Teencamps (2002 message on prayer)
I have a number of devotionals like this one from the past few years that I'd like to post, but am somewhat lost as to how to go about it. I don't want my whole blog to become a sappy encouragement center or a spiritual thermometer. I quickly lose interest in others' blogs when they walk that ground. Nor do I believe my "talks" are particularly insightful--some God has used, some he hasn't. Perhaps they will be of some benefit to their current readers, but I am certain there is more fertile literature for the mind and soul elsewhere. I will continue to post them, then, as memories.
I’m going to give a short talk tonight, about prayer. I had a hard time deciding what to say, incidentally, precisely because there is so much to say about prayer. I could have read Matthew six, and examined the Lord’s Prayer. I could have turned to Matthew seventeen where Jesus says that if you have so much as a mustard seed of faith you can move mountains. Or, I could have exhorted you to have consistent, regular prayer times, because as it says in James four verse two, you do not have because you do not ask.
All of these are great topics, but I decided to address two other aspects of prayer. Please pay attention, because there is exciting and convicting truth here, and I want you to find it and understand it. First, I’m going to discuss our attitude as we pray. Next, I’d like to challenge you concerning what you pray for. Your attitude as you approach God in prayer, and the content of those prayers.
When you go to God in prayer, understand, please, the privilege of your position. Remember the cross when you pray. It is the basis by which we can have any audience with God. We were dead in trespasses and sins; the objects of God’s wrath. We had no audience with God, because as it says in Proverbs, even the prayers of a wicked man are an abomination to the Lord. God is too holy to look upon sin.
But, because of the gospel, because of the good news that Christ died on the cross, paying the penalty for our sin, because his righteousness was accounted to us, we how have an audience with God. Before we had no hope of receiving blessing from Him, but now God looks on us with joy and pleasure. Now we are invited, no, commanded, to “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace.” (Hebrews 4:16)
When you pray, be confident; have faith that you are in the presence of God and that He is pleased with you. But do not be proud. There is nothing you have which you did not receive, nothing except the righteousness which was given to you.
The second thing I wanted to challenge you with concerns what you ask God for in prayer. It’s important to ask Him for the right things. If we don’t woe is us if He answers. (I am reminded of Israel, wanting a king, demanding a king, and wishing they hadn’t.)
Turn, please, to Daniel nine. I will read, beginning in verse sixteen.
"O Lord, according to all Your righteousness, I pray, let Your anger and Your fury be turned away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people are a reproach to all those around us. Now therefore, our God, hear the prayer of Your servant, and his supplications, and for the Lord’s sake cause Your face to shine on Your sanctuary, which is desolate. O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies. O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people and called by Your name.”
Daniel’s prayer is that God would cause His face to shine on Israel. That he would shine the light of His countenance on His people and bless them.
Israel was experiencing the judgment of God—they were a people conquered and destroyed. Daniel could have prayed for liberty, or the rebuilding of the city walls or the temple. All these would have been legitimate concerns—but instead he prays for the nearness and pleasure of God. You can sum it up by saying that he prayed that Israel would have a right relationship with God.
I urge you, when you pray, to think about what really matters. The condition of your heart. Think deeper than your circumstances, think and pray about how you respond to them. When you pray for yourself or for others, don’t merely ask for changes in the details of the situation, pray that God in his mercy would provide the grace and faith and strength you need to respond as you ought.
In conclusion, we will not become effectual in our praying unless we give attention and preparation to the state of our own hearts and the manner in which we approach God. That has nothing to do with fancy words, education, or religious phrases, but it does have to do with a heart that is seeking God and is concerned with His glory. A mind that is taught by His word.
Preparing this talk today was a challenge for me in this very area. I couldn’t seem to get any thoughts down on paper. (Actually, now that I’ve succeeded in getting them onto the paper, I seem to be having trouble getting them back off and into my mouth so I can share them with you!) At first, I prayed that God would enable me to write quickly, and speak with force and confidence, and to do such a great job that everyone here would be changed forever and… and… 5:00 rolled around and I still didn’t know what I was going to say. I had been sweating and struggling and wrestling with truths and words and ideas that just would not seem to come together.
I was getting nervous. Now what did I pray for? That god would put words on the pad in front of me? That He would enable me to give a spectacular impromptu speech? NO. I fell on my face and prayed, “God, I don’t care whether I look good tonight or not. I just know that You want the truth of Your word to excite and convict tonight, and I pray only that You would accomplish this in spite of me.”
You’ve heard before that you should pray according to the will of God. What does that mean? It means that you do not ask for your own personal glory, but for God’s.
You all have a debate tournament coming up. What are you going to pray for? That you’ll give good speeches? That your opponent will not? :) Whatever you ask of God, be sure to consider your attitude as you approach Him, and take a moment to consider what use you will make of the gift you ask Him for.
I’m going to give a short talk tonight, about prayer. I had a hard time deciding what to say, incidentally, precisely because there is so much to say about prayer. I could have read Matthew six, and examined the Lord’s Prayer. I could have turned to Matthew seventeen where Jesus says that if you have so much as a mustard seed of faith you can move mountains. Or, I could have exhorted you to have consistent, regular prayer times, because as it says in James four verse two, you do not have because you do not ask.
All of these are great topics, but I decided to address two other aspects of prayer. Please pay attention, because there is exciting and convicting truth here, and I want you to find it and understand it. First, I’m going to discuss our attitude as we pray. Next, I’d like to challenge you concerning what you pray for. Your attitude as you approach God in prayer, and the content of those prayers.
When you go to God in prayer, understand, please, the privilege of your position. Remember the cross when you pray. It is the basis by which we can have any audience with God. We were dead in trespasses and sins; the objects of God’s wrath. We had no audience with God, because as it says in Proverbs, even the prayers of a wicked man are an abomination to the Lord. God is too holy to look upon sin.
But, because of the gospel, because of the good news that Christ died on the cross, paying the penalty for our sin, because his righteousness was accounted to us, we how have an audience with God. Before we had no hope of receiving blessing from Him, but now God looks on us with joy and pleasure. Now we are invited, no, commanded, to “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace.” (Hebrews 4:16)
When you pray, be confident; have faith that you are in the presence of God and that He is pleased with you. But do not be proud. There is nothing you have which you did not receive, nothing except the righteousness which was given to you.
The second thing I wanted to challenge you with concerns what you ask God for in prayer. It’s important to ask Him for the right things. If we don’t woe is us if He answers. (I am reminded of Israel, wanting a king, demanding a king, and wishing they hadn’t.)
Turn, please, to Daniel nine. I will read, beginning in verse sixteen.
"O Lord, according to all Your righteousness, I pray, let Your anger and Your fury be turned away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people are a reproach to all those around us. Now therefore, our God, hear the prayer of Your servant, and his supplications, and for the Lord’s sake cause Your face to shine on Your sanctuary, which is desolate. O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies. O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people and called by Your name.”
Daniel’s prayer is that God would cause His face to shine on Israel. That he would shine the light of His countenance on His people and bless them.
Israel was experiencing the judgment of God—they were a people conquered and destroyed. Daniel could have prayed for liberty, or the rebuilding of the city walls or the temple. All these would have been legitimate concerns—but instead he prays for the nearness and pleasure of God. You can sum it up by saying that he prayed that Israel would have a right relationship with God.
I urge you, when you pray, to think about what really matters. The condition of your heart. Think deeper than your circumstances, think and pray about how you respond to them. When you pray for yourself or for others, don’t merely ask for changes in the details of the situation, pray that God in his mercy would provide the grace and faith and strength you need to respond as you ought.
In conclusion, we will not become effectual in our praying unless we give attention and preparation to the state of our own hearts and the manner in which we approach God. That has nothing to do with fancy words, education, or religious phrases, but it does have to do with a heart that is seeking God and is concerned with His glory. A mind that is taught by His word.
Preparing this talk today was a challenge for me in this very area. I couldn’t seem to get any thoughts down on paper. (Actually, now that I’ve succeeded in getting them onto the paper, I seem to be having trouble getting them back off and into my mouth so I can share them with you!) At first, I prayed that God would enable me to write quickly, and speak with force and confidence, and to do such a great job that everyone here would be changed forever and… and… 5:00 rolled around and I still didn’t know what I was going to say. I had been sweating and struggling and wrestling with truths and words and ideas that just would not seem to come together.
I was getting nervous. Now what did I pray for? That god would put words on the pad in front of me? That He would enable me to give a spectacular impromptu speech? NO. I fell on my face and prayed, “God, I don’t care whether I look good tonight or not. I just know that You want the truth of Your word to excite and convict tonight, and I pray only that You would accomplish this in spite of me.”
You’ve heard before that you should pray according to the will of God. What does that mean? It means that you do not ask for your own personal glory, but for God’s.
You all have a debate tournament coming up. What are you going to pray for? That you’ll give good speeches? That your opponent will not? :) Whatever you ask of God, be sure to consider your attitude as you approach Him, and take a moment to consider what use you will make of the gift you ask Him for.
posted by Motokeb at 12:24 PM
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