Echoes of Grace
Desire
Lesson by Espn McCall, Preacher at Wickett Church of Christ
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Duration:
- 56m
- Broadcast on:
- 18 Nov 2024
- Audio Format:
- other
Now of course as we read Psalm chapter 27 verses 4 through 8 it doesn't sound a lot like hey this makes perfect sense with the lesson and that is if you read out of anything but the King James version. So this entire lesson is based out of the King James version. Due to that every one of my scriptures will be on the board because if you don't read it out of the version it was written in sometimes it doesn't make as much sense. But in Psalm 27 in verse 4 it says one thing I have desired of the Lord those are the first few words of verse 4 it's one thing I have desired. So what do you desire of the Lord? Do you desire anything of the Lord and what does the Lord desire of you? So let's begin with defining the word desire. Now the importance of an idea can be judged by the number of words that are used to describe the idea right? So desire you have to desire the word and you have to understand what the word desire means so you have to understand the many definitions of it. The King James translators also translate this word 26 times in Hebrew and Greek. Which means you can find the word desire all throughout the Bible 26 times to be exact. Now that's not in every single book. Don't worry we have a lot more books than that but it's important to understand that this word is spoken of more than just hearing songs. Of course you would assume that since there's an entire lesson on it brain drop to you. But this is a very important understanding for us we have to understand the word desire we have to understand what it means to desire God. Designer is to wish or long for. It is to express a wish or to obtain. It is a longing or craving. All right it's asked for something that brings satisfaction right? You want something that brings you satisfaction it brings you aspirations. Desire is a strong feeling that impels one to strive to obtain or possess something. If you would desire can be jealousy. Can't it? If you desire to have something that is not yours is desire not true or is jealousy not a desire. Now after you know the definition of this word desire and you look back to Psalm 27 and verse 4 one thing I have desired of the Lord. One thing I have expressed wish. One thing I long for from the Lord right? One thing I crave of the Lord. And desire is such an important thing to us. Now of course we are to desire the word right? If desire is a hunger it's an appetite or it's a thirst right? Then how do we desire the word right? How do we hunger for the word? Do we have an appetite for the word? Do you thirst for knowledge? Our scripture reading this morning for the Lord's Supper was in Luke chapter 4 and that is the woman at the well asking Jesus for the eternal water. Do you thirst for that eternal water? Do you thirst for the word? Turn with me if you would the first Peter chapter 2 or you can just look on the board. I forget I put them all on the board. It makes it real easy. It says we're for laying aside all malice and all guile and Hippocrates and envies and all evil speaking. As newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby. Right so here it's a very strict as newborn babes right? As newborn babes desire milk right? We are to be such as them to desire the sincere milk of the word that we might grow right? We are to desire the word we are to desire your Bible as we began this morning in our Bible study we're learning actually what the Bible is right? And it is our desire it should be our desire as a Christian to desire that Bible to desire that word right? And in Matthew chapter 5 and verse 6 it says blessed are they which do not hunger and thirst after righteousness which do hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be filled right to hunger and thirst right? Well what's our definition of desire that is to hunger or thirst right? Blessed are they which desire righteousness right that hunger or thirst after righteousness this is that blessed are those who desire to be righteous for they then shall be filled right? We must desire the word right we have a song in our songbooks and it's called I love to tell the story all right and I'd like to read that if I can find it quickly I love to tell the story it's song number 277 in your songbook number 277 right it's in our songbooks I'm sure we all know it says I love to tell the story about seeing things above of Jesus and his glory of Jesus and his love I love to tell the story because I know it is true it satisfies my longings as nothing else can do does that not sound interesting to you all right I love to tell the story of unseen things above well if you want love to tell the story that means you know the story right well the story of unseen things above is of Jesus and his glory it's of Jesus and his love you love to tell the story which you know because you know it's true in order to know it's true you have to know it you have to have desired it long enough to learn and anybody that goes for a degree has to desire to graduate with that degree or you aren't graduating with that degree because you're not gonna learn anything right you don't want it bad enough right it satisfies your longing does nothing else can do in order for that to be true right you take our definition I have a simple definition of desire being to hunger or thirst I did satisfies my longings I hunger for it I hunger for that story I hunger for Christ and it satisfies me every time I tell the story it satisfies me is nothing else can do says I love to tell the story for those who know it best seem hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest knowing I'm sure we've all in here sung the song about a hundred times if not more throughout our lives I know I couldn't count how many times I've sung this song it's such a beautiful song and yet how many of us actually look at it saying those who seem to know it best seem to desire it like the rest I mean for everybody that knows the story loves it just the same right everybody that doesn't know the story it satisfies a longing if you're looking for it and it's such a beautiful song and it tells you about the desire of Christ it tells you about if you have this desire every time you sing it right you're saying I it's very important I love to tell the story do you love to tell the story that's a question you have to ask yourself do you know the story do you desire it right does it satisfy your longing or are those just words coming out of your mouth and I love to tell the story I don't know the story right it satisfies my longings I'm not that hungry right now or I want pizza that would satisfy me right or are you singing that song with the understanding of this is the Bible right this is Christ do you have the desire to make the words true now of course not only are we to have a desire but God has a desire for us now if you don't know that desire for us well how about I teach it to you hopefully you know but if you don't I will gladly show you and I'll show you in several different places primarily in the Old Testament in Psalms chapter 40 Psalms chapter 40 in verses 6 through 10 it says sacrifice in offering thou didest not desire my new years has thou opened burnt offerings and sin offerings has thou not required then I said lo I come and the volume of the book is written of me I delight to do thy will oh my God yay thy law is within my heart I have preached righteousness in the great congregation lo I have not refrained my lips oh Lord thou knowest I have not hid my righteousness within my heart I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation I have not concealed by loving kindness and my truth from the great congregation right the Lord this is the Lord desire right sacrifice in offerings the Lord didn't desire right his years have been opened burnt offering and sin offering the Lord does not desire it is something that he took back in the day right back in the Old Testament that is something that he had that you had to do that in order to follow Christ however that is not what he desires he desires us to delight in thy will oh God yay thy law is within my heart that's what God desires of us otherwise he wouldn't have given us this song it would not have survived the test of time and I have preached righteousness in the congregation I have not refrained my lips the Lord does not want you to refrain your lips from preaching righteousness and he has not that desire he desires you to declare thy faithfulness and thy salvation I declare the Lord declare why you're faithful in him why you care right how you were saved says for I have not concealed by loving kindness and thy truth he doesn't want you to hide him and just in case you're like well that doesn't make much sense you're just putting a lot of words together that's fair let's go to hosea chapter 6 verse 6 for I desire mercy and not sacrifice and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings like God desires this God desires us for desire this for I desired mercy and not sacrifice that's what God desired he desired mercy he wants us to desire the knowledge of God right the knowledge of him more than the burnt offering that just got them through their day-to-day lines right got them over their sin if you would which we now have repentance for God doesn't want you to just be like well God will forgive me if I repent I'm gonna go do this now that's not what he wants of you he wants you to know him and not just know him to the sense of you're gonna understand the hill forgive you he wants you to know him to the stance of yeah you'll forgive me but I don't want to sit and I don't want to make you forgive me and Psalm chapter 51 in verse 6 says behold thou desirous truth in the inward parts and in the hidden part thou shall make me to know wisdom right behold thou desirous truth in the inward parts you have to be true to yourself right you have to not only be true to yourself you have to be true to God and you have to know look I'm here for a reason I love to tell the story not I don't know the story and you need to desire that truth you need to test the word you need to study the Bible so that you might understand the truth that you might be able to put Christ in your heart so that you might have a home in heaven right and the hidden part thou shall make me to know wisdom all right when you desire truth God provides you wisdom all right whenever you desire truth God shows it to you this is what the truth is and the truth will in turn make you wise and in 1st Samuel chapter 15 and verse 22 it says in Samuel said half the Lord as great delight in burnt offering and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord behold to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken than the fast of rats you might say yes then it doesn't say desire in here oh it says great delight it says obeying the voice of the Lord question mark right behold obey is better than that you say it doesn't say desire but what does it say right half the Lord is great delight in burnt offering and sacrifice right does he have the great delight in offerings and sacrifices right did those stand up to obeying his voice hey Moses struck a rock whenever he was told to talk to the rock and whenever he was told to talk to the rock he struck a rock right he did not obey the voice of God and what happened to Moses while he was taken up to the Mount of Pisgah and he was shown the promised land he was told you don't get a go and he was taken he died on the mountain because he did not obey the voice of God right so what's worth more obeying God's voice or sacrificing an animal sacrificing crops I mean what's worth more to God or what's worth more to God is what Samuel asks and the answer is to obey is better than sacrifice right and to harken than the fat of Rams to harken is to love right to put yourself into that is to harken so obeying the words of the Lord is better than sacrificing a ram and to love the Lord is better than burning the fat of said ram now of course we can desire the right things and we can desire the wrong things so what are the wrong things we can desire how about Genesis chapter 3 and when the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was pleasant to the eyes and a tree to be desired to make one wise she took of the fruit therefore and did eat right desire to make yourself wise there's something that you can desire wrong Eve no work first woman the first sin right was due to a desire to be made wise I know of course that was through temptation of Satan or of the serpent which we know as Satan it doesn't matter right we are all tempted and if you have the desire to be made wise you have the wrong desire you shouldn't study God's words saying oh it's gonna make me really smart oh I'm gonna be a genius God's gonna give me so much wisdom right or how about in Acts chapter 9 and the first two verses and saw yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord went unto the highest priest and desired of him letters of Damascus to the synagogues that if he found any of his way whether they were men or women he might bring them bound into Jerusalem right so desires to persecute the church that's what soul desires he desires persecution that's what he wants right if he finds any of this way any disciples of the Lord he wants the papers to say I can legally punish you and I can bound you and take you to Jerusalem that's the desire he wants right he doesn't want people to follow the Lord yet again in the New Testament Simon the sorcerer what is he desire he desires the power and he says look at the things you can do mine are tricks you're performing miracles how much do you want for it what can I pay you for that Simon the sorcerer desired power we are not to desire power we're not to desire stopping people from worshiping God from being a disciple of the Lord we're not to desire to be just be made smarter to be made wise right and James chapter 4 and verse 1 through 3 it says from whence come wars and fighting among you come they not hint even in your lust that war in your members yet lust and have not you kill and desire to have and cannot obtain you fight and war yet he have not because he asked not he asked and receive not because he asked a miss that he may consume it upon your lust there's a lot of ye's and if you don't understand the old language it doesn't make a lot of sense he lust and have not you lust and have not what how does that make any sense right you kill and desire to have and cannot obtain how does any of that sentence makes sense well we don't speak the old language so let me just find it for you let me explain the sentence to you says ye lust well we all know what lust is so you're lusting for something you want something that you don't have right you're jealous maybe if something somebody else has you want it and you don't have it so what do you do you kill say well if they can't have it or if they won't give it to me I'll take it right so you kill it you say you can't have it anymore cuz I want it so I'm gonna kill you so I can have it right so you kill him because you desire to have it and yet you still can't have it because you killed them and didn't get you anywhere right so you can't obtain it so what do you do you say well if I can't kill your king and get your land I'll just kill you all I'll take you to war so we'll fight we'll have a war and yet we still can't have it because we didn't ask for it right you didn't ask so God's not gonna give it to you say I'm just gonna take it I want it and God says no you can't have it so you say you know what fine can I have it Lord me says no says what do you mean you said I didn't ask now I've asked says you can't have it because you just want to consume your lust right you just want to fulfill your desire you don't want to have it because you want to worship me or you want to praise me or give me any glory you have it because you think it looks pretty and that's why Jordan as he was telling us the other day he stuffed candy bars in his pockets you block out of the store it's because he want a candy right he didn't want it to glorify God throw candy into the streets God loves you God loves you no he just want a candy right and so whenever he asked for candy he was told no no you can't have candy why not because that's what you want right no you can't have it because that's what your desire is you don't have the desire to worship me you have the desire to consume you just want the power right that's what it says that's what it says and so if you just desire power it's not gonna do anything for you God will just tell you know you ask and you receive us not because you didn't ask of the right intention how about in Mark chapter nine and verse 33 through 35 right says it's not all about me right says when he came to Capernaum and being in the house he asked them what was it that she disputed among yourselves by the way but they held their piece for by the way they had disputed among themselves who should be the greatest and he set down and called the 12 and say it unto them if any man desires to be first the same shall be last of all and serve it of all I mean it's not all about you I want to be the first one look at me I'm the great disciple I know who's the better disciples what they're asking and Jesus says any one of you that says you're the better disciple or any one of you that desires to be above the others any one of you that desire to be first shall be last of all right so don't desire that it's all about me look how great I can be look how good I can be look how good I am because you're trying to put yourself first trying to say I'm better than you and because I'm better than you I get to go up before you and Christ says you'll be last when you do that you will be last and you will be below everyone else again in Ecclesiastes chapter 6 and verse 3 says if a man beget a hundred children and live many years so that the days of his years be many and his soul be not filled with good and also that he have no burial I say that an ultimate untimely birth is better than he how does that make any sense it again doesn't say the word desire you give an entire lesson about desire and you haven't mentioned desire but in three slides how does that make any sense once again it's that same points don't make it about yourself he has a hundred children he's lived many years in his life and he's he's an old man he should be happy right he has all these kids but he's not filled with any good he's not happy actually he's we could have still upset right he's so upset that he doesn't even get a few burial and he's so upset that he was a bad man that's what it says that his soul be not filled with good and he was not a good man he wasn't a happy man so he doesn't get a burial says even an untimely birth is better than him and even an accident and because that accident has a chance to glorify God he didn't he was given many years and many children he refused to glorify God so even an accident is better than that I know how about in Ecclesiastes chapter 2 verses 9 10 and 11 it says so I was great and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem also my wisdom remained with me and whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them I went held not my heart from any joy for my heart rejoiced in all my labor and this was my portion of all my labor then I looked on all the works got hair falling on me that my hands had rots and on the labor that I had labored to do and behold all was vanity and vexation of the spirit and there was no prophet under the sun you say hey this one says desire good job right mine eyes desired and I kept not from them I withheld not my heart from any joy what is that me I'm my eyes desired and I kept not from them I saw it I want it I took it all right if I saw something that I wanted I went and took it I gave it to myself this was a cake he had anything he ever wanted and he says that I didn't stop said if I wanted it I took it said I had everything and I rejoiced I had everything and he says and yet it was all vanity it all meant nothing and it was just worldly desire matter how about Proverbs chapter 24 and verses 1 and 2 says be not thou envioused against evil men neither desire to be with them for their heart studious destruction in their lips talk of mischief we have to be aware of the wrong crowd right be not now envious against evil men don't want what they have right don't be jealous of what they have don't even go want to be with them is what it says right me not thou envious don't want what they have right and don't want to be with them don't desire don't hunger and thirst to be with them for they study destruction in their hearts they talk mischief and Proverbs chapter 1 and verses 10 through 16 it says my son if sinners entice the consent thou not and if you desire to be with sinners don't right if they say come with us let us lay wait for blood let us lurk privately for the innocent without cause that is come with us let's kill somebody that's what that means let's go all right we'll call somebody innocent just cuz we can right let us swallow them up alive as the grave and whole as those go down into the pit right we shall find all precious substance we shall fill our houses with spoil cast and thy loft among us let us all have one purse my son walk not thou in the way with them refrain thy foot from their path for their feet run to evil and make haste to shed blood and you say again you're really bad at finding the word desire and I told you there were only 26 of them I've got a 30 minute lesson so of course I'm not gonna have to desire in every scripture but I have a point in every scripture if sinners entice thee right if you want to be with them don't right and they say come on let's go and let's go let's go kill somebody don't consent don't go with them they'll tell you all these good things we're gonna fill our houses with spoil we're gonna have so much money don't right my son walk not with them right refrain from thy foot path for their feet run to evil right don't go with them if you desire to be with them just don't they run to evil they make haste to shed blood and you don't want to be like that or rather as a Christian you shouldn't want to be like that that's what they desire that's not what we should be desiring so then you ask well if I can't desire anything what do I desire I can't have fun and I can't go murder people just because I want to and I'm not allowed to just see everything I want and take it you've really said I can't have anything so what can I have Psalm 34 verses 12 through 18 you might actually recognize this verse from first Peter chapter 3 I gave an entire lesson in this verse was in it what man is he that desire life and love as many days that he may see good keep thy tongue from evil and by lips from speaking guile depart from evil and do good seek peace and pursue it the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his ears are open to their cry the faith of the Lord is against them that do evil to cut off the remembrance of the earth the righteous cry in the Lord hearth and deliverth them out of all their troubles the Lord is nigh unto them better of a broken heart and save it such as be of a contrite spirit see we stopped at verse 17 in first Peter chapter 3 we didn't read verse 18 right but what man is he that desires life right you want to desire life you want to see many good days you want to love your life and you want to love the many days of your life then keep your tongue from evil keep your lips from speaking guile depart from evil do good right seek peace pursue it and why all right why would you do any of this right the world's got a lot of fun things to do all right they've got everything you can do so why would I do this right if I want to really enjoy my days why would I do any of this because the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous that's why because he's against those that do evil that's why you cut them off that's why you don't follow them right for whenever you cry being righteous the Lord hears you he will deliver you so if you desire long days and that you might see good things happen then you have to be righteous you have to desire righteousness right it says the Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart and save it such as be of a contrite spirit right that just means blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth and blessed are the meek blessed are the lowly the ones that don't desire much maybe they just desire good days and so they keep their tongue from evil and you are to be righteous your desire righteousness and you say okay is there anything else I can desire because that doesn't sound very fun okay how about Psalm 19 verse 7 verse 10 the law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul the testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple the statutes of the Lord are right rejoicing the heart the commandment of the Lord is pure enticing the eyes the fear of the Lord is clean enduring forever the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous all together more to be desired are they then gold yay then much fine gold sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb more to be desired are they than gold were they I told us the law of the Lord is perfect you should desire the law of the Lord more than gold you should desire the testimony of the Lord more than gold the statutes of the Lord the commandments of the Lord the fear of the Lord the judgment of the Lord those are the things you should desire you don't need money in this world that's an earthly thing that's a worldly thing and it will pass away along with the world we're told you desire his law his testimony right his statute his commandment you should fear him you should desire to fear him you should desire that his judgment is true and righteous those are the things you should desire more than gold more than anything here on earth that's what you should desire and you say that still doesn't sound very fun I've read the Bible it says I can't do a lot of things right can I desire anything it says blessed is the man in Psalm chapter one in the first three verses of the book of Psalms blessed is the man that walk is not in the counsel of the ungodly nor standeth in the way of sinners or siteth in the seat of the scornful but his delight is in the law of the Lord and his law duck he meditate day and night and he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that bringeth forth his fruit in a season his leaf also shall not wither and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper but his delight is in the law of the Lord how can you be delighted in the law of Lord if you do not desire the law of the Lord you're not blessed if you walk in the counsel of the ungodly you're not blessed if you standeth in the way of sinners or if you sit in the seat of the scornful you're not blessed in those situations do you know when you are blessed when you delight in the law of the law when you desire the Lord right when you follow every one of these when you desire the law of the Lord right the testimony the statutes the commandments the fear the judgment right that's when you're blessed that's whenever you will be like a tree planted by the rivers right that's whenever you will bring forth your fruit in its season as whenever you delight in his law because if a drought comes you're on a river you have water right you're not going to wither you will always prosper when you delight in the law of the Lord like this still doesn't sound very fun fine second Corinthians chapter 9 8 9 10 11 right and God is able to make all grace abound toward you that he always having all sufficiency and all things may abound to every good work as it is written he hath dispersed abroad he hath given to the bore his righteousness remaineth forever now he that minister its seed to the sower both minister bread for you for your food and multiply your seed sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness being enriched in everything to all bountifulness which causes through us thanksgiving to God does that sound more fun to you and all grace all abound towards you right that you will always have sufficiency right you will lack nothing you will abound in good works for he has dispersed abroad he has given to the poor and his righteousness will remain forever right he gives seed to the sower he ministers bread for your food he will multiply the seed you sow and increase the fruits of your righteousness so yeah it might not sound super fun and there's a lot we can't do and if you view those things as fun and brother you're designing the wrong thing desiring the wrong thing right you don't desire the right thing as you find all the worldly things fun and if you say well the law of the Lord's boring well and you're not looking at it the right way you're looking at all the joys of the world not the joys in which God can give you not the grace that will abound towards you in Philemon chapter 4 in verses 16 and 17 says for even in Thessal and Micah he sent once and again unto my necessity not because I desire a gift but I desire fruit that may abound to your account but I have all and about I am full having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you in order of a sweet smell a sacrifice accepting and well-pleasing to God right Paul is writing here in Philemon and he said or to the church of Philemon anyway and he says even when I was in Thessal and I wasn't even with you and you took care of my needs and he says and I didn't ask since I didn't ask for you to take care of my needs I didn't ask for you to give me a gift all I want is that your fruit may abound no I want is that you may grow that's what he says right he says but I have all for a habit I don't need it I don't desire a gift from you for I am full and it's because of you all right you have given me something that is well pleasing to God and this is something he didn't ask for brother and he wasn't asking for gifts they were provided to him because he desired the law of God and chapter 3 of Philemon in verses 13 14 and 15 says brother and I count not myself to have apprehended but this one thing I do forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before I press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded what does that mean I count not myself to have apprehended but this one thing I do forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before right I don't desire to have anything I left behind this is what this says says I don't count them I they mean nothing to me yet everything that lies before the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus the hope of salvation the hope of heaven that's what he desires he doesn't desire anything he left behind he doesn't desire anything left in the world and in verse 15 he says every one of us be thus minded I'd forget about the things you left behind forget about the things of the world do not desire them right look to things ahead look to what the law of God can give you you say well fine what if I want something what if I do have desire for something how do I get it right because in this sense desires to have strong feeling that impels one to survive or to strive to attain or possess something right that's our new definition of desire so how do you get something that you want you so I could really use that who I want that how do you get that right if you're putting away all the things that you've left so I don't need those anyone more the only thing I desires God and how do you get anything that you might feel like you strive I feel like you need right how do you get the things you desire Psalm chapter 73 73rd Psalm verses 23 through 28 says nevertheless I am continually with thee thou hast holding me by my right hand thou shalt guide me with thy counsel and afterward receiveth me to glory whom have I in heaven but thee and is there none upon the earth that I desire besides thee my flesh and my heart fail it but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever for lo they that are afar from thee shall perish though that hath destroyed all them that go a warring from thee but it is good for me to draw near to God I have put my trust in the Lord God that I might declare all thy works so how do you get the things that you desire you stay close to God right and there is none upon earth that is that I desire beside me so how do you get the things you desire you stay close to God because what do you desire you desire to be close to God you desire God so you get it by staying close to God and you put your trust in the Lord that you might declare all his works right and then it's Daniel chapter 2 Daniel chapter 2 verses 16 through 19 it says then Daniel went in and desired of the king that he would give him time and that he would show the king the interpretation then Daniel went to his house and made the thing known to Hanaiah, Michelle and Azeriah that the Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and Hebrew right those are his companions it says that they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret that Daniel and his fellow should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision that Daniel blessed the God of heaven what did Daniel desire? Daniel says give me time and I will show you your interpretation I'll tell you what it means give me a little bit and he went to his house and he talks with Shadrach, Meshach and Abedne to go and they sit down and they pray right they desire of God mercy they say God or dying people are dying the wise men of Babylon are dying or being put to death right show us the secret that we might live and they're not saying show us the secret that we might live because we don't want to die right they're saying show us the secret that we might live that we might continue to bless you right that's what it says because after he reveals the secret to Daniel it says then Daniel blessed the God of heaven God knows your desire he knows why you want things right they prayed to God and said God show us right that we might live and God said I will show you and you all will glorify my name you got showed them that they might live now of course as we know in the book of Daniel Shadrach, Meshach and Abedne to go were thrown into a fire that killed even the men tending to the fire it was that hot they were saved they were not killed because they were to glorify God all right how do you get the things you desire mark chapter 11 verse 24 therefore I say unto you what things so ever you desire when you pray believe that you receive with them then you shall have them and you say well that sounds really easy I need a car I'll pray for a car once again whenever you think that way and you say well I need a car or I need this or I need that so I'm gonna pray for this and that I could really use an extra thousand dollars a month so I'm gonna pray for that what you're praying for is things of the world again you're desiring that of the world again so it's what things so ever he desire isn't anything under the sun God will give you because I'm gonna tell you right now God can say no God I really need a thousand dollars and Jesus Christ name I pray amen no right you don't get that because you want that thousand dollars so that you can go buy you a new car hey or put a down payment on one if that even is a nothing anymore right or you want that thousand dollars so you can go gamble it away you want that thousand dollars so you can donate it to a church to go donate it to a whole bunch of other people right God it has the right to say no he has the right to tell you no you don't need that or you're desiring something of the world not something God right you're not desiring God's law and first Thessalonians chapter 5 in verse 17 says pray without ceasing it's a not only do you have to believe in the things that you pray for right you have to believe in your heart of hearts that that is something that is glorifying to God you have to keep that prayer on your mind right you have to pray without ceasing it's you can't pray and say Lord I need a thousand dollars this week and you sit on your couch and you start eating potato chips or bonbons and you're watching your TV show click click right and you don't do anything because you have to act you have to get up and you have to keep that pray in your mind I just asked God for help well God's not gonna help me if I'm meeting mom bonds on my couch he's not gonna help me if I'm just sitting here watching TV so I'm gonna go do something God doesn't just magically teleport or miraculously insert a thousand dollars in your account it's not how he works and you have to do something for it so whenever you pray you have to keep that prayer in your mind say oh yeah I just asked God for a thousand dollars and I'm sitting here playing games or eating bonbons or watching TV or whatever it is you do in your house but you're not out trying to do something you're just expecting God to do everything for you and that's not how he works when you pray you have to take action and in James chapter 5 verse 16 it says the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man the veil is much I'm gonna tell you right now prayer is really cool right it's awesome it can do just about anything under the sun you pray for it and it can happen but prayer doesn't again just miraculously do things for you you don't just get what you want because you want it you get what you want because you work for it right you pray for that new car you got to get up and go to go go to work every single day you got to make money for that car you know you might even get a bonus or a raise that's gonna help you towards that that might be God's answer to your prayer he does not gonna just magically give you a car but if you don't go to work you're gonna get fired and God's answers no you don't want to work for it and there's no reason for you to have a job right you don't get that car so you don't want to work for it brethren go one last place with me John chapter 12 and verses 20 and 21 I encourage you open up your Bibles there it's gonna be up here but open your Bibles there open your Bibles to John chapter 12 and verses 20 and 21 this is desire there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast the same came before therefore to Philip which was of Bethsaida of Galilee and desired him saying sir we would see Jesus what is this this is Greeks these aren't even Jews these aren't even people that get salvation up to this point they're not God's chosen people and yet they came and it says they desired him this is they begged him let us see Jesus we want to see Jesus we want to learn from him and that is the desire you should have you should have the desire to see Jesus you should have the desire that Jesus is seen in you I'll tell you right now brother and if you don't have this desire if you haven't put away the desires of the world and turned and you desire God more than anything of the world if you do not desire the law of God above gold even fine gold as it says in song if you don't desire the fear of God over money over your job over your friends and you have to ask yourself is your heart right with God if you desire the things of the world brother and it is very clear over the lesson today in the scriptures you have read the scriptures I have led you to then you are not of God you are not of or one with God you are to desire the law of the Lord.
Lesson by Espn McCall, Preacher at Wickett Church of Christ
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