It’s Beyond Words - Pastor Trev Evans

Come on, grab your Bible as we get ready

to go into the word of the Lord. Whether

it's a paper Bible, cell phone, tablet,

whatever you have, let's hold it up and

let's make our confession. Come on, say,

"This is my Bible."

>> This is my

>> It is God's word.

>> It reveals to me.

>> It reveals to me

>> God's will.

>> Therefore,

>> therefore,

>> it's the final authority.

>> It's the final authority

>> to which I submit

>> to settle all the issues

>> of my life.

>> It's the standard. is

>> of my conduct.

>> of my conduct

>> and the basis

>> of all my expectations.

>> Come on, shout it out. I am

>> I am

>> what it says I am.

>> It says I am.

>> I possess

>> what it says I possess.

>> It says I

>> And I can do

>> what I can do.

>> Absolutely everything.

>> It says I can do.

>> It says

>> I'm a believer.

>> Not a doubter.

>> I'm a doer.

>> Not just a hearer.

>> And my life. In my life,

>> my everyday life,

>> my everyday life

>> is the better

>> is the better.

>> After having heard

>> after having heard

>> the word of faith.

>> Word of faith.

>> Faith comes by hearing

>> comes by hearing

>> and hearing

>> and hearing by

>> the word of God.

>> Let's ride.

>> You may be seated in the presence of the

Lord.

Hallelujah.

Go with me to Matthew chapter 6. Amen.

Matthew 6 · chapter mention

>> Matthew chapter 6.

Matthew 6 · chapter mention

Matthew chapter 6, beginning at verse 5.

Matthew 6 · chapter mention

It says Jesus talking

to his disciples. And it says in verse

5, "And when you pray,

>> you shall not if you pray,

>> but when you pray,

>> you shall not be like the hypocrites."

>> For they love to pray standing in the

synagogue and on the corners of the

streets that they may be seen by men.

>> Assuredly I say to you, they have their

reward.

But you, when you pray, go into your

room, and when you have shut your door,

pray to your father who is in the secret

place. And your father who sees you in

secret will reward you openly.

>> And when you pray, do not use vain

repetition as the heathen do, for they

think that they will be heard for their

many words. Therefore, do not be like

them, for your father knows the things

you have need of before you ask him.

>> Verse N. In this manner, therefore pray

our father who art in heaven.

>> Today I want to talk to us from the the

subject it's beyond words.

>> It's beyond words. Father bless us we

pray in Jesus name. Amen.

>> It's beyond words.

Corn I know you think we have forgotten

but we are still in kingdom identity.

[laughter]

>> Yeah. This year we are chasing down

kingdom identity. And we have defined

kingdom identity as the distinguishing

traits that define our worth, our

purpose and our belonging. Amen.

>> And these things are derived solely from

our relationship with Jesus. It is

inside of that relationship where we

find everything that we need. We find

our worth.

>> Our worth is not found in other people.

>> Our worth is not found in what other

people say.

>> Our worth is not found in our bank

account.

>> Our worth is not found in what we drive.

Our belongings is not is not predicated

upon whose last name we have

>> or who name we can write beside ours.

>> Our purpose is not the sum total of our

purpose is not just in what we do in the

secular world. But our worth, our

purpose and our belonging is solely

found in our relationship with Jesus.

>> Amen. Jesus comes to establish his

kingdom and we pick him up in Matthew

Matthew 6 · chapter mention

chapter 6 and he is establishing his

kingdom by talking to his followers

about what kingdom citizens ought to

look like

>> and how kingdom citizens ought to

operate.

>> And in Matthew chapter 6, Jesus is

Matthew 6 · chapter mention

talking to them and he talks to them

about giving. He talks to them about

fasting and he talks to them about

prayer.

>> He's teaching them how to pray. See,

Jesus is talking to them and is trying

to lay this thing out about what prayer

is about.

>> Can I just suggest to you from the onset

that prayer is is not predicated on our

righteousness.

>> I do not pray, you do not pray based on

your righteousness.

>> The Bible says in Isaiah that our

righteousness is as filthy rags.

>> Yeah. If you pray based on if you pray

based on your righteousness, then I

already know that your prayer life is up

and down.

because you up and down.

>> I'm up and down. And so our prayer life

cannot be based on our righteousness.

>> Our prayer life can't be based on our

righteousness. Neither can our prayer

life be based on results.

>> Because we don't we don't always get

what we pray for when we pray for it.

Amen.

>> And I don't mean to go off here, but can

I just I want to find if there's anybody

in the room who has walked with God long

enough that you can thank him for the

doors that he didn't open. Oh Lord. Oh.

Oh. I want to thank him for the times

that he didn't say yes. That I've lived

long enough to see THAT ALL THINGS

REALLY DO WORK TOGETHER for the good.

I can't I I I don't want I don't I can't

base my prayer off of results.

>> Yeah. See, because the reality is God

always answers prayer.

>> He He all It may not answer it the way I

want him to answer it,

>> but he's a prayer answering God.

>> SOMETIMES HE SAYS YES.

>> Sometimes he says no.

>> And sometimes he says wait.

Amen.

>> But I I cannot I cannot base my relation

my my prayer on on results.

>> Catch this. Jesus even tells his

followers, you can't even base your

prayer on your rhetoric.

>> Oh, what does that mean? You cannot you

cannot base your prayer on the words

that you use.

>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Prayer is not

based on how well you can put stuff

together.

>> Uh see see. And so WE WE'RE SO CONSCIOUS

BECAUSE WE LIVE IN A day now where where

where when you make a mistake put people

make blooper reels out of you.

>> So we are self-conscious about what we

say and how we say it and when we

stumble or when we stutter or when we

stammer. AND SO SOMETIMES WE BRING THAT

INTO OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH God

>> and we think we have to perform for him.

But God said, "Hold on a minute. Prayer

is is is not based on your

righteousness. It's not based on your

results. It's not based on your

rhetoric. But prayer must be based on

relationship."

>> Somebody shout relationship.

>> Relationship.

>> Yeah. SO SO WHAT IS WHAT IS PRAYER?

Prayer at its simplest definition,

prayer is communication with God.

>> At its very root, that prayer is

communication with God. that that prayer

is talking to God.

>> Yeah. Uh prayer this this is one of one

of bishop's definitions. Prayer uh has

two components to it. That that prayer

had you had the activity of prayer but

you also have the attitude of prayer.

>> Yeah. The the activity of prayer is when

we have set aside dedicated time where

we go into talking to God. Amen.

>> That is the activity of prayer. That is

what my devotional time is. That is the

time that I have carved out where I'm

going to talk and spend with God. That

is the activity of prayer. Somebody

shout the activity.

>> The activity.

>> That is the activity of prayer. But we

also have the attitude of prayer. See,

the attitude of prayer is the ongoing

conversation that that I can have with

God at any time or any place. Oh yeah. I

I don't I don't have to I don't have to

just have a specific time. I can have an

ongoing conversation with God. I can

talk to God at work, in the car, in the

shower, standing in line. [cheering]

>> Before I go INTO A MEETING, WHILE I'M IN

THE MEETING, WHEN I'M WALKING out of the

meeting,

>> I CAN TALK TO GOD. [cheering]

>> It's the attitude of prayer.

But the bishop said that the attitude

the the activity, excuse me, the

attitude of prayer does not exonerate us

from the activity of prayer.

>> Just because I can talk to God when I

want, how I want, whenever I want,

doesn't mean I shouldn't carve out time

to spend specifically with God.

>> Thank you, Dr. Shandelle for helping me

bring this home. You know there lady

Martha and I there are times we have

communication throughout the day where I

will call her or she'll call me. Don't

want nothing. Don't need anything. It's

just a check-in.

>> But how many of you know that the

check-in during the day does not

substitute conversation when she get

home?

Amen. [applause]

>> Yeah, I can we can have the attitude. We

can have the attitude, the ongoing

conversation, but there is still

something to be said for the sit down,

phone down, TV off conversation.

>> I can talk to God while I'm driving, and

it's powerful at times, but there is

still a need for me to shut everything

down and go into prayer with God.

>> What does prayer provide? Why why is it

necessary for us to have the activity of

prayer? Because it is in the privileged

place of prayer where I get to process

the planned and even unplanned events of

the day so that we can draw in the

necessary strength so that we can

appropriately respond and not just

react.

I need the activity of prayer before I

get into my day so that I'm not going

off on people.

Oh,

>> so I'm not looking crazy.

>> Yeah. And you just LAY IT OUT. YOU LAY

IT OUT IN ACTIVITY. FATHER, I just want

to thank you for this day and blessing

me and waking me up to see this day.

Thank you for new mercy and new grace.

Lord, I just I lay my day out before

you. And uh Lord, you know, I have that

that one meeting today. And

and Lord, you know how they love to

talk. I'm just asking you, Lord, to give

me strength.

Fix my face.

>> Give me patience.

>> Give me what to say.

>> Yeah. Yeah. I'm I'm I'm laying. And

Father, for the things that I'm not even

aware of, I thank you for the grace to

be able to handle it. So, I'm not just

RESPONDING OUT OF MY FLESH.

It is in the place of prayer where we

get those things.

>> But I like what how Martin Luther

defined prayer.

The great reformer emphasized prayer as

an urgent

constant necessity of a dependent soul.

>> He famously stated, "To be a Christian

without prayer is no more possible than

to be alive without breathing."

that you and I when we talk about what

prayer is, although prayer

includes words,

prayer goes beyond words.

>> When you and I talk about prayer, the

foundation of prayer is relationship.

>> What What is prayer? Here's a definition

that I use for this this lesson on what

what is prayer. Prayer is not a

performance for an audience

>> but an intimate relationship that can

transform your life.

>> Prayer is not a performance for an

audience.

>> Amen.

>> Some of us are nervous about praying on

site with other people because we feel

like we have to perform.

>> But the reality is you don't have to

perform.

What you are doing is using your faith

and your influence with God to get him

involved in the lives of somebody else.

>> I can remember I was picking up my son

one day from basketball uh from from

basketball practice and uh he came up to

the truck and he didn't get in. He asked

me to roll the window down and I rolled

the window down and he said, "Dad,

uh can can you take one of my my friends

home?"

I said, "Sure. Tell him jump in. Now I

didn't know his friend and the only way

his friend was able to get in my truck

is because of his teammates rel because

of the sun.

>> I wish SOMEBODY THE ONLY WAY HE WAS ABLE

TO GET IN MY TRUCK WAS BECAUSE OF THE

SUN. BECAUSE OF THE RELATIONSHIP

>> THAT SOMEBODY ELSE HAD GOT ME INVOLVED

IN HIS SITUATION. I'M COMING TO TELL

YOU, YOU DON'T HAVE TO PRAY LIKE NOBODY

ELSE. JUST GET GOD INVOLVED.

>> It is about relationship.

>> See, when we pray when we pray without a

relationship, then then prayer becomes a

checklist rather than a check-in.

>> Thank you, Dr. Nra. Yeah, prayer becomes

a checklist.

And you have I prayed today. Do you pray

over your food? Do you talk to God? It's

Yeah. There prayer. There's nothing

wrong with a checklist.

But I cannot reduce my prayer down to a

checklist.

>> My prayer is about me checking in.

>> ABOUT TALKING TO GOD ABOUT HOW I'M

DOING, about where I am. Catch this. AND

ALSO, LORD, WHAT IS ON YOUR HEART?

>> SEE, it's about relationship.

You don't want anybody who just comes to

you and just talk to to you about them.

>> You know you got them people in your

life and they call you and you look at

the phone like oh Lord Jesus

oh father in the name of you don't even

pray. You praying right father in the

name OF JESUS. CUZ YOU ALREADY KNOW IT'S

25 MINUTES ABOUT THEM.

>> THEY DON'T EVEN PICK UP THE PHONE ASK is

this a good time?

>> Are you busy?

I know I got some people that hit the

red button on them. DON'T DON'T DON'T

SAY NOTHING. JUST LOOK STRAIGHT AT ME.

Won't nobody know I'm talking about you.

Why? Because we're not as motivated

when somebody just comes to me and it's

all about them.

>> Prayer is about relation checking in.

God, what what do you desire?

>> God, what do you want?

Yes, I'm going to let you know how I

feel and where I am. But Lord, I want to

know how are you?

>> Oh, it's not a it's not a checklist. We

don't want to reduce prayer. Prayer

without relationship, it makes it a

checklist.

>> But when we have relationship with God

and we base our prayer on our

relationship with God, then prayer

becomes a checkin.

>> Amen.

>> Yeah. I don't want to be mechanical in

prayer.

not emotionally and being spiritually

vulnerable.

Prayer is the place where I can go

>> to God and be open about where I am

>> and what I'm thinking.

Oh yeah. About what I what I desire,

>> what I want that I shouldn't want.

>> What I WHAT I NEED THAT I DON'T WANT.

GOD, I'M laying this thing out before

you.

It's about See, you will never establish

relationship with anybody you can't be

honest with.

>> Yeah. I I I I want to lay that thing out

before God.

See, when we see relationship,

when we understand relationship, we

realize that prayer is not a checklist.

We see it in our natural relationships.

When we talk more about what we're doing

more than how we are,

and who we are. We've put checklists

above checkin.

>> I watch EVEN IN OUR RELATIONSHIP AT

times we can get so busy and talking

about what it is that have we we got the

kids this week and you take Joshua to

basketball, take Jesse to dance and

I'mma fold the clothes and you wash the

dishes and we going to clean the

bathroom. That's a checklist.

>> And if Oh, married people, I hope you

hear me. If you're not careful,

>> when you keep it a checklist, you can

drift apart.

>> Now, understand something. I'm not

saying that checklists are bad

because they're not.

>> No. No. A checklist is not bad. A

routine is not bad. Having a routine is

good and it can be healthy. But you and

I must periodically check if our routine

still has a heartbeat.

>> Yeah. I I want to make sure that my

routine still has a my heart attached to

it. I don't want to just be doing

something and doing something and my

heart is no longer in it.

>> See, because routine can become a rhythm

without a heartbeat.

>> Yeah. You're on it and you're doing it

and you're showing up and you're there,

but your heart is no longer in it.

>> You have proximity without presence.

>> You and I cannot afford

to cause to allow our prayer to be

reduced down to a simply routine that

doesn't have a heartbeat to it. Amen.

>> Where is dry and wherever it is is dry,

then we tend to drift

and we begin to make prayer about our

righteousness.

>> We'll make prayer by our results.

>> We'll even make prayer by our rhetoric.

>> But Jesus pauses with his disciples and

STOPS THEM. SAY, "HEY, WAIT A MINUTE. I

WANT YOU to pray. I want you to go in,

but let me tell you something. Prayer is

not about the words that you use. Prayer

is beyond words.

>> All of us have been in a dry place. And

this is where Jesus takes his disciples

in our text in Matthew chapter 6. We see

Matthew 6 · chapter mention

when he looks at at when we look at how

Jesus addresses the struggle that he

sees these religious leaders having in

prayer. He says to them in Matthew

Matthew 6 · chapter mention

chapter 6 vers 5 and 8, he warns his

disciples against the empty repetition

>> and public show of rel of the religious

elite. Meaning he doesn't want you just

coming to him with vain repetition.

There's nothing wrong with having a

certain prayer that you recite. In fact,

I BELIEVE THERE'S GREAT VALUE IN WRITING

DOWN your prayers. I believe there's

great value in scripting your prayers

based on the word of God. But what HE IS

TALKING ABOUT is vain repetition

>> where there's routine without a

heartbeat.

>> Where your heart is no longer in it.

Can I tell you where Let me Can I just

have a moment of transparency?

I'm like, Bishop, y'all just love people

to throw theelves under the bus. Here we

go.

I see I see it most often when I get

ready to pray over my food.

Oh, it's too many of us in here.

>> George, your auntie, I know it's too

many of us in here. Yes. Sometimes I get

and I get my food and sometimes like

Father God said, "Thank you for the food

I'm about to receive for the nourishing

my body."

Oh yeah,

>> I'm pouring hot sauce on it, praying at

the same time. Father, just bless the

food.

Opening the ketchup pack in Jesus name.

It's routine

>> without pausing

to say, "Lord,

I realize

now I'm not saying you have to do a

Thanksgiving prayer over everything you

eat." But what I'm saying is be careful

>> to make sure that you're not just doing

routine and there's no heart connected

to it.

that Lord I sometimes it's good to just

pause to slow yourself down

>> to remind yourself Lord I realize that

that that there are people around the

world right now who would love to have a

portion of what it is that I have. Thank

you for blessing me with something to

eat. THANK YOU, FATHER, FOR THE MONEY

YOU'VE GIVEN ME TO BE ABLE to get myself

something to eat.

>> THANK YOU, LORD. I CAN EAT WHAT I WANT.

I'M NOT EATING SOMETHING THAT I DON'T

EVEN WANT.

AND IF I AM EATING SOMETHING THAT I

DON'T EVEN WANT, THANK YOU FOR SOMETHING

TO EAT.

>> Jesus is is trying to warn them. He

said, "Oh, don't don't vain repetition.

Watch out for vain repetition." And the

catch is the way Jesus fixes this. Don't

notice this. Jesus doesn't give them a

heavier checklist.

He doesn't give them

he doesn't give them h more to consider.

In fact, he bases

prayer

on relationship.

You know, I was I was reading reading

this and and I could not get past the

first two words

>> of of how he he when he gave them the

template for prayer, he said, let me

just read it. Let me read it. He says to

them,

he says, "But you, when you pray, go

into your in your room and when you have

shut the door, pray to your father who

is in No, no, I want verse five. Here we

He says, "And when you pray, you shall

not be like the hypocrites."

>> Catch this. This is how I saw it. Jesus

is sitting up here on the mountain with

his disciples.

He sees somebody else doing prayer in a

way that he doesn't want his disciples

to do it.

>> He points it out and tells them, "Don't

you try that."

H I I I I give it to you like this. I

can remember there's my mother sitting

over there just as sweetly saved and

sanctified

with that pretty gray hair.

I can remember being young and in the

supermarket.

>> Yeah, we would be we would be in the

supermarket in the grocery store for my

bougie people. My bad.

And I can remember somebody some some

little kid going off like on his

parents.

[laughter]

And my mama taught us a lesson right

there in the grocery store.

[laughter]

She said, "You see that?

Don't you try."

>> This is what Jesus is doing with his

disciples.

He's telling them, he said, "Do you see

how they praying?

>> Don't you try that.

>> Don't you do that. Don't you pray like

that. Don't you don't you assume that

God will hear you for your many words.

>> Don't don't YOU DON'T DON'T DON'T GET

OUT IN PUBLIC and start." NOW, THERE'S

NOTHING WRONG WITH PRAYING IN PUBLIC,

but what Jesus is saying is you got to

check the motive of your heart.

>> DON'T GET OUT HERE TRYING TO ENTERTAIN

OTHER PEOPLE. PRAY TO AN AUDIENCE of one

>> and when you do

>> he says this this is what he said when

you do he said in verse n in this manner

therefore you ought to pray

>> and I couldn't get past the first two

words

our father

>> because before Jesus makes any requests

about daily bread about for forgiveness

ness about kingdom coming and will being

done. He wants us to understand that our

prayer is predicated on relationship.

>> That before you start rebuking the DEMON

AND START BINDING THE DEVIL THAT OUR

APPROACH TO GOD IS BASED on our

relationship.

>> He said our father.

>> Our father. Woo. I will see I can't even

get past the first word because the

first word speaks of relationship.

>> The first word says to us that that we

are CONNECTED NOT JUST TO God but to

each other.

>> Yet we have a connection to each other

>> that even though I PRAY IN SECRET, I

PRAY IN PRIVATE, I'M STILL TALKING TO A

FATHER THAT doesn't just belong to me.

Yes.

>> Oh, see see this. This is why I'm

concerned because I cannot I'm concerned

with people who say they have a prayer

life, but they still walking in offense.

>> I'm concerned FOR PEOPLE WHO SAY THEY

HAVE A PRAYER LIFE, BUT THEY STILL NOT

SPEAKING TO THEIR BROTHER OR THEIR

SISTER.

>> CAN I JUST PAUSE FOR A MOMENT AND SAY,

YOU NEED TO CHECK WHAT IT IS YOU SAY YOU

HAVE

>> BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT TALKING TO YOUR

FATHER. YOU TALKING TO OUR FATHER. I

KNOW YOU MAY BE UPSET WITH ME, BUT

BELOVED, LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING.

WE'RE STILL connected

>> because he's our father.

>> I may have done you wrong.

>> May have said something you didn't like,

but he's still

[laughter]

>> You may still owe me $20.

I'm going either have to get it or

forget it.

>> NO, BUT BUT BUT I CAN'T STAY IN A STATE

OF OFFENSE BECAUSE WHEN I GO TO PRAY,

HE'S OUR FATHER.

Jesus said in Mark 11 verse 25

Mark 11:25

he said and whenever you stand praying

>> talk Bible if you have anything

>> anything

>> my God against anyone

>> Lord let me just put a quarter in the

meter and park it right there for a

moment. He said, "If you have anything

against anyone,

BEFORE YOU COME UP HERE WITH ALL THESE

LONG WORDS

TALKING to me, you need to remember that

I am all y'all daddy."

And that's STILL SEE I USED OH I

REMEMBER MY MOM THAT WHEN ME AND AJ used

to oh used to have our little scraps.

One of the things I hate she back there

laughing is THAT MY MAMA WOULD MAKE us

come there and hug one another.

>> Oh see that's old school right?

WHY? BECAUSE THAT'S STILL YOUR sister

>> and he's still your brother.

>> It's still relationship.

And not only is your relationship look

the reason why she had us hugging, it

wasn't just for us,

>> but it breaks a parent's heart to see

siblings

>> not talking to you. Talk Holy Ghost.

Talk Holy Ghost. IT BREAKS A PARENT'S

heart

>> raised up in the saint. Now everybody,

you have issues. You have issues. I get

it. Disagreements. I get it. But it

breaks a parent's heart not to see their

their own kids not talking.

>> Oh, let me He said when you stand

praying,

>> if you have anything against anyone,

forgive them.

>> That your father in heaven may also

forgive you of your trespasses.

>> Jesus said it's all based on rel. He

said our somebody shout our

>> He said our father.

Not only do we have connection with each

other, but we have connection with God.

>> And it is from that premise that we base

our prayer

>> that we have relationship with God. The

Bible says in Romans chapter 8:15, for

you did not receive the spirit of

bondage again to fear, but you receive

the spirit of adoption by whom we cry,

"Aba, Father, I have been adopted into

the family."

See, adoption is different than giving

birth. See what you when you give birth,

you got what you got.

>> Curly I want a baby with straight hair.

If it's curly hair, you got what you

got.

>> But adoption,

>> they get to look you over.

>> Look you up and down. And you get

picked.

>> YOU GET SELECTED.

>> CAN I TELL YOU? WHEN GOD CAME

[screaming] FOR US, HE CHOSE US. HE SAW

HE'S THE ONLY ONE WHO KNOWS US

COMPLETELY AND CHOSE US ANYWAY. I'VE

BEEN ADOPTED.

>> It's based on relation. He chose He

said, "You didn't choose me.

>> I CHOSE YOU.

>> AND I ordained you.

>> He chose me."

>> Tell your neighbor real quick. Say, "He

chose me."

>> He chose me.

>> Drop it in the chat. He chose me. I

didn't choose myself. He chose me.

>> And it's based ON THAT RELATIONSHIP THAT

I CAN COME TO HIM.

>> IF I CHOSE HIM, THAT'D BE ONE THING.

>> But he chose me.

>> Prayer goes beyond words because we have

relationship. Somebody shout, "We have

relationship.

>> We have relationship because of what

Jesus has done."

>> It's not because of what we've done. is

because of what Jesus done. Hebrews chap

I got to read the Bible. Hebrews chapter

Hebrews 10 · chapter mention

10. Hebrews chapter 10 verse 19 through

Hebrews 10:19–22

22. It says, "Therefore, brethren,

having boldness to enter the holiest by

the blood of Jesus, by a new and living

way, which he consecrated for us through

the veil, that is his flesh, and having

a high priest over the house of God, let

us draw near with a true heart in full

assurance of faith, having our hearts

sprinkled from an evil consciousness,

and our bodies washed with pure water."

You said, "Pastor, what in the world is

that all about?" Our approach to God is

not based on our righteousness.

>> Our approach to God is based on the shed

blood AND THE SACRIFICE OF JESUS. IN THE

OLD TESTAMENT, YOU COULDN'T JUST WALK UP

INTO the presence of God.

>> There was the outer court, there was the

inner court, and there was the Holies of

Holies. And the Holies OF HOLIES WAS

SEPARATED BY this thick curtain. AND

ONLY THE HIGH PRIEST COULD GO IN and

out. And even he couldn't just go in and

out at will. They tied a rope around his

leg because in the event that he went in

AND AND SIN WAS NOT FORGIVEN, HE WOULD

DROP DEAD IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD.

>> BECAUSE IF THE SACRIFICE HADN'T BEEN

ACCEPTED,

>> HE WOULD DROP DEAD AND THEY WOULD HAVE

TO DRAG HIM OUT.

>> BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT

>> BECAUSE JESUS OFFERED ONE SACRIFICE FOR

ALL [screaming] AND FOREVER.

THE SIN IS HAS BEEN SETTLED. AND THE

BIBLE SAYS WHEN IT TALKS ABOUT THE

CRUCIFIXION THAT THE VEIL was rent.

>> I wish I had some Bible readers in here

that THE VEIL WAS RENT FROM THE TOP TO

THE BOTTOM.

>> IF IT WAS RENT FROM THE BOTTOM TO THE

TOP, AL, MAN COULD HAVE DONE IT.

>> BUT MAN COULDN'T RENT THIS VEIL.

[screaming] GOD RENT THIS VEIL.

>> AND WE CAN COME BOLDLY TO THE THRONE OF

GRACE.

I'M COMING BASED ON RELATIONSHIP.

SOMEBODY SHOUT RELATIONSHIP.

>> RELATIONSHIP. YES, SIR.

>> Not coming on my own righteousness.

>> My prayer is based on what he has done.

>> My God, I feel it.

>> Ephesians 3 11 and 12 says, "According

to the eternal promise WHICH HE

ACCOMPLISHED IN CHRIST Jesus our Lord,

in whom we have boldness." Somebody

shout, "Boldness."

>> Boldness.

AND ACCESS. SOMEBODY SHOUT ACCESS.

>> ACCESS

>> WITH CONFIDENCE through faith in him.

>> WHEN I TELL SEE, THIS IS WHERE THIS IS

WHY THIS IS WHY WHEN YOU GO TO GOD AND

PRAY, DON'T COME UP ALL TIMID.

>> That's right.

>> Like you don't belong.

>> Sometimes I get I got two kids. I can't

put them out there cuz I'm going have to

give up some money.

But I got one child and I get on them

because sometimes when they come ask me

something, they come ask me right

sheepish.

That's a country word. Yeah. Right.

Right. Real under eye like they don't

even like I'm not your daddy.

>> Oh, it just gets on my nerves, Dr.

NITRA. BECAUSE MY MIND IS SAYING, YOU

DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU. YOU

DON'T [screaming] KNOW HOW MUCH I'LL

GIVE FOR YOU.

>> I NEED YOU TO BUST UP ON ME. ASK ME FOR

WHATEVER YOU WANT. EVEN IF YOU THINK I'M

GOING TO SAY NO, JUST ASK ME ANYWAY.

cuz you know I love you that much

>> AND THAT IF IT'S GOOD FOR YOU THAT I'LL

GIVE IT TO YOU AND IF IT'S NOT I WON'T.

[applause]

>> Some of YOU TRYING TO SIZE UP YOUR

BLESSING AND YOUR PRAYER REQUEST OR

TRYING TO DUMB IT DOWN SO WHAT YOU THINK

GOD CAN DO. CAN I TELL YOU? ASK GOD FOR

THE HARD THING. ASK GOD FOR THE BIG

THING.

Ask him for the hard thing.

Ain't nothing too hard for God.

Is there anything

Bible too hard for God?

What your neighbor said, just ask him.

Ask him. Ask him. STOP SIZING IT UP.

STOP wondering if he can do it. Stop

wondering IF HE'LL DO IT FOR YOU. Just

ask him.

>> [music]

>> said, "We got boldness. We have access.

We have confidence

>> through him."

>> My God.

>> Lord have mercy. I got to get through

here.

[cheering]

>> THAT'S WHY WE HAVE PRAYER CAMPAIGN

[music] TO REMIND YOU YOU NEED TO ASK

GOD. LET YOUR REQUESTS BE MADE KNOWN

UNTO GOD.

That's why sometimes I used to love

Christmas

>> with my kids.

>> Oh, IF YOU GOT THE KIND OF KIDS LIKE I

GOT THERE, COME UP WITH THAT LIST.

>> And boy, they act like you a

billionaire.

>> But you know what? I love it.

>> Just ask me.

>> Don't you TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW I'M

GOING TO DO IT. JUST ASK ME.

WHY? Because it's based on relationship.

>> It's not based on my righteousness.

>> It's not based on results. It's not

based on rhetoric. It's based on

relationship. Somebody shout

relationship.

>> Relationship.

>> See, when you and I base our prayer on

relationship, it shifts our prayer.

>> Our prayer will shift from performance

to presence.

>> It it WON'T BE ABOUT HOW I SAY IT.

IT. I heard bishop prayer is not prayer

my the power of my prayer

>> is not in my words

>> but the power of prayer is to whom I'm

praying to

>> that's where the power lies

>> oh god see this is why this is why I

preach let me tell you something oh god

help me Holy Ghost let me just calm and

just slow down

see this is why this is why I thank God

for our senior seniors.

>> I thank God. I thank God. I thank God

for our seniors. See, because see see

and and you are educated and smart and

all that kind of stuff. But but but I

love you because even if you didn't go

as far educationally as you wanted to

go,

>> you still have a you have a connection

with God.

>> And I'm glad you don't shut your mouth

just because sometimes you split verbs.

Sometimes you don't say it the way that

CHAD GBT WOULD SAY. I DON'T NEED YOU TO

SAY IT LIKE CHAD GPT SAID. I NEED YOU.

CAN YOU GET A PRAYER THROUGH? Do you

have relationship?

>> IT'S NOT ABOUT PERFORMANCE.

>> It's not ABOUT MY PERFORMANCE. SEE, when

I base it on relationship, I move over.

See, my prayer is that after this lesson

that the the the pressure to perform

will break off of you.

>> That you will go to God based on

relationship.

>> And that your prayer will shift from

performance

to his presence.

>> It will shift from from catch this from

performance to your presence.

>> Just being there.

>> Just being there with God. Just God,

some I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT to say, but

I'm coming to pray anyway.

>> I don't have all the words. I don't have

the ARTICULATION OF SPEECH, BUT GOD, I'M

HEALED.

>> Search my heart.

>> Lord, you know what it is I want to say,

BUT I DON'T have the words. See, I wish

I had somebody who lived long enough to

know that LIFE CAN HAND YOU SOMETHING

THAT YOU DON'T HAVE THE WORDS FOR.

The Bible said the Holy Spirit knows.

>> When we have groanings that cannot be

uttered,

>> it shifts from performance to presence.

>> Oh yeah. When we when we when we lay

prayer on relationship, catch this.

Relationship shifts prayer from catch

this scripted shorthand to real honesty.

>> Yeah. You you you it it'll move it from

scripted short hands. See, in casual or

distance relationship, we default to

safe scripted responses.

>> Yeah. Somebody ask you, "How you doing?"

Yeah, I'm good.

Oh, we get real churchy sometimes with

with stuff like this. Somebody say, "God

God can work it out, can't he?" Won't he

do it?

And see, there's nothing wrong with

those phrases, but you and I must check

our heart that we don't have a routine

without a heartbeat. Because sometimes

you can say the right thing and still

don't believe it.

>> But relationship shifts my prayer from

scripted shortorthhand to real honesty.

>> See, real honesty will allow you will

allow you to be able to talk honestly

with God.

This is why I love the scripture. I'm so

glad that God included certain things in

the scripture. You got to be able to

talk to God honestly. See, God can

handle unfiltered grief.

>> God can handle your frustration.

>> He can handle your confusion. Uh for

unfiltered grief, Psalms 22:1 and two, I

Psalms 22:1

just want to read it real quick. It says

my Psalms 22 verse one. It says, "My

God, my God, why have you forsaken ME?

WHY ARE YOU SO FAR FROM SAVING ME? So

far from my cries OF MY ANGER. SEE,

THAT'S real prayer.

>> It's real. IT'S REAL HONEST. AND GOD CAN

HANDLE THAT.

>> You got a child and you were PRAYING FOR

A CHILD and believing God for a child

and YOU GET THAT CHILD and it seem like

that child is taking you through more

hell

>> and you go back to GOD AND SAY, "GOD,

WHY?

Have you forsaken me?

>> God can handle that.

>> Away with the thought that you can't ask

God. No. You if anybody you can ask, ask

God.

>> Oh,

and be careful. Thank you, Holy Ghost.

That we don't replace God with chat GPT

[clears throat] or AI.

>> I feel God right now.

Yeah. Be be careful because what we'll

find is do we'll do like Asa where we we

we we WILL END UP CONSULTING other

things and other people and the things

that we used to bring TO GOD AND SAY

LORD HELP ME HOW TO SAY THIS LORD SHAPE

MY WORDS LORD HELP ME LORD NOT TO WE'LL

GO TO CHAT GPT.

>> Now am I saying anything wrong with

chat? Ain't nothing wrong with it, but

you and I must keep a watch on it

>> because we'll start taking things to it

>> that we have stopped taking to God.

>> Lord, my lesson gone. Here we go.

>> I I got I got to get to this. So So what

what do I do when I realize my prayer

has drifted into routine?

without a heartbeat. What What do I do?

What What do I do? Number one, drop the

performance and come honest.

>> Drop drop the performance and come

honest. So that means that sometime that

early on your prayer may seem empty

cuz you're not trying to perform

anymore.

You're just saying, "Lord, here I am.

Help me."

You pour it out. I'm not saying that.

I'm not saying you're saying that to

keep from saying what's real. Be honest.

Pour it out. But there are times where

you don't even have you don't even know

what to say.

>> If you want to get back to a thriving

prayer life,

drop the performance.

>> Come honest. The Bible says in Psalm

Psalms 62:8

62:8, "Trust in him at all times, you

people. Pour out your heart before him.

God is our refuge.

>> He's the safe place that you and I can

run into.

>> If there's anybody that can handle our

honesty, it is God.

>> Yeah.

If you dry and your your relationship,

your devotional time with God is dry,

just come to him. Say, "Lord, you know,

I ain't been here in a while.

Now, I know I should be talking to you

on the regular, but Lord, it's it's

August and I'm here and I know I need to

I don't need to just have the attitude

of prayer. I need the activity of

prayer. So, Lord, [snorts]

right now, all these thoughts going

through my mind trying to condemn me

about telling me how long it's been

since I've been here. Lord, you know how

long it's been.

Father, forgive me. I'm here today.

Thank you for being a God of grace

and still wanting to talk to me.

>> Yeah. Drop the performance and come

honest. Secondly, trade the checklist

for a checkin.

Zephaniah 3:1 17 says, "The Lord your

Zephaniah 3:1

God in your midst, the mighty one will

save. He will rejoice over you with

gladness. He will quiet you with his

love. He will rejoice over you with

singing. Can I tell you that God longs

to spend time with you? He's not

standing with a bat trying to beat you

up about how long it's been since you've

been there.

>> No, he wants to rejoice over you. He

wants to be there with you.

Trade the checklist for a checkin.

>> How do I get my prayer life back? Number

one, somebody say, "Drop the performance

>> and come honest." Number two, say,

"Trade the checklist."

>> Trade the checklist

>> for a check in.

>> For a check in.

>> And number three,

>> I love you.

Lean on the spirit when words fail you.

>> Lean on the spirit of God when words

fail you.

>> Prayer is beyond words.

It includes words,

>> but it's beyond words.

>> The Bible says in Psalm 46:10, "Be still

Psalms 46:10

and know

that I am God."

>> Psalm 61:2 says, "From the ends of the

Psalms 61:2

earth.

I will cry to you. When my heart is

overwhelmed,

lead me to the rock that is higher than

I am."

Not because I always know what to say,

>> but because just being in your presence

>> will make me better.

>> Let me tell you something. This month,

our desire

is that we will will move into a place

of boldness and our time with God. That

when we approach God, we don't we don't

approach him based on on our

righteousness. It's as filthy rags.

We're not approaching him based on

results. The Bible said, "Our father

know what we have need of before we even

ask." We can ask him, but it's not based

on that.

>> It's not based on rhetoric. The many

words that we say. It is based on

relationship.

>> He made it so that we can boldly come to

him

and be with him. Let's pray.

Father, in the name of Jesus, we thank

you for this opportunity around your

word. We thank you Lord for what you are

doing even in the hearts of us Lord as

we embark on this prayer campaign.

Father we thank you because we know that

you are prayer answering God. We thank

you that we can come to you [music] and

let our requests be made known to you.

We know God that you are able to provide

for us. We we we know there are

different parts of prayer. But father,

we just wanted to make sure as we start

this [music] month that we are basing

our prayer, our time, whether it's

attitude or activity, on our

relationship with you. Thank you for

making a way so that we can be with you

and spend time with you. Thank you that

you're not mad or upset or or trying to

get back at us, Lord. No, you are not

like man.

We thank you that you will rejoice over

us. That you [music] want to be with us,

that you want to spend time with us. I

pray, Father, that as we move into this

week [music] spending time with you,

that we'll come open, that we'll come

honest, that we won't lean in just on

our words, but Father, we'll lean in

with our hearts.

For we realize, Lord, our prayer is

beyond words.

It's built on our relationship with you.

and we thank you for it now in Jesus

name.