August 25, 2019

Sunday School
Prayer (Points from Catherine Marshall's Adventures in Prayer)

How would you answer the following questions?

·       Are you in real need?

·       Do you admit that you are helpless to handle that need?

I think we can all answer, YES!

What good news it is that our very inadequacy is the “master key” to unlock and swing wide the door to God’s mighty capability.

Always our thirst and hunger should drives us to “taste & see” that the Lord is good.

Prayer at its most basic level is asking.  Taking Jesus at His word that God really is our Father & that we come to Him as His children, telling Him our need in the most, simple direct way…..asking for His help.

1)    In the examples that Jesus showed His disciples, Jesus said to the people, “Tell Me exactly what you want of Me,” or “Speak to Me” or “Ask it of Me.”  By these examples, we see how important it is to ask.

2)    How much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him? Matthew 7:11

3)    John 16:24 – Until now you have not asked for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.

4)    We may ask, as the disciples did, “Why should we ask for anything, for God know all?”  But just as Jesus pointed out, anyone who refuses to come to God as a little child will never be allowed into His kingdom.

• God insists that we ask, not because He needs to know our situation, but because we need the spiritual discipline of asking.

1)    This forces us to take a step forward in faith. (Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.)

2)    Why do we tend to generalize when we pray? Is it because we think so little of God? Are we so afraid that if we ask for something & it isn’t granted, are we fearful of losing the little faith we have?

3)    Isn’t it sad that we don’t hesitate to pray for world peace but are fearful to pray to God to ease or remove our pain & suffering.

4)    Are our prayers sometimes like window-shopping….picking and choosing from prayers we’ve heard over the years? If so, do we really expect God to hear and answer those type of prayers? We may feel great after praying that kind of prayer but deep down we know that we’ve not fulfilled God’s conditions for hearing prayers.

5)    Conditions of answering our prayers: Are we obedient to God? Have we fully surrendered to Him? From Psalm 84:11 ‘No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.”

6)    God’s time is not our time.

7)    Are we asking in faith? In James 1:5-8 “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.”

8)    God has something better for you than what you are asking for.  From Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we can as or imagine, according to His power that is at work with us….”

9)    Are we in-line with God’s conditions? 

God uses our most stumbling, faltering faith-step as the open door to His doing for us “more that we ask or think.  Entering into a one-to-One relationship with Jesus enables Him to   handle not just our immediate material & physical needs, but also those hidden ones involving right attitudes and healthy emotions, proper motivation, etc.

• Asking not only involves verbalization but also our heart’s true cries. Sometimes we don’t even know our own mines.  It is important to ask, “Lord, teach me to pray!?”

Sermon
1 Peter 1:6-9 - You have great joy in this, though it may have been necessary for you to be troubled for a little time, being tested in all sorts of ways...So that the true metal of your faith, being of much greater value than gold (which, though it comes to an end, is tested by fire), may come to light in praise and glory and honor, at the revelation of Jesus Christ: To whom your love is given, though you have not seen Him; and the faith which you have in Him, though you do not see Him now, gives you joy greater than words and full of glory: For so you have the true end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

Subject: Why Do Christians Suffer?

Christians are to exhibit their faith by trials.

God is the Divine Providence - that is, He is our sovereign Lord and He is in control.

God is infinite wisdom.

Solomon saw the righteous suffer.

Job suffered.

Under God, all is not doom and bloom.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, Rejoice! Philippians 4:4-7

We have:   (1) a living hope; (2) a great inheritance; & (3) long term salvation.

Trials show the proven character of our faith.

Dealing with Reality

How are we going to make it??? Answer: All our help comes from the Lord. Psalm 121:2

Christians are not shielded from trials & tribulations.

John 16:33 - These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

We serve a living God, an all powerful God.

As Christians, we have a target on our backs. Satan is always attempting to distract, destroy & kill our spirits.  Are we holding firm like the three Hebrew boys? (Read Daniel 3)

Realign Your Selves to God

Satan wants us to doubt God.

Jesus told Peter in Luke 22:31-32 - Simon, Simon, Satan has make a request to have you, so that he may put you to the test as grain is tested: But I have made prayer for you, that your faith may not go from you: and when you are turned again, make your brothers strong.

Job 23:10 - For He has knowledge of the way I take; after I have been tested I will come out like gold.

Psalm 113:2 - Blessed by the name of the Lord from this time forth and for evermore.

Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

So, no matter what the trial, God will surely bring you out.