Prayer.

in my opinion the greatest fringe benefit of being a christian is prayer i want to talk to you about prayer in a way that if you knew nothing before i finish i hope you begin to understand brief word of prayer heavenly father i pray now for the sprinkling of the blood of jesus by your spirit to be upon every person who listens that their perception of what i say will be heard as you intend cleanse my tongue that i will be your transparent vehicle to pass on all that needs to be said nothing that doesn't need to be said help me to be very very clear very very simple and i pray that this will help everyone who listens and will change their lives and that this word will bring great honor and glory to your name i pray in jesus name amen in colossians chapter 4 verse 2 the apostle paul says continue steadfastly in prayer you might like to know that there are four references to prayer in the book of colossians the first is right at the beginning where paul says he's been praying for them and now we have this one in chapter 4 verse 2 where he tells them to pray and then the very next verse says at the same time pray for us so paul prays for them he wants them to pray because this is what we all need to do is to spend more time with god in prayer and then toward the end chapter 4 verse 12 he talks about epiphanes the one that god used to lead them to jesus he prays for them laboring we'll come to that later what i want to do today is to introduce prayer not that many of you will need an introduction to prayer but something that i used to do at westminster chapel sometimes we'd come to a particular word in a series and i think more time needs to be dealt with this verse or this subject and that's what i'm going to do i'm going to take a little time this will not be the only subject on prayer there might be two or three four we'll see how it goes but i want to introduce prayer if you knew nothing now in order to do that i want to read from a very familiar verse that is familiar to many christians hope it's familiar to you it's hebrews chapter 4 verse 16 where paul says let us then come with confidence to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need now keep in mind paul is saying to the colossians that they should continue steadfastly in prayer uh why would he put it like that well sometimes people will pray and quit quickly or they'll do it for a few minutes or they do it once in a day and they think that's enough the bible says paul says it elsewhere pray without ceasing i need to tell you the moment you become a christian this is not when god just says congratulations see you in heaven no it's the beginning of a life of a relationship where you get to know god now the two ways that this is happening generally speaking one is by time in prayer the other is reading holy scripture getting to know god's word these two things i want to talk about prayer because this is when you actually talk to god i would define prayer as asking god to act you say well why do you continue steadfastly in it it's because you're talking to the most high god and you get to know a person by how much time you spend with them if you've heard me many times you know that i am fond of saying children spell love t-i-m-e what if god spells love t-i-m-e the question is how much do you pray but now i want to give you what i would say is an elementary lesson on the subject of prayer because when the writer of hebrews says let us come with confidence some versions boldly to the throne of grace this is preceded by a very important word that i want to read as well it's verse 14 of hebrews chapter 4 since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens jesus the son of god let us hold fast our profession oh the writer is addressing jewish christians and he uses language that every hebrew will be familiar with high priest and he refers to jesus as our great high priest in the old testament uh there were many priests thousands uh but there was one chosen from a tribe of levi who once a year would go into the most holy place and not without blood and would sprinkle the blood of a lamb a goat a bull on the mercy seat the mercy seat was a slab of gold about this wide on a chest and this is where atonement took place behind a curtain there was a curtain that separated the outer court from the inner court and the high priest once a year only once a year would go behind the curtain sprinkle the blood on this mercy seat the ritual was so sacred that they tied a bell to the ankle of the high priest and a rope to the ankle that led to the outer court the reason for that is if he for some reason were struck dead uh maybe because he didn't do it right because the high priest was very worried he's more worried about the liturgy than anything else well nobody would go back there and get him because only one person once a year could do that so they would drag him out if he if he died while it was in there that was how serious this was all right the blood made the difference and we know this that jesus christ died on the cross for our sins he shed his blood but only in the letter to the hebrews are we told he is a priest our great high priest and he's identified as jesus the son of god i don't know if you're aware of this but it's the only time in the new testament where jesus is described succinctly just like that jesus the son of god why do you suppose that is well the writer of hebrews wants us all to know we must never forget this that jesus was and is a man as though he were not god and yet he was and is god as though he were not man he is the god-man and we must never forget that when we come to god in prayer we are going through his son jesus christ never think of praying apart from the person of jesus christ don't be ashamed of this no this is vital and this is the first thing you need to learn about prayer we're going to god our father in the name of his son jesus christ the god man you know we're living in a day when the most offensive teaching probably on the planet is to say that jesus christ is the only way to god and the only way to heaven but we do this we say this and uphold us only because jesus said to do it you know people will look at us sometimes and accuse us and say you think you're the only one that's right it's not that we say things like that we don't say that what we say is jesus is the only one that was right and we are upholding his word because in john 14 verse 6 we're told by jesus i am the way the truth and the life no one comes to the father but by me so he said that and then the apostles in the book of acts said there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby people must be saved except through the name of jesus don't be ashamed of this and don't for one minute doubt its importance all right we're talking about prayer we go to god our father and know that jesus christ son of god is there we're told that he's actually at the right hand of the father because in hebrews chapter 1 verse 3 we're told that he ascended to heaven and sits at the right hand of god and he upholds all the universe by the word of his power all right there's one more thing that i want to see before we come to verse 16 that i want to talk about today verse 15 says this high priest is different in this way he says we do not have a high priest who was unable to sympathize uh but he was tempted just like we were uh and he's never forgotten what it was like yet he was tempted without sin see the high priest as i said when he went in to the most holy place he was concerned about the liturgy and that was it he didn't think about the people their feelings their suffering their hurts their inability he was only thinking of doing it right but jesus we're told sympathizes with all of us he has been tempted himself he has never forgotten what it is like what it was like and so this will enable anybody that i'm talking to right now you may feel that you are the weakest person on the planet you may feel you're the greatest sinner that ever lived you may feel that you are the most unworthy person because you've got this habit or this weakness or this fault and you think i can't pray i can't pray i'm not worthy to pray you need to understand that you may think that your faults turning him off to use the vernacular expression i want you to know it turns him on we're told he is touched with the feeling of our weaknesses so don't let any weakness that you have prohibit you slowed you down or make you feel reluctant to come to god in prayer because at the right hand of god the one through whom you're coming sympathizes with that in mind we're told let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need i'm quoting the old king james version at that point who does this apply to the answer is let us come how boldly where are we going under the throne of grace why that we may obtain what mercy and find grace to help when in time of need this wonderful verse answers all these questions question number one who does this apply to he says let us come ordinary people just like you and me do you realize we're invited to the throne of grace now when you think of a throne you think of a monarchy you think of a sovereign the king the queen never forget only a sovereign has the right to invite who comes into their presence and when i think here we are invited to one on which is seated the king of kings lord of lords and he says let us come simple people like you and me sinful people like you and me i love the old hymn just as i am without one plea but that thy blood was shed for me and that thou bitched me come to thee o lamb of god i come that means you and i can come no qualifying necessary doesn't matter what is your social status your education color of your skin your cream your background these things they don't matter it doesn't matter what your political status is whether you're aristocratic or you're a democrat republican tolerate labor this doesn't matter just as we are god doesn't look at that he looks on the heart man looks on the outward appearance god looks on the heart let us come how boldly or in the version here i have with confidence now i would have thought i've never been but those who go to buckingham palace uh you're probably nervous not feeling very confident and the idea of going boldly surely if one goes into the palace into the presence of her majesty you bow your head if you're a woman you're genuflect but what does this mean we come boldly before the king of kings well it's not based upon how good we are you see the boldness what is it how can you come with such boldness well this same jesus who died on the cross shed his blood that blood is later called in hebrews chapter 10 the new and living way by the blood of jesus therefore no qualifying is necessary and we're all on level ground and we come boldly not because you're better than others not because you pray more than others what enables you to come with boldness i'm an old man and i've been a christian for 77 years does that mean that i can come more boldly than you no no if you've been a christian one day you can come with the same boldness that i have it's all by the blood of jesus and that's the way we get in because god is not going to look at you as i said and see what you look like how well connected you are what good you can do you're not looking at that at all he wants you to come as you are and he loves you just like you are or the words of sin augustine god loves every person as if there were no one else to love it's a wonderful feeling all right who comes let us come how boldly where are we going throne of grace you see what happened when jesus christ who died on the cross the third day easter morning he was raised from the dead and then 40 days later he ascended to heaven and now he sits at the right hand of god and that is called a throne he is on a throne in heaven yes and it's called a throne of grace by the way god's throne i don't think we should ever forget this is essentially a throne of justice the god of the bible is the god of justice but he loved the world so much he sent his son to die the reason he had to die is that his blood paid our debt and satisfied god's justice that is the reason the throne in heaven is called throne of grace you know one day this throne will be a throne of judgment in revelation chapter 20 verse 11 john said i saw a great white throne one sat on it from whose face heaven and earth fled away the books were opened and another book was opened which is the book of life and whoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone you see it's not a question whether we're going to go to god's throne it's only a question of which throne here i am talking with you and i'm hoping that you will be persuaded by the holy spirit to come and and pray and maybe you're one of those who says well this man didn't convert me i may not you may win the battle but god will win the war because one day you will be summoned to the throne of judgment and give an account but at this moment this is a wonderful thing it's a throne of grace what is grace someone put it like this love that looks upward is adoration love that looks across is affection love that looks down is grace paul said in ephesians 2 verse 8 for by grace are you saved through faith that not of yourselves that is god's gift not of works lest anyone brag about it you see god's plan of salvation is so designed that he gets all the glory all of it and the very fact that you're enabled to believe on him is the gift of god when you see your sin you couldn't do that in your own strength because by nature we all think we're pretty good we don't like to see ourselves as sinner this is why one old puritan coined this expression the sinner is a sacred thing the holy ghost has made him so so if you're recognizing you're a sinner be of good cheer only god could make you see this and this is why you would be propelled to run to god come to the throne of grace because it's there you find love but then the question is why that we may obtain or receive now what we're doing we're dealing with this verse in colossians that says we should continue steadfastly in prayer you see this is something you should do every day you should take time to pray you should have it in your schedule it should be just as much an important thing to you as getting dressed brushing your teeth being on time wherever you're going we're having an appointment and prayer is just something you do you take the time and you continue steadfastly that means you don't give up i'll have to tell you a little secret about god like it or not he sometimes plays hard to get he wants to see how much you care how important it is the things you ask for him and he says continue steadfastly in prayer on another study i'm going to deal with luke chapter 18 where jesus gives the parable that shows that we should never give up all right why do we pray that we may obtain very important you don't go to the throne of grace to withdraw from yourself as if you had something inside that's good you know it's a modern way of looking at mankind humankind is to discover the power within you nonsense because when i look in my heart i have to tell you something i discover wretchedness unworthiness there's a verse jeremiah chapter 17 verse 9 never forget this you never outgrow this the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked incurably wicked who can know it you see that's the way we will be until we go to heaven at which time we'll be glorified and we'll be given new hearts but we need to know this about ourselves and some people think because they're so good or they imagine they are they've done this for god or that and they think that's why they can come more boldly you know what i want the holiest person who might be watching right now you may see consider yourself holy and godly and i hope you are but you never outgrow needing the blood of jesus and we all are in the same boat and we need to go that we want to obtain in other words it's outside ourselves you don't find anything inside that makes you think oh i'm good i'm better i'm doing well don't even think that don't even come close to that because we know that we are sinners but here's the thing we go to obtain from god as one scripture put it to the rock that is higher than i you go there because you have nothing inside yourself but he's got something and what do you suppose you ask for this may surprise you do you realize the first thing that you ever ask for when you pray the first thing and i mean every time you pray every day this is the thing i keep in mind always you ask for mercy you say surely not i thought that's what you did when you first became a christian you asked for mercy well you'd be right about that because when you become a christian you're aware you need his mercy the one difference between mercy and grace is grace is unmerited favor giving you strength that you don't deserve but mercy is when you don't get what you do deserve because when we realize what we really deserve the things we have done if god were to play a game tit for tat we can never hold our heads up and we're just aware every time we pray we're privileged we're so unworthy listen never forget this the first thing you ever ask for even if you pray a thousand times you ask for mercy because when you ask for mercy you're aware that you don't deserve anything from him you can't bargain with him there's nothing in your past present that would give you some kind of leverage that god owes you something i sometimes think that the greatest curse of our age is the feeling of entitlement everybody feels entitled and they feel that way about god this is just not true and when you realize that and when you pray you know that you are so unworthy i think of the leper the leper who came to jesus you see in those days a leper knew his place i mean he just went around and he would have to cry out uncamped uncamped it was a humiliation and people stayed away from the leper we're in a time now where those of us in lockdown in the middle of this coronavirus were supposed to stay six feet away they would stay many yards away from a leper they didn't want to get close at all and so the leper knew his place when this particular leper saw jesus he said to himself i think i could go to that man i think he would receive me but even so you know what he did he went up to jesus and fell down on his face and said lord if you will you can make me clean notice how i put it if you will you don't have to you don't have to but if you will and jesus said i will he's rich in mercy but never forget what god said to moses exodus chapter 33 verse 19 i will have mercy on whom i will have mercy i will be gracious to whom i will be gracious and we never forget this the god of the bible is a sovereign god and it's such a privilege to come to him as i say the greatest fringe benefit of being a christian is the privilege of prayer but if you just rush into god and you snap your finger and expect god to salute you or that you're doing him a favor or he's just going to say oh listen this wonderful i've been waiting for somebody like this you're important i don't get many important people oh you can come what do you want listen we're all unworthy we're all unworthy and that's why we ask for mercy you know don't get the cart before the horse people rush in just to get something but no you realize your place and you go on bended knee a story i often tell many years ago louise and i were driving in miami beach florida on collins avenue if you've been to miami beach uh that's the street where you have all the luxury hotels i think for 17 miles there's one next to each other beautiful sight and the most famous is the fault in blue and we were driving down collins avenue i would say going 35 miles per hour came to a traffic light it was green then it turned yellow and before i knew it turned red and i was going 35 miles per hour i went on through shouldn't have done it i did in my rearview mirror there's a blue light going off and on off and on i don't know if you've ever been stopped by a policeman it's awful feeling when you pull over now i was hoping to go back to the policeman and act like i don't know why he stopped me but i knew why and i could see by the look on his face he was just looking like this i knew that he knew that i knew what i'd done so i just started i said look officer please don't give me a ticket you've got me he said well why shouldn't i give you a ticket give me a reason i said well i'd appreciate it he said now look why shouldn't i give you a ticket you went right through that red light you went right through that red light give me a reason i shouldn't give you a ticket i said well i think that where we live the light stays yellow just a little bit longer he he wasn't going to take that and then i said we're going 35 miles per hour he said the speed limit is 25. he can now stop me arrest me for something he hadn't even stopped before i thought i better quit there may be something else he'll find out i said i can't think of any reason i'm just asking for mercy he let me go i never won't forget how i felt but you see that's what the writer is saying here you go to the throne of grace to obtain mercy but one thing follows you find grace to help remember you don't go to the throne of grace for grace that's the end in view yes but you find grace to help having asked for mercy that's the thing who does this apply to he says let us come how with boldness confidence where are we going throne of grace why that we may obtain we go outside ourselves what mercy and find grace to help when in time of need in our time of need that's the wonderful thing paul says to the colossians continue steadfastly in prayer and sometimes when you keep asking and asking you think lord when when will you answer we all know what it's like to pray for things and then god doesn't answer i can tell you things i've prayed for for years and years and years i'm still waiting sometimes i ask for something i'll get it the first day god doesn't tell us why he does this or that his ways are higher than our ways but when we're told continue steadfastly that just means you know he's there you know he's listening but the good news is he knows the point beyond which we couldn't go another day i remember when louise and i were first married i worked as a salesman and i would go out trying to get a sale and when i come in the end of the day louise said how did it go i said no good next day sell anything nope third day sell anything no and i said we can't go another day we can't go another day and you see god knew when that was and that day i made a sale i found it to be that way over the years he never lets me down he will let me wait and i think while you're making we wait but here's what i've learned he comes in he's never too late he's never too early he's always just on time and so this applies to all of us we have our weaknesses we're not perfect but jesus is touched with the feeling of our weaknesses never forget who he is jesus the son of god our great high priest who himself on this earth went through every conceivable kind of temptation and he hasn't gone to heaven and forgot what it was like no he's never forgotten and he will sympathize with you he knows your need he sees right into your heart and it's beckoning for you to give him the time that he deserves and he will come through for you he knows just how much you can bear that's the wonderful savior that we have i say to you prayer is the greatest privilege that we have the greatest fringe benefit of being a christian main benefit you know you go to heaven when you die that's why you become a christian this is why he died on the cross but that said the fringe benefit of being a christian is talking to god and asking him for anything he comes he'll be there for you never too late never too early always just on time heavenly father apply this word by your holy spirit i pray in jesus name amen

Channel: RT Kendall

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Id: ZieXlaLtK3c

Length: 34min 56sec (2096 seconds)

Published: Fri Aug 14 2020