1 00:00:01,160 --> 00:00:05,080 We are one church. We love God, love people, love 2 00:00:05,080 --> 00:00:06,960 His mission, and love His church. 3 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:09,560 Welcome to the One Church podcast. 4 00:00:15,760 --> 00:00:18,800 What we're going to do today is lean into what the Lord's saying 5 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:22,240 to us in regards to prayer and regards to calling on His name 6 00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:24,760 for the sake and the purpose of the Kingdom of God. 7 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:27,720 Because I believe that today the Lord wants to burden us with a 8 00:00:27,720 --> 00:00:30,560 fresh revelation of His heart for us and for the world around 9 00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:35,600 us, which is good, right? The challenge in it all is when 10 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:37,840 the Lord burdens us. Sometimes it feels a bit heavy, 11 00:00:38,480 --> 00:00:41,000 and that's OK for some of us. The Lord's going to give us 12 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:43,600 broader shoulders and stronger backs in order to carry what he 13 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:45,840 wants us to carry in the next season. 14 00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:50,680 Father God, would you come? In fact, Lord, we honour your 15 00:00:50,680 --> 00:00:53,000 presence. You are already here with us. 16 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:57,760 Alpha, Omega, beginning the end, perfector and finisher, the 17 00:00:57,760 --> 00:01:01,160 instigator of faith. We honour you, the King, who 18 00:01:01,160 --> 00:01:05,440 holds the cosmos in the palm of his hand and yet whose ears are 19 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:09,400 attentive to the cry of 8 1/2 billion people at the same time. 20 00:01:10,040 --> 00:01:13,680 You are here and we are grateful. 21 00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:18,360 Speak to us today. We pray in your wonderful name. 22 00:01:18,960 --> 00:01:21,800 Amen. We're in a lot of the Bible 23 00:01:21,800 --> 00:01:24,320 today. We're going to talk out of this 24 00:01:24,320 --> 00:01:27,760 passage and how it links to some other pieces of Jesus teaching. 25 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:29,960 Most of what we're going to look at is in the New Testament. 26 00:01:29,960 --> 00:01:32,560 That's a new part of the Bible. But there's one phrase that we 27 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:34,880 find in the book of Isaiah, which is in the old part of the 28 00:01:34,880 --> 00:01:37,520 text before Jesus came to earth, that just gives you a bit of 29 00:01:37,520 --> 00:01:41,000 context of where we are. In Luke 11, we read this. 30 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:44,760 So I say to you, this is Jesus speaking, by the way. 31 00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:46,040 So it means it's worth listening. 32 00:01:46,960 --> 00:01:51,160 Ask and it will be given to you. Seek and you will find knock, 33 00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:52,880 and the doors will be open to you. 34 00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:59,240 For everyone who asks receives, the one who seeks finds, and the 35 00:01:59,240 --> 00:02:01,720 one who knocks the door will be open to. 36 00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:08,960 This is an invitation from Jesus to greater degrees of prayer. 37 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:12,760 Now on face value, the text all looks quite similar. 38 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:17,720 Ask, seek, knock. But when you have children, you 39 00:02:17,720 --> 00:02:19,840 understand that those words carry different meaning. 40 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:22,720 Twice a week, Alice goes to the gym in the morning. 41 00:02:23,480 --> 00:02:25,080 She goes to the gym between 7:00 and 8:00. 42 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:30,360 And it is my favourite part of the week because it means that 43 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:32,200 I'm at home with the children and getting them ready. 44 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:35,680 And if you're a dad in the room, most of us can probably admit 45 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:37,800 that our wives do this better than us. 46 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:39,600 Yeah. Yeah. 47 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:41,640 Just they're just better at it. They're more efficient. 48 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:44,720 They're more structured. They're more rigid. 49 00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:46,880 When they ask the kids to eat their breakfast instead of 50 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:47,960 playing with the toys, they do it. 51 00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:49,320 Yeah. That's, like, always how it 52 00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:51,520 works for me as well. Never answer back. 53 00:02:52,840 --> 00:02:56,000 Apart from most mornings. And twice a week, Alice goes to 54 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:58,560 the gym. And in that slot, I then get the 55 00:02:58,560 --> 00:03:02,080 kids ready, get them in the car, get them to school on time. 56 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:04,520 We're never late apart from five days a week. 57 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:10,680 And so with my kids, they on, especially on the days where 58 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:14,560 Alice is at the gym, they have this thing where if they need 59 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:17,520 help, they ask for it, right? Which is the normal thing to do, 60 00:03:17,880 --> 00:03:21,000 Dada. Levi 5 doesn't call me Dada yet. 61 00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:22,480 One day might. Let's see. 62 00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:25,080 Dada. I'm up in the shower at this 63 00:03:25,080 --> 00:03:27,600 point, right? It's my only time by myself 64 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:29,360 unless I wake up before the kids. 65 00:03:29,400 --> 00:03:31,680 That's all I got. So I stretch it. 66 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:33,840 It's like 7 minutes in the shower. 67 00:03:33,840 --> 00:03:36,120 Dada. I'm in the shower now, I'll be 68 00:03:36,200 --> 00:03:38,800 out in a minute. Ezra's stolen my. 69 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:41,440 Toy. I don't care. 70 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:45,840 Not sufficient, He's asked, not got the answer he wants. 71 00:03:45,960 --> 00:03:48,720 What's he do next? He looks, walking around the 72 00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:52,360 house, in the bedroom, under the bed. 73 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:54,320 He's everywhere, looking around, walking around. 74 00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:57,680 Not there, not there, not there. He finds where I am, and he is 75 00:03:57,680 --> 00:03:59,640 the only one. Levi, our eldest, the only one 76 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:01,680 of our three kids who's tall enough to reach the door 77 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:03,440 handles. I mean, I struggle in our house 78 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:08,000 and he, Arya's there, she's knocking on the door, face 79 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:09,440 against the door. Door, door. 80 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:10,720 She. Can't reach it. 81 00:04:10,720 --> 00:04:13,440 Ezra's there, try. Can't reach it. 82 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:15,440 Levi's there, opens the door up. I'm there in the shower. 83 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:20,720 All right, guys. And what they then do is they've 84 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:22,480 asked. They've come and sought me out. 85 00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:24,800 They've done the seeking part in the King James secret. 86 00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:26,680 They've done that. And then they've found me. 87 00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:28,640 They've knocked on the door. They've walked straight into the 88 00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:30,720 room. Ari's there with a face on the 89 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:33,640 shower, hand underneath the shower, completely soaked. 90 00:04:33,640 --> 00:04:34,960 She's already dressed, completely wet. 91 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:36,840 Ezra's walked in, opened the shower. 92 00:04:36,840 --> 00:04:38,600 Da, da. Not now. 93 00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:41,920 Yeah, later. Because they know that if they 94 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:43,720 don't get the answer they're looking for when they ask, 95 00:04:43,720 --> 00:04:45,640 they're going to find another way to get what they want. 96 00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:48,760 Anyone have kids? Anyone go on me. 97 00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:49,800 Give me a wave. If you've got kids in the 98 00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:52,600 church, come on, you all know this would be true. 99 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:54,640 They don't care whether it's convenient for you or not. 100 00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:56,360 They're going to ask, and if they don't get it, they're going 101 00:04:56,360 --> 00:04:57,560 to ask again. If they don't get it, they're 102 00:04:57,560 --> 00:05:00,200 going to ask again. And are we, or are we not the 103 00:05:00,200 --> 00:05:01,800 children of the King of? Kings. 104 00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:06,480 Oh, stop. Quitting when he says no, stop 105 00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:09,360 quitting when he says no Stop it. 106 00:05:10,040 --> 00:05:11,680 You're asking. We do this thing when we ask the 107 00:05:11,680 --> 00:05:13,560 Lord God, if you're willing, would you do this? 108 00:05:13,560 --> 00:05:15,600 And we don't hear back, so we just go quiet. 109 00:05:16,280 --> 00:05:20,760 Stop it. Keep asking and if He says no 110 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:22,680 and you feel he should say yes, ask again. 111 00:05:22,760 --> 00:05:24,760 And if that doesn't work, bang on the door of heaven until you 112 00:05:24,760 --> 00:05:25,960 get the answer that you're looking for. 113 00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:27,640 As long as it aligns with the will of God. 114 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:30,360 Our church. Let's not be passive. 115 00:05:30,840 --> 00:05:33,280 The Lord is at movement. He's doing stuff around the 116 00:05:33,280 --> 00:05:35,760 nation and around the world, and there are people that text 117 00:05:35,760 --> 00:05:38,640 through or Instagram through on a regular basis saying things 118 00:05:38,640 --> 00:05:40,640 like this. I've found Jesus in my bedroom. 119 00:05:40,640 --> 00:05:43,200 How do I start going to church? There's stuff that the Lord is 120 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:46,400 doing and it's our job and our responsibility and our duty to 121 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:49,280 enter in, and we just keep quitting. 122 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:56,400 Stop. Because all the Lord's asking us 123 00:05:56,400 --> 00:06:00,040 to do in this season, he's not asking us for more activity. 124 00:06:00,400 --> 00:06:03,360 He's asking for our hearts yielded and willing to be an 125 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:04,960 instrument or a tool in his hand. 126 00:06:05,560 --> 00:06:07,560 Better to be a tool in his hand than just a tool, right? 127 00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:14,200 Someone's like, yeah, I feel like that sometimes because if 128 00:06:14,200 --> 00:06:17,480 we enter in and we partner with His will and His purposes, guys, 129 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:19,640 you might see heaven come to earth in a way that you never 130 00:06:19,640 --> 00:06:23,720 believed possible. Some of you got kids who you 131 00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:25,760 brought up in church and they've voluntarily walked away. 132 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:29,400 As you partner with the King of Kings and begin to pray and be 133 00:06:29,400 --> 00:06:32,480 consistent and keep on going and not give Him rest and keep on 134 00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:34,720 knocking on the door, trust me, you'll see your loved ones come 135 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:39,640 home because that's His promise. Some of us, you've got friends, 136 00:06:39,640 --> 00:06:41,760 you've got family members, you've got work colleagues, some 137 00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:44,360 of us involved in sports societies or universities or in 138 00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:47,200 your lecture halls, and you've got many, many, many people who 139 00:06:47,200 --> 00:06:49,280 are there and they don't know Jesus. 140 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:53,080 Guys, if we partner with Him in consistent prayer, then just 141 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:56,040 perhaps the King of the universe might come and do something so 142 00:06:56,040 --> 00:06:57,520 great that only He can get the glory. 143 00:06:58,880 --> 00:07:03,000 Here's the problem with God. He wants to join in with us. 144 00:07:04,520 --> 00:07:08,760 He is able on His own to do anything He wants, and yet in 145 00:07:08,760 --> 00:07:12,760 his mercy and his grace, he partners with his bride. 146 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:14,720 That we might be his hands and feet. 147 00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:16,720 And sometimes I'm saying, Jesus, just do it by yourself. 148 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:19,400 It's so much more efficient. But he wants us to join in. 149 00:07:19,400 --> 00:07:23,240 He wants to have a part to play. That's why I prayed through the 150 00:07:23,240 --> 00:07:24,520 night on Friday. But I tell you, it wasn't 151 00:07:24,520 --> 00:07:26,800 comfortable. It was really fun between 9:00 152 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:29,080 and 2:00. Two till 4 was a slog. 153 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:34,160 It's rough because I know that when I get home, my kids aren't 154 00:07:34,160 --> 00:07:36,680 going to let me have a lion. Yeah, they don't care. 155 00:07:37,200 --> 00:07:40,040 Dada, she play football? No, it's raining. 156 00:07:40,040 --> 00:07:44,440 I'm tired, I don't care. There at 2O clock in the 157 00:07:44,440 --> 00:07:46,160 morning. We've prayed through the night. 158 00:07:46,920 --> 00:07:49,080 It's been a massive day. We're in the building since 9:00 159 00:07:49,080 --> 00:07:52,720 O clock getting things ready. We've not really stopped and 160 00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:55,560 we've had a time together as the team and the Lord shown up in a 161 00:07:55,560 --> 00:07:59,360 way that we didn't expect. Starting well, it's good. 162 00:07:59,360 --> 00:08:01,040 And then we get to this bit of a slog. 163 00:08:02,400 --> 00:08:05,680 It's two and the sense of wow, do we just call it a night? 164 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:08,600 We've had a good time. Or do we keep on going? 165 00:08:09,920 --> 00:08:14,200 Do we quit or do we persist? Do we say we've done our bit and 166 00:08:14,200 --> 00:08:16,760 check out or do we stay in alignment with what he's called 167 00:08:16,760 --> 00:08:22,360 us to do? Because this is what happens 168 00:08:22,640 --> 00:08:24,320 before the passage. We just friend Luke. 169 00:08:25,960 --> 00:08:31,120 Luke 11/5 through to 8. Then Jesus said to them, suppose 170 00:08:31,120 --> 00:08:35,559 you have a friend and you go to him at midnight and say, friend, 171 00:08:35,679 --> 00:08:38,400 lend ME3 loaves of bread. All right, just to put a caveat 172 00:08:38,400 --> 00:08:41,400 in it, if someone arrives at your house at midnight, they're 173 00:08:41,400 --> 00:08:44,600 probably not saying friend. They're probably going oy, 174 00:08:44,840 --> 00:08:48,160 because they need something. Friend, friends, the polite 175 00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:51,080 people in Jesus day lend ME3 loaves of bread. 176 00:08:51,080 --> 00:08:53,320 That's another thing which is not theologically sound. 177 00:08:53,320 --> 00:08:56,200 All right, if you're going to give someone bread, trust me, 178 00:08:56,200 --> 00:08:57,480 you don't want it back when they're finished. 179 00:08:57,480 --> 00:09:02,160 Yeah, don't. A friend of mine is on a journey 180 00:09:02,160 --> 00:09:04,280 and he's come to me and I have no food to offer him. 181 00:09:04,280 --> 00:09:05,720 Of course they didn't. They didn't know who was going 182 00:09:05,720 --> 00:09:07,680 to be there. And suppose the one inside 183 00:09:07,680 --> 00:09:10,680 answers don't bother me. The door is already locked and 184 00:09:10,680 --> 00:09:14,200 my children and I are in bed. I pray that his children wake 185 00:09:14,200 --> 00:09:19,800 him up early. I tell you, Jesus says even 186 00:09:19,800 --> 00:09:22,040 though he will not get up and give you the bread because of 187 00:09:22,040 --> 00:09:26,200 friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity, he will 188 00:09:26,200 --> 00:09:28,760 surely get up and give you as much as you need. 189 00:09:29,240 --> 00:09:31,600 He went there for three and he came home for six. 190 00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:36,240 Why not? And then Jesus goes on to say 191 00:09:36,480 --> 00:09:39,560 when you ask, when you seek, when you knock, you see where 192 00:09:39,560 --> 00:09:41,640 the context is important. He's just told the story. 193 00:09:42,160 --> 00:09:44,120 They've asked, Friend, can I have some bread? 194 00:09:44,120 --> 00:09:46,640 No, in that case, I'm going to bang on the door until either 195 00:09:46,640 --> 00:09:48,000 the door comes down or you come down. 196 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:51,880 You choose which one's first. And that's what Jesus is talking 197 00:09:51,880 --> 00:09:54,720 about with the disciples. And that's his encouragement and 198 00:09:54,720 --> 00:09:58,200 his urge and his invitation and maybe even his command to us as 199 00:09:58,200 --> 00:09:59,840 a people. Don't quit. 200 00:10:00,720 --> 00:10:02,720 Don't stop praying when it gets hard, when you get bored, or 201 00:10:02,720 --> 00:10:08,520 when you get tired. Shameless audacity, which in the 202 00:10:08,520 --> 00:10:12,400 right context is beautiful. Let me tell you the right 203 00:10:12,400 --> 00:10:15,280 context and the wrong context. The wrong context. 204 00:10:15,640 --> 00:10:18,320 A friend of mine who I'd see once a year or so would go out 205 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:20,560 for dinner together and he would always end up getting his meal 206 00:10:20,560 --> 00:10:22,040 for free. It wasn't because he was 207 00:10:22,040 --> 00:10:25,040 particularly kind. He would moan about the food and 208 00:10:25,040 --> 00:10:27,800 he'd moaned to the staff and then he'd moaned to the chef and 209 00:10:27,800 --> 00:10:30,400 then he'd moaned to the manager until he got a new meal that was 210 00:10:30,440 --> 00:10:32,160 hot enough. I mean, I've got to tell you, I 211 00:10:32,160 --> 00:10:33,480 tried his food and burnt my mouth off. 212 00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:36,880 But then he'd get it for free because they they wronged him 213 00:10:37,960 --> 00:10:40,200 and I'd sit there with him. I'd feel so uncomfortable 214 00:10:40,200 --> 00:10:42,760 because everything he was doing did not look like Jesus to me. 215 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:47,280 It's the wrong context now, the right context. 216 00:10:47,920 --> 00:10:51,080 Friday night we're here ready to worship at the start of the set. 217 00:10:51,400 --> 00:10:55,640 And one of the travelling musicians just gets absolutely 218 00:10:55,640 --> 00:10:59,120 knocked out by the presence of God, and it's really awkward 219 00:10:59,440 --> 00:11:01,960 because it's supposed to be on the band, but instead they just 220 00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:05,000 spent the whole night down there on their face crying loudly. 221 00:11:06,040 --> 00:11:09,720 Shameless, audacious, completely correct. 222 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:13,240 Because I want to line up with what he's doing. 223 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:15,960 And when I'm in that place, I don't want anything to stop me 224 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:18,960 from what he wants me to pursue. I thought we have an invitation 225 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:22,680 to be shameless and audacious in our pursue of the King of Kings. 226 00:11:24,760 --> 00:11:27,720 And don't get me wrong, we can be shameless and audacious when 227 00:11:27,720 --> 00:11:31,320 we approach the throne, but we must also come in deep humility, 228 00:11:31,320 --> 00:11:33,760 awe, and wonder, because He is still the God of the cosmos. 229 00:11:36,840 --> 00:11:40,040 John 14 Jesus says a phrase that picks up on the same theme. 230 00:11:41,160 --> 00:11:45,320 I will do whatever you ask in my name so that the Father may be 231 00:11:45,320 --> 00:11:48,800 glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in 232 00:11:48,800 --> 00:11:52,720 my name and I will do it. So there's a running theme. 233 00:11:53,000 --> 00:11:57,680 Ask and I will. But the caveat is he will only 234 00:11:57,680 --> 00:12:01,440 do it if he wants to do it. But that doesn't match with the 235 00:12:01,440 --> 00:12:02,960 text. He says ask me for anything. 236 00:12:02,960 --> 00:12:07,280 No, it does because in the English, in this phrase in John 237 00:12:07,280 --> 00:12:09,960 14, it says so that the Father may be glorified. 238 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:12,320 In the Greek, there's a different word. 239 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:17,680 The word is hina, HINA, which translates as in order that. 240 00:12:17,680 --> 00:12:20,640 So there's a different emphasis on what Jesus is trying to tell 241 00:12:20,640 --> 00:12:23,440 the people. So we track it back differently. 242 00:12:23,440 --> 00:12:28,880 It says this, I will do whatever you ask in my name if the Father 243 00:12:28,880 --> 00:12:32,320 would be glorified through the sun in order that the Father be 244 00:12:32,320 --> 00:12:34,280 glorified. So if we flip that on its head, 245 00:12:34,480 --> 00:12:37,600 I will not do what you ask me if it does not bring the Father 246 00:12:37,600 --> 00:12:39,160 glory. Now any of us wonder why our 247 00:12:39,160 --> 00:12:40,840 prayers don't get answered because we pray for the wrong 248 00:12:40,840 --> 00:12:43,760 thing. It's not true. 249 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:44,960 Your prayer always gets answered. 250 00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:47,200 Sometimes it just gets answered with a no. 251 00:12:49,440 --> 00:12:52,280 But if we pray in alignment with His will and His Kingdom 252 00:12:52,280 --> 00:12:56,120 purposes, then He always does what we ask because it would 253 00:12:56,120 --> 00:13:00,200 bring glory to the Father through the Son as we work out 254 00:13:00,200 --> 00:13:02,040 the person of the Holy Spirit. Does that make sense? 255 00:13:02,680 --> 00:13:04,480 Sometimes when we're praying, we're praying for the wrong 256 00:13:04,480 --> 00:13:06,240 thing and then we get frustrated because God's not done it. 257 00:13:06,240 --> 00:13:09,280 He was never going to do it. But if we pray in alignment with 258 00:13:09,280 --> 00:13:12,240 His will and he says He will always fulfil what we ask of 259 00:13:12,240 --> 00:13:13,840 him, so that the Father might be glorified. 260 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:17,600 So when we ask, when we seek, and when we knock, if we do it 261 00:13:17,600 --> 00:13:20,760 in relationship and alignment with God, then he promises that 262 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:23,160 as He does, the Father's glorified and then heaven begins 263 00:13:23,160 --> 00:13:26,080 to come to earth. That's how we're called to pray. 264 00:13:26,760 --> 00:13:28,840 So not called to give up when things don't go our way. 265 00:13:28,840 --> 00:13:31,720 We're also not called just to pray for things that benefit us. 266 00:13:33,520 --> 00:13:37,200 Now we are in danger in the West of living with an element of 267 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:43,160 consumer Christianity where we get big in our faith, right, 268 00:13:43,160 --> 00:13:45,320 because we have so much at our disposal. 269 00:13:45,560 --> 00:13:47,800 I can go to church here. I can also jump into an evening 270 00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:50,320 service at another church. I can listen to some podcasts 271 00:13:50,320 --> 00:13:52,280 through the week. I might put on YouTube while I'm 272 00:13:52,280 --> 00:13:53,480 driving. I'm going to listen to worship. 273 00:13:53,480 --> 00:13:55,320 There's nothing wrong with that. That's good. 274 00:13:55,320 --> 00:13:58,080 It's supposed to feed us. But if you don't exercise, you 275 00:13:58,080 --> 00:14:04,960 get fat in your faith. All right, True, the call from 276 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:08,840 God to us was never to indulge yourself with Him and do nothing 277 00:14:08,840 --> 00:14:11,880 with it. The call from God was take what 278 00:14:11,880 --> 00:14:15,080 you need, the tables full, take as much as you want as long as 279 00:14:15,080 --> 00:14:19,320 you then ask and seek and knock. Do something with it. 280 00:14:20,720 --> 00:14:24,160 Don't just sit there in spiritual gluttony thinking how 281 00:14:24,160 --> 00:14:27,120 comfortable we are because comfort is the death of the 282 00:14:27,120 --> 00:14:32,480 church. I want to pray more this year 283 00:14:32,480 --> 00:14:33,720 than I've ever prayed in my life. 284 00:14:35,560 --> 00:14:37,760 Partly because as I pray, He draws near to me and then He 285 00:14:37,760 --> 00:14:39,040 becomes the pursuit for my prayer. 286 00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:41,520 But also, as I pray in a lump with His will, He promises that 287 00:14:41,520 --> 00:14:43,560 things will begin to shift on earth. 288 00:14:44,560 --> 00:14:46,800 Guys, I want to burden you as the Lord is burdening me. 289 00:14:46,960 --> 00:14:49,640 It's time to pray and not give up like we've never prayed 290 00:14:49,640 --> 00:14:52,080 before. It's time to contend for the 291 00:14:52,080 --> 00:14:54,840 will of God. Jesus teaches us from the days 292 00:14:54,840 --> 00:14:57,520 of John the Baptist, the Kingdom of heaven has been advancing and 293 00:14:57,520 --> 00:15:00,800 the violent overthrow it. Now that's not a negative. 294 00:15:01,240 --> 00:15:03,880 What he's saying is if you want to be someone who takes hold of 295 00:15:03,880 --> 00:15:06,560 the Kingdom, you can have to put the work in God. 296 00:15:06,560 --> 00:15:09,640 Take hold of it. Don't just sit and expect for 297 00:15:09,640 --> 00:15:11,600 God to do what you've not asked him to do. 298 00:15:13,120 --> 00:15:15,000 Some of you in the room, you've got kids, you've got loved ones, 299 00:15:15,000 --> 00:15:17,240 you've got family members who are not walking with Jesus, and 300 00:15:17,240 --> 00:15:23,280 I don't know your prayer life. So what do you do with that? 301 00:15:24,760 --> 00:15:27,600 Never mind. But do you contend in prayer 302 00:15:28,040 --> 00:15:30,160 until he comes home and his family come with him? 303 00:15:30,480 --> 00:15:33,400 What do you do? Because I don't want to get to 304 00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:36,920 heaven and look around and see that there are people in my life 305 00:15:36,920 --> 00:15:44,160 that didn't make it. It's never been about my comfort 306 00:15:45,760 --> 00:15:49,080 following Jesus has never been about what I can get again 307 00:15:49,080 --> 00:15:51,640 eternity because of his grace. But then he calls me into action 308 00:15:51,640 --> 00:15:54,000 and it's a mission. Do you want to sit on the 309 00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:56,360 sidelines? Do you want to be on the pitch? 310 00:15:57,520 --> 00:16:00,920 It's our choice, it's our call and I can't badden you with what 311 00:16:00,920 --> 00:16:03,080 the Lord's baddened me just by speaking to you, but I pray the 312 00:16:03,080 --> 00:16:04,880 Holy Spirit would do something in our hearts. 313 00:16:05,120 --> 00:16:08,120 We head Rise of the people and a generation that are not happy to 314 00:16:08,120 --> 00:16:10,400 sit idly by while the world goes to hell because. 315 00:16:15,240 --> 00:16:17,400 It's not a scary bedtime stories for children. 316 00:16:19,120 --> 00:16:22,520 If heaven is real, therefore hell also is. 317 00:16:23,760 --> 00:16:25,360 I want to ask you, where are your family going? 318 00:16:26,720 --> 00:16:32,120 And there's no condemnation. Allow the conviction of Holy 319 00:16:32,120 --> 00:16:34,560 Spirit to do something in you that you never recover from. 320 00:16:35,800 --> 00:16:37,720 Because I don't want to lose what the Lord is doing to me 321 00:16:37,720 --> 00:16:39,800 now. I don't want this to be based on 322 00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:41,960 I feel a bit tired or we've prayed all night and then it 323 00:16:41,960 --> 00:16:44,960 just dissipate. I want to be someone who prays 324 00:16:44,960 --> 00:16:46,520 and contents to the Kingdom of God to come. 325 00:16:50,240 --> 00:16:53,560 What about you? Do you ask and then give up? 326 00:16:54,080 --> 00:16:57,040 Do you ask at all? He's seeking you looking. 327 00:16:57,160 --> 00:17:00,040 Do you knock on the door? And Luke 18, Jesus gives this 328 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:04,760 story. He told them a parable to show 329 00:17:04,760 --> 00:17:07,200 them they should always pray and never give up. 330 00:17:08,319 --> 00:17:11,760 Now there's a caveat in here that I'd love to just share with 331 00:17:11,760 --> 00:17:13,960 you really quickly. The phrase in the English that 332 00:17:13,960 --> 00:17:17,319 translates as never give up, actually in the Greek translates 333 00:17:17,319 --> 00:17:21,079 as not lose heart. And there's a difference because 334 00:17:21,079 --> 00:17:23,880 we can keep praying, but we kind of lost heart about the 335 00:17:23,880 --> 00:17:25,520 fulfilment of our prayers. Does that make sense? 336 00:17:25,880 --> 00:17:27,720 I can do it because I know I should, but actually I've 337 00:17:27,720 --> 00:17:30,960 checked out a long time ago. I can do it because I know that 338 00:17:30,960 --> 00:17:33,160 God's told me to, but I have no faith that it's going to bring 339 00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:35,480 any change. Now Jesus is not saying keep on 340 00:17:35,480 --> 00:17:37,520 doing it because you should. He's saying keep on doing it and 341 00:17:37,520 --> 00:17:41,880 do not lose heart. Do not have your confidence 342 00:17:41,880 --> 00:17:44,600 stolen that He is able to do what you ask. 343 00:17:46,520 --> 00:17:51,000 He said in a certain town there was a judge who neither feared 344 00:17:51,000 --> 00:17:53,240 God nor cared what people thought. 345 00:17:53,240 --> 00:17:55,520 I mean, what a lovely man he sounds like. 346 00:17:56,200 --> 00:17:58,880 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with 347 00:17:58,880 --> 00:18:01,840 a plea. Grant me justice against my 348 00:18:01,840 --> 00:18:06,360 adversary. For some time he refused, but 349 00:18:06,360 --> 00:18:10,800 finally he said to himself, even though I do not fear God or care 350 00:18:10,800 --> 00:18:14,480 what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I 351 00:18:14,480 --> 00:18:18,200 will see that she gets justice so that she won't eventually 352 00:18:18,200 --> 00:18:22,080 come and attack me. That's not righteousness really 353 00:18:22,080 --> 00:18:23,240 is it? That's fear. 354 00:18:23,240 --> 00:18:27,280 But it still gets the job done. I love the thought of the big 355 00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:31,000 judge parading around the town, the small widow running around 356 00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:32,560 chasing him with a stick to beat him. 357 00:18:32,560 --> 00:18:35,880 I love that idea. He was scared of the little old 358 00:18:35,880 --> 00:18:40,360 lady. And the Lord said, listen to 359 00:18:40,360 --> 00:18:44,840 what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about 360 00:18:44,840 --> 00:18:49,160 justice for his chosen ones who cry out to him day and night? 361 00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:51,600 Now if we want to dig into this further, we can. 362 00:18:52,960 --> 00:18:56,400 Will he not bring about justice for the chosen ones who cry out 363 00:18:56,400 --> 00:18:59,360 to him day and night? Now here's the thing, Will he 364 00:18:59,360 --> 00:19:01,760 bring justice to those who do not cry out to him day and 365 00:19:01,760 --> 00:19:04,680 night? That's up to the Lord. 366 00:19:05,200 --> 00:19:08,320 But he will bring justice to those who cry out to him day. 367 00:19:08,320 --> 00:19:09,920 And now. So Jesus said in the text, he's 368 00:19:09,920 --> 00:19:12,880 the God of justice. He's the God of mercy and mercy 369 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:14,400 of ultimately triumphs over judgement. 370 00:19:14,400 --> 00:19:15,840 That's what we get from the text itself. 371 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:20,840 Maybe you're looking for justice and you've quit praying. 372 00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:27,160 Start again. Will he keep putting them off? 373 00:19:27,800 --> 00:19:31,280 I tell you, he will see that they get justice and quickly. 374 00:19:31,280 --> 00:19:33,720 And then he says something really, really weird at the end, 375 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:35,960 which in isolation feels very bizarre. 376 00:19:35,960 --> 00:19:39,280 He says. However, when the Son of Man 377 00:19:39,280 --> 00:19:42,040 comes, will he find faith on the earth? 378 00:19:45,240 --> 00:19:46,720 Now, Jesus knew that answer to that question. 379 00:19:46,720 --> 00:19:49,560 At face value, the answer is yes, obviously, he'll find faith 380 00:19:49,560 --> 00:19:53,160 on the earth because right now, in our day and our age, 381 00:19:53,480 --> 00:19:58,280 Pentecostalism is the fastest growing religious phenomenon of 382 00:19:58,280 --> 00:20:01,960 all time. We've never seen anything like 383 00:20:01,960 --> 00:20:03,800 what the Lord is doing now. So of course it's going to be 384 00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:06,920 faith on the earth. But that's not the kind of faith 385 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:09,720 that Jesus talking about. He's not talking about a belief 386 00:20:09,720 --> 00:20:13,560 pattern or even Lordship. He's talking about faith that 387 00:20:13,560 --> 00:20:16,120 contends in the Spirit for the will of God to be done. 388 00:20:16,400 --> 00:20:20,400 Will I find faith like that on the earth is a question, and 389 00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:22,480 that's what you and I ultimately give an account for. 390 00:20:23,120 --> 00:20:25,600 How did you do with the life that I gave you? 391 00:20:28,400 --> 00:20:33,720 Did you spend it on the bench for some of you in the room? 392 00:20:33,720 --> 00:20:37,920 You need to ask again. You've been praying for 393 00:20:37,920 --> 00:20:39,840 something for a long time, and recently you've just given up. 394 00:20:40,840 --> 00:20:44,800 Ask again, ask again because in two Corinthians, Paul writes 395 00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:46,800 this, that today is the day of salvation. 396 00:20:49,280 --> 00:20:53,880 Because in this passage, Jesus equates faith to desperation and 397 00:20:53,880 --> 00:20:56,120 urgency. So what he's saying is, will 398 00:20:56,120 --> 00:20:58,320 there be faith like what I've just proclaimed to you? 399 00:20:58,320 --> 00:21:01,520 When I come back and we get an opportunity to enter in, in 400 00:21:01,520 --> 00:21:04,280 alignment with his will and purpose and say, yes, I want to 401 00:21:04,280 --> 00:21:07,400 ask this church, you've already heard me express that it's not a 402 00:21:07,400 --> 00:21:09,280 time to be passive in our Christianity. 403 00:21:11,480 --> 00:21:13,880 It's a time to contend until we see the Kingdom of God come. 404 00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:19,520 Because in Matthew 26, this is what Jesus says. 405 00:21:24,120 --> 00:21:26,800 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called 406 00:21:26,800 --> 00:21:31,520 Gethsemane, and he said to them, sit here while I go over there 407 00:21:31,520 --> 00:21:34,360 to pray. Then he took Peter and the two 408 00:21:34,360 --> 00:21:38,200 sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and 409 00:21:38,200 --> 00:21:41,360 troubled. Then he said to them, my soul is 410 00:21:41,360 --> 00:21:43,800 overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. 411 00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:46,960 Stay here and keep watch with me. 412 00:21:46,960 --> 00:21:53,440 He didn't tell them to pray, just told them to show up. 413 00:21:55,440 --> 00:21:57,400 Sometimes we can come to prayer and we don't necessarily need to 414 00:21:57,400 --> 00:21:59,480 pray, we just need to be. It's the righteous to show up 415 00:21:59,480 --> 00:22:01,440 and say, Lord, I don't have any words, but I'm here and I'm 416 00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:03,880 waiting. Boys, will you come with me? 417 00:22:03,880 --> 00:22:06,600 I'm in the deepest, darkest despair that I've ever 418 00:22:06,600 --> 00:22:08,480 experienced. I'm about to go and do the 419 00:22:08,480 --> 00:22:09,880 Father's well. I know it's going to cost my 420 00:22:09,880 --> 00:22:11,320 life. Will you just come with me? 421 00:22:12,280 --> 00:22:17,720 You have my back going on a little farther. 422 00:22:17,720 --> 00:22:19,960 He fell with his face to the ground, and he prayed. 423 00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:24,440 My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me 424 00:22:24,680 --> 00:22:26,920 yet? Not as I will, but as you will. 425 00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:31,400 And then he returned to his disciples and he found them 426 00:22:31,400 --> 00:22:34,360 sleeping. Couldn't you keep watch with me 427 00:22:34,360 --> 00:22:40,600 for one hour? And there's no condemnation in 428 00:22:40,600 --> 00:22:43,480 the room, because like I say to us, the Lord is also speaking to 429 00:22:43,480 --> 00:22:47,040 me about prayer, about living in it. 430 00:22:47,040 --> 00:22:48,520 I don't want to preach it. I want to live in it. 431 00:22:51,040 --> 00:22:59,790 So will you keep watch? Couldn't you stay for an hour? 432 00:23:05,320 --> 00:23:08,200 These are his closest friends and there's no shade on them. 433 00:23:08,200 --> 00:23:10,240 I don't know what their daylight activities look like. 434 00:23:10,280 --> 00:23:12,320 Must have been tired, but they're there. 435 00:23:12,320 --> 00:23:14,480 And he said, come on, boys, will you stick around with me? 436 00:23:14,840 --> 00:23:18,680 He gets back and couldn't you just keep watch for an hour? 437 00:23:20,120 --> 00:23:29,160 Oh, is it? Is it overstating to say that 438 00:23:29,200 --> 00:23:32,920 maybe the heart of the Lord would look at the church and 439 00:23:32,920 --> 00:23:35,440 he'd say, couldn't you just keep watch? 440 00:23:39,480 --> 00:23:41,640 Because I know that some of us are doing our best to pray and, 441 00:23:41,960 --> 00:23:44,360 and again, like we're starting with where we are today, right? 442 00:23:44,360 --> 00:23:47,320 You're not judged on yesterday because his mercies are renewed 443 00:23:47,320 --> 00:23:49,320 every morning. We get the choice to go again 444 00:23:49,320 --> 00:23:51,080 and try again and do better tomorrow. 445 00:23:51,080 --> 00:23:53,280 That's OK. But he looks at the church and 446 00:23:53,280 --> 00:23:55,640 he says where are the people that are going to stand watch 447 00:23:55,960 --> 00:23:58,000 and what we've done for a long time? 448 00:23:58,880 --> 00:24:04,680 Is we've relied on elderly women to pray on our behalf. 449 00:24:07,360 --> 00:24:11,560 It's not sufficient. I'm not saying you've got to 450 00:24:11,560 --> 00:24:13,080 come to lots of corporate prayer events. 451 00:24:13,560 --> 00:24:14,960 That's not what Jesus is talking about. 452 00:24:15,120 --> 00:24:16,800 There's a power of corporate prayer and there's a power of 453 00:24:16,800 --> 00:24:19,520 individual prayer, and both contain their place and both 454 00:24:19,520 --> 00:24:22,720 have their purpose. But what we can do if we're not 455 00:24:22,720 --> 00:24:26,760 careful, is we can say the intercessors will pray and 456 00:24:26,760 --> 00:24:29,760 that's fine, so they should. But there's no spiritual gift of 457 00:24:29,760 --> 00:24:32,480 prayer. It's not outlined in the text. 458 00:24:32,760 --> 00:24:34,560 There's a gift of healing and there's a gift of miracles. 459 00:24:34,560 --> 00:24:35,600 There's a gift of signs and windows. 460 00:24:35,600 --> 00:24:38,400 There's nowhere as the gift of prayer because we're all called 461 00:24:38,400 --> 00:24:40,320 to do it. Cockle yourself and follow 462 00:24:40,320 --> 00:24:46,080 Jesus. If you don't pray, can you keep 463 00:24:46,080 --> 00:24:49,720 watch for one hour? Maybe that's where you want to 464 00:24:49,720 --> 00:24:51,520 start. Maybe through your week, from 465 00:24:51,560 --> 00:24:54,640 today until next Sunday, you're going to do a couple of minutes 466 00:24:54,640 --> 00:24:56,760 a day and through the week you'll have kept watch for an 467 00:24:56,760 --> 00:24:58,960 hour. And in that time you sit with 468 00:24:58,960 --> 00:25:00,560 the Lord and you say, Lord, I don't know what I'm doing, I 469 00:25:00,560 --> 00:25:02,520 don't know how to starve. Or you teach me to pray. 470 00:25:02,520 --> 00:25:04,440 And then it begins to burn your heart with something. 471 00:25:04,440 --> 00:25:06,040 And when you run out of words, you begin to pray in the 472 00:25:06,040 --> 00:25:07,760 language of Spirit. And if you don't know how to do 473 00:25:07,760 --> 00:25:09,880 that, He'll give you that gift. He wants to facilitate your life 474 00:25:09,880 --> 00:25:13,080 of prayer. Because when the disciples asked 475 00:25:13,080 --> 00:25:15,200 Jesus in Matthew 6, we read it wrong. 476 00:25:15,240 --> 00:25:17,600 They do not say teach us how to pray. 477 00:25:17,600 --> 00:25:21,800 That is not in the text. They say this teach us to pray. 478 00:25:22,880 --> 00:25:27,800 The how is not in there in the Greek, which implies this. 479 00:25:28,560 --> 00:25:31,640 They didn't know what they were doing and potentially they 480 00:25:31,640 --> 00:25:34,840 weren't even praying. They saw him say some prayers 481 00:25:34,840 --> 00:25:36,560 and maybe they copied that, but they weren't praying in their 482 00:25:36,560 --> 00:25:38,240 day-to-day. So what's their what's their 483 00:25:38,240 --> 00:25:39,880 request of the Lord? It's not necessarily teach us 484 00:25:39,880 --> 00:25:42,280 how he does that, but it's teach us to pray. 485 00:25:43,280 --> 00:25:45,640 And is that not the burden of the church in this hour when the 486 00:25:45,640 --> 00:25:47,200 Lord's on the move around the nation? 487 00:25:47,360 --> 00:25:49,920 Lord, teach us to pray that we might partner with you, that we 488 00:25:49,920 --> 00:25:56,200 might groan on your behalf. I know it's heavy, it's not 489 00:25:56,200 --> 00:25:58,560 light and breezy. That's why I started by talking 490 00:25:58,560 --> 00:26:00,880 to you about my kids. It's a bit of fun in there. 491 00:26:04,360 --> 00:26:05,960 He went away a second time and prayed. 492 00:26:06,320 --> 00:26:10,440 My father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away 493 00:26:10,440 --> 00:26:12,640 unless I drink it, then may your will be done. 494 00:26:13,480 --> 00:26:16,280 When he came back, he again found them sleeping because 495 00:26:16,280 --> 00:26:18,720 their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away 496 00:26:18,720 --> 00:26:21,560 once more and prayed 1/3 time, saying the same thing. 497 00:26:21,960 --> 00:26:24,000 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, Are 498 00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:30,200 you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the 499 00:26:30,200 --> 00:26:32,920 Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. 500 00:26:34,920 --> 00:26:39,200 And again let me say this, with all reverence and all honour, 501 00:26:39,760 --> 00:26:46,720 and with no condemnation. Are you and I in danger of 502 00:26:46,720 --> 00:26:52,200 sleepwalking into eternity? Are we? 503 00:26:54,120 --> 00:26:57,720 I can get to heaven while I'm sleepwalking if I've accepted 504 00:26:57,720 --> 00:27:01,200 Jesus, if I've made him my Lord and Saviour, if I've renounced 505 00:27:01,200 --> 00:27:05,480 my sin and I've decided to live different, I can kind of like, 506 00:27:05,480 --> 00:27:08,600 from that point sleepwalk in and I might make it in the skin of 507 00:27:08,600 --> 00:27:13,120 my teeth. But is that enough? 508 00:27:15,520 --> 00:27:18,400 Isn't that right for the bride to be awake and fully fulfilling 509 00:27:18,400 --> 00:27:20,800 her purpose on the earth until we go one day to be with Him? 510 00:27:24,800 --> 00:27:29,200 I don't want to be asleep as I go about my day-to-day honour. 511 00:27:29,680 --> 00:27:31,680 Do all I can to live in accordance with the will of God 512 00:27:31,680 --> 00:27:34,120 that I might be someone who brings heaven to earth, not for 513 00:27:34,120 --> 00:27:37,400 my benefit or for my glory, but for His praise and honour that 514 00:27:37,400 --> 00:27:39,360 the Father might be glorified through the sun. 515 00:27:39,360 --> 00:27:41,200 You see the pattern all the way through. 516 00:27:41,200 --> 00:27:45,280 Ask, seek, knock, Keep on going. Pray a little longer, work a 517 00:27:45,280 --> 00:27:47,600 little harder. Not in our own strength or in 518 00:27:47,600 --> 00:27:50,240 our own effort, but empowered and filled with the Spirit just 519 00:27:50,240 --> 00:27:51,480 as Jesus was. Why? 520 00:27:51,680 --> 00:27:54,640 Why does He ask us to pray? Why does he ask us to seek and 521 00:27:54,640 --> 00:27:55,240 knock? Why? 522 00:27:55,240 --> 00:27:56,960 Because He wants to see His Kingdom come. 523 00:27:58,680 --> 00:28:01,040 Because He longs for your family to know Him more than you do. 524 00:28:02,480 --> 00:28:05,480 He longs for the boys on my football team to know Him more 525 00:28:05,480 --> 00:28:11,720 than I do. Could you not keep watch? 526 00:28:14,400 --> 00:28:18,120 Because we might sleepwalk into eternity, but the world around 527 00:28:18,120 --> 00:28:23,760 us is currently heading to hell, and it's not our job to bring 528 00:28:23,760 --> 00:28:24,720 salvation. OK. 529 00:28:24,720 --> 00:28:26,840 It doesn't rest on you. It doesn't rest on me. 530 00:28:26,840 --> 00:28:29,080 That's him and him alone. That's the finished work of the 531 00:28:29,080 --> 00:28:30,360 cross. It's an empty cross and it's an 532 00:28:30,360 --> 00:28:32,440 empty grave and it's blood poured out. 533 00:28:33,480 --> 00:28:36,080 We have a job and a duty and a responsibility to partner with 534 00:28:36,080 --> 00:28:41,360 the King of Kings. As I 62 and I'll finish with 535 00:28:41,360 --> 00:28:45,240 this. I have posted Watchmen on your 536 00:28:45,240 --> 00:28:49,040 walls, Jerusalem, that they may never be silent, day or night. 537 00:28:49,840 --> 00:28:54,320 You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, and give Him 538 00:28:54,320 --> 00:28:58,640 no rest till He establishes Jerusalem and makes her the 539 00:28:58,640 --> 00:29:03,640 praise on earth. We are invited, called, 540 00:29:03,920 --> 00:29:08,800 commissioned, whatever phrase you might want to use, to keep 541 00:29:08,800 --> 00:29:12,680 watch with Him while we're here on the earth, to pray in 542 00:29:12,680 --> 00:29:14,360 alignment with His will and purposes. 543 00:29:15,680 --> 00:29:22,280 To give ourselves no rest and to give Him no rest until we see 544 00:29:22,280 --> 00:29:27,480 His Kingdom and His glory come. That's the call of following 545 00:29:27,480 --> 00:29:35,400 Christ. Will you keep watch with me? 546 00:29:38,840 --> 00:29:41,120 Jesus doesn't ask us to do something that he's not already 547 00:29:41,120 --> 00:29:46,120 willing to do himself. When you ask, he says, well, you 548 00:29:46,120 --> 00:29:48,480 know that the Bible tells us that he sits at the right hand 549 00:29:48,480 --> 00:29:52,960 of the Father, that he intercedes for us, praying for 550 00:29:52,960 --> 00:29:53,840 you. Right now. 551 00:29:53,840 --> 00:29:56,080 He's praying for you. I wonder what he prays. 552 00:29:56,680 --> 00:29:58,480 Praise that you'd make it to the end still loving Him. 553 00:29:59,360 --> 00:30:01,240 Praise that you fulfil the purpose that it's put inside 554 00:30:01,240 --> 00:30:03,080 your life since before the foundations of the earth were 555 00:30:03,080 --> 00:30:06,800 laid in place. Praise that you might not waste 556 00:30:06,800 --> 00:30:15,880 what he's putting you in birth in any He asks for us when you 557 00:30:15,880 --> 00:30:21,920 seek well Jesus, when asked the question in the book of Luke 558 00:30:22,000 --> 00:30:25,600 gives his answer. He said to him, the Son of Man 559 00:30:25,920 --> 00:30:31,800 came to seek and to save the lost, and that was you. 560 00:30:32,240 --> 00:30:34,000 And for some of us maybe it still is you. 561 00:30:34,560 --> 00:30:36,800 And it was me before he found me. 562 00:30:37,480 --> 00:30:41,200 I didn't find him. You rescued me because He was 563 00:30:41,200 --> 00:30:45,960 seeking me out. Revelation 3 verse 20 says 564 00:30:46,320 --> 00:30:49,120 behold, I stand at the door and I knock. 565 00:30:50,840 --> 00:30:56,520 Jesus asks us to ask to seek and to knock and what does he do? 566 00:30:56,520 --> 00:30:58,480 He petitions on our behalf to the Father. 567 00:30:59,200 --> 00:31:01,880 He says I came to seek you out while you are lost. 568 00:31:02,360 --> 00:31:04,840 And then he says I'm knock on the door of your heart. 569 00:31:05,160 --> 00:31:09,200 If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in 570 00:31:09,200 --> 00:31:11,040 and eat with them and they with me. 571 00:31:11,240 --> 00:31:14,720 If you're here in the room today, the message of Jesus is 572 00:31:14,720 --> 00:31:16,920 really simple, that he was willing to give. 573 00:31:17,200 --> 00:31:22,240 Us all to die the death that we deserve. 574 00:31:24,920 --> 00:31:26,360 Because it was. Deep love for. 575 00:31:26,360 --> 00:31:32,000 You and I, Matthew 26, we read it earlier on about Jesus and 576 00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:33,520 the Garden of Gethsemane with the boys. 577 00:31:33,520 --> 00:31:35,400 And he's saying to them, will you keep watch? 578 00:31:35,680 --> 00:31:38,840 And then he says, Behold, the Son of man's just been passed 579 00:31:38,840 --> 00:31:40,600 into the hand of sinners. And then what does he do from 580 00:31:40,600 --> 00:31:42,640 that position? He goes and he carries a big 581 00:31:42,640 --> 00:31:45,000 wooden cross with lashes on his back. 582 00:31:45,000 --> 00:31:52,560 And the thorns in his brow spat on, mocked, beaten, abused. 583 00:31:53,680 --> 00:31:56,360 He did it for you. He did it for me. 584 00:32:00,240 --> 00:32:04,080 The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine 585 00:32:04,080 --> 00:32:08,280 upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord turn his face towards 586 00:32:08,280 --> 00:32:10,000 you and give you peace.