The Long Haul

This Post is the message I spoke on Father's Day at Beulah Camp on June 18th, 2017. I would love to hear your comments.

The Long Haul

Various Passages, 

Sunday, June 18th, 2017- Beulah Camp. 

Well, good morning everyone. It truly is a pleasure for me to me be here with you this morning.

I’ve been called a lot of things in my life, but the one thing I am most proud to be called  Dad by Emma and Erica Graham.

So, with all of that said, maybe we could pause for just a moment and pray to the Lord.   

ILLUSTRATION—I love transport-trucks.

For most of my childhood, I wanted to drive an eighteen-wheeler. There was something about driving a huge truck that appealed to me.

Even today, I still admire a nice looking truck. Each time I pass by one, I will try and take a quick glance at the make, model, and colour of the truck.

I would love to drive a transport, but the problem is I tend to fall asleep when I’m in an automobile, so driving one might not be such a good idea. 

At least we can admire a nice truck, such as this one:   

This is a Peterbilt Optimus Prime.  

If the name Optimus Prime means nothing to you, I’ll forgive you (this time), but Optimus Prime was the lead character in the “Transformers” cartoon series and now the Blockbuster movie franchise.

He would lead his crew of transformers into battle to save the world from certain destruction at the hands of the Decepticons.

I think it’s awesome that someone took the time to “transform” their truck into Optimus Prime.

I love trucks.

I remember one time when I was a little younger than I am now, going into the Mack dealership in Fredericton and asking the sales associate if I could have some pictures of some of their trucks.

The sales-associate asked if I was interested in trucks, and I told him that I was, and he asked me “what my favourite truck was” to which I immediately replied “Peterbilt”.

I don’t think that went over too well with the sales-associate, but I was young, and he realized that I didn’t have a million dollars to purchase a truck anyway, so he gave me the photos and I took them home and covered the wall in my room, because I love trucks.

I have always wanted to go on a Long Haul. I have never had the opportunity; but have always wanted too. 

To sit in the truck and go for a long haul would be great; but to sleep in the berth while on the long Haul, well, that's the best of both worlds! 

     I think that life can be compared to a Long Haul. You’ve got pot-holes, you've got detours, you've even got Construction. There may be stops along the way; things may even get a little rough…

So, today being Father’s Day, I would like to talk to Men in general and Dad’s specifically, about The Long Haul called Life, but as for the rest of you: don’t tune out, for there’s a message here for you as well. 

If life can be compared to a long haul, and if God is with us— and He is—, then there are 3 ways that we can partner with Him as we do the Long Haul called Life. 

I believe that God is asking each of us to go on a Long Haul first of all:

1.     With our Children.

I want to be involved in my kids’ lives. I want my kids to know that I love them. 

I want my kids to know that their father stands behind-- and will support—them.

While they may do things that I might not always agree with, I will always love them.

My children are my responsibility, and because I am a Christ follower, I have a God given responsibility to teach my kids about God.

We read these words in Deuteronomy 6: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 

5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.

7 Impress them on your children. Talk

 about them when you sit at home and when 

you walk along the road, when you lie down 

and when you get up.

8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” (Deut. 6:4-9, NIV)

God had given His people instructions to follow and those instructions were to be 

followed.

Part of what the people were to do, was to instruct their children in the ways of God.

God’s Word was to be the primary source of their education: before they slept, when they woke up, when they walked down a road…

Parents were to teach their children God’s truth—they were to talk about God at home and on the Long Haul. 

Every opportunity was a chance for parents to talk to their kids about God.

ILLUSTRATION- My wife and I, have, as of late, had plenty of discussions with our children. 

We have talked about everything— and I mean everything- from my going back to the hospital for a third transplant, to what would happen if I were to die… 

We've talked about why we needed to move, we’ve talked about how its not fair that we've needed to move. 

We as a family have talked about everything. Nothing has been left off the 

table. 

When we do have our talks, it is a chance for Beth and I to remind our girls that the 

God we serve is taking care of us. 

Even when our life seems to be out of control, our God is still in control. 

He still knows what He is doing, and we are doing out best to do whatever He is asking us to do. (Even if it doesn't make sense)

Paul wrote in Ephesians: “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of 

the Lord.” (Eph. 6:4, NIV)

It’s my job as a father to teach my kids in 

the ways and things of God.

Dad’s/Parents, this is your job as well. Some of you still have children at home, but many of you don’t.

For those that have children at home, make sure you take the time to teach your kids about God… remind them about who He is and what He has done in your life. 

Use the Long Haul to teach your kids about God, and ask for His help. 

      For the parents who don’t have kids at home anymore, your responsibility to teach your kids about God may have changed slightly, but you can still remind your children that God loves them and that you are praying for them.

     While our parenting style can and will change as our children grow, we can still use the opportunities that we have to remind our children about God.

If we’re in this parent thing for the Long Haul, then we must be willing to teach our 

kids about God.

Of course, it’s hard to teach your kids about God if you haven’t personally 

experienced Him yourself….

If you have never invited Jesus into your heart, I want to encourage you to give it some serious consideration. It will be the best thing you will ever do for your family.

If you don’t have children, you can pray for those of us who do! Life with kids is a Long Haul! 

We get tired and worn out, and experience 

blow outs and blow up’s all the time, and we 

can use all the prayer support you can offer up! 

The second way we can partner with God on the Long Haul called Life is with our Spouses. 

ILLUSTRATION- 15 years ago this coming Wednesday, I made the second best decision I have ever made in my life. 

Fifteen years ago this coming week, I married Elizabeth Joy Brown. I know I got the better end of that deal! 

I love my wife with all my heart. On our wedding day, I made a commitment to be with her for the Long Haul.

      It hasn’t always been easy, it won’t always be easy, but because I made a commitment to her, because I love her, I want to stay with her.

      Paul wrote: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her….” (Eph. 5:25, NIV)

The kind of love that Christ has for the Church—agape—is the same kind of love that I 

am to have for my wife. I am to love her with an unconditional love.

The only way that we can love our wives, men; the only way you can love your husbands, ladies, is by allowing the Holy Spirit to produce in our lives the Fruit of the Spirit called Love.

We are unable to love our spouses the way Christ loves the church unless the Holy Spirit grows love in our lives.

ILLUSTRATION- Several years ago, the Harry S. Truman Library in Independence, Missouri, 

made public the 1,300 letters that the late President wrote to his wife, Bess, over the 

course of a half-century.

President Truman had a life-long rule of writing to his wife every day that they were apart. 

He followed this rule whenever he was away on official business or whenever Bess left Washington.

… Every day (that) he was away, the President of the United States took time out from dealing with the world’s most powerful 

leaders to sit down and write a letter to his 

wife. (unknown)

ILLUSTRATION-I still have the old letters that my girlfriend then, wife now, wrote to me one summer 17 years ago when we were apart.

I still have on file several hundred emails that she sent to me over that same period.

Up until recently, I had old movie ticket stubs, golf score cards, and photos of some of the events that Beth and I have done 

since we’ve been together... 

(I say that I recently had them, well, as we were preparing to move.. I had to clean up and clear out some junk…. but I kept the love letters!) 

Because I’m committed to my marriage for the Long Haul, I choose to love my wife and stay with her no matter what.

And after what we've been through… everything else just seems like a cake walk! To those men in this room who are married I ask you some questions: Do you love your wife?

Are you honouring your wife? Are you listening to your wife?

The writer of Proverbs reminds us of this truth: “He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favour from the LORD.” 

(Pr. 18:22, NIV)

A while back I stumbled on a verse in 1 Peter that I found pretty interesting. 

The verse reads like this: “…you husbands must give honour to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will 

not be hindered.” (1 Peter 3:17, NLT2) 

Ima going to let the Holy Spirit take the lead on applying that verse….

To be in our marriages for The Long Haul, we must love our spouses.

So make a commitment today, men, to love your wife as Christ loves the church. Ask Jesus to help you love her, especially when she is a little unloveable. 

Same goes for you ladies, although I suspect you’re way ahead of us on asking God for help to love the man in your life… 

There’s at least one more way that God wants us, married or not, if we have kids or not, to commit to the Long Haul and that’s with our lives.

    As followers of Jesus Christ, it’s our responsibility to listen to Him, to take direction from Him, to figure out what He wants us to do and do that to the best of our ability.

    As followers of Jesus, we have a responsibility to live our public lives in a way 

that brings honour and glory to God.

We even have a Biblical mandate to give 100% effort at whatever we find ourselves doing.

     As followers of Jesus, we have the responsibility to live our private lives in a way that brings honour and glory to God.

We have the responsibility to be pure, God-honouring people; to be “…above reproach…” (1 Tim. 3:2, NIV) and to ensure that what we allow to enter into our hearts and minds and homes is God honouring.

      If you are a follower of Jesus Christ who is in it for the Long Haul, then: “Whatever happens, (…if you’re in jail, as Paul was when he wrote this, or if you end up in hospital…)  conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ….” (Philippians 1:27a, NIV)

In the book of Colossians, Paul wrote these words; “When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him 

in glory.” (Col.3:4, NIV) 

Is Jesus your life? He wants to be, and He can be! 

ILLUSTRATION- If you really want to go somewhere that you’ve never been before, generally, you do one of two things: you will consult a map, or you will ask for directions from someone who knows the way.

Included in many cars and trucks today, is what’s knows as GPS, Global positioning System. 

These little machines will tell you exactly where you are, they will show you where you need to go, and give you the route that you need to take to get you to where you 

want to go.

They are a wonderful device to have, especially if you don’t know where you are going.

       If we want to reach our final destination and have a successful Long Haul, then we are going to have to follow the Map:

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

² We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith....” (Hebrews 12:1-2a,

NLT2)

Friends, the race has already been marked out for us, the only thing that we have to do is

follow directions.

We are to follow “…the race marked out for us.” (Heb.12:1c NIV)

We are to follow the One who said: “…I am the way and the truth and the life…” (John 14:6, NIV)

We must follow Jesus.

So, what do I want you to do with what you've just heard? 

Well, consider a few things:

Are you in this life for the Long Haul? Is it your desire to follow Jesus Christ?

If your answer is yes, then come along and enjoy the Long Haul that God has prepared for you. 

He will not leave you stranded on the side 

of the road somewhere. He is with you each 

step of the way:

“…God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." (Heb. 13:5b, NIV)

God is using this chapter in our lives, to remind me, to remind us, that He is with us, and He is with you, on your Long Haul as well. You simply need to ask for His help. 

If you are not on the Long Haul with Jesus, know that you can pull over and stop where you are, and you can ask Jesus to take control and help you teach your kids, love your spouse, and live your life in a way that 

brings honour to Him.

If you want to arrive at the Ultimate Destination—Heaven—after the Long Haul is over, you will have to follow the One who said: “Come, follow me…” (Matthew 4:19, NIV)

Life with God is a Long Haul; and He is with us each step of the way. Pot Holes included.

John 1:14

So, as you might know, I have a little bit more time on my hands as of late— If you don’t know why this is, email me and I’ll give you the readers digest version of what is going on in my life. 

Like I said, I have a little bit more time on my hands as of late, It has allowed me to read. A lot. Be it the newspaper, or the history of WrestleMania, (yes, I am a WWE fan..), I have been reading quite a bit of things. 

I believe it was Mark Twain who said “The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them.”

One of the books I am currently reading is Louie Giglio’s book I am not but I know I am.

https://www.amazon.ca/Am-Not-But-Know-Welcome/dp/1601424280

 While I am only a few chapters into this book, it is turning out to be a great book. (I realize I say that about most books I read…. why would I waste my time reading a not-good book?)

The basic premise of this book is that God has a name: I AM. If that is God’s name, then my name— your name— must be I am not. While that concept is still sinking in to my brain, Its one other thing that he wrote in this book that I am still reflecting on. (I'll probably come back and pick up on God's Name being I AM, and my name being I am not again... )

His breakdown of John 1:14 is wonderful. Basically he uses his “one word bible study method”- which he explains a bit later on in his book, and takes John 1:14 word by word, and explains what those words mean. 

I have preached on John 1:14 before, but when I stopped and read the verse word by word. line by line, it was simply incredible. 

that one verse inspired this entire post. While I will not explain it as good— or as effectively as Louie does in his book, I’m going to give it the Pastor Nick’s Coles notes version. 

First, the verse: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (NJKV)

In His one word bible study, Louie suggests taking one word and think about that word each day. So, if you were going to do this OWBS, you would start with: 

THE. You would think about the word The all day. Not what comes after it, or even before it. just the word THE. 

Louie suggests that this word The is God setting us up for sometime big. God sent THE SON. not A Son. or even one of many sons. He sent The Son. One. God Sent THE. (ONE)

the next word is, well, WORD. 

notice that the Word is capitalized in this verse. that’s because, its a proper name. Jesus is THE WORD. 

“day three was a celebration of Jesus, the One who embodied everything God wanted to communicate to the whole wide world. Once again, after four hundred years of slience, God was taking, and Jesus was His one-Word proclamation to all who would listen…Jesus wasn't just the best sermon giver who ever lived; He was the Sermon itself in all it’s fullness.” (Giglio, 88, 2012)

BECAME.

This one word is “the gospel in one word— redemption’s story shrunk down to six amazing letters.” (Giglio, 90, 2012)

Jesus— the Great I AM, (translated BE)— 

BECAME. He Came. To this world. to rescue you. and me. to give us life. 

“Our story is not that we can muster the strength to raise ourselves up. Rather, God has come down to us— Jesus, walking on planet earth. Here.” (Giglio, 93, 2012)

What did Jesus BECOME? look at the next part of the verse. 

FLESH. 

God arrived with flesh. He showed up in a stinky manger. a barn room filled with animals. a King was born in a stable. 

“God didn't send a note, an email, a check, a cosmic event, a mandate, or a vague religious image on a toasted cheese sandwich. When God came to the human race— when BE came— Be became flesh. The God of the world in a body like yours and mine.” (ibid)

Why did this matter? “because you can touch flesh. you can identify with flesh. you can wrap your arms around flesh and feel its heart beat…. and if you’re searching for a sacrifice for the sins of all humankind, you can pierce flesh and it will bleed. You can nail flesh to  a cross.” (ibid)

AND. 

As if God sending Jesus in the flesh wasn't enough, He was about to do something more. 

DWELT. 

this is some sweet news. Jesus not only became flesh, He actually dwelt— or resided; lived, in our neighbourhood. He BECAME one of us. He lived like us. He experienced heartbreak and sorrow, happiness and laughter. 

Jesus was one of us; but yet different than us, because: “He knew who He was and what He’d come to do.” (Giglio, 96, 2012)

AMONG 

Jesus dwelt AMONG us. He didn't avoid us. He didn't go out of His way to get rid of us; He actually came to live AMONG us. in our places. in our homes. 

The Message, which is a paraphrase of the bible says it like this: “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighbourhood.”

Jesus had come for us. Jesus has been given to us. As Max Lucado once wrote, “Jesus is our next door Saviour”

US. 

this little word tells us who exactly Jesus came for. You. Me. my daughters. your kids. YOU. ME. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. He came to this earth for one reason and one reason only. To bring US to the Father. 

God sent Jesus, The Word, to this world to dwell among us. to save us. to bring us back to our rightful place to dwell with God, both now and for eternity.

jesus said it the best when he said: “And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.” (John 17:3, NLT)

Take heart today friend, Jesus has come to you and for you. He has come to fix your broken world. He has come to do what you and I are unable to do; bring us back to God.

Heart Burn...

Jesus is quoted as saying in John 14:1 the following: “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.” (NLT2)

For Jesus to say “Don’t let your hearts be troubled….” He must have known that we would be placed in a position or positions that would trouble our hearts. No. That would never happen, wright? Wrong. 

Our hearts get troubled all of the time. I just have to listen to the news for a few moments, and hear about all the famines, hear about the potential wars, or even the chaos going on in my own Country for my heart to be troubled. 

Or, a little closer to home, I just have to look at my children. 

You see, in less than a week, we are moving. We are moving out of the only house that my kids remember, and moving to a new-to-us-home. While this house is just down the road, Its different enough to make my kids upset. (TBH, I have been upset as well. I’ve been upset at the thought of having to move as well… my heart has been troubled by the entire thing as well..)

My heart is troubled, because their heart is troubled. 

But in this specific passage, Jesus tells us not to let our hearts be troubled. Well, how am I to do that? 

Well, as Paul Harvey used to say: “And now, the rest of the story..” Take a look at the rest of what Jesus said in verse one. “Trust in God, and trust also in me.””

There’s the secret sauce. In order for our hearts not to be troubled, We have to place our trust in God. We’ve got to, as the song by Third Day says so well, “Trust in Jesus”

Now, this does not mean that we will never suffer from a troubled heart again. Nope. We will still face loss, we will still hear of wars and rumours of wars, and even have problems of our own; but we will not let our hearts be troubled, because we are placing our trust— and I believe this is something we do each day, moment by moment actually— in Jesus. 

We will literally pray: “Lord, my heart is being troubled by ______________. Please help me to trust in you. Help me to know that you have the plan for my life all figured out, and you want me to trust in you. 

As as start praying that prayer more and more, the less and less our hearts will be troubled.

What about you? What troubles your heart? Do you think that trusting in Jesus will help your heart burn? Let me know what you think. leave me a comment. 

Just thinking...

The next few postings will be raw, unedited, writings. They may not be nice and polished as some of my sermons would be, but the fact is they are just my thoughts put to screen.
I appreciate you reading and, if you wish, leave a comment.

Today is June 9, 2017. this is a special day. Well, not today exactly, but what took place this day 2 years ago was special. and hard.

I had my first liver transplant two years ago today. While a lot of water is under the bridge today, and I can only remember a few things from my first transplant, I am tankful for it. I’m thankful, first of all, for actually getting a liver. 

Many people die waiting for an organ to be donated. I was fortunate enough not to be one of those people. (have you signed your donor card? What are you waiting for!!!)

I was am thankful also for the timing of the first transplant. my wife, Beth, was starting her first day of summer vacation, so she was with me the entire time. 

We spent our anniversary together in Halifax.. not the hospital, but a nice hotel.. (I had a weekend pass).

My kids were able to come down and spend fathers day weekend with me. I’m thankful for this. 

While the first transplant didn't pan out as I- or the doctors— had hoped it would— I’m still thankful today. For if today hadn't happened two  years ago, I might not be sitting in my chair two years later writing this. then again I could be. I don’t know. I’m not in control. at all. 

But, the Bible advises us to be thankful in every situation, so today, as I reflect back on my transplant two years ago. I’m thankful. (I’m thankful for my second one… but that’s another story for another time.)

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” (Phil.4:6-7)

Prayer

Plug into the Power of Prayer

Romans 8:26-27

Sunday, March 12th, 2017- MRWC

We are in Part 4 of our sermon series called Plug into the Power of Prayer, which, we hope has been serving as a guideline, or a step by step model to help you “tap into” the power of prayer; which is a resource that is often under-utilized by Christ followers. 

Many times we don’t pray enough; or we don’t know what to sat when we pray. 

We’re good at little pop-corn prayers, the ones we say when were in a pinch, such as this one….

ILLUSTRATION- A man named Jack was walking along a steep cliff one day, when he accidentally got too close to the edge and fell. 

On the way down he grabbed a branch, which temporarily stopped his fall. 

He looked down and to his horror saw that the canyon fell straight down for more than a thousand feet. 

He couldn't hang onto the branch forever, and there was no way for him to climb up the steep wall of the cliff. 

So Jack began yelling for help, hoping that someone passing by would hear him and lower a rope or something. 

“HELP! HELP! Is anyone up there? "HELP!" 

He yelled for a long time, but no one heard him. 

He was about to give up when he heard a voice. 

“Jack, Jack. Can you hear me?" 

"Yes, yes! I can hear you. I'm down here!" 

"I can see you, Jack. Are you all right?" 

"Yes, but who are you, and where are you? 

"I am the Lord, Jack. I'm everywhere." 

"The Lord? You mean, GOD?" 

"That's Me." 

"God, please help me! I promise if, you'll get me down from here, I'll stop sinning. I'll be a really good person. I'll serve You for the rest of my life." 

"Easy on the promises, Jack. Let's get you off from there; then we can talk."

"Now, here's what I want you to do. Listen carefully." 

"I'll do anything, Lord. Just tell me what to do." 

"Okay. Let go of the branch.”

"What?" 

"I said, let go of the branch. Just trust Me. Let go." 

There was a long silence. 

Finally Jack yelled, "HELP! HELP! IS ANYONE ELSE UP THERE?"

We’re good at praying prayers when we happen to be in trouble, and there is nothing wrong with praying those kinds of prayers; heaven knows I’ve sent off more than one of them… 

If we truly want to plug into the power of prayer— a very real power that is at our disposal, then we need to have practical steps that we can put into practice so we can make the most of our time with the Lord in prayer. 

Our key verse for this series says it the best… keep in mind that this is God speaking to His people: “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chr .7:14, NIV)

God wants us to be a praying people; He expects us to be a praying people, He has even said He would do great things if only we would pray….

But how? More specifically, what do we say when we pray? Well, let me answer that question in a few different ways. 

First of all, Just start talking. 

Author and Pastor Keith Drury tells us that “Prayer is a conversation with God through which we come to know him better and develop greater reliance on him… prayer is a  means of drawing near to God and sensing Him draw near to us.” (Drury, 2005, 125)

You can boil this quote down by saying that: “Prayer is a conversation with God.” This what prayer is. It’s not more complicated than that. It’s a conversation with God. 

When you pray, you talk to God just as you would talk to your spouse or our BFF.. (assuming you talk to either of them….).

I will tell you though, that having an open and honest conversation with God doesn't happen overnight, it takes time. 

ILLUSTRATION- My wife and I talk about anything and everything. (most of the time I listen, but that's another story…)

But, it wasn't always this way. When we first started dating, I wouldn’t have dreamt of telling her my deepest darkest secrets for fear that she would drop me like a bad habit. 

As we got closer in our relationship, I could tell her anything, and she could tell me anything, and now, we're at the point, that nothing is off the table. 

She even talks about my death as I’m sitting right beside her… 

Our secret to marriage survival has been communication. 

There have been days that I don’t talk to her, and our relationship suffers because of it, but we are where we are at in our relationship because of communication. 

All of this is exactly like our prayer life with God. We should talk to Him as we talk to our spouse, actually, we should talk to God more than we talk to our spouse. 

If, as Keith Drury says, “prayer is a conversation with God.”, then start talking! 

I have talked to just about each and everyone of you and believe you me— you can talk! 

You all have something to say— Even if it happens to be ‘God: get me outta here…” You need to start somewhere…

So keep in mind that, prayer, at it’s core is simply a conversation with God.

The first piece of advice I can give you about prayer is Just start talking. 

Secondly, Don’t worry about the words you use. I think this one is really important.

Sometimes we can get caught up in trying to say just the right thing, that we actually end up saying nothing at all! 

Sometimes we can get frustrated for not knowing what to say when it comes time to pray, so we get frustrated and don’t pray at all! 

But I want to tell you, don’t worry about the words you use… 

Look at Romans 8:26-27 for a moment…”And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.

27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.” (NLT2)

What is this verse saying? Though me might not know what to say, though we might not have just the right words, God’s Holy Spirit is praying for us on our behalf with heavenly words… words that we cannot comprehend.. “groanings”. 

The Holy Spirit is interceding on our behalf! 

If we don’t have just the right words, The Holy Spirit is on the job and He is pleading our case before the Father! 

Don’t get caught up in using big long words… In fact Jesus said: “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again.” 

(Matthew 6:7, NLT2)

Don’t get caught up in the words you use; just start praying…

If prayer is a conversation with God—and it is —and if we’re not to worry about the words we use when we pray— and we’re not— How then do we pray, or more specifically, what do we say when we pray? 

Well, it almost sounds counter-intutitve for me to give you some words to use when you pray, just as I said don’t worry about the words you use, so I won’t give you words to use, I will give you a model that you can implement to help you pray. 

If you use this model— or any other model of prayer— you will plug into the power of prayer and unlock some sweet time of prayer with God. 

This is simply intended to be a guideline for prayer, something to help you talk to God, something to help you know what to say when you pray.

Many of you may have heard this model, or even used this model at one time or another. Its called ACTS.

The first part of this prayer is Adoration.

Jesus said: “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name….” (Matthew 6:9, NIV)

This is probably the most important aspect of prayer. It shifts our attention on to God instead of on us. 

Adoration is not us reminding God how great He is; it is us reminding us how great God is.  

God alone deserves the praise. God alone is worthy, and when we begin to pray, we begin by adoring God, by basking in His goodness. 

The Psalmist wrote as He was taking to God: “You are good, and what you do is good…” 

(119:68, NIV)

As we being our prayer time, we being by praising God for Who He is: The Unchanging One. The One who Was, who IS and who IS to Come. 

After Adoration, comes CONFESSION. 

This part of prayer is asking God to search us deep, as the Psalmist asked in Psalm 139: “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 

24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.(NLT2)

We not only ask God to go there in our heart and life, but we confess any unconfessed sin, because “unconfessed sin is a barrier to our relationship with God, blocking us from drawing near (to Him).” (Drury 2005, 132)

So we ask God to cleanse us, and we are reminded in 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 

(NIV)

As we spend time praying, we will ask God to remove any sin blocker that might be in our lives; but we also confess our need for Him. 

We confess that without His involvement in our lives, we are sunk. 

We confess that we need Him and His help to live the life that we have been called to live. 

Remember what John 15:5 says? “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (NIV)

When we confess, we not only seek forgiveness of and for sin, but also for help to live the life we’ve been called to live. 

After a time of confession, comes Thanksgiving. 

This is where we take some time and think back over our lives and remember how God was faithful in the past, and how He will be faithful in the future.

The first couple verses of Psalm 138 read this way: “I give you thanks, O Lord, with all my heart; I will sing your praises before the gods.

2 I bow before your holy Temple as I worship. I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness; for your promises are backed by all the honor of your name.” (NLT2)

David was giving thanks to God….

Psalm 136 has a major theme running throughout the entire Psalm… Can you figure it out? “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!” 

(NLT2)

When we pray, we should spend some time thanking God for Who He is and What He has done. For how He has shown up in our lives. For how He has worked in our lives. 

For sending Jesus; for freedom from sin, for guidance and direction, for being a friend who sticks closer than a brother.. 

If we have nothing else to pray for, we can spend all of our time in thanksgiving to God, because He is good and His love endures forever. (even when we don’t feel that way…)

After Thanksgiving comes “Supplication” or Requests, or petitions, or intercession) 

In my opinion, this is our secret weapon.. When someone tells you off, you get to pray for that person! 

When someone makes you mad, you get to pray for that person… (remembering that words don’t matter….)  

When something happens around the world that doesn't make you very happy, you have the opportunity to do something about it: you can pray! 

God invites us to pray for other people! Listen to just a few selected verses:

Eph.6:18- “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” (NLT2)

Paul wrote this in 1 Timothy: “I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. 

2 Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. 

3 This is good and pleases God our Savior…” (NLT2)

God’s Word tells us— rather compels us to pray for all people, the ones we like, the ones in authority over us, the ones we don’t like… We are to pray at all times and on all occasions. 

We get to— not have to— but get to talk to God and pray for other people and ourselves. What a great privilege!

ILLUSTRATION- I enjoy praying. I think it’s one of the few things I do really well. (That and worrying…) 

I tell God what is on my mind, I tell God what I am excited about, I tell God what I’m not so excited about; I tell God about the people and situations that make me mad. (We’ve had a lot to talk about as of late….)  

The writer of Hebrews reminds us of this great truth: “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” (Heb.4:16, NLT2)

We are invited by God Himself to come into His throne room and pray, to bring our A-C-T-S of prayer before Him and step back and let Him do what He does best.. Be God. 

So, what do I want you to do with what you've just heard? This one thing… 

First of all, I want you to PRAY.

Jesus assumed His followers would pray. “When you pray…:” (Matt. 6:5, NIV) Jesus said…. 

The Master assumed His followers would pray, so I want to ask you to take one, two, or all 4 aspects of the A-C-T-S prayer model and spend some time praying.

Carve out 5 minutes for starters. Take a piece of paper with you if need be, and begin to Adore God, Confess your need of and for God, Thank-Him for Who He is and make your petitions known to God…. and don’t forget to Listen! 

Listen to what God might me saying to you… 

Don’t worry so much about the time frame and or the words you use, just as long as you get away and pray..

“When you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you” (Matt.6:6, NLT2)

For us to Plug into the Power of Prayer, we must actually Pray, so take a some time this afternoon and begin praying… There are tons of people and requests for you to pray for in the bulletin; use that list to guide you.

You could even use our One for One challenge as a prayer model… Hopefully we all know one or more people who are far from Jesus so we want to pray for them, and see things through until they become fully devoted followers of Jesus. 

Sometimes we need a Prayer- starter, so use this reminder:

I have copies of this prayer available, if you’d like to have it in print. 

In order for us to Plug into the Power of Prayer, we’ve actually got to pray, so take some time this week and apply the A-C-T-S model to your life and see how God works in and through your time of prayer! 

We’re going to spend just a few moments actually praying…. as the band comes back and gets ready for our last song, I want to invite you to take a few moments and pray… 

maybe you know someone who is lost; you want to pray for them

maybe you know someone who is hurting; you want to pray for them

maybe you need some prayer; we want to pray for you… 

The alters are always open for you to come and pray, so let’s come and pray….