Sermon Cloud

Our Response To Life
Geoff Bynum
April, 27, 2008 

On the second day that I met my wife in 1991, we were driving in the car somewhere and she mentioned a problem she was concerned about – I don’t remember what it was now, but I said out loud to her, “Let’s pray about it” and we did.  It was one of the first things we did together as a couple.  In fact, this happened several times while we were dating.  She’d bring something up and I’d say, “let’s pray about it.”

What I didn’t know then was that my habit of quickly turning to prayer was what really turned her on about me.  I thought it was my dashing good looks and charm.  But it wasn’t.  It was my heart for prayer as a regular response to life.

Then we got married.  Six months later we got pregnant and pretty soon the honeymoon period was over as two highly independent, strong-willed 30 year olds tried to live as one under one roof. Life got busy.  At a time when we needed to be praying together the most, it seems we prayed the least.  Prayer became a seldom thing for us, and our marriage showed it.

Since those early days of dating bliss and regular intercession over 16 years ago, I have ridden the roller coaster of prayer.  I’ve had short seasons where prayer was constant and I was diligent to seek the Lord regularly.   And I’ve had longer seasons of managing things myself with little vertical communication apart from the usual, “Oh God help me, Oh God spare me from this, Oh God give me this or bring me that.”  I was great at the popcorn prayers that come so easily in the midst of a busy life.

What I slowly began to realize over time, was that I wasn’t doing as well as I had hoped either vocationally or maritally.  At some points I climbed the corporate ladder successfully, only to have it yanked out from under me. I was successful at creating babies – obviously, and providing for my family’s needs.  But my communication skills with my wife were lacking badly.  My management skills weren’t working at work.  I worked hard but couldn’t connect or relate with others in a way that produced successful relationships.  

It seemed like, no matter what I did, my own brokenness and hang-ups continued to get in the way of experiencing the success I hoped for in life – even as a Christian.  I recognized that I had deeper issues that were beyond my control.  Stuff that wasn’t solved through popcorn prayers and managing life on my own.

So I began to pray by myself a few years ago, “Lord heal me, please. Deep down inside. You know the broken places in me.  The attitudes and perspectives that keep me from being all you’ve made me to be.
And slowly but surely, as I was willing to listen, He began revealing stuff to me.  Insecurities, anger, resentment, unforgiveness, etc.  I want to tell you that I am becoming a better person as a result.  But only my wife could probably say whether that’s true or not.  

All of us have things within us, that no matter how hard we try, we don’t seem to be able to change on our own.  The quick prayers for help or forgiveness or guidance or blessing are good, but they don’t seem to change the deeper issues. Things that perpetually keep us from being and doing all that we wish we could be or do.

At some point in all of our lives, we need power beyond ourselves to really be all that we can be.  

14When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. 15As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him. 16"What are you arguing with them about?" he asked.

 17A man in the crowd answered, "Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not."  19"O unbelieving generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me."

 20So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.
 21Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?"   "From childhood," he answered. 22"It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us."

 23" 'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes."
 24Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"   25When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil spirit. "You deaf and mute spirit," he said, "I command you, come out of him and never enter him again."

 26The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, "He's dead." 27But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.  28After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, "Why couldn't we drive it out?"

 29He replied, "This kind can come out only by prayer."    Mark 9:14-29
PP
In Mark 6 we learn that Jesus had previously given his disciples power and authority to cast out demons and heal the sick themselves.  In fact, He’d sent all twelve of them out to do just that as they proclaimed the Kingdom of God had come in Jesus. There was something different about this case. This time, they cannot.

And Jesus tells them why.  Some things require more than past experience and skill.  They require prayer.  Not the popcorn kind of prayers that I often pray, “God save me from this problem, God provide this thing for me.”

This is a different kind of prayer. The kind Jesus was accustomed to.  The kind that listens for what God the Father is saying and seeks to understand and see what God is doing.  The kind of prayer that results in a unique kind of power and wisdom, that only comes from time spent in God’s presence.  The kind of prayer that is not a reactive response to circumstances.  But rather a proactive relationship with the living God.

PP
It’s the kind of praying you do when you don’t feel that you need to pray, but you pray anyway, because deep inside you know every day needs prayer.  Because you value being sensitive to God in all things.

This is a new lesson for them.  The kind of power they would need for life and ministry could only be found and sustained through an ongoing, proactive, vibrant and genuine relationship with God.

This is how Jesus lived His life and now in essence he was telling his disciples, this is how you are to live your lives as well.  Especially if you’re going to have the power you need for life and ministry.

The apostle Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians tells us clearly that all who claim to follow Jesus are called to minister and serve and to be His hands and feet to the world.  God intends for every one of us to live with life transforming power.  That power comes only from proactive prayer. From getting filled up with God’s presence and God’s perspective on a daily basis.

I’m not saying that if we devote more time and energy to prayer that God is obligated to give us whatever we want at the moment.  Or that all of our problems will be solved instantly – and in the way we want them solved.  Jesus didn’t promise comfort or ease for any who followed Him.  But he did promise power.  Power to overcome sin and brokenness.  Power to be witnesses for Him in what ever way he calls us, in whatever circumstance we’re in.  Power to live above the despair and insecurities and the ways of the world.

So, how’s the power in your life?  Are you feeling like at any moment you could be tossed in the fire or into the water?  Like there are things in your life controlling you that you have no power over?

What would life look like if prayer for us became as common as breathing in and out? If it was the first priority of our day?  If we spent as much time praying as we do watching TV or surfing the internet?  What problems, afflictions, addictions and attitudes might be overcome if we lived a life of committed, proactive prayer?  What might we accomplish beyond the stuff we already know how to do?
PP
You and I can manage most of the day to day demands of life pretty well.  If we couldn’t, we wouldn’t be living in suburbia.  But what if God has something so much more for us to experience in life?  Like being the hands and feet of Jesus in the world, with real power to help set people free from the things that throw them in the fire.   What if we didn’t have to live with all the things that regularly try to throw us in the fire and destroy our experience of life?  

Things like insecurity, fear, anger, doubt, unforgiveness, pride, prejudice, addictions, you name it.  What if, rather than waiting for things to get out of control, we lived a life of proactive prayer?

More than 30 years ago a young pastor was called to serve in the toughest part of Brooklyn.  His neighborhood was better known for pimps and winos than for prayer meetings. While sitting in a fishing boat on a brief respite, he told God that he was ready to give up on the dying church he and his wife had just taken on. There were only 20 regular attendees, most of them troubled and broke, and the church was just like them—troubled and broke.  Nothing they did seemed to help.  The young pastor really wanted to quit.  Then he sensed God speaking in his heart: "If you will lead the people to pray and call on my name, you will never have a building large enough to hold the crowds I will send you."
So they prayed.
Every Tuesday night, that little congregation gathered to pray for the church and the city, and especially for the salvation of their friends and loved ones. Fifteen people attended the first week the pastor called for the meeting. Tuesday night became the heartbeat of their congregational life, and the church soon understood that nothing would happen in Brooklyn apart from persistent, faith-filled prayer.
Today, attendance tops 10,000 in five weekend services, and the Brooklyn Tabernacle, led by Jim Cymbala and his wife Carol minister to additional thousands through extensive missions and outreach to numerous nations and neighborhoods. The church's Grammy-winning gospel choir and its Tuesday night prayer meetings are known around the world.
By all standards, they have a very successful ministry.  But they continue to pray.  Some weeks it is standing room only on Tuesday night as hundreds of people gather to pray for God’s Kingdom to come in their lives and all over the earth.

I know that everyone of you is busy. And busy people don’t have time for unnecessary things.  Most of us are on the go 24/7 with just a few hours a night for sleep and then it’s off to the races again.

But I want to remind us of something this morning.  God promises to answer our prayers.  He wants a relationship with us more than we want one with Him and the primary ingredient of all relationships is communication. Prayer is our invitation to communicate with God.  To hear his voice, see His face and receive His power for life.  This must be our response to life.

"We are too busy to pray, and so we are too busy to have power. We have a great deal of activity, but we accomplish little; many services but few conversions; much machinery but few results."  ~R.A. Torrey

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.                                Hebrews 11:6

This Thursday is the National Day of Prayer.  Sunday, May 11th is the Global Day of Prayer.  It’s also the day of Pentecost.  The day in history when God poured out His Holy Spirit on the church in power after 120 disciples of Jesus gathered and prayed for 10 days straight.

We all need God’s power in our lives. And I’m convinced God wants to give it.  But it only comes from proactive prayer.  That’s our response to life.  Pray first.

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.           Colossians 4:2

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.                     Romans 12:11-12

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.                              1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
                                Ephesians 6:18

The church is called to be a community of power. Power comes through prayer.