Finishing Well (Part 2)

So please turn with me to 1st Samuel chapter 12 We looked at Samuel's address at Saul's coronation and actually this is

Samuel's farewell address that he gives

I'm not going to read the whole chapter But I would like to pick up at verse 19 to the end of the chapter verse 25 reading from the

New King James translation Hear the word of the Lord and all the people said to Samuel Pray for your servants to the

Lord your God that we may not die But we have added to all of our sins the evil of asking the king for ourselves

Then Samuel said to the people Do not fear you have done all this wickedness yet.

Do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart and Do not turn aside

For then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver For they are nothing

For the Lord will not forsake his people For his great name's sake

Because it has pleased the Lord to make you his people moreover

Moreover as for me very personal here

Far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord and ceasing to pray for you

But I will teach you the good in the right way Only fear the Lord Serve him in truth with all your heart

For consider what great things he has done for you But if you do if you still do wickedly

You shall be swept away Both you and your king may

God Bless the reading of his word to our hearts this morning. Let's pray

Father we look to you. We look unto Jesus the author and finish of our faith May he alone be glorified you have glorified your son and he has glorified you father

So when we when we glorify and honor Jesus we honor and glorify you father Take these words this morning and drive them to our hearts

Lord Made this just not be another sermon from our heads to heads

But from heart to heart From your heart to our hearts. Oh God Change our hearts change our lives and father

I pray As I serve it let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight.

Oh Lord my strength and my Redeemer And we would ask this for the honor and glory in Jesus name

Amen, we are most definitely in the last days brothers and sisters as you well know and this is no time for us to be slack

Jesus is soon to come Time is running out.

These are perilous times These are definitely the last days the last days began when

Jesus was born and this came in his first advent And all the and all is looking forward to his consummation when he comes back as and all his power and glory

For such a time as this For such a time as this

God has raised you and me up and redeeming grace church up Charles Dickens says it in his classic book a tale of two cities

Very Famous quote it was the best of times and it was the worst of times

It was the age of wisdom. It was the age of foolishness. It was the epoch of belief. It was the epoch of Incredulity, it was the season of darkness.

It was the season of hope It was the winter of despair and how true this is for us today

The best of times the worst of times and these are times that try our souls

So what is the church to do? What is the church to do and I want to in a very personal way?

Share a burden to you that I shared to pastors September 24th

Not in 2024 at the fire conference, but I've revamped this for us here

So the outline is pretty much I've drawn up I'm using that Labored long for this because this is the burden of my heart and I really believe as every child of God This should be your burden my burden but what

Can we do what are we to do? We are to pray We are to pray

What are we without prayer? Nothing the righteous pray

You see this as a grave importance from Genesis to Revelation that every person that God ever used was a

Women and men of prayer What are we to do as a church?

Martin Lord Jones said this to begin herself To live in the

Christian life if she did that men and women Would be crowding into the buildings and they would say what is the secret of this?

He goes on to say the Christians and one of the greatest needs is the Spirit of God to cultivate biblical godliness in us in order to put the beauty of Christ on display through us and How is this to happen in quote

It comes by yes the preached Word of God the

Word of the Living God and power and truth But it also comes through prayer through prayer important way

That the beauty of Christ is to be displayed. It is through the power and I'm not going to say the power of prayer because even though there is power in prayer, but the power excuse me

The power is of God the power of God through prayer and if we're not praying there would be no power

Any reason why the church is powerless? Because the church is prayerless

May this not be said of us There's ever a spiritual discipline that is lacking among the church and Believers today and even pastors it would surely be our personal devotional life time with God How much personal time do you spend with God For a footnote here.

Let me Say that this message Like I said will be an exhortation, but it will be admonitions

For all of us and if I'm pointing one finger to you, I'm pointing four fingers to me.

I Really mean that Here Samuel is an example for all of us but the greatest example is our

Lord Jesus Christ and I like to put it this way if Jesus as The son of man the

Son of God saw it important to pray Study the prayer life of Jesus and you see he made it a priority every morning to pray

And he prayed constantly he was he was busy His work ethics puts us all to shame he was up, but the

Bible says way before daylight pray unto his father and ministering and giving his self away

Constantly as the servant of servants But he prayed the first thing in the morning.

He prayed How much more important to us if Jesus saw it important how much more important for us?

It's that important patriarchs prayed The Bible speaks about Enoch not much, but it says he walked with God and he was not

Noah was a man of prayer a preacher of righteousness Abraham was a man of prayer

Father of our faith God fearing Job prayed for all of his sons and daughters

Every morning sacrificed And he even suffered much but yet he was a priest of his for his family and he prayed what our fathers are you are a

Priest are you a priest? Yes, but are you living that example before your children? Job prayed for his children and offering up sacrifices before the

Lord every single morning read Job chapter 1 Samuel prophet priest

Was a man of prayer a man of integrity and we looked at that last Lord's Day and I'm not going to belabor going back over that but As you well know the story

Israel demanded a king and Israel committed a great sin a great wickedness before God They chose their king whom they desired it was stiff -necked and rebellious

They outright refused God as their king Psalm 106 15 says and speaks about the

Lord. He gave them their request Be careful what you ask for it may not always be a good thing

God could give it to you and that could be a judgment the Bible says but sent leanness into their soul leanness

Again, verse 14 to 25 is a rebuke and a charge to the people of Israel What's important in this chapter,

I really believe the most important part of this chapter and all of its important, of course But is the application in the end in the conclusion of this chapter

Could it be verse 23? Could it be verse 23 that? When Samuel says moreover as for me

Far be it for me that I should sin against the Lord and ceasing to pray for you

But I will teach you the good and the right way The good in the right way

God forbid that he would cease to pray for Israel even with all their failures and So forth

Specific Sin against the Lord that Samuel mentions is ceasing to pray for God's people

Any wonder why Paul the Apostle says in 1st Thessalonians 5 17 therefore we are to pray without ceasing

Spurgeon noted on that verse He commented and says we are to pray without ceasing because we sin without ceasing

Amen Here's a few quotes John the Puritan John Owen said this he that is more frequent in his pulpit is to his people then

He is Then he is in his closet for his people is but a sorry watchman ouch

That's powerful in other words Any reason why

God used these kind of men? They spent more time in prayer

Before God than they did before men That was a priority and that should be our priority.

It's convicting convicts my soul Important statement shows that prayerlessness is sin and not carelessness

Greg Nichols Presbyterian Points this out in a very specific simple way.

This is what he said about prayerlessness a prayerless Person is ungrateful

Because he does not thank God He's self -righteous because he does not confess his sins to God He Self -centered because he does not ask

God to bless other people He's presumptuous because he does not pray even for his daily needs

He's irreverent because he does not praise God nor pray for his kingdom to come and he's unfriendly to God and God's people because his prayerlessness

Evidence is that he does not enjoy being with God In quote folks have strong words, but that's the truth

Matter of fact, Jonathan Edwards puts it even stronger The great revivalist in his day.

He said if you prayerless if you live in a prayerlessness life You are without God the first step in cultivating a prayer life is step from death to life beloved we must repent of our sins and trust in Jesus Christ alone that is the first and foremost thing a matter of fact prayer is so vital it is as when

Paul the Apostle when Saul was converted to Paul and when he when he was a chance name was

Changed but he was so changed One of the first things he said and behold he prays as a newborn baby into this world

Breathing its first cry crying its first breath So is a child of God?

Praying as he's breathing to God That's how it is

The question is how can we? Be more effective in our prayer life

How can we be more effective? But this morning I'd like to give you some points that would help all of us in this

Area because I don't know about you. I struggle myself and at times

We all do important things beloved But we must make this a priority because God is a priority and I'm going to promise you this it will be a fight

I was converted to Jesus Christ at 17 years old in the mid 80s

And I found this a fight the more I go to follow Jesus more a fight every day

We must fight the good fight of faith James 122 says be doers of the word doers and not here's only

Deceiving ourselves God help us if we deceive ourselves and say

I Go our way and we we as brother being mentioned the same make it a profane thing.

Just say things and Be careful what you say when someone asked to pray ask for prayer make sure you pray for them

Ben's dad has a Notebook in his pocket everywhere. He goes anybody asked prayer and brother keys have picked up on that and that's a good thing

Do one of two things pull out a notebook and write jot down the person's name and make sure you pray for them

Because if they ask for prayer, they're asking you to touch God for them That's Important or make it a point and just pray right there.

I've seen this from godly men beloved Here's the first point the first point and The and having a life of prayer a prayer life

It's one of a most priority. It's one of Priority so I got peas

Today For peas the first one priority

Party, can I tell you this that? It is our most priority as children of the

Living God to pray This is critical and cannot can

I add a word to that it's a critical Discipline it is a discipline

It's a discipline of grace and it is a battle as I've said as with any other attainment in the

Christian life prayerful praying effective praying is not

Automatic it is manual labor. It is manual labor and We need the spirit of the

Living God to help us. And by the way, there's no way that we would delight and in prayer

Unless we have the Spirit of God abiding in us because it would be nothing but ritualism Because I say that because many of the cults pray, but they do it out of duty and not delight

But when we're born of the Spirit of God, we do it out of delight and duty delights first Because we delight in God But It is a discipline and let me share with you some scriptures

Paul said this to Timothy exercise thyself rather unto godliness How do you exercise?

You just do it You discipline yourself and you know this as well as I do out of a busy schedule if you lift weights you go to the gym

You make time to it you make time to do it, right? You see it a priority

Paul said to Timothy Fight the good fight of faith lay hold of eternal life

According to God's Word thus praying is a discipline and prayer is our most important work.

Here is a child of God Here's a few more quotes. I like to ignite and fire up your heart this morning

John Owen says what you are in secret is what you truly are Puritan Watson said that prayer is the most most likely

To pierce heaven which first pierces one's own heart. I love

John Bunyan He puts it simple in prayer. It is better to have heart without words than to have words without heart

Samuel Chadwick says prayer is the acid test of devotion Oswald Chambers said prayer does not

Fit us for the greater work prayer is the greater work in Ravenhill and by the way,

I had the privilege of here in Ravenhill when I was 19 years old when I was in Bible College And you think hearing a sermon for one hours long think again

He took us through a Friday night service beloved two hours on prayer Now I promise you

I'm not gonna take you through two hours this morning But I'm telling you every single one of us

Was on the edge of our seat and it was less people there out Well, it's about the same amount in that little church assemblies of God Church on that Friday evening

And it literally revolutionized my life When I heard him preach on hide thyself and go show thyself

Ravenhill said this from while revival Terry's No, man is greater than his prayer life

The pastor who is not praying is playing the people who are not praying or straying

We have many organizers, but few agonizers many players and payers few prayers many singers few clingers lots of pastors few wrestlers many fears few tears much fashion little passion many interferes few intercessors

Many writers but few fighters Failing here we fail everywhere

Amen you see Prayer is of utmost priority folks

Because God is our priority the pastor's task list and I say pastor

Is not small It's very large Pastors are very busy believers

Here today you're busy, but we must make time to pray

Comes down to priorities What did Jesus say? Matthew 6 33

But seek ye first the kingdom of God. Is that a first priority to you?

Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these other things that be added unto you

Jesus said you make his righteousness and his kingdom a priority act 6 4

His brother Bob self preached on the Apostles Wanted to devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word context to this text the early church was growing but and God was adding to his church and God And the

Apostles were feeling the heavy burden the weight of all of it

So they appointed seven deacons to serve and help carry for the

Apostles to carry the load and I thank God Lord redeeming grace church has two deacons that helps this pastor because I couldn't do it without What a gift

Qualified godly deacons for laboring prayer and Bible study

Are two non -negotiables folks I'm telling you this has got to be top of the list and the reason why that's top of the list is because God is top of the list

Psalm 27 7 8 David said this hero Lord When I cry with my voice have mercy also upon me when you said seek my face my heart

My heart said to you your face Lord. I will seek

We sung it this morning take time to be holy speak off with our

Lord abide him I'll abide in him always feed on his word make friends with God's people

Help those who are weak Forgetting and nothing his blessing to seek. What are your priorities?

What are your priorities? So prayer must be a first priority in the life of the believer

Especially Shepherds that flock that shepherd the flock of God. The Lord centers his attention on his word in prayer

These two priorities are the means of grace and true blessing without them

We cannot go on I'm telling you it must be through prayer. And if we're doing it, it's all it will be ritualism

We Must know God What about priorities?

Turn with me to Luke Luke chapter 10

You're familiar with the story of Mary and Martha Here's a story of priorities now it happened verse 38 as they

Went and he entered a village a certain village and a certain woman named Martha welcomed him into her house.

There's Martha right there She welcomes him she said she's hospitable. She's a servant.

She's a friend of the Lord Verse 39 and she had a sister called

Mary Notice about Mary the commentary is enough for me. I don't know about you

But it's a sweet sentence it says and who also said at Jesus feet and Heard his word but Martha Was distracted is that you and me?

Absolutely. Now we got more distractions by this by this thing

Be careful Where your eyes go be careful on how much time you spend with this thing folks

It's a distraction and the enemy uses it

She was distracted. They didn't have cell phones and iPhones in those days, but she was distracted with what it was a good thing with much serving and she approached him and said

Till my approaching Jesus Lord. Do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone?

She felt like she was being neglected and left alone to do all the work

Therefore tell her to help me Listen to her. She's telling the

Lord to Get up from worshipping him

Huh You see the priority here and what did

Jesus say Jesus? Says Martha Martha You are worried and troubled about many things

This is a this is a loving rebuke folks, but this is a loving rebuke to my heart verse 42 but one thing is needed and Mary has chosen that good part.

She chose this Because Jesus meant everything to her

Exclusively and she and he said which will not be taken away

From her speaks about priorities

Martha was hospitable. She was a servant Was it a bad thing? But yet we see her in Tomar She's distracted and the original language here is meaning she was dragging all this weight around She was worried.

She was I think the old King James puts it like cumbered cumbered

She had heavy weight on her. She was probably fussing about the details that really didn't matter and Those things that were not necessary On the other hand

Mary or a sister was a worshipper She said at the feet of Jesus and heard his word

We know that this pleased the Lord and now Jesus did not rebuke her Rebuke Martha about being a servant

Actually his gracious rebuke to Martha Was for her fretfulness not servanthood

She was anxious and fretful She Was worried about things that didn't matter

How many times have we done this? Let's let's be honest. We've done it at me We've worried about things that didn't matter

Charles Urban commentator here says this while the master does Does appreciate all that we undertake for him.

He knows that our first need is to sit at his feet Amen He desires you and me to sit at his feet

What a privilege To gaze upon the

Lord of Glory and he goes on to say then our task

Shall be calm and peaceful and kindly and at last our service may attain to perfectionist to perfection to perfections of that of Mary when at at a later scene she poured upon the feet of Jesus the ointment and The perfume of which still fills the world in quote,

I love that prayers to be a priority

Secondly, not only is prayer to be a priority. It is to be of public and private prayer public and private prayer

Go right into the next chapter look at chapter 11 Now it came to pass as he was praying who is praying

Jesus was praying in a certain place Now we look at the we have a

Glance of the prayer life of Jesus. He's praying in a certain place and when he ceased

That one of his disciples that's not told of who which one But one of his disciples said to him

Lord Teach us to pray As John also taught his disciples

And he said to them when you pray say our Father in heaven Hallowed be your name your kingdom come your will be done on earth as it is in heaven give us day by day our daily bread forgive us our sins and And we all and for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us and do not lead us into temptation

But delivers from the evil one goes on to talk about And he said to them which of you shall have a friend and go to him at midnight and say to him friend lend me three loaves for a friend of mine has come to me on this journey and I have nothing to sit before him and He will answer from within and say do not trouble me

The door is now shut and my children are with me in bed. I cannot rise and give to you.

I Say to you though, he will not rise and give to him because he is

He is his friend yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs

Jesus takes up the application then after he gives The story of the friend that comes at midnight

So I say to you ask and it will be given to you seek and you will find knock and it will be open to you

For everyone who asked receives and he who seeks finds and to him who knocks it will be open If a son asked a bread for bread from any father

Among you will he give him a stone? Well, that would be ridiculous with even a

Earthly father when a child comes and asks for a little piece of morsel of bread. Is it gonna give him a stone a rock?

No If he asked for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?

No, if he asked of an egg, will he offer him a scorpion you see the picture that Jesus is given here and Notice what he says

If you then be an evil know how to give good gifts to your children

How much more? How much more

Will your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask? Say how good

God is and that's what Jesus is pointing to is the goodness of God and prayer

Persistent prayer Luke tells us about the prayer life of our

Lord Jesus Christ more than anyone else Presenting Christ as the Son of Man As a physician he gives the details

Ever depended upon God his Heavenly Father Jesus the Son of Man and if Jesus was depended upon God the

Father how much more should we They heard him pray

It's powerful one of the disciples heard him pray and what was the request teach us to pray

Teach us to pray Teach us to pray not the same

Not to teach not to preach Curtis Thompson says this about prayer prayer is an acknowledgment that we are needy individuals it also demonstrates to us our personal relationship with our

Lord and reflects our genuine love and Our concern for our flock as pastors as we labor and prayer for their spiritual good

There's a poem that James Montgomery an Old godly man man years ago said this in poem about prayer.

It's titled. What is prayer? Prayer is the soul's sincere desire unuttered or expressed the motion of a hidden fire that trembles in the breast

Prayer is the burden of a side the falling of a tear the upward glancing of an eye when none, but God is near Prayer I love this

Prayer is the simplest form of speech that infant lips can try

Prayer the sublimest strains that reach the majesty on high Prayer is the

Christians vital breath the Christians native air his watchword at the gates of death

He enters heaven by prayer Prayer is the contrite sinner's voice returning from his ways while angels and their songs rejoice and cry

Behold, he prays The Saints and prayer appear as one in word and deed in mind while the

Father and the Son sweet fellowship they find No prayer is made by man alone.

The Holy Spirit pleads and Jesus on that the eternal throne for sinners intercedes

O bow by whom we come to God the life the truth the way the path of prayer

Thyself had trod Lord teach us how to pray Amen, I'm telling you folks

It's an exercise. We must exercise daily, or we will become very weak and we'll weak already and frail and after stumble

Prayer is our dependence upon a holy God and when we're not praying we're basically saying

God. I don't need you Ask keep on asking seek keep on seeking not keep on knocking

Don't give up. Don't lose heart Do not faint. Let me give you some bullet points here under this heading

Number one Jesus commands prayer Paul urges prayer and the early church practiced prayer

Jesus commands it Matthew 18 20 where two or three gathered in my name there. I am in the midst of them

Now I understand even though in context to that verse It is speaking a church discipline that Jesus when church disciplines going on Jesus is promising

I will be in the midst of you even if there's two or three The presence of Jesus is promised

I will never leave you nor forsake you He is with us in the midst he is present, but I really believe it can also mean in prayer when we asking

The Lord says I'll give to you seek and he shall find knock and it shall be open to you

So the text there is an encouragement to persevere in prayer Paul urges prayer 1st

Timothy 2 8. I desired therefore that men pray in every place lifting up holy hands Ephesians 6 18 with all prayer and supplication strong crying out.

That's what supplication means crying out strong Before God Jesus commands it

Paul urges it the early church practiced it Acts 1 14 these all with one accord

Continued Steadfastly in what in prayer Acts 4 31 when they prayed the place was shaken where they were gathered together can't imagine that but God shook the place and They were all filled with the

Holy Spirit acts 12 12 He came to the house Speaking of Peter where many were gathered together where and we're praying there was still praying

Appeared in Thomas Watson said this Angel the angel fetched

Peter out of prison, but it was prayer that fetched the angel Hallelujah the power of God in prayer folks

Jesus spoke about it in Matthew 6 Matthew 6 you can go with me there, but notice what he says

But when you pray You shall not be like the hypocrites to play actors

They love to pray. Oh, yeah, they love to pray because their motive was wrong. Let's listen to what motive they had

They love praying because they love standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets that they may be seen by men

Truly truly I say to you they had their reward but you

Talk about to his disciples you that's us When you pray go into your room when you have shut your door pray to your father who is in seek in the secret place and your father who sees in secret will reward you openly

God sees you he cares He loves you

Peter says cast all your care upon him for he cares for you Jesus goes on to say verse 7 and when you pray do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do

For they think that they will be heard for their many words Therefore do not be like them for your father knows the things you have made up before you ask him

And then he goes through the model of prayer again Master teacher right there folks so much more

I could say Times clicking on I do want to say a little bit more here and Matthew 5 20 is a key verse because it speaks

Jesus says for I say to you that unless your righteousness it seeds Exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees you by no means enter into the kingdom of heaven

Pastor MacArthur has a great comment here. He says this on this text On the one hand

Jesus was calling his disciples to a deeper more radical holiness and that of the

Pharisees Pharisee ism had a tender tendency to soften the dolls demands by focusing on only external obedience and in the verses that follow

Jesus unpacks the full moral significance of the law and Shows that the righteousness the law calls for actually involves an internal conformity to the spirit of the law

Rather than mere external compliance to the letter That's why

Paul says it said the spirit not of the letter and Then he says on the other hand to set up This sets up an impossible barrier to work salvation

Scripture teaches repeatedly that sinners are capable of nothing but a flawed and imperfect righteousness

Therefore the only righteousness by which sinners may be justified is the perfect righteousness of God that is imputed to those who believe in Jesus in quote

So in shorthand Bunyan put it this way run John run the law commands, but gives neither feet nor hands better main news

Better news the gospel brings it bids me flying gives me wings That's why it's critical to be born of the

Spirit of God Because prayer not only is a duty it is a delight it is a privilege a

Privilege to pray well we had the priority of prayer the public and private

Use a prayer about passionate prayer passionate prayer Turn with me to James chapter 5

James 5 This is interesting because this this little epistle

Concludes with prayer with a with the speaking of prayer 513 is any one among you suffering let him pray in every circumstance of life.

We should go to the Lord in prayer pray Let him pray is anyone cheerful let him sing songs

Psalms is anyone among you sick let him call for the elders of the church and let it let them pray over him anointing them with oil in the name of the

Lord and The prayer of faith will save the sick and the Lord will raise him up and if he's committed any sins

He will be forgiven confess your trespasses to one another and pray for one another

That you're you may be healed the effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much gives an example here

Elijah was a man of with a nature like ours like passions And he prayed earnestly

That it would not rain. He prayed earnestly and It did not rain on the land for three years and six months notice verse 18 and he prayed again

He persisted Persevered in prayer and the heaven gave rain and the earth produced its fruit

Persevere persistent Passionate praying when you're in trouble we should approach

God in earnest prayer in times of rejoicing we should

Lift our hearts to God and praise God desires to be brought into all the changing mood of moods of our lives

By the way, if you haven't already found out This great truth. God is self -sufficient.

He really doesn't need you or me So what I'm saying is prayer does it really

It's really not for God. It's for us Prayer doesn't change God because God's immutable.

But what does prayer who does prayer change us us? It changes us more into the image of Jesus Christ That's the purpose of prayer

The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much in other words, the righteous man's prayers are effective.

It's passion It's fervent. It's energetic. It's like it's on fire Numbers 11 2 says

Then the people cried out to Moses and when Moses prayed to the Lord the fire was quenched.

In other words, the fire was extinguished The power of God in prayer

Elijah had power with God in prayer. He prayed and he prayed again seven times seven times in this section prayers mentioned first Kings First Kings chapter 7

Speaking of Elijah all the way to chapter 19 verse 10. Ahab being a wicked king of Israel at that time

And through his evil and through his evil wife that influenced him shows you what kind of He was evil, but Jezebel was even more evil influence and King Ahab He became a worshipper of Baal and led the people into vile forms of idolatry man of God God sent

Elijah First Kings 16 33 Ahab did more to provoke the

Lord God of Israel to anger To anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him

He was wicked and in this situation It was a direct result of sin and wickedness that the drought came upon Israel and three and a half years

God dried it up Then Elijah Elijah came on the scene and gave a contest of all the false priest of Baal The false priest

Yeah, you can say priest of Baal yeah On Mount Carmel, you know the story.

It's powerful The fire of the Lord fell during the evening These priests got on the altar cut themselves trying to call on their false

God nothing happened all day long Elijah mocked him Yeah, we can mock false teachers

You bet your life we can Elijah did but during the evening the fire of the

Lord fell Consumed the burnt offering consumed the altar consumed the water and The people were convinced they fell on their faces and they turned back to the

Lord Elijah prayed again and the drought ended What an example

Elijah Was a fervent prayerful righteous

Godly man The prayer of a man of God whose heart is right with God works wonders folks

Never underestimate that priority of prayer

Private and public prayer passionate prayer. What about the last? Final Perseverance perseverance and prayer perseverance

We see this in Acts. I'm sorry Luke 18 turn back with me to Luke.

I think this is very important Luke 18 Jesus gives a parable of the persistent widow

When he spoke a parable to them that men ought men always ought to pray and not lose heart now in other words

We should always pray and not to give up not to faint not to lose heart not to give up Excuse me

Jesus says there was a certain city a Judge who did not fear God nor regard it man now there was a widow in that city and she came to him saying get justice for me from my adversary and He would not for a while and afterwards.

He said within himself though I do not fear God nor regard man yet because this widow troubles me.

I Will avenge her At least by her continued coming. She worries me.

She wears me out. In other words Then the Lord said hear what the unjust judge said and shall

God Not avenge his own elect And notice what he says here who cry out day and night to him

It's assumed that the elect of God calls out to God day and night

Though he bears long with them and Jesus said

I tell you that he will avenge them speedily Nevertheless When the

Son of Man comes and he's speaking about his second coming his glorious coming Will he really find faith on the earth?

You see how faith and prayers connected folks if we have real living faith our prayers will be real

And not artificial not repetitious. It would be real to God Because we have a relationship with God This persistent widow did not give up the parable the praying widow teaches us that man ought to always to pray and not to lose heart

Not to never give up folks do not give up and if your prayer life is in shambles don't give up Persist with God Because God has a ready ear

His his ear is always Ready to hear but if you regard iniquity in your heart, the

Lord will not hear But make sure we repent Confess and forsake our sin parable pictures an unrighteous judge who was ordinarily quite unmoved by the

Fear of God or regard for his fellow man. There was also this widow who was being oppressed by some unnamed adversary

This widow came to the judge persistently wearing them out asking for justice so that she might be delivered from his inhumane treat the judge was unmoved by Her case and the fact that she was being

Treated unjustly did not move him to action in her behalf however

The regular intervals Which she came before him prompted him to act her persistence

Brought a decision in her favor Then the

Lord explained to the disciples that if the unjust judge would act in behalf of this poor widow because of her persistence

How much more? How much more with a judge of all the earth the judge of the entire universe?

Intervene in behalf of His own elect folks. I hope this is an encouragement to you.

I know it's been a strong message But it's a strong message to my heart now we need we need strong messages we need strong medicine

But I pray this is a strong exhortation To know that our God cares

For his people and he loves them with the undying love he loves you and the reason

God has not intervened many times Long ago is because God is long -suffering and patient He's gracious and he's very patient.

So sometimes we may think that God's not answering prayer, but Maybe his nose when he says no to something.

He knows what's best Our Lord in verse 18 drives home this encouraging truth to the heart of with a sobering and probing question

Nevertheless when the Son of Man comes when he when will he really find faith on the earth and that searching

Will he find faith? Would he find this in you if he came back right now within this hour?

And he's going to come soon and when he does come

And all of his power and glory with all the holy angels the hammer of judgment is going to fall

God's Spirit will no longer strive with man But then he asked will he really find faith on earth will he find it

That questions for us folks Jesus knows the answer to It's probably a mismade name that this kind of faith the poor widow had it also may indicate that When the

Lord returns there will be only a remnant who are really truly saved and thankful to him

I'll take the latter view In the meantime each of us should be encouraged to the kind of faith and prayer that cries out to God night and day

The kind of prayer that perseveres to the very end Fight the good fight of faith

So we must value pray and however when we do not see the answers It could be that God's mercy is to deny us unanswered prayer in order to give us growth and submission to him

Faith's roots often grow deepest in the soil unanswered prayer Missionary, William Carey.

Listen this I give you an example of what is known as the father of missions I believe there's other missionaries before him.

I think David Brainerd was one of them, but Carey was definitely one of the father of missions labored as a missionary in India for eight years folks

Eight years before baptizing his very first convert from Hinduism to Christ Yet in those years

Carey Learned to live for the glory of God alone He wrote this quote.

I feel that it is good to commit my soul my body and my all into the hands of God then the world appear little and promises great and God an all -sufficient portion

Joel Beakey says this about Carey quote God's delay became marrow for Carey's soul

That still happens today carry. I'm sorry Beaky says is that still happens today to believers when exercised in prayer by God by God's silences

They find more of God himself God is always greater and more valuable than his answers

That's wisdom folks listen to this And he goes on to say the greatest mercy is to find

God not his mercies Then we discovered that when we ask for silver

God may Wrap his silences in gold that does doesn't perish in quote

Amen May we have The kind of faith that William Carey had to encourage us all to pray

It was Carey that said that expect great things from God and attempt great things for God May this be true of a redeeming grace

Church Folks it's my burden here that each and every one of us be men and women of God children you can pray to You're not excluded from this you included

God Can use your prayers? Let me

I've got I got it in this plane Jc. Rowell says let us never forget that our chief danger is from within The world and the devil combined cannot do us as much harm as our own hearts will

If we do not watch and pray let me close with Psalm 32

I Had something from the valley of vision, but I don't have enough time If you had the valley of vision just brother

Keith sent a wonderful one out today on prayer. Thank you brother Keith. That was encouraging Next to the

Bible get the prayers of these Puritans folks This is this a fire your heart of Living by prayer living by prayer

Maybe I can squeeze it in if you bear with me. Amen. Can you bear with me? Psalm 32, let me give you a little bit from Psalm 32 and I want to read this here quickly only 11 verses

Does psalm of David blessed as he whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered blessed is the man to whom the

Lord does not impute iniquity and Whose spirit there is no deceit when

I kept silent my bones grew old and though through my groaning all day long

For day and night your hand was heavy upon me. My vitality was turned into the drought of summer

Sela. I Acknowledged my sin to you and my iniquity.

I have not hidden. I Said I will confess my transgressions to the Lord's notice how transparent he is.

He knows God sees his heart folks We might as well pray that too and you forgave the iniquity of my sin

Sela That's something to see lift about in it God forgives our sin Notice what he says in verse 6 for this calls everyone who is godly shall pray to you in a time when you may be found

Surely in a flood of great waters they shall not come near him. You are my hiding place

You shall preserve me from trouble You shall surround me with songs of deliverance

Sela And then God gives his instruction through through David. I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go.

I Will guide you with my eye Do not be like the horse or like the mule Which have no understanding

Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle Else, they will not come near you.

In other words, don't be Hard -headed and prideful humble yourself before the

Lord of heaven humble yourself and God will exalt you Many sorrows shall be to the wicked but he who trusts in the

Lord mercy shall surround him Be glad in the Lord and rejoice you righteous and shout for joy

All you upright and heart Let me pray.

Look let this be your prayer. Listen to this Living by prayer.

Do you live by prayer? Oh God of the open ear Teach me to live by prayer as well as by Providence for myself soul body children family church

Give me a heart frame able to die will so I might live in prayer and honor thee

Being kept from evil known and unknown Help me to see the sin that accompanies all

I do and The good that I shall I can distill from everything

Let me know that the work of prayer is to bring let me know that the work of prayer is to bring my will to dine and That without this it is folly to pray

When I try to bring thy will to mine it is to command Christ to be above him

Wiser than he This is my sin and my pride. I could only succeed when

I pray According to that preset and promise And to be done with as it pleases thee

According to that sovereign will when that command is me to pray for pardon peace and brokenness

It is because I will give me the thing promised for thy glory as Well as for my good

Help me not only to desire small things But with holy boldness to desire great things for thy people for myself

That they and I might live to show thy glory Teach me just like what

David said God says through David teach me That it is wisdom for me to pray for all

I have out of love willingly not out of this not of necessity

That I may come to thee at any time to lay open my needs acceptably to thee that my great sin lies in my

Not keeping the Savior of thy ways That the remembrance of this truth is one way to sense of thy presence

And there is no wrath like the wrath of being governed by my own lust for my own ends

Amen Amen father we thank you

For this Lord's Day Lord may we honor you The most important Lord may we sit at the feet of Jesus Like Mary chose

Oh God save us save us from ourselves Save us from apathy

Save us from everything false Lord, you know our hearts today encourage each and one of your

God of your people How much you truly love them? And may prayer not only be a duty

But be a delight and a joy and a privilege

To bow at the feet of Jesus And hear his word Lord forgive us for our prayerlessness and Help us

Oh God to go forward from this point Every day pressing in the kingdom of God the kingdom of God suffers violence and The violent take it by force

Lord help us to press in to agonize To pray to fight this good fight

To the very end of our last breath And we would do it for your glory and honor in Jesus name