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Matthew 6:9-10 - Part 2 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Last week, I purposed to preach verses 9 and 10 of Matthew 6.
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! However, I only managed to cover the first two intended points which we saw in verse 9, which were pray like Jesus, our Father in heaven.
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And secondly, pray like Jesus, hallowed be your name.
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So, our text this morning again, once again, is Matthew chapter 6, verse 9 and verse 10, with an emphasis on verse 10.
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In order for us to gain the broader context of Jesus' teaching on prayer, we're going to read, though, a larger portion of Matthew 6.
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I'll begin in verse 5 and read through verse 13.
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Before I lead us in a reading, let me remind you, beloved, that this is God's word to us.
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It was written for His glory and our good.
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And we would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and obey its commands.
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Jesus said,
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And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners that they may be seen by others.
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Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
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But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret.
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And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
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And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do,
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for they think that they will be heard for their many words.
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Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
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Pray then like this.
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Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
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Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
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Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors.
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And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
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Last week I posited many people pray.
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Look at a moment of crisis in our community or our broader nation.
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And so many run to prayer.
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Our thoughts and prayers are with you as commonly said.
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But we must understand that not all prayer is the same.
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Many pray to gods that are not gods at all.
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And it is very possible, even very plausible, to pray to the right God, but to pray wrongly.
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I then showed you that the Scripture has much to say about prayers offered in vain.
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In fact, I gave you 12 examples, which I don't think was exhaustive at all.
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But here's a few of them, such as,
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God does not answer the prayer of those who have personal and selfish motives.
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James chapter 4 and verse 3, James writes,
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You ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly to spend it on your passions.
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And God does not answer the prayer of those who remain in sin.
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Isaiah chapter 59 and verse 2,
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But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God,
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and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.
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So we must be concerned about praying to the right God,
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but also praying to the right God rightly.
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I would encourage you, if you weren't here last week,
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to go and listen to those other things the Scripture has to say concerning wrong prayer.
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So a careful consideration of how we ought to pray is of great importance for us.
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In this text, Jesus is modeling a pattern for us to pray by.
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Note that He does not say, pray this.
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He says, pray then like this.
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He's showing us.
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He's informing us about how our prayers should be formed.
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What should be motivating our praying.
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And He begins, our first point last week,
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was saying, pray this way.
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Our Father in Heaven.
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So we should pray like Jesus.
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Our Father in Heaven.
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Jesus tells us that our prayers should begin with the recognition that God is our Father.
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And so this becomes the beginning point for God to hear our prayers and to answer our prayers
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is that He is in fact our Father.
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That you have been adopted into His family by grace alone,
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through faith alone,
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in Christ alone.
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That you have seen that there's no amount of labor on your part in keeping the laws.
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Previously sung songs stated so well that could ever have earned us a place in God's family.
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But rather because of the perfect Son.
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The second Adam.
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The one who came and lived a sinless life
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and grants us that sinless life by faith in Him.
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That we can call God our Father.
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We want to cry out to God and ask things of Him.
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Flee to Him in Christ.
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When we call God our Father,
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we are recognizing His boundless mercy and grace to us
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in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
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So having been found in Christ,
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adopted into His family,
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we begin our prayers recognizing this.
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Starting with the confidence of saying,
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this God of heaven and earth is my dad.
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And so I can ask things of Him.
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This is a profound title to utter to God in our prayers.
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And it is the absolute basis for our confidence in approaching Him.
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Jesus also teaches us that we are to pray not only our Father,
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but our Father in heaven.
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And I believe we're to do this lest we become too chummy
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with the One who created heaven and earth and all that is in them.
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We're meant to remember who this Father is.
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Lest we forget that He is God and we are not.
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We should be careful that we do not become overly casual in our prayer.
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We ought to approach God with boldness as His children,
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but also with reverence and awe.
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I also pointed out that Jesus in teaching us how to pray
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tells us that we should begin our prayers with our Father.
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He uses a plural pronoun there.
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And we could be very quick to say,
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this is just an instruction for corporate prayer,
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how we should pray then together.
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And I do think it informs our corporate praying.
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But just before that,
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even in the text I read for us this morning,
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Jesus has been talking about private prayer.
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So I think He means for us in the opening of our praying
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to recognize that God has saved a people.
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He has a people.
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And we collectively have a Father.
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That we are a family.
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Both local and global
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and throughout all of redemptive history.
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That we are a people for God's possession.
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So we should pray like Jesus,
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our Father in heaven.
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The second point from last week was,
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we should pray like Jesus,
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hallowed be Your name.
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So the first petition of Jesus' model prayer for us
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is not for Himself.
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It's not aimed at Him in any way whatsoever.
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But that God's name would be hallowed.
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This is not a word that we use in our day.
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But to hallow something
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is to honor it as holy.
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It's to put it in its proper place as holy.
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So Jesus asks,
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first and foremost,
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that God's glory would be known
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in the world.
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Beloved,
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if only we would begin our prayers in this way,
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I believe that we would pray much differently.
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If our prayers began with,
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how is God praised
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in what I'm going to now ask of Him?
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Our minds should go immediately
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to the prayer of Jesus
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in the Garden of Gethsemane,
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anticipating the great physical suffering,
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but more than that,
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I believe the great spiritual suffering
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that He was going to experience.
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The text says for us
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that He was sweating blood.
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Any of us will ever be
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in that depth of anguish
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in our lives,
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that we sweat blood.
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And He said,
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if there's any way,
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God of Heaven,
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my Father,
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for this cup to pass from me,
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let it pass from me.
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Spare me from the suffering
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I'm about to experience.
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But yet,
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not my will,
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but Yours be done.
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Jesus in one of His darkest moments
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had this attitude
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as He came to prayer.
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How is it that God's name
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will be best praised in the world?
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I concluded last week
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with an exercise,
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which I want to repeat it.
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I'm going to repeat it verbatim
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from last week.
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Because my time was running short
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and notes were long,
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I actually skipped to the bottom
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of notes
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to have you take a moment
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to consider
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how it is that you pray.
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To just take a moment
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with me to consider
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your prayer life.
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And I want us to do this
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and then we'll get to
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the second two points
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from verse 10.
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So,
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think with me
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for a moment
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about the specific things
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that you tend to pray for.
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Maybe it's possible
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that you can recall some
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over the past week.
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Maybe this morning
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or even yesterday
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you prayed.
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If not,
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think in generalities.
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What types of things
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do you tend to pray for?
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If we could
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take a summary
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of your prayer life
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and jot down
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some basic notes,
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summary statements
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of what you tend
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to pray for,
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what would those
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things tend
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to be?
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Now,
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I hope you have
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some semblance
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in your head
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of what that would look like.
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So,
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let me ask this.
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if all of your prayers
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were to be answered,
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what would the outcome
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be?
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What would the outcome
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be?
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Would you be living
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in greater ease?
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Would you have
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more money,
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more success
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at work,
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more free time,
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fewer relational
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challenges,
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better health?
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None of these things
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are bad things.
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None of them
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are things that we
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couldn't ask God
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for.
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But would that
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be the end result?
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Would that be all
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that would happen
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if your prayers
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were all answered?
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Or,
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would God be
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more known
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and worshipped
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by you,
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your family,
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your neighbors,
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your classmates,
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and your coworkers?
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Jesus aims
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his prayer
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at the glory
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of God,
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and so
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should we.
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You see,
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beloved,
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God has many
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good purposes
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in the world.
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He desires
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that your marriage
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and your parenting
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and your schooling
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and your employment
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go well with you
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and for you.
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He desires
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that we
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don't have to
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battle with
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sickness
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and depression.
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He cares
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about the
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health
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of our
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relationships
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and the unity
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of our
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church.
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These things
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are important
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to our
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God.
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He is our
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Father and He
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cares about
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the very
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minutia
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of our
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days.
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He desires
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that we would
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walk well
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in this world,
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but this
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is to
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fulfill
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a greater
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purpose.
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His purposes
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are to
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fulfill
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a greater
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purpose,
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an overarching
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purpose,
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an all
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encompassing
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purpose.
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purpose,
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that His
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name
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would be
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praised
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amongst
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all
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peoples,
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that His
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glory
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would be
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known
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and
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shared
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everywhere.
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Psalm 67
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verses 1
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through 3
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say this,
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May God
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be gracious
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to us
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and bless
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us and
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make His
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face to
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shine upon
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us.
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Wonderful
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prayer.
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Why?
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How
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does Psalm
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67
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come up
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underneath
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what Jesus
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is teaching
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us to pray
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here?
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Here's this
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prayer for
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us.
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May God
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be gracious
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to us
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and bless
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us and
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make His
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face to
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shine upon
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us.
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Verse 2,
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that your
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way may
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be known
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on earth,
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your saving
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power amongst
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all
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nations.
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Let the
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peoples praise
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you, O
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God.
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Let all
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the peoples
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praise you.
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Hallowed
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be
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your name.
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This should
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be the
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driving
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force
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of our
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lives.
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If we are
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disciples of
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Jesus Christ,
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we must
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see how
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Jesus
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walked.
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We're to be
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following in
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His
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way.
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And He
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placed the
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glory of
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God above
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all else,
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as should
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we.
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And Jesus'
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next two
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model petitions
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are an
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expansion of
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this very
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idea of
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hallowed be
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your name.
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And so
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third, we
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see in the
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beginning of
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verse 10
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that we
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should pray
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like Jesus,
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your kingdom
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come.
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Pray like
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Jesus,
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your kingdom
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come.
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Jesus began
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His earthly
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ministry
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preaching about
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the arrival
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of the
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kingdom.
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We can read
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of Matthew
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chapter 4
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and verse 17
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before the
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Sermon on
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the Mount
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is recorded
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by Matthew.
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From that
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time,
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Jesus began
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to preach
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saying,
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this is the
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beginning of
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His ministry,
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and here is
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the theme
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of His
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sermons.
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Repent
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for the
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kingdom of
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heaven
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is at
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hand.
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Repent
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for the
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kingdom of
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heaven
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is at
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hand.
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When we
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speak of
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the kingdom
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of heaven
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or the
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kingdom
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of God,
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we are
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speaking of
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God's
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good rule
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and His
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praise being
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established
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on the
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earth.
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And when we
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talk about
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this,
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there is
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both a
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here and
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a here-to-come
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aspect of
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God's
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kingdom.
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For
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example,
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Psalm 103
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verse 19
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reads,
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the Lord
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has
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established
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His throne
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in the
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heavens
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and His
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kingdom
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rules
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over all.
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And so,
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God reigns.
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God reigns.
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He is
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sovereign over
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all things
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that are
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happening in
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the world.
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And yet,
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He is
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patiently
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allowing
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the rejection
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of His
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reign
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as He
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works His
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mercy
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and grace
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toward
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mankind.
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He is
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graciously
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allowing all
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of the
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rebellion
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that's
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happening in
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the world
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about Him
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as He's
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patiently
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awaiting the
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bringing about
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of His
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praise.
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2 Peter 3
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9 speaks
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of God's
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patience in
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bringing all
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those that
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would belong
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to Him
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to repentance.
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God's
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purpose is
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that people
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from every
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tribe,
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nation,
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and tongue
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be praisers
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of His
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glorious
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grace
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and mercy.
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Jesus,
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speaking to
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His disciples
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in some of
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His last
17:36
days,
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we can read
17:37
in Matthew
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chapter 24,
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tells them
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about things
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that will
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come.
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And in
17:43
verse 14,
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He says,
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and this
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gospel of
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the kingdom,
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this good
17:47
news of
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grace and
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mercy towards
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mankind,
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will be
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proclaimed
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throughout the
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whole world
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as a
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testimony to
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all nations
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and then
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the end
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will come.
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A gospel
18:02
proclamation
18:02
is aimed
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at bringing
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about the
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consummation
18:06
of the
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kingdom
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of God,
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a people
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living
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gratefully
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under
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His rule
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and giving
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Him all
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the glory
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that is due
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Him.
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This is
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the very
18:18
reason
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that God
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called
18:21
a people.
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And I
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find too
18:24
often as
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God's
18:25
church that
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we are
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just too
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content
18:27
with the
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state of
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the world
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in which
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we live.
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We would
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have things
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be a little
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better for
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our sake.
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But we're
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not nearly
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as concerned
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as we
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ought to
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be about
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people coming
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under the
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good rule
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of God,
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Christ,
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our Savior,
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and our
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King.
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That we
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are not
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so concerned
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as we
18:50
should be
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about our
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neighbor and
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our co-worker
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and the
18:54
person checking
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us out at
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the grocery
18:56
store.
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We just
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don't seem
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to care
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that our
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God would
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be known
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amongst
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all peoples.
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We seem
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just a little
19:04
too satisfied
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to gather
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together and
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theorize
19:08
about this
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God and
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not then go
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out and tell
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our neighbor
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about Him.
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to not be
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mobilized
19:16
for the
19:17
purpose,
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this grand
19:19
purpose of
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His name
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being praised
19:22
amongst
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all
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peoples.
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I want
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to show
19:27
you how
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aimed
19:30
God is
19:31
at His
19:32
own glory
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because if
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we as
19:34
people are
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to be
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concerned
19:35
about the
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things that
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He's
19:36
concerned
19:37
about,
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this is
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the thing.
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The overarching,
19:40
the large
19:41
purpose,
19:41
which all
19:42
of the
19:42
purposes
19:42
serve.
19:45
And I
19:45
want to
19:45
show you
19:46
this from
19:46
the Old
19:47
Testament
19:47
book of
19:48
Isaiah.
19:48
So if
19:48
you'll turn
19:49
with me
19:49
please to
19:50
Isaiah and
19:51
we'll begin
19:51
in chapter
19:52
43.
20:06
While you're
20:06
doing that,
20:07
I'm going to
20:07
do something
20:07
off script.
20:08
get to
20:13
Isaiah 43.
20:17
In some
20:18
recent days
20:19
across the
20:21
past couple
20:21
of months,
20:23
a pastor
20:26
of a
20:27
large
20:27
megachurch
20:28
in our
20:29
area
20:29
has said
20:32
that in
20:34
order to
20:34
bring people
20:34
to faith
20:35
in Christ,
20:35
we should,
20:36
unhitch
20:39
Jesus
20:39
from the
20:40
Old
20:40
Testament.
20:43
And this
20:44
is a
20:45
deeply
20:45
concerning
20:46
thing
20:46
that he
20:48
is saying.
20:49
Now I
20:49
believe that
20:49
this man
20:50
is a
20:50
brother,
20:51
and I
20:51
believe that
20:52
we should
20:52
be in
20:52
prayer for
20:53
him,
20:53
and for
20:54
those under
20:54
his
20:54
leadership.
20:54
I also
20:55
believe we
20:55
should warn
20:56
those who
20:57
are under
20:57
his
20:58
leadership.
20:58
If you
20:59
don't know
20:59
who I'm
20:59
talking
20:59
about,
21:00
you can
21:00
ask me
21:00
later,
21:01
and I
21:01
will
21:01
tell you.
21:02
He has
21:03
said we
21:03
should
21:04
unhitch
21:05
the Old
21:05
Testament
21:05
from Jesus
21:07
because
21:07
people have
21:08
a problem
21:09
with the
21:09
God of
21:10
the Old
21:10
Testament,
21:11
or they
21:11
might see
21:11
some
21:12
inconsistencies
21:13
in the
21:13
Old
21:14
Testament,
21:14
and therefore
21:15
we shouldn't
21:16
be so
21:16
concerned
21:17
about that.
21:17
I think
21:18
the motivation
21:18
is good.
21:19
I think
21:19
what he's
21:19
saying is
21:20
let's be
21:20
concerned
21:21
primarily.
21:22
Let's
21:23
invest our
21:23
faith primarily
21:24
in the
21:25
fact that
21:25
Jesus was
21:25
a real
21:26
man.
21:27
He was
21:28
in fact
21:28
the Son
21:29
of God.
21:29
He did
21:29
die,
21:30
and he
21:30
was
21:31
raised.
21:31
I get
21:32
that,
21:33
and I
21:33
think
21:33
there's
21:33
some
21:34
good
21:34
intention
21:34
in that,
21:35
but
21:36
Romans
21:37
10-17,
21:38
faith
21:39
comes
21:39
by
21:39
hearing
21:40
and
21:40
hearing
21:40
from
21:40
the
21:41
word
21:41
of
21:41
Christ.
21:43
What is
21:44
the word
21:44
of
21:44
Christ
21:45
but the
21:46
scripture?
21:47
What was
21:48
the Bible
21:48
of Jesus'
21:49
day?
21:50
If we
21:50
want to
21:51
just look
21:51
to the
21:51
New
21:52
Testament,
21:53
or look
21:53
just to
21:53
the red
21:54
letters
21:54
as some
21:55
would say,
21:56
the words
21:57
of Jesus,
21:58
he was
21:59
constantly
21:59
using the
22:00
Bible
22:00
of his
22:01
day,
22:01
which we
22:01
call
22:02
our
22:02
Old
22:02
Testament.
22:03
He was
22:03
constantly
22:04
looking to
22:05
it.
22:05
When people
22:06
have a
22:06
problem
22:06
with the
22:06
Old
22:07
Testament,
22:07
the answer
22:07
is not
22:08
to disregard
22:08
the Old
22:08
Testament,
22:09
the answer
22:09
is to
22:09
explain
22:10
the Old
22:11
Testament,
22:12
to be a
22:13
student of
22:14
the Scripture
22:15
and to help
22:15
others come
22:16
to understand
22:17
the Scripture.
22:19
The greater
22:21
portion,
22:21
the first
22:22
two-thirds
22:23
of our
22:24
Bibles
22:24
are precious
22:25
to us.
22:26
And they
22:27
speak of
22:28
a God
22:28
who is
22:28
full of
22:29
grace and
22:30
mercy,
22:31
steadfast love
22:32
to his
22:33
people.
22:34
It's an
22:35
astounding
22:36
work and
22:37
should never
22:37
be disconnected
22:39
from the
22:40
personal work
22:41
of Jesus
22:42
Christ.
22:44
All that's
22:45
promised in
22:47
the Old
22:47
Testament
22:48
finds its
22:49
yes in
22:51
Jesus,
22:52
finds its
22:53
affirmation in
22:54
Jesus.
22:55
So should we
22:56
want to know
22:57
the promises
22:57
of God
22:58
that find
22:58
their yes
22:59
in Jesus?
23:00
And the
23:00
answer is
23:00
absolutely
23:01
we should.
23:03
What a
23:04
dangerous thing
23:05
to say
23:05
that we
23:06
could just
23:06
disregard,
23:07
disconnect,
23:08
unhitch it.
23:10
What a
23:11
dangerous,
23:12
dangerous place
23:13
to be.
23:14
So let's
23:15
look in the
23:15
book of
23:16
Isaiah
23:16
chapter 43.
23:22
I want to
23:22
show you
23:23
that God
23:24
called a
23:26
people and
23:27
is calling
23:28
a people.
23:29
We are
23:29
part of
23:30
that people
23:30
if we
23:31
are part
23:31
of the
23:32
church
23:32
for
23:33
his
23:34
glory.
23:36
This is
23:36
the purpose,
23:37
the overarching
23:38
purpose,
23:39
that his
23:39
name would
23:40
be hallowed,
23:41
that his
23:42
kingdom would
23:43
come,
23:43
that his
23:43
will would
23:44
be done.
23:44
Hear that
23:45
as I'm
23:45
talking about
23:46
God's
23:46
glory.
23:49
So Isaiah
23:49
chapter 43
23:50
beginning in
23:50
verse 1,
23:51
I'll read
23:51
through 7.
23:53
But now
23:54
thus says
23:54
the Lord,
23:55
he who
23:55
created you,
23:56
O Jacob,
23:57
he who
23:58
formed you,
23:59
O Israel,
24:01
fear not,
24:02
for I have
24:03
redeemed you.
24:04
I have
24:05
called you
24:05
by my
24:06
name.
24:07
You are
24:08
mine.
24:10
When you
24:10
pass through
24:11
the waters,
24:11
I will be
24:11
with you,
24:12
and through
24:12
the rivers,
24:13
they shall
24:13
not overwhelm
24:14
you.
24:15
When you
24:15
walk through
24:16
fire,
24:16
you shall
24:16
not be
24:17
burned,
24:17
and the
24:17
flames shall
24:18
not consume
24:19
you.
24:20
For I
24:21
am the
24:21
Lord,
24:21
your God,
24:22
the Holy
24:23
One of
24:23
Israel,
24:23
your Savior.
24:26
I give
24:26
Egypt as
24:27
your ransom,
24:27
Cush and
24:28
Saba in
24:29
exchange for
24:29
you.
24:30
Because you
24:31
are precious
24:31
in my eyes
24:33
and honored,
24:33
and I
24:34
love you,
24:35
I give
24:36
men in
24:36
return for
24:37
you,
24:37
peoples in
24:37
exchange for
24:38
your life.
24:40
Fear not,
24:41
for I am
24:42
with you.
24:43
I will bring
24:44
your offspring
24:44
from the east,
24:45
and from the
24:46
west I will
24:47
gather you.
24:47
I will say
24:48
to the north,
24:49
give up,
24:49
and to the south,
24:50
do not withhold.
24:51
Bring my
24:52
sons from
24:53
afar,
24:54
and my
24:54
daughters from
24:55
the end of
24:56
the earth.
24:57
That's the
24:57
nations,
24:58
everyone.
24:58
That's us,
24:59
right?
25:00
Being included
25:00
in spiritual
25:02
Israel.
25:03
Verse 7,
25:04
everyone who
25:05
is called by
25:06
my name,
25:07
whom I
25:07
created for
25:09
my glory,
25:12
whom I
25:13
formed
25:14
and made.
25:15
So you
25:16
see some of
25:16
the purposes,
25:17
all of the
25:17
goodness to
25:18
this people
25:19
being worked
25:20
out.
25:20
God will
25:21
be with
25:21
us.
25:22
God will
25:22
be our
25:22
protector.
25:24
He's going
25:24
to sustain
25:25
us.
25:26
But why?
25:27
His glory.
25:29
This great
25:30
purpose.
25:31
His glory.
25:32
Look on later
25:33
in Isaiah
25:34
chapter 43,
25:35
verse 20
25:36
and 21.
25:39
Here God
25:40
says,
25:40
the wild
25:41
beasts will
25:42
honor me,
25:42
the jackals
25:43
and the
25:43
ostriches.
25:44
For I
25:45
give water
25:46
in the
25:46
wilderness,
25:47
rivers in
25:47
the desert
25:48
to give
25:49
drink to
25:50
my chosen
25:50
people,
25:52
the people
25:52
whom I
25:53
formed for
25:54
myself,
25:55
that they
25:56
might declare
25:57
my praise.
26:00
Again,
26:01
a people
26:01
for the
26:01
praise of
26:03
God.
26:03
Turn a little
26:04
bit to Isaiah
26:04
chapter 44
26:06
and verse
26:07
23.
26:07
Sing,
26:14
O heavens,
26:16
for the
26:16
Lord has
26:17
done it.
26:17
Shout,
26:18
O depths
26:18
of the
26:19
earth.
26:19
Break
26:19
forth into
26:20
singing,
26:21
O mountains,
26:22
O forest,
26:23
and every
26:24
tree in
26:25
it.
26:25
For the
26:26
Lord has
26:27
redeemed
26:28
Jacob and
26:29
will be
26:30
glorified in
26:31
Israel.
26:32
The Lord
26:33
will be
26:33
glorified
26:34
because He
26:35
has redeemed
26:36
a people
26:37
for His
26:38
possession.
26:39
And those
26:40
of us
26:41
who have
26:41
been saved
26:42
by grace
26:43
through faith
26:44
in Christ
26:45
are those
26:46
who are
26:46
meant to
26:47
sing the
26:47
praise of
26:48
His name.
26:50
And we
26:51
want that
26:51
to be,
26:52
we ought
26:52
to want
26:53
that to
26:53
be a
26:53
song that
26:54
gets louder
26:55
and louder
26:56
and louder
26:56
and take
26:57
places in
26:58
languages other
26:59
than English
27:00
and is sung
27:02
by people who
27:02
don't look
27:03
like us,
27:04
who don't
27:05
gather the
27:05
same way we
27:06
gather.
27:06
We should
27:07
desire this
27:08
because our
27:09
God is
27:09
worthy of
27:10
all praise.
27:13
One more
27:14
reference from
27:15
Isaiah.
27:17
Chapter 48
27:18
verses 9
27:22
through 11.
27:32
In verse 9
27:33
He talks about
27:34
deferring His
27:35
anger.
27:35
So this is
27:35
anger against
27:36
His people.
27:37
Wicked
27:38
people.
27:40
He says,
27:40
For my
27:41
name's sake
27:42
I defer
27:42
my anger.
27:43
For the
27:43
sake of
27:44
my praise
27:45
I restrain
27:46
it for you
27:46
that I may
27:47
not cut
27:48
you off.
27:50
Behold,
27:51
I have
27:52
refined
27:52
you but
27:53
not a
27:53
silver.
27:54
I have
27:55
tried you
27:55
in the
27:56
furnace of
27:56
affliction.
27:58
For my
27:58
own
27:59
sake,
28:00
for my
28:01
own sake
28:02
I do it.
28:02
for how
28:03
should my
28:04
name be
28:04
profaned.
28:05
My glory
28:06
I will
28:07
not give
28:08
to another.
28:11
Even the
28:12
suffering of
28:13
God's
28:14
people,
28:15
the working
28:15
of righteousness
28:16
in us
28:17
is aimed
28:18
at this
28:18
higher purpose.
28:21
You pick up
28:21
the gospel of
28:22
Jesus Christ
28:23
and begin to
28:23
apply it to
28:24
your own
28:24
living.
28:25
It is so
28:26
good that it
28:27
brings about
28:28
betterment
28:29
of us.
28:31
Walking in
28:32
the light
28:32
is so
28:33
much better
28:34
than walking
28:34
in the
28:35
dark.
28:36
Our
28:37
relationships
28:37
with
28:39
creation
28:40
and with
28:40
each other
28:41
being redeemed
28:42
is such
28:42
a good
28:43
thing.
28:44
It is so
28:44
good but
28:45
it is not
28:45
high enough.
28:48
Your pursuit
28:48
of holiness
28:49
is not
28:50
ultimately
28:50
about you,
28:51
it is
28:51
ultimately
28:52
about the
28:53
glory of
28:54
God.
28:56
So we are
28:56
to pray
28:57
like Jesus.
28:59
Your kingdom
29:00
come.
29:02
Your kingdom
29:03
come.
29:06
And I think
29:06
even sometimes
29:07
in our longing
29:08
for a better
29:08
place,
29:09
we don't
29:10
aim high
29:11
enough.
29:12
If you
29:12
could even
29:13
just dip
29:13
your toe
29:14
in the
29:14
water of
29:15
our modern
29:15
politics,
29:16
you will
29:17
find yourself
29:18
wherever you
29:18
are on the
29:19
political
29:19
spectrum so
29:20
incredibly
29:20
frustrated.
29:22
The state
29:23
of our
29:23
nation
29:24
right now,
29:25
the way
29:26
that those
29:27
who are
29:27
meant to
29:27
lead us
29:28
act like
29:29
children
29:29
in their
29:31
leadership
29:31
of us.
29:33
We should
29:34
want that
29:34
to improve
29:35
but if we
29:36
don't go
29:36
above that
29:37
then we
29:38
aim too
29:38
low.
29:39
We want
29:40
a kingdom,
29:42
a theocracy
29:43
ruled by
29:44
an almighty
29:44
God who
29:45
never fails
29:47
in the way
29:48
that he
29:48
leads.
29:49
We want
29:50
God's praise
29:51
and his
29:52
rule
29:52
everywhere
29:53
in the
29:54
world
29:54
and we
29:55
want to
29:55
see that
29:56
full
29:56
consummation
29:57
of the
29:57
kingdom
29:58
come.
30:00
So we
30:01
pray like
30:01
Jesus,
30:01
your kingdom
30:02
come.
30:02
Fourthly,
30:03
we pray like
30:03
Jesus,
30:04
your will
30:05
be done
30:06
on earth
30:07
as it
30:08
is in
30:08
heaven.
30:09
And this
30:10
is just
30:10
elaborating
30:11
once again
30:12
on this.
30:13
I think
30:14
the thing
30:15
of note
30:15
here is
30:16
that this
30:17
is an
30:17
ask of
30:18
obedience.
30:19
So that
30:20
we would
30:20
praise the
30:20
name of
30:21
God,
30:22
hallowed
30:22
be your
30:22
name,
30:22
your
30:23
kingdom
30:23
come,
30:25
and that
30:25
we would
30:25
be obedient
30:26
to God.
30:28
More
30:28
specifically,
30:29
that we
30:30
would be
30:31
arranging
30:31
ourselves
30:32
as God's
30:32
people
30:33
underneath
30:33
his
30:35
reign
30:35
for
30:36
his
30:36
glory.
30:38
Let me
30:39
show you
30:39
this from
30:39
1 Peter
30:40
chapter 2.
30:47
Peter
30:47
writes,
30:48
but you,
30:48
you may be
30:49
familiar with
30:49
this text,
30:50
are a
30:50
chosen race.
30:52
A royal
30:53
priesthood,
30:54
a holy
30:54
nation,
30:56
a people
30:56
for his
30:57
own
30:58
possession.
31:00
It would
31:00
seem
31:01
that Peter
31:02
is very
31:03
familiar with
31:03
his Old
31:04
Testament.
31:05
He is
31:05
almost
31:06
directly
31:07
citing from
31:07
the book
31:07
of Hosea
31:08
here.
31:09
Almost
31:10
word for
31:10
word citing
31:11
from the
31:11
book of
31:12
Hosea.
31:13
We would
31:14
be this
31:14
people,
31:15
that what,
31:16
verse 9,
31:16
we may
31:17
proclaim
31:17
the excellencies
31:19
of him
31:20
who called
31:21
you out of
31:21
darkness
31:21
into his
31:22
marvelous
31:23
light.
31:24
God's
31:24
redeemed
31:24
people
31:25
praising
31:26
his name,
31:27
giving him
31:27
glory as
31:28
we should.
31:30
Verse 10,
31:32
once you
31:32
were not
31:32
a people,
31:33
but now
31:34
you are
31:34
God's
31:34
people.
31:35
Once you
31:35
had not
31:36
received
31:36
mercy,
31:37
but now
31:37
you have
31:38
received
31:39
mercy.
31:40
Again,
31:40
Hosea.
31:42
Verse 11,
31:43
beloved,
31:43
I urge
31:43
you as
31:45
sojourners
31:47
and exiles
31:48
living in a
31:50
place that's
31:50
not our
31:51
home.
31:52
Sojourners
31:52
and exiles
31:54
to abstain
31:56
from the
31:56
passions
31:57
of the
31:58
flesh
31:59
which wage
31:59
war
32:00
against
32:01
your soul.
32:03
So as
32:03
these people
32:04
called apart
32:06
for this
32:06
praise,
32:07
living as
32:07
strangers
32:08
in a
32:08
land,
32:09
Peter says,
32:11
abstain
32:11
from the
32:12
passions
32:13
of the
32:14
flesh
32:14
which wage
32:14
war
32:15
against
32:16
your
32:16
soul.
32:17
And then
32:17
he says,
32:18
why?
32:20
Keep your
32:21
conduct
32:21
among the
32:22
Gentiles.
32:24
Peter here is
32:24
writing to a
32:25
largely Jewish
32:25
population
32:26
church.
32:27
So those
32:27
outside of
32:28
that,
32:29
the Gentiles
32:29
honorable,
32:31
so that when
32:32
they speak
32:32
against you
32:33
as evildoers,
32:34
they may
32:34
see your
32:35
good deeds
32:36
and glorify
32:37
God on
32:38
the day
32:38
of
32:39
visitation.
32:41
That we
32:41
would be a
32:42
people set
32:42
apart in
32:44
language as
32:45
well as
32:46
in activity.
32:48
That God's
32:49
will being
32:50
done on
32:51
the earth
32:51
starts with
32:52
us,
32:53
his church,
32:54
submitting
32:55
ourselves to
32:56
his lordship
32:58
over our
32:59
lives,
32:59
recognizing
33:00
him as
33:01
our good
33:02
king,
33:03
our father
33:04
in
33:05
heaven.
33:08
A desire
33:09
for God's
33:10
name to
33:10
be honored
33:11
amongst
33:11
all people
33:12
should
33:13
drive
33:13
everything
33:15
that we
33:16
do.
33:16
It should
33:17
be the
33:17
undercurrent
33:18
that carries
33:19
everything
33:20
that we
33:21
do
33:21
along.
33:23
And I
33:23
think we
33:24
should ask
33:24
the question
33:25
of the
33:26
homes we
33:27
buy,
33:27
and the
33:28
people that
33:29
we marry,
33:30
and our
33:30
choices to
33:31
have children,
33:32
and where we
33:32
decide to
33:33
go to
33:33
school,
33:34
and what
33:34
we major
33:34
in,
33:34
and what
33:35
job we
33:35
take.
33:36
I think we
33:36
should ask
33:37
the question
33:37
of all
33:38
of these
33:38
things,
33:39
how does
33:40
this bring
33:41
God glory?
33:44
How am I
33:45
meant to
33:45
walk in
33:46
the simple
33:47
and the
33:48
seemingly
33:49
mundane
33:50
things of
33:51
my life
33:51
for the
33:52
sake of
33:53
his name?
33:54
Students,
33:54
how do you
33:55
go to
33:55
class to
33:57
the glory
33:57
of God?
33:58
Those in
33:59
the full-time
34:00
workforce,
34:01
how do you
34:02
get in there
34:02
and grind
34:03
day in
34:03
and day
34:04
out to
34:05
the glory
34:05
of God?
34:07
Stay at
34:08
home moms,
34:09
how do you
34:10
do it?
34:11
How do you
34:12
work day
34:12
in and day
34:13
out?
34:14
Raising
34:14
little ones,
34:15
those of
34:15
you who
34:16
homeschool,
34:17
trying to
34:17
train them
34:18
to the
34:19
glory of
34:20
God,
34:21
how do
34:21
we get
34:21
in every
34:22
single
34:23
thing?
34:24
How do
34:24
we take
34:25
vacations
34:25
to the
34:26
glory of
34:27
God?
34:29
And I
34:29
fear that
34:29
we do
34:30
far too
34:30
much
34:31
without
34:31
giving
34:31
any
34:32
thought
34:32
to the
34:32
glory of
34:32
God,
34:33
whatsoever.
34:34
And in
34:35
our
34:35
praying,
34:35
we rush
34:36
right to
34:36
the
34:37
God do
34:38
for me
34:39
part of
34:40
our
34:40
praying.
34:41
And we're
34:41
not at
34:41
all concerned
34:42
about how
34:43
those prayers
34:44
answered would
34:45
affect the
34:46
fame of
34:46
His
34:47
name.
34:49
This is
34:49
the purpose
34:51
of God
34:51
in the
34:52
world,
34:52
and it
34:53
should be
34:53
ours
34:54
too.
34:55
It should
34:56
inform
34:56
every
34:57
fiber
34:58
of our
35:00
being.
35:01
Every
35:01
part of
35:02
us
35:02
should
35:02
be
35:02
aimed
35:03
at the
35:04
glory
35:04
of God.
35:07
And so
35:07
we're to
35:08
pray like
35:08
Jesus,
35:09
our
35:09
Father in
35:09
heaven,
35:11
hallowed be
35:11
your name,
35:12
your kingdom
35:12
come,
35:14
your will be
35:14
done on
35:15
earth as
35:16
it is in
35:17
heaven.
35:19
Now,
35:19
beloved,
35:19
let's be
35:20
very clear.
35:21
God does
35:22
not need
35:23
your prayers.
35:26
God will
35:27
have
35:27
His glory.
35:28
He will
35:29
act.
35:30
He will
35:31
accomplish
35:31
His fame
35:33
spreading
35:34
across
35:35
the earth.
35:37
Acts 17,
35:38
24 and
35:38
25,
35:39
says,
35:40
The God
35:40
who made
35:41
the world
35:41
and everything
35:41
in it,
35:42
being Lord
35:42
of heaven
35:42
and earth,
35:43
does not
35:44
live in
35:44
temples
35:44
made by
35:45
man,
35:45
nor is
35:46
He served
35:46
by human
35:47
hands as
35:47
though He
35:48
needed
35:49
anything,
35:50
since He
35:50
Himself
35:51
gives to
35:52
all mankind
35:52
life and
35:54
breath
35:54
and
35:55
everything.
35:56
But here's
35:57
the incredible
35:58
thing that
35:59
God does.
36:00
God could
36:01
save the
36:02
world.
36:02
God could
36:02
have His
36:03
praise apart
36:04
from the
36:05
church.
36:06
But He
36:07
graciously
36:08
invites us
36:09
into His
36:10
work in
36:10
the world.
36:11
He draws
36:12
us into
36:13
His work
36:14
in the
36:14
world because
36:15
it's in
36:16
His working
36:16
in the
36:17
world that
36:17
we experience
36:18
life with
36:20
Him.
36:22
Not as
36:23
this obscure
36:24
philosophical
36:25
God,
36:26
but as
36:27
a God
36:27
who is
36:28
at work
36:29
in the
36:29
world,
36:30
accomplishing
36:31
His goals
36:31
even now.
36:33
And we're
36:34
invited to
36:35
be the
36:35
means to
36:36
be used
36:36
by Him
36:37
to that
36:38
great end.
36:39
And I
36:39
can promise
36:39
you this,
36:40
if you decide
36:41
to sit on
36:41
your hands,
36:41
He will
36:42
use someone
36:42
else to
36:44
do this
36:44
work.
36:45
He will.
36:47
If our
36:47
church decides
36:48
to,
36:49
He will
36:50
go to
36:50
another
36:51
church.
36:51
He will
36:52
accomplish
36:53
His fame
36:54
in this
36:54
place and
36:55
to the
36:55
ends of
36:56
the earth.
36:57
I hope
36:57
we're not
36:58
a church
36:58
that sits
36:59
idly by
37:00
when we
37:01
could be
37:02
finding ourselves
37:03
right in the
37:03
middle of the
37:04
will of God,
37:05
His fame being
37:06
spread where
37:07
we are and
37:08
beyond.
37:10
He graciously
37:11
invites us.
37:12
He beckons
37:13
us to lose
37:14
our lives
37:15
that we
37:16
might gain
37:17
them,
37:18
to sacrifice
37:20
everything for
37:21
the sake of
37:22
knowing Him
37:23
more,
37:24
to count it
37:24
all rubbish
37:25
as Paul
37:27
did.
37:29
And,
37:29
He graciously
37:31
invites us
37:32
into prayer.
37:34
We get to
37:35
participate in
37:35
His working
37:36
to the ends
37:37
of the earth
37:38
in prayer,
37:40
to our
37:40
neighbor and
37:41
beyond and
37:42
beyond and
37:43
beyond,
37:44
that we would
37:45
plead,
37:46
God's name be
37:47
hallowed,
37:49
His kingdom
37:49
come,
37:50
His will be
37:51
done,
37:52
and God
37:52
picks up
37:53
the prayers
37:53
of His
37:54
people and
37:54
He uses
37:55
them mightily
37:56
in His
37:57
purpose.
37:59
And,
38:00
being drawn
38:02
into prayer
38:03
conforms
38:05
our wills
38:07
to His.
38:09
So,
38:10
even when we
38:10
don't feel
38:11
this,
38:12
we don't
38:12
always feel
38:13
the prayer
38:14
of Matthew
38:15
chapter 6,
38:17
we should
38:18
approach prayer
38:19
in this way.
38:20
and you
38:21
can pray
38:21
in the way,
38:22
God,
38:22
help me,
38:24
help me to
38:25
see You
38:25
as my
38:26
Father.
38:27
Because,
38:28
sometimes I
38:28
don't see
38:29
You as
38:30
my Father.
38:31
Sometimes I
38:31
see You as
38:32
distant and
38:33
obscure,
38:35
and I want
38:36
to have a
38:37
fatherly
38:38
relationship
38:38
with You.
38:40
Father,
38:40
help me,
38:42
because I've
38:42
sinned and I
38:43
feel guilty
38:44
before You.
38:45
Help me to
38:46
place my
38:46
confidence in
38:47
the perfect
38:48
work of
38:48
Jesus Christ
38:49
and boldly
38:50
approach You
38:51
clinging to
38:53
the cross.
38:55
Father,
38:56
help me to
38:57
reverence Your
38:58
name in my
38:59
life the way
38:59
I should,
39:00
so that others
39:01
would reverence
39:01
Your name
39:02
in theirs.
39:04
Help me to
39:04
so value
39:05
what You've
39:07
done for me
39:08
that I want
39:09
to praise You
39:09
with every fiber
39:10
of my being
39:11
and I want
39:11
everyone else
39:12
to do
39:13
the same.
39:14
Help me to be
39:15
so unsatisfied
39:17
with the state
39:18
of this world
39:19
that I am
39:20
just longing
39:21
for Your
39:22
kingdom to
39:23
be consummated.
39:23
I want
39:24
Jesus'
39:25
return more
39:26
than I want
39:27
anything else
39:28
and I know
39:29
He won't come
39:29
back until the
39:30
Gospels are
39:31
claimed to the
39:31
very ends
39:32
of the earth
39:33
and let's
39:34
get busy.
39:35
Right?
39:36
You can pray
39:36
through this
39:37
in this way
39:38
even when
39:39
you don't
39:40
feel this
39:41
way.
39:41
that Your
39:42
will would
39:43
be aligned
39:43
with the
39:44
will of
39:45
the Father.
39:47
And so
39:48
we should
39:49
pray like
39:51
Jesus
39:51
instructs us
39:53
to pray.
39:56
In closing
39:56
I want to
39:57
read the
39:57
John Owen
39:57
quote.
39:58
Not John
39:59
Owen's
39:59
as I said
40:00
earlier.
40:00
The John
40:01
Owen quote
40:02
which is on
40:02
your bulletin
40:02
if you have
40:03
one.
40:06
Puritan
40:06
pastor and
40:09
author John
40:09
Owen.
40:09
He said
40:10
if I have
40:11
observed
40:12
anything
40:12
by experience
40:14
it is
40:15
this
40:15
and man
40:17
may take
40:17
the measure
40:18
of his
40:18
growth
40:19
and decay
40:20
in grace
40:21
according to
40:22
his thoughts
40:23
and meditations
40:25
upon the
40:26
person of
40:26
Christ
40:27
and the
40:28
glory of
40:28
Christ's
40:29
kingdom
40:29
and of
40:31
his love.
40:33
Let's
40:34
pray together.