Life With Others Pt 3

Once again, take their Bibles
and turn to Romans chapter 12, Romans chapter 12, and we are
in the midst of this amazing section where Paul has begun
to encourage us to instruct us on how we are to live with one
another, how we are to live towards one another. In verses 9 through
13, he deals with how we are to live with Christians. In verse
14, he deals with a very specific group, those who are antagonistic
to us. In verses 15 through 16, he deals
with how we are supposed to respond and deal with those who are,
as I would label it, downtrodden. In verses 17 through 21, he deals
with those who are contrary, those who are, as it were, against
us. And in chapter 13, he turns a
new section and deals with how we are to react and respond to
civil governments. And then in verses eight through
14 of that chapter, he deals really with how we are supposed
to respond to everyone. Paul had already identified in
Chapter 12 that dealing with others is made more difficult
because of the diversity of gifts. Because we’re not all the same,
because there is diversity in our giftedness, there is a tendency
to become jealous. There’s a tendency to react to
others who don’t have the same gifts that we have. There is
a tendency to respond inappropriately. And as I said several weeks ago,
as we introduced this section, we would be the greatest Christians
the world has ever known. If it weren’t for people. People are egotistical. And I’m
not going to go through the list of 70 things, but people are
inherently self-centered. They test our patience. They
tend to be rude. Sometimes they speak slanderous
thoughts. Sometimes they’re insensitive
to our own feelings. They get under our skin. They
irritate and bother us. Their idiosyncrasies are almost
unbearable. We would be great Christians
if it weren’t for others. But, as God would have it, God
has placed us in a community. God has placed us alongside of
others, those who seek to remove themselves completely from society,
recluses, if you will, don’t really end up faring any better. There’s no test for them. There’s
certainly no way of proving what kind of a Christian they are
because there is no fellowship. Paul begins this section very
straightforwardly when he says in verse nine, let love be without
hypocrisy. And he points to the natural
tendency, as we’ve seen, he points to the natural tendency to just
gloss and to say things that we don’t mean to do things that
our hearts really aren’t in 100 percent to go through the motions,
as it were. And Paul says, don’t let it be
like that. Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to
what is good. That our love is supposed to
not only be a genuine affection, it is supposed to be a purified
affection. We are supposed to love what
is really and truly good and really hate what is really and
truly evil. But we saw thirdly that it is
It is supposed to be a practical affection, and that really encompasses
verses 10 all the way down through verse 13. What Paul does is he
makes two statements and then everything else in verse 11 through
13 describes those two statements. The statements are these be devoted
to one another in brotherly love, give preference to one another
in honor. Well, those are no small order for the average person
be devoted to one another. In brotherly love. That our affection
towards really what were strangers until we discovered that both
of us proclaim the faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Now we are
no longer strangers. We are by scriptures account
brothers in Christ. And as brothers in Christ, as
those possessing the same heavenly father, we are supposed to have
an affection that goes even beyond natural affection, even beyond
the love. Their parent has for a child,
we are to be kindly affectioned toward one another as the King
James has it. We are to be passionate towards
our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are to love them deeply and
sincerely. But Paul goes on to this second
statement. Not only are we to be devoted
to one another in brotherly love, we are to give preference to
one another in honor. And we talked about this and
I spent no little time on it. We’re almost to contend with
each other in who is going to give who greater honor. For more
than one person, heard this last couple of weeks that the most
graphic illustration of that is two Japanese men when they
greet one another. They almost seek to outdoing
one another in bowing before one another a way of showing
honor. Well that’s that is what the Christian is supposed to
look like with regards to his Christian brother. We are supposed
to almost contend with one another. in showing honor towards one
another. We’re to look for ways to honor
one another. And one of those ways, as we
pointed out last Lord’s Day, is to recognize the giftedness
in others. To recognize what God is doing
in them and through them and to acknowledge that and to praise
God first and foremost for that. Well, so Paul makes these two
statements. Be devoted to one another and
brotherly love. Give preference to one another
in honor. And I suppose, you know, with a little effort, we’ve
we’ve dug into that and tried to figure out what exactly that
means. But Paul wants to spend the remaining
portion of this section just describing that. What does it
look like? to show brotherly love towards
one another. What does it look like to give
preference to one another in honor? Well, that’s what verses
11 through 13 are all about. We’ve begun to touch on it already. And Paul takes up the first,
not lagging behind in diligence. We saw that there was a tendency
for translators to translate that word diligence as business,
not lagging behind in business. And it’s possible, but it’s not
a good translation. It talks about diligence in a
very general way. And he basically just says that
we’re not supposed to be burnouts. We’re not supposed to be lagging
behind. We’re not supposed to be slothful. If we have expressed
our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we have a brotherhood and we
are supposed to persevere in that brotherhood in showing honor. and affection towards our brothers
in Christ. We’re supposed to be diligent
in that. We’re supposed to be zealous.
If the Scripture says, do all to the glory of God, it includes
diligence in our love for one another. We saw that even related
to that further on in verse 11, not lagging behind in diligence,
but fervent in spirit. Now, we challenged. that most
Christians many Christians anyway are lukewarm in their spirit.
They just kind of are going through the motions which is exactly
what Paul dealt with at the beginning of this verse that love is not
supposed to be hypocritical. It’s not supposed to just be
a verbal commitment. It’s supposed to be a practical
passionate commitment to one another. We are supposed to be
fervent in spirit. And as we pointed out last Lord’s
Day there was some big wrestling match here whether you capitalize
the S in spirit. Is this the human spirit in which
we’re supposed to be fervent or is it the Holy Spirit. Well
if we know that the Holy Spirit is what influences our own human
spirit. I don’t think that there’s much
of a difference there. I think what Paul is pointing to is that
we’re supposed to be passionate eager zealous lively vigorous
And for the Christian, all of life, the touchstone is the Holy
Spirit himself. There’s a third little encouragement
there in verse 11. And we’ve already looked at all
of these thus far. Just taking a very quick review,
Paul says, if we’re going to love one another as Christians,
if we’re going to give preference to one another and honor, We
can’t be lagging behind in diligence, we should be fervent in spirit
and we should remember always that we are serving the Lord.
We tend to get caught up in thinking that, well, I’m tired of serving
so-and-so or I’m tired of serving in such and such capacity. We were saved for the very purpose
of serving our Lord Jesus, we have a personal relationship
with the Lord Jesus Christ, and that should really issue forth
in a revolutionary effort on behalf of the God who saved us.
It should be a completely new way of approaching life. And
service. We tend to degenerate into thinking
that we’re serving others, we’re not. Not ultimately. If our heart is in it, if we
have been saved by the Lord Jesus himself, then we are those that
ought to be the most zealous in our service on behalf of others.
One pastor said it this way, it is something that we always
tend to forget, and it’s when we forget this that we get into
trouble. If we think of our Christian lives and our work in terms of
ourselves and one another, we will soon be in trouble because
we are serving the Lord. His eye is always upon us. He sees us when we are indolent
and slacking. In other words, what he points
to is the fact that so often not only do we get caught up
in the idea that I’m serving so and so or I’m serving on a
board or I’m serving in such and such a capacity. We think
that the only people that see us are those immediate supervisors
or perhaps earthly eyes when it’s really God that we’re serving
and it’s God that ultimately is watching us. It is the Lord
Jesus whom we serve. It is the Lord Jesus Christ,
our Savior, that we serve. But Paul isn’t finished. Just
by way of review, those things are the things that Paul is pointing
to that really tell us how we are supposed to be kindly affection
to one another, how we are supposed to honor one another. But Paul
isn’t finished and he issues forth one that we haven’t considered
yet. In verse 12. We pick up here
with essentially new material where Paul says rejoicing in
hope. Now, remember, Everything in
this list in verse 11 through 13, we’re doing not for the sake
of ourselves. Some of these things really,
as you read them, you’re thinking, I’m doing this for me. I’m fervent
in spirit for myself. I’m rejoicing in hope for myself. Paul says, no, you’re not. If
you think of the context, Paul has already issued forth the
command and he’s already beginning to tell us how we are to love
our brothers, how we are to give them honor. And here he says
that we are to be rejoicing in hope. Hope here, he says, is
a motive for joy. That’s what prompts us to rejoicing,
that’s just merely the thought of heaven. And embracing forgiveness
for eternity and worship of God Himself for all eternity is a
great prompter for joy and for rejoicing. See, the Christian literally
lives in hope of rejoicing throughout eternity. This hope that we have
is grounded in faith. We take it to be not just wishful
thinking. We’re not just hoping with our
fingers crossed, as it were. We’re not just taking a positive
outlook, hoping for the best. This hope, the Christian hope,
as Scripture describes it, is the settled confidence in the
soul that looks to the fulfillment of a promise. I penned those
words many years ago as I began to study this doctrine of hope. One pastor described it as a
species of trust, which gives the mind a firm persuasion that
all promises and expectations shall be fully realized. That’s hope, and that’s different
than the world’s hope. The world’s hope says, I hope
my team wins tonight. I hope that so and so does his
duty. I hope, you know, that’s how
we tend to use it. But hope in Scripture goes far
beyond just wishful thinking. The believing individual, his
hope is God. He believes in God. He knows
that God exists. He knows deep in his soul that
there is a God. And particularly, he knows and
believes in the Lord Jesus Christ as God. That hope had been promised
to Israel. It was open to the Gentiles.
And now all those who believe in it have the hope of eternal
life. That hope is communicated through
the Gospel. But it’s ultimately the gift
of God, this hope. But it’s not just wishful thinking.
Let me take you to a passage that should prompt and remind
you of the nature of this hope. Would you flip back in Romans
to chapter 5? We’re talking about rejoicing
in hope. And we’re talking about ways
where God is using us in the lives of others. This is how
we’re supposed to be affectionate towards our brothers. We’re not
supposed to be gloomy and morose. We’re not supposed to give up.
We’re not supposed to be, you know, looking like we’ve been
weaned on a dill pickle, as I’ve said before. And yet that’s what
characterizes so many Christians. Life’s difficulties, life’s challenges,
problems, trials begin to overwhelm us. We begin to say, where is our
hope? Romans chapter one of five, rather
verse one, where Paul says, by way of great encouragement, therefore,
having been justified by faith, this is something that is already
a truth. For those to whom he was writing,
having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through
our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we also have obtained our
introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand and we
exalt in the hope of the glory of God. You hear what he says? We already have it. We are already
in a position of having been justified. We stand before God
and He sees us as Christ. He sees us as possessing the
righteousness of Christ. What great news that God doesn’t
have to look at our putrid, filthy selves any longer. If we have
placed our faith in Christ, He sees the righteousness of Christ. And because of that, we have
peace. We have peace with our Lord Jesus Christ. And if that’s
the case, then we exalt, we exalt in our hope of the glory of God,
that one day these bodies are going to be glorified and one
day we will be in glory with God forever. That’s not wishful
thinking. If we have taken it in faith
that God is God and that the Lord Jesus Christ is our Savior,
and that He paid our penalty on the cross, then we are already
in a state of having been justified. And if that’s the case, then
we are already in a state of laying hold of that glory. Not
just wishful thinking. Let me take God’s people to another
passage that should encourage you. 1 Peter chapter 1. which really echoes Romans 5.
1 Peter 1, pick it up if you would
in verse 3, where Paul says, blessed or oh how very happy,
as I’ve translated it elsewhere, oh how very happy is the God
and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his
great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope. through the resurrection of Jesus
Christ from the dead. This isn’t wishful thinking.
God has moved. God has awakened us to the reality
that we are thoroughgoing sinners and we need the forgiveness of
God. And he’s granted that through
Jesus Christ. Well, he goes on to obtain an
inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade
away reserved in heaven for you. Well, that’s some pretty confident
language. That’s not just wishful thinking.
That’s not putting a nickel in the gumball machine and wishing,
hoping that you get a blue one. It’s reserved in heaven for you
who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation
ready to be revealed in the last time, Paul says. Just like he says in Romans 12
in this, you greatly rejoice. This isn’t some passing good
news for modern man. This is the passionate reaction
of the saint to the salvation that has been bestowed on him
for nothing. No other cause than the grace
of God. You greatly rejoice, even though
now for a little while, if necessary, you’ve been distressed by various
trials. Peter explicitly is not going to be one that brushes
trials aside. He deals with them head on. They’re
coming. Welcome them, he says, so that
your proof of the proof of your faith being more precious than
gold, which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be
found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation
of Christ. And though you have not seen
him, you love him, and though you do not see him now, but believe
in him, You greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of
glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of
your souls.” That’s not wishful thinking. That’s the truth. That’s what we’ve set our hope
upon. That’s what we’ve placed our
faith in God to accomplish. See, one pastor said, Christianity
is often charged with making men gloomy. And that’s just that’s
a sad reality, you look around and you see. Christianity is
often charged with making men gloomy, averse to sharing in
the innocent pleasures of life. Oh, heaven forbid. Right. Prone
to frown on the enjoyments of others simply because they are
enjoyment. See, we’re supposed to be dour
and we’re supposed to be, you know, circumspect in every regard. He goes on and says, the truth
cordially, intelligently received is a perennial spring of joy
for the believer. And of sympathy with all true
and innocent happiness in others. In other words, he doesn’t say,
you know what, let’s congratulate each other on our foolishness.
That’s not at all what he’s saying. Christians, he says, are sharers
in this new life of triumphant gladness. Their burden is removed
and they have entered into glorious liberty. They know indeed the
seriousness of life and thus their happiness is touched by
gravity, seriousness. But for that very reason, it
is deep and broad and lasting. This is an intense hope. This is a passionate joy. This
is an eagerness to embrace heaven for all that it is. You see,
because for the unbeliever, the unbeliever looks at the Christian
and they cannot make sense. They cannot make sense when in
the face of everything that we endure, in the face that everything
that comes our way, We remain constant. We remain joyful. We remain with our eyes fixed
on a point in the horizon and not an earthly horizon, but a
point fixed in eternity, heaven itself. We remain constant in
that hope. We remain constant that God will
see us through, that God will answer our prayer. Those who are outside of Christ,
they don’t understand it. They don’t understand how we
greet life’s difficulties. And it isn’t just a stiff upper
lip. We’re not afraid to cry. We’re not afraid to weep. We’re
human. But we’re also not afraid at
the end of the day to look up and express our trust in God
Himself that He will see us through, that He will greet us in the
end, that He will finish the work that He’s begun. Paul says that if we’re going
to love our brothers as we ought to love them, if we’re going
to show honor to one another, one of the ways we must do that
is rejoicing in hope. We can’t lose hope. We can’t
lose sight of what God is doing and will do. And he couples with
that Next, in verse 12, persevering in tribulation. We don’t like
that one. I mean, let’s be honest, we really
don’t like that one. We would prefer if that one weren’t here. We like rejoicing in hope. That
has a positive ring to it. Persevering in tribulation. It’s a natural transition. He
essentially forecasts that when he says rejoicing in hope, Well,
outside of its context, that too is pretty easy, isn’t it?
The really hope doesn’t really show up. And rejoicing isn’t
really seen, especially by the watching world, until there is
tribulation. And until we do draw on the grace
of God to persevere. Later on in that same passage
that we just read in Romans chapter 5, when Paul says we exalt in
the hope of the glory of God, He goes on to say, and not only
this, but we exalt also in our tribulations, knowing the tribulation
brings about perseverance. Now, I know. I mean, we’re human. Our first reaction likely is
not one of joy when tribulations, difficulty comes our way. Those
things, those things that come into our life, they take some
seasoning. before we begin to welcome them
as such, as really gifts of God in a different package. Things
that are designed to grow us and strengthen us and mature
us and deepen our faith and really make hope and rejoicing to stand
out in such bold relief. Our natural reaction isn’t to
welcome those things, I know that. But if we begin to endure, and
this word is a powerful one, it means not just toughing it
out, but really a welcoming, a patient endurance. Patience
in itself isn’t a strong enough word. Paul points not just as
if we’re putting up with something. Keeping a stiff upper lip and
just kind of plowing through whatever life throws at us. That’s
not what Paul’s talking about at all. It’s a steadfast endurance. It’s a hopeful endurance. It’s
a patience in the affliction that really longs to see it through
for what God has intended it. See, these tribulations are significant. These are not just light trials. These are not just inconveniences. The inconveniences of life. These
are the very things that break our hearts. These are the very
things that tear us to pieces. But we know that they have a
purpose. As one said, the light afflictions of the righteous
which are, but for a moment, work out a far more exceeding
and eternal weight of glory. The trial of their faith which
is more precious than that which is gold. That’s Peter’s reflection
on these trials, remember? That we are being put into, as
it were, a furnace. And all of the foolishness, all
of the dross, all of the lightheartedness is being cooked away until only
what remains is gold, pure gold. These tribulations, this word
for tribulation really has the meaning of pressure. And so not
only are we in a fiery furnace, but we’re being pressed in on
every side. And everything that is unneeded,
and unnecessary is cooked away and only faith and hopefulness
remains. These tribulations, these are
the hardships, these are the sufferings. And for Paul to say
this, you might think that he’s being flippant. You might think,
oh, Paul, you know, what did you ever have to endure? Plenty. Paul gives on a number of different
occasions, a lengthy list of the difficulties that God allowed
to come into his life for God’s purpose. Five times, he says to the Corinthians,
I received from the Jews 39 lashes, one short of what was considered
the death blow of 40. Three times I was beaten with
rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. A night and a day I’ve spent
in the deep. Paul knew tribulation. Paul knew difficulty. And so
when Paul says that we are to persevere in tribulation for
the sake of our brothers, it’s one of the ways that we show
brotherly love to them is that we get up and we put one foot
forward and we press on. We don’t quit. Those pressures
Paul knew were from within and without. All kinds of pressures
that he faced. And Paul said ultimately, by
God’s grace, I can’t quit. Jesus told us they were coming.
We have seen from Paul’s own testimony that many tribulations
were going to come. As one pastor said, this tribulation
stems from the world’s resistance to Christ. That’s where tribulation
comes from. And the devil knows. The devil
knows we’re on our heels. The devil knows that our resources
are thin. The devil knows exactly what
our strength of faith is, doesn’t he? And he will needless and
harass us and trouble us and vex us. but no more than God
allows. And God allows it each time to
strengthen that faith and to grant us endurance. He goes on
and says, the world hates him. Therefore, his followers must
expect to be hated too. In the face of this, the Christian
is to endure to hold out steadfastly in the knowledge that the final
conclusion is not uncertain. This he will not do in his own
strength, but in the strength which God supplies, shared with
a friend this week. Who is really feeling it from
coworkers and from life itself, just difficulties coming his
way. And he said, I don’t even know
that they know that I’m a Christian, I said, no, but the devil does.
The devil knows you’re a Christian, he’ll do everything he can. He’ll
throw everything in his arsenal. At your attempt at faith. At
your standing in Christ. He’ll do everything he can. And
for the sake of others, we persevere through these things. You say, how? How on earth can
I make it? Paul has taken care of that too.
Glanstan at verse 12. We’re supposed to be rejoicing
in hope, and that would be easy, but it wouldn’t look like much
if we weren’t also persevering in tribulation. But that isn’t
even possible if we’re not devoted to prayer. What he takes up here is our
habit, our life, our practice of prayer, and he says that it’s
supposed to be diligent. We’re supposed to be taking great
pains. It’s supposed to be a real prayer
life. The early church had a prayer
life. The early church was devoted
to prayer. Acts 114 says that these all
with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer.
That was the life of the early church. We are we’re just thrilled
that as part of our worship service, we have always had a lengthy
time of prayer. Real prayer. We are so thrilled
to to put in a new element if you will in in the life of this
church in the first Sunday of each month we devote to prayer. I already feel the strengthening
of the Lord don’t you. Paul says rather Acts 2 42 records of the saints that they were
continually devoting themselves to the apostles teaching and
to fellowship and to the breaking of bread and to prayer. It wasn’t
just lighthearted fellowship all the time. They did the hard
work of prayer. They were devoted. to prayer,
Colossians 4 to Paul says that we are to devote ourselves to
prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving. Literally, this verse could be
translated, this little phrase could be translated in the prayer
remaining constant. One. Puritan. Painted the picture as to why
that’s so necessary, he says, because our warfare is unceasing
because we are daily attacked by various assaults. Which champions
the greatest bravery are unable to support without an occasional
supply of new vigor. Unceasing continuance in prayer
is the best remedy against fatigue. I was talking to. a brother serving in our country
or serving our country in the military. And he said that, you
know, young men, they don’t have much stamina. That takes time
to build up. But the older guys, you know, they can go for days
and days and days and weeks. But when they let down, they
really let down. They really shut it down. Well,
he says here, the greatest, most vigorous man is a weakling. when it comes to trials, if he
isn’t praying himself strong. It doesn’t come down to human
endurance. It doesn’t come down to human
strength. It comes down to remaining tethered and tied and infused
by the strength which God supplies. That we are devoted to prayer.
We are remaining constant in it. Let me take you to an illustration
But also a lesson that the Lord Jesus gave us on prayer. Turn
if you would to Luke chapter 18. See the problem is it’s not that
we don’t ever pray. The problem is that we don’t
remain constant in it. That we aren’t devoted to it.
We pray, and we pray occasionally, and we pray half-heartedly. We pray when it really, really
needs it, but we’re not devoted to it. Look at verse 1 of chapter
18, where Luke records of Christ. Now, he was telling them a parable
to show that at all times they ought to pray and not lose heart. saying there was a certain judge
who there was in a certain city, a judge who did not fear God
and did not respect man. And there was a widow in that
city and she kept coming to him saying, give me protection from
my opponent. And for a while he was unwilling,
but afterward he said to himself, even though I do not fear God
nor respect man, Yet this widow bothers me and I will give her
I will give her legal protection lest by continually coming. She
wear me out. The Lord said here with the unrighteous
judge said no it’s it’s so unfortunate that we burden this simple parable
with our interpretations. I saw one that suggested that
the woman is representative of the church who goes before God
and please their case. Well, this is not a description
of God. Did not fear God, did not respect
man, that’s not a description of God. This is not a description
of a benevolent God, a loving God. This is one that only gives
in because he’s being bothered. That’s the contrast that Jesus
sets up. If a man who is continually bothered
ultimately gives in to the needs of someone else, what would God
do? If we would only remain constant
in our prayer. Look at verse six here, what
the unrighteous judge said now shall not God bring about justice
for his elect who cried to him day and night and will he delay
long over them? I tell you, no, he will bring
about justice for them speedily. The point that Jesus is making
there is really simple, and he says it right in the opening
line, Luke records that he was telling them a parable to show
essentially three things that at all times they ought to pray
and not lose heart. When do we pray? Jesus, the whole
point of the parable, keep at it at all times were to pray. We’ll come back to that one in
a moment that we ought to pray. Do you realize that this is a
command that we’re supposed to pray, that God has asked us to
pray, that God has commanded us, that if we have a need, that
we are to come to him. We are to go before the throne
of grace. We are to pray that little word in. This particular translation.
And really, the entire conclusion of the parable points to the
character of the one to whom we pray. Because of God’s nature,
we are obligated to persevere in prayer. We shared a testimony
here just a couple of weeks ago, something for which we prayed
for 13 years. We’re to keep at it. We’re not
to quit. And how we pray speaks volumes,
doesn’t it? About our theology, our theology
proper. The way that we pray really belies
what we believe in God, doesn’t it? What we believe of God. Do we really believe that he’s
going to answer this? You listen to the average person’s prayer.
No way. No way. When do we pray? At all times. There’s an obligation to pray,
but there is an option. Look at the verse. He was telling
them a parable to say, to show that at all times they ought
to pray and not lose heart. You can usually tell when you
begin to lose heart. You haven’t been in prayer, right? When I say it’s an option, I’m not suggesting that that’s
a good option. I’m just pointing out that there
is an alternative when we don’t pray. If we don’t persevere,
it isn’t a good option. It isn’t what God would have
us. That’s the very reason that Jesus was telling this parable. What does it mean to persevere
in prayer? Paul says it this way in Ephesians
6, with all prayer and petition, pray at all times in the spirit. That’s a very short version of
what he’s saying here that we are to be devoted to prayer.
What does it mean to be devoted to prayer? I think if we’re devoted
to prayer, there is some regularity to it, isn’t there? That we prayed
last week, but we’re going to pray again this week. We prayed
yesterday, but I’m going to pray again today. There is regularity
to our prayer, not just, you know, became a Christian. I’m
going to pray. God really helped me make good
decisions as a Christian, be a good Christian. Thank you.
Here I go. I’ll see you in heaven. That’s
how a lot of people function. If we’re devoted to prayer, there’s
going to be a regularity to that prayer. It is communion with
God, it is frequently reaching back and speaking to God as a
familiar friend. Not as a once in a lifetime acquaintance. If we are devoted to prayer,
there is going to be depth to our prayer. We are devoted to
prayer. We are devoted to fleshing it
out in every way we can. We are devoted to searching out
our Sin and confessing that to God, we are devoted to reaching
out and thinking about God and who he is. And thanking him for
that and rejoicing before him and who he is, if we are devoted
to prayer, we are we think of others and we bring their needs
up before the throne of grace. If we are devoted to prayer,
we bring our own. We know God answers prayer and
we bring them before him. If we are devoted to prayer,
there is not only a regularity to it and a depth to it, there
is a thoroughness to it. We fill it up. We flesh out every element and
aspect of prayer. We dig in in prayer. And we persevere
in prayer. We don’t just pray for something
one time and leave it at that. Don’t your prayers tend to take
on even a different shape and tone? God is molding and modeling
your prayers, isn’t he? That if you pray for something
for long enough, it’s going to look different and be different. If we are devoted to prayer,
we will see God as the only source of help. I’ve been misquoted
from time to time, I’ve said before that I don’t particularly
care for prayer meetings. There’s elements of prayer meetings
I don’t care for. The sharing time. When we start,
we share, we take more time sharing than we do praying. Because when
we share, we all want to go around and talk about how we could fix
it. Have you considered this book or what about this green
juice? Right. You know, if we’re devoted to
prayer, we know ultimately only God, this is something only God
can help. This is something only God can
fix. This is something only God can
accomplish. If we are devoted to prayer,
there is a regularity to it. There’s a depth and a thoroughness.
There is a perseverance. There is a consistency. There
is a consistency to our prayer. We are to, as Paul said to the
Thessalonians, pray without ceasing. We’re to not just in rote, rigid,
wooden fashion, but we are to gain traction in our prayer and
we are to constantly bear those things up before God. One pastor said it this way,
distressed by the pressure from without the by the tribulation
of the word world’s unrelenting hostility and always in danger
of succumbing to the inward anguish, which is its natural result.
The Christian should indeed have recourse continually to prayer,
but it is precisely this thing which is altogether vital, which
he is specially tempted. whether through sloth or discouragement
or self-confidence to give up. No wonder Paul says, look, if
you’re really going to love your brothers as you are commanded,
if you are really going to almost stumble over one another, almost
contend with one another to see who gives who greater honor.
If you’re going to do that, We’re called to be fervent in spirit,
rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation. But the only
way we can do any of that is if we’re devoted to prayer. We’ll take up what remains next
Lord’s Day. Let’s examine our hearts before
Him. Our merciful God, We thank You
and praise You that we have been touched by Your grace. And it’s only because of that
that we have any hope. The world, it is recorded, is
without God and without hope in this world. But You have restored
that. You have shown us who You are.
You have shown us Your power and might. You have shown us
that You’re a loving God. You sent to us a perfect Savior
and we have placed our faith in Him. And because of that,
we do rejoice. And we know that that rejoicing
is often tested by the tribulations of this world. But you grant
us the grace to persevere and you do so because we are devoted
to prayer. Lord, if there are any of those
where we are falling short, rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation,
devoted to prayer, Lord, if any one of those is weak, they will
take down the others. We pray, Father, that you would
examine us and that you would grant us the grace to again lay
hold of prayer, to rededicate ourselves in devotion to it.
That you would help us to persevere gloriously in the tribulations
and difficulties that come our way. that we would encourage
our brothers in our prayer life, in our endurance, in our rejoicing
in hope. We lay this before you and plead
for your grace. It’s in Jesus’ name that we ask.