“Three P’s” of Prayer

0:00 As a refresher we are in the Book of Luke. I just want to remind you that Luke sets out with a purpose in that purpose. We find in Luke chapter 1 verses 3 through 4 Luke is by the way writing to Theophilus Theophilus in my opinion is a particular individual not necessarily generic audience though. I believe that we can take some General application and apply it in our lives. Luke writes in Luke 1 verses 3 through 4 Therefore your Excellency again addressing Theophilus since I have carefully investigated all these things from the beginning it seemed good to me that I too should write you an accurate in ordered narrative so that so this is where we get the purpose so that

0:47 or for the purpose that you might know how well founded or how for sure are the things about which you have already been taught or the things about what you've been taught. Okay, but you need to go see Mom. No, oh, hey monkey. No, you gotta let go. well You never truly understand how determine children are. Until they've got a hold of you. Where was I let's see talking about the things which you've been taught as I mentioned before it's my opinion that Theophilus was already a follower of Yeshua because he needs to be his faith in Yeshua needs to be reinforced. And that's why Luke is writing

1:34 to him. And so Luke is writing this letter saying listen the things that you've been taught are for sure. So let me tell you again how for sure they are and here's why going through the Book of Luke we have Luke brings into Focus the in-breaking of the Kingdom of Heaven or the coming down of the kingdom of heaven, but they can't the the Kingdom of Heaven is actually is multifaceted. It doesn't just come down but it also is when each of us bring our lives and I'm doing some application here but to Luke Luke and his in his readers and those who are understanding what's going on his audience. It's those who are bringing their lives into alignment with the Messiah every time they take one step closer

2:22 and bring their lives one more element into alignment with Yeshua is is one step closer to the kingdom of God being here on Earth as it already exists in heaven. And that at one point when when we bring our lives into alignment and the king is coming down those two shall meet and Yeshua will reign upon this upon his throne in Jerusalem in the kingdom of God will be both here in in physical manifestation. But also as I've mentioned before it's already here it begins to rain in us it's here, but it's not quite yet. And so we have this conundrum in terms of the the kingdom of heaven.

3:08 And at this point in the in the gospel, we are I'm giving you all of these these reminders because it's helpful understanding yeshua's words when we keep them in context of of what Luke's purpose is but also things that are going on like, where is he? So for instance Luke says in chapter 17 verse 11 that Yeshua is on his way up to Jerusalem. He's not yet passed along the border between or he's passing along the border. Between Galilee and Samaria. He's not yet to Jericho. So if you guys can pop that map up for me. Just in maybe I forgot to ask you for a laser pointer. So maybe you can just do it for me, but you can

3:54 see Samaria and you see Galilee up at the top and then on the on the right hand side if you can read vertically it says Korea. and so this In fact, if you guys can just go. Oh right where it says you see where the line go connects to Matthew that little box about Matthew 19:1. And it goes down. Yeah right around there. Yeshua is right around this area. As he's coming because it's interesting in the Greek. It talks about in ours. It says he passed along the border between Galilee and Samaria, but it carries this connotation of being the further the furthest outreaches of both Galilee and Samaria, which actually

4:39 puts it right on the border with perea as well. And Yeshua then is coming to come down the Jordan River Valley and then he's not yet to Jericho. So Jericho you see on the bottom right? Just underneath into the left of the letter A where Judea is so yeshua's somewhere in this realm. And that's where we are. In his in his path last week. Well actually the last two weeks but not necessarily in Shabbat. We just we delved into Luke 17 we talked about the healing of the ten lepers. We discussed the coming of the kingdom of God and we discussed the Pharisees the ones who were asking about the kingdom of God and Yeshua answers them toward the

5:26 end of 17. So this week now that you have all of that in your mind as a as a kind of a base level understanding now, we're gonna enter into Luke 18 and we're gonna cover versus one through 17 today. And see what this passage has to tell us. Then Yeshua told them a parable to show that they should always pray and not be discouraged or in the in the cjb. It says to not lose heart. What I'm gonna stop there see we get one verse if you guys have been in the Bible study long, you know, I like I like to get stuck right at the beginning. Yeshua is teaching them. about how to pray

6:13 and so it's important now as we investigate the rest of this passage that this is setting the tone for what we're going to be discussing. So your shoe is teaching them about how to pray he's just fresh off this conversation. In fact, I'm not even sure that he's changed locations from his discussion about the coming of the kingdom of God when he was addressing the Pharisees now, he's shifting his his attention and he's and he's speaking. He looks like probably to his disciples and he's telling them this is how you should pray or this is how you should always pray and in that process don't lose heart. by Luke saying this don't lose heart or be encouraged or was this what's my version say, it

7:00 says don't be discouraged. It seems to me. That he is laying before those who were who were listening the fact that difficulties and trials will arise. And that as you're going through those and you're going through these and you're praying well, first of all, as you're going through these he says you should always pray. That's his first thing he's he doesn't start with don't lose heart. He says you should always pray. So lesson number one. You should always pray lesson number two When you pray don't lose heart don't become discouraged. You see you have to encourage one another and and so it's very interesting because prayer.

7:45 It is we're gonna get deeper into this because today this whole whole lesson is the whole message is on prayer. In fact, I've called it the three my title is I think it's the three three p's of Prayer. Because I decided to get a little cute today. you know, I don't normally do this, but we we came up with some some peas that would help us. for prayer but now I can't remember what I was saying anyways. It doesn't matter apparently. We're getting into prayer and Yeshua says always pray. And don't become discouraged. Don't lose. Hope don't lose heart. And so we often Prayed by

8:30 ourselves. This is just the the reality but also we pray together. And so I don't know if you've ever realized this but when we pray together and one person prays It brings encouragement or discouragement depending upon how you pray. to everyone else in the room and so Yeshua is saying pray always. So when you're by yourselves. Pray, always and when you're with each other. Don't lose heart be encouraged. encourage one another in your prayers so now let's move on he said Yeshua Yeshua told them a parable to show that he that they should always pray and not be discouraged. He said

9:17 so here's the parable. There was a judge in a certain city who neither feared God nor respected people. And there was a widow in that City who kept coming to him and saying give me Justice against my opponent. And he was unwilling at the time. But afterward he said to himself, although I don't fear God or respect Spirit people yet because this Widow keeps bothering me. I will give her justice so she won't wear me out. by her incessant coming It's actually very interesting. Your Bible is probably say wear me out Tire me something along those lines. It actually says so she doesn't give me a black and blue eye.

10:03 She didn't beat me up. With her prayer with her incessant coming. So that what we have here is we have a parable with two primary characters. First of all a judge and we're told by a narrator a third party really by Yeshua at this point that the judge neither feared God nor respected people. Then we also have this Widow who's persistent. She keeps coming to him. Over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again. She's doing what she's supposed to do, by the way. Because when there's a widow in the community and she comes into inheritance or something like that.

10:48 She has to come before the judge and it's the judge's job by the way to hear her and make a ruling. So by by refusing to hear her, he's actually not doing his job. We can assume because she's a widow that her husband has passed and she's trying to lay claim to something probably property or something along those lines. And also there's someone who's coming against her. So now we actually technically have another element in the parable an adversary which in in my mess in my Bible says the opponent but the adversary connotation evokes what what when I come up and say the adversary is coming against you it evokes the same connotation. It's leading

11:36 us toward that mindset that understanding so she's pestering this judge. To the point where he relents. And actually does his job, you know, it's interesting because he says to himself. I don't know how many of us are like this. I don't actually I would say very few of us are like this. He says to himself. Although I don't fear God or respect people. Which in other words he recognizes who he is. I I highly doubt that many of us can be that Frank with ourselves. Oh, I don't really fear God or respect people but because she keeps bothering me. I'm going to give her an answer. I'm gonna settle I'm gonna give her a settlement here.

12:24 It's interesting because I once read a book and I heard a this the author of the book teach. His name is Ford Taylor and he said this is what he says. He says people will not change. until the pain of change Is exceeded by the pain of staying the same? So let me say it. Let me say it a different way until the pain of staying the same is more than the pain of change. We're not going to do anything as people. Which actually I find relatively accurate. both in my own life and also in the people that I see

13:09 it's he gets to this point the judge gets to this point that the pain of staying the same finally exceeds the pain of actually acquiescing and changing and giving her the settlement. So in other words what Yeshua teaches us through this is persistence Be persistent. Oh wait. I'm jumping ahead of myself. Let's keep going here in the in the verses starting in verse 6. So that's the parable now the Lord said or Yeshua, he gives us an interpretation here what the unjust judge is saying won't God do justice for his chosen ones who cry out to him day and night. Will he be slow to help them? I tell you he will quickly give them justice.

13:55 But when the son of man comes will he find faith on Earth? Yeshua is interpretation. You see Yeshua gives the parable and then gives us the interpretation and Yeshua gives us the interpreting and says interpretation says if it's by the way this argument that he's using is is a rabbinical argument called The Homer a light to heavy argument or if this then how much more so this if the unjust judge in this Parable handles the case and does what he's supposed to do won't God who is the just judge and not only is he the just judge but he loves his people. So if if our God who's just and loves us?

14:40 If I'm sorry if the unjust judge will answer the petitions then how much more so will our God who is just and loves us answer our petitions if we're persistent. Will he be slow to help it's interesting because there is a quotation in vincera 34 and 35. It says this God will not ignore the supplication of the orphan or the Widow when she pours out her complaint. Do not the tears of the Widow run down her cheek, the prayer of the humble pierces the clouds and it will not rest until it reaches its goal. It will not desist until the most high responds and does Justice for the righteous and executes judgment indeed. The Lord will not delay.

15:29 If on if if the unjust judge is moved by the persistent in. efforts of this Widow how much more so will our God Be moved by persistent prayer. The persistent prayer of the humble who come before him and beseech him. according to his will So first of all in our peas of prayer, we have persistent prayer. Which were were admonished by this wood by this parable about the Widow? But also I just want to remind us. According to that. What's what I found fascinating in

16:14 particular because of the Season that we're in according to this been Serra and also yeshua's parable. It reminds me of Exodus chapter 3. Where the people's cries go up before the Lord and the Lord answers and he responds. in time or swiftly 430 years doesn't seem like swiftly. But that's what happens. And we're now entering into this season of Passover and where we recognize that we retell this story and it depends on on who you are, but perhaps you're involved in more than one seder or like five. It's a year. We tell

17:00 the story at least five times over the next two weeks. And you tell the story The cries go up and God answers. But the question is do we really believe that? Because if we do we would be persistent. In seeking his will. In our lives and in the lives of those around us. So number one we have persistent prayer. number two I had stretch just a hair for this one. This one is called perceptive prayer and by the end you'll understand where the perceptive comes from. But we come now into verse 9 also to some who were relying so you should now has

17:48 given his explanation and he's moving onward and he's if I can say this he's now kind of narrowing his Focus. And he says to some. Who were relying on their own righteousness and looking down on everyone else he told this parable. It's very interesting because it doesn't say who he's addressing here. But he's I mean, it doesn't say this specific people or the group. But it does tell us that those people whoever are listening were relying on their own righteousness and looking down on everyone else. I did wonder. Well before I share my wondering Yeshua is

18:33 continuing. This admonishment about prayer he started with pray always and and don't lose heart and now he's continuing to track he hasn't lost it. He hasn't deviated to something else. He's just continuing and so he says two men versus starting in verse 10 two men went up to the temple to pray. One a Pharisee and the other attacks collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself. Oh God. I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity. Greedy dishonest and moral or like this tax collector right here. I fast twice a week. I pay tithes on my entire income. But the tax collector standing far off would not even raise his eyes toward heaven, but he

19:21 beat his breasts and said God have mercy on me The Sinner that I am. So let's talk about I'm gonna pause there. Yeshua also gives further explanation. Yeah, I'm gonna stop right there for just a moment. And just address some of the things that are going on in this Parable. First of all, there's a Pharisee there's two there's two characters, primarily a Pharisee and a tax collector. The Pharisee they both by the way notice they both go up to the temple to pray. The Pharisee at that point would have had some level

20:08 of high social status. The tax collector would have been despised by Society. the Pharisees stood to pray and so now I'm going to deviate here for just a moment. And I know I've I deviated into this. Well seven chapters ago who knows must be seven months ago then because we've been about a chapter a month. Into why would the Pharisee have stood praying or why would they have been standing praying? Why because there's a prayer called the standing prayer is what we do we stand and we pray and it's called the amida. We do it on Shabbat or we do at least part of a representation of it. the the amidah the amidah as it's even in

20:56 well, let me how let me say this the amida the standing prayer predates. the life of Yeshua the life that he lived here on Earth I shouldn't say it predates Yeshua because that's not really possible. But but the amida the standing prayer predates the life that Yeshua lived here on Earth. In some form not necessarily in its current form, but in some form it predated. the life of Yeshua It was a common prayer it became common to the point that it's literally called and I use the term literally. According to the dictionary not according

21:41 to Millennials or younger Generations. It's literally called The Prayer. So when you go and you're like, oh, what should I pray today? Oh, here's a good one. Let's start with the prayer. That's great. The prayer like it's perfect. It's just kind of it should be if it's called The Prayer it should probably be all encompassing wouldn't you imagine? The prayer is said three times a day. And it's fascinating because it's actually within the context of the prayer when the disciples when we last talked about this seven chapters ago. Probably seven months. Is when we got Luke's version of what is known as the Lord's prayer Our Father Who Art in

22:27 Heaven? now see Hallowed be thy name why listen you can tell obviously what version I learned young it's probably now is like our father who's in heaven. Sanctified be your name something along those lines. Anyways, I'm telling you that because Yeshua when he teaches his disciples to pray it's not to stop with the the little bit that he set out it triggers what everything else comes along so when I say our father Everyone in here is going to go who art in heaven or some version thereof. because

23:12 you're finishing the sentence and that's what is expected. And you see this time and time again throughout the gospels where Yeshua says something but then you have to go find what that because we're not as well versed as his followers were that you then have to go find that and what he's referencing later or earlier in the tanak and you find whatever is next is the punchline of what Yeshua is referencing. Because he knows the audience will finish that he only has to start the story. He only has to start the verse so that they finish it and then that's where the conviction comes. So we're talking about the amidah. By the way, the Lord's Prayer. I I know I said this seven months

23:59 ago. I'll just give you my snippet right now the Lord's Prayer. Is yeshua's version of the amida? It follows the basic form. Throughout its throughout its words. Maybe not the Lucan version is slightly different than the than the Matthew version the Matthew versions what everyone knows? So they're they're praying this prayer which by the way starts with Thanksgiving and praising the Lord and then in the middle of the prayer. We have the petitions that come before the Lord and then we end with thanking the Lord for all of his goodness for everything that he is and praising his name again. What a what's that called? Where you

24:45 present someone you say? Here's something good. Here's a correction. And here's something bad you sandwich the It's called a sandwich. Method yeah, it's called the sandwich method. It's the same thing when we petition. God is very interesting. Let's praise God. Let's praise God in the middle. We got to put our petitions. It's kind of like when your children come to you. And they go. dad You look so good today. I just love the way the sport coat looks on. You just makes you look trim. You know that some big request is coming next. Like the big one. Because they wouldn't go through all that effort if it wasn't the big one.

25:32 And then it always ends with Dad. You know, you're my favorite parent. I love you the most. It's it's the sandwich method. That's just what we do as people anyways. Let's move on in this context the Pharisee stood in prayed to himself. I'm pausing there for a moment on on purpose the Pharisee stood and prayed to himself. Now we can take that one of a couple different ways. And up until I was studying this week. I've always taken it one way. Which is he prayed quietly? You know the Pharisee was stood and was praying quietly to

26:17 himself. But it's interesting because one of the commentators I was looking at. Said that's actually you could also take it. He prayed to himself. Not to God, but he prayed to himself. It was a fascinating argument. Based upon the syntax of the sentence that he stood and he prayed to himself. How often when we present our prayers is that exactly what we're doing? Thank you that I'm not like everyone else. I am better than them. Let me list out for you. God how I

27:03 am not like everyone else. I'm not greedy. I'm not dishonest. I'm not immoral. I'm especially not like this tax collector here. Now let me also tell you why I'm so righteous. I fast twice a week. I pay tithes on my entire income. Do you see what I'm what I'm getting at here? There's there's something going on. That's not actually prayer. It's more like self-exaltation. and it's fascinating because

27:51 well before I get into the because let me just let me pause because I do this at every time we get to this point in Luke which happens often. Let me pause and and step out for just a second and make a couple notes. Yeshua by the way is not against and neither is Luke all Pharisees. There are different portions of the Book of Luke and other portions of the Gospel in the New Testament that have been extracted and taken out of context and used to demean diminish dehumanif, dehumanify to humanize. Dehumanize that dehumidify that's like dehumidify your bedroom or something. dehumanize dehumanize the Jewish people and

28:38 even take it one step further and say Everything Jewish is several self-exaltation. It's it's all about the works of the Flesh and it's not about God in the spirit. Let me just tell you this that's categorically false. There's there's no way to even well, they've said it obviously so there is a way to get to it. There's no way with correct reading of the scripture to arrive at that conclusion because you'd have to assume a lot of different things and one of which is you'd have to assume that Yeshua is addressing all Pharisees. at any given moment or all Jews at any given moment, which is simply not possible. Certainly at that point even today.

29:26 I don't know if it's possible even with our modern media where we can get everybody's attention at one moment. There's always somebody else who's on their phone doing something else. So it's just not possible to get everyone. So I want you to understand that whatever. These are they're targeted references. They're not General references that they are painted against everyone Jewish or everyone who's a Pharisee. Now, let me come back into my message for a moment. There is in Jewish prayer or in Jewish life something called. Kavana, which is when you pray. The words that you say the Motions that your body does and the the attitude of your heart are all the same.

30:13 And so when you say a word it reflects what's inside in your body moves to reflect that? Does that make sense? So like for instance, let me just let me just grab a prayer that we do here occasionally. in the Elena it says for we bend the knee and bow and then arise before The Supreme King of Kings. So I don't know if you notice but when we do the prayer. We bend the knee. We bow. And then we Arise at the at the at those words. That's what happens. It's not so that we can look like we're praying to everyone. Oh, thank you Lord. It's reflection of

30:59 our heart status. What are we doing? We're submitting to the Lord. We're bending our own knee. We're we're we're not standing to finally before the Lord, but rather we're bowing before him in supplication, by the way. I don't know if you've ever been in a position. But it was called let's talk about Warfare. What's the what's the best place to be in Warfare The High Ground? So when you bow you place yourself lower. Than than anything else and so what you're doing is you're bowing before the Lord and your heart should be doing the same thing Lord. This is who I am.

31:45 And that's what's going on within in the body reflects. It it's not for the purpose that we can show everybody that we're bending our knee and bowing and Rising just so you just so everyone understands. This is a common understanding. And now I'm going to take one step further and say if if that's like very intriguing to you. This whole concept then you need to enroll in our Hebrew school and and eventually take the prayers and blessings classy. I'm putting a little plug in there for Hebrew school. The tax collector. So now we've we're moving on. We're here the tax collector. Who's standing far off? Now I want to pause here.

32:34 Again, he's standing. the standing prayer But it's interesting because he's standing far off. now if what we tend to do when we read passages and we take certain selections of scripture. We read only what's in that passage and we forget what comes before or what comes after. Standing far off reminds us from chapter 17 of 10 lepers. who stood far off from Yeshua and said Heal us Lord. Now, why would they stand far off from Yeshua because it's the it was what was commanded to be done. You're not to come into contaminate everyone else. This is their at the city Gates and they're about to enter the city. She was

33:21 about to enter the city and they're standing for often they say, Lord, please please heal us and Yeshua turns to them. And says your sins are forgiven. Let's well, I don't want to miss quote here. He said they say Yeshua Master have mercy on us. They're standing some distance away and he saw them and he said Go and show yourselves to the kohanim. We had a we had a great discussion by the way, and if you missed that discussion well. You can hope that we come back to Luke some of the time. But it was very good discussion. But they're standing far off and this tax collector is standing far off in other words. He's recognizing

34:10 his own state of being just like the lepers did when they saw Yeshua from Mercy. He's recognizing his own state of being and that he's not even Drawing Near. And then it says he wouldn't even raise his eyes to heaven. In other words, he's so far. down like this He didn't even want to presume that he could come close to the Lord. He's humbling himself. And in the process. He's making himself lower. And also what happens when we do that is it actually also magnifies God and lifts him up? When we recognize that it changes our perception

34:57 of everything and he beats his breast is very interesting considering again. The season that we're in similar to this is similar to Mordecai's Behavior. Mordecai's Behavior Okay. All right. Just man you guys have already moved on to Passover. similar to Mordecai's behavior when he learned of haman's plot Mordecai he takes himself. He puts sackcloth on he goes and he and he's humbling himself to the point where actually he's not even permitted inside into the into the the palace. It's a movement of recognition concerning the

35:43 condition of one's own life. in the words that follow you see there's a there's a recognition of the state of being and then there's words that follow and it's all matched by the outward appearance. We just talked about what that is. the words that follow our God have mercy on me The Sinner that I am. His words Masters actions which are reflection of the condition of heart, which is exactly what kavana is. the tax collector in this passage your your Translation may or may not have it but the tax collector refers to himself as The Sinner. It's interesting. It carries in Greek the article which

36:30 sometimes cannot be translated. So your translations not wrong. Don't just tear up your Bible and say that these people are heathens. They misled me and whatever Direction I'm going. It can or cannot be translated. But in this context it makes sense to translate it and and one commentator said this the Pharisee thinks of others as sinners. And the tax collector thinks of himself alone as The Sinner. Not of others at all. It's it we're contrasting. She was contrasting positions here. And so now Yeshua gives his interpretation. I tell you verse 14. I tell you this man went down to his home right with God rather than the

37:18 other for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled. But everyone who humbles himself will be exalted. After their time in prayer only one of these goes home Justified according to Yeshua. The tax collector who was the one who went forth and right standing was the one who went forth and right standing with the Lord. one exalts himself and that one will have to be humbled the other one. Humbles himself and that one will be exalted if we build ourselves up. We lessen the importance of the Lord. If we lessen ourselves, we magnify the importance of the Lord. so both of these

38:03 here's my note one of these believes that he is perceptive. But he is not. the other believes that he's not perceptive, but he is So we have this week. Excuse me. We have here. That understanding of where we get perceptive prayer. We have persistent prayer and we have perceptive prayer understanding Who You Are in the process now Let me just say one more thing. that has been this passage has been misutilized for It's for us to stand up here and say. Lord

38:50 we come to you not like the Pharisee. In this passage Thank you for not making us like the Pharisee In this passage. If you come like that, then you are that I just want to point out. Sorry, I shouldn't be quite so direct. But if that's your method in in approach. Then that's the part that you should was condemning. Not the Pharisee if you will. It's really interesting because this tax collector's prayer. Actually Echoes the prayers that we say on Yom Kippur. For the sin that we've committed before you.

39:35 dot with like three pages But don't worry. We're still six months away. So we have persistent prayer perceptive prayer and now we come to this final reading. final few verses here 15 through 17 And we're going to talk about it. And then I'm going to give you my label. Because I this one I really had to like kind of squeeze to make it fit. But let's let's read it people. So we now it's the conclusion of the two Parables people brought him babies to touch. But when the tall medium when the disciples saw the people doing this they rebuked them. However, Yeshua called the children to him and said let the children

40:21 come to me and stop hindering them. Because the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Yes, I tell you that whoever does not receive the kingdom of God, like a little child will not enter it at all. So just let's take a plane reading and look at this for a moment. There's obviously some people who are bringing babies to Yeshua. And they're being turned away by the disciples. Who knows we are only theorizing but perhaps to disciples say well this you know, whatever with the baby blessing a baby. Whatever it is. Is this shouldn't monopolize the time of Yeshua, maybe they're doing something good. This is maybe they're just maybe they're actually watching out for your shoe and and how he's spending his time.

41:07 But he says wow stop. Let me tell you you just stepped beyond what what? I want and he says let them come he contradicts their instructions and then he takes it even a step further. Don't just let them come to me and I'll bless them but he's takes a step further and he says unless you're like these. Children, you can't even enter the kingdom of heaven. like talk about some strong language. That's that flips real quick. The Yeshua does here. We've already seen the importance of persistent persistence. We've seen The Importance of Being perceptive about oneself the necessity of humility and not hubris. And now what we see is the

41:54 importance of Purity before the Lord children have this ability to have pure enjoyment in the particular moment. Now, let me give you an example yesterday. The Waldman had a haircutting day. It was Grandpa me and Max. and when Max got his haircut that dude jumped on the couch. We think it was dead an hour and a half two hours like straight. Just I don't know. Maybe it's because his head is so much lighter. I don't know. But the dude hasn't stopped jumping since yesterday

42:42 and it's just that I don't know if you ever see it in children that the ability to have pure enjoyment. Unadulterated enjoyment in whatever it is that's happening at the moment. I would venture to say that as adults. We don't necessarily do that. Certainly my dad and I didn't get on the couch and jump up and down for two hours after we got our haircut. We said thank you for cutting our hair. We really appreciate it. But Max just jumped. We're having fun guys. But here's something else there's there's another difference. There's notable

43:27 between children and adults. children Now this is I'm going to have to very be very careful of my language children at least recognize. Now I'm saying that there's actually not much difference between adults and children but children recognize this difference and that difference is that they are dependent upon others. What Amy Jo Levine says is they cannot secure what they want or need on their own? Therefore little children must be in relationship. You know as adults we think that we can procure or secure or whatever it is on our

44:14 own. Julie We can't. You know, we we have to recognize our dependence upon the Lord Even in our daily lives. So, let me let me give you one that will challenge you. I suspect that if you are working that you will get paid this coming Friday. It's last day of the month. You'll either be paid one and it's the last day of the week. So you'll probably get a paycheck on Friday. Now, let me ask you a question. Is that paycheck?

45:01 the result of you or the Lord Now that's a rhetorical question. You don't have to answer. because we all act and some of us think that we get paid as a direct result of us. We certainly behave that way. But the reality is is the Lord is the one who gives us the ability to work. The Lord is the one who gave us the job or whatever. It is positioned that we work for at the at this particular moment. And the Lord is the one that's keeping the bank afloat. Says you can get your paycheck on Friday.

45:47 Which is extremely notable considering how many banks are failing around the world? And getting bailed out by other Banks. We think as adults. That we are independent. In fact, we think as Texans. The we are independent and that we can withstand everything. right we can even even Gonzaga who were playing tomorrow. Is that right in the tournament? Sorry if you don't watch basketball. Then you can go look that up. but

46:32 we think is Texans that we control our own destiny. It doesn't matter that we're part of the United States we can we can leave the us at any given moment. Because that's our right as Texans. the reality is the failure of the Swiss bank affects us in Texas the failure of that bank On the west coast somewhere. This is Joe the failure of the Silicone Valley Bank. It affects us. We are not I don't know. Maybe we were at some point independent, but we are no longer independent of

47:19 whatever happens around the world. In fact, whatever happens around the world greatly affects us every day. We may or may not realize it. and I'm saying that because it should drive you to your knees. To realize how dependent upon others that we are. And really that we're really only dependent upon one. And he is guiding us every day. Should we permit him to do that? But you see it actually. It's such an amazing thing God, you know realize that God requires our permission. to guide us I mean he can nudge us I'm not saying he can't nudge us.

48:04 but he he's not going to sit there and just continually over and over and over again. Hey stupid. I'm sorry. I was referring to myself not necessarily all everyone else. Hey. look up from Your well, if you're reading a book, I was actually a good thing. God though, he does do it for us. He will he will Crawl Through the noise that we have in our lives. It's actually better for us to remove some of that noise and recognize his voice and come to him. I'm not saying God won't. But I'm saying it's preferable for us to return to him.

48:56 And so we should approach the Lord. With our with recognition of our dependence upon him. And actually everyone else in our community. You see we all are dependent upon one another. Whether or not we recognize it. And so children recognize that and Yeshua says the people who are like these children. They will be allowed to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. They recognize their dependence upon God and upon others. Along the way we have to recognize the gift that it is being in community. with each other especially during seasons of Correction

49:47 So what? So what does this mean for you and me? Well, I've already given you several. So what's but let me give you a few more first of all if you have the The you version app I put a link in there. For an article that was put out by Tycoon. I don't know maybe a couple of month or two ago. There was actually commentary on the Widow and the judge. But in this article, it talks about the anthem important thing about prayer. So let me tell you one thing. I have learned from Elder Dave and I think you told me it's from someone else, but you can tell me later. the most important thing about prayer is pray

50:32 Right. Maybe I should say that one more time. the most important thing about prayer is to pray I don't mean well no, I'll just stop that's the most important thing about prayer. Is to pray but let me let me go let me get list out a few things that are in this article number one. These are lessons that they derive from the from the Widow. pray always at all times for all things in any situation You know Paul says. To pray always it doesn't mean that we walk through life praying 24 hours a day. It means that in any moment, we're praying. Does that make sense? It's not. It's not I pray for 24 hours. It's that

51:20 at that moment. I pray to the Lord I seek the Lord's guidance. It's consistent. It's continual. It's all the time. Pray, energetically don't lose heart or faint. Praying is like making legal demands before a judge. overcome evil we pray against the forces that are opposing God. Be bold and pushy. Good intercessors tend to be gentle and unassuming in their day-to-day personality. But Warrior like in their prayer life. I I can't I think it was Dr. Daniel. One day and I think we were praying. I think we're praying for you Dave. I can't remember but he said I think did you didn't you have something in your neck from in

52:08 Dr. Daniel said that's Dave had to have surgery for it. He goes that's a great sign and I was like, huh? And he goes when whatever that was in the neck, he goes That's the sign of someone who prays all the time. Because they're in that position before the Lord their outerwear body reflects their heart and their words and so it it puts again. It's not that God requires surgery because of prayer, but it's Don't draw the wrong conclusions. I'm just giving you an example. It's this it's this mindset that we have to be before the Lord and praying and be humble, but also be pushy. Like those are two different things that often don't go together and finally be faithful be like the Widow praying

52:55 with overcoming faith and with consistent faithfulness. So let us be persistent in our prayers. Let us be perceptive as to our own motivations and our prayers and let us be pure in our prayers. now I already gave you my so what but I'm going to give you one more. So what how do we apply this in our own lives? in about two months We'll be celebrating Pentecost. I'm choosing my language purposely. So just bear with me. A couple months ago. I was in a conference involved in

53:41 the conference with my dad and several others. and at that conference the Unified decision upon closure was that on Pentecost? We would all fast and pray with our respective communities so Dad. What do you think there was? 50 participants 60 participants 80 participants with our perspective communities I think we there were there were not many congregations represented. Mostly they were large networks of people. That we would fast and pray on May

54:26 28th, which is Pentecost on the Christian calendar. for the Salvation of Israel Now I say that because now I want to give you a little bit more background. I have found out some fascinating information. Just in this all through all of this learning learning about this. there is I don't know. Maybe you guys know this or not, but there are prayer networks around the world that they pray and there's when you have a network, there's always someone who's I don't know if you want to call them like in charge or whatever it is, but the person who communicates down to the next level which then communicates to the next

55:13 level. In this process I learned that there are about a hundred people. Which is that they meet monthly. And they represent each about around 5,000 people. And so what does that math? That makes 50,000. Is that right? hundred people for 50,000 those 50,000 people actually represent a hundred million people around the world. So this network? This is this is a while ago this network they'd choose to pray on on a particular day for a particular people or

55:59 city in actually a city for salvation. They had chosen that they would all for on four different days through what we are we in 23 2023 that throughout 2023. They would play they agreed on four days praying for four different cities. But throughout the rest of the year, they're praying for about a hundred and ten cities by name which those 110 cities represent 90% of the unreached peoples by the good news. So they're praying for these hundred and ten cities. As a network, but on on four days they agree on

56:45 these four days to everyone in their Network to be praying for a given City. So on May 28th, the city is Jerusalem. I don't know if they chose it on on purpose or not, or if they just said hey, we're gonna pick something in the middle of the year. And here's Jerusalem. It happens. to be Pentecost is simply A different name which has been adopted by the Christian calendar for Shavuot. Shavuot being the festival that occurs 50 days. This is how you get the name Pinta cost 50 days after Passover or so or seven weeks.

57:31 and a day and so that on the on the Jewish calendar occurs on Thursday night. May was that 25th, maybe whatever that Thursday night is. But there's arguments. That go back thousands of years years in the Jewish world as to win Shavuot occurs. Whether you count seven weeks from the day of Passover, or you count seven Saturdays seven shabbats because this is how it says it in the Hebrew. You count seven shabbats from the Shabbat of Passover one gives you a day. That's a pretty that's a given day. Every year a given date. I'm sorry a given

58:17 date every year the other gives you a given day every year. So you understand the difference one gives you the the date is the same but it changes days of the week. The other version gives you the same day of the week, which is always Sunday. It's why Pentecost is always on Sunday and Shavuot moves around. So this year they happened to be the same weekend. So you have Shavuot which starts on Thursday night and on the Jewish calendar Shavuot is two days. So, it's Friday and Saturday. And then Sunday is Pentecost such a fascinating. Thing the way it occurs this year it gives you like kind of three days. of Celebration or whatever, so I'm telling

59:04 you all of this because We're joining Brooke Hashem are joining into this prayer and fasting on the 28th. And it will come as the final part of our Shavuot celebration. We'll do something Thursday night. We'll do something Saturday. These details will come out a little bit later because I don't want to confuse you with Passover. Because that's next we got to handle the things that are now. Chavo it's coming. But there are even other groups that are in this in these prayer networks that now have decided. to take the 21 days leading up to Pentecost which actually on the Jewish calendar connects with

59:49 the 21 days the final 21 days of the counting of the Omer. You know every year we count the omair we count up and expectancy of what's going to happen on the 50th day. So these These are these really interesting in in these at least in these groups the last that I heard which was this week. There are more than 300,000 people that are spinning those 21 days leading up to Pentecost praying and fasting for the Salvation of Israel the Jewish people. so I'm telling you this because I don't know. I don't know and I think I could say safely that it's never happened. But I don't know when there have

1:00:36 been a hundred million people praying on the same day. for the Salvation of Israel with that intent so I'm telling you that because this is our mission. Is for the Salvation of Israel? and so like we're going to join in like I think by all means we're gonna join in we're gonna figure out the way it looks and everything here, but I'm telling you that because I met with the elders and and we all by the way agreed with this it was not a unified I mean a What do you call it a? whatever we all agreed with it. That's what that's what needs to anyways. If

1:01:23 you if you want to go understand the 110 cities. It's actually like if you want to go look into that Network. I think it's called 10 cities.com, maybe or dot org. But it's interesting you can find and you can find all the different cities. They pray for all of these cities all around the world. They have an interactive map where you can like click on the city and they have like a 30 second video on prayer for that City and and it's just very interesting. I'm telling you because I just feel like God is doing something. I don't know. Maybe it's just me. But I don't think so. Like I think that there's something that's happening that going back

1:02:08 to my dad's stories about being a surfer the he was sit on the water on his board and he would just add one moment would would recognize the wave. Far off and he could see it. I feel like that wave is coming. And if we get on the board and don't fall off as key was surfing don't fall off. Then you'll be in for the right of your life. So I feel like that wave is coming and let's let the Lord lead us through this. As we pray for the Salvation of Israel and and it's we pray for the Salvation of Jerusalem, but that's representative of Israel. Which is then also representative really of

1:02:55 worldwide jury. Because now more Jews live in Israel than live anywhere else. And then we come to Matthew chapter 23. and in Matthew 23 It says that Yeshua said, oh man, I can't wait until this. I think it's in. oh, I think we I think we're gonna get there next. In in right after Passover, I think it's in Luke 19 also. Yeshua says you're not going to see me again Jerusalem. until you say Barack Obama bashem. I don't know. In other words we welcome Yeshua back. So I'm I'm just at this moment of expectation.

1:03:43 May the Lord bless you and keep you may the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you. And give you peace. Give a recordal night. raise my yeah, erunai for navalaka movie who never He sarunai panavalekah. They

1:04:29 are some lack of. shalom beam Yeshua, Michigan in the name of our Messiah Yeshua shabbat shalom