How to (and Not to) Pray

Notes: How to (and Not to) Pray

Matthew 20

Pastor Greg Laurie

SERIES: God Came Near

Sunday, April 19, 2015 — 10:00 a.m.

Prayer is extremely important because it keeps us in touch with God.

Pastor Greg speaks on how we can pray prayers that are healthy and effective. He also warns against things that can hinder our prayers.

It's stupid to say that we should stay out of politics. Greg prayed at an event Marco Rubio was at.

Prayer...what a privilege it is.

You can pray anywhere and anytime.

The main thing with prayer is that we are right with God.

Why should I pray? The value of prayer is that it keeps me in touch with God. God gives us what we need when we need it.

Prayer is getting your will in alignment with God's.

How not to pray:

Matthew 20:17-23 NKJV

[17] Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them, [18] "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, [19] and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again." [20] Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him. [21] And He said to her, "What do you wish?" She said to Him, "Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom." [22] But Jesus answered and said, "You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They said to Him, "We are able." [23] So He said to them, "You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father."

Why is this a bad prayer? It is utterly senseless and selfish prayer.

They immediately say that they are able, with no clarification of what Jesus is describing.

Matthew 20:22 NKJV

[22] But Jesus answered and said, "You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They said to Him, "We are able."

Why does God not always answer our prayers the way we ask Him too...

All prayers are answered, either. No, Go or Slow.

There is nothing wrong in bringing our request to God.

Prayer is not a sign of weakness; it is an acknowledgement that we are weak.

Jesus prayed, and if Jesus prayed then we need to pray.

We should always ask that the Lord's will would be done.

Matthew 20:29-34 NKJV

[29] Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him. [30] And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!" [31] Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!" [32] So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, "What do you want Me to do for you?" [33] They said to Him, "Lord, that our eyes may be opened." [34] So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.

How to pray:

1. In a time of crisis, they prayed and so should we.

Psalm 50:15 NKJV

[15] Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me."

James 4:2 NKJV

[2] You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask.

Pride can stop us from calling out.

Ephesians 6:18 NKJV

[18] praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints-

When should we pray? All the time!

James 4:3 NKJV

[3] You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.

2. They prayed with passion and persistence.

We need to pray with passion.

Acts 12:5 NKJV

[5] Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.

Pray for things and for people by name, be specific.

3. Their prayer is heard by Jesus.

Matthew 20:32 NKJV

[32] So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, "What do you want Me to do for you?"

Jeremiah 29:13 NKJV

[13] And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

4. Their prayer is answered in the affirmative by Jesus.

Unconfessed sin can hinder our prayers:

Psalm 66:18 NKJV

[18] If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear.

We sin more than we think we do.

1. Hanging onto sin will keep your prayers from being answered.

1 John 3:22 NKJV

[22] And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

Obedience is a choice and disobedience is a choice.

Reap the consequences of your sins.

Psalm 139:23-24 NKJV

[23] Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; [24] And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.

2. Idols in our heart can keep us from Jesus.

Statues, people, and things can all be idols. Anything that takes the place of God is an idol.

3. Unforgiveness in your heart can hinder your prayers.

Forgiven people should be forgiving people.

Forgiveness does more good for you then for the people you are not forgiving.

Bitterness destroys you and others.

4. Unbelief can hinder our prayers.

When you pray, pray believing.

It is impossible to please God without faith.

Faith sees invisible things.

God loves to bless you.

Not Again!

Notes: Not Again!
Pastor Steve Wilburn
Romans 8
April 12, 2015

Have you ever done something that you said that you would never do again, yet you do it again?

We have all had our share of missed steps.

It happens to all of us. It’s like a self inflicted curse that has happened to all of us.

Like going to the DMV without an appointment. We like to be our own worse enemies. That seems to lead to condemnation.

At times we cause ourselves multitudes of misery. We cause ourselves misery in the little things. We fail and we fall. These things can lead us to feel shame.

For the Christian there is hope! It’s found in the pages of God’s word.

In the midst of failures in life there is hope we can grasp.

Ps 103:13-Ps 103:14 NKJV As a father pities his children, So the Lord pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.

For those who fear the Lord he has compassion on them.

"If you fear God you can fear nothing else. If you don’t fear God then you fear everything else."

Psalm 27:1 NKJV The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?

Heb 4:14-Heb 4:16 NKJV Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

God says to come boldly into His presence when we have failed. Oops is not in Gods vocabulary.

God requires us to have victory in our lives. We can find true peace and a place of quietness and true rest through the victory we celebrate in Jesus Christ.

Today we will consider where we can find victory over sorrow, fear, depression, hopelessness, despair.

Romans 8 is like a cure all for all of us.

1. Victory from our past
Rom 8:1 KJV There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.

2. Victory from our present
Rom 8:28 NKJV And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

3. Victory for our future
Rom 8:39 NKJV nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8 starts with no condemnation, ends with no separation and in the middle with no defeat.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 NKJV Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

No one can say they don't sin.

Ecclesiastes 7:20 NKJV For there is not a just man on earth who does good And does not sin.

Victory from our past:
Rom 8:1-5 NKJV There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

Titus 3:3-Titus 3:6 NKJV For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,

Jesus paid the full penalty of our sins on the cross. No one can reverse that fact on a Christian.

Jesus Christ's righteousness has been imputed for us who believe.r

When we sin before God we sin against God, and we should feel guilty. But when we return to God then we are free from it.

God convicts us of sin but the devil condemns us for our sin.

We have three voices in our head. Our voice, the devils voice and the Lords voice. 

The devil tells us to run from God, but the Holy Spirit will ask us to return. The devil will call us hypocrites and that we need to stay away, but God will accept us and have us return.

99% of the time when you feel guilty it is because you are guilty. So return to God.

1 John 1:9 NKJV
[9] If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

The apostle Paul had to forget his horrible past of killing Christians and look forward to what God says he was to do.

Colossians 2:14 NKJV having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

God has erased the sins that you have committed.

Luke 12:3 NKJV Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.

There are 613 laws in the first 5 books of Bible. Those laws are not friendly toward us, they work against us. Those laws are like a finger of guilt pointed right at our face. God nailed those laws to the cross!

Are you in Christ Jesus?

Victory in our present:
Rom 8:7-Rom 8:8 NKJV Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

In our own strength we are utterly destitute. God doesn’t leave us to our own.

Rom 8:11 NKJV But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

The very same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead, is living inside of you.

1 Corinthians 3:16 NKJV - [16] Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

That was reserved for only a few in the Old Testament, but in the new covenant the Spirit is in all of us that our followers of Jesus. 

We have all struggled with the flesh and our faith. At what point will we come to the end of ourselves?

Rom 8:13 NKJV For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

He is not talking about dying physically but spiritually.

We can die to our own sinful passions, by allowing the Spirit of God to fill us.

John 12:24 NKJV Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.

Every seed in an orange has the ability to grow an orange tree.

Die to yourself, live unto Christ!

Have you truly died to yourself?

At what point will we throw up the white flag of surrender, trading our will for God's will?

Rom 8:14-Rom 8:16 NKJV For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

Jesus Christ called the Spirit of God a comforter.

God doesn’t put us in a choke hold, we don’t have to be scared or afraid of Him.

God has made us His sons and daughters. He has allowed us to call him Papa! 

The Old Testament mind couldn't even comprehend this thought. But now in the New Covenant the Spirit of God lives in us.

Romans 8:17 NKJV
[17] and if children, then heirs-heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

We learn lessons in the valleys of life.

Psalm 23:4 NKJV
[4] Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

John 14:1-3 NKJV
[1] "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. [2] In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. [3] And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

We need a tough hide and a tender heart to follow Jesus Christ.

Romans 8:28 NKJV
[28] And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

How can He work all things for the good when there is so much bad in the world? It is a promise of God.

God works through the hardships of our lives to make us who we never could of made ourselves.

Victory for our future.

Romans 8:31-34 NKJV
[31] What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? [32] He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? [33] Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. [34] Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

Revelation 12:10 NKJV
[10] Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.

Hebrews 7:25 NKJV
[25] Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

Romans 8:35-37 NKJV
[35] Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? [36] As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." [37] Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

Romans 8:38-39 NKJV
[38] For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, [39] nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Have you made Christ Jesus Your Lord?

Acts 3:19 NKJV
[19] Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,

You need to come home in order to have refreshing from the Lord.

The Gifts That Keep On Giving

Notes: The Gifts That Keep On Giving

Ephesians 4 / Romans 12

Pastor Greg Laurie

SERIES: Live, Love, Fight

Thursday, April 9, 2015 — 7:00 p.m.

Ephesians 4:11 NKJV

[11] And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,

1. Apostles- from the Bible, their words were given to them by God.

Acts 17:11 NKJV

[11] These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.

The Bible tells us there will be false apostles in end times.

2 Corinthians 11:14 NKJV

[14] And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

2. Prophets - they have a message. In many cases they predicted the future.

Deuteronomy 18:21-22 NKJV

[21] And if you say in your heart, 'How shall we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?'- [22] when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.

There will be false prophets in end times as well.

There are times when the Lord will speak through you. The Lord can give you the words to speak.

3. Evangelist- "bearers of good news"

You don't have to be a preacher to be an evangelist.

4. Pastor/Teachers - it is their job to feed the flock of God.

The greatest need in the church today is for practical clear Biblical exposition.

2 Timothy 4:2-4 NKJV

[2] Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. [3] For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; [4] and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

Tell us what the Bible says, not your opinion.

Harvest offers theology without apology.

Ephesians 4:12 NKJV

[12] for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,

Right now about 1500 people at Harvest volunteer. This is a church of people that get involved.

"Equipping" is meant as to restore to original condition.

Romans 12:6-8 NKJV

[6] Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; [7] or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; [8] he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

If you have a gift, use it well.

There is a God-given gift of exhortation.

Acts 14:22 NKJV

[22] strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God."

Hebrews 10:24-25 NKJV

[24] And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, [25] not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

There is a spiritual gift of giving.

You don't have to be rich with money to give.

Jesus Christ said where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Malachi 3:10 NKJV

[10] Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this," Says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.

10% to 20% in a congregation give regularly.

1 Corinthians 16:2 NKJV

[2] On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.

There is a spiritual gift of showing kindness and mercy.

There are those that give comfort to those in need.

Preaching is not the only gift out there. One is not better than the other.

Ephesians 4:15-16 NKJV

[15] but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head-Christ- [16] from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

We all have a part to play and everybody matters.

We were all babies at one time, but we grow up. Some Christians act like big babies still. It's time to grow up.

1. We know little kids can be fickle.

They can be unstable.

2. Babies - They want it now!

3. Children like exciting new things.

Hebrews 5:12 NKJV

[12] For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.

The children must realize that they are children.

As a child, they must know that they are vulnerable.

You have to make sure they do not fall between the cracks,

Ephesians 4:14 NKJV

[14] that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,

1 Peter 5:8 NKJV

[8] Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

Our family is the church and Jesus Christ founded our organization.

We are a family in Christ!

You Are Who God Says You Are

Notes: Easter Message

Pastor JUD WILHITE

Central Christian Church

April 5, 2015

Las Vegas, NV

Easter seems to have the get too and the have too sides.

The get too, seemed to be the candy and the egg hunts as a child. The have too was the going to church in the uncomfortable clothes side.

Over time the pastor said he went from believing in God to becoming a follower of Jesus Christ. He said he isn't better then anyone else, but he was following someone, Jesus, that is better than everyone else.

Jesus Christ and Easter is all about what He can do in our lives.

Luke 24:1-6 NKJV

[1] Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. [2] But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. [3] Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. [4] And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. [5] Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? [6] He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee,

These verses are the Easter story.

Over a billion people are celebrating this today. This is what divides our calendar.

You get to receive a new life from Jesus.

John 3:16 NKJV

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Jesus Christ doesn't come to fix you, He comes to make you new. It doesn't matter your past.

2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV

[17] Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

It doesn't say a little better, it says new!

We now belong to Christ. Your past isn't fatal because Jesus Christ can set you free.

You are not the sum total of your mistakes; you are who God says you are.

That is the hope of Easter.

Are we going to live in our new life or get sucked back into our old destructive ways?

Jesus Christ came to bring life not, only to this life, but the one to come also.

As we get older, we can still find joy because Christ conquered death.

John 11:25-26 NKJV

[25] Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. [26] And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?"

That is the resurrection question.

Do you believe this? Only you can answer that.