WEBVTT

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You can turn in your Bibles

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to Ephesians 3.

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Now we had left off in Ephesians 3:14.

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We went down through v. 13.

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We're going to pick things up,

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and spend a number of weeks here

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in the last half of Ephesians 3.

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Let's read this.

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We'll read from verse 14 
to the end of the chapter.

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"For this reason,

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I bow my knees before the Father,

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from whom every family in heaven

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and on earth is named,

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that according to the riches of His glory,

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He may grant you to be strengthened

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with power through His Spirit

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in your inner being,

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so that Christ may dwell in 
your hearts through faith,

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that you being rooted and grounded in love

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may have strength to comprehend

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with all the saints what is the breadth

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and length and height and depth

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and to know the love of Christ

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that surpasses knowledge,

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that you may be filled with 
all the fullness of God.

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Now to Him who is able to 
do far more abundantly

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than all we ask or think,

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according to the power at work within us,

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to Him be glory in the church

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and in Christ Jesus

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throughout all generations

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forever and ever. Amen."

NOTE Paragraph

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"For this reason..."

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Look at verse 14.

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"For this reason..."

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What's going on here? It's been awhile.

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Remember with me.

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Remember.

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You've got your face there in your Bible.

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You see, "For this reason..."

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And if you go back up 
to verse 1 of chapter 3,

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you see that he started the same way.

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"For this reason..."

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Now, could it be that in both places

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he's speaking about different things?

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It could be.

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I mean, you could be having a conversation

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with somebody and you could say,

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"For this reason so-and-so..."

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And then later in the 
conversation, you could say,

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"For this reason..." and 
you mean another reason.

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And that's possible.

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In both cases, verse 1, "For this reason,

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I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus
on behalf of you Gentiles..."

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Verse 14, "For this reason, I bow 
my knees before the Father..."

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In both cases, we might ask,

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what's happening?

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What reason?

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Well, just remember this with me.

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Back up in chapter 3:1,

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most of your Bibles -

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I recognize if you've got 
the King James Version

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it doesn't have this, but 
most every other Bible

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has that double dash 
at the end of verse 1.

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Now whether your Bible has it or doesn't,

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obviously it doesn't show 
up in the original Greek.

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There's no double dash there to be found.

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This is put here by the translators.

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Why? Because they're 
assuming that Paul digresses.

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They're assuming what you have

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from verse 2 to verse 13 is a parenthesis.

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In other words, Paul was starting to say

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what he says in verse 14.

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"For this reason,

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I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus..."

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and he was going to say,

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"...bow my knees before the Father."

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But you know what?

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In describing himself as a prisoner,

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he recognized that -

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you can see it in verse 13 -

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he recognized the people might lose heart.

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He recognized that he 
himself being in prison

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might create sorrow in their hearts.

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And so, he digresses.

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He digresses to basically show them,

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look, this is your glory 
that I'm in prison.

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This is not a bad thing.

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Don't get discouraged.
Don't be depressed.

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Don't lose heart to the 
fact that I'm doing this.

NOTE Paragraph

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And you know what? We all do this.

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We all at times are speaking to somebody,

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and as we're speaking to them

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and we're trying to say one thing,

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a thought comes into our mind

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that something I just said
needs to be clarified,

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or something I just said 
needs some extra light,

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and we feel like we need 
to abruptly interrupt

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and stick it in there 
before we keep going.

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We do that.

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And you know, one of the things is

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we sometimes think that 
because men are inspired,

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that they can't do those kinds of things.

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Because it's almost like we view

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inspired writers as dictating 
for the Spirit of God.

NOTE Paragraph

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My mother used to be a legal secretary,

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and she, back in the day -

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this was before they have 
all the recording ability,

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she did shorthand.

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Anybody remember shorthand?

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She would have the attorney dictate to her

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and she would write down in shorthand.

NOTE Paragraph

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But that is not the way 
Scripture comes to us.

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Can we allow somebody

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that's under the inspiration of the Spirit

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to suddenly interrupt 
their train of thought

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and go in another direction?

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I love this.

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It shows the nature of 
God-breathed Scripture.

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Paul can be completely controlled
by the Spirit of God,

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and yet, the Spirit isn't 
just dictating to him

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like he's some robot.

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That's not what's happening.

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Paul writes in such a way

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that his own thinking, his own writing

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are free and spontaneous,

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and yet he is writing word-for-word

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what God wants him to write.

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That's what happens.

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Here's an interruption in 
Paul's train of thought.

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And yet, the whole thing is

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divinely conceived and controlled.

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And so, what happens, you get to v. 14,

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and now Paul's going to go back

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to what he was originally wanting to say.

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"For this reason..."

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We ought to ask, "what reason?"

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Now he says this:

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"For this reason, I bow my knees

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before the Father,

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from whom every family in 
heaven and on earth is named,

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that according to the riches of His glory
He may grant you to be strengthened."

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Now, it could be "for this 
reason, I bow my knees."

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Why? "Because I want you to have power."

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It could be that.

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But if you go back up to 
3:1 when he first said it,

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"For this reason..."

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well, it's very likely pointing 
to what he got done saying

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at the end of chapter two.

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It's likely his whole reasoning is this:

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"For this reason..."

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Because you Gentiles -

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because that's been his 
whole argument all along -

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you Gentile Christians have been added

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to the saints of God.

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Because of your standing...

NOTE Paragraph

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Go back to chapter 2.

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Let's just run through this really fast.

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Verse 13. "They were brought near."

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Verse 16, "reconciled to God."

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Verse 18, "given access to the Father."

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Verse 19, "fellow citizens,"

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"members of the household of God."

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Verse 20, "on the apostolic foundation,

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Christ Jesus Himself 
being the cornerstone."

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Verse 22, "built together...

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dwelling place for God."

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Paul bows his knees before the Father why?

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To pray for this elect people.

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"For this reason..." 
because of your standing.

NOTE Paragraph

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And I like this.

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I mean, this causes me to think.

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Do you recognize?

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When Paul speaks to Christians

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in the New Testament,

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he is talking about how often

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he thanks the Lord for them

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and how unceasingly he prays for them.

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When Paul found elect people of God,

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he was constrained.

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People who the Father loved.

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He looks at them.

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He recognized they're not 
like the rest of the world.

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They're beloved of God,

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and it struck a chord in his own love.

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Paul prayed for God's people.

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You can't get away from that reality.

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He prayed. He prayed.

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Why? These people are 
adopted by the Father.

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Adopted through Jesus Christ.

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Adopted as sons.

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They're part of the family.

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They're in.

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These are God's people.

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He's set His love on them.

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And for Paul, that was powerful.

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When he found true Christians,

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it had a singular effect on 
the angle of his knees.

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And you notice: "I bow my knees."

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It caused them to bend.

NOTE Paragraph

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Now, here's the thing.

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I know this.

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I have desired since the very 
beginning of this church

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that we would have a praying church

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because I'm absolutely convinced

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that we need God, and praying 
people lay hold on God,

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and God responds to praying people.

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God moves and things happen.

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Prayer is absolutely essential

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in the life of the church.

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And what I find is this,

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when you find prayers in Scripture,

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they as much as anything

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are great lessons in how the church

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should be praying.

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And so, I want us to 
take this for what it is.

NOTE Paragraph

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Paul.

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He's praying. It's a prayer.

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Well, not exactly.

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He's telling us how he prays.

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This isn't him actually praying

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like Jesus in John 17.

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This is him telling the 
Ephesians how he prays,

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his posture of prayer, and what he prays.

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That's what's happening here.

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Paul telling us how.

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Massively instructive.

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Why? Because Paul's under inspiration.

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You know what the Spirit's doing here?

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"Paul, tell them how you pray."

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That is helpful.

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Because you know, we 
see a lot of people pray.

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You come to the prayer meetings.
You hear people pray.

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You get in small groups.
You hear people pray.

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When we don't get into small groups,

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but we all stay together,

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we pass that microphone around,

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voices come through the speakers.

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Undoubtedly throughout your lives,
you hear people pray.

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And we can ask the question,

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are our prayers pleasing to God?

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Are our prayers biblical?

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Do our prayers resemble something

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that would seem to be pleasing to God?

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Maybe we say, well, if we pray,

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doesn't that in itself please God?

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But I'll tell you this, there's a place

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definitely to learn how to pray.

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Jesus taught His disciples, 
"pray this way."

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There's a place for being instructed.

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There's a place for learning.

NOTE Paragraph

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And I find this, when you find a prayer

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that we know to be 
inspired of the Holy Spirit,

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under inspiration.

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The Spirit was moving Paul

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to tell these Ephesians how he prayed.

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And it's going to do us well

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to pay attention to this.

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Do people pray according to the Spirit?

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You know, you can hear somebody pray -

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well, is that according to the Spirit?

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Is that not according to the Spirit?

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Well, we know this is.

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If you ever want God just to 
teach you how to pray, here it is.

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We don't have to guess.

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This is acceptable.

NOTE Paragraph

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And brethren, you'll 
notice what isn't here.

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This jumps out at me.

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What's not here?

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Oh, how shallow it is when people

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just simply pray,

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"Lord, bless this, bless him,

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bless her, bless that, 
bless the other thing."

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You notice Paul doesn't even 
use that word "bless" once?

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Now look, I'm certainly not saying

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that you can't use that
term when you pray,

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but oh, how often, praying for a blessing

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is just a default word for 
not knowing what to pray

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and for shallow prayer.

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In fact, if you go through Scripture

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and you look at the specific prayers

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that are given in Scripture,

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how seldom - or never - do you find

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that word "bless."

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Of course, we want God's blessing!

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But what sort of blessing?

NOTE Paragraph

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Paul is specific. See him there.

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See him there on bended knee.

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What is he going to ask for?

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What is it?

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Hear him.

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"Father..." can you see him?

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Bended knee.

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Where was he?

00:13:09.316 --> 00:13:10.713
I don't know where he was.

00:13:10.713 --> 00:13:12.212
He's in some kind of prison.

00:13:12.212 --> 00:13:13.981
He was imprisoned.

00:13:13.981 --> 00:13:16.067
You can imagine him in a prison cell.

00:13:16.067 --> 00:13:18.714
You can imagine that a lot 
of his time was spent there.

00:13:18.714 --> 00:13:20.021
And what's he praying for?

00:13:20.021 --> 00:13:22.021
Hear him. Hear him. Hear his words.

00:13:22.021 --> 00:13:25.912
"Father, please, please..." what?

00:13:25.912 --> 00:13:27.461
Bless them? Bless that?

00:13:27.461 --> 00:13:29.491
Bless Thessalonica? Bless Philippi?

00:13:29.491 --> 00:13:30.717
Bless the Romans?

00:13:30.717 --> 00:13:32.630
Bless those at Jerusalem?

00:13:32.630 --> 00:13:33.692
It's not that.

00:13:33.692 --> 00:13:35.044
He's very specific.

00:13:35.044 --> 00:13:38.775
And he says specifically 
for these Ephesians,

00:13:38.775 --> 00:13:41.684
on bowed, bended knee;

00:13:41.684 --> 00:13:43.736
listen to his voice.

00:13:43.736 --> 00:13:45.556
He says, "Father, please,

00:13:45.556 --> 00:13:50.545
according to the riches of Your glory..."

00:13:50.545 --> 00:13:54.328
Now, you can stop right there.

00:13:54.328 --> 00:13:57.211
"Father..."

00:13:57.211 --> 00:13:59.692
Not in some meager way.

00:13:59.692 --> 00:14:01.365
Not in some off-handed way.

00:14:01.365 --> 00:14:03.660
Not in some barely recognizable way.

00:14:03.660 --> 00:14:05.578
Not in some way where we've got to

00:14:05.578 --> 00:14:08.005
squint real hard to say,

00:14:08.005 --> 00:14:11.182
did He answer or not?

00:14:11.182 --> 00:14:15.493
But, "according to the 
riches of Your glory."

00:14:15.493 --> 00:14:16.775
What a powerful plea!

00:14:16.775 --> 00:14:17.776
What an argument!

00:14:17.776 --> 00:14:19.314
"Please, Father, please...

00:14:19.314 --> 00:14:21.593
I'm asking You to answer.

00:14:21.593 --> 00:14:24.372
Not in some barely recoginizable way.

00:14:24.372 --> 00:14:28.193
Arise! Act consistent with 
the riches of Your glory."

00:14:28.193 --> 00:14:30.416
That is a way worth praying.

00:14:30.416 --> 00:14:32.646
That's how you want to pray.

00:14:32.646 --> 00:14:36.494
"Lord, please..."

NOTE Paragraph

00:14:36.494 --> 00:14:39.447
Look, we're not like the lost people.

00:14:39.447 --> 00:14:40.809
We're not like the pagans.

00:14:40.809 --> 00:14:42.859
You're not like you 
were when you were lost

00:14:42.859 --> 00:14:45.073
and a nominal whatever-you-were.

00:14:45.073 --> 00:14:47.187
Whether you were a lost Baptist,

00:14:47.187 --> 00:14:49.926
a lost pagan, a lost nominal Catholic,

00:14:49.926 --> 00:14:52.775
lost religious, lost unreligious.

00:14:52.775 --> 00:14:54.392
The god you called upon

00:14:54.392 --> 00:14:55.921
and the kind of prayers you had

00:14:55.921 --> 00:14:58.064
and some little idol

00:14:58.064 --> 00:15:00.769
or some small figment of your imagination,

00:15:00.769 --> 00:15:04.893
listen, that is not the way 
we've learned our Scripture.

00:15:04.893 --> 00:15:07.921
That's not the way we've 
learned the God of Scripture.

00:15:07.921 --> 00:15:10.162
He is not some small little idol,

00:15:10.162 --> 00:15:13.054
some little statue to 
be prayed to like that.

00:15:13.054 --> 00:15:15.589
He's not like those Indian gods

00:15:15.589 --> 00:15:18.652
that they have to carry around.

00:15:18.652 --> 00:15:20.246
This God is the living God,

00:15:20.246 --> 00:15:22.110
and He doesn't need to be carried.

00:15:22.110 --> 00:15:23.697
And He can part Red Seas,

00:15:23.697 --> 00:15:24.924
and when you pray to Him,

00:15:24.924 --> 00:15:27.833
you should pray according 
to the magnitude of His glory.

00:15:27.833 --> 00:15:29.753
That's what Paul's doing.

00:15:29.753 --> 00:15:33.869
Don't pray silly little prayers.

00:15:33.869 --> 00:15:37.030
Look, that doesn't mean you 
can't pray for the smallest things.

NOTE Paragraph

00:15:37.030 --> 00:15:39.544
I remember Mueller. He would say -

00:15:39.544 --> 00:15:43.362
you know in his day, I guess 
they were the quill pens.

00:15:43.362 --> 00:15:46.145
He said something about if a pen

00:15:46.145 --> 00:15:49.091
needs to have the cartridge replaced

00:15:49.091 --> 00:15:51.088
or whatever they called it in that day,

00:15:51.088 --> 00:15:52.793
he said it's worth praying about.

00:15:52.793 --> 00:15:55.540
Obviously, even praying 
about small things,

00:15:55.540 --> 00:15:58.689
we should blanket everything 
in our lives in prayer.

00:15:58.689 --> 00:16:01.694
But I'm just saying this,

00:16:01.694 --> 00:16:03.955
we have a big God and we should pray

00:16:03.955 --> 00:16:06.875
as though He is big; He is rich.

00:16:06.875 --> 00:16:08.872
If you have something worth praying for;

00:16:08.872 --> 00:16:11.507
if you have something you 
think God should grant,

00:16:11.507 --> 00:16:14.600
if there's some great 
mountain in your way,

00:16:14.600 --> 00:16:19.634
then if you're going to ask 
God to do something,

00:16:19.634 --> 00:16:21.608
ask Him for the best.

00:16:21.608 --> 00:16:22.803
Ask Him for the biggest.

00:16:22.803 --> 00:16:26.413
Ask Him according to the riches.

NOTE Paragraph

00:16:26.413 --> 00:16:27.679
Brethren, I remember this,

00:16:27.679 --> 00:16:29.979
I remember there being 
something in my life

00:16:29.979 --> 00:16:36.500
that I really desired to see happen.

00:16:36.500 --> 00:16:40.909
And I saw a TV show

00:16:40.909 --> 00:16:49.223
where that thing was granted to somebody.

00:16:49.223 --> 00:16:50.943
I went to the Lord, and I said,

00:16:50.943 --> 00:16:56.387
Lord, they can think that up 
and put that on TV.

00:16:56.387 --> 00:16:58.195
And that's not even real.

00:16:58.195 --> 00:17:00.193
But they can imagine that.

00:17:00.193 --> 00:17:03.047
The true God -

00:17:03.047 --> 00:17:05.075
Lord, You ought to be able to do better

00:17:05.075 --> 00:17:07.198
than Hollywood can do.

00:17:07.198 --> 00:17:08.485
And certainly He can.

00:17:08.485 --> 00:17:11.435
And certainly, He would have 
us have that expectation.

00:17:11.435 --> 00:17:12.981
Ask Him - how?

00:17:12.981 --> 00:17:14.813
Ask Him according to His riches.

00:17:14.813 --> 00:17:17.186
You know we've got a rich God!

00:17:17.186 --> 00:17:20.541
Do you believe that when you go to pray?

00:17:20.541 --> 00:17:21.959
"According to His riches."

00:17:21.959 --> 00:17:25.269
Paul isn't messing around.

00:17:25.269 --> 00:17:27.022
He goes to Him,

00:17:27.022 --> 00:17:31.146
"Father, I'm asking for something.

00:17:31.146 --> 00:17:36.509
Lord, according to the 
riches of Your glory."

00:17:36.509 --> 00:17:37.672
Riches!

00:17:37.672 --> 00:17:41.315
Riches - His glory.

00:17:41.315 --> 00:17:43.295
That's how we should pray.

00:17:43.295 --> 00:17:45.636
Ask Him.

NOTE Paragraph

00:17:45.636 --> 00:17:49.025
He doesn't say, "Oh well, you know...

00:17:49.025 --> 00:17:52.060
Humility - if we're going to be humble.

00:17:52.060 --> 00:17:55.074
we should never ask too much.

00:17:55.074 --> 00:17:57.136
We should never ask anything too big."

00:17:57.136 --> 00:18:01.614
Listen, what is humility? What is pride?

00:18:01.614 --> 00:18:03.483
Pride is when we're stuck on ourselves.

00:18:03.483 --> 00:18:06.570
Pride is when we see ourselves big.

00:18:06.570 --> 00:18:08.037
But what's humility all about?

00:18:08.037 --> 00:18:10.146
Humility is seeing ourselves small

00:18:10.146 --> 00:18:13.860
and seeing God big.

00:18:13.860 --> 00:18:16.291
And if you're going to 
claim that God is big,

00:18:16.291 --> 00:18:19.534
then act like it when you pray.

00:18:19.534 --> 00:18:23.561
You see, seeing Him as big is not pride,

00:18:23.561 --> 00:18:27.110
and acting as though 
He's big is not pride.

00:18:27.110 --> 00:18:29.944
You see, you insult Him

00:18:29.944 --> 00:18:35.127
(incomplete thought)

00:18:35.127 --> 00:18:39.583
when you have these small 
expectations from Him.

00:18:39.583 --> 00:18:41.582
Look what He does in Scripture.

00:18:41.582 --> 00:18:44.655
He saved 3,000 people in a day.

00:18:44.655 --> 00:18:46.726
You see, whether it's arguing with God

00:18:46.726 --> 00:18:48.637
concerning Hollywood -

00:18:48.637 --> 00:18:50.655
seriously, Lord?

00:18:50.655 --> 00:18:53.875
Is Hollywood going to create better

00:18:53.875 --> 00:18:57.443
fictitious stories, more glorious

00:18:57.443 --> 00:18:59.731
than what You can do?

00:18:59.731 --> 00:19:03.039
Are you going to allow that to happen?

NOTE Paragraph

00:19:03.039 --> 00:19:04.588
But the other argument is:

00:19:04.588 --> 00:19:06.991
Lord, are you simply going to have us

00:19:06.991 --> 00:19:09.360
live off the history books?

00:19:09.360 --> 00:19:11.437
The pages of Scripture that talk about

00:19:11.437 --> 00:19:15.531
the great works of God in the past?

00:19:15.531 --> 00:19:17.352
Lord, is that it?

00:19:17.352 --> 00:19:19.469
Should we just content ourselves

00:19:19.469 --> 00:19:21.878
that well, 3,000 people got saved in a day

00:19:21.878 --> 00:19:24.718
back in the book of Acts,

00:19:24.718 --> 00:19:26.623
but that can't happen anymore.

00:19:26.623 --> 00:19:29.954
So we're not even 
going to ask such things.

00:19:29.954 --> 00:19:33.280
You know what our sister is asking

00:19:33.280 --> 00:19:35.414
down in Saltillo?

00:19:35.414 --> 00:19:37.644
She sent out a Whatsapp 
message this morning

00:19:37.644 --> 00:19:40.996
and she's praying that 
God would save 20 people

00:19:40.996 --> 00:19:42.705
in Santa Margarita

00:19:42.705 --> 00:19:46.115
when our brother goes 
there to preach today.

NOTE Paragraph

00:19:46.115 --> 00:19:49.427
What think ye?

00:19:49.427 --> 00:19:52.596
Impossible?

00:19:52.596 --> 00:19:55.891
See, have we just grown 
to expect very little?

00:19:55.891 --> 00:19:57.234
Have we come to the place:

00:19:57.234 --> 00:19:58.493
Well, God doesn't do that.

00:19:58.493 --> 00:20:01.111
God doesn't part the Red Sea anymore.

00:20:01.111 --> 00:20:03.179
God doesn't do those things.

00:20:03.179 --> 00:20:06.965
We should have no expectation.

00:20:06.965 --> 00:20:09.568
I'll tell you, if you were on 
bended knee next to Paul

00:20:09.568 --> 00:20:11.420
and you were listening to him praying;

00:20:11.420 --> 00:20:13.895
you were in that prison cell with him,

00:20:13.895 --> 00:20:16.593
you might be surprised at what he prayed.

00:20:16.593 --> 00:20:21.040
You might be surprised at the vastness,

00:20:21.040 --> 00:20:23.522
the size of his prayers.

00:20:23.522 --> 00:20:26.174
Do things according to Your greatness

00:20:26.174 --> 00:20:29.619
in my weakness.

00:20:29.619 --> 00:20:33.028
Do you know we have a giving God?

00:20:33.028 --> 00:20:34.966
I mean, when God talks about supplying

00:20:34.966 --> 00:20:36.909
all of our need according to His riches

00:20:36.909 --> 00:20:38.347
in glory in Christ Jesus,

00:20:38.347 --> 00:20:39.796
have you thought about that?

00:20:39.796 --> 00:20:41.129
(incomplete thought)

00:20:41.129 --> 00:20:45.437
God will supply your needs

00:20:45.437 --> 00:20:47.137
according to His riches.

00:20:47.137 --> 00:20:48.417
Do you believe that?

00:20:48.417 --> 00:20:50.691
Do you know how rich God is?

00:20:50.691 --> 00:20:55.730
Do you pray like He is?

00:20:55.730 --> 00:20:57.519
I'm not talking about just selfishly

00:20:57.519 --> 00:21:01.421
trying to accumulate everything;

00:21:01.421 --> 00:21:04.194
I'm not talking about fleshly 
desires and covetousness.

00:21:04.194 --> 00:21:07.843
I'm talking about being involved 
in the Kingdom of Christ,

00:21:07.843 --> 00:21:11.441
and really having a desire 
for the glory of God,

00:21:11.441 --> 00:21:13.392
and praying in that way.

00:21:13.392 --> 00:21:17.294
(incomplete thought)

00:21:17.294 --> 00:21:20.069
Listen, if He didn't spare His own Son,

00:21:20.069 --> 00:21:21.780
how will He not what?

00:21:21.780 --> 00:21:25.823
In Him, isn't He going to give us

00:21:25.823 --> 00:21:30.430
every good thing?

00:21:30.430 --> 00:21:34.236
I mean, don't we have 
promises of a God who's giving?

00:21:34.236 --> 00:21:36.396
Every good and perfect gift

00:21:36.396 --> 00:21:39.073
comes down from the Father of lights.

00:21:39.073 --> 00:21:41.345
No variableness. No shadow of turning.

00:21:41.345 --> 00:21:43.409
Now that's important. He doesn't change.

00:21:43.409 --> 00:21:45.543
He's giving.

NOTE Paragraph

00:21:45.543 --> 00:21:48.245
You know, David - we heard 
about him in the first hour.

00:21:48.245 --> 00:21:51.346
He could cast himself on God's mercy.

00:21:51.346 --> 00:21:55.781
Please don't hand me over to men.

00:21:55.781 --> 00:21:57.754
But you hand me over to God,

00:21:57.754 --> 00:21:59.317
because His mercies are great.

00:21:59.317 --> 00:22:02.167
And that's why He was 
praying for that son so long.

00:22:02.167 --> 00:22:03.894
He knew God's mercies.

00:22:03.894 --> 00:22:05.942
He prayed for that boy because he thought

00:22:05.942 --> 00:22:07.300
there was a good possibility

00:22:07.300 --> 00:22:09.536
that God in all of His 
mercies would answer.

00:22:09.536 --> 00:22:10.725
Now God didn't answer.

00:22:10.725 --> 00:22:12.203
God didn't save that boy,

00:22:12.203 --> 00:22:13.314
but you know what?

00:22:13.314 --> 00:22:17.543
It shows what David thought about his God.

00:22:17.543 --> 00:22:19.908
He recognized this is a God

00:22:19.908 --> 00:22:23.321
whose tendencies are mercy.

00:22:23.321 --> 00:22:26.924
Look, if you come to a 
God who is infinite,

00:22:26.924 --> 00:22:29.451
He is almighty, and His very character

00:22:29.451 --> 00:22:32.543
is just spilling over with mercy,

00:22:32.543 --> 00:22:35.240
and He's given us examples like this,

00:22:35.240 --> 00:22:37.878
listen, let this resonate.

00:22:37.878 --> 00:22:41.239
The Spirit of God recorded this -

00:22:41.239 --> 00:22:44.765
Paul praying the way he prays,

00:22:44.765 --> 00:22:46.715
so that it would be preserved for us,

00:22:46.715 --> 00:22:48.968
so that we could learn from this.

00:22:48.968 --> 00:22:50.923
How do you pray?

00:22:50.923 --> 00:22:53.888
You come to a God like this.

00:22:53.888 --> 00:22:55.388
Do you not hear Newton?

00:22:55.388 --> 00:22:57.760
"Large petitions with thee bring."

00:22:57.760 --> 00:22:59.890
Why?

00:22:59.890 --> 00:23:02.778
Why? Because you're coming to a King.

00:23:02.778 --> 00:23:04.268
His grace and power are such

00:23:04.268 --> 00:23:05.823
you can never ask too much.

00:23:05.823 --> 00:23:07.901
That's the kind of God we're coming to.

00:23:07.901 --> 00:23:11.867
Listen, if you go before King David -

00:23:11.867 --> 00:23:13.666
we heard about him -

00:23:13.666 --> 00:23:16.514
or King Solomon in all of 
his riches and his glory;

00:23:16.514 --> 00:23:18.699
or you go before Caesar,

00:23:18.699 --> 00:23:20.268
or you before Pharaoh,

00:23:20.268 --> 00:23:22.441
or you go before President Trump

00:23:22.441 --> 00:23:25.731
and you ask for a piece of bubble gum.

00:23:25.731 --> 00:23:27.476
And you know what? We can think,

00:23:27.476 --> 00:23:29.407
well, that's ridiculous, but that's how

00:23:29.407 --> 00:23:31.697
a lot of our prayers are.

00:23:31.697 --> 00:23:33.591
Paul's not messing around.

00:23:33.591 --> 00:23:36.612
He's coming before the King of Kings.

00:23:36.612 --> 00:23:40.265
And he is appealing - 
that is a way to appeal -

00:23:40.265 --> 00:23:44.127
God, please, don't give to me

00:23:44.127 --> 00:23:49.505
like the false gods give.

00:23:49.505 --> 00:23:51.879
Don't give to me like the demons give.

00:23:51.879 --> 00:23:54.681
Don't give to me like the non-gods give.

00:23:54.681 --> 00:23:57.276
You remember those prophets of Baal

00:23:57.276 --> 00:23:58.891
up on Mount Carmel?

00:23:58.891 --> 00:24:00.332
Slicing and cutting themselves

00:24:00.332 --> 00:24:02.495
and jumping around, and the prophet says,

00:24:02.495 --> 00:24:04.642
"Well, maybe he's gone on a trip.

00:24:04.642 --> 00:24:06.110
Maybe he's relieving himself.

00:24:06.110 --> 00:24:08.653
Maybe he's this or that..."

NOTE Paragraph

00:24:08.653 --> 00:24:10.522
Listen, when you pray,

00:24:10.522 --> 00:24:12.879
you don't want it to be like that.

00:24:12.879 --> 00:24:15.351
We want to pray to this God

00:24:15.351 --> 00:24:17.580
and we want response

00:24:17.580 --> 00:24:20.744
according to the riches,

00:24:20.744 --> 00:24:22.801
according to those.

00:24:22.801 --> 00:24:24.598
How rich is God?

00:24:24.598 --> 00:24:26.110
I mean, if we look and we say,

00:24:26.110 --> 00:24:28.867
"Blessed be the God and Father 
of our Lord Jesus Christ,"

00:24:28.867 --> 00:24:30.437
why? He's blessed us with every

00:24:30.437 --> 00:24:34.433
spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

00:24:34.433 --> 00:24:36.210
If we're looking at this,

00:24:36.210 --> 00:24:38.692
He says He blesses us.

00:24:38.692 --> 00:24:41.677
He has given us promise of blessing.

00:24:41.677 --> 00:24:45.053
He does things like parts the Red Seas.

00:24:45.053 --> 00:24:48.173
He wants us recounting His great works.

00:24:48.173 --> 00:24:51.136
Why? So that our faith would 
increase, increase, increase.

00:24:51.136 --> 00:24:52.475
So that when we come to Him,

00:24:52.475 --> 00:24:54.039
we would not have little faith,

00:24:54.039 --> 00:24:55.954
and we would not ask for little things,

00:24:55.954 --> 00:24:58.639
and we'd not ask for bubble gum.

00:24:58.639 --> 00:25:01.515
Don't do that. Don't pray that way.

00:25:01.515 --> 00:25:03.688
We need to pray big prayers.

00:25:03.688 --> 00:25:05.350
Jesus said it!

00:25:05.350 --> 00:25:09.388
If you've got faith the 
size of a mustard seed,

00:25:09.388 --> 00:25:12.316
what can you not do?

00:25:12.316 --> 00:25:13.738
That's the issue.

00:25:13.738 --> 00:25:15.994
How do we pray?

00:25:15.994 --> 00:25:17.368
We need to pray.

00:25:17.368 --> 00:25:19.265
We need to pray big prayers.

00:25:19.265 --> 00:25:22.385
We need to pray according to God's riches.

00:25:22.385 --> 00:25:24.573
His riches in glory.

00:25:24.573 --> 00:25:27.580
He is a giving God.

00:25:27.580 --> 00:25:29.739
Don't pray to Him as though

00:25:29.739 --> 00:25:32.003
He is some little god.

00:25:32.003 --> 00:25:34.474
And listen, you're praying to Him

00:25:34.474 --> 00:25:36.382
as though He is a little god,

00:25:36.382 --> 00:25:39.050
if you pray to Him and then walk away

00:25:39.050 --> 00:25:42.554
not expecting a response.

NOTE Paragraph

00:25:42.554 --> 00:25:44.982
Listen, if you come 
into the prayer meeting,

00:25:44.982 --> 00:25:46.760
and the only reason you pray things

00:25:46.760 --> 00:25:49.652
is because it was brought 
up as a prayer request,

00:25:49.652 --> 00:25:51.515
and you just prayed it

00:25:51.515 --> 00:25:53.375
because other people were listening,

00:25:53.375 --> 00:25:55.258
but you have no expectation -

00:25:55.258 --> 00:25:59.155
then stop. Stop!

00:25:59.155 --> 00:26:01.853
You're praying to Him like what?

00:26:01.853 --> 00:26:05.921
That's an insult.

00:26:05.921 --> 00:26:09.791
Pray what you believe you need.

00:26:09.791 --> 00:26:12.645
Pray what you believe is 
going to be to His glory.

00:26:12.645 --> 00:26:16.006
Pray what your children need to be saved,

00:26:16.006 --> 00:26:17.900
what your relatives need to be saved,

00:26:17.900 --> 00:26:21.022
what the church needs to not fall away.

00:26:21.022 --> 00:26:25.084
Pray big!

00:26:25.084 --> 00:26:31.155
Don't pray like He's some 
little incompetent god.

00:26:31.155 --> 00:26:33.029
Don't pray to Him in a way

00:26:33.029 --> 00:26:35.822
that's going to insult Him.

NOTE Paragraph

00:26:35.822 --> 00:26:40.391
Now, Geoffrey Thomas was 
just with us a few weeks back.

00:26:40.391 --> 00:26:43.192
And he said that he used to think

00:26:43.192 --> 00:26:45.502
that the Holy Spirit was 
the forgotten member

00:26:45.502 --> 00:26:46.976
of the Trinity.

00:26:46.976 --> 00:26:50.085
And he said he's not convinced 
that's the case anymore.

00:26:50.085 --> 00:26:52.708
He now believes God the Father is.

00:26:52.708 --> 00:26:56.206
I think he is exactly right.

00:26:56.206 --> 00:27:02.557
The forgotten member of the Trinity.

00:27:02.557 --> 00:27:03.906
I'm saying among the three -

00:27:03.906 --> 00:27:05.217
you know we live in an age

00:27:05.217 --> 00:27:09.676
when the Holy Spirit is 
getting a lot of attention.

00:27:09.676 --> 00:27:11.408
What's happened to the Father?

00:27:11.408 --> 00:27:13.262
Some Christian circles, it seems like

00:27:13.262 --> 00:27:15.484
it starts and ends with Jesus.

00:27:15.484 --> 00:27:17.976
But you will notice that Paul

00:27:17.976 --> 00:27:24.125
is bending his knee before the Father.

00:27:24.125 --> 00:27:27.345
The Father.

00:27:27.345 --> 00:27:30.134
What I want you to think about here

00:27:30.134 --> 00:27:33.092
is the Father for a second.

NOTE Paragraph

00:27:33.092 --> 00:27:35.236
Now, you know, I went through

00:27:35.236 --> 00:27:40.236
from Ephesians 1:1 to Ephesians 3:14.

00:27:40.236 --> 00:27:42.691
I counted how many times 
the Father was referenced,

00:27:42.691 --> 00:27:44.555
how many times Jesus was referenced,

00:27:44.555 --> 00:27:48.366
and how many times the 
Holy Spirit was referenced.

00:27:48.366 --> 00:27:49.509
Can you guess?

00:27:49.509 --> 00:27:50.702
Make a wild guess.

00:27:50.702 --> 00:27:54.081
If you were to imagine how much

00:27:54.081 --> 00:27:57.821
each of them proportionately -

00:27:57.821 --> 00:28:00.742
do you have any idea?

00:28:00.742 --> 00:28:03.465
Equal?

00:28:03.465 --> 00:28:07.190
The Father and the Son are about equal

00:28:07.190 --> 00:28:09.577
in their references.

00:28:09.577 --> 00:28:14.281
The Spirit much less.

00:28:14.281 --> 00:28:17.177
But here's the thing,

00:28:17.177 --> 00:28:20.620
in the first chapter and a half,

00:28:20.620 --> 00:28:23.344
the references to Jesus Christ

00:28:23.344 --> 00:28:33.825
are by far references that identify

00:28:33.825 --> 00:28:36.947
some aspect of the Father.

00:28:36.947 --> 00:28:43.633
It's not until you get to chapter 2:13

00:28:43.633 --> 00:28:45.555
or thereabouts,

00:28:45.555 --> 00:28:48.426
that Christ's involvement 
in our redemption

00:28:48.426 --> 00:28:51.135
is really spelled out for us.

NOTE Paragraph

00:28:51.135 --> 00:28:52.950
I want you to think about the Father.

00:28:52.950 --> 00:28:56.006
Just go through - quick survey.

00:28:56.006 --> 00:28:57.667
Ephesians 1.

00:28:57.667 --> 00:29:00.482
You see, this is very characteristic.

00:29:00.482 --> 00:29:03.827
Ephesians 1:1, "Paul, an apostle of 
Christ Jesus, by the will of God."

00:29:03.827 --> 00:29:06.361
Well, Christ is in there,

00:29:06.361 --> 00:29:08.113
but how is He in there?

00:29:08.113 --> 00:29:14.037
He's in there only by way 
of identifying the Father.

00:29:14.037 --> 00:29:17.008
Paul is an apostle of Christ,

00:29:17.008 --> 00:29:19.706
but the active member of the Godhead

00:29:19.706 --> 00:29:23.595
that is making this happen is indeed

00:29:23.595 --> 00:29:25.011
the will of God.

00:29:25.011 --> 00:29:26.971
This is the Father.

00:29:26.971 --> 00:29:29.766
You see as we move through here,

00:29:29.766 --> 00:29:33.404
verse 3, "Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ."

00:29:33.404 --> 00:29:35.611
There again, you have 
the Lord Jesus Christ,

00:29:35.611 --> 00:29:37.164
but why is His name there?

00:29:37.164 --> 00:29:40.620
His name is there simply to describe,

00:29:40.620 --> 00:29:43.693
to give identity to who the Father is.

00:29:43.693 --> 00:29:45.886
But it's the Father who is active.

00:29:45.886 --> 00:29:48.031
It is the Father who is moving.

00:29:48.031 --> 00:29:50.215
It is the Father who is giving.

00:29:50.215 --> 00:29:52.208
It is the Father who is choosing.

00:29:52.208 --> 00:29:55.782
It is the Father adopting.
It is the Father predestinating.

00:29:55.782 --> 00:29:57.543
It is the Father's will.

00:29:57.543 --> 00:30:00.021
Again and again and again we see this.

00:30:00.021 --> 00:30:03.275
Look,"blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ.

00:30:03.275 --> 00:30:07.224
He it is who has blessed us in 
Christ with every spiritual blessing.

00:30:07.224 --> 00:30:10.408
For even as He chose us..."

00:30:10.408 --> 00:30:11.447
It's the Father.

00:30:11.447 --> 00:30:13.658
Verse 5, "He predestined us."

00:30:13.658 --> 00:30:14.788
It's the Father.

00:30:14.788 --> 00:30:16.811
Verse 6, "To the praise of His..."

00:30:16.811 --> 00:30:18.204
This is the Father.

00:30:18.204 --> 00:30:20.671
"...With which He has 
blessed us in the Beloved."

00:30:20.671 --> 00:30:22.732
That's in Christ.

00:30:22.732 --> 00:30:25.341
Verse 9, it's the Father 
making known to us

00:30:25.341 --> 00:30:26.849
the mystery of His will

00:30:26.849 --> 00:30:28.392
according to His purpose.

00:30:28.392 --> 00:30:32.665
It's the Father's purpose 
which He set forth in Christ.

00:30:32.665 --> 00:30:34.494
If it was Christ there, you don't say,

00:30:34.494 --> 00:30:36.012
"which He set forth in Christ,"

00:30:36.012 --> 00:30:38.401
but "which He set forth in Himself."

00:30:38.401 --> 00:30:40.831
But that's not it. It's God.

00:30:40.831 --> 00:30:43.723
Verse 11, "In Him (in Christ),

00:30:43.723 --> 00:30:45.325
we have obtained an inheritance

00:30:45.325 --> 00:30:47.447
having been predestined according to

00:30:47.447 --> 00:30:49.397
the purpose of [the Father],

00:30:49.397 --> 00:30:51.259
Him who works all things according to

00:30:51.259 --> 00:30:52.402
the counsel of His will

00:30:52.402 --> 00:30:54.860
so that we who were 
the first to hope in Christ

00:30:54.860 --> 00:30:56.630
might be to the praise of His glory."

00:30:56.630 --> 00:31:00.010
He is the one who gives the Holy Spirit.

00:31:00.010 --> 00:31:06.179
He is the one if you go to verse 15,

00:31:06.179 --> 00:31:07.970
"For this reason, because I've heard

00:31:07.970 --> 00:31:09.557
of your faith in the Lord Jesus

00:31:09.557 --> 00:31:11.354
and your love toward all the saints,

00:31:11.354 --> 00:31:13.688
I do not cease to give thanks for you,
remembering you in my prayers,

00:31:13.688 --> 00:31:15.735
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ,

00:31:15.735 --> 00:31:17.169
the Father of glory,

00:31:17.169 --> 00:31:19.688
may give you the Spirit of wisdom."

00:31:19.688 --> 00:31:22.042
See, it's the Father who is giving this.

00:31:22.042 --> 00:31:24.722
It's the Father who opens their eyes,

00:31:24.722 --> 00:31:27.417
enlightens them, gives them

00:31:27.417 --> 00:31:29.521
a knowledge of these things.

00:31:29.521 --> 00:31:32.322
Verse 20, or the end of 19,

00:31:32.322 --> 00:31:34.657
"According to the working 
of His great might

00:31:34.657 --> 00:31:36.535
that He worked in Christ when He raised

00:31:36.535 --> 00:31:37.438
Him from the dead."

00:31:37.438 --> 00:31:39.696
It's the Father who raised 
Christ from the dead.

00:31:39.696 --> 00:31:42.425
It's the Father who is 
working His great might

00:31:42.425 --> 00:31:45.233
in the people of God.

00:31:45.233 --> 00:31:48.997
You keep going through here.

00:31:48.997 --> 00:31:52.475
Verse 2:4, "But God 
being rich in mercy..."

00:31:52.475 --> 00:31:53.832
There's the Father again.

00:31:53.832 --> 00:31:56.196
"Because of the great love 
with which He loved us

00:31:56.196 --> 00:31:58.194
even when we were dead in our trespasses,

00:31:58.194 --> 00:31:59.983
made us alive together with Christ."

00:31:59.983 --> 00:32:01.231
God is doing this.

00:32:01.231 --> 00:32:02.481
God raises us up.

00:32:02.481 --> 00:32:04.436
It's God's love; it's God's mercy.

00:32:04.436 --> 00:32:06.716
It's God who seats us with Him

00:32:06.716 --> 00:32:09.733
"so that in the coming ages," verse 2:7,

00:32:09.733 --> 00:32:11.443
"He (God the Father) might show

00:32:11.443 --> 00:32:13.797
the immeasurable riches 
of His grace in kindness

00:32:13.797 --> 00:32:15.654
toward us in Christ Jesus."

00:32:15.654 --> 00:32:18.012
Verse 10, "We are His workmanship,

00:32:18.012 --> 00:32:20.186
created in Christ Jesus for good works

00:32:20.186 --> 00:32:22.639
which He prepared beforehand

00:32:22.639 --> 00:32:24.999
that we should walk in them."

NOTE Paragraph

00:32:24.999 --> 00:32:28.339
What I want you to get a feeling for

00:32:28.339 --> 00:32:31.479
is you do not want to forget Him,

00:32:31.479 --> 00:32:34.616
and I think that even in our 
song selections in this church -

00:32:34.616 --> 00:32:36.989
I went through our song list today.

00:32:36.989 --> 00:32:42.410
It is hard to find songs 
that are about the Father.

00:32:42.410 --> 00:32:46.498
Very hard - I mean in our song list.

00:32:46.498 --> 00:32:47.583
Why is that?

00:32:47.583 --> 00:32:49.310
Well, look, there is a reason

00:32:49.310 --> 00:32:50.979
that we look to the cross.

00:32:50.979 --> 00:32:53.331
There's a reason we want 
to preach the cross.

00:32:53.331 --> 00:32:55.245
There's a reason that 
we want to think about

00:32:55.245 --> 00:32:57.184
the redemption that 
we have in Jesus Christ,

00:32:57.184 --> 00:32:58.949
but you know what you 
don't want to forget?

00:32:58.949 --> 00:33:01.059
You don't want to forget 
that Jesus taught us

00:33:01.059 --> 00:33:03.282
that when we pray, 
we should pray this way:

00:33:03.282 --> 00:33:05.258
"Our Father, who art in Heaven..."

00:33:05.258 --> 00:33:06.420
We should look to God.

00:33:06.420 --> 00:33:08.882
God the Father is the One before whom

00:33:08.882 --> 00:33:10.471
Paul is bending his knee.

00:33:10.471 --> 00:33:14.049
And you remember, it 
is the riches of His glory.

00:33:14.049 --> 00:33:16.482
He is the one that gives 
these spiritual blessings

00:33:16.482 --> 00:33:17.677
in the heavenly places.

00:33:17.677 --> 00:33:19.210
He chose us in Christ

00:33:19.210 --> 00:33:21.248
before the foundation of the world.

00:33:21.248 --> 00:33:24.763
He adopted us as sons in Christ Jesus.

00:33:24.763 --> 00:33:26.893
It is Him. It is His love.

00:33:26.893 --> 00:33:28.950
But God, being rich in mercy,

00:33:28.950 --> 00:33:31.408
because of the great love 
with which He loved us,

00:33:31.408 --> 00:33:32.985
He raised us up with Christ.

00:33:32.985 --> 00:33:35.390
He seated us with Christ.

00:33:35.390 --> 00:33:38.289
It is His blessings that are poured out.

00:33:38.289 --> 00:33:41.984
It is not by our works,

00:33:41.984 --> 00:33:45.928
it is the gift of God that we are saved,

00:33:45.928 --> 00:33:47.512
by grace, through faith.

00:33:47.512 --> 00:33:48.694
Remember this.

00:33:48.694 --> 00:33:51.602
The Father - the part 
that He plays in this.

00:33:51.602 --> 00:33:53.823
It is the Father who so loved the world,

00:33:53.823 --> 00:33:56.205
that He gave us His only begotten Son.

00:33:56.205 --> 00:33:58.670
We don't want to forget the Father.

00:33:58.670 --> 00:34:01.480
It is His plan. It is His purpose.

00:34:01.480 --> 00:34:03.205
According to His purpose -

00:34:03.205 --> 00:34:06.073
how often do you see that in this book?

00:34:06.073 --> 00:34:08.274
The Father.

00:34:08.274 --> 00:34:13.446
The Father.

NOTE Paragraph

00:34:13.446 --> 00:34:16.915
Listen, do you know?

00:34:16.915 --> 00:34:19.627
Some of you have heard this.

00:34:19.627 --> 00:34:22.968
Every single time

00:34:22.968 --> 00:34:28.757
that the Lord Jesus Christ addressed God,

00:34:28.757 --> 00:34:30.047
He called Him Father.

00:34:30.047 --> 00:34:31.314
Every single time.

00:34:31.314 --> 00:34:33.314
Now there were times that He talked

00:34:33.314 --> 00:34:36.044
to other people about God

00:34:36.044 --> 00:34:38.865
and He called Him God.

00:34:38.865 --> 00:34:41.762
My Father, My God; your Father, your God.

00:34:41.762 --> 00:34:44.712
Or, that's probably backwards,

00:34:44.712 --> 00:34:49.091
but there are times He used that language.

00:34:49.091 --> 00:34:54.270
But when He addressed His Father in prayer

00:34:54.270 --> 00:34:55.654
He called Him "Father"

00:34:55.654 --> 00:34:59.724
every single time, except -

00:34:59.724 --> 00:35:03.947
do you know when the exception was?

00:35:03.947 --> 00:35:06.239
On the cross.

00:35:06.239 --> 00:35:09.112
During the hours of darkness,

00:35:09.112 --> 00:35:11.789
"My God, My God, why 
have You forsaken Me?"

00:35:11.789 --> 00:35:14.327
Quoting right out of Psalm 22.

NOTE Paragraph

00:35:14.327 --> 00:35:16.992
What's my point?

00:35:16.992 --> 00:35:18.922
Sometimes I sit in the prayer meetings,

00:35:18.922 --> 00:35:21.755
and I will hear a brother or a sister -

00:35:21.755 --> 00:35:23.972
usually it's brothers -

00:35:23.972 --> 00:35:30.561
and they pray and they call our Father,

00:35:30.561 --> 00:35:35.928
they call Him "God" almost exclusively

00:35:35.928 --> 00:35:40.654
or the majority of the time.

00:35:40.654 --> 00:35:44.035
And I wonder why.

00:35:44.035 --> 00:35:47.257
Why?

00:35:47.257 --> 00:35:52.996
Brethren, you've received 
the Spirit of adoption

00:35:52.996 --> 00:35:57.225
by which we cry what?

00:35:57.225 --> 00:35:59.785
"Abba, Father."

00:35:59.785 --> 00:36:03.501
It's beyond me why Christians want to pray

00:36:03.501 --> 00:36:10.065
and consistently call God "God."

00:36:10.065 --> 00:36:16.469
We have a God who invites us

00:36:16.469 --> 00:36:18.017
to call Him "Father."

00:36:18.017 --> 00:36:22.322
In fact, He gave us a Spirit 
that would compel us

00:36:22.322 --> 00:36:24.701
to pray that way.

00:36:24.701 --> 00:36:29.063
Don't be cold and distant 
in addressing Him.

00:36:29.063 --> 00:36:30.500
(Incomplete thought)

00:36:30.500 --> 00:36:34.880
Listen, you're coming before one who says,

00:36:34.880 --> 00:36:36.363
"I want you to call Me Father.

00:36:36.363 --> 00:36:38.816
Why? Because I am your Father."

00:36:38.816 --> 00:36:41.632
You think about a little 
child coming to a Father,

00:36:41.632 --> 00:36:44.266
how much more

00:36:44.266 --> 00:36:48.249
will your heavenly Father give 
good things to them that ask,

00:36:48.249 --> 00:36:51.463
including the Spirit.

00:36:51.463 --> 00:36:53.469
We're coming to Him

00:36:53.469 --> 00:36:56.171
according to the riches of His glory

00:36:56.171 --> 00:36:59.008
and He's your Father.

00:36:59.008 --> 00:37:01.082
Now that is good news.

00:37:01.082 --> 00:37:05.028
That bodes well for your prayer life.

00:37:05.028 --> 00:37:08.110
Does it not?

NOTE Paragraph

00:37:08.110 --> 00:37:11.831
What purpose does Paul 
cry out to the Father?

00:37:11.831 --> 00:37:13.347
To ask for a better car?

00:37:13.347 --> 00:37:17.504
Husband? Wife? More money?

00:37:17.504 --> 00:37:22.718
Look, I'm not saying you 
can't pray for those things.

00:37:22.718 --> 00:37:25.162
But I would have you notice this.

00:37:25.162 --> 00:37:29.881
Paul doesn't pray for himself once here.

00:37:29.881 --> 00:37:32.773
Not once.

00:37:32.773 --> 00:37:35.482
None of those things.

00:37:35.482 --> 00:37:37.519
Take notice.

00:37:37.519 --> 00:37:41.392
Notice, Paul is praying,

00:37:41.392 --> 00:37:45.493
but he's not praying for himself.

NOTE Paragraph

00:37:45.493 --> 00:37:47.190
Brothers and sisters,

00:37:47.190 --> 00:37:51.991
how desperately, desperately we need

00:37:51.991 --> 00:37:57.547
men and women in the church like this.

00:37:57.547 --> 00:38:00.023
Paul is interceding.

00:38:00.023 --> 00:38:01.660
Interceding is what you call it

00:38:01.660 --> 00:38:04.088
when you bow your knees to God

00:38:04.088 --> 00:38:05.549
for the sake of others

00:38:05.549 --> 00:38:07.794
and not for yourselves.

00:38:07.794 --> 00:38:12.014
How we need intercessors in the church.

00:38:12.014 --> 00:38:15.453
And I'm concerned!

00:38:15.453 --> 00:38:21.318
I'm concerned.

00:38:21.318 --> 00:38:26.501
When I got saved,

00:38:26.501 --> 00:38:31.636
honestly, I hungered

00:38:31.636 --> 00:38:36.522
to have time with the Lord.

00:38:36.522 --> 00:38:38.877
The first three years 
of my Christian life,

00:38:38.877 --> 00:38:41.040
I was able outside of work,

00:38:41.040 --> 00:38:42.676
and even times at work

00:38:42.676 --> 00:38:44.565
during breaks and lunch -

00:38:44.565 --> 00:38:46.840
I wasn't married.

00:38:46.840 --> 00:38:49.789
I was able to give my life to 
communion with the Lord.

00:38:49.789 --> 00:38:51.393
And I moved down here to Texas,

00:38:51.393 --> 00:38:52.656
lived with John Sytsma,

00:38:52.656 --> 00:38:57.761
a very business oriented family.

00:38:57.761 --> 00:39:03.238
And things were working at a pace

00:39:03.238 --> 00:39:07.465
that I just felt like,

00:39:07.465 --> 00:39:10.015
John was very much given to devotions

00:39:10.015 --> 00:39:12.960
in the morning and before 
the family got together.

00:39:12.960 --> 00:39:16.885
And I like to walk in the evenings

00:39:16.885 --> 00:39:18.191
and be out in the field

00:39:18.191 --> 00:39:20.308
and away from the heat.

00:39:20.308 --> 00:39:22.462
And John's schedule and mine

00:39:22.462 --> 00:39:23.919
were a little bit different,

00:39:23.919 --> 00:39:25.892
and I remember just panting after

00:39:25.892 --> 00:39:27.569
having that time back.

00:39:27.569 --> 00:39:32.174
And I recognized that I 
needed to move separate

00:39:32.174 --> 00:39:36.413
so that I could get back 
into my own schedule.

00:39:36.413 --> 00:39:38.212
And I longed for that.

00:39:38.212 --> 00:39:43.650
And I guess my sense was that

00:39:43.650 --> 00:39:47.918
well, that's how it 
is with all Christians.

00:39:47.918 --> 00:39:50.329
We don't live by bread alone,

00:39:50.329 --> 00:39:53.006
but by every word that proceeds 
from the mouth of God.

00:39:53.006 --> 00:39:54.269
We want to abide in Christ

00:39:54.269 --> 00:39:55.673
and we love walking with Him

00:39:55.673 --> 00:39:57.000
and meeting with Him

00:39:57.000 --> 00:39:58.737
and there's things to confess

00:39:58.737 --> 00:40:00.093
and there's worship

00:40:00.093 --> 00:40:03.488
and just getting to meditate before Him

00:40:03.488 --> 00:40:05.797
and praying and interceding

00:40:05.797 --> 00:40:10.844
for the sake of others.

00:40:10.844 --> 00:40:12.344
I just assumed that.

00:40:12.344 --> 00:40:13.560
And then I got married,

00:40:13.560 --> 00:40:16.249
and my wife basically lived that way

00:40:16.249 --> 00:40:18.487
day after day.

00:40:18.487 --> 00:40:21.925
I guess my assumption has largely been:

00:40:21.925 --> 00:40:28.047
well, of course, that's 
how Christians live.

00:40:28.047 --> 00:40:32.401
I am, I don't now,

00:40:32.401 --> 00:40:36.584
I guess I'm kind of baffled

00:40:36.584 --> 00:40:39.661
by the frequency at which I hear

00:40:39.661 --> 00:40:41.811
that people in this church

00:40:41.811 --> 00:40:46.614
have a real difficult time maintaining

00:40:46.614 --> 00:40:52.271
just a consistent intimacy with the Lord.

00:40:52.271 --> 00:40:54.930
And I guess my concern is this,

00:40:54.930 --> 00:40:59.242
I'm not sure what lies 
behind this difficulty.

00:40:59.242 --> 00:41:00.623
Is it immaturity?

00:41:00.623 --> 00:41:01.709
Is it worldliness?

00:41:01.709 --> 00:41:02.864
Is it busyness?

00:41:02.864 --> 00:41:05.476
Is it just that there's no hunger there?

00:41:05.476 --> 00:41:07.324
I know this,

00:41:07.324 --> 00:41:11.013
intercessors don't come

00:41:11.013 --> 00:41:14.918
from marginally spiritual people.

00:41:14.918 --> 00:41:16.310
Why?

00:41:16.310 --> 00:41:20.150
Because interceding requires love

00:41:20.150 --> 00:41:22.674
and a level of maturity

00:41:22.674 --> 00:41:25.306
and a lack of selfishness.

00:41:25.306 --> 00:41:28.441
Selfish people -

00:41:28.441 --> 00:41:31.706
their prayers are all about themselves.

00:41:31.706 --> 00:41:34.313
Very little worship.

00:41:34.313 --> 00:41:36.260
Very little confession.

00:41:36.260 --> 00:41:41.605
But a lot of give me, 
give me, give me, give me.

NOTE Paragraph

00:41:41.605 --> 00:41:46.882
Now I know there are prayer 
warriors in this church.

00:41:46.882 --> 00:41:48.799
I know there are.

00:41:48.799 --> 00:41:51.086
I know there are some of you,

00:41:51.086 --> 00:41:54.854
your walk is close to the Lord.

00:41:54.854 --> 00:41:56.623
I want there to be more.

00:41:56.623 --> 00:41:59.654
I want this to characterize 
the church as a whole.

00:41:59.654 --> 00:42:01.347
Intercessors.

00:42:01.347 --> 00:42:04.543
We desperately, desperately need this.

00:42:04.543 --> 00:42:06.608
And if people can barely manage

00:42:06.608 --> 00:42:09.966
to find their way into the 
secret place of prayer each day,

00:42:09.966 --> 00:42:11.277
I know this,

00:42:11.277 --> 00:42:14.656
you're not interceding for anybody.

00:42:14.656 --> 00:42:18.644
It's not happening.

00:42:18.644 --> 00:42:20.477
Where do intercessors come from?

00:42:20.477 --> 00:42:22.105
They come from people that live

00:42:22.105 --> 00:42:24.227
in the presence of God.

NOTE Paragraph

00:42:24.227 --> 00:42:25.360
You think about it.

00:42:25.360 --> 00:42:28.658
Paul - you can imagine 
the guard walking by.

00:42:28.658 --> 00:42:31.211
The guards talking to each other,

00:42:31.211 --> 00:42:32.731
"What's the guy doing in there?

00:42:32.731 --> 00:42:34.965
Every time we walk by 
there, he's on his face."

00:42:34.965 --> 00:42:37.404
He wasn't idle. 
He wasn't wasting his time.

00:42:37.404 --> 00:42:40.047
He wasn't wasting his time in prison.

00:42:40.047 --> 00:42:42.117
He was crying; he was bending his knee.

00:42:42.117 --> 00:42:44.211
He was pleading, he was crying out

00:42:44.211 --> 00:42:46.403
for the sake of others.

00:42:46.403 --> 00:42:49.883
You find in just about every 
single one of his epistles,

00:42:49.883 --> 00:42:52.644
he cried out for people;

00:42:52.644 --> 00:42:54.892
he called upon them.

NOTE Paragraph

00:42:54.892 --> 00:42:58.101
Where do intercessors come from?

00:42:58.101 --> 00:42:59.898
People who don't live by bread alone.

00:42:59.898 --> 00:43:01.447
People who are desperate.

00:43:01.447 --> 00:43:03.264
People who are abiding in the Lord.

00:43:03.264 --> 00:43:04.778
People who are talking to Him

00:43:04.778 --> 00:43:05.902
and walking with Him.

00:43:05.902 --> 00:43:09.057
Now where does it come from?

00:43:09.057 --> 00:43:12.963
That somebody says, "for this reason"?

00:43:12.963 --> 00:43:14.960
I know them to be a Christian.

00:43:14.960 --> 00:43:17.347
For that reason, I'm on my knees for them.

00:43:17.347 --> 00:43:18.894
They're beloved of God.

00:43:18.894 --> 00:43:21.334
Something is released in my heart.

00:43:21.334 --> 00:43:23.438
I need to pray for them.

00:43:23.438 --> 00:43:25.824
I'm thinking about other 
people all the time.

00:43:25.824 --> 00:43:27.412
I'm thinking about their needs.

00:43:27.412 --> 00:43:29.530
I'm thinking about them glorifying God.

NOTE Paragraph

00:43:29.530 --> 00:43:33.167
Where do intercessors come from?

00:43:33.167 --> 00:43:38.213
Intercessors - not 
marginally spiritual people.

00:43:38.213 --> 00:43:40.520
You know, if we don't have intercession

00:43:40.520 --> 00:43:43.612
happening commonplace in your life -

00:43:43.612 --> 00:43:45.592
I'm not just talking about in the church.

00:43:45.592 --> 00:43:47.407
If intercession is not happening

00:43:47.407 --> 00:43:50.397
as a commonplace thing in your life,

00:43:50.397 --> 00:43:54.011
one of the great manifestations

00:43:54.011 --> 00:43:57.109
of sacrificial love is missing.

00:43:57.109 --> 00:43:59.115
And listen, that's important.

00:43:59.115 --> 00:44:03.294
Sacrificial love. You 
think about Judgment Day.

00:44:03.294 --> 00:44:07.549
Jesus talks about what you did for others.

00:44:07.549 --> 00:44:09.805
"I was in prison, and you visited Me."

00:44:09.805 --> 00:44:11.858
You know, one of the ways you can visit

00:44:11.858 --> 00:44:13.977
people in prison is by praying.

00:44:13.977 --> 00:44:16.434
The thing is as long as 
you have life and breath

00:44:16.434 --> 00:44:20.738
and you have consciousness, 
you can pray for people.

00:44:20.738 --> 00:44:22.379
We need it.

00:44:22.379 --> 00:44:25.027
We need this desperately.

NOTE Paragraph

00:44:25.027 --> 00:44:26.989
Where are the men and women?

00:44:26.989 --> 00:44:28.691
I know we've got some. I know.

00:44:28.691 --> 00:44:31.509
But oh God, help us to have more

00:44:31.509 --> 00:44:33.687
men and women who live 
in the presence of God

00:44:33.687 --> 00:44:34.603
on bended knee

00:44:34.603 --> 00:44:38.560
whose voices are familiar to the Father;

00:44:38.560 --> 00:44:40.959
whose voices go up

00:44:40.959 --> 00:44:43.135
in familiarity to the Father

00:44:43.135 --> 00:44:45.680
on the behalf of others.

00:44:45.680 --> 00:44:47.725
I mean, you can imagine,

00:44:47.725 --> 00:44:50.614
God from God's perspective,

00:44:50.614 --> 00:44:52.609
"There's his voice again...

00:44:52.609 --> 00:44:55.569
and sure enough, he's asking for a job,

00:44:55.569 --> 00:44:57.013
he's asking for a wife,

00:44:57.013 --> 00:45:03.228
he's asking for a raise, he's asking..."

00:45:03.228 --> 00:45:07.763
Those who God hears his voice,

00:45:07.763 --> 00:45:12.845
"Lord, help so-and-so...

00:45:12.845 --> 00:45:16.053
Lord, according to the 
riches of Your glory,

00:45:16.053 --> 00:45:18.155
please strengthen that brother

00:45:18.155 --> 00:45:19.736
down there in Mexico.

00:45:19.736 --> 00:45:22.679
Please, Lord, open that 
door for that brother

00:45:22.679 --> 00:45:26.062
that's trying to get from Costa Rica.

00:45:26.062 --> 00:45:27.495
Lord..."

00:45:27.495 --> 00:45:31.656
How often is the Lord hearing that voice?

00:45:31.656 --> 00:45:34.560
"Lord, I'm not here to 
pray for my own needs.

00:45:34.560 --> 00:45:36.036
You know I have them,

00:45:36.036 --> 00:45:39.910
but Lord, Brother Matt 
needs Your help today.

00:45:39.910 --> 00:45:42.254
He needs Your help.

00:45:42.254 --> 00:45:48.719
Johannes, Lord, remember Johannes."

00:45:48.719 --> 00:45:52.180
Those who can't sit 
comfortably reading the book

00:45:52.180 --> 00:45:53.637
or fiddling with their phone

00:45:53.637 --> 00:45:55.762
because they're feeling a burden

00:45:55.762 --> 00:45:59.249
for Andy and Rebecca.

00:45:59.249 --> 00:46:01.620
Those of you that weren't 
here on Wednesday,

00:46:01.620 --> 00:46:03.730
Trevor Johnson wrote, I think,

00:46:03.730 --> 00:46:07.600
one of the most powerful 
missionary letters

00:46:07.600 --> 00:46:13.558
that he's ever written.

NOTE Paragraph

00:46:13.558 --> 00:46:15.800
Men and women not constantly asking

00:46:15.800 --> 00:46:17.640
for their own needs.

00:46:17.640 --> 00:46:21.278
The church needs intercessors.

00:46:21.278 --> 00:46:25.428
We desperately need them.

00:46:25.428 --> 00:46:27.050
Why?

00:46:27.050 --> 00:46:30.009
Because God answers prayer!

00:46:30.009 --> 00:46:32.731
Listen, I'm telling you this.

00:46:32.731 --> 00:46:35.413
I know this for a fact.

00:46:35.413 --> 00:46:37.317
I'm so convinced.

00:46:37.317 --> 00:46:39.345
I've seen it over and over and over again.

00:46:39.345 --> 00:46:40.960
God answers prayer.

00:46:40.960 --> 00:46:42.968
And when people are praying for you,

00:46:42.968 --> 00:46:45.266
things happen in your life 
that would not happen

00:46:45.266 --> 00:46:47.059
if they weren't praying for you.

00:46:47.059 --> 00:46:49.164
Mark it down!

00:46:49.164 --> 00:46:51.632
The elders in this church preach

00:46:51.632 --> 00:46:54.020
or perform or oversee better

00:46:54.020 --> 00:46:55.588
when people are praying for them

00:46:55.588 --> 00:46:57.654
than when they're not praying for them.

00:46:57.654 --> 00:46:58.602
That is a reality.

00:46:58.602 --> 00:47:00.322
People live more holy lives.

00:47:00.322 --> 00:47:03.056
People live closer to God.

00:47:03.056 --> 00:47:04.756
People are more prayerful.

00:47:04.756 --> 00:47:07.490
People are more loving and charitable

00:47:07.490 --> 00:47:09.512
and kind and tender and forgiving

00:47:09.512 --> 00:47:11.701
when people are praying for one another

00:47:11.701 --> 00:47:13.983
than when they're not 
praying for one another.

00:47:13.983 --> 00:47:15.469
That is a fact.

NOTE Paragraph

00:47:15.469 --> 00:47:17.289
I'll tell you, I was thinking about

00:47:17.289 --> 00:47:20.529
our brother coming here 
on a week from Wednesday

00:47:20.529 --> 00:47:22.641
and sharing his needs.

00:47:22.641 --> 00:47:24.398
If I was on a foreign mission field,

00:47:24.398 --> 00:47:26.944
I would want to visit as 
many churches as I could,

00:47:26.944 --> 00:47:29.780
and I would tell the people,
look, I'm not here for your money.

00:47:29.780 --> 00:47:31.807
I'm just appealing, if there is one person

00:47:31.807 --> 00:47:33.968
or two people or three 
people in this church

00:47:33.968 --> 00:47:35.122
that are prayer warriors

00:47:35.122 --> 00:47:36.986
and you have any burden for India,

00:47:36.986 --> 00:47:38.441
I plead with you, pray.

00:47:38.441 --> 00:47:40.447
And if on Judgment Day, it can be found

00:47:40.447 --> 00:47:42.895
there were three people 
in that church over there,

00:47:42.895 --> 00:47:45.555
and there were two people 
in that church over there,

00:47:45.555 --> 00:47:48.633
and five in that church over there,
and they held that rope.

00:47:48.633 --> 00:47:51.817
Not because they were sending 
me all their dollars all the time,

00:47:51.817 --> 00:47:53.190
but they prayed for me.

00:47:53.190 --> 00:47:54.914
They prayed for me all the time.

00:47:54.914 --> 00:47:57.205
Prayer meetings did not 
go by in that church

00:47:57.205 --> 00:47:58.570
they weren't praying for me.

00:47:58.570 --> 00:48:00.850
And oftentimes, every 
single day of the week,

00:48:00.850 --> 00:48:02.117
they were holding me up.

00:48:02.117 --> 00:48:03.431
We need this.

00:48:03.431 --> 00:48:05.758
When we pray for one another,

00:48:05.758 --> 00:48:07.736
I'm telling you, we end up doing things

00:48:07.736 --> 00:48:09.226
that would not happen

00:48:09.226 --> 00:48:11.265
if people weren't praying for us.

00:48:11.265 --> 00:48:12.496
This is the reality.

00:48:12.496 --> 00:48:15.197
Bending our knees to the Father

00:48:15.197 --> 00:48:18.505
on behalf of others.

00:48:18.505 --> 00:48:20.360
We are the priesthood, brethren.

00:48:20.360 --> 00:48:21.796
Have you never read that?

00:48:21.796 --> 00:48:24.140
That fire was not to go out on that altar.

00:48:24.140 --> 00:48:25.514
And if that was the symbol,

00:48:25.514 --> 00:48:27.171
if that was the hyperbole,

00:48:27.171 --> 00:48:32.239
if that was the metaphor,

00:48:32.239 --> 00:48:35.511
we are the true priesthood.

00:48:35.511 --> 00:48:38.774
Don't let the fire go out.

NOTE Paragraph

00:48:38.774 --> 00:48:41.578
And I want to end with this.

00:48:41.578 --> 00:48:43.657
This is one of the few places

00:48:43.657 --> 00:48:49.162
in Scripture where 
we are specifically told -

00:48:49.162 --> 00:48:51.904
it's one of the few places 
in the New Testament

00:48:51.904 --> 00:48:54.641
where we are specifically 
told the posture.

00:48:54.641 --> 00:48:56.479
This is the only place, I believe,

00:48:56.479 --> 00:49:00.585
that Paul tells us his posture in prayer.

00:49:00.585 --> 00:49:06.267
And I just want us to think for a moment.

00:49:06.267 --> 00:49:12.269
Paul bowed his knee.

00:49:12.269 --> 00:49:16.090
We used to sing out at Community,

00:49:16.090 --> 00:49:21.535
"Oh, come let us worship and bow down."

00:49:21.535 --> 00:49:23.985
Anybody remember that one?

00:49:23.985 --> 00:49:27.339
"Oh, come let us worship and bow down.

00:49:27.339 --> 00:49:32.305
Let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker."

00:49:32.305 --> 00:49:35.066
Worship. Worship.

00:49:35.066 --> 00:49:36.835
Come, let us bow down.

NOTE Paragraph

00:49:36.835 --> 00:49:39.915
You know what I find in Scripture?

00:49:39.915 --> 00:49:41.924
I actually find that even though Paul

00:49:41.924 --> 00:49:47.098
doesn't reference this 
much but this one time

00:49:47.098 --> 00:49:48.416
about his posture,

00:49:48.416 --> 00:49:51.252
I find that posture in prayer

00:49:51.252 --> 00:49:54.904
is something that is an interesting study.

00:49:54.904 --> 00:49:59.273
You can go find men

00:49:59.273 --> 00:50:02.271
who fell on their faces before God.

00:50:02.271 --> 00:50:04.269
Do you remember two who often were found

00:50:04.269 --> 00:50:07.073
falling on their faces?

00:50:07.073 --> 00:50:09.588
Moses and Aaron.

00:50:09.588 --> 00:50:13.131
And you know what's interesting 
about those two guys?

00:50:13.131 --> 00:50:14.713
They were falling on their faces

00:50:14.713 --> 00:50:16.753
for others as well;

00:50:16.753 --> 00:50:19.388
not for their own needs.

00:50:19.388 --> 00:50:21.469
They weren't just falling on their faces

00:50:21.469 --> 00:50:22.735
for the needs of others.

00:50:22.735 --> 00:50:24.338
They were falling on their faces

00:50:24.338 --> 00:50:27.964
that God wouldn't destroy others.

00:50:27.964 --> 00:50:30.356
Repeatedly, they were on their faces.

00:50:30.356 --> 00:50:32.391
Remember Joshua - he came face-to-face

00:50:32.391 --> 00:50:33.868
with the Angel of the Lord?

00:50:33.868 --> 00:50:38.958
He found himself on his face.

00:50:38.958 --> 00:50:41.274
Luke's account of the leper

00:50:41.274 --> 00:50:42.946
that came to Jesus Christ?

00:50:42.946 --> 00:50:47.586
It's said that he fell on his face.

NOTE Paragraph

00:50:47.586 --> 00:50:53.339
Why do people fall on their face?

00:50:53.339 --> 00:50:56.249
You can't go any lower than that.

00:50:56.249 --> 00:50:58.819
I mean, if you were trying 
to go low before somebody,

00:50:58.819 --> 00:51:00.397
there's no lower you can get.

00:51:00.397 --> 00:51:03.203
We're not talking bended knee here.

00:51:03.203 --> 00:51:05.720
We're talking totally

00:51:05.720 --> 00:51:08.541
as low as you can go on your face.

00:51:08.541 --> 00:51:09.958
Maybe your knees are bent,

00:51:09.958 --> 00:51:13.137
maybe you're prostrate.

00:51:13.137 --> 00:51:15.384
What is that a picture of?

00:51:15.384 --> 00:51:19.939
Certainly, it's a picture of 
extreme submission.

00:51:19.939 --> 00:51:23.294
It's the lowest expressing unworthiness,

00:51:23.294 --> 00:51:26.175
inadequacy.

00:51:26.175 --> 00:51:28.292
You think about bowing the knee.

00:51:28.292 --> 00:51:32.743
Come, let us worship and bow down.

00:51:32.743 --> 00:51:34.740
Or what does Scripture say?

00:51:34.740 --> 00:51:39.804
There is a day coming 
when every knee shall bow.

00:51:39.804 --> 00:51:42.776
God has given Jesus Christ a name

00:51:42.776 --> 00:51:44.352
that is above every name,

00:51:44.352 --> 00:51:45.806
so that at the name of Jesus,

00:51:45.806 --> 00:51:48.496
every knee should bow

00:51:48.496 --> 00:51:51.282
in heaven, on earth, under the earth,

00:51:51.282 --> 00:51:52.763
and every tongue confess

00:51:52.763 --> 00:51:54.837
that Jesus Christ is Lord

00:51:54.837 --> 00:51:57.740
to the glory of the Father.

00:51:57.740 --> 00:52:00.664
That is a picture of submission.

00:52:00.664 --> 00:52:02.583
It's a picture of reverence,

00:52:02.583 --> 00:52:06.806
worship, allegiance.

00:52:06.806 --> 00:52:08.195
Kneeling. Bowing.

NOTE Paragraph

00:52:08.195 --> 00:52:11.286
How about lifting up eyes?

00:52:11.286 --> 00:52:16.817
I was just singing Psalm 5 the other day.

00:52:16.817 --> 00:52:20.138
That was another one 
we often used to sing.

00:52:20.138 --> 00:52:21.732
"Oh Lord, in the morning,

00:52:21.732 --> 00:52:24.426
will I direct my prayer unto Thee..."

00:52:24.426 --> 00:52:26.679
And the way the KJV has it,

00:52:26.679 --> 00:52:29.726
"and will look up."

00:52:29.726 --> 00:52:32.889
You know, there's twice when Jesus prays,

00:52:32.889 --> 00:52:35.367
and it said He looked up to heaven.

00:52:35.367 --> 00:52:36.772
And you think about it.

00:52:36.772 --> 00:52:41.749
The tax collector there in Luke 18

00:52:41.749 --> 00:52:44.718
when he prayed, he wouldn't dare look up.

00:52:44.718 --> 00:52:46.384
He looked down.

00:52:46.384 --> 00:52:49.885
But Scripture also speaks about,

00:52:49.885 --> 00:52:53.307
Psalm 123, "To you, I lift up my eyes,

00:52:53.307 --> 00:52:56.040
O, You who are enthroned in the heavens."

00:52:56.040 --> 00:52:57.440
(incomplete thought)

NOTE Paragraph

00:52:57.440 --> 00:52:59.485
I just want us to think about our posture.

00:52:59.485 --> 00:53:02.777
Why? Because I hope you don't run

00:53:02.777 --> 00:53:11.634
into God's presence just careless

00:53:11.634 --> 00:53:16.985
and without thought.

00:53:16.985 --> 00:53:19.378
We should think. Think.

00:53:19.378 --> 00:53:20.553
Who are you coming to?

00:53:20.553 --> 00:53:22.186
We're coming before a King.

00:53:22.186 --> 00:53:24.596
No carelessness. What did God say?

00:53:24.596 --> 00:53:26.805
"I am a great King, 
says the Lord of Hosts,

00:53:26.805 --> 00:53:30.300
My name will be feared 
among the nations."

00:53:30.300 --> 00:53:33.901
I'll ltell you this, your posture -

00:53:33.901 --> 00:53:36.072
we don't want to be legalistic -

00:53:36.072 --> 00:53:38.104
but you know what posture often does?

00:53:38.104 --> 00:53:42.855
It's an expression to the 
attitude of your heart.

00:53:42.855 --> 00:53:45.156
And people who just flippantly,

00:53:45.156 --> 00:53:48.836
carelessly run into God's presence,

00:53:48.836 --> 00:53:52.026
that's not good.

00:53:52.026 --> 00:53:54.779
Scripture shows men on their face,

00:53:54.779 --> 00:53:57.096
those bowing,

00:53:57.096 --> 00:54:00.425
eyes raised up,

00:54:00.425 --> 00:54:02.511
arms raised - have you ever read that

00:54:02.511 --> 00:54:04.687
in 1 Timothy 2?

00:54:04.687 --> 00:54:08.921
And you know what? It's interesting.

00:54:08.921 --> 00:54:11.712
"With holy hands..."

00:54:11.712 --> 00:54:15.737
That's interesting because 
you find in Isaiah

00:54:15.737 --> 00:54:17.981
that they lifted their hands,

00:54:17.981 --> 00:54:20.106
but God said their hands

00:54:20.106 --> 00:54:23.175
were covered with blood.

00:54:23.175 --> 00:54:26.197
See, what does it mean 
when you raise your hands?

00:54:26.197 --> 00:54:31.445
It's a picture - holy hands. Clean.

00:54:31.445 --> 00:54:36.182
It seems to have the idea of:

00:54:36.182 --> 00:54:37.735
there's a clean slate.

00:54:37.735 --> 00:54:40.494
I've confessed my sin.

00:54:40.494 --> 00:54:42.889
I don't know of anything between.

00:54:42.889 --> 00:54:45.422
I'm walking in this 
righteousness of Christ

00:54:45.422 --> 00:54:47.849
and in the power of His resurrection.

00:54:47.849 --> 00:54:53.131
As far as I know, there's 
nothing outstanding.

00:54:53.131 --> 00:54:55.779
But I'll tell you this,

00:54:55.779 --> 00:54:57.610
there are times I lay in bed

00:54:57.610 --> 00:55:00.305
and I raise my arms

00:55:00.305 --> 00:55:03.000
and I'm not thinking about

00:55:03.000 --> 00:55:06.304
the cleanliness of my hands.

00:55:06.304 --> 00:55:09.415
I'm just thinking,

00:55:09.415 --> 00:55:11.945
like if I get done preaching 
and I come down

00:55:11.945 --> 00:55:13.827
and one of the little children comes up

00:55:13.827 --> 00:55:15.795
and they're raising their hands.

00:55:15.795 --> 00:55:17.654
What are you going to do?

00:55:17.654 --> 00:55:22.153
Are there any of you who would 
just swat those hands away?

00:55:22.153 --> 00:55:25.719
No, you're going to pick the child up.

00:55:25.719 --> 00:55:29.519
I mean if little James Luciano runs up

00:55:29.519 --> 00:55:31.394
with his arms up, I'm not going to just

00:55:31.394 --> 00:55:35.032
scowl at him and say, "what do you want?"

00:55:35.032 --> 00:55:37.591
You grab the child. You pick them up.

00:55:37.591 --> 00:55:41.149
And sometimes the raising of hands

00:55:41.149 --> 00:55:44.448
is just trying to get as close to Him,

00:55:44.448 --> 00:55:46.127
"Lord, I want more of You.

00:55:46.127 --> 00:55:48.823
Just touch me.

00:55:48.823 --> 00:55:51.641
Pick me up."

00:55:51.641 --> 00:55:53.902
Or you think about sitting.

00:55:53.902 --> 00:55:56.453
2 Samuel 7,

00:55:56.461 --> 00:56:03.182
after God pronounced 
all the blessings on David.

00:56:03.182 --> 00:56:05.389
David went to the house of the Lord

00:56:05.389 --> 00:56:08.849
and he sat and God spoke to Him.

00:56:08.849 --> 00:56:12.694
Jehoshaphat - we find where he stood

00:56:12.694 --> 00:56:16.085
in the assembly of Judah 
when he was praying.

00:56:16.085 --> 00:56:17.883
Standing - that's kind of like

00:56:17.883 --> 00:56:21.623
if you stand before a dignitary,

00:56:21.623 --> 00:56:27.720
that's a posture of boldness.

00:56:27.720 --> 00:56:30.952
Sometimes it's more of a cultural thing.

00:56:30.952 --> 00:56:33.354
In Romania, they stand -

00:56:33.354 --> 00:56:35.716
sometimes we stand when 
the Scriptures are read.

00:56:35.716 --> 00:56:38.193
You know, when Kevin's here,
he'll have us all stand.

00:56:38.193 --> 00:56:39.504
Or Chello had us all stand.

00:56:39.504 --> 00:56:40.711
But you know in Romania,

00:56:40.711 --> 00:56:42.746
I think they sit when they read Scripture,

00:56:42.746 --> 00:56:44.326
but they stand when they pray.

00:56:44.326 --> 00:56:46.750
Now they may not know why they do that

00:56:46.750 --> 00:56:48.393
other than it's just traditional,

00:56:48.393 --> 00:56:49.971
but I don't want us to do things

00:56:49.971 --> 00:56:52.001
just because it's traditional, legalistic,

00:56:52.001 --> 00:56:52.980
or any other thing.

00:56:52.980 --> 00:56:54.693
But I want us to be thinking.

NOTE Paragraph

00:56:54.693 --> 00:56:57.646
Don't be careless.

00:56:57.646 --> 00:57:02.231
You're going before a great King.

00:57:02.231 --> 00:57:04.774
Think.

00:57:04.774 --> 00:57:06.688
Yes, we're children,

00:57:06.688 --> 00:57:09.527
and we can go into His 
presence immediately

00:57:09.527 --> 00:57:10.699
when we need to.

00:57:10.699 --> 00:57:14.483
And we can go in as 
children before a Father.

00:57:14.483 --> 00:57:19.811
But you know, fathers demand reverence.

00:57:19.811 --> 00:57:21.426
Be reverent.

00:57:21.426 --> 00:57:23.532
Be thoughtful.

00:57:23.532 --> 00:57:25.078
Think about praying.

00:57:25.078 --> 00:57:26.736
Think about your prayers.

00:57:26.736 --> 00:57:31.215
Pray.

00:57:31.215 --> 00:57:34.424
You know, how many children in the church

00:57:34.424 --> 00:57:37.202
actually ever stumble upon parents

00:57:37.202 --> 00:57:38.468
on their knees?

00:57:38.468 --> 00:57:40.365
How many of you are bending your knees?

00:57:40.365 --> 00:57:42.829
How many pray on your face?

00:57:42.829 --> 00:57:44.417
I remember Whitefield.

00:57:44.417 --> 00:57:49.442
Whitefield would pray on bended knee

00:57:49.442 --> 00:57:50.801
and read his Bible,

00:57:50.801 --> 00:57:54.090
have his Matthew Henry commetary open.

00:57:54.090 --> 00:57:56.314
I'm not saying you have to do that.

00:57:56.314 --> 00:57:59.759
But see, it comes from 
an attitude of heart.

00:57:59.759 --> 00:58:02.000
Pray. Pray.

NOTE Paragraph

00:58:02.000 --> 00:58:04.876
I've been reading -

00:58:04.876 --> 00:58:06.440
my wife went through my books

00:58:06.440 --> 00:58:07.758
when I was in Ecuador,

00:58:07.758 --> 00:58:09.376
and she took a bunch of them

00:58:09.376 --> 00:58:11.009
she wants to take to Half Price,

00:58:11.009 --> 00:58:15.284
and so I was looking at the 
two-volume Cotton Mather,

00:58:15.284 --> 00:58:16.972
"Great Works of Christ in America,"

00:58:16.972 --> 00:58:18.937
and I thought, oh, you're taking those?

00:58:18.937 --> 00:58:20.840
And so I grabbed them out

00:58:20.840 --> 00:58:22.538
and I've been reading.

00:58:22.538 --> 00:58:25.126
And I'm reading through 
a section right now

00:58:25.126 --> 00:58:32.123
on the last testimonies 
of all sorts of people

00:58:32.123 --> 00:58:36.241
who were being executed.

00:58:36.241 --> 00:58:39.545
You know they put people
to death for adultery?

00:58:39.545 --> 00:58:41.312
We were just talking about that

00:58:41.312 --> 00:58:43.244
at the men's Grace House the other day.

00:58:43.244 --> 00:58:44.548
They put people to death

00:58:44.548 --> 00:58:45.834
for adultery in those days.

00:58:45.834 --> 00:58:48.108
They put people to 
death for bestiality,

00:58:48.108 --> 00:58:52.324
and for murder, for witchcraft.

00:58:52.324 --> 00:58:54.688
A woman was consulting with a demon

00:58:54.688 --> 00:58:56.078
and they executed her.

00:58:56.078 --> 00:58:57.979
And you know, I was reading

00:58:57.979 --> 00:59:00.888
about all these different accounts,

00:59:00.888 --> 00:59:02.869
and when they would take these people

00:59:02.869 --> 00:59:03.935
to the gallows,

00:59:03.935 --> 00:59:05.985
they would give them opportunity to speak,

00:59:05.985 --> 00:59:07.965
and they had a lot of last words.

00:59:07.965 --> 00:59:13.448
And you know what I found 
again and again and again?

00:59:13.448 --> 00:59:16.904
These people who were moments away

00:59:16.904 --> 00:59:21.715
from facing God, 
stepping out into eternity,

00:59:21.715 --> 00:59:25.391
they said if only I would have 
started that day in prayer,

00:59:25.391 --> 00:59:27.486
they said, I think God would have kept me

00:59:27.486 --> 00:59:28.712
from doing what I did.

00:59:28.712 --> 00:59:31.310
Now look, aside from whether 
they were lost or saved,

00:59:31.310 --> 00:59:32.745
that's not really the issue,

00:59:32.745 --> 00:59:35.227
but it's amazing how often -

00:59:35.227 --> 00:59:37.049
I saw it over and over -

00:59:37.049 --> 00:59:38.616
how often they attributed,

00:59:38.616 --> 00:59:41.454
"Oh, if only I had sought God that day,

00:59:41.454 --> 00:59:43.883
I would probably not have 
slit my wife's throat,"

00:59:43.883 --> 00:59:47.301
which is what one of them did in a rage.

00:59:47.301 --> 00:59:49.288
And I just thought about that.

00:59:49.288 --> 00:59:52.391
We have a God who answers prayer.

00:59:52.391 --> 00:59:54.954
And I'm not talking about 
just starting your day

00:59:54.954 --> 00:59:56.327
by praying for yourself.

00:59:56.327 --> 00:59:58.344
Oh, what things might you have avoided

00:59:58.344 --> 00:59:59.574
during any given day,

00:59:59.574 --> 01:00:01.401
if you would have started your day

01:00:01.401 --> 01:00:04.307
on your knees before the Lord?

01:00:04.307 --> 01:00:06.786
But brethren, how many 
of your brothers and sisters

01:00:06.786 --> 01:00:08.412
might not have done what they did

01:00:08.412 --> 01:00:10.266
on any given day if you had

01:00:10.266 --> 01:00:13.639
started your day by praying for them?

01:00:13.639 --> 01:00:15.809
I hope there's enough care,

01:00:15.809 --> 01:00:17.162
enough concern.

01:00:17.162 --> 01:00:18.818
We need more of the heart of Paul

01:00:18.818 --> 01:00:23.235
who unceasingly prayed for people.

01:00:23.235 --> 01:00:24.812
He didn't see other churches

01:00:24.812 --> 01:00:26.742
as competitors or something,

01:00:26.742 --> 01:00:28.143
or people not to pray for.

01:00:28.143 --> 01:00:30.545
We don't want to them blessed.

01:00:30.545 --> 01:00:32.522
Everywhere where there was somebody

01:00:32.522 --> 01:00:34.275
that God had bestowed His love on,

01:00:34.275 --> 01:00:37.491
his heart, his affection went out there.

01:00:37.491 --> 01:00:39.218
He made great sacrifices.

01:00:39.218 --> 01:00:41.834
That's something, no matter 
what your gifts are,

01:00:41.834 --> 01:00:43.059
no matter where you are,

01:00:43.059 --> 01:00:45.027
no matter what your condition,
no matter what your health,

01:00:45.027 --> 01:00:46.363
no matter what your age,

01:00:46.363 --> 01:00:47.819
you can pray for others.

01:00:47.819 --> 01:00:50.209
You can pray.

01:00:50.209 --> 01:00:52.065
Provided you have the Holy Spirit,

01:00:52.065 --> 01:00:53.959
provided you're one of Christ's,

01:00:53.959 --> 01:00:55.137
you have access

01:00:55.137 --> 01:00:57.071
and you can pray for others.

01:00:57.071 --> 01:00:58.479
We need intercessors.

01:00:58.479 --> 01:01:01.024
This is my great appeal today.

01:01:01.024 --> 01:01:02.740
Pray for others.

01:01:02.740 --> 01:01:05.719
Pray. Pray. Pray.

01:01:05.719 --> 01:01:09.146
Be as Paul was and pray big!

01:01:09.146 --> 01:01:12.356
And pray according to 
the riches of His glory.

01:01:12.356 --> 01:01:14.103
Don't pray meager prayers.

01:01:14.103 --> 01:01:16.711
Don't pray like He's an incompetent god

01:01:16.711 --> 01:01:17.900
or a small god.

01:01:17.900 --> 01:01:19.121
We have a great God.

01:01:19.121 --> 01:01:21.227
You're coming before a great King.

01:01:21.227 --> 01:01:22.765
Go before Him in reverence.

01:01:22.765 --> 01:01:25.110
Go before Him on bended knees.

01:01:25.110 --> 01:01:30.957
And lift up others.

NOTE Paragraph

01:01:30.957 --> 01:01:32.969
Father, I pray that You would do this.

01:01:32.969 --> 01:01:34.995
I pray, Lord, more, more,

01:01:34.995 --> 01:01:36.480
more intercessors.

01:01:36.480 --> 01:01:38.672
Give us a church of intercessors.

01:01:38.672 --> 01:01:41.230
Lord, those who are already intercessors,

01:01:41.230 --> 01:01:42.495
I pray for them.

01:01:42.495 --> 01:01:48.838
Oh Father, You say when 
we do things for others -

01:01:48.838 --> 01:01:50.669
there it is in Isaiah 58 -

01:01:50.669 --> 01:01:52.715
when we call, You'll say, "here I am."

01:01:52.715 --> 01:01:55.484
And I pray for those who are intercessors.

01:01:55.484 --> 01:01:58.204
They love others.

01:01:58.204 --> 01:02:00.198
And they pour themselves out.

01:02:00.198 --> 01:02:07.672
Lord, remember them in all of their needs.

01:02:07.672 --> 01:02:10.237
Give us a church of intercessors.

01:02:10.237 --> 01:02:11.176
Give us that.

01:02:11.176 --> 01:02:13.250
Lord, I believe You have 
to a great degree,

01:02:13.250 --> 01:02:15.258
but more, more, more.

01:02:15.258 --> 01:02:19.770
Encouarge, stir, stoke the fire of prayer;

01:02:19.770 --> 01:02:21.993
the fire for intimacy;

01:02:21.993 --> 01:02:26.399
the hunger - make Your children hungry

01:02:26.399 --> 01:02:28.408
for communion with You;

01:02:28.408 --> 01:02:30.781
hungry for intimacy;

01:02:30.781 --> 01:02:34.920
hungry to show their love.

01:02:34.920 --> 01:02:36.823
Lord, give us to love what You love,

01:02:36.823 --> 01:02:38.790
and we know where You set Your love

01:02:38.790 --> 01:02:40.421
on certain individuals,

01:02:40.421 --> 01:02:43.562
You would have us to love 
them as You love them.

01:02:43.562 --> 01:02:45.031
And love for the brethren

01:02:45.031 --> 01:02:46.909
is so characteristic of what it is

01:02:46.909 --> 01:02:48.503
to be a child of God,

01:02:48.503 --> 01:02:50.756
and I pray that that love would permeate -

01:02:50.756 --> 01:02:53.804
the love of intercession.

01:02:53.804 --> 01:03:01.641
Lord, forgive us for selfishness.

01:03:01.641 --> 01:03:03.591
Lord, we know there's too much of it

01:03:03.591 --> 01:03:04.519
in each one of us.

01:03:04.519 --> 01:03:05.816
We pray that You'd kill it.

01:03:05.816 --> 01:03:07.957
Kill it. Kill it.

01:03:07.957 --> 01:03:10.430
We pray in Christ's name, Amen.