Getting Prayer Right Part 2

Jesus parable of Jesus, we learn how God the father raised his children will be given to you seek and you will find the more inspiring lessons on prayer subject for some is a mystery stay with Chicago this morning with Sir, whose clear teaching helps us make it across the finish line elixir. It's a shame how many of us would rather than simply obeying God's commands, ask seeing you know Dave years ago, I learned something that prayer isn't simply coming to God with a list of requests take care of this. Bless my children give us health. Give us strength give a safety prayer may lead to that, but seeking God takes time, and I think that what that means is that we said in his presence. We adore him we worship him and we come before him with great needs and even if those needs aren't met, he meets us he himself meets us to think that many of you who support the ministry of running to win and we're in the middle of a matching gift campaign.

What that means is whatever you give. It will be doubled. What an opportunity would you take advantage of that. Here's what you can do to connect with us. Go to RTW offer.com RTW offer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337. First of all, you notice that Jesus goes from friendship to son ship. If a friend is willing to give you some credit. I what about us on and a father. The father is willing to give him good gifts then what about your heavenly father because you are sons and daughters and that's a game changer. It changes the relationship instantly. It is now a relational idea.

It's not just God, I'm coming to because I want you to do this. It is oh father, I love you and I love to be with you. I hope that God forgives us as grandparents for the lies that we tell about our grandchildren. I think he will. Let's take for example if I were vacuuming – and by the way, I often do the vacuuming in our home. I thought I just mention that let that flowed out there and let it land wherever it's supposed to land right. Let's suppose I'm vacuuming and little Samuel is there, perhaps at the age of three, though, is much older now or ON when their three and say would you help pop a vacuum.

They call me Papa. Oh yeah, sure. So after they help Papa vacuum I say to Rebecca all little: he really help Papa vacuum today helped are you kidding it took 15 minutes longer because he was helping me vacuum when we put up with that is because we love our children and our grandchildren and we're just delighted to see them even if they make more work for us. We just delighted that they show up, my friend, as a son and daughter of God.

God is glad. If you just show up. He loves you.

He cares about you. He wants to connect with you. And if all of your praying is needed days. I shouldn't say this but I'll say it, and afterwards have to backtrack probably need based prayer meetings are boring.

Let me just throw that out there. That's why some of you have been acted with teachers for years and you never come to Wednesday night permitting here because you think it's going to be boring. Why do we have a surprise for you because it isn't all just need based its relationship based I was speaking to a very fine institution some time ago and they had a prayer list and a young woman, God bless her, she was that the one who was doing the praying and she was given this prayer list and she stood up there and said dear God. And then she read the list and it sounded like an organ recital. I mean we prayed for people who are having gallbladder surgery. We were prayed for people who had lung problems. We prayed for people who had the kidney difficulties mean every organ of the body. We ended up praying for. I shouldn't think such thoughts. Now I should, but in that moment, I thought young lady, why read these requests to God when it you just say God hear the request. You can read them better than I can just take care of them because there was no relationship established, it was need based praying. I love what Larry Crabb says he says prayer is the way in which we make room in our souls for God that he loves to fill to clean out the rubbish. I piled into my inner world so that he can fill me with his reality. It helps me realize that to experience God. I must experience him in the way that I relate to others must behave toward others with the divine energy, and wisdom. He's putting within man. I relate to God the same way could I make a suggestion to you instead of coming to God with needs change your mindset. The needs will come, but they're not the first.

The first purpose of prayer sit in a chair and just simply in silence come to God without any needs. All that you have is communion with him. Tell them why you love him quote verses of Scripture that remind you of his promises and his love for you. Just enjoy God you are a son or a daughter, and God loves that when you show just the two of you. That's why love that song that we usually find difficulty finding the words to my God and I we walk the fields together. We walk and talk his good friend shouldn't do we clasp our hands, our voices ring with laughter. My God and I we walk the Meadows through learn to develop your relationship with God Jesus move from friendship to son ship intimacy by which we call and cry out Abba father. You know what I think that's the meaning of that promise that we have so much difficulty with delight yourself in the Lord and he will give thee the desires of thine heart, and we say it's not true. If you take delight in God, he will pour into you desires. Yes, and you're going to have to submit to those desires and they may not be your desires, but at the end of the day you receive the desires of your heart but you delight in God's I think the contrast here is between friendship and son ship there's a second contrast and that is between reluctance reluctance and willingness you know the man who Sinbad says I can't get up what Jesus said no he didn't say that he eventually of course did get up and disturbed his children all but I wouldn't be very happy if you came to me at night for three loaves of bread I would do it because after all I'm the pastor of the church, and you might tell others that pastor Luther refused to give me three loaves of bread that he had but you know, this wouldn't be my happiest moment now notice Jesus is contrasting the reluctance of the man to get out of bed with God.

How much more will your heavenly father if a friend is willing to get out of bed. If a son asks for a fish, and receives a fish and asks for an egg and gets one, how much more will your father bless you, you save a pastor Luther, this is very difficult because I why then does he not answer all of my prayers is not huge. Think of the bitter people that there are because God didn't answer their prayers. I don't have an answer to all that long ago.

I have given up on understanding all the nuances of God's way. But I do know this, that God doesn't answer our prayers immediately because he does say persistence is important to ask and it will be given you seek and you will find keep knocking at the idea in the text and and what God is saying is I want to stretch your faith. I want to develop your faith. I want to give you lots of need.

So you end up coming to me and realize that you need me more than you need answers to your needs.

George McDonald. I love this. He was asked to know if God knows all the needs we have.

Why doesn't he just meet them and he gave this illustration is that when a child runs away from home. He said the child comes back because he's hungry. In fact I did that at about the age of five or six I decided I was gonna run away from home argument with brothers and sisters and I could get along in my own so I ran through the wheatfields and you know what I got hungry and thought, you know, maybe home isn't that bad, so I snuck back but George McDonald says that that child needs to realize that he needs his mother, even more than he does his supper, and the prodigal son was hungry.

Now if the particle could've prayed to his father if we think of the father is being gone and sinkhole God fill my stomach fill my stomach because I'm hungry and tired here eating with the pigs with the father have done it. No no no no father what's going to fill your stomach when I want you to do is to realize that that hunger is a reminder would you come home please and realize that you need me more than you need.

Mark again if I might quote Larry Crabb. He says if you try to get things from God without first praying to get more of God himself. Your petitions will sound more like the rantings of a spoiled brat and requests of the dependent child.

If the transition the understanding and the contrast is between friendship and son ship.

It teaches us to the light in God. If the contrast is also between reluctance and willingness it teaches us to trust God.

I don't always know why God says no there's no doubt that there are people who pray with good motives for the advance of the gospel and for the for the for the amazing extension of God's kingdom then and they don't get their answers.

All that I know is the words of Job, though he's laying yet will I trust all trust and when I get answers to prayer all trust and when I don't get answers to prayer because let me say it again, my friend.

If you are only need based if that's all you will become bitter, you will become angry. But if we find delight in God would say God I can delight in you.

I can take hope in you. I can trust in you through the word of God, even when you say no. Blessed are those who love God and his presence that much. There is now 1/3 and final contrast that I see in this passage, and that is the contrast between good things and the best things good things in the best things notice Jesus said in verse 13. If you are evil and by that he means you know you're a sinner. He doesn't mean evil with a capital we speak of someone's being evil and you give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask.

While God says it's important for you to get bread. I understand that but I have something better for you than bread and that is the gift of the spirit. Furthermore, it's the kind of gift that only God can give you. You couldn't go to a friend.

It midnight knock on the door and say you know I want you to give me the Holy Spirit can do that give you three loaves of bread and give it a Holy Spirit.

Only God can give those kinds of gift and those of the best gifts. Some people have struggled and they said well you know we don't have to receive the Holy Spirit, or pray for it because all believers are indwelt by the Spirit, and that is correct. Maybe what Jesus means is this that we receive the Spirit's fullness. We receive more of the spirit. God loves God loves to fill us with his spirit and we come into his presence and we and during those times of communion, we have fellowship with him.

He reveals our sin and our need to yield but at the end of the day he's he's responding to these requests, and he gives us the best gifts I tell you today that your greatest need is not financial and that's not to it all downplayed the needs that some of you have and we want to help you if we can meet those needs. But the greatest isn't for health, our greatest need is always for a fresh appreciation and communion with God and he gives us the best gifts.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Some of you are here today and you need the gift of forgiveness, don't you, it's hard for you to admit it to yourself because you may have come here with the defense mechanisms and reasons why you do not want to receive Christ as Savior.

I pray that God will break through those defenses and you'll realize. Yes, what I need is God's forgiveness. What I need is the gift of righteousness that only God can give any gives these best gifts and he promises us the best gifts. If we but ask of him. The contrast is between good gifts and the very best gifts and then were content with his answer and abandoned God because he didn't answer our prayers because we have found a delight in him that is so strong that means so much to us that we hang on to that and take delight in it.

Even when the world goes bad and child grounds. We go through times of sorrow and agony, and all kinds of unanswered questions, but at the end of the day there is God for us. Saying please show he loves you and that's what prayer is all about is called relational praying.

I began this message by talking about some people who look at prayer like an oxygen mask only for crises and you know crisis will come if you don't want that mass dropping on you because the flight is gone bad. I want you rather than to think of such a thing as prayer is an oxygen mask instead realize that for those of us who are believers, it actually is oxygen Live without it can get a day pass today without it. Remember that only desperate people praise so God keeps us desperate all the time why is is keep coming, keep asking, keep knocking, keep seeking me and build a relationship with me that is strong enough to whether the unanswered questions of life, you've never received Christ as Savior. You can even do that where you are seated.

Just ask him to say asking for the gift of righteousness asking for the gift of forgiveness you being able or able to do these things for your kids think of what God will do to those who simply ask if you will let us pray father we think today the words of Jesus seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. All these things will be added unto you forgiveness father for concentrating on all these things and forgetting to seek God. Now I want you to pray to God say to him whatever you need to tell him at this moment you talk to God what you need.

What bitterness do you have to confess to lay it at his feet and begin a life that pursues the living God, hear our prayer.

Lord, we pray in Jesus name. Years ago when I was reading the songs over and over again. I found that phrase seek the Lord in you and I need to do that in this world of confusion in this world when we don't know where to turn, is not simply a matter of making requests it is seeking God himself seeking him is more important than usually the many requests that we ask him all of you been blessed as a result of this series of messages and of course there are more messages on this topic to follow if you'd like to have them permanently so that they can become a part of your library, share them with your friends over and over again.

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We are making a difference.

Go to RTW offer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337 four gift of any amount. These messages can be yours. You can't redo life how the parables help us get it right the first time it's time now for you, asking pastoralists or a question about the Bible or the Christian life. Finding a husband is a major concern for many women who were sometimes tempted to take second best. Here's the story of one anonymous Remington when listener I'm in love with a man who has no permanent job but has had various jobs in the past. He still lives with his parents there a Christian family, but they live like spoiled teenagers or houses filled with clutter when we do things together all the initiative and work comes from me.

I do the shopping.

Repair the food I wash the dishes. I even clean their house when I'm there.

My boyfriend seems to be quite lazy if I ask him to help you will help. For a moment, but that's it. Any other such comments I make are met with questions like why are you always complaining pastoralists are due. People like this ever change my dear today, if you were my daughter I would tell you to throw that fish back into the lake. That's the first thing that comes into my mind. Don't ever think that someone is going to change after you married them.

What you see today is what you get some time here at the Moody church I preached a series of messages on marriage and began with a message on red flags because I was at Bible conferences, I asked people to tell me their stories of red flags. They missed before marriage seems to me that you have enough legs to have your own parade because I don't think this family is going to change. I don't think this man is going to change that's been very negative. But let me give you one or two positive comments. If this man actually had a good job and showed a transformation of his heart toward diligence and if he proved himself over a period of time, then I might be willing to give him a pass, but the way in which you've described. This does not look good to me.

Yes, people sometimes change but a they never change because they make a promise to because of marriage. Be the change is often very very slow so you can't depend on any quick change of character in this regard and see. Often times it takes a tremendous amount of prodding tremendous amount of work seems to me that it would be better for you to simply move on in a relationship. This is not going anywhere. That is very happy, very satisfying and very fulfilling some wise counsel from Dr. Erwin lutes or thank you pastoralists are.

If you'd like to hear your question answered. Go to our website@rtwoffer.com and click on ask pastoralists are or call us at 1-888-218-9337 that's 1-888-218-9337 you can write to us after running to win 1635 N. LaSalle Boulevard Chicago, IL 60614 when someone wrongs you, you may react with the resentment that can lead to a wellspring of bitterness in your soul. That's why Jesus spoke on the need for us to forgive next time on running to win a famous parable outlines the key principles on dealing with wrongs done and wrongs others have done to us.

Don't miss a lesson on getting forgiveness right thanks for listening for Dr. Erwin lutes or this is Dave Callister running to win is sponsored by the Moody church