First Thessalonians, Chapter
Five. I'm going to do a little review. This will
be the last message on the subject of prayer. I hope it has been
beneficial to you. It has been to me. Now, we've
spent two messages, more than anything, emphasizing
our desperate need to pray, just our need to pray. Because in
him, the scripture says, in him we live and move and have our
being. And the scripture also says it's
from him whom all blessings flow. And we're very needy creatures,
so we need to ask many things from our God from whom all blessings
flow. We need mercy, we need grace,
we need Strength, we need faith, we need hope, we need love, we
need comfort, we need peace, we need courage, we need zeal,
we need to know his will, all of these things. And he has all
of the answers for us, so we need to ask him. We're totally
dependent upon God for all that we are and all that we have.
And he tells us to ask and we'll receive. Then. To speak and we will find to
knock and doors will be thrown wide open. And all of this is by the means
of prayer these three things are telling us to do the same
thing ask seek knock prayer prayer. And then, last time that we met
together, we looked briefly at the essence of true prayer, or
what true prayer consists of. Many things. I gave you many
things, and here they are in brief. Prayer, first of all,
is praise. It's worship. It's thanksgiving. And then there's repentance involved
in prayer. I don't think anyone ever rightly
prays unless they ask God for forgiveness. His mercies are
new every morning. Why? Because we need them. That's
what we need more than anything, isn't it? It's God's mercy. We need for Him to have mercy
upon us our first waking hour and our last, and all night long. And repentance and communication
with our God, we need to speak, we need to be in a communicating
relationship with our great God. Communicate our desires to him.
I said this, that prayer, more than anything, is just a heart
unburdening itself to God. Your heart unburdening itself
to God. And all of this is done, this
is absolutely necessary, we understand this, all of this is done in
the name of Jesus Christ, because God will not be heard solely
by you. You got to go through a mediator,
don't you, Joe? And it's only one. And it's not
St. Christopher's, not St. this,
Pope that, St. Mary's, not even the... It's
only the Lord Jesus Christ, one mediator between God and men,
the man, Christ Jesus. He's the only one that can take
your prayers to the heavenly Father through the spirit of
Christ and you be certain that the Father will hear. hear him.
God said, or Christ said, concerning the Father, he always hears my
prayer. So I'm going to take my prayers to the one I know
who's always going to be heard. Saint Christopher, I don't know
who that is. I don't even know if he is in heaven. All right,
and in the name of Christ, briefly, that means believe in your sinner. In other words, Christ, Jesus
Christ, means Savior and Messiah. If you come in that name, it
just presupposes you need a savior, don't you? So only sinners can
come. So you've got to come believe
in your sinner. You've got to come believe in Christ as the
only way for a sinner to approach God, that because Christ lived
and died for sinners, therefore you can come to this holy God.
That's faith. That's what it means to come
in the name of Christ. And that he is the only mediator.
All right? And I gave these seven basic
things and I'll review these just real quickly. I told you
the true prayer consists of reverence, humility, fear, and how that
no one rightly approaches God unless they come in a humble
and fearful and irreverent fashion. You don't flippantly and carelessly
and just unthinkingly come into the presence of holy God, before
whom the angels even hide their faces. We don't deserve to be there.
You come like the old beggars used to do. Did you ever have
a beggar come up to your porch, you know, back in the old days
with a hat in their hand? Sir, I'd be much obliged. You don't have to, but would
you give me a little something to eat? You know, that's how
we come to this holy God. Don't rush into His presence
and say, give me what's coming to me. You don't want what's
really coming to you. You want what's coming to Christ.
Now, reverence, fear, humility, go on and on about that one point,
couldn't we? God is to be had in reverence
and fear of all them that are about him. Number two, earnestness,
seriousness, sincerity. Earnestness, seriousness don't
come as a matter of duty. Her habit, but come really want
to be heard and having particular petition. That's another point
particular request. And I talked about faith, coming
in faith, talking about coming in repentance. My wife brought
up this interesting point to me the other night, this thing
of repentance. We need to repent of particular
sins. Particular sin, you know, we
come asking for particular request, and that's necessary. don't come
with your general you know generally speaking per se if we really
want something we come and ask God for that particular thing
and and in repentance we need to ask forgiveness for specific
sin. You know we demand that of our
own children. When they have done something
we demand that they know what they're being corrected for and
that they'd be sorry for that particular thing. Right. I hear
people pray all the time the highest religion will give us
our. Well that's fine if you mean
that you have some but that's really most of the time as a
general way of saying. You know I got some balls but
you know that Republican in Temple said God be merciful to me the
center. Right the center. And we need
to ask forgiveness for our sin, particular sin. Confess each
one of them and ask for forgiveness. And ask that the Lord would change
you. All right? And thankfulness, I mentioned
that, thankfulness. A good prayer with the whole
thing would be just thanking God, thanking God. I said also
that we might not even ask for anything after we get through
thanking him for so much. Right? Count your blessings,
you might not even ask for anything after that. Intercession, intercessory prayer,
I told you about the importance of that. Now, do you remember
that? I told you how that God deals with us directly in relation
to the way we deal with others. Not in salvation, no, no, no,
no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,
no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,
no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,
no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,
In mercy and so many things, according to the way we deal
with others with a merciful, he'll show himself merciful.
Forgive us our debts as we forgive others their debts to us. And in watchfulness, I talked
about that, how we need to watch unto prayer or do it. Be careful
about it and watch for an answer. Watch for an answer. Now look
at our text here, and I promised you that this time we would see
what it means to pray continually. Look at verse seventeen, a three-word
text. Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians
5, seventeen. Pray without ceasing. What does this mean? What does
it mean, pray without ceasing? Is it possible? Do you think
he would tell us to do something that wasn't possible to do? Would he have told, wouldn't
that be cruel of our Lord, the man with the withered hand, stretch
out your hand, and he couldn't do it? He didn't give him the
strength to do so? Wouldn't that have been cruel? Wouldn't that
have been mocking the man? Would he tell us to do something
he wouldn't give us the power to do, the ability to do? No. These aren't theories. This is
not theoretical, is it? No. It's not a suggestion, either. He doesn't tell us to do the
impossible. This tells me, then, if he says, pray without ceasing,
and he's not telling us to do something we cannot do, this
tells me that prayer must involve more than sitting down on your
knees and closing your eyes and bowing your head, right? You
couldn't do that twenty-four hours a day, could you? Or every
waking up, could you know what it must be more than that must.
Must be. And he tells us to do it everywhere.
Our text back last week, first Timothy two, I said, I will that
men everywhere pray or men pray everywhere. And you couldn't,
if you did that on a job, John, you'd be fired, wouldn't you?
What's he doing? He's praying. No, he's he's he's
going home is what he's doing. I told you about my boss admonishing
me one time for witnessing to a fellow. I should have been
digging a ditch. I shouldn't have been standing there preaching.
I should have been digging a ditch. The way I dug the ditch would have
been a way of witnessing, wouldn't it? Well, we need to learn that.
All right, well, listen to these several scriptures exhorting
us to continual prayer. I'll give you the references
if you want to write those down. Look them up later. The Lord
said me and all always pray. So on one thirteen verse three.
From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same Lord's
name is to be prayed. And if you wake up until the
sun goes down the Lord's name is to be prayed. Psalm one thirteen
three. Colossians four two continue. Continue in prayer and watch
unto Thanksgiving. Watch with Thanksgiving. First
Thessalonians three verses nine and ten the apostle Paul was
praying for those Thessalonians. He said I pray night and day
that I'll see your face again. Was he lying? Was he just trying
to make a good show? Huh? He said I pray night and
day. Second Timothy one verse three. He said this to young Timothy
without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and
day. All right, so what is it to pray
without ceasing? What is it to pray without ceasing,
or commanded to do so, or to be so? That's my first point. Number one, it's to have the
affection, or the heart, the mind, set on things above. It's to have the heart, the mind,
the affection, or your person set on things above. I don't
think I'm very good on things about is to be in a praying temper
or praying frame of mind. Not in a praying position per
se but in a praying frame of mind to be thinking on things
about. They can just be done. Well. Can it. Well, you can be working
your job, whatever it may be, and whatever you, your hand finds
to do, you're to do it hardly. You're to put your, set your
mind to it and do it well, OK? But you can have in the back
of your mind thoughts of your God the whole time you're doing
it, can't you? Sure you can. Whatever you're doing. The whole
world is a sermon, you know? It speaks to us, and we're thinking
on things above, no matter what you're doing. Building up a window. Well, he's opened up the windows
of heaven and poured out the blessings. You know, anything. Anything. Changing the oil. Anoint
me with oil. The oil of thy Holy Spirit. Lord,
as this oil pours down into this basin, would you pour out your
Spirit upon me? Can you? Sure you can. Play music. Oh, he's my song. teaching music
or teach me to say teach me to play a world sermon in it and
you can still do what you're doing to the glory of God to
the best of your ability and still have God in your thoughts.
Yes, you can. Yes, you can. Cabinets, how about
building cabinets, Terry? I know somebody who was a cabinet
maker, a carpenter. I think my Lord did this. This
is honorable work. Honorable work. I'll give it
my best. Number two, what is it to pray
without ceasing? Number two, it's to not quit
until you get an answer. I'm going to give you different
aspects of what it means to pray without ceasing. Number one is
to have your affection, your heart, your mind set on things
above. Number two, it's to keep praying. Don't ever quit. And
that doesn't mean, you know what I mean. Turn to Luke chapter
18. That's where our Lord told us that. Luke chapter 18, I'll
give you the illustration of this woman. And at the heading
it talks about the importunate widow. You have that top of your
King James Bible. Heading that talks about the
importunate widow. Importunity means to continually
come beseeching someone crying out to someone or seeking someone's
help. Luke eighteen Jacob was very
importunate one. with the Lord he wrestled all
night in prayer was that I'm just not going to let you go.
To you best man and that's what this woman's doing here read
it with me he Christ spoke a parable under them to this in this purpose
that men are always praying not quit not think saying that I
was in a city a judge which feared not God neither regarded man.
And there was a widow in that city and she came on him saying
avenge me my adversary I don't know what Her problem was, but
she needed somebody higher or stronger than she to help her.
And the judge would not, verse four, he would not for a while.
But afterward, he said within himself, though I fear not God,
nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me, troubleth
me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary
me. And that's a man, and he can be wearied. The Lord cannot
be wearied. He tells us not to be weary in
well-doing. He certainly isn't. You cannot
weary the Lord. You cannot trouble him. And the Lord said, Hear what
the unjust judge saith. Shall not God avenge his own
elect, which cry day and night unto him? Though he bear long
with them, or that is, though he might not answer them immediately. Will he not answer them? He has
reasons for not answering them immediately. I'm going to read
this later, but it applies well there. Spurgeon in his Morning
and Evening, he used the text Isaiah 30, verse 18, Though the
Lord, therefore the Lord wait that he may be gracious unto
him. Some of you have read that, Isaiah 30, verse 18. Listen to
what he says about the Lord delaying in answering us in prayer. You
know, we pray for things and we don't always get an immediate
answer. Why? God has reasons. Listen to this.
It's very good. God often delays in answering
prayer. We have many instances in Scripture. Jacob did not get
the blessing from the angel until near the dawn of day. He had
to wrestle all night for it. The poor woman of Syro-Phoenicia,
the Lord didn't answer her at first. You remember that story?
She said, Lord, would you heal my son? And he didn't answer
her. He didn't answer her at first. That's what it was. Wasn't
she have a son she wanted to heal? But anyway, the Lord didn't
answer her at first. And then she kept asking him,
though, and finally he answered her. And that's when he said
it's not right to give children bread under dogs. He said, that's
true, Lord. Even dogs take a few crumbs.
And he marveled at her faith. And I could talk about that a
while, couldn't I? But the Lord didn't answer her at first. Paul
said he sought the Lord three times to remove that thorn, didn't
he? The Lord didn't. Finally, he
said, my grace is sufficient. All right, if you've been knocking
at the gate of mercy and have received no answer, Let me tell
you why. Our Father has reasons, peculiar
to himself, for keeping you waiting. Sometimes it's to show his power
and his sovereignty. He doesn't have to answer you,
does he? That's like me. My child comes
to me, and there's a sense in which if I'm doing something
that's very Say I'm studying. I don't have to stop what I'm
doing and answer that child. She can wait, right? But most
of the time I do. No, no. Most of the time I do. God going to stop what he's doing
to answer a worm? He going to stop providence in
heaven? He does. He doesn't have to. Sometimes
he waits, like that joke, to show us he's sovereign. He doesn't
have to answer. that men may know that Jehovah has a right
to give and withhold. He doesn't have to give. He can
withhold. He does this too. Sometimes we're kept waiting
in order that our desires may get a little bit stronger. Daddy, I've got to have this.
You've got to hear me out now. This is urgent. God knows the delay will quicken
and increase our desire. He keeps us waiting till we see
our necessity more clearly and seek him more earnestly. And
then after, we'll prize the answer a whole lot more. That's good,
isn't it? There may be also something wrong
in thee that has to be removed for the joy the Lord has given.
And he said this, this is good, perhaps your view of the gospel
is confused. You may be placing some reliance
on yourself instead of totally trust in entirely the Lord Jesus
Christ, or he makes you tarry a while or wait a while, that
he may more fully display the riches of his grace to you at
last. You be sure of this, your prayers are filed in heaven,
and if they're not immediately answered, they're not forgotten.
In a little while, they'll be fulfilled to the delight and
satisfaction of your soul, but don't let it make you be silent.
Continue earnest in prayer." That's good. So don't quit. Number two, don't quit, pray
without ceasing means to continue to pray. Number three, to pray
without ceasing also means to actually speak frequently in
the actual act of prayer. Actual means act of prayer. I
mean what we did a while ago, bowing our heads. You know, when
I say that prayer doesn't have a form, if you look through the
scriptures, It talks many times about kneeling. Let us kneel
before the Lord our Maker. Daniel, when he prayed, he kneeled
before the Lord. There is a sense at times that's
called for. It doesn't mean the whole thing.
Every time you pray, you have to do that. It's not a law. But
it is a good thing. And I've said before, we talked
about praying here before, a year or so ago. I said that actual
praying aloud is good. And I gave this reason. When
you're forced to put your thoughts into words, it makes you weigh
your words carefully. It makes you more thoughtful.
It makes you contemplate what it is you're going to ask for
a little more. You know what I'm saying? I know
this from experience. You pray silently and your mind
tends to wander and you try to you thought you might fall asleep
or something. But if you're forced to put your
thoughts and desires and prayers into words, then you're forced
to think about, and your voice is even going out. You understand what I'm saying?
All right? And eloquence doesn't matter.
Grammar doesn't matter. You don't have to say thee and
thou. We do that, and there's nothing wrong with that, but
you don't have to. Lord knows all languages. He knows what
proper English is. All right, so it is to actually
pray, actually be in the act of prayer, continuously do that. Number four, it's to pray at
all times. Pray at all times. I would have you turn to Psalm
55. Do turn there, Psalm 55. Pray at all, at various times. morning and night, and you know,
Scripture does talk about setting aside certain times of the day
to pray. Now, this is not mandated. This
is not law. The Scripture doesn't say, This
shalt, thus shalt thou do. Thou shalt in the morning and
certain times at noon, like the Hindus and the Muslims, the Islamic
people, and even the Jews, you know. That Scripture does not,
it does say morning and evening and night. I found fifty-five
or seventeen he says evening morning and at noon will I pray
and cry aloud and he shall hear my voice the book of Daniel Daniel
chapter six he said this and you don't have to turn Daniel. When he heard that decree remember
the decree came out don't you pray. Don't you pray and you
say well I'm going to do it three times a day like I always have
And Daniel, when he knew the writing had been signed, he went
into his house, his windows being opened in his chamber toward
Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed
and gave thanks, gave thanks before his God, just like he
did before, as he did before time. He didn't change a thing.
Three times a day. Those are pretty good examples
there, wouldn't you say, David and Daniel, pretty good fellows
to emulate, follow? Lord heard those fellows. All
right, in all conditions. Number five, it means to pray
in all conditions. In all conditions. Whether you're
afflicted or whether you're prosperous. Whether you're happy or whether
you're sad. You need to pray. Are you happy? Then sing songs. The scripture
says, sad, ask God to help. Afflicted, As for healing as
for delivering prosperous thank God crazy man number six is pray
in every business in everything concerning everything. Verse
eighteen of our text first Thessalonians five eighteen says in everything. Give thanks done in everything
he said in Philippians four and everything by prayer and supplication
let your request be made with thanksgiving let your request
be made known to God in everything. And I've met the scriptures I
started to say I beg to differ it's not me that differs it's
the word of God that differs with these men that say you're
not to pray about everything. I've heard I've heard preachers.
Make comments you know but don't you know you're going to do this
or whatever you got the means your ability to do it you have
to pray about that and that's not so that's not what scripture
says. Give me a scripture you're going to say something like that.
And everything about prayer supplication is nothing too big certainly
nothing too big to take to God is not too small. Sometimes small
things lead to big things don't small mistakes if there is such
a thing. A small wrong step. Wrong step means step in the
other direction. Where one is made to another
will follow. for long you're gone the other
way on every step. I'll be praying about that. I'm
not getting fanatical you're overly pious I'm just telling
you what scripture said. Is it possible to be in a continual
frame of prayer? Is it possible? I tried to answer
that but listen to these old writers Thomas Manton listen
to him. He says. If you pray without ceasing. You will
always be praying without ceasing. Think about it. That's profound. It really is. If you pray without
ceasing, then you will always be praying without ceasing. He
said this. He said, he that often prays
will be praying often. That man was a doctor of vanity.
No, that's true, though. I agree, but that's good. That's
profound. You ever thought about it? You
ever thought about it? Whatever you do often, that's
what you do. That doesn't need explanation.
Whatever you do the most of, that's what you do the most of.
David, listen to this. Listen to what David said. He
said, Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore
will I call upon him as long as I live." Didn't he? Because he hath inclined his
ear unto me one time, I'm going to call twice. If he heard me
twice, I'm going to call three times. If he's heard me three
times, I'm going to call four. I'm going to keep doing it. If
he keeps hearing me, I'm going to keep doing it. Manton said this, he got
a little more in-depth here. Manton said this,
he said, love, love will not suffer us long to be out of God's
company. Love will not suffer us long
to be out of God's company. They that delight in one another
must have frequent interviews. I always say in there and in
old puritanical language is if you love somebody will be around
to talk to communicate with. Listen to what she Queen of Sheba
when she came to hear Solomon's wisdom she came a long way to.
Listen to what she said this is great. She said happy are
the men. Happy are these servants who
stand continually before the and hear that wisdom. Those that
stand continually around him that are greater than Solomon
and hear his wisdom, they will grow wise like him, don't they?
Listen, Solomon, he turned around. He was speaking of Christ in
Proverbs 8. Solomon turned around. on me. Well, he's there all the
time. He just likes to get a glimpse
of you as you come by. Like an old dog. Some of you
have dogs, you know, that you can count on in the morning.
They're going to be waiting at the door when you walk out the door,
right? Pooh bear. Dogs, you know, right? I wouldn't
talk, I wouldn't give all the names of your, the silly names
of your dogs for everybody to know. Rick's a pooh bear. But
nevertheless, a dog in worship and in love to its master, it's
constantly waiting on its master. And the minute he walks out that
door, he may be sleeping there all night long, waiting to hear
from his master. Just a word. Hello, pooh bear. That's enough. And he'll wait
all day long until you get home from work on him. Just say, well,
hello again, pooh bear. That's made his day. Listen to this, this is great,
while you're turning to Proverbs 22, Proverbs 22. No, no, I'm
sorry, Job 22, Job 22. Job 22, the more you pray, the more you pray, the more liberty and
boldness you'll have in prayer. The more you pray. the more liberty and boldness
you have in prayer. Manton said this, he said, men
that often visit together are very close acquaintances. Men
that often visit one another are very close acquaintances.
Listen to Job twenty-two, verse twenty-one, acquaint now thyself
with him. If you do, you'll be at peace.
To know him is to love him. Acquaint now thyself with him
and be at peace. Therefore, good shall come unto
thee. You know Isaiah 26.3, Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace.
His mind has stayed on this. We need to become more acquainted
with our Christ, don't we? There's a good watchword in it.
Acquaint thyself with Christ. He knows us, Joe. Oh, he knows
everything about it. He knows our down city and our
uprising. He knows every word, every thought in my head, every
word in my tongue. I need to know more of him. Paul
said, oh, that I might know him. Acquainting ourselves with how?
They that, men that often visit together are close acquaintances. The better we know him, the better
we know him, the more peace we'll have. Right? The more my daughter comes to
know her father as a loving, kind, compassionate father, the
more she'll be at peace and at ease around me, right? And won't
fear, won't have any need to fear. And the more comfort we'll
enjoy, the more we know him, the more comfort we'll enjoy.
And you know the old saying is, familiarity breeds contempt?
Not here, buddy. Not here. Familiarity with Christ
breeds confidence. Familiarity breeds and begets
confidence. If you're frequently with him,
if you've been frequently heard by him, if you've had prayers
frequently answered by him, that will give you more confidence
the next time, won't it? You'll come boldly. And that
doesn't mean brashly or cockily, but it just means come confidently. He'd come to your father. That's
what he said to the disciples, wasn't it? Your father hears
you now. He hears you. You can go to him.
He'll hear you. And we can come with faith and
confidence and peace will be found, boldness, confident belief
that he hears us. That he hears us. You know, we
feel free in coming to an old friend, don't we? There's some
of you here, most of you here. that I haven't known you a long
time. I feel like your old friends. And I don't hesitate, as you
probably already found out, I don't hesitate to ask things. Because
I want you to do the same for me. There's nothing I'd like
to do more than to help you out. And because of my confidence
in my relationship with you, well, I'll just come and ask
you what I want. Right? Joe, you want me to do that?
Can I? Can I do that with confidence?
Sure I can. You're my buddy, my friend, and
I am yours. You can come to me about anything.
You can call me at two in the morning, and I'll send Mindy
to help you. No, seriously, I'll come help you. I mean that. And I've done it before, and
you've done it before for me and all. An old friend, an old
friend you can come boldly to, you can come confidently to,
can't you? One you've been received by before with a smile, a reasonable
smile. I hesitate to come to people
that, you know, I don't know how they're going to treat me,
but those that I have confidence in our relationship, I don't
hesitate to come to you. God never changes. He's just
calling on me in a day of trouble. Two in the morning, Terry. He
never sleeps. He never sleeps. He neither slumbers
nor sleeps. Psalm 121 says, Pray without
ceasing. Men ought always to pray and not to think, Christ
said, because we're always in need. That's the biggest reason
of all why we ought to always pray. We always need something. All right? And I told you this,
and I've got ten more minutes. I told you I was going to talk
to you a little bit about praying in his will or finding the Lord's
will for your life. That ought to make some ears
pop up. Oh, Brother Barnard, bless God
for that old man, I'm telling you. Oh, the Lord views that
man. He being dead yet speaketh. Brother
Barnard, a man was riding in a car, a young man, a young preacher
I believe it was, riding in the car with Brother Barnard going
someplace. And he the young man asked for
the barn. He said, but a martyr. I think
he was probably trying to make some kind of religious conversation,
you know how. We are, but he said, Brother
Barnard. He said, what is. What's your
definition of prayer? What do you think prayer, real
prayer is? And Barnard didn't answer him.
And the man said that they drove along for about 45 minutes. And
Barnard never said a word. And the man thought, well, maybe
he didn't hear me. And he started to ask him again, and he may
have. I think, Brother Barnard, did
you hear me? What is prayer? And Brother Barnard said this.
He said, you know, see, a wise man studies to answer. Brother Barnard said, well, in
his old North Carolina drawl, he said, prayer has something
to do with the will of God. That's all he said. That's all
he said. That's a good answer, isn't it?
But I'm going to elaborate on that a little bit. Christ is our supreme example.
Christ is our supreme example. Not only is he our substitute,
our mediator, but he is our example. We're to do as he does, right?
He was the perfect man, Barbara. We want to be a man, manly, or
a woman as a woman is supposed to be, a man, Charlie. We want
to be a man like Christ. We're being predestinated to
be conformed to his image, but we're to do all that he does
in our way, at least try to emulate him, right? How did he pray? I told you last week he prayed
intercessory prayer, but chiefly, how he prayed was this way. Thy
will be done. Didn't he? Every time. Even when he was
in dire straits, for lack of a better word, he prayed, nevertheless,
not my will, but thy will be done. Now that says it all. Christ could have demanded his
rights. But he didn't. I thought about this. Charles,
he gave us his rights. Didn't he? He could have demanded
his rights, but perhaps, Terry, he was thinking that he was going
to relinquish them all and give them to us. His righteous name. His rights. But to pray To pray
in the will of God, he tells us first of all to pray in the
name of Christ. That means pleading his blood and his righteousness,
praying in the name of Christ. Because Christ came and lived
and died for sinners, then therefore we can come bold to the throne
of grace. But to pray anything, as John said, according to God's
will and have him hear us, you need to consider these three
things. in the will of God, knowing what the will of God is, how
to pray in that way. Are you interested? Everything
we say and do, whether we eat, drink, say, do, everything is
to be what? In what way? For the glory of
God. The glory of God. Whatsoever
you do, do all to the glory of God. God's primary will for us.
If you haven't heard anything up to this point, God's primary
principle will for the chief end of man, if you will. The
primary will and purpose that God Almighty has for our very
existence is to give him glory. There's no other use for you.
Right? No other use. God doesn't gain
anything by us. We're the gainers. But when I
say, give him glory, I don't mean we add anything to his essential
glory, but I mean we glorify and praise him. He delights in just that, that
we glorify and praise him. And that's done through service.
Turn to 1 Peter 4, 1 Peter chapter 4, verse 11. A few more minutes. Says this, if any man speak,
let him speak as the oracles of God, the very truth of God,
the authority of God, if any man minister. Now that involves
everybody. Everybody can't speak, but everybody can minister. We'll
see that in a minute from Romans 12. Let him do it, let him or
her do it, as of the ability which God giveth. Why? That God in all things may be
glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion
forever and ever. For the glory of God. That's
what we're to pray for. If we're going to pray in the
will of God, pray, Lord, not my will, not my want to, thy
will be done. Lord, don't give me what I want. Give me what you will. That's
praying in the will of God. Number two, it has to involve
this, the good of the church. You're not no man's an island
Rick we're not we're not our own. We're bought with a price
and what are we? What does the scripture say? First Corinthians twelve Romans
twelve were members of a body right? Vitally joined together
to members of a body and I'll add this to a local body That
makes it that more our service that much more vital than a local
body particularly a little rural country church where the absence
of one little toe or or even the toenail off a little toe
is a gaping hole. We need to find out what our
purpose is in that body and do it to the best of our ability.
The good of the church, we have to consider that whatever decisions,
whatever, whatever we're going to do, we have to consider the
good of the church. We're, we're members of the body, right? My finger can't up and say, I'm
going over here. Wait a minute, bud. The rest
of us got to follow. You're going to somehow know
that's going to affect the rest of us. If you go over here, right? Let's think about this. Maybe
we'll all go with you. Right? And number three shows
that God's glory the good of the church since we're a vital
member of the body and number three my spiritual. Well being a spiritual I'm a
temporal. We don't consider that part a
spiritual you know all things work together for good to them
that love God who called according to purpose what good temporal
no you may lose your husband may lose your wife you may lose
your. your child you may lose your job you make what your house
you may get sick you may whatever temporarily that wasn't real
good at the time what somehow know this you can count on is
going to work for your internal good. Your spiritual good you
can count on that. All decisions in our life must
be prayed about toward these hands God's glory the good of
the church my spiritual well-being growing like Christ growing up
in him and all things. Let me, now let me, I'll quit
on this. You ask this question, and we're
all asked this question, where would God have me to be? You know, those that will be praying
often will often pray. Where would God have me to be? Where are you? That's where God would have you
to be. That's the will of God for you. Huh? If God will have
you be elsewhere, ain't hell or high water going to stop you
from being there. Man, I know that for a fact.
I tried my best to open doors, and they wouldn't open. They
slammed shut my door in my face. Where are you? That's where God
would have you to be. What would God have me to do? That's a better
question. What would God have me to do
in his service, in his service? What would God have me to do?
Well, the scripture says, God has set the members, everyone
in the body, as it had pleased him. But I don't have enough
to do. Well, have you done all you could
do and what you have been given to do? Well, not. Have you been faithful in a few
things? Well, not. No, I haven't, but I just feel
like I've given some great things. Seekest thou great things for
thyself? Seek them not. Why should God give me more to
do if I haven't done faithfully what he's given me to do? Huh?
Why should I go somewhere else to greener pastures if I haven't
mowed the pastures I'm in? Or done what I had to do where
I'm at? Huh? What has God given you to
do in the Church? Then do it with all thy might,
the Scriptures. Hardly, the Scriptures. Hardly,
as unto the Lord. I was going to have you turn
to Romans twelve and read all those things, him that giveth,
him that prayeth, him that ministereth, whatever it says. The very last
words in that Romans twelve, in talking about different ministrations,
talking about doing it with cheerfulness. And that's what I appreciate
about some of you all. One lady in particular over here,
oh, got a smile on her face, whatever she's doing. I appreciate
that. That's with cheerfulness, hardly
as to the Lord. And what makes me think God would
have me elsewhere or start over when I'm not doing what I'm supposed
to be doing where I'm at? Does that make good sense, Rick?
Huh? I'm not talking to you. I'm talking to all of you. I'm
just asking for your approbation. I don't need it, but I'm asking
for it anyway. Huh? Where are you? What are
you doing? Or not doing? Where are you what
are you doing and do it don't look for something to do it.
Let me give an example here let me just use some lines and. Joe
let me pick on you. Here Joe's a deacon. Joe's a song later. Those are
vital vital. Services and offices in this
church vital. If you don't think so, I sure
do. I know you do. He was a deacon and a song leader.
What's God's will for Joe Parks? That he be a deacon and a song
leader, right? And to do it the best he can
do. Well, me, what about me? I'm pastor here and The Lord
is. I have to thank the Lord, give
him all the credit and all, but we've got a right good little
crowd here and we've been having a good spirit and things are
going well. We built us a new addition back here and renovated
downstairs. And I just think things are just
people ask me all the time how things going. Well, you just
you have to see for yourself. You have to be in on this. Lord's
blessing us tremendously. He made me pastor here and I
love it. What's the Lord's will for me?
To be pastor of this church. And others I tell you what what's
the Lord will for you will find out what you can do. Find out
what you can do. There is no doubt in my mind
what the Lord will for you is in this body. What are you doing? That's what I've been talking
about the whole time. Don't what are you doing? You're serving
this church. You're a Bible. We couldn't do
without you. Could we folks? What's the Lord's will for Vicki
Patton? What she's doing? That's what she's doing. Find
what you can do, whether it just be to be here. How about Virgie
Jones? She's not here. Virgie says, oh, I don't do much.
She's here. Is that not an encouragement
to you just to come and see that 86? I always get her age wrong. Eighty-something. Eighty-two? It's eighty. After eighty, who
cares who's counting you now? Isn't it just an encouragement
to you to come here and see that woman here? Ellen. Works hard
all day. In a. I couldn't do that job. I just
couldn't do what you do. You ask her about it. She says
she likes her job. Oh, I admire that. Don't you? She's here. Her car went out
tonight. She had to get here tonight. Find out what you need to pray.
Can you pray? This is what this whole thing
has been all about, praying. Can you pray? Everybody can pray.
Well, we need you here. Can you work? Can you sweep?
Can you sweep? If the deacons will fix my vacuum
cleaner again, right, Vicki? And that's what it stands for,
fix your vacuum cleaner. That's exactly right. Cook? Can you cook? You all are you
ladies going to bring meals here. Can you cook do it do it the
best job you can entertain you know talking about a church in
the New Testament was addicted to hospitality. That's what Paul
said about addicted to hospitality. Some of our people keep people
in their homes. If to be frank with you if it
wasn't for just a few here. We'd have to build a bigger home.
And I'm so thankful. That certain people do that,
and can you cut the grass? Can you keep nursery? Why is
it that we think keeping nursery is not a good thing in a ministry? Anybody hear any crying babies
right now? Huh? Isn't that great? That's a ministry,
isn't it? I'm so thankful. Polly Sigmund's
down in the nursery tonight. She's doing a good work, isn't
she? That nursery is vital. If you
don't think it is, we'll close it up and bring them up here
and we'll just see what we think about it. I won't be here when
we do that, but y'all can see what you think about it. Whatever
you find to do, do it. Do it. And one final note. Listen
to this. Now this is so important. God's
will will not be known or found out by you until you find some
contentment where you are. God's will will not be known
by you nor found out by you until you find some contentment where
you are. I'll give you two examples. My wife, I've used this before,
she went five years without having a child. And she was, you'll
admit, you were distraught over it. You wanted a child. It's
in a woman to want children, and some can't. But that, you
know, that can even really be a blessing too. Scripture says
so. But she was without one, and she wanted one badly. And
she went five years without one. She never found any peace or
any joy and contentment. She was torn up about it all
the time. Until finally she said, she told me that she finally
really prayed about, Lord give me contentment. Let me be willing
and content that if it's not your will for me to have a child,
let me be happy about it and satisfied and be at peace. And
the Lord gave her that contentment and then he also gave her a child.
Wasn't that good of him? He didn't have to give her a
child, but he gave her the contentment, that's what she needed more than
the child. But he heaped blessings upon her after that. Me and the ministry, or every
young man that's ever done a little preaching, or at least thinks
he has, thinks he's called to the ministry, you know, thinks
he's got to be behind a desk. Boy, I know now. That's not the
most desirable place to be behind a desk. But you know I just had
to be in the ministry and I tell you that in the railroad I was
discontented at times there was working on the railroad. It was
a reason when Steve wanted to get on the railroad I was going
oh what does he want to do that for? I knew it. But God gave me that job and
it was a good job. It provided for my family and
I was able to get married. It was a good job, and I'm thankful
for it. And I was never really happy or content until I finally
came to that same place and said, Lord, make me content to work
on the railroad. I said, Lord, if it's your will
for me to be on the railroad the rest of my life, let me be
on a railroad for your glory. And he gave me that contentment,
and now here I am in the ministry. The Lord's will, God's will,
is not going to be known or found until contentment is reached
where you are. So, in conclusion of all this three-part message,
pray. I will, therefore, that men pray.
Pray without ceasing, and all that that means. Pray in the
name of Christ. Pray in the name of that Mediator, that one Mediator.
Pray not for your will, but for God's will to be done. And peace
and contentment and joy in the Lord will be experienced by you. You have God's word on it. But
pray. Pray. You have not because you
ask not. OK, stand with me and we will
pray together. Our Lord God, we How we thank
You that, first of all, we thank You for
Your Word. We thank You for Your Word. We can just take up anything,
any subject, whatever, and just be infinitely blessed and profit
by it. All Scripture is given by inspiration
of God is so profitable, profitable and needful and necessary. Lord,
impress upon us Your Word to pray. to call upon you in the
name of the Lord, and we'll be saved, and we'll be kept saved,
kept by your power, and we'll be given all the things we need
just by asking our kind, gracious benefactor, our Lord and Savior. And Lord, make us willing, make
us content to do what we are given to do, and do it with all
our might as unto the Lord. Do it heartily, cheerfully, as
unto the Lord and do it to the best of our ability for your
glory for the good of the church for our eternal welfare that
we might grow up in Christ and all things be just like him who
took upon himself the form of a servant Lord may we present
our bodies. Beseeching or thinking of the
mercies of God to us maybe present our bodies living sacrifices
and today as well pleasing as acceptable and In the name of
Christ, we pray and ask thee, saying, I ask thee for every
person here tonight. Amen.