Prayer, Part 3

Now, welcome to any of our guests. Nice to have you here today. Today's message is part 3 of a five-part series on prayer. We started many weeks ago. I want to finish in the next few weeks. You may say, why so much on prayer? Say, why not? It's that important, one of the most important things we will do in this life. In part 1, we talked about the progression of prayer. We even showed the acrostic word ax, a-c-t-s, as representing a progression of adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication. Also, in part 1, we talked about the postures of prayer, various postures that were in the Scriptures. But the main point was to pray. The main point is to pray. I gave an example of how Henry Steinway, in his greatest creation, would listen to every single piano that went out the door. God likes to hear his greatest creation also.

Part 2, we talked about how your prayers can be hindered. We gave examples in the Scriptures how our prayers can be hindered, held back, deterred.

And we talked about a prayerless Christian is a powerless Christian. Without prayer, how can you be a Christian at all? Bring us to part 3. Take my watch off. My watch has been slow. I'm sure my wife, she said if I went over, she would get up.

So I would know in case my watch was slow of 2 or 3 times this week. I need a new battery. Part 3 of prayer. And hopefully prayer is not just about us, but it is about others. Others. The importance of others. We looked at the first two messages. Luke 18, verse 1, you don't have to turn there. But it said, men always ought to pray and not lose heart. I would like you to turn to 1 Peter 4. 1 Peter 4, verse 7. 1 Peter 4, verse 7.

Peter is talking at the end of his life, at the end of his ministry. And he says, but the end of all things is at hand. Therefore, be serious and watchful in your prayers. It's the end of the line for you or me, which none of us can tell. Are we serious and watchful about our prayers? New Living Translation says, be earnest and disciplined. Do we have discipline in our prayer life? Good News Translation says, the end of all things is near. Be self-controlled and alert to be able to pray. Are we watchful, serious, earnest, disciplined, and alert about our prayers?

There's a saying, if you don't get everything you want, think of the things you don't get that you don't want. Be thankful for that. The lot I don't want, that I don't get. And I know where that all comes from. It says, nothing improves a person's driving skills, like the sudden discovery that your license has expired.

So do you agree that all of us, that we all pray more in a time of crisis than when things are going well? Is it possible, if we prayed more, when things are going well, we wouldn't have as many times as crisis? Is God talking to you to get you to talk to Him? From 1 Peter 4, verse 7, what if? What if 2.30 today is the end of the line for you? You profess, you believe in God. You know His omnipotent power. You close your eyes for good.

What didn't you pray about this morning? Who didn't you pray for the Lord to keep? I see it is important because we all know that God's in control of the entire universe. He's still in charge, and though it's Satan's world, He lets things go on. He lets people live their lives. But you know there are certain things we need to pray about.

There are certain people we need to pray for. Because I can't take care of things, and neither can you, in other people's lives. But God can. There are certain things I always try to make sure that I tell God to take an interest in. Spend a little time, help these people. When I'm traveling overseas, one thing I never forget is to ask for protection for my wife.

God's in charge, and I love it. But He does need to hear us. Every day, rather than leave God in charge of that certain one, are there certain people? Leave God in charge through your prayer. And I'm talking about others. There's others out there. If you knew this, that's why He mentioned even in verse 8, And above all things have fervent love for one another, a gopek.

For love will cover a multitude of sins. Does that mean if you know someone's sinning, you need to keep your mouth shut? No. But love, just like our sermonette brought out in 1 Corinthians 13, the love chapter. Because it says, love suffers long. Love suffers long. Sometimes we can cover a multitude of sins by praying for someone, for letting some things lie and asking God for forgiveness. See, God really listens, and He understands, and He's so powerful. But we do not comprehend His mind, how He thinks.

We're working on that, hopefully, the deep things of God. You know, man asks God how long a million years was doing. God said it's just like a single second of your time. He said, what about a million dollars? He says it's like a single penny. The man said, then could I have one of your pennies? Which God says, my son. Just a second. Some things are important to God.

And other things, not so much. You see that in the Scriptures. But one very important thing to get mentioned many, many, many, many, many times is prayer. That's why this is a five-part series on prayer. Is that important? Because I feel like being here almost a year, it's hardly anything that's important. Then to have a great prayer life. And to have that communication with God. So I'd like you to turn to 1 Timothy.

1 Timothy 2. 1 Timothy 2, verse 1. In the New King James it says, verse 1, Therefore I exhort, first of all. I encourage, first of all. New Living Translation says, I urge you, first of all. See, Paul is writing this letter to Timothy. He called him his son, his disciple, one who carries on Paul's work when Paul is put to death.

But here, Paul is writing to Timothy. And he's teaching, and he's telling, and he's instructing Timothy on prayer. But the wonderful thing about this word is it's a living word. And Paul, through this verse, is teaching us. To Paul, prayer was very, very important. And he wants us to be in the Kingdom. And he wanted Timothy to be in the Kingdom. Prayer. As Timothy was taking care of the Ephesians church. First Timothy, Second Timothy, and Titus. Pastural epistles, as they call them, as he's teaching. Titus, Timothy, how to have a solid, secure, powerful, loving, caring, and godly church. See, with Paul, it is a priority. It's first of all. It is a top priority, and I hope it is here. That's why I've stressed it. That's why I will continue to stress it next week and the next week as we finish. Some of you may say, well, I'm fine with prayer. Are you? You know, all the years I've been on our endless church, all the people I've met, I've never met one single person who said, I'm really, really at the top of my game when it comes to prayer. I can't learn anything! I have such a great prayer life, it cannot be improved. Never met that person. If they're here, come up and see me afterwards. I'd like you to look at something as we go back through the pages of the Bible. I'd like you to turn to Ephesians 1. Ephesians 1. This is actually, this book was written about four years before 1 Timothy. But in Ephesus, we had saints there, had brethren there. In Ephesians 1, and we'll do this very quickly, Ephesians 1, verse 16, Paul says, Do not cease to give thanks for you. He does not cease to give thanks for the brethren. Making mention of you in my prayers. Turn over another book, Ephesians, Philippians. Next book over. Philippians 1, verse 3. It starts out as a letter. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine, making requests for you all with joy. The next book, Colossians 1. The next book is Colossians, chapter 1, verse 3. We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Praying always for you. Praying always for you. Look at the next book, 1 Thessalonians. 1 Thessalonians 1, verse 2. It says, we give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers. 2 Thessalonians 1, verse 3. We are bound to thank God always for you. Brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly in the love of every one of you, all abounds toward each other. Do you see a pattern? Do you think Paul was lying when he wrote these letters? He loved these people. He prayed for other people. He prayed for the church. It wasn't just about him. Go back to 1 Timothy now, as we will stay there. 1 Timothy 2, verse 1 again. 1 Timothy 2, verse 1, out of the New King James. It says, therefore, I exhort, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men. New Living Translation says, to pray for all people, ask God to help them intercede on their behalf, give thanks for them. It's interesting in the New Testament, there are seven different Greek nouns used for prayer. Seven different Greek nouns used out all through the New Testament. Four of these Greek nouns are used in this one verse.

Nowhere else in the Bible, nowhere else in the New Testament is it laid out like it is in this verse. So I want to make sure that we understand, because I think Paul laid this out for Timothy.

He laid it out for us to make sure we know exactly what he's saying. So the very first noun that you use there in the Greek noun is supplication. Supplication. The Greek word is diocese. Diocese. But in the Greek, they translated it supplication. And it means request. It means request. It means to carry the idea of desire or need. It's kind of like a saying. Remember, the Lord is our Shepherd? God wants us to bring our request, our needs to him. That's what supplication means. God wants us to come to him, to bring those requests, because he's listening. He's waiting. He's longing to hear your requests. Seven billion people on this planet today.

Seven billion people! And you know, God is the ultimate multitasker. Talk about how great women were at multitasking. Well, guess what? God is great. He can listen to seven billion people at one time. How great would that be? How many people do you think he hears? He's listening. He's waiting. Yes, we may sometimes think, well, I ask for this all the time. Well, I'm always asking for this. But guess what? He never gets tired of it. He never gets tired of it.

Second word that's translated from the word prayer is prosuke. Prosuke. Prosuke. Greek word. And it's actually used 37 times in the New Testament for both private and public prayers. Private and public prayers. And the common meaning is a talk. But it's not the same word as used through the New Testament about talk. Because this is a different kind of talk. This is a talk but to God. Prosuke. It signifies that we are talking to God. But it's a talk as the Greek word explains to us. It's a talk with reverence. It's not like talking to the neighbor about the bougain. It's not like talking to any neighbor about anything.

But it's a talk with reverence that we realize who we are talking to. As I thought about this morning as I was going over this message, and I thought about this myself. Who is the most important person you've ever talked to? Ever thought about it? Maybe there was a governor, a state representative. Maybe there was someone in your life that the world held way up here. I think back on just a few years ago. I had my business and I had a tax problem. I didn't do anything wrong, but the state came in and audited my business and audited. I gave them another audit. They gave me another audit and another audit.

They were only supposed to audit every so many years and they were hitting me every year. They finally laid this tax on me that I did not owe. It was a heavy tax. I called and talked to the people downtown Nashville, Tennessee to the State Department. Finally, he said, I need to talk to somebody who has authority. He said, I am the authority. He said, there is no one higher than me. I'm over this division. You owe the money. Write us a check.

I said, I don't owe you the money. This is not right. He said, we've always tried to be fair. I expect the government to be fair. He said, well, I'm sorry. I am the highest in this division. I said, then you do not have a boss. He said, no. That's interesting. I never met anybody in government that didn't have a boss. So then I did what I thought was right, and I called my state representative and asked for an appointment with whoever he could give me an appointment with. And I asked for an appointment with the governor. He didn't give it to me, of course. But he did give me the man just under the government.

I still have his card somewhere. And I called and I made an appointment. And when I went in there, I dressed in a suit, a tie, because I realized this man was up there. He met with me and talked with me, and we had a good conversation. And he later informed the man I'd been talking to that he did have a boss. And he looked at everything, and he was very fair.

And there was no... They called me later to say that they had made a mistake. And the tax was not owed. It was thousands of dollars. But I realized when I took the elevator up to the 15th floor of this building, State of Tennessee, that when I asked for the appointment with this gentleman, everybody knew who he was. And so I had some reverence when I went into the meeting, realized that he had a position. He had authority. And I treated him as such. How about you? Ever had somebody with high authority?

That you made sure what you said was not just babbling? You see, none of us, none of us have ever and will ever meet anyone with more reverence than God the Father. We had the opportunity to come before the greatest, most powerful entity in the entire universe. And through this one word for seeking, he wants to hear us. He wants us to talk. But we must realize that we're talking to God. Who do you talk to daily? Maybe you have friends? We were over on the other side of the state on the west coast of a man in a church there.

He's 50-something years old, and his daughter is 30, around 30. And she was gone up to Ohio. And I said, you talk to your daughter? And he said, we talk every day. She needs to talk to him. She wants to talk to him. And you know, you could see his eyes light up because he wants to talk to her.

It would be great to see God's eyes light up, someday, when all people on this earth will know God and be talking to him. But we have that opportunity. We've been given that privilege. See, with us, it must be God that we talk to every day. With Abraham, God actually called Abraham his friend. With friends, you have communication, right? You know, with a friend that you've known all these years, maybe your best friend, you can actually tell them things that you wouldn't tell anyone else. And most of the time, we do, don't we? And how wonderful? Sometimes we can be brutally honest with a friend and say, I just don't like what you just said. Or we can take problems to those friends. Are you that way with God? Because God's given us the opportunity. He wants to hear from us. He wants to hear our requests. He wants to hear our prayers. And we can sometimes say, God, I know this is what you have laid out for me, but you know, is there another way? Father, I need you to remove this from me. You know, you know, I've walked with God for 300 years, it says in the Scriptures. 300 years! Had some good talks, I'll bet you. Walking for 300 years? I'll bet they did. Third word, intercession. Enuchus, is how it's pronounced in the Greek. Enuchus. Enchicus. And it's found only in 1 Timothy. The only book in the Bible this Greek word is used in. And it means conversation that is more than petition. Conversation that is more than a petition. It actually means free, familiar prayer. First, we had a supplication where it talked about requests that we may make, and then it talked about a prayer that we need to have with reverence and realize who we're going through. And now it's coming to this intercession word. The Greek biblical scholar, Origen, actually, probably laid it out, his understanding of this very well. Because he said, it means boldness of access to God's presence. Boldness of access to God's presence. So what do I mean? It means coming to God with full confidence. Coming to God with full confidence. If I could use an example, it would be President Barack Obama's children's, Malaya and Sasha.

Do you think they'd call the Secretary and go, I need to talk to my dad? I need to make an appointment with my father? No. As been told, they just kind of have access into going into a room and opening the door and saying, Daddy. See, that's what this intercession means. It's an aspect of having successful, satisfying prayer. It's that boldness of access to God's presence. We have at any time, just like Sasha and Malaya. I guess it's Malaya, isn't it? Is that what it is? So why your name's that, Son? Malaya? Not Malaya. Malaya. We have that access. That's what's great about this. That's why this Scripture is so important. It helps us to see that we can come to our Father. We have that same relationship. We can just come before and say, Dad, Daddy. That's why Paul was going through all these words. I want to make sure you need to be a better prayer. Prayer-er. Do you need to be better? I think we all can. That's why I love these words because these words have actually helped me to become a better prayer. I even thought of this word yesterday and today as this intercession, as I actually called because I usually talk to God in my prayer and say, Father, Father, Father, Father, Father. Today I actually said, Dad. I don't have a dad anymore. Not a physical. But I do. But I do have a dad. And I have access to him. I can come to him. And that's what he's been waiting on. I said, Guess what? He's waiting for all of us. Not only say, Father, say, Dad, Daddy, Papa. Wow! What a wonderful, wonderful piece of knowledge. And finally, the fourth word for thanksgiving is Eucharistia. Eucharistia, transliteration. Thanksgiving means the giving of thanks. See, he says, Therefore I exhort, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercession, and the giving of thanks be made. Thankful. Are we thankful? The blessed lot. Just living in this country is a blessing. We're so thankful now, but just imagine. How thankful will we be when our eyes are truly open? Have you ever thought about that? How thankful we will be when our eyes are truly open? I'd like to turn there quickly. 1 John. Hopefully it will be a memory scripture for many. 1 John 3. 1 John 3 and verse 2. He said, Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him. When Christ comes, when He is revealed, we will be changed. We will be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. Our destiny. We shall see Him as He is. We will be like Him. We will see Him. He will be in His glory. We will be totally glorified, just like Jesus Christ, a part of the God-fam spirit. All the time. Can you imagine when we see us as then, as we will be, we will go, I sure didn't deserve this. We will be awestruck. I can't wait for my eyes to see. And it says there, and giving thanks be made for all men. All men. It's about others, isn't it? It's about others. We are to do this for others, not just for ourselves. Are we to pray for ourselves? Yes! But it's about others. And that's easy to do with our families, isn't it? It's easy for me to do, to pray, as I go through all the members in this church every day, by name. That's easy. I want to do that. But it doesn't just say that. All men. All men. Sometimes easy to forget, isn't it? And then it says in verse 2, for kings, for kings.

The Greek word is bacilius. Bacilius. It's a Greek word used there, our last Greek word for the day. Bacilius. And it actually applies to the emperor of Rome.

And it says to kings, kings and all who are in authority.

Paul is telling Timothy, and he's telling him, Paul was telling Timothy at the time, to be praying for the emperor who was Nero at that time.

The man who would eventually put Paul and Peter to death. And all you have to do is look up a history book or go to the internet and type in Nero. Who was he? He was the emperor. He was a psychotic, psychopathic monster.

One who loved to just destroy, kill, torture.

So many that disagreed with him.

And so many were actual followers of Jesus Christ.

He loved to party.

And he had this huge, huge outdoor area that he partied on.

But they didn't have electricity back then.

On 50 to 60 AD, I see.

And so he wanted to have a party at night, so he had put to death quite a few Christians.

He did it slowly.

Loved to take their skin off, pull their tongues out.

But he decided that he couldn't have a party because it was too dark.

And so the little lamps of olive oil that were set around the table, they couldn't have a good party. So he went and got a bunch of Christians. Yes, our brethren, before us.

And he tied them up into, like what we would know as burlap bags today.

And he tied them to big pieces of wood all the way around this.

And he poured olive oil all over them and set them on fire.

So he could light up the courtyard for his party.

And killed many people at night as they watched and they ate and they drank and they partied as Christians were burned alive.

That's one small story from Nero.

And yet Paul says, pray.

So please do not forget to pray for our leaders, no matter your feelings, no matter who they are, what party they are.

Because it says, pray for all who are in authority.

Hm.

That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.

For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God, our Savior.

Talking about Jesus Christ.

All who are in authority, all levels of government, even the police, IRS agents, even your boss at work.

It says, pray.

Doesn't say that we need to pray that they're converted tomorrow? No! Doesn't say that. Praise, pray that we may have peaceable and quiet lives that we can live in all godliness.

It helps us sometimes when you've got a boss that doesn't understand you.

You need help from Dad.

Call Dad.

Call Dad. Say, Dad, need some help.

That we may lead quiet and peaceful lives in godliness and reverence.

Is God listening?

Do you feel like sometimes, well, my prayer just hit the ceiling and came back down?

God is listening.

And He's paying attention, as a matter of fact, it reminds me of the story of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

In Franklin Delano Roosevelt, when he was present, they would have state dinners all the time.

Not state, state dinners. And they would have other ambassadors coming. They would have all these people, and there would be long lines. If you know how it's done in the White House before any dinner, say, dinner, everyone has to stand in line, which can take an hour, an hour and a half. And you stand in line, and then there's the President and the First Lady, and you go through, and you just shake hands, good evening, and you're there for five seconds, and move on. And then they sit you at the table, and it gets along in monotonous.

They all have to be nice.

And after he had served two terms already, and was going in his third term, he was in a wheelchair by that time, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He was tired, and just going through that same thing, he didn't feel like it. And so he just decided one night, because a lot of it was the same people, same ambassadors, becoming their ever dinner.

He decided instead of greeting, how are you this evening, or hello?

He said as people came through, he said, I murdered my grandmother this morning.

And he was amazed, because most said, oh, how lovely. Fine. Oh, that's wonderful.

How are you doing?

I can't even listen.

And we've done it before, haven't we? You say, how are you? And you go, oh, great. Or you may say, well, how was your week?

Great. And we don't even think, and we may say something. We didn't even think.

But it's interesting, because one different way finally came through.

Roosevelt said, he looked me in the eye when I said that, and said, I'm sure she had it coming.

And Franklin Delano Roosevelt remembered him.

Brother, God really listens.

He's not like us. He's not like humans.

He really cares.

He loves us more than anyone else.

Our prayers are genuine from the heart prayers. It can't be about us.

It can't just be about us. It must be about others.

The most famous quote in the Bible out there.

For God so loved the world.

He loved this entire world.

When you really pray about others, we're telling God, it's not all about me.

It's not just about me, God.

Because it just, it cannot. Real prayer to God just can't be about us and ours.

But it has to be about others.

Famous story of a pig.

He ate his fill of acorns under an oak tree.

Then he started rooting around and digging around the very trunk of the tree, the roots of the tree.

Someone came to him and warned him that his digging would kill the tree.

He answered and said, let it die. Who cares? As long as there are acorns.

With our prayer life.

It's got to be about others, too.

Wrap up here.

I have three minutes. I will quit on time.

Like you turn back to James.

James 5.

James 5, verse 16.

James 5, verse 16.

It says, Confess your trespasses to one another.

Really?

Did you get that?

Confess your trespasses to one another.

You really want us to do that?

You see, we confess our sins to God who has a power to forgive. This isn't talking about that.

But it is talking about sharing something.

Where you say, you know, Stephen, I'm having a problem.

Having a problem dealing with my anger.

I need you to pray for me.

I'm having trouble in other areas.

I'm having trouble in other areas.

Can you pray for me?

And it says, And pray for one another that you may be healed.

Effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

Yeah, in case you didn't know, we've got a lot of righteous men and women in this church.

You know, when I have problems, I have trials.

I want some women praying for me. Some widows I know. Some others are not widows, but there are people I know in different states.

And I call them and I ask them for their prayers. Because why? Because they're praying, studying, godly women.

They know God, and He knows them.

They're His kids, you know.

They're His kids.

I had a guy tell me one time about his mother.

She was in the church, he wasn't.

And he got to see her, and I just happened to be over at the house one time.

And it was a bad saying, but I understood it.

As he's talking about his mother, I said, I think a lot of her.

He said, yeah, she's a good woman. She's a praying fool.

That was his way of saying, she just prays all the time.

See, he didn't understand that she had a relationship with the Father.

He thought she was a fool for just praying all the time.

It was bad a saying because it says, don't call anyone a fool.

I kind of want to be like her. I wouldn't mind him saying, he's a praying fool.

Because I know where the power comes from.

As the saying goes, pray like it depends on God, and work like it depends on you.

We need to do that.

We can't just sit back and let God do everything. Right, Don?

Don could have just prayed when he was out of work and gone, okay, I'm going to sit here in the house, I'm going to pray to God all day long, and he's going to bring me a job. The job's going to walk right through that door.

I know faith is here, faith, studying and nursing.

She could just go, well, I just don't even need to study that book.

I'll just pray to God. And I'll just know all the stuff when I come in and take a test.

It doesn't work that way. We need to do our part.

But, boy, do we need to pray. Did you pray for this sermon? I know some did. If you did, I thank you.

I need you to pray for this church, that it may be the clean vessel that God wants it to be, as we work towards becoming the family of God here in Fort Lauderdale, in South Florida.

I want it to be the clean vessel so He can call more brethren and bring many sons to glory.

Prayer.

It's about you and me, and it's about others.

We need to remember, pray, and remember this verse.

Supplication. Prayer. Intercession and thanksgiving.

Part 4 is next week, and it is on the power, the power of prayer.