1 00:00:00,001 --> 00:00:02,580 (upbeat music) 2 00:00:02,580 --> 00:00:09,240 - Springhouse family events of the summer, 3 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:10,520 so take note of those. 4 00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:11,800 If you're joining us on live stream, 5 00:00:11,800 --> 00:00:12,960 thanks for being here today. 6 00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:15,000 Guys, it's a good day to be in the house. 7 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:16,860 And like Shari said, 8 00:00:16,860 --> 00:00:19,480 Thursday will be our last midweek gathering. 9 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:22,320 Did you enjoy Father Ray Kasch last week? 10 00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:26,260 Yeah, just such a timely, wonderful word, 11 00:00:26,260 --> 00:00:28,600 and God is always seeming to lead 12 00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:31,640 to be in the business of saving the very best for right now. 13 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:33,840 And so we're gonna continue our series, 14 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:36,120 His Church, and Pastor Justin's gonna bring the word. 15 00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:37,720 Would you welcome Pastor Justin. 16 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:40,120 (congregation applauding) 17 00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:40,960 - Thank you guys. 18 00:00:40,960 --> 00:00:45,380 Thank you, kind sir. 19 00:00:45,380 --> 00:00:47,520 Good morning. 20 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:51,240 How's everybody doing today? 21 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:52,360 Good, good? 22 00:00:52,360 --> 00:00:54,720 It's a lot of energy right here, so. 23 00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:56,800 Just get ready. 24 00:00:56,800 --> 00:00:59,400 If you came in and you're chill, introvert, 25 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:02,520 I'm gonna give you all you didn't know you needed today, okay? 26 00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:05,200 Or wanted, that's what you get, okay? 27 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:06,680 I got a couple of announcements 28 00:01:06,680 --> 00:01:08,240 that I would like to personally make. 29 00:01:08,240 --> 00:01:09,680 This is a continued family fun. 30 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:13,040 What a great day to be in the house of the Lord, is it not? 31 00:01:13,040 --> 00:01:15,360 My gosh, what a rich day, man. 32 00:01:15,360 --> 00:01:18,280 This is exactly why I'm like, I'm gonna come to church 33 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:21,400 'cause I have no idea what's gonna happen today. 34 00:01:21,400 --> 00:01:23,200 I have, and I'm preaching today. 35 00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:25,960 I have no idea what's gonna happen. 36 00:01:25,960 --> 00:01:28,360 That worship and baptism and prayer, 37 00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:30,360 that could have tarried the whole time. 38 00:01:30,360 --> 00:01:33,640 And I just close this book and we go home. 39 00:01:33,640 --> 00:01:35,720 But the Lord has something to say through me today, 40 00:01:35,720 --> 00:01:37,520 so we'll do that too. 41 00:01:37,520 --> 00:01:39,180 Couple of things I wanna announce, 42 00:01:39,180 --> 00:01:40,480 if you can go ahead and put that first slide. 43 00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:42,720 This Saturday, yes. 44 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:48,520 June 1st, this is the real kickoff this summer, okay? 45 00:01:48,520 --> 00:01:50,560 This is for the guys, Pursuit Men's Ministry. 46 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:54,560 This is our fourth annual Whiffle Ball Home Run Derby. 47 00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:56,520 It is exactly what it sounds like. 48 00:01:56,520 --> 00:01:59,740 It is a Whiffle Ball Home Run Derby, okay? 49 00:01:59,740 --> 00:02:02,200 And we have our very own Brian Wellsant, 50 00:02:02,200 --> 00:02:03,840 who's going for a three-peat this year. 51 00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:07,080 And I need, nah, ain't no woo, okay? 52 00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:07,920 (congregation laughing) 53 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:09,960 Well, I'm tired of putting, look, we just go to the place 54 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:11,600 and be like, same name as last year, 55 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:13,880 just put it up there, change the date, right? 56 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:16,720 He's going for a three-peat this year. 57 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:18,080 And it's 10 a.m., two p.m. 58 00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:19,520 You don't even have to swing a bat. 59 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:20,960 You can come and make fun of the people 60 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:23,440 that think they can swing the bat, okay? 61 00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:24,840 There's gonna be food, everything, 62 00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:26,920 all the main dishes gonna be provided if you come. 63 00:02:26,920 --> 00:02:29,160 If you're a guy and you wanna come, 64 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:30,880 then just bring a side dish or dessert. 65 00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:32,920 We'll have drinks, burgers, all that stuff. 66 00:02:32,920 --> 00:02:35,580 And also, don't bring your kids, okay? 67 00:02:35,580 --> 00:02:36,840 Just bring, I'm serious. 68 00:02:36,840 --> 00:02:38,000 Some people are like, can I bring my son? 69 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:38,940 Is your son 18? 70 00:02:38,940 --> 00:02:40,040 Then you can bring him. 71 00:02:40,040 --> 00:02:41,760 (congregation laughing) 72 00:02:41,760 --> 00:02:44,380 And then this next thing, so Saturday at my house, 73 00:02:44,380 --> 00:02:46,360 see one of my leaders, or you can get on the app 74 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:49,080 and get my information about where I'm at, I'm in Smyrna. 75 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:51,620 This is the big one I'm really excited to announce. 76 00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:54,360 I don't remember us having a men's retreat 77 00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:55,200 since I've been here. 78 00:02:55,200 --> 00:02:56,480 And it's not a slide at the church. 79 00:02:56,480 --> 00:02:58,800 It's just this is where we're at. 80 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:02,480 We have been praying and seeking God for the last four years 81 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:04,920 and we're finally ready to do a men's retreat, 82 00:03:04,920 --> 00:03:07,680 a men's weekend, and we're gonna do it this year. 83 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:10,000 So it's gonna be August 16th through the 18th. 84 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:11,360 We're going to Pisgah, Alabama. 85 00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:13,280 You have to register via the church app 86 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:15,600 and the cost is $250. 87 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:19,120 I'm inviting you personally, every man that's in here. 88 00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:20,700 I want you to honestly, if you're a wife, 89 00:03:20,700 --> 00:03:23,000 poke your husband, okay? 90 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:26,480 I really think that God wants to continue to do something 91 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:27,760 with the men of this church. 92 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:30,360 I can give you statistics from here until, 93 00:03:30,360 --> 00:03:32,900 we can just close this and I can give you statistics 94 00:03:32,900 --> 00:03:36,920 about what happens when men start leading in the kingdom, 95 00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:39,440 how it affects children, how it affects wives, 96 00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:42,040 how it affects the community 97 00:03:42,040 --> 00:03:46,280 when men embrace the kingdom of God and advance it. 98 00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:49,580 So money's never gonna be a reason why you don't go. 99 00:03:49,580 --> 00:03:52,160 So if money is your reason why you can't go, 100 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:54,120 then you come see me or one of my leadership team. 101 00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:57,320 We have funds set aside so that finances 102 00:03:57,320 --> 00:03:59,840 is never an excuse for you not to be able to go. 103 00:03:59,840 --> 00:04:01,800 Registration's gonna be up in the app 104 00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:03,160 August 16th through the 18th. 105 00:04:03,160 --> 00:04:04,440 I'm really inviting you guys to come. 106 00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:07,000 Now, let's get into the word that we have for this morning. 107 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:08,040 Are we ready? 108 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:08,880 Okay. 109 00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:11,200 We're continuing our series. 110 00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:13,820 If you would, go ahead and stand with me if you're able. 111 00:04:13,820 --> 00:04:15,720 And we're just gonna read a short passage. 112 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:18,280 Are we ready, James? 113 00:04:18,280 --> 00:04:19,360 Okay, here we go. 114 00:04:19,360 --> 00:04:20,520 Together. 115 00:04:20,520 --> 00:04:24,380 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching 116 00:04:24,380 --> 00:04:27,860 and the fellowship, the breaking of bread and the prayers. 117 00:04:27,860 --> 00:04:29,680 Father, we thank you for your word. 118 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:31,340 We thank you for the life that it brings. 119 00:04:31,340 --> 00:04:34,400 God, I ask that your anointing would rest and reside on me, 120 00:04:34,400 --> 00:04:36,420 that through the power of the Holy Ghost, 121 00:04:36,420 --> 00:04:39,900 I would convey your message clearly to your people today. 122 00:04:39,900 --> 00:04:43,820 I pray for our hearts to be open to an encounter with you, 123 00:04:43,820 --> 00:04:46,420 that the name of Jesus would be magnified 124 00:04:46,420 --> 00:04:48,260 and glorified through the Holy Ghost 125 00:04:48,260 --> 00:04:51,680 and that your kingdom would be advanced here in earth 126 00:04:51,680 --> 00:04:53,500 as it is in heaven. 127 00:04:53,500 --> 00:04:55,620 Father, we love you and we consecrate this time 128 00:04:55,620 --> 00:04:56,840 for you today. 129 00:04:56,840 --> 00:04:58,340 It's in Christ's name I pray, amen. 130 00:04:58,340 --> 00:04:59,920 And amen, you can be seated. 131 00:04:59,920 --> 00:05:03,020 We're continuing our series, His church, 132 00:05:03,020 --> 00:05:06,820 and it's an examination of the first century believers 133 00:05:06,820 --> 00:05:09,700 and how the things that we understand 134 00:05:09,700 --> 00:05:12,900 about the first century church apply and carry over 135 00:05:12,900 --> 00:05:15,580 and transcend and we're a continuation of that. 136 00:05:15,580 --> 00:05:18,580 And we've been specifically looking at Acts 2 42 137 00:05:18,580 --> 00:05:20,080 for the last few weeks. 138 00:05:20,080 --> 00:05:23,380 Last week was not a one-off. 139 00:05:23,380 --> 00:05:25,860 It was not just like, oh, here's Father Ray. 140 00:05:25,860 --> 00:05:28,860 There's some things that he really said that resonated 141 00:05:28,860 --> 00:05:31,620 and it shows me that God knows what he's doing 142 00:05:31,620 --> 00:05:33,580 when he sets things in place. 143 00:05:33,580 --> 00:05:37,080 I'm gonna share something about, 144 00:05:37,080 --> 00:05:38,300 something I posted on Facebook, 145 00:05:38,300 --> 00:05:39,500 but you had to promise not to go back 146 00:05:39,500 --> 00:05:40,900 on my personal Facebook and look, 147 00:05:40,900 --> 00:05:43,400 because it don't matter who said what they said, 148 00:05:43,400 --> 00:05:45,260 so I don't want you being nosy. 149 00:05:45,260 --> 00:05:46,580 Besides, you're gonna have to weed through 150 00:05:46,580 --> 00:05:50,140 a lot of playoff basketball posts and Tennessee baseball. 151 00:05:50,140 --> 00:05:53,700 You'll give up long before you find this post, okay? 152 00:05:53,700 --> 00:05:55,420 Long before you find the post. 153 00:05:55,420 --> 00:05:57,660 Look, I swear, I guarantee there's gonna be three people 154 00:05:57,660 --> 00:05:58,860 that go on my page, he's lying, 155 00:05:58,860 --> 00:06:01,340 and be like basketball, basketball, basketball, basketball. 156 00:06:01,340 --> 00:06:03,900 Jesus, basketball, basketball, basketball. 157 00:06:03,900 --> 00:06:06,000 It's the playoffs, I get a game every day. 158 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:09,700 So what he said was I posted on prayer, 159 00:06:09,700 --> 00:06:11,500 you know, and I feel like this sometimes, 160 00:06:11,500 --> 00:06:14,800 I posted, I said, you know, sometimes you feel like 161 00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:17,460 that the dumb questions your kids ask you 162 00:06:17,460 --> 00:06:19,840 are the dumb questions that you ask God. 163 00:06:19,840 --> 00:06:22,360 And I know they say there's no stupid questions, right? 164 00:06:22,360 --> 00:06:24,160 But my kids ask me things like this, 165 00:06:24,160 --> 00:06:25,540 Dad, is this a weird dance? 166 00:06:25,540 --> 00:06:27,660 Right? 167 00:06:27,660 --> 00:06:29,820 And you know the answer before you ask me the, 168 00:06:29,820 --> 00:06:32,040 yes, that's a weird dance, right? 169 00:06:32,040 --> 00:06:34,300 I got another kid to ask me obvious questions. 170 00:06:34,300 --> 00:06:37,120 He says, I'm cooking eggs. 171 00:06:37,120 --> 00:06:39,280 He's like, Dad, what are you doing, cooking eggs? 172 00:06:39,280 --> 00:06:42,740 Flip, you a fish. 173 00:06:42,740 --> 00:06:44,960 What do you mean, am I cooking eggs? 174 00:06:44,960 --> 00:06:47,840 And sometimes that's how I feel when I'm talking to God. 175 00:06:47,840 --> 00:06:48,960 What are you doing, am I cooking eggs? 176 00:06:48,960 --> 00:06:51,500 Yes, Justin, I'm cooking eggs, right? 177 00:06:51,500 --> 00:06:55,780 So I posted this on Facebook and somebody responded 178 00:06:55,780 --> 00:06:58,700 and they said, if you're asking things for God 179 00:06:58,700 --> 00:07:00,920 when you pray, you're doing it wrong. 180 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:02,880 And I was like, what? 181 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:04,720 That's what I said, what? 182 00:07:04,720 --> 00:07:07,680 I'm like, where do you get that? 183 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:10,880 Okay, and it wasn't so much that I'm saying this guy's crazy 184 00:07:10,880 --> 00:07:13,420 and although it is something biblical, 185 00:07:13,420 --> 00:07:18,040 where have we gone that this is what we think about prayer? 186 00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:21,560 Where have we gone wrong that we think that we can't come 187 00:07:21,560 --> 00:07:23,920 and ask things of God? 188 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:26,140 Now, the Bible will tell you, hey, 189 00:07:26,140 --> 00:07:28,580 sometimes you're asking for the wrong thing 190 00:07:28,580 --> 00:07:30,620 or you're asking in the wrong way 191 00:07:30,620 --> 00:07:33,320 or you're asking with the wrong motive. 192 00:07:33,320 --> 00:07:34,680 But what he was saying was, 193 00:07:34,680 --> 00:07:36,360 you shouldn't even be asking things of God. 194 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:38,740 And I'm like, absolutely not, disagree. 195 00:07:40,520 --> 00:07:44,240 There are, it's true, there's around 650 prayers 196 00:07:44,240 --> 00:07:45,760 that are recorded in the Bible. 197 00:07:45,760 --> 00:07:49,760 There are 25 recorded prayers of Jesus. 198 00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:54,760 The ESV uses the word pray or prayer 322 times. 199 00:07:54,760 --> 00:08:00,280 The first mention of prayer is in Genesis 4 26 200 00:08:00,280 --> 00:08:03,120 and it says this, to Seth also a son was born 201 00:08:03,120 --> 00:08:04,920 and he called his name Enosh. 202 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:09,600 At that time, people began to call upon the name 203 00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:11,760 of the Lord. 204 00:08:11,760 --> 00:08:16,760 Before this, all other dialogue was initiated by God. 205 00:08:16,760 --> 00:08:19,960 So Adam's grandson is technically the founder 206 00:08:19,960 --> 00:08:22,160 of public prayer in the line of Adam. 207 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:24,540 And so the believers in Acts chapter two 208 00:08:24,540 --> 00:08:27,140 that devoted themselves to prayer 209 00:08:27,140 --> 00:08:30,440 are the amen to these original petitions. 210 00:08:30,440 --> 00:08:32,440 Now, it doesn't say that they prayed, 211 00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:34,300 but I don't know what you would call prayer 212 00:08:34,300 --> 00:08:36,700 if not calling upon the name of the Lord. 213 00:08:36,700 --> 00:08:39,960 (congregation murmurs) 214 00:08:39,960 --> 00:08:42,100 The other church was no stranger to prayer. 215 00:08:42,100 --> 00:08:45,720 It wasn't like, now we have a church 216 00:08:45,720 --> 00:08:47,240 so we need to start praying. 217 00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:49,360 That's not the case. 218 00:08:49,360 --> 00:08:51,380 But something was different now. 219 00:08:51,380 --> 00:08:53,800 Something was different with these believers 220 00:08:53,800 --> 00:08:55,800 and through Jesus our high priest, 221 00:08:55,800 --> 00:08:58,580 we have been granted access to commune directly 222 00:08:58,580 --> 00:09:01,440 with the most high through his indwelling Holy Spirit. 223 00:09:01,440 --> 00:09:03,400 This is a game changer. 224 00:09:03,400 --> 00:09:05,820 I heard a story and I guess it's like a little story 225 00:09:05,820 --> 00:09:08,380 or joke that the guy was like, when we get to heaven, 226 00:09:08,380 --> 00:09:11,960 we can't wait to talk to all the old heroes of the faith 227 00:09:11,960 --> 00:09:14,840 and ask David, man, what was it like to go up against a giant 228 00:09:14,840 --> 00:09:16,480 like a real life Nephilim? 229 00:09:16,480 --> 00:09:19,560 Or Moses, what was it like when you split the sea 230 00:09:19,560 --> 00:09:21,360 and then a million people started complaining 231 00:09:21,360 --> 00:09:22,800 30 days later, you know? 232 00:09:22,800 --> 00:09:24,760 Like, what was it like? 233 00:09:24,760 --> 00:09:27,280 Right, and we all these heroes of the Bible 234 00:09:27,280 --> 00:09:30,000 and the Old Testament, he said, and I'll say back to you, 235 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:32,260 what was it like to have God's very spirit 236 00:09:32,260 --> 00:09:33,360 living inside of you? 237 00:09:35,020 --> 00:09:36,560 What was it like? 238 00:09:36,560 --> 00:09:40,680 What was it like to have the spirit of God inside of you? 239 00:09:40,680 --> 00:09:42,800 This was a game changer for the people. 240 00:09:42,800 --> 00:09:46,460 So the prayers at the first century church were praying, 241 00:09:46,460 --> 00:09:51,320 were prompted by an indwelling Holy Ghost that was different. 242 00:09:51,320 --> 00:09:53,680 This was new, this was fresh. 243 00:09:53,680 --> 00:09:55,200 But if you really think about it, 244 00:09:55,200 --> 00:09:58,560 there's always been some level of access to God. 245 00:09:58,560 --> 00:10:01,040 The main difference other than the Holy Spirit 246 00:10:01,040 --> 00:10:03,900 indwelling the people was now we have the opportunity 247 00:10:03,900 --> 00:10:07,280 to apply the blood directly to our lives. 248 00:10:07,280 --> 00:10:09,660 Whereas before, the priests would make 249 00:10:09,660 --> 00:10:11,240 an atoning sacrifice for you, 250 00:10:11,240 --> 00:10:15,680 but our Passover lamb, Jesus, has died for once, 251 00:10:15,680 --> 00:10:19,720 once for all our atoning sacrifice. 252 00:10:19,720 --> 00:10:22,760 The Old Testament's full of stories 253 00:10:22,760 --> 00:10:25,400 where men and women have cried out to God and he answered. 254 00:10:25,400 --> 00:10:28,820 Think about the priestly prayers of Moses and Aaron. 255 00:10:28,820 --> 00:10:32,960 Think about Hannah's prophetic prayer over Samuel. 256 00:10:32,960 --> 00:10:34,720 I read Hannah's prayer the other day, 257 00:10:34,720 --> 00:10:37,780 hadn't read it in a long time, and this was transcendent. 258 00:10:37,780 --> 00:10:39,900 This is full of prophecy. 259 00:10:39,900 --> 00:10:43,020 You're like, that lady's not praying in her own accord. 260 00:10:43,020 --> 00:10:45,300 Gideon's fleas, here's another opportunity 261 00:10:45,300 --> 00:10:46,760 where you see stupid questions, right? 262 00:10:46,760 --> 00:10:48,040 My kid's doing stupid questions. 263 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:50,820 God, listen, I believe what you said, kinda, 264 00:10:50,820 --> 00:10:52,960 but if you're really telling me this, 265 00:10:52,960 --> 00:10:56,820 then make the ground dry and my fleas wet. 266 00:10:56,820 --> 00:10:58,260 And then make the next day, you say, 267 00:10:58,260 --> 00:10:59,280 okay, you answered that prayer. 268 00:10:59,280 --> 00:11:02,700 Well, make the fleas wet and the ground dry. 269 00:11:02,700 --> 00:11:03,780 Did I say that backwards? 270 00:11:03,780 --> 00:11:05,140 It's in there, okay? 271 00:11:05,140 --> 00:11:09,020 You know what I'm saying, okay? 272 00:11:09,020 --> 00:11:12,120 God's like, yes, I'm cooking eggs, Gideon, okay? 273 00:11:12,120 --> 00:11:15,760 And then you have stories like this. 274 00:11:15,760 --> 00:11:16,960 This one really trips me out. 275 00:11:16,960 --> 00:11:19,280 This is in 1st Kings, I'm gonna set the stage, okay? 276 00:11:19,280 --> 00:11:24,280 Elijah has been in a showdown with the prophets of Baal 277 00:11:24,280 --> 00:11:30,140 and these prophets are arguing against whose God is greater, 278 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:33,060 Baal or Yahweh and Elijah's by himself 279 00:11:33,060 --> 00:11:36,300 and there's all these prophets and they're worshiping Baal 280 00:11:36,300 --> 00:11:39,140 and they're cutting themselves and bloodletting 281 00:11:39,140 --> 00:11:41,100 and screaming out to their God 282 00:11:41,100 --> 00:11:42,860 and Elijah's making fun of him 283 00:11:42,860 --> 00:11:44,880 and he calls down fire from heaven 284 00:11:44,880 --> 00:11:48,520 and it licks up the water around the altar and burns it up 285 00:11:48,520 --> 00:11:50,580 and then Elijah goes on a killing spree 286 00:11:50,580 --> 00:11:52,780 and kills all the prophets of Baal 287 00:11:52,780 --> 00:11:55,300 and then this lady gets word of it and says, 288 00:11:55,300 --> 00:11:57,760 I'm finna kill you and Elijah just has to come apart, 289 00:11:57,760 --> 00:11:59,940 right there, ah, gosh. 290 00:11:59,940 --> 00:12:00,940 That's what happened. 291 00:12:00,940 --> 00:12:03,440 And here's where we're at, read it. 292 00:12:03,440 --> 00:12:06,720 I just read my Bible and it's in there, okay? 293 00:12:06,720 --> 00:12:10,400 It says, "Then he was afraid and he arose 294 00:12:10,400 --> 00:12:14,200 "and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, 295 00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:17,020 "which belongs to Judah and left his servant there 296 00:12:17,020 --> 00:12:20,420 "but he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness 297 00:12:20,420 --> 00:12:23,160 "and came and sat down under a broom tree 298 00:12:23,160 --> 00:12:25,900 "and he asked that he might die saying, 299 00:12:25,900 --> 00:12:29,260 "It is enough now, oh Lord, take away my life 300 00:12:29,260 --> 00:12:31,140 "for I am no better than my fathers." 301 00:12:31,140 --> 00:12:34,100 His prayer was, God, I just wanna die. 302 00:12:34,100 --> 00:12:38,300 Please, I wanna die now, God. 303 00:12:38,300 --> 00:12:39,920 I don't wanna live no more. 304 00:12:39,920 --> 00:12:41,380 And this is what God says to him. 305 00:12:41,380 --> 00:12:43,020 You're gonna love this, this is what he does. 306 00:12:43,020 --> 00:12:46,060 And he lay down and slept under a broom tree 307 00:12:46,060 --> 00:12:49,220 and behold, an angel touched him and said, 308 00:12:49,220 --> 00:12:50,720 arise and eat. 309 00:12:50,720 --> 00:12:52,300 Basically, he woke him up and said, 310 00:12:52,300 --> 00:12:54,300 eat a Snickers, Elijah. 311 00:12:54,300 --> 00:12:55,860 (audience laughing) 312 00:12:55,860 --> 00:12:58,380 You've seen the commercials where you're not yourself 313 00:12:58,380 --> 00:12:59,380 when you're hungry. 314 00:12:59,380 --> 00:13:03,660 Where do you think they got it from? 315 00:13:03,660 --> 00:13:05,020 Next time you see a Snicker commercial, 316 00:13:05,020 --> 00:13:06,660 you're like, that's biblical. 317 00:13:06,660 --> 00:13:08,520 That is biblical. 318 00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:11,140 You're gonna start carrying, 319 00:13:11,140 --> 00:13:12,900 you're gonna start carrying them in your pocket 320 00:13:12,900 --> 00:13:15,000 for benevolence, right? 321 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:17,440 You're gonna pray for somebody and hand them a Snicker bar. 322 00:13:17,440 --> 00:13:20,660 Look, you need a Snickers, lady. 323 00:13:20,660 --> 00:13:22,000 And look, look, and it says, 324 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:24,580 and he looked and behold, there was at his head a cake 325 00:13:24,580 --> 00:13:26,860 baked on hot stones and a jar of water 326 00:13:26,860 --> 00:13:29,700 and he ate and drank and lay down again. 327 00:13:29,700 --> 00:13:30,880 I love it, I love it. 328 00:13:30,880 --> 00:13:32,780 Pastor Jonathan has a little sign in here 329 00:13:32,780 --> 00:13:33,700 for his worship team. 330 00:13:33,700 --> 00:13:35,840 You guys don't get to see the backstage stuff, 331 00:13:35,840 --> 00:13:38,540 but there are snacks and waters and a sign 332 00:13:38,540 --> 00:13:40,540 that has this exact Bible verse that says, 333 00:13:40,540 --> 00:13:44,320 never underestimate the power of a snack and a nap, okay? 334 00:13:44,320 --> 00:13:48,460 Never underestimate the power of a snack and a nap. 335 00:13:48,460 --> 00:13:50,100 This guy was like, I wanna die. 336 00:13:50,100 --> 00:13:52,660 And guy was like, shut up and take a nap and eat something. 337 00:13:52,660 --> 00:13:53,500 (audience laughing) 338 00:13:53,500 --> 00:13:56,460 You're acting out of your flesh. 339 00:13:56,460 --> 00:14:00,980 You need to rest, you need to rest and replenish, okay? 340 00:14:00,980 --> 00:14:03,880 So with all the wit and humor that's involved in this, 341 00:14:03,880 --> 00:14:04,980 see what God's saying. 342 00:14:04,980 --> 00:14:06,500 Sometimes my answer to this prayer 343 00:14:06,500 --> 00:14:08,540 is you need to stop doing too much. 344 00:14:08,540 --> 00:14:11,700 You're crying and whining about the wrong thing. 345 00:14:11,700 --> 00:14:14,700 I just moved in your life. 346 00:14:14,700 --> 00:14:16,160 Who do you think set the fire 347 00:14:16,160 --> 00:14:19,940 that you called down from heaven, right? 348 00:14:19,940 --> 00:14:24,860 You called it down and I obliged and now you're tripping 349 00:14:24,860 --> 00:14:26,380 'cause this lady's trying to kill you. 350 00:14:26,380 --> 00:14:28,860 They're always gonna be trying to kill you. 351 00:14:28,860 --> 00:14:33,300 The enemy's here to steal, kill and destroy. 352 00:14:33,300 --> 00:14:37,480 So why should it be a surprise that you run into adversity? 353 00:14:37,480 --> 00:14:40,680 And sometimes the answer to your adversity is calm down, 354 00:14:40,680 --> 00:14:44,340 sit down, take a break and have a snack. 355 00:14:44,340 --> 00:14:48,160 Praise God, I love, I love it. 356 00:14:48,160 --> 00:14:52,160 So many types of prayers. 357 00:14:52,160 --> 00:14:55,580 So many types of prayers that we see in scripture, okay? 358 00:14:55,580 --> 00:14:57,900 If you look at all of the different prayers 359 00:14:57,900 --> 00:15:02,800 that have been uttered and given and recorded in scripture, 360 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:05,080 you can kind of start to group them together a little bit. 361 00:15:05,080 --> 00:15:06,240 So if you're taking notes here, 362 00:15:06,240 --> 00:15:09,060 some types of prayer that we see in scripture. 363 00:15:09,060 --> 00:15:10,340 The first one is we see, 364 00:15:10,340 --> 00:15:12,740 and these are not like in order of appearance, okay? 365 00:15:12,740 --> 00:15:16,460 These are just like, these are the types. 366 00:15:16,460 --> 00:15:18,520 The first one is a prayer of faith. 367 00:15:18,520 --> 00:15:24,500 And this reaffirms our faith in God's sovereign will. 368 00:15:25,220 --> 00:15:27,840 And every time I talk about God's will, 369 00:15:27,840 --> 00:15:31,660 I also talk about the difference between his sovereign will 370 00:15:31,660 --> 00:15:34,460 and his desired will, because there is a difference. 371 00:15:34,460 --> 00:15:35,940 If you say God's will, 372 00:15:35,940 --> 00:15:39,640 you should really specify what that means, okay? 373 00:15:39,640 --> 00:15:44,640 Because God's desired will gives you a choice in the matter. 374 00:15:44,640 --> 00:15:46,100 Okay? 375 00:15:46,100 --> 00:15:48,940 It is not God's will that any should perish, 376 00:15:48,940 --> 00:15:51,200 but that all come to repentance 377 00:15:51,200 --> 00:15:52,880 and the knowledge of Jesus Christ. 378 00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:55,880 Well, guess what, that's not gonna happen. 379 00:15:55,880 --> 00:15:59,100 It's his desire that you wouldn't perish, 380 00:15:59,100 --> 00:16:02,640 but you would repent, but he gives you the choice in that. 381 00:16:02,640 --> 00:16:06,260 The beautiful thing about God's sovereignty is 382 00:16:06,260 --> 00:16:07,820 he knows the chess game, 383 00:16:07,820 --> 00:16:11,140 but he gives you the ability to move to pieces. 384 00:16:11,140 --> 00:16:14,080 He knows it, but you still get to move to pieces. 385 00:16:14,080 --> 00:16:15,980 That's his desired will. 386 00:16:15,980 --> 00:16:19,340 His sovereign will, you don't have a choice in the matter. 387 00:16:19,340 --> 00:16:21,000 God said it and it's gonna happen 388 00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:22,680 and you don't get to complain about it 389 00:16:22,680 --> 00:16:24,540 'cause it's gonna happen anyway. 390 00:16:24,540 --> 00:16:28,260 Prayers of faith, prayers of faith, 391 00:16:28,260 --> 00:16:30,260 what they do is they say, 392 00:16:30,260 --> 00:16:34,180 "God, even if this don't turn out the way I want it to, 393 00:16:34,180 --> 00:16:35,780 "I'm trusting you." 394 00:16:35,780 --> 00:16:41,340 What happens when you pray and you don't get healed? 395 00:16:41,340 --> 00:16:44,160 When you pray and you still lose your job, 396 00:16:44,160 --> 00:16:47,500 when you pray and it still goes against you, 397 00:16:47,500 --> 00:16:51,000 can you trust in God's sovereignty? 398 00:16:51,000 --> 00:16:52,780 That's a prayer of faith. 399 00:16:52,780 --> 00:16:54,140 That's a prayer of faith. 400 00:16:54,140 --> 00:16:57,140 Then we have prayers of agreement. 401 00:16:57,140 --> 00:17:01,420 This is more than one person believing together, okay? 402 00:17:01,420 --> 00:17:03,300 Perfect example, right? 403 00:17:03,300 --> 00:17:07,440 Pastor Kevin said, "Stretch your hands out. 404 00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:10,280 "I'm gonna pray you're gonna agree 405 00:17:10,280 --> 00:17:13,880 "that what I'm praying we're gonna petition God for." 406 00:17:13,880 --> 00:17:18,300 We all just participated in prayers of agreement. 407 00:17:18,300 --> 00:17:22,400 We agreed, yes, Lord, we're all on the same page 408 00:17:22,400 --> 00:17:23,600 with this prayer. 409 00:17:23,600 --> 00:17:27,940 Then you have petitions, bringing a request to God. 410 00:17:27,940 --> 00:17:30,680 If I've ever prayed with you down front here, 411 00:17:30,680 --> 00:17:33,920 more than likely you've heard me share Philippians 4.6. 412 00:17:33,920 --> 00:17:36,380 It says, this is one of my favorite verses 413 00:17:36,380 --> 00:17:38,180 and I don't come down like, 414 00:17:38,180 --> 00:17:40,060 "This is what I'm praying and this is what," 415 00:17:40,060 --> 00:17:41,140 it just happens. 416 00:17:41,140 --> 00:17:43,680 It's like one of those when you know the word, 417 00:17:43,680 --> 00:17:46,080 you can go back and stand on it, okay? 418 00:17:46,080 --> 00:17:47,180 And this is one of those where I'm like, 419 00:17:47,180 --> 00:17:48,520 "I can't get away." 420 00:17:48,520 --> 00:17:50,380 I'm like tethered to this word, 421 00:17:50,380 --> 00:17:52,180 which I think is a good thing, right? 422 00:17:52,180 --> 00:17:57,180 The word says that, his word is an anchor for our soul, right? 423 00:17:57,180 --> 00:18:00,660 An anchor, the boat can still float a little bit, 424 00:18:00,660 --> 00:18:04,160 but it's got a point it's tethered to, okay? 425 00:18:04,160 --> 00:18:06,380 And so if we're tethered to the word, 426 00:18:06,380 --> 00:18:09,260 I may be able to drift a little bit, 427 00:18:09,260 --> 00:18:11,260 but my anchor and my hope is in this 428 00:18:11,260 --> 00:18:15,460 so I don't get too far, so that I don't get out of bounds, 429 00:18:15,460 --> 00:18:17,420 so I don't get up against the rocks, 430 00:18:17,420 --> 00:18:21,300 so I don't end up drifting places I'm not supposed to be. 431 00:18:21,300 --> 00:18:24,980 And so this word Philippians 4.6 basically says, 432 00:18:24,980 --> 00:18:26,400 this is Justin speak, 433 00:18:26,400 --> 00:18:32,600 "Be anxious for nothing, be anxious for nothing, 434 00:18:32,600 --> 00:18:36,860 "but in everything with prayer and thanksgiving, 435 00:18:36,860 --> 00:18:40,340 "make your requests known to God." 436 00:18:40,340 --> 00:18:42,300 And here's what it says will happen. 437 00:18:42,300 --> 00:18:45,100 "And the peace of God that passes all understanding 438 00:18:45,100 --> 00:18:48,180 "will reign and rule in your hearts and minds." 439 00:18:48,180 --> 00:18:50,980 He didn't say nothing about I'll answer it 440 00:18:50,980 --> 00:18:52,900 the way you want it to go. 441 00:18:52,900 --> 00:18:55,900 He didn't say anything about I will hear you from heaven. 442 00:18:55,900 --> 00:18:58,440 He says, "You bring your request to me 443 00:18:58,440 --> 00:19:00,600 "and what I'll give you in exchange is a peace 444 00:19:00,600 --> 00:19:02,360 "because you'll know I'm in control. 445 00:19:02,360 --> 00:19:07,220 "You're offering your petitions to me with thanksgiving." 446 00:19:07,220 --> 00:19:10,700 Thank you God on this side of the Jordan, 447 00:19:10,700 --> 00:19:13,300 on this, we need to cross over, 448 00:19:13,300 --> 00:19:15,020 but I'm thanking you on this side 449 00:19:15,020 --> 00:19:17,980 and asking you to help me cross over this. 450 00:19:17,980 --> 00:19:22,340 And even if I never get to go over, thank you now 451 00:19:22,340 --> 00:19:24,680 and God's peace resides on you. 452 00:19:24,680 --> 00:19:27,460 That's a prayer petition, okay? 453 00:19:27,460 --> 00:19:30,780 With thanksgiving, who knew I would put that in that order. 454 00:19:30,780 --> 00:19:35,540 Thanksgiving is gratitude for God's hand upon us. 455 00:19:35,540 --> 00:19:38,380 This could be provision, this could be protection, 456 00:19:38,380 --> 00:19:41,600 this could be wisdom, this can be any number of things, 457 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:43,460 right, that you're thankful for. 458 00:19:43,460 --> 00:19:45,220 What are you thankful for? 459 00:19:45,220 --> 00:19:47,380 I'm doing a challenge with the men's group 460 00:19:47,380 --> 00:19:50,720 and part of the challenge is every single day, 461 00:19:50,720 --> 00:19:53,860 you have to write down three things you're thankful for 462 00:19:53,860 --> 00:19:56,500 and they can't be the same as what you were thankful for 463 00:19:56,500 --> 00:19:58,020 the day before. 464 00:19:58,020 --> 00:19:59,900 You think you know what you're thankful for 465 00:19:59,900 --> 00:20:03,740 till you gotta get challenged every day. 466 00:20:03,740 --> 00:20:05,380 And then I even go a step further, 467 00:20:05,380 --> 00:20:08,140 it's never I'm thankful for my wife, I'm like for what? 468 00:20:08,140 --> 00:20:12,260 No, we're not gonna listen. 469 00:20:12,260 --> 00:20:15,340 What are you thankful for in your life? 470 00:20:15,340 --> 00:20:18,320 Why can't you write it down and tell it to God 471 00:20:18,320 --> 00:20:20,620 and share it with somebody else? 472 00:20:20,620 --> 00:20:24,380 And in your prayer time, instead of us coming with a need 473 00:20:24,380 --> 00:20:26,980 or a petition or request all the time, 474 00:20:26,980 --> 00:20:29,500 what about prayers of thanksgiving that we pour out to God? 475 00:20:29,500 --> 00:20:31,660 God, thank you for waking me up today 476 00:20:31,660 --> 00:20:33,700 and keeping me in my right mind. 477 00:20:33,700 --> 00:20:37,460 And then I wonder, am I crazy the way the day goes on? 478 00:20:37,460 --> 00:20:40,280 And then I remember, no, right? 479 00:20:40,280 --> 00:20:42,680 God has not given me a spirit of fear, but what? 480 00:20:42,680 --> 00:20:47,040 And a sound mind and I'm tethered to that word. 481 00:20:47,040 --> 00:20:49,100 So no matter when I drift, I'm like, I'm crazy. 482 00:20:49,100 --> 00:20:50,160 Why would you say that to a person? 483 00:20:50,160 --> 00:20:51,700 God's like, no, you're not, you're not crazy. 484 00:20:51,700 --> 00:20:53,500 You're acting crazy, right? 485 00:20:53,500 --> 00:20:55,340 Your behavior is following your belief, 486 00:20:55,340 --> 00:20:56,660 so get your mind right. 487 00:20:56,660 --> 00:20:59,280 That was free. 488 00:20:59,280 --> 00:21:01,980 It ain't in here, I swear. 489 00:21:01,980 --> 00:21:06,660 Then there's prayers, don't laugh, I get tickled. 490 00:21:06,660 --> 00:21:08,280 Then there's prayers of worship. 491 00:21:08,280 --> 00:21:10,860 This is recognizing and acknowledging God's power 492 00:21:10,860 --> 00:21:12,480 and His greatness. 493 00:21:12,480 --> 00:21:16,220 Recognizing and acknowledging God's power and greatness. 494 00:21:16,220 --> 00:21:21,220 When we were here and we were singing and praising together, 495 00:21:21,220 --> 00:21:25,400 we are speaking phrases of adoration, 496 00:21:25,400 --> 00:21:29,840 recognizing God's power and His greatness. 497 00:21:29,840 --> 00:21:31,660 This is an act of prayer. 498 00:21:31,660 --> 00:21:33,260 This is an act of prayer. 499 00:21:33,260 --> 00:21:36,940 Then we have consecration. 500 00:21:36,940 --> 00:21:39,800 Consecration is when you set apart something 501 00:21:39,800 --> 00:21:42,600 for holy use and service unto the Lord. 502 00:21:42,600 --> 00:21:46,020 The priests in the temple will often pray 503 00:21:46,020 --> 00:21:50,460 for the tools and the things that were to be used 504 00:21:50,460 --> 00:21:53,800 that they would be consecrated, set apart for holy use. 505 00:21:53,800 --> 00:21:58,680 Joshua said to his people, consecrate yourselves today, 506 00:21:58,680 --> 00:22:03,180 for God will do amazing things among you tomorrow. 507 00:22:03,180 --> 00:22:06,740 He didn't say, consecrate yourself today 508 00:22:06,740 --> 00:22:08,700 'cause you got a lot of stuff to do today. 509 00:22:08,700 --> 00:22:12,940 He said, consecrate yourself before you even know the task, 510 00:22:12,940 --> 00:22:15,340 before you're even used. 511 00:22:15,340 --> 00:22:18,440 God will often give you things that you did not know 512 00:22:18,440 --> 00:22:22,740 you needed way ahead of time before you knew you needed 'em. 513 00:22:22,740 --> 00:22:24,180 And I'm gonna take it a step further. 514 00:22:24,180 --> 00:22:27,340 God will give you things that are not even for you 515 00:22:27,340 --> 00:22:29,100 half the time. 516 00:22:29,100 --> 00:22:30,400 Perfect example. 517 00:22:30,400 --> 00:22:34,940 If I say I have the gift of healing, okay, 518 00:22:34,940 --> 00:22:38,220 and James needs healing and I pray for James 519 00:22:38,220 --> 00:22:40,860 and he gets healed, who was the gift really for? 520 00:22:40,860 --> 00:22:42,820 - James. 521 00:22:42,820 --> 00:22:44,060 - Thank you, Mary Sue. 522 00:22:44,060 --> 00:22:46,020 It was for James. 523 00:22:46,020 --> 00:22:48,420 The gift was for him, it was not for me. 524 00:22:48,420 --> 00:22:51,620 I am a conduit and sometimes we like to claim the gifts 525 00:22:51,620 --> 00:22:53,540 as our own personal possession. 526 00:22:53,540 --> 00:22:55,420 When it was not for you or about you, 527 00:22:55,420 --> 00:22:58,240 I gave that to you not because you needed it, 528 00:22:58,240 --> 00:23:01,260 but you needed to give it to somebody else. 529 00:23:01,260 --> 00:23:03,660 A gift is meant to be what? 530 00:23:03,660 --> 00:23:08,460 Given, not hoarded, put up on a shelf. 531 00:23:08,460 --> 00:23:14,780 Intercession, prayers of intercession. 532 00:23:14,780 --> 00:23:17,740 This is on someone else's behalf or well-being, 533 00:23:17,740 --> 00:23:18,620 God's intervention. 534 00:23:18,620 --> 00:23:20,180 There's been many times where people have, 535 00:23:20,180 --> 00:23:22,500 we've come to these altars and we've prayed on behalf. 536 00:23:22,500 --> 00:23:23,460 We pray for you. 537 00:23:23,460 --> 00:23:26,340 We've interceded on your behalf. 538 00:23:26,340 --> 00:23:28,880 There's been many tears back there in that back corner 539 00:23:28,880 --> 00:23:30,520 from my life. 540 00:23:30,520 --> 00:23:33,540 Pastor Ronnie's interceded for me and Barbie 541 00:23:33,540 --> 00:23:36,500 and Hal and I've interceded for other people. 542 00:23:36,500 --> 00:23:38,980 Anytime you go to God on somebody else's behalf, 543 00:23:38,980 --> 00:23:40,200 you are interceding. 544 00:23:40,200 --> 00:23:42,380 Jesus interceded for his disciples 545 00:23:42,380 --> 00:23:44,340 while he was sitting at the table with him. 546 00:23:44,340 --> 00:23:45,860 Talk about an awkward moment, 547 00:23:45,860 --> 00:23:49,180 but a beautiful one as well 548 00:23:49,180 --> 00:23:50,900 to get to hear somebody praying for you. 549 00:23:50,900 --> 00:23:53,740 What if you could be a fly on the wall 550 00:23:53,740 --> 00:23:56,600 to hear all the prayers that somebody's prayed for you? 551 00:23:56,600 --> 00:24:01,340 Man, that just hit me, dude. 552 00:24:02,860 --> 00:24:04,420 That just hit me right now. 553 00:24:04,420 --> 00:24:09,220 I mean, think about, you might not even be a believer 554 00:24:09,220 --> 00:24:11,500 and there's people that's been praying for you. 555 00:24:11,500 --> 00:24:16,160 What if you could hear all the phrases and blessings 556 00:24:16,160 --> 00:24:19,740 that have been given to God on your behalf? 557 00:24:19,740 --> 00:24:21,500 What would that change in your life? 558 00:24:21,500 --> 00:24:26,340 How would that humble you and make you feel loved 559 00:24:26,340 --> 00:24:28,860 and important and seen? 560 00:24:28,860 --> 00:24:30,300 I know it make me feel good, right? 561 00:24:30,300 --> 00:24:31,640 Got me crying right now. 562 00:24:31,680 --> 00:24:34,360 (audience laughing) 563 00:24:34,360 --> 00:24:36,400 And then there's prayers from the Holy Spirit 564 00:24:36,400 --> 00:24:40,780 and these are prayers when we don't know what to pray, 565 00:24:40,780 --> 00:24:42,680 when we don't even know what to pray. 566 00:24:42,680 --> 00:24:45,020 Some of that, sometimes it looks like tears. 567 00:24:45,020 --> 00:24:47,840 Sometimes it just looks like sitting with your friend 568 00:24:47,840 --> 00:24:50,440 when they cry and y'all are praying 569 00:24:50,440 --> 00:24:51,280 and you don't even know it. 570 00:24:51,280 --> 00:24:54,280 Sometimes it just looks like, ah, ah, ah, right? 571 00:24:54,280 --> 00:25:00,440 Anybody ever been there? 572 00:25:00,440 --> 00:25:01,800 (audience laughing) 573 00:25:01,800 --> 00:25:04,140 And I'd rather you do that than say a whole bunch 574 00:25:04,140 --> 00:25:06,880 of cuss words and then you're gonna be praying 575 00:25:06,880 --> 00:25:08,500 about what you just said. 576 00:25:08,500 --> 00:25:11,680 I know God would rather you do that too. 577 00:25:11,680 --> 00:25:16,580 Prayer language, tongues, private tongues. 578 00:25:16,580 --> 00:25:20,520 Romans 8, 26 and 27 says the Spirit helps us 579 00:25:20,520 --> 00:25:23,920 in our weakness when we don't know what to pray. 580 00:25:23,920 --> 00:25:25,640 I know what I wanna pray about but I don't know 581 00:25:25,640 --> 00:25:28,920 what I need to be praying about sometimes, right? 582 00:25:28,920 --> 00:25:31,680 So the Holy Ghost is like, I know what he said. 583 00:25:31,680 --> 00:25:34,160 I know he said he wanted to die but what he really said was, 584 00:25:34,160 --> 00:25:36,120 he's hungry and tired. 585 00:25:36,120 --> 00:25:39,520 (audience laughing) 586 00:25:39,520 --> 00:25:40,780 Y'all didn't see that earlier. 587 00:25:40,780 --> 00:25:42,680 You see it now, don't you? 588 00:25:42,680 --> 00:25:44,820 You got, that went right over your head 589 00:25:44,820 --> 00:25:46,880 but now you're like, ah, here we go. 590 00:25:46,880 --> 00:25:50,920 The Lord's Prayer, as we commonly refer to it, 591 00:25:50,920 --> 00:25:53,760 I call it the disciples' prayer, that's just me. 592 00:25:53,760 --> 00:25:54,700 I can't change it. 593 00:25:54,700 --> 00:25:58,640 But in Matthew, at the very beginning, 594 00:25:58,640 --> 00:26:01,440 his disciples say, hey, teach us how to pray 595 00:26:01,440 --> 00:26:04,000 and this is what Jesus said and he pretty much encompasses 596 00:26:04,000 --> 00:26:06,280 all of these types of prayer into this one prayer. 597 00:26:06,280 --> 00:26:07,740 So if you're ever looking for a model, 598 00:26:07,740 --> 00:26:10,680 it's a disciples' prayer and here's what Jesus tells them. 599 00:26:10,680 --> 00:26:12,940 This is how you should pray, guys. 600 00:26:12,940 --> 00:26:17,080 Our Father in heaven and that is such an important phrase 601 00:26:17,080 --> 00:26:18,840 to start with because two things happen. 602 00:26:18,840 --> 00:26:20,080 If you're calling somebody Father, 603 00:26:20,080 --> 00:26:22,600 that denotes a father-son relationship, 604 00:26:22,600 --> 00:26:23,900 father-daughter relationship. 605 00:26:23,900 --> 00:26:25,440 You're starting off by acknowledging, 606 00:26:25,440 --> 00:26:27,800 I have a relationship with you. 607 00:26:27,800 --> 00:26:30,000 I have the ability to talk to you and speak with you 608 00:26:30,000 --> 00:26:31,000 and commune with you. 609 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:34,640 Father in heaven, it also says you're somewhere 610 00:26:34,640 --> 00:26:37,820 that is high above me in my understanding. 611 00:26:37,820 --> 00:26:41,520 There is an awe and reverence in a relational aspect 612 00:26:41,520 --> 00:26:42,880 with the opening line of that prayer. 613 00:26:42,880 --> 00:26:46,960 Our Father in heaven, holy is your name. 614 00:26:46,960 --> 00:26:50,800 Your name is above every name. 615 00:26:50,800 --> 00:26:56,460 Your kingdom come, your will be done in earth 616 00:26:56,460 --> 00:26:59,680 and on the earth as it already is in heaven. 617 00:26:59,680 --> 00:27:03,180 God, I'm asking that whatever you have planned, 618 00:27:03,180 --> 00:27:04,380 bring it here. 619 00:27:04,380 --> 00:27:08,220 Give me this day my daily bread and God, 620 00:27:08,220 --> 00:27:10,940 if you're gonna have your kingdom walked out here on earth, 621 00:27:10,940 --> 00:27:12,860 I need the carbs, fats and proteins 622 00:27:12,860 --> 00:27:17,080 that are gonna sustain me to do this every day, right? 623 00:27:17,080 --> 00:27:19,280 That's my daily bread, what is that? 624 00:27:19,280 --> 00:27:22,200 Carbs, fats and proteins, okay? 625 00:27:22,200 --> 00:27:24,360 God, I need you to sustain me, 626 00:27:24,360 --> 00:27:26,460 take care of my physical needs 627 00:27:26,460 --> 00:27:29,100 so that I can fight this spiritual battle. 628 00:27:29,100 --> 00:27:34,180 Provide for me, take some of the worry off my back, God. 629 00:27:34,180 --> 00:27:36,720 I don't wanna be focused on this temporary 630 00:27:36,720 --> 00:27:40,400 but necessary need so that I can have my eyes fixed 631 00:27:40,400 --> 00:27:42,100 on your kingdom. 632 00:27:42,100 --> 00:27:44,740 Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth 633 00:27:44,740 --> 00:27:45,580 as it already is in heaven. 634 00:27:45,580 --> 00:27:46,420 Give us this day our daily bread 635 00:27:46,420 --> 00:27:48,120 and forgive me my trespasses 636 00:27:48,120 --> 00:27:50,360 as I forgive those that have trespassed against me. 637 00:27:50,360 --> 00:27:52,100 That is a proper perspective. 638 00:27:52,100 --> 00:27:54,100 Understanding people have wronged you 639 00:27:54,100 --> 00:27:57,660 but guess what, big boy, you have wronged people too. 640 00:27:57,660 --> 00:28:01,000 So put some grace in your pocket when you get up today. 641 00:28:01,000 --> 00:28:04,280 That's what that says is God, look, 642 00:28:04,280 --> 00:28:05,420 people are gonna tick me off 643 00:28:05,420 --> 00:28:07,260 but I remember I have ticked people off too. 644 00:28:07,260 --> 00:28:09,700 So let me get a couple of pocketfuls of grace 645 00:28:09,700 --> 00:28:12,220 and walk around with so maybe I don't respond so quick 646 00:28:12,220 --> 00:28:15,200 and so sharp and have a little bit more understanding. 647 00:28:15,200 --> 00:28:17,680 But you don't just get that in and of yourself, 648 00:28:17,680 --> 00:28:20,280 you're going to God and asking for it in prayer. 649 00:28:20,280 --> 00:28:23,120 Forgive us our trespasses, love us your trespasses. 650 00:28:23,120 --> 00:28:25,160 And lead us not into temptation, right? 651 00:28:25,160 --> 00:28:27,240 That's a specific, hey, please God, 652 00:28:27,240 --> 00:28:30,960 keep temptation from me and deliver us from the evil one. 653 00:28:30,960 --> 00:28:34,600 I recognize there's an enemy and I'm in a battle 654 00:28:34,600 --> 00:28:38,480 but please let temptation not creep all the way up 655 00:28:38,480 --> 00:28:41,640 on my doorstep, protect me. 656 00:28:41,640 --> 00:28:43,900 Give me a hedge of protection. 657 00:28:43,900 --> 00:28:46,420 For yours is the kingdom, yours is the power, 658 00:28:46,420 --> 00:28:49,280 yours is the glory forever and ever. 659 00:28:49,280 --> 00:28:51,920 This is a prayer of faith, agreement, petition, 660 00:28:51,920 --> 00:28:55,280 thanksgiving, worship, consecration, intercession 661 00:28:55,280 --> 00:28:56,660 and the Holy Spirit. 662 00:28:56,660 --> 00:28:59,240 This is all this, this is a great model. 663 00:28:59,240 --> 00:29:03,920 But also we see some postures 664 00:29:03,920 --> 00:29:07,340 and a posture is how you position your body. 665 00:29:07,340 --> 00:29:09,120 There's several postures, okay? 666 00:29:09,120 --> 00:29:11,140 And they denote reverence and awe. 667 00:29:11,140 --> 00:29:13,240 Prayer is a mighty vehicle for us 668 00:29:13,240 --> 00:29:14,400 and where are my postures? 669 00:29:14,400 --> 00:29:15,800 I think I put it somewhere else. 670 00:29:15,800 --> 00:29:17,040 That was a different note. 671 00:29:17,040 --> 00:29:21,840 Postures, okay. 672 00:29:22,840 --> 00:29:24,480 I'll just go through them here. 673 00:29:24,480 --> 00:29:28,620 Sitting, okay? 674 00:29:28,620 --> 00:29:32,600 Second Samuel 7, 18 describes Daniel 675 00:29:32,600 --> 00:29:34,860 as sitting before the Lord. 676 00:29:34,860 --> 00:29:38,160 He changes his posture, right? 677 00:29:38,160 --> 00:29:43,160 In Exodus, Moses' reference is bowing before the Lord, right? 678 00:29:43,160 --> 00:29:46,760 In Daniel, Daniel knelt three times a day 679 00:29:46,760 --> 00:29:48,200 in prayer to the Lord. 680 00:29:48,200 --> 00:29:51,320 He changed his posture, okay? 681 00:29:51,320 --> 00:29:55,240 He changed his physical body and knelt in reverence 682 00:29:55,240 --> 00:29:57,500 and awe of God as he petitioned him. 683 00:29:57,500 --> 00:30:00,840 In complete rebellion to the king, by the way. 684 00:30:00,840 --> 00:30:04,760 Lifting hands, Paul talks about lifting hands to the Lord. 685 00:30:04,760 --> 00:30:07,600 And finally, Nehemiah, Ezra was mentioned 686 00:30:07,600 --> 00:30:08,720 as laying prostrate. 687 00:30:08,720 --> 00:30:11,640 This is putting your body face down on the Lord. 688 00:30:11,640 --> 00:30:12,560 So I want you to see these. 689 00:30:12,560 --> 00:30:15,020 So if you see this in a worship service 690 00:30:15,020 --> 00:30:17,080 or a corporate setting, don't be alarmed. 691 00:30:17,080 --> 00:30:18,720 This is a biblical opportunity 692 00:30:18,720 --> 00:30:20,480 and we don't know where everybody's at 693 00:30:20,480 --> 00:30:22,160 or the reason for it, okay? 694 00:30:22,160 --> 00:30:26,040 It was right here in front of me the whole time. 695 00:30:26,040 --> 00:30:27,480 (congregation laughing) 696 00:30:27,480 --> 00:30:28,620 So dumb. 697 00:30:28,620 --> 00:30:32,100 Prayer is a vehicle for us. 698 00:30:32,100 --> 00:30:34,360 It can increase our faith and ministry. 699 00:30:34,360 --> 00:30:36,160 It can boost the harvest, heal the sick. 700 00:30:36,160 --> 00:30:37,720 It can drive out demons. 701 00:30:37,720 --> 00:30:39,740 We pray so we can lead, so we can work, 702 00:30:39,740 --> 00:30:41,920 so we can find freedom, preach the gospel 703 00:30:41,920 --> 00:30:44,780 and accomplish God's desired will in the earth 704 00:30:44,780 --> 00:30:45,620 as it is in heaven. 705 00:30:45,620 --> 00:30:48,980 We pray to commune with God and so we can hear from him. 706 00:30:48,980 --> 00:30:50,120 All right, I'm gonna say something right now. 707 00:30:50,120 --> 00:30:52,200 So go ahead and get your ears ready. 708 00:30:52,200 --> 00:30:53,440 This is a trigger warning. 709 00:30:53,440 --> 00:30:57,680 Okay, and I'm gonna give you a side note, okay? 710 00:30:57,680 --> 00:31:00,320 There's a difference between saying something offensive 711 00:31:00,320 --> 00:31:02,720 and being offended by something somebody said. 712 00:31:02,720 --> 00:31:07,140 There's a difference between saying something offensive 713 00:31:07,140 --> 00:31:08,940 where you're intending to hurt somebody 714 00:31:08,940 --> 00:31:12,680 and being offended because there might've been some truth 715 00:31:12,680 --> 00:31:15,100 that you're not walking in, okay? 716 00:31:15,100 --> 00:31:17,320 So now I'm not saying what I'm saying 717 00:31:17,320 --> 00:31:19,000 is about to be offensive, so don't get offended. 718 00:31:19,000 --> 00:31:21,080 I'm just saying, if this bothers you, 719 00:31:21,080 --> 00:31:26,320 I'm just saying, I'm just saying, 720 00:31:26,320 --> 00:31:28,280 if it bothers you, don't get offended 721 00:31:28,280 --> 00:31:30,680 and then pray, God, why am I offended by this? 722 00:31:30,680 --> 00:31:33,080 Okay? 723 00:31:33,080 --> 00:31:38,720 It is not prayer or a life of prayer that bring us power. 724 00:31:38,720 --> 00:31:43,320 It is a God to whom we pray who has all the power. 725 00:31:43,320 --> 00:31:45,040 And here's what I'm saying. 726 00:31:45,040 --> 00:31:49,440 Last week, Father Ray said, "Is your trust in your trust?" 727 00:31:49,440 --> 00:31:54,220 Is your faith in your faith or the fact that you have faith? 728 00:31:54,220 --> 00:31:58,020 Or is your faith in the God of heaven and earth? 729 00:31:58,020 --> 00:32:00,640 When I pray, is it the fact that I'm praying 730 00:32:00,640 --> 00:32:03,080 or is it fact of who I'm praying to? 731 00:32:03,080 --> 00:32:04,880 What about all those prophets of Baal 732 00:32:04,880 --> 00:32:07,160 that was over here cutting themselves and praying? 733 00:32:07,160 --> 00:32:09,040 Did their prayers amount to anything? 734 00:32:09,040 --> 00:32:12,160 And they were a lot more intense with their acts of worship. 735 00:32:12,160 --> 00:32:15,700 Some of us are in here like statues every day. 736 00:32:15,700 --> 00:32:17,460 Okay? 737 00:32:17,460 --> 00:32:18,280 And this ain't a shot at you. 738 00:32:18,280 --> 00:32:20,740 I'm not saying everybody's needs to be demonstrative 739 00:32:20,740 --> 00:32:24,400 in their worship because a head bowed 740 00:32:24,400 --> 00:32:27,100 and a quiet and sincere heart in reverence 741 00:32:27,100 --> 00:32:32,100 to an almighty God is a lot of times more powerful 742 00:32:32,100 --> 00:32:33,800 than somebody running down in the altar. 743 00:32:33,800 --> 00:32:35,740 So that's not what I'm talking about. 744 00:32:35,740 --> 00:32:39,140 It's a heart that is still a stone. 745 00:32:39,140 --> 00:32:40,020 Okay? 746 00:32:40,020 --> 00:32:41,520 Is it the God? 747 00:32:41,520 --> 00:32:45,820 It is not prayer or a life of prayer that changes anything. 748 00:32:45,820 --> 00:32:47,920 It is the God to whom we pray 749 00:32:47,920 --> 00:32:49,900 that has the power to change things. 750 00:32:49,900 --> 00:32:53,600 We really don't have any idea how prayer works. 751 00:32:53,600 --> 00:32:54,840 Okay? 752 00:32:54,840 --> 00:32:57,440 You can read the Bible and not know how this works. 753 00:32:57,440 --> 00:32:59,680 But I wanna share two stories with you. 754 00:32:59,680 --> 00:33:01,000 Okay? 755 00:33:01,000 --> 00:33:03,560 A lot of times it don't make sense. 756 00:33:03,560 --> 00:33:04,920 A lot of times this don't make sense. 757 00:33:04,920 --> 00:33:05,760 Okay? 758 00:33:05,760 --> 00:33:09,740 But prayer somehow works. 759 00:33:10,880 --> 00:33:14,180 So there was a study that I came across 760 00:33:14,180 --> 00:33:15,800 in the National Library of Medicine. 761 00:33:15,800 --> 00:33:17,220 Don't ask me why I'm there. 762 00:33:17,220 --> 00:33:19,200 I know I shouldn't be studying 763 00:33:19,200 --> 00:33:20,960 the National Library of Medicine archives, 764 00:33:20,960 --> 00:33:22,520 but I was perusing. 765 00:33:22,520 --> 00:33:23,360 Okay? 766 00:33:23,360 --> 00:33:26,920 And there's a study that I came across concerning prayer 767 00:33:26,920 --> 00:33:31,920 and people who had a blood issue such as sepsis. 768 00:33:31,920 --> 00:33:34,680 So here's what they did in this study. 769 00:33:34,680 --> 00:33:39,240 It was a double blind randomized study. 770 00:33:39,240 --> 00:33:40,080 Okay? 771 00:33:40,080 --> 00:33:43,800 So what they did was they took almost 4,000 sepsis patients 772 00:33:43,800 --> 00:33:46,640 and they randomly divided them into two groups. 773 00:33:46,640 --> 00:33:47,480 Okay? 774 00:33:47,480 --> 00:33:48,300 Are we with me? 775 00:33:48,300 --> 00:33:49,800 Group A, group B. 776 00:33:49,800 --> 00:33:51,240 Then they flipped a coin 777 00:33:51,240 --> 00:33:53,680 as to which group would get prayer. 778 00:33:53,680 --> 00:33:55,080 Completely random. 779 00:33:55,080 --> 00:33:55,900 Okay? 780 00:33:55,900 --> 00:33:58,880 There was a group of people who were the prayers 781 00:33:58,880 --> 00:34:00,200 and they were given a sheet 782 00:34:00,200 --> 00:34:02,900 that only had a first name on it. 783 00:34:02,900 --> 00:34:03,740 Okay? 784 00:34:03,740 --> 00:34:04,640 And they prayed a simple prayer. 785 00:34:04,640 --> 00:34:07,100 God, would you heal this person? 786 00:34:07,100 --> 00:34:09,080 Would you bring comfort in their life? 787 00:34:09,080 --> 00:34:11,260 Would you minimize the effects 788 00:34:11,260 --> 00:34:13,000 that they are feeling right now? 789 00:34:13,000 --> 00:34:13,840 Their symptoms? 790 00:34:13,840 --> 00:34:15,360 Would you work in their life and heal them in Jesus' name? 791 00:34:15,360 --> 00:34:16,200 Would you be with Susan? 792 00:34:16,200 --> 00:34:17,080 Would you be with Thomas? 793 00:34:17,080 --> 00:34:18,240 Whatever it was, right? 794 00:34:18,240 --> 00:34:21,040 And what they found was that the group 795 00:34:21,040 --> 00:34:25,720 that had been prayed for showed significantly, 796 00:34:25,720 --> 00:34:29,680 significantly less symptoms and hospital stay 797 00:34:29,680 --> 00:34:32,560 than the group that had not been prayed for. 798 00:34:32,560 --> 00:34:35,400 And their conclusion was that prayer 799 00:34:35,400 --> 00:34:38,060 should be applied as medicine. 800 00:34:38,060 --> 00:34:40,100 (audience murmuring) 801 00:34:40,100 --> 00:34:42,300 No, we knew that right. 802 00:34:42,300 --> 00:34:44,320 Here's where it gets trippy. 803 00:34:44,320 --> 00:34:48,100 The people had sepsis in the 1990s. 804 00:34:48,100 --> 00:34:52,300 The prayers were offered up in the year 2000. 805 00:34:52,300 --> 00:34:56,060 Are you following what I just said? 806 00:34:56,060 --> 00:35:00,220 These people had either been sick and recovered 807 00:35:00,220 --> 00:35:03,320 or sick and died anywhere from four to 10 years 808 00:35:03,320 --> 00:35:05,580 before anybody even prayed for him. 809 00:35:05,580 --> 00:35:09,580 Now why is that crazy to understand 810 00:35:09,580 --> 00:35:14,020 that a God that is outside of space and time 811 00:35:14,020 --> 00:35:17,060 can know a prayer that's uttered now 812 00:35:17,060 --> 00:35:19,940 and go back into the past and bring healing 813 00:35:19,940 --> 00:35:22,260 so you can have peace in your present 814 00:35:22,260 --> 00:35:24,520 and hope for your future? 815 00:35:24,520 --> 00:35:26,460 There's a story in the Bible where Joshua says, 816 00:35:26,460 --> 00:35:29,260 "God, please let the sun stand still," 817 00:35:29,260 --> 00:35:31,580 he prays, "Please let the sun stand still 818 00:35:31,580 --> 00:35:33,300 "until I kill all my enemies." 819 00:35:33,300 --> 00:35:36,080 And God says, "Done." 820 00:35:36,080 --> 00:35:40,580 And if the 24 hour day is based on the cycle of the sun, 821 00:35:40,580 --> 00:35:44,180 right, and the sun stands still, does time stop? 822 00:35:44,180 --> 00:35:47,440 I'm just saying, does time stop? 823 00:35:47,440 --> 00:35:50,500 No, because Joshua kept fighting in real time 824 00:35:50,500 --> 00:35:52,060 and they killed their enemies 825 00:35:52,060 --> 00:35:54,500 and then the sun started moving again. 826 00:35:54,500 --> 00:35:55,340 What? 827 00:35:55,340 --> 00:36:01,060 This is in the Bible, okay? 828 00:36:01,060 --> 00:36:04,140 What I'm saying is, why is it so crazy 829 00:36:04,140 --> 00:36:06,300 to believe that God doesn't know a need 830 00:36:06,300 --> 00:36:08,700 and finds a way to meet it long before a prayer 831 00:36:08,700 --> 00:36:12,340 he knows is gonna be uttered is lifted up to his ears? 832 00:36:12,340 --> 00:36:13,900 Why is that so wild to believe? 833 00:36:13,900 --> 00:36:16,500 Anytime somebody comes down to the altar, right, 834 00:36:16,500 --> 00:36:18,660 and says, "I have so much in my past 835 00:36:18,660 --> 00:36:20,680 "I need to be set free from," right, 836 00:36:20,680 --> 00:36:22,900 we act like everything up until this point 837 00:36:22,900 --> 00:36:24,580 is just magically gone. 838 00:36:24,580 --> 00:36:25,900 Wrong. 839 00:36:25,900 --> 00:36:30,380 God has the ability to go back and fix things 840 00:36:30,380 --> 00:36:34,740 so that your now and forward are different. 841 00:36:34,740 --> 00:36:36,940 We don't understand how that works. 842 00:36:36,940 --> 00:36:40,240 And here's the beautiful part, you don't got to. 843 00:36:40,240 --> 00:36:41,460 You don't have to. 844 00:36:41,460 --> 00:36:43,900 I'm not supposed, I don't, I have no, 845 00:36:43,900 --> 00:36:46,660 it's in the National Library of Medicine. 846 00:36:46,660 --> 00:36:48,480 Why, I don't know. 847 00:36:48,480 --> 00:36:51,300 But it's there and it shows that God is sovereign 848 00:36:51,300 --> 00:36:53,700 over all space and time. 849 00:36:53,700 --> 00:36:56,720 So the first and most important aspect of prayer 850 00:36:56,720 --> 00:36:58,640 is faith and trust and listen, 851 00:36:58,640 --> 00:37:01,800 ha, ha, I don't know what's happening 852 00:37:01,800 --> 00:37:03,820 but I'm trusting you, God. 853 00:37:03,820 --> 00:37:05,600 I don't know what it's gonna look like 854 00:37:05,600 --> 00:37:07,120 but I'm trusting you. 855 00:37:07,120 --> 00:37:10,840 And it's also not crazy to ask him to do something crazy. 856 00:37:10,840 --> 00:37:14,280 Every now and then he might wanna roll up his sleeves. 857 00:37:14,280 --> 00:37:17,540 Let him cook, as the kids say, right? 858 00:37:17,540 --> 00:37:19,080 I hope that's not irreverent, please Lord, 859 00:37:19,080 --> 00:37:20,040 don't let that be. 860 00:37:20,040 --> 00:37:22,160 I'll get an email. 861 00:37:22,160 --> 00:37:25,320 I'm telling you right now, I don't know. 862 00:37:25,320 --> 00:37:27,040 I don't know if it's irreverent. 863 00:37:27,040 --> 00:37:29,240 Second story from my personal life, okay, 864 00:37:29,240 --> 00:37:30,880 me and my dad go on a fishing trip 865 00:37:30,880 --> 00:37:32,720 and I like to bring buddies with me and stuff 866 00:37:32,720 --> 00:37:34,720 and we went down several years ago 867 00:37:34,720 --> 00:37:37,360 and there was a lady on the boat, okay, 868 00:37:37,360 --> 00:37:38,840 which might seem a little weird 869 00:37:38,840 --> 00:37:42,440 but she's on a fishing boat and she's the deckhand. 870 00:37:42,440 --> 00:37:44,040 Okay, not that ladies can't do it. 871 00:37:44,040 --> 00:37:46,480 I'm just saying it's not like something you'd normally see. 872 00:37:46,480 --> 00:37:48,120 You get on a bunch of dudes on a boat 873 00:37:48,120 --> 00:37:50,480 and there's a girl say, hey, here I got the bait 874 00:37:50,480 --> 00:37:52,600 and she's cutting bait and rigging lures 875 00:37:52,600 --> 00:37:53,960 and we're like, fine, you do your thing. 876 00:37:53,960 --> 00:37:54,960 We don't know what we're doing. 877 00:37:54,960 --> 00:37:56,460 We're from Tennessee, okay. 878 00:37:56,780 --> 00:37:58,100 (congregation laughing) 879 00:37:58,100 --> 00:37:59,460 We have a fantastic time. 880 00:37:59,460 --> 00:38:02,140 She loves us, we're praying for people. 881 00:38:02,140 --> 00:38:04,220 We're just having a big old time, right. 882 00:38:04,220 --> 00:38:06,100 Well, then we go down the next year 883 00:38:06,100 --> 00:38:07,340 and she's not on the boat. 884 00:38:07,340 --> 00:38:09,780 We're like, hey, where's our girl at? 885 00:38:09,780 --> 00:38:12,140 And the captain said, oh man, something happened with her. 886 00:38:12,140 --> 00:38:13,700 She was gonna captain another boat 887 00:38:13,700 --> 00:38:17,180 but some things happened and she didn't get to do it 888 00:38:17,180 --> 00:38:19,100 and so she's not here and was, oh dang, man. 889 00:38:19,100 --> 00:38:22,060 We texted her and let her know, we were asking about her. 890 00:38:22,060 --> 00:38:26,100 So we go back into the dock and she's standing on the dock 891 00:38:26,100 --> 00:38:28,380 like Forrest Gump waving, okay. 892 00:38:28,380 --> 00:38:31,740 Waving at us and she's got her camera. 893 00:38:31,740 --> 00:38:35,740 She's filming us as we come in, right. 894 00:38:35,740 --> 00:38:38,940 And she's got her camera up and we get into the dock 895 00:38:38,940 --> 00:38:40,260 and we're talking for a few minutes. 896 00:38:40,260 --> 00:38:41,580 So what happened, why were you on the boat? 897 00:38:41,580 --> 00:38:44,580 She said, man, so I was gonna go out 898 00:38:44,580 --> 00:38:47,420 and captain a boat with a guy and he tried to buy 899 00:38:47,420 --> 00:38:52,420 a silencer for his pistol from Russia and the FBI, 900 00:38:52,420 --> 00:38:54,700 I don't, I'm just telling you what she said. 901 00:38:56,040 --> 00:39:01,040 And the FBI flagged him and chained his boat to the dock 902 00:39:01,040 --> 00:39:05,660 for 45 days while they investigated, okay. 903 00:39:05,660 --> 00:39:07,900 He didn't, it wasn't illegal. 904 00:39:07,900 --> 00:39:09,380 They was just like, this looks sketchy. 905 00:39:09,380 --> 00:39:11,380 We're not doing this, right. 906 00:39:11,380 --> 00:39:14,980 So they chained, I'm literally chained the guy's boat 907 00:39:14,980 --> 00:39:17,060 with a lock to the dock like you, 908 00:39:17,060 --> 00:39:19,380 it's like something you'd see in a movie. 909 00:39:19,380 --> 00:39:22,340 And she said, and because I had already declared 910 00:39:22,340 --> 00:39:25,220 with this guy, all the other boats filled up 911 00:39:25,220 --> 00:39:27,160 and so I don't have a spot, I can't even work. 912 00:39:27,160 --> 00:39:30,140 I don't have a boat, this is what I know how to do. 913 00:39:30,140 --> 00:39:32,380 All the spots have already been filled. 914 00:39:32,380 --> 00:39:34,420 This was my only hope. 915 00:39:34,420 --> 00:39:37,160 And we're like, dang, that stinks, can we pray for you? 916 00:39:37,160 --> 00:39:39,520 And so we huddled around her and we prayed for her 917 00:39:39,520 --> 00:39:42,680 and we said, God, we just asked that whatever happened 918 00:39:42,680 --> 00:39:47,680 45 days ago back here, God, that you would do a work 919 00:39:47,680 --> 00:39:53,180 back here so that she would know your power now 920 00:39:53,440 --> 00:39:56,440 and that moving forward, she would be able to walk out 921 00:39:56,440 --> 00:39:58,520 the plans that you have for her. 922 00:39:58,520 --> 00:40:02,160 We prayed for something way back here that will affect now 923 00:40:02,160 --> 00:40:04,260 that she would be able to then walk into. 924 00:40:04,260 --> 00:40:08,220 Simple prayer, wasn't dramatic or anything, demonstrative. 925 00:40:08,220 --> 00:40:10,580 We just prayed for her and believed in God. 926 00:40:10,580 --> 00:40:12,920 We interceded, we came into agreement, 927 00:40:12,920 --> 00:40:15,520 we petitioned God with thanksgiving 928 00:40:15,520 --> 00:40:17,860 and put our faith in Him, simple. 929 00:40:17,860 --> 00:40:19,480 That's what we just walked through. 930 00:40:19,480 --> 00:40:21,760 She texts me 30 minutes later and says, 931 00:40:21,760 --> 00:40:22,820 you're not gonna believe this. 932 00:40:22,820 --> 00:40:24,000 I said, I bet I would. 933 00:40:24,000 --> 00:40:27,220 And I'm like, try me. 934 00:40:27,220 --> 00:40:28,800 I'm like, you don't know my guy. 935 00:40:28,800 --> 00:40:30,440 I got stories, lady. 936 00:40:30,440 --> 00:40:31,480 I got stories. 937 00:40:31,480 --> 00:40:36,480 She said, the owner of the boat just called me and said, 938 00:40:36,480 --> 00:40:42,160 the FBI emailed him at nine o'clock on a Friday night. 939 00:40:42,160 --> 00:40:46,560 The government, when does the government work 940 00:40:46,560 --> 00:40:48,840 at nine o'clock on a Friday night? 941 00:40:50,400 --> 00:40:54,060 And she said, they were releasing his boat. 942 00:40:54,060 --> 00:40:57,020 They're sending an agent down to unchain it. 943 00:40:57,020 --> 00:41:00,800 I'm going on my first charter tomorrow morning. 944 00:41:00,800 --> 00:41:06,400 And I've got men in here that'll testify to God's goodness. 945 00:41:06,400 --> 00:41:07,580 Now, why am I telling you that? 946 00:41:07,580 --> 00:41:09,280 I don't know how that worked. 947 00:41:09,280 --> 00:41:12,780 But I know we prayed for something in the past 948 00:41:12,780 --> 00:41:14,620 that would be affected in the present 949 00:41:14,620 --> 00:41:16,880 and give them a hope and faith for the future. 950 00:41:16,880 --> 00:41:19,280 We have no idea how prayer works, 951 00:41:19,280 --> 00:41:21,080 but we don't need to. 952 00:41:21,080 --> 00:41:23,420 We just need to know that it works 953 00:41:23,420 --> 00:41:26,680 because it's communing with God. 954 00:41:26,680 --> 00:41:30,760 We are talking to and with and listening to 955 00:41:30,760 --> 00:41:32,160 the creator of the universe. 956 00:41:32,160 --> 00:41:35,920 And the first century church grabbed a hold of this. 957 00:41:35,920 --> 00:41:39,400 It says they devoted themselves to prayer. 958 00:41:39,400 --> 00:41:41,120 Pastor Kevin said a few weeks ago, 959 00:41:41,120 --> 00:41:44,720 devotion infers priority. 960 00:41:44,720 --> 00:41:46,920 When you devote yourself to something, 961 00:41:46,920 --> 00:41:50,000 that means it's a priority in your life. 962 00:41:50,000 --> 00:41:54,100 They devoted themselves to breaking bread and to prayer. 963 00:41:54,100 --> 00:41:55,120 It was important. 964 00:41:55,120 --> 00:41:56,880 It was a part of their life. 965 00:41:56,880 --> 00:42:00,680 Got one more thing I wanna say though, 966 00:42:00,680 --> 00:42:03,540 and you guys can play, but I have to say this. 967 00:42:03,540 --> 00:42:09,040 If we're gonna be praying and believing together 968 00:42:09,040 --> 00:42:10,840 at the church, I'm gonna need a rota. 969 00:42:10,840 --> 00:42:13,080 I'm gonna need a rota. 970 00:42:13,080 --> 00:42:15,740 Some of you don't know who rota is, 971 00:42:15,740 --> 00:42:17,660 but you're gonna find out. 972 00:42:17,660 --> 00:42:21,020 Acts chapter 12, 12 through 16, okay? 973 00:42:21,020 --> 00:42:22,220 James had been martyred. 974 00:42:22,220 --> 00:42:23,360 Peter is locked up. 975 00:42:23,360 --> 00:42:24,780 He's fixing to get killed. 976 00:42:24,780 --> 00:42:28,600 And they all get together like they had in Acts two 977 00:42:28,600 --> 00:42:29,920 and they start praying. 978 00:42:29,920 --> 00:42:31,680 And guess what? 979 00:42:31,680 --> 00:42:34,160 God's answers their prayers. 980 00:42:34,160 --> 00:42:37,400 And Peter shows up knocking at the door. 981 00:42:37,400 --> 00:42:42,220 And the only one who went and answered the door 982 00:42:42,220 --> 00:42:44,680 was a servant girl named rota. 983 00:42:44,680 --> 00:42:46,640 And she went back and told everybody, 984 00:42:46,640 --> 00:42:48,360 hey, Peter's at the front door. 985 00:42:48,360 --> 00:42:49,880 And they said, get out of here. 986 00:42:49,880 --> 00:42:50,720 You're tripping. 987 00:42:50,720 --> 00:42:51,620 That's his ghost. 988 00:42:51,620 --> 00:42:52,860 And she went back and said, 989 00:42:52,860 --> 00:42:55,320 I'm telling you, he's knocking at the door. 990 00:42:55,320 --> 00:42:57,620 And finally they go let him in. 991 00:42:57,620 --> 00:43:00,060 They're like, Peter, right? 992 00:43:00,060 --> 00:43:04,060 Here's what's so important about that story. 993 00:43:04,060 --> 00:43:07,000 I hope the answer to my prayer knocks long enough 994 00:43:07,000 --> 00:43:08,180 for me to go answer it. 995 00:43:08,180 --> 00:43:12,540 The answer to the prayer, they're praying. 996 00:43:12,540 --> 00:43:13,980 God, please let Peter out of jail. 997 00:43:13,980 --> 00:43:14,820 Please save him. 998 00:43:14,820 --> 00:43:17,320 And Peter's at the front door and they don't believe it. 999 00:43:17,320 --> 00:43:20,740 So when I say I need a rota, 1000 00:43:20,740 --> 00:43:22,880 if we're praying and believing together, 1001 00:43:22,880 --> 00:43:24,400 which one of y'all are gonna believe 1002 00:43:24,400 --> 00:43:26,240 in the hope that we're praying for? 1003 00:43:26,240 --> 00:43:29,780 Cole, are you gonna act on what we're praying about? 1004 00:43:29,780 --> 00:43:31,800 Are you gonna go to the door and check on it? 1005 00:43:31,800 --> 00:43:32,920 And when Cole come back and says, 1006 00:43:32,920 --> 00:43:34,040 hey, God told me this. 1007 00:43:34,040 --> 00:43:35,300 I know we've been praying about this. 1008 00:43:35,300 --> 00:43:36,540 Here's what God was revealing to me. 1009 00:43:36,540 --> 00:43:39,360 Am I gonna say, come on rota, let's go. 1010 00:43:39,360 --> 00:43:40,940 I'll go answer the door. 1011 00:43:41,960 --> 00:43:45,820 If we're talking about they, they, they 1012 00:43:45,820 --> 00:43:49,480 devoted themselves to prayer. 1013 00:43:49,480 --> 00:43:52,840 There was an individual aspect and it was a corporate aspect. 1014 00:43:52,840 --> 00:43:56,060 But if we're gonna do this together, I need a rota. 1015 00:43:56,060 --> 00:43:56,900 I need a rota. 1016 00:43:56,900 --> 00:43:58,200 Are you gonna be that rota? 1017 00:43:58,200 --> 00:44:01,460 There is so much to prayer 1018 00:44:01,460 --> 00:44:03,200 and it's sometimes hard to understand. 1019 00:44:03,200 --> 00:44:05,200 We usually treat it like a tool. 1020 00:44:05,200 --> 00:44:07,320 If we need prayer, we go get our prayer hammer 1021 00:44:07,320 --> 00:44:10,460 out of our toolbox and we go use the hammer 1022 00:44:10,460 --> 00:44:12,360 for what the prayer hammer needs to be done 1023 00:44:12,360 --> 00:44:15,060 and then we put the prayer hammer back in the toolbox. 1024 00:44:15,060 --> 00:44:18,080 But what if prayer is not the vehicle 1025 00:44:18,080 --> 00:44:19,960 that brings us to our destination? 1026 00:44:19,960 --> 00:44:23,000 What if prayer is the destination? 1027 00:44:23,000 --> 00:44:24,600 Let me say that a different way. 1028 00:44:24,600 --> 00:44:29,880 Prayer is not just a step in our journey. 1029 00:44:29,880 --> 00:44:31,500 Prayer is the journey. 1030 00:44:31,500 --> 00:44:37,720 Communion with God, that is the journey. 1031 00:44:38,960 --> 00:44:42,200 Every single day. 1032 00:44:42,200 --> 00:44:45,800 It's not just an item I go grab when I have a need, 1033 00:44:45,800 --> 00:44:49,040 although there is occasion for that. 1034 00:44:49,040 --> 00:44:53,120 It is a part of our every day lives. 1035 00:44:53,120 --> 00:44:57,680 From our waking, our sleeping, our coming, our going, 1036 00:44:57,680 --> 00:45:01,320 our eating, sleeping, walking around lives 1037 00:45:01,320 --> 00:45:05,480 laid before God as an offering in communion. 1038 00:45:05,480 --> 00:45:06,920 So I'm gonna ask my prayer people 1039 00:45:06,920 --> 00:45:08,480 to come down here this morning. 1040 00:45:09,480 --> 00:45:13,320 I don't know what better day to come for prayer 1041 00:45:13,320 --> 00:45:16,960 than a day where we're talking about prayer. 1042 00:45:16,960 --> 00:45:20,800 You might think you don't need nothing. 1043 00:45:20,800 --> 00:45:23,200 And you might get down here to agree with somebody 1044 00:45:23,200 --> 00:45:25,220 and the Holy Spirit get all over you and say, 1045 00:45:25,220 --> 00:45:26,440 "You know what? 1046 00:45:26,440 --> 00:45:28,580 "You think I don't see you. 1047 00:45:28,580 --> 00:45:30,180 "You think you're alone. 1048 00:45:30,180 --> 00:45:33,480 "You feel like you're not enough. 1049 00:45:33,480 --> 00:45:35,500 "You feel like I don't think you're enough, 1050 00:45:35,500 --> 00:45:38,120 "but I wanted you to know I love you and I see you 1051 00:45:38,120 --> 00:45:40,360 "and I haven't forgot about you." 1052 00:45:40,360 --> 00:45:41,240 You might come down here and say, 1053 00:45:41,240 --> 00:45:42,760 "I don't know what I'm supposed to pray for." 1054 00:45:42,760 --> 00:45:44,540 And the person that's praying with you 1055 00:45:44,540 --> 00:45:46,360 knows what to pray for. 1056 00:45:46,360 --> 00:45:47,760 There's been many occasions. 1057 00:45:47,760 --> 00:45:49,960 I used to be scared to go to Fred Jones. 1058 00:45:49,960 --> 00:45:53,800 He'd tell me everything that I didn't wanna hear. 1059 00:45:53,800 --> 00:45:58,420 There's an opportunity here for us 1060 00:45:58,420 --> 00:46:01,880 to come and commune with God in joy and laughter 1061 00:46:01,880 --> 00:46:04,860 and tears and sorrow, standing and kneeling, 1062 00:46:04,860 --> 00:46:07,840 bowing, sitting, you ain't even gotta get up. 1063 00:46:07,840 --> 00:46:10,600 You ain't even gotta get up, but what I ask is, 1064 00:46:10,600 --> 00:46:12,880 wherever you're at, if you need to come, come. 1065 00:46:12,880 --> 00:46:13,920 If you need to sit, sit. 1066 00:46:13,920 --> 00:46:15,800 If you need to stand, if you need to lay prostrate 1067 00:46:15,800 --> 00:46:18,020 in that back corner, let's do it. 1068 00:46:18,020 --> 00:46:21,560 They're gonna worship as an act of prayer. 1069 00:46:21,560 --> 00:46:24,620 They're gonna agree as an act of prayer in faith 1070 00:46:24,620 --> 00:46:27,800 as you bring your petition to God with thanksgiving, 1071 00:46:27,800 --> 00:46:30,560 trusting that His sovereign hand 1072 00:46:30,560 --> 00:46:33,000 that knows the answer you need, 1073 00:46:33,000 --> 00:46:35,060 regardless if it's the one you want, 1074 00:46:35,060 --> 00:46:39,060 will hear you and meet you in this space. 1075 00:46:39,060 --> 00:46:39,900 Let's pray. 1076 00:46:39,900 --> 00:46:41,900 [Music]