Persistence
Ed Young
Luke 11:5-13
If you could ask the Lord for one thing, what would you ask for? Blank check. What would you ask for? Most people, I guess if we took a survey internationally, would say: We'd like to be happy. Others would say: I'd like security. Others would talk about a job. Some would say a vocational word. Some would say a word about their husband or wife or their family. If you just had a blank check from God and you could ask the Lord for one thing, what would you ask for? Perhaps we could vote and have a lot of different answers.
But I do believe that perhaps the wisest thing we could ask for would be what this unknown apostle asked for, and that is when he looked at Jesus and said, "Teach us to pray." You say, Well, why is that such a wonderful thing? Let me tell you something: if you and I could discover what God is about in this whole world and if you and I could discover what God is about in my life and in your life, we'd have it made, wouldn't we? Everything would make sense. Everything would fit together. To find out what God's doing in the world and to find out what God is doing and wants to do in your life, what else is there? That's it. And that's what happens, the Bible teaches us, when we pray. And, therefore, when this apostle said Lord teach us to pray, it was such an important, valid request.
Now, let me say something in the beginning. I'm not going to put any of us on a guilt trip. I think everybody here would say, Lord, I don't pray the way I ought to; I don't pray long enough; I don't pray enough; I don't understand all that. We could have a whole long recital of confessionals, and I don't think many of us would stand up and say, Lord, I'm praying exactly the way I want to, exactly the way I need to, I've got this thing about prayer just made, I've got it all worked out. Anybody who would say that, there's something wrong with you. So, all of us need more. That's not where we're ...
Ed Young
Luke 11:5-13
If you could ask the Lord for one thing, what would you ask for? Blank check. What would you ask for? Most people, I guess if we took a survey internationally, would say: We'd like to be happy. Others would say: I'd like security. Others would talk about a job. Some would say a vocational word. Some would say a word about their husband or wife or their family. If you just had a blank check from God and you could ask the Lord for one thing, what would you ask for? Perhaps we could vote and have a lot of different answers.
But I do believe that perhaps the wisest thing we could ask for would be what this unknown apostle asked for, and that is when he looked at Jesus and said, "Teach us to pray." You say, Well, why is that such a wonderful thing? Let me tell you something: if you and I could discover what God is about in this whole world and if you and I could discover what God is about in my life and in your life, we'd have it made, wouldn't we? Everything would make sense. Everything would fit together. To find out what God's doing in the world and to find out what God is doing and wants to do in your life, what else is there? That's it. And that's what happens, the Bible teaches us, when we pray. And, therefore, when this apostle said Lord teach us to pray, it was such an important, valid request.
Now, let me say something in the beginning. I'm not going to put any of us on a guilt trip. I think everybody here would say, Lord, I don't pray the way I ought to; I don't pray long enough; I don't pray enough; I don't understand all that. We could have a whole long recital of confessionals, and I don't think many of us would stand up and say, Lord, I'm praying exactly the way I want to, exactly the way I need to, I've got this thing about prayer just made, I've got it all worked out. Anybody who would say that, there's something wrong with you. So, all of us need more. That's not where we're ...
There are 24364 characters in the full content. This excerpt only shows a 2000 character sample of the full content.
Price: $5.99 or 1 credit
