Moraine Valley Church

The Lord's Prayer Guide

The Lord’s Prayer Guide
Matthew 6:9-13 // March 10, 2019
Introduction:
A. A number of months ago I was talking to two men who said they wanted to learn
more about prayer. Since we talked about prayer before I asked them “What in
particular would you like to learn about prayer?” – without hesitation they both
essentially said “We do not know what to pray about, other than God bless our
families and fix our problems!”
1. Today and next week’s messages will begin to answer that question for them
and any others here who have wondered that.
B. Turn to Matthew chapter 6 where we will see one of the most loved and repeated
prayers in Scripture, probably the most familiar prayer in Scripture and finally the
one that is primarily used just the opposite of that for which it was intended. We
call it the Lord’s Prayer.
1. Context
a) This portion on prayer we look at this morning is part of the Sermon on
the Mount that Jesus gave where He reveals to us the life and character
of the citizens of His kingdom.
b) At the start of chapter 6 Jesus speaks about “Not practicing your
righteousness before men to be noticed by them”
(1) Giving to the poor
(2) Prayer
2. Then he does a brief side bar during his comments on prayer in v 7-15 before
going back in v16 to “Not practicing your righteousness before men to be
noticed by them” when it comes to fasting
a) The side bar has to do with the way the Gentiles pray as they use
meaningless repetition thinking they will be heard because of their many
words.
b) Read v7-8
3. Now, as we look at the Lord’s Prayer, we will see right at the start that He
connects it with this meaningless repetitive praying of the Gentiles and shows
us how we ought to do it instead.
a) Read v9a
b) The Greek word for “then” simply means “in light of what was just said
so then do this”
c) What Jesus is going to teach us about prayer is to combat meaningless
repetitive prayers that are said over and over again
d) This is ironic because I do not know a prayer in Christendom that is
more often repeated word for word than the Lord’s Prayer.
C. That was not the purpose of the prayer Jesus gave. Listen again to v9.
1. “In this way” not pray “these words” but pray “in this way”
2. Warren Wiersbe says “Jesus was saying “Pray after this manner” that is “Use
this prayer as a pattern”
3. John MacArthur says these words carry the idea of praying “along these
lines” or “in the following manner.” He says “Jesus is giving us the divine
pattern by which kingdom citizens can pray in a way that is pleasing to God”
4. So in Pat Peglow’s simple words I am going to say that the Lord’s Prayer is a
divine prayer guide from the Lord leading us in the direction of the kind of
things for which we should be praying. Thus answering the question of those
two men.
D. So what I am going to do this morning is just talk through the prayer phrase by
phrase trusting that the different things will become clear and stick with us,
depending on what we each need.
• Let’s take a look at
I. The Lord’s prayer guide
A. Let me start by reading the entire prayer and seeing what we can learn from the
big picture structure of this prayer guide. As I do see if you can pick up a big
picture structure to this prayer
1. Read v9-13
2. Structure as I see it is two fold
a) V9-10 God’s agenda
b) V11-13 our agenda
(1) V 11 our daily physical and material needs in this world
(2) V12-13 – our spiritual life
3. That big picture structure alone should be enough to send us in the right
direction in our prayer life. If we spent, time praying about these areas and
even in this order, we would excel in our prayer lives.
B. Now let me just say a few things about each phrase in the prayer. Let’s start with
“Our Father who is in heaven”
1. I think the first thing we need to do is stop and orient ourselves to whom we
are talking.
a) That might best be done by a few transitional moments of meditating on
what you are doing and with whom you are doing it.
b) I am going to be talking with my heavenly Father and not just rushing in
and saying my prayers.
2. Note also he says “Our Father” in v11 give us, v12 forgive us, v13 lead us …
deliver us.
a) This is not just how we pray when we are by ourselves but this is meant
for corporate prayer.
b) Part of the divine pattern for prayer is praying with others and not by
ourselves.
c) A statistic I read this week done by the Barna Group is that 95% of those
who pray, pray by themselves. Only 2% with another person and 2%
corporately! Yet the model Jesus left us calls us to pray at least with
others if not corporately.
d) I encourage you if you have never been a part of a corporate prayer
meeting to join us for our 21 days of prayer at the end of this series. You
will be hearing more about that, as we get closer.
C. Hallowed be your name
1. I pointed this out to you two weeks ago - this is not a declaration of God’s
holiness so we should begin our prayer in worship of God, but rather a
request that God’s name be hallowed.
2. This is more about the fact that we would treat God as holy and revere his
name. That His name would be magnified and exalted not only in my life
but also in the church and in the world.
3. This is about God’s glory! This is the cry of Isaiah in 61:3 when he talks
about God’s people being called “oaks of righteousness, the planting of the
Lord, that He may be glorified.”
D. Your kingdom come
1. God’s kingdom has two aspects to it.
a) The present aspect of the kingship of Jesus over the lives of those who
are trusting in Him.
b) The future aspect of the kingdom which begins with the time when Jesus
will be king reigning from Jerusalem over all the earth for 1,000 years
which then ushers into eternity with the new heaven and new earth.
2. So we pray today for things like
a) The lordship of Jesus to be greater over the lives of His children, and
there would be more and more Jesus and less and less of us.
b) We also pray for the spread of His kingdom today with more and more
people coming to trust Jesus and live for Him
3. But we also pray for the future coming of His kingdom in the same spirit as
the next to last verse of the Bible.
a) Read Revelation 22:20.
b) Yes, we pray for the coming back of the Lord Jesus Christ
E. Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven
1. God’s will in Heaven is done fully and joyfully and that is what we should
pray for ourselves and for others
2. But also we should be praying with the same spirit Jesus prayed with “not my
will but thine be done”
a) The reality is that most of us really do not know if what we are asking
for is the wisest and best thing for both God and me.
b) So the disposition of our hearts should always be God give me what You
want in this situation even above what I want because this is what will
bring You glory and be best for me
F. Give us this day our daily bread
1. Now there is a transition to our agenda, our physical and material needs that
will be different for each one of us. From our health to our finances and
more.
2. Note his prayer is not to become wealthy but what we need to make it by day
by day. And Martin Luther believes that since this is a corporate prayer it is
for the material welfare of the whole community so everyone can have their
daily bread
a) I think the heart of this prayer is caught in Proverbs 30:7-9.
G. Forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors.
1. Now He is moving into our spiritual needs. Moreover, the kind of things that
we can pray about at this point are as big as the Bible!
2. However, He jump-starts this praying about our spiritual lives with
forgiveness.
3. This is the daily maintenance of our own souls with our walk with the Lord.
a) Lord, search me and try me and see if there is any hurtful way in me!
John says, “If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our
sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness.”
b) This is about our fellowship, our daily walk with the Lord. – Our
salvation is so secure and strong that our sins cannot take it away but our
fellowship with the Lord is so fragile our sins can quench the Spirit’s
ministry in our lives.
H. Do not lead us into temptation but deliver us from evil.
1. This is praying about our daily battle we have with the world, the Devil and
our own flesh.
2. Temptation is going to come because we all have a flesh that is prone to
wander, a Devil who is seeking to destroy us and a world that is seeking to
squeeze us into its mold.
3. So the prayer is not to keep temptation from coming our way but rather when
it does come -- keep us from, lead us away from entering into that temptation
by being lured away and attracted to that pleasure or gain my flesh, the world
or the Devil is putting in front of me right now.
4. Deliver me Lord, keep me safe from their destruction that evil can work in
my life!
5. My friends there are plenty of weak spots, vulnerabilities and strongholds
that can keep us busy praying here.
II. Conclusion
A. Today we have had a divine prayer guide put in front of us. It answers the
question those two men asked me on what kind of things do we pray for besides
bless my family and fix what is broken.
B. These are the “kind” of things we pray for not “the” things or the “only” things
for which we pray! My goal was just to jump-start our thinking so we can excel
regarding the kind of things for which we pray.
1. We will learn more next week when we look at the prayers of Paul
C. Joel Brassfield pray for MVC in light of this guide
1. God’s glory deepen at and spread from MVC
2. That God’s kingdom would deepen and spread through MVC
3. That God’s will would be the joy and desire of our hearts
4. That God would meet the physical and material needs of the people of MVC
5. That God would search us by His Spirit and show us any sins in our lives that
would be quenching the Holy Spirit
6. That God would keep us from falling into sin’s trap and deliver us from any
sins that have already trapped us!
7. Any other spiritual concern God puts on your heart for MVC

Prayer

Pastor Pat continues in our series, "Prayer"

Praying with a "tude"

Praying with a “Tude”
John 15; Revelation 3
February 17, 2019 MVC
Introduction:
A. Dear Lord, So far, today I’ve done all right. I haven’t gossiped, lusted, lost my
temper, haven’t been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish, or over-indulgent. I’m very
thankful for that. But in a few minutes, Lord, I’m going to get out of bed. From
then on as I face the world, the devil and my flesh, I desperately need you to do a
miracle of not letting my flesh control me but your Spirit. In Jesus Name, Amen.
B. Let me ask you – Is that your attitude when you go to prayer – a humble desperate
dependence upon God?
1. Is this the disposition of our hearts? Is this the posture of the heart?
2. When we do not have this attitude, it becomes one of the main reasons “why
we do not pray!”
C. Attitudes are “heart things”. Often we are not even aware of our attitude. But it is
what drives our prayer life and makes it either a hot prayer life or a lukewarm
prayer life or even one that is nonexistent!
• Do you know what attitude is driving your prayer life? First, let’s take a look at the
…
I. The “Tude” of a Hot Prayer Life – humble desperation
A. We see the need for this attitude revealed in the teachings of Jesus in John 15.
1. This a parable about the vine and branches, Jesus is the vine and we believers
are the branches.
2. We learn here and from the agricultural world that the vine is the source of
life and the branch is for the purpose of holding the fruit the vine produces.
a) Jesus taught that a branch cannot bear fruit of itself apart from the vine.
Read v4
b) He also taught that apart from Him they cannot bear fruit.
(1) Read v5
(2) What is true of the vine and branches is true of our relationship
with Jesus
c) Then we learn in v8 that God is glorified when we bear much fruit!
3. By the way, fruit is more of Jesus in our life!
a) A grape vine produces grapes so a Jesus vine produces Jesus.
b) The fruit is more and more of Jesus in our life, character, attitudes,
thinking and in our ministry to others so that it is Jesus working through
us Bringing People to Jesus and Helping Believers Become more like
Jesus!
4. Anybody here feel the need more of Jesus in their life? Marriage, parenting,
job, school, character, tough times, big decisions, ministry to others, etc.?
5. Then he said in v7 that what they cannot do for themselves God would do for
them in the context of prayer. Read v7.
B. Jesus was telling his disciples that they were in an impossible, hopeless,
unattainable, desperate situation. They were called to bear much fruit but they
were unable, “can - speaks of ability” apart from Him!
1. This is the heart of the Christian life. The true Biblical Christian life is not
difficult to do, it is impossible.
2. What God asks of us is beyond man’s ability. No matter how hard you try or
to figure it out what God asks of us is bigger than we are strong and smarter
than we are smart on our own!
3. Fruit bearing is a work of God not man
C. Humility is the disposition of heart that recognizes that all is of and from God and
nothing is of or from self!
• Jesus even said that He does nothing “of” Himself. He does not do it of His
own initiative, but rather it is the Father doing it in and through Him.
1. Humility is recognizing that God is the source, He is the cause, He is the
reason, all of my Christian life and ministry is of and from Him and not of or
from myself.
D. When we fully grasp this with our hearts, not just our minds, we cannot help but
be desperate and humble, “God, I cannot pull off what you want me to do, I need
you to do this!”
1. When we have this attitude, we cannot help but pray!
2. Prayer that is fervent – (on fire and intense), focused - not a wandering mind,
and full of faith and finally prayer from your heart rather than recited or
formal prayers!
3. On the one hand, it recognizes that apart from Jesus it is impossible to be and
do what God asks us to be and do. On the other hand, it recognizes that Jesus
does in and through us, what God asks us to be and do.
4. I saw a saying that said this – “May I never forget that on my best day I still
need God as desperately as I did on my worst day!”
• The natural response of a heart like this is to call out to Jesus because God does for
us, through prayer, what we cannot do for ourselves. Now let’s take a look at the…
II. “Tude” of a Lukewarm Prayer Life. – contentment/self sufficiency
A. By lukewarm I do not mean that there is no prayer in that person’s life but rather I
mean a prayer life that has no fire and intensity to it. They pray but their mind is
always wandering, there is no faith and it feels like they are just speaking to
themselves. It is more duty and responsibility than a humble desperation.
B. Let me say this “It is possible to have the right theology about prayer and even
humility, but a wrong attitude in your heart”
1. That is when our heads and our hearts have not been wired together by the
Spirit of God.
2. Right theology does not produce a hot prayer life!
3. The need is for a heart surgery performed by the Holy Spirit of God.
C. Turn to Revelation 3 where we see this kind of heart.
1. In this passage, we see in v15-17 the condition of the church; in v18-19
Jesus’ counsel to the church; in v20 Jesus’ call to the church.
2. Note in v14 that this passage is written to the church, a group of believers.
D. V 15-17 reveals their condition of self-sufficiency, a condition that blinded them
to their spiritual poverty.
1. He starts by saying they are lukewarm. Read v15-16.
2. In v17, he gives us a further glimpse into this condition. Read v17
a) They had a mixture of material wealth and spiritual poverty.
b) Their basic attitude was that “I have need of nothing” self-sufficiency;
just the opposite of the humble desperation that says, “I can do nothing.”
One says, “I can do nothing” the other says, “I have need of nothing.”
One says, “God, I need you for this” the other says, “I can handle this”
c) Jesus says there is a spiritual deception going on. “You do not know”
that you are spiritually in deep trouble.
3. Doesn’t this sound like the modern church in North America and like many
of us? On the outside and by North American standards things look great but
the way God sees it can be a completely different thing!
a) We want to see God do miraculous things like we hear He does at a
place like the Brooklyn Tabernacle where drug addicts, prostitutes, and
gang member’s lives are turned upside down by Jesus and marriages are
restored and families healed!
b) They do not have the resources there like we do in the suburbs so their
first resort is prayer to God! We go to prayer as a last resort as we say,
“I guess all we can do now is pray”
c) We are just as desperate for God in the suburbs as they are in the middle
of Brooklyn, New York or Chicago, IL. Yes, right here in the suburbs,
we have our addicts to drugs, drink and porn; we have our troubled
marriages and wayward kids who are not walking with the Lord. We
have habits, hurts and hang-ups we cannot shake; we have the “ds” -
depression, death, divorce, divisions, diseases and dollar struggles
demons, on and on.
d) We are lulled to sleep and deceived by the “resources” we have (money,
credit cards, contacts, education, experts, fancy vacations, etc.) that we
are trusting in to fix these problems, things that can only superficially
and temporarily fix us! We need Jesus just as desperately as those in the
city do for these problems to find the deep, transformational, and
permanent healing only Jesus can give do!
E. Listen to Jesus’ counsel regarding this situation.
1. Read v18 - Come to me
a) Buy the true riches, not material but the spiritual riches of God.
b) Allow Jesus to change your soiled life and put a clean garment on you.
c) You need spiritual medication for your eyes. You have been blind. You
need the healing of your spiritual eyes that only Jesus can give. You
need to see yourself, your situation and your God as they really are.
2. You see in God’s kingdom you do not buy things from Him with money.
God’s currency is faith. The entrance door into “God’s market” to get our
spiritual clothing and medicine is prayer.
a) Listen to Isa 64:7 - “There is no one who calls on Thy name, who
arouses himself to take hold of Thee.”
b) Prayer is the means by which we take hold of God. We put a hand on
Him and a hand on our hearts and circumstances so God transforms us.
3. Read v19 - Be zealous and repent. If your heart is being confronted today by
what I am saying, it is because Jesus loves you. Whom He loves He
reproves.
a) Zealous - be hot, be fervent
b) Repent - change of mind, heart and deeds.
F. We have seen that our prayer life reveals our heart attitude. If it is a lukewarm
prayer life then we have an attitude of self-sufficiency.
1. The key to a hot prayer life is not to commit or try to pray more or change
your prayer habits. The key is to change your heart, to change your attitude.
Then a hot prayer life will be the fruit of a heart of humble desperation.
2. Jesus is calling us this morning to repent of a heart attitude of selfsufficiency.
G. Listen to the call. Read v20
1. Remember this verse was written to Christians who have a self-sufficient
attitude.
2. The key to this is the eye salve that Jesus offers!
3. The picture that Jesus gives us is that self-sufficiency in the church and the
life of a believer puts Jesus on the outside, longing to come in and share life
with you on a moment-by-moment basis.
H. Invite and pray.

Prayer - My Personal Journey

Prayer: My Personal Journey
Various Passages
Feb 10, 2019

Introduction:
A. My guess that in a room this size there are very few people who feel fully
satisfied with their prayer life. On one end of the spectrum you have people who
pray very well but feel like they really should pray more and on the other end of
the spectrum there are people who know they should pray but know very little
about prayer and not sure how to do it.
B. Today we start a series on prayer. I want to start by sharing with you some of my
journey with prayer with the hope that something at some point of my journey
may be helpful to you.
C. I know that Satan hates prayer and will do everything he can to stop us from
doing it, to stop you from coming to hear this series, and if you do come, to
distract you as we talk about it.
D. So let me start by praying for us regarding this series!
• Before I knew Jesus my prayer life was one of
I. Recited Prayers
A. I knew only two prayers – the Hail Mary and the Lord’s Prayer “Our Father”.
B. Never once did I pray from my heart with my own words. Whenever I would
pray, I would repeat over and over again these two prayers thinking God was
pleased with me for doing this and would therefore give me good things in my
life!
• That practice continued until the day that …
II. I called upon the name of the Lord to be saved.
A. It was a time of desperation after I had destroyed my life with drugs and I was so
desperate that I went to a chaplain’s office for help.
B. After he told me how Jesus had helped others in the same situation as mine and
that He could help me as well, he then shared the gospel with me. I remember
saying, “Could I get just a few minutes to think about this?”
1. So I went in another room and for the first time I talked to God as I said
“God, I do not know if this is some weird religion or not but all I know is I
need you”
2. And for the first time in my life I heard that still small voice whisper in my
heart “this is the way, walk in it”
C. Then I went back into the room with the chaplain and in a prayer he led I through
I called upon the Lord to save me. Instantly, deeply, and forever my life was
changed. Prayer is powerful and can change the whole direction of your life!
• As a
III. New Believer
A. My prayers were very short but much like the time in the chaplain’s office –
sharing my heart in my words with God regarding the need of the moment.
B. But the more I was around other believers and impressed by their prayers the
more I wanted to pray like them because they sounded so spiritual. And the more
I did that the drier it became. Primarily my prayer time was at meals and a few
minutes in the morning. That lasted about three years.
• As a
IV. Growing Believer
A. God placed in me, from early on, a deep love for His Word. So this is what my
prayer life looked like for many years – Spend an hour in the Word and then
spend two minutes in prayer at the end of it. And of course, I prayed at meals.
B. Then I ran into a spiritual crisis in my heart. The question in my heart was
“where is the power?” I had this two-sided dilemma in my life.
1. On the one hand, I knew that the Holy Spirit of God lived in me, that I have
already been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, and
that the exact same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead was mine,
the resurrection power of Christ.
2. But on the other hand while I felt that I had experienced a touch of all of
these it was not like rivers of living water flowing from my heart it was more
like a hose trickling out just enough water to keep me going.
3. I saw in the Bible that the power I was supposed to have but radical honesty
would have to say I did not see it in my life.
• From that point there have been numerous things God has taught me to address this
powerlessness in my life. First …
V. Praying In Faith
A. Read Hebrews 11:6
1. Rewarder
2. I believed that God is, and that God is able, but I did not believe that He
would do it for me. Another way to say it is that I had a deep dependency
upon God without any expectancy. Need both.
3. I had built my prayer life off what I call the exception rather than the rule. I
always used the great escape clause that would let God and me off the hook if
he did not answer my prayers. That little phrase “If it be your will”
a) I prayed like an extreme sovereigntist - God is God and He is going to do
what He wants to do and what He has planned to do.
b) So when I prayed I would pour out my heart to God but when I with
closed with “If it be your will” I really did not expect God to answer my
request but to do His will.
B. God taught me at this time what I believe to be one of the “great wonders” of the
prayer life - “a sovereign God answers prayer.”
1. I had allowed my theology of God’s sovereignty to wash away my faith in
prayer.
• As I began to pray in faith then God led me to another foundational truth. This truth
is …
VI. Asking as the means to receiving!
A. Turn to and read Matthew 7:7-8
1. The other side of the coin is found in James 4:2, “you have not because you
ask not!
2. God has established asking as the means to receiving in His kingdom!
3. J.I. Packer says it this way “God has purposed to give us blessings through
prayer”
B. If I want to see God’s power in my daily life, I need to ask Him for it and not just
say my prayers and go through the prayer list!
• Then another key truth turned my prayer life upside down
IV. John 14:13
A. Please turn to this.
B. Before I read this let me tell you what my basic disposition was in prayer – “God
please bless my doings and efforts!” In other words “God, take out your salt
shaker of blessings and shake your blessings upon what I do.”
C. Read John 14:13-14
1. I prayed – God bless what I do – Here Jesus is saying “I will do it” – Jesus
will do what we ask!
D. Prayer is not about God blessing my efforts and doing but rather about God doing
a miracle – Jesus Himself doing for me, what I ask.
E. God began to open my eyes to the fact that I do not have the power in my life not
only because I am not asking God to do that in my life. But also because I am just
asking him to add a little blessing to my doings rather than the miracle of Jesus
Himself in all His power - doing things in and through my life!
• Next God used a book in my life called
V. Praying Hyde
A. John Hyde was a missionary to India who felt God’s call on his life to pray for the
lost and those in the ministry!
1. He would spend close to eight hours a day in prayer.
2. The stories that God did through him in reaching the lost and impacting
others who ministered are numerous and impressive
B. What I learned from him is that I need the Spirit of God to enable me for prayer as
much as I need him to preach or evangelize! He said his secret to prayer was Gal
2:20 “not I but Christ” He depended upon the Spirit of Jesus in him to pray
through him!
C. From that I have begun a practice of the very first thing I do in prayer is declare
my need and dependence upon the spirit of Christ to lead me and equip me in
prayer so that Jesus is praying through me!
D. And from that book, I began a practice of setting my alarm at one hour and
praying during that time. To be honest with you, that lasted about a year to a year
and a half then it faded away
• Then God used the verse to resolve a major tension I was feeling about the power in
the Bible but not in my life! It was …
VII. Hebrews 4:16
A. Read Hebrews 4:16
B. “May find grace to help”
C. I thought, “Why do I need to find grace when I already have it and every spiritual
blessing I could ever get? Why do I need to find grace when I already have the
powerful Holy Spirit living in me who raised Jesus Christ from the dead?
D. Then the lights went on in my life: prayer is the means by which we experience
the grace and power of God in our everyday life and ministry, whatever the need
might be.
E. Prayer is grace’s withdrawal slip. All the free gifts, all the power of the Holy
Spirit and the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ that God has deposited
into our lives can be withdrawn and used in our daily lives through believing
prayer.
• As I was doing my own personal study about the Holy Spirit I noted that repeatedly
…
VIII. Prayer and ministry of the Holy Spirit are closely associated to one another!
A. Turn and Read Luke 11:11-13
B. God gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him. I already have the Holy Spirit
but to experience His power in my life, all the power of the resurrection of Jesus
Christ I need to ask God.
C. I do not assume the filling, leading, anointing, sanctifying, convicting or
converting work of the Spirit. I come to God and ask Him for those believing He
will do it based on this verse and others that connect the ministry of the Holy
Spirit to prayer.
• Next God used a meeting we had as leaders with
IX. Al Toledo
A. Al is the pastor at the Chicago Tabernacle and the son in law of Jim Cymbla
whose ministry and church is known for and built off of prayer
B. Through that meeting with Al, God pointed out to me something so profound and
foundational about prayer and it was not through any point that Al was trying to
make.
1. All night long Al did not use the word “prayer” but instead said “talking to
God”
2. It knocked me off my seat – this thing prayer is not about saying my prayers
but about talking to God just as I would talk to Kim in the morning over
coffee or in times of deep stress.
3. That has totally changed the way I approach God and even as I pray the sense
of what I am doing as I pray – I am not saying prayers but I am talking to
God.
• The last thing God has done has spoken to me through another book …
X. A W Tozer -Prayer: Communicating with God in Everything
A. His point at the start of the book is very clear – The goal of God in our prayer life
is not a daily prayer time but a life of prayer – an all-day awareness of God being
with you and a conversation with God as you walk through the day
B. I have felt bad for years that I was not able to sustain an hour of day in prayer and
I felt that I was moving backwards in prayer rather than forward! But the reality
is I would pray for an hour, 30 minutes, 10 minutes whatever then I would move
on with the day and not talk to God because I did my time in the morning.
C. Tozer was saying that prayer should be a conversation that you have with God all
day long, as you walk through life. Guess what? – That is where I have been and
God encouraged me that He would rather I talk to Him all day long as I confront
situations rather than in the morning and not take a thought of Him again.
D. We can know God’s power all day long as we walk and talk with Him all day
long not just a prayer time or prayer meeting.
XI. Conclusion
A. I believe that God wants to build into MVC a life of prayer and a movement of
prayer and not just time of prayer or a prayer meeting!
B. I have asked Josh to tell you about our first step we want to put in place to move
us in that direction - 21 Days of Prayer - Josh

Is God Really Good?

Stewardship

Joel Brassfield is closing our short series on Stewardship.

Stewardship

We continue in our series, "Stewardship", hearing from Elder Dan Johnson.

No One Can Serve Two Masters

No One Can Serve Two Masters
Matthew 6

January 13, 2019

Introduction:
A. Just before Christmas, we completed a series on discipleship. We came up with a
definition of discipleship for MVC which is four words. Does anyone remember
that?
1. Following Jesus, Impacting Others!
2. Following Jesus has to do with a wholehearted walk of obedience with Jesus.
3. Impacting others has to do with bringing lost people to Jesus and helping
believers become more like Jesus!
B. I want to speak today about an area of discipleship which according to the
statistics they say for about 80% of the believers this would be a very crucial next
step that would accomplish four major things:
1. First, the focus of our hearts and our entire spiritual life in following Jesus
2. It is also a step that would position us to have a greater impact upon others
for Jesus!
3. It is also a step that would position us to experience greater spiritual riches!
4. Finally, and most importantly, it will break down a major spiritual wall,
actually break down the major competing idol for our love and devotion to
Jesus Christ
C. What is that area? It is the area of stewardship, particularly our relationship with
our money.
• We need to see these big claims in God’s Word so you know these are not just big
preaching words but truth! Turn in your Bibles to …
I. Matt 6:19-24
A. First, we see in v19-21 that the treasure we seek determines the focus of our heart.
1. Read v19-20
2. Simple, straightforward teaching about not stockpiling your treasures here on
earth but rather in heaven. On earth, they are vulnerable to deterioration or
being stolen but in heaven, they are totally safe.
3. But in v21, he gives the reason why he says this, read v21.
 Where our treasure is indicates to us where our heart is. “Also” = it is also
there, my heart is right there besides it.
(a) If my treasures are stockpiled on earth, my heart is right here
with it focusing upon temporal things;
(b) If my treasures are being stockpiled in heaven, my heart is right
there with it, focusing upon eternal things
4. When we stockpile our treasures for the future in heaven rather than now on
earth, our hearts will focus upon heaven, because our hearts always go where
our treasures go!
B. Secondly, we see our perception about money impacts our entire spiritual life.
1. In v22-23, the context for this section both before and after is money. Think
of these verses in relation to money as I read v22-23
a) He is using the physical here figuratively to illustrate the spiritual.
(1) The lamp is what gives light
(2) The eye is the organ of perception that receives light to allow one
to see.
(3) The “whole body” I believe is referring to our entire life!
b) The “eye” here is used as the “lamp” which gives light to the rest of the
body.
(1) So I think the eye is doing double duty here both receiving the
light and then taking the light it receives and giving it to the rest of
the inner life.
(2) Illustrate with hands from sky to eyes then into body
c) Ps 119:105 tells us that God’s Word is a light unto our path! Here I
believe Jesus is teaching us that God’s Word shines the light on the eyes
of our hearts and that light of God’s Word shines through the eyes of our
hearts (lamp) and shines upon our whole life so we can see clearly!
2. So in context He is saying:
a) If my perception about money is good (seeing it as God sees it = God’s
Word) then my entire spiritual life will be healthy
b) If my perception about money is bad (seeing it as the world sees it) then
my entire spiritual life will be unhealthy
3. Our outlook on money will impact our “entire” spiritual life.
C. Then Jesus summarizing the heart of He wants them and us to get about our
relationship with money and our relationship with God.
1. I will just read it now but will come back to it later.
2. Read v24
• But there is a second crucial impact this next step would accomplish and we see that
in
II. Luke 16:1-13
A. Luke 16 is the parable about the unrighteous steward who was unfaithful and
lacked integrity in managing his rich boss’s financial affairs.
1. The Story
a) His unfaithfulness was reported to the rich man and as a result, he was
going to be fired.
b) He was concerned about his future so listen – Read v3-4
c) He went to those who had accounts with his boss, took their bills, and
slashed what they owed him drastically.
2. Moreover, here is an amazing thing – his master praised what he did. Now as
I read this note he did not praise his lack of integrity but the fact that he was
wise enough to think about his future and using money to impact others.
a) Read 8-9
3. Jesus says here that His own children would be wise to use their money to
influence others in their relationship with Jesus and when they do, in the
future those same people will be there at the gates of heaven to welcome them
and thank them for the impact they had upon them for Jesus
D. Then Jesus says something very interesting as He indicates their faithfulness with
money will impact how much God can entrust to them the true eternal spiritual
riches
1. Read v 10
a) If you are faithful in little things then you will be faithful in big things and
if you handle little things with integrity then I know you will also handle
big things with integrity.
b) But if you are unfaithful in little things then we can know you will also be
unfaithful when big things are given to you.
c) In other words, these “little” things become the testing ground of our
faithfulness and integrity for “big” things.
2. The next verse helps us understand what the little things are and what the big
things are. Read v11-12
a) The little things are mammon = money and possessions
b) The big things are the true spiritual eternal riches.
3. Jesus is teaching us here that God uses money (the ‘little’ thing) to test to see
if we can handle and train us regarding the “big” things - spiritual riches, the
things of God, the true, important and “big” things.
4. God is using the money and possessions He has entrusted to you and me to
test to see if we are ready and to prepare us to be able to handle
• And most importantly we see that our heart relationship with money and our
faithfulness in caring for the money God has entrusted to us
III. Break downs a major spiritual wall, actually breaks down the major, competing idol
for our love and devotion to Jesus Christ
A. Our choices regarding money impact our ability to serve God, to love Him and be
devoted to Him with all our hearts. Read v13
B. This is one of those either/or passages – no gray areas as a hard choice has to be
made as Jesus makes it clear either you are serving God or you are serving
mammon = money and possessions. You cannot, not may not, but cannot love
and serve both at the same time.
1. Serving God and serving money are polar opposites that are mutually
exclusive, that are impossible to do at the same time.
2. Illustrate with the fact they are polar opposites with trying to walk two
different paths at the same time.
3. We heard this before at the end of the last section we looked at as Jesus says
the same thing in another context to a different group of people to summarize
the heart of what He just said.
4. I think Jesus is summarizing the key He wants them and us to get about our
relationship with money and with God no matter what context of Scripture or
what context of life in which we find ourselves!
C. Reread v13
• The choice to serve, love and be devoted to Jesus with our money breaks a major
stronghold in our hearts So:
IV. What do we do with all of this?
A. The stakes are high – one of the biggest and most important decision in life that
will impact your Following Jesus and Impacting Others and MVC being a disciple
making church!
B. My goal is simply a win-win by 100% participation because
1. Every person at MVC wins when they know and experience the great
freedom, joy and fulfilment of being devoted to Jesus and not held back by
money. Everyone living out our God ordained mission of being and making
disciples. I deeply want you to have that!
2. MVC wins when every person does what is best for them and obeys God in
giving to their church because then MVC will have the resources to make a
greater impact for Jesus upon this world, thus being a disciple making church!
a) At the end of last year, I shared a sermon that did quickly highlighted the
many ways that MVC is making disciples and Impacting the Lost for
Jesus and Believers becoming more like Jesus here, everywhere you the
people of MVC go and around the world by our missionaries!
b) At the end of last year, there was also a meeting of the membership of
MVC where by faith they voted to accept a budget for this year, which is
a 5% increase over last year’s, so we can be the church we believe God
wants us to be.
(1) I say faith because bottom line to meet that budget will require our
weekly giving to go up around $3,000
C. Let me speak to the 80% that stats say either just throw in a few dollars or do not
give at all.
1. The stakes are very high for your spiritual life here on earth now and your
treasures in heaven in the future.
2. For a major spiritual win in your life and for the sake of your church make
that choice, that will break the stronghold of money in your life and begin to
give joyfully to your church.
3. While there is an abundance of teaching on this in the Scripture let me just
share one verse with you that shows God wants us giving to the church we are
a part of, the place that ministers to us spiritually: Read 2 Corinthians 9:11
4. While 10% is the goal many people shoot for, the place I began when I first
started to give, some give a greater percentage, which I do now, and some
give a lesser percentage.
5. The important thing is that you give joyfully what you believe the Lord would
have you give. Because God loves a joyful giver.
6. Take some time this week with the Lord and ask Him what He wants you to
do, then by faith do it with joy and watch what God does in your heart and
life!
7. A couple of resources have been given to you today to help you in that
process and at Welcome Center is brochure to help think through why, how
much to give and how you can give.
D. Let me speak to the 20% that stats say carry the bulk of the giving at a church
1. Someone said at the meeting – this is our budget, we are the church so each
one of us must make a decision to increase our giving.
2. I did that this week on line as I give digitally
3. I ask you to prayerfully and joyfully do the same this week regarding a
decision of faith and joy to increase your giving so MVC can make a greater
impact as a disciple making church!
4. Those resources may be help to you as well!
E. Pray

Jesus is FIRST

HAPPY NEW YEAR MVC! Let's make Jesus first and last in everything we do. 

How a Church Grows

How a Church Grows
Ephesians 4 December 30, 2018
Introduction:
A. I remember a number of years ago when I driving into church to pick up my
paycheck when one of my daughters said “This is pretty cool – you just work one
day a week and you get paid for that”
B. There are so many misconceptions about a church, for example who are the
ministers at MVC? How does a church growing? Is every person important?
Where is the church? When is the church working?
C. This morning I want to look at a passage that help us think more clearly about
some of these issues.
• Turn in your Bibles to
I. Ephesians 4
A. Paul wrote this letter to the church in Ephesus to remind them of the riches they
have in Christ, that in Christ they are now one community of both Jews and
Gentiles and then to instruct them how to walk in light of this!
1. Here is chapter four he focuses upon our unity in Christ, especially our walk
together as a church community carrying out the mission that Jesus gave to
us.
B. Let’s start by looking at the roles as seen in v11-12
1. Read
2. Note in v11 he talks about the fact that Jesus gave different ministers of His
Word to the church –
a) the apostles and prophets build the church with God’s Word,
b) the evangelists minster God’s Word to the lost
c) the pastors and teachers minister God’s Word to the believers
3. In v12 tells us the purpose of these ministers of God’s Word – It is to equip –
prepare and train the saints. Read v12
4. For what are they preparing the saints, believers, and lay people?
a) Read 12b
b) The work of service or literally the work of ministry.
5. My job or role in God’s program for his church is that I would prepare and
train you to do the ministry! When you do look what happens –
a) Read 12c
b) Equipped saints doing the ministry build up and strengthen the church.
C. Then in v13-15 he tells us what the church is being built up to, what we are
growing up into.
1. Listen as I read v13 “Until we all….” our job will not be done until we all
achieve what follows:
a) Unity of the faith – we all understand this book
b) Knowledge of the Son of God – We all have a living and real experience
of Jesus in our daily lives
c) Mature man – we all are established, developed and mature
d) The measure of the stature … fullness of Christ – we all become more
and more like Christ.
2. When we move in this direction listen to what it results in –
a) Read
b) That simply means we are able to stand strong and not be knocked
around by false teaching, men’s gimmicks and Satan’s schemes!
3. He summarizes it all in v15 – We are all becoming more and more like Jesus
in more and more areas of our life
D. Sounds like there is still a ways to go at MVC – our job is not done until we all
reach this place. How is that going to happen?
1. Listen to v16 “… every …. Each individual….”
2. Simply this verse teaches us that what causes the growth of the church is
when every person is fully engaged doing the part that Jesus has designed for
him or her to do.
II. Application
A. This passage answers many of our opening questions
1. Who are the ministers at MVC? According to this verse, every believer in
Christ is a minister not just the pastors or staff people!
2. How does a church grow? - The church grows when the believers take the
things they have learned in God’s Word, live it out and take it to others!
3. Is every person important? The church will not grow the way God intends
unless every person is fully engaged; doing the part that Jesus has designed
for them to do.
4. Where is the church? - Since the church is people and not a building - right
now the church is gathered at 6300 w 127th Street but this afternoon it will be
scattered through the southwest portion of Chicago. During the week we will
be scattered throughout Chicago and the country as we go to work, school,
play, travel with vacation and work, etc.
5. When is the Church working? No, it is not just one day a week on Sunday
morning and during not only official programs of the church but also
whenever a member of MVC church does anything in the name of Jesus at
any time of the day or day of the week any place they go. Then in essence,
MVC is always working wherever its people go!
B. Simply you are MVC, you are the ministers of MVC, and you are very important
to MVC, you are the key to MVC growing. Whenever and wherever you are
living for Jesus, MVC is at work!
C. Because of you MVC is working: (Start Slide show of Ministries)
1. On Monday night, 45 junior high students come to our House ministry and an
average of 65 high school students come to our Revolution ministry within a
week. They ministered to by 32 people who serve in these ministries with
approximately 35% of those kids who do not know Jesus.
2. On Tuesday morning, at Coffee Break, an average of 80 women of all ages,
from various churches, meet to hear God’s Word taught and to connect with
one another for support. There are 35 women involved in ministering there
3. On Wednesday night we have about 40 kids coming to Kidz club where 16
people minister to these children and about 60% of them do not know Jesus
and are from the local community
4. Thursday morning at Precepts about 55 women from various churches, of
varying ethnic and economic groups and various stages of spiritual growth
gather together to learn how to study God’s Word in depth.
5. Thursday afternoon there are teams of people who go to Roseland to the
Agape Center to prepare a meal for the students and staff. Here the exciting
part – this ministry is an outreach ministry of our Widows’ Connection group
at MVC. They have cooked for as few as 30 and as many as 90. Fourteen
people from here make that ministry possible
6. On Thursday night
a) Around 30 college age kids meet together and are ministered to by four
people as they seek to navigate this stage of life
b) We average about 25 addicts and codependents who are ministered to by
four people regarding their habits, hurts and hang-ups. About 20% of
them do not know the Lord
c) We also average about 23 men from surrounding communities, primarily
the hood, who come to play basketball and hear God’s Word presented
to them in a way that connects with them. One man runs this ministry
by himself and about 98% of them are lost
7. Friday night is
a) Grief Share where three people minster to an average of 4-7 people who
are grieving the loss of loved ones in their lives. Close to 80% of those
who come through do not know the Lord
b) Five people from MVC go to IIT to minister to about 55 Chinese
scholars studying at universities here in Chicago. The purpose of this
time is to examine the claims of Christ. 100% of those who have come
are lost with about 20% of them getting saved. We have been so blessed
to witness some of their baptisms here and having some of them
attending here every week!
8. Every other Saturday morning and throughout the week there are studies for
men with about 50 men ministered to by five men helping them connect with
God, His Word and other men.
9. On Sunday morning during the second hour Pastor Clem and about 12
volunteers minister to about 30 seniors as they drink deeply from the Word of
God.
10. And that only scratches the surface of what so many of you are doing every
day as you walk with Jesus ministering to those around you both saved and
lost, young and old, rich, poor and in between, family, friends, classmates,
coworkers, neighbors, etc.
D. Bottom line, MVC is alive and at work constantly because wherever you go and
whenever you are doing something in Jesus’ name MVC is at work!
• I want to close by acknowledging two of the people who have helped MVC make a
big impact.
III. Appreciation
A. I would like to ask Keith Buell and Diana Fernandez to come up here for just a
few minutes.
B. Gratitude from me
C. Gift from Mike Kubo
D. Diana or Keith like to say anything.
E. Reception afterwards.