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June 17, 2021 2:00 am
Someone called prayer the gymnasium of the soul. When was the last time you had a good workout? In the message "When You Haven't Got a Prayer," Skip shares why obedience is essential when it comes to prayer.
This teaching is from the series White Collar Sins.
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When you pray, you are calling on the big gun hearing involving God.
Your bringing incident. You know hand-to-hand combat, to fight the devil and that you're bringing God into this. No wonder Satan wants to keep you from prayer to God. Samuel Chadwick wrote the one concern of the devil is to keep Christians from praying he fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work and prayerless religion.
He laughs at our toil he mocks at our wisdom when he troubles the apostle Paul urged the believers in his day to be faithful in prayer. Connect with Skip today as he shows why prayer is an essential weapon in your life, against spiritual and then stay tuned after the message is Skip and his wife Linda sure practical ways you can grow in your prayer life.
I have a book.
I love this book.
It's called drawing near and it's all the different prayers of the Bible categorized and then put in a daily from the first of the month to the 31st of the month and it helps me pray that day Bible centered prayers of thanksgiving of confession of a number of things. Thank you, Skip.
Be sure to stay with us after today's message through the full discussion right now want to tell you about a resource that will help you grow even stronger in your knowledge of God's word holidays and special days of celebration wake us up from the daily grind and provide a backdrop for creating memories and traditions time off and intentional family time, holidays can illuminate spiritual tricks as we hear from Skip I think you may not know that Valentine's Day has Christian roots, but time and secular culture have transformed what was a great celebration of those who would stay true to the Christian faith.
It is turned into simply a celebration of romantic love. You can find spiritual significance, happiness, holiness, and holidays of four DVD collection of celebration messages from Pastor's death and our thanks when you get $25 or more to help keep this ministry on the air. Here Skip with a strong thought on another holiday on our calendar because God is our father. We never because God is our father. I don't have to look selfish, myopic life because he is our father in heaven no limit to his power from heaven. For those of us were on the incredible phrase, our father in heaven. Call now to request a copy of happiness, holiness, and holidays are. Thanks for your generous gift 892 to 1888, or get online securely connectwithskip.com/offer joint Skip hi to today's teacher first Samuel chapter 12 there is a role of intercessor spoken about in the Old Testament is somebody who stands in the gap. Never heard that phrase standing in the gap want to work comes from. It comes from Ezekiel chapter 22 work God said I sought for a man among them who would make a wall and standing in the gap before me on behalf of this land that I should not destroy God that I really want to do something I want to destroy these people. I was looking for somebody who will be in intercessor will stand before me in prayer on behalf of them. So to stand in the gap is somebody who forms a link between God and people, so that God can work example Abraham stood in the gap for kangaroo bartender are arcane after our was named Abimelech. Remember the story of Abraham goes down to Blarney lies about his wife saying watchfully my sister and so the king of Garrard take Sarah his wife thinking because he lied to my sister takes him home as part of his harem that night got appears to Abimelech and agreements that you are a dead man you just took a man's wife.
You restore that man back his wife listen to this God said or he is a prophet, and he will pray for you thanking Abimelech I said that guys a prophet is lied to me.
I guys a creepy husband and he's in a pray for me, but he didn't want to die. So he brought Sarah back to Abraham and says Abraham pray for him and the Lord enabled Abimelech's wife to have children. So God even honored a creepy husband's prayer and intercession.
He stood in the gap Moses stood in the gap for Pharaoh and Pharaoh said, ask your God to stop this hailstorm. Exodus chapter 9 next chapter. Ask your God to stop the plague of locusts. Exodus chapter 10 Moses stood in the gap Joe stood in the gap for his friends. If you know the book of Job, it's Job's suffering in his three and then fourth friend that mouth them through the book and telling Job why he is suffering why God allowed this to happen at the end of the book, God says I am angry with you, to his three friends. I'm angry with you because what you have said about me and about Job's right and listen to. This is a Job 42 verse seven my servant Job will pray for you and I will accept his prayer at the role of standing in the gap in intercessor. Did you know that nine times in the New Testament.
Paul the apostle asks his audience to pray for him to stand in the gap for him.
You know why he asked for prayer. It's easy because he believed it would work if you pray for me.
If you intercede for me. If you stand in the gap. It will work. John Wesley stood in the gap for his nation.
John Wesley and a few friends had a club at Oxford University, get this. It was called the holy club the holy club we need some clubs like that today.
Special campus the holy club Oxford University were students John Wesley and a few of his buddies everyone say they would pray and fast and the result of the holy club was God brought revival for that nation. They stood in the gap Evan Roberts and his friends stood in the gap for their country of Wales, night after night, night after night they prayed, God sent a two year plus revival called the Welsh revival in which 150,000 people radically converted their intercessors.
They stood in the gap is something else about intercession quickly when you engage in it.
That's when you realize the prayers of battle, you will be amazed at the disturbances that come your way when you Samoset out on a pray about that. Pray for these people in her seat. You will be amazed at the interruptions you sit down to pray the telephone rings is a data price on these at the doors of use of the door, sit down to pray for somebody that's when you get the text message you been waiting for all day but didn't get it till now. That's when all the emails are coming to what is going on what just happened today. What does happen you just brought a gun to a knife fight to get the analogy verified your work it out yourself suddenly bring a gun to the knife I fight is over when you pray, you are calling on the big gun urine involving God. Your bringing incident. You know hand-to-hand combat, to fight the devil, and that your bringing God into this.
No wonder Satan wants to keep you from prayer is what the big guns.
Samuel Chadwick wrote the one concern of the devil is to keep Christians from praying he fears nothing from prayerless studies prayer list work and prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil he mocks that our wisdom but he trembles. When we pray, as one person put it, Satan trembles when he sees the weakest saint upon his knees.
Prayer is needful. Intercession is powerful. Let's let's take down another layer, another level's go deeper.
Obedience is essential. Obedience is so they come to Samoset, pray for us to want diverse 20 Samoset the people do not fear you have done all this wickedness other words, it is on you. You're right to confess, yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart and do not turn aside for then you would go after empty things as idols which cannot profit or deliver, for they are nothing for the Lord will not forsake his people for his great namesake because it is please the Lord to make you his people. Samuel is basically telling this crowd is not God's not forsake you. You just make sure that you don't forsake God any longer you a US you asked me to pray for you. Come to me to pray for you, but don't expect me just to shoot up a prayer while you live anywhere you want to live. Prayer is not some 911 call, you still need to stay close to the Lord.
Stay true to the Lord trust Lord walk with the Lord, be obedient, don't turn from theirs. Obedience on your part is a great principle here. Before we move on to the next. Never use someone else's prayers as a crutch for your disobedience. I got all people come all that it would you pray for me. I got those that are going on yeah but that's there's a lifestyle issue were dealing with. Just pray for me. Never use somebody else's prayers as a crutch for your disobedience or never use somebody else's holiness as an excuse for your unholiness. Obedience is essentially stated on the fourth and the last level. Okay so you been really good in the series. There been some hard-hitting sermons I just want to preface this with great love. This last point. This is where it packs its punches work hurts a little, but carelessness is sinful, prayerless, and this is sinful. Look at verse 23 moreover he says to these people. As for me, Samuel the prophet. Far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you, but I will teach you the good in the right way only fear the Lord and serve him in truth with all your heart, for consider what great things he has done for you question what is it called that sin not praying for you carelessness.
What is a call that sin and why does he say it's against the Lord God for it or know that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you that's that's the kernel of truth that I want to get it's a sin against the Lord.
Number one because prayerless this insults God. Would you agree with that. The prayerless notice, not praying insults God for what is it and so God will think of it he's the creator of everything. And as the creator of everything, yet he invites you into his presence. He says come talk to me come fellowship with me, involve me in your life and I will work when you do call I made Jeremiah 33 three and I will answer you and I will show you great and mighty things, which you know not. That's an invitation from God.
So if you're to say well God I don't have time to talk to you, which is most most of us would have that as an excuse.
I just it's hard to make the time to pray okay. I would counter that by asking you this.
Do you have time to binge watch that series on Netflix and Hulu. Do you have time to get get in a workout at the gym yet time to play a round of golf you have time to go shopping is always time for shop give time to practice a musical instrument so to become proficient at it. The average person lives to what age you think the average average person lives 77 is the average lifespan. The average person lives 77 years.
That equals 28,000 days or 670,000 hours or 40 million minutes.
Following the average person spends 24 minutes a day getting dressed some more.
That equals 13 hours a month, or seven days a year or one year in your lifetime. The average person spends 40 minutes a day on the phone some more. That's 20 hours a month that's 10 days a year. That's two years in your lifetime.
The average person spends one hour a day in the bathroom. That's 30 hours a month that's 15 days a year. That's three years in the bathroom in their lifetime. The average person spends three hours a day watching television. Some way more. That's 90 hours a month is 45 days a year. That's nine years in a lifetime. I can even get that your mobile phone is a whole different issue whole different SKU but get this, the average Christian spends less than 10 minutes a day to hold onto that less than 10 minutes in a deliciously generously 10 minutes a day. 10 minutes a day if there were the case 10 minutes a day. That be six hours a month that he three days a year, or a total of seven months in a lifetime. According to Barna research. The research this for decades right if you know anything at the Barna group research Christians behavior they would they do in-depth research. According to Barna research, the average Christian praise. One minute a day, one minute a day prayerless notice insults God is a second reason he calls it a sin prayerless nurse impoverish is us. I lose out on an opportunity to partner with God in the work he wants to do, how some to say, look what happened. I prayed about it, impoverish is us Jesus said you know this. Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall tell me find knock and the door shall be opened, and you were Jesus told us that the command asking you will receive seek and you will find knock and the door will be open into.
So doesn't it make sense if you never ask, you'll never want to never receive. I don't like to receive anything, did you ask, you have not because you asked not so prayerless as insults God prayerless this impoverish is us and finally prayerless notice injures others.
It injures others. Far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing the pray for you and me and Rob's others.
Well it robs people of the blessings God wants to give them and that is the epitome of selfish now.
I noticed something that you have to. It's becoming vote lately just very recently whenever there's a crisis. Whenever there is a desperate situation. A tragedy occurs in people say our thoughts and prayers are with you. We tweak that out. We say that it's now become Bob say we don't want your thoughts and prayers are heard that that's not enough know what they're saying is just to let you to pray for us and think about us do something about this is what they mean and I understand that but they say thoughts and prayers are not enough. Well I guess it depends on who is doing the thoughts and prayers and thoughts and prayers are being directed because in prayer. I am saying to the creator of the universe.
God, I know I live in a fallen world.
Father, I know the bad things happen to all people, would you please give comfort and encouragement, and peace to the victims and families of this tragedy.
There is nothing wrong with that fact.
There's everything right with that. That doesn't mean you stop and you do not act seller in my job I thought about it and I pray because when you think and you pray, you probably next to be moved into action. Or you should what I want underscores this prayer is action. It's the first action because were engaging God in the process, you can always do more than pray after you prayed, but you can never do more than pray until pray Peter Peter Marshall. If you know anything about Peter Marshall. I would commend his biography that his wife wrote about him. Peter Marshall was the chaplain at one time to the United States Senate and Peter Marshall began a Senate session with this prayer. Oh Lord, forgive us for thinking that prayer is a waste of time and help us to see that without prayer. Our work is a waste of time. I like that to let me bring this to a close and say this if there is a God and that God invites us to come into his presence talk and fellowship with him and promises to involving himself in our daily activities and promises to act on our behalf and if he has made that way possible by sending his son to bleed on a cross so that we could have fellowship with him and pray to him and he would act then what are we thinking not doing that. What on earth could we be possibly thinking not doing that and could that be the reason that we lack real power to the reason for our lack of power be just that right there. I'll close of the story. Herbert Jackson was a missionary, he went to the mission field and part of the package of him being a missionary in this mission field was a mission car speed up.
It didn't start like this for the key he had to push start the scar so Herbert Jackson figured out how he was going to do it. He lived and worked near school and work at the school. Sometimes they all knew them. So what he would do as he would get some of the kids at a class push the car to push start the car and second gear are if you ever done that I lived that way for a while and they push start the car so he would then driver make his rounds whenever he make his rounds and drive out in the bush. He did one of two things a he left the car running so when it started, or be he would find a hill and parked on the hill so would be facing downward this let it go and start in second gear and get a gun. He did that for two years. Eventually he got sick had to come back to the United States a new missionary came to replace him. Herbert Jackson said hey with this deal you get a carpet that work but I forgot the school system: all about the guy would impress you to do you mind if I pop the hood so the new missionary pop the hood notice. The cable was disconnected, connected, it got in the car, turned it on.
Start just think about that for two years.
Herbert Jackson lived that way. I listen listen listen now this goes the power was available to him.
The only problem was a loose connection get my drift.
Power is available to us. The only problem is a loose connection. Get connected. Stay connected live in is now that Rapp should Skip a text message from his series white colors you Skip as they share practical ways you can grow in your prayer life. Today he reminded us that carelessness is a sin's notice how often I look at things on TV. Here they come across to my social media and I look at it think, oh my gosh that's terrible that I don't turn that insight can be so prayerless that I forget to pray when I see a situation so that is invited us to engage with him in prayer and we've all been guilty of not responding obediently to that invitation. His Holy Spirit gives this Skip can you share some practical things that you've done to cultivate a healthy prayer life. Listen, I'm I'm like the next guy when it comes to prayer. Yep, I need to do more than I do think we all feel that I think though a journal does help. I do keep a journal and not always good at it and not regular at it but I do keep it irregularly and I'll write things down. I'm praying for and a look back through the months and years, and that's very helpful to me. Also I have books on prayer and from time to time I like to pull out of the inbounds book or oratory book and just be refreshed for a few minutes in the older school of prayer and then I used Bible prayers. I have a book. I love this book.
It's called drawing near and it's all the different prayers of the Bible, categorized, and then put in a daily from the first of the month to the 31st of the month and it helps me pray that day Bible centered prayers of thanksgiving of confession of a number of things. All the different categories I find that as a discipline that's very helpful to my personal prayer life have been doing it a long time is another key the disciples prayer that Jesus taught, there is the model I mean we don't have to like buying something or write something or make something up. He said when you pray, do it this way, and he gave us a perfect kind of skeletal model that you can ornament and add things on personally that fit in those categories and just pray to the Lord's prayer without model every day that will improve things immensely, so good.
And then of course are some of us that are really pretty social get a prayer partner. That's good. It's really good to have somebody else and that there can ask you what, but prayer request. Can I have it. How can I pray for you and says sometimes it's the same thing with losing weight. If you find someone to join the diet with your exercise with you ear more successful.
So I'd encourage you to find prayer partners that's really good. I'll add one more thing for me. I like to take walks in pray ED as you know I've been there for long time so I'll take a walk. Sometimes I walk the dogs and do a bit of fun doing it alone. I like to talk out loud with you looking to be in the trail you think he's nuts. He's crazy, but when I talk when I pray aloud, it's like having the conversation I don't get distracted is easily I don't I don't think her head and stopped to check my email.
I'm actually having the conversation I find that for me help thanks. Keep in mind this conversation is encouraged.
Now you can help teach is not coming to you encourage others and connecting entities that discount hundred 19 to 892.com/download.com/donate. Thank you to him tomorrow if Skip begins a series called Rauschenberg about people in the Bible to make some big mistakes and encouraging truths that their lives Skip presentation of connection communications through ever-changing time