Thank you very much.
Thank you.
We shall rise.
Amen.
Brother Erwin, great force.
Thank you, Father God, for the day.
Thank you so much for this morning.
Thank you for this morning's service.
We bless this morning's service.
Amen.
Let's turn to animals.
The sum of 441.
441, great.
Thank you.
We shall rise.
Born in thy glory,
numerous seas I see.
All I am,
believe in thy hand,
and hold my hand.
Great is thy faith,
who makes good unto me.
Honoring for sin,
may thy heart be set in your will.
Thy holy presence
do shape yet to come.
Straight for today,
and bright for tomorrow.
Blessed is the world
and clouds in the sky.
Great is thy faith,
my faithless.
Great is thy faithfulness,
born in thy glory,
numerous seas I see.
All I am,
believe in thy hand,
and hold my hand.
Great is thy faithfulness,
who makes good unto me.
All I am,
believe in thy heart,
and hold my hand.
Great is thy faithfulness,
who makes good unto me.
All I am,
believe in thy heart,
and hold my hand.
Great is thy faithfulness,
who makes good unto me.
Great is thy faithfulness,
who makes good unto me.
Great is thy faithfulness,
who makes good unto me.
Great is thy faithfulness,
who makes good unto me.
Great is thy faithfulness,
who makes good unto me.
Great is thy faithfulness,
Root beer floats and popcorn for all.
So if you by any chance happen to have a father or be a father,
you can enjoy that with us.
So that would mean everybody, right?
And then we've got the FWBC Tempe mega conference coming up.
So again, this is up in Tempe.
I've listed all the preachers that are going to be coming through there.
If you want to make one of those services,
a shuttle to the Wednesday services will leave the building promptly at five
and return approximately at ten thirty.
So that's available to you.
If you'd like to take advantage of that, we'll get you dinner on the way back.
And then also there'll be a sign up sheet for that here next Sunday.
And then we've got the Tucson's annual church camp coming up
just a couple of weeks away.
You've got the address and everything there.
So if you're planning on going, you know, there's the address.
That way you don't have to text me all at the last minute.
What's the address?
It's right there.
So make note of that if you're planning on going.
If you remember how to get to Showers Point where we've camped previously,
then just go there and it's literally just right down the road.
You'll see a big sign on the right-hand side.
It says Southern Pines Baptist Camp.
And you can just pull in there.
And then once you get there, you know, let me just kind of break it down.
I don't want to spend too much time because, you know,
maybe I should talk more about it the Sunday prior.
That way it's fresh in everybody's mind.
But I will say that there is still room available even with the Tempe people that are coming.
Thus far I've got a whole cabin of 10.
And that brings up another issue that's come up.
Several people, not just one or two, several people have expressed, you know,
what I'm taking as concern as how the sleeping arrangements are going to go.
So basically what I'm trying to do is keep families together.
And so far, you know, I sat down last night with a spreadsheet and was able to, you know,
make sense of it all and we were talking spreadsheet talk before the service, that's why.
But the way I've got it laid out is basically everyone's kind of got their own cabin and or room.
Some of the guys that are flying solo are going to end up potentially on a sofa.
But, you know, that's because they are like a reed in the wind.
You know, they bend, they do not break.
And they're troopers, so I can count on them.
So if you have any questions about that, in fact,
I'm probably just going to talk to several people after the service this morning about the sleeping arrangements
and making sure that they're okay with the things the way they are.
What I'm getting at is that there's plenty of room.
I've got an entire cabin of 10 that sleeps 10 that I haven't even put anybody in yet.
I've got beds and lofts and other cabins that I haven't had to put anybody in yet.
So, I mean, the place can sleep like 90 people max or more.
And we're, I think, at the most, if everybody comes, you know, it's going to be like 61 on one night
and then it's going to drop off down into like 50 or something like that.
So there's plenty of room and I'm considerate of people's preferences when it comes to sleeping arrangements.
I'm not just going to, you know, stick you in a cabin with Freddy Krueger, you know, the boogeyman,
and ask you to just sleep with some stranger, you know.
You're going to be in there with your family.
Obviously, I'm not separating parents.
The only exception I'm thinking about would be in the case of the teen boys, the older teen boys.
We'd like to kind of just, no one really wants to be around them anyway.
So I figured, I'm just kidding.
We would just round them all up and stick them in a cabin upstairs and then we would have, of course, adults and things beneath.
So, anyway, I'll go over all those details.
I don't want to belabor the point here during announcements, but I'll come to you guys and make sure you're okay with that.
If you have any objections to anything I've said thus far, and please tell me because, you know, I failed mind reading class twice.
So if there's something that is not right, something you don't like, you know, you just need to tell me because I can't read your mind.
Anyway, also on the back, just another reminder, today's going to be a hot one.
It's going to be, I think, 109 today.
So just reminding folks that are going out soul winning and anybody else that's going to be in the sun, of course,
to continue to use those proper precautions during the summer heat as it gets warmer.
The Mexico Monday because it's typically on the first Monday of every month.
It's following on the 4th of July this year.
So we've bumped that out to July 11th.
That's from 9 a.m. picked up here at the building.
9 p.m. dropped off back here at the building by brother Chris Segura.
Speak with myself or with brother Segura if you plan on going.
And the updated weekly Bible memory passage.
We're rounding out Proverbs chapter 3.
Don't forget the men's preaching at the end of the month.
That will do it for announcements.
We'll go ahead and sing one more song before the preaching this morning.
It's going to be 449.
It's not going to be 449.
beginning of verse 13 just those five verses there where it reads in verse 13
is any among you afflicted let him pray is any Mary let him sing songs is any
sick among you let him call for the elders of the church and let them pray
over him anointing him with oil the name of the Lord and the prayer of faith
shall save the sick and the Lord shall raise him up and if you have committed
sins they shall be forgiven him confess your faults once another and pray for
one another that you may be healed the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous
man availeth much so there's this admonition here to pray in these few
verses where we are to pray because the prayer of faith shall save the sick and
he says there in verse 16 you know confess your faults one to another and
to pray for one another so we see this you know this emphasis being put on
prayer and then he moves from that and gives us an example of a man of prayer
in Elias which is of course the New Testament reading of Elijah where it
says in verse 17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are and
he prayed earnestly that it might not rain and a rate not on the earth by the
space of three years and six months and he prayed again and the heaven gave rain
and the earth brought her forth her fruit and I want to preach a sermon this
morning entitled Elijah's example of prayer and prayer is a very important
thing I think it's something that's probably one of the more if not the most
neglected thing probably in the Christian life simply because it's
something that's not done out in the open at least it's not supposed to be
it's not something that we really see people doing a lot of or we're not
supposed to but it's not something that we actually receive a lot of recognition
for it's not something that we're going to get a slap on the back at the attaboy
or whatever but it's something that you know we ought to be doing and we ought
to be doing fervently and that's really what Elijah's example is is an example
of fervent prayer and really what that looks like and what that means and I
just want to look at that this this morning then we're gonna be in 1st
Kings 18 where we were last week as well if you want to bookmark something there
but we're gonna look at a few things in James and then we'll end up in Mark in
just a minute but we're gonna be 1st Kings 18 Mark 11 but the first thing I
want to point out is obviously the the importance of prayer but notice that
Paul in James chapter 5 is you know he's saying hey pray for the sick you know
the prayer of faith shall save the sick he's saying praying for one another that
you may be healed right so he's praying and he's saying pray for sick people
pray for that other people might be healed and often that's a very common
prayer request that you get is that you'll hear people say hey so-and-so is
not doing so well please pray for them or I'm not feeling well I'm going
through this physical I have this physical ailment I have this problem you
know this medical issue whatever it is could you please pray for me you know
and that's something that we ought to do you know we shouldn't just take that
lightly when somebody comes to us and says hey I'm sick so-and-so sick there's
a there's a physical need here please pray for their health you know James 5
makes it really clear that we are to pray for those things is any sick among
you let him call for the elders of the church let him pray over him anointing
him with oil in the name of the Lord and I believe there's a very specific
context for that you know the anointing of the oil and all that but the point
being is that you know there is to be prayer made prayer of faith shall save
the sick confess your faults and pray for one another that you what may be
healed you know we ought to pray for one another even if it's not something where
it requires you know the calling of the elders the anointing of oil and all that
but we ought to pray for one another and he says you ought to pray you ought to
do this and pray for these these things that you know we might look at in the
context of Scripture we might look at other prayers in the Bible that were
answered by God and we saw we see great miracles taking place we see God
answering prayers and doing great things for people and when we think we might be
tempted to think you know well what I'm asking of God is so small what I'm
asking of God is so insignificant what I'm asking of God really isn't that big
of deal and therefore I'm not even gonna pray for it or we might be tempted to
think you know God isn't gonna hear my prayer he's not interested in what I my
requests he's not interested in my needs or the needs that we might have
but you know that's that's not true you know because of the fact that you know
God does hear prayer God does answer prayer you know we should be people of
prayer and he says there in a lie in verse 17 Elias was like a man subject to
like passions as we are and he's saying Elijah you know obviously was a great
man of God was a man of faith but you know what he was subject to like
passions as we are and as we get in a little bit more life Elijah in the
coming weeks on Thursday nights we'll see that you know that he has his own
shortcomings he has his own you know emotional rollercoaster that he goes
through that he wasn't perfect in every way but it says that he though he was a
like man to like passions as we are he subject he prayed earnestly excuse me
that it might not rain and God answered that prayer that was a big prayer and he
prayed again until the head until the and the heaven gave rain and the earth
brought forth her fruit so he's saying look Elijah prayed this great prayer and
it didn't rain for three years then he prayed again and it rained but why is he
citing that here why is he bringing that up in James 5 why is James meant
referencing Elijah's prayer well it's it's it's an example that he's using to
encourage us to pray you know what we would consider our more common prayers
you know living around here we might we might be people that pray for rain you
know or maybe we need to find that guy it's praying it's that it shouldn't rain
you know but that might be a prayer we actually pray I don't know but what I'm
saying is that you know we all probably have very common prayers that we pray
we're probably praying for one another you know we're praying for each other's
needs we're praying for our own needs the needs of our family or praying very
you know very basic you know your everyday prayer but those are the things
we ought to be praying you know we want always in today much is made of you know
praying this name it claim it kind of a philosophy that's out there you know you
need to pray for that sports car you need to pray for that six-figure salary
you need to pray to win that lot of you you know you got to pray that you're
this and that they and they say if you don't get those things then you know you
must not be right with God but really what James is telling us is that we
ought to pray for one another we have to pray the prayer of faith that others
would be healed and that others would be helped so and for our own needs as
we'll see here in a minute because of the fact that God answers prayers like
Elijah's prayer a man who was subject to like passions as we are was able to even
pray and stop and start the rain okay so he's not just saying hey pray for the
big things pray for these great miracles you know what you ought to be praying
for you know is the basic things the things that you need the healings and
things like that and that's you know something that Jesus taught as well that
these we ought to pray for just the common things that we need you're in
mark 11 I'll read to you from Matthew chapter 6 where he said when thou
prayest it's assumed that you're going to enter into thy closet and when thou
has shut thy door pray to thy father which is in secret and thy father which
seeth in secret shall reward thee openly but when you pray use not vain
repetitions as the heathen do for they think they shall be heard for their much
speaking and you know that's a clue to what fervent prayer looks like you know
a fervent prayer isn't just the the words that are coming out of your mouth
the way they're coming out of your mouth or the abundance of the words coming out
of your mouth okay getting ahead of myself a little bit we got but he says
in verse 8 be not therefore like unto them why for your father knoweth what
things you have need of before you ask him now think about that he's saying
look your father God our Heavenly Father knows what things we have need of before
we even ask him and we might be tempted to pray to say well what's the point of
praying why even pray that it's like why am I going to go tell God something he
already knows well there's a purpose behind that you know God wants us to
pray to him so that one that we can have that fellowship you know and there might
be some other things that God wants to talk to us about there might be some
other things that God might bring to our attention if we are people that pray
fervently if we follow Elijah's example of prayer if we follow the Lord's
example of prayer you're there in Mark chapter 11 verse 22 he says and Jesus
answering saith unto them have faith in God for verily I say unto you that
whoever shall say unto this mountain be thou removed and P thou cast into the
sea thou shall and shall not doubt in his heart but shall help believe those
things which he saith shall come to pass he shall have whatsoever he saith and
you think you know wow that's amazing we could pray these great prayers and those
things would happen but is that what is that what Jesus is admonishing us to do
here to pray that the mountain would be removed and cast in the sea that some
great miracle would take place is that why he's bringing us up you know the
reason why he'd bring that up is to encourage us in verse 24 therefore I
say unto you whatsoever thing and what things so ever you desire when you pray
believe you shall receive them and you shall have them you know and there are
things that we all desire I mean I really don't have any desire for a
mountain to be picked up and cast in the sea you know I don't have any desire for
some great miracle or some just you know supernatural thing to take place you
know there are some things that I desire in my life there are some things that I
have need of there are things that I desire for other people you know there
there are things that I want to see for this church you know those are the
things that we ought to pray why because if we believe those things we will
receive them that's the admonishment is that look God would would pick up a
mountain and cast in the sea if that's what you needed but the you know we
don't need that so why what's the sense of praying for that but does that mean
that there's nothing that we need that there's no needs in our lives that there
isn't something that's lacking either in our health and our our finances or you
know spiritually or some situation there's some circumstance that we find
ourselves in or some need or some desire that we have you're telling me that
there's just nothing that we need to pray for you know we always want people
always want to think about you know these these great grand prayers that
we're praying the Bible but when we look at when they're cited in the New
Testament often these great grand prayers are simply an encouragement for
us to pray for those basic simple everyday prayers that we need to be
praying not just for ourselves but also for one another it's interesting there
in Mark chapter 11 he says in verse 24 that you should pray and believe that
you receive them and you shall have them and then notice in verse 25 he says and
when you stand praying forgive and this is kind of what I just alluded to in a
minute you know sometimes when God gets us in the if we're if God knows what we
need why pray well God wants to answer our prayer but also if God knows he has
our attention he might bring some other things to our attention and say you know
I'd be glad to help you with that here's what I want from you and he says and
when you stand praying forgive if you have ought against any you know it might
be that when you're praying and you're expressing this need and you have
something that God might bring something up so yeah you know what but you need to
deal with this situation you need to forgive so-and-so you need to work on
this and you're you know God might bring other things to our attention if he
knows that you know we're there and we're we're communicating with him and
you know that's a very real thing I'm not saying God's gonna speak you an
audible voice you know but God and the Holy Spirit might bring something to
mind you know passage of Scripture might come to mind a thought might come to
mind and it very well could be that that's the Lord trying to deal with you
about something else God does answer our practical prayers if you would go over
to 1st John chapter 5 1st John chapter number 5 see we always want these just
these great spectacular prayers you know if I can't get that then why pray at all
well you know because God does answer the more practical prayers that's why we
ought to be praying and the fact is you know we all have very practical needs in
life we all have very practical things that you know whether we pray for it or
not we're definitely gonna worry about it there's definitely gonna be things
that we think about and are concerned about whether it's a situation our
health the health of a loved one a situation that we're you know involved
in whatever all the in our our daily needs something we want for it there's
always going to be something that whether we pray for it or not we're
definitely it's definitely gonna be on our mind it's definitely gonna be
something that we think about what we need to learn to do is take it to the
Lord in prayer and ask him to get involved and get and and try to get you
know and be like Elijah be a person a man a person of prayer who can pray
effectually and what fervently and not just have a flippant attitudes towards
prayer like it's just something I do for a couple minutes and just to check it
off the you know the morning routine or whatever you know it ought to be
something that we that when we do it we we are fervent about it and you know
what will make us fervent about prayer is when we truly know and believe and
understand that God answers practical prayers well if I'm not praying for the
for the heavens to be closed and the rain to stop then you know I'm just not
gonna pray if I'm not praying for a mountain to be cast in the sea then
what's the point in praying well the point is is that God will help you and
in those practical matters of life God will answer even the most basic of
prayers and anybody who spent any time doing that and praying for even basic
things has seen God come through on that he knows what I'm saying is right the
Bible says in Psalms 37 verse 4 you're in 1st John 5 the light thyself also in
the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart so let me clarify
I'm not saying you know well if you're saying I get whatever I want whatever I
pray for you know that I'm gonna get down and pray for this thing that I'm
just coveting after you know I'm just gonna pray for this thing that I don't
need it's just something you know that's that's not even gonna help me it's just
something that I want you know it's something that I desire but notice in
Psalm 37 he said delight thyself also in the Lord and he shall give thee desires
of thine heart you know if we're delighting in the things of God and we
want the things of God those are the prayers that God is going to answer
things that are going to help us in our and in our in our faith things that are
gonna make us better Christians God is gonna answer those prayers commit thy
way it says unto the Lord trust also in him and he shall bring it to pass you
know people say well God doesn't answer prayer well you know maybe God did
answer that prayer but just wasn't the answer you wanted you know I prayed for
this or that and it just didn't happen well it sounds like answer prayer to me
you know the prayers that go our way are the ones that we pray we're after
you know when we've committed our way unto the Lord when we delight also in
him you know when we're delighting in him and committing our way unto him and
then he starts to answer those prayers we're praying Lord save so and so heal
so and so help me you know in my attitude in this area help me with this
or that praying for the church praying for that we're praying things that are
that God would want for us anyway and then we see God start to move and answer
those prayers and then we say amen we praise God but no one ever gets up and
and praises God for when he slams the door in their face and says no a lot of
times they say is all God must not answer prayer well maybe you just didn't
need that Bentley you know maybe that that that that stretched Cadillac just
wasn't you know what God would have for you yeah but I saw that you know this
preacher got up in the television and he said I could have gold chains and
three-piece suits and a yacht but all I had to do was send him some money and
put my hand on the screen why didn't God answer that prayer because that's not a
prayer of faith that's not that that's not anything God would have for you look
at 1st John chapter 5 verse 14 it says and this is the confidence that we have
in him that if we ask anything according to his will he hear with us you know
we're praying and God's will he does hear us and if we know and if we know
that he hear us whatsoever we ask we know that we have the petitions that we
desire of him you know look commit yourself on the way delight thyself in
the Lord you know and he will answer those prayers but what did David say if
I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear my prayer you know we
can't live like the devil all week and then just pray a quick prayer when we
find ourselves in some situation and just expect God to come through you know
when it comes to prayer what I'm seeing is that it's it's give and take with the
Lord it's give and take God wants to help you God wants to get involved you
know it's it's just like any parent with their child you know not that this would
ever happen in my house but if my children ever misbehaved even though
they're you know you say you're shocked I could tell a shocked you are right now
to even think that my perfect children would ever misbehave you know but if
they if they were misbehaving and then wanted to just come and ask me for ice
cream or something like a deck we go to Culver's what do you think I'm gonna say
I'm gonna answer that prayer oh I'm answering it but it's not gonna be the
answer they want no you know but if they've been good and obedient and
doing those things that I desire of them if they've been fulfilling you know my
will if they've been doing things according to my will if they've been
delighting themselves in my way if they've been committing themselves on to
our our way in the house you know being helpful being you know good to their
siblings obedient all of that everything that goes along that they've been
pleasing me and then they come and have some requests that maybe it isn't even
necessarily something that they absolutely need you know I'm always
gonna answer that prayer for you know food water and shelter you know
regardless of their behavior and that's that's true of God too I mean he lets
the wicked breathe every breath they breathe he sends the rain upon the just
and on the unjust you know but those special requests those those things that
are above and beyond those things aren't that aren't necessarily something they
absolutely must have you know I'm probably not going to answer that at
least not in the way that they would like if you would go over to first Kings
chapter 18 because again you know we're looking at the Elijah's example of
prayer and the Bible said there in James 5 that he was a man that was subject to
like passions as we are and that he was using it as an example of somebody who
was what had an effectual and fervent prayer life you know so I'm beginning by
just trying to admonish you this morning to just to begin to be a person of
prayer if you're not already or maybe you are a person of prayer but you know
prayer has just kind of become this thing they just do out of habit you know
it's lost its fervency it's lost its passion it's kind of like you're just
checking in you know you're just crossing something off the to-do list
you know we ought to be if we want our prayers to be effectual they have to be
fervent meaning they have to come from the heart they have to be something that
we really want and need and and understand that we're going to God for
and hopefully I've encouraged you to understand that you know your practical
prayer you know will be answered you know pray those practical prayers pray
those things of those basic needs pray for those things ask God for him you
know if you're right with him if you're delighting in him he will take care of
you you know casting a mountain into the sea you know that makes for a good
story doesn't it that would be a great you know testimony to the prayer the
power of prayer man I prayed Mount lemon was on fire and I prayed that God would
dunk it and put it out and put it back and he did it I mean I'd be I'd be
famous you know but is that but you know what that's not realistic that's not
profitable is it it's the practical prayers that are gonna profit us you
know the practical prayer of praying for my own needs and the needs of other
those are the things that are actually gonna profit somebody me saying some you
know great grand prayer some grandiose request you know might make for a good
story but what is it gonna profit anybody I mean what if I did that you
know I cast them out into the sea well I guess we got to find somewhere else to
go camping you know wasn't that cool though so let's look at Elijah real
quick just real briefly this morning and Elijah the first thing I want to point
out about a man of effectual prayer a man of a fervent prayer is that Elijah
as I started out this morning and saying in my you know my introduction here is
that he prayed by faith you know that's what Jesus admonished us to do that we
have to believe whatsoever things we asked for it believe that you receive
them and you shall have them you know don't we don't want to be a double
minded man you know we don't want to ask him miss we don't want to be unstable in
all our ways we want to make sure that we're believing that we could receive
these things you know if we and if we honestly believe that we might be more
careful about the things that we ask for we might say well you know that's why
my none of my children ever come to me and ask for a grand dad I just need I
just need a hundred Benjamin's right now because that's not practical you know
and they know already know they're not gonna get that you know but there's
other things that they could pray for and they believe when they ask that
they're gonna receive it they know if they catch me in a good mood and they've
been good there's a chance that you know on the way home from church that
steering wheel will turn left and they'll find themselves in the drive
through a Culver's they believe me they pay attention they know when to pray
that prayer when God when when dad's will has been worn down on a Sunday
evening you know he said it's been a long day at church or whatever and he's
got that look on his face right it's like well and I've been extra sweet
today you know and they'll know right when to ask him so pray by faith that's
the first thing you see with Elijah there and 1st Kings 18 verse 41 notice
it says there and allies just said on Ahab get the up eat and drink for there
is a sound of abundance of rain so Ahab went up to eat and drink and Elijah went
up to the top of Carmel and he cast himself down upon the earth and put his
face between his knees and he said to his servant go now look toward the sea
and he went up and looked so when he's praying this prayer you know that the
rain would come again that God would send this cloud go to the sea and look
what does he do he sends his servant to go look to me when I read that that
sounds like he's doing that in faith that he knows that prayer is answered
and going to be answered he's not sending his servant he goes go go see how
much a fool I am for being up for climbing up this mountain and and
putting my face in the dirt between my knees and praying to God asking for rain
now now go go confirm for me that that's not happening no he's sending that
servant saying hey check this out watch what God's gonna do which tells me that
Elijah is a man that prayed by faith when he sends his servant to go confirm
his prayer you know and that's the first point you know I've kind of covered that
pretty well when I move right into the next one is that not only did he prayer
by faith but you know he prayed persistently if you notice there in
verse 43 it says and he said to a servant go now look toward the sea and
he went up and he looked and said there is nothing and Elijah said God doesn't
answer prayer I'd say why do I listen to that preacher what a bunch of hogwash
this none of that I don't believe any of this I'm out of here he said go now
seven go again seven times so he just keeps sending him back and he keeps
coming back there's nothing go again seven times there's nothing go again
there's nothing go again there's nothing going you know and Elijah this whole
time is praying and he's not getting discouraged in prayer so that's what
fervent prayer looks like folks and again that's what James 5 was
admonishing to be to be people who prayed who pray fervently that's that's
the effectual prayer of a righteous man right the fervent effectual prayer of a
righteous man availeth much you want our prayers to avail then they have to be
fervent and that in order for them to be effectual you have to have some
fervency you know and fervency today you know people that simply just means
displaying a you know passionate intensity and a lot of people when they
think about a fervent prayer they think about the guy who gets his voice like
this and he just has all the right words to say and he starts to pray and just
moves you and your heart is stirred when you hear that man praying the way and
it's the way he's saying it it's what he's saying that that we say oh that's a
very fervent prayer but what did Jesus say he said they think they shall be
heard for their much speaking what Jesus is saying is like look if your prayer is
fervent and effectual you don't need to say a lot I mean earlier in the chapter
first Kings 18 when he's challenged the prophets to bail to have their their
their God answer their prayer by accepting the sacrifice on the altar
those guys prayed all day from morning till until night and the Sun up to
sundown and they're they're cutting themselves they're they're bailing
they're throwing themselves on the altar Elijah's mockingly says okay now it's my
turn you know after he has them just pour a bunch more water on it you dig a
trench and he's filling up the trench with water just to show these people
that God's gonna come down and you know lick up everything since my turn did he
pray a very long prayer it's a very short prayer but he got to the point you
know because you know Elijah was already a man that was what delighting
himself in the Lord he was already what committed his way unto the Lord because
what did we read earlier how he went and hid by the brook what do you think he
was doing the brook he wasn't checking Facebook he wasn't just scrolling
through his apps or whatever it wasn't surfing the web you know I had imagined
Elijah had spent a lot of that time in prayer praying to God communing with God
when he went to the widow's house you know he had his own we know he had his
own loft right he probably spent time up there praying reading meditating I mean
these are men of God obviously there's a thing these are things that they did and
then when it was Showtime so to speak when it was time to pray and get God's
attention and have him answer a great prayer it didn't take a lot did it
because he had power with God because of the fact that he had already delighted
himself see that's what fervent prayer is that's why it's fervent and what
effectual it's efficient it doesn't have to make a show of itself you know
that's why we don't hear when we just pray before the service someone just
prays and they don't and I have yet to hear anybody wax eloquent and I'm glad
for that I'm you know good simple prayers are the best ones you know I
don't have to put on a long robe up here and burn incense you know and and
decorate this place so we can all feel like our prayers are being answered you
know if we're delighting ourselves in the Lord if we're committing our ways
and if we're living for him day by day week by week we know that we have those
those petitions that we ask we have that confidence in him and that you know
that's what fervent prayer is is is purse being persistent in prayer he
sends his servant he confirms it and then he continues to send him back seven
times he says go back I'm gonna keep praying I'm gonna keep praying fervent
prayer is a persistent prayer and it's not just a bunch of elegant words it's
not just a bunch of you know just speaking you know very with these
grandiose just big elaborate prayers that's not a fervent prayer fervent
prayer is just persistently asking persistently praying and being a person
of prayer you know prayer is not just a one-and-done thing you know some people
don't get their aunt their prayers answered you know it's like well how
much did you really pray for it well I mean I bowed my head and I closed my
eyes you know and I I prayed for I I just I mentioned it you know well is
that really a fervent prayer though I mean is that really is that really being
persistent and fervent for prayer if we just mention it to God just kind of like
we would casually mention something to you know somebody we know Oh God if you
got time maybe grant if you could take care of the situation look fervent
effectual prayer is is is it it is a displaying of passionate intensity but
it's something that's done privately it's something that's done you know
between you and God and it's something that's done persistently I should have
had you go to Luke 18 but I'll just read to you for sake of time Luke 18 we all
know the parable of the of the the unjust judge and the widow it says there
in verse 8 chapter Luke 18 verse 1 and he spake a parable unto them to this end
that men ought always to pray and not to faint you know we ought always to pray
that is what fervent prayer looks like to always pray even you know we get that
prayer answered it's like well I'm done it's like no there's gonna be another
one there's gonna be another need there's gonna be another situation we
ought always to pray not to faint as Paul said that men would pray everywhere
you know lifting up holy hands saying there was in a city a judge which feared
not God neither regarded man so he's the unjust judge and there was a widow in
that city and she came unto him saying avenge me in my adversary so here you
have this judge they doesn't fear God you know and widows are already kind of
at a disadvantage they're not exactly they don't have a lot of pull with
people especially back then you know they weren't exactly the the movers and
shakers of society how much more so when you have a judge that doesn't fear God
because God obviously makes a lot of concessions for widows in his word
because God you know stands up for the just and the poor yeah and anyway so you
have this widow who again doesn't have a lot of influence going to a judge that
does not fear God nor regards man he's not trying to please any do anybody any
favors especially some widow who can't do anything for him and she came unto
him saying avenge me of mine adversary and that's not not a question saying hey
do this avenge me of my adversary now would you please and he would not for a
while but afterward he said to himself through though I fear not God nor regard
man yet because this widow troubleth me I will a venture lest by her continual
coming she weary me and this is an example of prayer you know this is her
going to him and just being what persisted in prayer this is a fervent
prayer here what makes it fervent I avenge me of my adversaries what wow
what a moving eloquent speech no that's not what made it fervent necessarily the
words that came out but the fact that she was persistent she would not give up
and she was going to go and go and go to the point where this guy's saying you
know what she's going to weary me she's going to wear me down and the Lord said
here with the unjust judge saith it shall not God avenge his own elect say
listen to what he's saying I will avenge her lest by her continual coming she
weary me saying that's what you need to hear God answers the fervent prayer the
persistent prayer prayer is not a one-and-done kind of thing it's not a
two-and-done sometimes and I'm not going to say there's a specific formula where
if you pray X amount of times and then God will answer or if you pray for X
amount of time God will answer because God has other intentions and to get us
into the prayer closet you know some of the hardest part about about prayer is
just getting you there to pray and then it's like God's finally has your
attention it's like okay I'm going to answer that but let's talk about some
other things first we'll come back to this this prayer that you have you do
keep coming to me about that we'll keep talking about this in the meantime let's
talk about this let's talk about this let's go over that I don't want to run
you this and God will start to deal with us in prayer maybe that's why people
don't like to pray very much because they know it's like you know it's why
you kind of you know might you might avoid that supervisor if you know that
he's if you messed up or you know you got something that someone can bring
something up to you you might avoid that person you know if you know the next
conversation is gonna be a little awkward it's not gonna be as fun they're
gonna have a laundry list for you you know maybe the husband doesn't look at
that part of the fridge because he knows that's where the honey do list is he
just kind of walks by it like this right he's avoiding it sometimes we do that to
God like well I know if I get in prayer and actually get serious with God and
try to do business with the Lord we're gonna do business and I you know and I'm
looking at my spiritual account and there's there's a lot of things in the
red there's there's been some overdraft fees that we need to talk about but
that's you know that's what God is saying here look if you want these
prayers answered be persistent be fervent don't treat it like a one and
done God has other purposes in getting you in prayer and maybe he's not
answering that prayer right away because he wants to have keep your attention you
know and that's something that that we need to be open to that reality and
that's something that David brought up at length if you would go to Matthew 6
Matthew 6 David said thou has proved mine heart thou hast visited me in the
night thou hast tried me and shall find nothing he said examine me O Lord and
prove me try my reins in my heart you know David was a great man of prayer but
notice some of the things he says about the Lord to the Lord he's saying try my
heart examine me prove me visit me he understands that hey I'm gonna go and
pray to God I'm gonna be it's gonna be an open book and I'm you know I'm gonna
ask some things of God God's gonna ask some things to me I'm gonna bring some
things up to the Lord the Lord's gonna bring some things up to me and it's not
a one-way street with the Lord it's that he said God shall shall not God search
this out for he knoweth the secrets of the heart you know we go to prayer we
might even we might even shed some tears in prayer we might even you know and we
might have to have a lot of things to say in prayer but what about when God
starts to bring up the things in our heart that we don't want to talk about
well I've got this need I've got this request I'm here to talk about this but
let's just not talk about all these other things well you know God he know
what the secrets of the hearts all those things that we're just not we're
gonna say well maybe God doesn't know about that maybe God doesn't gonna bring
that up no he knows the secrets of our heart the next thing I want to point out
you know Elijah you know was prayer to faith Elijah prayed persistently that's
what he means to be fervent is that you know Elijah put himself out for the sake
of prayer and if you're gonna be a person of prayer you have to understand
just like anything that's worth doing in life it's gonna be it's not gonna be
inconvenient it's not something that comes naturally to us it's something we
have to put into practice and we're gonna have to put ourselves out we're
going to be inconvenienced for the sake of prayer if you know us there and I'll
just remind us of what it said at first Kings chapter 18 it said Elijah went up
to the top of Carmel to pray well what was what's wrong with base camp why can't
I just pray down here where it's easy you know why can't I just bow my heads
for 10 seconds before dinner before we eat and call it and say that's my
effectual fervent prayer you know you're gonna have to put yourself out to get
your prayers answered and you have to be willing to let God you know ask some
things of you you got to be put out Elijah he's like I'm gonna go up that
mountain pray because I want this prayer answered I want I want God's
attention so I'm gonna see if I can't just get a little bit higher to heaven a
little bit closer get God's attention up on the mountain there's a lot of people
down here in the valley but I want to stand out and get God's attention I'm
gonna climb that mountain I'm gonna put myself out you know a lot of people bow
their heads for a few seconds before a meal a lot of people pray quick simple
public prayers a lot of people you know get down on their knees before they're
before bed for a couple minutes at night at most maybe a lot of people go to a
lot of different kinds of churches and sit and listen to a lot of prayers don't
they but does that does God take note of all those you know he listens the guy
that puts himself out it says you know what I'm gonna get up early I'm gonna
stay up late I'm gonna stop in the middle of my day I'm gonna do something
that's just out of the ordinary and I'm gonna and I'm not it's not just gonna be
a quick little ditty with God I'm gonna I'm gonna I'm gonna get serious about
prayer and I'm gonna get into prayer and I'm gonna spend some time praying to God
meditating on his word and letting his Holy Spirit speak to me and making my
request known unto God that's you know that's your Mount Carmel right there you
know putting in the labor to climb up that mountain to get down on your knees
to make that quiet time to find that place to get down on your face before
God and do business with him that's putting yourself out you know what that
might not be fun that might not be you know that might not get you garden you a
lot of praise of man it might not get you a lot of tension on this earth but
you know whose tension it does get is the Lord's and you know that's whose
attention we need more than anybody you know I want to help people in this
church I really do I don't want to do it as much as I can for people as much
you know as humanly speaking but you know I'm limited to what I can do you
know I'm not I don't have a magic wand I can just pull out I can't just sprinkle
fairy dust on your situation and make it all better but you know what I know
somebody who can I know somebody who has all power given unto him who can get
involved and do great and wondrous things you know and that's that's how
I'm helping you this one is like go to him let me refer you to somebody let me
refer you to the great physician you're coming to me for some help and I'm glad
to help and if it's something I can help with believe me I'll get involved I'll
jump in you know a lot of times that's what people come to me for they just say
hey just pray for so-and-so just pray for the situation because they
understand that's all I can do and you know what that's all I need to do
because you know God can do way more far beyond anything we can even think or
imagine but he doesn't just do that for anybody does he it wasn't you know
wasn't Elijah servant that got this prayer to answer it wasn't just any
person that got to go up Mount Carmel and pray that prayer it was Elijah who
was willing to go up there put himself out and pray that prayer and get it
answered he put himself out and he went up on that Mount Mount Carmel so you
have to understand just a quick couple practical points to help you about with
prayer this morning before I close there even Matthew 6 is that there is a place
for prayer you know that that illustration of a lot of Elijah going up
Mount Carmel it's twofold one you know prayer requires effort and it might not
be the most comfortable thing to get going you know anyone who's done any
hiking especially if you're me knows that hiking isn't exactly the most
comfortable thing there's a lot of huffing and puffing involved right
that's the first illustration but also we can get an application from this and
that there is there's a place for prayer you know he made a point of going to a
specific place to pray you know we ought to do the same in Matthew 6 Jesus said
when thou when thou prayest excuse me enter into thy closet and when I was
shut thy door pray to thy father which she is in secret and thy father which
she is in secret shall reward thee openly you know your prayer life should
be a private thing but notice you know what I want us to understand is that
when you go to that closet to pray you know we might be tempted to think well
I'm just in this room I'm just on you know I'm just in my house I'm just in
this the simple place praying but really what's taking place spiritually is that
you were coming before the throne of God even yes even in that bedroom even in
you know that living room wherever it is that simple humble abode that you live
in that you're praying in what's really taking place is that you're ascending to
the throne of God so you can start to understand why Elijah prayed the way
that he did when he got to mark Mount Carmel he didn't just get up there be
like all right tell you what I want God now look we are to come boldly before
the throne of grace to find help and mercy in time of need I understand that
but you know that boldness isn't necessarily us just kicking the door
down and waving our finger around at God I tell him how it's gonna be
yeah we come boldly because we know we can but there's still you know there's
a place for prayer but there's still also what there's a way to pray there is
a there's a way we ought to Elijah when he prayed he got down his face and he
put his face between his knees you know that's you know and I understand some
people can't do this just because you know physically and we saw but we can
all always bow our hearts I mean I've known people that are just have gotten
older and you know getting down on your knees you might not get back up that's
what we all have to look forward to folks you know that might be your
situation but you know that's probably not for everybody in this room we could
probably all you know assume the position as it were in prayer and you
say is that really the most important thing no but it's often what you see
taking place when men when people pray to the Lord big you know and if you
really understand and believe what's taking place in prayer that's a very
natural position to assume when you understand you're coming for a holy God
the Lord God Almighty in his throne you know standing there with your chin up in
the air probably is the best approach there's a way to go about it to go there
and to pray humbly and you know the other thing I want to point out in
closing in Matthew 6 is that when you pray you know maybe the best thing to do
is just not to start off with your list of demands I'm just trying to give you
some practical points about prayer you know and and honestly prayer is such a
big subject and it's something we could honestly and probably at some point in
this church will will spend more time on it's also you know people take it as a
it's it's also a sermon it's a topic where you lose a lot of people to though
to be quite honest a lot of people just tune out sermons on prayer you know that
and that ought to be the case because prayer is a very powerful thing it's a
very it ought to be a very you know significant part of our life so that's
why I'm just taking a minute to kind of emphasize if you know Elijah fervent
prayer and just give you some practical pointers on prayer because if you're not
a person of prayer you know these are some things you should implement find a
place to pray and when you get there you know be prepared to spend some time with
the Lord and do business with God make your request known by all means but you
know when we look to the example of prayer that Jesus gave him Matthew
chapter 6 you know they asked them you know teach us to pray that's a great
thing to ask isn't it hey teach us to pray you know I know the the sodomite
sermon was was last week you know we got that off our chests you know we're
talking about the practical things now well they actually know the Christian
life that's actually going to carry you through this work this this world and
make you you know a vessel fit for the Masters use you know that would be a
good thing to ask when you come to church hey teach us to pray not just a
rip face again you know that's the one who everyone always wants to hear that
sermon I'm glad to preach them and they believe me they're not few and far
between around here but you know these are the things that are actually going
to help you so don't don't lose me here at the end okay and again I could we
could talk about prayer for a long time and make a lot of applications and make
a lot of give a lot of practical points this is just a couple you know find a
place to pray and show up and when you get there you know take your time maybe
before just making your list of demands
look at Matthew chapter 6 verse 9 after this manner therefore pray ye so here
you have the Lord Jesus Christ saying this is how you're gonna pray you want
to learn how to pray after this manner therefore pray ye and notice what he
starts out with in prayer he says our father which art in heaven hallowed be
thy name thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven and we
want to get right into give us this day our daily bread but he leads into that
there's a there's a time and praise to say give us this day our daily bread you
know and forgive us our trespasses given me on my needs help me with this
situation but before he even gets there he's praising guys saying you might want
to start out by praising God we're saying father which art in heaven and I'm
not saying pray these exact prayers but you could take the principle that hey
maybe before I even start when I now that I'm here I'm on my face before I
got I'm down on my knees I'm in my prayer closet I'm ready to pray to the
God of heaven I've come boldly before the throne of grace to find help and
mercy and time of need maybe I should just take a minute and thank God for the
fact that I'm even able to do that and praise him and say hallowed be thy name
and lift up God for a little while you know I think that's part of the reason
why God wants us you know he holds off on answering prayer because he wants us
to get to the place to understand of who we're praying to who are you praying to
that he wants to get that through because that's gonna help us in all
areas of life he's saying hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come thy will be
done on earth that's it isn't heaven it's not a great way to lead into
prayer before you start asking for all the things you need thy will be done
Lord I'm gonna ask some things this morning you know I'm gonna ask some
things with you this evening I'm gonna ask some things in this time of prayer
but before I get there I just want you to know thy will be done you know if it
please you X Y & Z but thy will be done just like Jesus prayed not my will but
thine own Lord don't just jump into verse 11 give us this day our daily bread
you'd be like that ungrateful demanding spoiled brat who never just says dad I
love you mom I love you I mean when my kids just say that out of the blue and
they're sincere and they're genuine and they just mean it sometimes they'll just
say that hey I love you you're just like oh just melts that heart of stone does
it this turns into a big softy you know maybe that's what God wants from us just
to hear hey love you dad love you father hallowed be thy name thank you and
there's another one that parents love to her right thank you so these are just
some practical points at the end about prayer and I know I got to close but you
know this is what effectual and fervent prayer looks like you know it's not that
it's not the televangelist TV preacher it's not your your your Pentecostal
your you know charismatic who on who just want to make a big show out of
prayer and think they're gonna be heard for their much speaking and they're and
waving their coat around and sprinkling everybody with oil or whatever they do
in these churches it's not the Catholic you know priests getting up and and
waving a you know a sack full of whatever around and it's smoking up the
place affectionate fervent prayer is prayer that has a purpose that has a
place it's it's prayer that you know praises God that's what affectionate
fervent prayer it looks like and you know what that's the type of prayer we
need to answer what are practical prayers the things that we're all the
things that you're already worried about the things that we this is just natural
to man that even the world worries about is concerned about all those things that
you're gonna think about and worry about and be concerned over anyway you know
instead of just sitting there fretting about him you know take him to God and
and bring him to his attention and get him involved and see what he has to say
about the matter and spend some time with him you know maybe you won't act
maybe you won't get the answer you want in prayer but you know what you might
walk out of that prayer closet with your head a little higher and feeling like
man I I got God's attention I mean if you're walking out of the out of the
throne room of God I mean I imagine that's gonna show a little bit you're
not just gonna brush that off you might have a little bit of a glow about you
right maybe you didn't get what you wanted maybe then things aren't you know
thy will be done you know maybe didn't exactly go the way I wanted but I got
alone with God I got to spend some time with the Father but let's go ahead and
close Lord again thank you for the privilege that we have to pray and Lord
I prayed help us to take all be people of prayer to take advantage of that and
Lord that we learn how we ought to pray and Lord I know I can't cover all that
in one sermon and obviously the best way for any of us to learn how to pray
is to just start praying and Lord I prayed help us to have a place that we
pray and that we would praise you when we pray Lord so that we could be
effectual people of prayer not just for the things that we need but that we
would do as we are admonished Lord in the word to pray for one another we ask
these things in Christ name amen all right we'll go ahead and sing one more
song before we go
Oh