THE PRVILEGE OF PRAYER

 

INTRO: God has not saved us and left us here on earth to get by the best we can. Our Father God has made us many promises in His word that we have the right and the privilege to ask for and receive from Him. If we are living in a right relationship with God, our potential in prayer is unlimited. God stands ever ready to help us as we ask Him to. Prayer is the strength of the church. We must be persistent in it!

I. God says we have an open door to heaven. THE Invitation to pray is found in Luke 11:9 "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. God has extended a special privilege to us His children! Open door policy! 24-7! THE PROMISE - Luke 11:10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. When we ask, we receive; when we seek, we find; when we knock, the door is opened unto us. The verbs ask, seek, and knock are all continuous action. We are to keep on asking and seeking and knocking, ever beseeching God to hear us. Jesus drove the point home: perseverance and endurance receives what it asks. The believer shall get what he asks if he...will not leave the throne of God- will not go away - will not let God alone. Don’t give up!

II.  God says when we speak according to the Word and will of God, heaven responds. Mark 11:23–24 (NKJV) ²³For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. ²⁴Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. Our faith must be totally in God, nothing else. Mark 11:22 (NKJV) So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. WE must pray with our eyes on God and not the difficulty. When we pray to our Father in faith, heaven responds. WOW! What a promise and privilege. Notice the importance of what we say as we pray and after we pray! Mark 11: 23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. These verses do not give a person authority to pray for miraculous powers for their own convenience or acclaim. Every act of faith must rest on the promise of God. If we know that it is God’s will to remove a certain difficulty, then we can pray with utter confidence that it will be done. In fact, we can pray with confidence on any subject as long as we are confident it is according to God’s will as revealed in the Bible or by the inner witness of the Spirit. When we are really living in touch with the Lord and praying in the Spirit, we can have the assurance of answered prayer before the answer actually comes.

III. If we ask what God has promised, in Jesus name, He will do it. To ask in Jesus name is to ask according to His will. Find it in His holy word and claim it. The reason He will do it. John 14:13 And whatever you ask in My name, [ in my will] that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

IV. When we pray according to God’s will we have confidence that He hears us and that we have what we have prayed for. 1 John 5:14-15 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. There are many things that we know to be in accordance with his will, if we read His word and if they are sought in a proper manner. Our part is to know God’s will. All that God has promised we are justified in expecting; and what he has promised, we should pray for believing that we receive. Prayer is the language of the children of God. He who is begotten of God speaks this language. What a privilege and what promises God has given us through prayer. May we make the most of it!

INVITATION: If you have never asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins, then you need to pray that prayer right now. It is God’s will that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of Him. [2 Tim. 2:4] Confess your sins to Jesus and ask Him to forgive and save you. Invite Him into your life and then be baptized as a piblic testimony to your faith in Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord. This will be the greatest prayer that you could ever pray.

Importance of Consistent Prayer

Intro: As we prioritize our time spent with God, we will be given new strength, deeper peace, and greater wisdom not only for ourselves but also for others. May we create and maintain a daily consistent practice of prayer and watch things change for the better.                                Consistent prayer is important because;

I. It is what God ordained for His people. Jeremiah 33:3 'Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.' God challenges us to call to Him for understanding. God promised to answer by revealing great and unsearchable things. We need His wisdom for the challenges of life! God has established prayer as the means by which we receive his supernatural help. And without supernatural help, we cannot live a life worthy of the gospel. Everything that distinguishes Christians from the world in a Christ-exalting way is a work of God’s supernatural grace, And God has ordained that this grace flows to us through prayer. James 4:2b (NLT) ^2b  You don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.

II. Consistent prayer is the way we receive from God. [Luke 11:9-10 (NLT) ⁹  “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. ¹⁰  For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

III. Consistent prayer helps my faith to grow. Mark 11:22-24 ²²  So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God. ²³  For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

IV. Consistent prayer helps us draw closer to God. James 4:7-8 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. ⁸  Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. We draw closer to God when we submit to Him and take time to consistently pray!

V. Consistent prayer helps us to trust God more. Proverbs 3:5-6 ⁵  Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; ⁶  In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. We acknowledge God when we go to Him in prayer. Consistent prayer shows our trust is in God to lead and direct our path thru this life.

VI. Consistent bold prayer releases God's mercy and grace. Hebrews 4:14-16 (NLT)¹⁴  So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. ¹⁵  This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. ¹⁶  So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. Jesus has turned the throne of God from one of judgment into a throne of grace. Therefore, "let us come boldly before the throne of grace." Jesus provided the way, so let us do it. God's throne is now a throne of mercy and grace; it is now opened up for any person to approach. Let us approach God through Jesus Christ. Prayer is more powerful than the laws of nature that rule the universe today. When we learn to pray faith-filled prayers, we release God's might and power and bring Him on the scene on our behalf or on behalf of others. Under the New Covenant we have with God, sealed by the blood of Jesus Christ, we have a legal right to enter the throne room of God.

Conclusion: We can stand in God's presence without fear and be completely free from a sense of guilt. We can ask God to intervene supernaturally in our behalf, our families, our church, our nation and the nation of Israel. Prayer changes things! Prayer is designed to work in every area of life. Prayer isn't limited by time or distance. Consistent effective prayer using God's Word to guide us will destroy the kingdom of darkness and release the awesome power of God in the earth. May we determine to use consistent prayer to obtain victory over Satan and the obstacles and difficulties in life.

Invitation: If you have never prayed and asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins, simply confess to Him you are a sinner and ask Him to forgive you and save you from hell and for heaven. Then go to church and be baptized to show you are sincere about your faith in Jesus as your Savior and Lord. You will be so thankful you did.

Praying in Faith!

Scripture Text 

Matt. 17:14-20

Matthew 17:14-20 (NKJV) ¹⁴ And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, ¹⁵ "Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. ¹⁶ So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him." ¹⁷ Then Jesus answered and said, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me." ¹⁸ And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour.

I. Praying in faith means belief God will grant my prayer request. Matthew 17:19-20 (NKJV) ¹⁹ Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?" ²⁰ So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.

The Lord's disciples could not cure the man's boy. They had no power against the demons. The clear reason for no power against the demons was unbelief. What is unbelief? Why does faith weaken and turn into unbelief? The disciples had been given and promised unusual power earlier and they had ministered effectively (Matthew 10:1; Luke 10:17). But now the power seemed to be gone and they were unable to minister. "Why?" they asked. Do you and I believe God will grant our prayer request?

Jesus answered, "Because of your unbelief." "What is unbelief?"

1.  Unbelief is doubting God Himself, the object of one's faith. It is also questioning the power of God. Is He really strong enough to do what is needed: to save, deliver, heal, and help with my situation or problem I am praying about? Our faith is to be in God, not in our prayers or anything else. In Mark 11:22 Jesus said to His disciples, “Have faith in God”!

2.  Unbelief is doubting the power of the Lord within my heart and mind. Our hearts and minds must be in tune with God for our prayers to have power. If you think you can solve everything on your own you will never pray. If you are too proud you won't ask God for help. Pride leads to prayerlessness. We should examine our faith, making sure we are trusting not in our own abilities to produce results but in God’s.

3.  Unbelief is doubting one's own faith. It is questioning the strength of one's own dependence and confidence in Christ. May we do a faith check to see where we are!

4.  Unbelief is doubting if the thing needed is God's will. It is questioning if one should be seeking such a thing or if God is willing to do what is needed. That's when we Ask the Holy Spirit to help us pray. Romans 8:26 (NKJV) Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. The answer to unbelief is hungering and thirsting after God so much that we spend a great deal of time in God's presence reading His word and praying so that even food is forgotten. We do without in order to meet God when we are serious about prayer.

II. Our faith in God releases His great power. [Matt. 17:20] So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.

As we put our trust in God, His great power is released. The Jews clearly understood what Jesus meant by "removing mountains." The phrase was a Jewish expression or proverb meaning "to remove difficulties.” The greatest difficulties in human life can be removed only by faith in God. Jesus said we only need mustard seed faith to move our mountains of difficulty. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Rom. [10:17] Prayer is an acknowledgment of God's power and love. Prayer and faith in God can do anything. Working together they can release God's power to remove all kinds of mountains: fear, disappointment, depression, despair, sickness, temptation, guilt, weariness, loneliness, persecution, heartache. Prayer is an acknowledgment of our helplessness. If we are facing problems that seem as big and immovable as mountains, we must turn our eyes from the mountain and look to Christ for more faith.

Then, as Jesus promised, nothing will be impossible.

We must be people of faith to please God. Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV) But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Invitation: A person is also saved by faith in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. He paid for our sins by His shed blood on the cross of Calvary. When one confesses their sin and asks Jesus for His forgiveness, they are saved that moment for Heaven and from Hell!

Hezekiah's Prayer

Hezekiah was the twelfth king of Judah, son of the unfaithful Ahaz, ascended the throne at the age of 25, in the year 726 B.C. The name Hezekiah means “Strength of the Lord.” Hezekiah was a good king, he did right in regards to God. He was also a man of prayer. Lets look at the life and prayer of Hezekiah as an example of what we should be and do.

Prayer is the most unused and neglected privilege we have as Christians!

I. Hezekiah's life. He Imitated David (2 Kings 18:3) (v:4) Removed all idols from the land. Broke the images, removed sacred shrines. He Cut down the Asherah poles, which were False Gods), Broke the brazen serpent Moses made because the people had begun to worship it. (v:5) Trusted in the Lord God of Israel more than other kings did. Clung to the Lord (18:6) Continued following God and Kept His commandments     II. Situations and circumstances he faced. 2 Kings 19:10-13 (NKJV) ¹⁰ "Thus you shall speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying: 'Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you, saying, "Jerusalem shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria." ¹¹ Look! You have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands by utterly destroying them; and shall you be delivered? ¹² Have the gods of the nations delivered those whom my fathers have destroyed, Gozan and Haran and Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were in Telassar? ¹³ Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah?' "

III. His correct plan of action against the problem. 2 Kings 19:14-19 

a. 2 Kings 19:14 (NKJV) And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord.

When the king had received and read King Sennacherib’s message of an impending attack against Jerusalem, he went to the temple to pray. He was greatly outnumbered and was really defenseless against the enemy. But because he had served the Lord, lived in obedience to Him, and remained faithful to Him, he had faith that God would hear his prayer and defend him and the nation of Israel against the enemy.

b. 2 Kings 19:14-15 (NKJV) ¹⁴ And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord. ¹⁵ Then Hezekiah prayed before the Lord, and said: "O Lord God of Israel, the One who dwells between the cherubim, You are God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth.

Hezekiah's prayer included a recognition of God’s power and sovereignty over every situation and circumstance. Spread the letter.... before the Lord, Hezekiah addressed Him as Israel’s God, whose throne was the atonement cover (“mercy seat,”) on the ark of the covenant between the cherubim. God had made a covenant with Israel to be their God and they would be His unique people. The king recognized that God is a Spirit, not a piece of wood or stone. God alone was the real Ruler of Judah, the Sovereign over all the kingdoms of the earth including Assyria, and the all-powerful Creator of heaven and earth. He is also Ruler and Supreme Authority over our every situation. 1 Peter 5:7 says, Cast all our cares on Him, for He cares for you.

c. 2 Kings 19:16 (NKJV) Incline Your ear, O Lord, and hear; open Your eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God.

He mentions the problem which they are facing. Hezekiah didn't try make light of the situation he and the people of Jerusalem were facing. He asked for God's attention. Hezekiah besought God to listen carefully to what he would say and to view closely what was happening. He then reported Sennacherib’s blasphemous insults. The devil will always try to make every situation in life seem hopeless, no way out.

d. 2 Kings 19:17-18 (NKJV) ¹⁷ Truly, Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands, ¹⁸ and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were not gods, but the work of men's hands--wood and stone. Therefore they destroyed them.18 and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were not gods, but the work of men's hands--wood and stone. Therefore they destroyed them.

Hezekiah recognized the vanity and uselessness of idols. He could easily understand why Assyria had successfully defeated her foes; the gods in which those nations trusted for protection were mere pieces of wood and stone. They were created objects, not the Creator. So they had no power and were easily destroyed. We must not put our trust in anything or anyone other than God. There is no other god that can even compare with Jehovah God of Israel, our Savior.

e. 2 Kings 19:19 (NKJV) Now therefore, O Lord our God, I pray, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the Lord God, You alone."

Hezekiah makes specific request. Hezekiah appealed to the living God to deliver His people from Sennacherib’s hand. Hezekiah believed He could and he would; this was a prayer of faith. And the objective of the king’s petition was God’s glory, not primarily their own survival. He asked God to vindicate Himself and to demonstrate that He was not just an impotent idol so that the whole world would acknowledge Him.

Hezekiah’s petition is one of the finest prayers in Scripture.

f. (vs: 35-36)2 Kings 19:35-36 (NKJV) ³⁵ And it came to pass on a certain night that the angel of the Lord went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand; and when people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses--all dead. ³⁶ So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and went away, returned home, and remained at Nineveh.

God answered his prayer in a miraculous way. God is not limited! He has all resources available to Him and He knows how to use them. Nothing too hard for God! He did this so all people would know He is supreme over all.

Conclusion: Hezekiah is a good example of the way we should live our lives before God and how we should trust God in every situation and circumstance that comes our way. We place every care on God because He cares for us. We can never be all we should be and will never be able to do all God would have us do unless we all pray. Jesus knows it’s hard for us to remain faithful in prayer. But He is drawing us beyond what we’ve yet seen and experienced, and he’s calling out a trust in us that we don’t think we have — and are scared to really exercise. Jesus’s purpose is not to shame us for our little faith. He’s inviting us to come further up and further in. There's no excuse for not praying when God has invited us to pray so many times in the bible, and He has promised us He would hear and answer our every prayer. Lets get serious with God! Time is short!

Invitation: If you are not 100% sure you will be in Heaven when you die, now is the time to make sure. You are not promised another day. We have all fallen short of God's glory. Confess your sins to Jesus and pray, ask Him to forgive you and save you from Hell and give you a home in Heaven.

He will in no wise cast out those who come to Him.

Powerful and Effective Prayer

Scripture Text
James 5:13-18

Intro: Prayer is mentioned in the bible 313 times! Prayer is the greatest weapon the church has against Satan, sin, and the evil we face on a daily basis. It is also the most unused weapon in the church today. We often regard prayer as merely an honored tradition and a nice thing to do, a polite formality. But sincere, effective, and fervent prayer is so much more. God our expects us to use it daily in dependence on Him.

I. Pray in the Spirit and name of Jesus. James 5:13-14 (NKJV) ¹³ Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. ¹⁴ Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.

a. It is through Jesus we connect to the Father. God is only obligated to answer prayer for those who know Jesus as their Savior and pray in His Spirit and name. In other words, praying in the Spirit is praying in accordance with principles found in God's word as compared to flesh leading, wanting it's way. Praying in the Spirit has three aspects: (1) admitting our inability, (2) we enjoy the privilege of a living communion with God, and (3) pleading the promises of God with boldness and assurance. Must know God's word.

II. Prayer must be offered in faith. James 5:15 (NKJV) And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

a. Faith means complete trust and faith in God to answer our prayer. James 1:6-8 (NKJV) ⁶ But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷ For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸ he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. There can be no doubts, one minute we believe and the next we doubt.

III. Sin must be confessed and forsaken. James 5:16a (NKJV) Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.

a. God will not hear one who is holding on to sin their heart. Isaiah 59:2 (NKJV) But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear. Are you proud, bitter, angry, resentful, unforgiving, holding a grudge, being deceptive in your dealings with others?

IV. Prayer must be effective and fervent. James 5:16b The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

a. Effective means you must have an active powerful prayer life which produces results. Fervent means your prayer must be burning with passion in your heart. Its a prayer of intensity, feeling, and enthusiasm, expecting an answer from the Father. No half hearted prayer will accomplish anything. Heart must be in it.

V. Prayer is not limited. James 5:17-18 (NKJV) ¹⁷ Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. ¹⁸ And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. 

a. Prayer can be made at any time for any reason at all. Elijah was a man just like us with the same feelings and suffering that we experience. Yet when he prayed for the rain to stop it did, and when he prayed for it to start, it did. When we pray as righteous people, living in obedience to God, trusting in Him and serving Him, He will answer.

Conclusion: There is mighty power within our reach today. Prayer for change, healing, liberation, endurance, and eternal transformation in our lives and the live of those around us. Our astounding, all-powerful God waits to respond to our requests with His unlimited supernatural resources. We can be people of powerful and effective prayer. Lets begin to be faithful to God in intercession, fighting our battles on our knees, and release our faith and trust God for the needs we have. As we pray, He will hear and He will certainly answer.

Invitation: If you have never done so, pray right now the prayer of salvation. Confess you are a sinner and ask Jesus to forgive you and save your soul from hell. Invite Him into your life to take charge of you, be baptized in Jesus' name for the salvation of your soul. We will all die one day and face God. Will you be ready?

Prayer: Father in Heaven, we desire a deep fellowship with you. Help me understand the power of prayer and help me to practice it daily, and if there is one here today that needs Jesus to forgive and save them, may this be the day of their salvation, I pray in the Spirit and name of Jesus. Amen!

Overcoming Problems

Scripture Text John 11

Intro: In John Chapter 11 we are given some keys as to how to overcome every problem we might face in this life. If we do what Lazarus’ family did, we will have the same result. All we need is faith that Jesus hears our prayers, loves us, and cares for us at all times.

I. We are to call on Jesus for help. John 11:3 (NKJV) Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, "Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick."

 a. The very first step in overcoming life’s situations is to call on Jesus. This family had a very serious problem but they knew what to do because they had an intimate relationship with Jesus. Jesus is waiting for us to call on Him. He is always near!

II. Remember Jesus is never late. John 11:6-7 (NKJV) ⁶ So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. ⁷ Then after this He said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again."

 a. Jesus knows when it’s the right time to answer our prayers. He is always working out His plan for our life. When He seems to delay the answer it is for a good reason. In this case Jesus waited two days before He begins to answer their prayer, but there was a very good reason. John 11:4 (NKJV)  When Jesus heard that, He said, "This sickness is not unto death, “but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it." John 11:15 (NKJV)  And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, “that you may believe.” Nevertheless let us go to him." These underlined scriptures give us the reason why Jesus waited. We are to wait on Jesus to answer our prayers knowing He is working out His will for all concerned. Every prayer Jesus answers is to bring glory to God and Himself and to increase our faith in Him and His love for us. A strong faith in God can overcome every obstacle.

III. Remember Jesus loves and cares for us greatly. John 11:5 (NKJV)  Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. John 11:35-36 (NKJV) ³⁵ Jesus wept. ³⁶ Then the Jews said, "See how He loved him!"

  a. They loved Jesus and He loved them in verse 5. If you ever doubt Jesus’ love for you look at the cross. Look at what God says in His word in Romans 8:31-32 (NKJV) ³¹ What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

 God handed His own Son over to die for us—in our behalf, in our stead, in our place, as our substitute. God spared not His own Son; He delivered Christ Jesus up for us all. What a glorious, marvelous, wonderful love! And just how wonderful His love is can be clearly seen in this: it was while we were sinners, acting and rebelling against God, that He gave His Son to die for us. Then He asks us a question. Will God not also freely give us all things through this same Jesus who died for us all?

IV. Remember Jesus has power over every circumstance we face. John 11:41-42 (NKJV)
⁴¹ Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. ⁴² And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me."

 a. Lazarus had been in that tomb four days so there was no doubt that he was truly dead. Jesus told them to take the stone away from the tomb. Jesus had prayed and then He thanked the Father for the assurance that He always heard Him. God also hears every prayer we pray if we have that faith in His word because His word tells us so.

 b. The great shout of power! John 11:43-44 (NKJV) ⁴³ Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!" ⁴⁴ And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Loose him, and let him go."

     Jesus’ voice is effective and life giving!

     Jesus cried out with a loud voice and dead Lazarus came forth out of the tomb bound in his grave cloths and face wrapped in a cloth. Then Jesus commanded them to take off his grave wrappings and let him go.

Conclusion: Jesus will always answer the prayer of faith! He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. What He did then He will do today when we go to Him in earnest and mountain moving faith just believing Him to always answer us with the right answer. Sometimes we will have to wait for His timing because He is working out His plan for the good of all concerned. We must remember Jesus loves us greatly and cares deeply about our situation. We are to always remember that Jesus has the power over all situations and circumstances.

Invitation: Have you asked Jesus to forgive and save you from your sins? If not, the bible says today is the accepted time, the day of salvation if you will hear His voice. May this message today penetrate your heart and soul so you never forget it and may you live with the assurance of Jesus’ love and care for you and your family forever!

True Worship

Scripture Text Ps. 95:6-7

Intro: The ‘Dictionary of Bible Themes” states that worship is mentioned hundreds of times in the bible. Scripture stresses the importance of regular corporate worship, while at the same time recognizing that believers may worship God spontaneously.

When was the last time you truly worshiped God?

I. What is “True Worship”? [v:6] Psalms 95:6 (NKJV) Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.

Worship means to show reverence and adoration for a deity.

 a. True worship is bowing down and kneeling in surrender to the Lord our Maker. [v:6 above] Worship in the truest sense takes place only when our full attention is on God, on His beauty, His glory, magnificence, and majesty, His power, splendor, love and compassion. It’s not in doing religious things but being in complete awe of God and all He is! If we are honest this doesn’t happen very often. Even in church or in times of quiet devotion, we get distracted and fail to see God as He truly is. It’s easy to be distracted! We must “cast down arguments [about God] and every high thing [rebellious thoughts] that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”  2 Corinthians 10:5 (NKJV) When your mind wants to wander bring it back into the obedience of Christ.

 

II. Things That Prompt Worship. Psalms 95:3-5 (NKJV)
³ For the Lord is the great God, And the great King above all gods.
⁴ In His hand are the deep places of the earth; The heights of the hills are His also.
⁵ The sea is His, for He made it; And His hands formed the dry land.

 1. True worship recognizes that God is the Lord. He is the sovereign, supreme, all-powerful over all so called gods (idols). God made everything and holds in place the universe. [Vs:3-5]

 2. True worship recognizes that God made us. [v:7] Psalms 95:7 (NKJV) For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture, And the sheep of His hand. Today, if you will hear His voice: Psalms 139:13-18 (NLT) ¹³ You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. ¹⁴ Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
¹⁵ You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. ¹⁶ You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.
¹⁷ How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!
¹⁸ I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!

We are not here by accident. We are here by God’s perfect design and He has a plan for each of our lives. When we worship God we draw close to Him and we find His direction for our lives. He restores our soul and fills us with His Holy Spirit power.

Then He leads us in the paths of righteousness for His name sake. [Ps. 23:3]

 3. True worship recognizes God has made us a part of His forever family. [v:7] We are part of His flock which means We are under His care. God constantly watches over us.

     Psalms 139:7 (NLT) I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence!  God also provides for our every need.

     The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. [Ps. 23:1]

 4. True worship recognizes that we can never be separated from God and His love. Romans 8:38-39 (NKJV) ³⁸ For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, ³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Conclusion: We must learn to shut out the distractions that keep us from truly worshiping God. We must turn our mind and heart to Him every day, praising Him for who He is, what He has done for us, what He is doing and what He has already prepared for our future.         We must not to forget to thank Him for His everlasting, faithful love for us in Christ Jesus.

Invitation: You cannot worship God until you have a personal relationship with Him. If you do not have a personal relationship with God, it comes by confessing your sins to Jesus Christ and asking Him to forgive you and save you from Hell. Then invite Jesus into your life to take charge of you and your daily affairs. Then be baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then you can begin to truly worship God and receive His blessings for the rest of your life here on earth and then forever throughout eternity.

Guided by "The Shepherd"

Scripture Text Psalm 23

Intro: We all must daily make the choice of whom and what will guide us in the affairs of our lives this New Year. We must pray and read God’s word each day for His guidance because He knows the best and prosperous way. We would be wise if we started each day with Psalm 23 and claimed the promises of this chapter for ourselves in addition to our other readings and prayer. May we pray this Psalm and meditate on it to begin each new day this coming year. As we do we will see a big difference in our attitudes and the direction of our lives! We will experience the blessings and favor of Father God on our lives each day!

I. Daily declare the Lord as your Shepherd. Psalms 23:1 (NKJV) The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

 a. Lord means Master, Owner, Mentor, Supreme authority. He is the “Self-existent One.”

 b. The sheep follow the shepherd because he is the One who feeds, takes care of, and watches over His sheep. Jesus calls Himself the Great Shepherd in John chapter 10. Shepherds name their sheep. Jesus the good Shepherd calls His sheep by name   and His sheep hear His voice and follow Him. They will not follow a stranger. If we read and focus on His word each day this year and pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit, it is sure to set the direction of our lives in the blessed and favored way of God. As we follow the good Shepherd, Jesus, We shall not want, but we will be stable and secure through whatever circumstances or situations we face throughout the year.

II. We will be blessed with spiritual nourishment and refreshment. Psalms 23:2 (NKJV) He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.       

  a. The first blessing of the Shepherd is spiritual nourishment. As a shepherd leads sheep to fresh grass for feeding, so the Lord leads His people. Not only to feed, but He makes us lie down to rest, and enjoy tranquility, peace, and safety; (in green pastures) —Where there are both delight and plenty. “The image is that of a flock feeding in green, lush meadows, and relaxing in quietness by the streams of water running gently through them. This image conveys the idea of the provision made for the soul as well as the body. Jesus opens his hand and fills His sheep with every need and more. One who follows the Lord does not lack any spiritual nourishment or refreshment either because He makes us lie down and rest in peace as He provides us with everything needed for a fulfilled and blessed life.

 III. We will have vitality and moral direction. Psalms 23:3 (NKJV) He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake.

  a. He restores our soul each day as we look to Him. I shall not lack spiritual vitality because the Lord restores and refreshes my soul with His forgiveness, love, peace and joy as I follow Him. We all need our souls restored during rough times in our lives. I shall not lack moral direction because the Lord is leading and guiding me in the right way (paths of righteousness). A good shepherd knows the right paths on which to bring the sheep home safely. So too the Lord loses none of His sheep, but guides them in the right way. He does so because of His reputation (or name’s sake). Our part is to make sure we follow the Shepherd’s leading through daily prayer, bible reading, and meditation as He speaks guidance and direction to us by His Spirit. Then as we follow His leading, Ps.1:3 says we shall be like a tree planted by streams of living water bringing forth fruit in season, our leaf will not wither and we will prosper in all we do.

IV. We will have the Lord’s protection. Psalms 23:4 (NKJV)
⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

  a. There is no need to fear through the rough places in life, even in the face of death because the Shepherd is right there with us. If one finds himself in a valley of deep darkness, depression, (or shadow of death), he need not fear. The Lord is with us and will protect us. The rod and staff are the shepherd’s equipment to protect the sheep in such situations. The rod is used to fight off the wolves and the staff is used to gently bring a straying sheep back into the fold. David was comforted by the Lord’s presence and protection. Believers are never in situations the Lord is not aware of, for He never leaves or forsakes His people. Hebrews 13:5-6 (NKJV) ⁵ Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." ⁶ So we may boldly say: "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"

V. We will have the Lord’s provision. Psalms 23:5 (NKJV) You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.

  a. In this verse the scene changes to a banquet hall where a gracious host provides lavish hospitality. Under this image the psalmist rejoiced in the Lord’s provision. What was comforting to David was that this was in the presence of his enemies. Despite impending danger, the Lord spread out a table for him, that is, God provided for him. Food is placed before him, while his enemies stand frowningly at the door.

 b. He also anoints our heads with oil. Shepherds anoint the heads of their sheep to soothe the scratches and wounds. For priests the anointing oil speaks of consecration to their work. For kings the anointing oil is associated with coronation as ruler. For the believer the anointing oil is symbolic of the Holy Spirit the moment he receives Jesus as his Savior. This anointing of the Spirit seals us for God and guarantees the believer victory over Satan, sin and the world. The Spirit is also our teacher. He takes God’s word and teaches us truth. The Spirit gives us the power of to live the life God has called each of us to live and do what He called us to do.

When we think of all the riches of grace which we have in Christ Jesus, we burst forth with the grateful acknowledgment, “My cup runs over!” with God’s blessings and favor.

   

 VI. We will have God’s loyal love. Psalms 23:6 (NKJV) Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.

  a. David realized that the Lord’s good loyal love (mercy)(grace) would follow after him everywhere through all his life him as a result of God’s anointing on him. God’s blessings on His people remain with them no matter what their circumstance may be. So he concluded I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. The house of the Lord referred to the sanctuary (tabernacle). David said I had rather be in the Lord’s house than anywhere else on earth. For the rest of his life on earth he would enjoy full communion with the Lord in His sanctuary and then when this life is over face to face communion with Him and Jesus forever in Heaven.

INVITATION: Is the Lord your Shepherd? Have you confessed your sins to Jesus and asked Him to forgive you? If not, you will not dwell with the Lord forever. Ask Jesus now to forgive your sins against God and ask Him to forgive you and invite Him to be your Shepherd and lead you through all the storms of life to the dawn of that beautiful day there in Heaven.