1 00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:05,400 Speaker 1: Let us pray. Is any among you afflicted? Let him 2 00:00:05,400 --> 00:00:11,400 Speaker 1: pray is any Mary? Let him sing Psalms James five thirteen. 3 00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:15,520 Speaker 1: Dear God, thank you for being the only real source 4 00:00:15,560 --> 00:00:19,000 Speaker 1: of comfort and help when I am in need. Allow 5 00:00:19,079 --> 00:00:22,880 Speaker 1: me to surrender to you fully. There are times when 6 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:26,799 Speaker 1: I try to control specific outcomes by researching what the 7 00:00:26,880 --> 00:00:30,400 Speaker 1: right answer might be. I will ask for advice or 8 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:33,600 Speaker 1: seek approval from family and friends during times of doubt. 9 00:00:34,760 --> 00:00:38,080 Speaker 1: Please remind me that the correct answer comes through prayer 10 00:00:38,640 --> 00:00:41,199 Speaker 1: and not from making a list of pros and cons. 11 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:45,720 Speaker 1: Let my mind be calm and allow my thoughts to 12 00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:49,599 Speaker 1: rest in your word. When I seek to control things myself, 13 00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:54,640 Speaker 1: I know that anything is possible through daily prayer and 14 00:00:54,840 --> 00:01:01,800 Speaker 1: my abounding trust in You. Amen. Thank you for listening 15 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:05,760 Speaker 1: to today's Daily Prayer for more inspiration and an incredible 16 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:08,960 Speaker 1: message from our feature pastor. Stay tuned to prey dot 17 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:13,880 Speaker 1: COM's Sunday service. Welcome to prey dot COM's Sunday service 18 00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:17,360 Speaker 1: sponsored by our trua Health Share. Follow this podcast and 19 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:20,640 Speaker 1: listen weekly to receive godly wisdom and practical advice for 20 00:01:20,760 --> 00:01:24,560 Speaker 1: daily living. Stay tuned for Sunday service coming up. After 21 00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:29,360 Speaker 1: a quick word from our sponsors, there's an innovative, better 22 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:32,240 Speaker 1: way to find healthcare. We're our true a health Share, 23 00:01:32,400 --> 00:01:35,280 Speaker 1: an affordable and flexible way to take care of your family. 24 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:38,759 Speaker 1: We're a community of like minded, health conscious individuals who 25 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:41,959 Speaker 1: share in each other's medical needs, and you can customize 26 00:01:41,959 --> 00:01:45,120 Speaker 1: your healthcare your way. Without true health Share, you can 27 00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:47,400 Speaker 1: build your membership based on your season of life and 28 00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:51,000 Speaker 1: your family's needs. Head to my share dot org to 29 00:01:51,040 --> 00:01:55,040 Speaker 1: find out more. That's my share dot org outu a 30 00:01:55,080 --> 00:02:06,400 Speaker 1: health share where we care for one another. Before a 31 00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:15,639 Speaker 1: major sporting event, they will often play the national anthem. Now, 32 00:02:15,639 --> 00:02:19,679 Speaker 1: the national anthem has absolutely nothing to do with what's 33 00:02:19,680 --> 00:02:23,680 Speaker 1: getting ready to happen on the field. It doesn't affect 34 00:02:23,720 --> 00:02:27,040 Speaker 1: the football game, it doesn't affect the baseball game, it 35 00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:32,560 Speaker 1: doesn't affect points scored in the basketball game. But it 36 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:38,720 Speaker 1: is put there as a place of national honor, but 37 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:42,640 Speaker 1: totally unrelated to what you came there for. You don't 38 00:02:42,639 --> 00:02:46,480 Speaker 1: go there for the national anthem. That's an add on 39 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:53,800 Speaker 1: for many of us. Prayer is like the national anthem 40 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:57,760 Speaker 1: before a sporting event. It gets it started, but has 41 00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:03,040 Speaker 1: absolutely no connection to us happening in our lives. We 42 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:09,280 Speaker 1: do it because it's tradition we're supposed to. It's paying 43 00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 1: homage while being totally disconnected from the field of play 44 00:03:15,919 --> 00:03:21,440 Speaker 1: of our lives. And yet it is one of the 45 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:26,240 Speaker 1: dominant themes of scripture. And as you saw when I 46 00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:30,639 Speaker 1: read each verse in this passage, it is the dominant 47 00:03:30,680 --> 00:03:34,839 Speaker 1: theme of James. In verses thirteen through eighteen, you see 48 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:40,280 Speaker 1: the word pray or prayer in every verse. So for James, 49 00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:45,320 Speaker 1: this is a big deal. I hope to explain to 50 00:03:45,440 --> 00:03:55,080 Speaker 1: us today why God has a conditional will and an 51 00:03:55,200 --> 00:04:01,120 Speaker 1: unconditional will. God's will is what he do determines to happen, 52 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:06,080 Speaker 1: but it can happen in one of two ways. It 53 00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:15,280 Speaker 1: can happen unconditionally or conditionally. God's unconditional will is when 54 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:21,360 Speaker 1: he determines what will happen irrespective of what anybody else does. 55 00:04:22,680 --> 00:04:27,719 Speaker 1: That is, it's not conditioned on us or anybody else, 56 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:31,120 Speaker 1: because he's gonna decide that it happens, and he's gonna 57 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:35,880 Speaker 1: cause it to happen without any human involvement. That is 58 00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:41,159 Speaker 1: his unconditional will. It's not conditioned on our actions or 59 00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:45,800 Speaker 1: non actions, because he's sovereignly decided to make it come 60 00:04:45,880 --> 00:04:51,239 Speaker 1: to pass all by himself. That is his unconditional will. 61 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:58,040 Speaker 1: But God's conditional will is different. There are many things 62 00:04:58,040 --> 00:05:03,280 Speaker 1: He's decided to not let happen until he gets cooperation 63 00:05:03,440 --> 00:05:08,720 Speaker 1: from earth. There are many things that He's decided he 64 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:13,479 Speaker 1: will not bring from heaven into history unless there is 65 00:05:13,680 --> 00:05:21,600 Speaker 1: human cooperation with his desire and design. For example, the 66 00:05:21,640 --> 00:05:26,680 Speaker 1: Bible says God desires all men to be saved, yet 67 00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:30,200 Speaker 1: men only get saved when they believe on the Lord 68 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:34,159 Speaker 1: Jesus Christ for salvation. So he has a will, but 69 00:05:34,240 --> 00:05:38,479 Speaker 1: it is tied to a condition. Many things in your 70 00:05:38,560 --> 00:05:43,360 Speaker 1: life and my life are tied to God's conditional will. 71 00:05:44,839 --> 00:05:50,400 Speaker 1: So things happen or don't happen based not on God's decision, 72 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:57,240 Speaker 1: but on our cooperation or lack thereof. One of the 73 00:05:57,360 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 1: primary mechanisms that God has established to determine much of 74 00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:08,080 Speaker 1: what he does on earth and in your life and 75 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:13,159 Speaker 1: in my life is conditioned by the absence or presence 76 00:06:13,320 --> 00:06:18,880 Speaker 1: of prayer. James says in Chapter four, verses one to three, 77 00:06:19,080 --> 00:06:24,039 Speaker 1: you have not because you asked not, or when you ask, 78 00:06:24,200 --> 00:06:28,680 Speaker 1: you asked with wrong motives. He says, I wanted to 79 00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:31,080 Speaker 1: give it to you, but you never came to me 80 00:06:31,160 --> 00:06:34,239 Speaker 1: for it, so you don't have it. It wasn't because 81 00:06:34,279 --> 00:06:36,960 Speaker 1: I didn't want to give it. It was because you 82 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:40,720 Speaker 1: didn't cooperate with getting it, because it was part of 83 00:06:40,760 --> 00:06:48,960 Speaker 1: my conditional will. Prayer is relational communication with God, and 84 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:55,760 Speaker 1: the goal of prayer is to draw from heaven into history. 85 00:06:55,920 --> 00:07:00,479 Speaker 1: The gold of prayer is to get eternity to make 86 00:07:00,560 --> 00:07:06,120 Speaker 1: a statement in time. It is to make Heaven visible 87 00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:11,480 Speaker 1: on earth. It is to get God to touch humanity. 88 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:16,000 Speaker 1: The gold of prayer is that up there might do something, 89 00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:23,440 Speaker 1: fix something, or chain something down here. When God makes 90 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:25,920 Speaker 1: a big deal about prayer, which he does throughout all 91 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:32,080 Speaker 1: of scripture, we are asking God to release his will 92 00:07:32,960 --> 00:07:39,920 Speaker 1: from heaven to earth. We're giving him an okay because 93 00:07:39,920 --> 00:07:44,880 Speaker 1: we're cooperating, because it is part of his conditional will. Now, 94 00:07:45,480 --> 00:07:48,280 Speaker 1: the problem is you don't always know what's conditional and 95 00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:53,960 Speaker 1: what's unconditional. Some things are clear, but other things you're 96 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:59,320 Speaker 1: not sure. That's why Paul says in First Tossalonians five seventeen, 97 00:07:59,400 --> 00:08:03,280 Speaker 1: you better pray without ceasing. You better bring it all 98 00:08:03,280 --> 00:08:06,840 Speaker 1: to God so you will miss nothing because all the 99 00:08:06,920 --> 00:08:13,280 Speaker 1: time it's not clear which way God is operating. From 100 00:08:13,320 --> 00:08:16,640 Speaker 1: in the mind of the Bible, prayer is a lifestyle 101 00:08:16,760 --> 00:08:20,680 Speaker 1: and not merely an event. If I were to say 102 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:26,440 Speaker 1: that you breathe without ceasing, you would understand what I meant, 103 00:08:26,480 --> 00:08:31,000 Speaker 1: because if you cease breathing, you'd cease. So if I 104 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:34,120 Speaker 1: said breathe without ceasing, you know that's that's gotta be 105 00:08:34,160 --> 00:08:36,280 Speaker 1: how you roll. That's gotta be how you roll. So 106 00:08:36,360 --> 00:08:39,720 Speaker 1: when Paul says pray without ceasing, he's talking about this 107 00:08:39,800 --> 00:08:43,720 Speaker 1: is how you roll. This is how you roll that 108 00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:53,280 Speaker 1: it is a lifestyle, not merely an event. When you 109 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:57,240 Speaker 1: go into another country, they're going to ask you to 110 00:08:57,400 --> 00:09:04,440 Speaker 1: show a passport. The passport gives you permission to go 111 00:09:04,559 --> 00:09:09,160 Speaker 1: into this new realm, this new locality, this new country. 112 00:09:09,679 --> 00:09:15,200 Speaker 1: It is permission. God has given every believer a toll 113 00:09:15,320 --> 00:09:19,680 Speaker 1: free number. You got an eight hundred number. It's toll free, 114 00:09:20,320 --> 00:09:24,960 Speaker 1: and it is designed to give you permission to leave 115 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:29,200 Speaker 1: Earth and enter the sphere of Heaven through the mechanism 116 00:09:29,760 --> 00:09:34,640 Speaker 1: of prayer. So prayer is not just saying some word, 117 00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:39,880 Speaker 1: it's changing locations. When you pray, as we will describe 118 00:09:39,880 --> 00:09:44,040 Speaker 1: in a moment, you leave the physical and you have 119 00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:50,080 Speaker 1: now entered the spiritual. Without prayer, you become limited to 120 00:09:50,200 --> 00:09:53,720 Speaker 1: the physical. But the only reason you pray is to 121 00:09:53,760 --> 00:09:58,040 Speaker 1: get the spiritual God to enter into the physical. The 122 00:09:58,240 --> 00:10:03,720 Speaker 1: passport to leave the physical and into the spiritual is 123 00:10:03,720 --> 00:10:10,720 Speaker 1: in one word in scripture, and that word is prayer. Now, 124 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:17,400 Speaker 1: let me explain. Prayer does not get God to do 125 00:10:17,480 --> 00:10:21,320 Speaker 1: something he doesn't want to do, because you can't make 126 00:10:21,400 --> 00:10:27,000 Speaker 1: God do something. But what prayer does is access what 127 00:10:27,120 --> 00:10:31,920 Speaker 1: He already wants to do that he has conditioned on 128 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:38,400 Speaker 1: your participation and mine. I love Isaiah sixty five, verse 129 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:44,679 Speaker 1: twenty four. Isaiah sixty five, twenties four says, before you call, 130 00:10:45,040 --> 00:10:50,920 Speaker 1: I have answered, Oh did you follow that? Before you prayed, 131 00:10:51,200 --> 00:10:55,920 Speaker 1: I have already answered the prayer. So you are not 132 00:10:56,080 --> 00:10:59,440 Speaker 1: praying to get God to do something, but to pull 133 00:10:59,559 --> 00:11:05,400 Speaker 1: down something he's already predetermined to do. Because if he's 134 00:11:05,440 --> 00:11:07,880 Speaker 1: already done it before you asked for it, then why 135 00:11:07,880 --> 00:11:11,319 Speaker 1: don't I have it? Because it has to be pulled down, 136 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:18,880 Speaker 1: pulled from heaven into history, and that is done through prayer. 137 00:11:21,480 --> 00:11:27,680 Speaker 1: This concept of prayer is distributing eternity in the time. 138 00:11:27,720 --> 00:11:33,960 Speaker 1: You remember when the disciples were asked by Jesus, how 139 00:11:33,960 --> 00:11:36,760 Speaker 1: are we gonna feed five thousand men, not counting women 140 00:11:36,760 --> 00:11:39,679 Speaker 1: and children, fifteen to twenty thousand people. And they said, 141 00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:43,000 Speaker 1: we don't know. But they found a little boy with 142 00:11:43,920 --> 00:11:47,920 Speaker 1: two fish, five barley loaves of bread. They brought him 143 00:11:47,920 --> 00:11:50,800 Speaker 1: to Jesus because there's a problem. How we gonna feed 144 00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:54,280 Speaker 1: all these people? The Bible says Jesus looked up to 145 00:11:54,320 --> 00:12:01,000 Speaker 1: heaven and he prayed, and he invited God into the problem. 146 00:12:01,000 --> 00:12:03,960 Speaker 1: When everybody opened up their eyes, Moby Dick is laying 147 00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:07,840 Speaker 1: on the beach, or could I kill a whale? Somehow 148 00:12:08,440 --> 00:12:13,160 Speaker 1: there was supernatural vision so that the scripture says, everybody 149 00:12:13,480 --> 00:12:16,960 Speaker 1: ate till they were full, and there were twelve baskets 150 00:12:17,679 --> 00:12:24,640 Speaker 1: filled with leftovers for them, and the disciples distributed the 151 00:12:24,800 --> 00:12:30,840 Speaker 1: food to all that were gathered. Jesus Christ got heaven 152 00:12:31,679 --> 00:12:36,000 Speaker 1: to enter history, but he prayed for that to take place, 153 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:41,679 Speaker 1: which answered the problem. And all men did was distribute 154 00:12:42,040 --> 00:12:47,400 Speaker 1: what the supernatural had provided. So help me out. If 155 00:12:47,520 --> 00:12:52,840 Speaker 1: Jesus had to pray to get his heavenly father to 156 00:12:53,000 --> 00:12:57,480 Speaker 1: do something up there to change something down here, how 157 00:12:57,559 --> 00:13:00,280 Speaker 1: much do you and I need to pray to get 158 00:13:00,320 --> 00:13:03,280 Speaker 1: God to do something up there that we need him 159 00:13:03,320 --> 00:13:10,680 Speaker 1: to do down here. So we're talking about something serious. 160 00:13:12,040 --> 00:13:18,440 Speaker 1: We're talking about drawing Heaven into history. So let's break 161 00:13:18,480 --> 00:13:22,160 Speaker 1: down this passage. And by the end of this passage, 162 00:13:23,480 --> 00:13:27,200 Speaker 1: I hope you will have been ignited for a new 163 00:13:27,280 --> 00:13:32,240 Speaker 1: fire regarding prayer and its power to take the Kingdom 164 00:13:32,280 --> 00:13:37,120 Speaker 1: of Heaven and invade the Kingdom of Earth through the 165 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:45,439 Speaker 1: mechanism of prayer. Verse thirteen. Is anyone among you suffering? 166 00:13:47,840 --> 00:13:52,920 Speaker 1: Suffering meant to be going through a difficult period of time. 167 00:13:54,400 --> 00:14:00,720 Speaker 1: Suffering means you are hurting. Something is hurting you. It 168 00:14:00,800 --> 00:14:07,360 Speaker 1: could be physical hurt, financial hurt, circumstantial hurt, relational hurt, 169 00:14:07,760 --> 00:14:11,120 Speaker 1: or you know, is you're in pain, you are suffering. 170 00:14:13,600 --> 00:14:16,960 Speaker 1: So just to make sure I'm not wasting my time here, 171 00:14:18,440 --> 00:14:21,800 Speaker 1: let me ask you what James asked his audience. Is 172 00:14:21,880 --> 00:14:24,960 Speaker 1: anybody here this morning suffering? Let me raise your han 173 00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:28,320 Speaker 1: you're suffering? Good. I want to make sure we could 174 00:14:28,360 --> 00:14:33,600 Speaker 1: apply this so for everybody who raised their hands, for 175 00:14:33,680 --> 00:14:37,120 Speaker 1: those who are lying and didn't raise their hands, and 176 00:14:37,200 --> 00:14:39,360 Speaker 1: for those who will need to raise their hands tomorrow, 177 00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:41,800 Speaker 1: even though they may not need to raise it today. 178 00:14:43,040 --> 00:14:47,560 Speaker 1: Is any among you suffering? You're going through a rough 179 00:14:47,680 --> 00:14:54,760 Speaker 1: patch of life? He says, notice this, he must pray. 180 00:14:56,240 --> 00:14:58,600 Speaker 1: Now he should pray, not it would be nice if 181 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:04,200 Speaker 1: he did pray, He said, as your better pray if 182 00:15:04,320 --> 00:15:09,160 Speaker 1: life has fallen on you. Many of these Christians were 183 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:13,280 Speaker 1: being persecuted, many were going through trials that were difficult 184 00:15:13,280 --> 00:15:19,080 Speaker 1: to handle, and they were hurting. James says, if you 185 00:15:19,160 --> 00:15:30,040 Speaker 1: are hurting because of circumstances, you must pray. Kane is 186 00:15:30,240 --> 00:15:38,360 Speaker 1: always an invitation to prayer. Kane in whatever form it takes, 187 00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:45,160 Speaker 1: is always an invitation to pray. You say, well, I'm 188 00:15:45,240 --> 00:15:49,080 Speaker 1: hurting all the time. That means you should be praying 189 00:15:49,200 --> 00:15:55,680 Speaker 1: all the time, because Kane is an invitation to pray. 190 00:15:56,000 --> 00:16:02,200 Speaker 1: In fact, one of the reasons God let's pain linger 191 00:16:02,960 --> 00:16:08,400 Speaker 1: is to get more prayer from us. So we actually 192 00:16:08,480 --> 00:16:14,600 Speaker 1: can lengthen pain time or shorten pain time by lengthening 193 00:16:14,640 --> 00:16:20,560 Speaker 1: prayer time and not shortening prayer time. If anyone is hurting, 194 00:16:21,440 --> 00:16:28,640 Speaker 1: he not should not could. He must make contact with 195 00:16:28,920 --> 00:16:32,120 Speaker 1: Heaven in the midst of the pain. He must pray. 196 00:16:33,320 --> 00:16:35,800 Speaker 1: He goes on in verse thirteen. Notice what he says, 197 00:16:37,080 --> 00:16:44,240 Speaker 1: is anyone cheerful he is to sing praises. So now 198 00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:47,320 Speaker 1: we're not talking about the person in pain. Were talking 199 00:16:47,360 --> 00:16:50,960 Speaker 1: about all them folks that didn't raise the hand. That 200 00:16:51,000 --> 00:16:56,760 Speaker 1: should mean you're cheerful. It's a good day. You're happy today. 201 00:16:57,400 --> 00:17:03,640 Speaker 1: You're not in any excrucion aiding difficulty right now, He says, well, 202 00:17:03,680 --> 00:17:08,080 Speaker 1: if your day is going well, you're cheerful. Let him 203 00:17:08,240 --> 00:17:15,440 Speaker 1: sing praises. Now. A praise is an expression of value 204 00:17:15,840 --> 00:17:22,160 Speaker 1: to the Lord. It is honoring the Lord physically and verbally. 205 00:17:23,600 --> 00:17:27,399 Speaker 1: There's no such thing as silent praise. You can have 206 00:17:27,480 --> 00:17:31,879 Speaker 1: silent worship, but you can't have silent praise. Praise is 207 00:17:31,920 --> 00:17:36,480 Speaker 1: always visual and the vocal. That's why he says, sing 208 00:17:37,000 --> 00:17:43,920 Speaker 1: praises to the Lord. Wait a minute, let's rewind. If 209 00:17:43,920 --> 00:17:49,440 Speaker 1: you're in pain, pray. If you're not in pain, you're 210 00:17:49,480 --> 00:17:55,120 Speaker 1: not sad, but you're glad praise well, hold it. You're 211 00:17:55,119 --> 00:18:00,560 Speaker 1: either one or the other. You're either in pain or cheerful. 212 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:05,159 Speaker 1: If you're in pain, talk to God. If you're not 213 00:18:05,280 --> 00:18:11,520 Speaker 1: in pain, praise God, which means that you always communicating 214 00:18:11,560 --> 00:18:14,960 Speaker 1: with God because you either in pain or in praise. 215 00:18:16,480 --> 00:18:19,800 Speaker 1: So God wants to hear from you all day, non 216 00:18:19,960 --> 00:18:22,919 Speaker 1: stop as a way of life. He wants you to 217 00:18:23,040 --> 00:18:27,399 Speaker 1: thread him into every aspect of your day, either in 218 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:32,639 Speaker 1: prayer or in praise. Because you either in pain or 219 00:18:32,760 --> 00:18:35,760 Speaker 1: you in praise. What does that mean? That means you 220 00:18:35,840 --> 00:18:38,880 Speaker 1: got a twenty four seventh thing going on with God. 221 00:18:39,520 --> 00:18:42,120 Speaker 1: That's why you can't get mad at your grandmother when 222 00:18:42,200 --> 00:18:44,400 Speaker 1: she walking around as mistay, they're gonna pray the Lord, 223 00:18:44,400 --> 00:18:49,159 Speaker 1: pray the Lord, pray the Lord. Yep, because God wants 224 00:18:49,280 --> 00:18:54,919 Speaker 1: a connection on the gooing lead in every aspect of 225 00:18:54,960 --> 00:19:02,600 Speaker 1: our lives, whether we're hurting or not. Verse your team, 226 00:19:02,640 --> 00:19:11,399 Speaker 1: he says, is anyone among you sick? Sick? Now? The 227 00:19:11,520 --> 00:19:16,639 Speaker 1: Greek word for sick means to be weary. That's what 228 00:19:16,760 --> 00:19:22,960 Speaker 1: the word means. It means to be weary. The idea 229 00:19:23,040 --> 00:19:27,560 Speaker 1: of sickness here is not merely physical sickness. It could 230 00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:33,640 Speaker 1: be physical, but the word refers to its effect. It's 231 00:19:33,760 --> 00:19:37,760 Speaker 1: created weariness. It's like when you say I'm sick and tired, 232 00:19:39,359 --> 00:19:40,920 Speaker 1: or when you look at the person next year and 233 00:19:40,960 --> 00:19:46,959 Speaker 1: you say, I'm sick of you. All right, that's a 234 00:19:46,960 --> 00:19:50,920 Speaker 1: form of sickness that means you're tired of him. I'm 235 00:19:51,040 --> 00:19:56,320 Speaker 1: sick of this job, you know, I'm sick of this circumstance. 236 00:19:57,480 --> 00:20:02,520 Speaker 1: You're expressing a weariness. But you're using the word sick. Okay, 237 00:20:02,760 --> 00:20:04,680 Speaker 1: you may not mean you're You're not saying I'm sick 238 00:20:04,720 --> 00:20:07,240 Speaker 1: of you. I'm physically sick. Means I'm tired of dealing 239 00:20:07,240 --> 00:20:12,119 Speaker 1: with you. I am weary. So the concept of sick, 240 00:20:12,520 --> 00:20:17,000 Speaker 1: which could be physical or emotional or circumstantial, has to 241 00:20:17,040 --> 00:20:21,160 Speaker 1: do with I've been beat down, broke down, toe up 242 00:20:21,400 --> 00:20:25,840 Speaker 1: from the flow up because the weight of life. And 243 00:20:25,960 --> 00:20:31,320 Speaker 1: I'm just tired. I'm tired. I've been going through this 244 00:20:31,440 --> 00:20:34,040 Speaker 1: for this long. I've been struggling with this. I am 245 00:20:34,160 --> 00:20:39,000 Speaker 1: just weary. I'm sick and tired. So let me make 246 00:20:39,040 --> 00:20:42,720 Speaker 1: sure I'm being relevant here. Anybody weary, I just want 247 00:20:42,720 --> 00:20:48,000 Speaker 1: to make sure be relevant. So he's speaking. Now, that's 248 00:20:48,040 --> 00:20:52,080 Speaker 1: the sufferer, that's the person's going to pain. But this 249 00:20:52,200 --> 00:20:56,120 Speaker 1: is the weary one, the one who, because of what 250 00:20:56,240 --> 00:21:00,359 Speaker 1: they may be suffering, is not sure that can go 251 00:21:00,359 --> 00:21:03,560 Speaker 1: on any further. I'm not sure they can make it. 252 00:21:04,480 --> 00:21:07,080 Speaker 1: I want to throw in the towel. What happens when 253 00:21:07,080 --> 00:21:11,880 Speaker 1: you get weary, no matter what's caused the weariness. Then 254 00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:16,240 Speaker 1: let him call on the elders of the church, and 255 00:21:16,320 --> 00:21:21,800 Speaker 1: they are to pray over him. Ah in verse thirteen, 256 00:21:22,320 --> 00:21:26,520 Speaker 1: you are praying for you. Anyone suffering, let him pray. 257 00:21:27,359 --> 00:21:33,000 Speaker 1: But in verse fourteen, you need help because your prayers 258 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:35,600 Speaker 1: are not getting through. In fact, you don't even feel 259 00:21:35,600 --> 00:21:40,960 Speaker 1: like praying anymore. When life beats you down long enough, 260 00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:44,119 Speaker 1: deep enough, you can get tired of dealing with God. 261 00:21:45,200 --> 00:21:48,600 Speaker 1: Now that doesn't sound spiritual, but all y'all know that's true. 262 00:21:49,960 --> 00:21:53,800 Speaker 1: You don't feel like talking to God right now. God 263 00:21:53,840 --> 00:21:57,320 Speaker 1: seems absent from you. The telephone line is off the hook, 264 00:21:57,760 --> 00:22:01,959 Speaker 1: it's busy. You're not breaking through. You're just mumbling the 265 00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:04,560 Speaker 1: same words over and over again. You feel like you're 266 00:22:04,600 --> 00:22:09,919 Speaker 1: talking to yourself. He says, Okay. Now, at that point 267 00:22:10,000 --> 00:22:15,200 Speaker 1: that you hit wearyness, you need more than you. So 268 00:22:15,240 --> 00:22:17,880 Speaker 1: he says, go to the elders of the church that 269 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:22,240 Speaker 1: should represent the spiritual leadership of the church to get 270 00:22:22,400 --> 00:22:25,800 Speaker 1: support for a breakthrough you have not been able to 271 00:22:25,840 --> 00:22:31,760 Speaker 1: get on your own. Every Sunday morning, before each of 272 00:22:31,800 --> 00:22:36,160 Speaker 1: the services, the elders meet and on a regular basis, 273 00:22:36,160 --> 00:22:41,680 Speaker 1: we are praying for some member that has called to 274 00:22:41,760 --> 00:22:47,200 Speaker 1: speak about their situation, their weariness, or their suffering, and 275 00:22:47,240 --> 00:22:49,960 Speaker 1: so we schedule them for a time of prayer before 276 00:22:50,000 --> 00:22:53,560 Speaker 1: the service that they come to. This is when people 277 00:22:53,600 --> 00:22:58,440 Speaker 1: want to give up throwing the towel. That means you 278 00:22:58,520 --> 00:23:03,639 Speaker 1: need some other folk who can cry out for you, 279 00:23:03,680 --> 00:23:06,600 Speaker 1: because you are too tired to cry out for yourself. 280 00:23:08,320 --> 00:23:10,720 Speaker 1: He says, you go call the elders of the church 281 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:14,480 Speaker 1: and let them pray, because you may not be able to. 282 00:23:15,920 --> 00:23:18,920 Speaker 1: That's why you're to be a part of a local church, 283 00:23:19,280 --> 00:23:21,880 Speaker 1: so that when you can't go on, somebody else can 284 00:23:21,960 --> 00:23:26,399 Speaker 1: keep you going on. You're not to be a lone 285 00:23:26,520 --> 00:23:31,080 Speaker 1: ranger Christian. So that must be spiritual people since they 286 00:23:31,160 --> 00:23:35,359 Speaker 1: represent the church. It's talking about the environment. People who 287 00:23:35,400 --> 00:23:41,199 Speaker 1: can carry you when you can't carry yourself. Reminds me 288 00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:44,800 Speaker 1: of the story in Mark chapter two, Versus one to twelve. 289 00:23:44,840 --> 00:23:48,080 Speaker 1: You got a lame man, a paralyzed man. He can't 290 00:23:48,080 --> 00:23:52,200 Speaker 1: get up. He can't get up. He's been laying in 291 00:23:52,200 --> 00:23:56,600 Speaker 1: a long time and he can't get up. But he 292 00:23:56,680 --> 00:24:02,560 Speaker 1: had four boys, he had four posse, his homies. They 293 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:07,159 Speaker 1: came and it says, and they picked him up and 294 00:24:07,240 --> 00:24:10,640 Speaker 1: took him to the house where Jesus was. Says they 295 00:24:10,680 --> 00:24:14,040 Speaker 1: cut a hole in the roof and let him down 296 00:24:15,000 --> 00:24:19,080 Speaker 1: in front of Jesus, and then it says, when Jesus 297 00:24:19,520 --> 00:24:24,119 Speaker 1: saw their faith, not the man's faith. He was laying 298 00:24:24,160 --> 00:24:28,399 Speaker 1: down when he saw his homies faith. When he saw 299 00:24:28,480 --> 00:24:31,320 Speaker 1: the four brothers who picked him up. When he saw 300 00:24:31,520 --> 00:24:35,680 Speaker 1: their faith, he healed the man. The man couldn't get 301 00:24:35,760 --> 00:24:38,119 Speaker 1: up on his own, but he had some folk in 302 00:24:38,200 --> 00:24:42,600 Speaker 1: his life who cared enough about him to reach over, 303 00:24:43,080 --> 00:24:45,879 Speaker 1: kick him up, lift him up, carry him to Jesus, 304 00:24:46,000 --> 00:24:49,000 Speaker 1: drop him down. And when Jesus saw the four men, 305 00:24:49,320 --> 00:24:52,399 Speaker 1: he said, I'm gonna heal you for their sake, because 306 00:24:52,440 --> 00:24:55,800 Speaker 1: you can't get up on your own. I wish I 307 00:24:55,800 --> 00:24:57,879 Speaker 1: could come in and tell you this morning. If you 308 00:24:57,920 --> 00:25:03,439 Speaker 1: are committed Christian, you get tired. Oh but some of 309 00:25:03,480 --> 00:25:09,040 Speaker 1: God's most tired Christians were committed Christians. Paul said he 310 00:25:09,119 --> 00:25:12,040 Speaker 1: was ready to give up on life in Second Corinthians 311 00:25:12,119 --> 00:25:14,840 Speaker 1: Chapter one. He was ready to throw him the towel 312 00:25:15,640 --> 00:25:19,800 Speaker 1: until God lifting him up. So just believing in Christ 313 00:25:19,840 --> 00:25:22,919 Speaker 1: and being a Christian doesn't mean you don't suffer, and 314 00:25:23,040 --> 00:25:27,840 Speaker 1: it certainly means you don't get weary. But God does 315 00:25:27,920 --> 00:25:31,879 Speaker 1: not want you to deal with your weariness alone. Says 316 00:25:32,000 --> 00:25:37,320 Speaker 1: let them pray. He goes on, and he says, and 317 00:25:37,359 --> 00:25:43,119 Speaker 1: then let them annoint him with oil. Let them annoint 318 00:25:43,160 --> 00:25:50,520 Speaker 1: him with oil. Oil had a number of usages in 319 00:25:50,560 --> 00:25:55,520 Speaker 1: the Bible, as it does today. Oil was used medicinal 320 00:25:55,640 --> 00:25:59,040 Speaker 1: league It was a medication. If you got cut, you 321 00:25:59,080 --> 00:26:03,040 Speaker 1: would anoint with oil, anointment on like we do in 322 00:26:03,040 --> 00:26:05,919 Speaker 1: a more sophisticated way to day. When you go to 323 00:26:05,960 --> 00:26:08,159 Speaker 1: a massage and you get a massage, they put all 324 00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:12,560 Speaker 1: these oils on you to refresh you, to kind of 325 00:26:13,080 --> 00:26:15,280 Speaker 1: make you feel good, and they try to get you 326 00:26:15,320 --> 00:26:18,560 Speaker 1: to relax. Or oil is used for that. Oil is 327 00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:21,800 Speaker 1: used for cooking. You cook with oil. So all of 328 00:26:21,840 --> 00:26:27,000 Speaker 1: these uses of oil are in the Bible. Sometimes it's 329 00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:31,360 Speaker 1: not even referring to physical oil. In Psalm twenty three, 330 00:26:31,480 --> 00:26:37,400 Speaker 1: verse five, David says, he anoints my head with oil. Well, 331 00:26:37,400 --> 00:26:40,959 Speaker 1: God didn't come down in massage David's head with oil. 332 00:26:41,520 --> 00:26:46,719 Speaker 1: He's talking about the refreshing and the encouragement and the 333 00:26:46,800 --> 00:26:49,879 Speaker 1: stimulation he got from God when he was facing a 334 00:26:49,880 --> 00:26:55,480 Speaker 1: bad situation. So oil has all these multiplicity of usages 335 00:26:55,840 --> 00:27:00,080 Speaker 1: in the Bible. He says, when that member comes to 336 00:27:00,119 --> 00:27:03,200 Speaker 1: the elders, you are to pray for them, but then 337 00:27:03,280 --> 00:27:08,040 Speaker 1: anoint them. In other words, have the church minister to 338 00:27:08,160 --> 00:27:12,440 Speaker 1: them at the point of their need pour oil on them. 339 00:27:13,600 --> 00:27:16,879 Speaker 1: We have members who have driven people to the hospital 340 00:27:17,119 --> 00:27:20,520 Speaker 1: who couldn't go themselves, so they prayed for them, but 341 00:27:20,640 --> 00:27:23,399 Speaker 1: then they opened their car door and drove them to 342 00:27:23,480 --> 00:27:26,440 Speaker 1: the oil of healing by getting them to a doctor. 343 00:27:27,119 --> 00:27:29,840 Speaker 1: Then we have people who gather with people who are 344 00:27:29,920 --> 00:27:34,080 Speaker 1: hurting to provide counsel and comfort. Or we have a 345 00:27:34,119 --> 00:27:37,640 Speaker 1: group when somebody loses someone in care and comfort to 346 00:27:37,760 --> 00:27:41,080 Speaker 1: encourage them through their loss of a loved one. All 347 00:27:41,119 --> 00:27:45,760 Speaker 1: of those are Biblical ways of expressing oil or the comfort, 348 00:27:46,040 --> 00:27:49,920 Speaker 1: or the help or the refreshment of ministry. That's why 349 00:27:50,000 --> 00:27:52,440 Speaker 1: you're being in the local church is not just for you. 350 00:27:53,200 --> 00:27:56,920 Speaker 1: It's you to also be an oil provider for somebody 351 00:27:57,000 --> 00:28:01,760 Speaker 1: who needs some oil on them, somebody who needs some encouragement, refreshment, 352 00:28:02,080 --> 00:28:06,840 Speaker 1: or assistance. Everybody here ought to be helping somebody sometime 353 00:28:07,960 --> 00:28:11,080 Speaker 1: due to the fact that they have become weary, because 354 00:28:11,119 --> 00:28:14,000 Speaker 1: one day you're gonna need somebody to get some oil 355 00:28:14,160 --> 00:28:19,080 Speaker 1: on you when life has fallen through for you. So 356 00:28:19,160 --> 00:28:22,800 Speaker 1: it is absolutely critically says let the elders make sure 357 00:28:22,840 --> 00:28:25,960 Speaker 1: that there is ministry going to the people the church 358 00:28:26,080 --> 00:28:29,479 Speaker 1: is not just a sermon, it's not just a song. 359 00:28:29,760 --> 00:28:33,280 Speaker 1: It's supposed to be a place of ministry where that's 360 00:28:33,280 --> 00:28:35,960 Speaker 1: why we ask every member to being a ministry. So 361 00:28:36,080 --> 00:28:40,239 Speaker 1: you are serving and not just being served, because you 362 00:28:40,280 --> 00:28:44,400 Speaker 1: are to be an oil provider whatever, whether it's physical 363 00:28:44,720 --> 00:28:51,960 Speaker 1: or emotional or circumstantial. So he says, when you can't 364 00:28:52,000 --> 00:28:57,480 Speaker 1: handle it yourself, come to the church, call on the elders, 365 00:28:58,360 --> 00:29:05,320 Speaker 1: get the ministry, the oil, and you do it, he says, 366 00:29:05,360 --> 00:29:08,600 Speaker 1: in the name of the Lord. Why, because we're talking 367 00:29:08,600 --> 00:29:12,080 Speaker 1: about kingdom prayer. We're talking about authority from heaven. The 368 00:29:12,240 --> 00:29:16,240 Speaker 1: name means according to the character, the attributes and the 369 00:29:16,280 --> 00:29:19,640 Speaker 1: authority of Jesus Christ. You do it in Jesus's name 370 00:29:19,880 --> 00:29:22,960 Speaker 1: because he's the one who okays the answers to prayer. 371 00:29:25,600 --> 00:29:31,880 Speaker 1: Verse fifteen. And the prayer offered in faith rule will 372 00:29:31,960 --> 00:29:38,880 Speaker 1: restore the one who is sick. M the prayer offered 373 00:29:38,880 --> 00:29:42,480 Speaker 1: in faith. Here's the word. I love this word. We 374 00:29:42,600 --> 00:29:53,000 Speaker 1: need this word restores. Hm restores. To restore something is 375 00:29:53,080 --> 00:29:59,760 Speaker 1: to bring it back to its original intent. When something breaks, 376 00:29:59,800 --> 00:30:02,400 Speaker 1: you restore it. You try to bring it back to 377 00:30:02,440 --> 00:30:10,120 Speaker 1: its original intent. God is a restoring God. In the 378 00:30:10,240 --> 00:30:14,720 Speaker 1: wearinesses of life. He makes an astounding promise. He says, 379 00:30:14,720 --> 00:30:21,600 Speaker 1: God will restore. Now, let me clarify. We know that 380 00:30:21,640 --> 00:30:28,800 Speaker 1: everybody who gets physically sick don't always get well, or 381 00:30:28,840 --> 00:30:30,840 Speaker 1: they may get partially well, or they may be just 382 00:30:31,000 --> 00:30:36,600 Speaker 1: a little better. We know that perfect health is not 383 00:30:36,760 --> 00:30:40,480 Speaker 1: always restored in every situation. We know it is sometimes, 384 00:30:40,800 --> 00:30:44,880 Speaker 1: but it's not all the time. We also know in 385 00:30:44,920 --> 00:30:49,160 Speaker 1: the Bible people got sick who were in the will 386 00:30:49,200 --> 00:30:52,920 Speaker 1: of God. Job was in the will of God when 387 00:30:52,920 --> 00:30:59,280 Speaker 1: he got sick. All physical sickness is not due to 388 00:30:59,360 --> 00:31:03,320 Speaker 1: personal sin. When you catch a cold, it doesn't mean 389 00:31:03,360 --> 00:31:10,240 Speaker 1: you just sinned. Now it might, but it doesn't necessarily 390 00:31:10,280 --> 00:31:14,000 Speaker 1: mean that. Yes, we have an environment that hasn't been 391 00:31:14,040 --> 00:31:18,000 Speaker 1: affected by sin, but all sicknesses not due to personal sin. 392 00:31:19,520 --> 00:31:25,200 Speaker 1: That's why often disillusionment sets in when pul Pitts make 393 00:31:25,280 --> 00:31:32,040 Speaker 1: promises that God does not make, because then it looks 394 00:31:32,080 --> 00:31:39,720 Speaker 1: like God has failed. The word sick is weary. What 395 00:31:39,840 --> 00:31:45,800 Speaker 1: God does when you can't lift yourself up while you 396 00:31:45,800 --> 00:31:49,760 Speaker 1: are praying for a change in the circumstance is he 397 00:31:49,840 --> 00:31:56,800 Speaker 1: removes the weary while you wait. It has to do. Yes, 398 00:31:56,880 --> 00:31:59,920 Speaker 1: sometimes God takes you out. But other times he walks 399 00:32:00,120 --> 00:32:06,560 Speaker 1: with you through. Other times he walks beside you. He 400 00:32:06,680 --> 00:32:10,200 Speaker 1: restores you emotionally, even though you're waiting for him to 401 00:32:10,240 --> 00:32:16,320 Speaker 1: restore you circumstantially or physically. Sometimes he does both. But 402 00:32:16,440 --> 00:32:21,160 Speaker 1: the restore here is to remove the weariness while you 403 00:32:21,240 --> 00:32:26,240 Speaker 1: still trust him for the solution. He says in that 404 00:32:26,360 --> 00:32:31,960 Speaker 1: he can guarantee you. He's guaranteeing that one he will restore. 405 00:32:33,040 --> 00:32:36,040 Speaker 1: He will get your get up and go that has 406 00:32:36,080 --> 00:32:43,160 Speaker 1: gotten up and gone back, He says. The prayer of 407 00:32:43,320 --> 00:32:48,960 Speaker 1: faith that believes God, that acts like God is telling 408 00:32:48,960 --> 00:32:51,360 Speaker 1: the truth. That reminds me of the story of these 409 00:32:51,360 --> 00:32:53,200 Speaker 1: folks who were praying for rain. They were praying for 410 00:32:53,280 --> 00:32:56,760 Speaker 1: rain because it was dry. Their praying for rain, and 411 00:32:57,040 --> 00:33:00,040 Speaker 1: it didn't rain. They went on praying for rain and 412 00:33:00,200 --> 00:33:05,240 Speaker 1: rain didn't so that disappointed a God. A little boy 413 00:33:05,320 --> 00:33:08,840 Speaker 1: came out a few days later by himself in the 414 00:33:08,880 --> 00:33:14,120 Speaker 1: stent of town. He praying for rain. God, you control 415 00:33:14,160 --> 00:33:15,960 Speaker 1: the heavens, and I believe you can make it rain. 416 00:33:17,920 --> 00:33:21,800 Speaker 1: He just stood there, God, I know you can make 417 00:33:21,840 --> 00:33:26,800 Speaker 1: it rain. All of a sudden, the sky got cloudy 418 00:33:28,360 --> 00:33:32,880 Speaker 1: a little bit later started raining. All these adults were 419 00:33:32,880 --> 00:33:37,560 Speaker 1: praying for rain, no rain. As a little boy comes 420 00:33:37,560 --> 00:33:41,600 Speaker 1: from praying for rain, it rained. What was the difference 421 00:33:41,640 --> 00:33:44,440 Speaker 1: between all the adults and a little boy. The little 422 00:33:44,480 --> 00:33:50,959 Speaker 1: boy brought an umbrella. See the little boy wasn't just talking, 423 00:33:51,880 --> 00:33:56,440 Speaker 1: He was expecting. He was expecting. See when the prayer 424 00:33:56,440 --> 00:33:59,880 Speaker 1: of faith is a prayer that acts like you believe 425 00:34:00,080 --> 00:34:05,400 Speaker 1: God can do something, not just talking in air. It 426 00:34:05,800 --> 00:34:09,120 Speaker 1: knows who you're talking to, and you know what his 427 00:34:09,200 --> 00:34:12,920 Speaker 1: ability is to pull off what you ask for and 428 00:34:13,080 --> 00:34:17,240 Speaker 1: whatever is the appropriate thing to do, because you believe 429 00:34:17,280 --> 00:34:22,680 Speaker 1: you're willing to do, he says, the prayer of faith 430 00:34:22,680 --> 00:34:28,040 Speaker 1: will heal the sick, if will remove the weariness, and 431 00:34:28,200 --> 00:34:33,239 Speaker 1: the Lord will raise him up. And if he has 432 00:34:33,280 --> 00:34:36,479 Speaker 1: committed sins, because maybe he didn't, but if he has, 433 00:34:36,800 --> 00:34:41,400 Speaker 1: they will be forgiven him. Why do we pray for 434 00:34:41,520 --> 00:34:45,480 Speaker 1: one another that our circumstance has changed, and if necessary, 435 00:34:45,520 --> 00:34:49,520 Speaker 1: that sin get addressed. Because sin can keep you sick? 436 00:34:51,000 --> 00:34:53,560 Speaker 1: All sin is that all sickness does not due to sin, 437 00:34:55,120 --> 00:35:01,600 Speaker 1: but sickness can be caused by sin. First green linz 438 00:35:01,640 --> 00:35:05,239 Speaker 1: eleven makes it clear, many are sick, many are weak 439 00:35:05,320 --> 00:35:09,680 Speaker 1: among you? Why because of unaddressed sin? So the reason 440 00:35:09,719 --> 00:35:12,520 Speaker 1: why you need to be in fellowship with some people 441 00:35:12,800 --> 00:35:15,120 Speaker 1: who are spiritual is so that they can help you 442 00:35:15,200 --> 00:35:19,400 Speaker 1: face sin, so that you can get over sick. Because 443 00:35:19,400 --> 00:35:22,279 Speaker 1: if you're unwilling to deal with sin, you will have 444 00:35:22,360 --> 00:35:27,120 Speaker 1: to stay sick or weary or defeated or whatever it is. 445 00:35:27,280 --> 00:35:31,000 Speaker 1: Because you're not willing to address the sin. You're not 446 00:35:31,040 --> 00:35:34,160 Speaker 1: willing to repent. But he says, if you will deal 447 00:35:34,200 --> 00:35:43,759 Speaker 1: with the spiritually, your sin is forgiven. Therefore, confess your 448 00:35:43,800 --> 00:35:51,200 Speaker 1: sins to one another. He says in verse sixteen, acknowledge 449 00:35:51,239 --> 00:35:56,239 Speaker 1: the sin that's created the weariness for which you need 450 00:35:56,280 --> 00:36:02,560 Speaker 1: to repent to the appropriate Now, how do you know 451 00:36:02,560 --> 00:36:06,799 Speaker 1: who the appropriate other is? Because some people you can't 452 00:36:06,840 --> 00:36:15,680 Speaker 1: tell your stuff too. Okay, it'll be all over town. Okay, 453 00:36:16,360 --> 00:36:18,440 Speaker 1: How do you know who the other is? When you 454 00:36:18,480 --> 00:36:22,200 Speaker 1: need help out of weariness and you need victory over sin, 455 00:36:22,840 --> 00:36:27,560 Speaker 1: but you need another who is the other? Can't just 456 00:36:27,640 --> 00:36:32,240 Speaker 1: be any and everybody. He actually tells you. He says, 457 00:36:32,360 --> 00:36:38,120 Speaker 1: confess to one another, and then he says, and pray 458 00:36:38,280 --> 00:36:41,959 Speaker 1: for one another. So you only confess to somebody who's 459 00:36:42,000 --> 00:36:47,560 Speaker 1: gonna pray for you, not talk about you, if they're 460 00:36:47,600 --> 00:36:54,919 Speaker 1: not a prayer. You shouldn't be a confessor, okay, if 461 00:36:54,960 --> 00:36:58,879 Speaker 1: they're not a prayer, if they're not somebody who's gonna 462 00:36:58,880 --> 00:37:03,439 Speaker 1: wrap themselves around you, come alongside of you, pray for you, 463 00:37:04,160 --> 00:37:09,560 Speaker 1: walk with you spiritually. All they want is gossip, news 464 00:37:09,600 --> 00:37:14,120 Speaker 1: and information. That's not who you talk to. You talk 465 00:37:14,200 --> 00:37:18,360 Speaker 1: to prayers because this is about prayer. This is about 466 00:37:18,400 --> 00:37:23,720 Speaker 1: getting you to Heaven, not just trying to throw stuff 467 00:37:23,800 --> 00:37:27,440 Speaker 1: up on earth. So the confess to is the prey 468 00:37:27,560 --> 00:37:37,160 Speaker 1: for He says that you may be healed, that you 469 00:37:37,239 --> 00:37:42,720 Speaker 1: may be delivered from or through whatever is taking place 470 00:37:42,800 --> 00:37:47,239 Speaker 1: in your life. The word if he has committed in 471 00:37:47,280 --> 00:37:50,520 Speaker 1: the Greek is the perfect tense. The perfect tense means 472 00:37:50,560 --> 00:37:54,040 Speaker 1: pass action with abiding results. So what that means is 473 00:37:54,520 --> 00:37:58,280 Speaker 1: if he has committed a sin that he keeps on committing. 474 00:37:59,200 --> 00:38:02,239 Speaker 1: In other words, this is a habit of sin that 475 00:38:02,280 --> 00:38:06,520 Speaker 1: they haven't broken. It's a pattern they started and they 476 00:38:06,560 --> 00:38:11,760 Speaker 1: weren't able to stop. So they need to be delivered, healed, 477 00:38:12,160 --> 00:38:17,239 Speaker 1: delivered from this. So you you get help from folks 478 00:38:17,239 --> 00:38:21,319 Speaker 1: who gonna pray and get to God with you and 479 00:38:21,360 --> 00:38:27,279 Speaker 1: for you. Now he makes a summary statement, stay with 480 00:38:27,320 --> 00:38:32,880 Speaker 1: me here in verse verse sixteen The effective prayer of 481 00:38:33,000 --> 00:38:39,680 Speaker 1: a righteous man can accomplish much the effective. The word 482 00:38:39,760 --> 00:38:46,480 Speaker 1: there means energized. Remember the energize of money, the energized prayer. 483 00:38:49,280 --> 00:38:51,880 Speaker 1: So this is not Lord, bless his food to my body, 484 00:38:53,120 --> 00:38:56,480 Speaker 1: nourish it to me in Jesus name, Amen. Even telling 485 00:38:56,480 --> 00:39:00,680 Speaker 1: about grace, because you don't need energy to say grace. 486 00:39:01,440 --> 00:39:04,640 Speaker 1: You say grace out of habit. In fact, we've said 487 00:39:04,640 --> 00:39:07,839 Speaker 1: the same grace so long. Your mind doesn't even need 488 00:39:07,880 --> 00:39:10,000 Speaker 1: to be in gear when your mouth is saying it, 489 00:39:11,280 --> 00:39:13,400 Speaker 1: because it's gonna be the same words. Look, thank you 490 00:39:13,440 --> 00:39:15,120 Speaker 1: for this wood, I'm about to receive nurture to my 491 00:39:15,200 --> 00:39:23,080 Speaker 1: body and Jesus Name, Amen, bamn. That's not an energized prayer. 492 00:39:24,960 --> 00:39:27,359 Speaker 1: In fact, when we pray that prayer, we don't even 493 00:39:27,400 --> 00:39:29,680 Speaker 1: care whether God is listening. We want to get to 494 00:39:29,719 --> 00:39:34,800 Speaker 1: the food before it gets cold. That's not an energized prayer. 495 00:39:36,480 --> 00:39:41,440 Speaker 1: An energized prayer is a focused prayer. It is a 496 00:39:41,440 --> 00:39:48,719 Speaker 1: prayer that is God centered. It must be accompanied by righteousness. 497 00:39:48,800 --> 00:39:52,960 Speaker 1: The effective prayer of a righteous man a person who 498 00:39:53,080 --> 00:39:57,680 Speaker 1: is living to please God. Nobody is perfect, but you 499 00:39:57,760 --> 00:40:00,919 Speaker 1: can be righteous. That is, you're living who please God. 500 00:40:01,280 --> 00:40:10,680 Speaker 1: The effective, focused, energized prayer can accomplish much, a whole lot. 501 00:40:14,920 --> 00:40:20,879 Speaker 1: I remember some years ago we had the daughter of 502 00:40:20,880 --> 00:40:27,480 Speaker 1: one of our members dying of cancer. Things look hopeless. 503 00:40:30,880 --> 00:40:35,960 Speaker 1: Pastor Hawkins and I went to the hospital. Another forget this. 504 00:40:36,000 --> 00:40:40,160 Speaker 1: We went to the hospital and we have grieving parents 505 00:40:40,239 --> 00:40:45,560 Speaker 1: and a hopeless situation, and we we went there to pray. 506 00:40:47,960 --> 00:40:51,880 Speaker 1: I mean, it was hopeless, and I never forget what 507 00:40:51,920 --> 00:40:57,680 Speaker 1: we did. We were working all day here at the office, 508 00:40:58,480 --> 00:41:01,600 Speaker 1: addressed in suit and tie. We got in the car 509 00:41:01,640 --> 00:41:05,120 Speaker 1: together we drove to the hospital. When we looked at 510 00:41:05,120 --> 00:41:09,239 Speaker 1: the child, when we saw the desperate situation, he and 511 00:41:09,280 --> 00:41:12,719 Speaker 1: I both did this. We unbutting our jackets and took 512 00:41:12,719 --> 00:41:17,080 Speaker 1: off our coat. We unhooked our tie and took our 513 00:41:17,120 --> 00:41:20,680 Speaker 1: tie off. We opened up the top button of our 514 00:41:20,719 --> 00:41:26,239 Speaker 1: shirts and we got on the floor. Because this was 515 00:41:26,320 --> 00:41:29,040 Speaker 1: not this, This isn't now. I laid me down to sleep. 516 00:41:29,200 --> 00:41:31,399 Speaker 1: Pray the Lord, my soul will keep if I die 517 00:41:31,440 --> 00:41:33,759 Speaker 1: before I wait, Pray the Lord, my soul will take. No. 518 00:41:34,080 --> 00:41:36,960 Speaker 1: We needed some effect that we needed. This was a 519 00:41:37,000 --> 00:41:40,799 Speaker 1: desperate situation, and I never forget it. We took off 520 00:41:40,880 --> 00:41:43,919 Speaker 1: our stuff, got down on the floor and said, God, 521 00:41:44,200 --> 00:41:48,040 Speaker 1: we need you to come down now and intervent in 522 00:41:48,080 --> 00:41:52,520 Speaker 1: this situation. Why because this is a serious suffering, a 523 00:41:52,760 --> 00:41:56,880 Speaker 1: serious sickness, and this is not a regular business as usual. 524 00:41:58,160 --> 00:42:02,320 Speaker 1: And through some supernat true means, fiends got turned in 525 00:42:02,440 --> 00:42:11,440 Speaker 1: that girl's life and the cancer discipleted. Now, that wasn't 526 00:42:12,680 --> 00:42:16,080 Speaker 1: because we had something special. All we did was we 527 00:42:16,120 --> 00:42:22,200 Speaker 1: went to God. Serious. Our mind's heart's focus wasn't gear. 528 00:42:22,520 --> 00:42:26,080 Speaker 1: He says that prayer can do, can blow your mind. 529 00:42:26,480 --> 00:42:30,520 Speaker 1: It can accomplish much, not a little bit, a whole lot. 530 00:42:33,200 --> 00:42:37,240 Speaker 1: The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man, he says, 531 00:42:37,480 --> 00:42:43,719 Speaker 1: can accomplish much. And then he gives an illustration. So 532 00:42:43,800 --> 00:42:47,640 Speaker 1: stick with me, because this is a doozy. He says 533 00:42:47,719 --> 00:42:53,359 Speaker 1: in verse seventeen and eighteen, Elijah was a man with 534 00:42:53,440 --> 00:43:00,080 Speaker 1: a nature like ours. Translation. He wasn't from Krypton. Okay, 535 00:43:00,719 --> 00:43:04,840 Speaker 1: he wasn't super prophet. He was a regular, ordinary, flesh 536 00:43:04,840 --> 00:43:09,040 Speaker 1: and blood individual. He didn't have any unique thing over 537 00:43:09,120 --> 00:43:12,239 Speaker 1: any other human being ever made. He was a man 538 00:43:12,400 --> 00:43:16,560 Speaker 1: with a light nature. So whatever he's getting ready to 539 00:43:16,600 --> 00:43:19,920 Speaker 1: say about Elijah is true about you, because he just 540 00:43:20,120 --> 00:43:22,839 Speaker 1: like you. He's just a man, that's all. He is, 541 00:43:22,880 --> 00:43:28,880 Speaker 1: he said. However, this ordinary man was a prophet. It 542 00:43:29,000 --> 00:43:33,640 Speaker 1: says he prayed and noticed the word earnestly. He wasn't 543 00:43:33,680 --> 00:43:37,160 Speaker 1: being casual. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, 544 00:43:37,600 --> 00:43:39,719 Speaker 1: and it did not rain on the earth for three 545 00:43:39,800 --> 00:43:42,600 Speaker 1: years and six months. This three and a half years. 546 00:43:43,719 --> 00:43:47,200 Speaker 1: Then he prayed again. Verse seventeen says, and the sky 547 00:43:47,360 --> 00:43:51,319 Speaker 1: poured rain and the earth produced its fruit. So watch 548 00:43:51,400 --> 00:43:56,279 Speaker 1: this now, he prayed and he closed heaven down for 549 00:43:56,320 --> 00:44:00,160 Speaker 1: three and a half years. He's on earth, but he 550 00:44:00,200 --> 00:44:04,160 Speaker 1: prayed to heaven and he shut heaven down. When it 551 00:44:04,239 --> 00:44:08,520 Speaker 1: came to rain. Three and a half years later, he 552 00:44:08,640 --> 00:44:14,080 Speaker 1: prayed again and he opened heaven up. Heaven didn't just 553 00:44:14,200 --> 00:44:16,880 Speaker 1: close and open on his own. It says, he prayed 554 00:44:17,000 --> 00:44:22,839 Speaker 1: and it closed. He prayed and it opened. Ah. So 555 00:44:22,960 --> 00:44:26,760 Speaker 1: let's go back and see what really happened in First 556 00:44:26,840 --> 00:44:30,600 Speaker 1: Kings chapter eighteen, because that's where this event took place. 557 00:44:31,160 --> 00:44:33,520 Speaker 1: So if you turn your bibles back to First Kings 558 00:44:33,960 --> 00:44:38,680 Speaker 1: chapter eighteen, we discover some things about his prayer that 559 00:44:38,800 --> 00:44:41,680 Speaker 1: should affect our prayer so that we see a lot 560 00:44:41,719 --> 00:44:44,719 Speaker 1: more of Heaven entering into our history than we are 561 00:44:44,760 --> 00:44:51,520 Speaker 1: currently seeing. As believers. In chapter eighteen he prays beginning 562 00:44:51,560 --> 00:44:53,480 Speaker 1: in verse thirty six. But then he comes to verse 563 00:44:53,520 --> 00:44:59,400 Speaker 1: forty one, and Elijah said to Ahab, go up, eat 564 00:44:59,480 --> 00:45:03,040 Speaker 1: and drink, for there is the sound of the roar 565 00:45:03,640 --> 00:45:07,160 Speaker 1: of a heavy shower. He says, I hear a thunderstorm 566 00:45:07,200 --> 00:45:12,200 Speaker 1: coming on. Now let me start. Stay with me. Why 567 00:45:12,280 --> 00:45:15,680 Speaker 1: did he pray this? I mean, what made him pray 568 00:45:15,719 --> 00:45:18,920 Speaker 1: this in the first place. We'll look at chapter seventeen, 569 00:45:19,040 --> 00:45:22,480 Speaker 1: verse one. Now Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the 570 00:45:22,520 --> 00:45:26,000 Speaker 1: settlers of Gilead, said to Ahab, as the Lord, the 571 00:45:26,080 --> 00:45:29,560 Speaker 1: God of Israel, lives before whom I stand, surely there 572 00:45:29,640 --> 00:45:35,960 Speaker 1: shall be neither do nor rain these years, accepted my word. Oh, 573 00:45:35,960 --> 00:45:39,200 Speaker 1: now reach chapter eighteen verse one. Now it happened after 574 00:45:39,239 --> 00:45:41,600 Speaker 1: many days that the word of the Lord came to 575 00:45:41,640 --> 00:45:45,520 Speaker 1: Elijah in the third year, saying, go show yourself to Ahab, 576 00:45:45,800 --> 00:45:50,160 Speaker 1: and I will send rain on the face of the earth. Oh. 577 00:45:50,200 --> 00:45:53,759 Speaker 1: In chapter seventeen, verse one, God said, it's not gonna rain. 578 00:45:54,120 --> 00:45:57,520 Speaker 1: In chapter eighteen, verse one, God said, it is gonna rain. 579 00:45:58,120 --> 00:46:00,920 Speaker 1: So why do you need to know that? Because Elijah 580 00:46:01,000 --> 00:46:03,799 Speaker 1: didn't just make this up. He was praying based on 581 00:46:03,880 --> 00:46:07,120 Speaker 1: what God had said. God said, it's not gonna ring. 582 00:46:07,640 --> 00:46:11,120 Speaker 1: God said it is gonna ring. So he prayed, watch 583 00:46:11,200 --> 00:46:14,480 Speaker 1: this based on God's word. So the first thing you 584 00:46:14,520 --> 00:46:16,080 Speaker 1: need to know is you need to pray with your 585 00:46:16,080 --> 00:46:19,640 Speaker 1: Bible open. You need to pray. Say, God, you said this. 586 00:46:20,080 --> 00:46:22,400 Speaker 1: Let me show you in case you forgot God, you 587 00:46:22,520 --> 00:46:25,839 Speaker 1: said this, and I'm holding you to your word. You 588 00:46:26,000 --> 00:46:29,719 Speaker 1: said this. I believe this, so I'm gonna pray this. 589 00:46:30,280 --> 00:46:33,239 Speaker 1: The Bible is full of prayers that you should pray. 590 00:46:33,400 --> 00:46:38,080 Speaker 1: When you're struggling that Psalm forty two, you Praysalm forty two. 591 00:46:38,440 --> 00:46:42,440 Speaker 1: When you're repentant, that Psalm fifty one, you pray Somealm 592 00:46:42,440 --> 00:46:46,560 Speaker 1: fifty one. When you are afraid that Psalm thirty four, 593 00:46:46,920 --> 00:46:50,680 Speaker 1: you Praysalm thirty four. You point God back to his 594 00:46:50,800 --> 00:46:54,640 Speaker 1: word because God has held his word high above his name. 595 00:46:55,080 --> 00:46:57,880 Speaker 1: So you start with the word of God about the 596 00:46:58,000 --> 00:47:02,200 Speaker 1: situation that you face. All right, let's go on. He 597 00:47:02,280 --> 00:47:05,279 Speaker 1: goes on to say, I hear the sound. I hear 598 00:47:05,320 --> 00:47:08,879 Speaker 1: the sound as a storm coming on Verse forty two, 599 00:47:09,400 --> 00:47:12,400 Speaker 1: and AaB went up to eat and drink. But he 600 00:47:12,640 --> 00:47:16,160 Speaker 1: light show went up to the top of Mount Carmel 601 00:47:16,600 --> 00:47:19,560 Speaker 1: and crouched down on the earth. Somebody say, crouched down, 602 00:47:20,280 --> 00:47:23,320 Speaker 1: crouched down on the earth, and put his face between 603 00:47:23,360 --> 00:47:27,200 Speaker 1: his knees. Oh okay, all right. He goes up the 604 00:47:27,239 --> 00:47:31,799 Speaker 1: Mount Carmel and it says he crouched down, put his 605 00:47:31,880 --> 00:47:36,200 Speaker 1: head between his knees. You didn't see that. See he 606 00:47:36,239 --> 00:47:40,319 Speaker 1: went up the Mount Cardinal, he crouched down, and he 607 00:47:40,360 --> 00:47:44,400 Speaker 1: put his head between his knees. One more time, he 608 00:47:44,440 --> 00:47:48,080 Speaker 1: went up the Mount Carmel. He crouched down, and he 609 00:47:48,120 --> 00:47:51,400 Speaker 1: put his head between his knees. What's the crouching down 610 00:47:52,000 --> 00:47:54,840 Speaker 1: and the head between your knees? All about? Well, in 611 00:47:54,920 --> 00:47:58,760 Speaker 1: biblical days when women were having babies, they didn't have stirrups. 612 00:47:59,680 --> 00:48:03,320 Speaker 1: Then have the sophistication saw a normal way for a 613 00:48:03,440 --> 00:48:06,560 Speaker 1: Jewish woman to have a baby. What's the trumps down? 614 00:48:07,400 --> 00:48:11,680 Speaker 1: Put her head down and push and push and push 615 00:48:11,719 --> 00:48:15,359 Speaker 1: and push until that baby came out. So he took 616 00:48:15,400 --> 00:48:18,640 Speaker 1: the posture of a pregnant woman who was in labor. 617 00:48:19,280 --> 00:48:23,520 Speaker 1: The Bible calls it travail. He was in labor, and 618 00:48:23,640 --> 00:48:27,719 Speaker 1: he said, I need torain. I won't saine. I'm gonna 619 00:48:27,760 --> 00:48:32,800 Speaker 1: push and push and push until I get some rain. Oh, 620 00:48:32,840 --> 00:48:35,080 Speaker 1: you know what God wants you to do. He wants 621 00:48:35,080 --> 00:48:39,080 Speaker 1: you to burst his will from heaven in the history 622 00:48:39,280 --> 00:48:43,600 Speaker 1: by calling it down, drawing it down, pushing it down 623 00:48:44,000 --> 00:48:48,759 Speaker 1: until that baby of deliverance, that baby of healing, that 624 00:48:48,840 --> 00:48:53,160 Speaker 1: baby of victory comes forth. This is serious praying. This 625 00:48:53,360 --> 00:48:57,640 Speaker 1: is not casual praying. This is crying out. Why why 626 00:48:57,640 --> 00:49:00,520 Speaker 1: do I have to work so hard? Because Satan is 627 00:49:00,560 --> 00:49:04,400 Speaker 1: trying to block your prayer from getting through. He's putting 628 00:49:04,480 --> 00:49:09,120 Speaker 1: static on the line. Already up there. If you have 629 00:49:09,239 --> 00:49:13,200 Speaker 1: direct TV, they already have the programs. The programs are 630 00:49:13,239 --> 00:49:17,840 Speaker 1: already out there, news shows, movies, entertainment shows, comedy shows, music. 631 00:49:18,040 --> 00:49:21,600 Speaker 1: It's already out there. But until that receiver is turned on, 632 00:49:22,000 --> 00:49:25,080 Speaker 1: you won't see a picture on your screen. God has 633 00:49:25,120 --> 00:49:27,640 Speaker 1: already got out there what he plans to do. But 634 00:49:27,800 --> 00:49:31,239 Speaker 1: until the receiver calls it down, you don't see a 635 00:49:31,280 --> 00:49:34,719 Speaker 1: picture on your screen. Oh but I'm not finished yet, 636 00:49:35,080 --> 00:49:37,959 Speaker 1: because look at what it says. It says he said 637 00:49:38,040 --> 00:49:43,120 Speaker 1: to his servant, go now, look towards the sea. So 638 00:49:43,200 --> 00:49:48,280 Speaker 1: he went and looked and said, there is nothing. He said, servant, 639 00:49:48,920 --> 00:49:51,560 Speaker 1: go to the sea and look for the storm. Servant 640 00:49:51,560 --> 00:49:55,160 Speaker 1: went out and said, oh, Elijah ethel storm out here. 641 00:49:55,880 --> 00:50:00,200 Speaker 1: But wait a minute. We just read Elijah her the 642 00:50:00,239 --> 00:50:04,759 Speaker 1: sound of a storm. But the servant went out and 643 00:50:04,880 --> 00:50:07,680 Speaker 1: he didn't see a storm. See, that's why you gotta 644 00:50:07,719 --> 00:50:10,920 Speaker 1: be in touch with God. So you hear stuff before 645 00:50:10,960 --> 00:50:15,719 Speaker 1: you see stuff. Because faith it's not what you see. 646 00:50:16,560 --> 00:50:19,440 Speaker 1: Faith come, Faith is what you don't see. But if 647 00:50:19,480 --> 00:50:22,040 Speaker 1: you can hear the voice of the Holy Spirit, if 648 00:50:22,040 --> 00:50:24,680 Speaker 1: you can hear the voice of God, you can hear 649 00:50:24,760 --> 00:50:29,759 Speaker 1: stuff before you see stuff. Because somebody here can testify. 650 00:50:30,040 --> 00:50:37,640 Speaker 1: God told me before I saw it, So he told 651 00:50:37,680 --> 00:50:41,880 Speaker 1: his servant. He told his servant to go back seven times. 652 00:50:42,600 --> 00:50:45,320 Speaker 1: He says, I want you to go back seven times 653 00:50:45,560 --> 00:50:50,040 Speaker 1: in verse forty three. Why seven because seven in the 654 00:50:50,080 --> 00:50:53,360 Speaker 1: Bible is the number of completion. Whenever you see the 655 00:50:53,440 --> 00:50:56,480 Speaker 1: ward seven, it means something has been brought to completion. 656 00:50:57,280 --> 00:51:00,680 Speaker 1: Sometimes people say how long should I pray for something? 657 00:51:01,400 --> 00:51:04,680 Speaker 1: How long should I talk to God? I've been praying 658 00:51:04,680 --> 00:51:08,040 Speaker 1: about this for years and nothing has happened. How long 659 00:51:08,120 --> 00:51:10,879 Speaker 1: should I pray? Well, let me explain something. God only 660 00:51:10,920 --> 00:51:16,279 Speaker 1: has three answers, yes, no, or wait. If he hadn't 661 00:51:16,360 --> 00:51:20,439 Speaker 1: said yes, and he hadn't said no, that means wait. 662 00:51:21,360 --> 00:51:24,239 Speaker 1: So what you do while you wait, You pray till 663 00:51:24,280 --> 00:51:27,960 Speaker 1: you get a yes or no. You pray to completion. 664 00:51:29,400 --> 00:51:32,839 Speaker 1: When he went out the seventh time, he said, I 665 00:51:32,880 --> 00:51:36,840 Speaker 1: saw a cloud coming out of the sea, like the 666 00:51:37,000 --> 00:51:40,280 Speaker 1: size of a man's fist. You know how smaller cloud 667 00:51:40,320 --> 00:51:43,160 Speaker 1: that is. He said, I just saw a little cloud. 668 00:51:43,160 --> 00:51:45,040 Speaker 1: I don't see a snorm. I just see a little 669 00:51:45,080 --> 00:51:49,799 Speaker 1: fist size cloud, Elijah said, He said, after the seventh time, 670 00:51:49,840 --> 00:51:53,399 Speaker 1: and he saw the cloud. Ah, prepare your chariot verse 671 00:51:53,440 --> 00:51:57,600 Speaker 1: forty four, and go down so the heavy shower does 672 00:51:57,719 --> 00:52:00,760 Speaker 1: not stop you. He didn't let it to see a shower. 673 00:52:01,160 --> 00:52:04,320 Speaker 1: He let him see a cloud. See sometime, when God's 674 00:52:04,320 --> 00:52:07,080 Speaker 1: ready to move, hein't gonna let you see the whole thing. 675 00:52:07,680 --> 00:52:10,040 Speaker 1: He just let you see a little something, something to 676 00:52:10,160 --> 00:52:13,479 Speaker 1: give you a taste. That's why the Bible says, old, 677 00:52:13,560 --> 00:52:17,440 Speaker 1: taste and see that the Lord is good. He may 678 00:52:17,520 --> 00:52:20,160 Speaker 1: not give you the whole meal. He may just give 679 00:52:20,200 --> 00:52:23,920 Speaker 1: you a sample. Plague. That means that the meal. Sometimes 680 00:52:23,960 --> 00:52:27,120 Speaker 1: God gives you an appetizing He ain't ready to feed 681 00:52:27,200 --> 00:52:30,040 Speaker 1: you the whole meal. He just giving you something something, 682 00:52:30,280 --> 00:52:32,400 Speaker 1: so that you know what you have to look forward to. 683 00:52:33,080 --> 00:52:36,399 Speaker 1: So he says, we only got a fist. But there's 684 00:52:36,440 --> 00:52:39,800 Speaker 1: a shower. So watch this. Now, he tells, Ahab, getting 685 00:52:39,840 --> 00:52:42,839 Speaker 1: your chariot and go, because this storm is gonna get 686 00:52:42,840 --> 00:52:45,359 Speaker 1: ready break out, So get in your chariot and go. 687 00:52:45,760 --> 00:52:49,200 Speaker 1: That means a horse is pulling the chariot. So he 688 00:52:49,280 --> 00:52:52,240 Speaker 1: gets to the horse. He's got to go fifteen miles 689 00:52:52,560 --> 00:52:56,000 Speaker 1: from where he is to Jezreel. So Ahab gets in 690 00:52:56,040 --> 00:52:58,839 Speaker 1: there and he's riding his horse. But I don't want 691 00:52:58,880 --> 00:53:01,480 Speaker 1: you to miss the end of verse forty six. Then 692 00:53:01,560 --> 00:53:04,680 Speaker 1: the hand of the Lord was on Elijah, and he 693 00:53:04,840 --> 00:53:09,680 Speaker 1: girded up his lords and out ran Ahab to Jezreel. 694 00:53:10,520 --> 00:53:15,800 Speaker 1: No you didn't. Ahab is on the horse. Ahab is 695 00:53:15,880 --> 00:53:20,560 Speaker 1: riding a horse. Oh oh oh. Elijah picks up his cloak, 696 00:53:21,360 --> 00:53:25,120 Speaker 1: ties it up, and he hufs it. He hufs it, 697 00:53:26,000 --> 00:53:30,560 Speaker 1: and he out runs a horse to Jezreel. I believe 698 00:53:30,680 --> 00:53:33,840 Speaker 1: Isaiah put it this way. They then weighed upon the 699 00:53:33,880 --> 00:53:38,080 Speaker 1: Lord will have new strength. They were mount up with 700 00:53:38,200 --> 00:53:42,040 Speaker 1: wings like eagles. They were running and not get reared. 701 00:53:42,360 --> 00:53:45,799 Speaker 1: They were walking. Not faith. Somebody here ought to be 702 00:53:45,840 --> 00:53:49,200 Speaker 1: willing to pray. Somebody ought to be willing to pray 703 00:53:49,200 --> 00:53:52,319 Speaker 1: out to God. Somebody ought to be willing to touch 704 00:53:52,360 --> 00:53:56,840 Speaker 1: haw hat because the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous 705 00:53:56,880 --> 00:54:02,040 Speaker 1: man availeth much. I don't just want to preach about prayer, 706 00:54:02,160 --> 00:54:09,800 Speaker 1: talk about prayer. If you are weary or suffering or hurting, 707 00:54:11,239 --> 00:54:13,280 Speaker 1: then why don't we do what we just preaching about. 708 00:54:16,880 --> 00:54:19,120 Speaker 1: One of the great truths about the Bible is the 709 00:54:19,200 --> 00:54:23,160 Speaker 1: magnificent grace of God. Grace is the free gift God 710 00:54:23,200 --> 00:54:27,480 Speaker 1: gives to sinful people. If you are not a Christian, 711 00:54:27,560 --> 00:54:31,520 Speaker 1: he offers eternal life. If you are a Christian, he 712 00:54:31,600 --> 00:54:35,440 Speaker 1: offers to sustain your life. And it's all by His 713 00:54:35,640 --> 00:54:39,880 Speaker 1: grace that's accessed by faith. So when you trust Jesus 714 00:54:40,000 --> 00:54:43,600 Speaker 1: Christ for the forgiveness of your sin, that gives you 715 00:54:43,800 --> 00:54:48,000 Speaker 1: personal salvation from the penalty of sin. But when you 716 00:54:48,080 --> 00:54:53,560 Speaker 1: walk with Christ, his grace supplies you with the enablement 717 00:54:54,000 --> 00:54:58,399 Speaker 1: to override the power of sin by trusting what He 718 00:54:58,480 --> 00:55:03,799 Speaker 1: did to be active evaded for you in your life. So, 719 00:55:03,880 --> 00:55:06,320 Speaker 1: if you're not a Christian, come to Christ for salvation. 720 00:55:06,760 --> 00:55:09,480 Speaker 1: If you are a Christian but you've backsliden, you've fallen 721 00:55:09,520 --> 00:55:12,399 Speaker 1: into sin, well, all you've got to do is come 722 00:55:12,400 --> 00:55:15,680 Speaker 1: back to Christ and ask for his grace to cleanse 723 00:55:15,760 --> 00:55:19,760 Speaker 1: you and get you back on the right track of 724 00:55:20,160 --> 00:55:23,600 Speaker 1: walking with you to your next level of spiritual victory. 725 00:55:24,120 --> 00:55:27,760 Speaker 1: He saves by grace, and he also sustains by grace 726 00:55:28,400 --> 00:55:42,239 Speaker 1: when you appropriated by faith. The podcast The Bible in 727 00:55:42,280 --> 00:55:45,200 Speaker 1: a Year with Jack Graham is a moving and inspiring 728 00:55:45,239 --> 00:55:48,480 Speaker 1: Biblical audio experience that will help you master wisdom from 729 00:55:48,520 --> 00:55:51,600 Speaker 1: the world's greatest book. In each episode, you'll learn to 730 00:55:51,640 --> 00:55:56,239 Speaker 1: apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Each cinematic episode is 731 00:55:56,239 --> 00:55:59,480 Speaker 1: a journey through the Bible's most profound stories that will 732 00:55:59,520 --> 00:56:03,200 Speaker 1: straighten your appreciation of the Word and inspire you to 733 00:56:03,440 --> 00:56:06,440 Speaker 1: keep alerting. Listen to The Bible in a Year with 734 00:56:06,560 --> 00:56:09,439 Speaker 1: Jack Graham on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get 735 00:56:09,440 --> 00:56:10,239 Speaker 1: your podcasts.