Take 4 | Lesson 28

Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. -- Mark 13:33

[PDF of today's lesson is available here.]

In the last lesson, we talked about prayer and about taking heed of a prayerless heart. There is so much to learn about prayer. 

We must beware of methods, formulas, and chants.  We must learn what is an effective prayer and really how to be heard by the only God who truly cares.  These true keys of prayer come by attending the prayer school of Jesus Christ himself.  

In Matthew 6, the Lord Jesus answers his disciples request of 'teach us to pray'; and today let's take a look at "Thy will be done". 

It is true surrender to live out "Thy will be done".  It is maybe the best mark of the fear of God on a Christian. But there is such a strong pull away from waiting for God's will to be accomplished. 

Jesus life was completely surrendered to God his Father.  Hebrews 4:14-16 tells us that Jesus was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Verse 16 is a verse we are probable well acquainted with; but it's been mistaught and taken out of context so many times, we have to shovel off the dirt to find the treasure in the verse. This verse has been used in an attempt to twist God's arm to give us our "needs".  The context of this verse is not for materialism but rather the manner in which we are equipped to stay upon our God when tempted to look elsewhere for the meeting of our needs.

The fear of God, the total surrender of oneself to God, and prayer are all essential to "Thy will be done" and is most accomplished in waiting on God.

Bunyan warns that we must take heed to our own heart that we not be drawn away from God by giving place to the temptations that can so easily beset a child of God.

Let's look up the following words and verses before we continue:

DEFINE: 

• Entice
• Wanton
• Temptation
• Boredom
• Covet
• Lust
• Happy
• Forget

LOOK UP:

• Hebrews 12:1
• Proverbs 1:10
• Hebrews 3:12-13
• James 1:15
• I John 5:17
• James 4:17
• I John 2:16
• Hebrews 4:11
• Revelation 21:8
• Psalm 103:2
• Psalm 119:16 & 93
• Proverbs 3:1
• Hebrews 13:16

-- Take 4 Precautions --

1. Against Wantonness --  when we pray, when we spend time with the LORD, it can seem to our flesh not exciting.  If we don't see some quick action on God's part, it's tempting to get bored, stagnant, and easily distracted. 

     Wanton is a word that describes a person who is loose or lewd.  But since this behavior is encouraged and now celebrated, a Christian is no longer taught that it is a behavior against God.

Society has taught that 'if it feels good, do it', and the church has embraced what it used to be opposed to.  And the church has exasperated the problem by promoting one's own purpose and passions.  They say: If it's not your passion to pray -- that's ok -- just focus on YOUR passion. 

Prayer is not an emotion

Prayer isn't an extreme sport; nor is it a block-buster movie.  The temptation to NOT wait upon the LORD and look for gratification elsewhere can be alluring.  

But God has given us a way of escape from temptation. Look at Hebrews 4:16 and Matthew 6:13.

2 Against Covetousness -- this too, has not been taught correctly and it's been covered in such a way that give the permission for the longing of a desired object, situation,or person under the guise of if it makes you happy then it must be okay with God.

• Find the word HAPPY in the Bible and write 4 verses here: 
• What makes a man happy according to the Bible?

3. Against Unbelief -- what is it that we are to believe? or for the Christian, what is an unbelieving heart?  Simply put, it is not trusting that God will do what he said he would do.  But what is it that God said?

   Remember John 3:16?

The temptation of unbelief is not that one does not believe whether or not God will give you a new car or a car that just runs -- but rather, it is that one does not believe that God will keep care of you in your situation with or without any car.

The children of Israel wanted that proverbial new car, a better situation, an easier life, and grumble against God based on the materialism they desired.  They refused to believe that God would keep them no matter what.  They didn't believe that God could be their God and that conclusion came based on what they saw around them.  And as a result, their hearts where hardened.

In our material world, the temptation to not believe God is so loud because we've been brought up in a society based on the lust of the eyes.

Take a serious look at Hebrew chapter 11 

• In each of the examples listed, did the saints of God act on what they saw or by what God said?
• In each of the examples in Hebrews 11, who initiated the plan and purpose?

4. Against Forgetfulness -- Memory is a precious function of a man and woman.  Albeit our thoughts and memories are usually filled with our current situation, past failures of others or ourselves, and rarely of the works of God.

    MEMORY:  the faculty of the mind by which it retains the knowledge of past events or ideas which are past, to lay up in the mind.

A little searching showed the following information to which we will attend later as it is important:

REMEMBER -- occurs 144 times in the Scriptures, the Bible, the Word of God

FORGET -- occurs 51 times

THOUGHTS -- occurs 53 times

THINKETH -- occurs 6 times

MIND -- occurs 92 times

MEMORIAL -- 31 times

>> Look up the following verses and write down 3 things that a child of God, a Christian should remember:

• DEUTERONOMY 8:2
• DEUTERONOMY 9:7
• PSALM 20:7
• REVELATION 3:3
• ISAIAH 26:3
• PROVERBS 21:27
• ROMANS 1:28
• ROMANS 12:2

What was your greatest take away after reading and studying this lesson?  

The word of God is life to you.  If you read it and give God place to speak to you -- IF you seek him with your whole heart, you will find him. God knows what you have need of, he not only knows, he is faithful to his written word and is trustworthy.  Call out to the LORD God today.  Harden not your heart.  Time is of the essence.