06-02-2019 – Keith Cozort – Prayer (AM Sermon)

Our number is down morning from what it normally is. We have several that are away on vacation traveling, and we certainly want to remember them in our prayers, sister, Deborah Allen and her three granddaughters, I understand are traveling up to Wisconsin. I think it is in order to see one of her sons and a granddaughter up there. And so we certainly want to remember her in our prayers.

Also brother max and sister, Lois smiling. Her are on their way out to the west coast, but she had to have a stay in the hospital in Wyoming because she was having some problems. They weren’t sure if they were going to be able to continue on their Trek out west, but they have, and max is going to take her to their daughters out there in Oregon,

which they were eventually planning to get there, but she’s going to go there. So her daughter can help her. And max will then go on to see his brother in Washington state. But certainly we want to remember them as they’re traveling, but also to remember Lois as well. Yeah, there’s an announcement on the bulletin board out there in the four year.

I don’t know if you’ve taken the time to look at it or not, but this coming weekend, Friday and Saturday, anyway, at the Curry street congregation in west Plains, there is going to be a creation seminar and it would be great if all of our young people would be able to go to that. I’m planning to go Friday night. Anyway,

they are also going to have sessions Saturday morning for the teenagers and then other classes for the younger ones. But they’re going to provide lunch on Saturday. And I’m not sure if there’s anything on in the afternoon or not. I don’t remember. But brother Jeff Miller from apologetics press is going to be conducting the seminar. He is a son of brother Dave Miller,

who is the director of apologetics press. And I know that he’s going to do a great job with that. And so I would certainly encourage moms and dads to put forth whatever effort is necessary in order to try to be there Friday night. It starts at seven o’clock I believe. And then again on Saturday in order to take advantage of this, and if anybody would like to go with me,

that would, you’re more than welcome to go as well. I want us to continue actually to conclude our, of lessons on worship with studying concerning prayer, open your Bibles with me. If you will, to acts chapter two, verse 42<inaudible> as Luke is writing concerning the day of Pentecost. When the church is established in acts chapter two and how that there are about 3000 that are converted on that particular day,

obeying the gospel of Jesus Christ. He says in verse 42, and they continued steadfastly in the Apostle’s doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers. And so it is such that prayer was that which was continued by the disciples of Jesus Christ by those who are converted through the gospel of Jesus Christ. And there is, we find out a universal tendency among mankind to pray.

It doesn’t matter concerning one’s race. It doesn’t matter concerning one’s age yet. There is that tendency to pray. It’s interesting. When you go back to the book of second Chronicles in chapter six, this is where we have the temple that was built by Solomon being dedicated. And at the end of that dedication, Solomon is going to offer a prayer to God.

And in the midst of that prayer, he says in verses 32 and 33, moreover, concerning the stranger, that being the non Jew, moreover concerning the stranger, which is not a dye people, Israel, but his come from a far country for the high-grade namesake. And I mighty hand and I stretched out arm. If they come and pray in this house,

then here thou from the heavens, even from the dwelling place and do according to all that, the stranger call with, to the four that all people of the earth may know thy name and fear the as death, thy people, Israel, and may know that this house, which I have built is called by thy name here, Solomon in his prayer is one that is mentioning concerning the fact that even a stranger,

in fact, any stranger is the idea that he’s bringing across here from anywhere in the earth is one who is likely to pray. And therefore he calls upon God in the dedication of this temple, that if one prays in this temple, even if he’s a stranger, even if he’s not a Jew, he’s not of the children of Israel that would hear his prayer to acknowledge that prayer.

Now we’re not told that whether God did or not, as far as that’s concerned, but that is the prayer of Solomon. He recognizes evidently that men have a tendency to pray. Prayer should be that, which is prominent in the life of the Christian, as well as in the worship of the Christian. And it is difficult for us to overemphasize the importance of prayer.

Prayer, of course, is man talking to God, the Bible is God talking to mankind, but it is through prayer where we talk to God and express our hearts, desire, whatever that may be to God. You may remember in Romans chapter 10 and in verse one, the apostle Paul says, as he’s writing to the church at Rome brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved.

Paul is praying for the children of Israel, that they might obey the gospel. He’s going to go on and to admit that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge, they are not ones who know, nor are they willing to obey the majority of them. Anyway, that which is spoken of in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul therefore is not requesting that God save those Jews who are rebellious against God.

He’s not praying that at all. He is praying that their hearts will become tender and that their hearts will be ones that will open up to the word of God that they might be saved. Because Paul knows having been on the other side of the fence, how difficult that can be at times for one who believes that Jesus was an imposter, a fake a fraud to believe that Jesus is the Christ,

the son of God. And yet he became converted. He became a believer and obeyed the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the Lord’s wheel, according to the Bible for us to pray. When you look at such passages as Luke chapter 18, verses one through eight there in verse one, Luke says, and he spoke a parable unto them to the end or to this end that men ought always to pray and not to faint.

And so Jesus is going to give this parable, it’s going to be the parable of the unjust judge and this woman who’s going to come and make her request to this judge. And he had at first is not concerned about what she has to say. He’s not interested. He puts her off and yet she continues to come back again and again and again,

in order to make this request. And finally he decides I need to go ahead and grant her request because she’s not going to stop. Would Jesus uses that to show the disciples that they are to pray. And yet God is not one who doesn’t want to hear our requests, our desires, but rather he is one who instructs us to express those prayers.

Those desires are Watts to him. He is a loving God who wants to hear from his children. So Jesus is going to use that to teach that men ought always to pray and not to fate. First Thessalonians, chapter five, verses 17 and 18 there, the apostle Paul says pray without CC in everything. Give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you pray without ceasing.

Now Paul is not saying we have to pray 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for as long as we live. That’s not what he’s talking about, but we should have the attitude whereby we can pray to God whenever it is necessary. Whenever we have our intentions and desires to do that, not just for things that we want as we’re going to notice,

but also by way of thanking him for all the many blessings that he has given to us far beyond what any of us deserve. Pray without ceasing. Paul says, and since it is God’s will that we do pray. Then it is important to remember what Jesus says there in Matthew chapter seven in verse 21, there in that sermon on the Mount. When he says,

not everyone that say, if unto me, Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. But he that do with the will of my father, which is in heaven, but it is God’s will that we pray. Then we are to be a praying people. Those of us that are Christians, those of us that are a part of the body of Christ.

It is his will that we pray. It is also such that we are to pray regularly. We are to pray regularly, as we’ve already noted from Luke chapter 18, verse one first Thessalonians chapter five, verse 17, that we are to pray. Okay. And it is to be regular, not regular as in clockwork, as a robot necessarily, but it is to be such that we are those who are known as being a praying people.

When you look at Luke chapter 24 and in verse 53, we read concerning Jesus and the disciples and how that they were continually in the temple praising and blessing God, the apostles there in Jerusalem with Jesus and action. This is speaking after Jesus has ascended. He is died. He’s been buried. He’s resurrected from the grave. Now he is ascended back to the father on high.

And so we find where the disciples, the apostles are those who continually go to the temple in order to praise and to bless God and the blessing God, there is speaking concerning prayer. Then of course, in acts chapter two, verse 42, after the church has started, as we read just a few moments ago, they continued steadfastly in the Apostle’s doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and in prayers.

So it is that we are to pray and we are to pray regularly in order to be right with God. When you think concerning prayer, prayer is described in four different terms. They’re in first Timothy chapter two, when you open up the first Timothy chapter two, and in verse one there, the apostle Paul says, I exhort therefore that first of all,

supplications prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks, be made for all men, for Kings and for all that are in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in godliness and honesty. Notice with me, if you will, those four terms that Paul uses concerning prayer. First of all, he speaks concerning supplications. The word supplication means a petition,

a request supplication that is made according to Strong’s dictionary Vincent and his word studies book says it’s a petitionary prayer petitioning on behalf of others is the idea that hear requests for particular benefits. It can be for oneself, or it can be for someone else. David Lipscomb said, and so supplications, but Paul also uses the general term prayers to be offered. And it is that of expressing communion with God fellowship with God.

By speaking to him, he also speaks concerning intercessions. Intercessions intersessions itself means a plea. A plea on behalf of others is to be part of the prayers that we pray as well. And then he says giving a faith to express Thanksgiving, to God, gratitude, being grateful, speaking, grateful language to God, Thanksgiving, the giving of things, according to Strong’s concordance.

And so it is that Paul says all of these different kinds of prayer, though, they can all be included in one prayer are those to be characteristic of the prayers that we offer and notice how that he goes on to say that we are praying to pray for Kings and for all that are in authority. Okay. It may be such that we don’t like our political leaders in our country.

And yet Paul says, pray for them. When you think concerning the circumstances under which the apostle Paul is writing at this particular time with the Roman government being the worldwide empire at that time and Caesar being the ruler of that empire and most of the Caesars were those who were extremely, extremely immoral men. And yet Paul called the bomb, the Christians to pray for them to pray for Caesar,

pray for those in the such as certainly what we’re to do even today. Okay? We are to pray for those who are in authority. When you turn to Luke chapter 17, verses 11 through 19, there we read concerning Jesus and how that as he is coming to this particular city, though, we’re not told which city it is. There are 10 lepers that approach him.

Notice what Luke says. We get an in verse 11 and it came to pass. As he went to Jerusalem that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered into a certain village, there met him 10 men that were lepers, which stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices and said, Jesus master have mercy on us.

And when he saw them, he said, unto them, go show yourselves under the priest. And it came to pass that as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back and with a loud voice, glorified God and fell down on his face at his feet, giving him nice. And he was a Samaritan and Jesus answering said,

were there not 10 cleansed, but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. And he said, unto him arise, go thy way, die. Faith have made the whole here. We have 10 men who are leprous men. They are ones who are outside the mainstream. As far as society is concerned and being either in subarea or Galilee,

we’re not sure where he actually is. They come asking Jesus to have mercy upon them. And Jesus is going to tell them, you go to the priest and show yourselves to the priests. And they turned to leave. By the way, when they turned to leave, they’ve not been healed yet. They’ve not been cured. It is as they are going that they become cured of their leprosy.

And it was only the priest who were able to pronounce one clean or pronounce one as unclean, according to the standards set forth under the law of Moses. And so Jesus is sending these men to the priest so that they could bring it be pronounced clean because he is going to heal them as they are on their way. Well, when this man, the one of the 10 realizes that he has been healed,

he returns to Jesus in order to give things falls on his face in order to give thanks unto him. And yet the Bible teaches us. Luke tells us he was a Samaritan. The implication is the nine are those who are Jews and yet not one of them returned to fate Jesus to thank God for what has been, what has happened for them. And so you see this contrast throughout this account concerning the one versus the nine,

the Samaritan versus the Jews. And when you look at it, you see the gratitude versus the, in gratitude. You look at it, you see the loud voice that the Samaritan said in, in expressing grace and thankfulness to Jesus versus the silence of the nine Jews you see concerning this Samaritan who glorified God versus the nine who express no glory to God for what has been given to them.

You see the man who fell down on his face or fell at his face in order to at the feet of Jesus, in order to thank him for this versus the nine, that didn’t bother to express any thankfulness or worship him in any way, shape or form. And so you see the Samaritan, the stranger versus those who were the Jews. We are to give things.

And as Paul brings out in first chapter five, and in verse 18 that we read just a few moments ago after saying pray without ceasing. He says in everything, give thanks for this as the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. We are to be so thankful for everything that we have. And for the fact that God has blessed us. So tremendously,

you look at Philippians chapter four, as Paul is writing to the Philippian church there in verse six, he says, be careful or anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving, let your request be made, known God. We are to be a thanking people, a thankful people, but four different kinds of prayers, supplications, prayers,

intercessions giving of things, the scriptures teach. But when you think concerning prayer, we also need to understand that prayer is to go to God through Jesus Christ. Our prayers are be are to be directed to God. When you look at such passages as John chapter 15, and in verse 16, there, Jesus says, you have not chosen me, but I’ve chosen you and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remain that whatsoever.

You shall ask of the father in my name, he may give it you. And so Jesus speaks to the disciples and the apostles to the FA to the fact that they are to pray and make their request known unto God, Matthew chapter six. And in verse nine, when Jesus is going to give them the model prayer. So many times people call it the Lord’s prayer.

It’s not the Lord’s prayer. It is a model where he’s teaching them how to pray as they have requested of him. Jesus says, after this manner, therefore pray ye our father, which in heaven, hallowed be thy name. And so prayer is to be directed toward God. The father, it is through Jesus Christ in his name that we pray his authority that we pray,

but we are to pray to the father, Timothy or Paul in writing to Timothy in first Timothy chapter two. And in verse five speaks concerning the fact that we have one mediator between God and men. And that is the man. Jesus Christ. Jesus is our mediator to the father. He is our go-between to the father. And therefore we pray to the father through our mediator,

through Jesus Christ. We do not pray to Jesus. We do not pray to Mary, the mother of Jesus. We do not pray to Mohammad. We do not pray to anybody else. We pray to God through Christ. In first, John chapter five,<inaudible> the apostle John records verses 13 through 15. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the son of God,

that he may know that we have eternal life and that we may believe that he may believe on the name of the son of God. And this is the confidence that we have in him. That if we ask anything, according to his, will he heareth us, us. And if we know that we, that he hear us whatsoever, we ask,

we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. And so it is that we are to be a prayerful people. We are to pray through Christ to the father. But as you think concerning prayer also let’s make this point. Only Christians are those who are allowed to pray to God. Those being on this side of the cross. Anyway,

Peter says in first Peter chapter three, and in verse 12 for the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and his ears are open unto their prayers. But the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. And so those that are the righteous, those are the save. Those are the Christians. Peter says, the Lord is open to hear their prayers.

Now somebody says, now, wait a minute. Are you trying to tell me that somebody that’s lost? God can’t hear their prayers. No, that’s not what it’s talking about. It’s talking about here. So as to answer their prayers, God, who is omniscient and all powerful, who is everywhere all at the same time, he hears not only every word we speak.

He knows every thought we think before we ever expressed that thought. So, yes, he’s able to hear the prayer of the unrighteous and those that are sinners because he hears everything, but he does not respond to it. He does not follow through with it. It is the prayers of the righteous. Peter says that he hears in first John chapter three and in verse 22,

again, the apostle John says, and whatsoever you ask, we ask, we receive of him because we keep his commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And so it is the prayers of the Christian that God is willing to answer. And again, in acts two in verse 42, those who had obeyed gospel of Jesus Christ were the ones who continued in the Apostle’s doctrine,

fellowship, breaking of bread prayers. They are now among the saved. They are ones who can approach God acceptably in prayers. By the way, this also shows that as some in the religious world, what to proclaim, that one cannot pray his way through to salvation. That’s not what the Bible teaches at all. Even Saul of Tarsus could not pray his way through to salvation.

He had to be the gospel first and yet we find him for three days, prayed without eating or drinking, as you think concerning prayer. Another point we need to make is the Bible mentions various positions when prayer is offered and real quickly, Matthew chapter 26, and in verse 39, there, it says that he fell on his face and prayed. That is the idea of prostrating oneself.

When one is praying in mark chapter 11 in verse 25, there we read concerning the publican in the center, actually Luke’s account in Luke chapter 18, verses 11 through 13, but here in Mark’s account here, Jesus says, when you stay prayed. And so Stan ending pray in Luke’s account in Luke 18, 11 through 13, he speaks concerning the Pharisee and the publican and how that they were standing in the Pharisee,

lifted up his voice, prayed with himself and the public, and could not even raise his head toward God when he asks for mercy for him. And yet they were standing when they were praying mark chapter 14. And in verse 19 there, we read it. He commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass and looking up to heaven. He blessed.

This is when Jesus is going to fee, feed the multitude. And yet he had the people to sit down and then he expresses praise and pronounce and praise the blessing to God and acts chapter 20. And in verse 36, there we read concerning the apostle Paul, after he has spoken with those Ephesians elders there in the city of my leaders. And as he is getting ready to leave,

we read where he kneeled down and prayed. And so there are various positions which are spoken of in scripture in offering prayer to God. There is not one particular position that is stated as this is the way. This is the only way you can pray acceptably to God. Any of those, in fact, the emphasis is not so much on the position,

whether we’re standing, sitting, kneeling prostrating oneself out, but it is the heart. It is the kind of heart that one has when he is prayed. That is of importance. Finally, we also need to recognize and understand that women may not lead prayer in the presence of men. The apostle Paul in first Timothy chapter two, and in verse eight says I will therefore that men pray everywhere.

If men are to pray everywhere, then where are men not to pray? Everywhere means everywhere. And so it is that he says that men are to pray. Now, this is not the word for mankind. Here. It is the word for the male, the male of God’s creation, who are the, be the ones who are to lead the prayer.

A man, an individual male is that, which is to be the one, the husband, the man, you know, as far as that is concerned to lead the prayer. And as you continue in that context there in first Timothy chapter two in verses 11 and 12, Paul says, let the women learn in silence with all subjection, but I suffer not a woman to teach nor to usurp authority over the man to,

but to be in silence. And so here it is concerning what the apostle Paul teaches that Paul is not speaking, that women cannot open their mouth. That’s not it at all. That’s taking that out of its context, but he is speaking concerning the fact that they are not to be the leaders in worship to God. And as we’ve been bringing out through this entire series,

every act of worship that we participate on the first day of the week is that, which is an act of worship. And men are to be those who are taking the lead in that. Therefore women are not to be those who lead in the presence of men, because there is no authority for that prayer. When prayer seems to be unanswered, the Christian should not be discouraged.

Prayer. That particular prayer may have been one that is contrary to the faith, contrary to the will of God. That’s possible. It may be such that God simply is saying, you’re not ready for it yet. And therefore later I’ll give you what you want. But most times, most times God will grant our request. He will grant our prayers.

If we are those who are a part of the body of Christ. Prayer is a privilege. It is a privilege for us as Christians to be able to approach our heavenly father with humble hearts in order to pray to him. And yet, sometimes we have people, brethren, sisters in Christ who feel like God is not really favorable toward them because they cannot lead in prayer.

Yeah, that the fact of the matter is when we are being led in prayer, we are all to be prayed. It’s not just the leader who is praying. We are all to be praying right along with him as he leads us in prayer. And a point that I think many forget and some sisters forget is that you don’t have to be the one leading it in order for God to hear you in most congregations,

very seldom do preachers lead prayers because other men are able to do that in the congregation. It’s not because preachers can not be effective and leading prayers. Certainly that’s not the idea, but it is such that there are others that can do it. And therefore, that’s fine. As far as we’re concerned, we want to encourage others to do as much as they possibly can,

but we’re not slided. We don’t feel slighted because we don’t lead prayers all the time. Neither should sisters feel slighted because they cannot lead prayers. When men are present, we are to be faithful. We are to be faithful in everything that we do to the very best of our ability. And certainly that includes prayer. If you’re one who’s outside the body of Christ this morning,

we plead with you to examine the scriptures as to what God requires in order for one to become a Christian, because it’s been so messed up by the denominational world, into promoting things that the Bible does not promote at all as being avenues for salvation. When you examine what the scriptures teach you find in John six, verse 45, that one must learn of the word of God before he can believe.

And yet one must believe if there’s going to be any hope of him being saved. Mark 16 verse one must also be willing to repeat a change of mind, which brings about a change in action and attitude makes restitution where possible acts chapter two, verse 38. Then one must be willing to confess his faith in Christ, truly believing that he is the son of God,

Matthew chapter 10, verse 32. And that one must be baptized must be immersed in water for the very purpose of having his sins washed away. Not because he’s already saved, but in order to become saved, mark chapter 16, verse 16, acts chapter two, verse 38, acts chapter 22, verse 16. There is no other way to become a Christian,

even though many in the religious world today, do not believe it. If we’re going to be found acceptable, just as Jesus said there, Matthew seven verse 21, we have to do the will of the father. And the only way to know what the will of the father is, is to know what the word of God teaches and then be willing to do it,

the invitation. And song’s been selected to encourage you. If you’re needing to respond to the gospel this morning, if you’re already a member of the body of Christ, and yet you’ve gone back into the world and brought reproach upon the church, will you come back and repentance, praying to God for forgiveness and begin again, walking in the way of righteousness.

If we can assist you in any way we plead with you to come as together, we stand in way<inaudible>.