Prayer a Topical Sermon for the 5th S. after Easter.

 Prayer- Rogation Sunday 5th After Easter.  

( As an introduction....)

"Let Yourself Be Useless"

"Prayer is not a way of being busy with God instead of with people. In fact, it unmasks the illusion of busyness, usefulness, and indispensability. It is a way of being empty and useless in the presence of God and so of proclaiming our basic belief that all is grace and nothing is simply the result of hard work. Indeed, wasting time for God is an act of ministry, because it reminds us and our people that God is free to touch anyone regardless of our well-meant efforts. Prayer as an articulate way of being useless in the face of God brings a smile to all we do and creates humor in the midst of our occupations and preoccupations.

Thinking about my own prayer, I realize how easily I make it into a little seminar with God, during which I want to be useful by reading beautiful prayers, thinking profound thoughts, and saying impressive words. I am obviously still worried about the grade! It indeed is a hard discipline to be useless in God’s presence and to let him speak in the silence of my heart. But whenever I become a little useless I know that God is calling me to a new life beyond the boundaries of my usefulness.

Henri J. M. Nouwen"

"  Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, He will give it you."  Jn 16:23

Not my will , but thine be done .  Luke 22:42

"  And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He hears us: And we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.  I Jn 5:14-15

Thy Will be done in the Lord's Prayer.  We pray this all the time.  Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven...

One of the many prayers for this Sunday is:"

  O God, you have prepared for those who love you such good things as surpass our understanding: Pour into our hearts such love towards you, that we, loving you in all things and above all things, may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen "

"He who runs from God in the morning will scarcely find Him the rest of the day."

John Bunyan

"Pray as if everything depends on God, then work as if everything depends on you."

Martin Luther

Attending church in Kentucky, we watched an especially verbal and boisterous child being hurried out, slung under his irate father's arm. No one in the congregation so much as raised an eyebrow -- until the child captured everyone's attention by crying out in a charming Southern accent, "Ya'll pray for me now!"  Jean McMahon 

---in caseyou have not figured it out yet....this is more of a topical than a expository message on prayer itself.

One of the best books on prayer is Richard J. Foster's Prayer- Finding the Heart's True Home.  He mentions Brother Lawrence The Practice of the Presence of God,  and he gets to a very important thing. Prayer is not just for the sanctuary.  Prayer is in the middle of a busy day!!!

" the time of business does not with me differ from the time of prayer; and in the noise and clatter of my kitchen, while several persons are at the same time calling for different things, I possess God in great tranquilityas if I were upon my knees at the blessed sacrament."  p. 124 Foster where he quotes Brother Lawrence himself.

---What are some of the things you do to pray always as ST. Paul tells the Thessalonians? ( I Thess. 5:17 " Pray without ceasing"

Remember this first:

Sinclair Ferguson, a reformed Presbyterian pastor and writer of many books published by the" Banner of Truth" ( one of my favorite writers) writing on contentment said, " Contentment is the fruit of a mindset that knows its limitations...If I insist on knowing exactly what God is doing and what He plans to do with my future, if I demand to understand His ways with me in the past,  I can never be content until I am equal with God. "   

This is some good thinking here and opposite our I deserve it thinking in our un-Biblical culture.....

James has the most famous quote on prayer which has helped me and I am sure you thru many issues in James 5:14-16 .  As I looked at the orig language I found three greek words for prayer.  One is being in need , and one is making a vow.  The most common word for prayer is properly, to exchange wishes; pray – literally, to interact with the Lord by switching human wishes (ideas) for His wishes as He imparts faith ("divine persuasion").  Again it is recognizing His power and love for us, not our plan, but His! ( Luke 11:2 has this word " When you pray, say.....)"

Final question and the one that has been bugging me all week is " If I don't pray, does God still make it happen?"  

I asked  and here is the answer:"God’s admonition in 2 Chronicles. 7:14 that “if my people…humble themselves and pray…” God would heal their land. The land’s healing was conditional upon God’s people humbling themselves and praying.

Even though God conditionally binds some of His actions upon the faith and prayers of His people, He is still sovereign. He requirements, and the decision to base His actions on those requirements, are His decision and His decision alone." hopeprayerfaith.com

So praying this Rogation Sunday ( rogare to ask from Latin) as we ask for good crops and healing in our land so we may live without fear from those whom we pray for above us in authority is so important .  We cannot demand, we can ask.  If we don't ask we don't receive.

John 15:7 ~ "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. John 16:24 ~ "Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full." Luke 11:13 ~ "If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father..."

Conclusion.  Ezekiel 22:30 30 “I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one.