00:43:46,560 –> 00:43:50,120
to to be appalled in the eyes of
Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his
539
00:43:50,120 –> 00:43:53,320
servants, to put a sword in
their hand to slay us.
540
00:43:54,600 –> 00:44:02,480
And Moses returned unto Yahweh,
and said, Lord, wherefore hast
541
00:44:02,480 –> 00:44:05,160
thou so evil, and treated this
people?
542
00:44:05,880 –> 00:44:08,120
And why is it that thou hast
sent me?
543
00:44:08,560 –> 00:44:12,760
For since I came to Pharaoh to
speak in thy name, he hath done
544
00:44:12,800 –> 00:44:16,120
evil to this people, neither
hast thou delivered thy people
545
00:44:16,120 –> 00:44:21,200
at all.
Where did Moses go?
546
00:44:21,800 –> 00:44:26,120
It says He returned unto Yahweh.
Well, he didn’t go back down to
547
00:44:26,120 –> 00:44:29,040
Mount Sinai.
He didn’t go into the Tabernacle
548
00:44:29,040 –> 00:44:31,400
because it hadn’t yet been
formed, or a temple, or a
549
00:44:31,400 –> 00:44:37,240
special room.
Where did he go and does that
550
00:44:37,240 –> 00:44:38,680
sound?
Like what we would call a
551
00:44:38,680 –> 00:44:40,560
prayer?
Well, it sort of sounds like
552
00:44:40,560 –> 00:44:44,560
what we would call a prayer.
But it’s not brothers and.
553
00:44:44,560 –> 00:44:48,440
Sisters, he returned back to
talk with God.
554
00:44:48,600 –> 00:44:52,040
That’s all it is.
It’s a continuation of the same
555
00:44:52,040 –> 00:45:00,520
discussion.
He’s just talking, and that’s
556
00:45:00,520 –> 00:45:02,600
what prayer is.
Talking with God.
557
00:45:04,880 –> 00:45:06,440
And when we.
Look at it like that, brothers
558
00:45:06,440 –> 00:45:09,840
and sisters.
It not only removes the mystical
559
00:45:09,960 –> 00:45:16,960
elements, but it also brings the
reality of what we’re doing.
560
00:45:19,880 –> 00:45:23,400
Just the thought.
Of simply talking with God can
561
00:45:23,400 –> 00:45:29,120
fill us with all and humility
and an enormous sense of
562
00:45:29,120 –> 00:45:32,880
privilege talking with the
Creator.
563
00:45:37,040 –> 00:45:39,920
The Lord Jesus Christ.
Enables us to come into the
564
00:45:39,920 –> 00:45:42,640
presence of God.
To.
565
00:45:42,640 –> 00:45:46,480
Talk with him.
That’s a relationship.
566
00:45:46,480 –> 00:45:51,280
But this is no ordinary
relationship, is it, brothers
567
00:45:51,280 –> 00:45:56,600
and sisters?
It’s not. 5050 your give and
568
00:45:56,600 –> 00:46:00,440
take like we usually describe a
relationship.
569
00:46:02,880 –> 00:46:07,440
He’s the high and the.
Lofty one who inhabits eternity.
570
00:46:07,800 –> 00:46:13,400
He’s in the high and lofty
place, and he humbles himself to
571
00:46:13,400 –> 00:46:17,920
behold the things in heaven, let
alone the things on the earth.
572
00:46:21,400 –> 00:46:25,440
He demands respect.
From anyone who speaks with him.
573
00:46:26,720 –> 00:46:31,880
Now I I want to.
Just conclude with showing a
574
00:46:31,880 –> 00:46:35,040
little bit of grammar.
Boring.
575
00:46:35,480 –> 00:46:41,720
It’s not really because it
describes a a a wonderful word
576
00:46:41,720 –> 00:46:45,960
picture and and I’m I promise
I’m not going to get too
577
00:46:45,960 –> 00:46:51,440
technical.
In fact to some that may be to
578
00:46:51,440 –> 00:46:53,560
truncate it.
But anyway this is what I want
579
00:46:53,560 –> 00:46:57,600
to show is the picture.
The word Palau.
580
00:46:58,360 –> 00:47:05,400
Which is the most common word in
the Hebrew has two stems and a
581
00:47:05,400 –> 00:47:09,640
stem is something that makes the
word do something.
582
00:47:09,640 –> 00:47:12,920
And and that’s as far as I’m
going to, as technical as I’m
583
00:47:12,920 –> 00:47:14,000
going to get.
Oops.
584
00:47:15,680 –> 00:47:19,160
I missed a whole.
Edition there of other words
585
00:47:19,160 –> 00:47:21,400
that we could have added to our
pile of words, and that was
586
00:47:21,400 –> 00:47:28,640
about talking with God Palau.
It comes in peel and in pit pal.
587
00:47:28,640 –> 00:47:31,760
In fact, the root idea of the
word is in peel.
588
00:47:32,120 –> 00:47:36,360
It makes the meaning of the word
meaning to judge, to assess,
589
00:47:36,360 –> 00:47:41,520
evaluate, to interpose.
So it doesn’t sound like.
590
00:47:41,520 –> 00:47:44,960
Prayer.
What makes it?
591
00:47:45,200 –> 00:47:50,320
Prayer is the hit pal stem.
That’s it.
592
00:47:50,320 –> 00:47:53,120
That’s what how?
Does how does then does hit pal
593
00:47:53,320 –> 00:48:00,080
turn the word which means to
assess, to evaluate, to judge
594
00:48:00,400 –> 00:48:04,280
into prayer?
Well, hit pal does a lot of
595
00:48:04,280 –> 00:48:09,800
things, but one of the things
that it can do is this it vests
596
00:48:09,840 –> 00:48:11,960
in a word.
I just want, I want you to hear
597
00:48:11,960 –> 00:48:16,040
what this says.
Invest the sense of putting
598
00:48:16,040 –> 00:48:22,880
oneself into the position of
receiving the action from
599
00:48:22,880 –> 00:48:26,200
someone else.
It sounds like the passive, but
600
00:48:26,200 –> 00:48:28,320
it’s more than that.
You are actually doing
601
00:48:28,320 –> 00:48:31,200
something.
Passive is when you receive
602
00:48:32,200 –> 00:48:35,760
something from someone else.
You know the ball was hit.
603
00:48:35,760 –> 00:48:37,480
That’s passive.
This is more than that.
604
00:48:37,640 –> 00:48:43,640
It’s you putting yourself into a
position so you’re active that
605
00:48:43,640 –> 00:48:46,960
someone may do this to you.
This is what hip pal does.
606
00:48:47,200 –> 00:48:50,600
Well, here it is.
It.
607
00:48:50,960 –> 00:48:57,880
Means to place one’s request
before another to be assessed by
608
00:48:58,080 –> 00:49:02,000
them.
That’s prayer, isn’t it?
609
00:49:03,040 –> 00:49:08,320
We put our petition before the
Father for Him to assess whether
610
00:49:08,320 –> 00:49:11,000
he will act on it or not.
That is prayer.
611
00:49:13,040 –> 00:49:20,120
And isn’t that powerful?
If we think about that, it’s
612
00:49:20,160 –> 00:49:28,680
putting out issues before him
and he decides that’s exactly
613
00:49:28,680 –> 00:49:33,360
what prayer is.
Now there are other Hebrew words
614
00:49:33,360 –> 00:49:36,080
for prayer that use the hit pale
in the same way.
615
00:49:36,080 –> 00:49:39,680
It changes the meaning of the
word into this.
616
00:49:40,600 –> 00:49:43,640
It’s how it’s used now.
You know, the grammar presents
617
00:49:43,640 –> 00:49:51,440
this picture of someone who’s
superior assessing another’s
618
00:49:51,560 –> 00:49:55,800
needs or desires, and you.
Know there are many.
619
00:49:56,120 –> 00:50:00,600
Vast reliefs.
And engravings and.
620
00:50:00,600 –> 00:50:07,920
So on of slaves and subjects,
and so on, pleading the mercy of
621
00:50:08,360 –> 00:50:11,960
of a superior.
And they’ve generally got.
622
00:50:11,960 –> 00:50:15,520
Their hands outstretched and
they’re in various postures.
623
00:50:15,520 –> 00:50:18,960
They are the standing, kneeling
or even flat on on their knees
624
00:50:18,960 –> 00:50:21,680
or even on their faces, but
often with their hands in the
625
00:50:21,680 –> 00:50:22,960
ear.
And there are lots of other
626
00:50:22,960 –> 00:50:26,280
pictures of people praying which
bar it is.
627
00:50:26,480 –> 00:50:30,000
I believe that this picture here
of the Lord.
628
00:50:31,720 –> 00:50:35,720
Taking.
Slaves and then pleading the
629
00:50:35,720 –> 00:50:43,200
mercy of that Lord is burrowed
from prayer, and it’s because
630
00:50:43,280 –> 00:50:47,960
they try to stand in the place
of God, these Lords.
631
00:50:47,960 –> 00:50:54,880
Now, the Bible often has
pictures of people standing with
632
00:50:54,960 –> 00:50:59,600
or even kneeling with their arms
outstretched in this appealing
633
00:51:00,040 –> 00:51:03,200
way.
Now I’m going to.
634
00:51:03,200 –> 00:51:09,240
Leave out one.
I was going to look at an
635
00:51:09,240 –> 00:51:13,880
expression in the Hebrew.
Well, it’s in several places in
636
00:51:13,880 –> 00:51:18,160
the Bible, which actually
literally means that to throw
637
00:51:18,160 –> 00:51:26,280
down your petition before God as
if you’re throwing yourself down
638
00:51:26,920 –> 00:51:30,400
before Him.
And it’s showing us the humility
639
00:51:30,560 –> 00:51:34,480
that’s required.
And you imagine prostrating
640
00:51:34,480 –> 00:51:38,920
yourself before a powerful Lord.
To appeal for your.
641
00:51:38,920 –> 00:51:44,400
Life.
Well, that’s prayer and
642
00:51:44,400 –> 00:51:51,640
supplication.
Realising this brings humility.
643
00:51:52,920 –> 00:51:55,160
Would you put on an?
Affected manner.
644
00:51:56,560 –> 00:51:58,440
Using flowery.
Language.
645
00:52:00,840 –> 00:52:02,720
Put on a prayer.
Show.
646
00:52:06,560 –> 00:52:10,280
Would you have?
A a good old yarn with like as
647
00:52:10,280 –> 00:52:19,210
if he’s your mate.
I don’t think so, brothers.
648
00:52:19,210 –> 00:52:26,770
And sisters, you may be
impassioned, but you’d be very
649
00:52:26,810 –> 00:52:36,120
reverential, direct and plain.
Because no royal likes affected
650
00:52:36,120 –> 00:52:41,440
people, not any with any any
sense of decency and power and
651
00:52:41,680 –> 00:52:47,720
and and intelligence.
They can see straight through it
652
00:52:51,080 –> 00:52:52,120
and.
It’s the same with us.
653
00:52:52,120 –> 00:52:56,320
Brothers and sisters, it’s just
a simple request.
654
00:52:59,720 –> 00:53:01,240
And it’s done in a.
Certain spirit.
655
00:53:02,440 –> 00:53:06,440
Now I’m going to finish with.
I take it that there’s.
656
00:53:07,760 –> 00:53:11,160
There’s a link to.
This morning’s excitation, I
657
00:53:11,160 –> 00:53:16,560
didn’t hear the exhort, I’m
afraid, but about walking with
658
00:53:16,560 –> 00:53:22,320
God and I, I take it from the
prayer that there was some
659
00:53:22,800 –> 00:53:26,320
connection there.
This is Micah 6 and.
660
00:53:26,320 –> 00:53:29,800
Verse 8.
Heath showed thee O.
661
00:53:29,800 –> 00:53:34,400
Man, what is good, and what doth
Yahweh require of thee but to do
662
00:53:34,400 –> 00:53:38,960
justly, and to love mercy, and
to walk humbly with thy God?
663
00:53:39,120 –> 00:53:43,720
You know you could find no more
act a description of a
664
00:53:43,720 –> 00:53:47,480
relationship than walking with a
companion.
665
00:53:49,840 –> 00:53:54,880
To walk with.
God is to be in His company, to
666
00:53:54,880 –> 00:53:58,400
walk on the same path that He is
on.
667
00:53:59,280 –> 00:54:06,320
That’s His purpose and to be
involved in the same things that
668
00:54:06,440 –> 00:54:12,880
He is involved with, that He’s
interested in Him, to listen to
669
00:54:12,880 –> 00:54:35,040
Him and to talk with Him.
None.
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