1 00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:03,320 Welcome to From the Pulpit and Classic Sermons. 2 00:00:03,760 --> 00:00:05,320 Each week we bring you a different message 3 00:00:05,320 --> 00:00:07,420 from some of history's greatest speakers in the 4 00:00:07,420 --> 00:00:10,040 Christian faith and powerful sermons from modern preachers 5 00:00:10,040 --> 00:00:10,280 too. 6 00:00:10,920 --> 00:00:13,220 This week we have Alden Gannett with his 7 00:00:13,220 --> 00:00:14,560 message, Answered Prayer. 8 00:00:16,960 --> 00:00:19,120 Dr. Ironside was a great blessing to me 9 00:00:19,120 --> 00:00:20,720 a number of years ago when I was 10 00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:21,460 just the last. 11 00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:23,200 I heard of him on a Bible conference 12 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:25,440 platform up in New York State. 13 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:28,280 And I recall his telling how he had 14 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:29,500 his own devotional life. 15 00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:33,100 And the point that I remember most about 16 00:00:33,100 --> 00:00:35,540 his discussion was the fact that he considered 17 00:00:35,540 --> 00:00:39,140 it very important to read through the Bible 18 00:00:39,140 --> 00:00:41,840 at least once a year. 19 00:00:42,560 --> 00:00:44,640 And I remember his telling us at Dallas 20 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:47,180 Seminary some years later that he had read 21 00:00:47,180 --> 00:00:49,860 through the Bible 40 times in addition to 22 00:00:49,860 --> 00:00:50,660 any of his studies. 23 00:00:51,940 --> 00:00:53,970 And that meant he'd read the Bible through 24 00:00:53,970 --> 00:00:57,730 for the last 40 years, at least once 25 00:00:57,730 --> 00:00:58,450 each time. 26 00:00:59,530 --> 00:01:02,150 His principle was, which I think is exceedingly 27 00:01:02,150 --> 00:01:05,030 valid, we should know all the counsel of 28 00:01:05,030 --> 00:01:05,410 God. 29 00:01:06,550 --> 00:01:10,070 And we get lopsided, you know, like our 30 00:01:10,070 --> 00:01:13,050 kids eating hamburgers and French fries. 31 00:01:13,730 --> 00:01:15,930 You know, you go out to supper somewhere 32 00:01:15,930 --> 00:01:17,070 and that's all they want. 33 00:01:17,150 --> 00:01:18,250 So you ask them what they want for 34 00:01:18,250 --> 00:01:19,110 supper, that's it. 35 00:01:19,570 --> 00:01:22,330 And they don't get a balanced diet that 36 00:01:22,330 --> 00:01:22,650 way. 37 00:01:23,290 --> 00:01:26,390 Now, Dr. Ironside's method was to have a 38 00:01:26,390 --> 00:01:28,250 balanced diet in your Bible reading. 39 00:01:29,090 --> 00:01:31,930 He said, read six chapters a day. 40 00:01:33,230 --> 00:01:37,350 Two chapters begin in Genesis, two chapters begin 41 00:01:37,350 --> 00:01:40,010 in the Psalms, two chapters begin in the 42 00:01:40,010 --> 00:01:40,490 New Testament. 43 00:01:42,230 --> 00:01:43,850 And then he said, this way you have 44 00:01:43,850 --> 00:01:46,550 your appetizer, you have your meat and potatoes, 45 00:01:46,790 --> 00:01:47,990 and you have your dessert. 46 00:01:49,530 --> 00:01:51,750 Now, many people don't feel they can read 47 00:01:51,750 --> 00:01:52,930 six chapters a day. 48 00:01:54,090 --> 00:01:56,750 But if this is at all possible, here 49 00:01:56,750 --> 00:01:57,470 is one method. 50 00:01:57,530 --> 00:01:59,210 Another method is to read through the entire 51 00:01:59,210 --> 00:02:01,210 Bible by simply starting with Genesis and reading 52 00:02:01,210 --> 00:02:01,910 through Revelation. 53 00:02:02,990 --> 00:02:05,470 This does become discouraging to some people because 54 00:02:05,470 --> 00:02:08,250 they get bogged down on the genealogy and 55 00:02:08,250 --> 00:02:10,090 get bogged down in some of the historical 56 00:02:10,090 --> 00:02:11,390 portions of the Old Testament. 57 00:02:12,270 --> 00:02:13,770 But this certainly is a good way. 58 00:02:13,890 --> 00:02:16,290 If you're a new convert, I encourage your 59 00:02:16,290 --> 00:02:18,650 reading through the Gospel of John several times, 60 00:02:19,450 --> 00:02:22,010 and then on through the New Testament, and 61 00:02:22,010 --> 00:02:23,630 then pick up a method going through. 62 00:02:24,290 --> 00:02:26,950 Now, my own particular method is reading through 63 00:02:26,950 --> 00:02:29,150 the Bible once a year, which is a 64 00:02:29,150 --> 00:02:31,270 suggestion I got from Dr. Ironside, but I 65 00:02:31,270 --> 00:02:32,630 use a bit of a different approach. 66 00:02:33,870 --> 00:02:36,210 I do start with Genesis and read through 67 00:02:36,210 --> 00:02:36,730 the Scriptures. 68 00:02:37,350 --> 00:02:38,970 I've taught through the Bible a number of 69 00:02:38,970 --> 00:02:41,330 times, and so the genealogies don't bother me 70 00:02:41,330 --> 00:02:42,450 as they might a new convert. 71 00:02:44,350 --> 00:02:47,350 But in addition to reading from beginning with 72 00:02:47,350 --> 00:02:51,130 Genesis, I like to read one of the 73 00:02:51,130 --> 00:02:52,130 Psalms each day. 74 00:02:52,630 --> 00:02:54,790 So starting January 1st, I read Psalm 1, 75 00:02:54,870 --> 00:02:57,490 and January 2nd, Psalm 2, and then when 76 00:02:57,490 --> 00:02:59,370 I finish Psalms, I read one proverb a 77 00:02:59,370 --> 00:02:59,590 day. 78 00:02:59,910 --> 00:03:01,730 Today is June 2nd, and I read the 79 00:03:01,730 --> 00:03:03,410 second chapter in Proverbs. 80 00:03:03,950 --> 00:03:05,630 By the time I get through Proverbs, I'll 81 00:03:05,630 --> 00:03:07,210 go back and start with Psalms again and 82 00:03:07,210 --> 00:03:09,310 read through the Psalms and Proverbs twice in 83 00:03:09,310 --> 00:03:10,070 the course of a year. 84 00:03:13,130 --> 00:03:21,950 I like these for the devotional, the worship 85 00:03:21,950 --> 00:03:24,570 aspect of a quiet time. 86 00:03:25,130 --> 00:03:27,870 Now, if you actually divide the chapters of 87 00:03:27,870 --> 00:03:31,190 the Bible and divide them by 365, you 88 00:03:31,190 --> 00:03:34,890 get three chapters a day for six days 89 00:03:34,890 --> 00:03:37,870 a week, and four chapters a day for 90 00:03:37,870 --> 00:03:39,430 the seventh day of the week. 91 00:03:39,570 --> 00:03:41,810 If my mathematics are correct, that's the way 92 00:03:41,810 --> 00:03:42,430 it works out. 93 00:03:43,130 --> 00:03:45,470 And so you can literally read only three 94 00:03:45,470 --> 00:03:49,050 chapters a day, and the fourth chapter on 95 00:03:49,050 --> 00:03:51,010 the Lord's Day or some other day, and 96 00:03:51,010 --> 00:03:52,610 on the average of this, you can read 97 00:03:52,610 --> 00:03:55,250 through the entire Bible in the course of 98 00:03:55,250 --> 00:03:55,550 a year. 99 00:03:55,550 --> 00:03:58,090 Let me encourage you not to get discouraged 100 00:03:58,090 --> 00:03:59,530 in your Bible reading if you get a 101 00:03:59,530 --> 00:04:02,150 difficult portion, a portion you don't understand. 102 00:04:02,650 --> 00:04:04,990 Don't worry about this, just keep on reading, 103 00:04:05,390 --> 00:04:07,130 and the more you read, the more it 104 00:04:07,130 --> 00:04:08,210 will dovetail together. 105 00:04:08,670 --> 00:04:10,070 There's a whole lot of the Bible I 106 00:04:10,070 --> 00:04:11,870 don't know tonight, and I've studied it formally 107 00:04:11,870 --> 00:04:14,950 for nearly 25 years, and there is much 108 00:04:14,950 --> 00:04:16,310 in the Bible I do not know. 109 00:04:16,690 --> 00:04:18,370 But every time I read through, I get 110 00:04:18,370 --> 00:04:21,510 more, and more of it fits together, together, 111 00:04:21,870 --> 00:04:23,190 together through Bible reading. 112 00:04:23,730 --> 00:04:25,590 Now, I have a philosophy about Bible reading 113 00:04:25,590 --> 00:04:28,710 that some people disagree with, and I respect 114 00:04:28,710 --> 00:04:31,490 every writer there to disagree, but I don't 115 00:04:31,490 --> 00:04:33,590 do my Bible study when I'm reading. 116 00:04:33,790 --> 00:04:34,530 Other people do. 117 00:04:34,650 --> 00:04:36,250 Brother Willie, you may do this, and this 118 00:04:36,250 --> 00:04:37,550 may work just fine for you. 119 00:04:38,530 --> 00:04:41,370 For me, I read devotionally, and by that 120 00:04:41,370 --> 00:04:43,990 I mean I'm reading something for something for 121 00:04:43,990 --> 00:04:44,530 my heart. 122 00:04:45,930 --> 00:04:48,030 Of course, I have my formal Bible study 123 00:04:48,030 --> 00:04:50,070 with courses I teach at the Bible College, 124 00:04:50,510 --> 00:04:52,470 and study sets of theories as we've had 125 00:04:52,470 --> 00:04:54,270 this weekend and so on, and so I 126 00:04:54,270 --> 00:04:57,130 have ample opportunity for formal study. 127 00:04:57,570 --> 00:05:00,470 But I like to read simply for God 128 00:05:00,470 --> 00:05:01,510 to speak to my heart. 129 00:05:01,630 --> 00:05:02,670 I'm not ignoring facts. 130 00:05:02,790 --> 00:05:04,430 I want to glean every fact I can. 131 00:05:04,790 --> 00:05:06,990 I want to glean the historical, the biographical, 132 00:05:07,470 --> 00:05:10,510 the theological, but at the same time, I 133 00:05:10,510 --> 00:05:12,290 want God to speak to me. 134 00:05:13,350 --> 00:05:15,070 Somebody asked the question one time, well, how 135 00:05:15,070 --> 00:05:16,470 much of the Bible should I read a 136 00:05:16,470 --> 00:05:16,670 day? 137 00:05:17,170 --> 00:05:19,570 And the reply came, read till God speaks 138 00:05:19,570 --> 00:05:20,170 to your heart. 139 00:05:20,630 --> 00:05:22,370 And that's the best answer I've ever heard. 140 00:05:23,290 --> 00:05:25,390 Read till God speaks to your heart. 141 00:05:25,470 --> 00:05:26,750 He may speak to you in one verse, 142 00:05:27,750 --> 00:05:28,750 one chapter. 143 00:05:29,410 --> 00:05:32,490 It may take several, but read till you 144 00:05:32,490 --> 00:05:33,270 get some food. 145 00:05:33,450 --> 00:05:34,830 You'd hate to go all day hungry, wouldn't 146 00:05:34,830 --> 00:05:35,050 you? 147 00:05:35,610 --> 00:05:39,750 I certainly would, and so read till God 148 00:05:39,750 --> 00:05:40,950 speaks to your heart. 149 00:05:41,290 --> 00:05:43,650 Griffith Thomas suggested four A's that have been 150 00:05:43,650 --> 00:05:44,970 a great blessing to me, and I think 151 00:05:44,970 --> 00:05:46,250 I've shared them with some of you in 152 00:05:46,250 --> 00:05:48,590 years past right here, but let me repeat 153 00:05:48,590 --> 00:05:51,110 them further for you without going into great 154 00:05:51,110 --> 00:05:51,550 detail. 155 00:05:52,030 --> 00:05:54,130 One A he suggests is attention. 156 00:05:54,710 --> 00:05:57,770 Any time you come to the Word, give 157 00:05:57,770 --> 00:05:58,690 attention to it. 158 00:05:58,810 --> 00:06:00,390 Get your mind off other things. 159 00:06:01,570 --> 00:06:03,030 And it takes time, you know, to give 160 00:06:03,030 --> 00:06:03,890 attention to the Word. 161 00:06:04,010 --> 00:06:05,610 You must set aside something else. 162 00:06:06,370 --> 00:06:07,730 Give attention to that Book. 163 00:06:08,330 --> 00:06:10,570 The second A he suggests is application. 164 00:06:11,470 --> 00:06:14,530 Look now for something to be applied to 165 00:06:14,530 --> 00:06:14,810 me. 166 00:06:15,070 --> 00:06:17,550 If my wife needs this, and my friends 167 00:06:17,550 --> 00:06:20,110 need it, and somebody else needs it, but 168 00:06:20,110 --> 00:06:21,210 I need it. 169 00:06:21,310 --> 00:06:23,230 And so I ask the Lord for something 170 00:06:23,230 --> 00:06:25,070 for me that day. 171 00:06:25,470 --> 00:06:25,990 Application. 172 00:06:26,450 --> 00:06:27,650 Attention, application. 173 00:06:28,130 --> 00:06:30,250 The third A he suggests is aspiration. 174 00:06:31,190 --> 00:06:33,510 And by this, Dr. Thomas means pray over 175 00:06:33,510 --> 00:06:33,710 it. 176 00:06:34,530 --> 00:06:36,290 Pray about what you've read, and this has 177 00:06:36,290 --> 00:06:37,930 been a great help to me in my 178 00:06:37,930 --> 00:06:40,790 own devotional life, to enlarge it, to enrich 179 00:06:40,790 --> 00:06:41,150 it. 180 00:06:41,550 --> 00:06:43,490 To pray about what I've seen in the 181 00:06:43,490 --> 00:06:43,850 Scriptures. 182 00:06:44,870 --> 00:06:47,030 If I've seen the Lord, then I worship 183 00:06:47,030 --> 00:06:49,090 him as I've seen him revealed in the 184 00:06:49,090 --> 00:06:49,310 Word. 185 00:06:49,570 --> 00:06:51,190 He's put his finger upon sin in my 186 00:06:51,190 --> 00:06:52,930 life, I confess that sin to the Lord. 187 00:06:53,210 --> 00:06:54,950 He gives me a new challenge to faith, 188 00:06:55,150 --> 00:06:57,590 then I reach out in faith to claim 189 00:06:57,590 --> 00:06:59,790 that wonderful truth that God's given me in 190 00:06:59,790 --> 00:07:00,350 his Word. 191 00:07:01,370 --> 00:07:03,930 And then the fourth A he suggests is 192 00:07:03,930 --> 00:07:04,890 action. 193 00:07:06,210 --> 00:07:08,030 Action, action. 194 00:07:08,730 --> 00:07:11,230 It's so easy to give attention, to say 195 00:07:11,230 --> 00:07:13,530 that's exactly what I need, to get out 196 00:07:13,530 --> 00:07:15,310 on our knees and pray about it, but 197 00:07:15,310 --> 00:07:17,510 then not act upon it. 198 00:07:18,990 --> 00:07:20,530 Now if you'll take these four A's and 199 00:07:20,530 --> 00:07:22,670 apply them to any time you are confronted 200 00:07:22,670 --> 00:07:25,030 with a word in a worship service such 201 00:07:25,030 --> 00:07:26,910 as this, in a Bible study, in your 202 00:07:26,910 --> 00:07:28,790 quiet time in your family worship, it matters 203 00:07:28,790 --> 00:07:29,110 not. 204 00:07:29,690 --> 00:07:31,330 Give attention to the word. 205 00:07:31,930 --> 00:07:34,050 Application of that word to your own heart. 206 00:07:34,930 --> 00:07:37,590 Then pray over it, and then act upon 207 00:07:37,590 --> 00:07:37,850 it. 208 00:07:38,430 --> 00:07:41,390 Perhaps your Bible reading will become more meaningful 209 00:07:41,390 --> 00:07:43,010 to you as a result. 210 00:07:44,510 --> 00:07:47,070 Now, after you've read the Word, then pray. 211 00:07:47,850 --> 00:07:48,130 Pray. 212 00:07:48,230 --> 00:07:50,270 Let the Word prepare you to pray. 213 00:07:51,370 --> 00:07:52,570 Now what do you pray about? 214 00:07:53,870 --> 00:07:57,290 Well, the scriptural prayers begin with worship and 215 00:07:57,290 --> 00:08:00,090 adoration, and so are we to do this. 216 00:08:00,770 --> 00:08:05,330 Scriptural prayers include confession where this is needed, 217 00:08:05,730 --> 00:08:07,910 and we name our sins to God. 218 00:08:08,770 --> 00:08:12,070 And scriptural prayers include the matter of praying 219 00:08:12,070 --> 00:08:15,770 for the needs that are before us, our 220 00:08:15,770 --> 00:08:18,610 loved ones certainly, our own personal walk with 221 00:08:18,610 --> 00:08:21,650 God, our neighbors and loved ones here for 222 00:08:21,650 --> 00:08:22,690 whom we are concerned. 223 00:08:23,090 --> 00:08:24,270 We pray for others. 224 00:08:24,270 --> 00:08:26,230 We pray for our missionaries. 225 00:08:26,710 --> 00:08:27,990 We pray for Christian workers. 226 00:08:28,470 --> 00:08:29,730 We pray for our government. 227 00:08:30,210 --> 00:08:31,890 We pray for the fields of the Word. 228 00:08:32,470 --> 00:08:34,710 We become specific and definite, as we've heard 229 00:08:34,710 --> 00:08:35,230 this week. 230 00:08:35,549 --> 00:08:37,470 We pray about these things. 231 00:08:38,289 --> 00:08:39,789 Now what time of day is best for 232 00:08:39,789 --> 00:08:40,470 your quiet time? 233 00:08:40,809 --> 00:08:42,630 I've discovered that this is best for the 234 00:08:42,630 --> 00:08:43,150 individual. 235 00:08:43,770 --> 00:08:46,050 The scriptural pattern again and again in Psalm 236 00:08:46,050 --> 00:08:49,970 5, for example, in Psalm 55, speak of 237 00:08:49,970 --> 00:08:51,890 David having met the Lord in the morning. 238 00:08:52,610 --> 00:08:54,570 I like the morning best, but I like 239 00:08:54,570 --> 00:08:56,170 that old adage, early to bed and early 240 00:08:56,170 --> 00:08:56,850 to rise. 241 00:08:57,850 --> 00:08:59,690 My wife says, I haven't been made wealthy 242 00:08:59,690 --> 00:09:02,170 yet, nor wise, but just keep trying. 243 00:09:02,850 --> 00:09:04,170 But I do like that schedule. 244 00:09:04,290 --> 00:09:05,410 For other people, it's horrible. 245 00:09:05,690 --> 00:09:07,350 You don't have any better sense than to 246 00:09:07,350 --> 00:09:08,670 go to bed at 12 or 1 o 247 00:09:08,670 --> 00:09:09,090 'clock at night. 248 00:09:09,650 --> 00:09:11,250 Well, you know, I've discovered at my young 249 00:09:11,250 --> 00:09:12,310 age that you can't get up in the 250 00:09:12,310 --> 00:09:13,530 morning unless you go to bed at night. 251 00:09:15,530 --> 00:09:16,310 That's profound. 252 00:09:16,430 --> 00:09:17,530 You'll find that out in a while. 253 00:09:19,570 --> 00:09:21,710 Now, for some people who don't wake up 254 00:09:21,710 --> 00:09:22,910 until the middle of the morning, the best 255 00:09:22,910 --> 00:09:23,950 time for you is at night. 256 00:09:24,750 --> 00:09:26,430 Have your quiet time when you're awake. 257 00:09:26,630 --> 00:09:28,770 But at least when you open your eyes 258 00:09:28,770 --> 00:09:31,010 in the morning, connect the day to God. 259 00:09:31,430 --> 00:09:32,870 It is the day which the Lord has 260 00:09:32,870 --> 00:09:35,070 made, and dedicate it to him and his 261 00:09:35,070 --> 00:09:36,510 will and his glory. 262 00:09:37,010 --> 00:09:38,390 Now how long should you have a quiet 263 00:09:38,390 --> 00:09:38,770 time? 264 00:09:39,030 --> 00:09:40,830 If I'm speaking to somebody who's never really 265 00:09:40,830 --> 00:09:42,850 gotten started, start with five minutes. 266 00:09:43,850 --> 00:09:44,910 Start with ten minutes. 267 00:09:45,050 --> 00:09:46,510 You've heard about people who pray for an 268 00:09:46,510 --> 00:09:48,010 hour and pray for all day and pray 269 00:09:48,010 --> 00:09:48,630 for all night. 270 00:09:48,870 --> 00:09:50,910 You start with five minutes or start with 271 00:09:50,910 --> 00:09:52,690 ten minutes and let it be meaningful. 272 00:09:53,490 --> 00:09:56,630 And don't be legislated by somebody else's time. 273 00:09:57,150 --> 00:09:58,390 You'll find it will grow. 274 00:09:59,810 --> 00:10:01,830 The first time I talked to my dear 275 00:10:01,830 --> 00:10:04,150 redhead, I just tapped her on the shoulder 276 00:10:04,150 --> 00:10:06,570 at a prayer meeting at Houghton College and 277 00:10:06,570 --> 00:10:08,830 asked her for a date, and we talked 278 00:10:08,830 --> 00:10:11,430 there just a few moments walking down the 279 00:10:11,430 --> 00:10:11,910 stairs. 280 00:10:12,870 --> 00:10:15,570 But on the way down from Birmingham last 281 00:10:15,570 --> 00:10:19,050 Wednesday, we noted our clocks and we spent 282 00:10:19,050 --> 00:10:21,390 six and a half hours talking before we 283 00:10:21,390 --> 00:10:22,630 ran out of something to talk about. 284 00:10:22,910 --> 00:10:24,490 The Careys were there too, I hasten to 285 00:10:24,490 --> 00:10:24,710 add. 286 00:10:25,250 --> 00:10:27,930 But this grows on you. 287 00:10:28,310 --> 00:10:30,050 Don't worry if the other fellow spends an 288 00:10:30,050 --> 00:10:30,270 hour. 289 00:10:30,770 --> 00:10:32,710 You spend the time that's meaningful. 290 00:10:32,950 --> 00:10:34,650 Don't make it legalistic. 291 00:10:35,770 --> 00:10:37,550 Make it important to you. 292 00:10:38,470 --> 00:10:41,650 A definite time, a definite place. 293 00:10:42,310 --> 00:10:45,390 Well, you say, Preacher, I'm just so busy. 294 00:10:45,750 --> 00:10:47,230 I've got so many things to do. 295 00:10:47,650 --> 00:10:49,630 You have just as much time as every 296 00:10:49,630 --> 00:10:50,730 other human being. 297 00:10:52,980 --> 00:10:56,300 The question is discipline, not time. 298 00:10:57,580 --> 00:10:59,540 The question is priorities. 299 00:11:01,710 --> 00:11:04,550 You have to make a value judgment on 300 00:11:04,550 --> 00:11:06,650 that which is good, and that which is 301 00:11:06,650 --> 00:11:08,390 better, and that which is best. 302 00:11:09,030 --> 00:11:11,150 That which is important, that which is more 303 00:11:11,150 --> 00:11:13,250 important, that which is most important. 304 00:11:14,090 --> 00:11:15,610 You have to do this every day and 305 00:11:15,610 --> 00:11:16,130 other things. 306 00:11:16,750 --> 00:11:18,190 You have a choice of three things to 307 00:11:18,190 --> 00:11:20,130 do, and you choose what you must do 308 00:11:20,130 --> 00:11:21,630 first, and you get to it. 309 00:11:21,870 --> 00:11:23,750 And when it comes to a spiritual exercise, 310 00:11:24,230 --> 00:11:27,390 we have to determine what's most important, and 311 00:11:27,390 --> 00:11:31,230 do that first, if it's at all possible. 312 00:11:32,330 --> 00:11:35,050 I trust after these days of study on 313 00:11:35,050 --> 00:11:37,970 the subject of prayer that God has indeed 314 00:11:37,970 --> 00:11:42,770 challenged our hearts anew to faithful, diligent ministry 315 00:11:42,770 --> 00:11:45,850 of intercessory prayer, and that we shall hear 316 00:11:45,850 --> 00:11:48,930 of greater and greater blessings from this place 317 00:11:48,930 --> 00:11:53,800 because of what God has done in answer 318 00:11:53,800 --> 00:11:54,280 to prayer. 319 00:11:55,020 --> 00:11:58,020 Now our text tonight is Matthew chapter 7. 320 00:11:59,780 --> 00:12:01,380 Matthew chapter 7. 321 00:12:07,760 --> 00:12:11,920 An exceedingly familiar text, beginning with verse 7. 322 00:12:12,900 --> 00:12:15,160 Ask, and it shall be given you. 323 00:12:16,080 --> 00:12:17,640 Seek, and ye shall find. 324 00:12:18,440 --> 00:12:20,920 Knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 325 00:12:21,500 --> 00:12:24,480 For everyone that asketh receiveth, and he that 326 00:12:24,480 --> 00:12:25,380 seeketh findeth. 327 00:12:25,920 --> 00:12:27,880 And to him that knocketh it shall be 328 00:12:27,880 --> 00:12:28,180 opened. 329 00:12:28,780 --> 00:12:30,900 Or what man is there of you whom, 330 00:12:31,060 --> 00:12:32,660 if his son ask bread, will he give 331 00:12:32,660 --> 00:12:33,220 him a stone? 332 00:12:33,940 --> 00:12:35,700 Or if he ask a fish, will he 333 00:12:35,700 --> 00:12:36,500 give him a serpent? 334 00:12:37,500 --> 00:12:39,340 If ye, then, being able, know how to 335 00:12:39,340 --> 00:12:42,300 give good gifts unto your children, how much 336 00:12:42,300 --> 00:12:44,340 more shall your Father who is in heaven 337 00:12:44,340 --> 00:12:46,980 give good things to them that watch? 338 00:12:48,580 --> 00:12:49,380 Ask him. 339 00:12:50,220 --> 00:12:54,880 Our subject tonight is the certainty of answered 340 00:12:54,880 --> 00:12:55,280 prayer. 341 00:12:56,920 --> 00:13:00,420 The certainty of answered prayer. 342 00:13:01,480 --> 00:13:04,300 All of us as believers know what it 343 00:13:04,300 --> 00:13:06,700 is to go to God in prayer, to 344 00:13:06,700 --> 00:13:08,560 get off our knees and go about the 345 00:13:08,560 --> 00:13:11,960 day, not even expecting God to do anything. 346 00:13:13,660 --> 00:13:17,280 Because our conversation that day, our actions that 347 00:13:17,280 --> 00:13:22,160 day, betrayed the time we spent before God 348 00:13:22,160 --> 00:13:24,040 praying about a given matter. 349 00:13:26,410 --> 00:13:29,610 Does God mean it when he says ask, 350 00:13:29,790 --> 00:13:31,230 and it shall be given you? 351 00:13:31,890 --> 00:13:33,890 Does he mean it when he says seek, 352 00:13:33,970 --> 00:13:34,990 and ye shall find? 353 00:13:35,950 --> 00:13:37,950 Does he mean it when he says knock, 354 00:13:37,990 --> 00:13:39,830 and it shall be opened unto you? 355 00:13:40,090 --> 00:13:45,070 For everyone that asketh receiveth, and he that 356 00:13:45,070 --> 00:13:48,910 seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it 357 00:13:48,910 --> 00:13:50,990 shall be opened unto you. 358 00:13:51,650 --> 00:13:53,430 Is this promise true? 359 00:13:54,630 --> 00:13:57,090 Are the promises we've shared together this weekend 360 00:13:57,090 --> 00:13:58,390 yea and amen? 361 00:13:59,590 --> 00:14:02,110 Or must we sit here tonight and say, 362 00:14:02,410 --> 00:14:04,250 when it comes to the subject of prayer, 363 00:14:04,470 --> 00:14:06,630 we cannot trust God or his word? 364 00:14:07,330 --> 00:14:09,350 Now, not one of us will buy that, 365 00:14:09,390 --> 00:14:09,810 will we? 366 00:14:11,510 --> 00:14:14,770 We stand up and fight, yea, some of 367 00:14:14,770 --> 00:14:17,050 us would die for the full authority of 368 00:14:17,050 --> 00:14:17,410 scripture. 369 00:14:18,110 --> 00:14:21,170 We say this is the cardinal doctrine of 370 00:14:21,170 --> 00:14:25,070 the Christian faith, the full authority of the 371 00:14:25,070 --> 00:14:26,230 written word of God. 372 00:14:26,510 --> 00:14:27,750 Amen and amen. 373 00:14:28,970 --> 00:14:31,170 Well, beloved, it follows them that his prayer 374 00:14:31,170 --> 00:14:33,250 promises are yea and amen. 375 00:14:37,390 --> 00:14:38,910 That's exactly what I thought. 376 00:14:40,290 --> 00:14:42,530 Now will you notice in these verses, first 377 00:14:42,530 --> 00:14:44,210 of all with me tonight, the nature of 378 00:14:44,210 --> 00:14:44,790 the promise. 379 00:14:45,690 --> 00:14:47,630 There is the human side, there is the 380 00:14:47,630 --> 00:14:48,450 divine side. 381 00:14:49,030 --> 00:14:51,210 We saw these very verses in Luke chapter 382 00:14:51,210 --> 00:14:54,030 11 our first day together, but look at 383 00:14:54,030 --> 00:14:55,730 them briefly with me again tonight. 384 00:14:56,250 --> 00:14:59,710 The human side is asking, the divine side 385 00:14:59,710 --> 00:15:01,170 is giving. 386 00:15:02,450 --> 00:15:04,370 Ask, it shall be given to you. 387 00:15:04,870 --> 00:15:06,450 Seek, and ye shall find. 388 00:15:07,150 --> 00:15:09,230 Knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 389 00:15:09,450 --> 00:15:11,830 For everyone that asketh, receiveth, and he that 390 00:15:11,830 --> 00:15:14,370 seeketh, findeth unto him that knocketh, it shall 391 00:15:14,370 --> 00:15:15,410 be opened unto you. 392 00:15:15,770 --> 00:15:16,450 Do you notice? 393 00:15:16,730 --> 00:15:20,210 Ask, ask, ask is repeated in various forms 394 00:15:20,210 --> 00:15:21,230 in these verses. 395 00:15:22,470 --> 00:15:24,090 Brother Willie gave me a book by Guy 396 00:15:24,090 --> 00:15:26,450 King on prayer secrets, and I got to 397 00:15:26,450 --> 00:15:28,610 read just a bit of it, and there 398 00:15:28,610 --> 00:15:30,850 Guy King spoke of this very promise here 399 00:15:30,850 --> 00:15:34,830 in Matthew chapter 7, and one going to 400 00:15:34,830 --> 00:15:36,710 a friend in need, as it is in 401 00:15:36,710 --> 00:15:38,930 the context of Luke chapter 11. 402 00:15:39,990 --> 00:15:42,530 And he speaks out and asks for his 403 00:15:42,530 --> 00:15:44,770 need, and he gets no response. 404 00:15:45,310 --> 00:15:46,950 And so he walks through the gates and 405 00:15:46,950 --> 00:15:48,970 walks around the yard and walks around the 406 00:15:48,970 --> 00:15:50,510 back of the house, because he is his 407 00:15:50,510 --> 00:15:52,390 friend, he has the freedom to do this, 408 00:15:52,590 --> 00:15:54,350 and he seeks for his friend and still 409 00:15:54,350 --> 00:15:55,150 doesn't find him. 410 00:15:55,150 --> 00:15:57,630 So then he goes to the door and 411 00:15:57,630 --> 00:16:00,310 knocks on the door to seek his friend, 412 00:16:00,930 --> 00:16:02,050 to get his need. 413 00:16:04,140 --> 00:16:13,200 Now, God's appointed way of getting things has 414 00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:15,720 been said often enough this weekend for God 415 00:16:15,720 --> 00:16:17,080 to have given this to us. 416 00:16:18,060 --> 00:16:21,180 Don't stumble over the simplicity of it, beloved. 417 00:16:22,540 --> 00:16:23,760 It's like the gospel. 418 00:16:24,220 --> 00:16:25,720 People say it's too simple. 419 00:16:28,110 --> 00:16:30,230 Call unto me and I will answer thee. 420 00:16:30,790 --> 00:16:33,110 Surely great and mighty things which thou knowest 421 00:16:33,110 --> 00:16:33,390 not. 422 00:16:34,110 --> 00:16:36,050 Hitherto he asked nothing in my name. 423 00:16:36,190 --> 00:16:38,170 Asking ye shall receive that your joy may 424 00:16:38,170 --> 00:16:38,610 be full. 425 00:16:39,170 --> 00:16:41,230 Verily, verily, I say unto you, the works 426 00:16:41,230 --> 00:16:43,110 that I do shall he do also, and 427 00:16:43,110 --> 00:16:44,770 greater works than these shall he do. 428 00:16:44,990 --> 00:16:48,250 And whatsoever he shall ask the Father in 429 00:16:48,250 --> 00:16:49,850 my name, he will do it, you see. 430 00:16:50,110 --> 00:16:52,290 Whatsoever he shall ask in my name, that 431 00:16:52,290 --> 00:16:53,970 will I do, that the Father may be 432 00:16:53,970 --> 00:16:54,870 glorified in the Son. 433 00:16:55,090 --> 00:16:56,010 Ask, ask. 434 00:16:56,210 --> 00:16:57,690 Ye have not because ye want. 435 00:16:58,690 --> 00:16:59,450 Ask not. 436 00:17:00,330 --> 00:17:05,329 The Bible is repeatedly giving us this very, 437 00:17:05,650 --> 00:17:09,369 very fundamental approach in our relationship with God. 438 00:17:10,050 --> 00:17:13,349 We come to him and say, asking. 439 00:17:14,670 --> 00:17:18,569 And we've seen this week, asking specifically, asking 440 00:17:18,569 --> 00:17:22,530 believingly, asking in the will of God, asking 441 00:17:22,530 --> 00:17:24,829 in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. 442 00:17:25,550 --> 00:17:27,069 Now look at the divine side. 443 00:17:27,210 --> 00:17:29,370 Verse 9, Or what man is there of 444 00:17:29,370 --> 00:17:31,430 you, whom if his son ask bread, will 445 00:17:31,430 --> 00:17:33,270 he give him a stone? 446 00:17:33,750 --> 00:17:35,270 God's in the giving business. 447 00:17:35,710 --> 00:17:37,250 Or if he ask a fish, will he 448 00:17:37,250 --> 00:17:38,250 give him a serpent? 449 00:17:38,590 --> 00:17:40,710 Why not even a human father would do 450 00:17:40,710 --> 00:17:41,210 that. 451 00:17:42,170 --> 00:17:44,610 If ye then being evil, he doesn't congratulate 452 00:17:44,610 --> 00:17:46,830 us here, but tells us the truth. 453 00:17:47,190 --> 00:17:49,150 Ye being evil know how to give good 454 00:17:49,150 --> 00:17:50,830 gifts unto your children. 455 00:17:51,290 --> 00:17:52,510 Oh, don't you love this? 456 00:17:52,770 --> 00:17:57,270 How much more shall your Father who is 457 00:17:57,270 --> 00:18:00,630 in heaven give good things to them who 458 00:18:00,630 --> 00:18:01,210 do what? 459 00:18:02,490 --> 00:18:03,170 Asking. 460 00:18:03,470 --> 00:18:05,870 Did you notice the word give over and 461 00:18:05,870 --> 00:18:07,530 over and over again? 462 00:18:08,550 --> 00:18:10,770 We ask and God gives. 463 00:18:11,310 --> 00:18:13,970 We ask and God gives. 464 00:18:16,210 --> 00:18:16,850 So simple. 465 00:18:17,910 --> 00:18:18,650 So simple. 466 00:18:19,670 --> 00:18:22,470 But we stand rebuked tonight that we're too 467 00:18:22,470 --> 00:18:23,470 busy to ask. 468 00:18:26,390 --> 00:18:28,710 We're too busy with so many good things 469 00:18:28,710 --> 00:18:31,710 to take time simply to ask. 470 00:18:33,550 --> 00:18:36,430 Or we've been so occupied getting the answer 471 00:18:36,430 --> 00:18:41,050 that we forgot to ask. 472 00:18:46,050 --> 00:18:49,590 God says, ask and it shall be given 473 00:18:49,590 --> 00:18:49,830 you. 474 00:18:49,830 --> 00:18:51,970 Will you notice secondly the importance of this 475 00:18:51,970 --> 00:18:52,310 promise? 476 00:18:53,730 --> 00:18:55,550 The importance is seen in the fact that 477 00:18:55,550 --> 00:18:58,870 seven times in these few verses he said 478 00:18:58,870 --> 00:18:59,950 the same thing. 479 00:19:03,130 --> 00:19:05,030 It's important when you say something two or 480 00:19:05,030 --> 00:19:05,870 three times. 481 00:19:07,170 --> 00:19:08,930 Notice, ask and it shall be given you. 482 00:19:09,070 --> 00:19:10,130 Seek and ye shall find. 483 00:19:10,230 --> 00:19:11,710 Knock and it shall be opened unto you. 484 00:19:12,010 --> 00:19:12,950 Look at verse nine. 485 00:19:13,210 --> 00:19:14,790 What man is there of you, whom if 486 00:19:14,790 --> 00:19:16,110 his son ask bread. 487 00:19:16,110 --> 00:19:18,750 Verse 10, if he ask a fish. 488 00:19:19,010 --> 00:19:20,690 Verse 11, if ye being evil know how 489 00:19:20,690 --> 00:19:22,670 to give good gifts unto your children, how 490 00:19:22,670 --> 00:19:24,710 much more shall your Father who is in 491 00:19:24,710 --> 00:19:26,870 heaven give good things to them that? 492 00:19:27,770 --> 00:19:28,810 Ask him. 493 00:19:31,290 --> 00:19:32,350 Could it be simpler? 494 00:19:35,480 --> 00:19:38,260 But because our Lord repeats it again and 495 00:19:38,260 --> 00:19:41,980 again and again, he is saying don't miss 496 00:19:41,980 --> 00:19:42,300 it. 497 00:19:43,160 --> 00:19:46,200 Don't miss the fundamental importance of the principle. 498 00:19:46,920 --> 00:19:48,800 All take time to ask. 499 00:19:49,600 --> 00:19:51,680 Take time to ask. 500 00:19:52,380 --> 00:19:57,580 Crowd aside other things and take time before 501 00:19:57,580 --> 00:20:00,140 God to pray. 502 00:20:03,500 --> 00:20:07,520 How much more shall your Father who is 503 00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:11,100 in heaven give good things to them who 504 00:20:12,160 --> 00:20:13,180 ask him. 505 00:20:15,920 --> 00:20:17,800 Will you notice thirdly the proof of the 506 00:20:17,800 --> 00:20:18,120 promise? 507 00:20:20,280 --> 00:20:21,840 And the proof of the promise is the 508 00:20:21,840 --> 00:20:22,180 answer. 509 00:20:22,460 --> 00:20:24,160 My father used to tell me as a 510 00:20:24,160 --> 00:20:25,940 boy, the proof of the pudding to me. 511 00:20:28,100 --> 00:20:30,480 The proof of this promise is the answer 512 00:20:30,480 --> 00:20:31,240 to the promise. 513 00:20:34,960 --> 00:20:37,280 Now you've heard repeatedly what I'm about to 514 00:20:37,280 --> 00:20:37,660 say. 515 00:20:38,660 --> 00:20:41,480 But I say it again and again because 516 00:20:41,480 --> 00:20:44,720 it's so important that we be reminded again 517 00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:45,260 and again. 518 00:20:45,480 --> 00:20:46,940 I don't know where the devil gives the 519 00:20:46,940 --> 00:20:49,380 Christian more fit than right here in this 520 00:20:49,380 --> 00:20:50,180 business of prayer. 521 00:20:50,300 --> 00:20:50,740 Do you? 522 00:20:52,000 --> 00:20:54,480 Where he plants more doubts in our minds 523 00:20:54,480 --> 00:20:55,560 and hearts than right here. 524 00:20:55,720 --> 00:20:57,400 That God's really not going to answer. 525 00:20:57,700 --> 00:20:59,680 That God's really not interested in my problem. 526 00:20:59,920 --> 00:21:01,920 That God has forgotten all about me. 527 00:21:02,100 --> 00:21:03,980 That God is no longer concerned. 528 00:21:04,580 --> 00:21:06,760 This is the devil's lie from the pit 529 00:21:06,760 --> 00:21:07,300 of hell. 530 00:21:08,440 --> 00:21:09,460 We're his children. 531 00:21:10,940 --> 00:21:12,820 And he loved us enough to give his 532 00:21:12,820 --> 00:21:14,860 son to die for us on the cross. 533 00:21:15,460 --> 00:21:18,320 And he who spared not his own son, 534 00:21:18,660 --> 00:21:21,320 but gave him up for us all, how 535 00:21:21,320 --> 00:21:24,340 shall he not also with him freely give 536 00:21:24,340 --> 00:21:24,780 us what? 537 00:21:25,480 --> 00:21:26,120 All things. 538 00:21:26,120 --> 00:21:27,340 That's the Father's heart. 539 00:21:28,740 --> 00:21:32,800 Now you've heard repeatedly there are three kinds 540 00:21:32,800 --> 00:21:34,460 of answers to prayer. 541 00:21:35,420 --> 00:21:38,140 But will you mark tonight as we review 542 00:21:38,140 --> 00:21:40,440 them again that all three are answers? 543 00:21:44,330 --> 00:21:47,870 This promise says, if it says anything, that 544 00:21:47,870 --> 00:21:49,570 God's going to answer. 545 00:21:51,880 --> 00:21:56,360 That God must answer to keep his word. 546 00:21:57,160 --> 00:21:58,940 That's what this promise says. 547 00:21:59,280 --> 00:22:00,780 If we ask, we'll receive. 548 00:22:01,100 --> 00:22:02,660 If we seek, we'll find. 549 00:22:02,900 --> 00:22:05,240 If we knock, it shall be opened for 550 00:22:05,240 --> 00:22:07,820 everyone that asketh, receive us. 551 00:22:07,860 --> 00:22:10,060 And he that speaketh, findeth, sendeth him that 552 00:22:10,060 --> 00:22:11,540 knocketh, it shall be opened. 553 00:22:11,760 --> 00:22:15,180 If language says anything, if it means anything, 554 00:22:15,420 --> 00:22:20,240 this text says, God must answer every single 555 00:22:20,240 --> 00:22:21,180 prayer. 556 00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:24,760 That's a big statement, isn't it? 557 00:22:25,020 --> 00:22:27,560 But that's exactly what these verses say. 558 00:22:32,070 --> 00:22:35,430 Now, you say, Priest, there's a catch somewhere. 559 00:22:35,990 --> 00:22:38,710 No, there's no catch, there's no gimmick. 560 00:22:39,590 --> 00:22:41,250 It's just that there are three kinds of 561 00:22:41,250 --> 00:22:41,830 answers. 562 00:22:42,650 --> 00:22:45,790 They're all answers, and they're real answers, and 563 00:22:45,790 --> 00:22:48,570 they're meaningful answers, and they're the right answers 564 00:22:48,570 --> 00:22:49,410 from God. 565 00:22:49,690 --> 00:22:50,970 Look at them quickly with me. 566 00:22:51,230 --> 00:22:52,990 The first is that answer, yes. 567 00:22:54,050 --> 00:22:55,390 That all we all love. 568 00:22:55,430 --> 00:22:57,630 We say, how good the Lord was, he 569 00:22:57,630 --> 00:22:58,670 answered my prayer. 570 00:22:59,250 --> 00:23:01,410 The inference is, how bad he would have 571 00:23:01,410 --> 00:23:04,050 been if he hadn't have given what I 572 00:23:04,050 --> 00:23:04,690 asked for. 573 00:23:05,530 --> 00:23:10,030 Now turn to John chapter 4, text which 574 00:23:10,030 --> 00:23:13,210 illustrates for me very vividly this quick answer 575 00:23:13,210 --> 00:23:16,590 of yes, and all we love this. 576 00:23:17,330 --> 00:23:20,110 John 4, beginning with verse 46. 577 00:23:20,310 --> 00:23:21,230 You remember the story. 578 00:23:21,570 --> 00:23:23,450 Well, the healing of the nobleman's son. 579 00:23:24,190 --> 00:23:27,030 So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, 580 00:23:27,230 --> 00:23:29,990 where he made the water wine, and there 581 00:23:29,990 --> 00:23:31,970 was a certain nobleman whose son was sick 582 00:23:31,970 --> 00:23:32,730 at Capernaum. 583 00:23:33,510 --> 00:23:35,450 When he heard that Jesus would come out 584 00:23:35,450 --> 00:23:37,450 of Judea into Galilee, he went unto him 585 00:23:37,450 --> 00:23:39,590 and besought him that he would come down 586 00:23:39,590 --> 00:23:41,710 and heal his son, for he was at 587 00:23:41,710 --> 00:23:42,550 the point of death. 588 00:23:42,730 --> 00:23:45,370 Here's a real need, an urgent need, a 589 00:23:45,370 --> 00:23:46,830 son at the point of death. 590 00:23:46,990 --> 00:23:48,850 Know anything more urgent than that to a 591 00:23:48,850 --> 00:23:49,190 person? 592 00:23:51,740 --> 00:23:53,880 Then said Jesus unto him, except ye see 593 00:23:53,880 --> 00:23:57,300 signs and wonders ye will not believe, that 594 00:23:57,300 --> 00:24:00,520 nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere 595 00:24:00,520 --> 00:24:01,540 my child die. 596 00:24:02,820 --> 00:24:05,220 And Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way, 597 00:24:06,260 --> 00:24:07,520 thy son liveth. 598 00:24:07,920 --> 00:24:11,060 And the man believed the word that Jesus 599 00:24:11,060 --> 00:24:12,700 had spoken unto him, and he went his 600 00:24:12,700 --> 00:24:12,980 way. 601 00:24:13,060 --> 00:24:14,180 You know the rest of the story. 602 00:24:14,980 --> 00:24:17,140 The man went and met the servants coming, 603 00:24:17,440 --> 00:24:19,420 and inquired what he began to amend, and 604 00:24:19,420 --> 00:24:21,140 it was the very hour when the Lord 605 00:24:21,140 --> 00:24:23,980 said, Thy son liveth, and the man believed, 606 00:24:24,500 --> 00:24:25,380 and his whole house. 607 00:24:26,580 --> 00:24:31,180 Now God delights, delights, delights to say yes 608 00:24:31,180 --> 00:24:32,220 to us when we pray. 609 00:24:33,680 --> 00:24:36,680 Just as we parents delight to say yes 610 00:24:36,680 --> 00:24:40,460 to our children, and grandparents to grandchildren, and 611 00:24:40,460 --> 00:24:44,020 great-grandparents to great-grandchildren around here. 612 00:24:45,120 --> 00:24:46,960 Wonderful when you can say yes. 613 00:24:48,540 --> 00:24:50,600 Ah, but we know as parents that there 614 00:24:50,600 --> 00:24:52,960 are times when it's best to say no. 615 00:24:53,880 --> 00:24:54,700 Isn't that right? 616 00:24:56,280 --> 00:24:58,500 The youngster has a knife in hand, and 617 00:24:58,500 --> 00:25:01,020 he's running around chasing his kid sister around 618 00:25:01,020 --> 00:25:01,620 the bedroom. 619 00:25:04,370 --> 00:25:06,410 Well, you know the modern psychological approach. 620 00:25:06,510 --> 00:25:08,010 Now don't frustrate the little thing. 621 00:25:09,010 --> 00:25:10,170 He must express himself. 622 00:25:11,530 --> 00:25:13,610 Who will give me that knife? 623 00:25:15,970 --> 00:25:18,010 All right, this is the second answer. 624 00:25:20,360 --> 00:25:24,540 There are times when God says no. 625 00:25:25,320 --> 00:25:27,020 Now there are some writers on the subject 626 00:25:27,020 --> 00:25:28,980 of prayer who say that the only true 627 00:25:28,980 --> 00:25:30,540 prayer is when God says yes. 628 00:25:30,760 --> 00:25:31,320 I disagree. 629 00:25:32,720 --> 00:25:33,680 I disagree. 630 00:25:36,870 --> 00:25:39,710 Turn with me, please, to 2 Corinthians chapter 631 00:25:39,710 --> 00:25:40,250 12. 632 00:25:41,410 --> 00:25:43,670 Here is the Apostle Paul praying. 633 00:25:43,670 --> 00:25:46,770 You and I have enough confidence in the 634 00:25:46,770 --> 00:25:48,630 Apostle Paul to believe that he was a 635 00:25:48,630 --> 00:25:51,690 man of God, though human to be sure. 636 00:25:53,450 --> 00:25:56,270 A man of prayer, of great prayer, who 637 00:25:56,270 --> 00:25:58,590 not only knew prayer but could teach it 638 00:25:58,590 --> 00:26:00,510 as he does throughout his epistles. 639 00:26:01,470 --> 00:26:03,670 He has a personal problem, and that personal 640 00:26:03,670 --> 00:26:05,390 problem was a thorn in his flesh. 641 00:26:06,030 --> 00:26:07,790 We are not told it was his wife. 642 00:26:08,590 --> 00:26:13,010 No, he was single, and his pockets did 643 00:26:13,010 --> 00:26:13,390 jingle. 644 00:26:13,570 --> 00:26:15,070 No, that doesn't follow either. 645 00:26:16,570 --> 00:26:18,490 No, as far as we know, he was 646 00:26:18,490 --> 00:26:18,830 single. 647 00:26:19,610 --> 00:26:23,250 We conclude that this is a physical infirmity, 648 00:26:23,410 --> 00:26:25,870 something very real to us. 649 00:26:26,010 --> 00:26:27,970 We know what it is to have physical 650 00:26:27,970 --> 00:26:32,310 problems, physical needs, and we pray about them, 651 00:26:32,370 --> 00:26:34,110 and we should pray about them. 652 00:26:34,590 --> 00:26:36,950 Now, in this context, and I won't take 653 00:26:36,950 --> 00:26:39,710 time for the details of the context, when 654 00:26:39,710 --> 00:26:42,290 you look at verse 7 now, "...and lest 655 00:26:42,290 --> 00:26:44,650 I should be exalted above measure through the 656 00:26:44,650 --> 00:26:46,850 abundance of the revelations," and read the early 657 00:26:46,850 --> 00:26:48,930 part of the chapter to see this, "...there 658 00:26:48,930 --> 00:26:50,350 was given to me a thorn in the 659 00:26:50,350 --> 00:26:52,950 flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, 660 00:26:53,310 --> 00:26:55,450 lest I should be exalted above measure. 661 00:26:55,850 --> 00:26:58,530 God then had given to him this weakness 662 00:26:58,530 --> 00:27:01,690 in the physical for a specific purpose. 663 00:27:02,290 --> 00:27:06,090 For this thing I besought the Lord three 664 00:27:06,090 --> 00:27:10,470 times, that it might depart from me." 665 00:27:10,470 --> 00:27:12,170 Can't you hear the Apostle Paul? 666 00:27:12,590 --> 00:27:14,390 Lord, you called me to preach and teach 667 00:27:14,390 --> 00:27:16,710 the Word, and here I go across the 668 00:27:16,710 --> 00:27:18,830 mountains and through the valleys and across the 669 00:27:18,830 --> 00:27:21,170 sea to get the Gospel, and Lord, you 670 00:27:21,170 --> 00:27:23,270 know how much stronger I'd be, how much 671 00:27:23,270 --> 00:27:25,090 more effective I'd be in the service of 672 00:27:25,090 --> 00:27:25,370 Christ. 673 00:27:25,670 --> 00:27:27,670 Lord, if you'd heal this problem, it may 674 00:27:27,670 --> 00:27:29,410 have been his eyesight, it may have been 675 00:27:29,410 --> 00:27:31,710 something else, and the Lord says no. 676 00:27:33,150 --> 00:27:36,370 Now, Lord, you know how this is a 677 00:27:36,370 --> 00:27:37,030 problem to me. 678 00:27:37,070 --> 00:27:38,650 You know how I'm hampered in the Word. 679 00:27:38,970 --> 00:27:40,810 You know how much farther I could travel 680 00:27:40,810 --> 00:27:42,890 and how more effective I could be and 681 00:27:42,890 --> 00:27:44,810 how much stronger I'd be, whatever was the 682 00:27:44,810 --> 00:27:45,170 problem. 683 00:27:45,490 --> 00:27:48,090 Lord, if you'd just heal this, and the 684 00:27:48,090 --> 00:27:48,830 Lord says no. 685 00:27:51,690 --> 00:27:55,130 Lord, I'd put up with this thing about 686 00:27:55,130 --> 00:27:56,710 as long as I think I can. 687 00:27:59,710 --> 00:28:02,210 Now, Lord, you know how faithfully I've served 688 00:28:02,210 --> 00:28:02,390 you. 689 00:28:03,170 --> 00:28:04,910 I don't know how Paul prayed, I'm just 690 00:28:04,910 --> 00:28:06,690 putting in his mouth right now. 691 00:28:07,010 --> 00:28:08,870 Lord, you know how faithfully I've served you. 692 00:28:09,110 --> 00:28:10,410 You know how I've given up all to 693 00:28:10,410 --> 00:28:10,810 serve you. 694 00:28:11,050 --> 00:28:12,450 You know how important it is that we 695 00:28:12,450 --> 00:28:14,350 get over there into Europe, then get over 696 00:28:14,350 --> 00:28:15,050 there into Asia. 697 00:28:15,390 --> 00:28:16,870 Lord, you know how we've got to go 698 00:28:16,870 --> 00:28:18,370 and go and go, and Lord, you know 699 00:28:18,370 --> 00:28:19,810 how hampered I am with this thing. 700 00:28:20,310 --> 00:28:22,510 It's all like an exceedingly reasonable request. 701 00:28:25,190 --> 00:28:26,350 And what does the Lord say? 702 00:28:26,650 --> 00:28:31,270 Verse 9, My grace is sufficient for thee, 703 00:28:31,730 --> 00:28:36,670 for my strength is made perfect in weakness. 704 00:28:37,070 --> 00:28:39,370 That's the nicest way you ever heard no 705 00:28:39,370 --> 00:28:40,510 in your life, isn't it? 706 00:28:41,950 --> 00:28:43,690 Remember the time we were up in London. 707 00:28:44,050 --> 00:28:47,270 Our eldest boy consistently acts like his father, 708 00:28:48,510 --> 00:28:50,630 and I've met nearly every schoolteacher he's ever 709 00:28:50,630 --> 00:28:51,010 had. 710 00:28:52,450 --> 00:28:55,130 And this time the schoolteacher sent home a 711 00:28:55,130 --> 00:29:01,010 note saying, I'd like to have, Keith, I'd 712 00:29:01,010 --> 00:29:02,530 like to have your parents come to the 713 00:29:02,530 --> 00:29:03,110 open house. 714 00:29:03,250 --> 00:29:04,710 Well, we've been at this long enough to 715 00:29:04,710 --> 00:29:05,410 know what that meant. 716 00:29:06,450 --> 00:29:09,690 So our boy, we came to the open 717 00:29:09,690 --> 00:29:10,110 house. 718 00:29:10,790 --> 00:29:12,210 After the other folks had left the room, 719 00:29:12,370 --> 00:29:15,690 we came in and we said, We're Keith's 720 00:29:15,690 --> 00:29:19,010 mother and father, and we smiled meaningfully to 721 00:29:19,010 --> 00:29:21,930 the teacher and she smiled meaningfully to us. 722 00:29:23,070 --> 00:29:24,770 And we are asking, and it says, What's 723 00:29:24,770 --> 00:29:25,910 the problem this time? 724 00:29:27,130 --> 00:29:28,490 We said, How's our boy doing? 725 00:29:29,290 --> 00:29:31,170 She said, Well, you have a fine boy. 726 00:29:31,710 --> 00:29:33,010 He's just got one problem. 727 00:29:33,290 --> 00:29:34,030 Well, what's that? 728 00:29:34,950 --> 00:29:37,450 His interest span isn't long enough. 729 00:29:41,190 --> 00:29:43,290 That's the nicest way I've ever heard that 730 00:29:43,290 --> 00:29:43,590 said. 731 00:29:48,620 --> 00:29:49,820 All right. 732 00:29:50,400 --> 00:29:52,600 My grace is sufficient for thee. 733 00:29:53,140 --> 00:29:55,720 My strength is made perfect in weakness. 734 00:29:56,020 --> 00:29:57,940 That's God's way of saying no. 735 00:30:01,110 --> 00:30:04,410 God said no to the apostle Paul. 736 00:30:05,390 --> 00:30:07,050 And there are times he says no to 737 00:30:07,050 --> 00:30:08,550 you and he says no to me. 738 00:30:09,810 --> 00:30:13,330 And someone has said, When God says no, 739 00:30:14,010 --> 00:30:16,770 he always has something better. 740 00:30:20,850 --> 00:30:21,570 Do you believe that? 741 00:30:23,440 --> 00:30:26,200 The reason that statement is correct is because 742 00:30:26,200 --> 00:30:28,820 it's omniscience that says no. 743 00:30:29,720 --> 00:30:32,720 It's the all-wise God who says no. 744 00:30:33,200 --> 00:30:36,400 It's the infinitely loving Heavenly Father who says 745 00:30:36,400 --> 00:30:36,720 no. 746 00:30:37,080 --> 00:30:39,960 It's the God of righteousness and goodness and 747 00:30:39,960 --> 00:30:42,340 faithfulness and truth who says no. 748 00:30:42,600 --> 00:30:45,300 And when he says no, you can be 749 00:30:45,300 --> 00:30:46,900 sure he has something better. 750 00:30:48,850 --> 00:30:50,350 Did you ever thank him for a no? 751 00:30:53,230 --> 00:30:54,890 Did you ever thank him for a no? 752 00:30:57,610 --> 00:31:00,990 My first year in seminary, my wife was 753 00:31:00,990 --> 00:31:02,870 working on her Ph.D. That means putting 754 00:31:02,870 --> 00:31:03,430 hubby through. 755 00:31:04,870 --> 00:31:06,830 And so she was downtown working as I 756 00:31:06,830 --> 00:31:08,830 was on the seminary campus preparing for the 757 00:31:08,830 --> 00:31:11,570 Lord's work, I was so anxious to preach. 758 00:31:12,170 --> 00:31:14,650 I pastored up in New York when I 759 00:31:14,650 --> 00:31:16,130 was going through college a bit, and I 760 00:31:16,130 --> 00:31:18,010 was so anxious to have the ministry of 761 00:31:18,010 --> 00:31:20,530 the word, and at the same time an 762 00:31:20,530 --> 00:31:21,790 extra dollar or two if this had come 763 00:31:21,790 --> 00:31:22,790 in to help pay the bill. 764 00:31:23,390 --> 00:31:25,510 And my wife was working at a downtown 765 00:31:25,510 --> 00:31:28,430 department store, and she was beside a Baptist 766 00:31:28,430 --> 00:31:31,750 deacon's wife, and they were working together, and 767 00:31:31,750 --> 00:31:33,610 my wife just shared the fact that her 768 00:31:33,610 --> 00:31:35,730 husband was at Dallas Seminary, and he'd love 769 00:31:35,730 --> 00:31:37,650 an opportunity to preach, and she said, well 770 00:31:37,650 --> 00:31:39,970 listen, I'll tell my husband. 771 00:31:40,450 --> 00:31:42,910 Our church has a mission church, and this 772 00:31:42,910 --> 00:31:44,730 mission church is without a pastor right now. 773 00:31:45,230 --> 00:31:46,510 So my wife came home and told me 774 00:31:46,510 --> 00:31:48,150 the story, and so we started praying the 775 00:31:48,150 --> 00:31:50,950 Bible, and the deacon's wife told her deacon 776 00:31:50,950 --> 00:31:53,330 husband, and the deacon husband told the pastor, 777 00:31:53,450 --> 00:31:54,830 and the pastor came out to see me. 778 00:31:55,170 --> 00:31:57,090 We talked a bit about things, didn't agree 779 00:31:57,090 --> 00:31:59,890 on everything, but it looked as if things 780 00:31:59,890 --> 00:32:01,450 were fine, and he invited me down to 781 00:32:01,450 --> 00:32:04,030 speak to their training union in a night 782 00:32:04,030 --> 00:32:05,970 or two to address them, and if I 783 00:32:05,970 --> 00:32:08,290 was acceptable to the mother church, then I 784 00:32:08,290 --> 00:32:10,050 would be given an opportunity to preach in 785 00:32:10,050 --> 00:32:11,310 the mission church. 786 00:32:11,750 --> 00:32:13,110 Well, I got down there that night and 787 00:32:13,110 --> 00:32:15,270 expounded some portion of the word, and those 788 00:32:15,270 --> 00:32:17,470 people just sat there and drank it in, 789 00:32:17,530 --> 00:32:19,410 and they came up afterwards and said, my, 790 00:32:19,750 --> 00:32:21,150 how we appreciate the word. 791 00:32:22,010 --> 00:32:25,490 And I thought, well, I'm in, and the 792 00:32:25,490 --> 00:32:28,370 pastor said, you'll be hearing from me shortly. 793 00:32:29,830 --> 00:32:32,710 Now that was in the fall of 1944, 794 00:32:33,030 --> 00:32:34,050 and I hadn't heard yet. 795 00:32:40,580 --> 00:32:45,500 Six months later, the pastor was dismissed from 796 00:32:45,500 --> 00:32:51,720 the church on serious charges, and God spared 797 00:32:51,720 --> 00:32:53,200 me from that whole mess. 798 00:32:54,400 --> 00:32:56,280 How good of our God to say no. 799 00:32:59,150 --> 00:33:01,790 Later on, there was a Bible church outside 800 00:33:01,790 --> 00:33:03,810 of Dallas that needed a pastor, and the 801 00:33:03,810 --> 00:33:06,370 pastor was leaving, graduating, and he came to 802 00:33:06,370 --> 00:33:07,990 me and he said, Brother Alden, would you 803 00:33:07,990 --> 00:33:09,150 like to candidate for the church? 804 00:33:09,310 --> 00:33:10,450 I said, fine, I'd love to. 805 00:33:11,010 --> 00:33:14,210 I was anxious again to have a full 806 00:33:14,210 --> 00:33:18,430 -time church, and so we talked together, and 807 00:33:18,430 --> 00:33:19,650 he said, I'll present your name to the 808 00:33:19,650 --> 00:33:22,670 deacons, and I haven't heard from them yet. 809 00:33:26,510 --> 00:33:27,630 What did the Lord do? 810 00:33:28,690 --> 00:33:30,930 He knew he had teaching for me in 811 00:33:30,930 --> 00:33:35,190 Bible institutes and Bible colleges, and so the 812 00:33:35,190 --> 00:33:37,950 next fall I was free to accept a 813 00:33:37,950 --> 00:33:40,750 teaching position at the Dallas Bible Institute halftime, 814 00:33:41,830 --> 00:33:44,230 and after graduation I stayed there for five 815 00:33:44,230 --> 00:33:46,190 years teaching in that school. 816 00:33:47,690 --> 00:33:49,230 That was the thing the Lord did for 817 00:33:49,230 --> 00:33:54,330 me, and he said no over here, because 818 00:33:54,330 --> 00:33:57,230 for me he had something better. 819 00:34:00,960 --> 00:34:03,300 Has God been saying no to you lately? 820 00:34:06,090 --> 00:34:06,740 Thank him. 821 00:34:08,060 --> 00:34:09,100 Thank him. 822 00:34:10,580 --> 00:34:11,360 Thank him. 823 00:34:12,340 --> 00:34:17,060 When God says no, he always has something 824 00:34:17,060 --> 00:34:17,400 better. 825 00:34:18,360 --> 00:34:19,920 Now there's a third kind of answer, and 826 00:34:19,920 --> 00:34:22,460 that's the hardest of all, isn't it? 827 00:34:23,500 --> 00:34:23,940 Wait. 828 00:34:25,159 --> 00:34:25,900 Wait. 829 00:34:26,659 --> 00:34:27,100 Wait. 830 00:34:27,880 --> 00:34:31,580 Who wants to wait in this jet age, 831 00:34:31,780 --> 00:34:35,000 when you come up to a signal light 832 00:34:35,000 --> 00:34:36,679 that's red, and there's a car in front 833 00:34:36,679 --> 00:34:38,159 of you, and it turns green, and in 834 00:34:38,159 --> 00:34:40,739 one split second that lady sits there? 835 00:34:41,500 --> 00:34:44,239 And you lay on your horn, and you 836 00:34:44,239 --> 00:34:46,420 get out the window and say, how greedy 837 00:34:46,420 --> 00:34:48,300 must it get before you'll move? 838 00:34:49,360 --> 00:34:49,940 Sure. 839 00:34:50,880 --> 00:34:52,840 We don't like to wait these days. 840 00:34:53,659 --> 00:34:53,940 No. 841 00:34:55,719 --> 00:34:56,200 No. 842 00:34:57,460 --> 00:34:59,660 But there are times the Lord says, wait. 843 00:34:59,960 --> 00:35:01,960 Let's look at this in principle in Matthew 844 00:35:01,960 --> 00:35:02,960 chapter 15. 845 00:35:03,600 --> 00:35:05,240 I'm aware of the fact now that the 846 00:35:05,240 --> 00:35:08,380 chronology is not long, but the principle is 847 00:35:08,380 --> 00:35:08,640 here. 848 00:35:09,420 --> 00:35:12,320 Matthew chapter 15, beginning with verse 21. 849 00:35:15,250 --> 00:35:18,190 Then Jesus went from there and departed into 850 00:35:18,190 --> 00:35:19,790 the borders of Tyre and Sidon. 851 00:35:20,530 --> 00:35:22,750 And behold, a woman of Canaan came out 852 00:35:22,750 --> 00:35:24,770 to the same borders and cried unto him, 853 00:35:24,870 --> 00:35:27,050 saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou 854 00:35:27,050 --> 00:35:27,670 son of David. 855 00:35:28,410 --> 00:35:31,190 My daughter is grievously vexed with a demon. 856 00:35:32,430 --> 00:35:37,070 Here is a Gentile woman, a very real 857 00:35:37,070 --> 00:35:40,070 need, with a nobleman that was his son, 858 00:35:40,070 --> 00:35:43,910 with a Syrophoenician woman as her daughter, here 859 00:35:43,910 --> 00:35:45,090 demon possessed. 860 00:35:45,710 --> 00:35:49,350 A burdened mother for her daughter, just as 861 00:35:49,350 --> 00:35:51,930 some of us here tonight are burdened for 862 00:35:51,930 --> 00:35:54,750 our children, for their salvation or their growth 863 00:35:54,750 --> 00:35:56,090 and maturity in Christ. 864 00:35:56,710 --> 00:35:58,770 And so she comes to the Savior, and 865 00:35:58,770 --> 00:35:59,750 look at verse 23. 866 00:36:00,270 --> 00:36:03,850 But he answered her, Not a word. 867 00:36:06,060 --> 00:36:06,820 Ever been there? 868 00:36:08,160 --> 00:36:09,760 Lots of times, haven't we? 869 00:36:10,640 --> 00:36:13,100 And his disciples came and besought him, saying, 870 00:36:13,360 --> 00:36:16,100 Send her away, for she crieth after us. 871 00:36:16,160 --> 00:36:16,440 Ha! 872 00:36:16,560 --> 00:36:18,060 She's just a Gentile, you know. 873 00:36:18,260 --> 00:36:19,120 She's a nobody. 874 00:36:19,360 --> 00:36:20,280 She's just a nuisance. 875 00:36:20,600 --> 00:36:21,720 Get her out of your hair. 876 00:36:21,880 --> 00:36:22,520 Forget her. 877 00:36:25,240 --> 00:36:27,020 But he answered and said, I am not 878 00:36:27,020 --> 00:36:28,580 sent but unto the Lord's sheep of the 879 00:36:28,580 --> 00:36:29,420 house of Israel. 880 00:36:30,680 --> 00:36:33,660 She was a Gentile, so he was putting 881 00:36:33,660 --> 00:36:34,700 her off again. 882 00:36:37,230 --> 00:36:40,250 Then came she and worshiped him, saying, Lord, 883 00:36:40,690 --> 00:36:41,450 help me. 884 00:36:42,050 --> 00:36:44,510 Or as we say in Alabama, Lord, help 885 00:36:44,510 --> 00:36:44,830 me. 886 00:36:45,310 --> 00:36:45,450 Hmm? 887 00:36:46,750 --> 00:36:48,290 No, Lord, I need help. 888 00:36:49,330 --> 00:36:51,310 But he answered and said, It's not right 889 00:36:51,310 --> 00:36:54,150 to take the children's bread, that of the 890 00:36:54,150 --> 00:36:56,870 Jews, and to cast it to the dogs. 891 00:36:57,950 --> 00:37:00,950 The Jews consider the Gentiles dogs in that 892 00:37:00,950 --> 00:37:01,250 day. 893 00:37:02,390 --> 00:37:04,130 He's putting her off again. 894 00:37:05,010 --> 00:37:07,110 He's saying, Wait again. 895 00:37:09,310 --> 00:37:12,170 She said, Truth, Lord, I love this. 896 00:37:12,670 --> 00:37:15,310 Yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which 897 00:37:15,310 --> 00:37:17,030 fall from their master's table. 898 00:37:17,870 --> 00:37:19,690 She won't be denied. 899 00:37:22,990 --> 00:37:25,250 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O 900 00:37:25,250 --> 00:37:29,990 woman, great is thy faith, being unto thee 901 00:37:29,990 --> 00:37:31,050 even as thou wilt. 902 00:37:31,630 --> 00:37:35,670 And their daughter was made well from that 903 00:37:35,670 --> 00:37:36,630 very hour. 904 00:37:40,570 --> 00:37:43,810 I repeat, the chronology is not long, but 905 00:37:43,810 --> 00:37:44,930 the principle is here. 906 00:37:45,370 --> 00:37:48,530 Again and again and again the woman was 907 00:37:48,530 --> 00:37:49,090 put off. 908 00:37:49,780 --> 00:37:53,390 And again and again and again the woman 909 00:37:53,390 --> 00:37:57,670 came back in faith to the Lord who 910 00:37:57,670 --> 00:37:59,730 was able to heal her daughter. 911 00:38:00,930 --> 00:38:06,030 And the Lord replies, Great is thine. 912 00:38:09,290 --> 00:38:11,510 We have seen already this week together that 913 00:38:11,510 --> 00:38:13,850 this is one reason for perseverance in prayer. 914 00:38:15,090 --> 00:38:17,330 Our faith needs to be tested. 915 00:38:17,330 --> 00:38:19,350 It needs to be strengthened. 916 00:38:19,970 --> 00:38:21,650 May we turn now to just two portions 917 00:38:21,650 --> 00:38:23,190 of the scriptures as we close. 918 00:38:23,550 --> 00:38:26,750 Turn again to James chapter 1. 919 00:38:27,590 --> 00:38:32,330 Notice this principle of delay, this business of 920 00:38:32,330 --> 00:38:35,410 the trial of our faith, which so many 921 00:38:35,410 --> 00:38:38,470 of us experience so much of the time. 922 00:38:39,390 --> 00:38:43,910 James chapter 1 verse 2, My brethren, count 923 00:38:43,910 --> 00:38:46,650 it all joy when ye fall into various 924 00:38:46,650 --> 00:38:51,430 trials, knowing this, that the testing of your 925 00:38:51,430 --> 00:38:55,770 faith, when the Lord says wait, wait, wait, 926 00:38:56,190 --> 00:38:57,910 wait, and some of us have waited a 927 00:38:57,910 --> 00:39:02,180 long time, knowing that the trial of your 928 00:39:02,180 --> 00:39:03,940 faith were his patience. 929 00:39:06,540 --> 00:39:09,000 The Lord puts a premium on this commodity. 930 00:39:10,380 --> 00:39:10,860 Patience. 931 00:39:11,000 --> 00:39:12,840 Some of us don't have very much of 932 00:39:12,840 --> 00:39:12,980 it. 933 00:39:14,200 --> 00:39:14,880 Amen. 934 00:39:17,360 --> 00:39:18,460 I heard one amen. 935 00:39:19,100 --> 00:39:20,340 The rest of you all have it. 936 00:39:20,980 --> 00:39:21,520 All right. 937 00:39:22,120 --> 00:39:26,500 Now he says let patience have her perfect 938 00:39:26,500 --> 00:39:31,060 work, maturing work it says, that she may 939 00:39:31,060 --> 00:39:41,000 be perfect, literally mature, grown up, and entire. 940 00:39:41,440 --> 00:39:48,860 That means complete in every part, lacking nothing. 941 00:39:52,770 --> 00:39:54,650 Do you see from this text that the 942 00:39:54,650 --> 00:39:56,530 problem here is not in the daughter or 943 00:39:56,530 --> 00:39:58,730 the son or the husband or the wife 944 00:39:58,730 --> 00:40:00,190 or the neighbor or the friend or the 945 00:40:00,190 --> 00:40:00,570 business? 946 00:40:02,050 --> 00:40:03,970 The problem is in the one who's doing 947 00:40:03,970 --> 00:40:04,510 the praying. 948 00:40:06,530 --> 00:40:08,870 The reason for the delay is not here 949 00:40:08,870 --> 00:40:10,910 that God needs time to work in my 950 00:40:10,910 --> 00:40:12,530 daughter or in my son. 951 00:40:12,990 --> 00:40:15,150 The problem here is that God needs time 952 00:40:15,150 --> 00:40:16,110 to work in me. 953 00:40:16,950 --> 00:40:21,850 I'm the reason God is saying wait, because 954 00:40:21,850 --> 00:40:25,250 God needs to perfect that which is lacking 955 00:40:25,250 --> 00:40:28,710 in me, that God needs to mature me, 956 00:40:29,250 --> 00:40:31,970 that God needs to keep withholding the answer 957 00:40:31,970 --> 00:40:34,510 so I will learn more and more and 958 00:40:34,510 --> 00:40:37,610 more to depend upon him, to trust him, 959 00:40:37,910 --> 00:40:41,630 to be complete in every part, lacking nothing. 960 00:40:45,090 --> 00:40:47,190 I don't blame God then when he says 961 00:40:47,190 --> 00:40:47,470 wait. 962 00:40:48,150 --> 00:40:50,270 I don't get dinner with God then when 963 00:40:50,270 --> 00:40:50,950 he says wait. 964 00:40:52,010 --> 00:40:54,530 I don't criticize God or somebody else when 965 00:40:54,530 --> 00:40:55,150 he says wait. 966 00:40:56,730 --> 00:40:58,950 I say Lord what are you trying to 967 00:40:58,950 --> 00:40:59,610 do in me? 968 00:41:00,670 --> 00:41:03,550 What's the Romans 8 28 in this for 969 00:41:03,550 --> 00:41:03,950 me? 970 00:41:07,460 --> 00:41:10,260 In what way, in what area am I 971 00:41:10,260 --> 00:41:10,780 immature? 972 00:41:11,700 --> 00:41:13,680 Where are you trying to speak to me 973 00:41:13,680 --> 00:41:15,580 and perfect that which is lacking in my 974 00:41:15,580 --> 00:41:15,920 faith? 975 00:41:16,900 --> 00:41:19,160 Lord show me, help me to profit from 976 00:41:19,160 --> 00:41:20,960 this, help me to mature in this. 977 00:41:22,740 --> 00:41:23,880 Thank you for it Lord. 978 00:41:24,760 --> 00:41:26,400 In the meantime if any of you lack 979 00:41:26,400 --> 00:41:29,340 wisdom, let him ask of God who will 980 00:41:29,340 --> 00:41:31,700 give it to all men liberally and abrade 981 00:41:31,700 --> 00:41:34,980 if not, and I love this, it shall 982 00:41:34,980 --> 00:41:35,800 be given him. 983 00:41:36,540 --> 00:41:39,360 But let him ask in faith, nothing will 984 00:41:39,360 --> 00:41:39,760 he find. 985 00:41:40,500 --> 00:41:43,000 Will you turn to 1 Peter chapter 1. 986 00:41:44,980 --> 00:41:47,760 We saw this verse this morning, verse 5, 987 00:41:47,860 --> 00:41:49,980 that we're kept by the power of God 988 00:41:49,980 --> 00:41:52,840 through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed 989 00:41:52,840 --> 00:41:53,740 in the last time. 990 00:41:53,840 --> 00:41:57,820 In this ye greatly rejoice, though now for 991 00:41:57,820 --> 00:42:00,540 a season, if need be, ye are in 992 00:42:00,540 --> 00:42:03,880 heaviness through manifold trials. 993 00:42:04,600 --> 00:42:06,840 Never rains but it pours when it comes 994 00:42:06,840 --> 00:42:07,420 to testing. 995 00:42:08,700 --> 00:42:13,540 Peter says you're in heaviness if need be 996 00:42:13,540 --> 00:42:15,820 through manifold trials. 997 00:42:16,580 --> 00:42:21,260 That the trial of your faith, being much 998 00:42:21,260 --> 00:42:24,280 more precious than a gold with perish it, 999 00:42:24,960 --> 00:42:27,800 though it be tried with fire, and some 1000 00:42:27,800 --> 00:42:29,940 of us think it is the very thing 1001 00:42:29,940 --> 00:42:33,260 that we're being tried with tonight, might be 1002 00:42:33,260 --> 00:42:38,240 found unto praise and honor and glory at 1003 00:42:38,240 --> 00:42:40,920 the appearing of Jesus Christ, whom have ye 1004 00:42:40,920 --> 00:42:41,600 not seen? 1005 00:42:42,120 --> 00:42:42,780 Ye love. 1006 00:42:43,220 --> 00:42:45,920 In whom though now ye see him not, 1007 00:42:46,300 --> 00:42:52,120 yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and 1008 00:42:52,120 --> 00:42:54,880 full of glory, receiving the end of your 1009 00:42:54,880 --> 00:42:58,860 faith, even the salvation of your soul. 1010 00:42:59,880 --> 00:43:02,100 One of the big prayer requests we have 1011 00:43:02,100 --> 00:43:03,440 in school business is money. 1012 00:43:06,060 --> 00:43:08,300 The students pay only about two-thirds of 1013 00:43:08,300 --> 00:43:10,300 their tuition, and so we have to pray 1014 00:43:10,300 --> 00:43:11,700 much about God's provision. 1015 00:43:11,800 --> 00:43:13,060 And we need a new building here, you 1016 00:43:13,060 --> 00:43:16,280 know, a new gymnasium, girl's dormitory, and new 1017 00:43:16,280 --> 00:43:17,880 this and new that, the way you need 1018 00:43:17,880 --> 00:43:20,980 more new motels here, and new apartments, and 1019 00:43:20,980 --> 00:43:21,640 so on. 1020 00:43:22,400 --> 00:43:23,140 Same principle. 1021 00:43:24,780 --> 00:43:28,300 Now, Peter says, the trial of your faith 1022 00:43:28,300 --> 00:43:29,940 is more important than the money. 1023 00:43:35,050 --> 00:43:36,170 You have to take this one by faith, 1024 00:43:36,230 --> 00:43:36,570 don't you? 1025 00:43:39,190 --> 00:43:40,810 But that's exactly what he says. 1026 00:43:41,170 --> 00:43:44,170 The trial of your faith, being much more 1027 00:43:44,170 --> 00:43:47,190 precious than a gold with perish it, though 1028 00:43:47,190 --> 00:43:48,730 it be tried with fire. 1029 00:43:50,050 --> 00:43:52,370 Peter says, the important thing is that your 1030 00:43:52,370 --> 00:43:57,510 faith be found unto praise and honor and 1031 00:43:57,510 --> 00:44:00,910 glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. 1032 00:44:05,690 --> 00:44:07,170 That's the important thing. 1033 00:44:09,480 --> 00:44:13,520 Far more important than the answer, then, is 1034 00:44:13,520 --> 00:44:18,980 the growth, the maturity of your faith in 1035 00:44:18,980 --> 00:44:19,440 God. 1036 00:44:21,790 --> 00:44:23,690 Oh, let God give it to us. 1037 00:44:25,850 --> 00:44:28,770 Let's quit blaming God, and let's quit complaining 1038 00:44:28,770 --> 00:44:31,810 about our circumstances, and let's quit this impatient 1039 00:44:31,810 --> 00:44:35,570 business, and instead face ourselves in the light 1040 00:44:35,570 --> 00:44:37,790 of the word of God, and realize that 1041 00:44:37,790 --> 00:44:39,830 for we know that how many things work 1042 00:44:39,830 --> 00:44:40,730 together for good. 1043 00:44:41,790 --> 00:44:43,790 Oh, that was a solo, too. 1044 00:44:43,890 --> 00:44:44,370 Thank you. 1045 00:44:46,870 --> 00:44:48,370 Ah, but it's the truth. 1046 00:44:50,880 --> 00:44:52,040 We forget, don't we? 1047 00:44:52,560 --> 00:44:54,760 And we do complain, and we do find 1048 00:44:54,760 --> 00:44:56,960 fault, and we do get irritable, and we 1049 00:44:56,960 --> 00:44:59,180 do sat back, and we do get sharp, 1050 00:45:00,600 --> 00:45:03,280 when all the time God's trying to teach 1051 00:45:03,280 --> 00:45:07,560 us patience and long-suffering with joyfulness. 1052 00:45:11,760 --> 00:45:13,500 So there's a reason for the wait. 1053 00:45:15,710 --> 00:45:17,110 Three kinds of answers. 1054 00:45:17,890 --> 00:45:26,510 All answers, all answers, yes, no, wait. 1055 00:45:29,960 --> 00:45:31,380 Let's go back to our text as we 1056 00:45:31,380 --> 00:45:31,760 close. 1057 00:45:33,650 --> 00:45:37,790 Ask, and it shall. 1058 00:45:42,430 --> 00:45:46,630 Seek, and ye shall find. 1059 00:45:49,100 --> 00:45:53,540 Knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 1060 00:45:54,480 --> 00:45:57,840 For everyone that asketh what? 1061 00:45:59,040 --> 00:45:59,760 Receive it. 1062 00:46:00,020 --> 00:46:01,060 He that seeketh what? 1063 00:46:01,800 --> 00:46:03,700 Findeth to him that knocketh what? 1064 00:46:04,620 --> 00:46:06,400 It shall be opened. 1065 00:46:09,520 --> 00:46:10,580 Do you believe it tonight? 1066 00:46:12,100 --> 00:46:13,080 Do I? 1067 00:46:14,120 --> 00:46:15,540 Let God be true. 1068 00:46:16,420 --> 00:46:18,520 His word is yea, and amen. 1069 00:46:19,260 --> 00:46:21,980 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my 1070 00:46:21,980 --> 00:46:23,780 word shall not pass away. 1071 00:46:24,180 --> 00:46:27,340 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, but the 1072 00:46:27,340 --> 00:46:32,750 word of our God shall forever. 1073 00:46:33,850 --> 00:46:37,990 The certainty of the promise. 1074 00:46:39,050 --> 00:46:40,830 Take heart tonight, dear mother. 1075 00:46:41,950 --> 00:46:43,810 Take heart tonight, dear father. 1076 00:46:44,670 --> 00:46:47,050 Take heart tonight, dear loved one, friend. 1077 00:46:48,510 --> 00:46:51,610 God's going to answer your prayer. 1078 00:46:53,070 --> 00:46:55,110 He says he will. 1079 00:46:57,890 --> 00:47:02,240 You can trust him absolutely. 1080 00:47:08,600 --> 00:47:12,260 Our father, how we praise thee for this. 1081 00:47:18,910 --> 00:47:20,670 We have to bow our heads in shame 1082 00:47:20,670 --> 00:47:23,030 tonight, that all too often we have not 1083 00:47:23,030 --> 00:47:24,350 expected thee to answer. 1084 00:47:30,750 --> 00:47:32,910 Cleanse our hearts from unbelief tonight. 1085 00:47:35,110 --> 00:47:36,190 We have failed. 1086 00:47:37,990 --> 00:47:39,270 We have been bitter. 1087 00:47:40,090 --> 00:47:40,910 We have criticized. 1088 00:47:41,470 --> 00:47:42,350 We've found fault. 1089 00:47:42,530 --> 00:47:43,190 We've questioned. 1090 00:47:44,650 --> 00:47:45,790 We've complained. 1091 00:47:46,390 --> 00:47:47,550 We've paced the floor. 1092 00:47:47,790 --> 00:47:48,490 We've worried. 1093 00:47:49,530 --> 00:47:54,730 We confess our sin to thee tonight, and 1094 00:47:54,730 --> 00:47:56,990 we claim the cleansing blood of the Lord 1095 00:47:56,990 --> 00:47:57,370 Jesus. 1096 00:48:00,030 --> 00:48:02,490 Now, our father, encourage our faith with thy 1097 00:48:02,490 --> 00:48:03,430 word this night. 1098 00:48:06,060 --> 00:48:09,340 Give us that implicit and explicit confidence in 1099 00:48:09,340 --> 00:48:12,020 thy word that will enable us to bow 1100 00:48:12,020 --> 00:48:14,380 before thee tonight in faith and say thank 1101 00:48:14,380 --> 00:48:19,500 you for the answer that is coming to 1102 00:48:19,500 --> 00:48:21,140 the burdens upon our hearts. 1103 00:48:23,420 --> 00:48:26,360 With the disciples of old, we pray again. 1104 00:48:27,420 --> 00:48:34,180 Lord, teach us to pray in the name 1105 00:48:34,180 --> 00:48:34,720 of Christ. 1106 00:48:36,790 --> 00:48:37,110 Amen. 1107 00:48:39,490 --> 00:48:41,390 You've been listening to the From the Pulpit 1108 00:48:41,390 --> 00:48:42,570 in Classic Sermon series. 1109 00:48:42,870 --> 00:48:45,990 This week you heard with his message, Answered 1110 00:48:45,990 --> 00:48:46,190 Prayer. 1111 00:48:46,790 --> 00:48:48,530 Tune in next week to hear Lester Simrall 1112 00:48:48,530 --> 00:48:51,390 talk about demonology and deliverance on From the 1113 00:48:51,390 --> 00:48:53,110 Pulpit in Classic Sermons.