NEVER GIVE UP! PRAY!
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Winston Churchill stated: We cannot afford to look back ---we have no right --- to look back, WE MUST LOOK FORWARD…
Churchill gets credit for saying: NEVER, NEVER, NEVER GIVE UP! On October 29, 1941 Churchill said: “never give in, never, never, never, never --- in nothing great or small, large or petty --- NEVER GIVE IN…
Luke 18:1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
Luke 18:1 (NIV) Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.
Luke 18:1 (NLT) One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.
Luke 18:1 (MSG) Jesus told them a story showing that it was necessary for them to pray consistently and never quit.
HOW IMPORTANT IS PRAYER?
Daniel would spend a night with the LIONS instead of missing a day of prayer. Prayer seems to catch the attention of a mighty God! Prayer is more than REMINDING GOD of His promises. PRAYER IS A DAILY MENTAL, EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL VENTILATION SYSTEM THAT REMINDS OUR HEARTS: WE BELIEVE, TRUST AND STAND ON THE PROMISES OF GOD.
4 answers to prayer: Seems every prayer is answered. Sometimes the answer is 1. YES! Other times the prayer might bring the answer we dread: 2. NO! Still other times the prayer hears: 3. MAYBE? Still other times the in our prayer: God says: we must 4. WAIT until the timing is right.
Robert J. Morgan recorded that the cover story of the January 6, 1992 NEWSWEEK MAGAZINE was about PRAYER. The article ask if we believed all of the opinion surveys. The surveys revealed PRAYER WAS ALIVE AND WELL. In the USA THE SURVEYS STATED MORE PEOPLE WILL PRAY in any given week than will go to work, exercise or have sexual relations.
A writer named Andrew Greeley suggested 78% of American will pray in any given week. More than 57% of the population will pray at least once a day. They were very surprised that 20% of the agnostic and atheists pray daily?
The article says: there are 2000 books written that year on prayer. There was research that a FAMILY THAT PRAYS TOGETHER HAS A REAL ADVANTAGE over the family that does not pray together.
I WOULD NOT HAVE YOU TO BE IGNORANT: COME LET US REASON TOGETHER ABOUT PRAYER… THERE ARE 2 KINDS OF PRAYER: HEALTHY PRAYER AND UNHEALTHY PRAYER.
I believe God is a rewarder of those that love and serve him. Yet I believe there comes a time when we must QUIT PRACTICING IGNORANCE in our spiritual walk. It is OK to be ignorant, but it is not OK to stay ignorant. We seem to love trophies and applause in the USA church without KNOWING what God’s word really teaches. Ignorance can GROW INTO A CANCER and become SELF-FEEDING.
Today, we are so ANEMIC IN BIBLE STUDY. What do you desire? What does God desire? Will we align God’s word with our actions? TELL ME? Are we happy and have no desire to improve and change? I shall call the SHOWMANSHIP OF SPIRITUAL ENTERTAINMENT and the boasting with what we give and do as a thriving CIRCUS MENTALITY. We boast publicly about fasting and prayer? I acknowledge that seldom is fasting coupled with prayer. Some fasting should be called DIETING?
Many family and spiritual battles should be taken to the private prayer closet, or WAR ROOM BATTLES. OK, let us start giving TROPHIES out for prayer and fasting. While we start that, let us publish TITHING LIST. PERHAPS WE NEED SOME SPIRITUAL EDUCATION AS TO THE POWER OF DOING THINGS GOD’S WAY!
Are we praying in Jesus’ name and practicing sound Biblical principles? Let us reason in a balanced way what God desires.
GOD’S WORD AND GOD’S WORK MUST OPERATE WITHIN SOUND DOCTRINE!
Matthew 6:1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. 2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. 3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. 5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
THERE IS A RIGHT WAY AND A WRONG WAY? COME LET US STUDY TWO BASIC FUNDAMENTAL PRAYER ATTITUDES. WE STILL SEE THESE ATTITUDES THRIVE IN THE CHURCH TODAY.
Some make a CIRCUS ATTITUDE that loves to be seen, so that OTHERS CAN SEE HOW GOOD I AM.
Might I add real spiritual works go largely unseen, un-noted and un- applauded? God’s work is more than a FREAK-SHOW. Let’s see BAD PRAYER LIFE… If this was all the Pharisee knew it would be acceptable, but the Pharisee knew better!
Luke 18:10 (KJV) Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
There are many dangerous attitudes and habits within our spiritual walk. We are saved by grace, not by works. Many trust in their own righteousness… Let us see where the Pharisee went wrong. It is good to pray, but let us pray right.
1. MANY DANGERS ARE OFTEN HIDDEN. For example TO ELEVATE YOUR SELF is a sin. This is sin is not only the OPINION WE ARE GOOD, OUR CHURCH IS GOOD, but when we elevate our CIRCUS as the greatest show on earth… To have a high self-opinion YOU MUST LOWER OUR OPINION OF OTHERS… We then distort God’s value system. We are standing on level ground. There are none good!
2. We will then think whoever PRAYS THE LOUDEST must be right?
3. YOU WILL NEVER ARISE IN PUBLIC PRAYER ABOVE WHAT YOUR PRIVATE PRAYER LIFE REALLY IS… God can read. He could read your prayer book for Himself? Poetic words may please our ears, what about God’s ears?
4. MOTIVE? What is my motive in prayer? Is God a Santa Claus? Place your orders here? Is your motive a good circus? Circuses and firetrucks draw crowds? Is the crowd the motive? Let go to the graveyard, there are more there than 6 months ago? Can we understand healthy growth vs. GETTING FAT?
3. Then we might assume: MANY WORDS! How about saying the REPETITOUS WORDS… The more words you say has to be better? Baal’s prophets prayed millions of words and even cut themselves to gain attention. ELISHA poured many gallons of water of the altar and PRAYED A TOTAL OF 63 WORDS IN THE KJV, and fire came down.
4. Secret fasting and prayers will be revealed by God unless we brag, THEN THAT IS OUR REWARD.
5. COMPARISON is a dangerous action of Christians. There is a spirit of COMPETITION that thrives. Some denominations have MEGA-CHURCHES with millions in the bank. A sister church out in the country has a small number of people and the Preacher works and pays the church’s electric bill out of his own pocket?
2 Corinthians 10:12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
COMPARISON… Did you hear about the boy playing with his football? He accidently kicked his football in the chicken lot, HE WAS AFRAID OF CHICKENS SO HE RAN? The rooster saw the “EGG” and thought wow, what an egg. Rooster ran and He clucked in the Hen House and demanded the hens see this “BIG EGG!” Tomorrow he demanded all the hens to lay their eggs the same size? Poor old Henrietta passed out, how can I do that?
6. SELF TRUST, HE WAS PRAYING TO HIMSELF…
7. PROUD, PRIDE IS A SIN SATAN HAD… PRIDE GOES BEFORE THE FALL.
8. HIS OWN MERIT minimizes the FACT OF GRACE… I will show you my grace by my works.
9. I CALL THIS THROW UP… I will throw up, look at my trophies, my FASTINGS AND TITHES?
10. SELF JUSTIFIED --- SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS
11. MAKE EVERYTHING A CIRCUS ATMOSPHERE. .. My religion is SHOWING OFF AND LETTING OTHERS SEE WHAT I AM DOING… I am so special!
THE SECOND ATTITUDE WE DESIRE TO SEE THRIVE IN THE CHURCH: IS SIMPLE, GOOD OLE MISERABLE ME, LET GOD SHOW HIS STUFF…?
Paul seems in a trap? He does what he does not want to do? Then he doesn’t do what he had plans to do. Paul sees our righteousness as filthy rags.
Romans 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
THERE IS A PRAYER THAT ARISES FROM WITHIN AND BROKEN AND CONTRITE HEART. THE TEARS AND A HEART OF A MAN CAN REACH BEYOND THE TOUCH OF HANDS!
Luke 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
WE NEED THE HOLY SPIRIT TO EXPOSE AND REVEAL THE DEEPER ISSUES OF SPIRITUAL LIFE!
A GOOD PRAYER?
1. The Publican, STOOD AFAR OFF…
RECALL HOW THE LEPER COULD NOT GET NEAR ANYONE. They were UNWORTHY, UNCLEAN. I am not holy as these others?
2. The publican never felt worthy to come close… This distance suggest he was ASHAMED of words and deeds. He was not worthy to stand with the religious crowd. The worshipers press toward the ARK OF THE COVENANT… This publican stood back…
3. This man felt like the CASTE SYSTEM OF INDIA… He felt like an UNTOUCHABLE, he saw himself as a CAST AWAY.
This sinner would not LIFT HIS HEAD OR HIS EYES UNTO HEAVEN. Might this suggest REPENTANCE or Godly sorrow…? He thinks that Pharisee over there is a better man than I am.
4. This sinner SMOTE HIS BREAST… The chest is the cradle of the heart. To Smite your chest can be a symbol of grief and anguish AND GUILT.
6. HE WAS HUMBLE… He took OWNERSHIP OF HIS SIN.
Let us recall those at the foot of the cross were have been said they SMOTE their breast, the realized what they had just witnessed? The SMOTE one’s chest is acknowledging THE HEART is beneath the chest. This action speaks to OUR EMOTIONS, this OUTWARD MOTION SPEAKS ON AN INTERNAL CHANGE.. This man has come to realize he is a spiritual mess.
7. HE WOULD NOT LIFT HIS HEAD OR EYES… come with me and see beyond the words: HE WAS LIFTING HIS HEART… He was burdened with guilt and shame. His eyes may have focused low, but his heart was reaching high. My journey is more than me, my journey is about God.
Conclusion: THE FIRE IS COMING. Spiritual battles are won or lost in our words, deeds, and ATTITUDES! Life is more than what I think about myself? Life is more than what others think about me? Life at it fullness is WHAT DOES GOD THINK ABOUT ME? Am I living with ETERNITIES VALUES IN VIEW? Does my daily life align with society or God? Our goals is so distorted: I JUST WANT TO BE HAPPY! I want everyone to see what I am doing! PLEASE GOD, BE MERCIFUL TO ME A SINNER…PLEASE GOD… I AM NOT WORRIED ABOUT THE SEEDS IN MY POCKET, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE FRUIT, WILL MY FRUIT REMAIN?
John 15:16 (part) … and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain:
1 Corinthians 3:12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
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