"HOW TO PRAY GOD’S WAY"

November 28/99 am
Michael F. Blume

Exod 3:1-6  Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, [even] to Horeb. And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush [was] not consumed. And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here [am] I. And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest [is] holy ground. Moreover he said, I [am] the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.

Josh 5:13-15  And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, [Art] thou for us, or for our adversaries? And he said, Nay; but [as] captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant? And the captain of the LORD'S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest [is] holy. And Joshua did so.

Eccl 5:1  Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.


In our teachings about the Exodus, we pointed out the moment when Moses came to the burning bush at Horeb.

We all need to pass through our wildernesses and get to the place where we do not presume to do anything without having first heard from God as to how to do it.  What part does He want me to play.

Your wilderness period will be as long as it takes for you to see your “old” ways to die, and for as long as it takes for you to become barren in yourself, knowing you cannot conjure any of YOUR OWN plans that will ever work.

Every patriarch of Israel, who was the father of the great nation that exists today, the beginnings of this nation of millions, had a wife who was barren. When Moses came to the burning bush, God struck him with a sense of reverence. When a person entered footing that was special, they had to remove their shoes that are used for walking on filth and dirt and common ground. Joshua entered holy ground and was told the same thing.
Psal 100:1-4  A Psalm of praise. Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.  Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.  Know ye that the LORD he [is] God: [it is] he [that] hath made us, and not we ourselves; [we are] his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, [and] into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, [and] bless his name.
We are told that we enter God’s house and must watch our steps.

And then we are also told that we enter God’s house with thanksgiving and praise.

We will do things God’s way, and not our own. God is leading us as a people who are hungry for His will and for revival. God does not want you to say any old sloppy prayer. You bring gifts to the king.
Matt 6:9-13  After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as [it is] in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Jesus gave us a MANNER to pray. 1. IN HEAVEN 2. OUR FATHER
  3. THY KINGDOM COME 4. THY WILL BE DONE IN EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN 5. GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD
  6. FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS AS WE FORGIVE OUR DEBTORS 7. LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION

  • Jesus explained this in 7:13-14
  • Leading speaks of walking after.
  • So Jesus speaks of the narrow road and the broad road.
  • Pray that God keep you on the narrow road and not be tempted to go the broad road.
  • Pray you live right and that God strongly urge you to repent when you do wrong.
  • Ask God to let you know beyond the shadow of doubt that you are in error if you are.
  • GOD WILL ANSWER YOUR PRAYER!

8. BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL

  • Jesus explained this in 7:15-19.
  • Verse 17 mentions good fruit and evil fruit.
  • Evil fruit is false teachings of false prophets.
  • Pray that God let you recognize false doctrine when it comes your way.
  • So many have been led astray by deception in false prophets.
  • Eve was deceived and ate EVIL FRUIT.
  • Pray that God teach you to discern error.

9. FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM...

  • Jesus explained this in 7:21-29
  • It began with praying for the Kingdom to come, and it ends with proclaiming that the Kingdom is God’s kingdom, AND NOT OUR’S.
  • We prayed in this manner, as Jesus taught, because the Kingdom is His, and if we are involved in His kingdom, then we should think to do things HIS WAY.
  • Jesus ends His commentary by discussing HIS  Kingdom and obeying HIS WORDS.
  • In other words, we pray like HIS WAY because we want to enter His eternal Kingdom in glory one day.
  • We are in the Kingdom now, but we want to appear with Him when He comes again.
  • So Jesus discusses people who will not enter.
  • He speaks of those who did many wonderful works in His name and does not deny they were genuine miracles.
  • Many think these were false miracles.
  • Jesus did not say that.
  • He simply said He never knew these people.
  • Jesus knows the thoughts of all souls, so it is not speaking of literally thinking of them.
  • TO KNOW in the Bible infers an intimate relationship.
  • ADAM KNEW EVE AND SHE CONCEIVED.
  • These people were doing things in the name of Jesus without having a RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.
  • They did things in their own ways.
  • That is why Jesus then says that the one who hears THESE SAYINGS of His and DOES THEM, is like a wise man building a house on a rock.
  • WHAT SAYINGS??
  • The very explanation of what He said as to how to pray.
  • If you pray the way Jesus prescribes, then you cover all the bases.
  • You prayed (1) with Heaven as your priority, (2) In Faith to God as your Father who WILL give you your necessities, (3) Seeking spiritual things of God above all other things, (4) Seeking to love God and your neighbour as yourself, (5) Having faith in what you ask for, (6) Forgiving others so you can be forgiven, (7) Staying on the narrow road, (8) Recognizing false doctrine so as not to be deceived.
  • YOU CANNOT FALL IF YOU PRAY FOR THESE THINGS.
  • You are like a man building your house on a rock that stands against storms.
  • You are not like those who think they are saved just because they pray for healings but never think to have a relationship with God and do things His way.
 

Moses was told to remove his shoes and be careful how he walked.
• He walked HIS way forty years earlier.
• At the burning bush he heard God’s way.
• Many will come to Him thinking they did just fine, but will find out they should have thought to seek God and learn HIS WAY.


CLICK HERE AND GO TO A PAGE THAT GIVES YOU AN OUTLINE.  KEEP IT IN YOUR
BIBLE FOR THE TIMES WHEN YOU PRAY, THAT YOU MIGHT PRAY GOD'S WAY:

HOW TO PRAY GOD'S WAY
(godsway.htm)

BACK TO SERMONS