THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT<br> <br>

PROGRAM AIR DATE – 10-12-14<br> <br>



LESSON TITLE:  “WHEN SHOULD WE PRAY?”<br> <br>



WELCOME<br> <br>

      ANNOUNCER: TODAY WE ARE BLESSED WITH A WONDERFUL GIFT FROM GOD, THE BIBLE. THIS BOOK IS GOD'S LIVING WORD. IN ITS PAGES WE ARE TOLD “FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS LIVING AND POWERFUL AND SHARPER THAN ANY TWO-EDGED SWORD.” IT IS IN THIS BOOK OF BOOKS THAT WE FIND THE ANSWERS TO ALL OF MAN'S QUESTIONS AND NEEDS. THIS MORNING YOUR AREA CHURCHES OF CHRIST WELCOME YOU TO A PROGRAM COMMITTED TO THAT PERFECT LAW OF LIBERTY. AS WE PRESENT THE LIVING WORD. NOW HERE IS YOUR HOST RAY SULLINS.<br> <br>

      RAY: HOW WONDERFUL IT IS TO KNOW GOD AND TO HAVE THE HEALTH, STRENGTH, AND WILL-POWER TO GIVE THIS TIME TO HIM ON THIS LORD’S DAY MORNING.  THANK YOU FOR PUTTING GOD FIRST TODAY AND CHOOSING TO COMMIT THIS TIME OF OFFERING TO HIS SERVICE.   <br> <br>

      TODAY, WE WILL AGAIN BE UPLIFTED THROUGH OUR COMMITMENT TO SERVING GOD AS COMMANDED, AS WE APPROACH HIS ALMIGHTY THRONE.  HOW ENJOYABLE IT WILL BE TO WORSHIP OUR GOD THROUGH PRAYER, SONG AND THE STUDY OF HIS MATCHLESS WORD.  WON’T YOU DO YOUR PART THIS MORNING TO SEE THAT OUR WORSHIP TOGETHER IS ACCEPTABLE SO THAT OUR GLORIOUS CREATOR MAY BE GLORIFIED? NOW, AS WE BEGIN OUR OFFERING TO GOD, WILL YOU BOW WITH ME IN PRAYER! <br> <br>

      PRAYER:  OUR GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS DAY AND THE MANY BLESSINGS OF LIFE. AND FATHER, WE THANK YOU BECAUSE IT'S GREAT TO BE YOUR CHILDREN AND TO SERVE YOU AND TO DO THOSE THINGS WHICH MAKE US ACCEPTABLE BEFORE YOU. THAT WE MIGHT BE RECIPIENTS OF YOUR BLESSINGS IN THIS LIFE AS WELL AS YOUR GREAT REWARDS AND PROMISES IN THE LIFE TO COME. THANK YOU FOR JESUS AND THE SACRIFICE HE MADE ON THE CROSS WHICH MAKES ALL THINGS POSSIBLE SPIRITUALLY AND PHYSICALLY. WHICH ALSO GIVES US THE HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE WITH YOU SOMEDAY. IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY, AMEN.<br> <br>

WELL, IT’S TIME TO JOIN IN OUR FIRST SONG OF PRAISE.  IT’S NAME, “I’LL FLY AWAY.” 

<br> <br>

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS<br> <br>

      RAY: WHEN WE LOOK TO THE LIFE OF CHRIST WE SEE THAT HE WAS ONE WHO WAS ALL ABOUT DOING THE FATHER’S WILL!  ONE THING WE FIND THE LORD DOING, WHICH IS OF GREAT INTEREST, IS CHOOSING 12 MEN TO TEACH OVER A PERIOD OF YEARS.  AND WHY?   THAT THEY MIGHT CARRY ON THE WORK OF GOD, WHEN JESUS RETURNED TO THE FATHER.  <br> <br>

      PAUL OBVIOUSLY LEARNED THIS IMPORTANT LESSON FROM JESUS, AS HE OFTEN TOOK MEN UNDER HIS WING AND TAUGHT THEM HOW TO DO THE WORK OF AN EVANGELIST.  IN FACT, THIS IDEA CAN BE FULLY SEEN IN 2 TIMOTHY 2:2, WHERE PAUL ALSO TOLD THIS YOUNG EVANGELIST TO TAKE, “THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE HEARD FROM ME AMONG MANY WITNESSES, COMMIT THESE TO FAITHFUL MEN WHO WILL BE ABLE TO TEACH OTHERS ALSO.”  THE PLAN OF TRAINING FAITHFUL MEN TO GO OUT AND TO TEACH OTHERS THE PRECIOUS WORD OF GOD IS CERTAINLY A BIBLICALLY BASED CONCEPT AND COMMAND. <br> <br>

      ANOTHER VERSE WHICH SHOWS US THAT WE ALL ARE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS IMPORTANT DUTY IS FOUND IN MATTHEW 28:18, WHERE JESUS SAID, “GO THEREFORE AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL THE NATIONS, BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE ALL THINGS THAT I HAVE COMMANDED YOU!”  ARE WE NOT ALL DISCIPLES OF GOD?  THEREFORE WE ARE ALL CHALLENGED TO GO INTO THIS WORLD AND TEACH THE GOSPEL TO THOSE WHO ARE LOST AND DYING.   AND WHY SHOULD WE DO THIS?   BECAUSE WE LOVE THE SOULS OF THOSE AROUND US AND WE WANT THEM TO BE SAVED.  

      I REMEMBER SOMETHING THAT PAUL ONCE TOLD TIMOTHY THAT REALLY TIES IN WELL TO OUR DISCUSSION AT HAND.  READ WITH ME FROM 1 TIMOTHY 4:16, “TAKE HEED TO YOURSELF AND TO THE DOCTRINE. CONTINUE IN THEM, FOR IN DOING THIS YOU WILL SAVE BOTH YOURSELF AND THOSE WHO HEAR YOU.”  ARE YOU STRIVING TO DO WHAT YOU CAN TO SAVE THE SOULS OF THOSE AROUND YOU?  <br> <br> 

      WITH THIS IN MIND, I AM THANKFUL FOR MANY OF THE GREAT EFFORTS BEING MADE FOR THE SAKE OF GOD, EVEN IN OUR AREA.  THIS PROGRAM IS COMMITTED TO PREACHING THE GOSPEL OF GOD TO THE WORLD.  ALSO, WE HAVE THE BIBLE INSTITUTE OF MISSOURI, RIGHT HERE IN SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI.  AN INSTITUTION THAT IS TRAINING MEN FOR THE GREATEST WORK ON EARTH, PREACHING THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST TO ALL NATIONS!  PRAISE GOD FOR THESE GOOD WORKS.  HOWEVER, DESPITE THE GOOD THINGS COLLECTIVELY WE ARE DOING TO REACH OUT WITH THE TRUTH, MAY WE NEVER SHIRK OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO GO OURSELVES AND TO TEACH OTHERS.  FOR THIS IS ONE OF THE BLESSED PRIVILEGES OF THOSE WHO ARE FAITHFUL CHILDREN OF GOD.  

      AS FAR AS OUR MAIN STUDY OF THE DAY, THIS MORNING WE WILL CONTINUE OUR SERIES ENTITLED, “LORD TEACH US TO PRAY.”  OUR SPECIFIC LESSON OF THE DAY WILL FOCUS ON, “WHEN SHOULD WE PRAY.” SO STAY WITH US AND AFTER OUR NEXT SONG TOGETHER, I WILL BE LEAD OUR THOUGHTS IN THE MAIN STUDY OF THE DAY.  SO FOR NOW LET’S JOIN TOGETHER IN OUR SECOND SONG OF THE MORNING.  THE NAME OF THIS HYMN, “PREPARE TO MEET THY GOD?”<br> <br>



LESSON<br> <br>

BY RAY SULLINS<br> <br>

      THE HEBREW WRITER SAID LET US THEREFORE COME BOLDLY TO THE THRONE OF GRACE. THAT WE MAY OBTAIN MERCY AND FIND GRACE TO HELP IN TIME OF NEED. WHAT A GREAT TRUTH THIS IS IN RELATIONSHIP TO OUR SERIES WHICH WE HAVE NOW CONSIDERED FOR SEVERAL WEEKS ON PRAYER. AND AS WE THINK ABOUT WHAT THIS VERSE SAYS, HOW POWERFUL IT IS TO KNOW THAT THERE IS A THRONE THAT WE STAND BEFORE AS CHRISTIANS, THE VERY THRONE OF OUR GOD IN HEAVEN. AND THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO APPROACH THAT THRONE EVEN THOUGH WE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO GO TO THE SPIRITUAL PLACE ITSELF OF HEAVEN IN A LITERAL SENSE. WE HAVE BEEN ASKED AND CALLED TO APPROACH THAT VERY THRONE OF GRACE. THAT THRONE OF MERCY FROM GOD. THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE, IT SAYS HERE TO FIND MERCY AND HELP IN TIME OF NEED. YOU SEE, GOD'S GRACE AND MERCY IS EVER THERE AND IT IS AWAITING THAT THRONE AND WE'RE ABLE TO APPROACH IT AND WE'RE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH OUR GOD AND TO MAKE THOSE PETITIONS, THAT WE MIGHT HAVE THAT HELP AND THOSE THINGS THAT WE NEED IN THIS LIFE. <br> <br>

      OH YES, PRAYER IS GREAT. PRAYER IS POWERFUL AND PRAYER IS SOMETHING, MY BRETHREN AND FRIENDS, THAT WE NEED TO TAKE MORE ADVANTAGE OF BECAUSE I MIGHT BEGIN THIS MORNING BY ASKING HOW OFTEN DO YOU PRAY? HOW OFTEN DO YOU APPROACH THAT THRONE OF GRACE WHICH AWAITS YOU AND WHICH IS EVER OPEN TO THE BELIEVER AND THE FOLLOWER OF GOD? HOPEFULLY YOU ARE PEOPLE OF PRAYER AND YOU'RE PEOPLE WHO TAKE ADVANTAGE MANY TIMES THROUGHOUT THE DAY OF SPEAKING WITH YOUR GOD. SO LET'S CONSIDER THIS DAY ON WHEN SHOULD WE PRAY AS WE CONSIDER TOGETHER THE FACT THAT WE NEED TO BE A PEOPLE WHO PRAY MORE TO OUR GOD. THAT OUR GOD MIGHT HEAR US AND ANSWER OUR PRAYERS AND CERTAINLY THEN GIVE US AS WE HAVE SEEN THE GREAT PETITIONS THAT WE HAVE ASKED OF HIM. 

      WE'LL BEGIN THIS MORNING THEN IN THE BOOK OF THESSALONIANS IF YOU'LL TURN THERE IN YOUR BIBLE. BECAUSE AS PAUL ADDRESSES THE THESSALONIAN CHURCH HE SAYS SEVERAL THINGS ADMONISHING THEM CONCERNING PRAYER IN 1THESSALONIANS CHAPTER 5. BUT THERE AS YOU MIGHT NOTICE WITH ME IN VERSE 17 HE MENTIONS THREE SIMPLE WORDS. AND HE SAYS, “PRAY WITHOUT CEASING.” YOU SEE WHAT WE HAVE TO DO BECAUSE OF WHAT GOD HAS SAID? WE HAVE TO PRAY. AND NOT ONLY DO WE NEED TO PRAY BUT HE SAYS HERE THAT WE MUST PRAY CONTINUOUSLY OR WE SHOULD PRAY WITHOUT CEASING. NOW OBVIOUSLY THE QUESTION MIGHT THEN BE CAN I EAT WITHOUT CEASING? I THINK WE LIKE TO EAT SOMETIMES BUT WE DON'T EAT WITHOUT CEASING. AND WE MIGHT SAY WELL, CAN I SLEEP WITHOUT CEASING? NO ONE CAN SLEEP 24/7 AND NEVER GET UP. <br> <br>

      YOU SEE THE POINT? IT'S NOT NECESSARILY SAYING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PRAY 24 HOURS A DAY SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. AND THAT THAT SOMEHOW IS THEN GOING TO BE ABLE TO ALLOW US TO ACCOMPLISH ALL THE MANY OTHER THINGS THAT GOD HAS ASKED OF US IN HIS WILL. SO HE'S NOT SAYING THAT WE ARE ALWAYS PRAYING. HE'S SPEAKING OF OUR LIFE, OUR PRAYER LIFE. THAT WE CONTINUOUSLY ARE PRAYING IN OUR DAILY LIVES. THAT WE HAVE A CEASELESS PRAYER LIFE AND THAT ALL THE TIME, WITH EVERY OPPORTUNITY THAT PRESENTS ITSELF, THAT WE ARE TAKING FULL ADVANTAGE OF PRAYER. <br> <br>

      I'M OFTEN REMINDED OF AN AFRICAN THAT I WELL KNEW AS I WAS WORKING AS A MISSIONARY THERE IN BOTSWANA AND I REMEMBER HIS NAME. HIS NAME WAS FRANCIS AND AFTER I MET HIM ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STOOD OUT TO ME ABOUT HIM IS THAT ANYTIME SOMETHING HAPPENED, NO MATTER HOW BIG OR HOW SMALL, HE SAID LET US PRAY. AND SO YOU COULD GIVE HIM A COKE AND HE WOULD SAY LET'S PRAY FOR THIS COKE. AND YOU COULD GIVE HIM A PIECE OF CANDY OR CHOCOLATE AND GUESS WHAT? HE WANTED TO PRAY. HE ALWAYS WANTED TO PRAY. WELL, I THINK HE MISUNDERSTOOD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE IDEA THAT PRAYER IS IN EVERYTHING OR WITHOUT CEASING AND MAYBE TO UNDERSTAND THE TRUE INTERPRETATION ABOUT THAT. 

      BUT CERTAINLY I WAS EXCITED. I WAS ENERGIZED BY HIS DESIRE TO ALWAYS PRAY. AND ISN'T THAT WHAT IT GOES ON TO SAY HERE? PRAY WITHOUT CEASING, VERSE 18 SAYS, IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS. THERE'S CERTAINLY NOTHING WRONG PRAYING AS OFTEN AS WE CAN. THERE'S CERTAINLY NOTHING WRONG WITH PRAYING WHEN WE GET A POP FROM SOMEONE OR A PIECE OF CANDY. BUT REALLY WHAT IS HE SAYING HERE? CHRISTIANITY IS SOMETHING THAT WE WEAR ALL THE TIME. EVERY MOMENT OF OUR LIVES. WE DON'T TURN IT ON AND OFF. WORSHIP IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD EVER KEEP IN THE FOREFRONT OF OUR MIND. WORSHIP GOD AS OFTEN AS WE CAN AND PRAYER BEING AN ASPECT OF WORSHIP SHOULD BE A PART OF OUR LIFE THAT IS CONTINUOUS. THAT IS AS OFTEN AS IT CAN BE IN THE SENSE OF  WITHOUT CEASING THAT IN EVERYTHING WE MIGHT HAVE THIS PRAYERFUL SPIRIT, THIS COMMUNICATION AND SPIRIT BEFORE GOD. THAT WE'RE ALWAYS THANKFUL, THAT WE'RE ALWAYS HONORING AND LOOKING HIM UP IN ADORATION, THAT WE'RE ALWAYS ASKING THOSE PETITIONS THAT WE NEED AND ASKING FORGIVENESS OF SINS. <br> <br>

      YOU KNOW ALL THOSE DIFFERENT PARTS OF PRAYER THAT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT? FROM THE LORD'S PRAYER THERE AND SEEING THAT AGAIN HE ADORED AND LIFTED UP THE NAME OF HIS FATHER. HE MADE SUPPLICATION TO HIS FATHER, AND AS WELL HE WAS A GOD ON THIS EARTH AS JESUS CHRIST WHO SPOKE TO HIS FATHER IN PRAYER. AND ALSO ASK THAT HE MIGHT BE, THAT HE MIGHT NOT ONLY RECEIVE THAT WHICH HE WANTED BUT SHOWED THANKFULNESS FOR ALL THAT IT WAS THAT HE PRAYED FOR. AND YES, NO DOUBT AGAIN THE IDEA OF CONFESSION AND OTHER THINGS INVOLVED IN PRAYER AS WELL AND HOW WE AGAIN PETITION OR APPROACH GOD. 

      AND BRETHREN, THE REASON WE CALL IT PRAYER AND SAY PRAYERS, NOT ONLY BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS IT, THAT IS HOW WE ARE ATTRIBUTING THE IDEA OF OUR COMMUNICATION WITH GOD. THAT'S WHAT GOD CALLS IT. WHENEVER WE SPEAK TO GOD, WHENEVER WE THINK ABOUT THE THINGS OF GOD OR WE GIVE HONOR TO GOD OR WE GIVE GLORY TO GOD, WE ARE PRAYERFULLY CONSIDERING THOSE THINGS. CONTINUOUSLY CONSIDERING THOSE THINGS. CEASELESSLY COMING BEFORE GOD IN A MINDFUL WAY THAT WE MIGHT DO WHAT? AGAIN GIVE ADORATION AND HOMAGE, SHOW THANKSGIVING FOR ALL THAT HE HAS DONE FOR US, AND ALSO MAKE SUPPLICATION - THAT WE AGAIN TAKE ADVANTAGE AT TIMES OF FORGIVENESS OF SINS - ON AND ON AND ON WE COULD GO ABOUT THESE THINGS. <br> <br>

      BUT AGAIN THIS MORNING SPECIFICALLY UNDERSTANDING AGAIN HOW OFTEN SHALL WE PRAY? ANOTHER VERSE THAT MIGHT HELP US WITH THIS IS IN WHAT PAUL SAID TO THE EPHESIAN CHURCH. AND YOU MIGHT RECALL THERE THAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT THE ARMOR THAT A CHRISTIAN IS SUPPOSED TO WEAR. AND HE TALKS ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THAT ARMOR. AND THEN AFTER HE HAS MENTIONED THAT ARMOR AND COMES DOWN TO THE LAST PART OF THE ARMOR WHICH IS THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT AND THEN HE SAYS IT IS THE WORD OF GOD. WELL, IN VERSE 18 I WANT YOU TO NOTICE THE NEXT THING, THE VERY NEXT THING HE SAYS THAT THIS EQUIPPED SOLDIER WITH ALL OF HIS ARMOR ON WHO HAS PREPARED HIMSELF TO GO OUT AND DO THE WORK OF THE LORD, NOTICE THE NEXT THING OR TOOL IN THE ARSENAL OF THAT SOLDIER. HE SAYS, PRAYING ALWAYS WITH ALL PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION IN THE SPIRIT. PRAYING WHAT? ALWAYS. WELL AGAIN, COULD THAT MEAN 24 HOURS A DAY SEVEN DAYS A WEEK?  IT WOULD MEAN A LIFE OF PRAYER. A LIFE OF COMMUNICATION TO OUR GOD. A LIFE OF OFFERING TO OUR GOD. A LIFE OF HOMAGE THROUGH OUR THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS THAT GOD IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN OUR LIFE AND HE'S ALWAYS BEFORE US - AN EVER GUIDING AND PROTECTING - IN EVERY PORTION AND PART OF LIFE. <br> <br>

      YOU SEE AGAIN, PRAYING ALWAYS. AND WITH ALL PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION. YOU SEE, THAT'S HOW WE SPEAK AS A SOLDIER TO OUR COMMANDER. THAT'S HOW WE COMMUNICATE WITH OUR FATHER WHO IS OUR GOD. AND THAT'S HOW WE SPEAK THE SAME WAY THAT ON THIS EARTH WE SPEAK TO THOSE WHOM WE LOVE AND THOSE WHO ARE OVER US OR THOSE WHO ARE IN AUTHORITY OVER US. WE HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY OF PRAYER AND TO PRAY OFT, AS OFT AS WE CAN, SO THAT WE MIGHT SPEAK WITH OUR GOD JUST AS HE SPEAKS WITH US AS OFTEN AS WE READ AND KNOW HIS WORD THAT HE HAS GIVEN US. <br> <br>

      NOW WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO WITH THE REMAINDER OF OUR TIME IS TO BEGIN TO LOOK AT SOME EXAMPLES THEN OF A PRAYER LIFE - ONE WHO PRAYS WITHOUT CEASING AND IN EVERYTHING WE GIVE THANKS. AND I DON'T KNOW OF A GREATER EXAMPLE THAT WE CAN CONSIDER THAN THAT EXAMPLE OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF. <br> <br>

      AND SO WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN THERE IN THE BOOK OF MARK CHAPTER 1. AND HERE WITHIN THE EXAMPLE OF MARK CHAPTER 1, I WANT YOU TO NOTICE WITH ME NOT ONLY THAT JESUS PRAYED BUT I WANT YOU TO NOTICE WITH ME WHEN IT SAYS THAT HE PRAYED. NOTICE THERE IN CHAPTER 1 OF MARK AND VERSE 35, THE BIBLE SAYS, “NOW IN MORNING HAVING RISEN A LONG WHILE EVEN BEFORE DAYLIGHT, HE WENT OUT AND DEPARTED TO A QUIET OR A PLACE OF SOLACE AND HE PRAYED.” WELL, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT I'M NOT MUCH OF A MORNING PERSON. AND I'D JUST AS SOON GET UP AFTER THE SUN COMES UP, BUT I THINK YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND AND COMPREHEND WITH ME WHAT HE'S REALLY SAYING HERE.  IS HE SAYING WE'VE GOT TO GET UP BEFORE THE SUN COMES UP PRAY? WELL, IT WOULDN'T BE A BAD IDEA BUT WHAT HE'S REALLY SAYING IS THAT JESUS HAD A PRAYER LIFE. AND THAT HE UNDERSTOOD THAT AFTER HE GOT UP MANY TIMES THERE WERE PEOPLE AND THERE WERE EVENTS AND THERE WERE ACTIVITIES THAT GOT IN THE WAY OF MAYBE HIM SPEAKING WITH HIS FATHER. AND SO WHAT DID HE DO? WELL, HE GOT UP - SO TO SPEAK WITH THE CHICKENS OR BEFORE THE CHICKENS EVEN WHEN IT WAS STILL DARK - THAT HE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GO AND FIND A QUIET PLACE AND SPEAK WITH WHO? HIS FATHER IN HEAVEN. HE WENT THERE IN A QUIET PLACE WHERE HE COULD CONCENTRATE AND HE WOULD PRAY. <br> <br>

      HAVE YOU EVER ASKED SOMEBODY CAN I TALK TO YOU? OR HAVE THEY EVER SAID CAN THEY TALK WITH YOU. AND THEN THEY SAY CAN WE GO OVER HERE QUIETLY AND TALK? WELL A QUIET PLACE, SOMEWHERE WHERE YOU CAN REALLY COMMUNICATE AND THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU HAVE HEARD AND WHAT YOU KNOW OF FROM GOD AND HIS WILL. WELL JESUS PRAYED IT SAYS IN THE MORNING.<br> <br> 

      I WANT YOU TO NOTICE WITH ME ALSO NOW BACKING UP TO THE GOSPEL AS IS GIVEN BY MATTHEW. AND IF YOU'LL LOOK WITH ME SPECIFICALLY IN CHAPTER 14 OF MATTHEW, NOTICE NOW WHERE IT SPEAKS THAT JESUS PRAYED AND WHEN HE PRAYED TO HIS GOD. LOOK SPECIFICALLY WITH ME IN VERSE 23. LET'S JUST BACK UP TO VERSE 20. IMMEDIATELY IN 22 JESUS MADE HIS DISCIPLES GET INTO A BOAT AND GO BEFORE HIM TO THE OTHER SIDE WHILE WE REMAINED WITH THE MULTITUDES. BUT THEN VERSE 23 SAYS AND WHEN HE HAD SENT THE MULTITUDES AWAY, HE WENT UP ON THE MOUNTAIN BY HIMSELF TO WHAT? TO PRAY. AND NOW WHEN EVENING CAME HE WAS WHAT? ALONE THERE. WELL, JESUS PRAYED IN THE MORNING AND THEN IT SAYS AFTER EVERYBODY LEFT IN THE EVENING WHEN HE COULD AGAIN FIND A QUIET PLACE ON THE MOUNTAIN BY HIMSELF, WHAT DID HE DO? HE PRAYED. JESUS PRAYED IN THE MORNING AND IN THE EVENING. DON'T YOU THINK THAT'S PRETTY GOOD EXAMPLE? TO WAKE UP AND FIRST THING SPEAK TO OUR GOD THE SAME WAY WE GET UP AND TALK TO OUR WIVES OR WE TALK TO OUR CHILDREN. WHY? WE LOVE THEM AND WE WANT TO COMMUNICATE WITH THOSE WE LOVE. AND THEN BEFORE WE GO TO BED WE TELL OUR CHILDREN AND WE TELL OUR WIFE WE LOVE YOU AND GOOD NIGHT AND WE'LL SEE YOU IN THE MORNING. WE WANT TO SPEAK WITH THOSE WE LOVE. IN THE MORNING FIRST THING AND IN THE EVENING FIRST THING. DO YOU HAVE THAT KIND OF PRAYER LIFE? <br> <br>

      BUT IT WASN'T JUST THEN. JESUS WAS PRAYING THROUGHOUT THE DAY. AND WE KNOW THAT BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE EXAMPLES THAT WE SEE TAKING PLACE IN HIS LIFE. ONE SUCH EXAMPLE IS FOUND THERE IN THE BOOK OF LUKE WHEN JESUS HAD JUST BEEN BAPTIZED BY JOHN. AND IF YOU REMEMBER WITH ME THERE AFTER HE'D BEEN BAPTIZED IN VERSE 21 IT SAYS THAT WHEN ALL THE PEOPLE THERE WERE BAPTIZED IT CAME TO PASS THAT JESUS WAS ALSO BAPTIZED AND WHILE HE PRAYED THE HEAVENS WERE OPEN. YOU SEE, HE WAS BAPTIZED AND AFTER HE WAS BAPTIZED HE WAS SPEAKING WITH HIS FATHER. AND WHAT DID IT CALL AT PRAYER? EVEN JESUS SPOKE WITH HIS FATHER AND HE PRAYED TO HIS FATHER. DON'T WE NEED TO DO THAT? THIS WAS DURING THE DAY WHEN HE AGAIN HAD SOMETHING HAPPEN IN HIS LIFE, HIS BAPTISM, THAT WAS MEANINGFUL AND SIGNIFICANT. <br> <br>

      WE BACK UP TO MATTHEW CHAPTER 26 AND I'M WANTING YOU TO SEE THE LIFE OF JESUS AND THE PRAYER LIFE AND THE FIRST THING WE SEE EARLY ON IN THAT TEXT IS BEFORE HE ATE THE BREAD OF THE FEAST OF THE LORD'S SUPPER, WHAT DID HE DO? HE BLESSED IT OR SPECIFICALLY IT ACTUALLY SAYS HE GAVE THANKS IN VERSE 27. HE PRAYED. THANK YOU FATHER. BLESS THIS CUP. YOU SEE, HE SPOKE WITH THE FATHER SO HE WAS PRAYING TO THE FATHER. BUT THEN ALSO IN THAT SAME PASSAGE LATER YOU MIGHT RECALL THAT AFTER THAT FEAST HE WENT THERE TO THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE AND SOME WENT WITH THEM. WHY DID HE GO THERE? IT TELLS US SPECIFICALLY THAT AS HE WENT THERE IN SORROW THAT HE TOLD HIS DISCIPLES IN VERSE 37 TO WAIT FOR HIM SO THAT HE MIGHT DO WHAT? GO OVER AND PRAY. AND HE PRAYED SO FERVENTLY THAT IT SAYS TEARS CAME FORTH AND SWEAT AS DROPS OF BLOOD IN THE FERVENT PRAYER AND THE EARNEST PRAYER AND THE DIFFICULT PRAYER THAT HE GAVE. AND THEN IN THE SAME PASSAGE HE SAYS YOU KNOW, LET THIS CUP PASS FROM ME BUT IT'S NOT MY WILL BUT YOUR WILL FATHER. YOUR WILL IN HEAVEN THAT MUST BE DONE. YOU SEE THE PRAYER, THE PRAYER, THE PLEA ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD MAKING AGAIN ADORATION, SHOWING THANKSGIVING, AND ALSO SUPPLICATION OR ASKING A REQUEST. LET THIS CUP PASS FROM ME BUT IF IT'S YOUR WILL FATHER, I'M READY TO BEAR THAT. <br> <br>

      SO EVEN DURING THE DAY, DURING GREAT EVENTS IN HIS LIFE, DURING ACTIVITIES, AND EVEN FOR OTHERS JOHN 17 VERSE SIX SHOWS THAT JESUS PRAYED. IN FACT, HE PRAYED THERE THAT WE MIGHT ALL BE ONE IN THAT GREAT PRAYER OF UNITY THAT WE MIGHT IN SOME WAY, SMALL WAY, RECEIVE THE GLORIFICATION THROUGH GOD AND HIS WONDER AND PRESENCE AND THAT WE MIGHT AGAIN FIND ONENESS AND UNITY AS THE PEOPLE OF GOD. PRAYER, PRAY WITHOUT CEASING. BE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE A REGULAR, CONSISTENT, DAILY, HOURLY IF POSSIBLE, PRAYER LIFE. ALWAYS IN SOME WAY COMMUNICATING WITH GOD THUS PRAYING TO GOD. AND EVEN TAKING THOSE TIMES LIKE JESUS DID WHERE WE FIND THOSE QUIET PLACES OF SOLACE WHERE WE CAN FIND THAT PEACEFUL PLACE AND REALLY SPEND SOME TIME SHOWING GOD HOW MUCH WE HONOR HIM, AND SUBMITTING HUMBLY BEFORE HIM, AND THANKING HIM, AND MAKING REQUESTS OF HIM. YOU KNOW MY BRETHREN, PRAYER IS POWERFUL. <br> <br>

      MY FRIENDS, THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW GOD TODAY NEED TO BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU NEED TO HAVE THE AVENUE OF PRAYER. BUT IN ORDER FOR PRAYER TO BE EFFECTIVE YOU'VE GOT TO BE RIGHTEOUS. YOU'VE GOT TO BE A SERVANT. YOU'VE GOT TO BE ONE WHO SERVES YOUR CREATOR. ARE YOU WILLING TO DO THAT TODAY? ARE YOU WILLING TO SUBMIT TO HIS WILL? IF SO, TURN TO HIS BIBLE AND ONLY DO WHAT HE HAS COMMANDED. <br> <br>



CLOSING COMMENTS<br> <br>

      WHAT A BLESSING IT HAS BEEN TO JOIN TOGETHER IN THE THINGS OF GOD THIS MORNING.  THANK YOU FOR DOING YOUR PART IN MAKING ALL THESE THINGS TO BE ACCORDING TO HIS WILL.  AS ALWAYS, WE INVITE YOU BACK EVERY LORD’S DAY MORNING AT 7:30, AS WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO THIS OFFERING FOR GOD!  BUT FOR NOW, LET ME ASK IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT TODAY’S LESSON?  MAYBE, YOU WOULD LIKE A FREE TRANSCRIPT OR A CASSETTE TAPE OF THIS PROGRAM?  POSSIBLY, WE COULD ASSIST YOU WITH FREE BIBLE MATERIALS OR CORRESPONDENCE COURSES?  NO MATTER WHAT YOUR NEED IS, PLEASE CONTACT US AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:  <br> <br>

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      THE QUESTION TODAY IS, “ARE WE PRAYING WITHOUT CEASING?”  THE FACT IS, WE ALL NEED TO HAVE A MORE REGULAR PRAYER LIFE AND GIVE GOD WHAT HE REQUIRES.  SO, I ASK, ARE YOU WILLING TO COMMIT TODAY TO A BETTER PRAYER LIFE WITH YOUR CREATOR?<br> <br>