In Case of Emergency | Praying Effectively

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If this program has impacted you, I'd love to hear from you. So just send an email to me at greg.harvest.org. Again, it's greg.harvest.org.

You can learn more about becoming a Harvest Partner by going to harvest.org. Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Pastor Greg Laurie comments today on the Lord's Prayer. Now if we wrote the Lord's Prayer, it would probably sound like this, Our Father who art in heaven, give us this day our daily bread. But as I think about the awesomeness of God, it will cause me to see my problem, challenge, need in a different light.

It won't change it necessarily, but it will change my perspective. Because listen to this, God is bigger than your problem. This is the day when the lost are found. This is the day for a new beginning. Amazing grace how sweet the sound. Again you hear all the angels are singing.

This is the day, the day when life begins. Are you facing a challenge right now? A trial? A tragedy? A crisis?

A loss? God knows what you're going through. He's concerned about what you're going through. And he has the power to get you through. But today on A New Beginning, Pastor Greg Laurie points out he wants us to come to him and ask for his help. Prayer is a vital part of surviving the toughest of challenges life throws our way.

And today Pastor Greg helps us pray effectively using the Lord's model for effective prayer. Have you ever been in what appeared to be an impossible situation with no way out? Let me restate that question. Are you in right now an impossible situation with no way out? Or have you ever ever desperately needed or even wanted something but it seemed there was no way you would ever have it?

Have you ever thought there was no future for you and for you it was just too late? If so you need to know more about the power of God and what can take place through prayer. For one thing certainly stands out in the pages of Scripture is that prayer can dramatically change situations, people, and on occasion even the course of nature itself. But the thing that prayer changes the most is us and who knows more about prayer than Jesus.

And so that's what we're going to look at here in just a moment. The disciples came to him. They said, Lord we have a question. Would you teach us how to pray? Jesus gave them this prayer which shows prayer is something that can be taught. You need to be taught how to pray.

And sometimes you are taught by watching others do it. And you're taught of course by reading Scripture. And there's certain principles that you can engage when you pray. Now we call this the Lord's Prayer and there's nothing wrong with calling it that.

The Bible never addresses it as such. I don't think it really was a prayer. Jesus himself prayed. You say, well of course he did.

No actually he didn't. Because Jesus would never need to pray, forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us. Because Jesus never sinned. If you want to read the real Lord's Prayer, the prayer that only Christ could pray, John 17. That is the Lord's Prayer.

It's rather long. It's a prayer only Christ could pray. This could better be described as the disciples prayer or maybe the template for prayer.

But call it what you like. We think of it as the Lord's Prayer. It's a model for all prayer. I'm going to be reading from Matthew 6 verses 9 to 14.

And I'll tell you what. I want us all to do this out loud together. This is the New King James Version.

Let's read it together. In this manner therefore pray. Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors and do not lead us into temptation but deliver us from the evil one for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Isn't that a beautiful prayer? I love that. The Lord's Prayer.

Now we think of this maybe as the big gun. In case of emergency break glass and pray this prayer. There's nothing wrong with that. If you're in a moment of crisis and you just say our Father who art in heaven that's okay. You pray that prayer.

You're having a hard time getting to sleep at night. Just go through that prayer. Think about that prayer. Ponder that prayer.

That's all good. But it's not just the big gun so to speak. It's not just the in case of emergency prayer. As I said it's a model for prayer.

So here's point number one if you're taking notes. You have complete access to the Creator of the universe through prayer. You have complete and total access and all stage pass if you will to the Creator of the universe through prayer. Let's start at the beginning.

Our Father who art in heaven. So you just call him and you say dad I need to ask you a question. That's called access. That's a relationship we're talking about here. This is God almighty but I have I have him on speed dial. I have his private number.

I can access him anytime I want. That's relationship. Relationship. Okay you have relationship with God. You're his daughter. You're his son. He loves you. He lights up when you walk into the room. He wants to hear from you. He wants to talk to you. He wants to spend time with you.

It's never a drudgery. It's always a delight and the same should be true for us. This is your Father in heaven. A Father who will always be there. A Father who listens. A Father who loves us. Your Father in heaven.

You say but that's a problem. In heaven. Heaven is so far away.

I need someone here on earth. Well for starters God is omnipresent which means present everywhere so he isn't heaven in here. But is heaven really that far away? I think we think you know here's the the sky and now here's the solar system and now here's the third heaven and it's oh so far and maybe in a sense that's true but in another sense heaven is closer than you realize. Heaven is another dimension.

It's a supernatural realm. So for the Father in heaven to step into your world is nothing to him. He's here. My Father who art in heaven hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. So God is deeply involved and deeply concerned about what you're facing right now.

If it concerns you it concerns him. Our Father who art in heaven. Notice it's our Father in heaven not my Father in heaven. We're being taught by Jesus to pray with other believers. He doesn't teach us to pray give me this day my daily bread and nor does he teach me to pray forgive me my sins as I forgive those who sin against me. He teaches me to pray give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sinned against us. There's nothing wrong with asking God to forgive you of your sin and provide your daily bread. But the emphasis here is this is something we should do together. Christians need to pray with Christians. It helps doesn't it? You ever had a burden? You're overwhelmed with something. You see a Christian friend you say can we pray?

Yes. And after you pray you just it feels so much better. That's because there's power in unified prayer. That's why Jesus said if any two of you will agree on anything it will be done of your Father in heaven.

Now of course we need to be aligned with the will of God but the point is praying together makes all the difference in the world. The Bible tells us to bear one another's burdens. Don't do it alone. Don't do life alone.

Don't try to be a solo Christian. Our Father who art in heaven hallowed be your name. So we do this together and then of course we give him honor and glory. But what does Jesus teach us in this template for prayer? When you pray you say our Father who art in heaven hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come your will be done. On earth as it is in heaven. Now if we wrote the Lord's prayer it would probably sound like this. Our Father who art in heaven give us this day our daily bread. Let's just get down to business.

Here's my list. Now there's a place for petition. Nothing wrong with asking the Father in heaven for what you need. But notice that Jesus says first take time effectively to contemplate the greatness of God.

Now there are exceptions. If you fell off a ladder and you are on your way down help will do. Ok. You can't even finish the Lord's Prayer. God help.

Or maybe you are out surfing and a great white shark is approaching you and you know because you hear the music because John Williams is over there directing his orchestra and you don't know why they are even on the beach. Whoa. He is getting closer. God help me. God deliver me.

God save me. The shark is getting closer. And then you say God I just pray he is a Christian shark. Meanwhile the shark is saying for this meal that I am about to receive I give thanks.

These are the jokes people. I don't know what to say. But as I think about the awesomeness of God as I contemplate the greatness and bigness of God it will cause me to see my problem, challenge, need in a different light. It won't change it necessarily. But it will change my perspective.

I will see it differently because listen to this. God is bigger than your problem. Whatever it is. God is bigger. It is on my Father who art in heaven. Hallelujah be your name. Set apart be your name.

Honored and glorified be your name. Pastor Greg Laurie will have the second half of his message in just a moment. Emails, phone calls and messages from listeners are so encouraging to us and they let us know the effectiveness of these studies. Pastor Greg I first heard you on the radio in the 1990s. I'd go through the different stations just to hear you preach. Your messages about Jesus helped me in such a huge way to get through some really hard times. It was the highlight of my day just to listen to you. My kids remember and comment on your voice. My son calls it the Jesus voice.

I have found that there's nothing impossible through Jesus Christ. God bless you and your family. Has Pastor Greg heard from you? Why not call us and share your story? Here's the number. 1-866-871-1144.

866-871-1144. Well we're giving careful consideration to the Lord's Prayer today as Pastor Greg presents his message in case of emergency. Let's continue.

Point number four now. Prayer is getting God's will on earth not my will in heaven. Prayer is getting God's will on earth not my will in heaven. Verse 10. Your kingdom come your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

I've heard people say I've been wrestling with God a lot in prayer. Really? I hope so. I hope so. I hope so.

I hope so. I hope you're losing. You don't want to talk God into something that is not His will. Not that you could.

But why even try? You see prayer is not about changing God's mind. It's many cases about changing my mind. Prayer is not pulling God my way. It's pulling me His way. So I'm saying Lord I want your kingdom to come and I want your will to be done. Now when I talk about the kingdom I'm really just saying Lord I long for heaven. Every Christian has been pre-wired to know God and they've been pre-wired to long for a place they've never been to before. Sort of a homing instinct.

We see it in the animal kingdom. God has put it in humanity as well. We long for heaven. We're homesick for heaven. So when I'm praying your kingdom come your will be done I'm just saying I long for the day when I'll be in heaven in the presence of the Lord. But I'm also saying I long for the day when Jesus will come back to this earth again. Because the word that is used here by Christ come is a word that means something that's sudden and instantaneous. So effectively when I say your kingdom come your will be done on earth as it is in heaven I'm saying Lord please come back and do it soon.

And it's also a personal request. I'm saying Lord I want your kingdom in my life. I want your rule in my life. Jesus said the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.

And by that He meant when He was with a group of people I'm here. Wherever I am that's where the kingdom of God is. So when I say your kingdom come your will be done I'm saying Lord I want your rule in my life. I want you to be in charge of my life. I want to give you the master key of every door in my little house. I want to give you all my passwords. You can access all my social media accounts. You can access anything I look at. Here it is Lord my wife has all my passwords.

I hope yours does too or your husband. But no secrets Lord. I want you to have access. You say what you want to say.

You do what you want to do. This is what Jesus meant when He said seek first the kingdom of God. Also when I pray your kingdom come your will be done on earth as it is in heaven I'm praying for the salvation of those that don't know the Lord. And we can play a part in bringing that kingdom to others can't we. God's kingdom is brought to this earth every time a new soul is brought to Jesus.

Point number five. God wants us to bring our needs before Him each and every day. God wants us to bring our needs before Him each and every day.

Verse 11. Give us this day our daily bread. Now if you're on the keto diet you'll have to change that I suppose. Give me this day my daily meat and cheese I suppose. Give me this day my daily bread.

Now what does this mean. Well it's obvious that bread. Bread was a staple of the first century diet. So it includes that but bread speaks of everything. It speaks of your finances. It speaks of a roof over your head.

It speaks of your health. Just everything you need in life. My daily bread. It's a funny thing back in the 60s it was an expression for money. Someone might come up to you and say hey man do you have any bread. By the way that's my default 60s way of speaking. I think everybody in the 60s hey man. Do you have any bread.

Yeah too many drugs. But God wants to provide everything you need in life. And it's a reminder that everything I have in life is provided for me by God. Notice it says give me this day my daily bread.

It doesn't say give me this month my monthly bread or this year my yearly bread. The Lord will sometimes allow things to happen in our lives that will remind us we need Him every day. Maybe you're going through something like that right now.

All of a sudden oh wow you had this financial crisis. All of a sudden you have this health scare. All of a sudden you have this problem in your marriage. Or you have this problem with your kids. Or you have this other problem. And it's like uh God help.

That's okay. Sometimes He'll allow these things to remind us that He's the provider. And we need to come to Him each and every day not just asking for stuff but giving Him glory for the stuff He's already given.

When's the last time you just prayed a prayer? Thanks. Oh Lord thank you for this. Thank you for providing for this. Thank you for my wife. Thank you for my husband. Giving Him thanks.

Point number six. God wants us to ask for and extend forgiveness to others. Now some people don't think they need forgiveness. Oh I don't know that I really sinned today.

Seriously? No. I can't think of a single impure thought. I didn't lose my temper once. I don't think I've sinned at all. Well you're sinning right now with pride by the way. But whatever.

No. We sin every day. We really do. And the Bible says if we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. But then it also goes on to say in 1 John 1 9 if we will confess our sin He's faithful and just to forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. So I need to ask God constantly for forgiveness. I think most of us get that.

I think most of us want that. But here's where it gets tricky. Forgive us our debts as we forgive those who are indebted to us. Wait what?

Yeah. Forgive people. But Greg this person they hurt me. This person bullied me on social media. This person insulted me. This person did something that's so horrible I can't forgive them ever.

Really? Jesus said you better be praying not only for your daily bread but you better be praying in extending forgiveness every single day. I like what C.S. Lewis said about this and I quote everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea until they have something to forgive end quote. It's a great concept forgiveness. I love forgiveness until it's time for me to forgive someone that doesn't deserve it.

Now let's just concede the point. They don't deserve it. Therefore I will not forgive them. Okay hold on now. Do you deserve forgiveness? Well no.

Okay. You don't deserve forgiveness yet God gave it to you. Why would you not extend it to another person as well? The Bible says you've been forgiven therefore be tenderhearted forgiving others.

But listen to this. One person put it this way. Forgiveness is not about absolving the perpetrator. It's about healing the victim.

Here's another statement I like. Forgiveness isn't giving into another person. It's getting free of that person.

Get it? See it in a way it's even not about that person. Let's just say here's this person. He did this thing to me. I choose to forgive him. Doesn't deserve it.

Did it anyway. Who's getting free now? Him?

Not really but I am. Because that's not driving me crazy. So when he walks in a room I'm not seething over in the side. Because I've let it go.

Let it go. And forgive as you've been forgiven. God wants us to ask for and extend forgiveness to others. Pastor Greg Laurie with insight on the importance of forgiveness in following the Lord's model for prayer laid out in what we commonly call the Lord's Prayer. And Pastor Greg has more to come in this message called In Case of Emergency. Well we're pleased to offer a great new book called The Marriage Devotional by Jenny and Levi Lusko. And Pastor Levi is here with us today. Pastor Greg you just celebrated an anniversary. Which anniversary was that?

49 years. Kathy and I have been married. What's one of the things you wish somebody would have told you when you first got married?

Wow. Well it would have been nice to know that when my wife says I'm ready it doesn't mean she's really ready. It means that I can attach at least 15 minutes to whatever is happening.

It's a process. In fact sometimes I'll count her down. If we have to be somewhere in an hour I'll count her down. Kathy we're leaving in 50 minutes. We're leaving in 40 minutes. We're leaving in 20 minutes. We're leaving in 3 minutes. We're leaving now.

Still we're a little late. And then recently we were late for something and I said why didn't you come on time? She said you didn't count me down.

I said would I have to do that every time now? But you know. That's funny she's like she's like a NASA rocket launch. I'll tell you though you had only sons Greg. I've had four daughters. Oh my goodness. The more women you add to the house I get less bathroom space on the counter and I feel like I'm herding cats getting them all into the car.

Herding cats is exactly right. We love the girls and they just want to get ready and look their best and so forth but you know one piece of advice that was given to me years ago by Cliff Barrows who was the longtime associate of Billy Graham a wonderful godly man who was married for many many years had a fantastic marriage. He said certain words you should say to your wife or your husband on a regular basis and they are I was wrong I'm sorry please forgive me. You know it's funny I mentioned this in a message and someone was listening he's a friend of mine named Larry so he just thought he would try him out and his wife even though he hadn't done anything he was aware of that was wrong he walked in said honey I was wrong I'm sorry please forgive me he said Greg she broke out in tears and then I told her I just heard Greg say we should say this to each other I said you should have never said that just that was a great moment Larry but anyway those are a few thoughts. I love the on the on the Billy Graham ministry side of things when Ruth was asked if she ever considered divorcing Billy because of how he was gone so often she said divorce no murder a lot of times but never divorce. That's right you know and I got to know Billy and Ruth Graham I spent quite a bit of time in their home I saw them interact together they were normal human beings I was even with them when they would have a disagreement but there was such a love such an affection such an enduring commitment that only grew with time and he was so devastated when Ruth went to be with the Lord and that to me was a model of what love should look like you know love goes through different phases there's the first bloom of love then there's the love of middle age and then there's the love of your later years and if you're grounded in your faith and on God's word and that commitment is unwavering your marriage will grow stronger with the passing of time not weaker. Yes I think a lot of people have this fear especially young people today who are less and less even inclined to get married because maybe they're so jaded because of their parents divorce or whatever we really do want to offer hope your marriage can become such a meaningful source of strength and as you were talking about having grandchildren around I just love that thought of that being the target you know as you picture your old age do you picture yourself alone disconnected from your family no of course not you want that blessing of prioritizing your marriage God's way over the long haul that it can become strong yeah and I just love the thought of your twilight years being that blessing because of the way you've honored God all throughout the process. Very true these are some of the insights that you're going to find in this new book from Levi and his wife Jenny it's called the marriage devotional Levi told me that this is the book he wished he had been able to read but it was not there so he got down and wrote it with his wife and there's a lot of great interaction between uh Levi and Jenny in this book it's very personable it's fun it's practical it's biblical and it's going to help your marriage and I want to send it to you for your gift of any size this month whatever you send to our ministry will be invested in reaching people with the teaching of God's word and the proclamation of the gospel so order your copy of the marriage devotional by Levi and Jenny Lasko and we'll send it to you for your gift of any size yeah that's right and we so appreciate your partnership frankly without the support of listeners we couldn't cover the costs of bringing these studies to you each day so contact us today for your copy of the marriage devotional you can call 1-800-821-3300 that's a 24 7 phone number 1-800-821-3300 or get all the details and place your order online at harvest.org well next time more insights on how to enjoy an effective rewarding prayer life as pastor greg continues our study of the lord's prayer join us here on a new beginning with pastor and bible teacher greg lorry a new beginning is a podcast made possible by harvest partners helping people everywhere know God if this show has impacted your life share your story leave a review on your favorite podcast app and help others find hope you