1
00:00:01,944 --> 00:00:12,140
Father, we come to You tonight.

2
00:00:12,140 --> 00:00:20,317
Lord, we are a weak lot.

3
00:00:20,317 --> 00:00:23,031
Lord, we serve a mighty God.

4
00:00:23,031 --> 00:00:28,519
And we call upon You, Lord.

5
00:00:28,519 --> 00:00:30,799
I don't know what's 
happened in this building.

6
00:00:30,799 --> 00:00:35,462
I know that this conference has been

7
00:00:35,462 --> 00:00:38,711
held here in past years,

8
00:00:38,711 --> 00:00:40,101
but I don't know the history,

9
00:00:40,101 --> 00:00:42,627
and I don't know if the 
Gospel's been preached here

10
00:00:42,627 --> 00:00:43,889
on a regular basis.

11
00:00:43,889 --> 00:00:45,888
I don't know if You've filled this place.

12
00:00:45,888 --> 00:00:47,679
I don't know if this place is a place

13
00:00:47,679 --> 00:00:48,878
of regular salvation,

14
00:00:48,878 --> 00:00:50,605
but I pray that it would be that.

15
00:00:50,605 --> 00:00:53,240
I pray that it would be a 
place that You would inhabit;

16
00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:56,199
a place that You would 
fill with Your glory.

17
00:00:56,199 --> 00:01:00,596
Lord, please draw close to us.

18
00:01:00,596 --> 00:01:03,851
Draw close.

19
00:01:03,851 --> 00:01:05,358
I pray that these messages

20
00:01:05,358 --> 00:01:08,318
on leadership, Lord, use them.

21
00:01:08,318 --> 00:01:09,404
We need leaders.

22
00:01:09,404 --> 00:01:12,440
We need pastors throughout New England.

23
00:01:12,440 --> 00:01:14,878
And I pray, Father,

24
00:01:14,878 --> 00:01:17,370
that as we're calling upon You,

25
00:01:17,370 --> 00:01:20,728
You would remember 
our brother Paul Snyder.

26
00:01:20,728 --> 00:01:22,804
Lord, he's served You; poured out his life

27
00:01:22,804 --> 00:01:27,199
for these last years there in the jungles

28
00:01:27,199 --> 00:01:28,923
of Indonesia,

29
00:01:28,923 --> 00:01:32,341
and I pray that You'd have mercy upon him.

30
00:01:32,341 --> 00:01:35,446
Lord, restore the functions.

31
00:01:35,446 --> 00:01:37,822
Restore his health.

32
00:01:37,822 --> 00:01:40,569
Allow him to serve You in the future.

33
00:01:40,569 --> 00:01:44,650
Allow him to return to the 
mission field at some point.

34
00:01:44,650 --> 00:01:50,137
Lord, we believe that You are

35
00:01:50,137 --> 00:01:51,950
the God who heals us.

36
00:01:51,950 --> 00:01:54,689
We believe that You are 
a God of the miraculous.

37
00:01:54,689 --> 00:01:56,542
We believe that You do exceedingly,

38
00:01:56,542 --> 00:01:58,530
abundantly beyond what we ask or think,

39
00:01:58,530 --> 00:02:02,332
and we believe that You put 
that in Scripture for a reason.

40
00:02:02,332 --> 00:02:07,271
Because You would have us 
to expect things from You

41
00:02:07,271 --> 00:02:09,457
that even go beyond our thinking

42
00:02:09,457 --> 00:02:11,596
and our expectation.

43
00:02:11,596 --> 00:02:15,048
Father, please, amaze us.

44
00:02:15,048 --> 00:02:17,039
Amaze us in the life of Paul Snyder.

45
00:02:17,039 --> 00:02:19,838
Amaze us in the life of the 
church here in Portland

46
00:02:19,838 --> 00:02:22,596
and in the life of the 
Fellowship Conference

47
00:02:22,596 --> 00:02:23,938
here in New England.

48
00:02:23,938 --> 00:02:26,059
Amaze us, Father.

49
00:02:26,059 --> 00:02:30,498
Do such things in our midst.

50
00:02:30,498 --> 00:02:35,633
Oh Lord, when I come to this place,

51
00:02:35,633 --> 00:02:38,559
I think about Praying Payson -

52
00:02:38,559 --> 00:02:40,138
Edward Payson -

53
00:02:40,138 --> 00:02:41,538
and when I think about him,

54
00:02:41,538 --> 00:02:44,402
I think how badly I pray that things

55
00:02:44,402 --> 00:02:46,068
would happen in Portland

56
00:02:46,068 --> 00:02:48,533
that would rival what happened in his day.

57
00:02:48,533 --> 00:02:50,744
That we wouldn't simply read about past

58
00:02:50,744 --> 00:02:56,288
historical chapters in the 
Christian history books,

59
00:02:56,288 --> 00:03:00,348
but Lord, that You would do 
such things today in New England

60
00:03:00,348 --> 00:03:02,215
that would cause future generations

61
00:03:02,215 --> 00:03:08,219
to have more books written about.

62
00:03:08,219 --> 00:03:09,923
Father, please.

63
00:03:09,923 --> 00:03:16,087
I pray in Christ's name. Amen.

64
00:03:16,087 --> 00:03:23,732
Is there a problem with the volume?

65
00:03:23,732 --> 00:03:27,054
Okay.

66
00:03:27,054 --> 00:03:33,059
(Incomplete thought)

67
00:03:33,059 --> 00:03:35,312
We just had Clint Leiter at our church

68
00:03:35,312 --> 00:03:37,494
this past Lord's Day.

69
00:03:37,494 --> 00:03:42,540
And he brought a message 
from 1 Timothy 4:15 -

70
00:03:42,540 --> 00:03:44,231
not that I want you to turn there,

71
00:03:44,231 --> 00:03:48,955
but Paul is encouraging Timothy.

72
00:03:48,955 --> 00:03:51,609
He's encouraging Timothy

73
00:03:51,609 --> 00:03:53,611
that he practice certain things,

74
00:03:53,611 --> 00:03:57,161
immerse himself in certain things,

75
00:03:57,161 --> 00:04:01,878
so that everybody might see his progress.

76
00:04:01,878 --> 00:04:04,571
Progress in the Christian life.

77
00:04:04,571 --> 00:04:06,204
It's essential.

78
00:04:06,204 --> 00:04:09,291
God has not called us to stagnation,

79
00:04:09,291 --> 00:04:10,752
but to growth.

80
00:04:10,752 --> 00:04:12,207
Do you ever read those texts?

81
00:04:12,207 --> 00:04:15,642
"More and more."

82
00:04:15,642 --> 00:04:18,682
There's supposed to be an increase.

83
00:04:18,682 --> 00:04:20,068
Can you think of any?

84
00:04:20,068 --> 00:04:21,804
Can you think of any verses

85
00:04:21,804 --> 00:04:27,352
that speak about more 
in the Christian life?

86
00:04:27,352 --> 00:04:29,277
Anybody?

87
00:04:29,277 --> 00:04:31,379
What have you got?

88
00:04:31,379 --> 00:04:37,622
(unintelligible)

89
00:04:37,622 --> 00:04:39,155
Strength to strength - yes.

90
00:04:39,155 --> 00:04:40,943
That's a good verse.

91
00:04:40,943 --> 00:04:42,246
Strength to strength.

92
00:04:42,246 --> 00:04:43,873
You know the one I like?

93
00:04:43,873 --> 00:04:45,169
It's there in the Proverbs.

94
00:04:45,169 --> 00:04:47,665
You've got this idea 
that the Christian life -

95
00:04:47,665 --> 00:04:50,229
is the Christian life in 
Scripture portrayed

96
00:04:50,229 --> 00:04:52,077
as starting out at noon

97
00:04:52,077 --> 00:04:56,546
and then night comes?

98
00:04:56,546 --> 00:04:59,782
What do you think?

99
00:04:59,782 --> 00:05:03,065
Yes and no. Right?

100
00:05:03,065 --> 00:05:06,698
We have the Christian life

101
00:05:06,698 --> 00:05:09,342
like the rising of the sun

102
00:05:09,342 --> 00:05:12,285
until the fullness of day in the proverb.

103
00:05:12,285 --> 00:05:14,928
But then Jesus also said we 
need to work while it's day

104
00:05:14,928 --> 00:05:17,449
because the night is coming.

105
00:05:17,449 --> 00:05:19,994
Both are accurate ways to look

106
00:05:19,994 --> 00:05:22,952
at the reality of the Christian life.

107
00:05:22,952 --> 00:05:25,903
Progress.

108
00:05:25,903 --> 00:05:28,093
Progress. I want to talk about progress

109
00:05:28,093 --> 00:05:30,389
on three fronts.

110
00:05:30,389 --> 00:05:33,583
Tonight, Lord willing, prayer.

111
00:05:33,583 --> 00:05:43,555
Tomorrow, perhaps, Luke 16 and giving.

112
00:05:43,555 --> 00:05:48,117
And then, I think on Saturday,

113
00:05:48,117 --> 00:05:55,798
evangelism if the Lord will help.

114
00:05:55,798 --> 00:05:59,356
Now, look, if you've heard something

115
00:05:59,356 --> 00:06:01,235
of what I'm going to bring tonight,

116
00:06:01,235 --> 00:06:03,491
I would just ask you please

117
00:06:03,491 --> 00:06:07,926
hear it again.

118
00:06:07,926 --> 00:06:10,602
The main reason I want 
to preach to you on prayer

119
00:06:10,602 --> 00:06:13,539
from this text, I feel as much as anything

120
00:06:13,539 --> 00:06:17,114
is as a fresh reminder for myself.

121
00:06:17,114 --> 00:06:22,718
In 2011, I preached not exactly

122
00:06:22,718 --> 00:06:24,469
what you're going to get tonight,

123
00:06:24,469 --> 00:06:26,427
but something similar.

124
00:06:26,427 --> 00:06:36,940
And I just feel like I need this again.

125
00:06:36,940 --> 00:06:43,895
Sunday morning, July 15th -

126
00:06:43,895 --> 00:06:46,690
not of this year, but in 1866,

127
00:06:46,690 --> 00:06:50,587
Charles Spurgeon preached a message

128
00:06:50,587 --> 00:06:55,808
called "Order and Argument in Prayer."

129
00:06:55,808 --> 00:06:59,695
The words that he spoke 
on that Sunday morning

130
00:06:59,695 --> 00:07:03,920
reached my ears not long 
after the Lord saved me

131
00:07:03,920 --> 00:07:06,642
back in 1990.

132
00:07:06,642 --> 00:07:08,469
I bought a little book

133
00:07:08,469 --> 00:07:10,838
called "Twelve Sermons on Prayer"

134
00:07:10,838 --> 00:07:13,263
by Charles Spurgeon.

135
00:07:13,263 --> 00:07:15,601
"Order and Argument in Prayer."

136
00:07:15,601 --> 00:07:19,289
He preached that morning 
from a text out of Job

137
00:07:19,289 --> 00:07:20,805
and I want you to look at it.

138
00:07:20,805 --> 00:07:40,080
Turn in your Bibles to Job 23.

139
00:07:40,080 --> 00:07:49,716
Job 23:3-4.

140
00:07:49,716 --> 00:07:56,890
Job. Job in all of his afflictions.

141
00:07:56,890 --> 00:08:02,395
"Oh, that I knew where I might find Him;

142
00:08:02,395 --> 00:08:07,506
that I might come even to His seat.

143
00:08:07,506 --> 00:08:11,133
I would lay my case..."

144
00:08:11,133 --> 00:08:13,393
The King James Version says,

145
00:08:13,393 --> 00:08:18,748
"I would order my cause."

146
00:08:18,748 --> 00:08:22,092
"I would lay my case before Him."

147
00:08:22,092 --> 00:08:25,304
I'm reading from the ESV.

148
00:08:25,304 --> 00:08:28,007
"I would lay my case before Him

149
00:08:28,007 --> 00:08:33,238
and fill my mouth with arguments."

150
00:08:33,238 --> 00:08:35,931
And therefore, Spurgeon's title,

151
00:08:35,931 --> 00:08:37,923
"Order and Argument in Prayer."

152
00:08:37,923 --> 00:08:42,663
Here's Job, an afflicted child of God.

153
00:08:42,663 --> 00:08:45,309
He doesn't pray to be healed.

154
00:08:45,309 --> 00:08:50,184
He doesn't pray, 
"Lord, give me my children back."

155
00:08:50,184 --> 00:08:52,593
He prays what so often we feel

156
00:08:52,593 --> 00:08:56,161
in the depths of our soul.

157
00:08:56,161 --> 00:08:59,547
Lord, I just want to find You.

158
00:08:59,547 --> 00:09:01,817
Job was praying, he was asking,

159
00:09:01,817 --> 00:09:03,976
he was seeking, but you know what?

160
00:09:03,976 --> 00:09:05,409
He wasn't finding his God.

161
00:09:05,409 --> 00:09:06,788
That's what he really wanted.

162
00:09:06,788 --> 00:09:08,703
Lord, come to me.

163
00:09:08,703 --> 00:09:12,546
Show me Your presence.

164
00:09:12,546 --> 00:09:15,450
He wanted to come before 
the high court of heaven

165
00:09:15,450 --> 00:09:16,921
is what he wanted to do

166
00:09:16,921 --> 00:09:18,346
and make such arguments

167
00:09:18,346 --> 00:09:22,802
as he was persuaded 
would hold weight with God.

168
00:09:22,802 --> 00:09:24,101
You see, he was persuaded.

169
00:09:24,101 --> 00:09:25,661
However the book ends -

170
00:09:25,661 --> 00:09:27,353
you know how the book ends.

171
00:09:27,353 --> 00:09:29,571
But however it ended,

172
00:09:29,571 --> 00:09:32,284
here's what I know about Job.

173
00:09:32,284 --> 00:09:38,876
Job felt like he had a case to make.

174
00:09:38,876 --> 00:09:41,977
And he thought if just he could 
get a hearing from God;

175
00:09:41,977 --> 00:09:45,255
if God would just show up,

176
00:09:45,255 --> 00:09:50,021
that he could lay his case before him.

177
00:09:50,021 --> 00:09:51,803
And you know what Spurgeon emphasized

178
00:09:51,803 --> 00:09:54,189
in that sermon?

179
00:09:54,189 --> 00:09:55,917
(incomplete thought)

180
00:09:55,917 --> 00:09:59,933
He emphasized that the manner in which

181
00:09:59,933 --> 00:10:02,943
Job approaches God ought to be

182
00:10:02,943 --> 00:10:08,809
our manner of approach when we pray.

183
00:10:08,809 --> 00:10:10,087
Spurgeon said this,

184
00:10:10,087 --> 00:10:12,022
"Some utter whatever sentences

185
00:10:12,022 --> 00:10:14,410
come rushing into their minds

186
00:10:14,410 --> 00:10:17,302
like a herd of swine or a pack of hounds

187
00:10:17,302 --> 00:10:19,685
with little attention to what is said."

188
00:10:19,685 --> 00:10:25,071
Now, don't you wish you could do that?

189
00:10:25,071 --> 00:10:26,913
Spurgeon's imagery.

190
00:10:26,913 --> 00:10:30,708
"Like a herd of swine 
or a pack of hounds."

191
00:10:30,708 --> 00:10:33,023
Do you ever think of 
people like that praying?

192
00:10:33,023 --> 00:10:34,828
Spurgeon thought like that.

193
00:10:34,828 --> 00:10:37,216
We sit in prayer meetings, right?

194
00:10:37,216 --> 00:10:40,054
We hear one another pray.

195
00:10:40,054 --> 00:10:42,113
And of course, we want 
to encourage people.

196
00:10:42,113 --> 00:10:44,182
Don't worry about what other people think,

197
00:10:44,182 --> 00:10:46,101
but we do think things and we listen,

198
00:10:46,101 --> 00:10:48,248
and some people's prayers

199
00:10:48,248 --> 00:10:51,118
are much more effectual 
in prayer meetings.

200
00:10:51,118 --> 00:10:53,129
Have you ever been in a prayer meeting?

201
00:10:53,129 --> 00:10:55,981
How many of you have been 
in a corporate prayer meeting?

202
00:10:55,981 --> 00:10:57,675
I hope every hand.

203
00:10:57,675 --> 00:11:00,094
Some people when they pray,

204
00:11:00,094 --> 00:11:01,927
they stir you up, right?

205
00:11:01,927 --> 00:11:04,293
And some people want to put you to sleep.

206
00:11:04,293 --> 00:11:06,302
Well, they don't want to put you to sleep,

207
00:11:06,302 --> 00:11:10,124
but they want to the way they pray.

208
00:11:10,124 --> 00:11:11,872
There are some people when they pray

209
00:11:11,872 --> 00:11:13,436
it kills a prayer meeting.

210
00:11:13,436 --> 00:11:16,192
And there are other people when they pray,

211
00:11:16,192 --> 00:11:17,336
you get encouraged

212
00:11:17,336 --> 00:11:19,522
and your faith is stirred.

213
00:11:19,522 --> 00:11:21,196
That's a reality.

214
00:11:21,196 --> 00:11:24,197
(incomplete thought)

215
00:11:24,197 --> 00:11:29,313
I've had to talk to some 
young Christians before.

216
00:11:29,313 --> 00:11:31,759
Sometimes it's like,

217
00:11:31,759 --> 00:11:33,682
I've had people in the church,

218
00:11:33,682 --> 00:11:35,453
they're praying and it's almost like

219
00:11:35,453 --> 00:11:38,123
they don't know what to say.

220
00:11:38,123 --> 00:11:39,327
But here's the thing,

221
00:11:39,327 --> 00:11:41,884
should we argue?

222
00:11:41,884 --> 00:11:43,842
Order and argument.

223
00:11:43,842 --> 00:11:46,832
That's what Job said.

224
00:11:46,832 --> 00:11:49,774
He wanted to fill his 
mouth with arguments.

225
00:11:49,774 --> 00:11:52,431
Clearly, this doesn't mean quarreling.

226
00:11:52,431 --> 00:11:54,642
It doesn't mean disagreement.

227
00:11:54,642 --> 00:11:57,019
What happens when a man 
comes to a court of law?

228
00:11:57,019 --> 00:11:59,221
And he comes before a judge?

229
00:11:59,221 --> 00:12:01,504
And he's got a jury over here?

230
00:12:01,504 --> 00:12:04,164
He wants to argue his case.

231
00:12:04,164 --> 00:12:06,995
He wants to show you he's in the right.

232
00:12:06,995 --> 00:12:10,866
He wants to lay his evidence out there.

233
00:12:10,866 --> 00:12:13,027
He wants to make the case

234
00:12:13,027 --> 00:12:18,692
that he is in the right.

235
00:12:18,692 --> 00:12:22,002
Praying like that...

236
00:12:22,002 --> 00:12:23,607
Not sloppy prayer.

237
00:12:23,607 --> 00:12:25,350
Job says this several times.

238
00:12:25,350 --> 00:12:28,050
Just stay right there - 
you don't need to turn to these.

239
00:12:28,050 --> 00:12:29,880
But in Job 13:3, Job says,

240
00:12:29,880 --> 00:12:31,975
"I would speak to the Almighty

241
00:12:31,975 --> 00:12:34,602
and I desire to argue my case with God."

242
00:12:34,602 --> 00:12:37,541
Again, in 13:15, "though He slay me,

243
00:12:37,541 --> 00:12:38,722
I will hope in Him,

244
00:12:38,722 --> 00:12:42,256
yet I will argue my ways to His face."

245
00:12:42,256 --> 00:12:44,318
Now, that's bold.

246
00:12:44,318 --> 00:12:47,889
When God shows up,

247
00:12:47,889 --> 00:12:49,637
Job is very humbled.

248
00:12:49,637 --> 00:12:51,811
He repents in dust and ashes.

249
00:12:51,811 --> 00:12:57,584
In Job 13:18, "Behold, 
I have prepared my case.

250
00:12:57,584 --> 00:13:00,801
I know that I shall be in the right."

251
00:13:00,801 --> 00:13:02,247
And here's the thing,

252
00:13:02,247 --> 00:13:04,521
what Spurgeon recognized

253
00:13:04,521 --> 00:13:06,460
is that when he searched the pages

254
00:13:06,460 --> 00:13:07,962
of Old Testament Scripture,

255
00:13:07,962 --> 00:13:10,649
he found it wasn't just Job

256
00:13:10,649 --> 00:13:12,316
who approached God this way.

257
00:13:12,316 --> 00:13:14,427
He found that the ancient saints

258
00:13:14,427 --> 00:13:17,700
had a tendency, they had a habit,

259
00:13:17,700 --> 00:13:21,030
they had this approach to God

260
00:13:21,030 --> 00:13:22,945
where they were careful

261
00:13:22,945 --> 00:13:24,377
in presenting their argument.

262
00:13:24,377 --> 00:13:27,888
They didn't just pray haphazardly.

263
00:13:27,888 --> 00:13:30,228
Now look, there are times -

264
00:13:30,228 --> 00:13:33,123
yes, there are times

265
00:13:33,123 --> 00:13:38,821
when it's necessary to rush before God.

266
00:13:38,821 --> 00:13:41,111
There's times when we need to pray.

267
00:13:41,111 --> 00:13:42,443
We need to lift our voice.

268
00:13:42,443 --> 00:13:44,301
There's an emergency at hand.

269
00:13:44,301 --> 00:13:52,561
But would you just 
rush into a court of law

270
00:13:52,561 --> 00:13:55,272
without any forethought

271
00:13:55,272 --> 00:13:56,582
about making your case?

272
00:13:56,582 --> 00:13:58,061
Just on the spur of the moment,

273
00:13:58,061 --> 00:14:01,553
unprepared, sloppy?

274
00:14:01,553 --> 00:14:05,571
Ordinarily as a rule,

275
00:14:05,571 --> 00:14:08,132
we shouldn't come before the King of kings

276
00:14:08,132 --> 00:14:11,772
unprepared, thoughtless, and unorganized.

277
00:14:11,772 --> 00:14:14,610
Listen to Spurgeon.

278
00:14:14,610 --> 00:14:16,923
"See yonder priest.

279
00:14:16,923 --> 00:14:19,533
He has a sacrifice to offer,

280
00:14:19,533 --> 00:14:22,067
but he does not rush into 
the court of the priests

281
00:14:22,067 --> 00:14:24,475
and hack at the bullock 
with the first pole axe

282
00:14:24,475 --> 00:14:27,121
upon which he can lay his hand.

283
00:14:27,121 --> 00:14:29,283
But when he rises, he washes his feet

284
00:14:29,283 --> 00:14:31,091
at the brazen laver.

285
00:14:31,091 --> 00:14:32,668
He puts on his garments

286
00:14:32,668 --> 00:14:36,491
and adorns himself with 
his priestly vestments.

287
00:14:36,491 --> 00:14:39,562
Then he comes to the altar with his victim

288
00:14:39,562 --> 00:14:41,936
properly divided according to the law

289
00:14:41,936 --> 00:14:44,781
and is careful to do 
according to the command.

290
00:14:44,781 --> 00:14:46,961
And he takes the blood in a bowl

291
00:14:46,961 --> 00:14:50,734
and pours it in an appropriate place

292
00:14:50,734 --> 00:14:52,562
at the foot of the altar -

293
00:14:52,562 --> 00:14:55,553
not throwing it just as 
it may occur to him -

294
00:14:55,553 --> 00:14:57,238
and kindles the fire,

295
00:14:57,238 --> 00:14:58,743
not with the common flame,

296
00:14:58,743 --> 00:15:02,280
but with the sacred fire 
from off the altar.

297
00:15:02,280 --> 00:15:05,453
Our spiritual sacrifices should be offered

298
00:15:05,453 --> 00:15:09,034
with holy carefulness.

299
00:15:09,034 --> 00:15:10,996
God forbid that our prayers should be

300
00:15:10,996 --> 00:15:13,032
a mere leaping out of one's bed,

301
00:15:13,032 --> 00:15:16,022
kneeling down, saying 
anything that comes to hand.

302
00:15:16,022 --> 00:15:18,029
On the contrary,

303
00:15:18,029 --> 00:15:20,521
may we wait upon the Lord with holy fear

304
00:15:20,521 --> 00:15:23,085
and sacred awe."

305
00:15:23,085 --> 00:15:27,132
So anyway, I'm done, by and large

306
00:15:27,132 --> 00:15:29,075
with telling you about Spurgeon

307
00:15:29,075 --> 00:15:30,968
and preaching that message.

308
00:15:30,968 --> 00:15:32,538
But I'll tell you this,

309
00:15:32,538 --> 00:15:38,336
that sermon impacted my own prayer life

310
00:15:38,336 --> 00:15:41,349
and has - it's stayed with me

311
00:15:41,349 --> 00:15:43,989
for the last -

312
00:15:43,989 --> 00:15:52,193
I'll be saved 30 years in 2020.

313
00:15:52,193 --> 00:15:56,007
So I'm closing in on three decades.

314
00:15:56,007 --> 00:15:57,710
And probably in my prayer life,

315
00:15:57,710 --> 00:16:01,272
that sermon of Spurgeon's

316
00:16:01,272 --> 00:16:03,257
has had one of the greatest impacts

317
00:16:03,257 --> 00:16:07,041
on my own prayer life.

318
00:16:07,041 --> 00:16:10,617
I want to give you some examples.

319
00:16:10,617 --> 00:16:14,467
And back in 2011 when I preached this,

320
00:16:14,467 --> 00:16:19,800
I had my oldest daughter Charity in mind.

321
00:16:19,800 --> 00:16:23,965
I thought maybe I would use one of 
my daughters again as an example.

322
00:16:23,965 --> 00:16:26,831
A daughter - I have two of them here -

323
00:16:26,831 --> 00:16:28,196
I can relate to this.

324
00:16:28,196 --> 00:16:33,803
Daughters asking me for something.

325
00:16:33,803 --> 00:16:38,294
And I want to use them as an example

326
00:16:38,294 --> 00:16:43,619
as to what I mean by order 
and argument in prayer.

327
00:16:43,619 --> 00:16:46,492
What does that look like?

328
00:16:46,492 --> 00:16:48,888
Think with me here.

329
00:16:48,888 --> 00:16:52,904
First, let's consider a careless,

330
00:16:52,904 --> 00:16:56,031
lackadaisical approach.

331
00:16:56,031 --> 00:17:00,078
Here's what I want to put on the table.

332
00:17:00,078 --> 00:17:01,998
Both of my daughters

333
00:17:01,998 --> 00:17:08,194
have bank accounts that 
are attached to mine.

334
00:17:08,194 --> 00:17:13,051
I can put funds in there or take funds out

335
00:17:13,051 --> 00:17:15,407
whenever necessary.

336
00:17:15,407 --> 00:17:17,284
They would probably rather I didn't

337
00:17:17,284 --> 00:17:21,351
take funds out at times.

338
00:17:21,351 --> 00:17:24,229
But let's just suppose one of my daughters

339
00:17:24,229 --> 00:17:29,266
wants me to take some money 
from my checking account

340
00:17:29,266 --> 00:17:32,712
and transfer it over 
to their checking account.

341
00:17:32,712 --> 00:17:35,307
In fact, let's be very specific.

342
00:17:35,307 --> 00:17:38,542
My daughter would like me to give her

343
00:17:38,542 --> 00:17:41,218
$300 from my account

344
00:17:41,218 --> 00:17:42,982
transferred over to hers.

345
00:17:42,982 --> 00:17:45,066
So that's what's on the table here.

346
00:17:45,066 --> 00:17:46,313
Now think with me here,

347
00:17:46,313 --> 00:17:49,151
because this all has to do with prayer.

348
00:17:49,151 --> 00:17:52,980
This has to do with how 
we approach the Lord.

349
00:17:52,980 --> 00:17:55,732
Think about this - 
the lackadaisical approach.

350
00:17:55,732 --> 00:17:58,822
I'm talking about no order and argument.

351
00:17:58,822 --> 00:18:01,662
I'm talking about my daughter

352
00:18:01,662 --> 00:18:03,803
wants me to put money in her account.

353
00:18:03,803 --> 00:18:07,791
She runs by me one day when I come home.

354
00:18:07,791 --> 00:18:09,371
She comes out of the kitchen.

355
00:18:09,371 --> 00:18:12,113
She passes by and kind of mumbles to me

356
00:18:12,113 --> 00:18:15,031
something under her breath about:

357
00:18:15,031 --> 00:18:16,872
"I want some money."

358
00:18:16,872 --> 00:18:18,113
That's all she says.

359
00:18:18,113 --> 00:18:20,122
She doesn't even wait for an answer.

360
00:18:20,122 --> 00:18:23,231
She just goes past, up the stairs.

361
00:18:23,231 --> 00:18:25,953
That's how some people pray.

362
00:18:25,953 --> 00:18:28,245
They don't really look for an answer.

363
00:18:28,245 --> 00:18:31,902
At some prayer meetings, 
I hear people pray

364
00:18:31,902 --> 00:18:33,274
and I really wonder,

365
00:18:33,274 --> 00:18:35,029
do they have a burden about that?

366
00:18:35,029 --> 00:18:37,810
And I know a lot of the prayers 
that go up at our church,

367
00:18:37,810 --> 00:18:39,485
people do have burdens for those.

368
00:18:39,485 --> 00:18:42,082
And sometimes they go up 
because the prayer requests

369
00:18:42,082 --> 00:18:44,908
came out in the prayer -
in our prayer meeting.

370
00:18:44,908 --> 00:18:47,315
People heard. There was the request.

371
00:18:47,315 --> 00:18:49,128
And they love that brother or sister,

372
00:18:49,128 --> 00:18:51,886
and even though they might 
not know about it specifically,

373
00:18:51,886 --> 00:18:52,893
they pray for it.

374
00:18:52,893 --> 00:18:54,763
But some people, I'm afraid they pray,

375
00:18:54,763 --> 00:18:56,994
no expectation.

376
00:18:56,994 --> 00:18:58,433
What would you think of that?

377
00:18:58,433 --> 00:18:59,879
My daughter goes past me.

378
00:18:59,879 --> 00:19:03,109
She asks for $300 - 
just kind of mumbles it,

379
00:19:03,109 --> 00:19:05,414
and doesn't even engage me.

380
00:19:05,414 --> 00:19:06,706
No eye contact.

381
00:19:06,706 --> 00:19:10,101
She goes up the stairs. 
I never hear about it again.

382
00:19:10,101 --> 00:19:12,142
What would you think about that?

383
00:19:12,142 --> 00:19:15,786
I just ask you consider your own prayers.

384
00:19:15,786 --> 00:19:17,294
How many of them are like that?

385
00:19:17,294 --> 00:19:19,617
Where you throw something up to the Lord,

386
00:19:19,617 --> 00:19:22,777
no expectation that He's 
really going to come through?

387
00:19:22,777 --> 00:19:24,457
You pray about it one time.

388
00:19:24,457 --> 00:19:26,955
You lay it before the Lord. Why?

389
00:19:26,955 --> 00:19:28,317
Why would you even pray it?

390
00:19:28,317 --> 00:19:30,429
Well, you've got to pray about something.

391
00:19:30,429 --> 00:19:32,216
You just kind of put filler in there.

392
00:19:32,216 --> 00:19:33,470
None of that.

393
00:19:33,470 --> 00:19:35,600
That's not order and argument.

394
00:19:35,600 --> 00:19:37,991
Let's go to a second example.

395
00:19:37,991 --> 00:19:41,861
How about the laundry list approach?

396
00:19:41,861 --> 00:19:43,577
You ever heard in a prayer meeting -

397
00:19:43,577 --> 00:19:45,174
maybe you've been guilty of this.

398
00:19:45,174 --> 00:19:47,033
You just pray one thing after another:

399
00:19:47,033 --> 00:19:49,672
Give me this. Give me this. 
Give me that. Give me that.

400
00:19:49,672 --> 00:19:52,605
I mean, imagine this. Let's run 
through this scenario again.

401
00:19:52,605 --> 00:19:53,463
I come home.

402
00:19:53,463 --> 00:19:54,647
My daughter walks by me.

403
00:19:54,647 --> 00:19:57,340
This time she doesn't go 
past and go upstairs.

404
00:19:57,340 --> 00:19:59,508
She makes eye contact with me.

405
00:19:59,508 --> 00:20:01,896
And it's just basically:

406
00:20:01,896 --> 00:20:04,846
Dad, I want a phone. I want a car.

407
00:20:04,846 --> 00:20:07,570
I want food. I want candy. 
I want a cell phone.

408
00:20:07,570 --> 00:20:10,262
I want money. I want my own room.

409
00:20:10,262 --> 00:20:14,056
I want clothes. I want this.

410
00:20:14,056 --> 00:20:16,577
That's how some people pray.

411
00:20:16,577 --> 00:20:18,537
There's no order and argument.

412
00:20:18,537 --> 00:20:21,361
It's just a laundry list approach.

413
00:20:21,361 --> 00:20:23,311
Many pray like that

414
00:20:23,311 --> 00:20:25,367
asking for every conceivable thing

415
00:20:25,367 --> 00:20:28,662
that we want, have wanted, might want,

416
00:20:28,662 --> 00:20:33,731
but no case for any of it is made.

417
00:20:33,731 --> 00:20:35,671
Now look, I'm going to show you

418
00:20:35,671 --> 00:20:38,967
that this is a very biblical way to pray,

419
00:20:38,967 --> 00:20:42,833
to make your case;

420
00:20:42,833 --> 00:20:45,476
to lay your arguments out there.

421
00:20:45,476 --> 00:20:47,601
I'm going to show you that it is.

422
00:20:47,601 --> 00:20:49,272
So far, I've talked about Spurgeon.

423
00:20:49,272 --> 00:20:50,846
I'm giving you these examples,

424
00:20:50,846 --> 00:20:52,853
but I'm going to take you to Scripture.

425
00:20:52,853 --> 00:20:55,189
So you just hold on.

426
00:20:55,189 --> 00:20:59,020
But let's go back to the scenario 
again with my daughter.

427
00:20:59,020 --> 00:21:05,549
How about the use of my 
name excessively approach?

428
00:21:05,549 --> 00:21:08,284
Can you imagine if one of 
my daughters came to me

429
00:21:08,284 --> 00:21:10,535
and you were there - 
you were witnessing this.

430
00:21:10,535 --> 00:21:11,999
You came in the door with me.

431
00:21:11,999 --> 00:21:14,287
And my daughter, she 
comes up and she says,

432
00:21:14,287 --> 00:21:18,486
"Dad, please, Dad, put some, Dad,

433
00:21:18,486 --> 00:21:21,374
money, Dad, Oh Dad, please Dad,

434
00:21:21,374 --> 00:21:24,406
Dad, can I have, Dad, some money, Dad,

435
00:21:24,406 --> 00:21:25,610
put in my account?"

436
00:21:25,610 --> 00:21:27,658
Have you ever heard people pray like that?

437
00:21:27,658 --> 00:21:29,752
They use God's name like 10 times

438
00:21:29,752 --> 00:21:33,050
in every single sentence.

439
00:21:33,050 --> 00:21:36,295
I wonder whether that's vain repetition -

440
00:21:36,295 --> 00:21:39,422
using God's name in vain.

441
00:21:39,422 --> 00:21:40,417
What is that?

442
00:21:40,417 --> 00:21:42,815
It's like you don't know 
what you're praying for.

443
00:21:42,815 --> 00:21:44,203
You have no case to make

444
00:21:44,203 --> 00:21:45,856
and you're just putting filler in

445
00:21:45,856 --> 00:21:49,396
using God's name.

446
00:21:49,396 --> 00:21:53,361
Or how about this? The unnatural approach.

447
00:21:53,361 --> 00:21:55,589
Now, I don't know about the circles here,

448
00:21:55,589 --> 00:21:57,452
but I know that when I was first saved,

449
00:21:57,452 --> 00:22:00,780
I kind of cut my teeth on some 
of the Reformed Baptist circles.

450
00:22:00,780 --> 00:22:03,334
And I would hear men pray

451
00:22:03,334 --> 00:22:05,652
in a whole different tone

452
00:22:05,652 --> 00:22:09,081
than what they normally spoke in.

453
00:22:09,081 --> 00:22:10,976
Have you ever heard that?

454
00:22:10,976 --> 00:22:13,653
I mean, could you imagine 
if you came in with me

455
00:22:13,653 --> 00:22:15,440
and my daughter comes up,

456
00:22:15,440 --> 00:22:17,701
and in some unnatural tone,

457
00:22:17,701 --> 00:22:24,451
"Oh father, I would like you to 
put some money in the account,

458
00:22:24,451 --> 00:22:26,575
if it be your will."

459
00:22:26,575 --> 00:22:29,297
I mean, could you imagine that?

460
00:22:29,297 --> 00:22:32,760
You'd look at me like what's 
wrong with your daughter?

461
00:22:32,760 --> 00:22:37,083
There are Christians that pray that way.

462
00:22:37,083 --> 00:22:41,338
It's like be yourself when 
you pray to the Lord.

463
00:22:41,338 --> 00:22:44,048
(incomplete thought)

464
00:22:44,048 --> 00:22:46,797
In my estimation, you get these:

465
00:22:46,797 --> 00:22:48,836
"Oh, if it be Your will..."

466
00:22:48,836 --> 00:22:52,070
All these if's and unnatural tones -

467
00:22:52,070 --> 00:22:53,915
that speaks to me more unbelief

468
00:22:53,915 --> 00:23:00,690
and hypocrisy than anything.

469
00:23:00,690 --> 00:23:02,512
The unnatural approach.

470
00:23:02,512 --> 00:23:04,092
Artificial tones.

471
00:23:04,092 --> 00:23:06,810
Repeated "if's."

472
00:23:06,810 --> 00:23:10,006
"If's." If. If it be Your will. 
If it be Your will.

473
00:23:10,006 --> 00:23:13,959
Look, I know we need to 
be surrendered to God's will.

474
00:23:13,959 --> 00:23:20,895
But I hear the if's so often.

475
00:23:20,895 --> 00:23:22,270
George Mueller said this,

476
00:23:22,270 --> 00:23:25,017
"In my younger years, 
I had a good many if's,

477
00:23:25,017 --> 00:23:26,662
but those are all gone.

478
00:23:26,662 --> 00:23:28,990
I know that the Lord has 
the means at His command

479
00:23:28,990 --> 00:23:31,205
to answer all my prayers 
if I come believing,

480
00:23:31,205 --> 00:23:39,817
asking in the name of Christ."

481
00:23:39,817 --> 00:23:41,619
I mean, we need boldness.

482
00:23:41,619 --> 00:23:42,580
Boldness.

483
00:23:42,580 --> 00:23:44,821
Not a bunch of if's, like,

484
00:23:44,821 --> 00:23:48,349
is God going to do it or 
is He not going to do it.

485
00:23:48,349 --> 00:23:51,321
I mean, we need the boldness of Jacob.

486
00:23:51,321 --> 00:23:57,072
I am not going to let You 
go until You bless me.

487
00:23:57,072 --> 00:23:59,859
I'm going to get this blessing.

488
00:23:59,859 --> 00:24:08,513
How about the roundabout approach?

489
00:24:08,513 --> 00:24:10,665
You say what do you mean by that?

490
00:24:10,665 --> 00:24:13,032
Well, I mean this.

491
00:24:13,032 --> 00:24:14,884
Where somebody's praying for something

492
00:24:14,884 --> 00:24:17,089
but you hardly know 
what they're praying for

493
00:24:17,089 --> 00:24:22,423
or who they're praying about.

494
00:24:22,423 --> 00:24:25,468
I mean, if I walk in and one 
of my daughter's says,

495
00:24:25,468 --> 00:24:29,022
"Oh father, I would like 
to come into your presence

496
00:24:29,022 --> 00:24:32,213
and ask you to consider showing 
certain favor and blessing.

497
00:24:32,213 --> 00:24:39,269
Please grant such mercies 
as I now petition thee for."

498
00:24:39,269 --> 00:24:43,068
You know, I will go back 
to Spurgeon a second,

499
00:24:43,068 --> 00:24:45,082
somewhere I saw -

500
00:24:45,082 --> 00:24:48,291
I think this was in his 
"Lectures to My Students."

501
00:24:48,291 --> 00:24:50,149
There was a guy preaching

502
00:24:50,149 --> 00:24:51,840
at the Metropolitan Tabernacle,

503
00:24:51,840 --> 00:24:53,417
and I think it was a young guy,

504
00:24:53,417 --> 00:24:55,618
and he was opening the service

505
00:24:55,618 --> 00:24:57,227
and he was praying.

506
00:24:57,227 --> 00:25:00,644
and Spurgeon actually 
finally went up to him

507
00:25:00,644 --> 00:25:03,786
and laid hold on his arm

508
00:25:03,786 --> 00:25:05,625
and stopped him from praying

509
00:25:05,625 --> 00:25:16,367
and said, "Son, just ask your 
Heavenly Father for something."

510
00:25:16,367 --> 00:25:19,648
You remember Abraham?

511
00:25:19,648 --> 00:25:24,000
"Oh, that Ishmael might live before You!"

512
00:25:24,000 --> 00:25:25,259
There it is.

513
00:25:25,259 --> 00:25:27,320
You know the name. You know what he wants.

514
00:25:27,320 --> 00:25:29,993
To the point.

515
00:25:29,993 --> 00:25:33,349
Don't beat around the bush.

516
00:25:33,349 --> 00:25:41,598
Extra words and excess and eloquence.

517
00:25:41,598 --> 00:25:43,496
You say, yeah, but you're making a case

518
00:25:43,496 --> 00:25:45,308
to make these arguments before God.

519
00:25:45,308 --> 00:25:47,343
Is that useless? No, I'm going to show you

520
00:25:47,343 --> 00:25:48,378
that is not useless

521
00:25:48,378 --> 00:25:52,270
and that is not a waste of time.

522
00:25:52,270 --> 00:25:55,555
Let's be distinct about what we want.

523
00:25:55,555 --> 00:25:56,407
Be distinct.

524
00:25:56,407 --> 00:25:59,818
Say what you mean. Mean what you say.

525
00:25:59,818 --> 00:26:01,811
I mean, what I want from my daughter is,

526
00:26:01,811 --> 00:26:09,839
"Dad, I want $300. Would you 
please put $300 in my account?"

527
00:26:09,839 --> 00:26:12,625
Now, the order and argument approach.

528
00:26:12,625 --> 00:26:14,852
Let's look at this.

529
00:26:14,852 --> 00:26:20,555
My daughter. My daughter comes to me.

530
00:26:20,555 --> 00:26:24,832
Maybe she says, "Daddy."

531
00:26:24,832 --> 00:26:27,040
It's not bad to use some affection right?

532
00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:29,726
That goes a long way.

533
00:26:29,726 --> 00:26:37,186
Can we pray, "Abba, Father"?

534
00:26:37,186 --> 00:26:43,723
If one of them said, "Daddy..."

535
00:26:43,723 --> 00:26:46,564
Very distinct. To the point.

536
00:26:46,564 --> 00:26:51,681
"...I'd like you to put 
$300 in my account."

537
00:26:51,681 --> 00:26:58,593
"Dad, I have an internship,

538
00:26:58,593 --> 00:27:01,580
and I'm taking college classes.

539
00:27:01,580 --> 00:27:05,880
The internship I'm not 
going to be paid for.

540
00:27:05,880 --> 00:27:11,514
And Dad, I'm broke."

541
00:27:11,514 --> 00:27:15,358
You know what? That holds some weight.

542
00:27:15,358 --> 00:27:17,786
We're a broke people.

543
00:27:17,786 --> 00:27:18,828
That's a good place.

544
00:27:18,828 --> 00:27:23,267
I'm poor. I can't do this myself.

545
00:27:23,267 --> 00:27:27,282
I'm out of resources.

546
00:27:27,282 --> 00:27:31,328
And she's given me all the reasons.

547
00:27:31,328 --> 00:27:34,797
"Mom thinks it's a good idea.

548
00:27:34,797 --> 00:27:38,309
And Dad, you wanted me 
to take the internship.

549
00:27:38,309 --> 00:27:41,051
You wanted me to go to school.

550
00:27:41,051 --> 00:27:42,458
And now that I'm doing that,

551
00:27:42,458 --> 00:27:45,329
I had to quit that other job 
where I was making money.

552
00:27:45,329 --> 00:27:49,114
Dad, you know I have a car 
I need to put gas in.

553
00:27:49,114 --> 00:27:53,839
Dad, you don't want me riding 
around on fumes all the time.

554
00:27:53,839 --> 00:27:57,014
Plus, I'll be able to do some kind things

555
00:27:57,014 --> 00:27:59,848
for other people."

556
00:27:59,848 --> 00:28:08,654
(incomplete thought)

557
00:28:08,654 --> 00:28:12,848
"Daddy, I'll be able to help others."

558
00:28:12,848 --> 00:28:16,533
"Dad, you said..." - That's powerful.

559
00:28:16,533 --> 00:28:20,504
"Dad, you said that if I went to school

560
00:28:20,504 --> 00:28:21,612
and I couldn't work

561
00:28:21,612 --> 00:28:23,499
and I got into financial difficulties,

562
00:28:23,499 --> 00:28:25,178
you said you'd help me.

563
00:28:25,178 --> 00:28:27,746
You remember that?"

564
00:28:27,746 --> 00:28:30,301
Just laying the arguments out there

565
00:28:30,301 --> 00:28:31,988
one after another.

566
00:28:31,988 --> 00:28:35,344
"Dad, knowing how generous you are..."

567
00:28:35,344 --> 00:28:37,633
That's a good one.

568
00:28:37,633 --> 00:28:44,228
"Dad, my friends will know 
how generous you are."

569
00:28:44,228 --> 00:28:47,019
You see, just bringing out 
the hammer of prayer

570
00:28:47,019 --> 00:28:48,960
and you whack that same nail

571
00:28:48,960 --> 00:28:51,389
and you drive it down deep.

572
00:28:51,389 --> 00:28:53,778
That's what I'm talking about. Now listen,

573
00:28:53,778 --> 00:28:57,316
if we make progress in our praying,

574
00:28:57,316 --> 00:28:59,416
we'll make progress at this point:

575
00:28:59,416 --> 00:29:02,112
how to approach the Lord.

576
00:29:02,112 --> 00:29:05,160
See, this has to do with -

577
00:29:05,160 --> 00:29:10,885
the Lord said that you don't have, 
because you don't ask.

578
00:29:10,885 --> 00:29:14,192
But I'm thinking that the 
lackadaisical approach

579
00:29:14,192 --> 00:29:17,932
is not the kind of asking 
that God has in mind.

580
00:29:17,932 --> 00:29:22,241
Or the abundant, flippant use of His name.

581
00:29:22,241 --> 00:29:25,906
Or laundry lists approach.

582
00:29:25,906 --> 00:29:28,650
There's something about 
laying out an argument

583
00:29:28,650 --> 00:29:30,127
when you go to the Lord.

584
00:29:30,127 --> 00:29:31,869
Laying out your case.

585
00:29:31,869 --> 00:29:33,442
And I want you to see this.

586
00:29:33,442 --> 00:29:35,415
I want you to see this in Scripture.

587
00:29:35,415 --> 00:29:39,105
Go to Exodus 32 please.

588
00:29:39,105 --> 00:29:41,855
Exodus 32.

589
00:29:41,855 --> 00:29:43,822
I want you to see Moses.

590
00:29:43,822 --> 00:29:45,370
(incomplete thought)

591
00:29:45,370 --> 00:29:48,101
You know what Moses encountered.

592
00:29:48,101 --> 00:29:51,095
He encountered the Lord God

593
00:29:51,095 --> 00:29:54,410
on different occasions

594
00:29:54,410 --> 00:29:58,397
ready to wipe out and annihilate

595
00:29:58,397 --> 00:30:01,164
the Hebrew children out 
there in the wilderness.

596
00:30:01,164 --> 00:30:06,229
Why? Their repeated, 
stiff-necked attitude.

597
00:30:06,229 --> 00:30:07,732
Their repeated sin.

598
00:30:07,732 --> 00:30:11,972
(incomplete thought)

599
00:30:11,972 --> 00:30:15,779
They spurned God over and over.

600
00:30:15,779 --> 00:30:23,062
They rebelled from one day to the next.

601
00:30:23,062 --> 00:30:26,199
And I'll tell you, when Moses came along,

602
00:30:26,199 --> 00:30:30,263
he didn't just say, 
mumbling as he went by,

603
00:30:30,263 --> 00:30:32,210
"God, oh please don't destroy them,"

604
00:30:32,210 --> 00:30:34,413
and then never look for any answer.

605
00:30:34,413 --> 00:30:37,735
He didn't give just a laundry list.

606
00:30:37,735 --> 00:30:40,898
"Oh Lord, you know, would You please

607
00:30:40,898 --> 00:30:43,328
make sure that our shoes don't wear out?

608
00:30:43,328 --> 00:30:44,746
Would You please make sure

609
00:30:44,746 --> 00:30:47,410
that fiery serpents don't 
come up out of the sand?

610
00:30:47,410 --> 00:30:49,764
Would You please make 
sure we have enough water?

611
00:30:49,764 --> 00:30:52,147
Would You please make sure 
that the manna doesn't stop?"

612
00:30:52,147 --> 00:30:55,272
That wasn't it because that 
wasn't what was on his mind

613
00:30:55,272 --> 00:30:57,390
at that point in time.

614
00:30:57,390 --> 00:30:58,756
He was singular.

615
00:30:58,756 --> 00:31:00,316
He brought out that hammer

616
00:31:00,316 --> 00:31:02,141
and he had one thing in mind:

617
00:31:02,141 --> 00:31:07,255
"Lord, don't destroy Your people."

618
00:31:07,255 --> 00:31:09,970
And he laid his case out.

619
00:31:09,970 --> 00:31:11,198
And I want you to see it

620
00:31:11,198 --> 00:31:13,697
because if you see it and it grabs you,

621
00:31:13,697 --> 00:31:16,277
it will help you pray.

622
00:31:16,277 --> 00:31:20,552
Look at this. Exodus 32:7.

623
00:31:20,552 --> 00:31:22,400
This is where I want to start reading.

624
00:31:22,400 --> 00:31:24,734
Classic example from our Bibles

625
00:31:24,734 --> 00:31:27,202
of order and argument in prayer.

626
00:31:27,202 --> 00:31:29,443
This is huge. If you grasp this,

627
00:31:29,443 --> 00:31:32,132
it will alter your prayer life.

628
00:31:32,132 --> 00:31:35,840
Notice this.

629
00:31:35,840 --> 00:31:41,308
In v. 7, the Lord said to Moses,

630
00:31:41,308 --> 00:31:45,666
"Go down, for your people

631
00:31:45,666 --> 00:31:48,000
whom you brought up 
out of the land of Egypt

632
00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:51,576
have corrupted themselves.

633
00:31:51,576 --> 00:31:53,454
They've turned aside quickly

634
00:31:53,454 --> 00:31:55,212
out of the way that I commanded them.

635
00:31:55,212 --> 00:31:56,724
They have made for themselves

636
00:31:56,724 --> 00:31:58,819
a golden calf and have worshiped it

637
00:31:58,819 --> 00:32:00,695
and sacrificed to it and said,

638
00:32:00,695 --> 00:32:02,754
'these are your gods, O Israel,

639
00:32:02,754 --> 00:32:05,932
who brought you up 
out of the land of Egypt.'

640
00:32:05,932 --> 00:32:07,434
And the Lord said to Moses,

641
00:32:07,434 --> 00:32:09,131
'I have seen this people.

642
00:32:09,131 --> 00:32:11,180
Behold, it's a stiff-necked people.

643
00:32:11,180 --> 00:32:13,208
Now therefore, let Me alone that My wrath

644
00:32:13,208 --> 00:32:15,938
may burn hot against them,

645
00:32:15,938 --> 00:32:18,191
that I may consume them 
in order that I may

646
00:32:18,191 --> 00:32:20,442
make a great nation of you.'"

647
00:32:20,442 --> 00:32:28,886
Now notice, here is where Moses prays.

648
00:32:28,886 --> 00:32:29,868
Notice.

649
00:32:29,868 --> 00:32:32,715
Now, brothers and sisters,

650
00:32:32,715 --> 00:32:34,628
this was recorded for us.

651
00:32:34,628 --> 00:32:37,683
Have you ever gone to 1 Corinthians 10?

652
00:32:37,683 --> 00:32:39,584
(incomplete thought)

653
00:32:39,584 --> 00:32:41,057
Let me ask you this.

654
00:32:41,057 --> 00:32:43,705
1 Corinthians 10. 
Why does the Apostle Paul

655
00:32:43,705 --> 00:32:49,285
say that these things were written?

656
00:32:49,285 --> 00:32:53,955
Upon whom what?

657
00:32:53,955 --> 00:32:56,157
The end of the age has come. That's us.

658
00:32:56,157 --> 00:32:58,324
These things were written for us.

659
00:32:58,324 --> 00:33:00,391
God wants to teach us.

660
00:33:00,391 --> 00:33:01,770
Don't go back there and say,

661
00:33:01,770 --> 00:33:03,643
well, that's some Old Testament thing.

662
00:33:03,643 --> 00:33:07,126
That is a New Testament thing.

663
00:33:07,126 --> 00:33:08,724
That is for the people upon whom

664
00:33:08,724 --> 00:33:10,866
the ends of the age have come;

665
00:33:10,866 --> 00:33:13,922
the end of the world. That's us.

666
00:33:13,922 --> 00:33:16,930
God wants to teach us.

667
00:33:16,930 --> 00:33:19,357
Notice Moses' approach.

668
00:33:19,357 --> 00:33:23,109
"But Moses implored the Lord his God..."

669
00:33:23,109 --> 00:33:24,963
Now notice what he said.

670
00:33:24,963 --> 00:33:29,352
This is what you want to know.
This is what you want to learn from.

671
00:33:29,352 --> 00:33:34,956
"Why does Your wrath burn hot against..."

672
00:33:34,956 --> 00:33:38,230
just capture these two words,

673
00:33:38,230 --> 00:33:42,785
"...Your people?"

674
00:33:42,785 --> 00:33:47,802
Did you notice what God said back in v. 7?

675
00:33:47,802 --> 00:33:52,816
"Moses, go down, for your people..."

676
00:33:52,816 --> 00:33:54,597
Did you catch that?

677
00:33:54,597 --> 00:33:57,087
God says Moses, they're your people.

678
00:33:57,087 --> 00:33:59,798
Moses comes back and says,

679
00:33:59,798 --> 00:34:05,461
Lord, they're Your people.

680
00:34:05,461 --> 00:34:08,083
I love that.

681
00:34:08,083 --> 00:34:09,251
I love that!

682
00:34:09,251 --> 00:34:12,276
That is powerful!

683
00:34:12,276 --> 00:34:17,172
Brethren, when we pray, to say -

684
00:34:17,172 --> 00:34:19,985
if you're praying for somebody,

685
00:34:19,985 --> 00:34:23,153
and they're a child of God,

686
00:34:23,153 --> 00:34:25,397
"Lord, they're Your people."

687
00:34:25,397 --> 00:34:27,975
Or if you're praying for yourself:

688
00:34:27,975 --> 00:34:30,494
I am Your child.

689
00:34:30,494 --> 00:34:33,661
I am one of Your people.

690
00:34:33,661 --> 00:34:37,034
That holds tremendous weight

691
00:34:37,034 --> 00:34:42,493
when it comes to prayer.

692
00:34:42,493 --> 00:34:45,502
I don't want you to turn to this passage.

693
00:34:45,502 --> 00:34:47,873
You've got to stay here in Exodus.

694
00:34:47,873 --> 00:34:50,301
But listen to me.

695
00:34:50,301 --> 00:34:52,379
Listen to this.

696
00:34:52,379 --> 00:34:59,862
In John 16:26, Jesus said,

697
00:34:59,862 --> 00:35:02,340
"in that day..."

698
00:35:02,340 --> 00:35:05,541
He's talking to His disciples. 
He's talking to us.

699
00:35:05,541 --> 00:35:08,500
"In that day..."

700
00:35:08,500 --> 00:35:13,167
And then that would be today.

701
00:35:13,167 --> 00:35:16,114
"In that day,

702
00:35:16,114 --> 00:35:20,387
you will ask in My name..."

703
00:35:20,387 --> 00:35:26,341
Jesus is saying this to His disciples.

704
00:35:26,341 --> 00:35:28,344
"...You will ask in My name.

705
00:35:28,344 --> 00:35:34,898
I do not say to you that I will 
ask the Father on your behalf."

706
00:35:34,898 --> 00:35:37,109
What?

707
00:35:37,109 --> 00:35:38,864
Jesus is saying,

708
00:35:38,864 --> 00:35:40,523
you're going to pray,

709
00:35:40,523 --> 00:35:43,096
and I'm not saying I'm going 
to ask on your behalf.

710
00:35:43,096 --> 00:35:46,966
He's not denying He's an intercessor.

711
00:35:46,966 --> 00:35:49,625
But what's He saying?

712
00:35:49,625 --> 00:35:54,993
"I'm not saying I'm 
going to ask the Father

713
00:35:54,993 --> 00:35:56,780
on your behalf,

714
00:35:56,780 --> 00:36:02,524
for the Father Himself loves you."

715
00:36:02,524 --> 00:36:06,000
Do you hear what our Lord is saying?

716
00:36:06,000 --> 00:36:09,242
That holds weight.

717
00:36:09,242 --> 00:36:18,315
"Scripture says, Father, You love me."

718
00:36:18,315 --> 00:36:21,074
It's powerful to plead that.

719
00:36:21,074 --> 00:36:23,418
I was talking about people that use

720
00:36:23,418 --> 00:36:27,709
the name of God like vainly repetitious,

721
00:36:27,709 --> 00:36:30,408
but it is not vain repetition

722
00:36:30,408 --> 00:36:32,638
when you say,

723
00:36:32,638 --> 00:36:35,914
"Abba, Father..."

724
00:36:35,914 --> 00:36:38,829
and you use that name with purpose.

725
00:36:38,829 --> 00:36:41,720
Because you're using it because you know

726
00:36:41,720 --> 00:36:44,036
the meaning behind it.

727
00:36:44,036 --> 00:36:46,418
You used to be a rebel.

728
00:36:46,418 --> 00:36:49,920
You used to be separate

729
00:36:49,920 --> 00:36:51,924
when you knew not God

730
00:36:51,924 --> 00:36:53,551
is how Scripture speaks.

731
00:36:53,551 --> 00:36:55,462
He was not your Father.

732
00:36:55,462 --> 00:36:57,561
He was not your God.

733
00:36:57,561 --> 00:37:00,752
To come to Him and say,

734
00:37:00,752 --> 00:37:03,600
"I am one of Your people.

735
00:37:03,600 --> 00:37:06,019
You are my God."

736
00:37:06,019 --> 00:37:07,483
That holds tremendous weight.

737
00:37:07,483 --> 00:37:09,883
Moses turns that thing.

738
00:37:09,883 --> 00:37:16,702
"Lord, they are Your people."

739
00:37:16,702 --> 00:37:21,163
I've never forgotten 
a prayer of Spurgeon's.

740
00:37:21,163 --> 00:37:25,294
Again, I think this comes 
from his "Lectures."

741
00:37:25,294 --> 00:37:27,358
Listen to him.

742
00:37:27,358 --> 00:37:29,436
He says, "When I was wracked

743
00:37:29,436 --> 00:37:32,087
some months ago with pain..."

744
00:37:32,087 --> 00:37:33,287
And you know he had gout

745
00:37:33,287 --> 00:37:35,416
and a number of issues.

746
00:37:35,416 --> 00:37:38,066
He was "wracked with pain

747
00:37:38,066 --> 00:37:40,271
to an extreme degree,

748
00:37:40,271 --> 00:37:42,781
so that I could no longer bear it

749
00:37:42,781 --> 00:37:45,090
without crying out.

750
00:37:45,090 --> 00:37:48,446
I asked all to go out from my room

751
00:37:48,446 --> 00:37:50,273
and leave me alone.

752
00:37:50,273 --> 00:37:54,353
And then I had nothing 
I could say to God but this:

753
00:37:54,353 --> 00:37:58,654
'Thou art my Father, and I am Thy child.

754
00:37:58,654 --> 00:38:02,214
And Thou as a Father art 
tender and full of mercy.

755
00:38:02,214 --> 00:38:04,976
I could not bear to see my child suffer

756
00:38:04,976 --> 00:38:08,499
as Thou makest me suffer.

757
00:38:08,499 --> 00:38:12,539
And if I saw my child 
tormented as I am now,

758
00:38:12,539 --> 00:38:14,876
I would do what I could to help him

759
00:38:14,876 --> 00:38:18,011
and put my arms under him to sustain him.

760
00:38:18,011 --> 00:38:21,973
Would Thou hide Thy face 
from me, my Father?

761
00:38:21,973 --> 00:38:25,184
Would Thou still lay on a heavy hand

762
00:38:25,184 --> 00:38:28,611
and not give me a smile 
from Thy countenance?'

763
00:38:28,611 --> 00:38:32,138
So I pleaded and I venture to say

764
00:38:32,138 --> 00:38:34,243
when I was quiet,

765
00:38:34,243 --> 00:38:38,683
and everybody came back who watched me..."

766
00:38:38,683 --> 00:38:40,321
he was confident to say to them,

767
00:38:40,321 --> 00:38:42,373
"I shall never have any such pain again

768
00:38:42,373 --> 00:38:43,709
from this moment,

769
00:38:43,709 --> 00:38:45,590
for God has heard my prayer.

770
00:38:45,590 --> 00:38:49,213
I bless God that ease did come

771
00:38:49,213 --> 00:38:53,081
and the wracking pain never returned."

772
00:38:53,081 --> 00:38:55,792
That is powerful.

773
00:38:55,792 --> 00:38:58,273
My Father.

774
00:38:58,273 --> 00:39:00,613
Notice, Exodus.

775
00:39:00,613 --> 00:39:03,401
Let's go back here.

776
00:39:03,401 --> 00:39:04,598
Plead that.

777
00:39:04,598 --> 00:39:06,676
We're Your people.

778
00:39:06,676 --> 00:39:09,230
We're Your church.

779
00:39:09,230 --> 00:39:13,190
We've been bought by 
the blood of Your Son.

780
00:39:13,190 --> 00:39:14,475
Powerful.

781
00:39:14,475 --> 00:39:17,206
Here's a second one.

782
00:39:17,206 --> 00:39:21,414
Notice Moses. V. 11.

783
00:39:21,414 --> 00:39:23,546
"Moses implored the Lord his God

784
00:39:23,546 --> 00:39:26,549
and said, 'O Lord, why does Your wrath

785
00:39:26,549 --> 00:39:30,314
burn hot against Your people

786
00:39:30,314 --> 00:39:34,451
whom You have brought 
out of the land of Egypt

787
00:39:34,451 --> 00:39:37,141
with great power and with a mighty hand?'"

788
00:39:37,141 --> 00:39:40,825
You see what he's arguing now?

789
00:39:40,825 --> 00:39:44,528
First, it was: they're Your people.

790
00:39:44,528 --> 00:39:47,423
Now he's arguing the past.

791
00:39:47,423 --> 00:39:49,243
Have you ever heard this?

792
00:39:49,243 --> 00:39:51,607
Notice when David said,

793
00:39:51,607 --> 00:39:53,062
"Hide not Your face from me.

794
00:39:53,062 --> 00:39:54,915
Turn not Your servant away in anger.

795
00:39:54,915 --> 00:39:58,910
O, You who have been my help,

796
00:39:58,910 --> 00:40:00,781
cast me not off."

797
00:40:00,781 --> 00:40:02,521
You have been my help.

798
00:40:02,521 --> 00:40:03,939
As much as to say,

799
00:40:03,939 --> 00:40:06,038
You've helped me thus far.

800
00:40:06,038 --> 00:40:09,656
You've delivered me from 
time and time again, Lord.

801
00:40:09,656 --> 00:40:12,173
Why would You do that if You intend

802
00:40:12,173 --> 00:40:14,045
to bring me out this far

803
00:40:14,045 --> 00:40:15,851
and forsake me?

804
00:40:15,851 --> 00:40:18,503
Lord, You helped me. You helped me along.

805
00:40:18,503 --> 00:40:20,728
You provided. You were there.

806
00:40:20,728 --> 00:40:23,342
You sustained. You encouraged me.

807
00:40:23,342 --> 00:40:25,034
Why have You brought me through

808
00:40:25,034 --> 00:40:27,986
so many dangers, toils, and snares -

809
00:40:27,986 --> 00:40:30,262
like Bunyan said -

810
00:40:30,262 --> 00:40:32,389
are You going forsake me now

811
00:40:32,389 --> 00:40:33,893
in this situation?

812
00:40:33,893 --> 00:40:35,704
Look, that's a powerful argument

813
00:40:35,704 --> 00:40:38,869
because God doesn't 
change in His purposes.

814
00:40:38,869 --> 00:40:40,790
If He's been faithful thus far with you,

815
00:40:40,790 --> 00:40:42,704
He will be faithful with you to the end.

816
00:40:42,704 --> 00:40:44,923
What a thing to argue!

817
00:40:44,923 --> 00:40:46,791
Lord, You've brought me to this place.

818
00:40:46,791 --> 00:40:51,102
Why? Only to put me to shame now?

819
00:40:51,102 --> 00:40:53,191
Far be it from the Lord.

820
00:40:53,191 --> 00:40:56,858
He never turns. The past is a mighty plea.

821
00:40:56,858 --> 00:41:00,598
Lord, You brought these people

822
00:41:00,598 --> 00:41:03,277
out of Egypt.

823
00:41:03,277 --> 00:41:09,581
You had mercy upon them then.

824
00:41:09,581 --> 00:41:13,503
Notice this. V. 12.

825
00:41:13,503 --> 00:41:16,812
"Why should the Egyptians say..."

826
00:41:16,812 --> 00:41:19,953
You want a third reason?

827
00:41:19,953 --> 00:41:23,810
God cares about what 
the Egyptians will say.

828
00:41:23,810 --> 00:41:26,295
It held weight.

829
00:41:26,295 --> 00:41:32,111
And Moses doesn't use it just once.

830
00:41:32,111 --> 00:41:35,244
You know we're surrounded by Egyptians.

831
00:41:35,244 --> 00:41:39,794
We are surrounded by God-haters.

832
00:41:39,794 --> 00:41:41,717
We are surrounded by people

833
00:41:41,717 --> 00:41:44,963
who mock and scoff at your God.

834
00:41:44,963 --> 00:41:46,572
(incomplete thought)

835
00:41:46,572 --> 00:41:51,215
I remember one time way back

836
00:41:51,215 --> 00:41:53,193
in the very early days of our church,

837
00:41:53,193 --> 00:41:56,183
we came to the east side of San Antonio.

838
00:41:56,183 --> 00:41:57,968
And I remember one day we were out,

839
00:41:57,968 --> 00:41:59,059
we were evangelizing,

840
00:41:59,059 --> 00:42:02,520
and we were going past the Salvation Army.

841
00:42:02,520 --> 00:42:05,223
There's a park there and 
a lot of the homeless guys

842
00:42:05,223 --> 00:42:07,335
that stay in the shelter there,

843
00:42:07,335 --> 00:42:09,048
they hang out in this park.

844
00:42:09,048 --> 00:42:13,222
And I specficially, I've never forgotten,

845
00:42:13,222 --> 00:42:17,102
there was a man sitting at a bench

846
00:42:17,102 --> 00:42:22,024
and he looked at us with contempt.

847
00:42:22,024 --> 00:42:25,743
And he was African American.

848
00:42:25,743 --> 00:42:28,569
And he's looking at us

849
00:42:28,569 --> 00:42:31,928
as though we've come from 
another part of the city

850
00:42:31,928 --> 00:42:35,101
to this east side.

851
00:42:35,101 --> 00:42:38,801
And he just said with contempt,

852
00:42:38,801 --> 00:42:42,626
"You're never going to 
change the inner city.

853
00:42:42,626 --> 00:42:45,250
You're never going to 
change the east side."

854
00:42:45,250 --> 00:42:48,507
And I told him, "you're right.

855
00:42:48,507 --> 00:42:50,648
We're not.

856
00:42:50,648 --> 00:42:53,392
But our God is."

857
00:42:53,392 --> 00:42:56,703
That the Lord cares about.

858
00:42:56,703 --> 00:42:59,122
Have you ever read in Scripture

859
00:42:59,122 --> 00:43:03,245
when our Lord Himself was praying.

860
00:43:03,245 --> 00:43:05,203
John 17.

861
00:43:05,203 --> 00:43:08,754
He's praying to His Father.

862
00:43:08,754 --> 00:43:11,146
And do you know what He prayed?

863
00:43:11,146 --> 00:43:12,976
He prayed this.

864
00:43:12,976 --> 00:43:21,256
He prayed He and the Father

865
00:43:21,256 --> 00:43:25,095
and the Father and Him,

866
00:43:25,095 --> 00:43:30,126
and they may become perfectly one,

867
00:43:30,126 --> 00:43:35,312
so that the world may know

868
00:43:35,312 --> 00:43:36,828
that the Father sent the Son

869
00:43:36,828 --> 00:43:40,990
and loved those disciples

870
00:43:40,990 --> 00:43:43,977
even as the Father loved Christ.

871
00:43:43,977 --> 00:43:46,078
That the world may know.

872
00:43:46,078 --> 00:43:49,261
I find this very interesting.

873
00:43:49,261 --> 00:43:51,227
Several years back, I preached messages,

874
00:43:51,227 --> 00:43:52,734
and I have from time to time,

875
00:43:52,734 --> 00:43:55,017
preached on those seven 
churches in Asia Minor.

876
00:43:55,017 --> 00:43:58,678
Have you ever noticed Philadelphia?

877
00:43:58,678 --> 00:44:00,769
They were one of the faithful churches.

878
00:44:00,769 --> 00:44:02,532
Nothing negative said to them.

879
00:44:02,532 --> 00:44:04,312
And Jesus said this -

880
00:44:04,312 --> 00:44:05,834
He said there are these people

881
00:44:05,834 --> 00:44:08,207
who claim to be Jews but they are not.

882
00:44:08,207 --> 00:44:10,081
They call themselves a synagogue -

883
00:44:10,081 --> 00:44:12,577
He calls it a synagogue of Satan.

884
00:44:12,577 --> 00:44:15,124
They claim to be Jews. They were not Jews.

885
00:44:15,124 --> 00:44:17,898
And do you know what Jesus said?

886
00:44:17,898 --> 00:44:21,090
He said the day is coming

887
00:44:21,090 --> 00:44:26,782
when those physical Jews

888
00:44:26,782 --> 00:44:30,359
are going to fall down 
at the feet of Christians.

889
00:44:30,359 --> 00:44:36,898
And Jesus said they're 
going to know I loved you.

890
00:44:36,898 --> 00:44:39,461
It's like God is concerned

891
00:44:39,461 --> 00:44:42,147
about what people think.

892
00:44:42,147 --> 00:44:45,370
Notice Moses.

893
00:44:45,370 --> 00:44:47,554
"Why should the Egyptians say

894
00:44:47,554 --> 00:44:50,121
with evil intent did He bring them out

895
00:44:50,121 --> 00:44:51,509
to kill them in the mountains

896
00:44:51,509 --> 00:44:53,805
and to consume them 
from the face of the earth?

897
00:44:53,805 --> 00:44:55,677
Turn from Your burning anger

898
00:44:55,677 --> 00:45:00,358
and relent from this 
disaster against Your people."

899
00:45:00,358 --> 00:45:04,703
In another place, Moses said this:

900
00:45:04,703 --> 00:45:06,116
He said to the Lord,

901
00:45:06,116 --> 00:45:07,829
"The Egyptians will hear of it."

902
00:45:07,829 --> 00:45:10,526
God said, "I'm going to 
strike them with pestilence

903
00:45:10,526 --> 00:45:11,913
and disinherit them."

904
00:45:11,913 --> 00:45:13,589
And Moses said, "If You do that,

905
00:45:13,589 --> 00:45:15,849
the Egyptians will hear of it."

906
00:45:15,849 --> 00:45:19,697
You brought this people in Your might

907
00:45:19,697 --> 00:45:22,051
from among those Egyptians,

908
00:45:22,051 --> 00:45:23,641
and if You do this -

909
00:45:23,641 --> 00:45:25,508
if You destroy these people -

910
00:45:25,508 --> 00:45:27,089
the Egyptians are going to tell

911
00:45:27,089 --> 00:45:29,909
the inhabitants of this land -

912
00:45:29,909 --> 00:45:32,541
he's talking about Canaan -

913
00:45:32,541 --> 00:45:34,247
"They have heard that You, O Lord,

914
00:45:34,247 --> 00:45:36,026
are in the midst of this people.

915
00:45:36,026 --> 00:45:38,271
For You, O Lord, are seen face to face.

916
00:45:38,271 --> 00:45:39,593
Your cloud stands over them

917
00:45:39,593 --> 00:45:41,006
and You can go before them

918
00:45:41,006 --> 00:45:42,546
in a pillar of cloud by day

919
00:45:42,546 --> 00:45:44,689
and a pillar of fire by night.

920
00:45:44,689 --> 00:45:46,995
If You kill this people as one man,

921
00:45:46,995 --> 00:45:49,353
the nations who have heard of Your fame

922
00:45:49,353 --> 00:45:52,516
will say..." you know why? 
You know why?

923
00:45:52,516 --> 00:45:57,142
It's because God wasn't able.

924
00:45:57,142 --> 00:45:59,452
I'll tell you this.

925
00:45:59,452 --> 00:46:01,262
God has concern for the glory

926
00:46:01,262 --> 00:46:04,439
of His reputation and honor.

927
00:46:04,439 --> 00:46:05,808
And you can pray that.

928
00:46:05,808 --> 00:46:08,785
I have often remembered those man's words:

929
00:46:08,785 --> 00:46:14,281
Lord, that guy scoffed at the ability

930
00:46:14,281 --> 00:46:17,618
to transform the east side of San Antonio.

931
00:46:17,618 --> 00:46:20,823
Lord, remember his words.

932
00:46:20,823 --> 00:46:23,339
You're not a god like 
the god of the nations.

933
00:46:23,339 --> 00:46:25,284
You are not like the Egyptian gods.

934
00:46:25,284 --> 00:46:28,407
You are not like the god of Catholicism.

935
00:46:28,407 --> 00:46:32,462
You're not like the god of 
this easy believism out here.

936
00:46:32,462 --> 00:46:34,671
You are the true and the living God.

937
00:46:34,671 --> 00:46:39,034
Lord, arise! Your name depends upon it.

938
00:46:39,034 --> 00:46:44,050
Very powerful way to pray.

939
00:46:44,050 --> 00:46:46,476
Fourth.

940
00:46:46,476 --> 00:46:50,515
We want to argue God's promises.

941
00:46:50,515 --> 00:46:51,634
Notice this.

942
00:46:51,634 --> 00:46:54,863
Exodus 32:13.

943
00:46:54,863 --> 00:46:59,755
"Remember..." Oh, that 
holds weight with the Lord.

944
00:46:59,755 --> 00:47:07,637
Father, remember what You have said.

945
00:47:07,637 --> 00:47:11,193
Men may be liars. Not our God.

946
00:47:11,193 --> 00:47:13,134
If He has said it, He is going to do it.

947
00:47:13,134 --> 00:47:15,216
"Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel,

948
00:47:15,216 --> 00:47:18,327
Your servants to whom You swore

949
00:47:18,327 --> 00:47:21,068
by Your own self and said to them,

950
00:47:21,068 --> 00:47:23,366
'I will multiply your offspring

951
00:47:23,366 --> 00:47:24,983
as the stars of heaven,

952
00:47:24,983 --> 00:47:27,096
and all this land that I have promised,

953
00:47:27,096 --> 00:47:28,645
I will give to your offspring

954
00:47:28,645 --> 00:47:31,889
and they shall inherit it forever.'"

955
00:47:31,889 --> 00:47:34,456
This is big.

956
00:47:34,456 --> 00:47:39,230
Promise. Promise.

957
00:47:39,230 --> 00:47:45,692
Search your Bibles to learn to pray right.

958
00:47:45,692 --> 00:47:47,376
When you read the Bible,

959
00:47:47,376 --> 00:47:50,088
there's many things that we should learn.

960
00:47:50,088 --> 00:47:52,175
There's many things we should perceive.

961
00:47:52,175 --> 00:47:54,197
There's many ways to be admonished

962
00:47:54,197 --> 00:47:55,784
or be encouraged.

963
00:47:55,784 --> 00:47:58,868
But when you read your Bibles,

964
00:47:58,868 --> 00:48:01,177
be thinking about promises

965
00:48:01,177 --> 00:48:04,500
that you can take to God and plead.

966
00:48:04,500 --> 00:48:07,031
We should give the Lord no rest whatsoever

967
00:48:07,031 --> 00:48:10,172
when we seek something from Him

968
00:48:10,172 --> 00:48:12,955
that He promised to give.

969
00:48:12,955 --> 00:48:15,448
Moses is saying this: Lord, if You kill

970
00:48:15,448 --> 00:48:17,760
all these people, Your 
promise is going to be

971
00:48:17,760 --> 00:48:23,286
brought into question.

972
00:48:23,286 --> 00:48:32,250
(incomplete thought)

973
00:48:32,250 --> 00:48:34,961
I've often thought,

974
00:48:34,961 --> 00:48:38,696
Lord, You have said the Gospel

975
00:48:38,696 --> 00:48:42,647
is the power of God unto salvation,

976
00:48:42,647 --> 00:48:45,218
but if we don't see any people saved,

977
00:48:45,218 --> 00:48:50,001
where is the proof of that?

978
00:48:50,001 --> 00:48:53,914
Lord, Your promise is going 
to be brought into question.

979
00:48:53,914 --> 00:48:55,543
David prayed this way:

980
00:48:55,543 --> 00:48:58,192
1 Chronicles 17:23,

981
00:48:58,192 --> 00:49:01,496
"Do as You have spoken."

982
00:49:01,496 --> 00:49:03,243
Jacob prayed this way:

983
00:49:03,243 --> 00:49:07,949
"You said 'I will surely do you good.'"

984
00:49:07,949 --> 00:49:09,661
It was said of George Mueller,

985
00:49:09,661 --> 00:49:13,665
sometimes he would search 
the Scriptures for days

986
00:49:13,665 --> 00:49:19,037
before he presented his petition to God.

987
00:49:19,037 --> 00:49:21,191
(incomplete thought)

988
00:49:21,191 --> 00:49:24,405
And then when he found the promises,

989
00:49:24,405 --> 00:49:26,263
with his open Bible before him

990
00:49:26,263 --> 00:49:29,950
and his finger upon the promise...

991
00:49:29,950 --> 00:49:33,749
He searched. You know what? Why?

992
00:49:33,749 --> 00:49:36,268
Why would a man take the time

993
00:49:36,268 --> 00:49:39,455
to search his Bible for days?

994
00:49:39,455 --> 00:49:41,361
Because he wasn't playing in prayer.

995
00:49:41,361 --> 00:49:42,971
He meant to bring arguments

996
00:49:42,971 --> 00:49:47,404
and order his case before God in a way,

997
00:49:47,404 --> 00:49:50,232
who's going to argue about whether Mueller

998
00:49:50,232 --> 00:49:52,702
ever saw his prayers answered?

999
00:49:52,702 --> 00:49:54,798
He knew so many prayers answered,

1000
00:49:54,798 --> 00:49:57,254
they go without number.

1001
00:49:57,254 --> 00:50:00,193
He would pray with a 
finger upon that promise.

1002
00:50:00,193 --> 00:50:01,681
He would plead that promise

1003
00:50:01,681 --> 00:50:04,540
and so he received what he asked.

1004
00:50:04,540 --> 00:50:06,790
All the time.

1005
00:50:06,790 --> 00:50:08,340
You want a promise?

1006
00:50:08,340 --> 00:50:10,552
How about this:

1007
00:50:10,552 --> 00:50:12,634
How about the Lord Jesus Christ -

1008
00:50:12,634 --> 00:50:14,687
yes, He's talking to His disciples

1009
00:50:14,687 --> 00:50:16,314
before He goes to the cross,

1010
00:50:16,314 --> 00:50:18,915
but you need to hear His qualifier here.

1011
00:50:18,915 --> 00:50:20,212
Listen to this promise.

1012
00:50:20,212 --> 00:50:22,377
You want a promise to plead?

1013
00:50:22,377 --> 00:50:25,682
"Truly, truly, I say to you,

1014
00:50:25,682 --> 00:50:29,156
whoever believes in Me..."

1015
00:50:29,156 --> 00:50:38,347
Not Peter, James, Paul, John...

1016
00:50:38,347 --> 00:50:41,387
"Whoever believes in Me..."

1017
00:50:41,387 --> 00:50:46,662
"Whoever believes in Me

1018
00:50:46,662 --> 00:50:50,144
will do the works that I do,

1019
00:50:50,144 --> 00:50:53,399
and greater works than these will he do

1020
00:50:53,399 --> 00:51:01,530
because I'm going to the Father."

1021
00:51:01,530 --> 00:51:03,522
You ought to plead that promise

1022
00:51:03,522 --> 00:51:06,920
all the time.

1023
00:51:06,920 --> 00:51:08,250
(incomplete thought)

1024
00:51:08,250 --> 00:51:09,880
Do you recognize?

1025
00:51:09,880 --> 00:51:11,959
Here's Jesus getting ready

1026
00:51:11,959 --> 00:51:17,078
to leave His disciples, go to the cross.

1027
00:51:17,078 --> 00:51:18,946
He's not going to speak with them

1028
00:51:18,946 --> 00:51:21,863
much more after this.

1029
00:51:21,863 --> 00:51:23,551
Not directly.

1030
00:51:23,551 --> 00:51:25,909
Yes, He comes back 40 days,

1031
00:51:25,909 --> 00:51:28,927
but we don't know what He said then.

1032
00:51:28,927 --> 00:51:31,600
Those last recorded words -

1033
00:51:31,600 --> 00:51:34,504
John 14, 15, 16 -

1034
00:51:34,504 --> 00:51:37,814
then His prayer in 17.

1035
00:51:37,814 --> 00:51:40,254
We know what was said there.

1036
00:51:40,254 --> 00:51:42,098
He's preparing these guys.

1037
00:51:42,098 --> 00:51:45,092
He said, "I say these things to you

1038
00:51:45,092 --> 00:51:46,515
so that when they come,

1039
00:51:46,515 --> 00:51:49,997
you don't fall away."

1040
00:51:49,997 --> 00:51:51,978
What a thing!

1041
00:51:51,978 --> 00:51:55,495
If you believe in Jesus Christ,

1042
00:51:55,495 --> 00:51:58,436
the works that He did, you will do

1043
00:51:58,436 --> 00:52:01,955
and greater works.

1044
00:52:01,955 --> 00:52:03,416
What are you going to do?

1045
00:52:03,416 --> 00:52:06,384
Say, "that can't be, so I'm 
not going to plead it"?

1046
00:52:06,384 --> 00:52:08,344
You need to take a promise like that

1047
00:52:08,344 --> 00:52:10,282
and plead it every single day.

1048
00:52:10,282 --> 00:52:15,703
Lord, Portland, Maine...

1049
00:52:15,703 --> 00:52:18,333
there are some of Your people here.

1050
00:52:18,333 --> 00:52:20,424
Your people!

1051
00:52:20,424 --> 00:52:22,559
You're our God!

1052
00:52:22,559 --> 00:52:26,528
You sent Your Son to this earth.

1053
00:52:26,528 --> 00:52:29,557
He is the Word of God.

1054
00:52:29,557 --> 00:52:32,386
He came to speak Your truth.

1055
00:52:32,386 --> 00:52:35,462
And He came and He left us these words.

1056
00:52:35,462 --> 00:52:40,569
Father, we were told that we who believe -

1057
00:52:40,569 --> 00:52:42,230
not just if we're apostles

1058
00:52:42,230 --> 00:52:43,675
or first century disciples

1059
00:52:43,675 --> 00:52:46,065
or happen to find our 
name in the book of Acts -

1060
00:52:46,065 --> 00:52:47,779
it says if we believe...

1061
00:52:47,779 --> 00:52:51,306
We've got believers in this room.

1062
00:52:51,306 --> 00:52:53,341
That's a promise.

1063
00:52:53,341 --> 00:52:55,726
You want a promise? There's a promise.

1064
00:52:55,726 --> 00:52:57,185
What are you going to do?

1065
00:52:57,185 --> 00:52:58,739
Walk out of here in unbelief?

1066
00:52:58,739 --> 00:53:01,163
Ah, it's not true.

1067
00:53:01,163 --> 00:53:03,846
Can't be true.

1068
00:53:03,846 --> 00:53:05,768
We don't raise the dead anymore.

1069
00:53:05,768 --> 00:53:07,819
I'll tell you this, you preach the Gospel

1070
00:53:07,819 --> 00:53:10,043
and make a disciple and 
somebody's born again,

1071
00:53:10,043 --> 00:53:11,755
you're raising the dead,

1072
00:53:11,755 --> 00:53:16,983
at least to the degree that 
man is involved with it.

1073
00:53:16,983 --> 00:53:19,124
You say what can it mean?

1074
00:53:19,124 --> 00:53:20,978
It may not mean that you're going to

1075
00:53:20,978 --> 00:53:22,824
heal a thousand lepers,

1076
00:53:22,824 --> 00:53:26,850
but it may mean -

1077
00:53:26,850 --> 00:53:29,796
I've got to believe that what it means

1078
00:53:29,796 --> 00:53:31,501
is that the Spirit of God was given

1079
00:53:31,501 --> 00:53:33,362
to the church on the day of Pentecost

1080
00:53:33,362 --> 00:53:34,749
and such things would happen

1081
00:53:34,749 --> 00:53:36,512
throughout the history of the church

1082
00:53:36,512 --> 00:53:38,352
that are going to go above and beyond

1083
00:53:38,352 --> 00:53:40,739
what the Lord did in 
His limited little scope

1084
00:53:40,739 --> 00:53:46,164
right there in Canaan 
during those three years.

1085
00:53:46,164 --> 00:53:48,339
Because the truth is 
you're reaching people

1086
00:53:48,339 --> 00:53:50,107
and have the ability to reach people

1087
00:53:50,107 --> 00:53:51,316
in parts of the world

1088
00:53:51,316 --> 00:53:53,683
that He never reached out to.

1089
00:53:53,683 --> 00:53:56,071
His was very limited ministry,

1090
00:53:56,071 --> 00:53:58,400
limited time, limited scope.

1091
00:53:58,400 --> 00:54:01,948
He primarily poured Himself into 12 men.

1092
00:54:01,948 --> 00:54:04,328
Primarily, went from village to village

1093
00:54:04,328 --> 00:54:06,848
in the land of Canaan.

1094
00:54:06,848 --> 00:54:08,798
What a thing to pray! Or how about this:

1095
00:54:08,798 --> 00:54:10,539
"If you then being evil know how to

1096
00:54:10,539 --> 00:54:13,502
give good gifts to your children..."

1097
00:54:13,502 --> 00:54:15,338
what does Scripture say?

1098
00:54:15,338 --> 00:54:18,162
How much more what?

1099
00:54:18,162 --> 00:54:25,013
How much more... what?

1100
00:54:25,013 --> 00:54:29,773
He'll give the Holy Spirit 
to them that ask.

1101
00:54:29,773 --> 00:54:33,931
Promise. Promise.

1102
00:54:33,931 --> 00:54:37,506
You say, Lord, we're not experiencing

1103
00:54:37,506 --> 00:54:40,718
revival in New England 
like in the days of Payson

1104
00:54:40,718 --> 00:54:42,574
or in the days of Nettleton

1105
00:54:42,574 --> 00:54:45,292
or in the days of Edwards.

1106
00:54:45,292 --> 00:54:47,532
Lord, where are those days?

1107
00:54:47,532 --> 00:54:49,456
Well, are you praying for the Spirit?

1108
00:54:49,456 --> 00:54:52,084
Are you laying hold upon the Lord

1109
00:54:52,084 --> 00:54:53,574
and not letting go of Him?

1110
00:54:53,574 --> 00:54:56,724
Are you wrestling with Him like Jacob did?

1111
00:54:56,724 --> 00:54:59,633
And even when He puts 
the hip out of joint,

1112
00:54:59,633 --> 00:55:01,867
even though it takes 
all the fight out of you,

1113
00:55:01,867 --> 00:55:04,202
you still cling even though 
you're all broken now

1114
00:55:04,202 --> 00:55:05,805
and you have nothing left in you?

1115
00:55:05,805 --> 00:55:06,739
But you know this,

1116
00:55:06,739 --> 00:55:10,958
I've got to cling to Him because 
there's no other hope anywhere else.

1117
00:55:10,958 --> 00:55:12,406
What do you think would happen

1118
00:55:12,406 --> 00:55:14,615
if you lay hold on Him 
for the Holy Spirit?

1119
00:55:14,615 --> 00:55:19,599
And you don't release until 
there's outpourings of that?

1120
00:55:19,599 --> 00:55:23,800
What promises do we have!

1121
00:55:23,800 --> 00:55:27,488
Think of this.

1122
00:55:27,488 --> 00:55:30,762
Think of promises of good made to others.

1123
00:55:30,762 --> 00:55:33,085
You know, you ought to be able to go

1124
00:55:33,085 --> 00:55:35,583
to Hebrews 13 and look in there

1125
00:55:35,583 --> 00:55:39,191
and say, huh, it says

1126
00:55:39,191 --> 00:55:41,416
"I'll never leave you nor forsake you."

1127
00:55:41,416 --> 00:55:45,551
You know where the author 
of Hebrews got that from?

1128
00:55:45,551 --> 00:55:47,621
Not any words that were spoken

1129
00:55:47,621 --> 00:55:51,271
directly with your name attached to it.

1130
00:55:51,271 --> 00:55:57,004
Those were spoken to Joshua.

1131
00:55:57,004 --> 00:55:59,915
They were spoken a couple 
of different places

1132
00:55:59,915 --> 00:56:01,232
in the Old Testament.

1133
00:56:01,232 --> 00:56:04,985
But specifically, let's 
just mention Joshua.

1134
00:56:04,985 --> 00:56:06,791
The Angel of the Lord:

1135
00:56:06,791 --> 00:56:08,745
"I will never leave you nor forsake you."

1136
00:56:08,745 --> 00:56:10,590
Do you know that the author of Hebrews

1137
00:56:10,590 --> 00:56:12,493
grabs hold of that promise

1138
00:56:12,493 --> 00:56:14,257
and he brings it forward all the way

1139
00:56:14,257 --> 00:56:15,720
into the New Testament

1140
00:56:15,720 --> 00:56:20,722
and he says that's our promise.

1141
00:56:20,722 --> 00:56:22,891
Have you ever read that in Christ Jesus,

1142
00:56:22,891 --> 00:56:26,255
all the promises of God 
are yea and amen in Him?

1143
00:56:26,255 --> 00:56:28,480
Have you ever read that?

1144
00:56:28,480 --> 00:56:30,975
You can plead the promises.

1145
00:56:30,975 --> 00:56:32,448
Think of that.

1146
00:56:32,448 --> 00:56:34,989
Jacob: Lord, You have promised

1147
00:56:34,989 --> 00:56:36,181
to do me good.

1148
00:56:36,181 --> 00:56:38,156
I can take that promise.

1149
00:56:38,156 --> 00:56:39,658
That's mine.

1150
00:56:39,658 --> 00:56:42,078
That's been bought by the blood of Christ.

1151
00:56:42,078 --> 00:56:48,114
You can take every promise 
for good in Scripture.

1152
00:56:48,114 --> 00:56:52,013
You can personalize that.

1153
00:56:52,013 --> 00:56:55,112
Or how about the indicatives?

1154
00:56:55,112 --> 00:56:56,438
You say what do you mean?

1155
00:56:56,438 --> 00:57:01,074
I'm talking the indicative verbs -

1156
00:57:01,074 --> 00:57:04,094
the mood of verbs

1157
00:57:04,094 --> 00:57:06,564
that you find in your Bible.

1158
00:57:06,564 --> 00:57:08,567
An indicative verb

1159
00:57:08,567 --> 00:57:11,682
indicates something that's true.

1160
00:57:11,682 --> 00:57:15,570
How about let's just take 
what Jesse preached on?

1161
00:57:15,570 --> 00:57:19,107
I imagine that Acts 14,

1162
00:57:19,107 --> 00:57:22,074
probably chock-full of indicative verbs.

1163
00:57:22,074 --> 00:57:23,983
Why? It's a narrative.

1164
00:57:23,983 --> 00:57:25,919
It's telling you what happened.

1165
00:57:25,919 --> 00:57:27,234
It's indicating.

1166
00:57:27,234 --> 00:57:30,752
Can I look at that and say,

1167
00:57:30,752 --> 00:57:39,991
huh, Paul and Barnabas

1168
00:57:39,991 --> 00:57:43,593
went throughout the churches in Acts 14,

1169
00:57:43,593 --> 00:57:49,790
and they appointed elders in every church.

1170
00:57:49,790 --> 00:57:52,558
What if you have a church 
and you don't have elders?

1171
00:57:52,558 --> 00:57:54,451
Or you have a group of people somewhere

1172
00:57:54,451 --> 00:57:57,225
but there's no leadership like 
Jesse was talking about.

1173
00:57:57,225 --> 00:57:59,754
Some people - you don't have good leaders.

1174
00:57:59,754 --> 00:58:01,897
What a thing to be able to go to Scripture

1175
00:58:01,897 --> 00:58:04,054
and say, Lord, You know what I read?

1176
00:58:04,054 --> 00:58:06,067
I read in every single church -

1177
00:58:06,067 --> 00:58:07,567
what was Titus supposed to do?

1178
00:58:07,567 --> 00:58:10,622
Go to Crete and go through all the cities

1179
00:58:10,622 --> 00:58:12,185
and appoint elders.

1180
00:58:12,185 --> 00:58:15,071
Well, obviously not to the city council.

1181
00:58:15,071 --> 00:58:19,120
The point was that there's churches 
in all those different cities.

1182
00:58:19,120 --> 00:58:20,879
What a thing to be able to pray!

1183
00:58:20,879 --> 00:58:22,386
You take those indicatives

1184
00:58:22,386 --> 00:58:25,800
and you make them part of that hammer

1185
00:58:25,800 --> 00:58:28,490
to whack that thing you're asking for.

1186
00:58:28,490 --> 00:58:30,806
Lord, You did this in Scripture.

1187
00:58:30,806 --> 00:58:32,959
There's no example in Scripture

1188
00:58:32,959 --> 00:58:35,663
of churches that were pastor-less.

1189
00:58:35,663 --> 00:58:37,282
They went about appointing them.

1190
00:58:37,282 --> 00:58:38,459
Why? It was necessary.

1191
00:58:38,459 --> 00:58:40,871
Lord, that's the example 
You give us in Scripture.

1192
00:58:40,871 --> 00:58:41,986
That's the indicative.

1193
00:58:41,986 --> 00:58:43,753
Or how about imperatives?

1194
00:58:43,753 --> 00:58:45,368
Let the imperatives be a promise.

1195
00:58:45,368 --> 00:58:47,916
"Be holy for I am holy."

1196
00:58:47,916 --> 00:58:49,418
What do you read in Scripture?

1197
00:58:49,418 --> 00:58:51,449
God causes you to will and to do

1198
00:58:51,449 --> 00:58:53,303
of His good pleasure.

1199
00:58:53,303 --> 00:58:54,988
Jesus said it.

1200
00:58:54,988 --> 00:58:57,244
"Without Me you can do nothing."

1201
00:58:57,244 --> 00:58:59,269
So you look at one of these and you say,

1202
00:58:59,269 --> 00:59:01,382
Lord, You're calling me to do things

1203
00:59:01,382 --> 00:59:05,699
that You say without You I can't do.

1204
00:59:05,699 --> 00:59:07,119
And so that must be a promise

1205
00:59:07,119 --> 00:59:08,809
that You're going to give the grace

1206
00:59:08,809 --> 00:59:10,152
for me to do it.

1207
00:59:10,152 --> 00:59:12,797
Find promises in the indicatives.

1208
00:59:12,797 --> 00:59:15,107
Find promises in the imperatives.

1209
00:59:15,107 --> 00:59:19,626
Find promises in the prayers 
of Scripture themselves.

1210
00:59:19,626 --> 00:59:22,016
Listen to Paul pray.

1211
00:59:22,016 --> 00:59:25,523
He said that he was thanking God

1212
00:59:25,523 --> 00:59:28,326
in every remembrance of 
some of these churches,

1213
00:59:28,326 --> 00:59:29,558
praying always.

1214
00:59:29,558 --> 00:59:32,139
He was praying that the Father,

1215
00:59:32,139 --> 00:59:33,863
the God of our Lord Jesus Christ,

1216
00:59:33,863 --> 00:59:36,029
the Father of glory may give them

1217
00:59:36,029 --> 00:59:38,705
a spirit - the Spirit - of wisdom

1218
00:59:38,705 --> 00:59:40,947
and revelation in the knowledge of Him,

1219
00:59:40,947 --> 00:59:43,235
having the eyes of their 
hearts enlightened.

1220
00:59:43,235 --> 00:59:44,233
For what?

1221
00:59:44,233 --> 00:59:45,671
That they might know the hope

1222
00:59:45,671 --> 00:59:46,952
of their calling.

1223
00:59:46,952 --> 00:59:48,556
They might know the riches

1224
00:59:48,556 --> 00:59:51,441
of this inheritance in the saints.

1225
00:59:51,441 --> 00:59:54,529
They might know this incomprehensible,

1226
00:59:54,529 --> 00:59:57,906
immeasurable power

1227
00:59:57,906 --> 01:00:00,567
that's been unleashed through the cross.

1228
01:00:00,567 --> 01:00:02,416
You want that for your churches?

1229
01:00:02,416 --> 01:00:04,989
I find Paul is praying that.

1230
01:00:04,989 --> 01:00:06,786
Why would we not pray that?

1231
01:00:06,786 --> 01:00:09,524
Why would we not learn 
from those and take it?

1232
01:00:09,524 --> 01:00:11,924
Listen, if God inspired 
him to pray that way,

1233
01:00:11,924 --> 01:00:14,416
then that speaks to me of a promise

1234
01:00:14,416 --> 01:00:16,525
that we ought to have every expectation

1235
01:00:16,525 --> 01:00:19,562
that God would give us this Spirit

1236
01:00:19,562 --> 01:00:23,027
and give us revelations of His person;

1237
01:00:23,027 --> 01:00:26,603
of the glory of His power.

1238
01:00:26,603 --> 01:00:33,340
Or you could go further...

1239
01:00:33,340 --> 01:00:34,697
beyond promise.

1240
01:00:34,697 --> 01:00:36,844
So, I've dealt now with:

1241
01:00:36,844 --> 01:00:39,513
Your people, the past,

1242
01:00:39,513 --> 01:00:41,406
what the Egyptians will say,

1243
01:00:41,406 --> 01:00:43,929
God's promises.

1244
01:00:43,929 --> 01:00:46,100
How about God's character?

1245
01:00:46,100 --> 01:00:53,016
Notice this.

1246
01:00:53,016 --> 01:01:05,146
In Numbers 14:17, Moses says this,

1247
01:01:05,146 --> 01:01:09,217
"Now please, let the power of the Lord

1248
01:01:09,217 --> 01:01:15,443
be great as You have promised saying..."

1249
01:01:15,443 --> 01:01:18,058
Notice, the Lord's character.

1250
01:01:18,058 --> 01:01:19,952
"The Lord is slow to anger,

1251
01:01:19,952 --> 01:01:21,642
abounding in steadfast love,

1252
01:01:21,642 --> 01:01:25,186
forgiving iniquity and transgression."

1253
01:01:25,186 --> 01:01:29,365
Jump down to Numbers 14:19.

1254
01:01:29,365 --> 01:01:32,044
"Please pardon the iniquity of this people

1255
01:01:32,044 --> 01:01:34,273
according to the greatness

1256
01:01:34,273 --> 01:01:38,919
of Your steadfast love."

1257
01:01:38,919 --> 01:01:40,077
Notice that.

1258
01:01:40,077 --> 01:01:46,356
Lord, You are a God of steadfast love.

1259
01:01:46,356 --> 01:01:48,672
Just recently, in my own preaching

1260
01:01:48,672 --> 01:01:52,421
in this sermon series I've been doing

1261
01:01:52,421 --> 01:01:53,985
back at home,

1262
01:01:53,985 --> 01:01:55,932
Paul prays:

1263
01:01:55,932 --> 01:02:01,476
According to the riches of God's glory,

1264
01:02:01,476 --> 01:02:03,465
they might be strengthened with power

1265
01:02:03,465 --> 01:02:07,691
through the Spirit in their inner man.

1266
01:02:07,691 --> 01:02:09,551
Strengthened. Why?

1267
01:02:09,551 --> 01:02:10,955
So that they might know,

1268
01:02:10,955 --> 01:02:12,050
they might conceive,

1269
01:02:12,050 --> 01:02:14,488
they might have the power to comprehend

1270
01:02:14,488 --> 01:02:16,189
what is the breadth and length

1271
01:02:16,189 --> 01:02:18,433
and height and depth

1272
01:02:18,433 --> 01:02:20,354
and to know this love of Christ.

1273
01:02:20,354 --> 01:02:21,867
What was he pleading?

1274
01:02:21,867 --> 01:02:27,380
Lord, according to the 
riches of Your glory.

1275
01:02:27,380 --> 01:02:32,183
Oh, if we're praying according 
to the character of God

1276
01:02:32,183 --> 01:02:35,743
and then we don't get answers...

1277
01:02:35,743 --> 01:02:40,378
We just pray, we cry out,

1278
01:02:40,378 --> 01:02:42,996
we ask for these things.

1279
01:02:42,996 --> 01:02:45,741
Certainly we should expect 
something impressive,

1280
01:02:45,741 --> 01:02:48,867
something that accords 
with God's character,

1281
01:02:48,867 --> 01:02:50,677
something that's life changing.

1282
01:02:50,677 --> 01:02:52,557
Something, right after this,

1283
01:02:52,557 --> 01:02:54,468
God is able to do exceedingly abundantly

1284
01:02:54,468 --> 01:02:56,175
beyond what we ask or think.

1285
01:02:56,175 --> 01:02:58,989
Would you not expect that if 
He gave us a text like that

1286
01:02:58,989 --> 01:03:01,433
that it's because He wants us to expect

1287
01:03:01,433 --> 01:03:03,109
and think big?

1288
01:03:03,109 --> 01:03:04,895
Didn't Newton hit on it?

1289
01:03:04,895 --> 01:03:07,226
Large petitions with thee bring.

1290
01:03:07,226 --> 01:03:08,683
Why? Because you're coming

1291
01:03:08,683 --> 01:03:11,023
to some little, tiny god?

1292
01:03:11,023 --> 01:03:13,148
He has ears and can't hear?

1293
01:03:13,148 --> 01:03:14,947
That's not what Newton said

1294
01:03:14,947 --> 01:03:16,525
when he wrote the song.

1295
01:03:16,525 --> 01:03:18,329
Large petitions with thee bring.

1296
01:03:18,329 --> 01:03:19,738
You're coming to a King.

1297
01:03:19,738 --> 01:03:21,704
You're coming to the King of kings.

1298
01:03:21,704 --> 01:03:23,545
Argue that.

1299
01:03:23,545 --> 01:03:25,100
We have us a God -

1300
01:03:25,100 --> 01:03:26,882
have you argued that way?

1301
01:03:26,882 --> 01:03:28,790
Do you lay the case out?

1302
01:03:28,790 --> 01:03:30,858
You know what? The Catholics pray.

1303
01:03:30,858 --> 01:03:32,225
The Methodists pray.

1304
01:03:32,225 --> 01:03:34,060
The Episcopalians pray.

1305
01:03:34,060 --> 01:03:36,773
The dead Baptists around here pray.

1306
01:03:36,773 --> 01:03:38,555
The false religions pray.

1307
01:03:38,555 --> 01:03:40,311
The Jehovah's Witnesses pray.

1308
01:03:40,311 --> 01:03:41,538
The Mormon's pray.

1309
01:03:41,538 --> 01:03:43,754
They pray to Allah.

1310
01:03:43,754 --> 01:03:46,210
What are we going to be satisfied

1311
01:03:46,210 --> 01:03:49,121
if we pray to the one true and living God

1312
01:03:49,121 --> 01:03:52,101
and our prayers go 
unanswered just like theirs?

1313
01:03:52,101 --> 01:03:55,108
Or their demons rise up 
and do more for them

1314
01:03:55,108 --> 01:03:56,671
than our God does for us?

1315
01:03:56,671 --> 01:03:59,782
Are you going to be satisfied with that?

1316
01:03:59,782 --> 01:04:01,976
Is there not a place to argue that way

1317
01:04:01,976 --> 01:04:04,135
and to lay that case before God?

1318
01:04:04,135 --> 01:04:07,481
Lord, we have such a God as You!

1319
01:04:07,481 --> 01:04:09,793
And they don't have a God like You.

1320
01:04:09,793 --> 01:04:13,349
Have you ever read there?

1321
01:04:13,349 --> 01:04:15,843
When God's people were in Egypt

1322
01:04:15,843 --> 01:04:18,156
and those plagues came,

1323
01:04:18,156 --> 01:04:21,847
God made a difference between the people.

1324
01:04:21,847 --> 01:04:24,658
It was light in Goshen. 
Have you ever read that?

1325
01:04:24,658 --> 01:04:27,255
Whereas it was dark over here.

1326
01:04:27,255 --> 01:04:29,677
The firstborn of the Egyptians died.

1327
01:04:29,677 --> 01:04:34,233
Whereas the firstborn of the 
Hebrew children were spared.

1328
01:04:34,233 --> 01:04:36,633
We should expect God 
to make that difference.

1329
01:04:36,633 --> 01:04:39,119
Lord, You've always made a difference

1330
01:04:39,119 --> 01:04:40,934
between Your true people

1331
01:04:40,934 --> 01:04:42,446
and those not Your people.

1332
01:04:42,446 --> 01:04:46,365
You've always shown 
Yourself to be the God.

1333
01:04:46,365 --> 01:04:48,271
You've shown throughout the ages

1334
01:04:48,271 --> 01:04:51,201
there is a God in Israel.

1335
01:04:51,201 --> 01:04:55,496
Now brethren, we might 
ask ourselves this question:

1336
01:04:55,496 --> 01:04:58,764
Why would we need to persuade God

1337
01:04:58,764 --> 01:05:01,162
when Scripture says He knows what we need

1338
01:05:01,162 --> 01:05:02,851
before we ask?

1339
01:05:02,851 --> 01:05:04,397
Why?

1340
01:05:04,397 --> 01:05:09,641
I'm going to give you one answer here.

1341
01:05:09,641 --> 01:05:11,618
In fact, we need to look at this.

1342
01:05:11,618 --> 01:05:13,566
We're going to end by looking at this.

1343
01:05:13,566 --> 01:05:16,170
Look at Matthew 17.

1344
01:05:16,170 --> 01:05:20,211
Matthew 17 - we have the Transfiguration.

1345
01:05:20,211 --> 01:05:23,190
And you remember, right 
after the Transfiguration,

1346
01:05:23,190 --> 01:05:26,997
as our Lord came down from the mountain

1347
01:05:26,997 --> 01:05:30,011
with His disciples -

1348
01:05:30,011 --> 01:05:33,180
a handful of His disciples.

1349
01:05:33,180 --> 01:05:37,692
Matthew 17.

1350
01:05:37,692 --> 01:05:44,057
If you look down around v. 19, 20, 21,

1351
01:05:44,057 --> 01:05:47,202
you know what you'll find?

1352
01:05:47,202 --> 01:05:54,223
Lord, we encountered a man

1353
01:05:54,223 --> 01:05:59,466
who had a son with a demon.

1354
01:05:59,466 --> 01:06:02,656
Why couldn't we cast him out?

1355
01:06:02,656 --> 01:06:07,536
What did the Lord say?

1356
01:06:07,536 --> 01:06:11,762
Why couldn't they do it?

1357
01:06:11,762 --> 01:06:15,003
Unbelief.

1358
01:06:15,003 --> 01:06:19,516
Have you ever read the reason

1359
01:06:19,516 --> 01:06:22,757
in Mark 9?

1360
01:06:22,757 --> 01:06:26,749
What does He say there when they ask?

1361
01:06:26,749 --> 01:06:29,597
Turn there. Mark 9.

1362
01:06:29,597 --> 01:06:39,297
Maybe about v. 28, 29.

1363
01:06:39,297 --> 01:06:44,386
Why does the Lord need order?

1364
01:06:44,386 --> 01:06:46,533
Our case ordered?

1365
01:06:46,533 --> 01:06:48,235
Why does He need arguments?

1366
01:06:48,235 --> 01:06:50,464
Why does He need us 
to plead His character,

1367
01:06:50,464 --> 01:06:52,713
His promises?

1368
01:06:52,713 --> 01:06:54,653
Why?

1369
01:06:54,653 --> 01:06:59,549
Why plead that we're His people?

1370
01:06:59,549 --> 01:07:01,269
Well, I'll tell you this.

1371
01:07:01,269 --> 01:07:05,745
We find that example in Scripture.

1372
01:07:05,745 --> 01:07:10,926
Have you ever heard 
anybody argue this way?

1373
01:07:10,926 --> 01:07:15,017
Father, if You didn't spare Your own Son,

1374
01:07:15,017 --> 01:07:18,841
but You gave Him up for us all...

1375
01:07:18,841 --> 01:07:22,677
perhaps You wouldn't withhold 
any other good thing.

1376
01:07:22,677 --> 01:07:24,831
You ever hear somebody argue like that?

1377
01:07:24,831 --> 01:07:30,721
Maybe somebody inspired?

1378
01:07:30,721 --> 01:07:31,851
Why?

1379
01:07:31,851 --> 01:07:35,778
Why lay forth cases like that?

1380
01:07:35,778 --> 01:07:37,928
Is it necessary?

1381
01:07:37,928 --> 01:07:39,894
Well, look here at Mark.

1382
01:07:39,894 --> 01:07:43,363
What does Mark 9:29 say?

1383
01:07:43,363 --> 01:07:52,734
Why couldn't they cast that demon out?

1384
01:07:52,734 --> 01:07:56,115
This kind goes out - it's a textual issue,

1385
01:07:56,115 --> 01:07:57,268
they all say prayer.

1386
01:07:57,268 --> 01:07:59,814
If you've got the King James 
or the New King James,

1387
01:07:59,814 --> 01:08:03,558
it says "prayer and fasting."

1388
01:08:03,558 --> 01:08:08,178
So, Matthew, Mark -

1389
01:08:08,178 --> 01:08:17,617
are they messed up? Contradiction?

1390
01:08:17,617 --> 01:08:19,955
Listen, the primary thing

1391
01:08:19,955 --> 01:08:23,867
that we need to recognize is this:

1392
01:08:23,867 --> 01:08:26,104
As we recite our strong reasons

1393
01:08:26,104 --> 01:08:28,205
before the Lord that He should give us

1394
01:08:28,205 --> 01:08:31,276
the things that we plead 
with Him to give us,

1395
01:08:31,276 --> 01:08:35,198
it's not for Him so much.

1396
01:08:35,198 --> 01:08:37,519
It's for us.

1397
01:08:37,519 --> 01:08:39,532
See, they needed the prayer and fasting.

1398
01:08:39,532 --> 01:08:41,977
Why? Because Jesus is saying in one place:

1399
01:08:41,977 --> 01:08:43,634
Unbelief.

1400
01:08:43,634 --> 01:08:46,307
It's almost like He's saying 
the prayer and the fasting

1401
01:08:46,307 --> 01:08:48,082
would address the unbelief.

1402
01:08:48,082 --> 01:08:49,567
Well, see, it does.

1403
01:08:49,567 --> 01:08:50,349
It does.

1404
01:08:50,349 --> 01:08:53,554
You know what happens when you do

1405
01:08:53,554 --> 01:08:54,953
what Mueller did?

1406
01:08:54,953 --> 01:08:57,191
When you search the Scripture

1407
01:08:57,191 --> 01:08:58,904
looking for the promises

1408
01:08:58,904 --> 01:09:00,810
and looking to make the case?

1409
01:09:00,810 --> 01:09:03,147
It will make you bold as a lion.

1410
01:09:03,147 --> 01:09:04,642
It gives you confidence.

1411
01:09:04,642 --> 01:09:07,721
It will increase your faith in Him.

1412
01:09:07,721 --> 01:09:09,293
That's what happens.

1413
01:09:09,293 --> 01:09:11,902
That's what happens when 
you're in a prayer meeting

1414
01:09:11,902 --> 01:09:13,805
and somebody begins to pray like that

1415
01:09:13,805 --> 01:09:15,454
and they're laying their case out

1416
01:09:15,454 --> 01:09:18,379
and they're arguing and they're 
laying the promises of God

1417
01:09:18,379 --> 01:09:21,108
and they're making this whole case

1418
01:09:21,108 --> 01:09:22,547
and pleading.

1419
01:09:22,547 --> 01:09:25,918
And it will stir the whole 
assembly up to pray.

1420
01:09:25,918 --> 01:09:28,181
Why? Because everybody's faith

1421
01:09:28,181 --> 01:09:29,418
is being encouraged.

1422
01:09:29,418 --> 01:09:31,516
What happens is you begin to see God

1423
01:09:31,516 --> 01:09:32,977
bigger and bigger and bigger.

1424
01:09:32,977 --> 01:09:34,979
And His character comes upon your mind

1425
01:09:34,979 --> 01:09:37,324
and His promises come into your ears.

1426
01:09:37,324 --> 01:09:39,357
And you begin to latch hold on them.

1427
01:09:39,357 --> 01:09:41,118
Yes, God has said it!

1428
01:09:41,118 --> 01:09:42,805
Yes, God is like this.

1429
01:09:42,805 --> 01:09:45,085
Yes, God has done this in the past.

1430
01:09:45,085 --> 01:09:47,505
And yes, the blood of Jesus speaks.

1431
01:09:47,505 --> 01:09:49,790
And yes, we are His people.

1432
01:09:49,790 --> 01:09:52,794
And you become confident.

1433
01:09:52,794 --> 01:09:54,909
Yes, I'm going to lay hold upon God

1434
01:09:54,909 --> 01:09:59,225
until I get this.

1435
01:09:59,225 --> 01:10:01,089
That's the issue.

1436
01:10:01,089 --> 01:10:03,016
Extended prayer and fasting

1437
01:10:03,016 --> 01:10:06,985
tends to promote our faith.

1438
01:10:06,985 --> 01:10:09,625
Without faith, it's 
impossible to please Him.

1439
01:10:09,625 --> 01:10:11,628
Why? We have to believe that He is

1440
01:10:11,628 --> 01:10:13,594
and that He's a rewarder

1441
01:10:13,594 --> 01:10:19,703
of them... see, you have to believe this.

1442
01:10:19,703 --> 01:10:21,870
You have to believe that He is a rewarder

1443
01:10:21,870 --> 01:10:25,608
of them who seek Him diligently.

1444
01:10:25,608 --> 01:10:27,192
Not haphazardly.

1445
01:10:27,192 --> 01:10:30,377
Not randomly. Not sporadically.

1446
01:10:30,377 --> 01:10:32,864
Diligent seeking of Him.

1447
01:10:32,864 --> 01:10:34,085
God is very pleased.

1448
01:10:34,085 --> 01:10:37,092
God is pleased when 
we plead His character.

1449
01:10:37,092 --> 01:10:38,311
His promises.

1450
01:10:38,311 --> 01:10:41,595
Why? He gave those 
promises to be believed.

1451
01:10:41,595 --> 01:10:44,215
He gave those promises for us to plead.

1452
01:10:44,215 --> 01:10:48,783
He puts His character on the line.

1453
01:10:48,783 --> 01:10:50,464
You don't dishonor God

1454
01:10:50,464 --> 01:10:52,764
when you're calling upon God's character

1455
01:10:52,764 --> 01:10:54,610
and God's promises.

1456
01:10:54,610 --> 01:10:56,762
And you can be bold.

1457
01:10:56,762 --> 01:10:59,727
That is not presumption.

1458
01:10:59,727 --> 01:11:04,570
It's not. Not when God has given promises.

1459
01:11:04,570 --> 01:11:08,440
I fear it. We fear being presumptuous

1460
01:11:08,440 --> 01:11:10,568
and our primary problem is unbelief.

1461
01:11:10,568 --> 01:11:12,853
I'm convinced of that.

1462
01:11:12,853 --> 01:11:15,761
So build your case carefully.

1463
01:11:15,761 --> 01:11:19,382
Set forth your arguments.

1464
01:11:19,382 --> 01:11:21,071
Remember the blood.

1465
01:11:21,071 --> 01:11:24,987
If He didn't spare His own Son -

1466
01:11:24,987 --> 01:11:26,648
what an argument -

1467
01:11:26,648 --> 01:11:30,467
how will He not also with Him

1468
01:11:30,467 --> 01:11:36,104
graciously give us all things.

1469
01:11:36,104 --> 01:11:38,993
Ask Him for what is now needed.

1470
01:11:38,993 --> 01:11:43,765
Ask for it plainly.

1471
01:11:43,765 --> 01:11:46,607
Bring forth your arguments.

1472
01:11:46,607 --> 01:11:48,418
You all have needs.

1473
01:11:48,418 --> 01:11:51,216
There's people in your 
life that aren't saved.

1474
01:11:51,216 --> 01:11:53,928
There's darkness all around us.

1475
01:11:53,928 --> 01:11:55,765
You've got your own battles with sin,

1476
01:11:55,765 --> 01:11:57,444
your own battles with weakness,

1477
01:11:57,444 --> 01:11:59,218
your own battles with coldness,

1478
01:11:59,218 --> 01:12:01,188
your own battles in your churches.

1479
01:12:01,188 --> 01:12:03,645
There's battles everywhere.

1480
01:12:03,645 --> 01:12:05,889
We have an enemy.

1481
01:12:05,889 --> 01:12:08,902
He's more powerful than any of us.

1482
01:12:08,902 --> 01:12:10,761
But He that's with us is greater

1483
01:12:10,761 --> 01:12:12,568
than he that's in the world.

1484
01:12:12,568 --> 01:12:17,869
We've got needs. We're a needy people.

1485
01:12:17,869 --> 01:12:22,815
Take this. Take this.

1486
01:12:22,815 --> 01:12:25,076
Apply it.

1487
01:12:25,076 --> 01:12:28,665
Apply it in your dealings with the Lord

1488
01:12:28,665 --> 01:12:32,717
that your own faith might be strengthened.

1489
01:12:32,717 --> 01:12:34,214
Whatever you ask in prayer,

1490
01:12:34,214 --> 01:12:38,097
you will receive, our Lord says,

1491
01:12:38,097 --> 01:12:39,715
if you have faith.

1492
01:12:39,715 --> 01:12:41,567
So I encourage you to do this:

1493
01:12:41,567 --> 01:12:46,079
Pray in a way that's going 
to encourage your faith.

1494
01:12:46,079 --> 01:12:49,516
And when you order your prayers

1495
01:12:49,516 --> 01:12:52,076
and you produce your arguments,

1496
01:12:52,076 --> 01:12:57,868
it does massive things for your faith.

1497
01:12:57,868 --> 01:13:01,773
And God answers those prayers.

1498
01:13:01,773 --> 01:13:04,357
That is one of the primary components

1499
01:13:04,357 --> 01:13:06,727
of successful prayer

1500
01:13:06,727 --> 01:13:13,083
is that we have faith.

1501
01:13:13,083 --> 01:13:17,940
Amen. Well, let's pray.

1502
01:13:17,940 --> 01:13:23,982
Father, those disciples long ago

1503
01:13:23,982 --> 01:13:28,972
said, "Lord, teach us to pray."

1504
01:13:28,972 --> 01:13:34,495
Importunity He taught them.

1505
01:13:34,495 --> 01:13:37,846
Ask and you shall receive.

1506
01:13:37,846 --> 01:13:40,077
Seek and you will find.

1507
01:13:40,077 --> 01:13:43,792
Knock and it shall be opened unto you.

1508
01:13:43,792 --> 01:13:47,247
Everyone who asks,

1509
01:13:47,247 --> 01:13:49,541
everyone who seeks,

1510
01:13:49,541 --> 01:13:53,115
everyone who knocks.

1511
01:13:53,115 --> 01:13:57,002
You've given us promise

1512
01:13:57,002 --> 01:14:01,442
that our prayers are not in vain.

1513
01:14:01,442 --> 01:14:07,621
Lord, help us. Help us.

1514
01:14:07,621 --> 01:14:09,392
Help us pray.

1515
01:14:09,392 --> 01:14:12,484
Help us wrestle

1516
01:14:12,484 --> 01:14:13,990
with the Angel of the Lord

1517
01:14:13,990 --> 01:14:18,482
and be successful.

1518
01:14:18,482 --> 01:14:21,448
Help us to learn to pray as Moses did

1519
01:14:21,448 --> 01:14:25,210
and Jacob did and David did and Job.

1520
01:14:25,210 --> 01:14:29,099
Help us to be as the saints of old

1521
01:14:29,099 --> 01:14:30,752
in our prayer life.

1522
01:14:30,752 --> 01:14:33,533
I pray in the name of 
our Lord Jesus Christ.

1523
01:14:33,533 --> 01:14:35,073
Amen.