the title of my message today is navigating life everybody say navigating
life navigating life are their keys that will help us navigate life what does the
scripture say I always like to look at the words of Jesus because that's really
the best way to begin so what did Jesus say in Matthew chapter 6 let's go to
Matthew chapter 6 and I'm gonna take a moment to open my electronic version
here in just a moment Matthew chapter 6 and we're gonna begin
with verse 5 we'll start at the beginning there and for many this is a
familiar passage of Scripture because it talks about what we call the Lord's
Prayer and so in Matthew chapter 6 verse 5 my Bible is taking a little longer
this morning than it normally does so here it is notice that it says in verse
5 Matthew chapter 6 verse 5 and when you pray you shall not be like the
hypocrites for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the
corners of the streets that they may be seen by men all right now I want you to
notice first and foremost what does Jesus say there he says pray right but
notice what he says he says when you pray when you pray not if you pray so
navigating life this morning we're going to talk about some of the keys that
Jesus brings to us to teach us about prayer everybody say prayer he wants to
teach us some things about prayer so in verse 5 6 and 7 notice both all three of
those verses start and when you pray or but when you pray look verse 5 and when
you pray you shall not be like the hypocrites verse 6 but you when you pray
go into your room right and then verse 7 and when you pray do not use vain
repetitions so what we have to realize as believers in Christ is that prayer is
so important now I didn't know the message of yesterday and the Women's
Conference Friday Saturday had to do with the Sabbath and
had to do with taking the rest I got to hear from some different folks about the
word that Mary Jean brought to our ladies and and some of that has to do
with this message this morning I think the Holy Ghost is so cool because I
didn't know that she was going to be ministering that to our ladies and then
I found that out after this and so prayer is so important because what does
it do prayer establishes our relationship with the father prayer
establishes our relationship with the father so it's important that we take
time to pray that's what that's why when Jesus said when you pray he didn't say
if for you and for me as followers of Christ and as children of God prayer is
absolutely necessary especially for thinking about navigating life we think
about navigating the challenges of life we think about the circumstances in the
situations that we may come up against in life how do we navigate those things
how do we live in this day in this age that God has called us to be a part of
his body how do we do that he said when you pray so we've got to set time aside
to pray and I think one of the things that my wife was telling me that she
heard that Mary Jean talked about is we need to start setting aside these
electronic devices when we have time to pray amen how many times you're in your
prayer time and your phone buzzes and you say oh excuse me Lord and you take
that and you do a text and you go back to praying oh Jesus I love you oh we go
back and forth we go back and forth I've been there I've done that then I've had
to repent and say lord please forgive me so sometimes it's just better to go into
your place of I know we do a lot electronically because we have Bibles
and we have the ability to take notes and we have study tools but if we're not
careful these things can distract us from that quiet time with him for where
for when we're in his presence and we can hear him speak and we can hear him
guide us and direct us so it's absolutely necessary I'm not gonna reap
reach everything cuz I don't know everything that Mary Jean said but I
think that's so awesome that we have to be reminded I mean it's not awesome I
think it's awesome she brought it out it's sad that we have to be reminded but
awesome that the Spirit of God wants to say okay let's wake up a little let's
pay attention a little and and see what he says in our quiet time now I want you
to notice something here when I said that just a moment ago prayer
establishes your relationship with the father in verse 6 and verse 9 jesus said
when you pray go away by yourself shut the door behind you and pray to your
father in private then your father who sees everything will reward you verse 9
pray like this our Father in Heaven may your name be kept holy now many of you
probably realize this but I know there's new people coming in new folks coming in
new new believers in Christ and we need to be reminded that what Jesus is doing
here is he's introducing a brand new concept to of God to the Jewish men and
women of his day I started to look this up the other day and and I noticed in
the book of Genesis God is introduced as the God of your father the God of your
father Abraham the god of your father Jacob the God of your father
so he's introduced throughout the Old Testament as the God of your father the
God of Israel and so that's the primary introduction the primary way that the
Jewish people got to know God as the god of not my father so you find a few
references which I think is very interesting over hundreds of years you
find a few references in Deuteronomy chapter 1 verse 31 the scripture says
and you saw how the Lord your God cared for you all along the way as you
traveled through the wilderness notice this just as a father
cares for his child now he has brought you to this place
so in Deuteronomy chapter 1 verse 31 there's a reference to just as a father
cares for his child then in Psalm 68 verse 5 the David talks of God and says
father to the fatherless defender of widows this is God whose dwelling is
holy ok father to the fatherless so you have Deuteronomy chapter 1 verse 31 but
then you have quite a few hundred years and then you've got Psalms and then
you've then you've got Psalm 89 verse 26 it says and he will call out to me you
are my father my god and the rock of my salvation so there's there's there are
glimpses of the father heart of God throughout the Old Testament but I don't
think they got it I think they were more concerned with
the law what we see the scribes and the Pharisees and holding to the strict
rules and regulations that many times they came up with and added to the law
what is it five hundred six hundred seven hundred different things that they
added to the Ten Commandments that's you were supposed to do this you weren't
supposed to do that and so they began and they didn't understand the father
heart of God then this is a very familiar passage of Scripture to us
Isaiah chapter 9 verse six speaking of Jesus and hid the scripture says for a
child is born to us a son is given to us the government will rest on his
shoulders and he will be called wonderful counselor mighty God
everlasting father Prince of Peace so there again another glimpse of the
father heart of God and so in Malachi before the four hundred years of silence
from the Old Testament until Jesus came Malachi chapter 2 verse 10 the scripture
says and we not all are we not all children of the same father are we not
all created by the same God then why do we betray each other via
relating the covenant of our ancestors so of course you understand that not
every person on the face of the earth is a child of God only those who ask Jesus
Christ to be the Lord of their life they're children of God right you're a
child of God because you invite Christ into your life you're not a child of God
because you're born into the earth we are born in created in the image of God
but we're not children of God until we say Jesus I believe you're the son of
God and I invite you to come into my life that's when we become his son or
his daughter that's when we come in to sonship in that relationship that he
desires and then we can call him father so Jesus is introducing something to us
and I don't know how that ministers to you that ministers to me each one of us
have probably had different kinds of earthly fathers and sometimes earthly
fathers give us a good picture of God the Father and sometimes earthly fathers
kind of mess things up and they make it harder for some folks to have a good
image of God the Father and the only way you're gonna get past that please don't
transfer if you had a negative situation with your earthly father please don't
transfer that to God the Father because he's not like that if you had a negative
circumstance or situation or you had a father who was abusive or a mom who was
abusive that authority figure in our lives at times we transfer that to God
and we we shrink back from God or we shy back from because of the influence that
we've had of others in leadership position or positions of authority in
our life don't transfer that to God decide to to get into the word and say
you know what Lord I need to learn more about you as my father and I'm just
gonna push these other things aside that these experiences that I've had you know
so many times people build their theology on experience rather than what
the Word of God says the thing that will keep us safe the thing that will keep us
moving in the right direction in our relationship with God is the Word of God
God the Bible says of God that he is faithful he'll never leave us he'll
never forsake us the Bible says of Jesus Christ he's the same yesterday today and
forever and so there's so much we can learn about the father heart of God if
we would take time to get before him and that's what Jesus was introducing in the
book of Matthew when he said begin praying by our father that has to do
with relationship navigating life is not just about keeping the law and doing
everything just right navigating life is first and foremost about your about my
relationship with God and he's done a lot to bring us into that place into
that position so that we could know him as our Father amen so get to know him as
your father and then notice this as we talk about prayer pray alone now this
seems like a given but remember in Matthew chapter 6 when Jesus said when
you pray don't be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on the street
corners he was addressing specifically those who wanted to come across as super
spiritual who wanted to come across in a prideful way so they prayed outlet now
is it wrong to pray out loud no we have prayer meetings in there there are times
and especially in our prayer meetings we encourage different people to pray out
loud but we do it from a motive of partnering with God we do it from a
motive of wanting to see his kingdom come his will be done on the earth and
so prayer is vital prayers is important when you pray publicly as well but we
don't want to pray to be seen we don't want to pray to be noticed and say oh
wow so and so they really must be close to God listen to that prayer you know
where it's more of about all about me before it's all about talking to God and
giving his business done on the earth so there's a right place and time to pray
out loud in with others but how many of you know if you're not praying alone you
really shouldn't be praying in of others if you're praying alone then
that's gonna keep our hearts right right that's gonna keep our motives right
that's gonna keep our desires in the right place to see God the Father
glorified to see Jesus Christ released in the earth to do the things that he
wants to do and accomplish so when you pray don't be like the hypocrites Jesus
call them hypocrites who love to pray publicly on the street corners and in
the synagogues where everyone can see them I tell you that's all the reward
they'll ever get verse six but when you pray go away by yourself shut the door
behind you and pray to your father in private then your father who sees
everything will reward you now Jesus was the model of this so in navigating life
we pray we understand that we have relationship with God and we need to get
alone by ourselves there again is that quiet place there again is the shutting
off of the things that are distracting to us and it says that Jesus did this in
Matthew chapter 14 verse 23 after sending them home he went up into the
hills by himself to pray night fell while he was there alone so take some
time to be with God the father takes some time to be with the Lord Jesus
Christ alone now we see this he went up at night by himself to pray
look at the next passage if you're following along on you version mark
chapter 1 verse 35 says before daybreak the next morning Jesus got up and went
out to an isolated place to pray so there were times that he prayed alone at
night there were times that he prayed early in
the morning find a time that works for you sometimes you know we always like to
hear we hear different preachers talk and teach about prayer and give God the
you know the first part of your day there's something to that I believe but
there's also depends on your schedule make sure you're setting time is
with him sometime don't be under condemnation if it's not five o'clock in
the morning and you're gay you know you go to bed at 2 or 3 o'clock in the
morning and to get up at 5 to have an hour hour of prayer with God in the
morning cuz some preacher says you have to pray in the morning well Jesus prayed
at night and Jesus prayed in the morning so you pray when you can Amen just take
time and make sure it's a it's a place where you're quiet it's a place where
you're by yourself it's a place where there aren't any distractions you can
listen to him that's how we're gonna navigate life then we pray that his will
be accomplished remember when Jesus said pray father thy will be done in earth as
it is in heaven and so we pray out his will now this is a very sensitive topic
this is a big topic in the body of Christ today the will of God well
sometimes people just like to throw out this phrase well you just never know
what God is gonna do or sometimes you hear people say this well God is
sovereign and so it pulls us back from any kind of responsibility because God
is sovereign and God will do and can do and wants to do anything he wants to do
and we don't really know what he's gonna do we're just kind of here in the dark
and and God just does whatever he wants to do sometimes he wants to heal people
and sometimes he doesn't sometimes he wants to intervene into people's lives
and and sometimes he doesn't there again I think what we see in that theology is
a theology based on experience rather than based on the Word of God
so let's come on back to the word let's come on back and see what the Bible says
about the will of God about the plans and purposes of God especially if
someone were to say well you just never know what God is gonna do and a lot of
times they'll quote this scripture 1st Corinthians chapter 2 verses 9 through
12 and a lot of times they'll start with verse 9 it says no eye has seen no ear
has heard and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him
and a lot of times people will stop there can I tell you one of the safest
things you can do and reading the Word of God is read passages above and
passages below any scripture that you think I've got a brand new revelation
here or yeah that's what the word says you know I has seen no ear has heard no
mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him so we really
don't ever know what God is gonna do people stop at that verse but I know
you've all because I just said that probably read verse 10 already so I
already let the cat out of the bag so to speak what does verse 10 say but
everybody say but but it was to God or was to us that God did what revealed did
you know that God is a revealer hey men God is a revealer but it was to us that
God revealed these things by his Spirit for his spirit searches out everything
and shows us God's deep secrets doesn't David reveal something about Moses in
the book of psalms david says something about moses he says Moses knew the ways
of God but the children of Israel only knew his acts Moses knew God's ways why
didn't notice Moses know God's ways because Moses spent time in the presence
of God Moses spent time remember in the tabernacle he'd gone to the tabernacle
and and then what I think is really exciting is Joshua would stay there when
Moses went back into the camp and Joshua hung out in the presence of God
so Moses knew the ways of God because he spent time in his presence you can know
the ways of God as you spend time in the presence of God you can know his ways
you can know his will you can know the secret things of God he can reveal
things to you it's in those places of quiet that we begin to grow there's a
lot of times Christians aren't maturing because they're not taking the time to
sit in the press of God to study the word to pray and to
get quiet and let God say you know that attitude that you have there really
stinks how many know that causes us to grow doesn't it as we go ouch you know
what you did there last week that was really bad you know sometimes sometimes
God uses people and I think this is my opinion I think he'll try to get our
attention in the private in our time in the word and our time in prayer he'll
try to get our attention there if it doesn't work there he may try a preacher
it might not be me necessarily is your pastor it might be somebody else maybe
you're listening to somebody teach the word maybe you're you're watching a
television program you're listening to a podcast whatever it is he'll try to get
some what he loves us so much he'll try to get things across to us but sometimes
we're hard-headed and sometimes were stubborn and sometimes we don't listen
and then we get into trouble and then then we call out to God and then we're
listening you know God's always talking we're not always listening God wants to
talk we've got to have these times of quiet so for people to say well no eye
has seen no ear has heard no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those
who love him and if you were to stop there you're missing the completeness of
God's revelation in the word because verse 10 says God has revealed these
things by his Spirit verse 11 no one can know a person's thoughts except the
person's own spirit and no one can know God's thoughts except God's own spirit
and we have received God's Spirit so you have the Spirit of God on the inside of
you you can know how does it want us to live in darkness God doesn't want us to
live in confusion God doesn't want us to live in hopelessness he wants us to know
look at your neighbor and say God wants you to know now ask are you listening
that's the part see if God's going to talk we've got to listen if we want to
hear we've got to give him space to talk thus prayer what do you do with the
words okay so people saying well you just never know what God is gonna do or
God is sovereign and God can just do anything he wants let me give you a key
to that statement God will God is sovereign I do not deny that God is
sovereign but God is sovereign has placed his
sovereignty within the confines of his word
so he'll reveal in his word the things he wants to do he doesn't just he's not
schizophrenic he doesn't just do anything he wants whenever he wants and
sometimes it's good and sometimes it's bad because that's what some Christians
think you know God just allowed all these things to come into my life to
teach you a lesson and to help me to grow and God God is behind everything
know what you're missing is there is an enemy who wants to see your life
defeated there's an enemy who wants to see your life destroyed and if we don't
take time to pray and get in the presence of God so we're hearing from
our Father so he's downloading things into our life not from what the world is
saying not from what well-meaning Christians are saying but what does the
word say what is the Spirit of God saying to us so for people to stop at
well you just never know what God is gonna do you have to read verse 10 11
and 12 God has revealed these things to us by his Spirit what do you do with the
words of Jesus when Jesus said he who has seen me has seen the father did
Jesus do bad things to people you read Matthew Mark Luke and John Jesus never
did one bad thing to one person and yet somehow in our mind God is behind
allowing car accidents and God is allowing sickness and disease and God is
allowing when Jesus came to this earth he did exactly the opposite and he said
he that is seeing me has seen the father and so
when you are confronted with those kinds of comments and those kinds of
statements you need to take a stand and say no that's not God I'm sorry you
think that about God but let me give you a quick little description god is good
the devil is evil it's very simple God is good
the devil is evil and Jesus introduced the devil behind the works of evil when
he came because Jesus was giving us authority over him so we wouldn't have
to be under his authority any longer we through Christ can now begin to exercise
authority so for people to say well god is just sovereign and he just allows
this and allows that and and and and wants to teach me a lesson so he allowed
this car accident to happen or he allowed me to be put in the hospital I
got to witness two people but the Holy Ghost can lead you to witness two people
without being in the hospital Amen if you and I are sensitive to the Holy
Ghost you can you can be a witness you could be driving by a hospital and the
Holy Ghost will say pull in there I want you to go talk to somebody okay Lord
will do that and you go talk to somebody and you just walk up a walk up a
hospital a hallway and you'll see somebody and the Lord will lead you to
the right person to start talking to about Jesus you don't have to be in a
bed in the hospital room to witness to somebody now thank God if you do that
but God doesn't say well I'm gonna make this person have an accident because I
know that it while they're in the hospital they're gonna witness the susi
he can bring a laborer across Susie's path without sending you in an ambulance
amen all right so what do you do with the words of Jesus when he said he who
has seen me has seen the father what do you do with Hebrews chapter 11 verse one
two three I'm sorry I always do that because I put
the ones together Hebrews one verse one okay what do you do with Hebrews 1:1
long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the
prophets and now in these final days he has spoken to us how through his son
God promised everything to the Sun as an inheritance and through the Sun he
created the universe the Sun radiates God's own glory and
expresses the very character of God what does it say the Sun radiates God's own
glory Jesus said he who has seen me has seen the father the Sun radiates God's
own glory and expresses the very character of God so when we see the way
Jesus touched people in the way that Jesus walked the earth and the way that
Jesus ministered to people we see God well you never know what God is gonna do
yes you do look at the life of Christ study the life of Christ oh we just got
finished talking about the life of Christ in in our Bible school the book
of John talked about the life of Christ and the more I read the more I'm like I
just want hours just to sit and to read and to learn and and just to spend time
in his presence John wrote in the book of John towards the end there he said
these things you have been given are written down many many miracles that
Jesus did many many things that he did but if if we tried to write them all
down all the books of the world the libraries of the world wouldn't be able
to contain it all but these have been written so you could believe look at the
life of Christ and you'll see God and it'll help it'll help the dust it'll
help the confusion it'll help the things that try to come against us at different
times in our life and we're god is saying the thoughts are saying well god
is mad at you God is giving you back for what you did there's there's some folks
who really believe that they believe that they can't step into a place of
ministry in the church because of what they did in the past but they think
they're being punished for something God is punishing you because of what you did
God doesn't punish me
amen you know I think I've read this here recently but let me read it again
maybe you were here maybe you weren't maybe you just need to hear it again
I've been reading Psalms and Psalm 107 some 107 pick up with verse 17 Psalm 107
and verse 17 I love this because this talks about us this talks about human
beings you know people people always like to say that the Bible's not
relevant but the Bible is relevant the Bible you know it's 2,000 years old or
older and how relevant can it be is just like a history book now the word the
Bible says in the book of Hebrews chapter 4 that the Word of God is living
and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword
so it's alive and so what does it say Psalm 107 verse 17 says fools because of
their transgression and because of their iniquity were afflicted okay so they got
out of the will of God they got out from under his protection you can look it
over and over and over see it over and over and over the different times when
they disobeyed God and things would happen because they got out from under
his protection and the moment they repented and the moment they turned back
to him the moment they said oh God forgive us he was there and His mercy
and His grace to help him over and over and over again and so here it says these
fools because of their transgression and because of their iniquities were
afflicted their soul abhorred all manner of food they drew near to the gates of
death then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble and he kicked him to the
side of the road and said go to hell you are just a bunch of lowlifes oh is that
what that says there I'm just waking making sure this you're all awake okay
then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble and he said no no no you you
have to suffer a little bit longer you haven't learned your lesson yet you have
to go through the school of hard knocks no that's not scriptural fools go
through the school of hard knocks eyes people can learn by being
instructed if you're not going to learn by being instructed then you're gonna
have some hard times but that's not because of God it's because of your own
hardheadedness amen so it says their soul abhorred all manner of food and
they drew near to the gates of death then they cried out to the Lord in their
trouble and he saved them they got themselves into trouble they were
afflicted but as soon as they called out to him he helped him that's the mercy of
God he saved them out of their distress as what does it say he sent His Word and
healed them and delivered them from their destructions oh that men would
give thanks to the Lord for his goodness and his wonderful works to the children
of men let them sacrifice the sacrifices of Thanksgiving and declare his works
with rejoicing so you might be here today and you might say I made a mess
God is mad at me I made a mess I just have to pay the penalty of my mistakes
listen I've got good news for you there's a place in God
that's called mercy there's a place in him that you may have done some things
to get yourself into some circumstances in situations and if you'll begin to
call out you'll begin to repent if you'll begin to call and say lord I blew
it forgive me you watch what God will do
he'll begin to turn that situation around you don't have to live the rest
of your life thinking I can never do anything for God because I did this
that's what the devil wants you to think he wants you to think that he wants you
to think you can never do anything for God because you did this whatever it is
you fill in the blank because we all have different thoughts and different
failures in different sin and different things that maybe we've done in our
lives and the devil comes he's called the accuser of the Brethren he'll come
and he'll accuse he'll come and he'll try to get you to focus on what you did
wrong and hold you in that place but if you'll admit it to God you'll say lord I
blew it I did that wrong I shouldn't have done that I'm calling out to you
help me Lord what does this say and I don't think this is in your notes but go
to Hebrews I'm getting off my nose but Hebrews will
stop here in just a moment Hebrews chapter 4 verse 16 look at
Hebrews chapter 4 verse 16 let us therefore come boldly to the stronger
now why can we come to the throne of grace let's back up to verse 14 I think
this is important why can we come boldly to the throne of grace why can we come
into his presence how do we have access in navigating life in the place of
Prayer maybe maybe this should have been first
seeing then that we have a great high priest who has passed through the
heavens Jesus the Son of God let us hold fast our confession for we do not have a
high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses but was in all points
tempted as we are yet without sin so it's through Christ that we come he
understands the temptation he understands the failures that we've had
he never sinned but he had the same temptations that we did do so we can go
to him or through him to the Father because of his sacrifice so you don't
have to say well I did this wrong or I did that wrong I can never serve God
anymore I can never step into this place of ministry that God is calling me to I
have this sense I have this desire that God wants me to do but I can't do it
because I'm of this no the scripture says you come through Christ you come
through the forgiveness of the blood of Christ that's brought to us and his
death his burial his resurrection and it says in verse 16 because of that let us
come boldly to the throne of grace that we might we might or may obtain mercy
and find grace to help in time of need wow so the devil beating you up it's a
devil reminding you of your mistakes and your failures in the past and saying you
can't you can't you can't just hide in a chair somewhere in the back row and
don't worry if you're sitting in the back row I'm not thinking that you did
something wrong maybe that's what the devil is telling
you you could be sitting in one of the front rows and then the devil might be
telling you the same thing God has a good plan and a good purpose for our
lives amen but we've got to learn to navigate the things that happen in life
and the circumstances in the situations and navigate how are we going to
navigate by spending time in his presence by getting to know God as our
Father the next one is going to be talking about the busyness of life but
you know what I think we'll pick up on that next week let's all stay on Charles
and worship team won't you come on up and let's pray prayer partners if you're
here this morning why don't you come on forward and and we just want to
encourage folks as we close out this service take a moment to quiet your
hearts and quiet your mind father I just thank you for each and every person
that's here this morning thank you father you said when we pray
thank you Father we can get to know you as our Father thank you Father we can
pull away and we can take time to pray alone we could spend time in your
presence we can pray out your will we can hear your will we can be guided and
directed by your will in the earth thank you Father
I thank you for what Jesus said in the book of John chapter 15 verses 7 and 8
but if you remain in me and my words remain in you you may ask for anything
you want and it will be granted when you produce much fruit you are my true
disciples this brings great glory to my father Wow
God wants to answer your prayer we have to pray according to his will we have to
know his will in order to pray as well it's right there in your hand the Bible
spend most of your time in the New Testament spend most of your time when
you're reading the Word of God you get to know him through Jesus and watch what
he'll say watch with a lead and watch how he'll guide and direct you through
life father I just thank you for our time together this morning thank you for
every place that you have for us in you in that relationship with you as our
Father thank you lord for touching every heart every life and
helping us navigate life through this thing sometimes people refer to as
prayer it's not something mysterious it's not something unattainable it's
simply time with you communicating with you being in your presence
turning off the phone's turning off the electronic devices and distractions and
maybe even just going back to paper Bibles and reading the word and sitting
and quiet and listening letting you speak to our hearts thank you for that
refreshing that comes father thank you for every person here every person
watching every person listening today Lord that as they pull away as they set
aside time and your presence I thank you for the answers that come and the wisdom
that comes and the guidance that comes Lord we even thank you for correction
because you have our best interest at heart and mind you you desire to lead us
and to guide us you have a good plan and a good purpose for each and every one of
us and so we thank you for speaking and ministering in helping us navigate life
as we sit in your presence
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