1 00:00:30,899 --> 00:00:32,179 He makes no mistake. 2 00:00:32,339 --> 00:00:35,259 We believe that and we know it and we say amen. 3 00:00:35,259 --> 00:00:41,619 But sometimes it takes faith when things happen to say to ourselves, 4 00:00:41,619 --> 00:00:43,059 God makes no mistakes. 5 00:00:43,779 --> 00:00:50,859 He never says, oh, if God could change anything, then he couldn't 6 00:00:50,859 --> 00:00:53,779 be perfect because he'd have to improve. 7 00:00:54,899 --> 00:00:56,579 God can't improve anything. 8 00:00:57,919 --> 00:01:01,919 And so we need to live by faith and not by feeling. 9 00:01:03,119 --> 00:01:06,079 Because every day things happen and we wonder why. 10 00:01:07,359 --> 00:01:12,559 And God keeps saying, trust me, in due season you shall reap. 11 00:01:13,279 --> 00:01:14,479 If you faint not. 12 00:01:16,319 --> 00:01:19,839 Take your Bible and go to the book of Exodus, chapter number 32. 13 00:01:20,959 --> 00:01:25,279 I want to share something with you tonight that was life changing 14 00:01:25,279 --> 00:01:28,799 for me a number of years ago. 15 00:01:28,799 --> 00:01:31,359 It changed me in my prayer life. 16 00:01:32,479 --> 00:01:36,959 I've been praying since I was saved in 1966. 17 00:01:36,959 --> 00:01:41,919 I was 14 years old when I got saved and I began praying. 18 00:01:43,359 --> 00:01:47,279 And I've prayed a lot of prayers through a lot of years. 19 00:01:48,239 --> 00:01:52,019 But not long ago, God showed me something. 20 00:01:52,019 --> 00:01:57,619 And I know I'd read it before, but it changed the way I prayed and 21 00:01:57,619 --> 00:01:59,179 the way I thought about prayer. 22 00:01:59,979 --> 00:02:02,139 Who can measure the power of prayer? 23 00:02:03,099 --> 00:02:04,699 I mean, how would you measure it? 24 00:02:04,779 --> 00:02:05,419 It's this. 25 00:02:05,898 --> 00:02:07,499 This powerful or this powerful. 26 00:02:07,499 --> 00:02:08,539 I mean, how could you. 27 00:02:08,539 --> 00:02:11,059 How could we even fathom the. 28 00:02:11,059 --> 00:02:16,219 Think someone said, more things are wrought by prayer than 29 00:02:16,219 --> 00:02:17,669 this world ever dreams of. 30 00:02:17,899 --> 00:02:18,139 Of. 31 00:02:19,419 --> 00:02:24,539 The Bible says the fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth 32 00:02:24,539 --> 00:02:24,859 much. 33 00:02:25,739 --> 00:02:26,779 How much is much? 34 00:02:29,579 --> 00:02:35,099 How much does prayer accomplish? 35 00:02:37,819 --> 00:02:42,699 We sing the song, oh, what peace we often forfeit oh, what needless 36 00:02:42,699 --> 00:02:48,839 pain we bear all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer. 37 00:02:51,159 --> 00:02:53,959 The Bible says you have not because you ask not. 38 00:02:56,119 --> 00:03:00,719 And he said, if you ask, sometimes we can ask amiss that we 39 00:03:00,719 --> 00:03:03,559 might consume things upon ourselves. 40 00:03:05,639 --> 00:03:12,119 I teach a class on prayer at the Norris Bible Baptist Seminary. 41 00:03:13,279 --> 00:03:17,119 Brother Stewart and I couldn't find any school in America that taught 42 00:03:17,119 --> 00:03:18,959 a semester on prayer. 43 00:03:20,239 --> 00:03:24,919 And I said, well, that's kind of strange if prayer is what we believe 44 00:03:24,919 --> 00:03:25,439 it is. 45 00:03:26,479 --> 00:03:28,319 I think it was DL Moody. 46 00:03:28,319 --> 00:03:28,999 I'm not sure. 47 00:03:28,999 --> 00:03:34,759 You may remember, he said, I would rather teach one man how to 48 00:03:34,759 --> 00:03:36,719 pray than 10 men how to preach. 49 00:03:39,849 --> 00:03:41,449 And we got to thinking about that. 50 00:03:41,449 --> 00:03:42,809 I said, I mean, what. 51 00:03:43,609 --> 00:03:48,449 What would be more important for a preacher to learn than how 52 00:03:48,449 --> 00:03:48,969 to pray? 53 00:03:50,009 --> 00:03:51,449 I'm still learning how to pray. 54 00:03:51,449 --> 00:03:56,329 You never graduate the amazing doctrine of prayer. 55 00:03:57,289 --> 00:03:59,449 And then the devil hates prayer, doesn't he? 56 00:04:00,169 --> 00:04:03,129 You know, that solves a lot of things when you stop and think about, 57 00:04:03,779 --> 00:04:08,779 well, whatever the devil hates must be pretty good, and what he 58 00:04:08,779 --> 00:04:10,579 doesn't hate must be pretty bad. 59 00:04:11,859 --> 00:04:14,099 Amen I know that sounds a little simple. 60 00:04:15,059 --> 00:04:17,539 I preached Sunday about simplifying. 61 00:04:19,139 --> 00:04:21,139 Does the devil fear your prayer? 62 00:04:22,899 --> 00:04:29,429 Does he get a little nervous when he sees you getting alone and 63 00:04:29,429 --> 00:04:30,429 beginning to pray? 64 00:04:32,749 --> 00:04:34,989 Are your prayers exciting? 65 00:04:36,429 --> 00:04:38,429 Are they fervent? 66 00:04:40,189 --> 00:04:42,189 Do you look forward to a time of prayer? 67 00:04:42,349 --> 00:04:48,589 Are you driven to prayer or are you led to prayer? 68 00:04:48,589 --> 00:04:50,429 Do you follow after prayer? 69 00:04:52,509 --> 00:04:55,789 What do you think would be greater than teaching our children 70 00:04:55,869 --> 00:04:56,669 how to pray? 71 00:04:59,399 --> 00:05:03,879 When I was growing up, my grandfather was in the home where 72 00:05:03,879 --> 00:05:04,919 we lived in his house. 73 00:05:05,079 --> 00:05:06,999 And he did all the praying. 74 00:05:07,799 --> 00:05:10,279 But when I got old enough, I learned to pray. 75 00:05:10,279 --> 00:05:13,519 And it was the only prayer I ever heard, ever knew, till I got 76 00:05:13,519 --> 00:05:13,959 saved. 77 00:05:14,999 --> 00:05:15,879 God is good. 78 00:05:16,359 --> 00:05:17,239 God is great. 79 00:05:17,879 --> 00:05:19,879 Let us thank him for our food. 80 00:05:20,279 --> 00:05:20,919 Amen. 81 00:05:21,959 --> 00:05:23,319 That was my prayer life. 82 00:05:24,759 --> 00:05:27,399 But when I got saved, I prayed all the way home. 83 00:05:27,879 --> 00:05:31,559 I had to walk about two miles from the church home and I prayed 84 00:05:31,639 --> 00:05:32,319 the whole way. 85 00:05:32,319 --> 00:05:34,439 And I'd never prayed before like that. 86 00:05:36,119 --> 00:05:41,079 But when we get serious about prayer, Satan begins to send out 87 00:05:41,079 --> 00:05:42,679 his demons of doubt. 88 00:05:44,599 --> 00:05:46,119 They just kind of hover around. 89 00:05:46,119 --> 00:05:47,959 You really think God hears you? 90 00:05:47,959 --> 00:05:50,199 Do you really think God could answer that prayer? 91 00:05:50,619 --> 00:05:51,739 Well, that's impossible. 92 00:05:52,219 --> 00:05:53,259 That'll never change. 93 00:05:53,579 --> 00:05:54,219 Come on. 94 00:05:54,779 --> 00:05:57,099 You ever had that voice ringing in your ear? 95 00:05:58,219 --> 00:05:58,779 Doubt? 96 00:06:02,859 --> 00:06:08,379 Years ago, God showed me this passage in Exodus, changed me drastically. 97 00:06:10,059 --> 00:06:11,339 And I want to share it with you. 98 00:06:11,339 --> 00:06:14,739 It's in Exodus chapter number 32, and we'll begin. 99 00:06:14,739 --> 00:06:15,379 Verse 7. 100 00:06:15,379 --> 00:06:20,559 The Lord said unto Moses, go and get thee down. 101 00:06:21,199 --> 00:06:22,239 He was in the mountain. 102 00:06:22,239 --> 00:06:26,879 He said, for thy people which thou broughtest out of the land of 103 00:06:26,879 --> 00:06:32,879 Egypt, have corrupted themselves so God was watching. 104 00:06:34,159 --> 00:06:35,359 They have sinned. 105 00:06:35,599 --> 00:06:42,519 They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded 106 00:06:42,519 --> 00:06:42,799 them. 107 00:06:44,729 --> 00:06:49,289 They have made them a molten calf, you remember that, and have 108 00:06:49,289 --> 00:06:54,009 worshipped it and have sacrificed thereunto. 109 00:06:54,889 --> 00:07:00,169 And said, these be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up 110 00:07:00,649 --> 00:07:03,449 out of the land of Egypt. 111 00:07:03,929 --> 00:07:04,809 Now watch this. 112 00:07:05,929 --> 00:07:08,649 The Lord said unto Moses, I've seen this people. 113 00:07:09,669 --> 00:07:12,949 And behold, it is a stiff necked people. 114 00:07:14,549 --> 00:07:16,309 Now look what this is God. 115 00:07:16,309 --> 00:07:18,549 Look what God says to Moses. 116 00:07:19,749 --> 00:07:25,829 Now therefore, let me alone think about that for a moment. 117 00:07:25,829 --> 00:07:28,069 God said, I want you to leave me alone. 118 00:07:29,509 --> 00:07:31,669 Because Moses was a man of prayer. 119 00:07:32,869 --> 00:07:36,149 He prayed great prayers and God gave great answers. 120 00:07:37,509 --> 00:07:40,469 And God knew the heart of Moses and he'd heard many of his 121 00:07:40,469 --> 00:07:40,949 prayers. 122 00:07:42,629 --> 00:07:47,629 But here, as strange as it seems, maybe not to you, but when 123 00:07:47,629 --> 00:07:48,789 I first read that. 124 00:07:50,869 --> 00:07:52,309 Let me alone, Moses. 125 00:07:53,189 --> 00:07:56,069 Don't try to influence me with your prayers. 126 00:07:57,909 --> 00:08:01,389 Don't bother me that my wrath. 127 00:08:01,389 --> 00:08:08,079 He said in verse 10 may wax hot against them, and that I may 128 00:08:08,079 --> 00:08:09,039 consume them. 129 00:08:09,679 --> 00:08:10,159 Wow. 130 00:08:11,759 --> 00:08:14,239 And I will make of thee a great nation. 131 00:08:14,479 --> 00:08:15,359 How about that? 132 00:08:16,159 --> 00:08:19,399 He said, moses, I'm getting ready to wipe every one of them out 133 00:08:19,399 --> 00:08:19,799 but you. 134 00:08:19,799 --> 00:08:21,919 And we're going to start over, all over again. 135 00:08:22,799 --> 00:08:25,279 And you're going to be the head of the new nation. 136 00:08:26,079 --> 00:08:27,119 Is that what it said? 137 00:08:29,529 --> 00:08:30,969 And so Moses didn't pray. 138 00:08:31,049 --> 00:08:31,449 No. 139 00:08:31,689 --> 00:08:32,489 Verse 11. 140 00:08:33,289 --> 00:08:36,889 And Moses besought the Lord his God. 141 00:08:38,489 --> 00:08:44,849 Now, I don't understand all the theology here, because God said, 142 00:08:44,849 --> 00:08:45,569 leave me alone. 143 00:08:45,569 --> 00:08:47,129 But Moses didn't do it. 144 00:08:47,289 --> 00:08:48,489 Did he disobey? 145 00:08:49,049 --> 00:08:56,419 Well, I don't want to get into an argument about that, but Moses 146 00:08:57,059 --> 00:09:04,219 prayed, and he said, lord, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy 147 00:09:04,219 --> 00:09:07,699 people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of 148 00:09:07,699 --> 00:09:12,019 Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 149 00:09:13,539 --> 00:09:18,979 Wherefore should the Egyptians speak the enemy and say, for mischief 150 00:09:19,139 --> 00:09:23,239 did he bring them out to slay them in the mountains and to consume 151 00:09:23,239 --> 00:09:24,799 them from the face of the earth? 152 00:09:27,919 --> 00:09:32,479 Turn from thy fierce wrath and repent of this evil against thy people. 153 00:09:32,879 --> 00:09:38,479 Remember Abraham and Isaac and Israel, thy servants to whom thou 154 00:09:38,479 --> 00:09:46,639 swearest by thine own self and saidest unto them, I will multiply 155 00:09:46,719 --> 00:09:49,109 your seed as the stars of heaven. 156 00:09:50,219 --> 00:09:53,859 And all this land that I have spoken of will I give you unto your 157 00:09:53,859 --> 00:09:56,219 seed, and they shall inherit it forever. 158 00:09:56,219 --> 00:09:58,339 He's quoting God in his prayer. 159 00:09:58,339 --> 00:09:59,739 He says, God, you said this. 160 00:10:00,779 --> 00:10:04,459 And the Egyptians are going to falsely accuse you. 161 00:10:05,018 --> 00:10:06,379 Your name's going to be mud. 162 00:10:06,459 --> 00:10:11,019 God, if you do this, you're going to look bad. 163 00:10:11,259 --> 00:10:12,779 That's basically what he's saying. 164 00:10:13,339 --> 00:10:14,859 He said, you made a promise. 165 00:10:14,939 --> 00:10:16,059 You made a covenant. 166 00:10:16,639 --> 00:10:17,519 You brought him out. 167 00:10:18,239 --> 00:10:19,679 You did mighty things. 168 00:10:19,759 --> 00:10:20,479 Miracles. 169 00:10:21,839 --> 00:10:22,879 Look at verse 14. 170 00:10:24,719 --> 00:10:30,599 And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto 171 00:10:30,599 --> 00:10:31,119 his people. 172 00:10:32,159 --> 00:10:32,558 Period. 173 00:10:34,159 --> 00:10:35,279 Now think about that. 174 00:10:37,199 --> 00:10:39,839 We think of repentance as repenting of sin. 175 00:10:40,399 --> 00:10:43,039 But actually the word repent means a change of mind. 176 00:10:45,889 --> 00:10:48,449 When a person's lost, they only think about themselves. 177 00:10:49,889 --> 00:10:52,689 But when they get under conviction and realize they've offended 178 00:10:52,689 --> 00:10:57,369 God and they're in trouble and they're facing hell, they repent. 179 00:10:57,369 --> 00:10:58,609 They change their mind. 180 00:10:59,328 --> 00:11:01,969 They say, lord, I was wrong, you were right. 181 00:11:05,009 --> 00:11:06,409 Well, God doesn't sin. 182 00:11:06,409 --> 00:11:11,019 So he wasn't repenting of his sin, but he changed his mind. 183 00:11:14,939 --> 00:11:19,019 I don't even want to debate with anybody because I know God doesn't 184 00:11:19,019 --> 00:11:19,339 change. 185 00:11:19,339 --> 00:11:23,339 And what I mean by that is, God's attributes doesn't change his 186 00:11:23,339 --> 00:11:24,539 feelings doesn't change. 187 00:11:24,939 --> 00:11:28,059 He's the same God yesterday and Today and forever. 188 00:11:28,219 --> 00:11:32,219 What makes God mad then makes God mad today in 2026. 189 00:11:33,099 --> 00:11:36,339 And what makes him sad back then makes him sad today. 190 00:11:36,339 --> 00:11:41,389 And what makes, what makes him glad back then made him happy, still 191 00:11:41,389 --> 00:11:42,509 makes him glad today. 192 00:11:44,509 --> 00:11:50,269 But Moses prayed, and God said, okay, I won't do it. 193 00:11:51,709 --> 00:11:55,949 Now, maybe that doesn't excite you, but it changed my prayer. 194 00:11:58,269 --> 00:11:58,869 I don't know. 195 00:11:58,869 --> 00:11:59,749 I can't explain it. 196 00:11:59,749 --> 00:12:05,079 I just said, wow, maybe my prayer could make a difference. 197 00:12:06,439 --> 00:12:10,359 Maybe what I thought God was getting ready to do, he won't do 198 00:12:10,359 --> 00:12:10,679 it. 199 00:12:11,719 --> 00:12:16,519 Or maybe what I thought God wasn't going to do, maybe he will 200 00:12:16,519 --> 00:12:16,999 do it. 201 00:12:18,679 --> 00:12:25,159 And it seems to me that God created prayer primarily for fellowship, 202 00:12:27,559 --> 00:12:30,769 to commune with us, to enjoy us. 203 00:12:33,409 --> 00:12:35,009 God's people are his portion. 204 00:12:37,329 --> 00:12:38,849 He doesn't need our wisdom. 205 00:12:41,409 --> 00:12:51,409 But God wanted to confer and walk and talk with his creation, 206 00:12:51,409 --> 00:12:52,449 with men and women. 207 00:12:52,769 --> 00:12:56,329 He wanted to talk to them, and he wanted them to talk back. 208 00:12:56,329 --> 00:12:58,449 That's what prayer is, talking back to God. 209 00:12:59,879 --> 00:13:01,559 And God takes pleasure in that. 210 00:13:02,919 --> 00:13:04,119 He doesn't need us. 211 00:13:06,439 --> 00:13:07,719 We're not indispensable. 212 00:13:09,639 --> 00:13:11,159 None of us are indispensable. 213 00:13:13,639 --> 00:13:16,799 If something happens to us, God's work will go on. 214 00:13:16,799 --> 00:13:18,359 Somebody else will take the place. 215 00:13:22,119 --> 00:13:30,849 But this tells me that God hears and God cares. 216 00:13:32,769 --> 00:13:41,249 And that my prayers could have an effect on God that is deep, the 217 00:13:41,249 --> 00:13:42,129 Creator in Him. 218 00:13:42,129 --> 00:13:45,249 We live and move and have our being, and God holds the world in 219 00:13:45,249 --> 00:13:46,289 the palm of his hand. 220 00:13:46,369 --> 00:13:51,549 And to think, a little speck like me could say a prayer and God 221 00:13:51,549 --> 00:13:52,509 may hit the brakes. 222 00:14:00,829 --> 00:14:05,189 God can still accomplish his will, but he can do it all different 223 00:14:05,189 --> 00:14:06,189 kinds of ways. 224 00:14:06,909 --> 00:14:08,429 He doesn't have to do it one way. 225 00:14:08,429 --> 00:14:10,949 He may get ready to do it one way, and you pray. 226 00:14:10,949 --> 00:14:17,149 And God may say, okay, he'll still accomplish his will, maybe 227 00:14:17,149 --> 00:14:22,869 through another way or somebody else, but God's will will 228 00:14:22,949 --> 00:14:23,349 happen. 229 00:14:25,429 --> 00:14:26,709 He's in total control. 230 00:14:27,989 --> 00:14:31,269 And even if when we pray and he changes his mind, he's still in 231 00:14:31,269 --> 00:14:34,669 control, it's not because he wasn't really sure, he couldn't make 232 00:14:34,669 --> 00:14:35,348 up his mind. 233 00:14:35,348 --> 00:14:41,109 No, it just means God loves us and he gave us the gift of prayer 234 00:14:42,309 --> 00:14:43,909 because he wanted to hear from us. 235 00:14:44,469 --> 00:14:45,589 He knows our hearts. 236 00:14:45,589 --> 00:14:46,229 I know that. 237 00:14:48,849 --> 00:14:52,929 But prayer affects God. 238 00:14:55,169 --> 00:14:56,209 We just read it. 239 00:14:58,849 --> 00:15:01,009 Something you're praying about, you've been praying about 240 00:15:01,009 --> 00:15:06,809 maybe for years and waiting on God, and maybe something in the last 241 00:15:06,809 --> 00:15:10,049 year or two, maybe the last few months, maybe the last few weeks, 242 00:15:11,169 --> 00:15:14,619 and you think it's maybe hopeless, but you're still praying. 243 00:15:16,539 --> 00:15:19,339 And God notices not the length of our prayer. 244 00:15:19,579 --> 00:15:24,499 But the depth of our prayer, the sincerity of our prayer, the 245 00:15:24,499 --> 00:15:26,659 honest yielding surrender to our prayer. 246 00:15:26,659 --> 00:15:29,259 That Lord, not my will, but thy will be done. 247 00:15:33,339 --> 00:15:35,579 Could your prayers change God's mind? 248 00:15:37,739 --> 00:15:38,939 Evidently God. 249 00:15:39,179 --> 00:15:43,699 And for lack of better word, I'll just say it anyway because it 250 00:15:43,699 --> 00:15:45,539 makes sense for you and I to understand. 251 00:15:47,299 --> 00:15:53,539 God knew that Moses prayer would be pretty powerful. 252 00:15:55,939 --> 00:15:59,059 You may not think of your prayers as powerful prayers. 253 00:16:00,739 --> 00:16:01,539 I don't know. 254 00:16:02,899 --> 00:16:08,429 Sometimes our prayer life can get stale and repetitious and not 255 00:16:08,429 --> 00:16:09,149 very deep. 256 00:16:09,549 --> 00:16:11,069 They're still important to God. 257 00:16:13,949 --> 00:16:18,589 Sometimes we pray like when we got saved, like babies. 258 00:16:18,589 --> 00:16:21,389 And maybe we grow a little bit, but our prayers doesn't grow. 259 00:16:23,069 --> 00:16:27,269 Sometimes our prayer life maybe could get boring or what's 260 00:16:27,269 --> 00:16:27,709 the use? 261 00:16:27,709 --> 00:16:30,429 Or all kinds of things can happen to our prayer life. 262 00:16:30,429 --> 00:16:31,309 You need to guard. 263 00:16:31,309 --> 00:16:32,819 We need to guard our prayer life. 264 00:16:33,929 --> 00:16:35,609 We need to pray about our prayer life. 265 00:16:40,489 --> 00:16:41,929 Moses besought the Lord. 266 00:16:42,249 --> 00:16:43,929 Moses was determined. 267 00:16:44,089 --> 00:16:46,169 He wasn't rebelling against God. 268 00:16:46,409 --> 00:16:49,088 He wasn't saying, don't tell me what to do, I'm going to pray 269 00:16:49,088 --> 00:16:49,489 anyway. 270 00:16:49,489 --> 00:16:50,809 No, that wasn't his heart. 271 00:16:50,809 --> 00:16:51,929 God knows our heart. 272 00:16:52,809 --> 00:16:54,489 Moses was just being human. 273 00:16:56,009 --> 00:16:57,569 He was a man that believed God. 274 00:16:57,569 --> 00:17:02,509 He had seen the work of God, the hand of God through all that 275 00:17:02,509 --> 00:17:03,389 had happened before. 276 00:17:04,429 --> 00:17:10,189 The Red Sea, the manna from heaven, the water out of the rock. 277 00:17:10,749 --> 00:17:12,189 I mean, the people had seen it. 278 00:17:12,189 --> 00:17:13,469 Moses had seen it. 279 00:17:17,949 --> 00:17:21,789 Moses knew a lot about prayer. 280 00:17:22,749 --> 00:17:26,469 I wonder if he was to speak here tonight, said Moses, could you 281 00:17:26,469 --> 00:17:28,549 come up and give us a sermon on prayer? 282 00:17:28,549 --> 00:17:30,749 He said, yeah, I think I could do that. 283 00:17:33,149 --> 00:17:35,469 I don't know that he would brag on his prayer. 284 00:17:35,549 --> 00:17:37,309 I wouldn't brag on my prayer line. 285 00:17:37,949 --> 00:17:42,069 I wouldn't say tonight that I've got my prayer life is right. 286 00:17:42,069 --> 00:17:43,669 I mean, it's everything it ought to be. 287 00:17:43,669 --> 00:17:45,789 And if everybody'd pray like me, we'd be great. 288 00:17:45,789 --> 00:17:50,109 No, I'm still growing in my prayer. 289 00:17:52,349 --> 00:17:55,629 I'm learning better about approaching God and searching my 290 00:17:55,629 --> 00:17:55,949 heart. 291 00:18:01,659 --> 00:18:05,979 You see, the world is not pre programmed. 292 00:18:08,139 --> 00:18:13,779 God didn't wind it all up and put it in all the stuff and then 293 00:18:13,779 --> 00:18:18,219 just throw it out there in the universe and let it happen. 294 00:18:18,299 --> 00:18:18,699 No. 295 00:18:20,379 --> 00:18:25,269 Some of you may remember Doris Day movie star and singer and one 296 00:18:25,269 --> 00:18:28,109 of her old songs years and years ago. 297 00:18:28,109 --> 00:18:32,349 Que sera sera, Whatever will be will be. 298 00:18:33,789 --> 00:18:36,189 And that's the way a lot of people live their life, including 299 00:18:36,349 --> 00:18:37,229 some Christians. 300 00:18:37,789 --> 00:18:38,908 Oh, I want to pray. 301 00:18:38,908 --> 00:18:42,149 But it really doesn't matter that much because whatever will be, 302 00:18:42,149 --> 00:18:42,749 will be. 303 00:18:44,269 --> 00:18:48,829 We wouldn't maybe dare Go there publicly or verbally. 304 00:18:49,999 --> 00:18:53,119 But I think sometimes it crosses our mind if we'd be honest 305 00:18:53,919 --> 00:18:56,279 and say, I don't know if it's really going to work or not. 306 00:18:56,279 --> 00:18:58,919 I've been praying for 10 years and it hadn't happened yet. 307 00:18:58,919 --> 00:19:01,439 So I guess whatever will be, will be. 308 00:19:02,719 --> 00:19:04,239 You don't find that in the Bible. 309 00:19:05,679 --> 00:19:12,159 You find out that God created us with the freedom to choose. 310 00:19:14,729 --> 00:19:15,289 Am I right? 311 00:19:18,729 --> 00:19:19,849 We're not robots. 312 00:19:21,609 --> 00:19:28,409 He gives counsel, but he still gives us the freedom to choose. 313 00:19:31,209 --> 00:19:35,129 Almost weekly, at least, maybe more. 314 00:19:35,129 --> 00:19:35,849 I don't know. 315 00:19:37,529 --> 00:19:38,889 But sometimes I. 316 00:19:38,969 --> 00:19:48,029 On a regular basis, I. I think about deuteronomy chapter number 317 00:19:48,029 --> 00:19:48,389 30. 318 00:19:50,389 --> 00:19:51,909 Very interesting to me. 319 00:19:53,749 --> 00:19:57,749 When he was speaking, he said, God said, but the word is very nigh 320 00:19:57,749 --> 00:20:01,669 unto thee in thy mouth and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. 321 00:20:02,149 --> 00:20:03,349 And then God says this. 322 00:20:03,509 --> 00:20:12,029 See, I've set before thee this day life, good, death and evil, in 323 00:20:12,029 --> 00:20:15,149 that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to walk 324 00:20:15,149 --> 00:20:17,909 in his ways, keep his commandments, his statutes and his 325 00:20:17,909 --> 00:20:21,949 judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply, and the Lord thy 326 00:20:21,949 --> 00:20:23,269 God shall bless thee. 327 00:20:27,989 --> 00:20:31,989 And he said, but if thine heart turn away, there's the choice. 328 00:20:32,749 --> 00:20:33,629 They had a freedom. 329 00:20:33,789 --> 00:20:35,069 They weren't slaves. 330 00:20:37,949 --> 00:20:42,709 But if thy heart turn away so that thou wilt not hear, thou shalt 331 00:20:42,709 --> 00:20:45,389 be drawn away and worship other gods and serve them. 332 00:20:45,549 --> 00:20:48,989 He said, I denounce you this day that ye shall surely perish. 333 00:20:49,389 --> 00:20:50,989 But here's what I want you to hear. 334 00:20:51,389 --> 00:20:55,069 He said, I call heaven and earth to record this day against 335 00:20:55,069 --> 00:20:55,389 you. 336 00:20:55,389 --> 00:20:57,309 This is in Deuteronomy 30. 337 00:20:57,949 --> 00:21:01,109 He says, I have set before thee life and death, blessing and 338 00:21:01,109 --> 00:21:01,629 cursing. 339 00:21:02,489 --> 00:21:02,929 Now listen. 340 00:21:02,929 --> 00:21:07,369 He says, therefore choose life. 341 00:21:10,249 --> 00:21:14,089 He didn't make them choose, but he told them to choose. 342 00:21:14,089 --> 00:21:17,889 Some of you may remember that old game show of let's Make a Deal. 343 00:21:17,889 --> 00:21:20,009 And at the end they'd have the three doors. 344 00:21:20,809 --> 00:21:21,449 Remember that? 345 00:21:22,889 --> 00:21:23,929 They had to choose. 346 00:21:23,929 --> 00:21:27,489 And they knew, everybody knew ahead of time that one of those doors 347 00:21:27,489 --> 00:21:28,649 is a pretty big deal. 348 00:21:29,879 --> 00:21:30,399 The other one. 349 00:21:30,399 --> 00:21:30,719 So. 350 00:21:30,719 --> 00:21:31,039 So. 351 00:21:31,039 --> 00:21:33,479 And one of them was a goat tied to a post. 352 00:21:35,159 --> 00:21:36,679 I mean, it was ridiculous. 353 00:21:38,119 --> 00:21:39,239 So they had to choose. 354 00:21:40,919 --> 00:21:41,959 It was a guess. 355 00:21:43,639 --> 00:21:44,759 You remember how it went? 356 00:21:45,159 --> 00:21:46,839 God said, I don't want you to do that. 357 00:21:46,919 --> 00:21:48,199 I'm going to let you choose. 358 00:21:50,679 --> 00:21:53,399 But he said, I don't want you guessing your way through life. 359 00:21:54,689 --> 00:21:58,849 I don't want you crossing your fingers and say, okay, okay, okay. 360 00:21:59,489 --> 00:21:59,849 Two. 361 00:21:59,849 --> 00:22:01,249 I'll take door number two. 362 00:22:03,969 --> 00:22:04,929 Wrong choice. 363 00:22:07,809 --> 00:22:09,089 God says, here it is. 364 00:22:10,449 --> 00:22:11,489 Choose this one. 365 00:22:14,129 --> 00:22:15,089 Choose this one. 366 00:22:15,249 --> 00:22:20,049 You See, God gives us all the counsel we want, but he's not going 367 00:22:20,049 --> 00:22:21,269 to make the choice for us. 368 00:22:25,019 --> 00:22:27,499 He's going to, but most people don't know their Bible. 369 00:22:27,579 --> 00:22:29,019 That's where the counselor comes from. 370 00:22:29,019 --> 00:22:31,739 God doesn't speak to us in an audible voice. 371 00:22:33,659 --> 00:22:35,579 He speaks to us through the word of God. 372 00:22:38,539 --> 00:22:45,939 And God says, call unto me and I'll answer thee over and over, Lord, 373 00:22:45,939 --> 00:22:47,019 what do you want me to do? 374 00:22:49,789 --> 00:22:51,389 God wants us to talk to him. 375 00:22:54,349 --> 00:22:57,509 And then we do that many times when we pray. 376 00:22:57,509 --> 00:22:58,749 You don't have to get on your knees. 377 00:22:58,749 --> 00:23:00,069 You don't have to say, dear Lord. 378 00:23:00,069 --> 00:23:01,309 You don't have to say, Amen. 379 00:23:01,389 --> 00:23:03,629 You can say, lord, there's something on my mind. 380 00:23:03,629 --> 00:23:04,669 I need to talk. 381 00:23:05,789 --> 00:23:07,149 God understands that. 382 00:23:08,589 --> 00:23:11,469 He doesn't say, whoa, whoa, whoa, you're not using the right 383 00:23:11,469 --> 00:23:11,869 words. 384 00:23:17,319 --> 00:23:19,119 God wants you to tell him how you feel. 385 00:23:19,119 --> 00:23:27,839 And he listens, and he might change his mind of what he was going 386 00:23:27,839 --> 00:23:28,839 to do in your life. 387 00:23:30,599 --> 00:23:31,799 Do you really believe that? 388 00:23:33,239 --> 00:23:37,199 I think some of you are looking like a. I don't know about 389 00:23:37,199 --> 00:23:37,559 this. 390 00:23:37,959 --> 00:23:39,399 Interesting, but I don't know. 391 00:23:40,499 --> 00:23:41,539 Well, I understand that. 392 00:23:42,739 --> 00:23:44,099 I'm not saying I'm right. 393 00:23:44,259 --> 00:23:49,219 I'm just saying God changed my prayer life when I began to realize 394 00:23:49,539 --> 00:23:53,819 that how I pray and why I'm asking and what I'm asking for and 395 00:23:53,819 --> 00:23:55,299 my motive for asking it. 396 00:23:55,779 --> 00:23:59,219 God could say, you know, I hear you. 397 00:24:00,579 --> 00:24:03,179 Okay, I'm going to give it to you. 398 00:24:03,179 --> 00:24:04,339 I'm going to answer your prayer. 399 00:24:04,579 --> 00:24:05,299 I wasn't. 400 00:24:06,029 --> 00:24:07,429 I was going to do something else. 401 00:24:07,429 --> 00:24:09,389 That's basically what he told Moses. 402 00:24:09,389 --> 00:24:11,149 I was going to wipe them all out. 403 00:24:12,109 --> 00:24:13,029 I changed my mind. 404 00:24:13,029 --> 00:24:13,789 I won't do it. 405 00:24:14,269 --> 00:24:16,109 What if Moses had not prayed? 406 00:24:18,109 --> 00:24:19,709 He was too tired to pray. 407 00:24:20,349 --> 00:24:23,469 Or what if he prayed with the wrong motive? 408 00:24:26,509 --> 00:24:30,829 I mean, he could have said, you're going to make me the father 409 00:24:30,829 --> 00:24:33,549 of the nations instead of Abraham and start all over. 410 00:24:33,549 --> 00:24:34,349 And I'm going to do it. 411 00:24:34,349 --> 00:24:40,119 Yeah, God is watching. 412 00:24:41,399 --> 00:24:42,599 He's watching the world. 413 00:24:42,679 --> 00:24:44,679 He's watching our country. 414 00:24:45,959 --> 00:24:47,479 He's watching this church. 415 00:24:48,839 --> 00:24:50,359 He's watching our homes. 416 00:24:51,799 --> 00:24:58,279 He's watching us individually, if you have any doubt about that. 417 00:24:59,879 --> 00:25:05,589 I know I quote from this a lot since I've been here, but it's my 418 00:25:05,589 --> 00:25:07,589 favorite portion of Scripture. 419 00:25:07,589 --> 00:25:08,749 Psalm 139. 420 00:25:10,509 --> 00:25:13,629 And David said, O Lord, thou hast searched me and known me. 421 00:25:13,949 --> 00:25:18,349 Thou knowest my down sitting, my uprising, Thou understandest my 422 00:25:18,349 --> 00:25:23,869 thought afar off, Thou compassest my path and my lying down, 423 00:25:24,109 --> 00:25:26,829 and art acquainted with all my ways. 424 00:25:26,909 --> 00:25:28,669 There's not a word in my tongue. 425 00:25:28,669 --> 00:25:28,949 But. 426 00:25:29,019 --> 00:25:31,179 But O Lord, Thou knowest that altogether. 427 00:25:31,259 --> 00:25:36,059 Thou hast set me behind and before and laid Thine hand upon me. 428 00:25:36,219 --> 00:25:38,539 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me. 429 00:25:38,539 --> 00:25:39,339 It is high. 430 00:25:39,499 --> 00:25:41,339 I cannot attain unto it. 431 00:25:41,899 --> 00:25:45,259 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me. 432 00:25:47,019 --> 00:25:49,099 Do you think God thinks about you? 433 00:25:51,499 --> 00:25:55,299 I think sometimes it doesn't really grab ahold of us. 434 00:25:55,299 --> 00:25:57,939 We think, well, God, there's a lot of people, billions of people 435 00:25:57,939 --> 00:25:59,899 in the world, and I'm just one. 436 00:26:00,699 --> 00:26:02,779 I don't know how he could think about me. 437 00:26:04,779 --> 00:26:06,859 Well, God is omniscient. 438 00:26:07,819 --> 00:26:09,259 God is omnipresent. 439 00:26:10,619 --> 00:26:11,259 Amen. 440 00:26:14,699 --> 00:26:16,179 I mean, you give yourself a headache. 441 00:26:16,179 --> 00:26:17,459 You try to figure that one out. 442 00:26:17,459 --> 00:26:20,059 That how can God hear everybody praying at the same time 443 00:26:20,219 --> 00:26:23,899 and know each ever thought we have and the hairs on our head. 444 00:26:25,029 --> 00:26:27,869 We want to put God down where we can kind of get him in a box. 445 00:26:27,869 --> 00:26:28,869 But it won't work. 446 00:26:28,869 --> 00:26:29,749 It'll never work. 447 00:26:31,029 --> 00:26:34,309 We got to read the Bible and take it literally what it says. 448 00:26:34,549 --> 00:26:37,589 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God. 449 00:26:37,669 --> 00:26:39,669 How great is the sum of them. 450 00:26:40,469 --> 00:26:43,909 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand. 451 00:26:44,149 --> 00:26:47,109 When I wake, I am still with thee. 452 00:26:50,079 --> 00:26:50,919 God's watching. 453 00:26:50,919 --> 00:26:54,479 He's watching you and he's interested. 454 00:26:55,839 --> 00:26:57,079 You don't bore God. 455 00:26:57,079 --> 00:27:00,039 God's interested in you if you'll get hooked up with him and 456 00:27:00,039 --> 00:27:02,079 talk to him and listen when he talks to you. 457 00:27:02,559 --> 00:27:04,159 Get excited about God. 458 00:27:05,838 --> 00:27:08,399 Don't just put him on a Sunday in your calendar. 459 00:27:08,399 --> 00:27:09,839 Put him on every day of the week. 460 00:27:13,039 --> 00:27:14,159 Psalm 56. 461 00:27:14,479 --> 00:27:18,569 Lord, thou art for me, you're for me. 462 00:27:20,649 --> 00:27:21,729 Of course he's for you. 463 00:27:21,729 --> 00:27:22,809 If you're saved tonight. 464 00:27:23,049 --> 00:27:25,609 He invested his son's blood in you. 465 00:27:28,249 --> 00:27:30,969 You're bought, paid for. 466 00:27:34,409 --> 00:27:36,729 He said to these people, they're stiff necked. 467 00:27:37,049 --> 00:27:42,209 You ever got a stiff neck sleeping on the wrong way or wrong 468 00:27:42,209 --> 00:27:44,499 pillow or whatever? 469 00:27:47,379 --> 00:27:52,019 We can get stiff necked spiritually looking down too much. 470 00:27:54,259 --> 00:27:57,299 Look around and look down so much that when you want to try to 471 00:27:57,299 --> 00:28:00,579 look up, it's kind of, kind of hurts our neck. 472 00:28:00,899 --> 00:28:02,099 We're stiff necked. 473 00:28:04,419 --> 00:28:06,019 Let me alone, Moses. 474 00:28:07,939 --> 00:28:08,739 I'm angry. 475 00:28:09,699 --> 00:28:10,659 I made up my mind. 476 00:28:11,859 --> 00:28:13,459 I'll start it all over with you. 477 00:28:13,459 --> 00:28:20,979 And Moses besought the Lord and he presented a case with God. 478 00:28:23,139 --> 00:28:26,019 I mean, when you ask something, do you ever stop and think, 479 00:28:26,339 --> 00:28:28,659 well, did God say he would do this? 480 00:28:28,899 --> 00:28:33,299 Did he make a promise about supplying our needs if we put him 481 00:28:33,299 --> 00:28:33,579 first? 482 00:28:33,579 --> 00:28:34,099 Did he? 483 00:28:34,909 --> 00:28:36,829 Well, just tell God hadn't forgotten. 484 00:28:37,069 --> 00:28:43,309 But God wants you to quote his word back to him. 485 00:28:46,429 --> 00:28:48,349 I had A man in my church for years. 486 00:28:48,429 --> 00:28:50,109 I led him to Christ back in. 487 00:28:50,109 --> 00:28:51,949 I think it was 1978. 488 00:28:51,949 --> 00:28:53,469 He was a colonel in the army. 489 00:28:54,429 --> 00:28:56,189 I was in Columbus, Georgia. 490 00:28:56,189 --> 00:28:57,269 I baptized him. 491 00:28:57,269 --> 00:28:57,869 And his wife. 492 00:28:57,869 --> 00:28:58,429 His wife. 493 00:28:58,429 --> 00:29:00,029 He passed away a couple years ago. 494 00:29:00,029 --> 00:29:03,029 His wife still comes victory. 495 00:29:03,749 --> 00:29:05,309 His name was Powell Johnson. 496 00:29:05,309 --> 00:29:08,389 I don't know if you knew Powell, but he was. 497 00:29:11,269 --> 00:29:14,469 I can't describe how in your face. 498 00:29:14,549 --> 00:29:15,749 Military guy he was. 499 00:29:15,749 --> 00:29:16,629 He loved the Lord. 500 00:29:16,709 --> 00:29:17,309 He cared. 501 00:29:17,309 --> 00:29:21,549 But he just came across like, who was that famous general with 502 00:29:21,549 --> 00:29:23,429 the boots and the whip and the gun? 503 00:29:28,239 --> 00:29:31,999 Yeah, that's how Powell came across, like Patton. 504 00:29:33,999 --> 00:29:35,199 But here's what he do. 505 00:29:35,279 --> 00:29:38,279 And when I came to Texas, he loved me. 506 00:29:38,279 --> 00:29:45,079 I don't know why, but he left Georgia and came to Texas so I could 507 00:29:45,079 --> 00:29:46,239 still be his pastor. 508 00:29:50,079 --> 00:29:52,879 And we put him in charge of the mission. 509 00:29:53,759 --> 00:29:56,879 Our missionary ministry did a fantastic job. 510 00:29:57,839 --> 00:29:58,679 But here's what. 511 00:29:58,679 --> 00:30:01,679 Here's the thing he would do that just sometimes got on my nerves. 512 00:30:02,559 --> 00:30:03,439 He'd get me. 513 00:30:03,599 --> 00:30:06,839 He'd ask me something and I'd say, well, I don't know, this, that 514 00:30:06,839 --> 00:30:07,279 and the other. 515 00:30:07,359 --> 00:30:12,319 And he'd look at me, he'd say, preacher, you said. 516 00:30:13,759 --> 00:30:16,319 You told me you preached. 517 00:30:16,799 --> 00:30:18,959 I'm just telling you back what you preached. 518 00:30:18,959 --> 00:30:24,159 This is why you taught me, if you love God, you keep his commandments 519 00:30:24,159 --> 00:30:27,639 and you talk to people about Christ and you read the Bible every 520 00:30:27,639 --> 00:30:27,839 day. 521 00:30:27,839 --> 00:30:28,959 He read the Bible through. 522 00:30:29,119 --> 00:30:32,079 I lost count how many times that man read through the Bible. 523 00:30:32,239 --> 00:30:33,839 I mean, unbelievable. 524 00:30:33,999 --> 00:30:38,079 And he even had a Sunday school class to hold that class accountable, 525 00:30:38,159 --> 00:30:39,839 to read through the Bible together. 526 00:30:40,879 --> 00:30:44,559 And every Sunday morning, they would talk about the last six days 527 00:30:44,559 --> 00:30:45,759 that they had read the Bible. 528 00:30:46,649 --> 00:30:48,569 But he was always quoting my sermons. 529 00:30:48,569 --> 00:30:50,809 I didn't think anybody remembered my sermons. 530 00:30:50,889 --> 00:30:51,649 I don't remember. 531 00:30:51,649 --> 00:30:53,289 My wife doesn't remember my kids. 532 00:30:55,449 --> 00:30:56,809 I don't remember that one, dad. 533 00:30:57,449 --> 00:30:58,809 Well, it was a good sermon. 534 00:30:58,889 --> 00:31:00,569 I guess it was, but I don't remember it. 535 00:31:01,849 --> 00:31:03,129 Well, Paul wasn't that way. 536 00:31:03,529 --> 00:31:04,289 He took notes. 537 00:31:04,289 --> 00:31:05,609 He remembered every sermon. 538 00:31:05,849 --> 00:31:09,209 And that's the way he would approach. 539 00:31:09,209 --> 00:31:13,589 If he wanted something or wanted me to do something, he'd say, 540 00:31:13,589 --> 00:31:15,669 now, preacher, you remember? 541 00:31:16,469 --> 00:31:18,869 And he'd quote my sermon, the points and everything. 542 00:31:20,069 --> 00:31:22,469 Okay, let's do it. 543 00:31:25,189 --> 00:31:26,549 That's kind of what Moses did. 544 00:31:26,549 --> 00:31:32,589 Moses said, now, God, you brought us out and you promised this 545 00:31:32,589 --> 00:31:36,949 and this and this and this and the other or not. 546 00:31:37,749 --> 00:31:39,069 I think you all change your mind. 547 00:31:39,069 --> 00:31:40,679 God said, yeah, I guess you're right. 548 00:31:40,679 --> 00:31:43,439 Okay, I'm not minimizing God. 549 00:31:43,439 --> 00:31:45,439 I'm not putting God down on A little level. 550 00:31:45,599 --> 00:31:46,839 God's not our servant. 551 00:31:46,839 --> 00:31:49,559 We're his servant, okay? 552 00:31:49,559 --> 00:31:50,959 We don't command God. 553 00:31:51,679 --> 00:31:55,638 We don't demand for God to make things happen the way we want 554 00:31:55,638 --> 00:31:55,999 it. 555 00:31:57,279 --> 00:32:00,439 We get mad at God sometimes because the weather is not the way 556 00:32:00,439 --> 00:32:03,439 we wanted it, or there's. 557 00:32:04,159 --> 00:32:06,629 There's uncountable things. 558 00:32:11,749 --> 00:32:13,989 But he presented a case before God. 559 00:32:17,509 --> 00:32:19,349 He said, lord, what about your name? 560 00:32:20,389 --> 00:32:23,549 I've been telling people about you and how great you are and your 561 00:32:23,549 --> 00:32:30,429 name and your promises and, Lord, you know, I heard a preacher 562 00:32:30,429 --> 00:32:32,389 one time, I think it was Adrian Rogers. 563 00:32:32,989 --> 00:32:37,349 He said, the prayer that reaches heaven is the prayer that 564 00:32:37,349 --> 00:32:38,429 begins in heaven. 565 00:32:38,989 --> 00:32:40,189 What did he mean by that? 566 00:32:40,669 --> 00:32:43,309 He said, you get ahold of something that God said. 567 00:32:43,309 --> 00:32:47,069 Jesus is at the right hand of the Father, making intercession for 568 00:32:47,069 --> 00:32:47,389 us. 569 00:32:48,989 --> 00:32:51,229 And you say, lord, you promised. 570 00:32:51,229 --> 00:32:52,429 That starts in heaven. 571 00:32:55,229 --> 00:32:58,749 And the prayer that gets to heaven, you start up there with what 572 00:32:58,749 --> 00:33:01,739 God said, then you pray you and it goes back to heaven. 573 00:33:02,299 --> 00:33:03,659 Does that make sense to you? 574 00:33:06,459 --> 00:33:07,819 God changed his mind. 575 00:33:09,419 --> 00:33:10,539 I've had preachers. 576 00:33:11,579 --> 00:33:16,779 I don't know, I've kind of alluded to this several times, probably 577 00:33:16,779 --> 00:33:18,299 at one of the fellowship meetings. 578 00:33:18,619 --> 00:33:23,179 And I've had preachers go, brother Wetherby, you hunting the 579 00:33:23,179 --> 00:33:23,939 wrong dog there. 580 00:33:23,939 --> 00:33:25,419 Said, no, God doesn't change. 581 00:33:26,339 --> 00:33:27,339 God doesn't change his mind. 582 00:33:27,339 --> 00:33:28,259 I said, well, what are you gonna. 583 00:33:28,339 --> 00:33:29,219 That's just one. 584 00:33:29,539 --> 00:33:33,579 If we had time tonight, you go back and get your concordance and 585 00:33:33,579 --> 00:33:37,619 look under repentance and see how many times it said God repented. 586 00:33:38,099 --> 00:33:42,899 There's a lot of them, and they didn't agree with me. 587 00:33:42,899 --> 00:33:43,619 And that's okay. 588 00:33:43,619 --> 00:33:45,259 I'm not a better preacher than they are. 589 00:33:45,259 --> 00:33:48,939 And I'm certainly not a scholar in the Bible, But I read 590 00:33:48,939 --> 00:33:51,299 that Moses prayed God changed his mind. 591 00:33:51,299 --> 00:33:52,259 So I'm gonna pray. 592 00:33:52,259 --> 00:33:53,339 And maybe God will change. 593 00:33:53,339 --> 00:33:56,499 He don't have to, but maybe God will change his mind. 594 00:33:57,299 --> 00:33:58,499 So I'm gonna keep praying. 595 00:33:59,619 --> 00:34:04,019 And I know you're gonna keep praying, too, but sometimes we need 596 00:34:04,019 --> 00:34:05,939 a little revival in our prayer life. 597 00:34:08,019 --> 00:34:09,659 And say, God, can I talk to you? 598 00:34:09,659 --> 00:34:11,299 And God says, I've been waiting all day. 599 00:34:12,979 --> 00:34:16,379 And you say, God, I got something on my mind. 600 00:34:16,379 --> 00:34:17,819 He says, I read your mind all the time. 601 00:34:17,819 --> 00:34:18,979 I know exactly what it is. 602 00:34:18,979 --> 00:34:19,539 What do you want? 603 00:34:19,539 --> 00:34:20,259 What do you want? 604 00:34:22,299 --> 00:34:24,219 And we begin to lay out our prayer to God. 605 00:34:25,099 --> 00:34:29,259 Say, lord, I'm not being brash or smart aleck, but you said right 606 00:34:29,259 --> 00:34:29,579 here. 607 00:34:29,819 --> 00:34:30,699 I just read it. 608 00:34:30,699 --> 00:34:34,699 It says right there, God, that you're going to take care of your 609 00:34:34,699 --> 00:34:35,019 children. 610 00:34:35,659 --> 00:34:38,699 Take no thought of what you shall eat or drink or what you shall 611 00:34:38,699 --> 00:34:39,179 put on. 612 00:34:39,499 --> 00:34:42,139 Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. 613 00:34:42,139 --> 00:34:44,139 And all these things shall be added unto you. 614 00:34:44,299 --> 00:34:45,419 God, you said that. 615 00:34:46,949 --> 00:34:47,909 And I have a need. 616 00:34:48,789 --> 00:34:50,629 I got more bills than I got money. 617 00:34:52,069 --> 00:34:54,549 I got some problems going on in my life. 618 00:34:56,549 --> 00:34:59,189 Lord, I need you to take care of this. 619 00:35:01,269 --> 00:35:03,829 God says, okay, it's taken care of. 620 00:35:03,829 --> 00:35:05,349 Don't worry about it anymore. 621 00:35:06,869 --> 00:35:08,629 I don't know if I helped you tonight or not. 622 00:35:09,029 --> 00:35:11,269 I wanted to preach from the book of Ruth tonight. 623 00:35:12,009 --> 00:35:14,889 But a couple hours ago I began to read that again. 624 00:35:14,889 --> 00:35:16,569 I go there a lot to Exodus. 625 00:35:16,969 --> 00:35:20,969 And God said, I want you to share that with the people tonight. 626 00:35:21,849 --> 00:35:22,809 So I hope it helped. 627 00:35:22,809 --> 00:35:25,129 Let's stand with our heads bowed and eyes closed. 628 00:35:28,409 --> 00:35:31,689 Could we have a little music and just stop for a moment? 629 00:35:31,689 --> 00:35:35,929 And maybe you would like to come and just thank God for prayer, 630 00:35:35,929 --> 00:35:37,049 the gift of prayer. 631 00:35:37,369 --> 00:35:38,609 What would you do if you couldn't pray? 632 00:35:38,759 --> 00:35:39,079 Pray. 633 00:35:40,599 --> 00:35:44,159 Maybe you would come and pray for someone tonight that's very dear 634 00:35:44,159 --> 00:35:44,599 to you. 635 00:35:45,799 --> 00:35:47,959 Maybe you want to just pray of thanksgiving. 636 00:35:47,959 --> 00:35:53,039 Just say, lord, Brother Donaldson didn't call on me a while 637 00:35:53,039 --> 00:35:53,319 ago. 638 00:35:53,479 --> 00:35:56,119 But I have some things I just want to thank you for. 639 00:35:57,959 --> 00:36:03,239 Or maybe you would come and say, lord, I just need freshen up 640 00:36:03,239 --> 00:36:03,959 my prayer life. 641 00:36:03,959 --> 00:36:05,879 I need a revival in my prayer life. 642 00:36:05,879 --> 00:36:07,639 I don't want to just go through the motions. 643 00:36:09,349 --> 00:36:11,909 I don't want to just say the same thing over and over. 644 00:36:13,349 --> 00:36:15,869 Maybe you would come and say, lord, I don't even want to ask you 645 00:36:15,869 --> 00:36:17,069 for anything in my prayer. 646 00:36:17,069 --> 00:36:19,189 I just want to talk about how great you are. 647 00:36:20,549 --> 00:36:22,149 Do your children know how to pray? 648 00:36:22,869 --> 00:36:24,068 You have a teenager. 649 00:36:24,389 --> 00:36:25,629 Does he believe in prayer? 650 00:36:25,629 --> 00:36:26,949 Does she believe in prayer? 651 00:36:29,109 --> 00:36:29,429 Really? 652 00:36:29,429 --> 00:36:30,469 Do they really believe it? 653 00:36:30,469 --> 00:36:31,189 Are they praying? 654 00:36:31,189 --> 00:36:31,989 Teenagers? 655 00:36:39,599 --> 00:36:42,559 We're going to sing Jesus, keep me near the cross after I pray. 656 00:36:42,959 --> 00:36:43,959 Some have already come. 657 00:36:43,959 --> 00:36:45,559 If God's touched your heart, you come. 658 00:36:45,559 --> 00:36:49,599 Heavenly Father, give courage and draw us closer to you and closer 659 00:36:49,599 --> 00:36:50,239 to each other. 660 00:36:51,039 --> 00:36:53,759 And Lord, keep teaching us more about prayer. 661 00:36:55,039 --> 00:37:01,219 That it would become part of the way we think and the way we make 662 00:37:01,219 --> 00:37:02,019 decisions. 663 00:37:03,139 --> 00:37:04,659 We pray without ceasing. 664 00:37:07,619 --> 00:37:10,979 I pray this church will continue to be a praying church. 665 00:37:13,139 --> 00:37:14,778 The devil hates praying churches. 666 00:37:14,778 --> 00:37:16,259 He hates praying Christians. 667 00:37:17,379 --> 00:37:18,259 Help us, Lord. 668 00:37:18,259 --> 00:37:19,779 We pray in Jesus name. 669 00:37:20,499 --> 00:37:21,339 Heads are bowed. 670 00:37:21,339 --> 00:37:22,619 Let's sing just one verse.