04 Nov Prayers: Don’t Trust The Heart, Yet You Need The Heart
Pastor Vincent - 24 April 2014
The Strength To Put Your Treasure Rightly
The bible says “And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek His kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well” In this life, what spurs you to do what you are doing? Be it studying, working, living with family and loved ones - what causes you to make certain decisions, give up certain things for the others? If the treasure in your heart is on the tangible things, that reflects your value in life. What ever actions you do or decisions you made, all are for the pursuit of the tangible things your heart desire. If the treasure in your heart is on the kingdom of God, the knowledge of God in you will propel you to eat, drink, talk and work for the sake of gospel today. If you have already known the truth yet you are unable to taste the joy of submission in all things today, continue to seek God by going into deeper and more intense prayer, for God will leave no stones unturned if the children seek to confirm His truth in all things.
From Series: "All English Service"
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Prayers: Don’t Trust The Heart, Yet You Need The Heart
Verses to read:
<Jeremiah 17:9> <Mark 7:20-21><James 4:7-10><James 4:1-2,4>
Introduction:
“Pray in the spirit with all kinds of prayers in all occasion” <Eph 6:18>.
- Yet, prayer is by far one of the most difficult spiritual exercise in most Christian lives. Few enjoyed prayer becoz they could not draw near to God.
- In prayer, our heart lies at the center of the problem.
- Should we trust our heart? Yet without the heart, how to pray?
- The Lord is near to the broken-hearted, and HE saves the contrite in spirit <Ps 34:18>.
1. The Gospel reveals the nature of the Heart.
1) Its deceitful above all else <Jer 17:9>.
- It creates its own truth, even about God.
- People who believes in the wrong gospel are NOT praying, even though they are.
- What is the fundamental gospel truths?
– SIN (against God)
– Salvation (through Faith in Christ alone)
– To live in pursuit of God and the Kingdom
2) So there must first be a renewal of the heart
- heart of stone to a heart of flesh <Eze 36:26>.
3) Yet, the heart is always prone to spiritual attacks.
- Prone to the enemies lies (temptations, accusations, worries of life, feel abandoned by God, etc)
2. How to draw near to God, despite spiritual attacks?
1) Know our spiritual enemy – The Devil
- He works through:
(1) Our sinful desires
(2) The World
(3) Haughtiness, proudness
2) Yet God showed us MORE GRACE! <v6>
- My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. <1 John 2:1>
- If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. <1 John 1:9>
3) Act of True Confession <v8>
- (1) Wash your hands, you sinners
- (2) Purify your hearts, you double-minded
4) Grieve, mourn and wail… <v9>
5) Humble yourself before the Lord and he will lift you up. <v10>
Reflection:
1) What is the greatest obstacle in your prayer life?
2) How do you usually deal with a “no heart to pray” situation?
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