INTRODUCTION
One morning at the gathering of a local men’s fellowship breakfast there was a heated discussion over the issue of how best to pray. "The proper way for man to pray," said Deacon Lemuel Keyes; "is down upon his knees." "Nay, I should say the way to pray," said Reverend Doctor Wise, "Is standing straight with outstretched arms with rapt and upturned eyes." "Oh, no, no, no," said Elder Snow, "such posture is too proud. A man should pray with eyes fast-closed and head contritely bowed. It seems to me,” said Reverend Doctor Blunt, “one’s hands should be austerely clasped in front with both thumbs pointing to the ground," But then all fell silent when Cyril Brown declared, "Last year I fell in Hodgkin’s well headfirst, With both my heels a-stickin’ up, my head a-pointing’ down; And I done prayed right then and there; best prayer I ever said, The prayin’est prayer I ever prayed, a-standin’ on my head." Prayer is one of those topic upon which so much has been written I could preach to the end of the year without repeating myself. And yet we still remain ignorant to it’s true meaning and power. Here are but a few of the things that people have said about prayer.
He who runs from God in the morning will scarcely find Him the rest of the day.
John Bunyan
The angel fetched Peter out of prison, but it was prayer that fetched the angel.
Thomas Watson
What the Church needs today is not more machinery or better, not new organizations or more novel methods, but men whom the Holy Ghost can use men of prayer, men mighty in prayer.
E.M.Bounds
I fear John Knox’s prayers more than an army of ten thousand men.
Mary, Queen of Scotland
In the 18th chapter of the gospel of Luke Jesus tells a parable, to motivate those who were listening to always to pray and not lose heart. Now remember that for Jesus parables were the way by which he taught his followers about God and living in the kingdom of God. Jesus tells the story of a forsaken widow who tirelessly pleads to a judge who neither feared God nor regarded man; Have you ever felt like that woman? Have you ever wondered in the midst of praying whether God was truly listening? Whether God really cared? You have prayed, and prayed, and prayed some more, but no answer comes. You scratch your head and begin to wonder is anyone up there listening? Believe me it is all too common. In fact it is so common that it seems Jesus has to encourage us to kept at it. We see Jesus holding up the widow as an example of perseverance and dogged determination. She was relentless in her pursuit of justice, and in her pursuit of the judge. She cried for vindication so much that simply by her persistence she wore him down, annoying him into giving her her due. Is this what it takes to get God’s attention? Do we need to shake our fists and badger God until finally He gives up and gives us what we ask for? NO, says Jesus, “Will not God vindicate his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them?” Of course not I tell you, Jesus insists he will vindicate them speedily. Jesus is saying that if a corrupt and uncaring judge will respond to persistent pleas, then certainly a holy and loving God will do the same and more! God does not to be brow beaten to answer our prayers, in fact God not only knows what we need He knows it even before we know it and before we ask.
Dr. Helen Roseveare, missionary to Zaire, told the following story. “A mother at our mission station died after giving birth to a premature baby. We tried to improvise an incubator to keep the infant alive, but the only hot water bottle we had was beyond repair. So we asked the children to pray for the baby and for her sister. One of the girls responded with the boldness only a child can have. ’Dear God, please send a hot water bottle today. Tomorrow will be too late because by then the baby will be dead. And dear Lord, send a doll for the sister so she won’t feel so lonely.’ The missionary doubted very much that anything would come they were miles from any city, and in four years she had never received a package from home. That afternoon a large package arrived from her home church in England. The children watched eagerly as we opened it. Much to their surprise, under some clothing was a hot water bottle! Immediately the girl who had prayed so earnestly started to dig deeper, exclaiming, ’If God sent that, I’m sure He also sent the doll!’ And she was right! The heavenly Father knew in advance of that child’s sincere requests, and 5 months earlier He had led a ladies’ group to include both of those specific articles.” God not only knows before we do He also cared long before we even knew our need for Him. The parable Jesus tells us in Luke Chapter 18 is not about a faithless God but it is about faithfulness in prayer. In this parable Jesus tells us God is Not an indifferent Judge, God is anything but callus in His compassion towards us. But he also encourage us to be like the widow. Because we are anything but persistent in our intent to seek Him. We are more prone not to pray than to pray with any discipline or commitment.
Early African converts to Christianity were earnest and regular in private devotions. Each one reportedly had a separate spot in the thicket where he would pour out his heart to God. Over time the paths to these places became well worn. As a result, if one of these believers began to neglect prayer, it was soon apparent to the others. They would kindly remind the negligent one, "Brother, the grass grows on your path." How many of us here today have allowed the grass to grow on our path to pray? How many of us have made prayer the last thing on our to-do list rather then the first? While very ill, John Knob, the founder of the Presbyterian Church in Scotland, called to his wife and said, "Read me that Scripture where I first cast my anchor." After he listened to the beautiful prayer of Jesus recorded in John 17, he seemed to forget his weakness. He began to pray, interceding earnestly for his fellowmen. He prayed for the ungodly who had thus far rejected the gospel. He pleaded in behalf of people who had been recently converted. And he requested protection for the Lord’s servants, many of whom were facing persecution. As Knob prayed, his spirit went Home to be with the Lord. The man of whom Queen Maryhad said, "I fear his prayers more than I do the armies of my enemies," ministered through prayer until the moment of his death. What type of person would you become if you became a person of persistent prayer? What type of church would we become if we became God’s instruments through prayer?
In its early days, Dallas Theological Seminary was in critical need of $10,000 to keep the work going. During a prayer meeting, renowned Bible teacher Harry Ironside, a lecturer at the school, prayed, "Lord, you own the cattle on a thousand hills. Please sell some of those cattle to help us meet this need." Shortly after the prayer meeting, a check for $10,000 arrived at the school, sent days earlier by a friend who had no idea of the urgent need or of Ironside’s prayer. The man simply said the money came from the sale of some of his cattle! God knows all of our needs and God cares, but do we believe it? This is what Jesus wonders when he states, “Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, will he find faith on earth?” For prayer is not about us but about the one to whom we pray. As E. Stanley Jones states,
“Prayer is surrender--surrender to the will of God and cooperation with that will. If I throw out a boathook from the boat and catch hold of the shore and pull, do I pull the shore to me, or do I pull myself to the shore? Prayer is not pulling God to my will, but the aligning of my will to the will of God.
How many of us truly understand the purpose or power of prayer? How many of us see prayer as a desperate attempt to move the immovable, or an opportunity to whine and cry until we get our way. How many of us go in the opposite direction and feel that prayer is good for the soul, because at least you can speak your peace, even if no one is listening. How many see prayer as a crutch to hold up a weak faith, rather than the strong legs faith walks on?
CONCLUSION
We all need to learn this truth even those who become clergy. Dr. Wilbur Chapman often told of his experience when, as a young man, he went to become pastor of a church in Philadelphia. After his first sermon, an old gentleman said to him, "You’re pretty young to be pastor of this church. But you preach the Gospel, and I’m going to help you all I can. I’m going to pray for you that you may have the Holy Spirit’s power upon you. Two others have covenanted to join with me in prayer for you." I thought he was a crank until the 3 became 10, the 10 became 20, and 20 became 50, the 50 became 200 who met before every service to pray that the Holy Spirit might come upon the Minister. It was a joy to preach, said Dr. Chapman The result was that we received 1,100 into our church by conversion in three years, 600 of whom were men. It was the fruit of the Holy spirit in answer to prayer! I would challenge you today to pray for your church. Pray because your church needs prayer. Pray because prayer connects us with the one who is Lord of the church, her guardian and guide. Pray that God will lead us into his will. Pray that God will give us the courage and strength to do those things we could never do without God’s power. Pray that we will become the people of God, living as His Son has lived. Pray for the deacons as they seek to hear God’s call. Pray for the council as they makes decisions for the church’s future. Pray for the people of this church that they may grow in grace, truth and love. Pray for me too, because God knows I need it. Pray and don’t give up.