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Touching Lives with James Merritt

James Merritt - Prayer 201

January 19, 2025 | S25:E3

James Merritt - Prayer 201
Touching Lives is the international broadcast ministry of Dr. James Merritt.
#Faith #Israel #Prayer #God'sWill #Religion #Parable #WordofGod #WaitingonGod #inActive #Discipleship #Father #TouchingLiveswithJamesMerritt #JamesMerritt

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Touching Lives with James Merritt | James Merritt - Prayer 201 | January 19, 2025
  • ...
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  • Male announcer: welcome to the international broadcast ministry
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  • Of "touching lives" with dr. james merritt.
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  • Here at "touching lives," our mission is to touch the lives of
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  • The lost and enrich the faith of the found.
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  • And now, here is pastor, author, and speaker dr. james merritt.
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • James merritt: i wanna begin by showing you a picture of a wall
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  • That you may recognize.
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  • James: it is--it's an ancient wall.
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  • It dates back about 2,000 years.
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  • It's the most famous wall, the most visited wall, in the world.
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  • Matter of fact, it's kind of strange to think that people go
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  • Visit a wall.
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  • I don't know why they would do that, but, anyway, you do.
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  • It's called the western wall or the wailing wall.
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  • And it's fascinating to see devout jewish people go to
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  • That wall.
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  • They'll stand right up against it.
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  • I've seen it, i've been to that wall, i don't
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  • Know, 27, 28 times.
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  • How many of you ever been to israel?
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  • How many of you have been to israel?
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  • If you've never been to israel, if you get a chance as a
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  • Believer, you need to go one time before you die.
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  • It is--there--you can go to hawaii, you can go to the
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  • Bahamas--there's a lot of places that won't change
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  • Your life.
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  • This trip will change your life.
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  • And i've been to that wall many times, and you watch these real
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  • Devout jews, and they stand at the wall, and they rock back and
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  • Forth, back and forth.
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  • And they'll stand there for an hour, sometimes two hours.
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  • And they're praying, back and forth, back--just praying,
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  • Praying, praying.
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  • And i prayed at that wall myself.
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  • But i have to tell you that every time i go to that wall,
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  • Every time, i can't help but remember a story i heard years
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  • Ago about a reporter that was doing a story, and it was about
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  • A man that prayed at this wall.
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  • He'd been going to this wall for over 50 years and never missed a
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  • Day in over 50 years.
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  • He went every day--rain, shine, snow, sleet, hail.
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  • Every day, he would go pray at this wall.
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  • And when she heard about it, she said, "that'd make a great
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  • Newspaper story."
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  • So she goes to the wall and she finds this guy, and she said,
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  • "sir, is it true that you've been coming to the wailing wall
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  • And you've been praying for over 50 years?"
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  • And he said, "well, yes, it is.
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  • Matter of fact, i have never missed a day."
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  • She said, "well, what do you pray for?"
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  • He said, "i always pray for three things.
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  • Number one, i pray for peace between jews and arabs.
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  • Number two, i pray for our children grow up in safety--
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  • Never hear bombs go off or guns fired."
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  • And then he said, "i pray thirdly that israel will never
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  • Have any more enemies in all the world."
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  • She said, "well, how do you feel after praying that for
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  • 50 years?"
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  • He said, "like i'm talking to a wall."
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  • Now, be honest: have you ever felt like when you pray, you're
  • 00:02:42.244 --> 00:02:50.319
  • Talking to a wall?
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  • Have you ever felt like when you pray, your--it's like rubber
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  • Balls bouncing off a ceiling?
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  • Do you ever feel like when you pray that your prayers maybe get
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  • Up to the clouds, but they don't get any further at all?
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  • Well, prayerfully, no pun intended, i'm really praying
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  • That the next two messages we preach on prayer will make a
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  • Total difference in your prayer life.
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  • So if you're one of those people who would say, "you know,
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  • Pastor, i just don't really know how to pray real well," or if
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  • You're one of those people that you say, "well, pastor, i try to
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  • Pray, but i just don't always feel like my prayers are
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  • Real effective.
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  • I just don't feel like i've really got a handle on how to
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  • Pray," here's the good news: today and the next message i
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  • Preach, you're not gonna be listening to me.
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  • You're gonna be listening at the feet of the master teacher
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  • On prayer.
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  • You're gonna be listening and learning from the greatest
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  • Professor on prayer we could ever have.
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  • You're gonna be sitting at the feet of the one who not only
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  • Could pray better than anybody's ever prayed, he's actually the
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  • One that we pray to.
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  • So over the next couple of messages, we're gonna have the
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  • Joy of taking what i call prayer 201, and jesus is going to be
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  • The professor.
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  • Now, if you're a guest of ours today, we're in a series on the
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  • Sermon on the mount we've been calling, "get used
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  • To different."
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  • And you talk about different, jesus was so radically different
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  • When he was talking about prayers.
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  • As a matter of fact, let me tell you how different he was.
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  • His prayers were so different, his prayers were so unique, his
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  • Prayers were so never heard from before, never heard about
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  • Before, that when the disciples heard jesus pray, they snapped
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  • Their heads, opened their eyes, and when he got through, they
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  • Literally said, "we have never heard anybody pray like
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  • That, ever.
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  • Would you teach us how to pray like that?
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  • We don't know how to pray like that.
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  • Would you teach us how to pray?"
  • 00:04:49.805 --> 00:04:52.541
  • And that's exactly what jesus is going to do.
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  • So last week, if you were here, we took prayer 101.
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  • If you don't remember that or you weren't here, in prayer 101,
  • 00:04:59.581 --> 00:05:03.318
  • What jesus does is he doesn't tell us how to pray.
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  • First, he starts off and tells us how not to pray.
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  • So he says--if you remember what i said last week, he said,
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  • "look, when you pray, do your most serious praying in private,
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  • Not in public."
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  • And when you pray, don't come to god with the same old prayers
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  • Over and over over.
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  • You're not even really thinking about what you're saying.
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  • "give me, bless me, help me."
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  • When you pray, really put thought into your prayer, really
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  • Being sincere in what you pray.
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  • Don't pray like the pagans do.
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  • Really pray like you mean business.
  • 00:05:31.913 --> 00:05:35.650
  • So that's kinda setting up prayer 201.
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  • And now he gets to the nitty-gritty by saying this:
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  • "this, then, is how you should pray."
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  • Now, when jesus said, "okay, this is how you should pray,"
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  • Let me tell you what the disciples did.
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  • They stopped everything they were doing, they got out their
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  • Notepad, they got out their pen, they sat down, they said--i
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  • Mean, they were really leaning in because they know that jesus
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  • Is going to tell them something seismic.
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  • Jesus is gonna tell them something that is
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  • Gonna change their life.
  • 00:06:06.681 --> 00:06:08.016
  • He's going to lay down the perfect pattern of prayer.
  • 00:06:08.016 --> 00:06:11.753
  • "he's finally gonna give us the key that we know unlocks the
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  • Door to the throne room of heaven.
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  • We're all ears, we're all in, tell us how to pray."
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  • Now, before i get into the prayer that we know is the
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  • Lord's prayer, i want you to understand something: jesus did
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  • Not give us this prayer just to pray it mechanically.
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  • You know, you'll see football players sometime after a
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  • Football game or basketball players, and they'll kneel down
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  • After a game and pray the lord's prayer.
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  • Nothing wrong with that.
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  • Nothing wrong with saying it just word for word.
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  • That is not why jesus gave it.
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  • This is not a mechanical prayer.
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  • It is a model prayer, okay?
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  • So let me give you an example.
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  • Patty, you work in real estate, so you can relate to this.
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  • So--my brother works in real estate.
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  • So if you work in real estate, you know that sometimes they'll
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  • Build this subdivision.
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  • And when you go to that subdivision, you wanna check
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  • Out--you wanna live in one of those homes, the very first home
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  • In that neighborhood is unoccupied.
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  • It's furnished, but nobody lives in it.
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  • Why is that?
  • 00:07:14.916 --> 00:07:16.585
  • Well, it's called a model home.
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  • And they want you to go into that home first.
  • 00:07:19.154 --> 00:07:21.223
  • And the purpose of that home is so you can go in and see, okay,
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  • If you move into this neighborhood, this is what it's
  • 00:07:24.326 --> 00:07:26.895
  • Gonna feel like.
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  • This is what it's going to look like.
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  • This is what it's gonna be like to live in a house in
  • 00:07:29.598 --> 00:07:31.900
  • This neighborhood.
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  • It is a model home, all right?
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  • This is a model prayer.
  • 00:07:35.904 --> 00:07:38.173
  • And so jesus is not saying, "this is what you should pray."
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  • Jesus is saying, "this is how you should pray.
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  • This is the pattern."
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  • Now, here's what makes this prayer so different.
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  • This is what makes the disciple's mouth drop to the
  • 00:07:51.686 --> 00:07:54.956
  • Floor when he prayed this prayer, when he gave them this
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  • Prayer: it is unlike any other prayer you will ever find in all
  • 00:07:57.459 --> 00:08:02.931
  • Of the old testament.
  • 00:08:02.931 --> 00:08:04.299
  • Go all the way back to genesis.
  • 00:08:04.299 --> 00:08:05.634
  • There are so many prayers in the old testament, you couldn't
  • 00:08:05.634 --> 00:08:07.802
  • Count 'em with a computer.
  • 00:08:07.802 --> 00:08:09.137
  • Everybody's praying all the time, but there's no prayer like
  • 00:08:09.137 --> 00:08:12.240
  • This prayer because it's unlike any other prayer that any person
  • 00:08:12.240 --> 00:08:17.078
  • Ever prayed before jesus came to planet earth.
  • 00:08:17.078 --> 00:08:19.814
  • I want you to think about that.
  • 00:08:19.814 --> 00:08:21.149
  • Abraham never prayed like this.
  • 00:08:21.149 --> 00:08:22.951
  • Joseph never prayed like this.
  • 00:08:22.951 --> 00:08:25.086
  • Moses never prayed like this.
  • 00:08:25.086 --> 00:08:27.055
  • David never prayed like this.
  • 00:08:27.055 --> 00:08:28.823
  • Solomon never prayed like this.
  • 00:08:28.823 --> 00:08:30.859
  • Isaiah, jeremiah, ezekiel, the great prophets of the old
  • 00:08:30.859 --> 00:08:34.362
  • Testament--nobody ever prayed like this.
  • 00:08:34.362 --> 00:08:38.567
  • It is the key to all prayer, and the key is found in one word.
  • 00:08:38.567 --> 00:08:44.072
  • I'm gonna give you a clue to what it is.
  • 00:08:44.072 --> 00:08:47.442
  • If you go back to the old testament, there's all kinds of
  • 00:08:47.442 --> 00:08:51.279
  • Names for god.
  • 00:08:51.279 --> 00:08:54.182
  • There's yahweh.
  • 00:08:54.182 --> 00:08:55.517
  • There's elohim.
  • 00:08:55.517 --> 00:08:57.452
  • There's el shaddai.
  • 00:08:57.452 --> 00:08:59.087
  • There's jehovah jireh.
  • 00:08:59.087 --> 00:09:00.722
  • There's jehovah shalom.
  • 00:09:00.722 --> 00:09:02.424
  • There's jehovah tsidkenu.
  • 00:09:02.424 --> 00:09:03.758
  • There's all kinds of names, and they used all kinds of names
  • 00:09:03.758 --> 00:09:07.262
  • Whenever they would pray to god.
  • 00:09:07.262 --> 00:09:10.832
  • But, here's the question.
  • 00:09:10.832 --> 00:09:13.735
  • It's a pop-quiz question.
  • 00:09:13.735 --> 00:09:15.070
  • You ready?
  • 00:09:15.070 --> 00:09:16.905
  • What is the singular distinctive name christians use for god
  • 00:09:16.905 --> 00:09:21.977
  • That's in the lord's prayer?
  • 00:09:21.977 --> 00:09:23.878
  • What's that one word?
  • 00:09:23.878 --> 00:09:25.213
  • Can anybody tell me?
  • 00:09:25.213 --> 00:09:26.581
  • Father. father.
  • 00:09:26.581 --> 00:09:29.484
  • Every time god was called on prayer in the old testament--go
  • 00:09:29.484 --> 00:09:32.187
  • Back and check it--nobody ever called him, "father."
  • 00:09:32.187 --> 00:09:36.358
  • So when jesus said, "okay, this is how you pray," and the
  • 00:09:36.358 --> 00:09:40.128
  • Disciples are ready, "okay, how do we pray," he says two words:
  • 00:09:40.128 --> 00:09:44.966
  • "our father," and they dropped their pen.
  • 00:09:44.966 --> 00:09:49.337
  • They jerked up.
  • 00:09:49.337 --> 00:09:51.006
  • They opened their eyes.
  • 00:09:51.006 --> 00:09:52.374
  • "what?"
  • 00:09:52.374 --> 00:09:53.708
  • "yeah, this is how you pray: 'our father.'"
  • 00:09:53.708 --> 00:09:56.945
  • Jesus said, "that's the key that unlocks the door.
  • 00:09:56.945 --> 00:10:01.149
  • That's the word that will get you into heaven every single
  • 00:10:01.149 --> 00:10:04.486
  • Time when you understand you're praying to a father."
  • 00:10:04.486 --> 00:10:09.591
  • One of my favorite authors is j.i. packer.
  • 00:10:09.591 --> 00:10:12.427
  • You probably never heard of that name.
  • 00:10:12.427 --> 00:10:13.762
  • He's in heaven now.
  • 00:10:13.762 --> 00:10:15.130
  • But there's a book that every christian
  • 00:10:15.130 --> 00:10:16.464
  • Should read before they go to heaven.
  • 00:10:16.464 --> 00:10:17.799
  • It's one of my five top books i've ever read.
  • 00:10:17.799 --> 00:10:20.035
  • It's called "knowing god" by j. i. packer.
  • 00:10:20.035 --> 00:10:23.405
  • If you like to read, go get that book.
  • 00:10:23.405 --> 00:10:26.041
  • I'm telling you, everybody ought to read j. i. packer,
  • 00:10:26.041 --> 00:10:28.877
  • "knowing god."
  • 00:10:28.877 --> 00:10:30.445
  • In that book, dr. packer said something--i read this when i
  • 00:10:30.445 --> 00:10:34.249
  • Was in seminary--and it radically changed my whole
  • 00:10:34.249 --> 00:10:36.818
  • Attitude about being a believer.
  • 00:10:36.818 --> 00:10:38.553
  • Here's what dr. packer said: "if you want to judge how well a
  • 00:10:38.553 --> 00:10:42.757
  • Person understands christianity, find out how much he makes of
  • 00:10:42.757 --> 00:10:47.595
  • The thought of being god's child, and having god as
  • 00:10:47.595 --> 00:10:52.167
  • His father.
  • 00:10:52.167 --> 00:10:53.501
  • If this is not the thought that prompts and controls his worship
  • 00:10:53.501 --> 00:10:57.639
  • And prayers and his whole outlook on life, it means he
  • 00:10:57.639 --> 00:11:00.208
  • Does not understand christianity very well at all.
  • 00:11:00.208 --> 00:11:03.878
  • For everything that christ taught, everything that makes
  • 00:11:03.878 --> 00:11:06.514
  • The new testament new, and better than the old, everything
  • 00:11:06.514 --> 00:11:09.551
  • That is distinctively christian as opposed to merely jewish, is
  • 00:11:09.551 --> 00:11:12.387
  • Summed up in the knowledge of the fatherhood of god."
  • 00:11:12.387 --> 00:11:16.024
  • So he says, "if you don't understand what it really means
  • 00:11:16.024 --> 00:11:21.029
  • That god is father, and if you don't understand what it means
  • 00:11:21.029 --> 00:11:25.166
  • To have the privilege of calling god as your father, you really
  • 00:11:25.166 --> 00:11:29.404
  • Don't know about god what you ought to know."
  • 00:11:29.404 --> 00:11:32.073
  • So i'm gonna tell you today in four words the key to all
  • 00:11:32.073 --> 00:11:37.545
  • Effective prayer.
  • 00:11:37.545 --> 00:11:38.880
  • If you wanna say--if you would say to me right now, "pastor, i
  • 00:11:38.880 --> 00:11:41.850
  • Wanna know how to pray.
  • 00:11:41.850 --> 00:11:43.218
  • I wanna know how to get into it.
  • 00:11:43.218 --> 00:11:44.919
  • I wanna know how to pray and know the first words i say, i
  • 00:11:44.919 --> 00:11:48.423
  • Know god's going to hear me,
  • 00:11:48.423 --> 00:11:49.924
  • I know god's going to answer me,
  • 00:11:49.924 --> 00:11:51.459
  • I know that i'm on praying ground."
  • 00:11:51.459 --> 00:11:53.027
  • You say, "yep, that's me," all right, then here's the four
  • 00:11:53.027 --> 00:11:55.897
  • Words you need to remember: in prayer, you focus on the father.
  • 00:11:55.897 --> 00:12:01.002
  • That's the key.
  • 00:12:01.002 --> 00:12:02.337
  • You focus on the father.
  • 00:12:02.337 --> 00:12:04.305
  • So, prayer 201, okay?
  • 00:12:04.305 --> 00:12:06.307
  • How do you get into prayer?
  • 00:12:06.307 --> 00:12:08.009
  • Two steps we're gonna take.
  • 00:12:08.009 --> 00:12:09.944
  • Number one, first thing you gotta do: you show the
  • 00:12:09.944 --> 00:12:14.415
  • Father worship.
  • 00:12:14.415 --> 00:12:16.384
  • That's the first thing he wants you to do.
  • 00:12:16.384 --> 00:12:18.319
  • When you come to him in prayer, you show the father worship.
  • 00:12:18.319 --> 00:12:21.756
  • A lot of times, people will say,
  • 00:12:21.756 --> 00:12:23.258
  • "i just don't know how to get into it.
  • 00:12:23.258 --> 00:12:24.592
  • I just don't even--i don't even know how to start.
  • 00:12:24.592 --> 00:12:27.061
  • I don't even know where to begin."
  • 00:12:27.061 --> 00:12:29.130
  • So jesus said, "okay, here's the first thing you need to do when
  • 00:12:29.130 --> 00:12:32.133
  • You go to pray: remember who you're talking to."
  • 00:12:32.133 --> 00:12:35.804
  • Well, who are you talking to?
  • 00:12:35.804 --> 00:12:37.172
  • Here's what he says.
  • 00:12:37.172 --> 00:12:38.506
  • He says, "this, then, is how you should pray: 'our father in
  • 00:12:38.506 --> 00:12:43.244
  • Heaven, hallowed be your name.'"
  • 00:12:43.244 --> 00:12:46.915
  • That's where your focus ought to be from the get-go.
  • 00:12:46.915 --> 00:12:49.484
  • It ought to be on the father.
  • 00:12:49.484 --> 00:12:52.287
  • So here's our problem: 99.99% of the time when you and i go to
  • 00:12:52.287 --> 00:12:57.759
  • God in prayer, what pronoun do we use?
  • 00:12:57.759 --> 00:13:00.929
  • We use first person.
  • 00:13:00.929 --> 00:13:03.331
  • I, we, me, us.
  • 00:13:03.331 --> 00:13:12.173
  • It's always starting with us.
  • 00:13:12.173 --> 00:13:15.944
  • So what do we do?
  • 00:13:15.944 --> 00:13:17.679
  • "i want you to give me this.
  • 00:13:17.679 --> 00:13:20.481
  • I need you to bless me in this way.
  • 00:13:20.481 --> 00:13:23.384
  • I'm asking you to do this for my family."
  • 00:13:23.384 --> 00:13:26.688
  • And so jesus says, "okay, boys, first thing we gotta do, we
  • 00:13:26.688 --> 00:13:29.591
  • Gotta--we need a grammar lesson.
  • 00:13:29.591 --> 00:13:31.192
  • You gotta get rid of the first-person pronoun."
  • 00:13:31.192 --> 00:13:34.562
  • You gotta go, really, to the second-person pronoun.
  • 00:13:34.562 --> 00:13:37.332
  • Your prayer is not about you.
  • 00:13:37.332 --> 00:13:39.133
  • Your prayer is about him.
  • 00:13:39.133 --> 00:13:42.470
  • So when you start with you, you're already getting off on
  • 00:13:42.470 --> 00:13:44.772
  • The wrong ground.
  • 00:13:44.772 --> 00:13:46.140
  • You're not even getting the plane off the ground.
  • 00:13:46.140 --> 00:13:47.976
  • And the reason why this is so important is this.
  • 00:13:47.976 --> 00:13:50.078
  • I want you to listen to this: the more time you spend
  • 00:13:50.078 --> 00:13:53.214
  • Recognizing who you're talking to and where he is and what he
  • 00:13:53.214 --> 00:13:59.220
  • Wants, the less concerned you'll be about who you are, where you
  • 00:13:59.220 --> 00:14:04.893
  • Are, and what you want.
  • 00:14:04.893 --> 00:14:08.162
  • See, real prayer--this is why prayer's so great.
  • 00:14:08.162 --> 00:14:11.232
  • You know what you do when you pray right?
  • 00:14:11.232 --> 00:14:13.768
  • When you're praying right, you're putting god in his place,
  • 00:14:13.768 --> 00:14:16.971
  • And you're putting you in your place.
  • 00:14:16.971 --> 00:14:18.740
  • You're putting god where he belongs, you're putting you
  • 00:14:18.740 --> 00:14:21.242
  • Where you belong.
  • 00:14:21.242 --> 00:14:23.111
  • He is the father, you are the child.
  • 00:14:23.111 --> 00:14:26.314
  • 'cause there's only two persons in this prayer: a child and
  • 00:14:26.314 --> 00:14:30.118
  • His father.
  • 00:14:30.118 --> 00:14:31.452
  • So we're to come to god and speak to god as our father.
  • 00:14:31.452 --> 00:14:35.456
  • And the reason why that's so important is because powerful
  • 00:14:35.456 --> 00:14:39.127
  • Prayer is really personal prayer.
  • 00:14:39.127 --> 00:14:41.329
  • Powerful prayer is when you walk--when you get alone and
  • 00:14:41.329 --> 00:14:44.799
  • You realize you're not talking as a subject to a king, you're
  • 00:14:44.799 --> 00:14:48.469
  • Not talking as a citizen to a president.
  • 00:14:48.469 --> 00:14:50.705
  • You're talking as a child to a father.
  • 00:14:50.705 --> 00:14:53.574
  • That's why jesus says we're to pray, "our father."
  • 00:14:53.574 --> 00:14:57.011
  • Who is the "our?"
  • 00:14:57.011 --> 00:14:58.413
  • The "our" is us.
  • 00:14:58.413 --> 00:15:00.281
  • The "our" is the church.
  • 00:15:00.281 --> 00:15:01.916
  • The "our" is the family of god.
  • 00:15:01.916 --> 00:15:03.851
  • Prayer is a distinctly family privilege.
  • 00:15:03.851 --> 00:15:07.322
  • Buddhists don't understand that.
  • 00:15:07.322 --> 00:15:09.190
  • Muslims don't understand that.
  • 00:15:09.190 --> 00:15:10.758
  • Hindus don't understand that.
  • 00:15:10.758 --> 00:15:12.293
  • Jews don't understand that.
  • 00:15:12.293 --> 00:15:13.761
  • One of the great things about being a christian is we get to
  • 00:15:13.761 --> 00:15:17.632
  • Pray in a way we know god hears us because the father listens to
  • 00:15:17.632 --> 00:15:22.804
  • His children.
  • 00:15:22.804 --> 00:15:24.906
  • And here's what's amazing: you go all the way back to the old
  • 00:15:24.906 --> 00:15:27.709
  • Testament, 14 times god is referred to as father.
  • 00:15:27.709 --> 00:15:34.716
  • Fourteen times.
  • 00:15:34.716 --> 00:15:36.484
  • But never in a second-person way.
  • 00:15:36.484 --> 00:15:41.756
  • It's always used by the nation of israel.
  • 00:15:41.756 --> 00:15:44.025
  • It's always used in a third-person way.
  • 00:15:44.025 --> 00:15:46.627
  • They never ever called god as father.
  • 00:15:46.627 --> 00:15:49.764
  • I mean, they never ever did that.
  • 00:15:49.764 --> 00:15:52.400
  • Fourteen times, always used, but never in reference to prayer.
  • 00:15:52.400 --> 00:15:56.537
  • You won't find one time where anybody, nobody, not one
  • 00:15:56.537 --> 00:15:59.774
  • Individual, no prophet, no patriarch--nobody ever said,
  • 00:15:59.774 --> 00:16:03.644
  • "our father," not one time in the old testament.
  • 00:16:03.644 --> 00:16:07.482
  • Jesus comes on the scene, and guess what he does?
  • 00:16:07.482 --> 00:16:10.852
  • The only way he ever addresses god is "father."
  • 00:16:10.852 --> 00:16:14.055
  • It's an amazing thing.
  • 00:16:14.055 --> 00:16:15.390
  • He never calls god any other thing except father.
  • 00:16:15.390 --> 00:16:19.193
  • As a matter of fact, he called god his father 170 times.
  • 00:16:19.193 --> 00:16:26.067
  • Now, think about that.
  • 00:16:26.067 --> 00:16:27.435
  • Fourteen times in the old testament, 170 times--and oh,
  • 00:16:27.435 --> 00:16:31.139
  • By the way, how many of you saw the
  • 00:16:31.139 --> 00:16:34.075
  • Movie, "the passion of the christ?"
  • 00:16:34.075 --> 00:16:35.410
  • How many of you saw that movie? a lot of you did.
  • 00:16:35.410 --> 00:16:37.712
  • If you remember, it was in aramaic.
  • 00:16:37.712 --> 00:16:41.749
  • Do you remember why it was in aramaic?
  • 00:16:41.749 --> 00:16:43.317
  • Because jesus and the disciples really didn't speak greek.
  • 00:16:43.317 --> 00:16:45.920
  • That was not their primary language.
  • 00:16:45.920 --> 00:16:47.422
  • Jesus's primary language was aramaic.
  • 00:16:47.422 --> 00:16:49.857
  • So when jesus prayed, "our father," he didn't use the greek
  • 00:16:49.857 --> 00:16:53.094
  • Word, which is pater or pater.
  • 00:16:53.094 --> 00:16:55.296
  • He used the word abba.
  • 00:16:55.296 --> 00:16:56.731
  • You know what the word abba means?
  • 00:16:56.731 --> 00:16:58.099
  • It means papa.
  • 00:16:58.099 --> 00:17:00.168
  • It means daddy.
  • 00:17:00.168 --> 00:17:02.737
  • It was the most intimate term that a toddler would use for
  • 00:17:02.737 --> 00:17:07.475
  • His dad.
  • 00:17:07.475 --> 00:17:08.810
  • He literally would say, "i want you to pray this: 'our papa.
  • 00:17:08.810 --> 00:17:12.413
  • Our daddy.'
  • 00:17:12.413 --> 00:17:13.815
  • I want you to be on that kind of intimate terms with him."
  • 00:17:13.815 --> 00:17:17.118
  • You--when you look at the life of jesus, the first sentence we
  • 00:17:17.118 --> 00:17:21.055
  • Know jesus ever spoke--the very first sentence he ever said as a
  • 00:17:21.055 --> 00:17:25.626
  • 12-year-old boy he said to his parents.
  • 00:17:25.626 --> 00:17:28.763
  • Here's what he said: "'why were you searching for me?'
  • 00:17:28.763 --> 00:17:31.532
  • He asked.
  • 00:17:31.532 --> 00:17:32.867
  • 'didn't you know that i had to be in my father's house?'"
  • 00:17:32.867 --> 00:17:38.139
  • And joseph and mary, when he said that, almost probably said,
  • 00:17:38.139 --> 00:17:42.810
  • "you mean god's temple.
  • 00:17:42.810 --> 00:17:46.047
  • What do you mean calling god, 'father?'"
  • 00:17:46.047 --> 00:17:47.648
  • That's the first thing he ever said.
  • 00:17:47.648 --> 00:17:50.218
  • When jesus was dying on the cross, he said this: "father,
  • 00:17:50.218 --> 00:17:55.189
  • Forgive them, for they do not know what they were doing."
  • 00:17:55.189 --> 00:17:59.694
  • The last words jesus ever spoke as a human being were these
  • 00:17:59.694 --> 00:18:04.632
  • Words: "father, into your hands, i commit my spirit."
  • 00:18:04.632 --> 00:18:10.104
  • And that one word makes all the difference between the old
  • 00:18:10.104 --> 00:18:13.574
  • Testament and the new testament.
  • 00:18:13.574 --> 00:18:15.143
  • So think about it, the word father is used 14 times in 39
  • 00:18:15.143 --> 00:18:19.413
  • Books in the old testament.
  • 00:18:19.413 --> 00:18:20.748
  • The word father is used 170 times in four books of the
  • 00:18:20.748 --> 00:18:24.652
  • New testament.
  • 00:18:24.652 --> 00:18:26.020
  • You say, "okay, so what happened between the old testament and
  • 00:18:26.020 --> 00:18:29.490
  • The new testament?"
  • 00:18:29.490 --> 00:18:30.825
  • I can tell you in one word: jesus happened.
  • 00:18:30.825 --> 00:18:33.728
  • Jesus came.
  • 00:18:33.728 --> 00:18:35.296
  • And jesus said, "because of what i'm about to do for you, you're
  • 00:18:35.296 --> 00:18:39.867
  • Going to be allowed to call god your father."
  • 00:18:39.867 --> 00:18:42.770
  • So here's how jesus tells us to pray: "our father," but then he
  • 00:18:42.770 --> 00:18:46.507
  • Doesn't go--he doesn't stop there.
  • 00:18:46.507 --> 00:18:48.976
  • He says two more words that when you first read it, you go, "why
  • 00:18:48.976 --> 00:18:51.812
  • Did you even have to say that?"
  • 00:18:51.812 --> 00:18:53.648
  • He says, "i want you to pray, 'our father in heaven.'"
  • 00:18:53.648 --> 00:18:59.253
  • Now, they're--these guys are jewish.
  • 00:18:59.253 --> 00:19:01.055
  • They grew up in a jewish home.
  • 00:19:01.055 --> 00:19:02.790
  • They knew god was in heaven. they knew that.
  • 00:19:02.790 --> 00:19:04.759
  • Why do you think--why would he even add
  • 00:19:04.759 --> 00:19:06.093
  • Those two words, "our father?"
  • 00:19:06.093 --> 00:19:07.428
  • Why would he tell them what they already knew?
  • 00:19:07.428 --> 00:19:09.830
  • "our father in heaven."
  • 00:19:09.830 --> 00:19:12.300
  • You know why he did that?
  • 00:19:12.300 --> 00:19:13.634
  • Again, he wants to remind them where god belongs, and he wants
  • 00:19:13.634 --> 00:19:17.104
  • To remind them where they belong.
  • 00:19:17.104 --> 00:19:19.340
  • Because when you pray, and you pray right, you put god where he
  • 00:19:19.340 --> 00:19:22.843
  • Belongs, you put you where you belong.
  • 00:19:22.843 --> 00:19:24.812
  • So let me just make it real plain, okay?
  • 00:19:24.812 --> 00:19:26.447
  • So who are we praying to?
  • 00:19:26.447 --> 00:19:28.649
  • He's in heaven, we're on earth.
  • 00:19:28.649 --> 00:19:34.589
  • He is god, we're not.
  • 00:19:34.589 --> 00:19:38.326
  • He is over us, we are under him.
  • 00:19:38.326 --> 00:19:42.263
  • We're not in control, he is.
  • 00:19:42.263 --> 00:19:44.932
  • Is the number one priority of your life--can you say this and
  • 00:19:44.932 --> 00:19:49.003
  • Mean it?
  • 00:19:49.003 --> 00:19:51.505
  • Is the number one priority of your life is the one thing
  • 00:19:51.505 --> 00:19:57.078
  • That's more important to you than anything else in your life
  • 00:19:57.078 --> 00:20:01.782
  • Is to be completely, unreservedly, unequivocally,
  • 00:20:01.782 --> 00:20:05.686
  • Unconditionally surrendered to the will of god for your life?
  • 00:20:05.686 --> 00:20:11.259
  • Now, don't say it too quick.
  • 00:20:11.259 --> 00:20:15.963
  • So do your finances say that?
  • 00:20:15.963 --> 00:20:21.836
  • When it comes to your money, when it comes to what you give
  • 00:20:21.836 --> 00:20:23.971
  • Versus what you buy and what you pull
  • 00:20:23.971 --> 00:20:25.539
  • And what you pay for and what you owe, are you really
  • 00:20:25.539 --> 00:20:29.610
  • Surrendered to the will of god for your life?
  • 00:20:29.610 --> 00:20:34.415
  • In this--in the last two weeks, i've dealt with two married
  • 00:20:34.415 --> 00:20:39.754
  • Couples on the verge of divorce.
  • 00:20:39.754 --> 00:20:48.296
  • I've done everything i know to do.
  • 00:20:48.296 --> 00:20:51.332
  • I've said everything i know to say.
  • 00:20:51.332 --> 00:20:55.202
  • And it's just--you--i cannot even tell you how frustrating
  • 00:20:55.202 --> 00:20:59.440
  • It is.
  • 00:20:59.440 --> 00:21:01.575
  • When you say--look, i'm not minimizing the problems you have
  • 00:21:01.575 --> 00:21:04.145
  • In a marriage, everybody's got 'em.
  • 00:21:04.145 --> 00:21:07.281
  • I can only tell you what i know is god's will for your life.
  • 00:21:07.281 --> 00:21:11.085
  • It's god's will for this marriage to work out.
  • 00:21:11.085 --> 00:21:14.155
  • It's god's will for you to partner with him and work out
  • 00:21:14.155 --> 00:21:16.557
  • Your marriage.
  • 00:21:16.557 --> 00:21:17.892
  • I know that's god's will.
  • 00:21:17.892 --> 00:21:19.293
  • And then you find out the next week they're going to
  • 00:21:19.293 --> 00:21:22.029
  • Divorce court.
  • 00:21:22.029 --> 00:21:23.664
  • They're going to a divorce mediator.
  • 00:21:23.664 --> 00:21:25.933
  • It's just frustrating.
  • 00:21:25.933 --> 00:21:27.935
  • I'm not trying to be too harsh, but it's just hard.
  • 00:21:27.935 --> 00:21:32.807
  • So i just want to leave you with this truth, and we'll say amen,
  • 00:21:32.807 --> 00:21:36.177
  • And we'll be ready to go home.
  • 00:21:36.177 --> 00:21:39.413
  • Let me tell you why this week is so important.
  • 00:21:39.413 --> 00:21:44.285
  • Let me tell you why this week changed everything.
  • 00:21:44.285 --> 00:21:49.623
  • Because even though we're sinners, and even though we
  • 00:21:49.623 --> 00:21:53.861
  • Don't deserve to even look at the house of god, much less go
  • 00:21:53.861 --> 00:21:57.398
  • Into the throne room, even though god has every right to
  • 00:21:57.398 --> 00:22:03.270
  • Put a no trespassing sign on heaven, because god sent his son
  • 00:22:03.270 --> 00:22:12.713
  • To become like us, and he dies on the cross, and he comes back
  • 00:22:12.713 --> 00:22:20.121
  • From the grave, because of that, you and i can become children
  • 00:22:20.121 --> 00:22:27.495
  • Of god.
  • 00:22:27.495 --> 00:22:29.263
  • Because of jesus, we can call god our father.
  • 00:22:29.263 --> 00:22:34.201
  • Because of jesus, we're somebody.
  • 00:22:34.201 --> 00:22:38.839
  • We're a child of the king.
  • 00:22:38.839 --> 00:22:41.542
  • But when we go to the king, yes, we bow in reverence.
  • 00:22:41.542 --> 00:22:45.980
  • Yes, we give him the respect and the homage and the praise that
  • 00:22:45.980 --> 00:22:49.383
  • He deserves, yes.
  • 00:22:49.383 --> 00:22:53.854
  • But at the end of the day, you and i can come to the creator of
  • 00:22:53.854 --> 00:22:59.193
  • This universe and sit in his lap and put our arm around his neck
  • 00:22:59.193 --> 00:23:08.569
  • And say, "father, i just love you.
  • 00:23:08.569 --> 00:23:12.840
  • Thank you for making me one of your children.
  • 00:23:12.840 --> 00:23:16.043
  • Thank you for making me a part of your family.
  • 00:23:16.043 --> 00:23:19.246
  • Thank you that you have a plan for my life.
  • 00:23:19.246 --> 00:23:22.216
  • Thank you that you've got a will for me that's so much better
  • 00:23:22.216 --> 00:23:25.186
  • Than what my will would have been for me."
  • 00:23:25.186 --> 00:23:27.855
  • All of that because of a cross.
  • 00:23:27.855 --> 00:23:31.492
  • All of that because of an empty tomb.
  • 00:23:31.492 --> 00:23:35.296
  • So, as his child, we have the privilege, we have the honor, we
  • 00:23:35.296 --> 00:23:42.436
  • Have the joy, of seeking his will and surrendering to his
  • 00:23:42.436 --> 00:23:46.774
  • Will, knowing his will is always best for the entire world.
  • 00:23:46.774 --> 00:23:51.412
  • So i'll leave you with this: in the front of a bible that i have
  • 00:23:51.412 --> 00:23:55.249
  • At home, i wrote these--i came across these words that i found
  • 00:23:55.249 --> 00:24:00.154
  • In a book, and i wrote them down.
  • 00:24:00.154 --> 00:24:01.522
  • And sometimes, i'll just open it, and i'll just say it
  • 00:24:01.522 --> 00:24:03.924
  • To myself.
  • 00:24:03.924 --> 00:24:05.926
  • "lord, i'm willing.
  • 00:24:05.926 --> 00:24:08.429
  • I'm willing to receive what you give.
  • 00:24:08.429 --> 00:24:11.432
  • I'm willing to lack what you withhold.
  • 00:24:11.432 --> 00:24:14.134
  • I'm willing to relinquish what you take.
  • 00:24:14.134 --> 00:24:17.071
  • I'm willing to suffer what you require."
  • 00:24:17.071 --> 00:24:20.641
  • And that is the prayer of everybody that passes
  • 00:24:20.641 --> 00:24:23.210
  • Prayer 201.
  • 00:24:23.210 --> 00:24:24.545
  • You show the father worship, you surrender to the father's will,
  • 00:24:24.545 --> 00:24:27.915
  • And i promise you, you will be able to pray like you have never
  • 00:24:27.915 --> 00:24:31.886
  • Prayed before.
  • 00:24:31.886 --> 00:24:35.422
  • So what are you gonna do with that jesus who came on
  • 00:24:35.422 --> 00:24:39.927
  • Palm sunday?
  • 00:24:39.927 --> 00:24:41.395
  • What are you gonna do with that jesus that was nailed to that
  • 00:24:41.395 --> 00:24:43.397
  • Cross on friday?
  • 00:24:43.397 --> 00:24:44.765
  • What are you gonna do about that jesus that came out of that tomb
  • 00:24:44.765 --> 00:24:46.634
  • On sunday?
  • 00:24:46.634 --> 00:24:48.002
  • What are you gonna do?
  • 00:24:48.002 --> 00:24:49.336
  • I know what the father's will is for you to do.
  • 00:24:49.336 --> 00:24:51.038
  • If you've never given your life to jesus, you're watching me
  • 00:24:51.038 --> 00:24:53.274
  • Right now, you're in this room, you've never trusted jesus as
  • 00:24:53.274 --> 00:24:55.843
  • Your lord and savior, i know what the father's will is.
  • 00:24:55.843 --> 00:24:58.412
  • The bible says, "it is not the will of god that anybody should
  • 00:24:58.412 --> 00:25:01.916
  • Perish, but that everybody be saved and come to jesus."
  • 00:25:01.916 --> 00:25:04.852
  • That's the will of god for your life.
  • 00:25:04.852 --> 00:25:07.354
  • And right now, for the first time, some of you could say, "i
  • 00:25:07.354 --> 00:25:10.357
  • Need to get in on god's will for my life."
  • 00:25:10.357 --> 00:25:12.159
  • All right, well here's where you start.
  • 00:25:12.159 --> 00:25:13.494
  • If you've never trusted jesus, here's where you start: you pray
  • 00:25:13.494 --> 00:25:16.830
  • This prayer, and some of you may wanna pray this with me
  • 00:25:16.830 --> 00:25:18.599
  • Right now.
  • 00:25:18.599 --> 00:25:19.967
  • Tv, internet, computer, in this room, you might wanna pray this
  • 00:25:19.967 --> 00:25:23.604
  • In your heart right now: "lord jesus, i'm a sinner.
  • 00:25:23.604 --> 00:25:29.443
  • I need a savior.
  • 00:25:29.443 --> 00:25:31.345
  • I can't save myself.
  • 00:25:31.345 --> 00:25:33.814
  • But i believe you died for my sins.
  • 00:25:33.814 --> 00:25:36.750
  • I believe god raised you from the dead.
  • 00:25:36.750 --> 00:25:39.320
  • I believe you're alive right now.
  • 00:25:39.320 --> 00:25:41.655
  • Come into my heart.
  • 00:25:41.655 --> 00:25:43.023
  • Save me.
  • 00:25:43.023 --> 00:25:44.658
  • Become my lord.
  • 00:25:44.658 --> 00:25:45.993
  • Become my savior.
  • 00:25:45.993 --> 00:25:47.628
  • I lay down my sword.
  • 00:25:47.628 --> 00:25:49.496
  • I wave the white flag.
  • 00:25:49.496 --> 00:25:51.298
  • I give everything i am to everything that you are."
  • 00:25:51.298 --> 00:25:56.437
  • When you make that decision, you don't just become saved.
  • 00:25:56.437 --> 00:26:01.942
  • You don't just get eternal life.
  • 00:26:01.942 --> 00:26:04.478
  • You become a child of the father.
  • 00:26:04.478 --> 00:26:08.382
  • Announcer: to watch an extended version of today's message from
  • 00:26:08.449 --> 00:26:10.884
  • Dr. james merritt, go to touchinglives.org.
  • 00:26:10.884 --> 00:26:14.622
  • Announcer: around the world, we're experiencing record levels
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  • Of cultural confusion, political tension, and
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  • Christian persecution.
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  • Today, we invite you to partner with "touching lives" with dr.
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  • James merritt so we can keep broadcasting the truth of god's
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  • Word around the globe.
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Announcer: touching the lives of the lost and enriching the faith
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  • Of the found.
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  • This is "touching lives" with dr. james merritt.
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