Somehow or another—it has been a little while since we added onto our house—when you are in our line of work, your stuff does not really matter.  It gets on the back burner.  I have tried to explain this to my wife.  She struggles to understand, but she is dealing with it and handling it well—has for twenty some years.  Anyhow, some way or another; birds were getting into the house.  I tried to make a joke of it and told her, “Well they are cold too.”  That did not work.  Finally, she was aggravated enough that I thought I had fixed it.  Somehow one was still in there.  She hollered.  I said, “It’s just a bird.”  I go in there and all of the sudden, we are trying to get the thing out of the door—long story short—she is trying to help me.  That is not going well.  The door is open and I am getting aggravated.  She is getting frustrated.  It did not start off that way, but it was ending that way.  About the last count I had—it had been a long time… were pretty good at baseball.  I never really was.  I am glad I was this day.  It landed on our shelf.  It happened to use the bathroom and that is where we drew the line.  She was sitting on top of pictures and everything else.  She said, “What are you going to do?”  I said, “Watch out!”  I grabbed that broom.  I reared back.  In my mind, I thought I do not care if I knock every picture up there off; I am going to get that bird.  I swung.  I tell you I did not hit a thing up there, but I hit that bird and feathers just went everywhere!  LOL!  I said, “I got him!”  I picked the bird up and said, “Buddy, I gave you multiple chances.  I am sorry.  We have had enough.”  We had our adventures inside.

Introduction

What we want to talk about and has been on our mind for some time, and how long we will talk about it, I do not know.  I love the way Dan lays out and talks about things in series.  I am not really that good in doing that.  However, I have a thought on my mind that I do not know how long we will run with it. 

Praying and Prayer

I want to talk about “Praying and about Prayer.”  I have had a lot of conversations lately with folks about praying and some things.  We are going to look at a few prayers tonight and again maybe the next time we speak another Wednesday or whatever; we will talk about some more of them in the Bible that I want to look at and address. 

Praying is something, as I think about those things, one of the most common things that I try to point out, or that I try to tell anybody when we talk about prayer.  God is not a genie in a bottle.  God does not work that way.  God wants to hear from us and we know that throughout the scriptures.  We do know that God already knows what we are dealing with before we ever see it or it ever happens.  God already knows it is coming.  One might think in their mind, well if God already knows and He knows what we need then why do we need to pray?  Well we need to pray because the Lord has told us we need to pray.  Since, Jesus prayed and talked to the Heavenly Father, then how much more do you and I need to do that?  Along with that is this; some would say that is our communication with God.  That is true.  That is how we communicate with God.  We talk to God, relieve our heart and cast our cares upon Him, our burdens upon Him.  The thing about it is this. 

I do not remember who it was or even what the conversation was about, but as I was talking to someone I said, “Prayer is not that we get earth’s will done in heaven, but rather that God’s will in heaven is done on earth.”  Praying does not change the mind of God.  What I mean by that is this.  If there is a need in my life and I know what that is—say it is a sickness or illness—and I am praying that God I want to be healed or I want to be touched.  Can God do that?  Most certainly, if it is His will.  The thing of it is this.  I do not know what God’s will is and I do not know what His direction is.  What I am doing is that I am leaning upon the One whom I know has the power to do what needs to be done.  I know that what He is going to do will be right.  Sometimes, it does not always go the way that we necessarily think, or the way we would like to see it go, but we also have learned this.  Whatever way it goes, it is always the right way when we have taken it unto the Lord.  When we know we have consulted God, we have given our heart unto to the Lord.  We have poured our heart out unto Him and said, Lord, here it is.  Through that, when we do that—what we must understand—and my conversation with someone.  Again, I do not remember who it was.  I have had this conversation multiple times over the years.  I do not change God’s mind at all.  Through praying, I do not change God’s mind.  God’s will is already set.  So, what is praying for?  If it is not changing God’s mind and it is not altering the situation then what is praying about?

What is praying for?

Praying is for me.  Praying is for you.  It encourages.  What does it do?  When I come before God, I am doing what?  I am understanding that Lord, you are the authority.  God you are the embodiment of power and of all that is right and true.  I know that when I come to you that I can give you everything.  Although I know that you already know it; you can see the heaviness of it on my heart.  You can help me carry that burden.  Through talking to you God, I am releasing that unto you.  God gives us the strength and encouragement and through prayer we think about His Word.  We think about the things and He reminds us about the things He has done. 

How often do you go to pray, and you are praying about something?  You are concerned about something.  When you are genuinely asking God for strength and help and you are not asking God for it to go this way or that way.  You understand that God is going to work in His perfect will.  You are trusting in that.  How often and how many times has God reminded you of something that He did before in the midst of that prayer, or of scripture?  Suddenly, your heart just feels like it has been relieved, even if it is just for a while, for a moment, or however long you continue to think about that thing in which God has done.  It relieves us of that. 

That is what prayer does.  It helps us and encourages us.  It encourages one another. 

Prayers in the Bible

Let us look at some prayers throughout the Bible, the few here we have chosen to talk about.  Let us see what they are praying about and what they are praying for, and what takes place with these prayers. 

Jabez

The first one would be Jabez’s prayer.  In the midst, of all these wonderful names, out comes this prayer—the prayer of Jabez.

1 Chronicles 4:10  And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.

Let us focus a little bit about Jabez, just for a brief moment.  Let us point out some things that we want to notice.  It says, “…and Jabez called on the God of Israel…”  He knew who to call upon.  He called upon the right one.  He asked God to bless him.

When I was studying and thinking about things.  I trust that God, and I want God to bless my life, but often I am thinking generally of others, situations, or other people.  Lord, help me to realize that I have that right to come to you and ask you to simply just bless my life.  Bless it in a way of abundance and of things?  Absolutely not!  God bless me in a way, that as you work in my heart and my life, that you draw me closer unto you.  God, my actions, my attitude, my conduct, my words, my life is the greater reflection of you.  God bless me in that way.  God bless me in that way.  God bless me in the sense that brother Dan talks about.  Opportunities, of those that are unsaved, that we may be able to speak to them.  God bless me in the things that matter and will matter throughout all eternity.  Not in monetary things, not in the things of this world that will be gone, but sincerely from the heart, ask God to bless us indeed. 

Do you know what?  As Jabez not only asked God to bless him, but he also asked Him to enlarge his coasts.  I have pondered on this and I have done some research and I do not know that it is necessarily exact, but I have some information on that and it is this.  When he talks about—and also, in other translations—it talks about enlarging his territory.

I like what one theologian, Matthew Poole, said: 

Therefore, when he prayed “enlarge my territory,” it was to “drive out these wicked and cursed Canaanites, whom thou hast commanded us to root out, and therefore I justly beg and expect thy blessing in the execution of thy command.” 

Another theologian, Adam Clarke also wrote a few things about it.  I like what he says as well.  He says this:

This, together with the scribal city associated with his name, indicates (but does not prove) that Jabez’s desire for more territory was not only to displace the wicked but also to advance the cause of godliness through the multiplication of disciples.

Here is the thing I like about that.  I do not know about all that, but here is what I do know.  When he says, “enlarge my territory”—when I think about it and I think about praying unto the Lord saying, Lord, enlarge my territory.  I thought, for me and my mindset, how great is it to pray that God help me that wherever I am at, I allow your Word to leave a mark and that it continues to spread.  Also, that your Word continues to go out from one to another, to another.  God, wherever we are at, help us, Lord to speak of your Word, of your goodness, and of your kindness.  God, may it plant the seed of the hearts of them that are unsaved.  Why?  The territory of the goodness of God will continue to enlarge and go on.  Why?  That we can see those who are unsaved come to the cross of Calvary that they might be saved to be born again.  So, he is asking the Lord.  If we notice, he also says this. 

He asked Him that His hand might be with him.  What is he saying here?  God, for me to be able to do such a thing, for me to be able to witness to people, for people to be born again, to not only remove that which is evil, get it out of the land.  Also, to make disciples of Christ.  For me to do that, God I am going to need your hand to be upon me.  I am going to need you to bless me—I have the opportunity to do that.  Lord, that is my desire to do it.  When it is done, when it is being done; I am going to need your hand upon me, because your hand is a representation of strength and power.  God, I cannot change the heart of man.  I cannot change the way they are, or what they do.  God, you can!  If your hand is upon me and you are blessing me indeed—you are enlarging my coasts.  He says, do you know what I can count on?  I count on that you will keep from evil.  Keep me away from the evil. 

How often, when we pray…  Brother John, I was thinking as he was testifying.  I do not know if of you know or not, but John and I are related.  I remember all my life, I have always known him by John Boy.  That is what dad and everybody always called him.  I made myself—when he came here, I think I called on him to pray one time, and I told myself, I am going to quit that; I am not going to call him that anymore.  I do not know if he likes it or not and that is all I have ever known him by.  When I heard him speak earlier, I thought, I have never known him to be any different, even before he came to Christ; He has always been such a wonderful person.  He always has been, and his whole family—all of them.  Wonderful!  I really do not know where in the world that came from or why it was on my mind, but I said it.  There you go, John. 

However, the thing of the matter is this.  We want to make a difference in this world.  Do you know what?  The only way we are going to make a difference is if we live for Him each and everyday of our lives.  Again, I will get my mind back on track because somewhere I went that way.

(Going back)  He talks about “Keep me from evil that it may not grieve me.”  Why is that?  He wanted to stay away from these things.  He wanted to stay away from the evil things.  Why?  That he might draw closer unto God.  Those that could see—Do you know what they would see?  They would see God in him.  Here is what I love.  This is what I wanted to say.  Guess what God did?  He granted him that which he requested.  We often think sometimes, I am praying about these things.  I am praying about my situations.  I am praying about all these things. 

The question is this.  We are wondering why hasn’t God moved.  Why hasn’t God done anything?  Why is it still like this?  Let me ask you this.  What are you praying about?  How are you praying?  Think about what Jabez is doing here.  He is realizing and acknowledging who he is talking to.  He is saying, He called unto the God of Israel.  What did he do after that?  He is going directly and saying, God, if I am going to perform and if I am going to do your will; I need you to bless me.  God, I am going to need you with me.  God, the thing that is the desire of my heart is that God, you will use me.  God, I want to see evil leave.  I want to see righteousness reign.  God, I want to see goodness in people.  I want to see kindness.  When he is praying, he is saying keep me away from that evil stuff.  God, you just draw me closer to you.  They will see more of you than they will see anything else.  I know that is what this world needs.  So, as he is praying those things—so, you say, what are you getting at Todd? 

I am saying this.  When you and I come before God—is the center point of our praying that God will work in our lives so that we are more like Him?  All those other things, and all those aggravations, and all those other problems take a backseat.  Not that we do not bring them before God because we know we are supposed to and we want to and most certainly we will.  However, the center of that prayer and the heartfulness of that prayer is that God, first and foremost; I want your hand on me.  I want you to lead me.  God, I want to do your will.  That is the center of our praying.  The focus, when we come before God, whether we are brining our problems, our situations; the main thing is God, I want to be right where you want me to be.  I want to do exactly what you want me to do.  God if that means—I am standing here in whatever mess it may be in or the situation; then God, so be it.  Lord, if that is what your will is then that is where I want to be.  Whoever, you want me to talk to then that is who I want to talk to.

Jonah

Now, let us look at Jonah.  Let us look at Jonah’s prayer.  Jonah’s situation is a lot different here.  We know Jonah’s story.  Most of us are very familiar with it.  Jonah got himself in quite a mess.  Jonah thought the will of God was optional.  So, he thought: that did not sound like a plan to me.  I do not want to go down there and talk to those Ninevite people.  I do not want to do that.  He despised them, I am sure.  They were very wicked and evil.  They did a lot of very hurtful and sinful things.  Regardless, Jonah also knew that if I go down there and preach the goodness of God for repentance and if they do that then God will forgive them.  Jonah said, I do not want any part of that.  You can just get somebody else.  Well, that did not go well with the Lord.  We know that is not how things work.  Jonah goes down and know that he finds himself here on the boat.  He is going to try to go in the complete opposite direction.  However, the Lord brings about a storm.  We know here Jonah is—he found himself in the belly of a great fish.  He is plumb down to the bottom.  We have said it before.  It is not mine, I got it from—you know what?  The only place to go is down when you start going away from the direction of the Lord.  He went down to the boat.  He went down to the ship, down into the boat.  He got cast out.  He went down in the belly of the fish and down to the bottom of the sea—a long ways down. 

Here is the way back up.  Look what happens.

Then Jonah prayed.  Here he is.  He is in a situation.  He says, he prayed unto the Lord, His God, out of the fish’s belly.  The first thing I notice is this.  Jonah or some people; they really have to get themselves into a mess before they realize, “Maybe, I should just turn to the Lord.”  I do not want to wait that long.  Do you?  I do not want to find myself there.  Here is what happens.  Regardless of our situation; I am glad that the Lord still cares and He is listening.  He said, I said, and this is what he says:

Jonah 2:1-9.

Jonah 2:1  Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly,

Jonah 2:2  And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.

Jonah 2:3  For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me.

Jonah 2:4  Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.

Jonah 2:5  The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.

Jonah 2:6  I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God.

Jonah 2:7  When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.

Jonah 2:8  They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.

Jonah 2:9  But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.

We will say it like this.  We will paraphrase it like this.  Jonah said, I was at the lowest of all low.  I got myself there.  I did it.  I was right there in a complete mess.  Jonah said, right at the door of death; I cried unto to the Lord and He heard me.  He heard my voice.

He said in verse 3.

Jonah 2:3  For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me.

He is talking the situation that he is in.  known.  The Lord has brought this about because I have chosen to go the way I went and here I am. 

Jonah 2:4  Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.

In like manner, just like Jabez; do you know what he is doing?  He is calling upon the right one.  The first thing that he is doing is that he is recognizing—the Bible says there in verse one—he prayed unto the Lord, his God.  Saying, Lord, I am not going to turn anywhere else.  I am not going to turn my head away from you, now I am turning to you because I realize you are the only hope I have.  Here is what he says, in verse six.

Jonah 2:6  I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O Lord my God.

He again acknowledges what?  That the Lord might have caused this storm.  He might have caused this fish.  He might have allowed all this to take place because Jonah and his ignorance chose to do what he chose to do, but he says:

Jonah 2:6  I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O Lord my God.

Jonah 2:7  When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.

He said, I remember the Lord.  O the Lord is good!  Isn’t He?  Jonah is praying in the midst—listen, think about this—in the midst of a mess he created, Jonah just got to the place that he thought, I will just throw up my hands and quit.  However, he could not do it.  Do you know what he did do? He said, “I remembered the Lord, my God. I remembered Him.” 

How did he do that?  Because the Lord loves His people.  Just as you and I love our children, and you and I would do anything for them, the Lord will remind us.  He will let us know.  Listen, you have not gone too far.  You have not been too bad.  You have not messed up too much.  Remember, I am still here.  That is what Jonah is doing here.  He is saying, I remember the Lord.

Jonah 2:7  When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.

Saying that when he began to pray, he knows that the Lord heard him.  He already mentioned that earlier in these verses.

Jonah 2:8  They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.

Jonah 2:9  But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord.

He is saying, you know what; listen:

Jonah 2:8  They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.

The NLT reads this. 

Jonah 2:9  But I will offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise, and I will fulfill all my vows.  For my salvation comes from the Lord alone.”

He tells them here.  I have come to a place that when I realized I was in a mess, I cried out unto God because He reminded me of His goodness.  He reminded me of His power.  He reminded me that I was His and I turned to Him.  He said, in the mess that I got myself in—listen to this payer as we paraphrase it—He heard me.  When He heard me, He loved me so much and He brought me up out of that mess.  He said, I am going to declare this: Salvation is of the Lord.  Deliverance is only through His hand, through His power.  Whether I got myself in that mess, whether—whatever the reason—he is saying that all deliverance is only of the Lord.  What was he doing?  He was acknowledging what?  Just like Jabez it is this.  Do you know what he come to realize?  Even thought we know when he went to do it, he got mad and pouted.  In this moment, do you know what he understands?  The will of God is not optional.  If I am going to be a blessing and if God is going to bless my life then I must have the will of God in central focus and I must be obedient to what God asks.  It is then when I call upon Him, and I recognize His power that He will deliver me because that is the only way out.  I can go right.  I can go left.  I can go up.  I can go down.  I can buy the ticket.  I can get the boat.  However, he is saying I am still not free.  Deliverance comes when I turn unto to the Lord and say, God, I will do what you asked me to do.  I will do whatever it is you have asked of me to do. 

Psalms

Psalms 3

Psalms 3:1  Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me.

Psalms 3:2  Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.

Psalms 3:3  But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.

Psalms 3:4  I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah.

Psalms 3:5  I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me.

Psalms 3:6  I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.

Psalms 3:7  Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.

Psalms 3:8  Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.

As he is calling out to the Lord, again, recognizing who He is speaking to; he is saying this.  Many people are against me.  There are a lot of people out there that are against me.  He is saying, many say about me and my soul that there is no help from Him and God.  God is not going to help…Look what he says…Lord, they do not understand.  You are my shield.  You are my glory.  You are the One who lifts up my head, even when I cannot lift it up.  He says I cried unto the Lord with my voice.  It is just like Jonah.  Guess what?  He heard me.  Out of His holy hill. 

Psalms 3:3  But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.

Psalms 3:4  I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah.

Psalms 3:5  I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me.

Psalms 3:6  I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.

Psalms 3:7  Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.

Psalms 3:8  Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.

I want to cover this in the NLT then I want to come to a close.  I want you to listen to how it lays it out so beautifully.

Psalms 3:1  O Lord, I have so many enemies; so many are against me.

This is how he is praying.

Psalms 3:2  So many are saying, “God will never rescue him!”

God is not gong to help him.  I do not know what kind of mess, or situation David was in at this particular time in his life.  What I do know is that he is crying out to the Lord.  He is recognizing the problem that is before him.  He understands that there are many who are against him.  Many do not like him.  Many want to get rid of him I am sure.  To them—he is saying within himself—he is saying, I know they think that God is not going to help me; they think that you are not going to help me at all Lord.  You will never rescue me. 

Psalms 3:3  But you, O Lord, are a shield around me; you are my glory, the one who holds my head high.

God, what they do not realize and what they do not see, Lord in his prayer.  He is saying this.  What they do not understand is that God you are my shield all around me.  You have me covered in the front.  You have me covered in the back.  You have me covered to the right.  You have me covered to the left. 

You watch those movies sometimes and they will come out and say, “You’ve got my six!”  It took me years to figure out what in the world they were talking about.  When you look at a clock, they have got your back. 

The Lord does not just have my back.  He has me all the way around.  That is what David is saying.  You have me covered all the way around.  They do not understand.  They cannot get to me, God.  Do you know what that means?  They cannot get to me God unless they go through you first.  You have got me all the way around.

Psalms 3:4  I cried out to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy mountain.

I love how they pinpoint each one.  Each one says, I talked to the Lord and He heard me.  I love the Psalm that talks about the Lord bends His ear down.  I have studied that over the years.  It is just that He puts His hand—not that He needs to—but it is just the analogy of it.  It is just the thought of it.  In other words, He wants everything else quiet and we have His undivided attention.  When we pray from the heart and sincerely unto the Lord; He cares that much that He bends His ear down towards us.  He says what is it, child?  What is it son?  What is it daughter?  Because He loves us. 

I love verse 5 in the NLT.

Psalms 3:5  I lay down and slept, yet I woke up in safety, for the Lord was watching over me.

I can sleep with all these enemies around me and I did not have a bit of trouble.  I woke up and everything was just fine.  Why?  He says, for the Lord was watching over me.  Even when I was asleep…  Even in times that we do not know it.  How many times in your prayer life that you often say, Lord, thank you for just watching over me today.  Even the things that I did not even know was going to happen; thank you. 

We often do that.  Don’t we?  Do you know why?  Because we understand and acknowledge that there are things that probably could have happened.  There are ways we could have gone, ways we could have traveled, directions we could have gone. 

I thought of this a week or two ago.  I thought Lord—it is getting near the end of the year—I guess I do not realize how many miles I drive all the time.  It going on five years.  Lord, you have protected me all these miles, as crazy of a driver that I am.  You have protected me.  He has watched over me.  He does that even in time that we do not even see it. 

I will hurry along going to verse 6.

Psalms 3:6  I am not afraid of ten thousand enemies who surround me on every side.

Because he was something.  Because he was strong.  No!  Because he knew who was all around him.  He knew who was watching over him.  He said, therefore I do not have anything to worry about.

I love this in the NLT.  This is why I wanted to read it.

Psalms 3:7  Arise, O Lord! Rescue me, my God!  Slap all my enemies in the face!  Shatter the teeth of the wicked!

Just knock them out, Lord!  Take care of it. 

I love this last part.

Psalms 3:8  Victory comes from you, O Lord.  May you bless your people.

You do not bless evil.  You do not bless wrong.  God, I know you will bless your people.  I love Him tonight.  Don’t you?

Close

Our God is so good unto all of us.  I am glad that we serve a God and He is never too busy.  He is never overwhelmed.  He is never in a situation that He does not know what to do, or He is troubled about what is going to happen, as if He does not know.  That is not our God at all.  He cares about every situation that we are in—good or bad.  Whether we got ourselves there or we did not.  He loves us so much that He listens.  He cares.  He is the answer.  Praise God!  He is our deliverance. 

Come and be saved.