JSM | Uprightness .13 | True Devotion .1 Prayer (11/17/24)

 

JSM | Uprightness .13 | True Devotion .1 Prayer
By Rev. Nicholas Sybrowsky

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Invocation:

Almighty God; Holy Father in heaven.  We acknowledge your Holy Spirit in this place of communal assembly.  We thank you Lord Jesus Christ for your labor upon the cross and praise you for empowerment of the Holy Spirit.  Because of your fulfillment of the Law & the Prophets we have an example above reproach to follow.  We gather to worship the same Father of Jesus our Lord, the Christ and champion; with all vigor & fervency of our being!  Thank you, great Master, for the breath in our lungs.  May you be blessed by our voices, our hands and most importantly our hearts.  Purify our hearts that we may be set apart and see you today.  Hallelujah!

Opening Word & Reading for Worship:

Prayer can at times, seem very cryptic and the algorithm for figuring out the solving of a Rubik’s cube puzzle can feel much the same.  The person praying for supplication from God and/or the person solving the Rubik’s cube puzzle is a cipher.  The recipe to “availeth much” or rather availing much supplication from God’s intervention is effective fervent prayer of an upright man or woman according to James 5:16.  If this puzzles you, then maybe this illustration from Knight & Eerdmans 3,000 Christian Illustrations can bring clarity.  It’s a quote from the Westminster Adult Quarterly sometime before 1947.

“When We Are Ciphers

A certain theological seminary, in its early days, was often in need of money.  Once, in a time of great financial stress, three members of the board of managers met to talk over the situation.  They were all deeply disheartened.  “Is there no one to help us?” asked one.  “No one,” echoed the second dismally.  Finally, the third man spoke.  He was a man of great faith and piety, and he had been in earnest prayer.  “Gentlemen,” he said, “by your own confessions you can do nothing, and I can do nothing.  In other words, in this matter we are just about three ciphers.  But Jesus is certainly One.  Now if we put One before three ciphers, we become a thousand, do we not?  I propose that we put Him first, get down on our knees, and ask Him to show us the way.”  The suggestion was followed, new courage was implanted, and the difficulty was promptly met ~Westminster Adult Quarterly” (Cite 1).

 Results of Pure Piousness promotes True Righteousness glorifying the Creator & benefiting mankind’s eternal life.

Intro:

Suffice it to say that Greater Uprightness is the core value within this particular section of this discourse of Jesus.  We have the account of this sermon from the perspective of Matthew & other disciples and Apostles of Jesus the Christ our Lord.  Currently we are in a verse by verse examination in a subsection of this discourse about piety practices.  Devotional deeds such as charity for the poor, a fervent and effective prayer life and fasting.  Doing these things to be “seen” are going to provide you with a “reward”, but Jesus warns his disciples that practicing alms before mankind “to be seen” will limit eternal reward.  Let’s observe the deed of prayer according to the unendorsed or rather unsanctioned Rabbi.

 Main Text:

[Mat 6:1, 5-15 KJV] "1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. ... 5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites [are]: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen [do]: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. 9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as [it is] in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. 14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

1. Vain Repetitions?  Faith Rest & Listening Prayer.

:7 “use not vain repetitions, as the heathen [do]: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking."

The heathens.  What are heathens?  A shallow dive into the Britannica indicates that “Heathenry [is on the rise;] modern Pagan, or Neo-Pagan, religion.  Its followers, Heathens, are inspired by the pre-Christian religions of Europe’s linguistally Germanic societies—most commonly those that spoke Old Norse.  Heathens have assembled their new religion from a range of historical and archaeological sources, and many perceive Heathenry as either a revival or a continuation of the extinct…” (Cite 3)For a deeper dive into this form of doctrine see today’s manuscript notes & citations.  

“A Boy’s Prayer

A little heathen boy who had just learned the alphabet, was one Sunday morning seen out on the hillside, with his hands clasped together and his eyes closed.  He was repeating the letters of the alphabet over and over.  The missionary drew near, and asked him what it meant.  He replied, “I was praying.” “But why,” replied the questioner, “did you repeat the alphabet?”  “Well,” he said, “I felt that I must pray, and as I knew no prayer, I just said the letters of the alphabet, knowing that the great God would put them into words for me.”~ Canadian Epworth Era (Cite 1).

Childlike faith (Or a smart defense.)  What’s different between the heathenry repetitions and the prayer of this boy is the earnest fervent prayer.  The boy wasn’t praying to be seen.  He was seen and when asked notice that the boy was in submission to the spirit attempting to communion with the Creator from a place of sincere desire to “see God”  It’s a conscious head & heart alignment that drives the physical body to submit to the monotheistic God instead of a polytheistic Gods.

Faith Rest can be examined in Hebrews 11:6 and various other places throughout scripture.  Let me emphasize the Hall of Faith in Heb. 11 highlighting on 11:6.

 “[1] Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. ... [4] By faith Abel…By faith Enoch… [6] 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. By faith Noah… By faith Abraham… By faith Sara… [Heb 11:1- KJV] "

You get the pattern clearly observable in the epistle to the Hebrews.   Are you at ease as a Christian?  Christian at Ease! By R.B. Thieme, Jr. positively impacted me as a young follower of Jesus; a time when my physical memory was more heathen than completely Christ’s.  It’s an excellent small book edited from the lectures and unpublished notes of R.B. Thieme, Jr.  Unfortunately, the only way I can share this very small book with you is in person after service this afternoon or by appointment.  Another way to read this great lesson about standing on the Promises of God is via the link in my notes on the manuscript: link on the blog spot.  Additionally, you can see the various scriptures which empower you to be at ease and stand on the word of God promoting what R.B. Thieme, Jr calls Faith-Rest and how to have it (Cite 4).  

Enter into His Rest by faith (Heb 3:11; 4:3, 5-6).  Today I’ll call resting in faith Listening Prayer.  Have you ever just been still in your prayer time, yet you don’t fall asleep and the Lord is ever-present just speaking to you?  Let us be still in times of chaos and know that “I AM is God”(Ps. 46:10).

 “[10] Be still, and know that I [am] God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. [Psa 46:10 KJV]”

Derogatory terms of heathen and christian. Sharing brief commentary. (listen to LIVE Stream.) Religious bigotry warning; impure piousness.  Be exceedingly Glad.

2.  Could You Not Tarry?  Preparation, Promises, Priority, Provision, People, Power & Praise.  

Prayer | ACTS:  Admiration, Confession, Thanksgiving & Supplication (Briefly!)(Cite 5)

What did Peter and the disciples of Jesus lack in the Garden of Gethsemane?  Was is it righteousness?  I suspect that it was character that grows from the hardship and travail in sustained obedience to upright living.  

“[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. [Jas 5:16 KJV]”

  Maybe it was a lack of fervency.  They were following Jesus, yet they weren’t always in perfect stride with him.  We know that Jesus had a secret life with the Creator.  One example within various examples of this is 30 years of life that remains a mystery.  For 30 years he prepared for what has been figured to be 3.5 years of public ministry.  

We also know that God can Create things overnight; He created the world in 7 days.  But we’re NOT God.  There are many things we can do in our own strength, but the supernatural phenomena are most notable in the lives of they who exemplified true devotion.  Although they were admired and feared by man many of the godly servants didn’t demonstrate God’s power to get fame, they were simply being obedient.  They’re very famous today in our 21st century.  Most of their life was unseen by mankind and they rose to the Hall of Faith (Heb 11) because of their secret and private life that only God can see in secret.

Heb 11:32-40.

“[32] And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and [of] Barak, and [of] Samson, and [of] Jephthae; [of] David also, and Samuel, and [of] the prophets: [33] Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, [34] Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. [35] Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: [36] And others had trial of [cruel] mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: [37] They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; [38] (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and [in] mountains, and [in] dens and caves of the earth. [39] And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: [40] God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. [Heb 11:32-40 KJV]

3.  Righteousness Development that Only God knows of.

The life of the prophets.  Study the lives of the Prophets and you will discover that they had a very private and secret life with the Creator.  In the historic literature of Judges, we witness the struggle to rescue and champion victory in the lives of the Israelites.  Most of their chosen champions “did what was evil in the sight of God”.  The principle truth and lesson that we can extract from this account.  Is that the truth is that God only knows.  Despite truth being measurable and absolute our finite tools and minds will be limited by our human condition.  Without the Spirit of God, we are nothing and know nothing.  

Anything we do know is perishable in the hands of the mankind.  I value scientific evidence so much so I can very much relate to the Agnostic’s posture of there is no way of proving God is real.  I can relate to this in that the absolutes in physics have permitted great advances in technology.  Sadly, mankind is closely if not clearly on the path to repeating history.  The Tower of Babel and becoming great is on par for this in our current time.  I believe many people are about to see God in a way that will move them to believe.  Unfortunately for most, their contempt for the Creator has gone too far and they will not be spared. 

To the agnostic unbelieving neighbor.  Fast Facts shared on Live Stream (Cite 6).

4. Next Week & Next Message: Prayer | American Thanksgiving. On December 1st JSM | Uprightness.14 | True Devotion.2 Fasting maybe Prayer.2.

Conclusion:

Greater uprightness drives us to seek eternal reward not earthly reward.  The results of divine help aren’t the important part.  Answers to prayer don’t always manifest in the form of physical values like a vending machine.  The most valuable result of the helps that God permits or makes manifest through supplication is the very presence of God.  Communion with the Creator is the result of Jesus’ overcoming sin by paying the wages.  Strength to follow Jesus and carry our own cross is the next privilege perhaps.  True sacrifice that please the Lord our God is that which is plausible because of our persistent faithful devotion to obedience & fervency of prayer and applied pure devotion; pure piety.

Exhortation:

The “birth pangs” (See Bible Prophecy) happening around the world are prophesied by King Jesus.  The majority of 8.2 billion people are desiring to know God is real.  We are heading toward this manifestation.  Let us pray that when He reveals himself to the world that we are the “remnant”(See Bible Prophecy) fervently believing and awaiting the second coming.  May he find us in uprightness and humble spirit.  A new country; new heave and new earth.  A place prepared before the foundation of the world.

Altar Call to Action/Suggested Response

Become a cipher in prayer and supplication.  Get intentional about your personal growth in “greater uprightness” described by the Lord Jesus Christ.  Join us in person Wednesday’s at 6pm.  Privately make time and carve out room in your schedule for intercessory prayer invoking the Spirit of our God OUR Father to supply you and yours with result of God’s abundant mercy & grace.  We don’t assemble “to be seen”.  Yet let’s not forsake the assembling of our selves together at the community altar.  Do this in secret and the Lord will reward you openly.  Like the little heathen boy; figure it out! 

Prayer & song.  

[Rom 8:24-27 ESV] 24 “For in this hope [from the spirit of the resurrected Christ] we were saved [from the bondage of corruption]. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. 26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 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.”

Benediction:

"[12] Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, [so many] as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable. [13] These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of [them], and embraced [them], and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. [14] For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. [15] And truly, if they had been mindful of that [country] from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. [16] But now they desire a better [country], that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. [Heb 11:12-16 KJV]"

Lord, by faith we invite you to lead us throughout the coming days, Amen.

Next Week/Message:

Credits, Citations & Notes:

1. Knight; 3,000 Illustrations for Christian Service; Eerdmans x2

2. Translations Blue Letter Bible.org KJV 11/17/24.

3. Shallow dive - https://www.britannica.com/topic/Heathenry

4. Christian at Ease! By R.B. Thieme, Jr. positively

5. CRU Military Prayer Acronym. 

6. Scientific Evidence for Intelligent Design.  Apologetics Study Bible For Students by Sean Mcdowell.  Fast Facts page 930

7.     Larry Lea author of Could You Not Tarry; Commentary on Live Stream.