The Privilege Of Prayer Series

A few weeks later, one of the neighbors told Emmy’s mother that Emmy was often seen entering the house of the world-famous physicist. Horrified, she told her daughter that Einstein was a very important man, whose time was very valuable, and he couldn’t be bothered with the problems of a little schoolgirl. And then she rushed over to Einstein’s house, and when Einstein answered the door, she started trying to blurt out an apology for her daughter’s intrusion – for being such a bother. But Einstein cut her off. He said, “She has not been bothering me! When a child finds such joy in learning, then it is my joy to help her learn! Please don’t stop Emmy from coming to me with her school problems. She is welcome in this house anytime.”

(Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2000, Devotional E-Mail, “It Is His Joy” (located at http://www.geocities.com/palmercog/joydevo.html) (last visited April 22, 2008)).

3. And that’s how it is with God! From it’s very opening pages, all the way to the end of the book, the Bible is a story about how God has pursued us with an unchanging and unquenchable and UNDESERVED love, because he wants us to come to his house! And we do that in this life through prayer! It’s an amazing privilege.

4. Trans: Let me share a second reason prayer is a privilege. It’s

B. Because of what prayer is, and what it does. Now, there are many passages in the Bible that talk to us about prayer, but none more beautiful or expressive than Phil 4:6-7. It’s printed on your sermon notes page; look at it with me.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:6-7, NLT).

True prayer, remember, is communing with God, and allowing him to work in our lives. And here the Apostle Paul helps us see that.

1. When Paul wrote, “Don’t worry about anything,” he wasn’t living the carefree life you might expect. No, he was under house arrest, awaiting trial with a possible outcome of severe torture followed by a death sentence for being a Christian leader. And Paul said, “Don’t worry about anything.”

a. What lets a person say that? The only person who can say that is one who has come to understand the tremendous privilege of prayer.

b. Look at what Paul says about it again. “Tell God what you need, and thank him for what he’s done. If you do this, you will experience” – WHAT DOES IT SAY? “God’s peace.”

2. Let me tell something right now. This is important. In fact, I’d like for you to write it in the blank on your outline. Prayer is not a get out of jail free card. I don’t know how to say this more plainly: Prayer is not a credit card that gives you everything you want; it’s not a greeting card that makes people like you and be nice to you; it’s not an insurance card that guarantees good health; and it’s not a get out of jail free card that solves all your problems. Now God may choose to do those things, or God may say, “No,” because it’s not in line with his will for your life at this point. But either way, that’s not what prayer really promises. Not really. We’ll talk more about this the final week of the series when we talk about dangerous prayers, but for now I want you to notice that Paul highlights the real promise of prayer. Write this in the blank on your outline: When we give God our problems, He gives us His peace. That’s the promise. He says “Tell God what you need.” It’s okay to ask to get out of jail, if that’s what you think you need. But the promise is for God’s peace.