Structure of & Preparation for

The point: Do not regard private disciplines as a task to be done and forgotten, but as part of a continuous communion with God.

Martin compares prayer to shaving, arguing that unlike shaving (a task done and forgotten), prayer is not a one-time daily duty but a continuous posture, though structured times are essential.

If he's shaved in the morning, he's done and can forget it for the day unless he has a heavy beard, and if he's going out at night, he may have to shave again. But in between those two times, he's shaved, it's done, he can forget it. Now, we must not regard the private disciplines of the Christian life in this way. Well, I've done it. I've prayed, I've read my Bible, that's done.

0:44 - 1:05 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Further reasons for structure are presented, such as overcoming discouragement before the 'mountain' of duties and privileges, drawing an analogy to a housewife without a plan…

The analogy of a housewife without a plan for her day, overwhelmed by mess, illustrates how a lack of structure in devotional life leads to paralyzing confusion and discouragement before the 'mass of duty and privilege.'

Here we come back. Here we come back again, I think, to the first principle. It's like the housewife who gets up in the morning and has no plan for a day. And she sees a messy living room.

10:20 - 10:28 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Further reasons for structure are presented, such as overcoming discouragement before the 'mountain' of duties and privileges, drawing an analogy to a housewife without a plan…

The analogy of an ordered meal (meat, sugar, tea, etc.) is used to argue that just as physical food is consumed in an ordered way, so too should spiritual food (the Word) be assimilated with some semblance of order.

We wouldn't sit down at the table and just begin to throw down the meat and the sugar and the tea and the... The meal is ordered.

11:47 - 11:55 Read in full sermon

Driving home: It is the nature of the Word of God itself. What is the Word of God? What are the Scriptures? Are they just a collection of random little spiritual things of tidbits?

Martin describes a school where the founder's sayings were placarded everywhere, lacking connection. This contrasts with the Bible's inherent structure and order, arguing against viewing Scripture as mere disconnected aphorisms.

Sometimes you'll see a book quaint sayings of such and such. I went to a school where the sayings of its founder were placarded on the front page of every wall. Literally. Dr. So-and-so says and there were his sayings and you could get little books on sayings of Dr. So-and-so and there they were. No connection between them just little pithy sayings sort of little proverbs all thrown together. Well, is that what the Bible is?

16:10 - 16:35 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin leads the discussion on the order of these ingredients, establishing preparation first. He then argues that reading the Word should generally precede the major engagement…

George Muller is cited as an example of someone who made it a rule never to pray until his Bible gave him perspective for prayer, illustrating the principle that Scripture fuels prayer.

And in Christian biography, I think you will find this element coming through. George Muller, of course, almost made this into a form of legalism. And if anyone had the right to, he would have. That he would never pray until his Bible gave him perspective for prayer.

33:49 - 34:06 Read in full sermon

The point: Meditate on God's past mercies, especially your conversion, to warm a cold heart and prepare for devotion.

Martin shares a personal anecdote of how, when his heart is cold, he meditates on God's past mercies in his conversion and life, which quickly warms his heart to praise and seek God.

And this will come in perhaps more particularly in the area of praise in our actual engagement in prayer but certainly the preparation of our heart the remembrance of his past mercies. May I just interject something biographical? There are times when my heart is lacking in any degree of warmth and I've come to meet with God I just stop and think and say what in the world are you doing here? Why are you here to pray?

49:02 - 49:27 Read in full sermon

The point: Meditate on God's past mercies, especially your conversion, to warm a cold heart and prepare for devotion.

The analogy of throwing seed on concrete versus cultivating soil illustrates that a well-prepared heart, even for a shorter time, yields more fruit than an ill-prepared heart for a longer duration.

Yes you can throw all the seed you want on concrete it ain't going to bring much fruit but if you have to take some time to break up the concrete and cultivate the soil then just two seeds may bring forth a hundredfold. Alright and this is Martin you had a so I think what someone else has mentioned is the reading of devotional material

50:10 - 51:11 Read in full sermon

The point: Consider using devotional materials or sermons as a catalyst for preparation, not a substitute for prayer and Bible reading.

Pastor Blaze's practice of reading a sermon to clear the mind and get 'wheels turning' is given as an example of using devotional material as a catalyst for preparation, not a substitute for the main disciplines.

not as a substitute for prayer and Bible reading but as a catalyst and here we come back to what we mentioned last week that Pastor Blaze has done for years the reading of a sermon to get all the cobwebs out of the mind and to get the the wheels turning not as one's devotional exercises but part of the preparation. Now granted those of us who live of the gospel who are called upon to labor in the word and in doctrine we don't set what we are able to do as the norm for others and that's why I've deliberately tried to steer clear of any unrealistic standards. I could just kick some preachers in ...

51:11 - 52:27 Read in full sermon

The point: Be flexible in your preparatory methods, trying various things and altering them to avoid 'rut-ism' and ensure true preparation.

The saying 'a rut is nothing but a grave with the ends kicked out' is used to warn against becoming so inflexible in devotional structure that it leads to lifelessness and undercuts fruitfulness.

Like a dear man of God said a rut is nothing but a grave with the ends kicked out.

54:31 - 54:35 Read in full sermon