Hello, this is Matt Slick from the Matt Slick Live Podcast, where I defend the Christian faith and lay out our foundations of the truth of God's Word. Your chosen Truth Network Podcast is starting in just a few seconds. Enjoy it, share it, but most of all, thank you for listening and for choosing the Truth Podcast Network.
This is the Truth Network. Encouraging Prayer. God offers an open invitation for his people to talk with him at any time about anything. On Encouraging Prayer, Dr. James Banks, author of the best-selling Prayers for Prodigals and many other books on prayer, provides weekly biblical insight to help you learn to love to pray. And now, here's James. Okay, James, you have a riddle for me to begin today's program.
Yes, absolutely. Robbie, how would you describe someone who is an insomniac dyslexic agnostic? Oh, I'm not even going to try. I mean, how do you describe an insomniac dyslexic agnostic?
Well, it's someone who lies at night wondering if there really is a dog. Oh, ouch. But maybe I should add, and really quickly, that you resemble that in at least two out of the three.
I mean, weren't you telling me that? Yes, I'm somewhat dyslexic, especially with numbers. And lately, I've been an insomniac, because I injured myself exercising, and I've had this sciatic pain radiating from my hip all the way down my leg, and I'm not sleeping much. But lately, I've been, you know, just realized, because of that, I'm learning some things. I've been learning more how to pray in the middle of the night. And now I know that Scripture says that the Lord grants sleep to those he loves, but I'm also learning that he has some special gifts of us who come to him when we can't sleep. And I thought we'd share some of that with our listeners today. I'm not talking about just praying so that you can get back to sleep. There's so much more to it than that. Yeah, it makes me think of a quote you mentioned once from Spurgeon about people who couldn't sleep.
What was that? Well, longer quote, but it's about praying when you can't sleep, you know, like when you're up all night, and it's so worth reading. Here it is, in his words. Fire you up, lock the treasuries of heaven, golden key, that's prayer, in constant motion. Never cease to pray since intercession is benediction or blessing. If the world be asleep, if the church be asleep, hold not your peace by night, and should the church become active, and the world be a little awakened, redouble your prayer till it is one. Ye spokesman for God and spokesman to God, never hold your peace day nor night. Sick saints are especially set to take the night watches. While the most of us are blessed with refreshing slumber, these find that sleep forsakes their eyes. They hear the clock's unwearied tick and listen to the slow striking of the hours. Now let them lift their hearts heavenward on behalf of the Lord's cause and kingdom. Maybe God arouses them to this end, that they may keep the night safe by their prayers, chasing away ill spirits and keeping the incense burning upon the altar of acceptable intercession. The Lord surrounds the globe with intercessions by his daily and nightly watchers. Wow, really?
Only as Spurgeon could say it, right? Well, let's talk about this. I mean, so what are the, you know, it's really practical.
Like, what are you learning from this? I mean, you said before we went on the air that there are several questions you're learning to ask God when you're up in the middle of the night. Yeah, when the house is quiet, and like Spurgeon said, I hear the clock ticking and no one else is awake. It's a great time to listen to God. And that isn't always easy to do during the day, especially for those of us who are so busy. But when you're awake and you know you won't be sleeping for a while, it's good to just ask God, is there something you'd like to tell me?
Wow, I like that. Is there something you'd like to tell me? Because there's something I think we may shy away from is, oh boy, I'm really not going to get it now. But there have been times when I've been listening and God just tells me that he loves me, or he shares a secret with me that, you know, might help me grow in him and love him more.
Yeah, that's the beautiful thing about this. That's why we need to ask him, is there something you want to tell me? And of course, it's a great time to examine our hearts as well. Although just as you said, that's not always easy. But just as David wrote, when he said in Psalm 4, when you're on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.
I think God will be gentle with us if there's a need. I know he certainly has been with me. I also find that he calls to other needs as well.
You know, that's such a good way to go. Ask him, what would you like me to pray about? Who would you like me to pray for? And you'll find that he really does bring people and things to mind so clearly. You know, it could be a family member, it could be someone in the church, it could be the world events, you know, there are just so many different things. But when you ask him, he has a way of putting them in order for us as we pray.
Oh, yeah, he does. You know, I've had that same experience really many times. He's brought me into his presence and shared some really special stuff.
Yeah, I know you have, Robbie. And that brings us to the third question I'd love to ask. And that is, will you give me more of yourself? Fill me with more of your spirit so that I can be real, Lord, so that I, you know, don't just write books about prayer, but that I do it so that I would really serve you. Yeah, wow, that's a great prayer, because isn't that how we all struggle, really? We love the Lord, but we know if we're honest, that we can love him more, but we just don't know how to do it.
So when you're lying there, relaxed and open, you can open yourself to him. I think that's a prayer he loves to answer. And you could say that there's one more question as well that is good to follow up with that. And that is, if we're talking about being real, is there something you want me to do?
Yeah, yeah, I like that too. And that's one of the things he reminded me of last night, that I will be blessed if I just praise him more, and that he had been encouraging me to do that. And so one other thing we can't leave out is, you know, as you lie there, open to God, just love him. You know, just be with Jesus. Thank him for his cross, for his empty tomb, for his wisdom, for his presence with us, for so many blessings. Just enjoy him, and rest in him, and be at peace. You know, curl up in his presence, and just, you know, for lack of a better phrase, bask in his love, if you will.
Wow. And I, you know, I can't help but think of, you know, you know, he's made perfect through our weakness. And what an example you've had of that this week. And so let me close this with prayer. Lord, I thank you for James and the opportunity he's had to be with you in a special way this week.
And I just pray that, first of all, you would continue to heal him and give him wisdom on how to handle this injury that he has, but also that all of us, as we face these trials, would just continue to push into you and climb that ladder up to Jesus, that we may learn a little bit more about you in the process. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen. Amen. You can hear more from Pastor James by visiting his website, jamesbanks.org, or by visiting Peace Church in Durham, North Carolina. May God bless you and encourage you as you pray. This is the Truth Network.
Whisper: medium.en / 2023-05-20 15:50:07 / 2023-05-20 15:53:50 / 4