Just Do It

Anyway so much for dad jokes for today today or emphasis is in prayer, but it's putting prayer into immediate action. Now the time that I got was was just do it. And so when we say just do it, what do we think of? Nike right it's I mean, it's just one of those things but I want to ask you every time you see that Nike symbol every time you see that little brand that says just do it think about prayer and then put one word behind it now. Is he just do it isn't enough. You got to do it now and let's make sure that that's the way our prayer goes and that that's how we respond when it's time to pray and let's pray now. Let's get it done because it's important. I don't know about you probably true for all of us. Somebody says, well I have this need or I had this prayer request in and we say, you know what I'll be praying for you. And how many times do we forget to pray? Because we put it off didn't we? You say just do it. Now. We need to pray when it's necessary when we're remembering it. But the thing is that we want to remember is a James 1:22 says do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourself do what it says it goes on to say anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says. It's like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and after looking at himself goes away in a mediately forgets what he looks like and when I read this I think of the those videos you can see, you know people in Walmart, You know that have you seen those videos, you know the people in Walmart and it's like what were these people thinking when they got in the car and drove to Walmart? And that just remind me it's just like, you know, you look at some people in Hugo do they not have mirrors in their house, you know, but are we like that? I would like that when we see and hear God's word that we we walk away and we forget about it. I think we're guilty of that. I know I am but it's easy isn't it to you? Just say? Oh, yeah. Yeah, I agree with that, but we don't put it into action. Do we Is he so we need to do that. It says further on it says but whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continues in it not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it. They will be blessed and what they do. You see I praying for people in doing it right away. There is a blessing that comes with it. And we need to be careful that we don't put it off that we just do it and do it now. It's important. k show 1st Thessalonians 5 16 and 18 says Rejoice always pray continually give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

So the phrase pray continually means to do it constantly and reoccurring but how do we do that? You know, obviously, you know, we're not going to go around, you know with her eyes closed and her hands folded everywhere we go in this prayer position BC prayer is something that should be a natural thing that we do but it has to be natural when we engage ourselves in the relationship with God and with Jesus Christ as we make that a part of our lives and it becomes more and more integrated into all the things that we do. You see then then that continual prayer becomes a part of our life. We think about those things that were doing and we take them before the Lord and how many times are we so self-sufficient that we believe that we can handle it and if I can handle it then I'll take it to the Lord. I say we ought to be taking all these things for the Lord. These are the things that that God gives us wisdom. And any gives us understanding and the more we do that the more we come in tune with what his will is in our life. We start acting in a way that is pleasing unto God. And so that's what we need to do by praying. Continually. We need to be connected to God to be able to do that. We need to have him as a part of our live our ongoing life integrated into everything that we do and then that way we will be considering God and all the things that we do.

So there's a couple of verses that talk about this and and it says Psalm 34:1. It says I will extol the Lord at all times his praise will always be on my lips you see and there's reminders of that all the time you think about the way that God works in our lives and works out circumstances that times and do we say that it's just chance we say that it's just whatever. You know, this is God who has an interest in our lives and he will work circumstances for our benefit but also for his glory we need to remember to give him honor for that in and remind ourselves that it's him and we need to be praising. His lips are praising him with our lips on a on a regular basis Isaias. 26:3 says you will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in you and that is because God wants us to be

In tune with him and it gives us peace in our lives when we are focused on him and and we are steadfast and solid because we know that God is integrated into our lives. So prank and generally comes as we always keep our mind on the Lord when our focus is on spiritual perspectives and not worldly perspective. Hey, we can get so easily caught up in what happens in the world and I'm sure we're all like this, you know, we look at what's going on around us and certainly today. There are many things that are are troubling and I'm really upsetting. And we can get caught up in these things. We think while I've got to get involved in this political party or I've got to get involved in this this action to make sure that this this candidate doesn't get elected and and all of these things and and there's there's a certain amount of that that is is probably important to do but we also need to realize that God is Sovereign God is still in control we can trust in him and you see by trusting in Him and having a spiritual perspective and remembering that God is in control. And we can have peace that's where peace comes knowing that regardless as to what happened. Even if situations get bad, even if a certain candidate becomes president or congress goes to this party or to that party certainly those things are things that we need to be thinking about and be concerned about but you know God is still in control of all those things and we can have peace and rest in that but we need to be praying for our leadership. We need to be praying for our country. We need to be praying for God's will In all of these things. And you see sometimes God will use those things big to bring us back into attention to him. If you look at what happened with the Israelites God over and over again told them look focus on me. Do what I called you to do live according to the laws that I've given you and you will prosper but when they got away from it when they started looking elsewhere when they started looking at different idols and putting their trust and other things then that's when their world started falling apart and God had to bring them back through his discipline and any use of those things to bring us back and perhaps the things that are happening today. We look at even our country and our culture are we can look and say well things are falling apart here. Well, we should be focusing back on what God has for each and every one of us our relationship. That's where we started with our relationship with God making sure that that is set up and it is proper that we are focused on him and we're constantly in prayer and pray for our country and our leaders, you know, whether they be National or or Statewide or local we need to be praying for these people praying that God would work in their lives as well because God is the one who establishes those leaders and sometimes our leaders that that bring us into discipline and sometimes our leaders that bring us blessing and so we need to be praying and in regard to that. But we need to be doing it on a constant basis. Not just you know, once or twice a week. These are things that we need to be doing regularly all the time. Well would it how do we do this? You know, I don't know about you, but I have a real hard time trying to keep focused on spiritual things in my life. I can get distracted I can get to where you know, I'm thinking about my environment and those things that are in my life and I get frustrated with that and it's like well, how am I going to deal with this? What what happens about this, you know, and I am not trusting God to be able to do that. It takes discipline. It takes a purpose a purpose full effort to be able to do that. We need to practice that we need to discipline ourselves so that we bring ourselves into that place where we're thinking about God and thinking about what God does on a regular basis all the time. And that brings me to just reflecting back on one of the songs we sang this morning or it says Jesus Paid It All e and and they verse begins with I hear the Savior say die strength indeed is small child of weakness Watch and Pray. Find me thine all in all. You see that's really a great way of expressing who we are and who got is and the fact that God says look child of weakness. You need to watch and pray because I'm in charge and I will take care of it. And we need to find our all in all in in in God and the Lord Jesus Christ and trust in him. These are the things that will bring us into a place where when we were thinking about God and recognizing that God is our all in all everything, you know, we release all of that to him and as we release it to him, he will take it charge of that and he will bless us and he will guide us and give us the confidence to know that whatever we're doing. If we're in God's will the outcome will be to his honor and Glory. Sometimes it doesn't mean that all of our our prayers will be answered the way we want is like the dad joke or I said, you know, you're the answer to my prayers, you know what I prayed for, but you're the answer, you know, and sometimes God gives us An answer that maybe we're not happy with but if we're realizing that God is in control. He knows what's best even when it doesn't look like it's the best he's still in control we can trust him and as we trust him we see more and more how God is faithful in that but you have to trust him you have to put it to practice. God says try me try me and see what I can do. He he challenges us to do that. And as we do that then we find that God is faithful and even those times when maybe it's not going the way we want. We will see eventually how God is in control and how God will supercede all things and bring about what brings him the most honor and glory and it gives us the privilege of being a part of that. You ever think about that? It's a privilege for us to be in the gods. Will he he doesn't need us is not about us. God didn't create us so that we could Revel in ourselves. He created us for his own Glory his alone. Now that's kind of hard for us to imagine, isn't it? You know, I mean, you know, who does God think he is, you know that he didn't create me because I'm so great. You know, that's not what I create a tee created us for his glory and as we submit to that as we understand how wonderful that becomes, you know, then he reveals. These are things that are Mysteries. They don't make sense. They're not logic to us, but you see God knows and as we were as we give ourself over to him even though Circumstances that it does not look like things are going to work out. God will give us peace and peace is more important than a result. That seems to make us happy to see happiness is fleeting. Peace when there's peace that's enduring we need to remember that.

So when do we find our need for prayer? Hey there a number of times that that we pray a one there. That is probably common is we pray when were troubled don't we, you know when things aren't going well or things look like. There's something going to happen that we don't have control over. You know, we like to pray at those times. Don't we and that's not bad. That's not a bad thing to do. And God uses these troubling times to get our Focus to get our attention and in Philippians 4:6. It says do not be anxious about anything but in every situation by prayer and petition with Thanksgiving present your requests to God. Don't be anxious. We don't have to be anxious. We can take these things that cause us anxiety and we can take them to the Lord and and give them to him see if he gives us that opportunity gives us that privilege to be able to take it to him. And again the outcome may not be exactly what we want. But you see God will in the long run. Give us peace about that. gay And there's a couple of it. We're not going to turn to these and I am not even going to quote them but in Psalm 119:114, you know, it says that we can go to God for shelter and shield for a place to live in and protection we can trust God for that and Psalm 31:20 says we can go to him when others hurt us. He David experience that a lot and and that's what the song does. It says. We can go to God when people heard us, you know.

Probably all of us said the experience that at some point or another and it's not fun is it when people hurt us, but we can take that to the Lord and even if it's happening we can take it to the Lord and trust in him for that and Luke 12:22. It also talked about how we can trust God for the things that we need and God will supply all your need according to his riches. He says he talks about the birds of the air and the in the lilies in the field. He says they don't go without. You know, there's nothing more beautiful than the Lily. It's God dresses them. You know, we look at beautiful flowers in and that's God's creation. That's just a reminder that God will take care of us.

Another time that we like to pray is when we don't feel loved.

We don't belong.

We've all felt that empty feeling haven't we? We don't feel loved or we don't feel like we belong somewhere. That's a real dark place to be at times. but in Jeremiah 31:3, he says the Lord appeared to us in the past saying I have loved you with an everlasting love. I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.

No matter what happens. No matter if we feel like we're alone. We know that God has loved us with an unfailing love. He never stops loving us. As always available to us and we can rest in that. 2nd Corinthians 1 21 and 22. It says now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us set his seal of ownership on us and put his spirit in our hearts as a deposit guaranteeing. What is to come? That's a tremendous thing. You think about that relationship, you know, it says he anoints us and that anointing is it is an old picture where that they would anoint someone with oil and that meant that they were set apart that they were made special. They were given a special place in and there was a purpose for that. That's what they know eating was.

And then he says we're set a set of seal of ownership upon us.

A seal and only he has the authority to break that seal and he won't he seals us as his own. It's a Mark that belongs that we belong to him. And that's a proud thing that we can have. That's a comforting thing to know that he has sealed us and then the third thing is he put his spirit in our hearts as a deposit. And that means that that not only has he sealed as but he has put God spirit in our hearts as a guarantee as a deposit knowing that in the long run. He will come and reclaim us he is going to come and reclaim us each and every one of us as Believers. He will he will come and reclaim us and we can trust in that and we can have peace knowing that that is what God is going to do for us. Even when we're alone. Even when we feel rejected by others, even when we feel unloved we have that promise. There's another thing that we we can pray for in that has pray for wisdom. Whenever we come to a place in our lives where we have to make a choice, or when we're going somewhere, you know, praying for wisdom for Godly wisdom. It's very important. UC

There's human wisdom. And that's the one we need to be careful that we don't go with human wisdom. I can remember many years ago. I've been married 10 years that the time and I was working with these other fellows in someone would come up and they would say well, you know me and my wife are not getting along very well and I don't know I'm thinking about leaving her I getting a divorce. What do you think? What should I do? You know, I meant you if you would give them advice about marriage is hard work and I want to make that work you need to work hard and you need to be forgiving you need to you need to have an attitude that says, you know, I need to serve that other person and regardless as to how they react, you know, if your serving someone else You see that will help build a relationship. Will you give him this advice? And they go away, you know when the next thing, you know, they're sitting next to somebody else and they're talking to them and this guy's been divorced twice, you know, and they're all not in your head, you know, and the next thing you know, what is a I do, you know, he's he's divorced, you know, he wasn't looking for wisdom. He was looking for someone to agree with what they had already decided, but that's a man's Wisdom, but you see When you when you tell somebody that to have a successful marriage, you need to be a servant to that other person. It's not a 50/50 thing. It's a 100% commitment and regardless as to what comes back it's a hundred percent commitment. That doesn't make sense. Does it? Well, I'm not going to be walked on I'm not going to be abused. I'm not going to be taking advantage of you know, that's man's Wisdom. We need to have God's wisdom and we and we can pray and in James 1 says that if any man lacks wisdom Hit you should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. Wow. What are you do? You don't know what to do? Ask God he'll give you that answer and he knows what's best for you. Hey, but you need to trust him and you need to go through that process of giving it to God and asking for wisdom and he will provide it.

Another thing that we should be praying for is spiritual power. You see all these things that I'm talking about to be able to live according to what God has called us to do to be a successful Christian to live Christ like to be able to spray on a regular basis to have this where we pray continually. How do we do that? Well, I've got willpower I can make myself do it. I can I can discipline myself in these things. Well, most of us. It's like our New Year's resolutions. I don't even bother to do that cuz I know what that's going to come up with. You know, what we think we can discipline ourselves and even if we can the best intent that we have is going to be miserable and how it turns out but you see by tapping into God's power by knowing that if I'm going to do this. I've got to trust God. I've got to allow God to work in my life and realize that I am that weak person. as the song says I am weak. And as soon as I admit that and I and I understand that then I can know that okay, I can't do it. Now. I have to turn to one who can in the only one that can is God and he will he says he will do we need to pray for Spiritual power and ask for 31. It says after they prayed and that's how they did it by praying. He said after they prayed the place where they were meeting was shaken and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. To be able to do God's will we need to spend time in prayer? And we need to trust God. We ain't need to ask for wisdom. We need to ask for the power of the Holy Spirit. You know in Galatians it talks about the fruit of the spirit and it lists all of these things love joy, peace love, you know, all of these things and I look at this and I think of okay. Here's this tree and on this tree is

Spiritual fruit the fruit of the spirit if if we were to take an apple, you know, when we tied to the tree, you know, and we take another apple or pear banana and tight onto the tree all of these fruits that we talked about and metaphorically if we think of fruit of the spirit and we're trying all these things. We're the ones that are putting the fruit on What happened to that fruit in a short. Of time? Turn rotten. It's no good. But you see if that tree allows the nourishment to come up through the tree through the branches and feed the fruit. That's what indoors. That's what becomes good fruit and Soul by allowing the Holy Spirit into our lives and allowing the Holy Spirit to be the power and the end in the nourishment that produces fruit is he then it comes natural and it's good fruit and its enduring. But if if we're tying on these things by saying well, you know, okay, it's fruit of the spirit. I've got to do all of these things, you know, that becomes fruit that rots. It's true that the Holy Spirit produces is what brings forth good fruit, and we need to be careful that we're not doing it in our power. But we're Allowing God and His Spirit to do that. Do we need to be praying for Spiritual power? I thought the last thing is we need to be praying for one another.

We need to be praying for one another 1st Thessalonians. 3:10 says this. Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again. So he's praying for personal fellowship and longing to be with one another.

Assuming that this vile to be praying about is giving us that direction. We need to be praying that we can see one another now. I don't know about everybody but that time that did we were not able to meet on a regular basis. It was a real emptiness. It was a real longing to see you guys. In order to be able to fellowship with you to just be in your presence in and talk a little bit and share, you know, and just saying, you know, as we sat here this morning is actually as we were standing singing praises to the Lord. I'll tell you what. It sounds wonderful and to be able to come together. Like this is a blessing for each and every one of us. So we need to be praying that that we can do that. There's some places in his closest California where you cannot come together as Believers in groups and pray and to have fellowship with one another. You know, I used to think that well, maybe that happens over in China or you know in some North African countries where they can't meet together. You know, that's here. We need to be praying about that. Cuz it's important and I know just the fellowship that we've been able to have again as is really significant really is so night and Dave we pray most earnestly that we may see you again, and then it says and Supply what is lacking in your faith. We need to be praying about that building of one another spiritually. You say well, you know, I don't teach Sunday school or I don't you know, I don't have a role in the church. But you know what just be an encouragement to other people, you know, just as somebody walks in the door just to say you know what? I'm glad to see you. I'm glad you're here today. It's not an encouragement. I know it is to me when somebody just says hey, it's good to see you. You see a simple thing like that. It's very important more important than we tend to realize but you see we build each other up spiritually that way we we bring in those things that are lacking and sometimes we we might share with somebody that hey this is you know, these are some things that I'm going through. And somebody might be an encouragement and pray for us and say well let me pray for you about that and realize that there's a power in that that's an encouraging thing to be able to do that. And then verse 11. It says now. May God and may Our God and Father himself and our lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to see you. May the Lord Make Your Love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else just as ours does for you. I need to be praying about loving one another.

It's not always easy anytime you get people together, you know, they say the problem with the problem with church is it is full of sinners. That not the truth, you know and sometimes we let our send out.

But we need to be praying for one another need to be praying for the body that way too and we love one another that we share that that love with one another and when we do it's a tremendous thing.

And it causes us to grow and it causes us to have fellowship and God wants us to have Fellowship.

And sometimes we just need prayer.

So that we don't become discouraged and lose her face.

You ever been there never been to that point in your life where it's like is this for real? Is God for real does God really love me?

That's a difficult place in a minute. Yeti does Only if we're praying for one another for encouraging one another, you know. That helps bring us back.

And the physical love that we show to one. Another is just a manifestation of Christ in US loving one another. That's important to do and pouring to be praying about. Do I need to be praying for one another? You know what? We can talk about this. And like I read earlier, you know. We can walk out of here. Like we looked in the mirror and and then forget about what we did what we talked about.

Are you see the whole topic today was just do it. Just do it now.

I want to do that.

Right here now. I want to give you a couple of prayer request. I want you to be thinking about some things. Maybe there's something troubling you maybe there's something on your heart. Maybe there's something that is going on in your life. Perhaps, you know of somebody.