I'll Be Honest

Is the "Lord's Prayer" a mindless liturgy to you? Did Jesus mean when we pray, we must use these exact words? Why then do we never see that prayer repeated in the New Testament? What Jesus was doing was not giving us a formality and strict structure of words to repeat time and time again; rather, He was showing us what ought to characterize our prayers. The Christians ought to pray in such a way that reflects the heart of this prayer Jesus gives us.

0:00 - Logo intros.
0:12 - Reading sermon text Matthew 6.5ff
1:58 - Should these be called the Lord's prayer or the disciple's prayer?
3:54 - Why did those in a lifeboat of the Titanic recite the "Lord's prayer"?
8:15 - Do not pray by heaping up empty phrases, which people often do with the "Lord's prayer."
13:31 - This prayer is given to us to get us to think about how we pray rather than heaping up empty words.
14:56 - Acts 4.24, an example of a New Testament prayer.
17:21 - First observation - Every pronoun in this prayer is plural and not singular -- Christ wants us praying for each other.
20:45 - Second observation - Hallowed be your name - this shows us what the Lord wants our hearts engaged in.
30:16 - Third observation - Thy will be done. This phrase is often misused and abused.
36:31 - Fourth observation - Give us this day our daily bread.
45:21 - What comes out of us praying for present needs?
50:53 - Fifth observation - Forgive us our debts? Explain the doctrine of justification to me.
1:06:32 - Closing prayer.

What could we say is the greatest display of God's holiness that is found in our Bible? The burning bush, whereby Moses was told, "do not come near; take your sandals off your feet.." (Exodus 5:3)? Or Isaiah 6, where Isaiah he declared, "Woe is me!"? Or the Cross? Whereby the perfect Son of God bore the wrath of God to pay the sinners debt?

Questioning the salvation of other professing Christians can often be perceived as unloving or judgmental. But is there a Biblical warrant to do so? Are there characteristics that accompany true conversion? And if these characteristics are lacking in the life of a professing Christian, does the Bible allow us to question their conversion?

0:00 - Logo intros.
0:14 - Reading the question.
1:04 - This is an area we have to be balanced.
2:43 - Judge others? Does not love "believe all things"?
3:11 - Parable of the wheat and the tares (Matthew 13.24)
4:52 - Don't be the "salvation police."
6:22 - 1 Thessalonians 5 - Do you have the weakest Christian alive in your church?
9:54 - In 1 and 2 Corinthians, Paul is very charitable to them.
14:39 - 2 Corinthians shows us there are "false brethren" within the church.
16:38 - 1 John is loaded with statements challenging people to whether they are saved or not.
23:10 - We need to exhort and admonish one another.
25:57 - 1 John also speaks about our perspective on Christ.
28:24 - 2 Timothy 3:5 speaks of people appearing to be godly who deny the power of God.
30:56 - What if someone never mentions Christ when explaining their testimony?
33:30 - Question 1 - How do we approach people who say, "My testimony is just between the Lord and me"?
36:02 - Example of Bob Jennings being gracious to someone.
37:50 - Do not close your eyes to those who bring in error.
41:24 - Question 2 - How do you deal with someone whose testimony is not convincing?
45:22 - Question 3 - What about a person who does not know when they were saved?
52:23 - Tim speaking about his testimony.
55:20 - Do you have a new relationship with the Word of God?
1:01:09 - We become sensitive to our relationship with God.
1:06:36 - What a privilege it is to be a Christian.

Do you pray? And if so, how do you pray? In Matthew 6 Jesus gives us three categories of people and how they pray:
1. The hypocrite who offers up long prayers to be noticed by others.
2. The Gentile who heaps up vain repetitions thinking they’ll be heard for their many words.
3. The Christian who actually prays and does so in secret.
The Christian has a promise that the Father waits for us in the secret place of prayer; that is no small promise. The world and all false religions do not have this privilege. They don't have this access to the Father, but the Christian is not only granted access but is bid to come to that place.

0:00 - Logo intros.
0:10 - Start of the sermon.
0:56 - Opening prayer.
1:54 - Matthew 6.5, are you concerned with what others think of you when you pray?
6:27 - Be watchful not to be a people pleaser.
6:56 - Is your identity primarily rooted in your concern for what your heavenly Father thinks about you?
8:16 - What group of non-Jews have a practice in their religion to multiply prayers?
11:59 - Do you say "God" or "Father" when you pray?
15:49 - Praying to your Father in secret.
17:42 - Jeremiah 30.21 who dares approach God? We now go in with Christ as our advocate.
21:40 - You often must wait and tarry in the secret place in order to find God.
23:55 - Is it Biblical to direct your prayers to the Lord Jesus Christ and not just the Father?
25:56 - All prayer is expressly triune and has the Father, Son, and Spirit all involved.
29:14 - Who is the third category mentioned in Matthew 6?
30:55: - What makes prayer acceptable to God?
33:39 - Is it possible for a genuine believer to keep Christ's commands?
35:38 - What is another critical element of prayer? Faith.
38:33 - What does it mean to pray in Christ's name?
39:51 - Application - Do you pray to your Father in secret?
43:16 - What did Jesus, the Son of God, have to pray about all night long?
45:23 - Application - If Christ prayed all night long, should I be satisfied with the amount of time I pray?
46:23 - What did Christ actually pray for when he prayed?
49:57 - John 16.25-27
54:07 - Closing prayer.

What are some lessons that we can learn in the midst of our trials? These lessons add significant value to our trials and suffering. Are you and I learning all we can with the trials that God has us in the midst of right now?

Outline:
0:00 - Brief note and opening prayer.
1:03 - Start of study.
6:48 - 1 - Trials are intended for our good to conform us to be more like Christ.
11:35 - Do not lose the benefit to be paid in a trial.
13:20 - 2- Trials promote our obedience and keep us from going astray.
17:54 - 3- Trials are a tool used by God to discipline and enable us to share in His holiness.
23:26 - 4 - Trials test the genuineness of our faith.
30:00 - 5 - Trials produce endurance in the testing of our faith.
40:39 - 6 - Faithfully enduring trials bring forth joy and receiving the crown of life.
42:10 - 7 - Trials produce greater light and comfort from God's Word.
46:16 - 8 - Trials produce assurance in the Christian's life.
47:39 - A John Newton quote on suffering.
50:07 - 9 - God designs trials to prove His grace is sufficient.
54:51 - 10 - Trials allow us to share Christ's sufferings which prepare us for glory.
1:01:31 - 11 - Trials show us how desperately we need God.
1:06:25 - Four more brief points that I did not have time to develop.
1:07:57 - Question - For young people, how do they primarily not view their trials correctly?
1:10:06 - Question - Can you expound on how you have not gained something from a trial?
1:13:57 - Question - What about falling into self-pity while being in a trial?
1:15:18 - Closing hymn - I Asked The Lord That I Might Grow - John Newton

The Lord Jesus continues His discourse in Matthew 6 by addressing the Christian's secret life. A Christian is no more than what he is in secret. He first addresses the topic of giving to the needy. He assumes that giving to the needy will be active in the Christian life, but He also tells us what should characterize our giving. The Christian is someone who gives in secret. Does this mean that a Christian should never let anyone know what they have given? Tim addresses this tension. Finally, Tim exhorts believers to give to the needy that the Father may grant them a reward!

0:00 - Logo intros.
0:11 - Matthew 5.48ff.
8:34 - It is important to test ourselves.
21:08 - Of all done in secret, Jesus wants to first think about giving.
26:50 - Is this the fast that God has chosen?
34:40 - John Stott quote on letting your light shine before men.
35:34 - What about the hypocrites?
40:39 - Some practical thoughts on giving in secret.
59:15 - Closing prayer.

What does the fear of the Lord look like in the life of a Christian? Do you have a scriptural balanced view of God that leaves you absolutely awed by Him?

This was taken from the question and answer session at the 2021 Fellowship Conference.
0:00 - Question
0:45 - Michael Durham
3:03 - Paul Washer
7:34 - Michael Durham

Question: How can I encourage my husband when he falls short?

This was asked during a Question and Answer Session at 2021 Fellowship Conference.

0:00 - Mack reading the question.
0:51 - Lee Dodd's response.
3:06 - Michael Durham's response.
5:34 - Paul Washer's response.

Question: How do we encourage ourselves about sober-mindedness, and how do we encourage one another about sober-mindedness?

→ The following is from a question and answer session during the 2021 Fellowship Conference.

If you are a true disciple of Jesus Christ then you are going to bring forth a type of righteousness that exceeds the Pharisees and a type of love that exceeds the love of gentiles. It’s no sacrifice for the world to love those who love them. However, the Christian isn’t only to love those who love them, but they are to even love their enemies and pray for them. The Christian is able to do this because God’s seed abides in them, they have the divine power of God living in them which enables them to love as Christ loved. Is there anything special about your love? Do you only love those who love you?