Stonewall Jackson was a man who spent time talking to God. He said: “I have so fixed the habit in my mind that I never raise a glass of water to my lips without asking God’s blessing. I never seal a letter without putting a word of prayer under the seal, never take a letter from the mailbox without a brief sending of my thoughts heavenward, never change my classes in the lecture-room without a—minute’s petition for the cadets who go out and for those who come in.” As we launch out into 2019, it’s important to do it with prayer as one of your foundational blocks. ‘Why It’s Important to Spend Time Talking to God — that’s our focus on this week’s Light on Life.
Listen to the Audio
Click Play to Listen | Right Click to Download | Subscribe in Stitcher Radio
[Tweet “Jesus refused to do something for the sake of the doing. He waited until it was His hour.”]
Read the Notes
You can view a ‘no frills’ transcript of this podcast at the bottom of this section.
Accept the Challenge
Each week’s podcast contains a call to action. The Word of God will not produce in your life unless you put into operation.
You’re invited to spend time with God. Accept the invitation. Your Father God loves you and wants to develop this born-again relationship with you as His child.
Join the Conversation
Each week’s podcast also contains a question designed to encourage testimony. Testimony is vital to a believers life. We overcome by it (Rev. 12:11).
This week’s question is:
Episode Resources
You can find more information on the subject of ‘Who Jesus Is’ by clicking on the links above.
- Encountering Jesus in Your Everyday Life.
- #S4-005: What to Do When Your Family Thinks Your Nuts about Jesus [Podcast]
- #S3-030: Do You Believe in the Resurrection of Jesus? [Podcast]
- #S1-033: Three Things Jesus Did that You Can Do [Podcast]
- #S1-020: What Happens When You Encounter Jesus? [Podcast]
- #S5-010: Just Who Is Jesus to You? [Podcast]
- #S5-011: The Zoe Life of God in the Person of Jesus [Podcast]
- #S5-012: Seven Witnesses to the Mission of Jesus [Podcast]
About Emery
Emery committed his life to the Lord Jesus Christ over 42 years ago. He has served as both a full-time pastor and an itinerant minister. Both he and his wife Sharon of 38 years emphasize personal growth and development through the Word of God. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is both the focus and the hallmark of their mission. Read more about them here.
Subscribe to the Podcast
If you have enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe.
Share the Love
If you enjoyed the podcast, please rate it on Stitcher Radio and leave a review. If you have a suggestion for a Bible topic, you would like to see taught, or if you have a question, please e-mail me at emery@emeryhorvath.com
Podcast Notes
You’re Invited to Spend Time with God
John 16:23 (ESV) — 23 In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
- “In that day,” Jesus said. What day is that?
- Before the cross, the disciples had physical access to Jesus.
- If they had a burning question, they could walk right up to him and unload.
- But, Jesus said that God’s will meant a change was on the horizon. He was going back to His Father in heaven.
- That means the status quo wouldn’t be the status quo anymore.
- After the cross a new arrangement was in effect — the disciples were to spend time talking to God.
- That’s the day Jesus spoke of.
- In that day, you will ask me nothing.
- Jesus said, ‘When you do that when you spend time talking to God after I am gone back to heaven, use my Name.’
- Talk to God the Father in Jesus’ name.
- That is why today you and I when we pray, we do so in the Name of Jesus.
- Notice, you ask the Father.
- You spend time talking to God — that’s the Jesus way.
Philippians 4:6 (ESV) — 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
God’s Prayer System Is Not Confusing
- When you are first starting in the things of God, you don’t know much.
- So, you copy what other people say and do.
- That’s well and good as long as what people say is in the Bible.
- You will find, that at times this is not the case.
- People quote what others say the Bible says.
- You know they hear something that sounds good, and then they take it as gospel.
- They quote it because they assume what they heard came from the Bible.
- That’s how error gets started,
- Everyone thinks the other guy got it right from the Bible.
- In this prayer realm, people say ‘Sometimes God says yes, sometimes He says no and sometimes He says wait a while.’
- Is that in the Bible?
- Remember it’s not what someone says that counts, it’s what God says in His Holy written Word.
- What did He say?
God’s Promises Are Yes
2 Corinthians 1:19–20 (ESV) — 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No, but in him it is always Yes. 20 For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.
- All the promises in Jesus are ‘Yes,’ is what this verse reports.
- There is not one promise God spoke out about Jesus that He switched gears on.
- In every case, What God said about Jesus came to pass.
- Everything was YES.
- Well, everything God said, every word which fell from His lips is also Yes.
- God cannot lie.
Titus 1:2 (ESV) — 2 in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began
- So, God’s prayer system is not confusing.
- If He gave you a promise, you can bank on it.
- He will not change His mind.
- God won’t pull back His offer.
- The promise is Yes, and it’s Yes every single time.
- So it’s not ‘Sometimes God says yes, sometimes He says no and sometimes He says wait a while.’
- That’s error.
- There is a certainty of an answer when you spend time talking to God.
- God’s prayer method is not to have you pray and then walk around wondering and hoping that you get the answer.
- No, God’s method for praying is for you to start with the promise.
- Because, when you start with the promise, you start with the answer.
- Then stand in faith, and exercise patience until the answer pops out in the natural.
Why Some Do Not Receive Answers after Spending Time with God
- But even though this ‘YES’ is God’s way, some are not enjoying the results of spending time with God.
- They are not receiving answers to prayer.
- One of the reasons is not realizing that there are different kinds of prayer.
Ephesians 6:18 (TNIV) — 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
- The Greek word ‘all’ in ‘all kinds of prayer means ‘all sorts of’ or ‘all manner of.’
- So, it’s all sorts of prayer.
- Or, all manner of prayer.
- There are all sorts or all manner of prayer.
- It’s like sports.
- There are all kinds of sports.
- Because you play, soccer doesn’t mean you know how to play basketball.
- All sports are not the same.
- They don’t have the same rules.
- Prayer is similar.
- Kinds of prayer have different rules.
- You could say guidelines.
- When spending time with God, know what kind of prayer you are praying.
Kinds of Prayer You Can Pray When Spending Time with God
- Prayer For Your Needs, also known as the Prayer of Faith.
- Saying Yes to God’s Will, also known as the Prayer of Consecration.
- Praising and Worshiping God.
- Group or United Prayer.
- Telling God that you refuse to Worry or the Prayer of Commitment.
- Prayer of Agreement; laying on of hands is this kind of prayer.
- Praying In the Spirit which is praying with other tongues.
- Intercessory Prayer
Simple Prayer Secrets You Can Use When You Spend Time with God
Secret 1: Be direct and straightforward in your secret prayer.
- Use your everyday language.
- God is not Elizabethan,
- You don’t have to pray using King James lingo.
- One day Warren Wiersbe was taken to task over using other translations besides the King James.
- These are his words.
I was once criticized by a student because of some of the books I wrote. In them, I quoted from different translations. “The King James Version is the only Bible,” he told me. “It’s the only authorized Word of God!” When he had calmed down, I asked him to answer three questions for me. What was the Word of God before 1611 when the King James Version came out? What is the Word of God on the mission fields where people cannot read English? Who authorized the King James Version to be the Word of God?
Of course, he saw the plight he was in. It is inconceivable that the great saints and martyrs from Pentecost to 1611 did not have the Word of God. It is even more inconceivable that our missionaries are wasting their time. Dedicated men who risk their lives translating publications that are not God’s Word. My student friend’s prejudices were showing, but when I confronted him with truth, he refused to budge. I can only pray for him and ask God to open his eyes.1
- Some folks are just stuck here.
- They’ve gotten on to me over this issue.
- These King Jame-avites are out there.
- Use your 21st century, lingo.
- The Lord will understand it just fine.
- People spend time talking to God from all over the planet.
- They do it in all different kinds of languages.
When Spending Time with God, Don’t Beg
- It’s your Fathers good pleasure to what you need for your everyday life.
Luke 12:32 (ESV) — 32 “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
- God is never far from any soul that seeks him.
- This next verse details in a perfect way how prayer works.
1 John 5:14–15 (ESV) — 14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
- You don’t have to beg because He hears you.
- The prayer is answered before you utter it.
- And, the answer is yes.
When Spending Time with God, Be Open
- Do not keep secrets from Him.
- This is, of course, from your end.
- Remember that one you are talking to is the one who searches the heart.
Romans 8:27 (ESV) — 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
- Don’t keep secrets from Him.
- Don’t hide wrong in your heart from Him.
- Remember this, when you told the Lord about your sin is not when He found out about it.
- He already knows just tell Him.
When Spending Time with God, Pray Earnestly
- You do not need to be loud to show intensity.
- Keep tabs on the following thoughts:
- Loud does not mean faith.
- Being loud does not mean authority.
- Loud does not mean fervency.
- What is fervent prayer?
- Many when they hear the words ‘fervent prayer’ think of James 5:16.
James 5:16 (KJV) — 16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
- That’s nice except for one thing, the word fervent doesn’t mean fervent.
- The two words ‘effectual fervent’ is one word in Greek.
- The Greek word means to work or be working.
- The working prayer of a righteous man gets the job done.
- So, what does praying earnestly mean?
Acts 12:5 (ESV) — 5 So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.
- It is the same word used in 1 Peter 1:22.
1 Peter 1:22 (ESV) — 22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,
- The Greek word ‘earnest’ means to be persevering, eagerly, constantly.2
- That’s what earnest prayer is.
- It’s prayer that perseveres.
- Perseveres means to be persistent, or to refuse to stop.
Luke 18:1 (ESV) — 1 And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.
- Losing heart means giving in to discouragement over delays in answers.
Luke 18:7–8 (ESV) — 7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? 8 I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
References:
- Warren Wiersbe, God Isn’t In a Hurry, (Baker Books; Grand Rapids, MI, 1994), p. 111 Galaxie Software, 10,000 Sermon Illustrations (Biblical Studies Press, 2002). ↩
- William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 310. ↩