1 00:00:03,166 --> 00:00:05,700 Have your Bibles one more time. 2 00:00:05,799 --> 00:00:08,800 Let's turn to the book of Ephesians 3 00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:10,466 chapter 6. 4 00:00:11,866 --> 00:00:14,433 Verse number 18. 5 00:00:17,699 --> 00:00:19,566 We finally come to the last message. 6 00:00:22,666 --> 00:00:26,100 This verse by verse study of Paul's epistle. 7 00:00:26,266 --> 00:00:28,600 We started this journey. 8 00:00:29,266 --> 00:00:32,700 Back on February the 25th 9 00:00:32,700 --> 00:00:33,899 of 2024. 10 00:00:33,899 --> 00:00:36,933 So it took 11 00:00:36,933 --> 00:00:39,933 us a little over two years and three months 12 00:00:39,933 --> 00:00:43,233 to finish our exposition 13 00:00:43,233 --> 00:00:47,366 of this book, but I want to remind you that 14 00:00:47,399 --> 00:00:51,000 not straight through, because simultaneously, 15 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:54,100 we've also been working our way through the Gospel of John 16 00:00:54,100 --> 00:00:56,633 when I didn't have time to finish the Ephesians. 17 00:00:56,700 --> 00:01:00,166 So I didn't really take over 2 years to preach Ephesians. 18 00:01:00,233 --> 00:01:04,266 I'm getting a little better at condensing things, I hope. 19 00:01:04,799 --> 00:01:09,000 But as always, when we come to the 20 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:12,433 end of a book, I'm 21 00:01:12,433 --> 00:01:16,299 kind of sad to see it go, because 22 00:01:16,299 --> 00:01:20,866 it's hard for me to describe to you, how, 23 00:01:20,866 --> 00:01:27,033 the weekly preparation is 24 00:01:27,033 --> 00:01:29,966 such a major part of the fabric of my life. 25 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:34,833 Like, literally, everything revolves 26 00:01:34,833 --> 00:01:38,000 around me, doing everything I 27 00:01:38,033 --> 00:01:41,566 can to get time to get to the desk, 28 00:01:41,566 --> 00:01:45,166 to prepare at the nights, in the early mornings, 29 00:01:45,166 --> 00:01:48,166 until finally, I get to Saturday night, 30 00:01:48,166 --> 00:01:51,233 and the final edits are made, and then 31 00:01:51,233 --> 00:01:52,433 I get up here and preach it. 32 00:01:52,500 --> 00:01:55,500 And then sun, Monday morning, I 33 00:01:55,500 --> 00:01:57,133 start at the bottom of the mountain again. 34 00:01:57,166 --> 00:02:00,333 And whether I've got to cut the grass and 35 00:02:00,333 --> 00:02:03,333 do this and do that and do this and do that to get to the 36 00:02:03,333 --> 00:02:07,700 preparation time, and then it's all about Ephesians. 37 00:02:07,799 --> 00:02:09,833 It's all about Ephesians for 2 years. 38 00:02:09,900 --> 00:02:12,133 And then it comes to an end. 39 00:02:12,166 --> 00:02:13,800 And Ephesians is over with. 40 00:02:13,833 --> 00:02:17,966 So that's why I say it's kind of sad, in a way, to see it go. 41 00:02:18,033 --> 00:02:21,099 But even with all the help I get from 42 00:02:21,099 --> 00:02:24,400 Dr. John MacArthur, I'm telling you, we just cannot really 43 00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:28,366 plumb the total depth of 44 00:02:28,366 --> 00:02:31,433 the riches that we find here in 45 00:02:31,433 --> 00:02:33,066 this epistle to the Ephesians. 46 00:02:33,300 --> 00:02:36,733 But I hope that 47 00:02:36,733 --> 00:02:40,233 you have learned as much as I have. 48 00:02:40,500 --> 00:02:44,233 from this study, and I hope and 49 00:02:44,233 --> 00:02:48,533 pray that you have experienced spiritual 50 00:02:48,533 --> 00:02:51,533 growth in your walk with 51 00:02:51,533 --> 00:02:54,833 the Lord, as we have studied this tremendous book together. 52 00:02:55,133 --> 00:02:58,199 And so, if you can believe this, 53 00:02:58,199 --> 00:03:01,300 we are going to study from verse 18 54 00:03:01,300 --> 00:03:03,533 all the way to the end. 55 00:03:03,599 --> 00:03:06,599 We're going to get all these verses, 18 to 24, every 56 00:03:06,599 --> 00:03:08,566 one of them in today. 57 00:03:08,633 --> 00:03:11,699 And so let's start by reading our 58 00:03:11,699 --> 00:03:15,633 final text in verses 18 to 59 00:03:15,633 --> 00:03:16,666 24. 60 00:03:17,633 --> 00:03:20,866 The Apostle Paul writes with all prayer 61 00:03:20,866 --> 00:03:22,666 and petition. 62 00:03:23,699 --> 00:03:27,166 Pray at all times in the spirit, 63 00:03:27,166 --> 00:03:31,833 and with this in view, be on the alert. 64 00:03:32,033 --> 00:03:35,400 With all perseverance and petition 65 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:37,733 for all the saints. 66 00:03:37,900 --> 00:03:39,933 and pray on my behalf. 67 00:03:40,233 --> 00:03:44,300 That utterance may be given to me in 68 00:03:44,333 --> 00:03:47,400 the opening of my mouth, to make known 69 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:50,699 with boldness, the mystery 70 00:03:50,699 --> 00:03:53,766 of the gospel, for which I am 71 00:03:53,766 --> 00:03:56,900 an ambassador in chains, that 72 00:03:56,933 --> 00:04:00,166 in proclaiming it, I may speak boldly 73 00:04:00,166 --> 00:04:01,500 as I ought to speak. 74 00:04:01,833 --> 00:04:05,300 But that you also may know about 75 00:04:05,333 --> 00:04:09,833 my circumstances, how I am doing Tychicus, 76 00:04:09,833 --> 00:04:13,666 my beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, 77 00:04:13,666 --> 00:04:15,633 will make everything known to you. 78 00:04:15,699 --> 00:04:19,766 I have sent him to you for this very purpose so 79 00:04:19,800 --> 00:04:24,000 that you may know about us, and that he may comfort your hearts. 80 00:04:24,100 --> 00:04:27,233 Peace be to the brethren, in 81 00:04:27,233 --> 00:04:30,233 love with faith, from God, the Father, and 82 00:04:30,233 --> 00:04:33,233 the Lord Jesus Christ, grace be with 83 00:04:33,233 --> 00:04:36,699 all those who love our Lord, Jesus Christ, 84 00:04:36,699 --> 00:04:39,699 with incorruptible love. 85 00:04:39,933 --> 00:04:43,066 Now, after an 86 00:04:43,066 --> 00:04:46,199 extensive section on spiritual 87 00:04:46,199 --> 00:04:49,266 warfare that we went through and 88 00:04:49,266 --> 00:04:52,533 the study of all 89 00:04:52,533 --> 00:04:54,800 of these resources that we have. 90 00:04:54,933 --> 00:04:58,066 in the spiritual war that we're engaged in 91 00:04:58,066 --> 00:05:02,633 every day, including the armor of God, Paul 92 00:05:02,633 --> 00:05:06,233 gives us, here in this last text, one 93 00:05:06,233 --> 00:05:09,233 final critical resource. 94 00:05:10,066 --> 00:05:14,699 And there's really nothing more important than 95 00:05:14,699 --> 00:05:17,933 Paul's last exhortation both to the church at 96 00:05:17,933 --> 00:05:20,933 Ephesus and think about it, to the church for all the 97 00:05:20,933 --> 00:05:23,166 rest of time, that read this letter. 98 00:05:23,166 --> 00:05:26,199 As we read in this text, but the last 99 00:05:26,199 --> 00:05:29,333 theme, Paul turns to the 100 00:05:29,333 --> 00:05:31,066 subject of prayer. 101 00:05:31,133 --> 00:05:33,399 Look again at verse 18 with me. 102 00:05:33,899 --> 00:05:38,133 With all prayer and petition, 103 00:05:38,133 --> 00:05:41,433 pray, at all time. 104 00:05:41,566 --> 00:05:44,733 Now I want you to notice, in the broader 105 00:05:44,733 --> 00:05:48,699 text, prayer is not a part of the armor. 106 00:05:48,833 --> 00:05:52,133 We've moved on, but 107 00:05:52,133 --> 00:05:55,566 it's also not in addition to the armor. 108 00:05:56,133 --> 00:05:59,266 He's not saying, in addition 109 00:05:59,266 --> 00:06:00,833 to the armor and prayer. 110 00:06:00,933 --> 00:06:03,933 It's more like, woven 111 00:06:03,933 --> 00:06:08,000 into all this that I've just told you, is prayer. 112 00:06:08,699 --> 00:06:11,733 And so while we're at war, as we've 113 00:06:11,733 --> 00:06:13,300 spoken about for the last number of months, 114 00:06:13,966 --> 00:06:16,966 While we have all the elements of the 115 00:06:16,966 --> 00:06:18,899 armor on that he's taught us. 116 00:06:19,500 --> 00:06:22,566 We are to be at the same time 117 00:06:22,566 --> 00:06:27,466 praying at all times on a daily basis. 118 00:06:27,833 --> 00:06:30,600 Whether we're in the heat of the war, 119 00:06:31,300 --> 00:06:34,433 Or whether, as we all sometimes get that 120 00:06:34,433 --> 00:06:37,500 low in the battle, we are always 121 00:06:37,500 --> 00:06:39,966 to be engaged in prayer. 122 00:06:40,433 --> 00:06:42,600 Prayer is the only way. 123 00:06:43,533 --> 00:06:45,566 that we can make it. 124 00:06:46,300 --> 00:06:50,133 While we're living in this evil, fallen 125 00:06:50,133 --> 00:06:53,366 world system, it 126 00:06:53,399 --> 00:06:56,566 should be like breathing air for us as Christians. 127 00:06:57,100 --> 00:07:00,533 Not to pray, is 128 00:07:00,533 --> 00:07:02,100 like holding your breath spiritually. 129 00:07:03,166 --> 00:07:06,233 Do that for too long, physically, 130 00:07:06,233 --> 00:07:09,366 you're going to pass out, or worse. 131 00:07:10,366 --> 00:07:13,833 Every day, you're living the Christian life. 132 00:07:13,899 --> 00:07:17,199 as we've learned, and 133 00:07:17,199 --> 00:07:19,966 you're battling, and you're struggling. 134 00:07:19,966 --> 00:07:22,966 It all has to be happening 135 00:07:22,966 --> 00:07:25,966 in this atmosphere 136 00:07:25,966 --> 00:07:28,966 of prayer, as I said, it's so 137 00:07:28,966 --> 00:07:31,966 much more than just an additional weapon. 138 00:07:32,866 --> 00:07:36,100 It is to be pervasive. 139 00:07:36,166 --> 00:07:38,333 in our daily experience. 140 00:07:38,933 --> 00:07:42,399 There is a reason planned 141 00:07:42,399 --> 00:07:45,933 by God that this right here is 142 00:07:45,933 --> 00:07:49,300 the climactic finale here in 143 00:07:49,300 --> 00:07:50,633 the book of Ephesians. 144 00:07:50,699 --> 00:07:53,866 In Luke chapter 18, look 145 00:07:53,866 --> 00:07:55,966 at verse number one, it's speaking of Jesus. 146 00:07:56,266 --> 00:07:59,399 It says now he was telling them a parable. 147 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:03,733 to show that at all times. 148 00:08:03,833 --> 00:08:07,899 They ought to pray and not 149 00:08:07,899 --> 00:08:09,766 to lose heart. 150 00:08:09,833 --> 00:08:12,833 Because you see, Jesus knows that in a battle, 151 00:08:12,833 --> 00:08:17,199 especially when things get hot, we can lose heart. 152 00:08:17,933 --> 00:08:19,800 We can get weary. 153 00:08:20,333 --> 00:08:23,466 We can get discouraged. 154 00:08:23,633 --> 00:08:26,333 We can give up the fight. 155 00:08:26,399 --> 00:08:28,266 If we don't pray. 156 00:08:29,399 --> 00:08:32,700 You really only have two possible 157 00:08:32,700 --> 00:08:34,799 options in that situation. 158 00:08:34,833 --> 00:08:38,366 You can either pray, or you can lose heart. 159 00:08:38,799 --> 00:08:41,133 And there's no middle ground of that. 160 00:08:42,166 --> 00:08:45,700 The reason prayer comes right 161 00:08:45,700 --> 00:08:50,266 here in these last verses is 162 00:08:50,266 --> 00:08:53,266 because it fits the total ending of 163 00:08:53,266 --> 00:08:55,000 this whole book. 164 00:08:55,066 --> 00:08:58,899 It's kind of like a great crescendo 165 00:08:58,899 --> 00:09:02,799 at the end of a classical music composition with this topic. 166 00:09:02,866 --> 00:09:05,866 If you think back to all that we've 167 00:09:05,866 --> 00:09:09,600 studied over the last two years, this 168 00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:13,366 book, probably more than any other book in the New Testament, presents 169 00:09:13,366 --> 00:09:16,600 the resources that all believers have to 170 00:09:16,600 --> 00:09:19,600 live the Christian life because we are, 171 00:09:19,600 --> 00:09:22,766 as it says, in Christ. 172 00:09:22,833 --> 00:09:26,066 Remember from Ephesians one, blessed with every spiritual blessing 173 00:09:26,100 --> 00:09:29,633 in the heavenly places in Christ. 174 00:09:29,733 --> 00:09:32,366 So this book, if you remember, all the way back. 175 00:09:32,566 --> 00:09:36,533 It started us out in the heavenlies. 176 00:09:36,833 --> 00:09:40,433 But it ends with us on our knees. 177 00:09:41,033 --> 00:09:44,100 as Paul calls 178 00:09:44,100 --> 00:09:48,233 God's people to a life of prayer. 179 00:09:49,066 --> 00:09:52,899 Now, you might wonder, well, if we have 180 00:09:52,899 --> 00:09:55,966 all these tremendous resources that 181 00:09:55,966 --> 00:09:59,266 Paul just lays out one after another, 182 00:09:59,266 --> 00:10:03,399 we've got them at our disposal, well, why would we need to pray? 183 00:10:03,533 --> 00:10:05,799 For example, starting in chapter one? 184 00:10:05,866 --> 00:10:07,299 You move on through the middle of the book. 185 00:10:07,366 --> 00:10:10,200 I just wanna remind you of some of these great things. 186 00:10:10,233 --> 00:10:11,966 We've looked at over the last two years. 187 00:10:12,100 --> 00:10:15,766 All Christians are described in this book as being blessed. 188 00:10:16,433 --> 00:10:20,133 Forgiven, loved, 189 00:10:20,133 --> 00:10:22,366 redeemed, 190 00:10:22,433 --> 00:10:24,399 We are given wisdom. 191 00:10:24,600 --> 00:10:28,733 We are made rich, we are secure. 192 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:32,333 We are sealed with the Holy Spirit of 193 00:10:32,333 --> 00:10:35,033 promise, which is the down payment, right? 194 00:10:35,100 --> 00:10:37,966 We are made alive with new life. 195 00:10:38,033 --> 00:10:42,399 We are objects of eternal grace, unmerited favor. 196 00:10:42,466 --> 00:10:45,533 We are God's masterpiece called 197 00:10:45,533 --> 00:10:46,899 to a life of good works. 198 00:10:46,966 --> 00:10:50,200 We are saved by grace through faith alone. 199 00:10:50,433 --> 00:10:54,200 We are adopted as members into God's family. 200 00:10:54,333 --> 00:10:57,500 We are the very habitation of 201 00:10:57,533 --> 00:10:59,766 the Holy Spirit of God. 202 00:10:59,799 --> 00:11:03,566 Just one after another after another of these incredible 203 00:11:03,600 --> 00:11:04,933 realities. 204 00:11:04,966 --> 00:11:09,100 is true of all blood-bought, 205 00:11:09,100 --> 00:11:10,833 genuine Christian believers. 206 00:11:11,433 --> 00:11:14,600 And then, after we 207 00:11:14,633 --> 00:11:18,833 went through, months and months and months of that, Paul 208 00:11:18,833 --> 00:11:22,899 launches into the armor that we have at our disposal, which we study. 209 00:11:23,033 --> 00:11:26,200 As we learn that we have to wage 210 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:30,233 war with the principalities and powers in the demonic realm. 211 00:11:30,299 --> 00:11:33,600 It's all just a tremendous picture. 212 00:11:34,133 --> 00:11:37,733 of what it is, to be a Christian. 213 00:11:38,033 --> 00:11:41,466 Of what it is, what the Christian life looks like. 214 00:11:41,733 --> 00:11:45,633 Now, that's a big general summary, right? 215 00:11:45,766 --> 00:11:47,333 I mean, I could go into way more detail. 216 00:11:47,633 --> 00:11:50,200 But with all this knowledge. 217 00:11:50,633 --> 00:11:54,166 about all these incredible resources 218 00:11:54,166 --> 00:11:55,666 that we have as Christians. 219 00:11:56,100 --> 00:11:58,933 Let me tell you, church, we have to be careful. 220 00:11:59,500 --> 00:12:03,033 that we don't run into what 221 00:12:03,033 --> 00:12:07,166 is defined in 1st Corinthians 10 and verse number 12. 222 00:12:07,500 --> 00:12:08,333 Look at it with me. 223 00:12:08,399 --> 00:12:11,266 You see it on the screen or in your Bible if you want to turn there. 224 00:12:11,433 --> 00:12:14,666 Therefore, let him 225 00:12:14,700 --> 00:12:17,799 who thinks he stands, take 226 00:12:17,799 --> 00:12:20,866 heed, that he does not fall. 227 00:12:22,066 --> 00:12:25,366 We can have so much knowledge, 228 00:12:25,366 --> 00:12:28,899 especially in this post internet age. 229 00:12:29,033 --> 00:12:31,200 We can have so much information. 230 00:12:31,433 --> 00:12:34,433 And we really do have all these resources 231 00:12:34,433 --> 00:12:37,566 that we've been learning about, and especially 232 00:12:37,566 --> 00:12:41,366 in a church like ours, where 233 00:12:41,399 --> 00:12:44,399 there's a high premium on 234 00:12:44,399 --> 00:12:47,799 sound doctrine and theology and verse by verse expositional 235 00:12:47,799 --> 00:12:50,666 preaching to dig the truth out of these texts. 236 00:12:51,466 --> 00:12:55,000 There is a danger that 237 00:12:55,000 --> 00:12:58,666 we can fall into losing the 238 00:12:58,666 --> 00:13:02,200 sense of our daily absolute 239 00:13:02,200 --> 00:13:05,633 total complete dependence upon God. 240 00:13:06,399 --> 00:13:09,633 One good prayer that I read this week, short 241 00:13:09,633 --> 00:13:11,500 prayer in regard to this is this. 242 00:13:11,633 --> 00:13:13,666 See if you can pray this prayer. 243 00:13:13,966 --> 00:13:17,333 That God would give us enough success to 244 00:13:17,333 --> 00:13:20,433 know he's there, and enough failure 245 00:13:20,433 --> 00:13:22,833 to desperately need him. 246 00:13:22,899 --> 00:13:24,933 Can you pray that prayer? 247 00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:28,600 That's some wisdom right there, Saints. 248 00:13:28,733 --> 00:13:31,066 It's kind of like a football team. 249 00:13:32,033 --> 00:13:35,433 That's won the championship for several 250 00:13:35,433 --> 00:13:37,466 years in a row, and at some point, 251 00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:41,666 They always seem to lose that hunger. 252 00:13:41,733 --> 00:13:45,100 to be a champion that they had in the beginning. 253 00:13:45,333 --> 00:13:49,000 And as they do that, They 254 00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:52,233 lose the discipline and the attitude 255 00:13:52,233 --> 00:13:55,700 and the critical intangibles that 256 00:13:55,733 --> 00:13:57,399 made them champions in the 1st place. 257 00:13:57,466 --> 00:13:59,033 And what happens? 258 00:13:59,200 --> 00:14:02,733 They get comfortable with their success. 259 00:14:03,033 --> 00:14:06,566 And that is when they usually fall. 260 00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:10,133 And I'm here to tell you this morning that that 261 00:14:10,133 --> 00:14:12,066 can happen to us as Christians as well. 262 00:14:12,299 --> 00:14:14,233 Things are growing great. 263 00:14:14,266 --> 00:14:16,600 The marriage is working well. 264 00:14:16,666 --> 00:14:18,033 The church is unified. 265 00:14:18,100 --> 00:14:20,433 People are growing in the Lord. 266 00:14:20,700 --> 00:14:22,666 And we can get comfortable. 267 00:14:22,966 --> 00:14:24,633 in our success. 268 00:14:25,299 --> 00:14:29,866 And we lose, deep, 269 00:14:29,866 --> 00:14:33,466 intense, earnest kind of praying 270 00:14:33,466 --> 00:14:37,066 that demonstrates a Christian who daily recognizes 271 00:14:37,066 --> 00:14:40,366 how absolutely dependent we are upon 272 00:14:40,366 --> 00:14:43,433 God, every single 273 00:14:43,433 --> 00:14:46,899 day, whether things are going well or whether things are going bad. 274 00:14:47,700 --> 00:14:49,333 And, of course, 275 00:14:49,966 --> 00:14:52,966 If we carry in 276 00:14:52,966 --> 00:14:56,333 that kind of comfortability, God 277 00:14:56,333 --> 00:14:57,600 has a way, does he not? 278 00:14:57,633 --> 00:15:01,666 of bringing about some uncomfortability into 279 00:15:01,666 --> 00:15:04,966 our lives to get us back on track. 280 00:15:05,100 --> 00:15:07,366 Anybody ever experience that here? 281 00:15:07,966 --> 00:15:11,100 So, as 282 00:15:11,100 --> 00:15:14,333 we have all these magnificent, incredible 283 00:15:14,333 --> 00:15:17,399 spiritual resources that our disposal 284 00:15:17,399 --> 00:15:20,566 as we live out our Christian lives, if we don't do things 285 00:15:20,566 --> 00:15:23,733 as Brother Ed says, God's way, 286 00:15:23,733 --> 00:15:26,799 when it comes to our prayer life, we 287 00:15:26,799 --> 00:15:29,799 lose in a major number of ways. 288 00:15:30,700 --> 00:15:34,733 And that is essentially, what 289 00:15:34,733 --> 00:15:36,233 Paul is saying here in this text. 290 00:15:36,933 --> 00:15:40,166 Don't ever get to thinking that just because we 291 00:15:40,200 --> 00:15:43,200 have all these great resources, and things are going 292 00:15:43,200 --> 00:15:46,366 well, that you don't desperately need 293 00:15:46,366 --> 00:15:50,133 to depend upon God in a way that's reflected in 294 00:15:50,133 --> 00:15:53,133 the intensity of your prayer life. 295 00:15:53,399 --> 00:15:56,566 Listen, the armor is not magic. 296 00:15:57,933 --> 00:16:00,799 Nothing in God's kingdom is magic. 297 00:16:01,366 --> 00:16:04,433 Never forget, God 298 00:16:04,433 --> 00:16:05,566 is in charge of the armor. 299 00:16:06,100 --> 00:16:09,700 He is the one who gives the armor its power. 300 00:16:10,600 --> 00:16:13,899 And if you've attained a certain level 301 00:16:13,899 --> 00:16:16,966 of theological knowledge, and things are 302 00:16:16,966 --> 00:16:20,133 going fairly well to the point that you are satisfied 303 00:16:20,133 --> 00:16:23,299 and comfortable, and no longer feel 304 00:16:23,333 --> 00:16:26,700 the need to be relentlessly earnest in your prayer 305 00:16:26,700 --> 00:16:29,700 life, then you need to realize that all of the 306 00:16:29,700 --> 00:16:33,033 resources, including the armor, are dependent 307 00:16:33,033 --> 00:16:34,399 on your prayer line. 308 00:16:35,133 --> 00:16:38,266 That's what Paul is wanting you to see here in 309 00:16:38,266 --> 00:16:39,899 the way he's phrasing these words. 310 00:16:40,133 --> 00:16:42,533 They work hand in hand. 311 00:16:42,899 --> 00:16:45,933 As I said, prayer is not in 312 00:16:45,933 --> 00:16:48,933 addition to, it's totally 313 00:16:48,933 --> 00:16:52,000 woven into the fabric of our 314 00:16:52,000 --> 00:16:55,366 spiritual resources as a critical necessity. 315 00:16:55,966 --> 00:16:59,133 So, in general, 316 00:16:59,133 --> 00:17:02,200 that's what Paul is getting at here, so now let's 317 00:17:02,200 --> 00:17:04,166 just dig in with our shovels to our text. 318 00:17:04,299 --> 00:17:08,433 First, we get some general instruction here in verse 18. 319 00:17:08,799 --> 00:17:10,533 Look at it there. 320 00:17:10,599 --> 00:17:14,933 I want you to notice first, there are four alls 321 00:17:14,933 --> 00:17:17,200 in just this one verse. 322 00:17:17,400 --> 00:17:19,866 With all prayer and petition. 323 00:17:19,900 --> 00:17:22,900 Pray at all times in the spirit, and with this in view, 324 00:17:22,900 --> 00:17:26,566 be on the alert, with all perseverance and petition, for all the saints. 325 00:17:27,633 --> 00:17:30,633 These 4 alls, of 326 00:17:30,633 --> 00:17:33,633 course, are so very intentionally 327 00:17:33,633 --> 00:17:35,200 given by the Apostle Paul. 328 00:17:35,433 --> 00:17:38,866 Each of these realities is to be put on with prayer. 329 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:42,033 This makes clear that prayer is to 330 00:17:42,033 --> 00:17:45,033 be an all encompassing 331 00:17:45,033 --> 00:17:46,166 element of our lives. 332 00:17:46,299 --> 00:17:49,233 So let's take these alls one at a time. 333 00:17:49,299 --> 00:17:52,766 First notice with me the frequency of prayer. 334 00:17:52,799 --> 00:17:53,566 Verse 18. 335 00:17:53,733 --> 00:17:56,866 With all prayer and petition, pray at 336 00:17:56,866 --> 00:17:59,266 all times. 337 00:17:59,333 --> 00:18:02,433 Now the Jews, back in Paul's day, had set 338 00:18:02,433 --> 00:18:03,633 times of prayer. 339 00:18:03,900 --> 00:18:07,266 And some of us have come out of backgrounds 340 00:18:07,266 --> 00:18:10,766 where you pray out of a prayer book, or wrote 341 00:18:10,799 --> 00:18:14,700 prayers with beads, or even at certain times, or special days. 342 00:18:14,700 --> 00:18:18,000 But now, in the biblical new covenant 343 00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:21,966 era, Paul is clear that we're to be praying at all times. 344 00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:26,133 Jesus gave the disciples a hint that this was coming. 345 00:18:26,200 --> 00:18:29,366 In Luke, look at it chapter 21, verse 36, 346 00:18:29,400 --> 00:18:32,766 where he said, But keep on the alert. 347 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:36,166 At all times, you see the same word 348 00:18:36,166 --> 00:18:39,233 phrasing, praying that 349 00:18:39,233 --> 00:18:42,599 you may have the strength to escape all these things that 350 00:18:42,599 --> 00:18:45,066 are about to take place and to stand before the Son of Man. 351 00:18:45,166 --> 00:18:48,233 In Acts chapter 6, verse 4, 352 00:18:48,233 --> 00:18:51,466 they say, But we will devote ourselves 353 00:18:51,466 --> 00:18:53,099 to prayer. 354 00:18:53,133 --> 00:18:54,866 In Romans 12:12. 355 00:18:55,133 --> 00:18:58,900 It says, rejoicing in hope, persevering 356 00:18:58,900 --> 00:19:02,266 in tribulation, devoted to prayer. 357 00:19:02,400 --> 00:19:04,633 Colossians 4, 2. 358 00:19:04,733 --> 00:19:08,166 Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping 359 00:19:08,166 --> 00:19:11,666 alert in it an attitude of thanksgiving. 360 00:19:11,700 --> 00:19:13,933 Philippians 4.6. 361 00:19:14,133 --> 00:19:17,366 Be anxious in nothing, but in everything 362 00:19:17,400 --> 00:19:19,133 by prayer. 363 00:19:19,200 --> 00:19:22,299 And supplication, with thanksgiving, let your 364 00:19:22,299 --> 00:19:25,000 request be known, made known to God. 365 00:19:25,066 --> 00:19:28,233 And of course, 1 Thessalonians 517, 366 00:19:28,233 --> 00:19:30,400 pray without ceasing. 367 00:19:30,466 --> 00:19:32,099 You think he's trying to get a point across here? 368 00:19:32,133 --> 00:19:32,900 Huh? 369 00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:36,333 Paul demonstrated that principle to 370 00:19:36,333 --> 00:19:39,633 Timothy, pray it all, pray 371 00:19:39,633 --> 00:19:42,566 without ceasing in 2nd Timothy chapter 1, verse 3. 372 00:19:43,000 --> 00:19:46,166 Look where he says, as I constantly 373 00:19:46,200 --> 00:19:50,099 remember you in my prayers day 374 00:19:50,099 --> 00:19:51,766 and night. 375 00:19:51,766 --> 00:19:52,233 Now. 376 00:19:52,366 --> 00:19:53,633 Listen carefully. 377 00:19:53,799 --> 00:19:56,799 I want you to notice that 378 00:19:56,799 --> 00:20:00,033 I said, Paul demonstrated that principle 379 00:20:00,033 --> 00:20:02,599 to Timothy, okay? 380 00:20:02,700 --> 00:20:06,000 Obviously, all right, with 381 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:09,299 all the things that we have to do all the day, whether 382 00:20:09,299 --> 00:20:12,299 you're working, whether you're retired, we got a lot 383 00:20:12,299 --> 00:20:13,866 of stuff that we do all day. 384 00:20:13,900 --> 00:20:16,900 So you can't literally go around praying 385 00:20:16,900 --> 00:20:19,133 every 2nd of every minute of every day, right? 386 00:20:19,200 --> 00:20:22,500 So this is a principle of 387 00:20:22,500 --> 00:20:23,566 living our lives. 388 00:20:23,566 --> 00:20:27,333 With what we could call a 389 00:20:27,333 --> 00:20:29,200 god consciousness. 390 00:20:29,266 --> 00:20:33,233 I don't like to use the phrase, Christ consciousness, 391 00:20:33,233 --> 00:20:36,233 because the new agers have co opted that phrase, and 392 00:20:36,233 --> 00:20:39,000 I don't want anybody to be confused with that nonsense. 393 00:20:39,000 --> 00:20:42,000 I like to often phrase it this way, 394 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:44,099 and you've heard me say it 100,000 times. 395 00:20:44,133 --> 00:20:45,700 Eternal perspective. 396 00:20:46,066 --> 00:20:50,400 It's living consciously, 397 00:20:50,400 --> 00:20:53,400 daily, with eternal perspective. 398 00:20:53,933 --> 00:20:57,299 It's the idea that your 399 00:20:57,299 --> 00:21:00,766 whole life exists in 400 00:21:00,766 --> 00:21:03,900 a continual flow of communion 401 00:21:03,900 --> 00:21:07,266 with God in the sense that everything that 402 00:21:07,266 --> 00:21:10,599 you deal with and experience is always 403 00:21:10,599 --> 00:21:13,966 dealt with through the lens of 404 00:21:13,966 --> 00:21:15,400 eternal perspective. 405 00:21:15,533 --> 00:21:16,866 Okay? 406 00:21:16,900 --> 00:21:17,799 Let me give you. 407 00:21:18,033 --> 00:21:19,533 A simple example. 408 00:21:19,599 --> 00:21:20,633 Right. 409 00:21:20,633 --> 00:21:22,366 When I look at a sunset. 410 00:21:22,733 --> 00:21:26,200 Or a starry night, or 411 00:21:26,200 --> 00:21:29,200 a full moon, instantly 412 00:21:29,200 --> 00:21:32,366 what comes to my mind when I look at that is the glory of God in creation. 413 00:21:32,433 --> 00:21:34,700 That's what comes to my mind immediately. 414 00:21:34,966 --> 00:21:38,333 And I think that just happens more and more as 415 00:21:38,333 --> 00:21:40,066 we grow in sanctification, by the way. 416 00:21:40,299 --> 00:21:43,366 Another example would be, let's 417 00:21:43,366 --> 00:21:47,266 say you're going through your day and something really bad happens, whatever it is. 418 00:21:47,333 --> 00:21:49,733 Some adverse circumstance. 419 00:21:49,833 --> 00:21:53,066 Pretty quickly, you go right 420 00:21:53,099 --> 00:21:55,033 to prayer to deal with it, right on the spot. 421 00:21:55,066 --> 00:21:56,333 before you think of anything else. 422 00:21:56,400 --> 00:21:57,433 I need to pray right now. 423 00:21:57,833 --> 00:22:01,200 Maybe you're dealing with somebody who's clearly 424 00:22:01,200 --> 00:22:04,433 manifesting the reality that they're an 425 00:22:04,433 --> 00:22:06,000 unbeliever as you're talking with them. 426 00:22:06,033 --> 00:22:09,799 And then silently in your mind. 427 00:22:09,900 --> 00:22:11,266 You're right on the spot. 428 00:22:11,333 --> 00:22:14,099 You just pray, God, I just pray you'd save that person. 429 00:22:14,133 --> 00:22:16,700 I pray you draw that person effectually to yourself. 430 00:22:16,833 --> 00:22:19,966 What I'm talking about is that you just 431 00:22:19,966 --> 00:22:21,099 live in that kind of air. 432 00:22:21,900 --> 00:22:25,200 All of the experience of life are 433 00:22:25,200 --> 00:22:28,266 dealt with through this lens of eternal perspective, 434 00:22:28,266 --> 00:22:31,366 and that, all of them get 435 00:22:31,366 --> 00:22:34,366 constantly accompanied by prayer. 436 00:22:34,666 --> 00:22:38,933 That's the principle here that he's trying to get across. 437 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:42,133 All of our thoughts, our deeds, our experiences, become 438 00:22:42,133 --> 00:22:45,333 pauses or points of communication 439 00:22:45,333 --> 00:22:48,099 with God in prayer. 440 00:22:48,166 --> 00:22:51,166 That's what it means in Colossians 3, 441 00:22:51,166 --> 00:22:54,233 chapter 2, where he says, set your mind 442 00:22:54,233 --> 00:22:56,866 on things above. 443 00:22:56,933 --> 00:23:00,366 That's where you're to keep your thoughts on 444 00:23:00,366 --> 00:23:03,766 things above and how above is 445 00:23:03,766 --> 00:23:06,766 working in whatever situation you're dealing with. 446 00:23:06,833 --> 00:23:08,033 Understand this. 447 00:23:08,099 --> 00:23:11,633 One of the reasons, one of the reasons, that 448 00:23:11,633 --> 00:23:15,099 God saved us, is for fellowship with him. 449 00:23:16,133 --> 00:23:19,299 That fellowship with him between God and 450 00:23:19,299 --> 00:23:20,666 man was broken in the garden. 451 00:23:21,033 --> 00:23:24,033 And the only way for that fellowship to 452 00:23:24,033 --> 00:23:27,033 be restored is when a person comes to 453 00:23:27,033 --> 00:23:30,633 Christ on his terms of repentance and faith, and 454 00:23:30,633 --> 00:23:33,700 they're justified, and they enter into the process of 455 00:23:33,700 --> 00:23:36,866 sanctification, and they're adopted into the family of God, 456 00:23:36,900 --> 00:23:39,366 and that fellowship is then restored. 457 00:23:39,833 --> 00:23:43,299 And prayer is 458 00:23:43,299 --> 00:23:47,366 the highest point of that fellowship when 459 00:23:47,400 --> 00:23:48,900 we commune with God. 460 00:23:49,066 --> 00:23:52,299 And if you're a Christian, and 461 00:23:52,299 --> 00:23:55,299 you don't commune with him, you are 462 00:23:55,299 --> 00:23:58,900 denying him one of the purposes for 463 00:23:58,900 --> 00:23:59,933 what he saved you. 464 00:24:00,166 --> 00:24:03,400 For which Christ suffered and died for. 465 00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:07,833 Again, back in Colossians 4, too. 466 00:24:07,900 --> 00:24:11,266 Devote yourselves to prayer, 467 00:24:11,266 --> 00:24:12,766 keeping alert. 468 00:24:12,933 --> 00:24:14,433 In it. 469 00:24:14,500 --> 00:24:15,466 Now, I want you to know. 470 00:24:15,633 --> 00:24:18,033 The Greek word for alert. 471 00:24:18,166 --> 00:24:20,500 We've seen that in a couple of these verses, right? 472 00:24:20,566 --> 00:24:24,400 It carries with it the ideas of to 473 00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:28,366 be steadfast, to be constant, to 474 00:24:28,366 --> 00:24:31,900 be intense, to hang in there in 475 00:24:31,900 --> 00:24:33,033 constant prayer. 476 00:24:33,166 --> 00:24:38,500 And yes, all this does also include dedicated 477 00:24:38,500 --> 00:24:39,933 set times of prayer. 478 00:24:40,233 --> 00:24:43,233 Now, I'll tell you this before, I'll tell you again. 479 00:24:43,366 --> 00:24:46,900 I like to use the acronym, acts. 480 00:24:47,033 --> 00:24:50,500 Adoration, confession, thanksgiving, 481 00:24:50,500 --> 00:24:51,566 supplication. 482 00:24:51,633 --> 00:24:55,366 Now, listen, I'm not saying that you have to do that. 483 00:24:55,433 --> 00:24:57,000 You have to do it my way. 484 00:24:57,033 --> 00:24:58,233 I'm not saying that. 485 00:24:58,299 --> 00:25:01,433 I'm just telling you, I do, because 486 00:25:01,433 --> 00:25:05,633 it helps me cover all the major basis. 487 00:25:05,733 --> 00:25:07,700 Then I'll just give you an example of what I do. 488 00:25:07,833 --> 00:25:11,366 Every morning, before I get to 7 a.m. 489 00:25:11,633 --> 00:25:15,299 I have read one chapter of scripture, 490 00:25:15,299 --> 00:25:19,133 and I have gone through that axe acronym. 491 00:25:19,200 --> 00:25:22,299 That's just the spiritual discipline that I 492 00:25:22,299 --> 00:25:24,833 have developed over the years. 493 00:25:24,900 --> 00:25:28,233 And Christie can tell you, I am very much an 494 00:25:28,233 --> 00:25:31,366 OCD habit creature 495 00:25:31,366 --> 00:25:32,733 sameness. 496 00:25:32,799 --> 00:25:34,666 I have to have everything the same. 497 00:25:34,799 --> 00:25:37,200 That's the only way I can function. 498 00:25:37,233 --> 00:25:40,533 She likes to call, I line up things, you know? 499 00:25:40,599 --> 00:25:41,733 I might be on the spectrum. 500 00:25:41,799 --> 00:25:42,933 I like the line. 501 00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:44,633 She calls it, there's the lineup method. 502 00:25:44,700 --> 00:25:45,900 Phillips lined up the things. 503 00:25:45,933 --> 00:25:48,700 That's just the way that I work. 504 00:25:48,833 --> 00:25:51,900 So you combine that 505 00:25:51,900 --> 00:25:53,933 spiritual discipline. 506 00:25:54,033 --> 00:25:56,599 of set time of prayer every day. 507 00:25:56,700 --> 00:25:58,133 And it can be different. 508 00:25:58,200 --> 00:25:59,866 You don't have to be exactly like I do it. 509 00:25:59,933 --> 00:26:02,200 But you pray at all times. 510 00:26:02,266 --> 00:26:05,700 You include this discipline, and you understand that, 511 00:26:05,700 --> 00:26:08,833 that, for the Christian, praying is 512 00:26:08,833 --> 00:26:12,233 not some kind of, Easy going, 513 00:26:12,233 --> 00:26:14,333 every once in a while you shoot a prayer up to God. 514 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:17,266 That's not how prayer works. 515 00:26:17,333 --> 00:26:19,133 in the Christian life. 516 00:26:19,233 --> 00:26:21,200 It's a way of life. 517 00:26:21,466 --> 00:26:23,633 It's continual. 518 00:26:23,700 --> 00:26:25,433 It's strong. 519 00:26:25,500 --> 00:26:27,466 It's intense. 520 00:26:27,533 --> 00:26:29,200 It's persevering. 521 00:26:29,266 --> 00:26:31,533 It's struggling. 522 00:26:32,566 --> 00:26:35,633 When you're going through something hard, have you 523 00:26:35,633 --> 00:26:37,366 ever struggled with God in prayer? 524 00:26:37,500 --> 00:26:40,500 Intentionally struggling over 525 00:26:40,500 --> 00:26:43,533 deep issues that you're going through, and then 526 00:26:43,533 --> 00:26:46,299 just also praising God and thanking God. 527 00:26:47,200 --> 00:26:51,566 Earnest, persistent, recounting 528 00:26:51,599 --> 00:26:53,400 to God his attributes in prayer. 529 00:26:53,433 --> 00:26:54,633 That's part of the adoration part. 530 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:58,000 And praying for many things, 531 00:26:58,000 --> 00:27:00,533 especially when you're praying for your lost loved ones. 532 00:27:00,599 --> 00:27:03,533 Are you praying earnestly for them? 533 00:27:03,633 --> 00:27:05,000 to be saved. 534 00:27:05,133 --> 00:27:08,500 I will not let you go into, 535 00:27:08,500 --> 00:27:10,966 you bless me kind of praying, right? 536 00:27:11,333 --> 00:27:15,400 I will not let you go until I die. 537 00:27:15,466 --> 00:27:18,033 They die, they get saved, or Jesus returns. 538 00:27:18,766 --> 00:27:21,633 That's the only way it stops, right? 539 00:27:22,500 --> 00:27:26,233 So that's the frequency of prayer. 540 00:27:26,333 --> 00:27:30,066 Now let's look at next the variety of prayer. 541 00:27:30,099 --> 00:27:30,933 Go back to verse 18. 542 00:27:31,799 --> 00:27:35,466 With all prayer and petition. 543 00:27:35,500 --> 00:27:36,700 Now, this is nuanced. 544 00:27:36,766 --> 00:27:37,599 I want you to see this. 545 00:27:37,900 --> 00:27:41,266 The Greek word for prayer in 546 00:27:41,266 --> 00:27:43,733 this verse just generally means request. 547 00:27:43,966 --> 00:27:46,966 That's prayer in general, 548 00:27:46,966 --> 00:27:50,933 the word for petition, also, 549 00:27:50,933 --> 00:27:55,133 in some translations, you'll see the word supplication means specific. 550 00:27:55,533 --> 00:27:58,833 So, we are to pray, in a general way, 551 00:27:58,833 --> 00:28:02,566 and we are to pray in a specific way. 552 00:28:02,700 --> 00:28:06,633 And notice it also says, all prayer 553 00:28:06,633 --> 00:28:09,866 and petition, supplication. 554 00:28:09,933 --> 00:28:10,766 What does that mean? 555 00:28:10,833 --> 00:28:11,966 That means all kinds. 556 00:28:12,466 --> 00:28:15,400 There's all kind of, well, let's think about this. 557 00:28:15,466 --> 00:28:16,900 There's all kind of different ways to pray. 558 00:28:16,966 --> 00:28:20,333 You don't have to just be in a certain posture where 559 00:28:20,333 --> 00:28:23,033 you're on your knees, with your hands folded, like this. 560 00:28:23,099 --> 00:28:24,233 There's nothing wrong with that. 561 00:28:24,299 --> 00:28:25,733 You can play like that. 562 00:28:25,799 --> 00:28:26,266 That's fine. 563 00:28:26,333 --> 00:28:30,000 But he's saying, pray all the time with all kinds of prayers. 564 00:28:30,033 --> 00:28:33,933 And by the way, if you're going to be praying all the time, that's kind of necessary, right? 565 00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:37,233 I mean, you're never going to be in the same position, 566 00:28:37,233 --> 00:28:38,866 for example, you can pray in public. 567 00:28:39,099 --> 00:28:41,133 You can pray in private. 568 00:28:41,200 --> 00:28:42,866 You can pray verbally. 569 00:28:42,933 --> 00:28:44,666 You can pray silently. 570 00:28:44,733 --> 00:28:48,333 You can pray in a planned outweigh, 571 00:28:48,333 --> 00:28:52,099 like I said, with the acronym, or you 572 00:28:52,133 --> 00:28:56,099 can pray spontaneous prayers throughout the day, and you can do both. 573 00:28:56,133 --> 00:28:57,566 And that's what I do. 574 00:28:57,700 --> 00:28:59,733 I had that set time. 575 00:28:59,799 --> 00:29:02,933 And then when things come to my mind as I'm working throughout my day or somebody comes 576 00:29:02,933 --> 00:29:06,033 across my mind, I just shoot a prayer 577 00:29:06,033 --> 00:29:07,466 up right there at that moment. 578 00:29:07,533 --> 00:29:13,233 You can kneel, you can be walking, standing up, riding in your car. 579 00:29:13,299 --> 00:29:14,733 That's where my prayer starts. 580 00:29:14,799 --> 00:29:17,799 My prayer, my set prayer time starts 581 00:29:17,799 --> 00:29:21,033 when I pull out the driveway, and then, and 582 00:29:21,033 --> 00:29:24,200 by God's grace, I get 30 minutes 583 00:29:24,233 --> 00:29:27,400 of alone time at work opening up all our warehouses. 584 00:29:27,466 --> 00:29:31,433 I get there 30 minutes before everybody else, and I unlock everything. 585 00:29:31,500 --> 00:29:34,333 And the sun's coming up at that moment. 586 00:29:34,366 --> 00:29:37,533 And I pray through that whole time, and it's 587 00:29:37,533 --> 00:29:39,033 wonderful way to start the day. 588 00:29:40,000 --> 00:29:43,733 Paul is simply saying, pray all the time in all kinds of ways. 589 00:29:44,099 --> 00:29:47,133 Just make it a major part of the 590 00:29:47,133 --> 00:29:48,466 flow of your life, Christian. 591 00:29:49,133 --> 00:29:53,099 There's a sense in which prayer 592 00:29:53,099 --> 00:29:55,433 is actually more important than knowledge. 593 00:29:55,500 --> 00:29:57,466 And there's a sense of that. 594 00:29:57,533 --> 00:30:00,400 Let me tell you what Martin Lloyd Jones says, and what I mean by that. 595 00:30:00,466 --> 00:30:03,700 He says, Our ultimate position as Christians is 596 00:30:03,700 --> 00:30:06,866 tested by the character of your prayer life. 597 00:30:06,933 --> 00:30:10,099 You know what that means is, you 598 00:30:10,133 --> 00:30:11,566 may have a lot of know. 599 00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:15,466 You may have a PhD from the seminar. 600 00:30:16,066 --> 00:30:19,200 But your prayer life will 601 00:30:19,200 --> 00:30:22,500 be a monitor on how really deep your 602 00:30:22,500 --> 00:30:25,633 knowledge of God actually is, and 603 00:30:25,633 --> 00:30:29,266 how really close your relationship to him is, because 604 00:30:29,266 --> 00:30:31,900 that's where you build the relationship with God. 605 00:30:31,966 --> 00:30:33,000 And why do I say that? 606 00:30:33,033 --> 00:30:34,233 Well, think about the word theology. 607 00:30:35,266 --> 00:30:38,566 The study of God, the knowledge 608 00:30:38,566 --> 00:30:39,599 of God. 609 00:30:39,633 --> 00:30:42,700 So the more proper theology, 610 00:30:42,700 --> 00:30:46,766 I know, that means the more I know about God, right? 611 00:30:46,833 --> 00:30:50,366 And the more I know about God, if 612 00:30:50,400 --> 00:30:53,633 I'm knowing about him correctly, Well, 613 00:30:53,633 --> 00:30:56,933 then the more I ought to be driven to follow in 614 00:30:56,933 --> 00:30:59,033 close fellowship to him through prayer. 615 00:30:59,099 --> 00:31:02,166 It should be the natural reaction of 616 00:31:02,166 --> 00:31:05,366 understanding deeper, deeper ways of theology. 617 00:31:05,700 --> 00:31:08,866 If I say I have all this theological knowledge, 618 00:31:08,866 --> 00:31:11,099 and I'm not driven to him regularly in prayer. 619 00:31:11,400 --> 00:31:15,299 And I would have to say it's questionable as 620 00:31:15,299 --> 00:31:19,366 to the effect that that knowledge has had on my life. 621 00:31:19,500 --> 00:31:22,633 Paul said this in Philippians 3.10 622 00:31:22,633 --> 00:31:25,900 that I may know 623 00:31:25,900 --> 00:31:28,900 him, and the power of his 624 00:31:28,900 --> 00:31:32,133 resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings 625 00:31:32,133 --> 00:31:33,633 being conformed to his death. 626 00:31:33,700 --> 00:31:36,266 In his great prayer in John 17. 627 00:31:36,466 --> 00:31:38,099 Jesus prayed in verse 3. 628 00:31:38,333 --> 00:31:39,833 This is eternal life. 629 00:31:39,900 --> 00:31:43,566 that they may know you, 630 00:31:43,566 --> 00:31:48,099 the only true God in Jesus Christ whom you have sinned. 631 00:31:48,166 --> 00:31:51,233 So the more we study, the more we 632 00:31:51,233 --> 00:31:53,933 learn about God, the more we should know him. 633 00:31:54,166 --> 00:31:57,233 And that should cause us to want to 634 00:31:57,233 --> 00:32:00,400 be in prayer more often with him. 635 00:32:00,533 --> 00:32:03,599 That's not your reaction than all your 636 00:32:03,599 --> 00:32:06,700 theological learning has actually not had the 637 00:32:06,700 --> 00:32:09,466 proper effect upon you that it should. 638 00:32:09,766 --> 00:32:12,833 Now, I wanted you 639 00:32:12,833 --> 00:32:15,833 to see next the manner of prayer, and for this, skip 640 00:32:15,833 --> 00:32:19,000 ahead just a little bit in verse 18, where Paul 641 00:32:19,000 --> 00:32:22,133 says, and with this in view, be on the alert 642 00:32:22,133 --> 00:32:25,833 with all perseverance and petition for 643 00:32:25,833 --> 00:32:27,466 all the saints. 644 00:32:27,533 --> 00:32:31,299 Be on the alert, he says, with all perseverance. 645 00:32:31,433 --> 00:32:34,366 Meaning, stick to it. 646 00:32:34,733 --> 00:32:36,599 Hugh remote. 647 00:32:36,633 --> 00:32:37,533 Stay by the stuff. 648 00:32:38,333 --> 00:32:40,000 Stay at it. 649 00:32:40,133 --> 00:32:40,966 Hang in there. 650 00:32:41,033 --> 00:32:42,533 Persevere. 651 00:32:42,599 --> 00:32:44,033 Pray at all times. 652 00:32:44,099 --> 00:32:45,233 Be on the alert. 653 00:32:45,299 --> 00:32:47,333 That means alert to the issues. 654 00:32:47,799 --> 00:32:50,500 Be alert to what's happening in your world. 655 00:32:51,633 --> 00:32:54,200 Many times, what did Jesus say? 656 00:32:54,299 --> 00:32:55,933 He said, watch and pray. 657 00:32:56,033 --> 00:33:00,099 Many times in the gospels, Watch, be alert. 658 00:33:00,166 --> 00:33:02,033 Pay attention to what's going on. 659 00:33:02,133 --> 00:33:05,966 You can't pray properly unless you see what's happening in your world. 660 00:33:06,166 --> 00:33:08,866 And if you're running out things to pray for. 661 00:33:08,933 --> 00:33:11,700 Just come get the Wednesday night prayer list. 662 00:33:11,733 --> 00:33:13,833 That'll get a kick start for you. 663 00:33:13,966 --> 00:33:15,700 That'll keep you pretty busy. 664 00:33:16,133 --> 00:33:19,666 And again, springs 665 00:33:19,666 --> 00:33:21,033 up something I talk about all the time. 666 00:33:21,099 --> 00:33:23,933 I talked about it this morning at the beginning of the service. 667 00:33:24,000 --> 00:33:26,233 Praying specifically. 668 00:33:26,799 --> 00:33:30,033 You want to pray specifically 669 00:33:30,033 --> 00:33:32,366 because then what happens? 670 00:33:32,433 --> 00:33:34,166 When God answers that prayer, 671 00:33:34,233 --> 00:33:37,233 He answers that prayer specifically, and 672 00:33:37,233 --> 00:33:40,533 then we give him the rightful specific glory for it. 673 00:33:40,599 --> 00:33:42,099 And he gets all the glory. 674 00:33:42,233 --> 00:33:45,400 How many times in this church history of Providence 675 00:33:45,400 --> 00:33:48,633 Baptist Church have we seen amazing answers to 676 00:33:48,633 --> 00:33:50,433 prayer, and what do we always do? 677 00:33:50,500 --> 00:33:53,666 We're always careful to give God all the glory 678 00:33:53,700 --> 00:33:55,633 for the answered prayer. 679 00:33:55,666 --> 00:33:59,433 He answers prayers to put his power on display. 680 00:33:59,500 --> 00:34:01,533 And to receive glory. 681 00:34:01,666 --> 00:34:04,533 And so we have to pray specifically for that to happen. 682 00:34:04,666 --> 00:34:08,099 You know, they can't be, oh, God, just please bless the whole world. 683 00:34:08,133 --> 00:34:08,433 Amen. 684 00:34:08,500 --> 00:34:10,300 Now you can't pray like that. 685 00:34:10,366 --> 00:34:11,633 Be alert. 686 00:34:11,733 --> 00:34:14,133 Know what's going on around you. 687 00:34:14,199 --> 00:34:16,466 That's what we do here on Wednesday night. 688 00:34:16,666 --> 00:34:20,133 Intercessory prayer for others. 689 00:34:20,333 --> 00:34:24,466 But we have to know what's going on with them in 690 00:34:24,466 --> 00:34:26,400 order to pray specifically for them. 691 00:34:26,500 --> 00:34:30,266 I'm praying for others on 692 00:34:30,300 --> 00:34:34,199 a regular basis will 693 00:34:34,199 --> 00:34:38,466 help your battle that you have with selfishness. 694 00:34:39,833 --> 00:34:42,933 We all have to 695 00:34:42,933 --> 00:34:45,333 battle selfishness. 696 00:34:45,766 --> 00:34:49,366 As Voteebachm used to say, can't 697 00:34:49,366 --> 00:34:50,566 say amen, you better say ouch. 698 00:34:51,933 --> 00:34:56,133 All of us battle, selfishness. 699 00:34:56,266 --> 00:34:59,699 Self centeredness is a beast 700 00:34:59,699 --> 00:35:02,099 to deal with for every Christian. 701 00:35:02,633 --> 00:35:05,633 Well, one way to battle 702 00:35:05,633 --> 00:35:07,666 that beast, pray for other people. 703 00:35:08,333 --> 00:35:12,833 Had a man tell me one time, you can't love somebody. 704 00:35:12,900 --> 00:35:15,066 You can't pray for somebody unless you love them. 705 00:35:15,400 --> 00:35:16,900 You see? 706 00:35:16,966 --> 00:35:19,666 To a certain degree, certain sins. 707 00:35:19,733 --> 00:35:23,733 There's no better way to fight the beast of selfishness, 708 00:35:23,733 --> 00:35:25,400 than intercessory prayer for others. 709 00:35:25,533 --> 00:35:29,366 And let me add, the 710 00:35:29,400 --> 00:35:32,099 physical needs of others are absolutely important. 711 00:35:32,133 --> 00:35:33,033 Okay? 712 00:35:33,099 --> 00:35:36,099 We should pray for others' 713 00:35:36,099 --> 00:35:37,466 physical needs. 714 00:35:37,833 --> 00:35:40,833 But the prayer meeting and our 715 00:35:40,833 --> 00:35:44,199 private prayers can't only be the 716 00:35:44,199 --> 00:35:47,066 medical report of everybody's aches and pains. 717 00:35:47,133 --> 00:35:48,466 It's important. 718 00:35:48,533 --> 00:35:51,066 We need to pray for those things, but it can't only be that. 719 00:35:51,099 --> 00:35:54,233 Far more important are the spiritual 720 00:35:54,233 --> 00:35:57,300 needs of others, especially for the loss 721 00:35:57,300 --> 00:35:58,500 that we pray for. 722 00:35:58,533 --> 00:35:59,199 But guess what? 723 00:35:59,266 --> 00:36:02,266 Also for our brothers and sisters in Christ, who are 724 00:36:02,266 --> 00:36:06,000 struggling hard in sanctification, just like we are in 725 00:36:06,000 --> 00:36:09,066 this warfare that we've been learning about that we're all engaged in. 726 00:36:09,099 --> 00:36:11,666 Pray for the advancement of the kingdom. 727 00:36:11,733 --> 00:36:15,099 Pray for revival starting in the pulpits 728 00:36:15,099 --> 00:36:17,366 of the churches of our nation. 729 00:36:17,500 --> 00:36:17,866 pray for that. 730 00:36:18,300 --> 00:36:21,000 I want you to think about the Apostle Paul. 731 00:36:21,833 --> 00:36:24,300 When he asked people to pray for him. 732 00:36:24,466 --> 00:36:29,400 He never asked, Look, I'm in jail. 733 00:36:29,500 --> 00:36:32,500 I've only had one piece of bread for the last 734 00:36:32,500 --> 00:36:35,666 three days, and this chain on my ankle is rubbing 735 00:36:35,699 --> 00:36:36,900 my skin raw. 736 00:36:37,000 --> 00:36:40,000 Please pray for me to get some food and some relief from my right ankle. 737 00:36:40,066 --> 00:36:41,199 Now. 738 00:36:41,400 --> 00:36:44,400 He prayed for things like, 739 00:36:44,400 --> 00:36:45,599 as we're fixing to see in a moment. 740 00:36:45,900 --> 00:36:48,966 Boldness may be given unto me, 741 00:36:48,966 --> 00:36:52,233 that I may have utterance to speak the mystery of the gospel. 742 00:36:52,366 --> 00:36:54,400 That's what he asked for. 743 00:36:54,766 --> 00:36:58,000 In other words, when I'm tempted to shut my mouth, 744 00:36:58,000 --> 00:37:00,633 and go along to get along. 745 00:37:01,433 --> 00:37:04,500 I'll be bold and herald the 746 00:37:04,500 --> 00:37:06,300 truth when I get opportunity to do so. 747 00:37:06,599 --> 00:37:09,900 Now next, I want you to see the 748 00:37:09,900 --> 00:37:11,266 objects of our prayers. 749 00:37:11,400 --> 00:37:14,533 Look in verse 18 again, for all the saints. 750 00:37:14,633 --> 00:37:18,366 Now, this ties in and carries over with our last point, right? 751 00:37:18,466 --> 00:37:19,900 We are to pray for each other. 752 00:37:20,400 --> 00:37:23,033 There's no greater theme. 753 00:37:23,633 --> 00:37:25,966 To hear with your ears. 754 00:37:26,099 --> 00:37:29,199 than the saints praying out loud 755 00:37:29,199 --> 00:37:31,366 for one another in a prayer meeting. 756 00:37:31,433 --> 00:37:34,500 And let me put in a plug for Wednesday night prayer. 757 00:37:34,533 --> 00:37:35,599 If you haven't been in a long time. 758 00:37:35,699 --> 00:37:39,099 Every Wednesday night, you can come right here to this place and 759 00:37:39,099 --> 00:37:40,233 experience this. 760 00:37:40,300 --> 00:37:43,066 The saints praying for one another. 761 00:37:43,199 --> 00:37:45,966 You can even participate in it if you want to. 762 00:37:46,800 --> 00:37:48,733 I'm so glad. 763 00:37:49,066 --> 00:37:52,599 to be a part of a church that 764 00:37:52,599 --> 00:37:54,933 takes prayer seriously. 765 00:37:55,066 --> 00:37:58,199 This is great evidence that this is a 766 00:37:58,199 --> 00:38:01,233 church that takes their Christian faith in 767 00:38:01,233 --> 00:38:03,099 general very seriously. 768 00:38:03,166 --> 00:38:04,300 You know this. 769 00:38:04,366 --> 00:38:07,433 We pray for one another here regularly, 770 00:38:07,433 --> 00:38:10,599 not only on Wednesday night, man, when something happens, that text 771 00:38:10,599 --> 00:38:12,099 line lights up, right? 772 00:38:12,166 --> 00:38:13,533 And we go to praying. 773 00:38:13,599 --> 00:38:16,766 It's a very natural part of 774 00:38:16,800 --> 00:38:17,833 the culture of our church. 775 00:38:18,466 --> 00:38:20,866 And one last thought in verse 18. 776 00:38:21,033 --> 00:38:24,199 Go back to where he says, pray at 777 00:38:24,233 --> 00:38:26,500 all times, in the spirit. 778 00:38:26,633 --> 00:38:30,166 Now, this 779 00:38:30,166 --> 00:38:33,599 does not have anything to do with speaking and talks. 780 00:38:33,633 --> 00:38:34,599 I? 781 00:38:34,733 --> 00:38:35,033 Please. 782 00:38:35,699 --> 00:38:38,166 I don't have time to go into all that. 783 00:38:38,199 --> 00:38:40,833 And you already know my position on that. 784 00:38:40,900 --> 00:38:44,866 And if you don't know my position on that, let's go to lunch, and then you'll get my position. 785 00:38:44,933 --> 00:38:47,466 We can talk about it at lunch. 786 00:38:47,500 --> 00:38:50,033 We'll get you up to speed on that topic. 787 00:38:51,033 --> 00:38:54,800 But to put it very simply, Praying 788 00:38:54,833 --> 00:38:57,766 in the spirit is same as praying in the name of Christ. 789 00:38:58,133 --> 00:39:01,500 It means praying 790 00:39:01,500 --> 00:39:05,766 inconsistency with who Christ is and what his will is. 791 00:39:06,166 --> 00:39:08,699 That's what it means to pray in the spirit. 792 00:39:08,866 --> 00:39:12,033 Make your prayers be in concert 793 00:39:12,033 --> 00:39:15,033 and consistency with the one 794 00:39:15,033 --> 00:39:18,566 who ever lives to make intercession for you, Christian. 795 00:39:18,933 --> 00:39:22,066 If we are filled with the Spirit and 796 00:39:22,066 --> 00:39:25,366 walking in the Spirit, as we learned about earlier in Ephesians, 797 00:39:25,366 --> 00:39:28,433 the Spirit of God will govern our thoughts so 798 00:39:28,433 --> 00:39:31,966 that our prayers will be in harmony with the Spirit of God. 799 00:39:32,033 --> 00:39:33,833 You want me to give you an example from the Bible? 800 00:39:33,900 --> 00:39:36,900 Romans chapter 8, verse 26 to 27. 801 00:39:37,233 --> 00:39:38,433 Look at it in the same way. 802 00:39:38,500 --> 00:39:41,566 The spirit also helps our weaknesses, 803 00:39:41,566 --> 00:39:44,633 for we do not know how to pray as we should, but 804 00:39:44,633 --> 00:39:47,800 the spirit himself intercedes for us, 805 00:39:47,800 --> 00:39:49,766 with groanings too deep for words. 806 00:39:49,833 --> 00:39:52,900 And he who searches the hearts knows what 807 00:39:52,900 --> 00:39:56,500 the mind of the spirit is, because he intercedes 808 00:39:56,500 --> 00:39:59,033 for the saints according to what? 809 00:39:59,133 --> 00:40:01,166 The will of God. 810 00:40:01,533 --> 00:40:04,666 He will govern our prayers in that way. 811 00:40:05,133 --> 00:40:08,133 And that is also in conjunction with 812 00:40:08,133 --> 00:40:09,766 the study of the Word of God. 813 00:40:10,000 --> 00:40:13,366 When we study the Word of God, that's 814 00:40:13,366 --> 00:40:16,533 where we learn where the will of God is, the 815 00:40:16,533 --> 00:40:19,599 will of God doesn't come floating like some amoeba up 816 00:40:19,599 --> 00:40:22,599 into our brain, we only learn where the will of 817 00:40:22,599 --> 00:40:25,733 God, where the God speaks, and 818 00:40:25,733 --> 00:40:28,900 God speaks to us in his word alone. 819 00:40:29,733 --> 00:40:33,400 Now, I bet right now. 820 00:40:33,766 --> 00:40:38,333 Somebody is out there thinking, well, 821 00:40:38,333 --> 00:40:41,333 if he just took all this time on 822 00:40:41,333 --> 00:40:46,433 this one verse, verse 18, oh, 823 00:40:46,433 --> 00:40:50,433 in the world are we going to get, verse 824 00:40:50,433 --> 00:40:51,500 24, he can't do that. 825 00:40:51,633 --> 00:40:54,333 And to you, I say, wrong you are. 826 00:40:54,533 --> 00:40:56,866 You're just gonna have to trust me. 827 00:40:57,033 --> 00:40:59,433 that we're going to get to lunch on time. 828 00:40:59,500 --> 00:41:00,333 Okay? 829 00:41:00,400 --> 00:41:04,300 Because what happens next is that Paul ends 830 00:41:04,300 --> 00:41:07,733 this section, and this great epistle with 831 00:41:07,733 --> 00:41:11,400 a specific illustration, and 832 00:41:11,400 --> 00:41:13,366 it's really very self explanatory. 833 00:41:13,533 --> 00:41:17,599 He's basically saying, hey, 834 00:41:17,633 --> 00:41:20,933 Ephesians, hey, church for all church history. 835 00:41:21,000 --> 00:41:23,466 You want something to pray for, verse 19. 836 00:41:23,633 --> 00:41:25,433 Here's the example. 837 00:41:25,833 --> 00:41:28,066 And pray on my behalf. 838 00:41:28,599 --> 00:41:31,599 that utterance may be given 839 00:41:31,599 --> 00:41:35,366 to me in the opening of my mouth, to 840 00:41:35,400 --> 00:41:38,699 make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel 841 00:41:38,699 --> 00:41:41,933 for which I am an ambassador, in 842 00:41:41,933 --> 00:41:45,000 change, that in proclaiming it, 843 00:41:45,000 --> 00:41:48,366 I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. 844 00:41:48,599 --> 00:41:51,666 He's saying, I'm the illustration. 845 00:41:52,199 --> 00:41:53,866 Pray for me. 846 00:41:54,533 --> 00:41:58,000 But not for my physical needs, but 847 00:41:58,000 --> 00:41:59,366 for this battle that I'm in. 848 00:41:59,433 --> 00:42:02,599 My warfare that I'm in, God would 849 00:42:02,633 --> 00:42:05,766 give me the utterance to be bold, to be 850 00:42:05,766 --> 00:42:09,400 courageous, to be straightforward, and herald 851 00:42:09,400 --> 00:42:12,566 his truth without compromise, without cutting 852 00:42:12,599 --> 00:42:15,000 off some corners, and rounding off some edges. 853 00:42:15,033 --> 00:42:16,666 Don't forget. 854 00:42:16,833 --> 00:42:19,900 Paul is writing this letter 855 00:42:19,900 --> 00:42:20,933 from prison. 856 00:42:21,466 --> 00:42:25,199 As he writes this, he is in prison in 857 00:42:25,199 --> 00:42:26,400 Rome. 858 00:42:26,433 --> 00:42:29,500 He is on the absolute front line, 859 00:42:29,500 --> 00:42:32,066 nose to nose, with the enemy. 860 00:42:32,199 --> 00:42:35,199 Now I'm talking about the big enemy, the 861 00:42:35,199 --> 00:42:36,833 little g god of this world. 862 00:42:36,900 --> 00:42:38,766 As scripture describes him. 863 00:42:38,866 --> 00:42:40,366 And with this prayer request. 864 00:42:41,099 --> 00:42:44,233 You can feel the 865 00:42:44,233 --> 00:42:47,333 weight of how tough the battle is right 866 00:42:47,333 --> 00:42:49,066 now for him in this jail sale. 867 00:42:49,199 --> 00:42:52,599 You can only imagine, yes, this is Apostle 868 00:42:52,599 --> 00:42:53,666 Paul, but he's a man. 869 00:42:53,933 --> 00:42:56,866 He's a human being, just like we are. 870 00:42:56,933 --> 00:42:57,766 He's tempted to give up. 871 00:42:58,500 --> 00:43:01,733 He's tempted to make things easier on 872 00:43:01,733 --> 00:43:03,233 himself, and he couldn't have. 873 00:43:03,599 --> 00:43:06,900 He feels like he's losing his courage. 874 00:43:06,933 --> 00:43:10,233 And he's saying to the saints that this church prayed 875 00:43:10,233 --> 00:43:13,300 for me, that God will give me utterance. 876 00:43:13,366 --> 00:43:16,500 And let me tell you, if the Apostle Paul needed this kind of prayer 877 00:43:16,500 --> 00:43:17,933 in the heat of battle, 878 00:43:18,000 --> 00:43:18,833 How about us preachers? 879 00:43:20,133 --> 00:43:23,300 No, you don't ever have to ask me, 880 00:43:23,333 --> 00:43:24,466 do I need to pray for you? 881 00:43:24,533 --> 00:43:26,466 The answer is always, yes. 882 00:43:26,633 --> 00:43:28,566 And I know that you do. 883 00:43:28,599 --> 00:43:30,333 And I love that. 884 00:43:30,400 --> 00:43:32,566 And I can never get enough prayer. 885 00:43:32,633 --> 00:43:34,199 Never, never, never enough. 886 00:43:34,599 --> 00:43:36,566 As we talked about earlier. 887 00:43:37,133 --> 00:43:40,233 We have to have information about people to 888 00:43:40,233 --> 00:43:41,800 know what and how to pray for them. 889 00:43:41,866 --> 00:43:43,133 So watch what Paul does next. 890 00:43:43,199 --> 00:43:44,233 21. 891 00:43:45,000 --> 00:43:49,366 But that you also may know about 892 00:43:49,366 --> 00:43:54,099 my circumstances, how I am doing, Tychicus, 893 00:43:54,099 --> 00:43:57,266 the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will 894 00:43:57,300 --> 00:43:59,699 make everything known to you. 895 00:43:59,733 --> 00:44:02,866 They need an information, to know what to 896 00:44:02,866 --> 00:44:03,900 pray for Paul. 897 00:44:03,933 --> 00:44:06,933 So he sends his good friend, Tychicus, 898 00:44:06,933 --> 00:44:09,933 who, by the way, has mentioned 5 times in the New Testament, and he's 899 00:44:09,933 --> 00:44:11,900 the one that delivered this letter to the Ephesians. 900 00:44:12,400 --> 00:44:15,833 They didn't know all what was going on with Paul in that prison. 901 00:44:15,933 --> 00:44:19,000 I mean, you know, everybody didn't have cell phones 902 00:44:19,000 --> 00:44:22,599 and stuff, and there was miles and hundreds of miles apart. 903 00:44:22,800 --> 00:44:27,900 And he wanted them to be able to pray intelligently 904 00:44:27,900 --> 00:44:29,566 for them, specifically for him. 905 00:44:29,633 --> 00:44:32,766 Verse 22, I am sent him to you 906 00:44:32,766 --> 00:44:35,866 for this very purpose, so 907 00:44:35,866 --> 00:44:40,066 that you may know about us, and he may comfort your hearts. 908 00:44:40,066 --> 00:44:42,533 You're going to tell you everything you need to know. 909 00:44:43,233 --> 00:44:46,599 You're going to know exactly how to pray, what 910 00:44:46,599 --> 00:44:50,033 to pray, and he's going to comfort your hearts in all of this. 911 00:44:50,500 --> 00:44:53,800 This is a lesson for us today, right? 912 00:44:53,866 --> 00:44:54,933 As I said earlier. 913 00:44:55,066 --> 00:44:58,233 The medical report is important, very 914 00:44:58,233 --> 00:45:01,366 easy to communicate, but we also have to 915 00:45:01,366 --> 00:45:04,533 pray for one another with the spiritual issues that 916 00:45:04,533 --> 00:45:07,599 we have in the battles, in the 917 00:45:07,599 --> 00:45:09,766 struggles, and in the rejoicing. 918 00:45:09,900 --> 00:45:11,466 Oftentimes on Wednesday night. 919 00:45:11,500 --> 00:45:12,166 Got a praise report. 920 00:45:12,300 --> 00:45:14,566 And praise the Lord for this, praise the Lord for that. 921 00:45:14,933 --> 00:45:17,400 And we're going to close this sermon. 922 00:45:18,033 --> 00:45:21,266 And we're going to close this study of Ephesians. 923 00:45:21,766 --> 00:45:25,733 With Paul's benediction, to 924 00:45:25,733 --> 00:45:28,000 which, nothing needs to be added. 925 00:45:28,066 --> 00:45:29,800 Verse 23. 926 00:45:29,800 --> 00:45:32,866 Peace, be to 927 00:45:32,866 --> 00:45:35,933 the brethren, and love, with faith, 928 00:45:35,933 --> 00:45:39,066 God the Father, the 929 00:45:39,066 --> 00:45:42,633 Lord Jesus Christ, grace be with 930 00:45:42,633 --> 00:45:46,099 all those who love our Lord Jesus 931 00:45:46,133 --> 00:45:49,866 Christ with incorruptible. 932 00:45:50,566 --> 00:45:54,033 That is the book of Ephesians. 933 00:45:54,099 --> 00:45:54,633 Let's pray. 934 00:45:54,699 --> 00:45:57,866 Father, we thank you for taking 935 00:45:57,900 --> 00:46:01,733 us yet through another entire book of the Bible. 936 00:46:02,400 --> 00:46:05,633 Lord, I certainly don't deserve 937 00:46:05,633 --> 00:46:06,766 to do this great work. 938 00:46:08,266 --> 00:46:10,800 But you have to have somebody to preach. 939 00:46:12,099 --> 00:46:15,233 Still, for reasons I 940 00:46:15,233 --> 00:46:19,300 probably will only find out in heaven, you've chosen me to 941 00:46:19,300 --> 00:46:22,533 do the most significant, greatest work in the world. 942 00:46:22,599 --> 00:46:24,400 There's nothing higher. 943 00:46:24,466 --> 00:46:27,599 There's no greater work than to open your 944 00:46:27,599 --> 00:46:30,666 book and preach your word to your people on the day that 945 00:46:30,666 --> 00:46:33,699 you have us to set aside to worship you corporately together. 946 00:46:33,766 --> 00:46:34,833 Now thank you, Lord. 947 00:46:34,900 --> 00:46:38,266 For the opportunity to do this weekend and week out. 948 00:46:38,566 --> 00:46:42,000 And Lord, I pray, that 949 00:46:42,000 --> 00:46:45,066 what we've learned and gained 950 00:46:45,066 --> 00:46:48,500 by way of knowledge, from 951 00:46:48,533 --> 00:46:52,599 the study of this book, would not just stay in our head, but 952 00:46:52,599 --> 00:46:53,866 that it would get into our heart. 953 00:46:54,300 --> 00:46:57,900 and into our bloodstream, and 954 00:46:57,900 --> 00:47:01,733 that it would affect the way we live the Christian life in 955 00:47:01,733 --> 00:47:05,033 a deeper and more meaningful way, and 956 00:47:05,033 --> 00:47:08,333 that in which brings you the most glory. 957 00:47:08,400 --> 00:47:10,566 In Jesus' name we pray. 958 00:47:10,599 --> 00:47:11,133 Amen.