How to Pray for Missionaries {Video}

Prayer Is A Blessings [video]

How To Bring Joy to Our Heavenly Father's Heart

Preached at Northwest Christian Church

David P. Kautt

Sunday Morning, October 9, 2011

Matthew 6:5-13, “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues 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 in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions 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. In this manner, therefore, pray:

      Our Father in heaven,
      Hallowed be Your name.
       Your kingdom come.
      Your will be done
      On earth as it is in heaven.
       Give us this day our daily bread.
       And forgive us our debts,
      As we forgive our debtors.
       And do not lead us into temptation,
      But deliver us from the evil one.
      For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”

How to bring joy to the heart of your heavenly Father.  Last Lord’s Day we began a look at this important, expansive and yes, provocative topic, as I introduced to you this thought, this theme: there’s NOTHING we can do to bring joy to our Heavenly Father’s heart MORE than to do that which pleases Him!  To do what HE desires us to do!  As far as my family is concerned, my wife and I, we only have one Abigail, only one daughter whose name means my father’s joy.  But, listen – this father’s desire, that all six of our children choose, above everything else, to please, to bring joy to their Heavenly Father!  The world tells us differently!  I mean, day-in-and-day-out the world and its satanically oriented value system SCREAMS at us this message: “Delight yourself, please yourself, indulge in what brings YOU pleasure!”  But, listen, are you a Christian?  Have you not only been made BY God, but begotten OF God?  If you have, then your mission, your purpose, your calling is to bring DELIGHT to Him!  To bring Him PLEASURE…

But, how do we go about doing that?  What steps must we take to do that?  The passage I read a moment ago undoubtedly is familiar to virtually all of us.  It is one that, likely, many of us have memorized.  It is taken from that passage we often call the ‘Lord’s Prayer’ or, what some have called the ‘Model Prayer’.  In it, Jesus, our master, our teacher, instructs us not only in the discipline of proper prayer, but in the direction He intends for our lives.  In other words, He not only tells us: ‘This is how you should pray,’ but also, He shows us, instructs us: ‘This is hoe you should live, how to bring joy to your Heavenly Father.’ 

Now, before we look closely at the three-fold description Jesus supplies for us here, I’d like to have you think with me about some related matters first. 

Prayer – a prayer with specific ingredients included in it, a prayer with a specific focus or orientation to it.  How does prayer and, in particular, this ‘model prayer’ relate to the subject of PLEASING God, the topic of bringing joy to our Heavenly Father’s heart?

While you are mulling that over, allow me to point out two or three things to you from the larger context of this passage.  First of all, please notice with me that – well – a lot of people pray!  Verses 5 and 6 – hypocrites pray.  Standing in the synagogues, stationed out on the street corners, long and loud; hypocrites pray.  But, does that mean that God hears them, pays attention to them, is DELIGHTED to respond to them, is pleased with their prayers?  A lot of people pray.  Pagans pray.  Yes, Jesus says, in verses 7 and 8, even pagans, when their car’s broke down, when they get the pink slip at work, when the doctor informs them that they only have a few weeks to live, even the pagans pray.  Babbling on and on, thinking that with a multitude of words, surely they’re bound to say something right, somewhere along the way.  Yes, even pagans pray.  But, does that mean that God hears them?  That His heart is overjoyed at their prayers? 

Listen, my Loved Ones.  A lot of people pray.  RELIGIOUS people, CHURCH people pray.  Many of them using these very words, in kind of a rote memory recitation.  Sunday after Sunday, year after year, at the designated time in the service, and in perfect unison.  But, does that mean that God hears that prayer?  Does that mean that He rejoices in those who are praying it? 

Yes, a lot of people pray; that is, a lot of people speak words, string together sentences and even paragraphs, supposedly aimed upward, toward the throne of God.  But, listen – is it the praying, the saying of certain words in certain ways, the going through the motions, bowing the head, closing the eyes, folding the hands, that gets God’s attention, that stirs Him to rejoice, or is it something else?

What does it mean to bring joy to our Heavenly Father’s heart?  What must we do to be our Father’s ‘Abigails’?  It may not be completely clear to us, yet, but listen, I think it is extremely powerful, and provocative - penetratingly provocative – to see HERE that prayer, this prayer, has everything to do with pleasing God, with bringing Him pleasure.  But, how is that so?  Again, what is the connection between prayer – THIS prayer – and bringing delight to God’s heart?

One more time, verses 5 and 6, and verses 7 & 8, a lot of people pray: hypocrites, pagans, the religious, even church people pray; that is, they speak certain words, aimed in the direction of heaven.  But, Jesus urges us, He instructs those who truly are His followers, not to be like them, verse 8, and instead to follow a different procedure when we pray – verse 6. 

So, is it the praying that pleases God, that brings joy to our Heavenly Father’s heart, or is it something else? 

I’d like to suggest to you, that what Jesus intends for all His followers to learn from this passage, is not simply a text, a prayer, to be memorized.  But, a prayer, a petition that is the overflow of a heart that is in sync, a life that desires to be in lie with this prayer’s requests.  In other words, I believe Jesus’ focus here is not so much on the words, the precise words, He wants us to say, but the direction, His direction for our lives, the direction He was us to go! 

Take a look with these three petitions with me, one-at-a-time, will you please?  Verse 9 – Addressing our Father, our Abba, our Heavenly Daddy, Jesus tells us that the first priority of our prayers, and, by extension the first priority of our lives, is to be:  “Hallowed be Thy name…”  As I said earlier, those four words, “Hallowed by Thy name”, and the remaining words of this prayer, are exceedingly familiar to most of us.  And, to an extent, that’s good.  But, listen, as we’ve seen, we must go father with this prayer, than just to merely memorize its words.  No, it must become the yearning of our hearts, our deepest desire, to hallow, to sanctify, to set ABOVE and APART from all other names, God’s wonderful, incomparable name!

And, how do we do that?  Keep in mind what we have observed already: praying this way, praying sincerely, fervently this way, coupled with a determination to live this way, that’s what God delights in!  That’s what HE’S looking for… Hallowing God’s name – how do we do that?  Take a look again at the fifth and sixth verses of this chapter, and at what Jesus says about the hypocrite’s prayers.  “Look, God.  I’m standing up to pray.   Look, God.  I’m stationed on the street corner to pray.  Surely, You’re going to notice my prayers.”  That’s the hypocrite’s prayer, and does God notice?

What does Jesus say?  Because their love, their yearning and longing, is for other PEOPLE to notice and congratulate them on their apparent spirituality, God gives them what they want, men’s applause.  But He, well, He looks the other way!  Do you understand where I’m going with this?  The hypocrite’s prayer is a prayer intended to make him famous, to hallow his name! 

But, the true disciple’s prayer and the direction of his life, modeled after Jesus’ word and life is what?  “I want to make YOUR name famous!  I intend to hallow YOUR matchless name!” 

Now, if you think about it, that petition, that request, that heart and life direction, ‘Hallowed be Thy name!’ has everything to do with the other petitions of this model prayer, doesn’t it? Because I want God’s name to be famous, set apart, lifted up above all others, because through my life I want His reputation to be honored, and be held in highest esteem, what am I going to ask Him to do, in me and through me?  What am I going to pursue, if His fame is what I am all about?

In aiming to bring joy to Him, in striving to cause Him to be pleased, I am going to pursue His kingdom, His kingly rule in and over every area of my life.  And, twin sister to that pursuit, I am also going to humbly submit to whatever He want me to do, in every area of my life. 

Whew!  This prayer, if it is to be MORE than just an empty recitation Sunday after Sunday, year after year, if it is to be as it was for Jesus, the game plan for our lives, then we must stop right now, not another word, and think, “Am I ready to LIVE OUT this prayer?”  And, “Have I truly entered in to relationship with Abba, Father, which is the only way – listen – being in genuine, saving relationship with ‘Abba, Father’, is the only way to be able to live out this prayer. 

You see, for Jesus, this was His prayer AND His life. 

John 12:27-28, “Now is My soul troubled: and what shall I say?  ‘Father, save Me from this hour’?  [No,] But for this purpose I came to this hour…”  What purpose, Jesus?  Verse 28 – My life, my goal for being here on earth, is this one purpose, “Father, glorify Thy name.”  Bringing God, His Father, fame; that was Jesus’ prayer!  That was His life!  And, so was doing God’s will and extending His kingdom on earth.  He prayed it in Gethsemane, “Not My will, but Thine be done…”  And, He died, on Calvary’s cross, carrying out that prayer!  And God was pleased!  His Father rejoiced! 

What does it mean to bring joy to the heart of your Heavenly Father?  How are we to bring Him pleasure?  To me there’s no more simply, but powerful answer to that question than these three petitions: ‘Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven…’ 

Children – God’s children – for them, that’s their prayer, their life direction.  May it be ours also. 

The Generous, Faithful, Compassionate and Saving God

Image credit.

Preached at Northwest Christian Church

David P. Kautt

Sunday Morning, February 6, 2011

Psalm 50:14-15, “Offer to God thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High.
Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.”

2 Corinthians 1:3-7, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for you consolation and salvation. And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation.

Beloved, I've been talking with quite a few hurting people of late. I don't know if you realize or not, but there are quite a number of them out there. And, if I can get a whee bit personal with you this morning - there also are a rather sizable number of troubled, hurting people in here too – there are!

Just the other day, a friend of mine told me about a friend of his who had been kicked in the mouth by some of his co-workers. Oh, not literally kicked in the mouth – but kicked so-to-speak, by their angry words and by the venom of their hostility toward him. That man, that woman, that person made in God's image, undoubtedly is hurting!

Do you see them? Do you know any of them? Are you one of them? The hurting... Listen, my friends, they ARE all around you and me, and likely, several of them are within arm's reach of you this morning!

Hurting people, troubled, discouraged people, who have been kicked-in-the-mouth, so-to-speak, God's people. Since this morning, this assembly, is ostensibly a gather of God's people; and, since many of God's people – yes, I said God's people – are weary and wounded my question for you and me this morning is: Is there something God's people need when they are hurting? And, is there somewhere they can go to find that something?

My Loved Ones, the thrust of this message, this Bible lesson today, is rather simple, almost elementary, I suppose. And, yet, I trust that when we give it some time to really sink in, upon meditating on this lesson's point, I trust we all will see how utterly profound AND meaningful it is to all of us, hurting or not!

Once more – as we begin our look at these passages of Scripture, and at our lives, and at the lives of others we know and love, the questions: Is there something God's people need when they are hurting? And: Where and how are they going to find that something? The simple answers, the profoundly meaningful and powerful answers to those questions are these: hurting people NEED comfort. The hurting people of God need comfort! And, God – their God – is that Comfort! In Him, God's people find or CAN find all the comfort all the encouragement, all the uplifting and, all the refreshing they need, when they are hurting!!

What is it about God, the God, who through the psalmist Asaph, said, “Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving and pay your vows to the Most High; call upon Me in the day of trouble; and, I will deliver you, and you shall honor Me.” What is it about the God Who spoke these words that would cause God's people – people like you and me – to say, “He is My comfort! He is my help and hope”?

Psalm 50:14 – The verse begins with this command, this exhortation, “Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving.” Beloved, what is it about God that calls forth from His people – from you and me – a sacrifice of thanksgiving, an offering of praise? Listen to what James says in James 1:17, and see if you can't figure it out. James 1:17, “Every good and perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights...” My Loved Ones – Do you see it? Friends, it's all over the pages of this Book! The generosity of God that calls forth thanksgiving from God's people! You just think about it with me, will you? Every reason for our being thankful and grateful – ultimately – takes us back to God, to our incredibly generous God, as the Source and Supplier of every good and perfect gift!

Philippians 4:6, 7 – One of my favorite encouraging Scriptures; how does it put it?

Comfort, peace, wellness and quietness of soul, in the present, in the day of trouble, and hope for the future; where are God's people to find it? Beloved, they find it – we find it, or should find it and receive it – from the God of peace, when we combine petitions regarding the present WITH praises for the past!

It is God's generous nature that comforts us in the day of trouble! The psalmist said it like this in Psalm 37:25, “I was young, and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread!” It is God's generous nature that encourages God's people when they are wounded and weary. Psalm 34:8-10, “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed it the man who trusts in Him! Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him! The young lion lack and suffer hunger, but those who seek the Lord shall not lack ANY good thing!”

It is God's generous nature – the birds of the air, they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them! Are you not more valuable than they? The lilies of the field, they neither toil nor spin, God clothes them, will He not much more clothe you? It is God's great generosity that comforts us in our trials – so praise Him! So offer a thank offering to Him! So, seek first His kingdom and His righteousness!

What is it that God's people need when they are hurting? And, where are they gonna find that something? We know it, almost instinctively, hurting people, yes, even hurting CHRISTIAN people need comfort when they are torn and troubled – God is that Comfort! The God who supplies us all things richly to enjoy, the God who provides every good and perfect gift!

Hurting people need a generous God – guess what? We Christians have one! Not only that, but listen, hurting people, people who get kicked in the mouth so-to-speak, they need a faithful God, a true and truthful God. Is that the kind of God who has made Himself known through the pages of this Book?

Someone has wisely observed that there is one things that God CANNOT do! “What?” you might ask, “I thought God could do ALL things!” Oh, you're right. But listen – there is one thing God CANNOT do. And, that is this: (Titus 1:2) God cannot lie! He cannot, He will not fail to keep His word! Talk about comfort!

Look at Jesus' life the last few hours of His life, before He died on Calvary's cross, who helped Him as He wrestled with the thought of drinking the cup of God's wrath poured out on Him because of our sins? Did the disciples help Him? No! They were snoring there in Gethsemane! Did Judas help Him? No! He was off plotting and pulling together Jesus' betrayal! So, who helped Him? Luke 22:43 – Scripture says that His Father, the faithful God of heaven, helped Him by sending His angel to strengthen Him!

Or, what about His trials before the San Hedrin, before Herod, and before Pilate? Who helped Jesus through all of that? Peter didn't help Him. In fact, 3 times he denied he even knew Jesus! What kind of help is that? What about the other disciples? They were long gone, saving their own skins. And, as for Judas, you know what he ultimately did! He didn't help Jesus; no he hung himself! Who helped Jesus in Gethsemane? Who helped Jesus during His trials? Who helped Jesus as He hung there in agony, on that cruel Roman cross? The very same faithful and true God to whom Jesus said, “Father into Your hands I commit My spirit!”

Are you listening, my friends? People of God, it is your God's great faithfulness, His absolute truthfulness and trustworthiness that shall comfort you in your time of distress! It is! And, it is God's great faithfulness and truthfulness that calls you to be faithful! Psalm 50:14 - “Offer to God sacrifices of thanksgiving and pay your vows – fulfill your promises to the Most High!” Read 2 Timothy again sometime, and be careful to observe how both sides of that marvelous equation – God's faithfulness AND the faithfulness of God's people – are played out in the final days of the apostle Paul's life!

Brothers and Sisters, my fellow wounded and weary warriors, when you are hurting, what do you need? You know it! You need comfort! And, when you lift your eyes heavenward to find some comfort, is that what you'll find? Some say, “No! No way will you find comfort in the God of the Bible! No! He's a capricious God, a malicious God, a cold, calloused even cruel God, there's no comfort to be found in Him!”

Psalm 50:15 – You who say, you who believe that the God who has revealed Himself int his Book is whimsical, unpredictable, harsh and uncaring; let me ask just one question: if our God was that kind of God, why would He even BOTHER to urge His people to “call on Him in the day of trouble”? I mean, if the God of heaven didn't plan to listen, if He didn't intend to DO something to help His people, why would He say, “Call on Me?!”

Listen, Beloved, the fact of the matter is this: both through His gracious invitations to pray AND through His equally gracious answers to our prayers, God proves Himself to be, not malicious, not capricious, but compassionate! What a comfort that is, Amen? Amen!

So, what? So, keep on praying! You're hurting, you're wounded, you're weary, and, perhaps for a time God's comfort is not forth-coming, who do you think wants to come along side right about then, and whisper to you, “See! See! I told you prayer doesn't work! I told you that God doesn't really listen, that He doesn't really care about you!”

Beloved, that's not the Holy Spirit of God whispering in your ear! No! That's the Enemy of God, and of God's people, Satan. Don't listen to him! No! Find your comfort in the compassionate God who says, “Call on Me! Call on Me in the day of your distress!” And keep on praying!

Is there something hurting people, the hurting people of this room, need when they are hurting? And, where and how are they going to find it? Beloved, this Book tells me that what hurting people need is comfort. And that the where and how of finding that comfort lead ultimately to a WHO, the God of Comfort, the compassionate, faithful, generous God of ALL comfort!

Psalm 50:15 – My Loved Ones, there's one more aspect to this text that brings all of this lesson together. And, that's the final word of promise coming from the lips of the God of comfort - “I will deliver you...” My fellow wounded, what kind of God do you look to for comfort? A compassionate God? Yes... A generous God? Yes... A faithful God? Yes...

One more question for you: what if your God was all of those things, but wasn't a God who delivers, a God who saves? What good ultimately would all His generosity, faithfulness and compassion to be to you? 3 quick scenes from Jesus' life, I'm sure you'll remember all three. Jesus and Zaccheus – Luke 19:1-10. Jesus and Peter walking on the Sea of Galilee – Matthew 14:22-33. And, one more: Jesus and the repentant Thief on the Cross – Luke 23:39-43. If you look at all three of these scenes from Jesus' life, you will see, number one: hurting people needing comfort of some kind or another. Second, you will see glimpses of Jesus' compassion, His faithfulness and His generosity. Now, here's the really important question: if Jesus hadn't come to seek and to save – to save – the lost, if He hadn't come to bring deliverance to Zaccheus' life, what good would that generous invitation to eat lunch with Zaccheus have done for Zaccheus?

Or, take Peter, about to drown in the depths of the Sea of Galilee, because he really had NO ability to walk on that sea. What good would Jesus' faithfulness have been to Peter, if He hadn't stretched forth His hand to raise Peter uo?

And, what about that thief, that repentant thief crucified next to Jesus? What good would Jesus great compassion have been to that man, if Jesus did no also declare to him this promise: “Today you will be with Me in paradise!”

Beloved, are you wounded? Are you hurting? Do you need comfort? Praise and thank the God who is so incredibly generous! And, faithfully live for the God who never ever fails to keep His promises. And, never stop praying to the God whose compassionate ears are always – ALWAYS – open to your prayers! But, listen – most important of all, trust in the saving God whose hands were stretched forth on that tree, to deliver you and me!

God, our God, generous, faithful, compassionate and most important of all, saving. He is our comfort, He is! So, what? So, glorify Him! So, praise Him!

2 Corinthians 1:3ff: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and God of all comfort... who comforts us in all our trouble, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God...”

Passing Heaven's Taste Test

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Preached at Northwest Christian Church

David P. Kautt

Sunday Morning, January 23, 2011

Philippians 1:9-11, “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

A prayer for a more perfect church… Have you been praying this prayer recently? Philippians one, verses nine through eleven, a prayer – our prayer – for ourselves, for our families, for this church; a prayer for every day of the year.

So far, in our look at this marvelous prayer the apostle Paul offered up to God in behalf of the church at Philippi, this prayer God’s Spirit led him to record for us, we have examined the CONTENT of this prayer. Paul asks God to cause Christ-like love to abound, to increase in the lives of God’s people, he prays that Christ-like love, the Christian’s ‘crown jewel’, might be evident in every area of our lives personally and congregationally. And, he prays this way, he beseeches God for this abounding Christ-like love because he knows how Christ-like love, when its influence is as strong as it should be, it will result in sweeter fellowship, richer prayer, more practical need meeting ministry, and wider, more caring outreach.

A prayer for a more perfect church, a church marked by Christ-like love, abounding in its midst - is that the kind of congregation you desire to be a part of? Here’s a model to use in asking God for that very thing!

Then, we looked at what Paul said here about Christ-like love abounding in knowledge and depth of insight, Paul’s prayer, he wasn’t simply asking God that the Christians at Philippi would be well-educated… no! Education is fine, sure. But education, if knowing Christ, knowing Him and being more completely conformed into His image, if knowing Christ, grasping His wisdom, attaining to His understanding and insight is not the goal, is not at the heart and center of the curriculum, then, ultimately, such education is worthless!

Paul’s prayer, our prayer for a more perfect church, is not a prayer for a better educated church, loaded with Ph.D.’s and M.D’s and so on. Rather, his prayer, our prayer, is to be that expression of simple, child-like faith, “Jesus, I want to know YOU! I want to be, to become, what You want me to be…”

“And this is my prayer, that your love may abound still more and more, in knowledge and depth of insight.” That’s the CONTENT of Paul’s prayer, WHAT he prayed for the Philippians, and for us.

But then – what’s next? Next Paul shows us why he prayed this way - we looked at this part of Paul’s prayer last week, didn’t we? He asked God to move upon the hearts and minds of the Philippians to move upon our hearts and minds – why? Not only so that our THINKING might be aligned with the mind of Jesus, but also so that our DECISION-making might be so aligned! “And this is my prayer, that your love may abound still more and more, in knowledge and depth of insight…” Why? “So that you may be able to discern what is the best…” “So that you may APPROVE, that you may prove, put to the test and prove in your day-to-day lives, those things that are excellent, those things that really matter as far as Jesus Christ is concerned.

This part of this amazing prayer, what is it concerned with? What is it that Paul is trying to say to us here? He’s urging us, he’s nudging us in the direction of priorities, He’s challenging us to align what we consider most important with what God considers most important! “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness…” That’s a statement of priority, isn’t it? And that’s the kind of thing Paul had in mind in this part of his prayer.

But, now look at the next section of this prayer. Paul has told the Philippians, “I am always praying for you, joyfully petition God for you…” (verse 4) And, in verse 9, he tells them what? He asked God for in their behalf: “that [their] love might abound still more and more in knowledge and in all judgment, in all spiritual discernment and understanding…” But, then in verse 10, he moves the focus of his prayer from CONTENT to OUT-come. “I am praying for you, my Dearly Loved brothers and sisters in Christ at Philippi, praying that you might grow in Christ-like love and increase in your knowledge of Jesus Christ.” Why? Here’s the hoped-for, the prayed-for, outcome: “that you may be sincere and without offense – that you may be blameless and pure – until the day of Christ and filled [overflowing] with the fruits of righteousness that come by Jesus Christ.”

How many of you ladies have ever baked a pie, a cake, a batch of cookies, or maybe even a casserole, a main-course meat dish or some unique salad or side entrée, and submitted it to a ‘bake-off’ contest or a ‘tasting bee’?

In my experience with 20 years of delicious fellowship meals here at Northwest, a lot of you ladies could very easily enter and win such a contest.

Ladies, let’s say you decided to enter such a contest. And so you work hard perfecting your recipe, and the precise details regarding oven temperature, time in the oven, cooling time and so on. And, then, the bake off day arrived. Time to make good on all the practice efforts. So you send your husband to the store, with explicit instructions to purchase the exact ingredients you need – nothing more, noting less. So, your husband heads off to Kroger®, and he gets a bunch of Dole®-brand bananas – you see, you’re going to make a banana-nut cake. And, he grabs a package of Diamond®-brand walnuts, and a bottle of McCormick®-brand cinnamon, and a dozen of Pilgrim’s Pride® large-sized eggs, and a gallon of Borden’s® brand whole milk, and a 5-pound sack of gold medal, unbleached, pastry flour. Check – check – check, he gathers every last ingredient that you asked for – except… Except for the one ingredient that is most essential: the Adam’s® brand vanilla flavoring. Kroger® was out of it. So, he takes out his trusty cell phone and calls you with the good news, “I’ve got everything on your list – I’ll be home soon.” “Did you get the Adam’s® vanilla?” you inquire! “No, honey – they’re fresh out of it at Kroger®.” “Well, would you mind checking at Brookshire’s® for me, please?” “I will.” And, off he goes to scour the shelves at Brookshire’s®. “No Adam’s® brand vanilla. Do you want me to try Walmart®, maybe Albertsons® or Sam’s Club®…” “Yes, honey – please. I’ve got to have Adam’s® brand vanilla, or my cake won’t taste right.” Your husband, who loves an adventure, checks all the other stores and ends up - I know the suspense is killing you – he ends up empty-handed. There’s not a drop of Adam’s® brand vanilla to be found in all of McKinney. “Hmmm! Well, thank you, honey, for all your extra efforts. I guess I’ll just have to settle for a teaspoonful of the store brand instead, and hope it all works out…

Two hours later, after the cake is cooled and ready to be frosted, you slice off a portion for your husband to sample – “Mmmm, mmmm! Just as delicious as always.” he remarks. “Oh, honey, you’re my biggest fan. But, what will the judges think? Maybe they won’t taste the difference, because I’m sorry to say, I do!”

Have you ever wondered what it will be like to have your life ‘tasted’ by the ‘Master Chief’, the King and final Judge of heaven? When Paul prays this prayer, he asks God to so work in the lives of God’s people, to so order and combine the ‘ingredients’ of Christ-like love and depth of spiritual insight and Kingdom of God-oriented priorities in and into our lives, that the outcome, the finished product when we’re DONE with our time in this ‘oven’ (earth), is not a “I’m not sure whether the presence of second-rate ingredients in my life will be acceptable.” But rather, a confident, “God, my Maker, You have made me, worked mightily in my life and combined in me all the right ingredients so that – now – here I stand before You, blameless and pure, sincere and without offense…”

My friends, my Dear Loved Ones in Christ, do you understand, do we grasp the seriousness of what it will be like to take part in HEAVEN’S tasting bee? We may be able to pull one over on human judges, but not on the Judge of heaven! When He tastes our lives, what will He say? And how will that affect our eternal destiny? “That you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ.” This part of Paul’s prayer ought to stop us short, because it points us in the direction of a Day yet to come, the Day of Judgment!

But, you know there’s a second aspect, a second level of application to our lives that flows from this part of the prayer. And that is this: what effect on others, spouses and children and parents and siblings and the person across the aisle from you at work or down the row from you in this sanctuary, what effect do second-rate ingredients mixed into our lives have on others’ lives?

In chapter two of this incredible letter, Paul moves from praying for the Philippians, to exhorting the Philippians along these very lines. Philippians 2:14-16, look what he says:

Philippians 2:14-16, ”Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.”

The blameless life, the life of Christ-like purity, it’s not just for God’s eyes to observe, it is meant for everyone else’s eyes, too! The Christ-like life, lived without admixture, not only does it hold forth promises in the life to come, remember Jesus’ beatitude: “blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God…”? Not only does a life of sincerity, a life of good and godly ‘ingredients’ mixed in us through and through hold forth promise in heaven - listen – it also has power, great power to INFLUENCE others for God’s Kingdom – now!

Let me ask you a question, if I may: “How many of you have ever been God’s servant to baptize someone into Christ?” Now, let me ask this: “How many of you have ever conducted a funeral of someone who apparently drank himself to death, who stepped into the baptistery with you fifteen years earlier?” I have – yesterday.

How did that happen? What went wrong in the life of my young friend, D. L.? Don’t get me wrong – I’m not God, nor do I have all the answers and insight that He has – but listen, I wonder that if a part of why D. died in the horrible way in which he died, is because somehow, somewhere, he saw ‘cakes’ that had inferior ingredients and he couldn’t reconcile the truth of what he read in Scripture, with the hypocrisy that he saw elsewhere!

Does that statement hit you between the eyes? It hit me between the eyes yesterday, as I stood next to D.’s casket.

Paul’s prayer here and this emphasis on the blameless life, the pure, faultless, sincere, no-admixture, life, in view of the Heavenly tasting bee, and in view of the earthly impact of such a life, reminds me of these familiar words from a cherished hymn – and with these I will close:

“When He shall come with trumpet sound,

oh, may I then in Him be found

dressed in His righteousness alone,

faultless to stand before His throne

On Christ the solid rock I stand

All other ground is sinking sand,

All other ground is sinking sand.”

Living By the Excellent Things Principle

God's Word: the Holy Bible.

Preached at Northwest Christian Church

David P. Kautt

Sunday Morning, January 16, 2011

Philippians 1:9-11, “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

A prayer for a more perfect church. A prayer, our prayer, for everyday of the year! So far in our look at this amazing portion of God's Word, we have looked at what we might call the CONTENT of Paul's prayer for the Philippians. In verses 3 and 4 of this same chapter, the apostle Paul, whose love for this congregation was deep and whose gratitude for them was rich, in those verses, Philippians one verses three and four, he tells them: “I thank my God every time I remember you.” “Every time I pray for you I always pray with joy.”

Wouldn't that be something, if this giant of the faith, the apostle Paul, were to say that of us? “I thank God for you. I'm rejoicing in God because of you. And, I'm continually praying for you.” What an encouragement, what an inspiring word that must have been to that congregation at Philippi so long ago.

But, then what? In the passage we have been examining for the last few weeks, Paul moves from simply telling the Philippians that he has them in mind and in prayer, to letting them in on exactly what he asked God for in their behalf. Once again, read the sermon text with me, will you?

Philippians 1:9-11, “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

Paul prays for the Philippians, and I believe, in the fact that God's Spirit prompted Paul to write down this prayer to be preserved even for us, for our study and edification, Paul prays for them, and he also, in a sense, prays for us. And his prayer is to the effect that love, Christlike love, the 'Christian's crown jewel', might abound, might grow and increase in all of us! In other words, he prays that the sweetness of our fellowship, the richness of our prayer life, the practicality of our need-meeting ministry, and, the wideness of our caring outreach, that all of these might INCREASE, today - this year - to the glory of God, to the up-building of the Kingdom of God! “I'm praying for you. I really am, and this is what I am praying...”

Next, we learned that the more perfect church, that God-sized goal, that opportunity to be a part of something bigger and greater than ourselves, when you come right down to it, it has everything to do with knowing Christ! When weighed on the scales of eternity, when calculated on Heaven's spread sheet, when compared to anything and everything else, knowing Christ, being filled with the knowledge of His will, with His wisdom and spiritual understanding, nothing else compares! Nothing else is even a close second! Nothing! “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and in all discernment, in all spiritual insight.” That's the content of Paul's prayer for the Philippians, that's WHAT he prayed for them, and for us. And, by the way, that's also a marvelous prayer for us to incorporate in our prayers!

But, then what? Notice that Paul's prayer does not stop there. It doesn't end with mere content. No. Directed by the Spirit of God, in tune and in touch with the mind of God and the heart of God, Paul's prayer, as it is recorded for us here, it moves from mere content, to purpose, from “what” to “why”. It takes us, through this prayer, penned by the Spirit of God, through His servant the apostle Paul, this prayer takes us from the level of our thinking, what ought to be on our minds, to the level of our decision-making, what we are going to do, what God desires for us to do, in light of this prayer!

Take another look with me, will you? “And this is my prayer, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment...” Why? Why did Paul pray that way, in that prayerful direction, for the Philippians, and for us?

Here's the first reason why: “that you may approve, that you may put to the test, and prove out in your day-to-day lives, those things that are excellent, those things that really matter, as far as God is concerned!”

Before we go any further, I need to pose a question; in light of our theme, A Prayer for a More Perfect Church, you'll understand why I ask it, why I pose this question. Here's the question: “How often have churches and Christians been torn apart, split wide open from one another, by things that really are not that important? The color of the new carpet for the sanctuary! The start time for Sunday services! The preacher – which one do I like better? How often have churches and Christians been torn apart by things like these? By things that, all things considered, are far less important?

Paul, your prayer here, to the effect that my love, our love might abound, and to the effect that our knowledge of Christ and our spiritual insight might increase, why did you pray that prayer?

The content of Paul's prayer: “That your love might abound, that your knowledge and insight might increase...” The content of Paul's prayer, designed to influence our thinking was ultimately aimed not just at our thinking, but at what results, what flows from our thinking. Namely, our decision-making. “I pray for your love and your knowledge and your insight to increase” - why? “[to the end] that you may approve the things that are excellent.” “[to the end] that you may choose what really matters!”

As I studied this text, for the sake of teaching from it today, I made two interesting discoveries. As I wrestled with figuring out what Paul mean by this portion of his prayer – approving the things that are excellent – God led me in my study to two dramatic insights. Here they are: in learning to choose, as Paul's prays that I will choose the things that are excellent, God intends to comfort me! God desires to encourage me, insight number one. But the, digging a little deeper I discovered that, not only does God desire to comfort me, as I learn to choose the things that are excellent, He also intends to confront me, to challenge me, and my decision-making, to see if whether or not what I am in the habit of choosing lives up with what He would choose!

Let's take a look at each one of these insights a little more carefully, shall we? Go with me, first of all, to a familiar passage from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, recorded in Matthew chapter 6. In the interest of time, we won't read the entire passage; nevertheless, take a look at its theme and, if you would, scan across the verses as I continue.

“Approving, choosing the things that are excellent, that really matter”, that part of Paul's prayer, to me it's a comforting word from the Lord to us. How so? I want you to look with me at these red letters, at these words of our Lord and Savior and ask yourself: what is it, what line of thinking is it that guides God, our Heavenly Father, in His decision-making, as He makes choices?

Matthew 6:25-26, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

Matthew 6:28-34, “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

What line of thinking guides God's choices? The birds of the air, “They are My first priority!” No! The lilies of the field, “they are what matter most to Me!” No! “Approving the things that are excellent”, choosing what really matters, this is a word of comfort to me, why? Because that is what guides God's decision-making. Birds of the air, and flowers of the field – oh, they are important to God, all right! But listen! Don't worry! Don't fret about what you're going to eat or drink or wear! Why? Because God, your Father, cherishes you more! Jehovah Jireh, your sufficiency. He will provide what you need! Because you are more valuable; you are one of the excellent things that He has chosen to concern Himself with.

That's a comforting word, isn't it? Matthew chapter ten – more red letters, more words of Jesus. How many of you, not only struggle with the question, “God, can I really count on you to meet my needs?” - I struggle with that area of childlike trust! How many of you not only struggle trusting God to provide for you, but also struggle with trusting God to protect you? Matthew chapter 10, for me, the struggle as it relates to fear and faith is not so much about burglars and boogie-men, but about the unknown, about the “what ifs?” - about the future! Anybody here know what I'm talkin about? We need a comforting word from the Lord, don't we? Listen to this one, will you

Matthew 10:28-31, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

What's the word of comfort from the Lord in this text? Can you see it?

Here it is: because God decides, because He chooses in keeping with the “excellent things” principle, what does He promise to do and to be for those who belong to Him? Psalm 121 – He promises to be our keeper, our shade and shield, the One who has decided to preserve us from all evil, yes, to preserve our souls, to preserve and protect us as we go out, AND as we come in, both now and forever! Forever!

Paul's prayer in Philippians chapter one, it is a comfort to me, why? Because it reminds me of these 'red letters': “I will provide what you need.” (Philippians 4:10-20) I'm your Father! “I will protect you” because I have chosen to value you, to cherish you more than many sparrows!

Philippians 1:9-11 – As I said, in analyzing the PURPOSES Paul had in mind for this prayer, I am comforted God chooses, He proves and approves of the things that are most important! But, listen – this fellow (me) whose tendency is - to major on carpet colors and service times and preacher preferences – to focus on things that often split Christians and churches wide open – guess what? I am confronted, I am challenged, I am rebuked, by this simple prayer regarding approving the things that are excellent. Matthew 11:28 – 12:21 – Again, we can't read the passage in its entirety, but later this afternoon, I urge you to do so. What's going on in this section of Scripture, to put it simply, over and over and over again, as elsewhere, so also in this text in Matthew, we read of Jesus setting forth His priorities, what really matters to Him, and in contrast to that, what matters to the Scribes and Pharisees. Matthew 12:1-14 – The Pharisees, we might call them the 'legalists', their priority is strict adherence to the law, no mater if people are hungry and need something to eat, no matter if a man – a PERSON, fashioned by God in His image – is in need of healing! It's the Sabbath, and you must not do those things, feeding the hungry, healing the sick on the Sabbath!

The Law – that was the Pharisees priority. But what was Jesus' priority? Matthew 12:7 - “I desire mercy and not sacrifice.” Matthew 12:12 - “To me”, Jesus says, “men – persons – are more valuable than sheep!” Why would Jesus say things like that? Why would He “break the rules” to feed the hungry and heal the sick? Because His priority guided by the “excellent things principle” of Paul's prayer, is to heal bruised reeds, to rekindle flickering flames, Matthew 12:20, and to call to Himself all who are weary and heavy laden that He might give them rest – Matthew 11:28-30.

How many times, like Saul of Tarsus, have I been the legalist on the hunt for those who weren't measuring up! How many times have I valued a sheep – the color of the carpet, etc. - more than the hurting, needy persons God brings into my life!

This prayer, you see it, don't you? It not only comforts us, it confronts us! It speaks to the issue of walking by faith not by sight, trusting in our Provider and Protector, our Father!

And, it also pierces our hearts, our selfish, misguided hearts, with the challenge to LOVE people, not things!

A prayer for every day of the year. A prayer for a more perfect church, a church guided by Jesus' choosing excellent things principles! That's what I want to be; that's what God wants us to be!