Pray Without Ceasing, Part 2

Driving home: rejoice always pray without ceasing in everything give thanks simple little words aren't they rejoice always pray without ceasing in everything give thanks yes simple to hear and to remember but not so simple to understa…

The delight parents feel when children conform to what is good and honorable, and the grief when they walk dishonorably, is used to illustrate God's desire for believers to walk in a way that pleases Him.

Chapters 4 and 5 have their general theme, that which the Apostle announces in the beginning of chapter 4, namely, directions concerning how to walk and to please God, practical instruction for believers as to how they may so live as to bring delight to the heart of the God who has begotten them into His family. One of the great privileges of parenthood is that we are able to walk and to please God. That is the delight that comes when our children conform to that which we know to be to their good and to our honor as parents. Conversely, one of the greatest griefs and pains to the heart of the ...

0:37 - 2:04 Read in full sermon

Driving home: The word does not mean to be occupied with something 60 minutes of the hour, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Rather, it means something which is constant and reoccurring with us. It means something with regularity as …

A man telling too many girls he loves them, only for them to compare notes and find contradiction, illustrates the logical contradiction of interpreting 'without ceasing' as uninterrupted, as Paul couldn't be constantly remembering multiple things simultaneously.

This is what I'm constantly remembering is your faith, hope and love. Well, which one? Is it? Well, then to complicate matters, he says in Romans 1, 9, that he's unceasingly remembering the Romans in his prayers. You see, if a fellow tells too many girls he loves them, he's going to get in trouble. Sometime they just might meet and the sweethearts begin to compare notes and too many are claiming him. Well, suppose some Thessalonians came and they met some Roman Christians and they said, say, you know, we're pretty important in Paul's eyes. He said he remembers us without ceasing. Now, wait a m...

12:08 - 12:45 Read in full sermon

Driving home: The word does not mean to be occupied with something 60 minutes of the hour, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Rather, it means something which is constant and reoccurring with us. It means something with regularity as …

Mephibosheth eating at David's table 'continually' (2 Samuel 9:7) is used to show that 'continually' means with regularity at meal times, not non-stop eating, clarifying the meaning of 'without ceasing'.

Jonathan, thy father. For thy father's sake, and I will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father, and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually. Now, did he mean that you're going to come on in and sit there and start at 8 o'clock in the morning eating bread to 9 o'clock, 10 o'clock, 11, 12, 1, 2, 3? No, that's a surefire way to kill a guy. That wouldn't be kindness at all. But what he meant is every time mealtime comes around, you'll be found at my table. And every day at mealtime, bread will be there at my table. So the word without ceasing does not mean without interruption as to poi...

14:16 - 15:17 Read in full sermon

The point: If you are convinced of the necessity of prayer, you will make time to pray and cling to those times with bulldog tenacity, regardless of your schedule or excuses.

The necessity of getting dressed and eating breakfast, even amidst household upsets, is used to illustrate that if believers truly believe prayer is necessary, they will make time for it, just as they do for other life necessities.

Almost no one is here in the pajamas or night gowns. I don't care what went on at night. even if the washing machine broke down and the cellar was flooded, I don't care what you prayed for, I don't care what you prayed for your children, I don't care what you prayed for Dylan's pets, I don't care what what when you asked God for prayer, I don't care how their highlights are, but I'm sure you can start praying. church What the problem was, you made time to get dressed this morning because you felt that was necessary.

21:48 - 22:03 Read in full sermon

The point: Daily gather your family together and pray for and with them as a family, refusing to let things interfere with this responsibility.

The story of Sir Thomas Abney, Lord Mayor of London, leaving a banquet to conduct family prayers, illustrates the tenacity and priority believers should give to stated times of family prayer, even amidst significant social obligations.

And refusing to let things interfere with that responsibility. I read something in my preparation that touched me along this line. A Sir Thomas Abney had for many years practiced family prayers regularly. He was elected Lord Mayor of London, and the night of his election, he had to be present at a celebration banquet.

25:50 - 26:11 Read in full sermon

The point: Cultivate the art of non-formal, ejaculatory prayer, shooting up volleys to the Lord at every opportunity, letting life's occasions turn your mind to heavenly things.

The story of Susan, a cleaning woman, who explains how she prays all day by turning her daily tasks into occasions for ejaculatory prayer, illustrates how to cultivate the art of praying without ceasing in non-formal ways.

A group of preachers were together discussing this text. What does it mean to pray without ceasing? There was a cleaning woman over in the corner and she says gentlemen I think I know and they were quite surprised and they turned and said why woman her name was Susan do you know how to pray always? I hope so said Susan but said the minister you have so much to attend to. How can you find time to pray always? Oh said Susan the greater the variety I have to attend to the more I'm assisted to pray. In the morning when I open my eyes I pray oh Lord open my eyes that I may behold wondrous things ou...

29:12 - 29:59 Read in full sermon

The point: Cultivate the art of non-formal, ejaculatory prayer, shooting up volleys to the Lord at every opportunity, letting life's occasions turn your mind to heavenly things.

A servant of God's practice of offering his body and life as a sacrifice upon rising, viewing his bed as an altar, illustrates cultivating ejaculatory prayer from the very start of the day.

Letting the occasions of life turn the mind to heavenly things. So as she opens her physical eyes she prays open the spiritual eyes. One dear servant of God I shall never forget said that his first thought upon rising as he lay upon the bed before his feet ever hit the floor was oh Lord may this bed be the altar and my body and my life be the sacrifice and I offer it up to you afresh that this day all of my powers may be engaged in doing your blessed will. That's cultivating the art of ejaculatory prayer.

30:37 - 31:11 Read in full sermon

The point: Cultivate the art of non-formal, ejaculatory prayer, shooting up volleys to the Lord at every opportunity, letting life's occasions turn your mind to heavenly things.

Martin shares his own practice, and that of another person, of praying for individuals when seeing cars similar to theirs, illustrating how everyday observations can trigger ejaculatory prayer for others.

Lifting up the heart I was talking with someone yesterday and I was surprised because I thought I was the only queer one whose mind would work this way who said that she found great blessing in letting cars that were similar to people she know be the occasion of praying for that person. I used to do this by the hours when I was in the itinerant ministries. I drove along the highway I always observe what kind of cars people drive. I guess as a pastor you're more cultivated to this and I can always tell them we've got visitors or someone's gotten a new car that I'm not used to yet. I just look o...

31:12 - 32:00 Read in full sermon

The point: Learn to avoid as a destructive enemy any influence (from within or without) which causes the spirit of prayer to wane, dealing with it accordingly.

A quote from an old servant of Christ, 'When we walk unevenly we grow shy of God,' illustrates how inconsistent living hinders intimacy and boldness in prayer.

That means that anything that will keep me from so praying formally or with these ejaculatory prayers and petitions anything that will dampen the spirit of prayer, any influence from within or from without that dampens that spirit of prayer must be looked upon as a destructive enemy and dealt with accordingly. According to the state of heart and mind which causes a man to be at ease in the presence of God is a sensitive thing. Listen to the words of one old servant of Christ. When we walk unevenly we grow shy of God. Isn't that beautiful?

33:31 - 34:09 Read in full sermon

The point: Repent and believe the gospel, as you cannot obey the command to pray without ceasing until you are born of the Spirit and have the spirit of adoption.

The feeling of being disregarded when a friend ignores an invitation to a party or wedding is used to illustrate how God might feel when His invitation to come boldly to the throne of grace is ignored.

you to pray. You know it's a terrible thing when a dear friend someone you thought was a dear friend, disregards an invitation you've given to some particular event. You know what it's like perhaps to plan a party or plan as some have had to do for their children to plan the wedding and the reception and you put RSVP and someone you thought was a real friend, that's why you invited them and they don't care enough to even respond to your invitation. How does that make you feel?

41:52 - 42:22 Read in full sermon

The point: Repent and believe the gospel, as you cannot obey the command to pray without ceasing until you are born of the Spirit and have the spirit of adoption.

A list of biblical figures (Moses, Hannah, disciples, Isaac's servant, Jacob, Elijah) and their answered prayers serves as solid encouragement for believers to engage in constant prayer, showing God's faithfulness.

me and I will answer thee. Ask what ye will and it shall be done. If he being evil know how to give good gifts how much more shall your heavenly father. Call unto me in the day of trouble and I will answer thee and I will deliver thee. All these great promises. What's God put them there for? He hadn't just put them there so the Christian bookstores can make a little money having plaques that have promises on them. He's put them there that encouraging us to come when we come before him we might have promises to plead before him in our praying. And then there is not only the invitation of God hi...

43:14 - 44:08 Read in full sermon