Sermon Nuggets Mon Jan 4
Theme Considering Prayer
Verses Col 4:2-4
2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.
4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.
CONSIDERING PRAYER
This is the beginning of prayer week at Stanchfield. Traditionally the Baptist General Conference would call for prayer at the beginning of a new year and give our suggestions as to how we might promote prayer in the church. We used to have a director of prayer ministries, Dana Olson, who came to Stanchfield and led us in prayer gatherings.
The Region also had pastoral prayer retreats and our district had two last year where pastors could go overnight and pray together, led by Vic Winquist.
Bethel had a memorable prayer conference a few years ago bringing in wonderful speakers. The mixture of the enthusiasm and commitment of George Verwer and the patient and loving spirit of Eugene Peterson brought a balance of servants of God who have experienced the power of God in their ministries. The call to prayer by David Bryant was exciting. Through his ministry 1,000s and millions are commitment themselves to regular prayer. It is exciting to realize that prayer effort precedes revivals and there have been prayer concerts and gatherings all over America and indeed the world that has been unprecedented in our nation.
More people are fasting today that I ever remember before I started the pastorate. We at Stanchfield had a couple of all night prayer meetings in the past. There has been an increased emphasis on missions, and a fervor of zealous believers commitment themselves to reach the unreached people of the world to the point of willing to sacrifice their lives for the cause of Christ.
Christianity is not a faith of convenience. It is a faith of conviction, and commitment.
However, it has never been and never will be a true faith if it is by the works of men. It must be the works of God. God has chosen us to be his servants and as elected prayer to be an essential activity to prepare us and to share his grace.
I believe in prayer. There are some skeptics that will tell us prayer makes no difference whatsoever. What happens and what will be will be. This fatalistic approach explains why some prayers go unanswered and other prayers are answered.
Interestingly I read a study in Reader’s Digest were a group of patients were prayed for who had similar diseases and ailments. There was a group that was not prayed for. The Doctors did not know who was in each group. The study concluded that the patients who had regularly been prayed for got better quicker than the ones who did not. And this did not include the personal faith and prayers of those who were in the group not prayed for by religious volunteers.
If prayer doesn't make any difference then why does God command for us to pray? If it is a useless exercise why do you find every key figure in the Bible a man or woman pray? We were made for God our friendship can only grow when we communicate and talk and share in dialogue, not just in Monologue.
Paul in the book of Colossians was addressing the people concerning false doctrine. As he concludes this little letter he gives them pointed, no nonsense advice. He calls them to prayer. He knows heartfelt conversation with God makes a difference.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Tues Jan 5
Verse Col 4:2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
Effective praying is Faithful Praying.
It is easy to quit praying when it doesn’t appear to be working the way we want it to. We find ourselves asking “Why bother? God isn't answering me.”
Paul instructs the church to continue in prayer. Devote yourselves to prayer; be faithful in your prayers. In other words don't stop praying. Make prayer a high priority in your lives as well. Prayer is not just a Sunday thing, nor it is sufficient for effectiveness to pray only at meal times, or when problems happen. God desires daily and regular communication.
Thessalonians tells us to "Pray without ceasing."
What does that mean? Does that mean walking around like the Hasidic
Jews with a prayer book going down the street? Or to have some rosary beads that your go over and over again in your hand so as to pray while you're riding in a car? No. It means to have the life that is always open to God and be open in your thoughts and communication to Him through out your day. A heart that grows is aware of God's realness and closeness. But I also think we need to schedule time without any distraction for concentrated prayer. Is He alive to you? Are you continually aware of his constant presence and leading?
Richard Dortch was the administrator for the PTL Club with Jimmy and Tammy Faye Bakker. He told Christianity Today after the fall of the ministry, "At PTL, there was no time taken for prayer or for family because the show had to go on. We were so caught up in God's work that we forgot about God. It took the tragedy, the kick in the teeth, to bring us to our senses."
God promised Israel a new land, a land of "great and splendid cities ...houses full of good things..vineyards and olive trees..and you shall eat and be satisfied,” But the promise of grand blessing came with a stern warning "watch yourself, lest you forget the Lord..." (Deut. 6)
When the apostles were so caught up in the administration of church duties do you remember what they did? They picked church deacons to be servers so the apostles would not be kept from their calling of preaching the word and prayer. They saw the continual faithful time for prayer of greater importance than the daily work of the church.
In Luke 11 we read the parable of a visitor coming to his friend’s house at midnight asking for bread because he needed it for people that stopped to stay with them.
"Go away" the neighbor said. Still if you keep it up he'll give the bread just so he can go back to bed. Let’s not read more into the parable than what is intended. Do we bother God? Does he consider our requests and prayers a nuisance? Not at all. The point is persistence in prayer and if someone who is a neighbor who doesn't want to be bothered will answer your request, how much more is God who loves you and who never sleeps and desires communication with you, ready to answer according to his good will. The lesson was on persistence. The point wasn’t to wear out the patience of the Lord, but the faithfulness of keep on praying faithfully.
I do wonder sometimes if God doesn't delay the answers to increase our faith and devotion and to accomplish his purpose at the right time--but many give up too soon in prayer. Someone said, "God's delays are not always God's denials." Don't quit. God tells us repeatedly to continually and persistently pray. He will answer for our good and for our growth.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Weds Jan 6
Verse- Col 4:2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
Effective praying is Watchful Praying
The word watchful, implies alertness and responsiveness. This word is used in the story about the 5 wise and 5 foolish virgins. When the Lord comes 5 are out of oil and 5 are prepared and ready to follow the bridegroom. We are then told be wise, and be watchful for you know not what day the Lord will come. Part of being watchful is expectant, looking for the answer to one's prayers.
Jesus said to his disciples on another occasion, "Watch and pray that you enter not into temptation." In one of Paul’s letters he tells the church to be watchful for Satan is walking about like a roaring lion seeking whom he can devour. Be alert to spiritual danger and temptation that is around you.
Our praying needs to be that way. The first time this was used in connection with prayer was when Nehemiah was building the walls in Jerusalem. The enemies were trying to stop the project. They prayed, they worked and they were ready to fight.
In Colossians there were problems with people distorting the truth. They people needed to pray discerning God's will and not man's will. They need to pray realizing that problems can mount up quickly and they need the Holy Spirit's wisdom. In terms of husbands and wives, children and parents, slave and masters, they needed to be alert to those problems of authority.
Practical application of being watching in prayer for me means to work at thinking about what I am praying. Don’t just spout off pious words. When I do not feel like praying, I am alert to the fact that Satan is gaining a victory in my life and I seek to do it anyway. Or I'll be praying and my mind wonders. It is hard to concentrate. Does that ever happen to you? I think about all the things I should be doing, or people I need to talk to. I found writing down on a slip of paper the things that come to my mind that I don't want to forget. Sometimes I pray about them. But I'm able to get on with prayer knowing I can come back to my paper at a more appropriate time.
Secondly, I am using prayer lists more these days. Sometimes I pray about different things on different days. I have requests that I pray about weekly and requests that I pray about daily. I have at times written down a specific prayer request that someone has asked me to pray about and then when there is an answer, I will jot down the date and the answer to that prayer. That exercise helped me to be watchful for the solution to the request that I might have ignored otherwise.
Do you have a problem with alertness and watchfulness in prayer? Then pray about that. Even before you pray ask the Lord to bring to your mind the things that your wish to pray about. I believe prayer is the mighty weapon for spiritual victory and a must when we are involved in spiritual warfare.
Confession and repentance is part of being watchful as well. "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil." How can we seek God's will for our lives when we are harboring sin and grudges and bitterness against others in our heart? How can we expect God to answer prayer unless we are alert to selfish motives? Beware of lusting for things for our own glory, and desiring things that really are not good for us. We need to ask forgiveness when we see how self-serving so many of our prayers really are. If you think that you don't struggle and wrestle with sin and temptation then I doubt you are watchful in praying.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Thurs Jan 7
Verse- Col 4:2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
Effective praying is Thankful Praying.
It is important to center our minds on the grace and blessing of God in our lives. Think of His benefits and our hearts will say, "Praise the Lord". We are put to shame when reminded of how thankful Paul is even when he wrote this letter from prison.
Col 1:3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,… vs 11,12… being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.
2:7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
Col 3:15-17 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
There is something to the thought of positive thinking affects our attitude. Christians ought to be thankful people.
When I think of all places in the world where I could have been born, I am thankful for the blessings of this nation. What would the likelihood of anyone one of us be Christians if we were born in an atheistic country, or be among the millions that are Buddhists, or Muslims, where less than 2% are Christians. When I think of all the homes within American I could have been born into I am grateful to God for Christian parents and upbringing. When I think of the various generations into which I could have been born what joy to be in a world with the benefits of this day, but mostly the joy of the opportunity to hear the good news of Jesus.
Paul is writing to people that are first, and perhaps some second generation Christians. They know the blindness, they know the futility of life without Christ and now they know the liberty of believing in Jesus who is the truth the way and the life.
Sometimes I get a little impatient when comments that I hear by believers and sometimes in my lower moments I am tempted to speak like them as well. "Although I am a Christian I struggle with sickness, I don't have enough money to live on, I'm all alone, Yet, I'm supposed to be thankful. How can I thank God for anything?"
The Bible tells us to be thankful for all things, and in everything give thanks. What a wonder to know that your sins are forgiven and you are a member of God's family. What a privilege to be able to respond and carry his word and read it in a language that we can understand. What a joy to worship together with fellow Christians in freedom. Think of the many that will go into everlasting judgment and Hell. God saved us from torment. Think of the riches of the Kingdom of glory reserved for us who believe.
We have too often centered so long in what we do not have that we need to confess that sin of covetousness and look at all we have because of God's blessing. Many are like the little children on Christmas who get excited over the presents and after the time of opening them is over ask disappointedly, “is this all? How come I didn't get Micro astronaut Barbie slinky?”
There was a lady who lost her son by death. She felt extremely bitter and naturally full of anguish. She did not get over that loss and was talking with a friend of hers who was childless in her marriage. Her response was sincere, but quiet, "at least you had a son." From that moment on she said she had thanked God every day for the blessing that she failed to realize. She thanks God for what she had received, rather than that which had been taken from her. Her attitude also changed as she saw the blessing that could not be taken from her because of the years she had with her son.
During the presentation on the Passover the Jews recite a prayer that looks at God’s grace. He brought them out of Egypt, if that was all he had done it would have been enough, but indeed in executed judgment on his enemies, the Egyptians, that would have sufficed, but on their gods, more given us their wealth, more, split the seas, more and the list goes on.
It would have been enough had Jesus visited this planet, but he did more, enough to show us how to live, to be forgiven from sin, to save from hell, to grant us heaven, but gave us Himself to live and dwell with us now and forever. Pray with thankful hearts.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Fri Jan 8
Verses- 3,4 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.
Effective praying is Specific Praying.
Pray for others. Paul is in prison and yet notice his prayer request-“That the door might be opened to spread the gospel.” Praying specifically for others is tremendous responsibility.
F.B. Meyer told of a preacher who was marvelously used of God. He dreamed on night that he was beginning to take pride in himself and his gifts. But an angel told him that his success was due primarily to a poor widow who sat regularly at the foot of his pulpit and never ceased to pray for him.
I was encouraged by the folks who in spite of the cold, came these evenings to pray. I wish the numbers were more. I wish there were more to join us at 8:30 AM Sunday mornings for prayer. I wish there were more who came out Monday evenings. But more important than a crowd of people is heart felt desire to approach God in prayer and be intercessors for each other. Paul realized personal prayers are essential. He also knew like minded people to gather together in prayer is effective.
Another church in the cities has people praying for prayer requests and for the service while the service is going on.
There is the temptation to believe Christ is sufficient for all our needs which is true. But Scripture teaches He often chooses to use other believers to help do his work. Paul was not ashamed to ask his friends to pray for him and tell of his needs and he was even an apostle. He needed prayer. He asked for it from people who really were not as mature in the faith as he was. Does that surprise you? He realized the prayers of the saints are important for his ministry.
Christ himself requested of his disciples their prayers for him and with him in the garden of Gethsemane. If Paul and our Lord desired prayer how much more do you and I need this specific pray for specific needs?
Paul didn't ask to be released from prison, or for a new camel to ride, or a bigger and better house but that the doors would be open to have the gospel preached and that people might be saved.
The purpose of prayer is not so much to get man's will done in heaven, but to get God's will done on earth.
Paul fills out his prayer request card. What does it say? It says "Pray for us” He is asking for prayer for the ministering team with him. I think it is the Mark, Aristarchus, Luke, Justus, and Epaphras, (see v. 12), “who is one of who, a servant of Christ Jesus, He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured."
What does it mean that he is wresting in prayer for you? The people are so deeply on his mind and heart that he works at prayer, often, intensely, not as a show, but as a heartfelt desire to do spiritual battle against Satan to see victory in Christ.
As we enter into a new year what better time to wrestle in prayer for our community and our church to see the lost saved? Pray for me so I can clearly proclaim the mystery of Christ. Pray for our pastoral team, our Sunday School teachers, our club workers, our evangelists, our missionaries, that the Holy Spirit must bring home that word to peoples’ hearts to respond by faith to Jesus.
“Pray now that I many proclaim it clearly as I should.” Pray that I would be as Biblical as possibly, as practical as I am able, and as clear to the audience or the majority of people to whom I am speaking. But it isn't important that I am clear, but that the Holy Spirit takes that which is of Him and brings it home.
We need to be praying with attitude of watchfulness, desirous full of faith looking to see how He answers and how we might be the answer to prayer. We are looking for ways to be thankful for whatever he does and sometimes be thankful he does not answer our prayers the way we think he should. We need to be specific not for our own lusts and desires, but for that which would advance his eternal kingdom through us together.
Will you be part of the team interceding for us?
Pastor Dale
