Sermons on 1 Samuel 12:23

… That's the direct object of prayer, but the indirect is the saints. Samuel said to Israel, 1 Samuel 12, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you. You sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for someone. How could that be a sin? You mean that my prayers actually fit into what God is doing so that not to pray is sinful because of its importance? Christian is not only to think of his own conflict, but watchfully looks at everything around him and praise for everybody else. And all for the glory of God. By the way, nowhere does the Scripture say to pray for yourself. That's going to happen, and that's okay. But the needful thing is to pray for others. Just like we use our spiritual gifts for others, our prayers ought to be on behalf of others, And they ought to be specific, watchful prayers. That's what Jesus does. He intercedes for us. He knows our weakness. He knows our infirmities. …

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… asking part. And James says, you have not because you ask not. Unoffered prayer is not merely a tragedy, it's a sin. God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you, is what Samuel said. God forbid that I should sin in ceasing to pray. Over and over again the Bible not only invites us to pray, the Bible commands us to pray. The Lord Jesus in Luke 18, one, the Bible says of him, and he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray and not to faint. The Lord Jesus said in mark 14 VERSE 38, WATCH AND pray lest you enter into temptation. Every time you've sinned it is because you failed to pray as you ought. Watch and pray lest you enter into temptation. The apostle Paul said, be careful for nothing, that is don't worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God. The reason you're so full of care and, and worry right now is you've not truly learned how to pray. In everything by prayer and supplication, you are to ask God for everything that you need. You know, a good test of anything, whether it's right or wrong for you to have it is, can you ask God for it? Now if you don't feel you can ask God for it, you really don't have any business with it. You see, we're to pray about anything. If it's wrong to ask God for it, …

Watch at 15:35 · See full text →

A light shone upon the face of Moses and a glory settled upon the brow of Jesus. "Such honor have all the saints" in a spiritual sense—and the proudest of men shall be made to know it! Once more, let me note that this honor is doubtless set on saints that they may be of service to ungodly men. God intends, by their means, to bless the penitent. When it was wheat harvest and a thunderstorm came because Israel desired a king, you remember that while peal on peal the dread artillery of God was heard, the people trembled and besought Samuel the Prophet to pray for them. And he said, "God forbid that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you." Holy Samuel's prayer was heard for them! Much later an earthquake shook the foundations of a prison and loosed the bands of the prisoners. Then the jailer woke up in his fright and feared that his prisoners had escaped—and that he should have to die for it—but there stood Paul, the man whom he had thrust into the inner prison, and whose feet he had made fast in the stocks! And the jailer, trembling before him, cried out, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" The answer was given. He was directed to believe and to be baptized—and the jailer and his house were saved! If God's servants are treated with scorn and harshness they need not fear, for they are put just where they are, that unconverted men may be blessed by their agency. Like Moses to …

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