Dec. 30, 2021

The Power Of Prayer

The Power Of Prayer

In our zeal to serve the Lord we can forget one of the most important weapons that God has given us, prayer. Of course, prayer can also be used as an excuse for inaction. In this episode, we talk about the power of prayer and share some Biblical insi...

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In our zeal to serve the Lord we can forget one of the most important weapons that God has given us, prayer. Of course, prayer can also be used as an excuse for inaction. In this episode, we talk about the power of prayer and share some Biblical insights that will encourage and challenge you in light of the Biblical command to “Pray without ceasing”.

Transcript
WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.040 --> 00:00:03.720 And you know what. I've said that to the MOM's that I encounter. 2 00:00:03.839 --> 00:00:09.109 Also remind them right now, you feel that you are in an impossible situation, 3 00:00:09.509 --> 00:00:12.550 but pray this prayer. I don't know what to do, but our 4 00:00:12.589 --> 00:00:16.829 eyes are on you, because God does know what to do. I Am 5 00:00:16.910 --> 00:00:22.739 Yours, I am yours, I am yours, and me Lord, I 6 00:00:22.980 --> 00:00:28.460 am yours, I am yours. I'm welcome to the Gospel Center Pray Life 7 00:00:28.539 --> 00:00:33.899 Podcast, a podcast designed to equip, encourage and challenge you in pro life 8 00:00:34.020 --> 00:00:39.530 ministry, and always with a focus on the Gospel. Stay tuned. I 9 00:00:39.850 --> 00:00:51.439 felt show Passih, touch your heart. Use Me. Welcome back to the 10 00:00:51.560 --> 00:00:56.159 Gospel Center pro life podcast. Appreciate you guys joining us as always and as 11 00:00:56.200 --> 00:00:59.960 always, we'd appreciate if you guys would share this podcast episode with others. 12 00:01:00.679 --> 00:01:03.679 We hope that it will be a blessing and encouragement in a challenge to you 13 00:01:03.799 --> 00:01:06.950 guys, and we hope that you had a good Christmas. We hope that 14 00:01:07.310 --> 00:01:11.629 you guys have a happy new year and with this, I guess we'll be 15 00:01:11.750 --> 00:01:17.150 our last podcast episode of Two Thousand and twenty one. Wow. We hope 16 00:01:17.150 --> 00:01:21.060 that this will set the tone for two thousand and twenty two sis a good 17 00:01:21.099 --> 00:01:23.659 subject for that. Yeah, yeah, and so what we're going to be 18 00:01:23.780 --> 00:01:29.219 talking about is the power of prayer. It is probably one of the most 19 00:01:29.299 --> 00:01:34.090 neglected things in the lives of Christians. We like our Christian teaching and our 20 00:01:34.090 --> 00:01:41.730 Christian music worship services and preaching and all that stuff, but sometimes we neglect 21 00:01:42.129 --> 00:01:46.010 the power of prayer. It's a matter of fact. One preacher said some 22 00:01:46.090 --> 00:01:48.719 years ago. He said, if you want to see how popular a church 23 00:01:48.840 --> 00:01:52.840 is, you come on Sunday, Sunday morning. If you want to see 24 00:01:52.840 --> 00:01:56.079 how it popular the pastor is, you come on Sunday night see how many 25 00:01:56.079 --> 00:01:59.359 people are there. And if you want to see how popular God is with 26 00:01:59.519 --> 00:02:01.790 the Church, come to their prayer meeting and then you'll see that's good, 27 00:02:01.950 --> 00:02:07.790 that's true. That's true. Yeah, prayer meetings are not in many churches, 28 00:02:07.950 --> 00:02:13.349 not very well attended, which is a sad commentary on modern Christianity. 29 00:02:13.389 --> 00:02:16.180 Yeah, but really I believe God is calling us, he's calling me, 30 00:02:16.340 --> 00:02:21.460 I know personally, back to the prayer closet. Yeah, and really just 31 00:02:21.580 --> 00:02:25.860 seeking him in prayer and trusting in the power of prayer, that it's really 32 00:02:25.939 --> 00:02:30.169 not the power of prayer, our words. It's really the power of God 33 00:02:30.409 --> 00:02:36.090 on behalf of his people that pray. Yeah, was specifically Jesus said my 34 00:02:36.289 --> 00:02:38.849 father's house will be called a house of prayer, not a house of worship, 35 00:02:39.250 --> 00:02:44.210 not a house of preaching, although those things are important, absolutely biblical, 36 00:02:45.039 --> 00:02:47.759 biblically they are important. But Jesus did say my father's house shall be 37 00:02:47.840 --> 00:02:52.000 called a house of prayer. Yeah, and so thereby, I think, 38 00:02:52.120 --> 00:02:54.759 the people that are in God's house, because the church is the people of 39 00:02:54.840 --> 00:03:00.150 God, God's house, and in this New Testament Age, if you want 40 00:03:00.189 --> 00:03:04.270 to say it that way, we should be a people of prayer. If 41 00:03:04.349 --> 00:03:07.310 God's House is a house of prayer, we should be a people in God's 42 00:03:07.349 --> 00:03:10.909 house of prayer. That's right. Yeah, yeah, well, that that 43 00:03:12.349 --> 00:03:17.340 is a good way to introduce the whole idea of of of this topic. 44 00:03:17.740 --> 00:03:23.939 And what does God say about the importance of prayer? Yeah, and he 45 00:03:24.099 --> 00:03:29.129 obviously said pretty important. Yeah. And then, of course, we're speaking 46 00:03:29.129 --> 00:03:34.889 in a particular context. This is the Gospel centered pro life podcast and in 47 00:03:34.969 --> 00:03:38.969 particular we talk about ministry at the abortion centers. That's really our focus on 48 00:03:38.090 --> 00:03:42.360 this podcast. Right, a lot of what we cover can apply to many 49 00:03:42.400 --> 00:03:46.639 other pro life scenarios and many other Christian ministry scenarios. So hopefully other people 50 00:03:46.639 --> 00:03:50.680 are listening. You're not, maybe doing sidewalk ministry. Maybe there's missionaries and 51 00:03:50.759 --> 00:03:53.800 other countries. They listen to this podcast because a lot of what you cut, 52 00:03:53.840 --> 00:03:55.949 what we covers at applicable right. But we're going to be focusing on 53 00:03:57.030 --> 00:04:00.990 the power of prayer and in particular the power of prayer in the ministry on 54 00:04:00.030 --> 00:04:03.830 the sidewalk. Yeah, and you guys who are listening, who've been out 55 00:04:03.830 --> 00:04:08.669 there on the sidewalk for any length of time, you're going to be absolutely 56 00:04:08.750 --> 00:04:12.979 picking up what we're throwing down because you understand the need for prayer. You've 57 00:04:13.020 --> 00:04:17.180 experienced the spiritual warfare out there. It's unlike any other ministry likely you've ever 58 00:04:17.259 --> 00:04:20.699 been involved in. Every ministry that we do in the name of Jesus, 59 00:04:20.740 --> 00:04:25.170 there's going to be spiritual warfare, but this ministry in particular, because it's 60 00:04:25.209 --> 00:04:29.089 right there on the front line of the battle between light and darkness, life 61 00:04:29.129 --> 00:04:31.730 and death. There's an intense amount of spiritual warfare. So you're going to 62 00:04:31.769 --> 00:04:34.889 be picking up what we're laying down because you know, and you've likely been 63 00:04:34.970 --> 00:04:40.360 led to prayer yourself, being out there on the sidewalks. Those who are 64 00:04:40.399 --> 00:04:44.399 brand new, hopefully we'll give you some principles and some encouragement to employ the 65 00:04:44.439 --> 00:04:47.240 power of prayer if you're not yet doing that. Yeah, and touch on 66 00:04:47.360 --> 00:04:50.360 some scriptures at talk about prayer. Right, right, so, so, 67 00:04:50.480 --> 00:04:54.829 yeah, so we are really focusing in this article, in this podcast. 68 00:04:54.910 --> 00:04:57.629 We have an article that accompanies the podcast, as we usually do, but 69 00:04:57.910 --> 00:05:00.509 focusing on that. We are in a battle. We are on a spirit 70 00:05:00.550 --> 00:05:04.430 any spiritual battle, and the spiritual weapon that God has given us, one 71 00:05:04.470 --> 00:05:09.180 of the most important is, is prayer. Yeah, and so we can't, 72 00:05:09.220 --> 00:05:15.459 can't neglect that. So effesian twelve is is a great passage. Never 73 00:05:15.660 --> 00:05:19.339 that reminds us about that, for our struggle is not against flesh and blood, 74 00:05:19.379 --> 00:05:24.050 but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this 75 00:05:24.209 --> 00:05:28.290 dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Yeah, 76 00:05:29.129 --> 00:05:32.730 this is that Ephesians armor of God passage. That's right. And actually, 77 00:05:32.769 --> 00:05:39.079 if you guys haven't listened, I didn't, a teaching podcast episode, 78 00:05:39.639 --> 00:05:43.279 man, I don't know, maybe a year or more ago, about putting 79 00:05:43.319 --> 00:05:46.079 on the armor of God it's something I do on a regular basis when I 80 00:05:46.079 --> 00:05:48.120 go out to the sidewalk. I pray through the armor of God and like 81 00:05:48.639 --> 00:05:53.670 use my imagination to put on the armor of God right and I'm doing that, 82 00:05:53.750 --> 00:05:57.949 of course, in prayer and one of the main weapons that God has 83 00:05:57.949 --> 00:05:59.910 given us. Of course, we know we have the sword of the spirit, 84 00:06:00.790 --> 00:06:04.620 but really prayer is what I use personally, and I think what we 85 00:06:04.740 --> 00:06:08.980 use personally to put on that armor of God. We're praying put on that 86 00:06:09.019 --> 00:06:12.779 armor of God because we realize that we're in a spiritual battle exactly, and 87 00:06:12.939 --> 00:06:16.100 and the power of prayers so great that it can literally defeat the power of 88 00:06:16.259 --> 00:06:20.529 Satan over us, and that's what we need as we're about to enter such 89 00:06:20.569 --> 00:06:25.730 a strong battle is as being on the sidebook. So so we've got this 90 00:06:25.889 --> 00:06:29.290 big battle that we're going to face, the spiritual battle, and we know 91 00:06:29.569 --> 00:06:34.720 that we're to pray, and I think it's really important to just go to 92 00:06:34.839 --> 00:06:40.079 the basics first. Will. Why are we praying? What is the purpose 93 00:06:40.560 --> 00:06:46.550 of our prayer? And many people, I think maybe Christians that are sort 94 00:06:46.589 --> 00:06:54.550 of new to faith, will say, well, so that we can express 95 00:06:54.589 --> 00:06:59.550 our needs, yeah, to God. And while we can do that. 96 00:07:00.029 --> 00:07:02.019 You know, there's certainly is scriptural basis for that. Yes, sir, 97 00:07:02.180 --> 00:07:08.540 but it is not the main purpose of prayer. We are not the main 98 00:07:08.860 --> 00:07:14.300 purpose of prayer. So another thing I hear all the time. We pray 99 00:07:14.699 --> 00:07:18.850 not so that our prayers will change God, but so that our prayers will 100 00:07:18.889 --> 00:07:25.689 change us. Yeah, and again, that's cute, it's nice. I 101 00:07:26.089 --> 00:07:31.439 also don't think that's the primary purpose of prayer. I think that the focus 102 00:07:31.480 --> 00:07:38.079 is not on us at all, honestly, other than it certainly is developing 103 00:07:38.120 --> 00:07:42.839 a relationship. Sure, that's how we talk with God, but when, 104 00:07:42.879 --> 00:07:49.110 when we pray to God, our chief purpose is that God would be glorified. 105 00:07:49.389 --> 00:07:54.310 Yeah, absolutely, and that that's true almost any question you could ask 106 00:07:54.350 --> 00:07:58.230 about the Christian life. Why do we do anything we do? Is that 107 00:07:58.470 --> 00:08:03.019 God would be glorified. Yeah, but I think having that, keeping that 108 00:08:03.139 --> 00:08:07.180 in our focus as the main purpose is that God would be glorified, I 109 00:08:07.019 --> 00:08:16.290 think we'll make our prayers less like praying to Santa Claus and more like praying 110 00:08:16.050 --> 00:08:24.250 to the holy creator that made everything. Yeah, that holds every breath we 111 00:08:24.410 --> 00:08:28.800 take is in is because of him. Yeah. Well, the reality is, 112 00:08:28.920 --> 00:08:33.759 biblically, God is unchangeable. Right, right, so it's not going 113 00:08:33.799 --> 00:08:39.559 to change God. Right. Does prayer change circumstances and situations? Well, 114 00:08:39.440 --> 00:08:46.309 no, prayer itself does not necessarily God does that, but God acts on 115 00:08:46.429 --> 00:08:48.629 behalf of his children. We have to understand the position that we pray from 116 00:08:50.269 --> 00:08:54.830 as believers in Jesus, are the position of children appealing to their father. 117 00:08:54.870 --> 00:08:58.860 Yeah, and so, in a sense, prayer, you know, the 118 00:08:58.899 --> 00:09:01.580 Bible says this is in James Chapter. For God resists the proud. He 119 00:09:01.659 --> 00:09:05.139 gives grace to the humble. Therefore, submit to God, resist the devil. 120 00:09:05.220 --> 00:09:09.009 He'll for you, flee from you. So yeah, prayer essentially is 121 00:09:09.129 --> 00:09:15.250 a posture of humility. Yeah, we're humbling ourselves, we're confessing and recognizing 122 00:09:15.690 --> 00:09:18.889 that we don't have this, that we ain't got this, we ain't got 123 00:09:18.009 --> 00:09:22.169 it figured out. And God, we need you to intervene. In a 124 00:09:22.210 --> 00:09:24.919 lot of times when we lift up prayers to the Lord, it's kind of 125 00:09:24.919 --> 00:09:28.279 like I think about it's back in I think it's first chronicles chapter twenty. 126 00:09:28.440 --> 00:09:31.919 Gosh, I could be wrong about that, but it's when Jehoseph fat it's 127 00:09:33.000 --> 00:09:35.399 second chronicles two thousand and twenty one. And the reason that I know that 128 00:09:35.679 --> 00:09:41.750 is because I memorize that, because it's one of the best verses in the 129 00:09:41.870 --> 00:09:46.549 Bible. When Johassa fat right, that's way say, says we he's up 130 00:09:46.590 --> 00:09:50.470 against this incredible battle and impossible whoard against him, an impossible enemy, and 131 00:09:50.590 --> 00:09:54.139 he says, we do not know what to do, but our eyes are 132 00:09:54.220 --> 00:10:00.299 on you. Yeah, and that's that's if you boil prayer down to its 133 00:10:00.539 --> 00:10:05.620 very essence, that prayer itself. Yes, essence of prayer. Yes, 134 00:10:05.899 --> 00:10:07.370 God, I don't know what to do, right, but my eyes are 135 00:10:07.409 --> 00:10:11.809 on you. It's it's a release, yeah, it's a surrender, it's 136 00:10:11.850 --> 00:10:16.009 a humbleness, it's a recognition of some recognition, yeah, yeah, of 137 00:10:16.330 --> 00:10:20.600 God and his supremacy, yes, and our reliance on him. Yes. 138 00:10:20.879 --> 00:10:26.600 And so out there on the sidewalk when you encounter situations you don't know the 139 00:10:26.679 --> 00:10:31.360 solution to this. Mom just told me she's got this situation and I don't 140 00:10:31.360 --> 00:10:33.600 know. I don't have a resource for that and blah, blah, blah, 141 00:10:33.639 --> 00:10:35.350 blah, whatever. We go in our minds on all kinds of directions. 142 00:10:35.389 --> 00:10:39.350 We can't do anything. Let's breathe out that prayer. God, I 143 00:10:39.389 --> 00:10:43.629 don't know what to do. In this situation, but my eyes are on 144 00:10:43.750 --> 00:10:46.629 you. Yeah, yeah, and you know what, I've said that to 145 00:10:46.750 --> 00:10:52.500 the MOM's that I encounter. Also remind them right now you feel that you 146 00:10:52.620 --> 00:10:56.940 are in an impossible situation, but pray this prayer. I don't know what 147 00:10:56.139 --> 00:11:00.220 to do, but our eyes are on you, because God does know what 148 00:11:00.460 --> 00:11:03.580 to do. Yeah. So, so now you kind of alluded to this 149 00:11:03.740 --> 00:11:07.929 point that there are many reasons for why we prayer, and they're legitimate. 150 00:11:07.970 --> 00:11:11.850 I'm not saying that we shouldn't be petitioning God, because there is clearly biblical 151 00:11:11.929 --> 00:11:15.690 sure, admit will, not admonition, but allowance whatever, that we are 152 00:11:15.809 --> 00:11:18.879 to petition our father. Yeah, for our needs. So I kind of 153 00:11:18.960 --> 00:11:24.000 wrote down, thinking over, what are the the main things from a biblical 154 00:11:24.080 --> 00:11:31.440 perspective, that we can we do and can pray for. And so this 155 00:11:31.639 --> 00:11:33.870 is not at all an exhaustive list, but but one of them is to 156 00:11:33.909 --> 00:11:39.470 strengthen our relationship with God. Yep, you can't have a relationship with someone 157 00:11:39.470 --> 00:11:41.429 if you're never talking to them. Yeah, right, he talks to us 158 00:11:41.750 --> 00:11:45.710 through the Bible. Yeah, we can look at that every day. Sure, 159 00:11:46.070 --> 00:11:50.659 but are we talking to him? And prayer is the way that we 160 00:11:50.980 --> 00:11:56.779 express to God. Yeah, absolutely, asking for guidance. Jesus himself asked 161 00:11:56.940 --> 00:12:01.289 ask God for guidance. Ask. Well, I think of a passage just 162 00:12:01.409 --> 00:12:05.090 came to mind. Yeah, James, Chapter One. If any of you 163 00:12:05.210 --> 00:12:07.690 at lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally. 164 00:12:07.769 --> 00:12:11.370 How you going to ask of God for Wisdom? Through prayer. Right, 165 00:12:11.370 --> 00:12:15.210 if you're going to ask anything from God, it's going to be through 166 00:12:15.289 --> 00:12:20.200 prayer, and so that speaks to that guidance, that wisdom. Yeah, 167 00:12:20.399 --> 00:12:24.600 that really prayer. Prayer helps us to appeal to God for that. Yeah, 168 00:12:24.000 --> 00:12:28.279 and then appealing to God for forgiveness, recognizing our sin before him and 169 00:12:28.320 --> 00:12:33.870 then praying to him asking for forgiveness, and that is a an incredibly freeing 170 00:12:35.830 --> 00:12:41.669 thing for us to do it. One of the authors that I read said 171 00:12:41.669 --> 00:12:46.179 it on. Prayer is what unlocks faith in our lives. Okay, and 172 00:12:46.299 --> 00:12:50.179 I don't know if they were referring to I suspect this is that when we 173 00:12:50.340 --> 00:12:58.649 pray to God very specifically and we see an answer very specifically, it does 174 00:12:58.809 --> 00:13:03.610 build our faith. That doesn't always happen. God doesn't always answer prayer in 175 00:13:03.649 --> 00:13:05.850 the way that we wish he would. Yeah, and I'm not saying that 176 00:13:05.970 --> 00:13:11.649 then our faith should be destroyed if that happens, but it does increase our 177 00:13:11.690 --> 00:13:16.000 faith, I think. Yeah, we do see a specific answer. Well, 178 00:13:16.000 --> 00:13:18.360 I mean I think certainly does. If we see an answer, yeah, 179 00:13:18.799 --> 00:13:22.919 like I've seen answers to prayer where it's like direct answer the prayer. 180 00:13:22.039 --> 00:13:26.919 No doubt that God intervened in whatever situation. Yeah, a couple of situations 181 00:13:26.039 --> 00:13:30.990 have to mind. I want to get into those. But it also unlocks 182 00:13:31.029 --> 00:13:33.750 our faith in the sense that, again, we don't know what to do, 183 00:13:33.950 --> 00:13:35.429 but our eyes are on you, because a lot of times, as 184 00:13:35.470 --> 00:13:39.309 human beings are, propensity is that our faith is towards us. Like we 185 00:13:39.429 --> 00:13:43.259 have faith, we have confidence, and there's a balance. We should have 186 00:13:43.379 --> 00:13:46.700 confidence in the gifts that God has put in us. I don't I'm not 187 00:13:46.740 --> 00:13:50.259 trying to discount that, but there is a carnal confidence that we have in 188 00:13:50.379 --> 00:13:54.889 our own ability, in our own strength, even confidence that we have in 189 00:13:54.970 --> 00:14:01.490 other people. In prayer kind of redirects that confidence, yeah, and ultimately 190 00:14:01.570 --> 00:14:03.929 says again, I don't know what to do, but my eyes are on 191 00:14:03.009 --> 00:14:05.610 you. I don't have the answer in myself, my friends don't have the 192 00:14:05.690 --> 00:14:09.799 answer. My pastor don't have the answer. My eyes are on you. 193 00:14:09.919 --> 00:14:15.559 So it kind of redirects our confidence, or redirects our faith back to the 194 00:14:15.720 --> 00:14:22.039 one who is ultimately faithful above all. And Yeah, it helps direct our 195 00:14:22.039 --> 00:14:24.669 faith, put our faith in, unlock our faith. Yeah, yeah, 196 00:14:24.870 --> 00:14:28.389 it's okay also to pray for something we want. That is okay. I 197 00:14:28.549 --> 00:14:33.389 actually prayed about this new bike thing that I yeah, I did. It 198 00:14:33.509 --> 00:14:37.110 was fairly big expense and I prayed, you know, show me Lord, 199 00:14:37.190 --> 00:14:39.700 should I do this and and it. You know, it was funny that 200 00:14:39.779 --> 00:14:43.179 I got validation from other people because I would go and say, is this 201 00:14:43.340 --> 00:14:46.500 ungodly, or is is this okay? But Um, but you know, 202 00:14:46.620 --> 00:14:50.860 there's that passage about where if you ask your father for a fish, will 203 00:14:50.860 --> 00:14:56.009 he give you a stone? We are to ask our father for I don't 204 00:14:56.049 --> 00:15:00.490 think we're supposed to be praying really for like a Mercedes or you know, 205 00:15:00.529 --> 00:15:05.490 I'd be real careful. Mercedes. I think a private yet, you know, 206 00:15:05.570 --> 00:15:07.879 I think okay, the so you can pray for that and let me 207 00:15:07.960 --> 00:15:11.399 know if you get a specific answer. I'll pray for the private jet. 208 00:15:11.840 --> 00:15:16.000 You pray for the pilot. We'll get someone else to pray for the fuel. 209 00:15:16.279 --> 00:15:20.840 There you go. Spread that are saying. Like, I mean if, 210 00:15:20.000 --> 00:15:24.549 again, if our posture of prayer and our position of prayer is one 211 00:15:24.590 --> 00:15:31.470 of sonship or daughter ship, right, yes, say that, then certainly, 212 00:15:31.669 --> 00:15:35.590 like my kids ask me for things. Yeah, and sometimes they're asking 213 00:15:35.669 --> 00:15:39.659 me for selfish reasons and sometimes they're just asking me because I have the desire. 214 00:15:39.740 --> 00:15:41.500 I mean, yeah, if they want it will bring them joy. 215 00:15:41.740 --> 00:15:48.220 Sometimes there are things that will bring them joy and the father rejoices in in 216 00:15:48.500 --> 00:15:52.850 giving them things that bring them joy. So I just want to make the 217 00:15:52.929 --> 00:15:56.009 point. It's okay. It's okay to ask for things you want. What 218 00:15:56.409 --> 00:16:00.570 is not okay is if you don't get them at the answer is no right 219 00:16:00.929 --> 00:16:04.960 to then get angry at God. Yeah, and that happens a lot. 220 00:16:06.000 --> 00:16:10.440 Yeah, and and so we have to be very careful about if he doesn't 221 00:16:10.440 --> 00:16:14.519 give us what we say we need, even or want, we have to 222 00:16:14.559 --> 00:16:18.830 trust that he does know better. Yeah, absolutely. So that speaks to 223 00:16:18.909 --> 00:16:22.029 the humility. Sure you so we're not talking about a name that claim it 224 00:16:22.590 --> 00:16:26.509 like your Mercedes and you go to a Mercedes been dealership and you go walk 225 00:16:26.549 --> 00:16:30.429 around your favorite right lady seven times and you claim it right. I mean, 226 00:16:30.470 --> 00:16:34.500 I guess God could do that and put it not likely. Think that's 227 00:16:34.580 --> 00:16:40.179 what the Lord is is into. When we're talking about asking God for things 228 00:16:40.220 --> 00:16:42.299 us, I think specifically, yeah, we can ask God for tangible things 229 00:16:44.139 --> 00:16:48.250 and even pray through God. Should I by this bicycle or whatever? He 230 00:16:48.250 --> 00:16:49.970 can give us wisdom on tag along it, us in the bike itself. 231 00:16:51.169 --> 00:16:55.289 Okay. Yeah, so things like that, tangible things, but also specifically, 232 00:16:55.409 --> 00:17:00.409 like for intervention in situation. Yeah, I god, I need you 233 00:17:00.529 --> 00:17:02.720 to move in the situation. Yeah, me, at the end of the 234 00:17:02.759 --> 00:17:06.440 day. I was I did a study about prayer a couple of months ago 235 00:17:06.519 --> 00:17:11.079 and just kind of getting back to prayer and the essence of prayer and what 236 00:17:11.279 --> 00:17:15.640 is this thing, just meditating on it, bring the question before the Lord, 237 00:17:15.150 --> 00:17:18.950 listening a couple of messages and things, listening through a book about prayer 238 00:17:19.789 --> 00:17:25.390 and really came to the conclusion because we can get real mystical with prayer, 239 00:17:25.750 --> 00:17:30.819 we can get really thinking about it's kind of this super spiritual experience and certainly 240 00:17:30.819 --> 00:17:33.579 in God can do that stuff and we can have a super super spiritual experience 241 00:17:33.660 --> 00:17:40.220 with the Lord in Prayer and get that. But really I think prayer is 242 00:17:40.339 --> 00:17:44.529 asking for God to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. Yeah, 243 00:17:44.809 --> 00:17:49.609 and it does start with the prayer of salvation. I don't believe necessarily 244 00:17:49.690 --> 00:17:53.650 in the sinner's prayer that the sinner's prayer certainly doesn't save just in that situation. 245 00:17:53.809 --> 00:17:56.769 Right, saying the sinner's prayer does not save you. Right, but 246 00:17:56.930 --> 00:18:00.559 what does save you? God? Yeah, God, by His Holy Spirit, 247 00:18:00.680 --> 00:18:06.279 saves you. And if you pray in sincerity, confessing your sins to 248 00:18:06.400 --> 00:18:10.200 the Lord and asking him to save you from your sin, he will save 249 00:18:10.279 --> 00:18:12.309 you. Right, in the same way, if you pray and you bring 250 00:18:12.349 --> 00:18:18.190 a relationship situation to the Lord, then God can intervene in that situation. 251 00:18:18.549 --> 00:18:21.829 If you pray and you're out there on the sidewalk and there's been some kind 252 00:18:21.829 --> 00:18:26.380 of I don't know, I'll just think practically standing out there on the sidewalk 253 00:18:26.859 --> 00:18:32.500 praying for God to shut that abortion clinic down, that's something we can't do. 254 00:18:32.779 --> 00:18:34.539 Yeah, Can God do it? Yeah, he can do it. 255 00:18:34.980 --> 00:18:38.940 We've seen him do it. I mean we've seen some miraculous answers to prayer 256 00:18:40.299 --> 00:18:44.490 out there. I mean I've seen the Lord literally shut the place down for 257 00:18:44.650 --> 00:18:48.289 several hours. Yeah, because of people praying. Now why God answers that 258 00:18:48.410 --> 00:18:52.849 prayer sometimes and other times he doesn't. I don't know, I don't I 259 00:18:52.890 --> 00:18:55.920 don't get that. I don't understand how all that stuff works, but I 260 00:18:56.000 --> 00:18:59.720 do think we certainly can appeal to God ask him to do things that we 261 00:18:59.799 --> 00:19:03.319 ourselves cannot do. Yeah, yeah, and you are not going to give 262 00:19:03.319 --> 00:19:07.599 up on God because maybe he doesn't do it in your timing. Yeah, 263 00:19:07.680 --> 00:19:10.509 he may do it in his own timing. So some of the other things 264 00:19:10.549 --> 00:19:15.069 are discerning God's will. That's a very important and valuable thing to pray for, 265 00:19:15.269 --> 00:19:21.390 to discern his will. Yeah, like and for like Solomon Praying for 266 00:19:21.470 --> 00:19:26.259 wisdom. You know that that that he wanted to he wanted to be wise 267 00:19:26.380 --> 00:19:30.980 and judging God's people. Yeah, so thanking God and praising and glorifying God 268 00:19:32.099 --> 00:19:36.180 or two other really important. Yeah, absolutely, that that we pray for. 269 00:19:37.019 --> 00:19:38.609 But as I was thinking through the whole subject of prayer, I was 270 00:19:38.730 --> 00:19:42.890 thinking about again on the sidewalk, when when thinking now, when we've kind 271 00:19:42.890 --> 00:19:47.529 of talked about what we should pray for the main purpose of prayer. But 272 00:19:48.049 --> 00:19:52.960 when should we pray? And always is the the bottom line. But, 273 00:19:53.640 --> 00:20:00.640 but, but, specifically we should pray be for the trial that we are 274 00:20:00.640 --> 00:20:03.319 going to enter. I'm thinking in terms again of trials, the trials, 275 00:20:03.359 --> 00:20:07.349 because again I'm thinking from the sidewalk perspective before we enter that arena where that 276 00:20:07.470 --> 00:20:11.869 trial is going to take place. Yeah, during the struggle or the trial. 277 00:20:12.069 --> 00:20:17.230 Yeah, and then after those are the three mat which means always. 278 00:20:17.230 --> 00:20:22.220 Yeah. But what I thought was interesting was, as I was thinking about 279 00:20:22.220 --> 00:20:26.380 that, I was thinking about, okay, are there biblical examples in each 280 00:20:26.380 --> 00:20:29.740 of those areas? And there are, there's plenty, and they were so 281 00:20:30.420 --> 00:20:33.539 interesting to me as I was thinking about the people that prayed in each of 282 00:20:33.700 --> 00:20:41.130 those segments of time. So, for example, godly servants praying before a 283 00:20:41.289 --> 00:20:44.849 trial. One that came to my mind was Ester. Yeah. Now, 284 00:20:44.970 --> 00:20:48.450 esther is an interesting book, is it, the book of Esther? It 285 00:20:48.650 --> 00:20:53.680 is right, never is prayer or God mentioned. Yeah, it's going in 286 00:20:53.759 --> 00:20:59.759 the book of Esther. And yet they're clear. God is clearly working behind 287 00:20:59.759 --> 00:21:06.430 the scenes in the book of Esther. And when esther is told by her 288 00:21:06.509 --> 00:21:11.910 uncle Mordecai how she needs to go about saving her people, she at first 289 00:21:11.950 --> 00:21:15.990 she resists and then she said, and Mordecai tells her, but you know, 290 00:21:15.269 --> 00:21:18.220 we knows that you're the only hope. It's you, it's you or 291 00:21:18.339 --> 00:21:22.180 no on. Well, God will bring about whatever God wants. But who 292 00:21:22.259 --> 00:21:26.140 knows that you have not been called to such time as this? And she 293 00:21:26.339 --> 00:21:29.460 tells him, okay, I'll do it, basically, and she tells him 294 00:21:29.460 --> 00:21:32.740 to go and tell the people to go fast for three days and then she's 295 00:21:32.779 --> 00:21:34.730 going to go do what she needs to do before the king, which she 296 00:21:34.849 --> 00:21:38.410 could have lost her life for, going to the king on summoned. So, 297 00:21:38.809 --> 00:21:45.210 but fasting for three days was always associated with prayer. Yeah, of 298 00:21:45.250 --> 00:21:51.720 course, so she was. She was clearly calling the people before she endures 299 00:21:51.880 --> 00:21:56.599 this what could be the end of her life, going before the king unsummoned. 300 00:21:56.799 --> 00:22:00.880 That was not allowed. That was against the law, apparently. Yeah, 301 00:22:00.990 --> 00:22:07.509 before she did that scary trial, she asked for prayer. Yeah, 302 00:22:07.470 --> 00:22:11.150 so we should too. Yeah, before we walk on, I'll tell our 303 00:22:11.430 --> 00:22:15.019 counselors before you walk on that sidewalk, not only should you be in prayer, 304 00:22:15.059 --> 00:22:21.059 ask others for prayer. Yeah, that's others to be praying for for 305 00:22:21.180 --> 00:22:23.660 you and for the team. Absolutely. Yeah, you have social media. 306 00:22:23.980 --> 00:22:27.660 put it out on social media, start a text group, whatever, but 307 00:22:27.819 --> 00:22:30.930 have folks praying? Yeah, before you even go out. Of course, 308 00:22:32.130 --> 00:22:33.809 you yourself, you want to be praying, you want to spend time in 309 00:22:33.970 --> 00:22:38.490 prayer. Yeah, before you go out, because you need the armor of 310 00:22:38.609 --> 00:22:41.809 God. Right, if you think about kind of in line that you have 311 00:22:41.970 --> 00:22:45.400 this here in the article, in line with this, before the trial. 312 00:22:45.480 --> 00:22:49.880 Yeah, the most prominent example, an important example, praying before the trial 313 00:22:51.519 --> 00:22:55.559 is Jesus, right even before his crucifixion, that we're talking about God and 314 00:22:55.680 --> 00:23:00.829 human flesh. Yeah, appealing to the Father in heaven in prayer before His 315 00:23:00.950 --> 00:23:03.789 crucifixion. Now, this is something, of course, we knew that Jesus 316 00:23:03.910 --> 00:23:07.470 came to do. He came to lay his life down. It's the purpose 317 00:23:07.829 --> 00:23:12.740 for which he came. And yet he still appeals to his father in prayer 318 00:23:14.339 --> 00:23:18.299 before this trial and even asks for father, if it be possible, let 319 00:23:18.339 --> 00:23:22.900 this Cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but your will 320 00:23:22.940 --> 00:23:26.099 be done. And so he's it's a prayer of surrender. Yeah, it's 321 00:23:26.099 --> 00:23:30.730 a prayer of travail really, because it says he's sweat drops of blood, 322 00:23:30.089 --> 00:23:33.049 and some folks say that that was because of the travail, and I agree 323 00:23:33.130 --> 00:23:37.009 that because of the travail and in prayer because of the reality of what he 324 00:23:37.130 --> 00:23:42.400 was about to face. Yeah, Jesus is praying. If Jesus had to 325 00:23:42.519 --> 00:23:47.200 pray before his trial, how much more so do we need to be praying 326 00:23:47.680 --> 00:23:52.160 before we step onto that sidewalk or before we face whatever trial right that we 327 00:23:52.279 --> 00:23:53.480 know is ahead of us? We need to be praying. This is why 328 00:23:53.960 --> 00:23:57.309 we need to be always in prayer, we need to be praying daily, 329 00:23:57.470 --> 00:24:02.109 we need to be we need to be a people of prayer, because Jesus 330 00:24:02.309 --> 00:24:06.109 was a man of prayer. Yeah, and I love that passage about Jesus 331 00:24:06.269 --> 00:24:10.059 praying. Father, if it be possible, let this Cup pass from me, 332 00:24:10.740 --> 00:24:14.339 because there's so many times that I know what I need to do before 333 00:24:14.380 --> 00:24:18.180 God, but it's so frightening. Yeah, and I really don't want to 334 00:24:18.220 --> 00:24:21.500 do it. Well, it's not that Jesus didn't want to do it. 335 00:24:21.619 --> 00:24:25.730 I don't want to, you know, presume that, but it certainly was 336 00:24:25.890 --> 00:24:29.369 not pleasant what he was about to endure and he knew that and that he 337 00:24:29.490 --> 00:24:36.450 appealed to the father and expressed that to me makes me feel less alone when 338 00:24:36.490 --> 00:24:38.279 I feel like I don't know if I can do this, what you're asking 339 00:24:38.359 --> 00:24:42.880 me to do. Yeah, but then Jesus surrenders to that will, that 340 00:24:44.400 --> 00:24:47.759 your will, not my well, yeah, and that such a great model 341 00:24:48.200 --> 00:24:51.960 for for us in our prayer. Yeah, I know sometimes not want to 342 00:24:51.960 --> 00:24:56.430 get too much in the weeds with this, but sometimes our theology can get 343 00:24:56.430 --> 00:25:00.309 in the way of a biblical attitude to prayer. So we can have a 344 00:25:00.470 --> 00:25:03.789 mentality. Well, God knows the end from the beginning. He knows all 345 00:25:03.829 --> 00:25:07.380 the stuff that's going to happen. He knows him as far as like asking 346 00:25:07.420 --> 00:25:10.180 God for things, he knows what I need are. Therefore I don't need 347 00:25:10.180 --> 00:25:12.779 to pray for those needs. Yeah, all that can be true. Yeah, 348 00:25:14.700 --> 00:25:17.460 but did he know? Of course Jesus knew he was going to be 349 00:25:17.579 --> 00:25:19.660 crucified. He told his disciples he's going to be crucis right. Yeah, 350 00:25:19.660 --> 00:25:22.529 he was going to be resurrected. Yeah, Daniel, you have here as 351 00:25:22.529 --> 00:25:26.930 an example. Damn, when the Lions did I did God know what the 352 00:25:26.049 --> 00:25:30.250 result of Daniel Situation was going to be? To God know what the result 353 00:25:30.289 --> 00:25:33.170 of EST situation was going to be? Yeah, he knows the in from 354 00:25:33.170 --> 00:25:37.160 the beginning. Yet still we see these examples of men and women of God 355 00:25:37.519 --> 00:25:44.279 praying because it's a principle in God's word that we need to employ to let 356 00:25:44.319 --> 00:25:47.680 our theology get in the way of prayer, because this idea that God knows 357 00:25:47.720 --> 00:25:52.109 everything anyway, so I don't need to tell him anything, is just unbiblical. 358 00:25:52.190 --> 00:25:56.549 Yeah, we need to be a people of prayer again, because Jesus 359 00:25:56.630 --> 00:26:00.430 was a man of prayer, right, he knew this whole situation, how 360 00:26:00.509 --> 00:26:03.309 is going to play out and everything. Yeah, and yet still he was 361 00:26:03.309 --> 00:26:07.180 a man of prayer. Yeah, how about during a trial? One one 362 00:26:07.220 --> 00:26:11.220 of the I mean Jesus is a great example of that also, but another 363 00:26:11.339 --> 00:26:17.619 one that isn't God is Steven. He's in the middle of he you know, 364 00:26:17.779 --> 00:26:23.009 he this is in acts seven, specifically verses nine to sixty. Is 365 00:26:23.089 --> 00:26:26.849 what I focused on, when he's being stoned, right, it's been stoned 366 00:26:26.890 --> 00:26:30.250 after being in the midst of a try, exactly. I mean he's being 367 00:26:30.329 --> 00:26:34.680 stoned to death and after sharing the Gospel and they didn't want to hear it. 368 00:26:34.799 --> 00:26:37.400 They didn't want to hear it and they said it was blasphemy, what 369 00:26:37.640 --> 00:26:41.759 what he was proclaiming, which of course it was not. But so they're 370 00:26:41.759 --> 00:26:47.990 stoning him and in that verse, this, this is his prayer. Lord 371 00:26:48.029 --> 00:26:52.230 Jesus received my spirit. Then, falling on his knees, he cried out 372 00:26:52.230 --> 00:26:56.109 with a loud voice, Lord, do not hold this in against them. 373 00:26:56.549 --> 00:26:59.349 And then, having said that, can you imagine that? Yeah, I 374 00:26:59.470 --> 00:27:04.539 mean when you think about someone in the middle of being stoned by his persecutors 375 00:27:04.740 --> 00:27:07.619 and he's praying in the midst of it, and he's not praying stop the 376 00:27:07.740 --> 00:27:15.690 stones, he's not praying beat me up, Scottie's yeah, he's saying forgive 377 00:27:15.890 --> 00:27:21.890 them, yeah, for give them. I that to me is like that's 378 00:27:21.930 --> 00:27:26.849 an inspiring care for what we should be praying, because we face that on 379 00:27:26.930 --> 00:27:30.839 the sidewalk. We are not we're not getting stoned, hopefully in any way 380 00:27:30.799 --> 00:27:36.319 on out on the sidewalk, but we are facing persecution of quite often on 381 00:27:36.359 --> 00:27:41.880 the sidewalk and our natural tendency is to fight back, to flee. But 382 00:27:41.160 --> 00:27:45.029 I think we should be modeling Stephen. Yeah, I mean I just came 383 00:27:45.069 --> 00:27:49.630 to mind. We need to train ourselves that in trials and difficult situations, 384 00:27:49.670 --> 00:27:52.549 we need to be a people of prayer. May they practically. This may 385 00:27:52.589 --> 00:27:56.710 be a funny example, but if you're running now on the road and you 386 00:27:56.869 --> 00:28:00.940 someone veers into your lane and you swerve. What's the first reaction is? 387 00:28:02.220 --> 00:28:04.940 Is it a curse word? Is it saying a bad thing about them? 388 00:28:06.019 --> 00:28:08.299 You Idiot, you fool, or is it prayer? Like what's our reaction? 389 00:28:08.460 --> 00:28:11.099 Think about Steven? Yeah, his reaction could have been a lot of 390 00:28:11.220 --> 00:28:15.170 stuff, right and justifiably. Yeah, you guys are wicked. Why are 391 00:28:15.170 --> 00:28:18.769 you doing this to me? He could have that could have been his reaction. 392 00:28:18.930 --> 00:28:21.369 Yeah, was reaction? Was One of prayer, and so I even 393 00:28:21.529 --> 00:28:23.289 search my own heart. Right, I'm being cursed out on the sidewalk. 394 00:28:23.369 --> 00:28:26.890 Yeah, when a man is coming over to me like he's going to punch 395 00:28:26.930 --> 00:28:29.720 my face in because I've just asked his girlfriend to come over and talk with 396 00:28:29.839 --> 00:28:33.559 us so we can help her. Yeah, is my first reaction one of 397 00:28:33.680 --> 00:28:36.160 prayer, like Lord, help me to handle this situation and a way that 398 00:28:36.200 --> 00:28:38.519 honors you, or is it just to react to him and say you're a 399 00:28:38.599 --> 00:28:42.910 coward, or whatever it might be? Gosh, I want to train myself 400 00:28:44.190 --> 00:28:47.950 and let the Holy Spirit train me, to be a man of prayer in 401 00:28:48.069 --> 00:28:52.390 all things, especially in the midst of the trial. And I think what 402 00:28:52.589 --> 00:28:56.259 this illustrates is the main purpose of prayer, because you can bet there are 403 00:28:56.380 --> 00:29:03.259 the people stoning him that saw that. Yeah, and that changed their heart. 404 00:29:03.380 --> 00:29:07.900 It has to have changed, yeah, some of their hearts towards God. 405 00:29:07.420 --> 00:29:11.650 So that was a prayer that was not at all selfish. It was 406 00:29:11.009 --> 00:29:15.930 fully to glorify God. Yeah, and I know who was right there in 407 00:29:17.049 --> 00:29:21.569 that moment. Was The apostle Paul right all that time? And you know, 408 00:29:21.650 --> 00:29:26.440 the Bible Don specifically set say that. That's what God used. ME. 409 00:29:26.519 --> 00:29:30.559 Of course, God knocked him off his donkey and blinded him. So 410 00:29:30.759 --> 00:29:33.400 certainly God use that. Yeah, but I have to believe that at least 411 00:29:33.480 --> 00:29:37.480 that situation with Stephen was a seed that was being planted. That's right, 412 00:29:37.589 --> 00:29:41.390 the Apostle Paul's heart and his mind. That's right, Jesus God. Yes, 413 00:29:41.509 --> 00:29:45.109 Steven, guys praying too. Yeah, yeah, so we're always being 414 00:29:45.230 --> 00:29:49.190 watched. Not that we should pray to be watched. The Bible tells us 415 00:29:49.269 --> 00:29:52.700 don't do that. But but we are being watched in our prayers, our 416 00:29:52.779 --> 00:29:57.779 prayer life can reflect where we are with God and others what they see. 417 00:29:59.299 --> 00:30:03.619 But then finally, after a trial, after you've been through the ringer, 418 00:30:03.660 --> 00:30:08.609 yeah, should we be praying? Well, we should pray without ceasing and 419 00:30:08.849 --> 00:30:11.490 we should pray in all things. Yeah, certainly. Yeah, and that. 420 00:30:11.690 --> 00:30:15.970 What do you think the prayer should be following you have emerged from a 421 00:30:17.130 --> 00:30:19.650 trial? Yeah, I mean to me it should be a prayer of gratitude 422 00:30:19.650 --> 00:30:23.640 version foremost, God, thank you for taking me through that trial. The 423 00:30:23.680 --> 00:30:29.880 Bible doesn't say thank God for everything, but it does say in everything, 424 00:30:29.960 --> 00:30:33.480 thank God, and I think by that same notion, after everything we can 425 00:30:33.559 --> 00:30:37.549 thank God. We can thank God after the trial is over. And I 426 00:30:37.710 --> 00:30:41.630 think you know I do this thing if I've gone through a trial and in 427 00:30:41.750 --> 00:30:44.390 the scenario for me, as I've been at the abortion center, have been 428 00:30:44.470 --> 00:30:48.230 cussed out by some pro borders, some angry dad or angry mom or something 429 00:30:48.309 --> 00:30:51.019 like that. Of course, by God's grace I'm praying in the midst of 430 00:30:51.059 --> 00:30:53.140 that. I got Amy Strength Help me not to react in the flesh right. 431 00:30:53.660 --> 00:30:56.259 But when it's all set and done and I'm driving home from the abortion 432 00:30:56.380 --> 00:31:00.539 center, I'm kind of running back through my mind the whole scenario. You 433 00:31:00.660 --> 00:31:03.140 know how it is. Yes, gotten this scenario and your kind of all 434 00:31:03.180 --> 00:31:06.809 should have said this. I can't believe they did this whatever, but I 435 00:31:06.930 --> 00:31:08.490 like to try to turn that in prayer to God and kind of what I 436 00:31:08.569 --> 00:31:12.210 called debriefing with Jesus. Yeah, where I'm debriefing, I'm talking through. 437 00:31:12.289 --> 00:31:15.890 God saw the whole thing. He knows all the INS and outs of it, 438 00:31:15.970 --> 00:31:18.319 so he doesn't need to be informed of information. But I think voicing 439 00:31:18.400 --> 00:31:22.279 it back to the Lord is really important and it it kind of gets it 440 00:31:22.359 --> 00:31:26.880 out of our psyche, out of our mind, and it's that dynamic of 441 00:31:26.000 --> 00:31:30.000 castor cares on the Lord, right, for he cares for you. Yeah, 442 00:31:30.119 --> 00:31:32.440 so, God, you know that they were falsely accusing me. You 443 00:31:32.559 --> 00:31:37.630 know that that situation was wrong. You know I reacted wrong and and I 444 00:31:37.750 --> 00:31:41.630 need your gray. So thankfulness, maybe just kind of again debriefing and thinking 445 00:31:41.710 --> 00:31:45.670 how you could have handled it better. But ultimately, after a trial, 446 00:31:45.829 --> 00:31:49.140 bringing it to the Lord and if you messed up, you messed up. 447 00:31:49.140 --> 00:31:52.299 Bring it to the Lord. If you did well, you did well. 448 00:31:52.619 --> 00:31:56.140 Bring it to the Lord. You know, and I think that's a good 449 00:31:56.140 --> 00:31:59.660 way to kind of wand down from a trial. Right. One of the 450 00:31:59.740 --> 00:32:07.130 verses that that I saw was in Ezra verse three eleven they the he and 451 00:32:07.210 --> 00:32:13.089 his people had laid the foundation for rebuilding the temple and that had been a 452 00:32:13.250 --> 00:32:16.480 major there was all kinds of trials leading up to to coming out of Babylon 453 00:32:16.640 --> 00:32:22.839 and the captivity and getting permission to go and do that and finally doing it. 454 00:32:22.200 --> 00:32:27.559 And the prayer. I don't know that it's necessarily quite a prayer, 455 00:32:27.680 --> 00:32:30.349 but sort of in Ezra three hundred and eleven, with praise and Thanksgiving, 456 00:32:31.029 --> 00:32:36.470 they sang to the Lord, he is good, his love toward Israel endures 457 00:32:36.549 --> 00:32:38.990 forever, and all the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord 458 00:32:39.230 --> 00:32:42.990 because the foundation of the Lord was late. So that goes back to what 459 00:32:43.069 --> 00:32:45.619 you said right away. Is Thanksgiving, just gratitude. What no matter how 460 00:32:45.660 --> 00:32:50.700 the trial ended, that you're still breathing after it. Maybe you're not still 461 00:32:50.779 --> 00:32:54.339 breathing, then you'll be praising God and praying right to his face. Yeah, 462 00:32:54.500 --> 00:32:58.460 you know, in in all eternity. I know we need to wrap 463 00:32:58.500 --> 00:33:00.769 up, but there is I do want to make the point about what prayer 464 00:33:00.930 --> 00:33:05.650 should not be. Yeah, I'm asn't important. I think it's really critical 465 00:33:05.809 --> 00:33:09.049 because this is just kind of a pet peeve of mind. When there is 466 00:33:09.089 --> 00:33:15.279 action that should be taken, I know it should be taken and people of 467 00:33:15.400 --> 00:33:20.119 God say I'll pray for you. Yeah, when I've laid out a list 468 00:33:20.160 --> 00:33:22.400 of needs or things that need to be done or whatever, and no one 469 00:33:22.720 --> 00:33:30.470 offers to take active, make do anything active to help that situation. But 470 00:33:30.549 --> 00:33:32.910 they say, I'll pray for prayer, for pray for you. You don't 471 00:33:32.990 --> 00:33:39.789 want prayer to become a substitute for obedience to God. Yeah, when he 472 00:33:40.029 --> 00:33:45.579 calls you to action. And so I think we should be in a lot 473 00:33:45.619 --> 00:33:53.059 of prayer. Regarding abhorean. Yeah, there are literally baby's dying every day 474 00:33:53.660 --> 00:33:58.410 and if you look at the versus a support prolife ministry in front of an 475 00:33:58.450 --> 00:34:04.609 abortion center, things like speak for those who cannot speak for themselves, rescue 476 00:34:05.009 --> 00:34:09.559 though led away, the slaughter, their action verbs we are to be doing. 477 00:34:09.880 --> 00:34:13.840 Yeah, it doesn't just say pray for those who are being led away. 478 00:34:13.920 --> 00:34:17.440 Right, prayers not important, exactly, exactly. And so I thought 479 00:34:17.519 --> 00:34:21.519 again, I was I was thinking, this has been so heavy on my 480 00:34:21.679 --> 00:34:25.750 heart because I see it all the time, that prayer is a substitute, 481 00:34:27.030 --> 00:34:30.030 and I thought it is this? Is this something wrong with me? Yeah, 482 00:34:30.389 --> 00:34:36.070 but I found a scripture that I thought just really is the perfect illustration 483 00:34:36.269 --> 00:34:38.260 of this. And this is the story of Moses. Hey, he's let 484 00:34:38.380 --> 00:34:46.179 his people out of slavery. And and then God turns Pharaoh's heart back to 485 00:34:46.300 --> 00:34:50.420 I'm going to go get them back. What have I done? And he 486 00:34:50.579 --> 00:34:55.690 chases them and and the Egyptian army is coming from one side of the people 487 00:34:55.969 --> 00:34:59.809 and they come up to the Red Sea. They're trapped right, they're in 488 00:34:59.849 --> 00:35:06.250 a they're in a trap and they don't see rescue. Well, what on 489 00:35:06.409 --> 00:35:09.039 Earth are they going to do? So Moses praise to God, as do 490 00:35:09.199 --> 00:35:14.079 the people. And Moses praise with faith. He knows God will rescue them, 491 00:35:14.880 --> 00:35:16.920 but the people pray mostly with with doubt and fear. And then God 492 00:35:16.960 --> 00:35:22.789 does the miraculous. He parts the Red Sea. And then here's the verse. 493 00:35:22.510 --> 00:35:27.110 And the Lord said to Moses, why do you cry to me? 494 00:35:28.070 --> 00:35:31.590 Tell the children of Israel to go forward, but lift up your Rod, 495 00:35:32.110 --> 00:35:37.099 stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, and the children of 496 00:35:37.260 --> 00:35:42.579 Israelsho go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. So he's saying 497 00:35:43.260 --> 00:35:45.860 there's a time to stop crying out to me. Yeah, there is a 498 00:35:46.139 --> 00:35:52.650 point at which action must be taken. Yeah, and prayer is is not 499 00:35:52.889 --> 00:35:59.489 the primary thing necessary at this moment. You can pray maybe as you're going 500 00:35:59.610 --> 00:36:04.289 through, partying the Red Sea, going through. So there's a I don't 501 00:36:04.289 --> 00:36:07.960 know, maybe up a proverb that the Lord gave me. Well, I 502 00:36:07.039 --> 00:36:12.880 won't. It's not a proverb equalist scripture, but I think the principle is 503 00:36:13.000 --> 00:36:15.000 biblical. So you guys weigh this out. Oh, this is your own 504 00:36:15.079 --> 00:36:22.630 prophets home. First Proverb. There's something revelation about adding said words, adding 505 00:36:22.710 --> 00:36:25.989 to the proverbs, but just generously sure on kind of statement. In my 506 00:36:27.070 --> 00:36:32.820 mind it's kind of proverbial. Okay, and it's you're a fool if you 507 00:36:32.940 --> 00:36:37.699 go without praying. So go into the mission field or whatever without praying. 508 00:36:37.739 --> 00:36:44.059 Yeah, you're a hypocrite if you pray without going. Yeah. And so 509 00:36:44.460 --> 00:36:46.610 we're praying God, I pray that you bring abortion to an end. We 510 00:36:46.730 --> 00:36:51.210 certainly should be. We'd be fools not to be appealing to the God of 511 00:36:51.250 --> 00:36:53.170 Heaven, right. We need to be praying for God to end this thing. 512 00:36:53.449 --> 00:36:55.769 We need to be praying for those moms that use life, for God 513 00:36:55.849 --> 00:37:00.050 to intervene and all that. But that's all we do and we don't go. 514 00:37:00.769 --> 00:37:04.039 It's hypocritical. So we're appealing to God to do something. Whenever God, 515 00:37:04.199 --> 00:37:07.280 in his word, has actually told us. We can do something, 516 00:37:07.599 --> 00:37:10.159 and that is proverbs. Thirty one versus eight nine. Open your mouth for 517 00:37:10.280 --> 00:37:13.719 the speech, listen the calls of all who are appointed to die. Yeah, 518 00:37:14.039 --> 00:37:16.710 and so I don't want to be a hypocrite, and so I definitely 519 00:37:16.829 --> 00:37:21.070 want to be praying. I want I don't want to be a fool. 520 00:37:21.269 --> 00:37:28.150 So I'm going to prepare myself, my heart before the Lord and the ground, 521 00:37:28.429 --> 00:37:31.139 so to speak, spiritually in prayer. And then I don't want to. 522 00:37:31.260 --> 00:37:34.019 So I'm not gonna be a fool. I'm going to I'm going to 523 00:37:34.099 --> 00:37:36.780 pray before I go, and then I'm not going to be hypocrite. I'm 524 00:37:36.780 --> 00:37:38.340 not just going to pray about something I'm not willing to go and do something 525 00:37:38.380 --> 00:37:44.019 about. So challenge. I'll challenge you guys with that statement. You process 526 00:37:44.099 --> 00:37:47.409 it, pray about that statement. And if you're listening to this podcast and 527 00:37:47.730 --> 00:37:52.929 you've not yet put your feet on the sidewalk out an abortion center, here's 528 00:37:52.969 --> 00:37:55.889 a here's an idea. Go out there and pray there. You got pray 529 00:37:55.929 --> 00:38:00.639 about abortion coming to an end. Do It from your house. Absolutely praise 530 00:38:00.679 --> 00:38:02.760 God for that. I'm glad you guys are doing that. Pray for our 531 00:38:02.800 --> 00:38:07.880 teams nationally. Pray for the love life teams around the nation. It's growing 532 00:38:07.000 --> 00:38:12.320 and growing and amazing what God is doing. But also show up up to 533 00:38:12.360 --> 00:38:15.630 your at your local abortion center and just show up and pray, just be 534 00:38:15.750 --> 00:38:19.829 a presence there. See what God will do. I believe he'll bring you 535 00:38:19.869 --> 00:38:22.269 out of your comfort zone. Next thing you know, you'll be taking some 536 00:38:22.349 --> 00:38:23.949 of these podcasts where we talk about calling out and some of the things you 537 00:38:23.989 --> 00:38:29.179 can call out. You'll be employing that and just step out in faith. 538 00:38:29.260 --> 00:38:30.780 Yeah, see what God'll do, see how God will stretch you and how 539 00:38:30.820 --> 00:38:36.260 God will grow you, and we hope this episode was encouragement for you guys 540 00:38:36.300 --> 00:38:38.260 to pray. We hope that was a blessing to you enough so that you 541 00:38:38.260 --> 00:38:42.210 would share with other people. So please share this episode with other people. 542 00:38:42.369 --> 00:38:45.530 If you have questions or comments or subjects you'd like for us to cover, 543 00:38:45.969 --> 00:38:49.250 you can reach out to meet Daniel at Love Life Dot Org. You can 544 00:38:49.289 --> 00:38:52.650 reach her Vicky at Love Life Dot Org. We'd love to hear from you, 545 00:38:52.809 --> 00:39:00.039 but until next time, God bless that. That's Shaw Ove for love. 546 00:39:04.760 --> 00:39:13.230 Give me our love for gratitude. I know it will cost me my 547 00:39:13.590 --> 00:39:20.949 life, nothing's too precious, and some you