Prayer - The Great Adventure Interview with Dr. David Jeremiah

If you have offended somebody and you're bringing your gift to the altar, go get it right with the person you offended. Then if you've been offended by somebody, go get it right because you can't do business with God. And when you have unsolved issues with one another and and the and the issue there, Sheila, is that when you have something like that, it's always your turn.

When you've been offended, it's your turn to get it right. If you've offended somebody, it's your turn to get it right. You say, "Well, I got it right last time." Never mind. It's your turn. It's always your turn. >> Yeah. >> And when we do that, God opens the way. >> Yeah. >> We are pretty self-sufficient people, but that has caused us to make prayer our last resort when we're in trouble.

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 We make prayer so difficult. Prayer may be mysterious, but it's not complicated. It's simple. And in this series, I'm going to teach you how to transform your prayer life. I'm not here to make you feel guilty about not praying as much as you should. The real issue isn't guilt.

It's that we're missing out on the great adventure God has for us. So, you want to know why you're not seeing your prayers being answered? Well, they're just not specific enough. Your prayer should be so specific that when God answers it, you recognize it. If you want your prayers answered, three things need to be true.

The request needs to be right. The timing needs to be right. And you need to be right. Don't pray like an adult. Pray like a child. Keep it simple. Keep it specific. And keep at it. God cares about everything in your life. even the little things. Nothing is too insignificant to get on your prayer list because God has the capacity to care about every detail of every one of his children, including you.

What is prayer? Prayer is a conversation. Prayer is a relationship. And prayer is a great adventure. Thank you for joining us today. We are going to talk about something that people are very nervous to talk about. And I think that if you want to empty your church out, announce that you're going to do a series on witnessing one month and a series on prayer the next.

And by the time you get to the third month, nobody will be left because everybody feels a certain sense of guilt about those two things. But we shouldn't feel a sense of guilt. We should ask God to teach us to pray. That's actually what the disciples asked Jesus to do.

And I find it interesting. They didn't say, "Teach us how to pray." Although that was part of the answer. They said, "Lord, teach us to pray." >> And I think that's one of the things we all need to learn how to do. We're going to have a very honest discussion about prayer today.

I think I can speak for Sheila as I speak for myself. Neither one of us consider ourselves to be experts on the subject because we feel the same kind of we should be doing better that you feel. But we want to have this honest discussion. I've actually written a book on it.

Just some things that I've learned along the way and things that we're going to talk about. So, it's my privilege to introduce Sheila Walsh. Can we say hi to her? 
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 >> I am so excited to be here. If prayer is so life, in fact, the word you use in your book, um, you talk about thrilling, exciting, an adventure, can prayer honestly be thrilling. >> You know what, Sheila, I do believe it is because most of our life is cause and effect.

We do this and this happens. But when we pray, we do this. We pray, but we have no idea what God is going to do. It's a wideopen scenario. And many times according to the Bible, he does more than we could ask or think. And so when we enter into that corridor of prayer, we are walking in uncertain territory and it's always for the good. >> Let me ask you just a very basic question.

If prayer is this great adventure, which I believe, why do we find it so hard? >> You know, I think part of the reason for that is we're all pretty self-sufficient people. >> We know we should pray, but we can do it ourselves. I hear people say things like this, you know, I tried this, I tried that.

I guess the only only thing can do left now is to pray. It's their last resort. And that says a lot about prayer because it tells us that we are self-centered people and self-sufficient people. And sometimes it takes hard things in our lives to help us realize that's not true. >> Yeah.

There's a passage of scripture that you call um a treasure map. I love that that picture of us seeking for treasure. And it's Matthew 7 where it says, "Ask and you will be given. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened." How does that guide us in how we pray? >> The thing about that is it takes prayer out of the philosophical and puts it right down.

I mean, I joke with people when I say when I first read that passage, I thought ask was a special word for prayer and I looked it up in the lexicons and found out it means ask. It's not a word for prayer. God is simply saying to us, "Ask >> and you will receive." >> Jesus gave his disciples kind of a roadmap for prayer, the Lord's prayer.

Why do you call it the perfect prayer? >> Well, you know, if somebody asked who's the greatest teacher on prayer, I would say Jesus. Because when the disciples said, "Teach us to pray," he gave them a prayer. And we'll talk a little bit more about that, I'm sure.

But that prayer wasn't just a mantra for us to learn and repeat. It was a model prayer. It was an outline. I actually have a little outline in one of my Bibles that I made for myself with the outline for prayer from the Lord's Prayer. And when we follow that outline, it is pretty amazing how how broad the subject becomes. >> So, let's break that down.

Let's go with the first line. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. It's a beautiful way to begin because it's beginning with praise and worship. Mhm. Let me tell you what I know about prayer, Sheila. If you just list your problems and leave God out of the picture in your prayer, when you get done praying, you will be more depressed than you were when you started. >> Wow. >> Because listing your problems doesn't do anything for you.

You have to bring God into the picture. And Jesus taught us that the way you pray is you begin by acknowledging God's presence and worshiping him and acknowledging that he is worthy of our prayers. The next part of the prayer is thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

That is a heart cry for our priorities to be God's priorities. Don't you think? >> Well, you know, ultimately that prayer will only be answered in the millennium when the king comes to the earth and puts his will into practice on the earth. But between now and then, >> it is our goal and our desire to to learn how to live in such a way that we please God.

And that what we do is what we would do if we could do everything knowing it was right. The Bible teaches us we're to pray for God's priorities to happen in our lives. >> What do you do if you're in a situation where you're like, "I don't know what God's will is in this situation."

How do you know you're doing what God's will is? God is not hiding his will from you. He's not up in heaven saying, "I'm not going to let them find out what this is. Let him see." You know, God wants you to know his will. That's a good place to start. >> One of the things that happens to us along the way is we get consumed with the will of God for our lives.

And we ought to be more concerned for what we're going to do tomorrow. >> You know, if we put enough God's will being done today together, we'll have God's will for our life. I love in Psalms we read your words as a lamp to my feet and a light to my path and a lamp kind of tells you where to take just the next step.

I I I love that. If we move on to we started the prayer with praise then seeking God's priorities. The next step is provision where it talks about give us this day our daily bread. That to me is a clear indication that Christ is saying we are dependent on God for everything. >> That's true.

One of the memorable moments of my life and Donna's in ministry was when we left a church in Hen Heights, New Jersey where I was a youth pastor and went to Fort Wayne to start a church. And I was so frightened and there were seven families there. And I remember the day that Don and I drove our car with a U-Haul behind it and pulled into this driveware where we had purchased a house for $27,000. >> Whoa.

Those were the days. tells you how old we are. Uh, and I told her I was going to go in and make sure the doors were open. I went in and I went into the kitchen and there was a big sign on the cabinet. To this day, we do not know who put it there.

And this is what it said. God's commandments are God's enablements. >> Wow. >> God will help you do what he's called you to do. And as I've gotten older and gained more responsibility for the church and and what David and Cammy and Don and I are doing here with all of the people that are here, I realize, man, I don't want more than one day.

One day is enough, man. One day is enough to trust God for because sometimes the challenges are great and you're not capable of taking more than you know. God gave us life in days for a reason >> so that we could handle them one day at a time. >> I love that.

I love that his mercies are new every morning. Right. >> Now, we move on to the part of the prayer that's to do with personal relationships. Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. You talk in this book very strongly, very compellingly about the joy of forgiveness.

So, let me ask you a question. If somebody really hurts me and I forgive them, how does that give me joy? It takes away the burden that you carry. Yeah. Of unforgiveness. >> The two verses in the Bible, one in Matthew and one in Mark, where it says, "If you have offended somebody and you're bringing your gift to the altar, go get it right with the person you offended."

Then if you've been offended by somebody, go get it right because you can't do business with God when you have unsolved issues with one another. And and the and the issue there, Sheila, is that when you have something like that, it's always your turn. When you've been offended, it's your turn to get it right.

If you've offended somebody, it's your turn to get it right. You say, "Well, I got it right last time." Never mind. It's your turn. It's always your turn. Yeah. >> And when we do that, God opens the way. >> Yeah. I have to say that understanding the power of forgiveness has been one of the most life-changing things for me because you're right, it sets you free.

And it's another way of saying, "God, I trust you. I'm not going to try and fix this myself. I trust you. >> That's exactly right. >> I met a woman. We were having coffee together and just an airport somewhere. We had a layover and she said, you know, my husband left me and went off with a young woman.

I got him all through college and the minute he's through. And I said, when did this happen? And she said, 23 years ago. >> And she was caught in this place of being unable to forgive. When you don't forgive, how does that impact how God forgives us? Well, you know, there's a lot of confusion in that passage.

It almost seems to say that our relationship with God is dependent upon our relationships with each other. And we know that is not true. God does not forgive us only if we forgive others. The text seems to say that. But if you study it carefully, you realize what God is saying is this.

If you want to come and seek forgiveness, you need to make sure that you're dealing with an honest hand. You know, God, I want you to forgive me and and love me and deal with me, but I hate this guy over here and I hate him. And but wait a minute, God loves him. >> You see, you got a major problem if you do that.

And that's what he is saying, deal with me as you want me to deal with you. And I believe that's the meaning of the text. >> Yeah. I think that we struggle sometimes with this concept of thinking that, you know, we should forgive because Jesus forgave us. But honestly, that's been one of the most liberating things for me.

I remember as just a young girl in Scotland seeing a a pretty poorly made movie, but about the life of Christ. And it was when I saw the crucifixion scene and I heard Jesus say, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." >> Then you begin to think, why on earth would I ever not forgive? >> And that's what the scripture says.

We are to forgive as God has forgiven us for Christ's sake. >> Yeah. And I say it this way. Out of the reservoir of God's forgiveness for you, you will always have enough forgiveness for anyone who ever >> hurt you. You forgive others out of the out of the realization that God has forgiven you.

In some ways, you say, "Lord, I don't want to forgive this person, but I know what I've done, and I know how unworthy I am to be forgiven, and you forgave me in the same way that you forgave me. I'm gonna forgive this person. >> Yeah, that's beautiful. >> The next line in the Lord's prayer I used to find confusing when I was a teenager because we pray lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.

Why would we pray that? Because surely God wouldn't lead us into temptation. >> It's a preemptive prayer. It's saying Lord, >> it's kind of a don't do this but do this. Don't don't don't leave me in a temptation board but deliver me from evil. God never tempts anyone to sin. >> Yeah.

He tests us. >> Yeah. >> To see whether or not we're willing to to follow him. But he never tempts anyone to sin. The Bible's very clear about that. And then he says, "And lead us not to temptation, but deliver us not from evil, but from the evil one." >> Evil one. >> From Satan, who goes about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

He's always on the prowl. Always after us. And we should pray, "Lord, don't lead me down that road where he's doing his thing today." >> Yeah. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen. It seems like there's a pattern there. Beginning with praise, but that's how he ends. >> Yeah.

You know what? I think that's what one of the lessons we should learn about our own prayers. Book end your prayers with praise. Start with praise, end with praise. >> Yeah. >> Fill the middle of it with provision and protection and all the other things. Just make sure you go in the front door with praise and you go out the back door with praise. put the rest of it and you if you do that you'll find that be very helpful. >> Do you think praying I found some days in my own life if I'm having a really hard day that praying aloud helps sometimes. >> Yeah.

First of all, it keeps you from falling asleep. I mean, you don't You guys are laughing at me, but you know what I'm talking about. You know, it keeps you alert mentally. What a great experience it was for me to go to the Brooklyn Tabernacle and be involved in in their services and hear them all pray.

They don't just pray one at a time when it's time for prayer. They all stand up and they all start praying out loud and you feel like you're in this in this universe that you've never been in before. Just hear all these people crying out to God at the same time.

And it's a really wonderful thing to hear all the people of God praying out loud. >> Yeah. You go on in the book to talk about the fact the real Lord's Prayer is actually found in John chapter 17, which you say might be one of the greatest chapters in the Bible. >> You cannot read that prayer without realizing how much the Lord Jesus Christ loves us. >> I mean, the love of God for us is so borne out in the prayer.

He prays that God will keep us. He prays that God would love us. And uh when you read that prayer, you can't help but be blessed. I love that last dialogue, the whole those chapters 14, 15, 16, 17, just some of my favorite passages of scripture. >> The last time we were together, you talked about something I found fascinating because it's never something I've done.

You talked about the power of journaling. How has that helped you? >> When I had cancer, I had lymphoma cancer twice and it shut me down for a little while. And I remember a godly woman telling me that I should journal. And I did not know how to do that.

In fact, the only people that I knew who journaled were mystics and women. I'm not kidding you. I'm telling you the truth. I I never knew of a man who journaled. And one day, I was reading a book by Gordon McDonald called The Life God Blesses. And in that book, he talked about journaling in his computer.

That sounded very masculine to me. >> And I I decided, you know, it would be a good idea to keep a record of my experiences. And I probably have that many pages of journaling, which I'm going to shred before I die. Um, the journaling thing was really helpful to me during that time.

The way I journaled was I would just type out my prayer to God. The journal begins. Dear Lord, yesterday was this way and that way and this is what happened and this is how this worked and and then I began to add quotes from books I was reading that were helping me spiritually and I put the quotes in there and most of all scriptures and then of course I was asking God for things.

One of my great prayers was that God would let me live long enough to see my grandchildren. I never even added great grandchildren. I that was a little bit much more. And he, the Bible says he does more than we were ask or think. So he gave me grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

I have that in my my prayer. I have that in my journal when I asked it. And you know what happens when you're going through a dry time? You go back and read and you say, you know, God, I can't believe I've forgotten that you did this for me and you did this for me.

He's always doing something in our day. >> So true. >> Yeah. I decided to do a little research and ask people, you know, what are some of the questions that you would like to ask Dr. Jeremiah? Particularly on the issue of prayer. Somebody asked, "Does God listen to us when we pray even when we don't feel like our prayers are going any higher than the bedroom ceiling?" >> You will just read the command.

Pray without ceasing, except when you don't feel like your prayers are going out of the room. That's not what it says. >> It says pray without ceasing. Yeah. >> Men ought always to pray and not to faint. >> You know, sometimes I think we think that spiritual discipline is a matter of how we feel. >> Yeah. >> You know, the Bible says, "Husbands, love your wives."

You say, "Well, I don't feel like it." Well, do it anyway because that's what you're supposed to do. We're there are many things in the scripture like that and prayer is certainly one of them. Prayer is a responsibility that God has placed upon us whether we feel like it or not. >> Yeah.

Somebody asked what should I do when I pray and I don't feel anything's happening. >> Well, I've always said that there's more than one answer to prayer and there's yes, there's no, there's wait, there's grow, you know, and God may be testing you. I've had many stories. One of my favorite stories about my professor in seminary, Dr.

Hendris, was he prayed for his unsaved father for 47 years. >> Wow. >> And he got saved just before he died. And he I remember him saying, "I'm glad I didn't stop at 25 or 27. I kept on praying." >> A lifetime's not too long to pray. >> No, that's right. >> I want to turn to something we kind of touched on earlier, and that's unanswered prayer.

You know, I'm thinking of people who might be watching or here with us that they've prayed and prayed about something and it's just like they feel like God is not answering. What do you do in a place like that? Well, you know, I don't have any expectations that I can explain God.

And I don't know what he's up to. >> What I know is what I know about him. And he's good and gracious. And he cares deeply about us. And there's no way that God would withhold answers from us that he deemed were for our good and for his glory. >> Yeah. >> So, you keep on praying.

And you know what? Some of our prayers may not be answered this side of heaven. We may get to heaven and we'll be looking at each other. So that's what was all about when you may be saying that kind of stuff. >> Yeah. >> I just think to keep on praying even when you don't see the immediate answer is a testimony to your faith in God and your your persistence. >> Yeah.

I remember you telling me that when you were at with the Brooklyn Tabernacle that they told you that they had been crying out to God for you during your illness. Has there been a time in your own life when you've cried out to God and see him move in a mighty way? >> Well, I'm going to tell you a little story.

When Don and I started our church back in Fort Wayne, Indiana with seven couples, we had little children and I was working really hard and I was, believe it or not, I started on the radio by driving to the radio station and doing the show live because we couldn't we didn't have any equipment.

We and we couldn't afford any equipment. So, I'd get in my car every morning. I'd go to that radio station, get there by 7:30. I had a 15-minute show, and then I'd come home, and that's when Don and I would sit and talk. We had a really nice little house that had kind of a sunken living room in it.

You know what I mean? You kind of walk down to the living room. >> I came home one day and we were talking and all of a sudden she went, she reached across her chest like that and then she passed out on the floor. And I didn't know what to do.

I tried everything to get her to come too. She didn't come too. I called 911 before the ambulance got there. The sheriff arrived. Uh he tried to bring her too and finally they took her away in an ambulance and I I was there and went and she went to the hospital.

They had her for several hours and uh finally uh she recovered. They I don't know what they did. They never did tell me exactly what happened to her. And I don't know to this day what took place, but I'll tell you what, ladies and gentlemen, my prayer in that ambulance between my house and the hospital was the most intense prayer I've ever known in my life.

When we are in need, we don't pray. We cry out to God. And that's what happened. >> It's beautiful. Beautiful. >> Will you help me thank Dr. Jeremiah? 
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 If you have never taken the step to believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you can do that today.

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These resources are yours completely free when you contact Turning Point today. 
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 >> Next time on Turning Point. >> Nothing is too insignificant to get on our prayer list. He cares about you. You Somebody say, "I don't want to trouble God with that." You're talking about the infinite God who has the capacity to care about every detail of every child of his, including you. >> Thank you for being with us today.

Join Dr. Jeremiah next time for his message, The Great Adventure of Prayer, here on Turning Point. 
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