Location:Eastern Christadelphian Bible School (1981)
Topic:Unknown
Title:Pray Without Ceasing
Speaker:Hawkins, Philip
Download:19810809 pray without ceasing.mp3
Transcript
known to most of us here at the bible school because he worked with us i think school because he worked with us i think it was three years ago it was three years ago and so it is indeed a pleasure for us and so it is indeed a pleasure for us this afternoon to this afternoon to to welcome our visitor from birmingham to welcome our visitor from birmingham england england who will speak upon the subject pray who will speak upon the subject pray without ceasing it is now our pleasure without ceasing it is now our pleasure to give our attention to our brother to give our attention to our brother philip hawkins in our minds eye brothers and sisters and friends and friends i want us to see a man that is at his i want us to see a man that is at his wit's end wit's end is a man that has been so devastated by is a man that has been so devastated by the experience that he has just had the experience that he has just had that is sitting there for three days that is sitting there for three days without food without food he doesn't want to eat he doesn't want to eat he can't think of anything else but the he can't think of anything else but the issue which has challenged his thinking issue which has challenged his thinking the issue which is challenged right to the issue which is challenged right to the core the core the very existence of his life he's not an old man he's a man of tremendous vitality he's a man of tremendous vitality he's a man of tremendous potential he's a man of tremendous potential but he's been stopped dead in his tracks now blind and we are introduced to this man because because god god through jesus through jesus is speaking to a member of the church is speaking to a member of the church ananias ananias and telling him to go to this man and telling him to go to this man soul soul because he is praying and that's the scene i want indelibly etched on our minds etched on our minds that here is a man who is beginning to that here is a man who is beginning to enter enter the most beautiful and dynamic prayer the most beautiful and dynamic prayer life life that we could ever imagine that we could ever imagine and what it took to get this man that and what it took to get this man that into that attitude of my into that attitude of my mind where he would mind where he would enter into that exciting dimension and enter into that exciting dimension and drama of prayer drama of prayer was an incident which had to stop him was an incident which had to stop him dead in his tracks dead in his tracks the the confrontation with christ confrontation with christ on the road to damascus on the road to damascus reduced reduced soul to a man where he recognized that absolutely where he recognized that absolutely nothing nothing about his life to that point was worth about his life to that point was worth while preserving the confrontation of christ is something which is something which if we haven't yet experienced if we haven't yet experienced is something that we should deeply is something that we should deeply desire desire if we if we wish to enter into the dynamic prayer wish to enter into the dynamic prayer life which the apostle paul through our life which the apostle paul through our study this afternoon is now going to study this afternoon is now going to develop develop and expand for us and expand for us but in order that we may get the measure but in order that we may get the measure of paul's realization of paul's realization of that of that stop stop that finish in all that his life had that finish in all that his life had meant meant let us just recapture his words let us just recapture his words when he declared when he declared how be it how be it what things were gained to me ye verily and i count all things to be lost lost for the excellency for the excellency of the knowledge of christ jesus my lord of the knowledge of christ jesus my lord for whom i suffered the loss of all for whom i suffered the loss of all things things and do count them but dung that i may and do count them but dung that i may gain christ and be found in him not gain christ and be found in him not having a righteousness of mine own having a righteousness of mine own even that which is of the law even that which is of the law but that which is through faith in but that which is through faith in christ the righteousness which is of god christ the righteousness which is of god by by faith that i may know him faith that i may know him and the power of his resurrection and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings and the fellowship of his sufferings if if by any means i might attain by any means i might attain unto the resurrection unto the resurrection from the dead and the thought which comes into my mind which comes into my mind is to ask is to ask when saul when saul paul was praying on those three days paul was praying on those three days what was going through his mind i would dare to suggest there was one thing thing which a man like which a man like saw saw would now appreciate would now appreciate that he would hear that he would hear thudding onto his brain cells the stones as they thumped into the body of stephen as they thumped into the body of stephen whose face whose face was of the face of an angel and those stones thumping into the body of that lovely man were now indelibly of that lovely man were now indelibly etching themselves on the brain etching themselves on the brain of paul of paul when he was now told when he was now told saul saul saul and so for the first time in his life recognize that what he had done to recognize that what he had done to stephen stephen was as if he'd taken the very stones was as if he'd taken the very stones and thunk them into the body of christ said the lord jesus christ and it is with this realization that we human beings that we human beings cannot blunder through god's world and believe that heaven is insensitive to what we are doing to what we are doing i'd like to develop this thought and i i'd like to develop this thought and i hope god willing to develop it hope god willing to develop it throughout the week throughout the week that what we do in our lives can hurt that what we do in our lives can hurt christ or give him joy give him joy and it's when we see christ in that and it's when we see christ in that viewpoint it's when we recognize the viewpoint it's when we recognize the beauty of christ it is when we recognize beauty of christ it is when we recognize the fullness of christ it is when we the fullness of christ it is when we accept in our lives that beautiful accept in our lives that beautiful gospel of salvation gospel of salvation justified by faith where we can walk justified by faith where we can walk through life as the apostle paul through life as the apostle paul indicates having given all up in order indicates having given all up in order that we may gain the excellency of that we may gain the excellency of christ then we walk through life christ then we walk through life believing that there is written across believing that there is written across our lives our lives the word righteous the word righteous justified by faith justified by faith and we walk through life believing and we walk through life believing we shall see jesus we shall see jesus we walk through life we walk through life believing believing that jesus is not some remote figure up that jesus is not some remote figure up there somewhere but we walk believing there somewhere but we walk believing that the place where jesus is is in our that the place where jesus is is in our hearts by faith that we may gain that excellency that we may gain that appreciation of that we may gain that appreciation of the gospel of salvation and if we begin the gospel of salvation and if we begin at a moment a dramatic moment for some at a moment a dramatic moment for some of us perhaps of us perhaps but if we begin each in our turn which but if we begin each in our turn which with that which can be described as our with that which can be described as our damascus road experience where we come damascus road experience where we come face to face with the reality of our own face to face with the reality of our own lives and the life of christ then i lives and the life of christ then i believe it is at that point believe it is at that point that we really begin to pray for if we are looking to this man paul for guidance about prayer for guidance about prayer we come we come to that chapter that we read to that chapter that we read which i just quoted from philippians which i just quoted from philippians and perhaps we can start our exploration and perhaps we can start our exploration there there in philippians chapter four for paul in the third chapter having renounced in the third chapter having renounced all or indicated indicating that he had all or indicated indicating that he had renounced all renounced all in order that he may in order that he may gain christ gain christ then exhorts us in the fourth chapter then exhorts us in the fourth chapter in these words in nothing be anxious but in everything by prayer and supplication by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto god let your requests be made known unto god and the peace of god and the peace of god which passeth all understanding which passeth all understanding shall guard your hearts shall guard your hearts and your thoughts and your thoughts in christ jesus in christ jesus and i suppose if we were honest in our and i suppose if we were honest in our responses to that particular verse responses to that particular verse verse 6 well does paul mean in everything in everything by prayer and supplication by prayer and supplication well surely there are those aspects of well surely there are those aspects of our lives which are of no particular our lives which are of no particular moment in relation to christ nor have moment in relation to christ nor have they any particular interest to god so they any particular interest to god so we in our characteristic human way we in our characteristic human way could approach this verse and declare could approach this verse and declare well paul doesn't mean everything surely well paul doesn't mean everything surely we can't bring the secular aspects of we can't bring the secular aspects of our life into it well let's be certain let's be certain we are talking in the context of what we are talking in the context of what the apostle paul's way of life is the apostle paul's way of life is because just drop your eye down a few because just drop your eye down a few verses and just pick up what the apostle verses and just pick up what the apostle paul's attitude to life is paul's attitude to life is verse 11 now that i speak verse 11 now that i speak not that i speak in respect of want not that i speak in respect of want for i have learned for i have learned in whatsoever state in whatsoever state i am i am therein to be content therein to be content i know how to be a based i know how to be a based and i know also how to abound and i know also how to abound in everything and in all things have i in everything and in all things have i learned the secret both to be filled and learned the secret both to be filled and to be hungry both to abound and to be in to be hungry both to abound and to be in want i can do all things in him that want i can do all things in him that strengtheneth me says the apostle paul strengtheneth me says the apostle paul and which one of us would dare to stand and which one of us would dare to stand up before the apostle paul and say well up before the apostle paul and say well come on paul you don't mean all things come on paul you don't mean all things he does monday morning all things all things everything everything his whole life complete his whole life complete dedicated to god dedicated to god so that we begin to absorb the meaning so that we begin to absorb the meaning of the apostle paul's language so that of the apostle paul's language so that when he says in everything in prayer and when he says in everything in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving he means supplication with thanksgiving he means it it unless we unless we want to in our own lives dodge the issue want to in our own lives dodge the issue let us take the apostle paul's words let us take the apostle paul's words just flip back to the letter to the just flip back to the letter to the ephesians and see what he says in ephesians and see what he says in chapter six concerning prayer chapter six concerning prayer where you remember the context he is where you remember the context he is saying put on the whole armor of god saying put on the whole armor of god that ye may be able to stand against the that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil and he develops for wiles of the devil and he develops for us that graphic picture of one who is us that graphic picture of one who is armed with all the armor of god in all armed with all the armor of god in all the order that we may walk through this the order that we may walk through this life victorious and then he takes up the life victorious and then he takes up the point in verse 18 point in verse 18 and incidentally i'm reading from the and incidentally i'm reading from the revised version with all prayer and supplication and supplication praying praying at all seasons in the spirit at all seasons in the spirit and watching there unto in all and watching there unto in all perseverance and supplication perseverance and supplication for all the saints and then he goes on to request that on his behalf utterance may be given unto his behalf utterance may be given unto me in opening my mouth to make known me in opening my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel with boldness the mystery of the gospel does all mean all then we turn over to colossians and look in chapter four continue steadfastly in prayer watching therein with thanksgiving watching therein with thanksgiving with all praying for us also that god with all praying for us also that god may open unto us a door for the word to may open unto us a door for the word to speak the mystery of christ for which i speak the mystery of christ for which i am also in bonds so continue am also in bonds so continue steadfastly in prayer steadfastly in prayer and just to take one more example in the and just to take one more example in the next letter the first letter to the next letter the first letter to the thessalonians chapter five thessalonians chapter five we have the apostle paul expressing we have the apostle paul expressing these words these words verse 17 pray without ceasing in everything give thanks give thanks for this is the will of god for this is the will of god in christ jesus in christ jesus to you would to you would so whether we like it or not so whether we like it or not so whether we are dissatisfied or so whether we are dissatisfied or satisfied with our own prayer life there satisfied with our own prayer life there is one thing abundantly clear in the is one thing abundantly clear in the message of the apostle paul message of the apostle paul that he desires that we that he desires that we pray without ceasing in everything pray without ceasing in everything giving thanks that there is no giving thanks that there is no compartment of our lives where there is compartment of our lives where there is not that prayer attitude not that prayer attitude and in order that we may help one and in order that we may help one another another i would like to make some of my comments i would like to make some of my comments i hope extremely practical i hope extremely practical and i hope fundamentally challenging and i hope fundamentally challenging it's always a great pleasure for me to it's always a great pleasure for me to see in my audience a lot of young people so young people let us take let us take that aspect of our lives which i'm sure that aspect of our lives which i'm sure every one of us will regard to be as every one of us will regard to be as important important the forming of relationships the forming of relationships with the opposite sex i always notice with pleasure the way in which the bible school atmosphere builds which the bible school atmosphere builds up up it's lovely to see the healthy way in it's lovely to see the healthy way in which young people communicate with one which young people communicate with one another another and there is the build up of boy girl and there is the build up of boy girl relationships during the week relationships during the week and i guess there are many who have and i guess there are many who have started their romance started their romance at a bible school at a bible school and have continued that romance and and have continued that romance and received the blessing of the lord young people pray pray about your relationship with the opposite sex if it is your desire and it is an if it is your desire and it is an understandable desire understandable desire that by god's grace that by god's grace you marry you marry then it would seem that the apostle paul then it would seem that the apostle paul is exhorting us to pray at all seasons in everything in everything and if therefore our relationship with and if therefore our relationship with the opposite sex is fundamental and the opposite sex is fundamental and important to our spiritual development important to our spiritual development how foolish of us to enter into that how foolish of us to enter into that kind of relationship casually kind of relationship casually i would love to think that on the hearts i would love to think that on the hearts of every young person here is this kind of every young person here is this kind of prayer lord please please lead me lead me to someone to someone who loves you who loves you more than they will love me that what you are seeking therefore in expressing this prayer expressing this prayer is that you are desiring god to prepare is that you are desiring god to prepare for you somebody who will love him more for you somebody who will love him more than than they love they love you because you recognize that your you because you recognize that your relationship with the opposite sex relationship with the opposite sex if it's going to be of any value at all if it's going to be of any value at all is going to have that dimension which is going to have that dimension which will enhance enrich your spiritual life will enhance enrich your spiritual life and we human beings can go to be so and we human beings can go to be so stupid in our relationships where we stupid in our relationships where we think that we can spend all our energy think that we can spend all our energy and time sorting out our horizontal and time sorting out our horizontal relationships when the apostle paul and relationships when the apostle paul and our lord and the prophets of israel are our lord and the prophets of israel are saying if you want to sort out your saying if you want to sort out your horizontal relationships then sort out horizontal relationships then sort out your vertical relationship first if our minds are set and stayed on his things his are set and stayed on his things his ways ways then our relationship with the opposite then our relationship with the opposite sex will be made all the more beautiful i know it's true and therefore young people when the apostle paul is saying pray without apostle paul is saying pray without ceasing ceasing that is the prayer request which should that is the prayer request which should be on your heart be on your heart before you enter into any relationship before you enter into any relationship seriously seriously and how beautiful therefore it is that and how beautiful therefore it is that hand in hand with your partner during hand in hand with your partner during your courtship you are spending time your courtship you are spending time together praying so that then by the grace of god entering into the marriage relationship entering into the marriage relationship there will be a prayer pattern already there will be a prayer pattern already established that it does not become an effort of the will to decide will to decide oh darling it's about time we prayed we oh darling it's about time we prayed we haven't done so for about the last month haven't done so for about the last month or so or so we haven't started the day together on we haven't started the day together on our knees asking for god's blessing our knees asking for god's blessing we've had our family problems arise we we've had our family problems arise we haven't said our prayers together haven't said our prayers together because if we start our relationship because if we start our relationship with that kind of attitude towards with that kind of attitude towards praying praying at all times in all seasons then the at all times in all seasons then the words of the apostle peter will become words of the apostle peter will become true for us true for us because because we in our ecclesial lives we in our ecclesial lives when we see that there is the forming of when we see that there is the forming of a relationship between boy and girl in a relationship between boy and girl in the community we of course as an the community we of course as an ecclesia do we not ecclesia do we not counsel them counsel them about marriage about the ways in which we as an ecclesia can give our prayer we as an ecclesia can give our prayer support to their relationship support to their relationship is this of course an integral part of is this of course an integral part of our ecclesial life if it isn't it seems to me that we are not praying it seems to me that we are not praying without ceasing for the apostle peter when talking about the apostle peter when talking about relationships first peter chapter 3 relationships first peter chapter 3 where describing where describing that kind of attitude which should exist that kind of attitude which should exist between husband and wife ye husbands in like manner in like manner dwell with your own wives according to dwell with your own wives according to knowledge knowledge giving honor giving honor unto the woman unto the woman as unto the weaker vessel as unto the weaker vessel as being also joint heirs as being also joint heirs of the grace of life and then the apostle peter adds this point point to the end of that to the end of that your prayers your prayers be not hindered see the apostle peter takes so much for granted granted that the prayer life of husband and wife that the prayer life of husband and wife is an integral part of their life and therefore if we work back from that relationship if we work back from that relationship it perhaps asks us husbands to see it perhaps asks us husbands to see whether or not we regard our whether or not we regard our relationship with our wives in the lord relationship with our wives in the lord to be one where we are joint heirs to be one where we are joint heirs of the grace of life and so we've spoken frankly about that fundamental issue about that fundamental issue of relationships of relationships and if we are not committing these and if we are not committing these things to the lord then we will simply things to the lord then we will simply become another statistic that if we are not engaged in this kind of prayer the implication seems to be of prayer the implication seems to be that we'll be spending a lot of time and that we'll be spending a lot of time and energy in our own strength trying to energy in our own strength trying to restore or maintain relationships when restore or maintain relationships when it is abundantly clear from the apostle it is abundantly clear from the apostle paul that our vertical relationship paul that our vertical relationship is that which will beautify and sanctify is that which will beautify and sanctify and make holy and make holy our relationships with one another our relationships with one another and so what i decided having thought and so what i decided having thought about that insight into the mind of the about that insight into the mind of the apostle paul to take it from there and apostle paul to take it from there and see the way from just a couple of see the way from just a couple of examples examples the way in which the apostle paul prayed the way in which the apostle paul prayed i know it came as a surprise to me i know it came as a surprise to me but i'm grateful for when it was first but i'm grateful for when it was first drawn to my attention the number of drawn to my attention the number of prayers that we have written prayers that we have written from the apostle paul from the apostle paul just let's look at one of them it's in just let's look at one of them it's in the letter to the church at colossae the letter to the church at colossae paul's letter to the colossians [Music] verse 9 for this cause we also since the day we heard it do not cease since the day we heard it do not cease to pray to pray and make requests for you and make requests for you what a lovely thought what a lovely thought the apostle paul the apostle paul not ceasing to pray not ceasing to pray for the members of that church for the members of that church but also we have but also we have the thoughts of his prayer listed the thoughts of his prayer listed what does he pray when he thinks of the what does he pray when he thinks of the church at colossae church at colossae well this is what he prays for well this is what he prays for point number one point number one that ye may be filled with the knowledge that ye may be filled with the knowledge of his will of his will in all spiritual wisdom and in all spiritual wisdom and understanding understanding to walk worthily of the lord unto all to walk worthily of the lord unto all pleasing pleasing bearing fruit bearing fruit in every good work in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of god and increasing in the knowledge of god i don't know how you respond to that i don't know how you respond to that kind of thought kind of thought but imagine that you received that but imagine that you received that letter from the apostle paul and you letter from the apostle paul and you knew at that moment he was praying for knew at that moment he was praying for your ecclesia in those terms he would your ecclesia in those terms he would give you that heartwarming thought give you that heartwarming thought we are being supported in prayer well if that's the case why is it why is it that we as ecclesias are not supporting that we as ecclesias are not supporting one another in prayer if you're arranging brethren if that's what you call them what you call them the elders of your ecclesia the elders of your ecclesia if they meet if they meet on the second tuesday of every month and on the second tuesday of every month and you know that you know that wouldn't it be lovely wouldn't it be lovely if when that was announced from the if when that was announced from the platform on the sunday you said to the platform on the sunday you said to the arranging brethren we'll be praying for arranging brethren we'll be praying for you on tuesday night and the prayer that we will be offering will be that she may be filled with the will be that she may be filled with the knowledge of his will knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and in all spiritual wisdom and understanding understanding that we all may walk worthily that we all may walk worthily worthy of the lord worthy of the lord unto all blessing unto all blessing bearing fruit in every good work and bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of god increasing in the knowledge of god i believe that that arranging meeting if i believe that that arranging meeting if they all knew that the ecclesia that they all knew that the ecclesia that night were on their knees praying that night were on their knees praying that that is the case then that arranging that is the case then that arranging meeting would be enriched meeting would be enriched and so we could take every compartment and so we could take every compartment of our ecclesial life and we need to ask of our ecclesial life and we need to ask ourselves i believe brothers and sisters ourselves i believe brothers and sisters whether or not we have the same mind whether or not we have the same mind that was in the apostle paul and we are that was in the apostle paul and we are supporting the holy creature in a prayer supporting the holy creature in a prayer support or if i may bring it perhaps a bit closer to home closer to home we in england are looking with great we in england are looking with great urgency in our hearts urgency in our hearts as to whether or not yet once more the as to whether or not yet once more the reunion effort will either succeed or reunion effort will either succeed or fail how many of us are praying for the reunion committee oh yes we offer the occasional prayer let's search around in our minds and ask let's search around in our minds and ask when was the last time when was the last time that in the privacy of our own homes or that in the privacy of our own homes or in our bible class or in our clear when in our bible class or in our clear when was the last time that we unitedly was the last time that we unitedly offered that urging that prayer offered that urging that prayer praying steadfastly praying steadfastly that your reunion should take place that your reunion should take place if there's not a volume of prayer rising if there's not a volume of prayer rising up to the father concerning this well up to the father concerning this well perhaps perhaps i'll leave you to finish the thought and so when we begin to look at our ecclesial when we begin to look at our ecclesial lives lives we discover that the fellowship of we discover that the fellowship of prayer prayer is something that we need to give urgent is something that we need to give urgent attention to and so if i may take up just another of the prayers of the apostle paul the prayers of the apostle paul in the letter to the philippians in the letter to the philippians chapter 1. well we have another insight into the kind of language which the apostle paul kind of language which the apostle paul used for this church at philippi used for this church at philippi philippians 1 verse 9 philippians 1 verse 9 and this i pray that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge more in knowledge and in all and in all discernment discernment so that he may approve the things that so that he may approve the things that are excellent are excellent that he may be sincere that he may be sincere and void of offense and void of offense unto the day of christ unto the day of christ being filled with the fruits of being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are through jesus righteousness which are through jesus christ christ unto the glory and praise of god oh what unto the glory and praise of god oh what a wonderful prayer that is a wonderful prayer that is and how heartening it must have been for and how heartening it must have been for the church at philippi to recognize that the church at philippi to recognize that is the kind of thing the apostle paul is is the kind of thing the apostle paul is praying for and so let us then look at another facet of our ecclesial life of our ecclesial life that we could have this kind of that we could have this kind of experience experience that we wake on sunday morning with the that we wake on sunday morning with the burden of our lives burden of our lives with the problems of our domestic scene with the problems of our domestic scene say say the problem of our work the problem of our work and we go to the ecclesial hall with a and we go to the ecclesial hall with a burden on our hearts burden on our hearts and when we're greeted at the door how and when we're greeted at the door how are you brother are you brother very well thank you and having shaken his hand said how are you you and his response and his response fine thank you fine thank you we then having communicated to one we then having communicated to one another another we go and sit down in the collegial hall we go and sit down in the collegial hall where where because it is the congregation and one because it is the congregation and one person at the front presenting a message person at the front presenting a message then the communication could be then the communication could be and i'm not into any sense caricaturing and i'm not into any sense caricaturing it it could be a case of a bucket of it it could be a case of a bucket of spiritual milk spiritual milk is then sent in our direction and if our is then sent in our direction and if our spiritual mouths happen to be open then spiritual mouths happen to be open then we receive it but if they're shut we we receive it but if they're shut we don't don't and having sung our hymns and having sung our hymns and listen to the prayers and listen to the prayers we then make our way out of the we then make our way out of the collegial hall collegial hall lovely service enjoyed it very much lovely service enjoyed it very much and we go home problems shared receiving prayer support because receiving prayer support because somebody has listened and we've felt in that attitude of mind where we can really share i believe that as the day of the lord draws nigh that as the day of the lord draws nigh there is going to be a greater need and there is going to be a greater need and urgency urgency for our ecclesial structure to be such for our ecclesial structure to be such that we are really communicating with that we are really communicating with one another and really providing that one another and really providing that opportunity opportunity whereby we can get together informally whereby we can get together informally whereby we can perhaps in the spirit of whereby we can perhaps in the spirit of the first century church in house to the first century church in house to house fellowship house fellowship not separate from but as an integral not separate from but as an integral part of the ecclesial life that we there part of the ecclesial life that we there sit down with bibles open discover sit down with bibles open discover how we can make our love abound yet more how we can make our love abound yet more and more in knowledge and in discernment and more in knowledge and in discernment how we can make sure that we approve the how we can make sure that we approve the things that are excellent how we can as things that are excellent how we can as parents with children that have their parents with children that have their problems in this big wide world in which problems in this big wide world in which we live how we can together as brothers we live how we can together as brothers and sisters with our bibles open and sisters with our bibles open discover the ways in which our lord can discover the ways in which our lord can help us in our domestic lives and having help us in our domestic lives and having shared our problems we then pray about shared our problems we then pray about them and we know that we got prayer support that we got prayer support in the difficulties that we've got in in the difficulties that we've got in our lives this seems to me to be the spirit in which the apostle paul is asking us that which the apostle paul is asking us that we pray without ceasing and we need to prayerfully i believe look at the kind of fellowship that we look at the kind of fellowship that we have got so that at no time would it be have got so that at no time would it be possible for anybody that i've possible for anybody that i've caricatured as somebody coming into our caricatured as somebody coming into our collegial hall and all they're receiving collegial hall and all they're receiving is a bucket of milk and going away with is a bucket of milk and going away with no consolation and so i believe that our ecclesial life will be enhanced and enriched will be enhanced and enriched if we learn how to pray the apostle james has something to declare about prayer has something to declare about prayer and perhaps it's a territory that we and perhaps it's a territory that we just need to be just need to be more honest with one another about james more honest with one another about james 5. for there are two aspects of what the apostle james has indicated concerning apostle james has indicated concerning prayer one we can refer to is in verse 16. confess therefore your sins therefore your sins one to another one to another and pray and pray one for another one for another that ye may be healed that ye may be healed i've already from the comments i've just i've already from the comments i've just made suggested the ways in which this made suggested the ways in which this could be true for us could be true for us but there are some of us who would say but there are some of us who would say now just a moment now just a moment confess therefore your sins one to confess therefore your sins one to another another are we suggesting here or is the apostle are we suggesting here or is the apostle james suggesting here that what i've got james suggesting here that what i've got to do is lay bear all my life to do is lay bear all my life and confess everything and confess everything because if i confess to you that i beat because if i confess to you that i beat my wife then i'm under the suspicion my wife then i'm under the suspicion that you'll then that you'll then rather than praying for me you'll then rather than praying for me you'll then get on to the ecclesial grapevine and on get on to the ecclesial grapevine and on your telephones and say george you know your telephones and say george you know that brother phil beats his wife we don't trust one another is this what we're trying to say or have is this what we're trying to say or have we perhaps we perhaps put a construction on those words which put a construction on those words which the apostle james never intended us the apostle james never intended us there's no need for us to go into there's no need for us to go into details concerning those problems in our details concerning those problems in our lives lives for example and i often quote this one for example and i often quote this one to illustrate it that if i said that to illustrate it that if i said that i've got problems with my thought life i've got problems with my thought life that i have un helpful thoughts come that i have un helpful thoughts come into my mind mind in my relaxed into my mind mind in my relaxed moments then there's no need for me to moments then there's no need for me to tell you what those thoughts are because tell you what those thoughts are because you will know from your experience you will know from your experience you've had that kind of problem you've had that kind of problem but having shared it with you but having shared it with you we could in fellowship with scriptures we could in fellowship with scriptures open see the way in which we could help open see the way in which we could help one another overcome this particular one another overcome this particular problem problem and pray about it and pray about it and it does work and it does work because i had the privilege joe and i because i had the privilege joe and i had the privilege to be together with a had the privilege to be together with a young people's group young people's group where we're spending some time together where we're spending some time together and we were considering this matter of and we were considering this matter of prayer and we thought well it's about prayer and we thought well it's about time we tried to put what the apostle time we tried to put what the apostle james was declaring into practice james was declaring into practice and so with the assembly of about 20 and so with the assembly of about 20 people people the suggestion the suggestion was with people of the same sex if we are moved to go in twos or threes we are moved to go in twos or threes then let us talk together about the then let us talk together about the challenges that are taking place in our challenges that are taking place in our lives lives and so we did just that and so we did just that somewhat nervously at first somewhat nervously at first but the results were absolutely but the results were absolutely beautiful beautiful do you know in that company where some do you know in that company where some young people teenagers who had had on young people teenagers who had had on their hearts for ages a particular their hearts for ages a particular problem and in their experience that had problem and in their experience that had no one that they felt confident enough no one that they felt confident enough to talk to about them and yet in that to talk to about them and yet in that trusting atmosphere having built up the trusting atmosphere having built up the attitude of mind towards prayer then attitude of mind towards prayer then with somebody with somebody there and then they confessed what their there and then they confessed what their desperate need was and they prayed desperate need was and they prayed together and for the first time in their together and for the first time in their lives they'd got up off their knees lives they'd got up off their knees refreshed and knowing what it meant that the peace of god that the peace of god will fill your hearts it does work and there is equally in the apostle james's section on prayer that james's section on prayer that challenging thought challenging thought about praying about praying for those who are for those who are sick is any among you sick sick is any among you sick let him call let him call for the elders of the church for the elders of the church and let them pray over him and let them pray over him anointing him with oil anointing him with oil in the name of the lord in the name of the lord and the prayer of faith and the prayer of faith shall save him that is sick shall save him that is sick and the lord shall raise him up and the lord shall raise him up and if he have committed sin and if he have committed sin it shall be forgiven him the implications of this are so challenging brothers and sisters it challenging brothers and sisters it seems that we all must turn away from seems that we all must turn away from that and say that whatever it may have that and say that whatever it may have meant meant i don't know i don't know and so we don't find out there is the challenging thought to the elders of the challenging thought to the elders of the church that if they did receive a church that if they did receive a message from somebody who was sick message from somebody who was sick requesting that they did come and pray requesting that they did come and pray what they would do about the anointing what they would do about the anointing with oil and if i may just make an observation which i found helpful which i found helpful that if we're trying to seek a spiritual that if we're trying to seek a spiritual application of this anointing with oil application of this anointing with oil then then there is the possible link in the old there is the possible link in the old testament with the levitical rights testament with the levitical rights whereby anointing with oil signified whereby anointing with oil signified that the person was prepared that the person was prepared to commit to commit all of their lives all of their lives to god to god so there is laid upon the person who is so there is laid upon the person who is sick in calling for people to pray over sick in calling for people to pray over them the thought them the thought what are you asking god to do are you asking god just to do a patch up job on your physical body job on your physical body or are you wanting god to take all of or are you wanting god to take all of you you completely completely that the most fundamental issue that you that the most fundamental issue that you are seeking in this prayer request is are seeking in this prayer request is that you are made spiritually whole and that you are made spiritually whole and it's a and if as a result of that it's a and if as a result of that there is the bonus there is the bonus of the physical healing of the physical healing that is gratefully received that is gratefully received for when it all is said and done that that we desire and require with all our hearts is that spiritual wholeness our hearts is that spiritual wholeness before our god and so i cannot leave this question i cannot leave this question of praying without ceasing of praying without ceasing without mentioning without mentioning jesus christ who is described as preeminent above all above all christ who is described as superior to christ who is described as superior to the angels christ who is superior to the the angels christ who is superior to the law christ who is superior to the law christ who is superior to the sacrifices christ who sacrifices christ who has a name which is above every name has a name which is above every name that at the name of jesus that at the name of jesus every knee should bow every knee should bow for us to dare to enter into a prayer for us to dare to enter into a prayer life without bringing jesus into it life without bringing jesus into it suggests that we are missing a suggests that we are missing a fundamental dimension fundamental dimension and therefore we earn the criticism and therefore we earn the criticism which is sometimes leveled at us because which is sometimes leveled at us because we are described as dispensationalists we are described as dispensationalists let me let me explain we can be criticized explain we can be criticized because we can talk about the because we can talk about the dispensation of jesus when he was on dispensation of jesus when he was on earth and talk about what he did 1900 or earth and talk about what he did 1900 or so years ago so years ago and we can talk about the dispensation and we can talk about the dispensation of jesus when he comes in his kingdom of jesus when he comes in his kingdom but between the two but between the two is a great void is a great void unfilled unfilled empty empty of experience and that should not be for christ for christ ever lives ever lives to make intercession for us to make intercession for us the place where jesus dwells by faith is the place where jesus dwells by faith is in our hearts in our hearts that what is the that what is the keynote of the apostle paul's life keynote of the apostle paul's life for me to live is christ for me to live is christ to suggest therefore that there is a to suggest therefore that there is a praying without ceasing without christ praying without ceasing without christ as an integral part and dynamic aspect as an integral part and dynamic aspect of it seems to me to miss what the of it seems to me to miss what the apostle paul is leading us to and so with christ with christ in our hearts having given up all to gain the excellency of knowing jesus in nothing my friends my friends be anxious but in everything by prayer by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving and supplication with thanksgiving let let your requests your requests be made known unto god and the peace of god which passeth all understanding which passeth all understanding shall guard your hearts shall guard your hearts and your thoughts
Location:Eastern Christadelphian Bible School (1981)
Topic:Unknown
Title:I am the Vine, ye are the Branches
Speaker:Hawkins, Philip
Download:19810822 i am the vine.mp3