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You can turn in your Bibles

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to Ephesians 3.

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Now we had left off in Ephesians 3:14.

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We went down through v. 13.

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We're going to pick things up,

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and spend a number of weeks here

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in the last half of Ephesians 3.

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Let's read this.

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We'll read from verse 14 
to the end of the chapter.

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"For this reason,

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I bow my knees before the Father,

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from whom every family in heaven

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and on earth is named,

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that according to the riches of His glory,

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He may grant you to be strengthened

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with power through His Spirit

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in your inner being,

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so that Christ may dwell in 
your hearts through faith,

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that you being rooted and grounded in love

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may have strength to comprehend

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with all the saints what is the breadth

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and length and height and depth

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and to know the love of Christ

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that surpasses knowledge,

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that you may be filled with 
all the fullness of God.

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Now to Him who is able to 
do far more abundantly

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than all we ask or think,

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according to the power at work within us,

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to Him be glory in the church

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and in Christ Jesus

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throughout all generations

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forever and ever. Amen."

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"For this reason..."

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Look at verse 14.

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"For this reason..."

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What's going on here? It's been awhile.

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Remember with me.

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Remember.

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You've got your face there in your Bible.

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You see, "For this reason..."

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And if you go back up 
to verse 1 of chapter 3,

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you see that he started the same way.

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"For this reason..."

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Now, could it be that in both places

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he's speaking about different things?

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It could be.

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I mean, you could be having a conversation

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with somebody and you could say,

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"For this reason so-and-so..."

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And then later in the 
conversation, you could say,

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"For this reason..." and 
you mean another reason.

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And that's possible.

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In both cases, verse 1, "For this reason,

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I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus
on behalf of you Gentiles..."

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Verse 14, "For this reason, I bow 
my knees before the Father..."

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In both cases, we might ask,

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what's happening?

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What reason?

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Well, just remember this with me.

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Back up in chapter 3:1,

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most of your Bibles -

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I recognize if you've got 
the King James Version

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it doesn't have this, but 
most every other Bible

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has that double dash 
at the end of verse 1.

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Now whether your Bible has it or doesn't,

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obviously it doesn't show 
up in the original Greek.

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There's no double dash there to be found.

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This is put here by the translators.

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Why? Because they're 
assuming that Paul digresses.

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They're assuming what you have

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from verse 2 to verse 13 is a parenthesis.

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In other words, Paul was starting to say

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what he says in verse 14.

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"For this reason,

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I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus..."

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and he was going to say,

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"...bow my knees before the Father."

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But you know what?

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In describing himself as a prisoner,

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he recognized that -

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you can see it in verse 13 -

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he recognized the people might lose heart.

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He recognized that he 
himself being in prison

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might create sorrow in their hearts.

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And so, he digresses.

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He digresses to basically show them,

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look, this is your glory 
that I'm in prison.

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This is not a bad thing.

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Don't get discouraged.
Don't be depressed.

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Don't lose heart to the 
fact that I'm doing this.

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And you know what? We all do this.

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We all at times are speaking to somebody,

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and as we're speaking to them

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and we're trying to say one thing,

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a thought comes into our mind

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that something I just said
needs to be clarified,

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or something I just said 
needs some extra light,

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and we feel like we need 
to abruptly interrupt

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and stick it in there 
before we keep going.

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We do that.

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And you know, one of the things is

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we sometimes think that 
because men are inspired,

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that they can't do those kinds of things.

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Because it's almost like we view

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inspired writers as dictating 
for the Spirit of God.

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My mother used to be a legal secretary,

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and she, back in the day -

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this was before they have 
all the recording ability,

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she did shorthand.

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Anybody remember shorthand?

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She would have the attorney dictate to her

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and she would write down in shorthand.

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But that is not the way 
Scripture comes to us.

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Can we allow somebody

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that's under the inspiration of the Spirit

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to suddenly interrupt 
their train of thought

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and go in another direction?

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I love this.

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It shows the nature of 
God-breathed Scripture.

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Paul can be completely controlled
by the Spirit of God,

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and yet, the Spirit isn't 
just dictating to him

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like he's some robot.

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That's not what's happening.

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Paul writes in such a way

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that his own thinking, his own writing

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are free and spontaneous,

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and yet he is writing word-for-word

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what God wants him to write.

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That's what happens.

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Here's an interruption in 
Paul's train of thought.

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And yet, the whole thing is

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divinely conceived and controlled.

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And so, what happens, you get to v. 14,

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and now Paul's going to go back

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to what he was originally wanting to say.

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"For this reason..."

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We ought to ask, "what reason?"

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Now he says this:

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"For this reason, I bow my knees

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before the Father,

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from whom every family in 
heaven and on earth is named,

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that according to the riches of His glory
He may grant you to be strengthened."

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Now, it could be "for this 
reason, I bow my knees."

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Why? "Because I want you to have power."

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It could be that.

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But if you go back up to 
3:1 when he first said it,

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"For this reason..."

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well, it's very likely pointing 
to what he got done saying

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at the end of chapter two.

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It's likely his whole reasoning is this:

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"For this reason..."

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Because you Gentiles -

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because that's been his 
whole argument all along -

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you Gentile Christians have been added

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to the saints of God.

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Because of your standing...

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Go back to chapter 2.

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Let's just run through this really fast.

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Verse 13. "They were brought near."

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Verse 16, "reconciled to God."

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Verse 18, "given access to the Father."

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Verse 19, "fellow citizens,"

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"members of the household of God."

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Verse 20, "on the apostolic foundation,

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Christ Jesus Himself 
being the cornerstone."

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Verse 22, "built together...

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dwelling place for God."

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Paul bows his knees before the Father why?

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To pray for this elect people.

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"For this reason..." 
because of your standing.

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And I like this.

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I mean, this causes me to think.

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Do you recognize?

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When Paul speaks to Christians

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in the New Testament,

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he is talking about how often

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he thanks the Lord for them

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and how unceasingly he prays for them.

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When Paul found elect people of God,

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he was constrained.

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People who the Father loved.

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He looks at them.

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He recognized they're not 
like the rest of the world.

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They're beloved of God,

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and it struck a chord in his own love.

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Paul prayed for God's people.

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You can't get away from that reality.

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He prayed. He prayed.

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Why? These people are 
adopted by the Father.

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Adopted through Jesus Christ.

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Adopted as sons.

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They're part of the family.

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They're in.

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These are God's people.

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He's set His love on them.

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And for Paul, that was powerful.

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When he found true Christians,

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it had a singular effect on 
the angle of his knees.

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And you notice: "I bow my knees."

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It caused them to bend.

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Now, here's the thing.

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I know this.

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I have desired since the very 
beginning of this church

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that we would have a praying church

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because I'm absolutely convinced

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that we need God, and praying 
people lay hold on God,

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and God responds to praying people.

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God moves and things happen.

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Prayer is absolutely essential

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in the life of the church.

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And what I find is this,

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when you find prayers in Scripture,

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they as much as anything

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are great lessons in how the church

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should be praying.

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And so, I want us to 
take this for what it is.

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Paul.

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He's praying. It's a prayer.

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Well, not exactly.

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He's telling us how he prays.

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This isn't him actually praying

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like Jesus in John 17.

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This is him telling the 
Ephesians how he prays,

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his posture of prayer, and what he prays.

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That's what's happening here.

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Paul telling us how.

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Massively instructive.

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Why? Because Paul's under inspiration.

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You know what the Spirit's doing here?

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"Paul, tell them how you pray."

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That is helpful.

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Because you know, we 
see a lot of people pray.

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You come to the prayer meetings.
You hear people pray.

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You get in small groups.
You hear people pray.

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When we don't get into small groups,

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but we all stay together,

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we pass that microphone around,

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voices come through the speakers.

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Undoubtedly throughout your lives,
you hear people pray.

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And we can ask the question,

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are our prayers pleasing to God?

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Are our prayers biblical?

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Do our prayers resemble something

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that would seem to be pleasing to God?

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Maybe we say, well, if we pray,

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doesn't that in itself please God?

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But I'll tell you this, there's a place

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definitely to learn how to pray.

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Jesus taught His disciples, 
"pray this way."

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There's a place for being instructed.

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There's a place for learning.

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And I find this, when you find a prayer

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that we know to be 
inspired of the Holy Spirit,

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under inspiration.

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The Spirit was moving Paul

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to tell these Ephesians how he prayed.

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And it's going to do us well

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to pay attention to this.

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Do people pray according to the Spirit?

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You know, you can hear somebody pray -

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well, is that according to the Spirit?

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Is that not according to the Spirit?

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Well, we know this is.

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If you ever want God just to 
teach you how to pray, here it is.

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We don't have to guess.

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This is acceptable.

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And brethren, you'll 
notice what isn't here.

268
00:12:04,899 --> 00:12:08,167
This jumps out at me.

269
00:12:08,167 --> 00:12:10,829
What's not here?

270
00:12:10,829 --> 00:12:12,477
Oh, how shallow it is when people

271
00:12:12,477 --> 00:12:14,004
just simply pray,

272
00:12:14,004 --> 00:12:16,622
"Lord, bless this, bless him,

273
00:12:16,622 --> 00:12:20,102
bless her, bless that, 
bless the other thing."

274
00:12:20,102 --> 00:12:23,770
You notice Paul doesn't even 
use that word "bless" once?

275
00:12:23,770 --> 00:12:25,830
Now look, I'm certainly not saying

276
00:12:25,830 --> 00:12:28,095
that you can't use that
term when you pray,

277
00:12:28,095 --> 00:12:30,937
but oh, how often, praying for a blessing

278
00:12:30,937 --> 00:12:34,923
is just a default word for 
not knowing what to pray

279
00:12:34,923 --> 00:12:36,404
and for shallow prayer.

280
00:12:36,404 --> 00:12:38,338
In fact, if you go through Scripture

281
00:12:38,338 --> 00:12:41,832
and you look at the specific prayers

282
00:12:41,832 --> 00:12:43,659
that are given in Scripture,

283
00:12:43,659 --> 00:12:46,770
how seldom - or never - do you find

284
00:12:46,770 --> 00:12:48,803
that word "bless."

285
00:12:48,803 --> 00:12:50,709
Of course, we want God's blessing!

286
00:12:50,709 --> 00:12:52,306
But what sort of blessing?

287
00:12:52,306 --> 00:12:54,812
Paul is specific. See him there.

288
00:12:54,812 --> 00:12:56,407
See him there on bended knee.

289
00:12:56,407 --> 00:12:58,489
What is he going to ask for?

290
00:12:58,489 --> 00:12:59,631
What is it?

291
00:12:59,631 --> 00:13:00,690
Hear him.

292
00:13:00,690 --> 00:13:03,554
"Father..." can you see him?

293
00:13:03,554 --> 00:13:05,230
Bended knee.

294
00:13:05,230 --> 00:13:09,316
Where was he?

295
00:13:09,316 --> 00:13:10,713
I don't know where he was.

296
00:13:10,713 --> 00:13:12,212
He's in some kind of prison.

297
00:13:12,212 --> 00:13:13,981
He was imprisoned.

298
00:13:13,981 --> 00:13:16,067
You can imagine him in a prison cell.

299
00:13:16,067 --> 00:13:18,714
You can imagine that a lot 
of his time was spent there.

300
00:13:18,714 --> 00:13:20,021
And what's he praying for?

301
00:13:20,021 --> 00:13:22,021
Hear him. Hear him. Hear his words.

302
00:13:22,021 --> 00:13:25,912
"Father, please, please..." what?

303
00:13:25,912 --> 00:13:27,461
Bless them? Bless that?

304
00:13:27,461 --> 00:13:29,491
Bless Thessalonica? Bless Philippi?

305
00:13:29,491 --> 00:13:30,717
Bless the Romans?

306
00:13:30,717 --> 00:13:32,630
Bless those at Jerusalem?

307
00:13:32,630 --> 00:13:33,692
It's not that.

308
00:13:33,692 --> 00:13:35,044
He's very specific.

309
00:13:35,044 --> 00:13:38,775
And he says specifically 
for these Ephesians,

310
00:13:38,775 --> 00:13:41,684
on bowed, bended knee;

311
00:13:41,684 --> 00:13:43,736
listen to his voice.

312
00:13:43,736 --> 00:13:45,556
He says, "Father, please,

313
00:13:45,556 --> 00:13:50,545
according to the riches of Your glory..."

314
00:13:50,545 --> 00:13:54,328
Now, you can stop right there.

315
00:13:54,328 --> 00:13:57,211
"Father..."

316
00:13:57,211 --> 00:13:59,692
Not in some meager way.

317
00:13:59,692 --> 00:14:01,365
Not in some off-handed way.

318
00:14:01,365 --> 00:14:03,660
Not in some barely recognizable way.

319
00:14:03,660 --> 00:14:05,578
Not in some way where we've got to

320
00:14:05,578 --> 00:14:08,005
squint real hard to say,

321
00:14:08,005 --> 00:14:11,182
did He answer or not?

322
00:14:11,182 --> 00:14:15,493
But, "according to the 
riches of Your glory."

323
00:14:15,493 --> 00:14:16,775
What a powerful plea!

324
00:14:16,775 --> 00:14:17,776
What an argument!

325
00:14:17,776 --> 00:14:19,314
"Please, Father, please...

326
00:14:19,314 --> 00:14:21,593
I'm asking You to answer.

327
00:14:21,593 --> 00:14:24,372
Not in some barely recoginizable way.

328
00:14:24,372 --> 00:14:28,193
Arise! Act consistent with 
the riches of Your glory."

329
00:14:28,193 --> 00:14:30,416
That is a way worth praying.

330
00:14:30,416 --> 00:14:32,646
That's how you want to pray.

331
00:14:32,646 --> 00:14:36,494
"Lord, please..."

332
00:14:36,494 --> 00:14:39,447
Look, we're not like the lost people.

333
00:14:39,447 --> 00:14:40,809
We're not like the pagans.

334
00:14:40,809 --> 00:14:42,859
You're not like you 
were when you were lost

335
00:14:42,859 --> 00:14:45,073
and a nominal whatever-you-were.

336
00:14:45,073 --> 00:14:47,187
Whether you were a lost Baptist,

337
00:14:47,187 --> 00:14:49,926
a lost pagan, a lost nominal Catholic,

338
00:14:49,926 --> 00:14:52,775
lost religious, lost unreligious.

339
00:14:52,775 --> 00:14:54,392
The god you called upon

340
00:14:54,392 --> 00:14:55,921
and the kind of prayers you had

341
00:14:55,921 --> 00:14:58,064
and some little idol

342
00:14:58,064 --> 00:15:00,769
or some small figment of your imagination,

343
00:15:00,769 --> 00:15:04,893
listen, that is not the way 
we've learned our Scripture.

344
00:15:04,893 --> 00:15:07,921
That's not the way we've 
learned the God of Scripture.

345
00:15:07,921 --> 00:15:10,162
He is not some small little idol,

346
00:15:10,162 --> 00:15:13,054
some little statue to 
be prayed to like that.

347
00:15:13,054 --> 00:15:15,589
He's not like those Indian gods

348
00:15:15,589 --> 00:15:18,652
that they have to carry around.

349
00:15:18,652 --> 00:15:20,246
This God is the living God,

350
00:15:20,246 --> 00:15:22,110
and He doesn't need to be carried.

351
00:15:22,110 --> 00:15:23,697
And He can part Red Seas,

352
00:15:23,697 --> 00:15:24,924
and when you pray to Him,

353
00:15:24,924 --> 00:15:27,833
you should pray according 
to the magnitude of His glory.

354
00:15:27,833 --> 00:15:29,753
That's what Paul's doing.

355
00:15:29,753 --> 00:15:33,869
Don't pray silly little prayers.

356
00:15:33,869 --> 00:15:37,030
Look, that doesn't mean you 
can't pray for the smallest things.

357
00:15:37,030 --> 00:15:39,544
I remember Mueller. He would say -

358
00:15:39,544 --> 00:15:43,362
you know in his day, I guess 
they were the quill pens.

359
00:15:43,362 --> 00:15:46,145
He said something about if a pen

360
00:15:46,145 --> 00:15:49,091
needs to have the cartridge replaced

361
00:15:49,091 --> 00:15:51,088
or whatever they called it in that day,

362
00:15:51,088 --> 00:15:52,793
he said it's worth praying about.

363
00:15:52,793 --> 00:15:55,540
Obviously, even praying 
about small things,

364
00:15:55,540 --> 00:15:58,689
we should blanket everything 
in our lives in prayer.

365
00:15:58,689 --> 00:16:01,694
But I'm just saying this,

366
00:16:01,694 --> 00:16:03,955
we have a big God and we should pray

367
00:16:03,955 --> 00:16:06,875
as though He is big; He is rich.

368
00:16:06,875 --> 00:16:08,872
If you have something worth praying for;

369
00:16:08,872 --> 00:16:11,507
if you have something you 
think God should grant,

370
00:16:11,507 --> 00:16:14,600
if there's some great 
mountain in your way,

371
00:16:14,600 --> 00:16:19,634
then if you're going to ask 
God to do something,

372
00:16:19,634 --> 00:16:21,608
ask Him for the best.

373
00:16:21,608 --> 00:16:22,803
Ask Him for the biggest.

374
00:16:22,803 --> 00:16:26,413
Ask Him according to the riches.

375
00:16:26,413 --> 00:16:27,679
Brethren, I remember this,

376
00:16:27,679 --> 00:16:29,979
I remember there being 
something in my life

377
00:16:29,979 --> 00:16:36,500
that I really desired to see happen.

378
00:16:36,500 --> 00:16:40,909
And I saw a TV show

379
00:16:40,909 --> 00:16:49,223
where that thing was granted to somebody.

380
00:16:49,223 --> 00:16:50,943
I went to the Lord, and I said,

381
00:16:50,943 --> 00:16:56,387
Lord, they can think that up 
and put that on TV.

382
00:16:56,387 --> 00:16:58,195
And that's not even real.

383
00:16:58,195 --> 00:17:00,193
But they can imagine that.

384
00:17:00,193 --> 00:17:03,047
The true God -

385
00:17:03,047 --> 00:17:05,075
Lord, You ought to be able to do better

386
00:17:05,075 --> 00:17:07,198
than Hollywood can do.

387
00:17:07,198 --> 00:17:08,485
And certainly He can.

388
00:17:08,485 --> 00:17:11,435
And certainly, He would have 
us have that expectation.

389
00:17:11,435 --> 00:17:12,981
Ask Him - how?

390
00:17:12,981 --> 00:17:14,813
Ask Him according to His riches.

391
00:17:14,813 --> 00:17:17,186
You know we've got a rich God!

392
00:17:17,186 --> 00:17:20,541
Do you believe that when you go to pray?

393
00:17:20,541 --> 00:17:21,959
"According to His riches."

394
00:17:21,959 --> 00:17:25,269
Paul isn't messing around.

395
00:17:25,269 --> 00:17:27,022
He goes to Him,

396
00:17:27,022 --> 00:17:31,146
"Father, I'm asking for something.

397
00:17:31,146 --> 00:17:36,509
Lord, according to the 
riches of Your glory."

398
00:17:36,509 --> 00:17:37,672
Riches!

399
00:17:37,672 --> 00:17:41,315
Riches - His glory.

400
00:17:41,315 --> 00:17:43,295
That's how we should pray.

401
00:17:43,295 --> 00:17:45,636
Ask Him.

402
00:17:45,636 --> 00:17:49,025
He doesn't say, "Oh well, you know...

403
00:17:49,025 --> 00:17:52,060
Humility - if we're going to be humble.

404
00:17:52,060 --> 00:17:55,074
we should never ask too much.

405
00:17:55,074 --> 00:17:57,136
We should never ask anything too big."

406
00:17:57,136 --> 00:18:01,614
Listen, what is humility? What is pride?

407
00:18:01,614 --> 00:18:03,483
Pride is when we're stuck on ourselves.

408
00:18:03,483 --> 00:18:06,570
Pride is when we see ourselves big.

409
00:18:06,570 --> 00:18:08,037
But what's humility all about?

410
00:18:08,037 --> 00:18:10,146
Humility is seeing ourselves small

411
00:18:10,146 --> 00:18:13,860
and seeing God big.

412
00:18:13,860 --> 00:18:16,291
And if you're going to 
claim that God is big,

413
00:18:16,291 --> 00:18:19,534
then act like it when you pray.

414
00:18:19,534 --> 00:18:23,561
You see, seeing Him as big is not pride,

415
00:18:23,561 --> 00:18:27,110
and acting as though 
He's big is not pride.

416
00:18:27,110 --> 00:18:29,944
You see, you insult Him

417
00:18:29,944 --> 00:18:35,127
(incomplete thought)

418
00:18:35,127 --> 00:18:39,583
when you have these small 
expectations from Him.

419
00:18:39,583 --> 00:18:41,582
Look what He does in Scripture.

420
00:18:41,582 --> 00:18:44,655
He saved 3,000 people in a day.

421
00:18:44,655 --> 00:18:46,726
You see, whether it's arguing with God

422
00:18:46,726 --> 00:18:48,637
concerning Hollywood -

423
00:18:48,637 --> 00:18:50,655
seriously, Lord?

424
00:18:50,655 --> 00:18:53,875
Is Hollywood going to create better

425
00:18:53,875 --> 00:18:57,443
fictitious stories, more glorious

426
00:18:57,443 --> 00:18:59,731
than what You can do?

427
00:18:59,731 --> 00:19:03,039
Are you going to allow that to happen?

428
00:19:03,039 --> 00:19:04,588
But the other argument is:

429
00:19:04,588 --> 00:19:06,991
Lord, are you simply going to have us

430
00:19:06,991 --> 00:19:09,360
live off the history books?

431
00:19:09,360 --> 00:19:11,437
The pages of Scripture that talk about

432
00:19:11,437 --> 00:19:15,531
the great works of God in the past?

433
00:19:15,531 --> 00:19:17,352
Lord, is that it?

434
00:19:17,352 --> 00:19:19,469
Should we just content ourselves

435
00:19:19,469 --> 00:19:21,878
that well, 3,000 people got saved in a day

436
00:19:21,878 --> 00:19:24,718
back in the book of Acts,

437
00:19:24,718 --> 00:19:26,623
but that can't happen anymore.

438
00:19:26,623 --> 00:19:29,954
So we're not even 
going to ask such things.

439
00:19:29,954 --> 00:19:33,280
You know what our sister is asking

440
00:19:33,280 --> 00:19:35,414
down in Saltillo?

441
00:19:35,414 --> 00:19:37,644
She sent out a Whatsapp 
message this morning

442
00:19:37,644 --> 00:19:40,996
and she's praying that 
God would save 20 people

443
00:19:40,996 --> 00:19:42,705
in Santa Margarita

444
00:19:42,705 --> 00:19:46,115
when our brother goes 
there to preach today.

445
00:19:46,115 --> 00:19:49,427
What think ye?

446
00:19:49,427 --> 00:19:52,596
Impossible?

447
00:19:52,596 --> 00:19:55,891
See, have we just grown 
to expect very little?

448
00:19:55,891 --> 00:19:57,234
Have we come to the place:

449
00:19:57,234 --> 00:19:58,493
Well, God doesn't do that.

450
00:19:58,493 --> 00:20:01,111
God doesn't part the Red Sea anymore.

451
00:20:01,111 --> 00:20:03,179
God doesn't do those things.

452
00:20:03,179 --> 00:20:06,965
We should have no expectation.

453
00:20:06,965 --> 00:20:09,568
I'll tell you, if you were on 
bended knee next to Paul

454
00:20:09,568 --> 00:20:11,420
and you were listening to him praying;

455
00:20:11,420 --> 00:20:13,895
you were in that prison cell with him,

456
00:20:13,895 --> 00:20:16,593
you might be surprised at what he prayed.

457
00:20:16,593 --> 00:20:21,040
You might be surprised at the vastness,

458
00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:23,522
the size of his prayers.

459
00:20:23,522 --> 00:20:26,174
Do things according to Your greatness

460
00:20:26,174 --> 00:20:29,619
in my weakness.

461
00:20:29,619 --> 00:20:33,028
Do you know we have a giving God?

462
00:20:33,028 --> 00:20:34,966
I mean, when God talks about supplying

463
00:20:34,966 --> 00:20:36,909
all of our need according to His riches

464
00:20:36,909 --> 00:20:38,347
in glory in Christ Jesus,

465
00:20:38,347 --> 00:20:39,796
have you thought about that?

466
00:20:39,796 --> 00:20:41,129
(incomplete thought)

467
00:20:41,129 --> 00:20:45,437
God will supply your needs

468
00:20:45,437 --> 00:20:47,137
according to His riches.

469
00:20:47,137 --> 00:20:48,417
Do you believe that?

470
00:20:48,417 --> 00:20:50,691
Do you know how rich God is?

471
00:20:50,691 --> 00:20:55,730
Do you pray like He is?

472
00:20:55,730 --> 00:20:57,519
I'm not talking about just selfishly

473
00:20:57,519 --> 00:21:01,421
trying to accumulate everything;

474
00:21:01,421 --> 00:21:04,194
I'm not talking about fleshly 
desires and covetousness.

475
00:21:04,194 --> 00:21:07,843
I'm talking about being involved 
in the Kingdom of Christ,

476
00:21:07,843 --> 00:21:11,441
and really having a desire 
for the glory of God,

477
00:21:11,441 --> 00:21:13,392
and praying in that way.

478
00:21:13,392 --> 00:21:17,294
(incomplete thought)

479
00:21:17,294 --> 00:21:20,069
Listen, if He didn't spare His own Son,

480
00:21:20,069 --> 00:21:21,780
how will He not what?

481
00:21:21,780 --> 00:21:25,823
In Him, isn't He going to give us

482
00:21:25,823 --> 00:21:30,430
every good thing?

483
00:21:30,430 --> 00:21:34,236
I mean, don't we have 
promises of a God who's giving?

484
00:21:34,236 --> 00:21:36,396
Every good and perfect gift

485
00:21:36,396 --> 00:21:39,073
comes down from the Father of lights.

486
00:21:39,073 --> 00:21:41,345
No variableness. No shadow of turning.

487
00:21:41,345 --> 00:21:43,409
Now that's important. He doesn't change.

488
00:21:43,409 --> 00:21:45,543
He's giving.

489
00:21:45,543 --> 00:21:48,245
You know, David - we heard 
about him in the first hour.

490
00:21:48,245 --> 00:21:51,346
He could cast himself on God's mercy.

491
00:21:51,346 --> 00:21:55,781
Please don't hand me over to men.

492
00:21:55,781 --> 00:21:57,754
But you hand me over to God,

493
00:21:57,754 --> 00:21:59,317
because His mercies are great.

494
00:21:59,317 --> 00:22:02,167
And that's why He was 
praying for that son so long.

495
00:22:02,167 --> 00:22:03,894
He knew God's mercies.

496
00:22:03,894 --> 00:22:05,942
He prayed for that boy because he thought

497
00:22:05,942 --> 00:22:07,300
there was a good possibility

498
00:22:07,300 --> 00:22:09,536
that God in all of His 
mercies would answer.

499
00:22:09,536 --> 00:22:10,725
Now God didn't answer.

500
00:22:10,725 --> 00:22:12,203
God didn't save that boy,

501
00:22:12,203 --> 00:22:13,314
but you know what?

502
00:22:13,314 --> 00:22:17,543
It shows what David thought about his God.

503
00:22:17,543 --> 00:22:19,908
He recognized this is a God

504
00:22:19,908 --> 00:22:23,321
whose tendencies are mercy.

505
00:22:23,321 --> 00:22:26,924
Look, if you come to a 
God who is infinite,

506
00:22:26,924 --> 00:22:29,451
He is almighty, and His very character

507
00:22:29,451 --> 00:22:32,543
is just spilling over with mercy,

508
00:22:32,543 --> 00:22:35,240
and He's given us examples like this,

509
00:22:35,240 --> 00:22:37,878
listen, let this resonate.

510
00:22:37,878 --> 00:22:41,239
The Spirit of God recorded this -

511
00:22:41,239 --> 00:22:44,765
Paul praying the way he prays,

512
00:22:44,765 --> 00:22:46,715
so that it would be preserved for us,

513
00:22:46,715 --> 00:22:48,968
so that we could learn from this.

514
00:22:48,968 --> 00:22:50,923
How do you pray?

515
00:22:50,923 --> 00:22:53,888
You come to a God like this.

516
00:22:53,888 --> 00:22:55,388
Do you not hear Newton?

517
00:22:55,388 --> 00:22:57,760
"Large petitions with thee bring."

518
00:22:57,760 --> 00:22:59,890
Why?

519
00:22:59,890 --> 00:23:02,778
Why? Because you're coming to a King.

520
00:23:02,778 --> 00:23:04,268
His grace and power are such

521
00:23:04,268 --> 00:23:05,823
you can never ask too much.

522
00:23:05,823 --> 00:23:07,901
That's the kind of God we're coming to.

523
00:23:07,901 --> 00:23:11,867
Listen, if you go before King David -

524
00:23:11,867 --> 00:23:13,666
we heard about him -

525
00:23:13,666 --> 00:23:16,514
or King Solomon in all of 
his riches and his glory;

526
00:23:16,514 --> 00:23:18,699
or you go before Caesar,

527
00:23:18,699 --> 00:23:20,268
or you before Pharaoh,

528
00:23:20,268 --> 00:23:22,441
or you go before President Trump

529
00:23:22,441 --> 00:23:25,731
and you ask for a piece of bubble gum.

530
00:23:25,731 --> 00:23:27,476
And you know what? We can think,

531
00:23:27,476 --> 00:23:29,407
well, that's ridiculous, but that's how

532
00:23:29,407 --> 00:23:31,697
a lot of our prayers are.

533
00:23:31,697 --> 00:23:33,591
Paul's not messing around.

534
00:23:33,591 --> 00:23:36,612
He's coming before the King of Kings.

535
00:23:36,612 --> 00:23:40,265
And he is appealing - 
that is a way to appeal -

536
00:23:40,265 --> 00:23:44,127
God, please, don't give to me

537
00:23:44,127 --> 00:23:49,505
like the false gods give.

538
00:23:49,505 --> 00:23:51,879
Don't give to me like the demons give.

539
00:23:51,879 --> 00:23:54,681
Don't give to me like the non-gods give.

540
00:23:54,681 --> 00:23:57,276
You remember those prophets of Baal

541
00:23:57,276 --> 00:23:58,891
up on Mount Carmel?

542
00:23:58,891 --> 00:24:00,332
Slicing and cutting themselves

543
00:24:00,332 --> 00:24:02,495
and jumping around, and the prophet says,

544
00:24:02,495 --> 00:24:04,642
"Well, maybe he's gone on a trip.

545
00:24:04,642 --> 00:24:06,110
Maybe he's relieving himself.

546
00:24:06,110 --> 00:24:08,653
Maybe he's this or that..."

547
00:24:08,653 --> 00:24:10,522
Listen, when you pray,

548
00:24:10,522 --> 00:24:12,879
you don't want it to be like that.

549
00:24:12,879 --> 00:24:15,351
We want to pray to this God

550
00:24:15,351 --> 00:24:17,580
and we want response

551
00:24:17,580 --> 00:24:20,744
according to the riches,

552
00:24:20,744 --> 00:24:22,801
according to those.

553
00:24:22,801 --> 00:24:24,598
How rich is God?

554
00:24:24,598 --> 00:24:26,110
I mean, if we look and we say,

555
00:24:26,110 --> 00:24:28,867
"Blessed be the God and Father 
of our Lord Jesus Christ,"

556
00:24:28,867 --> 00:24:30,437
why? He's blessed us with every

557
00:24:30,437 --> 00:24:34,433
spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

558
00:24:34,433 --> 00:24:36,210
If we're looking at this,

559
00:24:36,210 --> 00:24:38,692
He says He blesses us.

560
00:24:38,692 --> 00:24:41,677
He has given us promise of blessing.

561
00:24:41,677 --> 00:24:45,053
He does things like parts the Red Seas.

562
00:24:45,053 --> 00:24:48,173
He wants us recounting His great works.

563
00:24:48,173 --> 00:24:51,136
Why? So that our faith would 
increase, increase, increase.

564
00:24:51,136 --> 00:24:52,475
So that when we come to Him,

565
00:24:52,475 --> 00:24:54,039
we would not have little faith,

566
00:24:54,039 --> 00:24:55,954
and we would not ask for little things,

567
00:24:55,954 --> 00:24:58,639
and we'd not ask for bubble gum.

568
00:24:58,639 --> 00:25:01,515
Don't do that. Don't pray that way.

569
00:25:01,515 --> 00:25:03,688
We need to pray big prayers.

570
00:25:03,688 --> 00:25:05,350
Jesus said it!

571
00:25:05,350 --> 00:25:09,388
If you've got faith the 
size of a mustard seed,

572
00:25:09,388 --> 00:25:12,316
what can you not do?

573
00:25:12,316 --> 00:25:13,738
That's the issue.

574
00:25:13,738 --> 00:25:15,994
How do we pray?

575
00:25:15,994 --> 00:25:17,368
We need to pray.

576
00:25:17,368 --> 00:25:19,265
We need to pray big prayers.

577
00:25:19,265 --> 00:25:22,385
We need to pray according to God's riches.

578
00:25:22,385 --> 00:25:24,573
His riches in glory.

579
00:25:24,573 --> 00:25:27,580
He is a giving God.

580
00:25:27,580 --> 00:25:29,739
Don't pray to Him as though

581
00:25:29,739 --> 00:25:32,003
He is some little god.

582
00:25:32,003 --> 00:25:34,474
And listen, you're praying to Him

583
00:25:34,474 --> 00:25:36,382
as though He is a little god,

584
00:25:36,382 --> 00:25:39,050
if you pray to Him and then walk away

585
00:25:39,050 --> 00:25:42,554
not expecting a response.

586
00:25:42,554 --> 00:25:44,982
Listen, if you come 
into the prayer meeting,

587
00:25:44,982 --> 00:25:46,760
and the only reason you pray things

588
00:25:46,760 --> 00:25:49,652
is because it was brought 
up as a prayer request,

589
00:25:49,652 --> 00:25:51,515
and you just prayed it

590
00:25:51,515 --> 00:25:53,375
because other people were listening,

591
00:25:53,375 --> 00:25:55,258
but you have no expectation -

592
00:25:55,258 --> 00:25:59,155
then stop. Stop!

593
00:25:59,155 --> 00:26:01,853
You're praying to Him like what?

594
00:26:01,853 --> 00:26:05,921
That's an insult.

595
00:26:05,921 --> 00:26:09,791
Pray what you believe you need.

596
00:26:09,791 --> 00:26:12,645
Pray what you believe is 
going to be to His glory.

597
00:26:12,645 --> 00:26:16,006
Pray what your children need to be saved,

598
00:26:16,006 --> 00:26:17,900
what your relatives need to be saved,

599
00:26:17,900 --> 00:26:21,022
what the church needs to not fall away.

600
00:26:21,022 --> 00:26:25,084
Pray big!

601
00:26:25,084 --> 00:26:31,155
Don't pray like He's some 
little incompetent god.

602
00:26:31,155 --> 00:26:33,029
Don't pray to Him in a way

603
00:26:33,029 --> 00:26:35,822
that's going to insult Him.

604
00:26:35,822 --> 00:26:40,391
Now, Geoffrey Thomas was 
just with us a few weeks back.

605
00:26:40,391 --> 00:26:43,192
And he said that he used to think

606
00:26:43,192 --> 00:26:45,502
that the Holy Spirit was 
the forgotten member

607
00:26:45,502 --> 00:26:46,976
of the Trinity.

608
00:26:46,976 --> 00:26:50,085
And he said he's not convinced 
that's the case anymore.

609
00:26:50,085 --> 00:26:52,708
He now believes God the Father is.

610
00:26:52,708 --> 00:26:56,206
I think he is exactly right.

611
00:26:56,206 --> 00:27:02,557
The forgotten member of the Trinity.

612
00:27:02,557 --> 00:27:03,906
I'm saying among the three -

613
00:27:03,906 --> 00:27:05,217
you know we live in an age

614
00:27:05,217 --> 00:27:09,676
when the Holy Spirit is 
getting a lot of attention.

615
00:27:09,676 --> 00:27:11,408
What's happened to the Father?

616
00:27:11,408 --> 00:27:13,262
Some Christian circles, it seems like

617
00:27:13,262 --> 00:27:15,484
it starts and ends with Jesus.

618
00:27:15,484 --> 00:27:17,976
But you will notice that Paul

619
00:27:17,976 --> 00:27:24,125
is bending his knee before the Father.

620
00:27:24,125 --> 00:27:27,345
The Father.

621
00:27:27,345 --> 00:27:30,134
What I want you to think about here

622
00:27:30,134 --> 00:27:33,092
is the Father for a second.

623
00:27:33,092 --> 00:27:35,236
Now, you know, I went through

624
00:27:35,236 --> 00:27:40,236
from Ephesians 1:1 to Ephesians 3:14.

625
00:27:40,236 --> 00:27:42,691
I counted how many times 
the Father was referenced,

626
00:27:42,691 --> 00:27:44,555
how many times Jesus was referenced,

627
00:27:44,555 --> 00:27:48,366
and how many times the 
Holy Spirit was referenced.

628
00:27:48,366 --> 00:27:49,509
Can you guess?

629
00:27:49,509 --> 00:27:50,702
Make a wild guess.

630
00:27:50,702 --> 00:27:54,081
If you were to imagine how much

631
00:27:54,081 --> 00:27:57,821
each of them proportionately -

632
00:27:57,821 --> 00:28:00,742
do you have any idea?

633
00:28:00,742 --> 00:28:03,465
Equal?

634
00:28:03,465 --> 00:28:07,190
The Father and the Son are about equal

635
00:28:07,190 --> 00:28:09,577
in their references.

636
00:28:09,577 --> 00:28:14,281
The Spirit much less.

637
00:28:14,281 --> 00:28:17,177
But here's the thing,

638
00:28:17,177 --> 00:28:20,620
in the first chapter and a half,

639
00:28:20,620 --> 00:28:23,344
the references to Jesus Christ

640
00:28:23,344 --> 00:28:33,825
are by far references that identify

641
00:28:33,825 --> 00:28:36,947
some aspect of the Father.

642
00:28:36,947 --> 00:28:43,633
It's not until you get to chapter 2:13

643
00:28:43,633 --> 00:28:45,555
or thereabouts,

644
00:28:45,555 --> 00:28:48,426
that Christ's involvement 
in our redemption

645
00:28:48,426 --> 00:28:51,135
is really spelled out for us.

646
00:28:51,135 --> 00:28:52,950
I want you to think about the Father.

647
00:28:52,950 --> 00:28:56,006
Just go through - quick survey.

648
00:28:56,006 --> 00:28:57,667
Ephesians 1.

649
00:28:57,667 --> 00:29:00,482
You see, this is very characteristic.

650
00:29:00,482 --> 00:29:03,827
Ephesians 1:1, "Paul, an apostle of 
Christ Jesus, by the will of God."

651
00:29:03,827 --> 00:29:06,361
Well, Christ is in there,

652
00:29:06,361 --> 00:29:08,113
but how is He in there?

653
00:29:08,113 --> 00:29:14,037
He's in there only by way 
of identifying the Father.

654
00:29:14,037 --> 00:29:17,008
Paul is an apostle of Christ,

655
00:29:17,008 --> 00:29:19,706
but the active member of the Godhead

656
00:29:19,706 --> 00:29:23,595
that is making this happen is indeed

657
00:29:23,595 --> 00:29:25,011
the will of God.

658
00:29:25,011 --> 00:29:26,971
This is the Father.

659
00:29:26,971 --> 00:29:29,766
You see as we move through here,

660
00:29:29,766 --> 00:29:33,404
verse 3, "Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ."

661
00:29:33,404 --> 00:29:35,611
There again, you have 
the Lord Jesus Christ,

662
00:29:35,611 --> 00:29:37,164
but why is His name there?

663
00:29:37,164 --> 00:29:40,620
His name is there simply to describe,

664
00:29:40,620 --> 00:29:43,693
to give identity to who the Father is.

665
00:29:43,693 --> 00:29:45,886
But it's the Father who is active.

666
00:29:45,886 --> 00:29:48,031
It is the Father who is moving.

667
00:29:48,031 --> 00:29:50,215
It is the Father who is giving.

668
00:29:50,215 --> 00:29:52,208
It is the Father who is choosing.

669
00:29:52,208 --> 00:29:55,782
It is the Father adopting.
It is the Father predestinating.

670
00:29:55,782 --> 00:29:57,543
It is the Father's will.

671
00:29:57,543 --> 00:30:00,021
Again and again and again we see this.

672
00:30:00,021 --> 00:30:03,275
Look,"blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ.

673
00:30:03,275 --> 00:30:07,224
He it is who has blessed us in 
Christ with every spiritual blessing.

674
00:30:07,224 --> 00:30:10,408
For even as He chose us..."

675
00:30:10,408 --> 00:30:11,447
It's the Father.

676
00:30:11,447 --> 00:30:13,658
Verse 5, "He predestined us."

677
00:30:13,658 --> 00:30:14,788
It's the Father.

678
00:30:14,788 --> 00:30:16,811
Verse 6, "To the praise of His..."

679
00:30:16,811 --> 00:30:18,204
This is the Father.

680
00:30:18,204 --> 00:30:20,671
"...With which He has 
blessed us in the Beloved."

681
00:30:20,671 --> 00:30:22,732
That's in Christ.

682
00:30:22,732 --> 00:30:25,341
Verse 9, it's the Father 
making known to us

683
00:30:25,341 --> 00:30:26,849
the mystery of His will

684
00:30:26,849 --> 00:30:28,392
according to His purpose.

685
00:30:28,392 --> 00:30:32,665
It's the Father's purpose 
which He set forth in Christ.

686
00:30:32,665 --> 00:30:34,494
If it was Christ there, you don't say,

687
00:30:34,494 --> 00:30:36,012
"which He set forth in Christ,"

688
00:30:36,012 --> 00:30:38,401
but "which He set forth in Himself."

689
00:30:38,401 --> 00:30:40,831
But that's not it. It's God.

690
00:30:40,831 --> 00:30:43,723
Verse 11, "In Him (in Christ),

691
00:30:43,723 --> 00:30:45,325
we have obtained an inheritance

692
00:30:45,325 --> 00:30:47,447
having been predestined according to

693
00:30:47,447 --> 00:30:49,397
the purpose of [the Father],

694
00:30:49,397 --> 00:30:51,259
Him who works all things according to

695
00:30:51,259 --> 00:30:52,402
the counsel of His will

696
00:30:52,402 --> 00:30:54,860
so that we who were 
the first to hope in Christ

697
00:30:54,860 --> 00:30:56,630
might be to the praise of His glory."

698
00:30:56,630 --> 00:31:00,010
He is the one who gives the Holy Spirit.

699
00:31:00,010 --> 00:31:06,179
He is the one if you go to verse 15,

700
00:31:06,179 --> 00:31:07,970
"For this reason, because I've heard

701
00:31:07,970 --> 00:31:09,557
of your faith in the Lord Jesus

702
00:31:09,557 --> 00:31:11,354
and your love toward all the saints,

703
00:31:11,354 --> 00:31:13,688
I do not cease to give thanks for you,
remembering you in my prayers,

704
00:31:13,688 --> 00:31:15,735
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ,

705
00:31:15,735 --> 00:31:17,169
the Father of glory,

706
00:31:17,169 --> 00:31:19,688
may give you the Spirit of wisdom."

707
00:31:19,688 --> 00:31:22,042
See, it's the Father who is giving this.

708
00:31:22,042 --> 00:31:24,722
It's the Father who opens their eyes,

709
00:31:24,722 --> 00:31:27,417
enlightens them, gives them

710
00:31:27,417 --> 00:31:29,521
a knowledge of these things.

711
00:31:29,521 --> 00:31:32,322
Verse 20, or the end of 19,

712
00:31:32,322 --> 00:31:34,657
"According to the working 
of His great might

713
00:31:34,657 --> 00:31:36,535
that He worked in Christ when He raised

714
00:31:36,535 --> 00:31:37,438
Him from the dead."

715
00:31:37,438 --> 00:31:39,696
It's the Father who raised 
Christ from the dead.

716
00:31:39,696 --> 00:31:42,425
It's the Father who is 
working His great might

717
00:31:42,425 --> 00:31:45,233
in the people of God.

718
00:31:45,233 --> 00:31:48,997
You keep going through here.

719
00:31:48,997 --> 00:31:52,475
Verse 2:4, "But God 
being rich in mercy..."

720
00:31:52,475 --> 00:31:53,832
There's the Father again.

721
00:31:53,832 --> 00:31:56,196
"Because of the great love 
with which He loved us

722
00:31:56,196 --> 00:31:58,194
even when we were dead in our trespasses,

723
00:31:58,194 --> 00:31:59,983
made us alive together with Christ."

724
00:31:59,983 --> 00:32:01,231
God is doing this.

725
00:32:01,231 --> 00:32:02,481
God raises us up.

726
00:32:02,481 --> 00:32:04,436
It's God's love; it's God's mercy.

727
00:32:04,436 --> 00:32:06,716
It's God who seats us with Him

728
00:32:06,716 --> 00:32:09,733
"so that in the coming ages," verse 2:7,

729
00:32:09,733 --> 00:32:11,443
"He (God the Father) might show

730
00:32:11,443 --> 00:32:13,797
the immeasurable riches 
of His grace in kindness

731
00:32:13,797 --> 00:32:15,654
toward us in Christ Jesus."

732
00:32:15,654 --> 00:32:18,012
Verse 10, "We are His workmanship,

733
00:32:18,012 --> 00:32:20,186
created in Christ Jesus for good works

734
00:32:20,186 --> 00:32:22,639
which He prepared beforehand

735
00:32:22,639 --> 00:32:24,999
that we should walk in them."

736
00:32:24,999 --> 00:32:28,339
What I want you to get a feeling for

737
00:32:28,339 --> 00:32:31,479
is you do not want to forget Him,

738
00:32:31,479 --> 00:32:34,616
and I think that even in our 
song selections in this church -

739
00:32:34,616 --> 00:32:36,989
I went through our song list today.

740
00:32:36,989 --> 00:32:42,410
It is hard to find songs 
that are about the Father.

741
00:32:42,410 --> 00:32:46,498
Very hard - I mean in our song list.

742
00:32:46,498 --> 00:32:47,583
Why is that?

743
00:32:47,583 --> 00:32:49,310
Well, look, there is a reason

744
00:32:49,310 --> 00:32:50,979
that we look to the cross.

745
00:32:50,979 --> 00:32:53,331
There's a reason we want 
to preach the cross.

746
00:32:53,331 --> 00:32:55,245
There's a reason that 
we want to think about

747
00:32:55,245 --> 00:32:57,184
the redemption that 
we have in Jesus Christ,

748
00:32:57,184 --> 00:32:58,949
but you know what you 
don't want to forget?

749
00:32:58,949 --> 00:33:01,059
You don't want to forget 
that Jesus taught us

750
00:33:01,059 --> 00:33:03,282
that when we pray, 
we should pray this way:

751
00:33:03,282 --> 00:33:05,258
"Our Father, who art in Heaven..."

752
00:33:05,258 --> 00:33:06,420
We should look to God.

753
00:33:06,420 --> 00:33:08,882
God the Father is the One before whom

754
00:33:08,882 --> 00:33:10,471
Paul is bending his knee.

755
00:33:10,471 --> 00:33:14,049
And you remember, it 
is the riches of His glory.

756
00:33:14,049 --> 00:33:16,482
He is the one that gives 
these spiritual blessings

757
00:33:16,482 --> 00:33:17,677
in the heavenly places.

758
00:33:17,677 --> 00:33:19,210
He chose us in Christ

759
00:33:19,210 --> 00:33:21,248
before the foundation of the world.

760
00:33:21,248 --> 00:33:24,763
He adopted us as sons in Christ Jesus.

761
00:33:24,763 --> 00:33:26,893
It is Him. It is His love.

762
00:33:26,893 --> 00:33:28,950
But God, being rich in mercy,

763
00:33:28,950 --> 00:33:31,408
because of the great love 
with which He loved us,

764
00:33:31,408 --> 00:33:32,985
He raised us up with Christ.

765
00:33:32,985 --> 00:33:35,390
He seated us with Christ.

766
00:33:35,390 --> 00:33:38,289
It is His blessings that are poured out.

767
00:33:38,289 --> 00:33:41,984
It is not by our works,

768
00:33:41,984 --> 00:33:45,928
it is the gift of God that we are saved,

769
00:33:45,928 --> 00:33:47,512
by grace, through faith.

770
00:33:47,512 --> 00:33:48,694
Remember this.

771
00:33:48,694 --> 00:33:51,602
The Father - the part 
that He plays in this.

772
00:33:51,602 --> 00:33:53,823
It is the Father who so loved the world,

773
00:33:53,823 --> 00:33:56,205
that He gave us His only begotten Son.

774
00:33:56,205 --> 00:33:58,670
We don't want to forget the Father.

775
00:33:58,670 --> 00:34:01,480
It is His plan. It is His purpose.

776
00:34:01,480 --> 00:34:03,205
According to His purpose -

777
00:34:03,205 --> 00:34:06,073
how often do you see that in this book?

778
00:34:06,073 --> 00:34:08,274
The Father.

779
00:34:08,274 --> 00:34:13,446
The Father.

780
00:34:13,446 --> 00:34:16,915
Listen, do you know?

781
00:34:16,915 --> 00:34:19,627
Some of you have heard this.

782
00:34:19,627 --> 00:34:22,968
Every single time

783
00:34:22,968 --> 00:34:28,757
that the Lord Jesus Christ addressed God,

784
00:34:28,757 --> 00:34:30,047
He called Him Father.

785
00:34:30,047 --> 00:34:31,314
Every single time.

786
00:34:31,314 --> 00:34:33,314
Now there were times that He talked

787
00:34:33,314 --> 00:34:36,044
to other people about God

788
00:34:36,044 --> 00:34:38,865
and He called Him God.

789
00:34:38,865 --> 00:34:41,762
My Father, My God; your Father, your God.

790
00:34:41,762 --> 00:34:44,712
Or, that's probably backwards,

791
00:34:44,712 --> 00:34:49,091
but there are times He used that language.

792
00:34:49,091 --> 00:34:54,270
But when He addressed His Father in prayer

793
00:34:54,270 --> 00:34:55,654
He called Him "Father"

794
00:34:55,654 --> 00:34:59,724
every single time, except -

795
00:34:59,724 --> 00:35:03,947
do you know when the exception was?

796
00:35:03,947 --> 00:35:06,239
On the cross.

797
00:35:06,239 --> 00:35:09,112
During the hours of darkness,

798
00:35:09,112 --> 00:35:11,789
"My God, My God, why 
have You forsaken Me?"

799
00:35:11,789 --> 00:35:14,327
Quoting right out of Psalm 22.

800
00:35:14,327 --> 00:35:16,992
What's my point?

801
00:35:16,992 --> 00:35:18,922
Sometimes I sit in the prayer meetings,

802
00:35:18,922 --> 00:35:21,755
and I will hear a brother or a sister -

803
00:35:21,755 --> 00:35:23,972
usually it's brothers -

804
00:35:23,972 --> 00:35:30,561
and they pray and they call our Father,

805
00:35:30,561 --> 00:35:35,928
they call Him "God" almost exclusively

806
00:35:35,928 --> 00:35:40,654
or the majority of the time.

807
00:35:40,654 --> 00:35:44,035
And I wonder why.

808
00:35:44,035 --> 00:35:47,257
Why?

809
00:35:47,257 --> 00:35:52,996
Brethren, you've received 
the Spirit of adoption

810
00:35:52,996 --> 00:35:57,225
by which we cry what?

811
00:35:57,225 --> 00:35:59,785
"Abba, Father."

812
00:35:59,785 --> 00:36:03,501
It's beyond me why Christians want to pray

813
00:36:03,501 --> 00:36:10,065
and consistently call God "God."

814
00:36:10,065 --> 00:36:16,469
We have a God who invites us

815
00:36:16,469 --> 00:36:18,017
to call Him "Father."

816
00:36:18,017 --> 00:36:22,322
In fact, He gave us a Spirit 
that would compel us

817
00:36:22,322 --> 00:36:24,701
to pray that way.

818
00:36:24,701 --> 00:36:29,063
Don't be cold and distant 
in addressing Him.

819
00:36:29,063 --> 00:36:30,500
(Incomplete thought)

820
00:36:30,500 --> 00:36:34,880
Listen, you're coming before one who says,

821
00:36:34,880 --> 00:36:36,363
"I want you to call Me Father.

822
00:36:36,363 --> 00:36:38,816
Why? Because I am your Father."

823
00:36:38,816 --> 00:36:41,632
You think about a little 
child coming to a Father,

824
00:36:41,632 --> 00:36:44,266
how much more

825
00:36:44,266 --> 00:36:48,249
will your heavenly Father give 
good things to them that ask,

826
00:36:48,249 --> 00:36:51,463
including the Spirit.

827
00:36:51,463 --> 00:36:53,469
We're coming to Him

828
00:36:53,469 --> 00:36:56,171
according to the riches of His glory

829
00:36:56,171 --> 00:36:59,008
and He's your Father.

830
00:36:59,008 --> 00:37:01,082
Now that is good news.

831
00:37:01,082 --> 00:37:05,028
That bodes well for your prayer life.

832
00:37:05,028 --> 00:37:08,110
Does it not?

833
00:37:08,110 --> 00:37:11,831
What purpose does Paul 
cry out to the Father?

834
00:37:11,831 --> 00:37:13,347
To ask for a better car?

835
00:37:13,347 --> 00:37:17,504
Husband? Wife? More money?

836
00:37:17,504 --> 00:37:22,718
Look, I'm not saying you 
can't pray for those things.

837
00:37:22,718 --> 00:37:25,162
But I would have you notice this.

838
00:37:25,162 --> 00:37:29,881
Paul doesn't pray for himself once here.

839
00:37:29,881 --> 00:37:32,773
Not once.

840
00:37:32,773 --> 00:37:35,482
None of those things.

841
00:37:35,482 --> 00:37:37,519
Take notice.

842
00:37:37,519 --> 00:37:41,392
Notice, Paul is praying,

843
00:37:41,392 --> 00:37:45,493
but he's not praying for himself.

844
00:37:45,493 --> 00:37:47,190
Brothers and sisters,

845
00:37:47,190 --> 00:37:51,991
how desperately, desperately we need

846
00:37:51,991 --> 00:37:57,547
men and women in the church like this.

847
00:37:57,547 --> 00:38:00,023
Paul is interceding.

848
00:38:00,023 --> 00:38:01,660
Interceding is what you call it

849
00:38:01,660 --> 00:38:04,088
when you bow your knees to God

850
00:38:04,088 --> 00:38:05,549
for the sake of others

851
00:38:05,549 --> 00:38:07,794
and not for yourselves.

852
00:38:07,794 --> 00:38:12,014
How we need intercessors in the church.

853
00:38:12,014 --> 00:38:15,453
And I'm concerned!

854
00:38:15,453 --> 00:38:21,318
I'm concerned.

855
00:38:21,318 --> 00:38:26,501
When I got saved,

856
00:38:26,501 --> 00:38:31,636
honestly, I hungered

857
00:38:31,636 --> 00:38:36,522
to have time with the Lord.

858
00:38:36,522 --> 00:38:38,877
The first three years 
of my Christian life,

859
00:38:38,877 --> 00:38:41,040
I was able outside of work,

860
00:38:41,040 --> 00:38:42,676
and even times at work

861
00:38:42,676 --> 00:38:44,565
during breaks and lunch -

862
00:38:44,565 --> 00:38:46,840
I wasn't married.

863
00:38:46,840 --> 00:38:49,789
I was able to give my life to 
communion with the Lord.

864
00:38:49,789 --> 00:38:51,393
And I moved down here to Texas,

865
00:38:51,393 --> 00:38:52,656
lived with John Sytsma,

866
00:38:52,656 --> 00:38:57,761
a very business oriented family.

867
00:38:57,761 --> 00:39:03,238
And things were working at a pace

868
00:39:03,238 --> 00:39:07,465
that I just felt like,

869
00:39:07,465 --> 00:39:10,015
John was very much given to devotions

870
00:39:10,015 --> 00:39:12,960
in the morning and before 
the family got together.

871
00:39:12,960 --> 00:39:16,885
And I like to walk in the evenings

872
00:39:16,885 --> 00:39:18,191
and be out in the field

873
00:39:18,191 --> 00:39:20,308
and away from the heat.

874
00:39:20,308 --> 00:39:22,462
And John's schedule and mine

875
00:39:22,462 --> 00:39:23,919
were a little bit different,

876
00:39:23,919 --> 00:39:25,892
and I remember just panting after

877
00:39:25,892 --> 00:39:27,569
having that time back.

878
00:39:27,569 --> 00:39:32,174
And I recognized that I 
needed to move separate

879
00:39:32,174 --> 00:39:36,413
so that I could get back 
into my own schedule.

880
00:39:36,413 --> 00:39:38,212
And I longed for that.

881
00:39:38,212 --> 00:39:43,650
And I guess my sense was that

882
00:39:43,650 --> 00:39:47,918
well, that's how it 
is with all Christians.

883
00:39:47,918 --> 00:39:50,329
We don't live by bread alone,

884
00:39:50,329 --> 00:39:53,006
but by every word that proceeds 
from the mouth of God.

885
00:39:53,006 --> 00:39:54,269
We want to abide in Christ

886
00:39:54,269 --> 00:39:55,673
and we love walking with Him

887
00:39:55,673 --> 00:39:57,000
and meeting with Him

888
00:39:57,000 --> 00:39:58,737
and there's things to confess

889
00:39:58,737 --> 00:40:00,093
and there's worship

890
00:40:00,093 --> 00:40:03,488
and just getting to meditate before Him

891
00:40:03,488 --> 00:40:05,797
and praying and interceding

892
00:40:05,797 --> 00:40:10,844
for the sake of others.

893
00:40:10,844 --> 00:40:12,344
I just assumed that.

894
00:40:12,344 --> 00:40:13,560
And then I got married,

895
00:40:13,560 --> 00:40:16,249
and my wife basically lived that way

896
00:40:16,249 --> 00:40:18,487
day after day.

897
00:40:18,487 --> 00:40:21,925
I guess my assumption has largely been:

898
00:40:21,925 --> 00:40:28,047
well, of course, that's 
how Christians live.

899
00:40:28,047 --> 00:40:32,401
I am, I don't now,

900
00:40:32,401 --> 00:40:36,584
I guess I'm kind of baffled

901
00:40:36,584 --> 00:40:39,661
by the frequency at which I hear

902
00:40:39,661 --> 00:40:41,811
that people in this church

903
00:40:41,811 --> 00:40:46,614
have a real difficult time maintaining

904
00:40:46,614 --> 00:40:52,271
just a consistent intimacy with the Lord.

905
00:40:52,271 --> 00:40:54,930
And I guess my concern is this,

906
00:40:54,930 --> 00:40:59,242
I'm not sure what lies 
behind this difficulty.

907
00:40:59,242 --> 00:41:00,623
Is it immaturity?

908
00:41:00,623 --> 00:41:01,709
Is it worldliness?

909
00:41:01,709 --> 00:41:02,864
Is it busyness?

910
00:41:02,864 --> 00:41:05,476
Is it just that there's no hunger there?

911
00:41:05,476 --> 00:41:07,324
I know this,

912
00:41:07,324 --> 00:41:11,013
intercessors don't come

913
00:41:11,013 --> 00:41:14,918
from marginally spiritual people.

914
00:41:14,918 --> 00:41:16,310
Why?

915
00:41:16,310 --> 00:41:20,150
Because interceding requires love

916
00:41:20,150 --> 00:41:22,674
and a level of maturity

917
00:41:22,674 --> 00:41:25,306
and a lack of selfishness.

918
00:41:25,306 --> 00:41:28,441
Selfish people -

919
00:41:28,441 --> 00:41:31,706
their prayers are all about themselves.

920
00:41:31,706 --> 00:41:34,313
Very little worship.

921
00:41:34,313 --> 00:41:36,260
Very little confession.

922
00:41:36,260 --> 00:41:41,605
But a lot of give me, 
give me, give me, give me.

923
00:41:41,605 --> 00:41:46,882
Now I know there are prayer 
warriors in this church.

924
00:41:46,882 --> 00:41:48,799
I know there are.

925
00:41:48,799 --> 00:41:51,086
I know there are some of you,

926
00:41:51,086 --> 00:41:54,854
your walk is close to the Lord.

927
00:41:54,854 --> 00:41:56,623
I want there to be more.

928
00:41:56,623 --> 00:41:59,654
I want this to characterize 
the church as a whole.

929
00:41:59,654 --> 00:42:01,347
Intercessors.

930
00:42:01,347 --> 00:42:04,543
We desperately, desperately need this.

931
00:42:04,543 --> 00:42:06,608
And if people can barely manage

932
00:42:06,608 --> 00:42:09,966
to find their way into the 
secret place of prayer each day,

933
00:42:09,966 --> 00:42:11,277
I know this,

934
00:42:11,277 --> 00:42:14,656
you're not interceding for anybody.

935
00:42:14,656 --> 00:42:18,644
It's not happening.

936
00:42:18,644 --> 00:42:20,477
Where do intercessors come from?

937
00:42:20,477 --> 00:42:22,105
They come from people that live

938
00:42:22,105 --> 00:42:24,227
in the presence of God.

939
00:42:24,227 --> 00:42:25,360
You think about it.

940
00:42:25,360 --> 00:42:28,658
Paul - you can imagine 
the guard walking by.

941
00:42:28,658 --> 00:42:31,211
The guards talking to each other,

942
00:42:31,211 --> 00:42:32,731
"What's the guy doing in there?

943
00:42:32,731 --> 00:42:34,965
Every time we walk by 
there, he's on his face."

944
00:42:34,965 --> 00:42:37,404
He wasn't idle. 
He wasn't wasting his time.

945
00:42:37,404 --> 00:42:40,047
He wasn't wasting his time in prison.

946
00:42:40,047 --> 00:42:42,117
He was crying; he was bending his knee.

947
00:42:42,117 --> 00:42:44,211
He was pleading, he was crying out

948
00:42:44,211 --> 00:42:46,403
for the sake of others.

949
00:42:46,403 --> 00:42:49,883
You find in just about every 
single one of his epistles,

950
00:42:49,883 --> 00:42:52,644
he cried out for people;

951
00:42:52,644 --> 00:42:54,892
he called upon them.

952
00:42:54,892 --> 00:42:58,101
Where do intercessors come from?

953
00:42:58,101 --> 00:42:59,898
People who don't live by bread alone.

954
00:42:59,898 --> 00:43:01,447
People who are desperate.

955
00:43:01,447 --> 00:43:03,264
People who are abiding in the Lord.

956
00:43:03,264 --> 00:43:04,778
People who are talking to Him

957
00:43:04,778 --> 00:43:05,902
and walking with Him.

958
00:43:05,902 --> 00:43:09,057
Now where does it come from?

959
00:43:09,057 --> 00:43:12,963
That somebody says, "for this reason"?

960
00:43:12,963 --> 00:43:14,960
I know them to be a Christian.

961
00:43:14,960 --> 00:43:17,347
For that reason, I'm on my knees for them.

962
00:43:17,347 --> 00:43:18,894
They're beloved of God.

963
00:43:18,894 --> 00:43:21,334
Something is released in my heart.

964
00:43:21,334 --> 00:43:23,438
I need to pray for them.

965
00:43:23,438 --> 00:43:25,824
I'm thinking about other 
people all the time.

966
00:43:25,824 --> 00:43:27,412
I'm thinking about their needs.

967
00:43:27,412 --> 00:43:29,530
I'm thinking about them glorifying God.

968
00:43:29,530 --> 00:43:33,167
Where do intercessors come from?

969
00:43:33,167 --> 00:43:38,213
Intercessors - not 
marginally spiritual people.

970
00:43:38,213 --> 00:43:40,520
You know, if we don't have intercession

971
00:43:40,520 --> 00:43:43,612
happening commonplace in your life -

972
00:43:43,612 --> 00:43:45,592
I'm not just talking about in the church.

973
00:43:45,592 --> 00:43:47,407
If intercession is not happening

974
00:43:47,407 --> 00:43:50,397
as a commonplace thing in your life,

975
00:43:50,397 --> 00:43:54,011
one of the great manifestations

976
00:43:54,011 --> 00:43:57,109
of sacrificial love is missing.

977
00:43:57,109 --> 00:43:59,115
And listen, that's important.

978
00:43:59,115 --> 00:44:03,294
Sacrificial love. You 
think about Judgment Day.

979
00:44:03,294 --> 00:44:07,549
Jesus talks about what you did for others.

980
00:44:07,549 --> 00:44:09,805
"I was in prison, and you visited Me."

981
00:44:09,805 --> 00:44:11,858
You know, one of the ways you can visit

982
00:44:11,858 --> 00:44:13,977
people in prison is by praying.

983
00:44:13,977 --> 00:44:16,434
The thing is as long as 
you have life and breath

984
00:44:16,434 --> 00:44:20,738
and you have consciousness, 
you can pray for people.

985
00:44:20,738 --> 00:44:22,379
We need it.

986
00:44:22,379 --> 00:44:25,027
We need this desperately.

987
00:44:25,027 --> 00:44:26,989
Where are the men and women?

988
00:44:26,989 --> 00:44:28,691
I know we've got some. I know.

989
00:44:28,691 --> 00:44:31,509
But oh God, help us to have more

990
00:44:31,509 --> 00:44:33,687
men and women who live 
in the presence of God

991
00:44:33,687 --> 00:44:34,603
on bended knee

992
00:44:34,603 --> 00:44:38,560
whose voices are familiar to the Father;

993
00:44:38,560 --> 00:44:40,959
whose voices go up

994
00:44:40,959 --> 00:44:43,135
in familiarity to the Father

995
00:44:43,135 --> 00:44:45,680
on the behalf of others.

996
00:44:45,680 --> 00:44:47,725
I mean, you can imagine,

997
00:44:47,725 --> 00:44:50,614
God from God's perspective,

998
00:44:50,614 --> 00:44:52,609
"There's his voice again...

999
00:44:52,609 --> 00:44:55,569
and sure enough, he's asking for a job,

1000
00:44:55,569 --> 00:44:57,013
he's asking for a wife,

1001
00:44:57,013 --> 00:45:03,228
he's asking for a raise, he's asking..."

1002
00:45:03,228 --> 00:45:07,763
Those who God hears his voice,

1003
00:45:07,763 --> 00:45:12,845
"Lord, help so-and-so...

1004
00:45:12,845 --> 00:45:16,053
Lord, according to the 
riches of Your glory,

1005
00:45:16,053 --> 00:45:18,155
please strengthen that brother

1006
00:45:18,155 --> 00:45:19,736
down there in Mexico.

1007
00:45:19,736 --> 00:45:22,679
Please, Lord, open that 
door for that brother

1008
00:45:22,679 --> 00:45:26,062
that's trying to get from Costa Rica.

1009
00:45:26,062 --> 00:45:27,495
Lord..."

1010
00:45:27,495 --> 00:45:31,656
How often is the Lord hearing that voice?

1011
00:45:31,656 --> 00:45:34,560
"Lord, I'm not here to 
pray for my own needs.

1012
00:45:34,560 --> 00:45:36,036
You know I have them,

1013
00:45:36,036 --> 00:45:39,910
but Lord, Brother Matt 
needs Your help today.

1014
00:45:39,910 --> 00:45:42,254
He needs Your help.

1015
00:45:42,254 --> 00:45:48,719
Johannes, Lord, remember Johannes."

1016
00:45:48,719 --> 00:45:52,180
Those who can't sit 
comfortably reading the book

1017
00:45:52,180 --> 00:45:53,637
or fiddling with their phone

1018
00:45:53,637 --> 00:45:55,762
because they're feeling a burden

1019
00:45:55,762 --> 00:45:59,249
for Andy and Rebecca.

1020
00:45:59,249 --> 00:46:01,620
Those of you that weren't 
here on Wednesday,

1021
00:46:01,620 --> 00:46:03,730
Trevor Johnson wrote, I think,

1022
00:46:03,730 --> 00:46:07,600
one of the most powerful 
missionary letters

1023
00:46:07,600 --> 00:46:13,558
that he's ever written.

1024
00:46:13,558 --> 00:46:15,800
Men and women not constantly asking

1025
00:46:15,800 --> 00:46:17,640
for their own needs.

1026
00:46:17,640 --> 00:46:21,278
The church needs intercessors.

1027
00:46:21,278 --> 00:46:25,428
We desperately need them.

1028
00:46:25,428 --> 00:46:27,050
Why?

1029
00:46:27,050 --> 00:46:30,009
Because God answers prayer!

1030
00:46:30,009 --> 00:46:32,731
Listen, I'm telling you this.

1031
00:46:32,731 --> 00:46:35,413
I know this for a fact.

1032
00:46:35,413 --> 00:46:37,317
I'm so convinced.

1033
00:46:37,317 --> 00:46:39,345
I've seen it over and over and over again.

1034
00:46:39,345 --> 00:46:40,960
God answers prayer.

1035
00:46:40,960 --> 00:46:42,968
And when people are praying for you,

1036
00:46:42,968 --> 00:46:45,266
things happen in your life 
that would not happen

1037
00:46:45,266 --> 00:46:47,059
if they weren't praying for you.

1038
00:46:47,059 --> 00:46:49,164
Mark it down!

1039
00:46:49,164 --> 00:46:51,632
The elders in this church preach

1040
00:46:51,632 --> 00:46:54,020
or perform or oversee better

1041
00:46:54,020 --> 00:46:55,588
when people are praying for them

1042
00:46:55,588 --> 00:46:57,654
than when they're not praying for them.

1043
00:46:57,654 --> 00:46:58,602
That is a reality.

1044
00:46:58,602 --> 00:47:00,322
People live more holy lives.

1045
00:47:00,322 --> 00:47:03,056
People live closer to God.

1046
00:47:03,056 --> 00:47:04,756
People are more prayerful.

1047
00:47:04,756 --> 00:47:07,490
People are more loving and charitable

1048
00:47:07,490 --> 00:47:09,512
and kind and tender and forgiving

1049
00:47:09,512 --> 00:47:11,701
when people are praying for one another

1050
00:47:11,701 --> 00:47:13,983
than when they're not 
praying for one another.

1051
00:47:13,983 --> 00:47:15,469
That is a fact.

1052
00:47:15,469 --> 00:47:17,289
I'll tell you, I was thinking about

1053
00:47:17,289 --> 00:47:20,529
our brother coming here 
on a week from Wednesday

1054
00:47:20,529 --> 00:47:22,641
and sharing his needs.

1055
00:47:22,641 --> 00:47:24,398
If I was on a foreign mission field,

1056
00:47:24,398 --> 00:47:26,944
I would want to visit as 
many churches as I could,

1057
00:47:26,944 --> 00:47:29,780
and I would tell the people,
look, I'm not here for your money.

1058
00:47:29,780 --> 00:47:31,807
I'm just appealing, if there is one person

1059
00:47:31,807 --> 00:47:33,968
or two people or three 
people in this church

1060
00:47:33,968 --> 00:47:35,122
that are prayer warriors

1061
00:47:35,122 --> 00:47:36,986
and you have any burden for India,

1062
00:47:36,986 --> 00:47:38,441
I plead with you, pray.

1063
00:47:38,441 --> 00:47:40,447
And if on Judgment Day, it can be found

1064
00:47:40,447 --> 00:47:42,895
there were three people 
in that church over there,

1065
00:47:42,895 --> 00:47:45,555
and there were two people 
in that church over there,

1066
00:47:45,555 --> 00:47:48,633
and five in that church over there,
and they held that rope.

1067
00:47:48,633 --> 00:47:51,817
Not because they were sending 
me all their dollars all the time,

1068
00:47:51,817 --> 00:47:53,190
but they prayed for me.

1069
00:47:53,190 --> 00:47:54,914
They prayed for me all the time.

1070
00:47:54,914 --> 00:47:57,205
Prayer meetings did not 
go by in that church

1071
00:47:57,205 --> 00:47:58,570
they weren't praying for me.

1072
00:47:58,570 --> 00:48:00,850
And oftentimes, every 
single day of the week,

1073
00:48:00,850 --> 00:48:02,117
they were holding me up.

1074
00:48:02,117 --> 00:48:03,431
We need this.

1075
00:48:03,431 --> 00:48:05,758
When we pray for one another,

1076
00:48:05,758 --> 00:48:07,736
I'm telling you, we end up doing things

1077
00:48:07,736 --> 00:48:09,226
that would not happen

1078
00:48:09,226 --> 00:48:11,265
if people weren't praying for us.

1079
00:48:11,265 --> 00:48:12,496
This is the reality.

1080
00:48:12,496 --> 00:48:15,197
Bending our knees to the Father

1081
00:48:15,197 --> 00:48:18,505
on behalf of others.

1082
00:48:18,505 --> 00:48:20,360
We are the priesthood, brethren.

1083
00:48:20,360 --> 00:48:21,796
Have you never read that?

1084
00:48:21,796 --> 00:48:24,140
That fire was not to go out on that altar.

1085
00:48:24,140 --> 00:48:25,514
And if that was the symbol,

1086
00:48:25,514 --> 00:48:27,171
if that was the hyperbole,

1087
00:48:27,171 --> 00:48:32,239
if that was the metaphor,

1088
00:48:32,239 --> 00:48:35,511
we are the true priesthood.

1089
00:48:35,511 --> 00:48:38,774
Don't let the fire go out.

1090
00:48:38,774 --> 00:48:41,578
And I want to end with this.

1091
00:48:41,578 --> 00:48:43,657
This is one of the few places

1092
00:48:43,657 --> 00:48:49,162
in Scripture where 
we are specifically told -

1093
00:48:49,162 --> 00:48:51,904
it's one of the few places 
in the New Testament

1094
00:48:51,904 --> 00:48:54,641
where we are specifically 
told the posture.

1095
00:48:54,641 --> 00:48:56,479
This is the only place, I believe,

1096
00:48:56,479 --> 00:49:00,585
that Paul tells us his posture in prayer.

1097
00:49:00,585 --> 00:49:06,267
And I just want us to think for a moment.

1098
00:49:06,267 --> 00:49:12,269
Paul bowed his knee.

1099
00:49:12,269 --> 00:49:16,090
We used to sing out at Community,

1100
00:49:16,090 --> 00:49:21,535
"Oh, come let us worship and bow down."

1101
00:49:21,535 --> 00:49:23,985
Anybody remember that one?

1102
00:49:23,985 --> 00:49:27,339
"Oh, come let us worship and bow down.

1103
00:49:27,339 --> 00:49:32,305
Let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker."

1104
00:49:32,305 --> 00:49:35,066
Worship. Worship.

1105
00:49:35,066 --> 00:49:36,835
Come, let us bow down.

1106
00:49:36,835 --> 00:49:39,915
You know what I find in Scripture?

1107
00:49:39,915 --> 00:49:41,924
I actually find that even though Paul

1108
00:49:41,924 --> 00:49:47,098
doesn't reference this 
much but this one time

1109
00:49:47,098 --> 00:49:48,416
about his posture,

1110
00:49:48,416 --> 00:49:51,252
I find that posture in prayer

1111
00:49:51,252 --> 00:49:54,904
is something that is an interesting study.

1112
00:49:54,904 --> 00:49:59,273
You can go find men

1113
00:49:59,273 --> 00:50:02,271
who fell on their faces before God.

1114
00:50:02,271 --> 00:50:04,269
Do you remember two who often were found

1115
00:50:04,269 --> 00:50:07,073
falling on their faces?

1116
00:50:07,073 --> 00:50:09,588
Moses and Aaron.

1117
00:50:09,588 --> 00:50:13,131
And you know what's interesting 
about those two guys?

1118
00:50:13,131 --> 00:50:14,713
They were falling on their faces

1119
00:50:14,713 --> 00:50:16,753
for others as well;

1120
00:50:16,753 --> 00:50:19,388
not for their own needs.

1121
00:50:19,388 --> 00:50:21,469
They weren't just falling on their faces

1122
00:50:21,469 --> 00:50:22,735
for the needs of others.

1123
00:50:22,735 --> 00:50:24,338
They were falling on their faces

1124
00:50:24,338 --> 00:50:27,964
that God wouldn't destroy others.

1125
00:50:27,964 --> 00:50:30,356
Repeatedly, they were on their faces.

1126
00:50:30,356 --> 00:50:32,391
Remember Joshua - he came face-to-face

1127
00:50:32,391 --> 00:50:33,868
with the Angel of the Lord?

1128
00:50:33,868 --> 00:50:38,958
He found himself on his face.

1129
00:50:38,958 --> 00:50:41,274
Luke's account of the leper

1130
00:50:41,274 --> 00:50:42,946
that came to Jesus Christ?

1131
00:50:42,946 --> 00:50:47,586
It's said that he fell on his face.

1132
00:50:47,586 --> 00:50:53,339
Why do people fall on their face?

1133
00:50:53,339 --> 00:50:56,249
You can't go any lower than that.

1134
00:50:56,249 --> 00:50:58,819
I mean, if you were trying 
to go low before somebody,

1135
00:50:58,819 --> 00:51:00,397
there's no lower you can get.

1136
00:51:00,397 --> 00:51:03,203
We're not talking bended knee here.

1137
00:51:03,203 --> 00:51:05,720
We're talking totally

1138
00:51:05,720 --> 00:51:08,541
as low as you can go on your face.

1139
00:51:08,541 --> 00:51:09,958
Maybe your knees are bent,

1140
00:51:09,958 --> 00:51:13,137
maybe you're prostrate.

1141
00:51:13,137 --> 00:51:15,384
What is that a picture of?

1142
00:51:15,384 --> 00:51:19,939
Certainly, it's a picture of 
extreme submission.

1143
00:51:19,939 --> 00:51:23,294
It's the lowest expressing unworthiness,

1144
00:51:23,294 --> 00:51:26,175
inadequacy.

1145
00:51:26,175 --> 00:51:28,292
You think about bowing the knee.

1146
00:51:28,292 --> 00:51:32,743
Come, let us worship and bow down.

1147
00:51:32,743 --> 00:51:34,740
Or what does Scripture say?

1148
00:51:34,740 --> 00:51:39,804
There is a day coming 
when every knee shall bow.

1149
00:51:39,804 --> 00:51:42,776
God has given Jesus Christ a name

1150
00:51:42,776 --> 00:51:44,352
that is above every name,

1151
00:51:44,352 --> 00:51:45,806
so that at the name of Jesus,

1152
00:51:45,806 --> 00:51:48,496
every knee should bow

1153
00:51:48,496 --> 00:51:51,282
in heaven, on earth, under the earth,

1154
00:51:51,282 --> 00:51:52,763
and every tongue confess

1155
00:51:52,763 --> 00:51:54,837
that Jesus Christ is Lord

1156
00:51:54,837 --> 00:51:57,740
to the glory of the Father.

1157
00:51:57,740 --> 00:52:00,664
That is a picture of submission.

1158
00:52:00,664 --> 00:52:02,583
It's a picture of reverence,

1159
00:52:02,583 --> 00:52:06,806
worship, allegiance.

1160
00:52:06,806 --> 00:52:08,195
Kneeling. Bowing.

1161
00:52:08,195 --> 00:52:11,286
How about lifting up eyes?

1162
00:52:11,286 --> 00:52:16,817
I was just singing Psalm 5 the other day.

1163
00:52:16,817 --> 00:52:20,138
That was another one 
we often used to sing.

1164
00:52:20,138 --> 00:52:21,732
"Oh Lord, in the morning,

1165
00:52:21,732 --> 00:52:24,426
will I direct my prayer unto Thee..."

1166
00:52:24,426 --> 00:52:26,679
And the way the KJV has it,

1167
00:52:26,679 --> 00:52:29,726
"and will look up."

1168
00:52:29,726 --> 00:52:32,889
You know, there's twice when Jesus prays,

1169
00:52:32,889 --> 00:52:35,367
and it said He looked up to heaven.

1170
00:52:35,367 --> 00:52:36,772
And you think about it.

1171
00:52:36,772 --> 00:52:41,749
The tax collector there in Luke 18

1172
00:52:41,749 --> 00:52:44,718
when he prayed, he wouldn't dare look up.

1173
00:52:44,718 --> 00:52:46,384
He looked down.

1174
00:52:46,384 --> 00:52:49,885
But Scripture also speaks about,

1175
00:52:49,885 --> 00:52:53,307
Psalm 123, "To you, I lift up my eyes,

1176
00:52:53,307 --> 00:52:56,040
O, You who are enthroned in the heavens."

1177
00:52:56,040 --> 00:52:57,440
(incomplete thought)

1178
00:52:57,440 --> 00:52:59,485
I just want us to think about our posture.

1179
00:52:59,485 --> 00:53:02,777
Why? Because I hope you don't run

1180
00:53:02,777 --> 00:53:11,634
into God's presence just careless

1181
00:53:11,634 --> 00:53:16,985
and without thought.

1182
00:53:16,985 --> 00:53:19,378
We should think. Think.

1183
00:53:19,378 --> 00:53:20,553
Who are you coming to?

1184
00:53:20,553 --> 00:53:22,186
We're coming before a King.

1185
00:53:22,186 --> 00:53:24,596
No carelessness. What did God say?

1186
00:53:24,596 --> 00:53:26,805
"I am a great King, 
says the Lord of Hosts,

1187
00:53:26,805 --> 00:53:30,300
My name will be feared 
among the nations."

1188
00:53:30,300 --> 00:53:33,901
I'll ltell you this, your posture -

1189
00:53:33,901 --> 00:53:36,072
we don't want to be legalistic -

1190
00:53:36,072 --> 00:53:38,104
but you know what posture often does?

1191
00:53:38,104 --> 00:53:42,855
It's an expression to the 
attitude of your heart.

1192
00:53:42,855 --> 00:53:45,156
And people who just flippantly,

1193
00:53:45,156 --> 00:53:48,836
carelessly run into God's presence,

1194
00:53:48,836 --> 00:53:52,026
that's not good.

1195
00:53:52,026 --> 00:53:54,779
Scripture shows men on their face,

1196
00:53:54,779 --> 00:53:57,096
those bowing,

1197
00:53:57,096 --> 00:54:00,425
eyes raised up,

1198
00:54:00,425 --> 00:54:02,511
arms raised - have you ever read that

1199
00:54:02,511 --> 00:54:04,687
in 1 Timothy 2?

1200
00:54:04,687 --> 00:54:08,921
And you know what? It's interesting.

1201
00:54:08,921 --> 00:54:11,712
"With holy hands..."

1202
00:54:11,712 --> 00:54:15,737
That's interesting because 
you find in Isaiah

1203
00:54:15,737 --> 00:54:17,981
that they lifted their hands,

1204
00:54:17,981 --> 00:54:20,106
but God said their hands

1205
00:54:20,106 --> 00:54:23,175
were covered with blood.

1206
00:54:23,175 --> 00:54:26,197
See, what does it mean 
when you raise your hands?

1207
00:54:26,197 --> 00:54:31,445
It's a picture - holy hands. Clean.

1208
00:54:31,445 --> 00:54:36,182
It seems to have the idea of:

1209
00:54:36,182 --> 00:54:37,735
there's a clean slate.

1210
00:54:37,735 --> 00:54:40,494
I've confessed my sin.

1211
00:54:40,494 --> 00:54:42,889
I don't know of anything between.

1212
00:54:42,889 --> 00:54:45,422
I'm walking in this 
righteousness of Christ

1213
00:54:45,422 --> 00:54:47,849
and in the power of His resurrection.

1214
00:54:47,849 --> 00:54:53,131
As far as I know, there's 
nothing outstanding.

1215
00:54:53,131 --> 00:54:55,779
But I'll tell you this,

1216
00:54:55,779 --> 00:54:57,610
there are times I lay in bed

1217
00:54:57,610 --> 00:55:00,305
and I raise my arms

1218
00:55:00,305 --> 00:55:03,000
and I'm not thinking about

1219
00:55:03,000 --> 00:55:06,304
the cleanliness of my hands.

1220
00:55:06,304 --> 00:55:09,415
I'm just thinking,

1221
00:55:09,415 --> 00:55:11,945
like if I get done preaching 
and I come down

1222
00:55:11,945 --> 00:55:13,827
and one of the little children comes up

1223
00:55:13,827 --> 00:55:15,795
and they're raising their hands.

1224
00:55:15,795 --> 00:55:17,654
What are you going to do?

1225
00:55:17,654 --> 00:55:22,153
Are there any of you who would 
just swat those hands away?

1226
00:55:22,153 --> 00:55:25,719
No, you're going to pick the child up.

1227
00:55:25,719 --> 00:55:29,519
I mean if little James Luciano runs up

1228
00:55:29,519 --> 00:55:31,394
with his arms up, I'm not going to just

1229
00:55:31,394 --> 00:55:35,032
scowl at him and say, "what do you want?"

1230
00:55:35,032 --> 00:55:37,591
You grab the child. You pick them up.

1231
00:55:37,591 --> 00:55:41,149
And sometimes the raising of hands

1232
00:55:41,149 --> 00:55:44,448
is just trying to get as close to Him,

1233
00:55:44,448 --> 00:55:46,127
"Lord, I want more of You.

1234
00:55:46,127 --> 00:55:48,823
Just touch me.

1235
00:55:48,823 --> 00:55:51,641
Pick me up."

1236
00:55:51,641 --> 00:55:53,902
Or you think about sitting.

1237
00:55:53,902 --> 00:55:56,453
2 Samuel 7,

1238
00:55:56,461 --> 00:56:03,182
after God pronounced 
all the blessings on David.

1239
00:56:03,182 --> 00:56:05,389
David went to the house of the Lord

1240
00:56:05,389 --> 00:56:08,849
and he sat and God spoke to Him.

1241
00:56:08,849 --> 00:56:12,694
Jehoshaphat - we find where he stood

1242
00:56:12,694 --> 00:56:16,085
in the assembly of Judah 
when he was praying.

1243
00:56:16,085 --> 00:56:17,883
Standing - that's kind of like

1244
00:56:17,883 --> 00:56:21,623
if you stand before a dignitary,

1245
00:56:21,623 --> 00:56:27,720
that's a posture of boldness.

1246
00:56:27,720 --> 00:56:30,952
Sometimes it's more of a cultural thing.

1247
00:56:30,952 --> 00:56:33,354
In Romania, they stand -

1248
00:56:33,354 --> 00:56:35,716
sometimes we stand when 
the Scriptures are read.

1249
00:56:35,716 --> 00:56:38,193
You know, when Kevin's here,
he'll have us all stand.

1250
00:56:38,193 --> 00:56:39,504
Or Chello had us all stand.

1251
00:56:39,504 --> 00:56:40,711
But you know in Romania,

1252
00:56:40,711 --> 00:56:42,746
I think they sit when they read Scripture,

1253
00:56:42,746 --> 00:56:44,326
but they stand when they pray.

1254
00:56:44,326 --> 00:56:46,750
Now they may not know why they do that

1255
00:56:46,750 --> 00:56:48,393
other than it's just traditional,

1256
00:56:48,393 --> 00:56:49,971
but I don't want us to do things

1257
00:56:49,971 --> 00:56:52,001
just because it's traditional, legalistic,

1258
00:56:52,001 --> 00:56:52,980
or any other thing.

1259
00:56:52,980 --> 00:56:54,693
But I want us to be thinking.

1260
00:56:54,693 --> 00:56:57,646
Don't be careless.

1261
00:56:57,646 --> 00:57:02,231
You're going before a great King.

1262
00:57:02,231 --> 00:57:04,774
Think.

1263
00:57:04,774 --> 00:57:06,688
Yes, we're children,

1264
00:57:06,688 --> 00:57:09,527
and we can go into His 
presence immediately

1265
00:57:09,527 --> 00:57:10,699
when we need to.

1266
00:57:10,699 --> 00:57:14,483
And we can go in as 
children before a Father.

1267
00:57:14,483 --> 00:57:19,811
But you know, fathers demand reverence.

1268
00:57:19,811 --> 00:57:21,426
Be reverent.

1269
00:57:21,426 --> 00:57:23,532
Be thoughtful.

1270
00:57:23,532 --> 00:57:25,078
Think about praying.

1271
00:57:25,078 --> 00:57:26,736
Think about your prayers.

1272
00:57:26,736 --> 00:57:31,215
Pray.

1273
00:57:31,215 --> 00:57:34,424
You know, how many children in the church

1274
00:57:34,424 --> 00:57:37,202
actually ever stumble upon parents

1275
00:57:37,202 --> 00:57:38,468
on their knees?

1276
00:57:38,468 --> 00:57:40,365
How many of you are bending your knees?

1277
00:57:40,365 --> 00:57:42,829
How many pray on your face?

1278
00:57:42,829 --> 00:57:44,417
I remember Whitefield.

1279
00:57:44,417 --> 00:57:49,442
Whitefield would pray on bended knee

1280
00:57:49,442 --> 00:57:50,801
and read his Bible,

1281
00:57:50,801 --> 00:57:54,090
have his Matthew Henry commetary open.

1282
00:57:54,090 --> 00:57:56,314
I'm not saying you have to do that.

1283
00:57:56,314 --> 00:57:59,759
But see, it comes from 
an attitude of heart.

1284
00:57:59,759 --> 00:58:02,000
Pray. Pray.

1285
00:58:02,000 --> 00:58:04,876
I've been reading -

1286
00:58:04,876 --> 00:58:06,440
my wife went through my books

1287
00:58:06,440 --> 00:58:07,758
when I was in Ecuador,

1288
00:58:07,758 --> 00:58:09,376
and she took a bunch of them

1289
00:58:09,376 --> 00:58:11,009
she wants to take to Half Price,

1290
00:58:11,009 --> 00:58:15,284
and so I was looking at the 
two-volume Cotton Mather,

1291
00:58:15,284 --> 00:58:16,972
"Great Works of Christ in America,"

1292
00:58:16,972 --> 00:58:18,937
and I thought, oh, you're taking those?

1293
00:58:18,937 --> 00:58:20,840
And so I grabbed them out

1294
00:58:20,840 --> 00:58:22,538
and I've been reading.

1295
00:58:22,538 --> 00:58:25,126
And I'm reading through 
a section right now

1296
00:58:25,126 --> 00:58:32,123
on the last testimonies 
of all sorts of people

1297
00:58:32,123 --> 00:58:36,241
who were being executed.

1298
00:58:36,241 --> 00:58:39,545
You know they put people
to death for adultery?

1299
00:58:39,545 --> 00:58:41,312
We were just talking about that

1300
00:58:41,312 --> 00:58:43,244
at the men's Grace House the other day.

1301
00:58:43,244 --> 00:58:44,548
They put people to death

1302
00:58:44,548 --> 00:58:45,834
for adultery in those days.

1303
00:58:45,834 --> 00:58:48,108
They put people to 
death for bestiality,

1304
00:58:48,108 --> 00:58:52,324
and for murder, for witchcraft.

1305
00:58:52,324 --> 00:58:54,688
A woman was consulting with a demon

1306
00:58:54,688 --> 00:58:56,078
and they executed her.

1307
00:58:56,078 --> 00:58:57,979
And you know, I was reading

1308
00:58:57,979 --> 00:59:00,888
about all these different accounts,

1309
00:59:00,888 --> 00:59:02,869
and when they would take these people

1310
00:59:02,869 --> 00:59:03,935
to the gallows,

1311
00:59:03,935 --> 00:59:05,985
they would give them opportunity to speak,

1312
00:59:05,985 --> 00:59:07,965
and they had a lot of last words.

1313
00:59:07,965 --> 00:59:13,448
And you know what I found 
again and again and again?

1314
00:59:13,448 --> 00:59:16,904
These people who were moments away

1315
00:59:16,904 --> 00:59:21,715
from facing God, 
stepping out into eternity,

1316
00:59:21,715 --> 00:59:25,391
they said if only I would have 
started that day in prayer,

1317
00:59:25,391 --> 00:59:27,486
they said, I think God would have kept me

1318
00:59:27,486 --> 00:59:28,712
from doing what I did.

1319
00:59:28,712 --> 00:59:31,310
Now look, aside from whether 
they were lost or saved,

1320
00:59:31,310 --> 00:59:32,745
that's not really the issue,

1321
00:59:32,745 --> 00:59:35,227
but it's amazing how often -

1322
00:59:35,227 --> 00:59:37,049
I saw it over and over -

1323
00:59:37,049 --> 00:59:38,616
how often they attributed,

1324
00:59:38,616 --> 00:59:41,454
"Oh, if only I had sought God that day,

1325
00:59:41,454 --> 00:59:43,883
I would probably not have 
slit my wife's throat,"

1326
00:59:43,883 --> 00:59:47,301
which is what one of them did in a rage.

1327
00:59:47,301 --> 00:59:49,288
And I just thought about that.

1328
00:59:49,288 --> 00:59:52,391
We have a God who answers prayer.

1329
00:59:52,391 --> 00:59:54,954
And I'm not talking about 
just starting your day

1330
00:59:54,954 --> 00:59:56,327
by praying for yourself.

1331
00:59:56,327 --> 00:59:58,344
Oh, what things might you have avoided

1332
00:59:58,344 --> 00:59:59,574
during any given day,

1333
00:59:59,574 --> 01:00:01,401
if you would have started your day

1334
01:00:01,401 --> 01:00:04,307
on your knees before the Lord?

1335
01:00:04,307 --> 01:00:06,786
But brethren, how many 
of your brothers and sisters

1336
01:00:06,786 --> 01:00:08,412
might not have done what they did

1337
01:00:08,412 --> 01:00:10,266
on any given day if you had

1338
01:00:10,266 --> 01:00:13,639
started your day by praying for them?

1339
01:00:13,639 --> 01:00:15,809
I hope there's enough care,

1340
01:00:15,809 --> 01:00:17,162
enough concern.

1341
01:00:17,162 --> 01:00:18,818
We need more of the heart of Paul

1342
01:00:18,818 --> 01:00:23,235
who unceasingly prayed for people.

1343
01:00:23,235 --> 01:00:24,812
He didn't see other churches

1344
01:00:24,812 --> 01:00:26,742
as competitors or something,

1345
01:00:26,742 --> 01:00:28,143
or people not to pray for.

1346
01:00:28,143 --> 01:00:30,545
We don't want to them blessed.

1347
01:00:30,545 --> 01:00:32,522
Everywhere where there was somebody

1348
01:00:32,522 --> 01:00:34,275
that God had bestowed His love on,

1349
01:00:34,275 --> 01:00:37,491
his heart, his affection went out there.

1350
01:00:37,491 --> 01:00:39,218
He made great sacrifices.

1351
01:00:39,218 --> 01:00:41,834
That's something, no matter 
what your gifts are,

1352
01:00:41,834 --> 01:00:43,059
no matter where you are,

1353
01:00:43,059 --> 01:00:45,027
no matter what your condition,
no matter what your health,

1354
01:00:45,027 --> 01:00:46,363
no matter what your age,

1355
01:00:46,363 --> 01:00:47,819
you can pray for others.

1356
01:00:47,819 --> 01:00:50,209
You can pray.

1357
01:00:50,209 --> 01:00:52,065
Provided you have the Holy Spirit,

1358
01:00:52,065 --> 01:00:53,959
provided you're one of Christ's,

1359
01:00:53,959 --> 01:00:55,137
you have access

1360
01:00:55,137 --> 01:00:57,071
and you can pray for others.

1361
01:00:57,071 --> 01:00:58,479
We need intercessors.

1362
01:00:58,479 --> 01:01:01,024
This is my great appeal today.

1363
01:01:01,024 --> 01:01:02,740
Pray for others.

1364
01:01:02,740 --> 01:01:05,719
Pray. Pray. Pray.

1365
01:01:05,719 --> 01:01:09,146
Be as Paul was and pray big!

1366
01:01:09,146 --> 01:01:12,356
And pray according to 
the riches of His glory.

1367
01:01:12,356 --> 01:01:14,103
Don't pray meager prayers.

1368
01:01:14,103 --> 01:01:16,711
Don't pray like He's an incompetent god

1369
01:01:16,711 --> 01:01:17,900
or a small god.

1370
01:01:17,900 --> 01:01:19,121
We have a great God.

1371
01:01:19,121 --> 01:01:21,227
You're coming before a great King.

1372
01:01:21,227 --> 01:01:22,765
Go before Him in reverence.

1373
01:01:22,765 --> 01:01:25,110
Go before Him on bended knees.

1374
01:01:25,110 --> 01:01:30,957
And lift up others.

1375
01:01:30,957 --> 01:01:32,969
Father, I pray that You would do this.

1376
01:01:32,969 --> 01:01:34,995
I pray, Lord, more, more,

1377
01:01:34,995 --> 01:01:36,480
more intercessors.

1378
01:01:36,480 --> 01:01:38,672
Give us a church of intercessors.

1379
01:01:38,672 --> 01:01:41,230
Lord, those who are already intercessors,

1380
01:01:41,230 --> 01:01:42,495
I pray for them.

1381
01:01:42,495 --> 01:01:48,838
Oh Father, You say when 
we do things for others -

1382
01:01:48,838 --> 01:01:50,669
there it is in Isaiah 58 -

1383
01:01:50,669 --> 01:01:52,715
when we call, You'll say, "here I am."

1384
01:01:52,715 --> 01:01:55,484
And I pray for those who are intercessors.

1385
01:01:55,484 --> 01:01:58,204
They love others.

1386
01:01:58,204 --> 01:02:00,198
And they pour themselves out.

1387
01:02:00,198 --> 01:02:07,672
Lord, remember them in all of their needs.

1388
01:02:07,672 --> 01:02:10,237
Give us a church of intercessors.

1389
01:02:10,237 --> 01:02:11,176
Give us that.

1390
01:02:11,176 --> 01:02:13,250
Lord, I believe You have 
to a great degree,

1391
01:02:13,250 --> 01:02:15,258
but more, more, more.

1392
01:02:15,258 --> 01:02:19,770
Encouarge, stir, stoke the fire of prayer;

1393
01:02:19,770 --> 01:02:21,993
the fire for intimacy;

1394
01:02:21,993 --> 01:02:26,399
the hunger - make Your children hungry

1395
01:02:26,399 --> 01:02:28,408
for communion with You;

1396
01:02:28,408 --> 01:02:30,781
hungry for intimacy;

1397
01:02:30,781 --> 01:02:34,920
hungry to show their love.

1398
01:02:34,920 --> 01:02:36,823
Lord, give us to love what You love,

1399
01:02:36,823 --> 01:02:38,790
and we know where You set Your love

1400
01:02:38,790 --> 01:02:40,421
on certain individuals,

1401
01:02:40,421 --> 01:02:43,562
You would have us to love 
them as You love them.

1402
01:02:43,562 --> 01:02:45,031
And love for the brethren

1403
01:02:45,031 --> 01:02:46,909
is so characteristic of what it is

1404
01:02:46,909 --> 01:02:48,503
to be a child of God,

1405
01:02:48,503 --> 01:02:50,756
and I pray that that love would permeate -

1406
01:02:50,756 --> 01:02:53,804
the love of intercession.

1407
01:02:53,804 --> 01:03:01,641
Lord, forgive us for selfishness.

1408
01:03:01,641 --> 01:03:03,591
Lord, we know there's too much of it

1409
01:03:03,591 --> 01:03:04,519
in each one of us.

1410
01:03:04,519 --> 01:03:05,816
We pray that You'd kill it.

1411
01:03:05,816 --> 01:03:07,957
Kill it. Kill it.

1412
01:03:07,957 --> 01:03:10,430
We pray in Christ's name, Amen.