Prayer Priorities

by avministry | Oct 10, 2022 | Sermons

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Luke 11:1 Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when
He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray,
as John also taught his disciples.”‘
Luke 11:2 So He said to them, “When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth
as it is in heaven.
Luke 11:3 Give us day by day our daily bread.
Luke 11:4 And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted
to us. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
Sermon Series: Lord, Teach Us To Pray
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In Luke 3:21 — Jesus praying at his baptism.
In Luke chapter 4– Jesus is praying through His temptation.
In Luke 5:15-16, Luke tells us that Jesus often got off alone to pray;
In Luke 6:12 Luke reveals that before Jesus chose his disciples he spent the
night before praying
In Luke 9:28, Luke says Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up on the
mountain to pray.
In Luke Chapter 11, the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray.
In Luke 18:1, Luke tells us that Jesus spoke a parable to them, that men always
ought to pray and not lose heart,
In Luke 22:32, Jesus promises Peter he’ll pray for him during his hour of trial
In Luke 22:40–Jesus commands his disciples to pray so they will not fall into
temptation;
And in Luke 23:46–Luke shows us that Jesus’s last breath at the hour of his
death was a prayer.
There are 667 recorded prayers in the Bible and 454 direct mentions of answers
to those prayers.
Psalm 18:6 In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried out to my God;
He heard my voice from His temple, and my cry came before Him, even to His ears.
Psalm 50:15 Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall
glorify Me.
Psalm 65:2 O You who hear prayer, to You all flesh will come.
Psalm 91:15: He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in
trouble; I will deliver him and honor him.
Psalm 145:18: The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon
Him in truth.
Luke 11:1 Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when
He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray,
They recognized that prayer was the key to everything.
I. PRACTICAL PRAYER: PRAY OUT LOUD.
Luke 11:2 So He said to them, “When you pray, say:
Acts 8:30 So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and
said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
II. PERSONAL PRAYER: SWEET HOUR OF PRAYER.
Paul Miller writes, “If you are not praying (is this you? Do you struggle to maintain
a robust prayer life? Here’s your diagnosis), then you are quietly confident that
time, money, and talent are all you need in life. You’ll always be a little too tired,
a little too busy to pray. But if, like Jesus, you realize you can’t do life on your own,
then no matter how busy, no matter how tired you are, you will find the time.”
Psalm 55:17 Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, And He
shall hear my voice.
Daniel 6:10 Now when Daniel … he went home. And in his upper room, with his

windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that
day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since
early days.
III. POWERFUL PRAYER: GOD ANSWERS PRAYER.
1 Kings 18:36 And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice,
that Elijah the prophet came near and said, “Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and
Israel let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant,
and that I have done all these things at Your word.
1 Kings 18:37 Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are
the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.”
1 Kings 18:38 Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and
the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench.
Daniel 9:20 Now while I was speaking, praying, and confessing my sin and the
sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my
God for the holy mountain of my God,
Daniel 9:21 Yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had
seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, reached me
about the time of the evening offering.
Acts 2:1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord
in one place.
Acts 2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty
wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
Acts 2:3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat
upon each of them.
Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other
tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 2:14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to
them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you,
and heed my words.
Acts 2:15 For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour
of the day.
Acts 3:3 Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer,
the ninth hour.
Acts 3:7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately
his feet and ankle bones received strength.
Acts 10:1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of
what was called the Italian Regiment,
Acts 10:2 A devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who
gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always.
Acts 10:3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of
God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!”
Acts 10:9 The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city,
Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour.
God put all of these times in His holy Word for a reason — to show us that
there is power in prayer.
Psalm 5:3 My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; In the morning I will
direct it to You, and I will look up.
IV. PERPETUAL PRAYER: PRAY WITHOUT CEASING.
1 Thessalonains 5:17 Pray without ceasing,
Psalm 16:8 I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand
I shall not be moved.
Acts 17:27 So that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope
for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;
The golden altar of incense pictures prayers to God.

Exodus 30:1 “You shall make an altar to burn incense on;
Leviticus 6:12 And the fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it; it shall not be
put out …”
Leviticus 6:13 A fire shall always be burning on the altar; it shall never go out.
1 Corinthians 6:19 “… Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy
Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God,…”
Psalm 141:2 “Let my prayer be set before You as incense,..”.
Hebrews 7:25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who
come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
1 Samuel 12:23, “God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to
pray for you”.
Jeremiah 33:3 ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty
things, which you do not know.’
Psalm 62:5 My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him.

Sticks and Stones, Words of Criticism

by avministry | Oct 2, 2022 | Sermons

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Matthew 11:15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
Matthew 11:16 “But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children
sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions,
Matthew 11:17 and saying: “We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
We mourned to you, and you did not lament.’
Matthew 11:18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has
a demon.’
Matthew 11:19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look,
a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is
justified by her children.”

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.

Matthew 11:16 “But to what shall I liken this generation?

I. CHRISTIANS CAN’T LIVE TO PLEASE OTHERS.
Matthew 11:16 “But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children
sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions,
Matthew 11:16 (NLT) It is like children playing a game in the public square.
They complain to their friends,

Skip a rope, skip a rope
Oh, listen to the children while they play
Now ain’t it kinda funny what the children say
Daddy hates mommy, mommy hates dad
Last night you shoulda heard the fight they had
Gave little sister another bad dream
She woke us all up with a terrible scream

Matthew 11:16 “… children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions,
Matthew 11:17 and saying: “We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
We mourned to you, and you did not lament.’

Here come the sticks and stones aimed at John.
Matthew 11:18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has
a demon.’

The critics say John has a demon.
While Jesus says he’s the greatest man who’s ever lived.

Matthew 11:19 “The Son of Man came eating and drinking, …”

Matthew 9:14 Then John’s disciples approached him with the question, “Why is
it that we and the Pharisees observe the fasts, but your disciples do nothing of
the kind?”
Matthew 9:15 “Can you expect wedding-guests to mourn while they have the
bridegroom with them?” replied Jesus. “The day will come when the bridegroom
will be taken away from them—they will certainly fast then!”

Here come the sticks and stones aimed at Jesus
Matthew 11:19 “… and they say, “Look a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of
tax collectors and sinners!’

Jesus knows gluttons, and Jesus knows drunkards, but Jesus has come as
their savior, and not as their enabler.

A critic is someone who defines themselves by who or what they are against.

If Jesus could not make people happy then who could?

Galatians 1:10 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men?
For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

II. CHRISTIANS CAN’T LIVE TO PLEASE OURSELVES.
2 Corinthians 5:15 And He died for all, that those who live should live no longer
for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

Romans 14:9 “… whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.

The hymn “Have Thine Own Way, Lord” includes the line:
Mold me and make me after Thy will.

III. CHRISTIANS MUST LIVE TO PLEASE OUR LORD.
Matthew 11:19 ” … But wisdom is justified by her children.”
Matthew 11:19 (NLT) … But wisdom is shown to be right by its results.

God’s wisdom is justified in changed lives.

Galatians 1:10 (NLT) “…If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s
servant.

Vance Havner said, “If I please Him, it matters not who I displease.
But, if I don’t please Him, it matters not who I please!”

John 8:29 And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone,
for I always do those things that please Him.”

The Church On The Rock

by avministry | Sep 25, 2022 | Sermons

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Matthew 16:15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Matthew 16:16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of
the living God.”
Matthew 16:17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah,
for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 16:18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build
My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

Jesus is involved in three very important building projects.
1) He is involved in building a home for our future, a place called heaven.
John 14:2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have
told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
2) He is also interested in building a home for your family.
Psalm 127:1 Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it:
3) He is involved in building a place for our faith, the church.
Matthew 16:18 “… I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail
against it.

Matthew 18:15 “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault
between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.
Matthew 18:16 But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by
the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’
Matthew 18:17 And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses
even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.

The audience Jesus is addressing, the Apostles, they don’t know what a church is.
They’ve never seen a church because there’s never been one.
They’ve never seen a church building.
They’ve never heard of any kind of organization with a denominational label.
They’ve never met a pastor or an elder or a deacon.
They have no idea what a church.

Acts 2:47 “… And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

Ephesians 5:25 … Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

I. THE SUPERNATURAL FORMATION OF THE CHURCH.
Matthew 16:18 … I will build my church …

II. THE SWEET FELLOWSHIP OF THE CHURCH.
Matthew 16:18 “… I will build my church (Ekklesia).

1 Peter 2:5 You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house,…

III. THE SATANIC FOE OF THE CHURCH.
Matthew 16:18 “… and the gates of hell … against it. ”

The devil comes against the church from the outside through persecution
and from the inside by infiltration.

Satan came against “the church at Ephesus,” with counterfeit apostles and
false doctrine
Revelation 2:2 “… they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars;
Revelation 2:6 But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans,
which I also hate.
Satan came against “the church at Smyrna,” with infiltration and persecution
Revelation 2:9 … are a synagogue of Satan.
Revelation 2:10 … the devil is about to throw some of you into prison,
Satan came against “the church at Pergamos,” with martyrdom and false doctrine
Revelation 2:13 … Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you,
where Satan dwells.
Revelation 2:15 ” … you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans,
which thing I hate.
Satan came against “the church in Thyatira” with a false prophetess, sexual
immorality and doctrines of demons
Revelation 2:20 ” … you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess,
to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality …
Revelation 2:24 ” … this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan,
Satan came against “the church at Sardis,” with death and destruction in the church
Revelation 3:2 “… the things which remain, that are ready to die,”
Satan came against “the church at Philadelphia,” with Satanic activity and lies
Revelation 3:9 … those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and
are not, but lie
Satan came against “the church at Philadelphia,” with Satanic activity and lies
Revelation 3:9 … those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and
are not, but lie
Satan came against ” the chuch at Laodicea ” with apathy and deception
Revelation 3:16 … thou art lukewarm,
Revelation 3:17 “… you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need
of nothing’– and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind,
and naked”

Ephesus, Perguma and Laodicea no longer exist because Jesus ” removed
their lampstand.”
Revelation 2:5 “… I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from
its place—unless you repent.

10,000 churches in America have disappeared in a five-year period.
50% of new church starts never make it to a second year
In our own association of churches since I have been a pastor
Connor Avenue Baptist church had existed since 1903 went out of business.
Zion Baptist church had existed since 1904 went out of business.
Asbury Baptist church had existed since 1905 went out of business.
Empire Baptist church had existed since 1907 went out of business.
Racine Baptist church had existed since 1916 went out of business.
Brooklyn Heights church had existed since 1945 went out of business.
Friendship Baptist church had existed since 1946 went out of business.
College View church had existed since 1976 went out of business.
Eastvue Baptist church had existed since 1980 went out of business.

IV. THE SURE FUTURE OF THE CHURCH.
Matthew 16:18 … and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Gates are a means of entrance by which you pass from one realm to another.
What’s a gate for? To keep somebody in.
All of us as lost people were kept within the gates of hell, the Bible says we were
condemned already when Christ came and rescued us and delivered us from hell
That’s the idea presented here.

We sing a hymn that includes those lines:
He cannot fail, He must prevail.
Have faith in God, have faith in God.

The church is not temporary. The church is eternal.
The church right now is found in heaven and on earth.
Ephesians 3:15 From whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

V. THE SOLID FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH.
Matthew 16:18 “… on this rock, I will build my church.

Matthew 16:15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Matthew 16:16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of
the living God.”

Matthew 16:17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah,
for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 16:18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build
My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

Ephesians 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets,
Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

The church is not built on people alone; nor is it built on a confession alone.
The church is built on people confessing together that Jesus is the Christ, the
Son of God. That is the foundation of the church.

John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the
sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
John 1:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will
of man, but of God.

Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.