Dancing in the Rain

Wrestling with God in Prayer… Being Thankful!

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful...

This is the hardest part in the prayer… how can I Thank God, when all things around me is not working?

#1:  Let’s talk about why should be even thankful to God…

• When we look back at our life, through the rear-view mirror, we will see the faithfulness of God.
  • The times He made a way, when you didn’t see a way.
  • The times when God placed you and me at the right place
  • Even when you made mistakes, He showed you Mercy.

Here we are – blessed and moving forward.

Passionate in Prayer!

Jesus was passionate about His prayer life, it was something He was always doing.

S.D. Gordon in his book, Quiet Talks on Prayer, says

How much prayer meant to Jesus! It was not only his regular habit, but his resort in every emergency, however slight or serious. When perplexed he prayed. When hard pressed by work he prayed. When hungry for fellowship he found it in prayer. He chose his associates and received his messages upon his knees.

If tempted, he prayed.

If criticized, he prayed.

If fatigued in body or wearied in spirit,

He had recourse to his one unfailing habit of prayer. Prayer brought him unmeasured power at the beginning and kept the flow unbroken and undiminished. There was no emergency, no difficulty, no necessity, no temptation that would not yield to prayer.

 

Persistence in Prayer!

Colossians 4: 2 – 4

Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; ³ meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the ^[a]mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, ⁴ that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.

 

⁵ Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. ⁶ Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

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Paul begins by saying, "Devote yourselves to prayer," (NASB) or "Continue earnestly in prayer," (NKJV). In the original language it says, "continue steadfastly in prayer."

The word translated, "continue steadfastly," is one word in the original language.

• It can be translated, "persist in, adhere firmly to, or remain devoted to or to give unremitting care to."
• It carries with it the idea of dedication.

Elijah - God who answers prayer by fire!

Some days, we feel like – I need prayers… other days, we are pushed to the corner – and everything around me doesn’t seem to move and we are like… I need YOU Nowwwwwwwww, God!   And our heart and soul saying -  I have gone through enough and I don’t have energy to pull through another day – answer my prayers with fire.   
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James 5: 13 - 18

¹³ Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. ¹⁴ Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 

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.... The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. ¹⁷ Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. ¹⁸ And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

Thine is the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory forever and ever – Amen!

Kingdom… Power… Glory …

The last line is our pledge of Allegiance to His Kingdom, His Power and His Glory.

Moment by moment – day by day… when decisions are made – are we keeping His Kingdom, His Power and His Glory or our Kingdom, our power, and our glory.

It is God’s Kingdom and God reigns over all.

• We are not self-sufficient…
• There are times in life, what we go through is beyond our control.

Thine is the Kingdom…

For = because … the kingdom, power and glory….

I can ask for bread… because thine is the kingdom, power and glory

I can ask forgiveness… or deliver from evil… because thine is the kingdom, power and glory

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Deliver us from Evil

Lead us not into temptation

Temptation is everywhere… from the food that we eat, the cloths we were…

In fact, what we once thought as wrong is now has become norm.

• When lucy show was aired, the people gave hard time.. because lucy was smoking a cigarette…
• Their bedroom showed 2 separate twin beds…
• Living together – wasn’t norm… 50 years ago.
• Drinking an alcohol was once considered wrong, is norm in TVs and public media.

Sinful actions that we rejected, is now norm, because everybody is doing it.

• I had a relative come from middle east, and we were walking in New York… and there was a parade of nude people on the streets…

We are talking like “Temptation” is a new thing… all through out the days of the bible, the temptation has been there.   Eve was tempted to eat the apple… to David tempted to deal with Bathsheba… to Jesus tempted in the wilderness after 40 days of fasting…

When God spoke to Cain, in Genesis 4:7 …

And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”

Sin and temptation were always kept under the wrap… but now it is open, and we are celebrating it.

Jesus is reminding us, that temptation is real, and we are all vulnerable.

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• Lead us not into temptation, acknowledges that there is temptation… and that we need deliverance from it.
• Resist the enemy, and he will flee from you.

If the mouse knows

Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.

Forgive us our sins…   debts/trespasses… Luke 11 – Jesus refers Debts to “SIN”

John 3:23 à For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

• We have to open up – for God to forgive our sins…
• We have to allow God to do open heart surgery …
• Ask God for forgiveness for our actions, words and the attitudes…

SIN?  Transgressions of God’s law… willingly, deliberately, knowingly, intentionally stepping out of line.   I do it – after knowing what Bible says…

• << Ten Commandments>>
• Commission (Things we said we will do and not do) vs. Omission (We look the other way).
• Man brought down from the roof à Jesus said - Your sins are forgiven.   Only God has the authority to forgive our sins.   God will keep His side of the bargain, when He see the Cross.

Sometimes, we are not on the right side of the wrong…

• God wants to repair the fractured relationship with both horizontal and vertical.
• Horizontal = with fellow believers; Vertical = with the Lord.

Forgiveness – comes in 3 categories: 

1. Final/Total Forgiveness: Initial salvation – when we repent of our sins (Past, present and future) – Ephesians 2:8 -9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it isthe gift of God, ⁹ not of works, lest anyone should boast.

If you are child of God – you are placed in His Hands.    We are justified!

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2. Fellowship Forgiveness: That’s what Jesus is referring to.   He is not talking about the eternal forgiveness.  
   1 John 1: 9 à If we forgive our sins…  
   
   Every day we have to wash ourselves with the Jesus Soap.   The blood of Jesus is constantly cleansing from sins.
   What hinders my relationship/Fellowship with God.  
   Jesus wash disciples feet – Son of God, washing their feet.  

 

Peter refusing… to allow my feet.   If I don’t wash your feet, you don’t have part with me.    Jesus said (John 13:10) – He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet,

 

Taking bath outside… and then you have to come in… and your feet needs to be washed again.   We need to get our feet washed…

 

If you don’t wash your feet… we all need to be forgiven to have fellowship with God.

3. Pre-requisite/family forgiveness: I need to forgive others who sinned against us.

Powerful - Prayer!

Please listen to this message… there is a prayer offered for you and Christian in the beginning…

 

But beyond that, what we witnessed this morning – is “The live revival” – a true example of what Prayers can do…   “Fearless Confidence” in the Lord whom we worship.

A lady heard a gunshot, when we were able to start the service… and her son went out to see what happened, and the cops caught him as an offender… but truly he was a bi-stander… 

The mom was crying and asking for help… with that background, I want you to listen.

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Later in the day, the boy was released, since they found nothing wrong with him.  

Thats what the Power of Prayer can do... 

The Believers’ Prayer (Part 2) - very Powerful!

#4:  Give us this day, our daily bread.

Every good gift that we have comes from the Lord.  Not become self-reliant;  I am paying the bills and I can get what I want.

• This verse is kind of a hinge, between the top half of the prayer and bottom half of the prayer.
• This encourages us to pray for everything that we need (the gifts, talents, resources) – comes from the Lord.

“The bread that you eat, after your stomach is full, is not yours”.  

The Believers’ Prayer

The Believers’ prayer…

 

3 Parts to the Believers' prayer:  It is like a sandwich

1. Worship and Adoration towards God, the Father – the God’s glory.
2. Personal Appeal for help
3. End with Adoration (For your is the Kingdom, and the power and the glory forever and ever.

Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

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• Prayer: is nothing but the pleading of our case in the courts of heaven.
• Prayer is seeking help – beyond our power.