Men Must Stay Focused in Prayer

 

Men Must Stay Focused in Prayer

Spiritual Leadership in the Church Series

1 Tim 2:8

THEME: the church is to conduct its services with order.

RELEVANCE: Devoted men offering church or public (mix congregation) prayer during the services is part of God's order. Approaching Almighty God on behalf of a church is a serious undertaking where a godly man represents an entire assembly. An orderly, reverent, wise, thankful, powerful, honest, and devoted man should approach God on behalf of others. We are NOT calling for perfection, but extreme seriousness should mark occasions of conversation with the Holy Most High!

INTRODUCTION:

Both men and women prayed in the early churches' various meetings (1 Cor. 11:4–5), but the emphasis here is on the men in the congregation. What attitude or disposition should characterize men who engage in public prayer?

MESSAGE:

Our Attitude As We Pray to God (1 Tim. 2:8).

A holy, orderly, reverent, thankful, powerful, and devoted man should approach God on behalf of the church. This is not the time to be routine, relaxed or cool, guessing, respectful of loud people, boring, or merely ceremonial! 

1. Paul Stated Definitely That “Men” Should Pray In The Local Assembly.

a. This Requirement Respects God's Order in the Church.

·       The Subject Of Public Prayer Is Now Resumed, And This Time Our Attention Is Directed To Those Who Should Lead The People Of God In Prayer.

o   Paul’s expressed desire was that the men pray.

o   The word men does not mean mankind in general, but men in contrast to women.  The apostle’s instruction is that public prayer should be led by the men rather than by the women. And it means all the men, not just the pastors. 

·       Undoubtedly Paul Wanted All Christians To Offer Up Prayers For A Widespread Spiritual Awakening Among The Populations And Their Rulers. Yet in the public assembly Paul specified that men (“males”) everywhere are to lead the congregation in prayer.

·       The Expression Everywhere May Be Taken To Mean That Wherever A Mixed Group Of Christians Is Gathered Together For Public Prayer.  In the public service, it is the men and not the women who should lead in this exercise.

b. It is common to find women’s prayer meetings, but not often do we find men’s prayer meetings. If the men do not pray, the local church will not have dedicated leaders to oversee its ministry.

2. It Was Customary For Jewish Men To Pray With Their Arms Extended And Their Hands Open To Heaven. 

a. “Lifting up holy hands.” This Was A Custom Practiced In The Early Church.

o   It revealed the dedication in the lives of those praying.

o   This was a common Old Testament practice (1 Kings 8:22; 2 Chron. 6:13; Ezra 9:5; Pss. 28:2; 141:2; Lam. 2:19).

o   Paintings on the walls of the catacombs in Rome portray this posture.

o   Now there are those who lift up their hands in services today, and they are sometimes criticized for it. There is nothing wrong with lifting up your hands in prayer if it is something you feel you want to do.

o   Our traditional posture of bowing the head, folding the hands, and closing the eyes is nowhere found or commanded in Scripture.

b. Actually, There Are Many Prayer Postures Found In The Bible: standing with outstretched hands (1 Kings 8:22); kneeling (Dan. 6:10); standing (Luke 18:11); sitting (2 Sam. 7:18); bowing the head (Gen. 24:26); lifting the eyes (John 17:1); falling on the ground (Gen. 17:3). 

c. The Important Thing Is Not The Posture Of The Body But The Posture Of The Heart.

3. Paul Stated Three Essentials For Effective Prayer.

a. The First Was “Holy Hands.”

o   Obviously this means a holy life.

o   “Clean hands” was symbolic of a blameless life (2 Sam. 22:21; Ps. 24:4). If we have sin in our lives, we cannot pray and expect God to answer (Ps. 66:18).

o   The hands were to be holy (“devout, undefiled”), signifying an internal cleanness on the part of these spiritual leaders.

o   The emphasis here is not so much on the physical posture of the one praying as on his inward life. His hands should be holy hands. The hands here are figurative of the man’s entire manner of life.

o   Personally, I have always hesitated to do it because I’m not too sure about my hands, whether they are clean or not, clean physically or otherwise. But it means that they are hands dedicated to God’s service. My friend, you ought not to poke up your hands in a meeting if those hands are not used for the service of Christ.

b. Secondly, he should be without wrath.

o   “Without wrath” is the second essential, and requires that we be on good terms with one another.

o   “Without anger” might be what is required. Such prayer leaders must be men of sound relationships, not characterized by anger (“outbursts of temper”).

o   A person who is constantly having trouble with other believers, who is a troublemaker rather than a peacemaker, cannot pray and get answers from God.

o   Broken human relationships affect one’s ability to pray (Matt. 5:22-24; 6:12; 1 Peter 3:7), which would include leading others in prayer.

o   “Without wrath”—all sins have been confessed. You don’t come in prayer with anger in your heart, or a bitter spirit, but with all your sins confessed.

o   This points out the inconsistency of one who is given to displays of temper, rising in the local church to speak to God in behalf of those assembled.

o   When we have anger in the heart, we often have open disagreements with others. Christians should learn to disagree without being disagreeable. We should “do all things without murmurings and disputings” (Phil. 2:14).

c. Thirdly prayer should be without “Doubting.”

o   “Without … doubting.” In Hebrews 11:6 we read: “But without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

o   When we come to God in prayer, we are to come in faith. One of the reasons I feel that our prayer meetings are not better attended today is that people lack faith. They do not believe that God is going to hear and answer prayer.

o   I do not mean to be irreverent, but I sometimes think that the Lord must yawn during our prayer meetings because they are so boresome. Prayer should be made in our public services by those who have their sins confessed, who come without bitterness in their hearts, and who come in faith, believing that God will hear and answer. It is this kind of prayer that will make a prayer meeting what it ought to be.

o   We should have faith in the ability and willingness of God to hear and answer prayer.

4. Effective Praying Demands These Prerequisites.

Specifically that I be in a right relationship with God (“holy hands”) and with my fellow believers (“without murmurings and disputings”).

a. Jesus taught the same truth (Mark 11:24–26). 

b. If we spent more time preparing to pray and getting our hearts right before God, our prayers would be more effective. 

c. We can summarize these qualifications by saying that a man should exhibit holiness and purity selfward, love and peace manward, and unquestioning faith Godward.

 CONCLUSION: Beloved, we desperately need devoted men offering church or public (mix congregation) prayer during the services as part of God's order. We must have men who view approaching Almighty God as a serious matter where a godly man represents an entire assembly. He must be equipped with an orderly, reverent, wise, thankful, powerful, honest, and devoted attitude as he enters the very presence of God in Jesus' Name. Jesus modeled godly behavior and attitudes as He prayed! Again, the goal is NOT perfection, but extreme seriousness and transparency should mark occasions of conversation with the Holy Most High!

The Battle for Personal Power

The Battle of Personal Power

 MATTHEW 4:1-11

THEME: The Holy Spirit leads Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the Devil. Jesus triumphs over Satan, then returns to Galilee to begin his ministry and calls his first four disciples.

RELEVANCE: Jesus was tempted so that every creature in heaven, on earth, or under the earth might know that Jesus Christ is the Conqueror. This temptation was necessary to demonstrate His moral fitness to do the work for which He had come into the world. He exposed Satan and his tactics, and He defeated Satan indisputably. Because of His victory, we can have victory over the tempter.

INTRODUCTION:

Our Lord’s experience of temptation prepared Him to be our sympathetic High Priest.

Hebrews 2:16-18, For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. [17] Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. [18] For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

Hebrews 4:15-16, 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.

It is important to note that Jesus faced the enemy as man, not as the Son of God. His first word was, “Man shall not live by bread alone.” We must not think that Jesus used His divine powers to overcome the enemy, because that is just what the enemy wanted Him to do! Jesus used the spiritual resources that are available to us today: the power of the Holy Spirit of God (Matt. 4:1), and the power of the Word of God (“It is written”).

LESSON:

Jesus Defeats The Devil (Matt. 4:1-11):

Jesus is led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan.

THIRD ROUND OF ATTACK—LIVE FOR PERSONAL POWER (Matt. 4:8-10) 

The Temptation to Seek Worldly Power (Matt. 4:8-9): All the Power and Glory This World Has to Offer Is Yours If You’ll Only Kneel Down and Worship Me. 

1.    In The Third Temptation, the Devil Took Jesus Up on an Exceedingly High Mountain and Showed Him “All The Kingdoms Of The World.”

a.     He offered them to Jesus in exchange for His worship. Although this temptation had to do with worship, an exercise of the spirit, it was an effort to seduce our Lord to grasp imperial power over the world by worshiping Satan.

b.    The reward offered, all the kingdoms of the world with their glory-grandeur, appealed to “the lust of the eyes” (1 Jn. 2:16).

c.     In a sense, the kingdoms of the world do belong to the devil at present.

                                                   i.     He is spoken of as “the god of this world” (2 Cor. 4:4), and John tells us that “the whole world lieth in wickedness”(1 Jn. 5:19).

                                                 ii.     When Jesus appears at the Second Advent as King of kings (Rev. 19:16), then “the kingdoms of this world” become His (Rev. 11:15).

                                               iii.     Jesus would not violate the divine timetable, and certainly He would never worship Satan!

2.    For Us the Temptation Is Twofold:

1.    To Barter Our Spiritual Birthright for the Passing Glory of This World.

2.    To Worship and Serve the Creature Rather Than the Creator.  The devil offered the whole world to Jesus if Jesus would only bow down and worship him.

a.     Today Satan offers us the world by trying to entice us with materialism, sex, and power. The devil would like us to believe that "life is short, get all you can!"

b.    Even Christian leaders find themselves tempted to build empires here on earth.

c.     But Satan requires people to pay for such success by selling their souls to him. We must resist temptations in the same way that Jesus did.

d.    If you find yourself craving something that the world offers, quote Jesus' words to the devil: “Worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.” Then follow that advice, with the support and prayers of Christian friends.

3.    The Devil Offered Jesus A Shortcut to His Kingdom.

a.    Jesus knew that He would suffer and die before He entered into His glory (Luke 24:26; 1 Peter 1:11; 5:1).

b.    If He bowed down and worshiped Satan just once (this is the force of the Greek verb), He could enjoy all the glory without enduring the suffering.

c.     Satan has always wanted worship, because Satan has always wanted to be God (Isa. 14:12–14).

d.    Worshiping the creature instead of the Creator is the lie that rules our world today (Rom. 1:24–25).

4.    There Are No Shortcuts to the Will of God.

a.    If we want to share in the glory, we must also share in the suffering (1 Peter 5:10). As the prince of this world, Satan could offer these kingdoms to Christ (John 12:31; 14:30). But Jesus did not need Satan’s offer.

b.    The Father had already promised Jesus the kingdom! “Ask of Me, and I shall give Thee the heathen [nations] for Thine inheritance” (Ps. 2:8).

c.     You find the same promise in Psalm 22:22–31, and this is the psalm of the cross. 

The Triumph Over the Desires of the Eyes. (Matt. 4:10): Get out of here Satan; Worship and Serve the Lord your God only!

1.    For The Third Time, Jesus Resisted Temptation by Using the Bible: “Thou shalt worship the LORD thy God, and Him only you shalt thou serve.” (Deut. 6:13).

a.     Worship and the service that flows from it are for God alone. To worship Satan would be tantamount to acknowledging him as God.

b.    Satan had said nothing about service, but Jesus knew that whatever we worship, we will serve. Worship and service must go together.

2.    The Order of The Temptations as Recorded by Matthew Varies from That in Luke (4:1–13). Some have suggested that Matthew’s order parallels the order of the temptations that Israel faced in the wilderness (Ex. 16; 17; 32). Jesus showed Himself in perfect contrast to Israel’s response to hardship.

3.    Also, The Word “Then” In Matt. 4:5 And the Word “Again” In Matt. 4:8, Seems to Indicate Sequence.

a.     Luke only uses the simple conjunction “and” and does not say he is following a sequence.

b.    Our Lord’s command at the end of the third temptation (“Get thee hence, Satan!”) is proof that Matthew followed the historical order. There is no contradiction since Luke did not claim to follow the actual sequence.

II. The Assistance of the Angels (Matt. 4:11): Afterward, Angels Come and Care for Jesus.

A.   SATAN LEAVING (Matt. 4:11).

1.    When Jesus Had Successfully Defeated Satan’s Temptations, The Devil Left Him.

2.    Temptations Come in Waves Rather Than in A Steady Flow. What an encouragement for God’s tested saints!

a.     Isaiah 59:19, So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.

b.    The metaphor of "lifting a standard" for making an armed resistance is common in Isaiah (Isa 5:26; 13:2; 18:3; 31:9).

c.     “That, whatever attempts the enemies of God's people may afterwards make upon them to disturb their peace, they shall be baffled and brought to nought: When the enemy shall come in like a flood, like a high spring-tide, or a land-flood, which threaten to bear down all before them without control, then the Spirit of the Lord by some secret undiscerned power shall lift up a standard against him, and so (as the margin reads it) put him to flight. He that has delivered will still deliver. When God's people are weak and helpless, and have no standard to lift up against the invading power, God will give a banner to those that fear him (Ps 60:4), will by his Spirit lift up a standard, which will draw multitudes together to appear on the church's behalf.” --- Matthew Henry

3.    Satan Slunk Away, A Defeated Foe; But He Did Not Cease to Tempt Jesus.

a.     We understand that Luke 4:13, carries the idea, “that the devil ended every possible kind of temptation, he stood off from Christ until a suitable time.”

b.    Through Peter, Satan again tempted Jesus to abandon the cross (Matt. 16:21–23); and through the crowd that had been fed, Satan tempted Jesus to an “easy kingdom” (John 6:15).

c.     One victory never guarantees freedom from further temptation. If anything, each victory we experience only makes Satan try harder.

B.   ANGELS ARRIVING (Matt. 4:11).

1.    We Are Told That Angels Came And Ministered Unto Him, But No Explanation Is Given for This Supernatural Assistance. It probably means that they provided the physical nourishment for Him which He had refused to provide at Satan’s suggestion.

2.    We Learn That the Devil Can Attack Those Who Are Controlled by the Holy Spirit, But That He Is Powerless Against Those Who Resist Him with the Word of God.

3.    After Jesus Christ Had Defeated Satan, He Was Ready to Begin His Ministry. No man has a right to call others to obey who has not obeyed himself. Our Lord proved Himself to be the perfect King whose sovereignty is worthy of our respect and obedience. But, true to his purpose, Matthew had one more witness to call to prove the kingship of Jesus Christ.

CONCLUSION:

Jesus was tempted so that every creature in heaven, on earth, or under the earth might know that Jesus Christ is the Conqueror. This temptation was necessary to demonstrate His moral fitness to do the work for which He had come into the world. He exposed Satan and his tactics, and He defeated Satan indisputably. Because of His victory, we can have victory over the tempter.

 

A Strong Anchor II

 

A Strong Anchor II

 

Lamentations 3:22-23, It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, Because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: Great is thy faithfulness.

Theme: God’s loving mercies never run out, and He offers us a fresh start and renewed strength daily. 

Relevance: A ‘leaving of the old situations behind’ is reason to hope again, even in the middle of our seriously painful experiences God’s compassions reach out to us still (Lam. 3:21–23). We all have been tempted to ‘bottle up’ our experiences… ‘bottle up’ our emotions…suppress or hide our true feelings instead of expressing or processing them with God’s eternal truth.

Introduction:

Continuing this thought we must now consider the key concept in these verses and then their implications in everyday experiences. Let's begin with our basis outlook and posture. 

Lesson:

Approach Life with This Conviction—that God is GOOD!

Beloved, this idea will demand your faith like nothing else will. Many people have walked away from ‘Christianity’ because they failed to value the truth that God is good! Use your faith to believe this communication from the Holy Spirit through the Word. We can start each morning with gratitude, leaving yesterday’s failures behind, and trusting God’s steady compassion during hard times. 

      1.    Start renewed each morning: Thank God every day for a clean slate. Do not let past mistakes or yesterday’s heavy stress ruin today. God’s mercy resets with every sunrise (Rom. 12:1-2). 

2. Release guilt and shame: Remember that God’s great love stops you from being overwhelmed by your flaws. When you feel unworthy, after your confession, accept His forgiveness instead of punishing yourself (1 Jn. 1:5-8). 
3. Be honest in tough times: Allow yourself to feel grief or pain, just as the prophet Jeremiah did in Lamentations. Bring your honest struggles and broken heart to God in prayer rather than hiding them, pretending it does not matter, or burying them under business and distractions.
4. Show mercy to others: Pass on the same love, compassion, patience, and kindness you receive from the Lord. Forgive people who wrong you, treating them better than they deserve because God does the same for you and me (Eph. 4:30-32). 
5. Build sturdy trust: Rely on God’s unchanging character when life feels unpredictable (2 Pet.1:19-21). Anchor your hope and confidence in His faithfulness rather than in changing human circumstances. 

Everything in us and everything around us will scream that God is NOT good. He permits suffering and pain…He allows wars, earthquakes, diseases, murder, death, sorrow, pain, devastation, and suffering! Why doesn’t He prevent this if He really is all powerful and good? Again, you must use your faith with great tenacity! People commonly place their own views ahead of God’s revelation to their own detriment. You must believe God instead of yourself or what you feel! Give yourself permission to trust what the Holy Spirit is saying from the Bible…God is Good!!! The awful circumstances of people reveal just how good God really is while forcing us to realize just how awful our sinfulness is.  

Incorporate this Truth into Your Prayers!

Prayer points based on Lamentations 3:22–23 focus on God's unfailing mercy, daily renewal, and steadfast love in times of trouble. 

          1.    Be Grateful for His Preservation

• Thank God that His steadfast love keeps you from being completely overwhelmed or consumed by your current trials.
• Declare that His grace sustains your life despite past mistakes or heavy burdens. 

     2. Receive His Fresh Mercy Each Day

• Ask God to wash away yesterday's guilt, failures, and anxieties with His brand-new morning mercies. Make the choice to confess and forsake any known sin.
• Pray for the mental and emotional capacity to let go of past regrets and embrace a clean slate today. 

     3. Trust in His Unfailing Compassion

• Pray against feelings of abandonment, reminding yourself that God's compassion does not run out or end.
• Ask the Holy Spirit to comfort your heart when facing uncertain circumstances or deep pain. 

     4. Declare His Faithfulness Boldly

• Praise God for His unchanging character, noting that His faithfulness does not depend on your own strength.
• Communicate stability and peace to your family, work, and future, anchored in His reliable promises. 

Conclusion:

The prophet, pondering his bitter afflictions, realizes how they have humbled his soul. He knows that God remembers the humble and afflicted, and so he expresses hope. Verses 22-39 speak of the poet’s reassurance in Jehovah’s goodness and his resignation to His sovereign ways. 22-24. His compassions fail not. The loving-kindness (ḥesed, “steadfast love”) of Jehovah is unfailing. It is daily renewed (like the manna of old); hence his people are not consumed, and a remnant remains as a seed for a new beginning. Great is thy faithfulness (v. 23). “Jehovah is my dearest treasure,” declares my soul, “therefore I do hope in him” (v. 24).^[1]

We have an Anchor that keeps the soul focused and productive! God’s steadfast love and mercy (His goodness) are everlasting, thus providing us fresh hope and a clean slate every single morning even during occasions when we deserve the worse…when we are getting what we have really earned. While facing the devastation of divine chastening, and in times of deep misery, God’s faithfulness remains as our undiminishing hope. This ‘anchor’ guarantees heavenly support in Christ to cope with the burdens we observe and feel so deeply.

Will your anchor hold in the storms of life,
When the clouds unfold their wings of strife?
When the strong tides lift, and the cables strain,
Will your anchor drift or firm remain?

We have an anchor that keeps the soul
Stedfast and sure while the billows roll,
Fastened to the Rock which cannot move,
Grounded firm and deep in the Savior’s love.

--Priscilla Jane Owens (1829-1907) and William James Kirkpatrick (1838-1921)

In the final analysis we must remember or reflect on the idea that God is good.

·        Psalm 100:5, For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

·        Psalm 106:1, Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

·        Psalm 145:9, The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.

·        Nahum 1:7, The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.

·        Psalm 34:8, O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

This is your personal invitation to experience God directly! Encounter His life-giving ‘goodness’ by actively trusting this reality claim when life hurts the most rather than pridefully/blindly pushing through on your own power or merely mentally consenting to its accuracy.

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^[1] Charles F. Pfeiffer, The Wycliffe Bible Commentary: Old Testament (Chicago: Moody Press, 1962), La 3:19.