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Sunday Morning Service, 6/13/09

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Message: Prayer Works

Pastor Paine

I want start with a couple of humorous things I found in my research in preparing for this message:

  • Attending church in Kentucky, we watched an especially verbal and boisterous child being hurried out, slung unsaid something like "don't bother; it doesn't matter." What a state that must be! To believe that you have der his irate father's arm. No one in the congregation so much as raised an eyebrow -- until the child captured everyone's attention by crying out in a charming Southern accent, "Ya'll pray for me now!"

  • "The proper way for a man to pray"
    said Deacon Lemuel Keyes,
    "and the only proper attitude
    is down upon his knees."

    "Nay, I should say the way to pray,"
    said Reverend Dr. Wise
    "is standing straight with outstrecthed arms
    and rapt and upturned eyes."

    "Oh, no, no, no." said Elder Snow
    "Such posture is too proud
    A man should pray with eyes fast closed
    and head contritely bowed."

    "It seems to his hands should be
    asturely clasped in front.
    With both thumbs a pointing toward the ground."
    Said Reverend Hunt."

    "las' year I fell in Hodgkins well
    head first," said Cyrus Brown,
    "With both my heels a-stikin' up,
    my head a-p'inting down,
    An' I made a prayer right there an' then;
    Best prayer I ever said;
    The prayingest prayer I ever prayed,
    A-standin on my head."

The humor of all that is, no matter whether you're standing or sitting or kneeling or you've fallen down a well, the idea is that prayer really matters.

I want to comment on some of the things in our ministry that causes us to pray. Several of our loved ones are away from family right now. Debbie and I received a phone call today from a lady in San Diego who is about to go away from her family for six months. We pray for people. There are lots of things to pray for. What are you praying for today?

What are you thankful for? When we start to ask God for something, I think a great posture is to thank God for what you've already got. You say, "I haven't got anything; that's why I'm asking." Well, you must have the faith to ask. I've met some people throughout the years, who when I offered to pray for them, said something like "don't bother; it doesn't matter." What a state that must be! To believe that you have no possible connection with God that he would hear your prayers and answer, either by changing the situation or by changing your mind.

Acts 2:42
  1. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Prayer is a part of our worship, and it's also a part of our personal life. We read in Acts about Peter and John preaching the gospel, and not everyone received it.

Acts 4:13
  1. Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

I'ts interesting that part of what made Peter and John so effective is that they were unlearned and ignorant. Havce you ever been turned down for a job because you were over-qualified? Part of the reason that employers don't want to hire someone who is over-qualified is because they're afraid that the person won't stay long. But when God sees someone who is under-qualified, he says, "Here is someone I can use." Everyone knew that Peter and John were uneducated, but look at what they could do, just because they had been with Jesus!

Acts 4:14-16
  1. And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.
  2. But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,
  3. Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.

However you choose to look at it, I think it's interesting to note that they said, "We'll threaten them; that'll stop them."

Acts 4:17-19
  1. But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.
  2. And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.
  3. But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.

It's like they said, "You can't figure that out? I mean, we're the unlearned and ignorant men here..."

Acts 4:20-22
  1. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.
  2. So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done.
  3. For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was shewed.

The man that had been healed had been with them a long time. Everyone knew him, and there was no question that he had been healed. You may ask, "What does this have to do with me?" You're called to shine your light. You're called to do something. And the way that you get what it takes is through prayer.

1 Timothy 2:1
  1. I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

Before you're going to do anything, this is your preparation; this is your foundation. Saints, we all-too-often act and then ask God to bless it. We shouldn't be making decisions and then asking God to bless it; we should be asking God for his direction. This is about priorities.

Let's talk about making your request known to God. We should talk to God so painfully honest that it almost embarasses us. Let me give an example:

God, I really don't like the way this is. I feel like I've been cheated and disrespected. I feel like the people around me are missing the point. Now God, I need your perspective on this.

Let me tell you a story that I'm embarassed. In the later years of his life, my father, formerly a robust man, was unable to do some of the things that he used to do. So when I went home for a few days to spend some quality time with my Dad, he handed me a list as soon as I walked in the door. He said, "Peter, here is a list of things that I want you to do while you are here." It was a two-page list of projects, and as I read through them I realized that I wasn't going to have much time to visit with my Dad. About a day into the list, I passed by my Dad who was watching TV in the family room, and he said, "How's that list coming, Peter?" I started feeling taken-for-granted and unappreciated. So I prayed to God, "God, I don't understand. I carved two days out of my busy schedule, and I'm spending them doing things he could hire anyone to do." And by the way, just to make the point, my Dad was in a position to do that. So the Holy Ghost said, "Is he asking anything unreasonable?" And I thought about all the things that my Dad had done for me over the years. God said to me, "You're being selfish; that's what's wrong, Pete. Grow up and get over it." How's that for an answer to prayer? I thought to myself, "You can do better than that, God! What kind of lousy ten-cent answer is that to my two-dollar problem?"

2 Chronicles 7:14
  1. If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

You've got to start your prayer by being humble. "God, whatever else happens, I want your answer, your direction, your ways." That's humility. I can tell God how I feel because that's part of who I am, but after that, I should want God's ways to become my ways.

Jeremiah 29:13
  1. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

We should pray without reservation, and with expectation.

Mark 11:24
  1. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

What if I'm desiring is something that will cause me trouble? What if it isn't going to help me? What if it will take me further from God instead of drawing me closer to God? Have you ever had God interfere with your plans, and then later you said, "Thank you, Lord! Was I ever gonna mess that up!" How about the next time you pray that God would help you see things his way? That's a healthy prayer.

Matthew 6:33
  1. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Let's say it together: "God, I want your will more happy than my will. I want you to make me happy about your will."

Let me share with you what happened after I received my answer from God. I repented; I really did. But I had a whole new attitude. I was still doing the projects my Dad had asked me to do, but all of a sudden he seemed a lot more appreciative. Isn't it great how things change when you get your attitude right?

Acts 10:9
  1. On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour:

So here's Peter praying, and then we see the example of Cornelius praying.

Acts 10:30
  1. And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,

So God said, "Here's what's going to happen, and when it does, I want you to respond in a positive way." And Peter was praying, and God said, "I'm going to ask you to do something you've never done before." Here was a man who was a really devout man, but he didn't know God in the fulness of his truth. There are a lot of people who have a real love for God, but haven't received him in fulness.

When you're frustrated about something, how many of you really want to see the perspective that God has on the situation? How does your perspective compare with God's? It's like a six-year-old sharing their perspective about when it's tim to go to bed. Six-year-olds have all the answers, right? Did you see the bumper-sticker: "Attention teenagers! Move out quick, while you still know everything!"

We find God answering God answering prayer throughout the Bible. Let's look again at Peter and John.

Acts 4:13-16
  1. Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.
  2. And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.
  3. But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,
  4. Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.

These men had a problem. Notice that they did not say, "What would God have us to do?" Saints, don't make the same mistake as these men.

Acts 4:17-21
  1. But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.
  2. And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.
  3. But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.
  4. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.
  5. So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done.

If they had only sought God, they could have said, "What's going on here? God, this doesn't seem right to me. I've done all this, and this is the outcome? This is what I get for it?"

Acts 4:22-25
  1. For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was shewed.
  2. And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them.
  3. And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is:
  4. Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?

Their prayer was, "God, it doesn't make sense. And this isn't a new problem; David faced the same thing."

Acts 4:26
  1. The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.

"God, we're not the first to be in this predicament, but you're going to have to help us."

You cry out to God, telling all your problems, and asking, "Why?!! Why?!! Why?!!" Parents, have you ever said to your children, "If you'll just stop talking for a minute, I'll answer your question." I wonder how many times God has said the same thing? And we answer "God, I'll listen in a minute, but right now I want to complain some more."

Acts 4:27-28
  1. For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,
  2. For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.

"Lord, they're threatening us!"

Acts 4:29
  1. And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,

"Lord, give me the boldness, in the midst of this trial, to do the right thing; to see your perspective." How could Peter and John make any sense out of what was happening? They were doing the right thing, and they knew it. "Whaddya mean, don't speak the name of Jesus? We may as well be mute!"

I remember a time when I was to go receive a reward from my company. And the regional manager came to me before the awards ceremony, and said, "Pete, can I ask you something? When they give you the award, could I ask you to not say anything about God this time?" I said, "No problem. Just leave the award on my desk; don't hand it to me in front of everybody." He said, "No, Pete; we've got to invite you up to receive it; that's how these things work." I said, "No problem. If you don't want me to say anything about God; then just dont' hand me the mike." He said, "Pete, you know that the president is going to hand you the mike and ask you to say a few words." "Well, then, we have a problem."

Acts 4:30-31
  1. By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.
  2. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

When you've had a battle, you need to put it before God and say, "God, here is my perspective on this situation. Now God, I yield to your perspective." That's what Peter and John did. Do you think that after that prayer they said, "God, they're still threatening us!" No, because now they had God's perspective.

Matthew 7:7-11
  1. Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
  2. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
  3. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
  4. Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
  5. If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

Do you know that God wants to give you good? God wants to bless you. The problems that you're facing, even as unfair and real as they are, God wants to bless you in spite of them. Do you know that? After their prayer, I know that Peter and John knew that God had blessed them. If you're having problems with perspective, then you can pray the prayer of the prodigal son.

Luke 15:17
  1. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

It's a powerful story. And when the son went home, his father met him. He killed the fatted calf. He put a ring on his finger. He rejoiced, because he said "My son, which was dead, is alive again." When the prodigal son said, "Father, give me my inheritance," the father didn't want him to go.

Maybe there's some of you here who don't have a relationship with God. The first step is to believe, as we learn in the story of Phillip and the Eunuch:

Acts 8:37
  1. And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

The second step is to repent. And the third is to be baptized.

Acts 2:38
  1. Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

God wants to bless you; he wants to answer your prayers. He doesn't want anything but the best for you.