Luke 11:14-28   No Neurtrality.  John G Ridley  The Tragedy of a Half-Way Salvation.

14 And He was casting out a demon, and it was mute. So it was, when the demon had gone out, that the mute spoke; and the multitudes marveled.

15 But some of them said, "He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons."

16 Others, testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven.

17 But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them: "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls.

18 If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? Because you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub.

19 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.

20 But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.

21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace.

22 But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils.

23 He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

24 "When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.'

25 And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order.

26 Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first."

Keeping the Word

27 And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, "Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!"

28 But He said, "More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"

Seeking a Sign

29 And while the crowds were thickly gathered together, He began to say, "This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet.

30 For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation.

31 The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.

32 The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.

This great text, the outcome of a miracle, stands between a vivid illustration and a vital application.

Some people had brought a very sad case to our Lord. A man possessed with a demon who was blind and dumb.  With the word of Divine power and the touch of God.  Jesus healed the sufferer so that he both spoke and saw.

The people who witnessed the great miracle  were amazed, and well they might be for truly this was a mighty deed. Awed with wonder and reverence they began to say one to another "Is not this the Son of David?" "Surely this is the Messiah?" "No mere man could do these things?" 

Instantly the Pharisees retorted, "he casts out demons by Beezelbub the chief of demons."  "come show us a sign from heaven and we will believe."

Knowing their hearts our Lord replied "Every Kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation. A house divided against a house falleth." If Satan also is be divided against himself how shall his kingdom stand? If I by Beezelbub cast out demons by who do your sons cast them out?" If I by the finger of God cast out devils no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.

Then follows His Vivid Illustration.

He portrays a palace kept by a strong man who is armed and all uis safe. But lo!  Suddenly a stronger man comes upon the strong man and overthrows him and takes all his armour and his spoils.

McCheyne likens the palace to the sinner. The strong man to Satan and the stronger man to Christ.

Thus Christ comes upon the devil-filled ones and delivers them but immediately He utters a grim word of warning. "he that is not with Me is against Me." Every age has its heresy every generation its outstanding evil. The Church of Jesus Christ may not today be face to face with the firs of Smithfield or the lions of the Coliseum, or the nameless crucifixus of a Nero or the vicious attacks of a Tom Pain or Voltaire but the devil is not dead. No nor even asleep or on holiday in this our age and generation.  True, he may have slain his thousands with the weapons of persecution and martyrdom in other days, but now with a deadlier and more subtle weapon he slays his tens of thousands.  The weapon of the wicked One we wish to speak about tonight  Indifference, Half-heartedness, Luke-warmness, mere outward reformation or shall I call it a Half way salvation?

The Tragedy of A Half Way Salvation is That It Professes Apparently to Accept The Lord's Deliverance.

Our Lord cast out a dumb demon and the delivered man opened his mouth and spoke.  Many of the people wondered! Some – Blasphemed.. Attributing Christ's power to Satan. Others  - Tempted; asking a sign.

How Jesus knows their thoughts. Yes He knows all thoughts. He knows what is in a man.  He knows the secret meditations ion your mind and mine. Yes "The Lord knoweth them that are His" – those that are for Him and those who are against Him.  "If I with the finger of God cast out demons no doubt the kingdom of God has come upon you."   The Spirit of God…

"Satan is not divided" asserts our Lord. But he has a force against him which is stronger than he, even the Spirit of God."

Then to press home and apply the illustration our Lord unveils a strange parable.

A certain man is delivered from an unclean spirit; and he walks through dry places seeking rest and finding none. .. but the delivered man seems to have rest.

"The grace of God which brings salvation has appeared unto all men" and apparently many accept it.

Great multitudes followed Christ at first, but afterwards many went back and walked no more with Him." Herod listened to John gladly and did many things but afterwards murdered the same John. Many "hear the Word and with joy receive it, but have not root in themselves but endureth for a while and then when persecution or tribulation arise because of the Word straightway they are offended .

Oh how sadly true this is!

How many in missions and evangelistic work appear to accept God's offer of deliverance in Christ and in many cases the evil spirit of drink gambling, impurity temper, worldliness seems to go out of them. For awhile there is reforming and gladness but then temptation arises and a laugh from a friend ; a sneer from an old acquaintance, a blow  from an enemy  - and because there is no root, but only shallow conviction, they are offended.

Alas how true it is that under the power of a mighty message or in times of special prayer and revival, evil spirits play with their victims and depart for a season and people confess how much they enjoy the things of God and how much better they fare, and even assume and assure that they are saved , but – it is but the tragedy of a half way salvation:

Assumption without Divine Assurance

Interest without identification with Jesus Christ

Reformation without regeneration by the Holy Spirit

Acknowledgment of the precepts of Christ without Acceptance of the Person of Christ.

Makes an acknowledgement of Christ but alas no repentance for sin, no burning the bridges behind, no honest abhorrence of evil.  Oh the tragic trifling there is with sin!

The Irishman confessed to his priest that he had been stealing hay. The priest asked him how much he had stolen. "Your reverence I might as well confess to the whole stack, as I am going back after the other hay tonight."

The Tragedy of a Halfway salvation is that it Halts in the Danger Zone.

Years ago in a certain mission a crippled laddie of some 12 years attended and on returning home one night he confided to his father saying "dad when Mr. Ridley asked for hands to be raised if any one would accept Christ, I put my hand up half way, so I must be half saved."

How many like the young laddie get half way to Christ.. but half there is not neutral ground  its No Man's Land.

Feeling much better after a message or  revival mission the half saved soul cleans up the house. With the broom of reformation old habits and bad words and wrong attitudes are swept out and then with the paint of imitation the life is garnished with natural gifts and human graces.  Maybe one broom is painted with the faith of a Simon Magus  Another with the choice words and good desires of a Balaam. Another with the activity and interest of a Judas, while the outside is adorned with the external religious performances of a Pharisee. Yes "swept and garnished" but no more, no washing in the sin cleansing, sin purging blood of the Lamb. Oh No! That is an offensive suggestion – an old fashioned doctrine- a narrow-minded Puritanical theory. No! "Swept and garnished"  that is enough! "no need to overdo things." No race to cut clear from the world and its ways." "no intention of parading Christ before others." No! 

Therefore no faith.

Where?  In no Man's Land. Apparently between two sides: Satan's kingdom and Christ's kingdom. And for a time it seems a sensible stand in the eyes fo the world, and a comfortable camp to the convicted sinner.

Now let me linger for a moment and put a few questions to my hearers.

When Jesus Christ went to Calvary did He half show of a finished work?

No! He surrendered; He suffered; he bled; He bore the blackness of darkness for three hours and then He died. Yes, He completed the work.

"Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures."

"Christ tasted death for every man."

He finished the work given Him to do.

There is no half measure about the Gospel given to man. Nothing to be added to it. God calls sinners to accept a finished and effectual work, when He calls them to accept Christ.

"Then doubt not your welcome since God has declared

There remaineth no more to be done;

Just once in the end of the world He appeared

And completed the work He begun."

No, Christ completed the work of Redemption.

2.) When God calls a sinner to come to Jesus for salvation will He be satisfied if that one halts short of the Saviour and with admiration for His life, and Praise for His works seeks in No Mans land to imitate His great example? Or does He require the sinner to definitely accept His Son as a gift? Surely the latter, for "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not got life." "As many as received Him to them gave He the right to become sons of God…"

And to receive one must take, and there is no salvation within until Christ is received.

3.) Again what did our Lord mean when He said "no man can serve two masters, you cannot serve God and Mammon."?

Was He not solemnly shattering the fond dream of thousands that the mentioned half-way position is the clever and comfortable compromise in the soul's attitude to God?

Are you thinking along this line?

"The neutral position will save me from many a scrap for while others beat themselves to pieces  and caring waste their days in warfare I shall be friends to both sides and enemy of none."

Happy helpful to lukewarmness I will pitch my tent in "No Man's Land!"

Beware my friend, Belgium learned to her sorrow in 1914 that such a friend can smash a neutral with one blow.

"Be sober, be vigilant, your adversary the devil as a roaring lion prowls around seeking whom he may devour."

Suddenly the evil spirit returned on an unexpected day. He went out at his own pleasure and comes back at his own will, bringing seven other demons more wicked than himself to find… what?

A house  past, filling with the Holy Spirit and armed with the armour of God? No! an empty house , swept and garnished but NOT washed nor fortified. Oh the tragedy of such a condition!

"if I wash you not, you have no part with Me!" The house must be washed ot it is none of His!

Sweeping of reformation and garnishing of imitation only take off the loose dirt and cover the deep-rooted besetting sin which is still untouched. The life is swept from the sin that lies  open to  the eye of the world, but the heart is not searched and washed from secret unbelief and filthiness."

An empty life!  Like the rich man Dives. No identified crime charged against him but simply neutral. Not openly against Jesus Christ but certainly not for Him, not gathering for Him, and "he that is not for Me is against Me and he that gathereth not for me scattereth."

No Mans Land is a trap of the enemy; an ambush of Beezlebub a deadly ditch of the devil's own digging.

The Tragedy of a Half-Way Salvation is That It Ends In Ultimate Disaster.

The man who has but one evil spirit finally has eight dwelling within him, so that his last state is worse than his first.  As Matthew Henry has well said. " the formal professor merges eventually into the final apostate…. Hypocrisy is the high road to apostacy… where secret haunts of sin are kept up under the cloak of a good religious profession, the conscience is debauched, God is provoked to withdraw His restraining grace and the close formal hypocrite commonly proves an open apostate… the last state of such is worse than the first in respect both of sin and punishment."

"Remember Lot's Wife."

She went out of Sodom – a professed believer. She halted in No Man's Land – the half-way halt. She looked back –proving her heart's link to sin. She perished! Ultimate disaster!

Oh you who live in a privileged land and listen to the precious Gospel and profess to be Christians beware lest "you have a name to live and are dead."

Beware lest you halt in the danger zone.

"no man having put his hand to the plough and looking back is fir for the kingdom of God." Beware of the Saviour's sweeping "woes" on the hypocrites.

Look at the case of Mrs. Madely E Malvern. For twenty years professing to be a Christian. Sang beautiful solo "Jesus lover of my soul." In the morning service.  She came under conviction of sin in the evening service.  She called a friend to pray. She couldn't sleep. She sought help of a godly woman who came out late at night and on her knees tried to repent. Oh the agony! Her hypocritical life blocked her.  We prayed and preached  and at last she broke down with a piercing cry, "I have been a hypocrite for twenty years!"  Then with tears of repentance and faith she accepted Jesus. She  went home and knelt in prayer before her husband. She commenced to read her Bible.  She was saved from an apostate's end. 

Friend if you are on Satan's side  hear the sweet words of peace and pardon "Seek the Lord while He may be found. Let the wicked forsake his way."

If you are a neutral neither for nor against, hearing the warning words of the Lord. I would that you were cold or hot, so then because you are lukewarm, neither cold nor hot I will spew you out of My mouth."

"For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them."

An Englishman's home. An invading commander places Geof Smith  a civilian in the cellar. "Why put me in the cellar? I am not a soldier, only an onlooker."

"yes Mr Smith, very true, but you must pay for your seat."

And he did. He was shot dead.

Yes the neutral is only an onlooker neither for nor against, but he will pay and pay dearly for his seat.

Oh friend come right to Jesus and find real deliverance. He will thrust the devil out and sweep him out of your heart.  He will save and save to the uttermost only be definite and diligent and make your calling and election sure.

I have known some who came to Christ …. Years on.. who had professed to be Christians for many years but found their hearts empty. I know of an older man who could hardly wait to get to church so that he might confess Christ before he died. What of you? Will you choose right now. Come to Christ and confess Christ. 

"What will you do with Jesus,

Neutral you cannot be.

Some day your heart will be asking

What will he do with me?"

"He that is not with me is against me."

Think of it! Are you with Him in heart in head in lip, in life, in private  in public? Are you with Him in thoughts words and deeds?

Are you with Him utterly and absolutely?

If not you are against Him, because there is no neutrality in Christianity.

The British Minister at Belgrade has asked the Yugoslav government for a clear statement of its intentions.  The purpose of the message is "Are you for us or against us?"

Yugoslavia cannot be on both side and aid for Germany would mean a break with us."  8^th March 1941.

1 Corinthians 3   Maturity, Ministry and Mastery.

¹But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ.

²I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready,

³for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?

⁴For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not being merely human?

⁵What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each.

⁶I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.

⁷So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.

⁸He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor.

⁹For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building.

¹⁰According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it.

¹¹For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

¹²Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw---

¹³each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.

¹⁴If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward.

¹⁵If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

¹⁶Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?

¹⁷If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.

¹⁸Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.

¹⁹For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their craftiness,"

²⁰and again, "The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile."

²¹So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours,

²²whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future---all are yours,

²³and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.

Author Leslie Flynn, in his book, Great Church Fights, tells the story of two porcupines in the chilling north country of Canada huddled together to keep warm. Because they pricked each other with their quills, however, they decided to part ways. It wasn't long until they were once again side by side. Their very survival depended on it. They learned they had to bear one another's burdens! Flynn's point in his little story is that the two porcupines are not too different from the church. ," "And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ" (3:1). Clearly, Paul is contrasting "spiritual" with "carnal." The term "carnal" comes from a word which means "flesh." In fact, some translations literally translate this phrase as "men of flesh." By "flesh" Paul is not referring to skin and bones. Instead, he is referring to the Corinthians' "fleshly" behaviour, a behaviour rooted in their old nature and not in their new nature in Christ (cp. 2 Cor. 5:17). Furthermore, Paul equates the "fleshly" behaviour with being "babes in Christ." In other words, the behaviour of the Corinthians was more like new born Christians and not spiritually developed believers. Their actions were infantile, immature, and indicative more of childishness instead of Christian adults. Needless to say, Paul was not paying them a compliment! If the Corinthians were to be a great church in their pagan city, they must become "spiritual" and not "carnal." They must grow up into stable maturity in Christ, living off the meat of the word, not the milk. No less is true for the church today. No church can be great if its members are mainly immature, carnal, and spiritual babes in Christ. It is in immaturity and fleshly behaviour that Christians stick it to each other.  Though each of us have "sticky" points about us, we are called to remain together for the Gospel's sake. We are called to be a church. Paul dealt with some very sticky issues at Corinth. We have seen the problem of pride that devastates churches. It is pride that primarily is fleshly, worldly, carnal, that makes us irritate each other.

God Desires Your Spiritual Maturity  (1-5)

God Desires Your Sweet Harmonious Ministry  (6-9)

The characteristic Greek tendency to factions was threatening to tear up the Corinthian Church, and each faction was swearing by a favourite teacher. Paul and his companion, Apollos, had been taken as the figureheads of two of these parties, and so he sets himself in the context, first of all to show that neither of the two was of any real importance in regard to the Church's life. They were like a couple of gardeners, one of whom did the planting, and the other the watering; but neither the man that put the little plant into the ground, nor the man that came after him with a watering-pot, had anything to do with originating the mystery of the life by which the plant grew. That was God's work, and the pair that had planted and watered were nothing. So what was the use of fighting which of two nothings was the greater? Pride wants to be great! 

But then he thinks himself that that is not quite all. The man that plants and the man that waters are something after all. They are partners, workers together and workers together with God,  and so are one in purpose. So what's the sense of pitting them against each other?  That partnership of co-operation is not merely a partnership of the two, but it is a partnership of the three — God and the two of them.  There is a solemn thought: a fellow worker with God. There is a special honour.

Suppose a great painter, a Raphael or a Turner, taking a little boy that cleaned his brushes, and saying to him, 'Come into my studio, and I will let you do a bit of work upon my picture.' Or a great musician condescends to teach you a musical instrument.  But most of all this is a strong encouragement. 'Fellow-labourers with God'— then, God is a Fellow-labourer with us. The co-operation works both ways, and no one who is seeking to spread that great salvation needs to feel that he is labouring alone. If I am working with God, God is working with me. And that means if you want to make a division, you are fighting against God. 'Baby Christians',' carnal christians' people who profess to be Christians but are just like the unsaved, who go into little tantrums when they don't get their way.  The characteristics of a baby fleshly carnal Christian

1. They Are Never Ready For Meat (verse 2)

2. They Thrive On Strife And Quarrels (verse 3)

3. They Enjoy Factionalism (verse 4)

4. They Exalt Man Above God (verses 5-9)

a. Not understanding the Spirit's sovereignty

b. Not understanding the Lord's method

c. Not understanding the Body's co-operation

d. Not understanding the Labourer's reward

So what is it about a person that makes them unable to digest solid food? It's pride. Or to put it positively, the organ that properly digests solid food is humility. As long as a person is still largely influenced by a spirit of self-exaltation he is not able to digest solid food. The throat of pride is too narrow and unpliable to handle the solid food.

So what then is the solid food and what is the milk? Milk is teaching that is uniquely designed to get a proud sinner started on the path of humility and hope. There is something about the word of the cross that can get into the hard and narrow esophagus of self-reliance and bring life-giving hope and humility without choking a person to death. Not that the milk of the gospel saves everybody. "The word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing" (1:18). A person's spiritual throat can be so swollen with pride and self-reliance that they even gag on milk.

 So milk is teaching that is uniquely designed to get a proud sinner started on the path of humility and hope, mainly the word of the cross, the message of Christ crucified.

What then is solid food? Notice that it is not something that takes more intellect to grasp. What it takes is less jealousy and strife, less pride and self-assertion. The solid food is not for smart people. It's for humble people -- people who have stopped pursuing the pleasures of

self-confidence and self-exaltation and self-determination – people who now want only to boast in the Lord and give him all the glory for whatever good there is in the world and in their lives.

God Desires Your Spiritual Maturity (v.1-5)

God Desires Your Sweet Ministry (v. 6-9) 

God Desires Your Soul Mastery (v.10-15)

¹⁰According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it.¹¹For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹²Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw---¹³each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.¹⁴ If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. ¹⁵If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

People who develop a mastery of a subject give themselves to the task of working hard at that subject. Mastery of something takes commitment. Mastery of ministry takes commitment.

Paul calls himself a Master builder of a church.  Master builders were the best of the builders.

As a wise masterbuilder  (ως σοφος αρχιτεκτων). Paul does not shirk his share in the work at Corinth with all the sad outcome there. He absolves Apollos from responsibility for the divisions. He denies that he himself is to blame. In doing so he has to praise himself because the Judaizers who fomented the trouble at Corinth had directly blamed Paul. It is not always wise for a preacher to defend himself against attack, but it is sometimes necessary. Factions in the church were now a fact and Paul went to the bottom of the matter. God gave Paul the grace to do what he did. This is the only New Testament example of the old and common word αρχιτεκτων, our architect. Τεκτων is from τικτω, to beget, and means a begetter, then a worker in wood or stone, a carpenter or mason (Matt 13:55; Mark 6:3). Αρχι- is an old inseparable prefix like αρχαγγελος (archangel), αρχεπισχοπος (archbishop), αρχιερευς (chiefpriest). Αρχιτεκτων occurs in the papyri and inscriptions in an even wider sense than our use of architect, sometimes of the chief engineers. But Paul means to claim primacy as pastor of the church in Corinth as is true of every pastor who is the architect of the whole church life and work. All the workmen (τεκτονες, carpenters) work under the direction of the architect (Plato, Statesman, 259). "As a wise architect I laid a foundation" (θεμελιον εθηκα). Much depends on the wisdom of the architect in laying the foundation. This is the technical phrase (Luke 6:48; Luke 14:29), a cognate accusative for θεμελιον. (RWP)

Paul offers a self description as a "masterbuilder" or literally, a "skillful architect." For Paul, he understood his role as one who drew up plans and laid foundations (cp. Rom. 15:20). No other work is more significant to the building of a great church than the proper foundation. Skyscrapers cannot be built on the foundation of a chicken-house. What are the particular elements for a proper church foundation?

First, the church must be founded upon the deity of Jesus Christ ( v. 11; cp. Matt. 16:18; 21:42; Acts 4:11; 1 Pet. 2:4-6). No other foundation will suffice (Matt. 7:24-26). No church can ever approach greatness apart from the sure foundation of Christ.

A great church must further be founded upon the death of Jesus Christ (Acts 20:28; Eph. 5:25). The church is redeemed by the precious blood of the Lord Jesus and redeemed by no other. And, what is true of the church is also true of one's life. People cannot build their lives upon service, sacrifice, or success. One's life is built only upon Christ if it is to have eternal significance, eternal life.

Second, Paul reveals the construction for eternity. Hear well the Apostle's words, "Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble" (v. 12). Elsewhere Paul says, "And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord" (Eph. 2:20-21). We must take care how we build as well as upon what foundation we build. In addition, we must be cautious concerning the materials we use for building. Paul mentions two kinds of building materials for constructing a church for eternity. On the one hand, he speaks of "wood, hay, and stubble" and on the other he contrasts "gold, silver, and precious stones." Obviously, the two kinds of materials result in two very different structures. We may build either a mud hut or a mansion, a King's palace or a pauper's porch. One is permanent and the other shakes with even the slightest wind. One is spiritual, sacrificial, and steadfast while the other is careless, worthless, and, in the end, useless. Who would even consider using gold, silver, or precious stones on an inadequate foundation?

Finally, Paul reveals the examination for eternity. Whether or not we realize it, God will examine in eternity the structure we build in time. One day all building will be set ablaze by none other than God Himself! Notice Paul's words, "Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire" (vv. 13-15). On "the day"—which is a reference to the Judgment Seat of Christ (cp. Rom. 14:10; 2 Cor. 5:10)—while Christians will not be judged as sinners, they will be judged as servants. The work Christians perform will be tested through the fires of God's discernment—"the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is." No one is exempt. Consequently, some will be rewarded while others "suffer loss." Note again this judgment is for believers not unbelievers. No believer in Jesus Christ will suffer as an unbeliever nor be banished from God's presence. Through faith in Jesus Christ, we are eternally God's chosen people. Hence, no sermon a preacher proclaimed, no lesson a teacher taught, no opportunity a soul-winner ignored, nor tithe a person missed will go unnoticed at God's judgment bar. Jesus made it clear that even every single word which we speak will not go unnoticed (Matt. 12:36).

1) He will assess our lives in detail.

2) He looks at us as if we are building contractors.

3) What one of you does, reflects on all of us.

There was a young minister who sat by the bed of a friend who was dying. As they talked of his going to be with the Lord, tears filled the eyes of his dying friend. The young minister thought he was afraid to die and attempted to speak encouraging words to him. But his friend replied, "I am not afraid to die; I am ashamed to die." He went on to say that although Christ as his Savior, he had lived for himself, and he now had to meet the Lord empty-handed. His life was "wood, hay, and straw."

How to build with quality in the Christian life.

  A. Know your God.

 B. Watch your inner life.

Terrible earthquake in Haiti in January 12  at about 5 pm 2010 killed over 300,000 including nearly all the members of parliament when most buildings collapsed. The buildings looked the same as any anywhere else, except there were no building codes; substandard building practices and materials caused most buildings to collapse. 1 million were left homeless.  A further 770,000 caught cholera.

Moral impurity causes many Christians to fall.

Sin that is not checked only grows worse.

Charles Swindoll tells the story of a well-respected British pastor who lived around the turn of the century.  Each day he commuted by trolley car from his home in the suburbs to his church in downtown London.  On this particular day, he paid the driver as he got on, preoccupied with his busy schedule and the needs of his church.  It wasn't until he was seated that he realized the driver has given him too much change.

Fingering the coins, his first thought was an alien one, "My, how wonderfully God provides!"  But the longer he sat there, the less comfortable he became.  His conscience telegraphed a strong signal of conviction within him.  As he walked to the door to get off near his church, he looked at the driver and quietly said, "When I got on, you accidently gave me too much change." The driver, with a sly smile, replied, "It was no accident at all. You see, I was in your congregation yesterday and heard your sermon on honesty.  I just thought I'd put you to the test, Reverend."

But those who are faithful in their work in the Kingdom shall receive a reward. There will be a prize for the faithful in Jesus. The Bible speaks of definite rewards, or "crowns" which await us. There is the "Crown of Life" for those who love Jesus and endure temptation (James 1:12). There is the "Crown Incorruptable" for those who discipline their lives in the race (1 Cor. 9:25). There is the "Crown of Rejoicing" for those who are soul winners (1 Thess. 2:19). There is the "Crown of Righteousness" for those who love His appearing (2 Tim. 4:8). And there is the "Crown of Glory" for those who faithfully shepherd God's flock (1 Peter 5:4).

What does it mean to receive a "crown"? Does this mean we'll receive a literal crown to go on our heads? If these crowns are a symbol of something, what would that be?

Let's lay up treasure in heaven. Too often we make our lives the focus. But in Revelation 22:12 Jesus said, "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done." May we so build on the foundation with the right motives, that our work will be gold, silver, and costly stones. A glorious crown awaits those who do. "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." (Gal. 6:9)

Luke 11:1-13   Lord Teach us to Pray!

1 It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples."

2 And He said to them, "When you pray, say: 'Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come.

3 'Give us each day our daily bread.

4 'And forgive us our sins, For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.'"

5 Then He said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and goes to him at midnight and says to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves;

6 for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him';

7 and from inside he answers and says, 'Do not bother me; the door has already been shut and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.'

8 "I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs.

9 "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

10 "For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened.

11 "Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he?

12 "Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he?

13 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?"

Prayer is difficult. It is the most spiritual of activities that you can do. It is the most revealing of our own hearts.

It is the thing Satan hates most in a believer's life.

Richard Sibbes wrote long ago: "When we go to God by prayer, the devil knows we go to fetch strength against him, and therefore he opposes us all he can." But, clearly, it isn't only because of the devil's wiles that we find such difficulty in prayer. There is something inside of us still, something powerful and deeply rooted that renders us indisposed to prayer. We have an aversion to it that is contrary to all that we know to be true, even to the deepest and purest desires of our lives. The finest Christians have always admitted this.

"Everything we do in the Christian life is easier than prayer." Lloyd Jones

"There is nothing that we are so bad at all our days as prayer." Alexander Whyte

"I find in my own case an unaccountable backwardness to pray. I can read, I can write, I can converse with a ready will, but secret prayer is far more spiritual than any of these. And the more spiritual a duty is the more my carnal heart is apt to start away from it." John Newton

"There are times in my life when I would rather die than pray." Thomas Shepard

Richard Hooker, the celebrated "judicious Hooker," the 16th century Anglican divine, in his immortal sermon on justification by faith uses the misery of the prayer life of Christians as the crowning argument against the Roman Catholic idea that justification means actually becoming righteous in heart and behavior. If so, Hooker argues, "why do justified people do so poorly at holy living. And he uses prayer as his chief illustration of that fact.

"Let the holiest and best thing we do be considered. We are never better affected unto God than when we pray; yet when we pray, how are our affections many times distracted! How little reverence do we shew to the grand majesty of that God, unto whom we speak! How little remorse of our own miseries! How little taste of that sweet influence of his tender mercy do we feel! Are we not as unwilling many times to begin, and as glad to make an end, as if God in saying 'Call upon me,' had set us a very burdensome task?" [WORKS, vol. 2, 302 col. 1]

A.C. Dixon said, "When we rely upon organization, we get what organization can do; when we rely upon education, we get what education can do; when we rely upon eloquence, we get what eloquence can do, and so on. Nor am I disposed to undervalue any of these things in their proper place, but when we rely upon prayer, we get what God can do." (Evangelism, A Biblical Approach, M. Cocoris, Moody, 1984, p. 108).

1. You Have A Promise to Claim

The Lord promises that if we will ask, seek, and knock, it shall be given to us. There is no substitute for prayer. You can't substitute eloquence, intellect, energy, intention or enthusiasm for prayer. Nothing can take the place of direct communication with God. Prayer is the greatest untapped resource in the universe. What fools we are to neglect it! Many Christians are powerless and in poverty because of their lack of prayer. I don't have a failure in my life but that it is a failure to pray. I don't have a sin but that prayer would have avoided it. I don't have a need that cannot be met through prayer. Christ promises power through prayer, and we ought not neglect it. Have you ever wondered why God wants us to pray?

After all He already knows our needs. Why ask God to do something He already wants to do? The reason is that prayer is an invitation. We don't inform God through our prayers, for He already knows. We don't instruct God through prayer, for He already has a will. But we invite God through our prayers, obediently surrendering ourselves to Him. He invites us to pray. He invites us to a relationship with Himself. And prayer is you talking to God in that relationship.

God wants us to pray because of the fellowship factor.

Janis Joplin lyrics: Lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz

Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz ? My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends.
Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends, So Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz ?
Oh Lord, won't you buy me a color TV ? Dialing For Dollars is trying to find me.

I wait for delivery each day until three, So oh Lord, won't you buy me a color TV ?
Oh Lord, won't you buy me a night on the town ? I'm counting on you, Lord, please don't let me down.
Prove that you love me and buy the next round, Oh Lord, won't you buy me a night on the town ?
Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz ? My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends,
Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends, So oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz ?

The name it and claim it, prosperity gospel is not in Jesus' mind.

God doesn't want just to give us things; He wants us to have fellowship with Him. John 15:4 says that He wants us to abide in Him. Prayer is the way to abide in God and allow Him to abide in you. You can't succeed in this life without the Lord. The Lord can succeed without you, but He chooses not to because He desires your fellowship. When you pray and God answers, you become a labourer together with Him. That's the fellowship factor. He works through you to accomplish His will.

God wants us to pray because of the development factor.

Nothing will help your spiritual life grow more than praying. The reason the Lord doesn't answer your prayers immediately is that He wants you to grow some more. Sometimes we'll make a request of the Lord, but there is something He wants to have happen in our lives first. You can ask the Lord for something, and He won't answer because there is sin in your life. Until you deal with the sin, He won't deal with your prayer. Prayer is a means of developing your spiritual walk.  John Knox defined prayer, "earnest and familiar talking with God."

God wants us to pray because of the dependency factor.

We have to learn to rely on God's power. "Without me ye can do nothing," Jesus tells us in John 15:5. If He were to answer our prayers automatically, we would experience no growth. And if we never had to pray, there would be no dependency. Prayer is God's way of bonding us to Himself. So Jesus said to ask, seek, and knock, and offered us a wonderful promise to claim.

2. You Have A Process to Follow

Asking, seeking, and knocking form a process.

Each is a bit more intensive than the previous word. If you ask, you will receive. If you seek, you will find. If you knock, it shall be opened to you. That's the process Christ wants us to use. They are all present

imperatives, meaning, "Go on asking, go on seeking, go on knocking, and don't quit." God doesn't answer perfunctory prayers. He's not a perfunctory person. He will not be drawn into something so far below his glory that it simply can't connect with why he made us and what he's doing in the world today.

ASK Ask

When you ask, you simply express your desire. If there is something you want God to do, ask Him for it. I think the greatest problem in the spiritual life of most folks is not unanswered prayer, but unasked prayer. Many never get to the asking part. James tells us that we have not because we ask not. Samuel once said, "God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you" (1 Samuel 12:23). Over and over the Bible invites us to pray and ask God. Jesus said that men "ought always to pray" (Luke 18:1). "Watch ye and pray," we are told in Mark 14:38, "lest ye enter into temptation." Every time you sin, it's because you fail to pray as you ought. If you are full of cares and worries right now, it's because you have not truly learned to pray. That's why in Philippians 4:6 the apostle Paul instructs us "in everything by prayer and supplication" to ask God for the things we need. A good test for the appropriateness of something you desire is if you feel comfortable asking God for it. We are to pray about everything. Don't divide your life into the sacred and the secular, praying about some things and neglecting the others. Jesus didn't live that way. To the Christian, all things are sacred. Every day is a holy day, every activity a sacred act. Pray about everything. Some people seem to think we should only pray about the big things, but nothing is too small to escape God's attention.

The Lord is Lord over all, both big and small. He knows your needs, whether it be a huge business deal or finding a parking space. Pray about everything. You can even pray about wrong things, since He already knows you want it. Admit to Him that you want it, and ask Him to change your desires.

John 16:24 says: Until now you have asked for nothing in My name. Ask and you will receive, that your joy may be complete

aSk Seek.

Sometimes we seek the wrong thing. The facts may be lost or unknown to us, so we have to ask first, then seek. It is the will of God that we seek Him. James warned of asking for the wrong thing, and that happens because the individual has not sought the will of God. Sometimes we need to say, "Lord, is this Your will? I'm seeking Your will." We need to seek the presence of God when we pray. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Don't allow all of your prayers to be the little rote prayers at mealtime or bedtime. Pray with intention to know how God wants you to pray on a matter.

1 John 5:14, "This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us."

Now this is the confidence we have before Him: whenever we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears whatever we ask, we know that we have what we have asked Him for.

We Must Have Priorities in Prayer (vv.2-4). These verses are known as The Model Prayer. They serve as an outline, a framework or a blueprint upon which our personal prayers can be directed to heaven.

1. We are to pray in WORSHIP. Jesus prayed to "Our Father in heaven." We are addressing Almighty God, the Ancient of Days, the First and the Last, the omnipotent, omniscient, transcendent, radiant God of the universe. Yet, He is our loving "Father." His name is to be "hallowed" or made holy in our eyes. We are to long for His "kingdom" and His "will" to be done. Jonathan Edwards explains:

       God is glorified not only when his glory is seen but when his glory is rejoiced in.

      When those that see his glory delight in it, God is more glorified than if they only

      see it. His glory is then received by the whole soul, both by the understanding

      and by the heart. God made the world, that he might communicate and we might

      receive his glory, and that his glory might be received both by the mind and

      heart.

2. We are to pray for our NEEDS. We to ask for "daily bread" our daily necessities. We are to bring everything, even the simplest needs to God. A pastor friend told me about how his mother used to stop in the store to pray over which shirt to buy! (Phil.4:19).

3. We are to pray with CONFESSION. We are to ask God to "forgive us our sins" as we at the same time "forgive everyone who is indebted to us."

4. We are to pray for GUIDANCE. We are to pray that we will be lead "in the paths of righteousness" not "into temptation." We are to bring God all our decisions.

5. We are to pray for DELIVERANCE. but that God will "deliver us from evil." In Eph.6, after putting on the whole armor of God, Paul tells us to be "praying always with all power and supplication in the Spirit."

 Seek the purpose of God.  We need to pray like JESUS in the garden who said, "Not My will, but Yours, be done" (Lk.22:42).

Seek the presence of God.

Seek the power of God.

asK Knock.

Here's a man comfortably asleep in bed.  It's midnight.  There's a knock at the door, a persistent knock. "Who on earth – at this hour?"  The man rolls over in bed and tries to ignore it and get back to sleep.  Knock, knock, knock. The unwanted visitor pushes the button on the intercom: "Hey neighbor, I know you're in there."  Mr. Neighbor thinks, "The nerve of this guy!  I can outlast him," and he pulls his pillow over his head and tries to tamp down the rising exasperation.  But Mr. Nervy outside isn't going away: "Neighbor, some out-of-town guests have just shown up, they're starving and we have nothing for them and all the stores are closed.  I don't need much.  Just be a good neighbor and help me out here."  Knock, knock, knock.  Finally Mr. Neighbor gets up and he hits the intercom: "Do you know what time it is? Do you realize how hard it was to get the kids to sleep?  And you show up at this ungodly hour and ruin my good night's sleep with your need?" Mr. Nervy outside: "I know, I know. And I don't blame you for being ticked off. But you've always been so nice to me.  I just had to believe you wouldn't mind."  Mr. Neighbor thinks, "So now he's trying the 'you've always been so nice' tactic. Would physics allow me to reach through the front door and punch him out?" KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK! "Honey, can you believe this guy?  He's right out of a cartoon." And his wife says, "He's always been a little off. He's not going away, and you know it. Just give him what he wants, and we'll be rid of him."  So Mr. Neighbor goes downstairs, grumbling every step of the way, opens the door and says to Mr. Nervy, "Come on, let's go to the kitchen, get whatever you need, but just LEAVE US ALONE." Jesus says, "Have you ever thought of prayer like that?  Have you ever thought of prayer as a clueless impudence with your heavenly Neighbor?"

But of course, God ISN'T asleep, God ISN'T grumpy and reluctant, God ISN'T like Mr. Neighbor in the parable. What then is the message?  Jesus tips us off when he begins verse 5 with the words, "Which of you . . .?"  He does the same thing in verse 11: "What father among you . . . ?"  The parable draws a comparison between our horizontal relationships with one another and our vertical relationship with God.  We know about friendship and neighborliness here at our level.  We know that friendship is worth a lot.  But it has limits.  We also know about a father's love for his children.  That love has no limits.  Earthly fathers enjoy giving to their children.  So look at verse 13: ". . . how much more." What wonderful words those are!  If impudence can get results when friendship is stretched beyond its limits, if fatherly love gives without limit, HOW MUCH MORE does our heavenly Father give, HOW MUCH MORE does prayer get results with God, who is a generous Neighbor, and not asleep in bed but sitting up waiting for us to drop by.  Jesus wants us to know that God is not put off by persistence and boldness and nerve.  He loves to give to those who ask.

Throughout the Gospels you find Jesus teaching prayer and persistence. Paul prayed three times for the thorn in his flesh to be removed. Christ prayed several times in the Garden of Gethsemane that the bitter cup would be taken from Him. The Syro-Phonecian woman, who had a daughter that was demon possessed, came asking Jesus to help. Jesus said it was not fitting to do so, but that woman pleaded with Him. She admitted that she came from an evil people but reminded Christ that even the mangy dogs occasionally catch a crumb from the king's plate. Jesus, admiring her faith, gave the woman what she asked. Had she not kept knocking, her daughter would not have been healed.

The prophet Elijah knew about persistence in prayer. He prayed for rain, and none came. So he prayed some more, and he kept on praying until the rain came. In faith, Elijah kept sending a servant to check on the rain clouds, though the land had not had rain in seven years. But Elijah pressed his hand against heaven, because he had learned the value of knocking.

"The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" (James 5:16).

Jesus said to ask, seek, and knock. So when do we stop asking? When do we know it is time to stop knocking? Well, of course you can stop when you get what you asked for. Sometimes God directly answers prayer requests, and we need to rejoice, thank Him, and stop asking. But other times God's answers are different from what we expect. Some answers are delayed, and some requests are denied.

3. You Have A Provision to Enjoy

Luke 11 I think the Lord Jesus went over the really important stuff with His disciples a few times in different ways, to make the message stick. 9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? 12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Matthew 7:13 reads "How much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him" (verse 13). God loves it when we ask him for the Holy Spirit. It's okay to pray for little things, like a place to park. But God has more for us than that. He gives his best gift, his very lifeblood, the Holy Spirit, to those who ask him. How dignifying. We're no longer consumed with what we're going to eat and drink and our bodily health and what we're going to wear. Life is more (Matthew 6:25). God dignifies us with deeper desires. He arouses in our hearts a yearning for the Holy Spirit. The best prayer to God is a prayer for God. The Bible gets us focused on him: "One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life; to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple" (Psalm 27:4). "O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land, where there is no water" (Psalm 63:1). "Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth I desire besides you" (Psalm 73:25). Now there's an agenda for prayer – the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, the conquest of sin and unbelief and self-righteousness and lukewarmness, more enjoyment of the Bible, more tenderness toward God, more love for others, the cleansing of our hearts from anger and envy and payback, more gentleness, more wisdom and knowledge, more power, more clarity, more real church growth, more of God. What would be the greatest answer to prayer that you could receive? What would be the greatest blessing you could ever have? Would it not be to have the nearness of the Lord Himself in each days activities?

Then the Lord tells us why He answers prayer. It's because He loves us. What loving father, when his hungry son comes to ask for bread, offers the boy a stone? I mean, be reasonable! Even an unsaved father won't act in an evil way toward his own son, so why would our heavenly Father do so? Your prayers will be answered because God is good. He loves you and delights in answering your prayers.

Not only is He good, but God is wise. He won't give you the wrong thing, for the Lord knows exactly what you need. He is good, He is wise, and He is able. He can do anything, and that means He has the power to answer my prayers. We are fools not to pray. The best thing we can do is take our needs and desires to the Almighty God who loves us and allow Him to deal with our requests.

"God must not be thought of as a reluctant stranger who can be cajoled or bullied into bestowing his gifts, as a malicious tyrant who takes vicious glee in the tricks he plays, or even as an indulgent grandfather who provides everything requested of him. He is the heavenly Father, the God of the kingdom, who graciously and willingly bestows the good gifts of the kingdom in answer to prayer."

The Greatest Power In This World Is God's People On their knees!

In the Bible, we see where prayer changes the world's values. Egypt was the greatest nation on the Earth.. But they couldn't hold their slaves. Why? Because God heard the "cries of His people.." (Ex. 3:7)

Haman had power. He was the King's right hand.. He wanted to destroy Israel.. But Esther knew the power of prayer.. R.A. Torrey said, "When the Church learns the power of prayer.. They will shake the world."

R. A. Torrey once wrote ten reasons that we should pray like Paul exhorts us to pray. We should pray in this way because:

there is a devil and prayer is the God appointed means of resisting him;

prayer is God's way for us to obtain what we need from him;

the apostles considered prayer to be the priority business in their lives;

prayer occupied a prominent place and played a very important part in the earthly life of our Lord;

prayer is the present ministry of our Lord, since He is now interceding for us;

prayer is the means God has appointed for our receiving mercy from Him and help in time of need;

prayer is the means of obtaining the fullness of God's joy;

prayer with thanksgiving is the means of obtaining freedom from anxiety and peace which passes understanding;

prayer is the means by which we are to keep watchful and be alert;

prayer is used by God to promote our spiritual growth, bring power into our work, lead others to faith in Christ, and bring all other blessings to Christ's church.

After reading a list like this, the question is not, "Should we pray?" but, "How can we afford not to?"!

J. Sidlow Baxter once wrote, "Men may spurn our appeals, reject our message, oppose our arguments, despise our persons - but they are helpless against our prayers."

If we are to be an evangelistic church, we must be a prayerful church. E.M. Bounds who wrote so much about prayer said, "What the Church needs today is not more machinery or better, not new organizations or more novel methods, but men whom the Holy Ghost can use--men of prayer, men mighty in prayer." Oh to be a church whose prayers shake the foundations of hell. I want to have the reputation of John Knox of whom Mary, Queen of Scotland said, "I fear John Knox's prayers more than an army of ten thousand men."

No wonder Lloyd Jones should say that "The ultimate test of the Christian life is the amount of time we give to prayer." That is to say, prayer is the ultimate test because it is in the Bible the grand method of Christian living and of true godliness and yet, we are averse to it, so the faithful Christian is the one who overcomes that aversion, in the strength of the Lord, and lives the Christian life as it must be lived, as a walking and talking with God.

"Seven encouragements to prayer" that are found in John Bradford's "Meditation on Prayer [1562]." [The English martyr]. 

1. Our need (do you not have need of what God alone can give you? do not your children, your loved ones, your church, your friends, your country?) Hebrews 4:16: "...grace to help in time of need."

2. God's commandments. Pray without ceasing. Pray and do not give up. Etc. In the keeping of God's commandments there is a great reward!

3. God's goodness. If the mercy of the Lord is over all his works, if he provides for the lilies and the birds, will he not richly supply the needs of those who call upon him, those for whom he did not spare his own Son...?

4. The promise of God. How many and how extraordinary the promises are that God has made to prayer. Ask and you will receive. Whatever you ask in my name it shall be given to you. Call upon me and I will answer and show you great and mighty things that you know not. If you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will God give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him. And on and on.

5. Examples of how God was rich toward those who called upon him. How many examples there are in the Bible (Abraham; Moses; Hannah; David; Jeremiah; Paul; etc.) and how many since.

6. The benefits that prayer has brought them in the past. Any Christian who has lived the Christian life for any length of time knows the power and virtue and blessing and reality of prayer. His faithfulness to your prayers before is a powerful reason to come confidently to him again.

7. The prayers of Scripture themselves which show them true prayer and the right way of prayer, and encourage them by this demonstration of how right and good and necessary such praying is for anyone who believes to be true what a Christian does.