Slideshow image

Dangerous Prayers - Part 1

Pastor Ben Kellert

Sunday, August 25th, 2024

Experiencing Jesus... an encounter can be just as significant if it is quiet and gentle.  Think Elijah and the gentle whisper...the "still, small voice"...

Don't forget: we can't get so wrapped up in looking for the extraordinary that we miss His whisper...

  • remain in humility
  • quietly and patiently waiting and listening...

God is so good, faithful and patient with us!

Have you ever prayed a "Dangerous Prayer?"

Examples of Dangerous Prayers in the Bible:

1.  Search Me - Psalm 139: 23 & 24  "Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

How is your prayer life?

  • Does that question make you squirm?
  • Why do we have a hard time praying?
  • Why do we tend to pray only "safe" prayers?

Martin Luther:  "I have so much to do that I will spend the first 3 hours in prayer!"

  • Wow!  We are so busy but do we prioritize our time for prayer?  We need His help more than ever!

David's prayer points out that God is:

  • Omniscient - all knowing  (Psalms 139: 1-6 "You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.")
  • Omnipresent - everywhere (Psalm 139:7-12  "Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.  If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you."
  • Omnipotent - all powerful (Psalm 139:13-18 "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand—when I awake, I am still with you."

He knows everything about you.  He is always with you and He created you with a plan and a purpose.  He loves you so much!!

David gives God permission to have full access to his heart:  "Search my heart"

  • Help me to understand myself and your plans and purposes for me.
  • Reveal what is really in my heart.
  • Sometimes we fool ourselves into thinking we are ok...
  • Our hearts are deceitful above all things and beyond care...

Jeremiah 17:10 “I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.”

Psalm 139:23-24 (The Message) 

"Investigate my life, O God,
    find out everything about me;
Cross-examine and test me,
    get a clear picture of what I’m about;
See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong—
    then guide me on the road to eternal life."

2.  Test me & know my Anxious thoughts...

  • As humans we are often anxious and fearful...
  • "What we often fear the most is where we trust God the least!"
  • 1 Peter 5:7 "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."

The phrase "Do not fear" appears 365 times in the bible! 

That's one for every day of the year!

3. See if there is any offensive way in me...

James 5:16  "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."

*"Christ is never fully valued, until sin is clearly seen.

We must know the depth and malignity of our disease, in order to appreciate the great Physician.”

- J.C. Ryle*

Proverbs 3:5-6 

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight."

3. Lead me in the way everlasting 

  • Everlasting = Eternity
  • We want to be forever with the Father
  • We want to spend eternity with Jesus - the way everlasting!  Amen!

*Next, click here to watch the full replay of this sermon: "Dangerous Prayers".