Learn from the Past

 

Phil 3:12

SUBJECT: PROGRESS

THEME: Determine to press on toward the Finish line of the Christian Race by learning from the Past.  

RELEVANCE:

As a winner, Paul is giving us His life overview, his past (Phil 3:1-11), his present (Phil 3:12-16), and his future (Phil 3:17-21). In each of these experiences, Paul is looking at things on earth from God's point of view. As a result, he is not upset by things in his history. In fact, things do not rob him of his joy! Now to be winners and fulfill God’s plan, we must learn from our past.

INTRODUCTION:

Many read biographies to satisfy their curiosity about great people, hoping also that they may discover the "secret" that made them great.                                                                     

ILLUSTRATION: “I recall sitting in a grade school assembly program many years ago, listening to an aged doctor who promised to tell us the secret of his long, healthy life. (At one time he was a physician to the President of the United States. I've forgotten which one, but at that stage in my life, it seemed it must have been Washington or Jefferson.) All of us sat there with great expectation, hoping to learn the secret of a long life. At the climax of his address, the doctor told us, "Drink eight glasses of water a day! "” — W.W. Wiersbe

Again, the secret to a joyful life is faithfully looking at things from God's point of view. As a result, joy will be constant and unchanging. All of us want to be “winning Christians” and fulfill the purposes for which we have been saved. What are the essentials for winning the race and one day receiving the reward that is promised?

MESSAGE:

I.               An Honest Evaluation of Our Past.  Phil. 3:12-13

Paul has clearly stated that his personal salvation experience brought about a new assessment of his goals and gave him the overwhelming desire to know Christ even more completely.  Paul then explains how his present life is a pursuit in this new direction. To avoid being misunderstood, he specifies that his conversion has not already brought him to his final goal. He indicates that he still longed deeply and personally strives to be brought to that perfect completeness– spiritual maturity.                                       

A.  THERE WAS A HOLY DISSATISFACTION WITH PAST ACCOMPLISHMENTS. (Phil. 3:12-13a) “Not as though I had already attained!”

   1.  Great Achievers Do Not Allow themselves to get too Satisfied.  Vs. 12

This is the statement of a great Christian who never permitted himself to be satisfied with his spiritual attainments.  No matter how much he had grown, learned, or accomplished he yet strived to do even more. This was not disheartening but enlivening!

       A.  He Was Perfectly Satisfied with Christ.

Obviously, Paul was satisfied with Jesus Christ (Phil 3:8,10).  He was thoroughly enjoying Knowing Christ, Sharing the Righteousness of Christ, and Fellowshipping with Christ. 

       B.  He Was Never Satisfied with His Christian Progress.

Paul was not satisfied with his Christian life. A sanctified dissatisfaction is the first essential to progress in the Christian race.

ILLUSTRATION:  Harry came out of the manager's office with a look on his face dismal enough to wilt the roses on the secretary's desk.

"You didn't get fired?" she asked.

"No, it's not that bad. But he sure did lay into me about my sales record. I can't figure it out; for the past month I've been bringing in plenty of orders. I thought he'd compliment me, but instead he told me to get with it."

Later in the day, the secretary talked to her boss about Harry. The boss chuckled. "Harry is one of our best salesmen and I'd hate to lose him. But he has a tendency to rest on his laurels and be satisfied with his performance If I didn't get him mad at me once a month, he'd never produce!"

    2.  Great Achievers Aim for Perfection (Maturity).   Vs. 12, 15

       A.  They Don’t Compare Themselves with Others.   Vs. 12, “I”

Many Christians are self-satisfied because they compare their "running" with that of other Christians, usually those who are not making much progress. Had Paul compared himself with others, he would have been tempted to be proud and perhaps to let up a bit. After all, there were not too many believers in Paul's day who had experienced all that he had!

        B.  They Do Compare Themselves with Christ.   Vs.  12, “I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.”

But Paul did not compare himself with others; he compared himself with himself and with Jesus Christ!  He understood with sharp precision what God required and expected of him and stretched himself to achieve it. Such a process focuses on maturity as the target.

             1.  Pursue Perfection (Maturity).

The dual use of the word "perfect" in Phil 3:12 and 15 explains his thinking.

                    A.  He Had Not Yet Arrived at Perfection (Phil 3:12). 

                          1.  The Christian Life is a Process of Growth.

Paul saw the Christian life as a process. While believers are considered righteous when they accept salvation, their entire lives are marked by growth toward Christlikeness. Complete perfection will not be obtained until Christ's second coming, when he will take his people with him.

2 Peter 1:5-8, And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; [6] And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; [7] And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. [8] For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

                          2.  The Christian Life is Pursuing More Christlikeness.

While Paul may have seemed like a nearly perfect Christian to his Philippian friends, he emphasized that he had not obtained perfect “knowledge of Christ,” the “power of his resurrection,” the “fellowship of his suffering,” and conformity to his death (Phil.3:10).  All of these were part of the process of sanctification -- of getting to know Christ better and better as he lived the Christian life.—W. W. Wiersbe

                    B.  But, Paul Was "Perfect" [mature] (Phil 3:15). 

One mark of this maturity is the knowledge that he is not perfect! The mature Christian honestly evaluates himself and strives to do better. And even Paul, despite all his sufferings and victories for Christ, still had much to learn. He had not yet been made perfect. He knew that only upon Christ's return would all believers be made perfect in knowledge and experience, but he was willing to press on to take hold of the goal -- living and working for Christ -- because of what Christ had done for him.

             2.  Evaluate Honestly.

Often in the Bible we are warned against a false estimate of our spiritual condition. (Rom. 12:3)

                 A.  The church at Sardis had "a name that thou livest, and art dead" (Rev 3:1). They had reputation without reality.

                 B.  The church at Laodicea boasted that it was rich, when in God's sight it was "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked" (Rev 3:17).

                 C.  In contrast to the Laodicean church, the believers at Smyrna thought they were poor when they were really rich! (Rev 2:9)

                 D.  Samson thought he still had his old power, but in reality it had departed from him (Judg 16:20).

We must have times, especially after failures and great success where we learn what can from our history. In failures we must learn what to avoid, and in successes we can learn what to carry forward. There is no time for envy, jealousy, self-pity, and excessive introspection!

             3.  Press Onward and Upward!  Phil 3:12, “but I follow after, if that I may apprehend”

The evaluation of our growth and fellowship with Christ must involve a determination to press onward and upward toward the goal of finishing the race and securing the prize. But, self-evaluation can be a dangerous thing, because we can err in two directions:

                  A.  Making Ourselves Better than We Are, or

                  B.  Making Ourselves Worse than We Really Are.

                  C.  Taking Initiative to Improve and Progress.

Paul had no illusions about himself; he still had to keep "pressing forward" in order to “apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.”

APPLICATION: A divine dissatisfaction is essential for spiritual progress in the Lord. Do you have this? Psalm 42:1-2, As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. [2] My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?

True Christian faith is often called a "personal relationship" with Jesus Christ, and verses like Phil. 3:10,12-14 describes it best. A relationship requires two persons, each actively searching, seeking, and building a bond between them. We must seek after God like a thirsty deer hunting for a watering hole and refreshing drink!  We should actually “pant” for the Lord— our souls should be yearning, craving and heavily throbbing for fellowship and time with God. There should be and anxiousness in our soul—a spiritual kind of addiction to God in which we literally MUST have time alone with Him!

APPLICATION:  God is already in deliberate pursuit of fellowship and sharing life with you!  In your spiritual life, God really takes the initiative (“I am apprehended of Christ Jesus”— Christ takes hold of us with a goal in mind), then we enter into it (“I press toward the mark”– pressing on) to pursue all that our new friendship and fellowship offers. We are truly relating to each other, together pursuing God's goal for all creation—eternal life free of all pain, all death, all sin. Are you pressing on, taking responsibility for your progress in faith and character? What steps are you taking to know Christ better?

CONCLUSION:

It is an exciting experience to run the race daily, "looking unto Jesus" (Heb 12:1-2). It will be even more exciting when we experience all that the “high calling” entails when Jesus returns to take us to Heaven! Then we will stand before the Judgement Seat of Christ to receive our rewards! It was this future prospect that motivated Paul, and it can also motivate us.

Successful people are willing to do things unsuccessful people will not do. One of those things is learning from our past.

Finally, consider our NEED for God’s forgiveness, salvation—a relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ.

     1. Every Person that Ever Lived Has Been Impacted by Sin– We All are Sinners.

Isaiah 53:6, All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Romans 5:12, Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

So, you see we all are sinners—transgressors of God’s law and under the divine death penalty. We are guilty and desperately need God’s forgiveness. Do you sense your need for God’s forgiveness for your life of sin? Remember, confession is acknowledging God's standards of morality and the truth that we have not lived up to his requirements. It is admitting, "I don't measure up...either." 

     2.  The Results and Consequences of a Life of Sin is Death. 

Ezek 18:4, Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

If you spend your life serving Master Sin, then you can expect to receive the wages of Master Sin. The wages of Sin are the death penalty!

              a.   Physical Death—Rom. 5:12,14

              b.   Spiritual Death—Eph. 2:1; 4:18

              c.   Eternal Death—Rev. 20:15

The evidence that we all have sinned is the fact that we die physically. Physical death is also indicative of pervasive spiritual separation from God as a human condition. Eternal death is nothing short of suffering forever in the Lake of Fire. When deciding it is best to have all the necessary information.

     3. We Greatly NEED to be Born Again, Born by God in a Spiritual Manner!

We all were born spiritually dead in sin with our first earthly and natural birth (Eph. 2:1).  In the new birth we are finally made alive to the living reality of God and brought into a relationship with Him who is “life!” The Lord Jesus insisted upon this fact in John 3:5-6, “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6, That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” He continues in John 3:7, saying to Nicodemus, “Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” Firmly our Lord asserts this requirement. The life-giving element of the new birth is aptly communicated by the Apostle Peter in 1 Peter 1:23, where he says, “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” We safely conclude that the new birth comes from God’s Word also. Accordingly, theses verses tell us our new birth is the product of the Spirit and the Word of God. The Spirit uses the Gospel (God’s Word) to bring about regeneration in the soul and spirit of the repentant/believing person. Being born again is the impartation of a new and divine nature-life; a new creation; the production of a new thing deep within (2 Cor. 5:17). It is a New Birth from above, from God—the new life-giving Source! Now instead of being lost, separated from God, and in the death of our sins, we are saved, alive to God, and free of the guilt and responsibility for our sins.

     4. The Key is Trusting Christ as our Savior.

Paul outlines this in Romans 10:9-10, writing, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10, For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” We cannot simply believe anything about Jesus, we must believe that the Son of God, died for our sins, was buried, and God raise Him up again the third day for our justification before The Father. It is crucial that we understand that it is faith in Jesus Christ and His Gospel that is the power of God that saves us (Rom. 1:14-17).

I have given you all you need to know to understand your guilt before a holy God. I know how this must feel. I am not good enough for God to accept me without me embracing his forgiveness. God promises to save all who will acknowledge their sins to Him while trusting Jesus Christ as our Savior. Remember sin is defined as violations of God's Laws. We have put idols before the true and living God. We are guilty of taking God's Name in vain. We have not honored our parents fully and always. We have not treated people with real love and respect exclusively. We do not measure up to the perfection of God's standard of morality. We stand before a completely All-knowing Judge as guilty of sin-crimes against Him. We NEED His forgiveness...He offers us forgiveness not condemnation. With this being the case...condemnation is something you chose by refusing Christ.

I encourage you to trust the Lord Jesus Christ as your very own Savior to recue you from the penalty of sin in the Lake of Fire. Repent and believe on the Lord today.

Focus on the Word for Freedom

 

2Cor. 3:17-18

Theme: New Testament Believers focus on our Lord Jesus Christ to experience the freedom of transformation.

Introduction:

Setbacks and struggles assert our need for maturity! We take two steps of progress only to face another three steps backwards! Genuine spiritual growth is a frustrating battle, but it is also necessary.

Holy change in this life is not immediate, comprehensive, or lasting. We must work hard to effect meaningful transformation; this fundamental aspect of our new life moves us to develop physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Though it is not automatic, advancement can begin the very moment we are born again. Yes, the growth experience is a bit of a struggle.

Our change is a gradual alteration, and not a perpetual, rising sequence. Rather, it is like a stock-market chart. Some days up, some days down, but overall, we hope, an upward movement. Incremental improvements rather than sudden, dramatic changes are more likely. This can be extremely unnerving at times.  But it helps to know Jesus must be our focus and during frustrating setbacks it’s time to refocus on him…again. 

2 Corinthians 3:17-18, says Now the Lord is that Spirit [Holy Spirit]: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty [freedom from bondage and obscurity]. But we all, with open [unveiled] face beholding as in a glass [mirror] the glory of the Lord, are changed [transformed] into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Clearly this is an unearthly, splendid, series of lifelong changes wrought from the inside out by the Spirit of God advancing us believers from one level of the unveiled grandeur of Christ to the next superior similarity of Him.  This is the believer’s gradual transfiguration journey.  It is an inward renovation that has a palpable outward outcome. 

Message:

I.     Focus on the Producer of Change—The Spirit uses the Word of God— “beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord….” (2Cor. 3:18)

A.    It Is True the Bible Is the Mirror That We Are to Gaze Into (2 Cor. 3:18).  The Bible is the mirror that we are to study, meditate upon, memorize, and apply to life situations. Once again Paul said, “But we all, with open [unveiled] face beholding as in a glass [mirror] the glory of the Lord” (2Cor. 3:18). 

                                        1.     The word “glass” refers to a mirror, which is a type or representation of the Word of God (1Cor. 13:12; Js. 1:23). 

i.       1 Corinthians 13:12, For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

ii.     James 1:23-24, For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: ²⁴ For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

                                        2.     The Bible shows the image of “the glory of the Lord” and reveals the great chasm between the believer and the Savior.

B.    Expect the Spirit to Use the Bible as we “behold” Christ. 

                                        1.     The Spirit uses predominantly the one Book He Himself authored—The Holy Bible. The word of God is the essential element the Spirit of the Lord uses, and He faithfully brings the believer’s attention to the risen, ascended, exalted, enthroned, and reigning Christ Jesus. 

                                        2.     There have been occasions when I misread the Word or tried to use the Bible to justify my sinful anger. The Lord Jesus expressed righteous indignation when He cleansed the Temple (Matt. 2:13-17; 21:12, 13) on both occasions, but I tried to use this to excuse my sinful and selfish anger. Later the Lord showed me my anger was rooted in sin, and Christ’s anger was a zeal or jealousy for God to be honored in His Temple. The Bible reveals our lives in the light of Christ’s perfections.

                                        3.     Certainly, this addresses the questions of believers’ responsibilities as the Spirit effects this change. We Christians are to “behold” Him—the brilliant and glorious unveiled Son of God in the Word—we are to concentrate our spiritual and mental faculties on the risen and enthroned Christ to experience the freedom of transformation.

                                        4.     “When Moses beheld Jehovah’s glory, his own face reflected that glory.”^[1] We will become like the one we devotedly gaze upon (Rom. 12:1-2; Heb. 12:2; Ps. 27:4)

                                        5.     In other words, the Word of God does more than regenerate believers (we are regenerated by the Spirit of God using the Word of God, 1 Pet. 1:23).  Likewise, “the Spirit of the Lord” uses His Bible to transform God’s children.  This is monumentally important! (Jn. 17:17; 1Pet. 2:2)

i.       John 17:17, Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

ii.     1 Peter 2:2-3, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: ³ If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

iii.   If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. Dr. W. MacDonald says, “What a tremendous impetus for thirsting for the pure spiritual milk! The if does not express any doubt; we have tasted and seen that the Lord is good (Ps. 34:8). His sacrifice for us was an act of unspeakable goodness and kindness (Tit. 3:4). What we have already tasted of His kindness should whet our appetites to feed more and more on Him. The sweet taste of nearness to Him should make us dread the thought of ever wandering away from Him.”

C.    Let the Word Reveal and Reflect the Glorious Christ! 

                                        1.     The “glory of the Lord”—this is the reason the people of God must consistently study the Bible.  As we meditate on Him, we are moved closer to His image—reflecting more of Him inwardly and outwardly. O that God’s people would spend more time glaring in the mirror of the Word, beholding Him more.

                                        2.     In the Scriptures we see His “open face” free of obscurities and obstructions. We are exposed to the explicitly declared Christ in His superb character. Oh, how terribly wondrous He is in glory! Great is our privilege to see, know, and gaze upon Him!

D.    Beloved, do you really want to be Christlike? Then spend time beholding Jesus.

                                        1.     Turn your eyes upon Jesus;

Look full in His wonderful face;

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of His glory and grace.

                                        2.     I need this. I hope you, too, sense a need of seeing Jesus Christ on the pages of the Word of God so that you might grow more like Him. –McGee, J. Vernon: Thru the Bible Commentary

                                        3.     We must read, meditate, and live out the Word daily looking for the glory of the Lord (Ps. 1:2; Matt. 4:4; Heb. 5:14). 

Conclusion:

We are in a continuing process of transformation into the very image of Christ. Christlikeness is the goal of our journey (Eph. 4:23–24; Col. 3:10). One of the greatest complements a Christian can receive relates to being loving, joyful, peaceful, longsuffering (patient), gentle, good, faithful, meek, and temperate (self-control) like Christ.

As people, we progress from our comfort zone, through the fear zone, through the learning zone and finally to the “growth zone.”  If we are to experience growth we will need to leave the comfort zone, because spiritual growth begins upon leaving the comforts of the familiar, the mediocre, the predictable, the controlled, and the no anxiety or stress. The growth zone involves actively seeking godly challenges, embracing holy discomfort, and continuously pushing our limits to learn, grow, and achieve new levels of progress in the Lord. In the growth zone, we are willing to take risks, face uncertainty, and venture into unfamiliar territory. God has designed us to become groundbreaking, productive, and helpful; we recognize setbacks as opportunities to learn, discover, and pioneer! Beloved, we must make the decision to leave our comfort zone and make our way to the growth zone.  

Romans 12:2, says, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

The temptation and tendency to merely adopt a list of rules, restrictions, and nasties are a real hindrance to holy change. These only keep Christians’ unacquainted with the Word, immature and unskilled in the teachings of righteousness, and unable to distinguish right from wrong (Heb. 5:11-14). These remain carnal, afraid, guilty, unstable, and ignorant of their identity in Christ. Legalism does not produce Christlikeness! While we are keenly aware of the importance of the externals, we must put forth greater effort to cultivate the inner life—inner grace moving us to think, desire, value, appreciate, love, and even hate as Christ does. We not only want to do the right things, but we also want to be the right person within. Being is as important as doing or not doing. Yes, it is right to have some standards and it is right to denounce sin, but we must not fail to magnify the Lord Jesus Christ through our actual internal changes. 

---

^[1] Marvin Richardson Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament, vol. 3 (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1887), 309.

Asking for Supernatural Help

 

MATTHEW 7:7-12

 

THEME:  When we reject a fake righteousness, it will enable us to reject a false system of judgment also.

RELEVANCE:  The Lord wants us to exercise wise judgment regarding ourselves, other people, and the Lord himself.

INTRODUCTION: “They have a right to censure that have a heart to help.” -- William Penn

1. This is a final illustration of Pharisee’s practices pertaining to judging. The Pharisees were then judging Christ and finding Him to be inadequate. He was not offering the kind of kingdom they anticipated or asking for the kind of righteousness they were exhibiting. So, they rejected Him. Jesus therefore warned them against hypocritical judging.

2. The scribes and Pharisees were guilty of exercising a false judgment about themselves, other people, and even the Lord. Their false righteousness helped to encourage this false judgment. This explains why our Lord closed this important sermon with a discussion of judgment. In it He discussed four different aspects of judgment: discernment, dynamics, discretion, and discipline.

MESSAGE: 

I.               Dynamics: Ask God for the Ability to Judge Righteously (Matt. 7:7-12).

God gives us the dynamic resources we need to live and treat people fairly and wisely. Why did our Lord discuss prayer at this point in His message? These verses seem to be an interruption, but they are not. You and I are human and fallible; we make mistakes. Only God can judge perfectly. Therefore, we must pray and seek His wisdom and direction. “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God” (James 1:5).

Young King Solomon knew that he lacked the needed wisdom to judge Israel, so he prayed to God; and the Lord graciously answered (1 Kings 3:3ff). If we are to have spiritual discernment, we must keep on asking God, keep on seeking His will, keep on knocking at the door that leads to greater ministry. God meets the needs of His children.

a.    The Command is to Keep Asking, Seeking, and Knocking (Matt. 7:7).

                                                    i.     Righteous Discernment Requires Supernatural Help.

a.      If we think that we can live out the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount by our own strength, we have failed to realize the supernatural character of the life to which the Savior calls us. The wisdom or power for such a life must be given to us from above. 

b.     How to treat the lost people of this world is a great challenge facing a child of God.

                                                                                                                i.     Every day we rub shoulders with princes and paupers, gentlemen and scoundrels, true and false professors.

                                                                                                              ii.     Some folk need our friendship and help, and we need them, and we ought to pull them to our hearts.

                                                                                                            iii.     Others are rascals and will bring great harm or even destroy us, and we need to push them from us.

                                                                                                            iv.     How are we to know? To ask, seek, and knock definitely is the Christian’s answer to this problem.  

c.      You would be surprised at how many times I have been fooled by people.

                                                                                                                i.     I tend to have a more trusting than suspicious nature. Sometimes this is a great benefit, but other times it can get me into trouble.

                                                                                                              ii.     Isn’t it interesting that Peter, in the early church, knew Ananias and Sapphira were lying (Acts 5:1–11)? I can’t always tell when someone is lying. This is why it is important to make discernment a matter of prayer. 

d.     When you meet new friends, do you ever ask God to make it clear to you how to treat them? I have found out that it is a good idea to do this. 

                                                  ii.     Righteous Discernment Requires Persistent Prayer.

a.      So here we have an invitation to ask and keep on asking; to seek and keep on seeking; to knock and keep on knocking.

b.     Wisdom and power for the Christian life will be given to every believer who earnestly and persistently prays for it.

                                                                                                                i.     “Ask with confidence and humility. Seek with care and application. Knock with earnestness and perseverance.”  ---Adam Clarke's Commentary 

                                                                                                              ii.     “Jesus encourages his followers to ask, seek, and knock, that their deficiencies may be met from the divine supply. The three imperatives … suggest not only perserverance but frequent prayer for any and all needs.” ---The Wycliffe Bible Commentary

b.    The Promise is God Will Give You All You Need to Live With Discernment (Matt. 7:8).

                                                    i.     Be Assured of God’s Answer to Your Requests.

a.      When the conditions for prayer are met, the Christian can have utter confidence that God will hear and answer. This assurance is based on the character of God, our Father.

b.     “Ask God, and he'll answer! Believers should never hesitate to seek God's richest blessings (7:7-8), for God's generosity toward his children far exceeds our human understanding of generosity (7:9-11).” ---Harold Willmington

                                                  ii.     Be Sure You Honor God’s Conditions for Prayer.

a.      Taken out of context, verses 7 and 8 might seem like a blank check for believers, i.e., we can get anything we ask for. But this is simply not true.

b.     The verses must be understood in their immediate context and in light of the whole Bible’s teaching on prayer.

c.      Therefore, what seems like unqualified promises here are actually restricted by other passages.

                                                                                                                i.     For example, from Psalm 66:18 we learn that the person praying must have no unconfessed sin in his life.

1.     Psalm 66:18, If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: 

                                                                                                              ii.     The Christian must pray in faith (Jas. 1:6–8).

1.     James 1:6-8, But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. [7] For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. [8] A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

                                                                                                            iii.     And in conformity with the will of God (1 Jn. 5:14).

1.     1 John 5:14, And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

                                                                                                            iv.     Prayer must be offered persistently (Luke 18:1–8).

1.     Does prayer ever feel as though you are talking to an empty room when nobody's listening? Do you wonder if your requests are an exercise in auto-suggestion? Is prayer a waste of time because God has more important things to do?

2.     Jesus used the ‘how much more’ argument to demonstrate that God is not indifferent or inattentive. Do not attribute those qualities to him. God hears your prayers eagerly and compassionately. God acts on your behalf and for your best. God cares about you personally.

3.     When you pray, remember God's promise to hear your prayer.  If an unjust judge will respond to constant pressure, how much more will a great and loving God respond to his people? We know he loves us; we can believe he will hear our cries for help. We can trust that one day God will bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night. We know as we persist in prayer (Luke 18:1) as we seek to be obedient in this sinful world, can know that God will not keep putting us off. It may seem for a time that our cries go unheard. But one day, God will see that we get justice, and quickly. 

                                                                                                              v.     And prayer must be offered sincerely (Heb. 10:22a).

1.     Hebrews 10:22, Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

c.     The Reason is God Delights in Giving Beneficial Resources to His Praying People (Matt.7: 9-11).

                                                    i.     On the Human Level.

a.      We know that if a son asks for bread, his father will not give him a stone. Neither would he give him a serpent if he had asked for a fish.

b.     An earthly father would neither deceive his hungry son nor give him anything that might inflict pain or be harmful to him.

c.      His natural love and desire to provide for his own would guide him to meet the needs of his child.

                                                  ii.     On the Divine Level.

a.      The Lord argues us to realize that if human parents reward their children’s requests with what is best for them, how much more will our Father who is in heaven do so.

b.     Beloved, God is not a deadbeat dad! He provides for his children!

d.    The Principle is to Treat People With Love and Kindness in Matters of Judging (Matt. 7:12).

                                                    i.     Imitate Your Heavenly Father by Showing Kindness to Others.

a.      The immediate connection of verse 12 with the preceding seems to be this: since our Father is a giver of good things to us, we should imitate Him in showing kindness to others.

                                                  ii.     Test Your Actions By Following the “Golden Rule.”

a.      The way to test whether an action is beneficial to others is whether we would want to receive it ourselves.

                                                                                                                i.     The “Golden Rule” point to the fact that Christianity is not simply a matter of abstinence from sin; it is positive goodness.

                                                                                                              ii.     It may be easy to refrain from harming others, but it is much more difficult to take the initiative in doing something good for them.  The Golden Rule is the foundation of active goodness and mercy -- the kind of love God shows to us every day.      

b.     This is Our Moral Duty to Others.

                                                                                                                i.     That which is pleasing to your self is likely to be pleasing to others.

1.     This is recognized as a good assumption to start with; but it is not always appropriate. Perhaps it would if the “pleasing” was not a matter of self-indulgence. Clearly we should try to please others.

2.     The standard to begin with is what would be pleasing to us; but this will be adjusted as we get to know them better.

                                                                                                              ii.     That which is right for your self is likely to be right for others. But we make at least two mistakes with this.

1.     We claim rights and privileges which we are not prepared to give equally to others. 

2.     We give ourselves freedoms and liberties which we consistently deny to others. This is completely unfair.

3.     My rights should also be afforded to my spouse or brother equally; and my freedoms and liberties are my brother's due also.

4.     What is good for the goose is also good for the gander!  Fair treatment to all regardless of position, station, race, or gender.

                                                                                                            iii.     That which we expect from others we may reasonably expect others to claim from us.

1.     This may appear to fail in recognizing the various relations of classes in society.

2.     But it is based on what is the true equality of mankind. Equality of ability, place, opportunity, education, influence, even of character, there can never be.

3.     But equality in service, mutual service, there can be. The master serves the servant; the servant serves the master. Then Christ's Law clearly applies.

4.     The service I seek is the service I should give. 

                                                iii.     Live in Love to Be Obedient to What the Word Requires (Matt. 7:12).

a.      Not only does this rule describe briefly the behavior expected of Jesus' followers, it also sums up the Law and the Prophets.

                                                                                                                i.     This principle by Jesus is a summary of the moral teachings of the Word. The righteousness demanded by the OT is fulfilled in converted believers who thus walk according to the Spirit (Rom. 8:4). If this verse were universally obeyed, it would transform all areas of international relationships, national politics, family life, and church life.

                                                                                                              ii.     This guiding principle is one of the most misunderstood statements in the Bible. This statement is not the sum total of Christian truth, nor is it God’s plan of redemption. We should no more build our theology on the Golden Rule than we should build our astronomy on “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.” 

b.     This great truth is a principle that ought to govern our attitudes toward others.

                                                                                                                i.     It only applies to believers, and it must be practiced in every area of life. The person who practices the Golden Rule refuses to say or do anything that would harm himself or others. If our judging of others is not governed by this principle, we will become proud and critical, and our own spiritual character will degenerate.

                                                                                                              ii.     Practicing the Golden Rule releases the love of God in our lives and enables us to help others, even those who want to hurt us. 

c.      But remember that practicing the Golden Rule means paying a price.

                                                                                                                i.     If we want God’s best for ourselves and others, but others resist God’s will, then they will oppose us.

                                                                                                              ii.     We are salt, and salt stings the open wound. We are light, and light exposes dirt.

 CONCLUSION:

When we reject phony righteousness, we become able to eliminate false systems or sanctimonious standards of judgment also. Our Lord invites us to exercise wise, loving, sensitive, compassionate discernment towards ourselves and other people. Will you accept his generous invitation?

How shall we test our profession of faith? By popularity? No, for there are many on the broad road to destruction. And there are many who are depending on words, saying “Lord, Lord”—but this is no assurance of salvation. Even religious activities in a church organization are no assurance. 

So then...the Cross points to the fact that Jesus is the Savior! As the little chorus goes, “He paid a debt He did not owe, we owed a debt we could not pay.” We have one hope: Salvation through Jesus Christ. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as our Substitute, Redemption, and Forgiveness of sin.

This is exactly what Paul outlines in Romans 10:9-10, writing, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10, For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” We must believe that the Son of God died for our sins, was buried, and God raise Him up again the third day for our justification. It is crucial that we place our faith in Jesus Christ and His Gospel! This is the power of God that saves us (Rom. 1:14-17).

Christ’s suffering at Calvary was God providing payment for our sins. At Calvary sin was paid for in full. Now sinners can be saved—born again to enter a relationship with God. We cannot save ourselves no matter how good, sincere, or diligent we are. Being born again means we become a part of a new family; God is our Father who shares with us His very own divine nature.

Turn then from your unbelief, rejection of God, freestyle living, and self-willfulness and trust Christ the Savior. Turn from your wicked ways and turn to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord today. He promised to save whoever will repent and believe on Him (John 3; Rom. 10:8-13). He is God, who came to earth and became a man to die in our place for our sins. Because of that, we can know God and be with Him forever. How wonderful!