Participants: John Bradshaw
Series Code: IIW
Program Code: IIW001380A
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01:30 ♪[Theme music]♪
01:40 ♪[Theme music]♪ 01:49 >>John Bradshaw: This is It Is Written. I'm John Bradshaw. 01:52 Thanks for joining me. 01:54 I was about 11 years old and spending the weekend 01:56 at my friend Robert's place. 01:57 His parents were dairy farmers, 02:00 a weekend on a farm was going to be great. 02:02 And it was great. 02:03 I remember a lot about it today, and you know, 02:05 it's been a few years since I was 11 years old. 02:08 And one thing I remember, vividly, is the electric fence. 02:14 Now, I don't know why an 11-year-old boy 02:16 would want to grab hold of an electric fence, 02:18 but I can tell you it is not something you quickly forget. 02:20 It's not the worst shock you could ever get, 02:22 but let me tell you, it makes an impression. 02:26 An electric fence on a dairy farm all those years ago 02:28 didn't look a whole lot different from any other fence. 02:31 But when you touch it, 02:33 you realize it's different! 02:34 You realize there is power running through it. 02:38 Now, I didn't generate the power in that fence. 02:41 It was coming from somewhere else. 02:42 But I experienced the power that was in the electric fence, 02:45 because I took hold of that power. 02:48 Today we're continuing “Lessons for All Time,” 02:51 a continuing series looking at the parables of Jesus. 02:55 And today we're looking together at two prayers: 02:58 two prayers and two pray-ers. 03:02 Or maybe better said, two worshipers. 03:04 The Bible records a lot of remarkable prayers 03:07 where God reveals Himself as a caring God 03:09 who listens when we call on Him 03:10 and delivers and helps us in so many ways. 03:14 In the days of King Ahab and the prophet Elijah, 03:16 it didn't rain for three and a half years. 03:19 One day on Mount Carmel, 03:20 there's a showdown between the prophets of Baal, 03:22 hundreds of them, 03:23 and Elijah, the one faithful prophet of God. 03:26 God sends fire from heaven, 03:28 revealing Himself as the true God. 03:31 But there's still no rain! 03:32 So Elijah prays. 03:34 And after praying seven times, a downpour follows, 03:38 and God's word is fulfilled. 03:40 Daniel and his friends prayed, 03:42 and God revealed Nebuchadnezzar's dream 03:44 and outlined 2500 years of human history. 03:46 Jesus prayed and people were healed. 03:49 Cornelius prayed, and an angel appeared to him with a message. 03:53 These were prayers of faith, 03:55 prayers that connected with the power of God. 03:57 And, of course, there are wonderful stories 04:00 of answered prayer in modern times. 04:03 George Mueller, the famous evangelist of the 19th century, 04:06 was on a ship crossing the Atlantic in 1877. 04:10 He was on his way to an appointment in Quebec. 04:13 The ship ran into thick fog, 04:14 and when Mueller explained to the captain 04:16 that he needed to be in Quebec by a certain time, 04:19 the captain told Mueller his appointment 04:20 would just have to wait. 04:24 So Mueller asked the captain if he could use 04:26 the ship's chartroom for prayer, 04:29 so he could ask God to lift the fog. 04:32 The captain made clear he thought that 04:33 it was a complete waste of time, 04:35 but he let Mueller use the chartroom anyway, 04:37 and Mueller knelt to pray. 04:39 Now, the captain, who was not a believer in the first place, 04:41 started praying when Mueller was finished. 04:44 Mueller interrupted him, saying no further prayer 04:46 would be necessary because his prayer had already been heard. 04:50 He had prayed a prayer of faith. 04:51 The two men went back up on deck, 04:53 and the fog had lifted, 04:57 just as Mueller had prayed it would. 05:00 Soon afterward, soon afterward, 05:02 that captain accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior. 05:06 But not all prayers are prayers of faith. 05:08 Today we listen in on two men praying, 05:10 men from very different walks of life. 05:13 One of the men is a leader in the church, 05:14 the sort of person others would tend to trust 05:17 and even look up to and admire. 05:19 The other is a man who's looked down on; 05:22 he's something of an outcast. 05:24 And the content of the two men's prayers 05:26 gives us a chance to see what's in their hearts, 05:28 and maybe the chance to see what‘s in our own. 05:33 We start in Luke, chapter 18, 05:35 and we'll begin in Luke 18 and verse 9. 05:39 Luke 18 and verse 9, where the Bible says, 05:44 “And He [that's Christ] spoke this parable to some 05:48 who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, 05:52 and despised others.” 05:53 Jesus then tells the story. 05:55 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, 05:58 one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 06:02 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 06:04 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men, 06:07 extortioners, unjust, adulterers, 06:10 or even as this tax collector. 06:13 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' 06:17 And the tax collector, standing afar off, 06:19 would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, 06:22 but beat his breast, saying, 06:24 'God be merciful to me a sinner.' 06:29 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified 06:32 rather than the other; 06:34 for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, 06:37 and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” 06:41 We just read all the way through to verse 14. 06:45 Interesting parable, isn't it? 06:46 Can you imagine someone praying a prayer like that? 06:49 Well, we can take it from Jesus that self-righteousness 06:52 is a big enough problem 06:54 that a parable was necessary to address it. 06:57 And not only did that man have an elevated opinion of himself, 07:00 and an inaccurate opinion, 07:02 but he despised others. 07:04 He looked down on others. 07:07 The Pharisee in Jesus' story comes to the temple to pray, 07:10 not because he sees himself as a sinner in need of pardon, 07:14 but because he is satisfied with his spiritual condition 07:18 and based on his own goodness (as he sees it), 07:21 hopes to obtain favor with heaven. 07:23 For him, his worship is an act of self-generated merit 07:27 that will recommend him to God. 07:29 This man's got a high opinion of his own character 07:31 and of his good deeds, 07:32 and he hopes that both God and those around him will notice. 07:38 His coming to the temple to pray is all about self-interest, 07:42 not about humility, 07:43 or repentance, 07:44 or need of divine strength to keep him faithful. 07:49 I wonder if there are people today who come to church 07:52 more for appearances than anything else. 07:56 They attend the right church and they sit in the right seats, 07:58 and they're glad that others notice. 08:00 They wouldn't dream of staying away from church, 08:02 but surrendering their heart to God? 08:05 Not their highest priority. 08:08 The Pharisee has fallen into a trap. 08:11 And it's a trap you don't want to fall into. 08:14 I'll tell you more about it in just a moment. 08:17 ♪[Music]♪ 08:26 >>Announcer: Planning for your financial future 08:28 is a vital aspect of Christian stewardship. 08:32 For this reason, It Is Written is pleased 08:34 to offer free planned giving and estate services. 08:38 For information on how we can help you, 08:40 please call 800-992-2219. 08:45 Call today, or visit our website, 08:47 HisLegacy.com. 08:49 Call 800-992-2219. 08:54 >>Announcer 2: Have you ever struggled to say no 08:56 to temptation? 08:57 You're not alone. 08:58 Everybody has at some point. 09:00 But there is hope. 09:02 “Taking a Stand” is a five-part series 09:04 presented by Pastor John Bradshaw that will help you 09:06 win your spiritual battles. 09:08 >>Announcer 2: To order your copy of 09:09 “Taking a Stand” on DVD, 09:11 call 1-888-664-5573. 09:15 Or download it from our webstore at 09:17 www.itiswritten.shop. 09:20 Discover powerful ways you can live 09:22 a victorious Christian life. 09:24 ♪[Music]♪ 09:32 >>John: This is It Is Written. I'm John Bradshaw. 09:34 I'm glad you've joined me today. 09:36 Today we're looking at one of the parables Jesus taught, 09:38 as we continue our series, “Lessons for All Time.” 09:41 Two men, one a Pharisee, respected by society, 09:45 well educated, a man of influence 09:47 and a tax collector, 09:48 despised by the Jews for being an agent of the Romans, 09:52 they've come to the temple to pray. 09:54 And the Pharisee falls into a trap. 09:57 He thinks he's good, and surely by some measures he is. 10:01 You know, it's good to be educated, 10:03 and to have leadership abilities, 10:04 to be a person of influence. 10:06 But his good qualities have led him to believe that HE is good. 10:11 But what he's done is to compare himself 10:14 with other human beings, 10:15 rather than with the word of God. 10:17 You see, the standard of righteousness for you 10:19 and me is Jesus. 10:21 You might even BE better than the person across the street, 10:25 but that doesn't mean a thing. 10:26 Romans 3, verse 10 says, 10:28 “There is none righteous, no, not one.” 10:30 And then verse 13 says, 10:32 “There is none that does good, no not one.” 10:35 Isaiah wrote that 10:36 “our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” 10:39 That's Isaiah 64:6. 10:42 You might be the chairman of the board, 10:43 an accomplished professional, 10:45 a teacher, 10:46 a preacher, 10:47 a lover of literature or the leader of the choir 10:49 ...and you're a sinner. 10:51 So how righteous can we congratulate ourselves 10:54 for being? 10:56 Self-righteousness is a really dangerous trap. 10:59 And it isn't hard to fall into. 11:00 You go to church. 11:02 You pray. 11:03 You're not immoral. 11:03 You give tithes and offerings. 11:05 There are certain things you don't do. 11:06 You're honest... well, actually, not too honest, 11:10 because if you were honest you'd remember 11:12 that the Bible says in Romans 3:23 that 11:14 “all have sinned” 11:16 and you'd realize that you're not so perfect after all. 11:18 Someone gets put away for some scandalous crime and you think, 11:21 “Oh, what a scoundrel.” 11:22 A religious leader gets taken down in a moral fall 11:25 and you say, “How could he do that? 11:27 What a hypocrite!” 11:28 Well, he might even be a hypocrite, 11:31 but there's a hypocrite inside all of us. 11:33 What about your “little” sins? 11:35 White lies. 11:37 Pride. 11:38 Racism that no one can see but it might lurk in your heart. 11:42 They're not such little sins at all, are they? 11:45 Lying? 11:46 There's a commandment about that. 11:48 We hardly ever talk about it, 11:49 but the Bible calls pride an “abomination.” 11:53 Racism is blind hatred. 11:55 There's a person who wouldn't actually commit adultery 11:58 but has a mind like a sewer. 12:00 How's that? 12:01 That's what this Pharisee was like. 12:03 “Look at me, Lord! I'm not as bad as those other losers.” 12:07 He talked about extortioners, 12:08 people who practiced injustice, adulterers. 12:11 That's all bad stuff. 12:12 He's thinking, “I'm not like any of them.” 12:15 And then he starts reciting his good deeds. 12:17 “I fast twice every week, 12:19 and I return tithes on everything I earn, 12:21 everything I own.” 12:23 The Pharisee is saying, in the words of the poet 12:24 not so long ago, 12:26 “Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!” 12:30 “Look how good I am, compared to all those others!” 12:34 He's practicing righteousness by works. 12:37 Self-righteousness. 12:39 He doesn't even realize that he's a million miles from God. 12:43 Self-righteousness is self-deception. 12:45 The minute you think your own goodness 12:47 somehow earns you merit in the sight of God, 12:48 or, or makes you better than someone else, 12:52 you're no longer looking to Jesus like you should be. 12:54 As Jesus said, this parable is about people 12:56 who trusted to themselves that they were righteous. 13:00 But then there's another man in the parable. 13:03 He's praying not too far from the Pharisee, 13:05 close enough to be noticed by him. 13:08 What a contrast. 13:09 Perhaps the Pharisee knew him. 13:10 Most likely, seeing as the tax collectors were hated, 13:14 because though they were Jews they acted as agents 13:16 of the Roman government. 13:18 They were revenue collectors for the enemy. 13:19 And so the Pharisee thanks God, 13:21 not only that he avoids extortion, 13:23 injustice, and adultery, 13:24 but that he's not “even as this tax collector” (verse 11). 13:28 He says, “I'm especially not like that guy over there,” 13:33 pointing in the direction of where the tax collector stood 13:35 with his head bowed, hoping others didn't notice him. 13:39 The Pharisee wasn't aware of how dangerous his situation was. 13:42 He congratulated himself that at least he wasn't like others. 13:47 But he was forgetting that the wages of sin is death, 13:50 not just the wages of extortion and adultery. 13:55 It only took one sin for Adam and Eve to be evicted 13:58 from the Garden of Eden, 13:59 and it wasn't murder or grand larceny. 14:02 James wrote this in James, chapter 2, and this is solemn. 14:06 James 2 and verse 10: 14:09 “For whoever shall keep the whole law, 14:11 and yet stumble in one point; 14:13 he [or she, I might add] is guilty of all.” 14:18 It isn't that one person's sins aren't as bad as the next guy's. 14:22 Sin is sin, 14:24 and sin separates from God according to the prophet Isaiah. 14:27 There's nothing to be gained from thinking 14:28 you're better than someone else 14:29 and deceiving yourself about your true condition. 14:32 There's only something to be gained 14:34 from being connected to Jesus. 14:36 In a moment, someone who experienced highs and lows 14:40 in his walk with God. 14:41 The highs were high, and the lows were really low, 14:47 Who was that? 14:48 I'll be right back. 14:49 ♪[Music]♪ 14:58 >>Announcer: In Matthew 4:4, the Word of God says, 15:01 “It is written, 15:02 ‘Man shall not live by bead alone, 15:04 but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'” 15:08 “Every Word” 15:09 is a one-minute, Bible-based daily devotional 15:11 presented by Pastor John Bradshaw, 15:13 and designed especially for busy people like you. 15:16 Look for Every Word on selected networks, 15:19 or watch it online every day on our website, 15:22 ItIsWritten.com. 15:24 Receive a daily spiritual boost. 15:26 Watch “Every Word.” 15:27 You'll be glad you did. 15:29 Here's a sample. 15:32 ♪[Theme music]♪ 15:37 >>John: In the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, 15:39 Jesus opens up the subject of self-righteousness. 15:42 Luke 18:9 says, 15:43 “And he spake this parable unto certain 15:45 which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, 15:49 and despised others.” 15:50 The Pharisee, a religious man, trusted that he was righteous. 15:55 But he wasn't. 15:56 The tax collector was a deceitful scoundrel, 15:58 hated by his fellow Jews because he was an agent 16:01 for the Roman government. 16:02 But it was the tax collector who went away forgiven. 16:05 God forgives tax collectors. 16:07 He forgives sinners. 16:08 He forgives the faulty. 16:09 He forgives people at the bottom of the heap. 16:12 If you've been in a tough spot, 16:14 or if you have family in one right now, 16:16 take heart, because Jesus makes a point of saying 16:19 the tax collector was forgiven. 16:20 God forgives failures. 16:22 If you needed something today to cheer you up. 16:24 That was it right there. 16:25 I'm John Bradshaw for It Is Written. 16:27 Let's live today by every word. 16:28 ♪[Music]♪ 16:39 >>John: Today on It Is Written, 16:41 two men with two very different attitudes. 16:43 One of them was self-righteous, 16:45 thanking God that he wasn't “as bad 16:47 as that publican over there.” 16:49 Now, if you want a case study 16:51 on the dangers of self-righteousness, 16:52 all you need to do is look in the Bible at Peter. 16:57 As a disciple of our Lord, 16:59 Peter considered himself to be spiritually strong, 17:01 like the Pharisee in the parable. 17:04 Earlier on the night he was arrested, 17:05 Jesus said to His disciples, 17:07 “All of you will be made to stumble 17:09 because of Me this night” (Mark 14:27). 17:11 But Peter said in verse 29, 17:14 “Even if all are made to stumble, yet I will not be.” 17:18 But Jesus told him what he'd be doing 17:20 in just a few short hours from then. 17:21 He said, “Assuredly, I say to you today, even this night, 17:25 that before the rooster crows twice, 17:27 you will deny Me three times” (verse 30). 17:31 But sadly, Peter didn't know his own danger. 17:33 He was extremely self-confident, self-assured. 17:37 Physically, he could look after himself. 17:39 When the soldiers came to arrest Jesus 17:41 in the Garden of Gethsemane, 17:42 Peter came out swinging and cut off the ear 17:44 of one of the high priest's servants. 17:46 Physical warfare was something Peter found easy. 17:49 But spiritual warfare, now, that was a different matter. 17:54 When he's in the courtyard of the high priest's palace, 17:56 and he's asked whether or not he is one of Jesus' followers, 17:59 he denies it with cursing and swearing. 18:02 Before he knows what's happened, 18:04 Peter has denied Jesus three times. 18:07 He hears the rooster crowing, 18:08 and then it all comes back to him, 18:10 along with the horrifying realization 18:13 that he has denied Jesus. 18:16 Now, Jesus had warned Peter, and James and John. 18:18 He told them to “watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation.” 18:21 Jesus said, “The spirit indeed is willing, 18:23 but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41). 18:26 If Peter had only listened to the warning of Jesus, 18:29 and had watched and prayed with His Lord, 18:32 you can be sure he would not have failed 18:35 when the great test came. 18:37 But, you see, there was power available. 18:40 True prayer from the heart is the greatest source of power 18:44 in moments of trial and temptation. 18:45 But because Peter failed to watch and pray, 18:49 he buckled under the pressure of the moment, 18:52 and he denied His Savior and Lord. 18:54 From the time Peter denied Jesus, 18:57 his self-confidence was gone. 18:58 He was bold when it came to preaching Jesus, 19:00 but he never again boasted about how faithful to God he would be. 19:04 I doubt he ever cursed again, either. 19:06 He took hold of the power of God, 19:08 the power of the Holy Spirit in his life. 19:11 Peter started out like the Pharisee. 19:13 He thought his own strength was good enough 19:15 to resist evil and do the right thing. 19:17 But through that painful, 19:18 humiliating experience at Jesus' trial, 19:22 he was forced to confront his weakness. 19:23 That's not easy for a person who thinks he or she is strong. 19:28 Of course, at the bottom line, all of us are spiritually weak, 19:32 even if our weaknesses are different 19:35 from the weaknesses of others. 19:36 And you know something? 19:37 Let me tell you this. 19:38 It's okay to be weak. 19:40 Listen to what the Lord told Paul. 19:42 This is Second Corinthians 12 and verse 9. 19:45 “My grace is sufficient for you, 19:47 for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” 19:52 Isn't that something? 19:53 It's when we recognize our weakness 19:55 that we can rely on Christ's strength. 19:58 And success in your spiritual life 20:00 comes when you lean heavily, when you lean only on Jesus. 20:04 If you can come to Jesus aware of your weakness, 20:07 you'll know that you need God in your life to keep you upright. 20:11 The tax collector in the parable recognized this. 20:14 Luke 18, verse 13. 20:17 It says, “And the tax collector, 20:20 standing afar off, 20:22 would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, 20:25 but beat his breast, saying, 20:27 'God be merciful to me a sinner.'” 20:30 This is how David could be restored 20:32 after his colossal fall into sin. 20:34 Psalm 51, verse 2: 20:35 “Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, 20:37 and cleanse me from my sin.” 20:40 Verse 3 says, 20:41 “For I acknowledge my transgressions, 20:43 and my sin is always before me.” 20:46 When we recognize our sinfulness, 20:48 when we see ourselves as we really are, 20:51 then God can help us. 20:52 When we admit our sin, God can forgive us. 20:55 When we stop trusting in ourselves, 20:58 we can trust in Jesus. 21:00 Listen to what Jesus says. 21:02 “I tell you, this man went down to his house 21:04 justified rather than the other, 21:06 for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, 21:10 and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:14). 21:15 The tax collector was justified, 21:16 that's pardoned or forgiven, because he acknowledged his sin. 21:20 Grace cannot be experienced by someone 21:22 who doesn't think they need grace. 21:25 Pride and self-sufficiency are some of the worst sins of all, 21:29 because those with that attitude feel no need. 21:32 And unless we feel our need of forgiveness and internal change, 21:37 we can't experience that change. 21:40 There's power in Jesus. 21:42 Grace is God's power at work in your life. 21:44 But the Pharisee, in a temple of all places, 21:48 doesn't experience the power of God in his life. 21:51 He comes to the temple a sinner, 21:52 and he leaves a sinner. 21:54 The power was available to him, 21:56 but he remained unaffected. 21:59 The tax collector, the “bad one” of the two 22:02 he's undeserving and a scoundrel and people look down on him. 22:04 But he grabs hold of the electric fence. 22:07 See, if you get connected to the power, 22:10 you can't help it, you must experience that power. 22:14 If you take hold of the power, the power runs through you. 22:19 You can experience the forgiving and transforming power 22:21 of God in your life. 22:23 It doesn't matter what kind of a life you've lived; 22:24 you can experience God's power simply by taking hold of it. 22:29 The tax collector did that. 22:30 The Pharisee did not. 22:32 Do you think the Pharisee 22:34 thought that he was self-righteousness? 22:35 I don't think he did. 22:37 But that's the problem with the human heart. 22:39 We can deceive ourselves. 22:41 Jeremiah said, 22:42 “The heart is deceitful above all things, 22:44 and desperately wicked. 22:45 Who can know it?” 22:46 That's Jeremiah 17:9. 22:48 In Revelation 3:17, 22:49 Jesus talks about a group of people who say, 22:52 “I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” 22:55 but they don't know that they're actually 22:57 “wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.” 23:01 Friend, there's power on offer from God, 23:03 power to forgive you, 23:05 to cleanse you, 23:05 to transform you, 23:07 to keep you walking in the footsteps of Jesus. 23:09 If you think you're strong, 23:10 if you think you're good, 23:11 if you think you're all right... 23:15 But if you'll be honest with God about your weakness, 23:18 about your sin, 23:19 about your struggles, 23:20 honest with God about your challenges, 23:22 your failures, 23:23 and take hold of the power that God offers, 23:25 God will do a great thing. 23:27 You and I can't manufacture spiritual power, 23:30 but just like grabbing hold of an electric fence, 23:34 when you put your faith and trust in Jesus, 23:37 His power will surge through your life. 23:41 ♪[Music]♪ 23:50 >>John: Fasting. 23:51 It's a very biblical concept, 23:53 but it's also very misunderstood. 23:57 Jesus fasted, we know that. 23:58 But does He want people to fast today? 24:02 And what does God intend that fasting should be? 24:04 And, how can it benefit you? 24:07 I'd like to send you a book from our Healing Insights series, 24:10 called "Fasting and Prayer." 24:12 This book is absolutely free. 24:15 Just call (800) 253-3000, 24:18 and ask for "Fasting and Prayer." 24:21 You can write to us at 24:23 It Is Written, PO Box 6, Chattanooga, TN 37401, 24:28 and we'll mail a free copy to your address in North America. 24:31 You can also download a free digital copy at ItIsWritten.com. 24:36 It Is Written exists because of the kindness of people 24:39 just like you. 24:41 Your tax-deductible gift can be sent 24:42 to the address on your screen, 24:44 or you can support us online at 24:46 ItIsWritten.com. 24:48 Thank you for your continued prayerful support. 24:53 >>John: A few moments ago I mentioned to you 24:55 one of history's most, really most remarkable characters, 24:58 I think, a man named George Mueller, 25:00 a German man who relocated to England 25:03 and embarked on a journey of faith 25:05 which continues to inspire people around the world. 25:09 Mueller, to begin with, was a bit of a scoundrel, 25:11 actually, got himself in a heap of trouble. 25:13 But he found faith in God, and then he found his calling. 25:18 In a suburb of Bristol, 25:21 that city in England close to the river Severn, 25:24 where the Severn dumps into the Bristol Channel, 25:27 two hours or so west of England and near the border with Wales, 25:31 yes, that Bristol. 25:32 George Mueller established orphanages, 25:35 in fact, in a place called Ashley Downs, 25:37 on the north side of Bristol. 25:40 A number of homes were built, 25:42 and thousands of orphans were housed and cared for. 25:46 He established many schools, 117, I am told, 25:52 where tens of thousands of children, 25:54 many of them orphans, 25:55 were educated. 25:57 And here's what's so remarkable. 25:58 Not once, never, ever, 26:01 did George Mueller appeal for money. 26:05 How then, was he able to carry on this work? 26:08 His approach, not that it's the only approach, 26:10 but his approach was to pray and expect God 26:15 to provide his needs in answer to prayer. 26:18 Now, before, that incredible story 26:20 about the prayer on the boat, 26:21 there are many stories of Mueller sitting down 26:24 with the children at the orphanage, saying, 26:26 “We have no food. 26:28 And so let's now pray and ask the blessing on our food.” 26:32 And there, there, there were numerous times. 26:35 I visited the headquarters of the George Mueller ministry 26:39 today, not very many months ago. 26:41 They reiterated the story for me. 26:43 Yes, it happened. 26:44 He bowed his head to pray, 26:46 and thanked God for the food, said “Amen,” 26:50 and then there was a knock at the door. 26:53 A milk deliveryman's van had broken down. 26:56 “Would you take the milk?” 26:58 A bread van broke down. 26:59 “Would you take the bread?” 27:02 Okay, but what happens when that doesn't happen? 27:04 When you pray to be healed, and it doesn't happen? 27:06 When you pray for Grandma, and Grandma dies? 27:08 You pray for the cat; the cat doesn't come back? 27:09 You pray for a job, and... 27:13 It's important to understand that God 27:14 doesn't always give us what we want. 27:17 No amount of faith is going to convince God 27:19 to do what He doesn't want to do, 27:21 or what ultimately He knows 27:22 would not be best for you in many cases. 27:24 So here's what we learn to do: 27:27 we learn to trust God anyway. 27:31 God is God, 27:32 not only because He answered George Mueller's 27:34 prayers miraculously, 27:35 not only because He does the great things. 27:38 But God is God because God is God. 27:39 And there will be times when you will pray 27:41 and you will meet with disappointment. 27:43 What do you do then? 27:44 You trust. 27:46 You have faith. 27:48 You believe anyway. 27:49 And you claim God's promises, 27:51 because regardless of what God does, 27:54 God is still God. 27:55 ♪[Music]♪ 28:06 >>John: Let's pray together, shall we? 28:07 Let's pray. 28:09 Father in heaven, 28:11 we see today two individuals, 28:12 both sinners, 28:14 one forgiven, 28:16 and one was unforgiven, 28:18 because he not only failed to see his need, 28:20 but he manifested a, a judgmental spirit, 28:24 seeing himself as better than others. 28:27 Today, Lord, I thank you that you're willing 28:28 to forgive the undeserving, 28:31 that you'll give new life to the sinful, 28:34 that you'll justify the faulty 28:36 as they recognize their weakness 28:37 and take hold of the power of the forgiveness 28:40 and grace of Jesus. 28:41 Friend, as we pray, 28:43 if you need to be honest like the tax collector, 28:46 take the opportunity now to look to Jesus and trust Him. 28:50 Can you pray that prayer, 28:50 “Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner?” 28:54 Say it with me now. 28:54 Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner. 28:59 And know that God forgives you and justifies you. 29:03 Dear Father, we thank you, 29:05 and we pray in Jesus' name, 29:08 Amen. 29:10 Thank you so much for joining me. 29:12 I'm looking forward to seeing you again next time. 29:14 Until then, remember: 29:16 It Is Written. 29:18 Man shall not live by bread alone, 29:20 but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. 29:24 ♪[Theme music]♪ |
Revised 2017-09-12