Pray and Never Give Up - 3

 Pray and Never Give Up - 3

Subject: Tearing Down the Walls

By Rick Welborne

Luke 18:1-8 (NLT2)
¹  One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. 

Ephesians 2:13-14 (NKJV)
¹³  But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
¹⁴  For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 

Hebrews 12:14 (NKJV)
¹⁴  Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:

1. Pursue peace when you are surrounded by walls.

--All of us, at some personal deep level, long for the reality of peace. The absence of war and conflict does not constitute the presence of peace. Have you ever heard of the Cold War…goes on more than you think?

--Real peace is an internal phenomenon. Real peace enables you to sleep when the wind is howling. It assures you of the right even when standing in the presence of wrong. It lets you stand when others are falling. 

--Everyone longs for this kind of peace but sometimes it seems so allusive. Paul, in our text, could see that there was the absence of real, genuine, authentic, abiding peace. There were, as you know, divisions in the church.

--There were divisions between the Jews and Gentiles. Jews were the upper crust and the Gentiles were the intruders. The Jews were the circumcised and the Gentiles were the uncircumcised.

--The Jews had been there a long time and the Gentiles had just gained entrance. The Jews understood the impact and importance of ceremonial law. Gentiles were new to all this. Just babes in Christ.

--As a result, there was something in that community which created a sense of strife and, to be sure, created or caused an absence of peace. There were walls.

2. Where there is a lack of peace…there is the presence of walls.

--You do remember that the temple in Jerusalem was a temple divided. It was not simply divided spiritually, but was indeed divided physically.

--The temple had all kinds of classes of people. The Jews could only go so far and there was a wall. There were the men…a wall…the women…a wall and then the Gentiles. All behind a wall.

--The wall created division, the wall created strife, the wall meant separation, the wall divided husbands from wives, men from women, Jews from Gentiles…therefore there was no peace.

 --We all know walls are important in Scripture and to the nation of Israel.  In Isaiah we read about the watchman on the wall and how he would warn the city of the danger of enemy outside the wall.

--The watchman, from his vantage on the wall, could look and warn people inside the city the danger within. 

--In Nehemiah we read how he heard of the walls and the gates of Jerusalem had been broken down and burned and how he requested of the king to go and rebuild them. He restored the walls thus protecting Israel.

--In Ezra we read how Zerubbabel had the assignment of rebuilding the wall. Though they tried to get him to come down from the wall…he refused because rebuilding the wall was so important.

H. Beecher Hicks, Jr. - “Walls are funny things. Walls not only invade our lives physically, but also affect our lives emotionally. They influence our lives mentally. Walls bother our lives psychologically. Are you aware of the walls in your life? Are you aware of the walls that lurk in your own mind?

3. What a wall is or what it does.

A. Defense Mechanism - designed to shut out. It protects me from you. A wall defends me from being known for what I am. If there is no wall, you can see my weaknesses and I can see your weaknesses, so to protect and defend myself, I build a wall.

Proverbs 18:1 (NKJV)
¹  A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise judgment. 

B. Prevents Communication - as long as a wall exists I can possibly know that you are talking but I cannot understand what you are saying. As long as I don’t understand what you are saying, there is no communication, therefore, there can be no peace.

--I know this never happens in your homes but one of the greatest joys in life is when you ladies (with your sweet little voices) are walking to the other end of the house trying to tell us something!

--I am going one way (restroom) and you are headed the other (kitchen) and I know you are saying something to me but I have no clue what it could possibly be…explains why the restrooms are so messy.

--When there are walls in our lives, our marriages, our churches, people can be talking but no one is hearing or even listening to what you are saying…scary moment is when they say…what do you think about that?

C. Prevents Sight - I do not have x-ray vision like superman. I can’t see you and you can’t see me if there are walls - when I cannot see you, I cannot sense you, or understand you. I cannot appreciate you. Therefore, there is no peace. When there is a wall there I can’t see you and therefore I have no vision for you or even for us!

Proverbs 29:18 (KJV) ¹⁸  Where there is no vision, the people perish: 

Proverbs 29:18 (NLT) ¹⁸  When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. 

--Vision for what…Divine guidance about what? About getting rid of the walls and barriers that are keeping us apart. How many families perish and how many people run wild because of walls not dealt with?

--As long as there is a wall there: I cannot see the smile on your face and therefore I cannot share your joy. I cannot see the frown on your face and therefore I cannot participate in your pain.

--I cannot see the tear that flows down your cheek and therefore, I am insulated from your hurt.

--As long as there is a wall there, I have a defense mechanism. I cannot hear you. I cannot see you, there is no communication, and therefore, because our relationship is incomplete, because our relationship is not full, because I have not really sought to share with you and you have not sought to share legitimately with me, therefore, there is no peace.

--These walls are, therefore, destructive to the very purpose and priority of the church and the family. Remember how the walls separated those in the early church…men, women, Gentiles.

Psalm 122:6-9 (NKJV)
⁶  Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you.
⁷  Peace be within your walls, Prosperity within your palaces."
⁸  For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, "Peace be within you."
⁹  Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek your good.

4. Danger of allowing walls (this lack of peace in our lives).

Compartmentalization – the process of separating into isolated compartments or categories. Walls create division.

--We compartmentalize (we separate) our homes, our churches, and our Christianity.

--The enemy’s strategy for our homes and churches is divide and conquer. The devil wins when he keeps us separated and always skeptical and suspicious about what the other is up to. We become judgmental. 

--You do your thing and I will do mine. How messed up is that for people God wants us to live in unity and peace. We live and worship under the same roof (home or church) but have no peace.

Proverbs 25:28 (NKJV)
²⁸  Whoever has no rule over his own spirit Is like a city broken down, without walls.

--We make ourselves vulnerable to Satan’s schemes but Jesus prayer for us was that we would be one (unified, together, with one mind, with peace).

John 17:20-23 (NKJV)
²⁰  "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 

²¹  that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.
²²  And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:
²³  I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. 

--As long as we are comfortable with our compartments there will be no peace. We will be willfully working against the very Word and prayer of Jesus Christ. So destructive!

5. A bearing wall and an interior (middle) wall.  

--To simplify: The bearing wall is a wall you cannot do without: the bearing wall is designed to bear the weight of a structure and is connected to the foundation. It must be connected to the foundation…Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 3:11 (NKJV)
¹¹  For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

--If the wall around your life is not connected to the foundation, it is not a bearing wall. If the wall around your life is not connected to the rock (Jesus), it will not sustain the weight of your problems, your difficulties.

--This is so important: The middle wall (the interior wall) of which Ephesians speaks about can be removed without any danger to the structure. You can remove it and the building will still stand.

Ephesians 2:14 (NIV)
¹⁴  For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility…

--The problem with these middle walls or interior walls is that we create them…we build them ourselves one brick at a time…hatred, strife, jealousy, un-forgiveness, anger, insecurity, bitterness…see the wall get higher.

--Where there are walls, there is no peace! Tonight would be a good time to confess the walls we have in our lives and get free. To find peace and to watch the walls crumble before you.

--How do the walls come down…you first must be honest about the walls in your lives and that all of us are in the same boat spiritually.

Isaiah 53:6 (NKJV)
⁶  All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. 

--The walls come down when you quickly acknowledge that because of your sin, you too are in need of forgiveness. You are in need of middle (dividing) walls to come down!

--Once you realize your own need for forgiveness, your walls, your obstructions, your barriers have to come down! Pastor, what do I do if it seems the walls are not coming down? Look for the door…Jesus is the door!

Revelation 3:20 (NKJV)
²⁰  Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

2 Samuel 22:29-30 (NKJV)
²⁹  "For You are my lamp, O LORD; The LORD shall enlighten my darkness.
³⁰  For by You I can run against a troop; By my God I can leap over a wall. 

Revival Praying – 3

Revival Praying – 3

Subject – Praying with an Understanding of Who We Are

by Rick Welborne

James 5:13-16 (NLT2)
¹³  Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises.
¹⁴  Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord.
¹⁵  Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.
¹⁶  Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. 

--The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. Obviously, I believe that, and that is why I am preaching this series.

--Something that has always bothered me as a follower of Christ is when I hear believers boast about their position in Christ and speak so much of their privileges because of that. 

--Don’t misunderstand me, there are plenty of scriptures that tell us who we are in Christ and the blessings that entails, but I have never felt it should be a part of our open dialog.

--I am a king’s kid, I am a son of God or daughter of God, I am wealthy, I am healthy, I am seated in high places, I am lifted up with Jesus, I am, I am, I am. How many of you know there is only one I am?

--Here is my dilemma, I see a contrast is Scripture that shows me a different attitude about who we are and the more I study it, the more I believe it has an impact on our prayers. 

--I cannot escape the verse, If My people who are called by My Name will humble themselves and pray…I see much in the prayers of people who are always confessing who they are but I do not see humility. Look at Paul.

1. The scum of the earth.

 1 Corinthians 4:13 (NIV)
^13…Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world. 

--So what is the scum of the earth. Is it the womb of evil where everything horrible in our world is born? Is it the principalities and powers working against God’s church?

--Could it have been Babylon, Rome, or even be Washington D.C.? Is the scum of the earth sin or sinners? We could go on and on guessing what this scum could be and struggle to get the right answer.

--The scum of the earth is neither humanity nor of devils. It is not bad but good. No, not even good, but the very best. It is not material but spiritual, not of Satan but of God. Not only of the church but a group of believers.

--The apostle Paul was saying we apostles are the scum of the earth and if that were not bad enough, he added that we are the refuse of the world. Evidently, Paul had not read the latest self-help book on positive confession. 

--Paul has assessed himself and the apostles as the scum of the earth. How is that beneficial? This person has no ambitions and really has nothing to be jealous about. Today Christians argue over silliness. 

--He has no reputation and so he has nothing to fight about. He has no possessions so he has nothing to worry about. He has no rights (slave) so he can’t be wronged. He is already dead so no one can kill him.

--Is it any wonder that these guys turned the world upside down? The world saw the humility of these apostles and wanted what they had. Sinners today see the arrogance displayed daily on TV. Turns them off. 

--So interesting to me that it was not the world who hurt the apostles but the “church”.

1 Corinthians 4:7-13 (NIV)
⁷  For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
⁸  Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have become kings--and that without us! How I wish that you really had become kings so that we might be kings with you!
⁹  For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like men condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to men.
¹⁰  We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored!
¹¹  To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.
¹²  We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;
¹³  when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world. 

2. The least of the apostles.

1 Corinthians 15:9-10 (NKJV)
⁹  For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
¹⁰  But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

--Could there possibly be any connection between Paul’s humility (how he saw himself) and how he was so tremendously used by God? I definitely think so. His humility motivated him to serve God and work harder. 

--If you are not all that, you need all that He has for you. When you see yourself as weak, then you see your need for God’s strength.

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 (NKJV)
⁸  Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.
⁹  And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
¹⁰  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

--I personally believe God has an attraction to those who are the least. Those who are broken, those who are weak, and even those appear to be barren attracts God to them. 

--Hannah was one of the two wives of Elkanah and she was definitely one of those people who felt like the least. Her rival wife taunted her because she was barren and her husband was clueless about her dilemma.

--She goes to the church to pray and find comfort, but the priest Eli accuses her of being drunk. To say she was going thru a time of weakness and a time of feeling like the scum of the earth, understatement for sure.

--God sees Hannah’s despair but more importantly He hears her prayer and willingness to give back to Him whatever He blesses her with…thus, Samuel was born. A prophet and priest of God. She keeps her word. 

1 Samuel 2:1-3 (NKJV)
¹  And Hannah prayed and said: "My heart rejoices in the LORD; My horn is exalted in the LORD. I smile at my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation.
²  "No one is holy like the LORD, For there is none besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God.
³  "Talk no more so very proudly; Let no arrogance come from your mouth, For the LORD is the God of knowledge; And by Him actions are weighed. 

--Hannah’s labels…being called barren by the other wife (I can’t begin to imagine the dysfunction in a home with two wives) and to be called a drunk by your pastor when you are praying.

--Adversity has a way of pushing us away from God or pushing us into a deeper relationship with God. Before their salvation, my parents were brutal in their dealings with me. 

--They said…There is no hope for you but I met the God of all hope. You were an accident…God says I know the plans I have for you to give you a hope and a future.

--You will never be anything…God took me into His arms, saved me, filled me with Holy Spirit power, and called me into His ministry. I am the least in the family, the scum, the weakest but Jesus has made me strong. 

 2 Corinthians 4:6-10 (NKJV)
⁶  For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
⁷  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
⁸  We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
⁹  persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed--
¹⁰  always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 

--I feel I am the least of the pastors in our section and I still am not sure about what I am doing. I am an empty vessel and I hope I stay that way so God can fill me with His power and wisdom. 

3. Esteem God and others above yourself.

Philippians 2:1-9 (NKJV)
¹  Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,
²  fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
³  Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
⁴  Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
⁵  Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
⁶  who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
⁷  but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
⁸  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
⁹  Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 

--Dr. Duke and I were talking a few weeks back about how the Word of God will show us patterns if we are willing to look for them and discern them. I see a pattern here in Philippians. 

A. Put Jesus first and be like Jesus.

B. Put others next. Esteem others better than yourself.

C. Humble yourself before God. Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Jesus.

D. Let God be the One Who exalts you. Jesus was given a Name above every name. 

Revival Praying – 2

Revival Praying – 2

Subject – Praying Earnestly Until Revival Comes

by Rick Welborne

James 5:13-18 (NLT2)
¹³  Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises.
¹⁴  Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord.
¹⁵  Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.
¹⁶  Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.
¹⁷  Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years!
¹⁸  Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops. 

--Today we continue our series on Revival Praying and tonight we continue to gather to pray. Please do not try to convince me of your concern for America if you are not willing to pray.

--James points out that whatever your need is, sincere prayer is the answer. Whether it is hardships, sickness, or the ravages of sin. Our prayer has great power and wonderful results.

Charles G. Finney – Revival is no more a miracle than a crop of wheat. Revival comes from heaven when heroic souls enter the conflict determined to win or die—or if need be, to win and die! “The Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.”

--Ministry in many ways has become this opportunity for many to show-off their gifting and talent and to convince the crowd how they can move them with their coolness and smooth communication. 

--Many today think how awesome it would be to stand before crowds and feel the power of the moment. In contrast, the prophets of old felt the weight (the enormity) and unpopularity of their calling.

--Many tried to escape the burden of their calling. Moses tried to use the excuse that he stuttered and Jeremiah tried to claim he was way too young for such responsibility. 

--My point is this, many in the ministry today want the glamor without the burden. The burden to pray for the lost and the burden of caring for wandering sheep.

--Pastor Manzer Wright in his last days would share with me the burden he carried as a minister of the gospel and it always came with a warning. “Don’t let those people kill you like they did me.” The burden was heavy.

--Whenever I interview someone for a pastoral ministry position here at Life Church, I always ask them to share with me their experience with God when He called them. No experience, no position.

--Why would I do that? In the ministry you will need to go back in your mind a 1000 times to your calling especially when you are faced with great difficulty. Hear Paul’s burden.

1 Corinthians 9:16 (NKJV)
¹⁶  For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!

--Woe is me if I do not preach this gospel God has called me to, and to exhort you to prayer like never before.

1. Approaching God in prayer. 

--In the last century we have found the power (the awesome power) of atomic and nuclear force. The church needs to re-discover the power of prayer with Holy Spirit and holy living. 

Jude 1:20-21 (NKJV)
²⁰  But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,
²¹  keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

--Praying in Holy Spirit will build you up, will prepare you for spiritual warfare, and it will help you live a holy life before God (keep yourselves in the love of God).

--We must pray if we want to live a holy life. Also, it will be difficult to pray in sincerity before God if we are not living a holy life. Scripture please.

Psalm 24:3-5 (NIV)
³  Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place?
⁴  He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false.
⁵  He will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God his Savior. 

--You see, how you approach God is so important. Here is something to think about. The secret of praying is praying in secret. What you do in your private life speaks volumes of your desire to approach God.

--Reading books, listening to podcasts, or going to conferences about prayer is good but you still have to learn to pray. I can have the guns and bullets galore but until I go and shoot the game, the freezer is empty.

--From someone who loves you, maybe, just maybe the reason your soul is dry, the reason you are unhappy, the reason you are unfulfilled is because of your lack of time in prayer with the Master. 

--We act like with God similar to the kid who rings the doorbell and runs away before the door is opened. How many undiscovered blessings are forfeited because we do not tarry with God and pray? 

2. Prayer as vast as God is.

--There may be those who can estimate the distance from the earth to the sun, those who can tell us the speed of light, predict the rising of the sun every day. You cannot estimate the power of prayer. 

--Prayer is as vast as God. Why? Because He is the One behind it making it happen. Prayer is so mighty because God has committed Himself to answering when we call on Him. Listen to the psalmist praying:

Psalm 34:4-6 (NKJV)
⁴  I sought the LORD, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears.
⁵  They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces were not ashamed.
⁶  This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles. 

--It has been said that the reason Jesus will have to wipe away tears from our eyes at the Judgment Seat of Christ will be because of our small prayers in light of His greatness.

--How powerful are the prayers of the saints of God? Prayer has nullified the strength of fire, prayer has shut the mouths of lions, prayer has stopped anarchy in the streets…ask Esther.

--If God’s people praying and declaring a fast could stop anarchy for Queen Esther and Mordecai in the streets, couldn’t God do the same for the cities of America if we pray?

--Prayer has reversed the laws of science (ax head floating), prayer has stopped armies (ask Jehoshaphat), prayer has cast out demons, prayer has raised the dead to life (ask Lazarus). 

--Prayer has healed diseases like leprosy (what could God do to Covid 19?), prayer made the sun stand still in the sky so the battle could be won (ask Joshua).

--Prayer is a power, prayer is a privilege, prayer is access to the God Who has no limitations. The Bible says we have not because we do not ask. We have not today because we pray not. We must pray. 

--Make note of this, your time of prayer is not just a place where you hand God your unending list of things you want Him to do for you. Yes, prayer changes things but prayer changes people.

--Prayer changed Hannah by taking away her reproach but also, prayer changed Hannah from a barren woman to a fruitful woman. From a woman of mourning to a woman of dancing. Hannah came to a vast God!

--Many of us are praying that God will cause us to dance but maybe the issue is that we have not learned to mourn first. We want the garment of praise first.

Isaiah 61:3 (NKJV)
³  To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified." 

--Thank God we are a mission’s church but please never forget the vastness of God. You guys give so much to missions and that is great but what would happen if we added prayer?

Psalm 126:5-6 (NKJV)
⁵  Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy.
⁶  He who continually goes forth weeping, Bearing seed for sowing, Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, Bringing his sheaves with him. 

3. Revival praying birthed by love.

Exodus 32:31-32 (NKJV)
³¹  Then Moses returned to the LORD and said, "Oh, these people have committed a great sin, and have made for themselves a god of gold!
³²  Yet now, if You will forgive their sin--but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written."

Romans 9:2-4 (NLT2)
²  My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief
³  for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would be willing to be forever cursed—cut off from Christ!—if that would save them.
⁴  They are the people of Israel, chosen to be God’s adopted children. 

--If John Knox had prayed, “Give me success.” But he prayed a self-sacrificing prayer.

John Knox – Give me Scotland, or I die!

 --David Livingstone had such a burden for Africa…He prayed, Lord, when will the wound of this world’s sin be healed? He lived in prayer and actually died on his knees in prayer.

--Only prayer motivated by love will change this sin hungry world. We need a prayer hungry church that will stay in God’s presence until things change. 

--Pastor, I only have influence over a few people. What difference can I make? You probably have more influence than you think. It is not the size but the sort.

1 Corinthians 3:11-13 (NKJV)
¹¹  For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
¹²  Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
¹³  each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is.

Pray and Never Give Up - 2

Pray and Never Give Up - 2

Subject: The Power of Dealing with Hidden Sin

by Rick Welborne

Luke 18:1-8 (NLT2)
¹  One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. 

Joshua 7:1-4,11-13 (NLT)
¹  But Israel violated the instructions about the things set apart for the LORD. A man named Achan had stolen some of these dedicated things, so the LORD was very angry with the Israelites. Achan was the son of Carmi, a descendant of Zimri son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah.
²  Joshua sent some of his men from Jericho to spy out the town of Ai, east of Bethel, near Beth-aven.
³  When they returned, they told Joshua, “There’s no need for all of us to go up there; it won’t take more than two or three thousand men to attack Ai. Since there are so few of them, don’t make all our people struggle to go up there.”
⁴  So approximately 3,000 warriors were sent, but they were soundly defeated. The men of Ai
¹¹  Israel has sinned and broken my covenant! They have stolen some of the things that I commanded must be set apart for me. And they have not only stolen them but have lied about it and hidden the things among their own belongings.
¹²  That is why the Israelites are running from their enemies in defeat. For now Israel itself has been set apart for destruction. I will not remain with you any longer unless you destroy the things among you that were set apart for destruction.
¹³  “Get up! Command the people to purify themselves in preparation for tomorrow. For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Hidden among you, O Israel, are things set apart for the LORD. You will never defeat your enemies until you remove these things from among you. 

Joshua 6:18-19 (NLT)
¹⁸  “Do not take any of the things set apart for destruction, or you yourselves will be completely destroyed, and you will bring trouble on the camp of Israel.
¹⁹  Everything made from silver, gold, bronze, or iron is sacred to the LORD and must be brought into his treasury.” 

--Last week we told you that you need to be pray and not give up. God can work incredible miracles for us but we must be willing to deal with our hidden sins. 

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NKJV)
¹⁶  All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
¹⁷  that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

--Tonight I believe, through our text, God is going to speak to us a word of reproof (rebuke), a word of correction (adjustment}, and a word of instruction (training) so that we can be complete (whole).

1. Reproof: Our sin or sins affects not only us but those around us. 

--Pastor, what I am doing will only affect me…matter of fact my children, my family, and even my church does not know what I am doing. As long as I keep it hidden, I am good. Really?

Joshua 7:1 (NKJV)
¹  But the children of Israel committed a trespass regarding the accursed things, for Achan the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed things; so the anger of the LORD burned against the children of Israel. 

--The children of Israel committed a trespass, other translations say they disobeyed the Lord’s instruction, they ignored His commands, they acted unfaithfully, they violated His instructions, they broke faith, they sinned.

--Notice it was they…it was Israel…it was God’s people who disobeyed and sinned against God. Wait a minute, Preacher, it says that it was Achan who took things he was not supposed to take.

--I guess you have me; you are right in saying it was Achan who committed the sin but the truth is that sin has a way of affecting more than just the person who does it. 

Romans 14:7 (NIV) ⁷  For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone.

Joshua 7:20-21 (NLT)
²⁰  Achan replied, “It is true! I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel.
²¹  Among the plunder I saw a beautiful robe from Babylon, 200 silver coins, and a bar of gold weighing more than a pound. I wanted them so much that I took them. They are hidden in the ground beneath my tent, with the silver buried deeper than the rest.”

--I saw…I wanted…I sinned…do you see the problem here with Achan…it was all about him and about what he wanted with no regard to how it would affect anyone else. Who does that sound like?

Isaiah 14:12-14 (NKJV)
¹²  "How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! 

¹³  For you have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north;
¹⁴  I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.'

--How many of you believe that if Achan could do it all over that he would have made a better choice…he had been warned by the word of the Lord earlier…do not take anything!

Joshua 7:24-25 (NLT)
²⁴  Then Joshua and all the Israelites took Achan, the silver, the robe, the bar of gold, his sons, daughters, cattle, donkeys, sheep, goats, tent, and everything he had, and they brought them to the valley of Achor.
²⁵  Then Joshua said to Achan, “Why have you brought trouble on us? The LORD will now bring trouble on you.” And all the Israelites stoned Achan and his family and burned their bodies.

--Pastor, that is not fair that Achan’s sin affected his entire family…not only did his sin affect the family but it also affected the entirety of Israel…think of the impact on the families of 36 soldiers who died.

--We said this was going to be a reproof (a rebuke) so hear me out…It may not be fair what Achan’s sin did to everyone else but think about it…we see the same thing acted out every day.

--The alcoholic is not just destroying his life, the drug addicted person whether legal or illegal is not only affecting his life, the mom or dad who is messing around, the person being divisive in the church. 

Joshua 7:21 (NLT) ²¹  Among the plunder I saw a beautiful robe from Babylon, 200 silver coins, and a bar of gold weighing more than a pound. I wanted them so much that I took them. 

--Achan took what he wanted but he got more than he bargained for…his sin cost him everything…he lost the robe, the silver, and the gold but he lost much more…he lost his family…his life.

--I don’t want to be too cruel today with this reproof but just imagine with me Achan’s children looking at him and saying right before they stoned them…Why daddy? The Ten Commandments:

Exodus 20:5-6 (NLT)
⁵  You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me.
⁶  But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands.

2. Correction: We must deal with our hidden sins.

Joshua 7:19 (NKJV)
¹⁹  Now Joshua said to Achan, "My son, I beg you, give glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession to Him, and tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me."

--I know you know this…there is no such thing as hidden sin…you may take pride that you can sneak around and hide your stuff from family and friends but nothing is hidden from God.

Hebrews 4:13 (NLT) ¹³  Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.

Luke 8:17 (NIV) ¹⁷  For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.

--What sobering verses to all of us…we need to make sure that we have repented of our sins (confessed our sins before God) and turned back to God with all our hearts. These sins will nullify our prayers. 

--If we do not deal with these sins it will have an adverse effect on our relationship with Jesus, it will have an adverse effect on our families, and it will have an adverse effect on the body of Christ.

--Pastor Rick, are you trying to tell us that when we sin we can really effect the spiritual life and victory of Life Church and of our families? Yes, listen to this verse again: Listen to Israel and they in these verses:

Joshua 7:1 & 11-13 (NLT)
¹  But Israel violated the instructions about the things set apart for the LORD. A man named Achan had stolen some of these dedicated things, so the LORD was very angry with the Israelites. Achan was the son of Carmi… ¹¹  Israel has sinned and broken my covenant! They have stolen some of the things that I commanded must be set apart for me. And they have not only stolen them but have lied about it and hidden the things among their own belongings.
¹²  That is why the Israelites are running from their enemies in defeat. For now Israel itself has been set apart for destruction. I will not remain with you any longer unless you destroy the things among you that were set apart for destruction.
¹³  “Get up! Command the people to purify themselves in preparation for tomorrow. For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Hidden among you, O Israel, are things set apart for the LORD. You will never defeat your enemies until you remove these things from among you. 

3. Instruction: Be obedient to what God says…His Word!

Joshua 6:17-19 (NLT)
¹⁷  Jericho and everything in it must be completely destroyed as an offering to the LORD. Only Rahab the prostitute and the others in her house will be spared, for she protected our spies.
¹⁸  “Do not take any of the things set apart for destruction, or you yourselves will be completely destroyed, and you will bring trouble on the camp of Israel.
¹⁹  Everything made from silver, gold, bronze, or iron is sacred to the LORD and must be brought into his treasury.” 

--God’s instructions are really simple when you think about it: Everything must be completely destroyed, do not take any of these things, and silver, gold, and iron goes to the Lord’s treasury…His House! House of prayer!

--Think about homes with total disobedience…chaos, think of churches where people are doing their own thing…trouble, think of couples with no honor or respect…division. God delights when we obey Him.

Isaiah 59:2 & 14 (NKJV)
²  But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.
¹⁴  Justice is turned back, And righteousness stands afar off; For truth is fallen in the street, And equity cannot enter. 

--Sin causes God to not hear us when we pray.

Revival Praying – 1

Revival Praying – 1

Subject – Praying Earnestly Until Revival Comes

by Rick Welborne

James 5:13-20 (NLT2)
¹³  Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises.
¹⁴  Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord.
¹⁵  Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.
¹⁶  Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.
¹⁷  Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years!
¹⁸  Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops.
¹⁹  My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back,
²⁰  you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins. 

--Today we begin this new series “Revival Praying” and I hope this is exactly what Life Church will begin to do. Anyone with their eyes opened can see our world is in a mess.

--Please understand where I am going with this message and maybe where I am not going. I have heard recent prophesies that say this next revival or move of God will be easy (effortless).

--I have heard some people, of whom I respect very much, say that that basically all we will have to do is stand back and watch. I wish that were true. I wish it would be that easy. 

--We can plan and organize camp meetings or exciting services with tremendous worship that will make us shout and actually have fun but the spiritual high is only temporary.

--The kind of revival I am talking about takes a church takes the church in its grasp and refuses to let go until every last ounce of sin and self has been squeezed out. There is nothing pacifying about revival.

--Revival is not a season to be jolly. It’s not celebration or festivity. The church in revival is faced with the anguish of unforgiven sin.  Like Isaiah of old the church cries out “Undone”.  

--We have this misconception about revival that it is all about celebration and goosebumps when the reality is a true move of God reveals to us our sinful hearts and how we have turned from God. Repentance.

--As your pastor, I don’t worry as much about the believers who mess up, and then, feel guilt and shame followed by returning to God. I worry about those who sin and feel no guilt at all. Dangerous.

--Many times when we read about former revivals, we say we wish revival would come to us like it came to them, implying it was something easy.

--Hear me, revival does not come easy, it comes thru travail before God until the birth takes place. And just as Satan in the Revelation waited to destroy the Christ child, he waits to destroy revival.

--We are in for a battle, my friends, and it will not be easy. We have to be willing to take hold of eternal life and to never let it go. 

--Like with babies, revival has to be conceived, it has to be nourished for a period of time, then there comes the labor pains, and at the right time, there comes the birthing of the move of God. 

--I am not sure we are ready or willing to pray or pay that kind of cost. We say we need it, we say we want it with hands raised, but are we willing to agonize before God until it comes? Back to our text.

--James is telling us that if we are facing hard times, if we have sickness, if we have unforgiven sin in our lives, we should pray! The earnest prayer of a person right with God produces wonderful results. 

--James shifts and gives us Elijah as a man like us but a man who prayed powerfully. He prays and there is no rain, he prays and the oil and flour do not run out, and he prays and a dead child rises.

--He prays and fire comes down from heaven, he prays and the rain returns, he prays and chooses his successor, he prays (my favorite story) and says if I am a man of God let fire come down and destroy the captain (50).

--He prays and he and Elisha go across the Jordan River on dry land and he prays again, and he is taken up in a chariot of fire. So what’s the point? His prayer was powerful. Shook a nation and affected Israel (church).

2 Kings 2:14 (NKJV)
¹⁴  Then he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, and said, "Where is the LORD God of Elijah?" 

--Maybe this is not the question we should be asking. God is where He has always been, on His throne but where are the Elijahs of God?

1. Elijahs of God

--James tells us that Elijah was human or of like passions as we are but we are not like him obviously when it comes to praying and seeking God. 

--He and God stand together as a majority against a wicked nation, against a wicked king, and a wicked Jezebel. We think we can’t make a difference in the mess today but we can if we pray.

Romans 8:28-32 (NIV)
²⁸  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
²⁹  For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
³⁰  And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
³¹  What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
³²  He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 

--We think this election is about either our team winning or the other team winning. Please stop it! This is about the soul of a nation, it is about standing for righteousness, and taking responsibility as believers.

--The things Elijah did to fight against wickedness could not have been done any other way than through prayer. If you want to make a difference please vote but even more important pray for our nation.

2 Chronicles 7:13-15 (NIV)
¹³  "When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people,
¹⁴  if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
¹⁵  Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.

--Pastor, we have heard those verses over and over. Great, start doing what they say. Humble yourselves, pray, seek God’s face, and turn from your wicked ways. Commentary on Elijah…he prayed.

2. Stand in the Gap.

--So many times we think we have it worse now than any time in history but Elijah was raised up at a time when darkness covered the land.

Isaiah 60:2 (NKJV)
²  For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the LORD will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you. 

--The Lord is telling of a time when darkness will be so prevalent over the land and people but God, in His mercy, will reveal His glory thru His servants. How can this happen? 

--In Elijah’s day you could look across the landscape and see the smoke coming from a thousand pagan temples and altars and this was among the people who claimed Abraham as their father. God had departed!

--So what did God do? He looked for a man, not a committee, not a certain denomination, not the best worship group, but a man who would stand in the gap and make a difference.

Ezekiel 22:30 (NKJV)
³⁰  So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.

--Pastor, I can’t pray unless we have good worship songs, music with no word, no music, loud music, quiet music, a devotion, a time of worship…please stop. Stand in the gap and pray!

--None of us can even imagine what America will look like in the next ten years if we do not have a revival that sweeps across the land and changes people. 

--Babies dying, cities burning, gun fights in the streets moving to neighborhoods, traditional marriage being mocked, pandemics keeping kids out of school, businesses destroyed in the name of justice. This is today!

3. Stand in the Gap and Pray.

--The secret to praying is praying in secret. If we are not praying, we are playing with the future of our kids and grandkids. I love the song…The Blessing but we have to pray for that to happened. 

--We love to talk about, read about, even quote Azusa, Hebrides, Wesley, Ravenhill, Bartleman, and other great men and moves of God. We do everything but imitate what they did for revival. They prayed.

--We marvel how they gave their last drop of blood to see God move and to change entire countries but we dare not sacrifice any of our own blood. The cost is too great. 

--God is by-passing so many men and women now, not because they do not know what to do, they are not too ignorant, it is because we are to self-sufficient. We have everything we want.

Revelation 3:15-22 (NKJV)
¹⁵  I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.
¹⁶  So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.
¹⁷  Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'--and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—

¹⁸  I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.
¹⁹  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.
²⁰  Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
²¹  To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
²²  He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." ' "

--We must repent, we must stand in the gap, and we must pray!

Pray and Never Give Up - 1

Pray and Never Give Up - 1

Subject: The Power of Persistent Prayers

by Rick Welborne

Luke 18:1-8 (NLT2)
¹  One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.
²  “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people.
³  A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’
⁴  The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people,
⁵  but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’”
⁶  Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge.
⁷  Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?
⁸  I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?” 

1. I challenge you to pray bold prayers!

--Life Church, God is looking for people who will pray prayers like their lives depend upon it, pray prayers that will resurrect the dead (prodigals), and prayers that will make walls come crashing down. America and churches

--Our bold prayers honor God and God honors bold prayers.

--God isn’t offended by your biggest dreams or boldest prayers. He is offended by anything less. If your prayers aren’t impossible to you, they are insulting to God. Why? 

--Because they do not require divine intervention. But ask God to part the Red Sea or make the sun stand still or float an ax head, and God is moved to omnipotent action.

--We must be convinced that God loves keeping promises, answering prayers, performing miracles, and fulfilling dreams. That is Who He is! That is what He does! The bolder the prayer, more glory for God!

--God is just waiting for our human impotence to intersect with His divine omnipotence, and they intersect when we ask and keep on asking, seek and keep on seeking, and knock and keep on knocking. 

--But, Pastor, I have prayed for ten years for this miracle…pray another year and pray boldly that this is going to be the time for God to show up in power and majesty! Stretch your faith! 

--I promise you God is ready and He is willing…you must get in your mind and seal it in your heart that God is for you. If you don’t believe that you will pray weak timid prayers. If you believe it, you will pray bold prayers!

Romans 8:31-32 (NKJV)
³¹  What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
³²  He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

2. I challenge you to pray and not give up or quit!

Luke 18:1-8 (NLT)
¹  One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.
²  “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people.
³  A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’
⁴  The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people,
⁵  but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’”
⁶  Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge.
⁷  Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?
⁸  I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?” 

--Justice will come from a just Judge…How do we view God?

--Do we see Him as just to others but not to us? Is He just to Americans but not to Muslims? Is God just to everyone? Is He truly willing that none should perish? Is He willing to answer our prayers?

--Is your God waiting with a big stick wanting to crack you on the head the first mistake you make or is He so far away and so unconcerned about you and your problems…He can’t be touched by your stuff.

Hebrews 4:14-16 (KJV)
¹⁴  Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
¹⁵  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
¹⁶  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

--How we view the justice of God will determine how we view our world and those closest to us. If we believe He does not care…we will not care for them…the judge neither feared God or cared about people.

--Justice will come to the chosen who cry out night and day. Those who pray and don’t give up!

The story Jesus told was to emphatically say that if an unjust judge will give justice, how much more will the just Judge God answer those who cry out night and day! Don’t quit praying!

--How we pray will determine how we live…how we pray will determine how we care for the lost and hurting …how we pray will determine how much we trust our just God.

--Justice will come to those who pray and never give up. We give up, we quit way to soon! What if Israel would have gone around Jericho one less time on that last day? Stopped on lap 12. No miracle!

--What would have happened if the people would have started talking instead of being silent …Be still and know I am God? Their history proved their grumbling and complaining killed miracles.

--What if we pray one more time today and then, do it again tomorrow…what will happen if we pray and never give up?

--So learn a lesson from this persistent widow and the results she had. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night?

3. I challenge you to pray for those things that are most important.

--Many of us have a Gatlin Gun mentality when it comes to our prayers. We blast out prayers for everything under the sun and, most of the time, we are not serious about any of them. 

--Don’t misunderstand me, everything I pray for is very important and every person I mention in my prayers are dear to me and obviously are dear to God.

--I will continue to pray for all those needs but when it comes to praying bold prayers over certain needs that are absolutely near to God’s heart and mine…I pray with a different intensity. I am more focused. 

--I am more likely to pray with greater diligence about a family member who is lost and far from God than I am you being able to kill a big buck this year or find the best deal on a piece of furniture.

--Three needs that are near to me are my family, my church, and the lost! All these things are near to the heart of God so I will pray boldly and passionately for them. Do you understand?

--When I am praying with intensity for my family, I am praying for my marriage to Tricia…do we have a good marriage, yes, but could it be better by me praying…of course. She is probably crying…Help, Lord!

--I pray for my kids to love God and to find their calling and destiny with Him…I plead the blood of Jesus over them and I pray favor over them every day. Much of my prayer is for them. 

Joshua 24:14-15 (NKJV)
¹⁴  "Now therefore, fear the LORD, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD!
¹⁵  And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."

--When I pray boldly for the church (Life Church) I pray for Holy Spirit, Book of Acts growth and that Jesus will build His Body and multiply us by souls being saved. Pray for the Villages for the campus there. 

--When I pray for the church I never have to wonder if I am praying the will of God:

Matthew 16:18 (NIV)
¹⁸  And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

--When I pray for the prodigals I pray for my own family (who are lost), your families, and those I am witnessing to in our communities. Quite a long least. 

Isaiah 60:1-4 (NKJV)
¹  Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you.
²  For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the LORD will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you.
³  The Gentiles shall come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising.
⁴  "Lift up your eyes all around, and see: They all gather together, they come to you; Your sons shall come from afar, And your daughters shall be nursed at your side. 

--Back to the persistent widow. Surely you believe the community was watching while she fought for the justice that was due her. The community is always watching when we tell them we are believers. 

The last verse in the parable is of utmost importance to this idea of praying. 

Luke 18:1-8 (NLT)                                                                                                                                                ⁸  I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?” 

--How many will Jesus find on the earth who have faith? Those who are praying and never giving up!