06 Feb 06 113923715009560053

Let’s begin the voting (if you watched) for your favorite Super Bowl commercial. I thought the game was boring and disappointing. I liked the ‚ÄúSODA‚Äù advertisement with the revolving wall / refrigerator.

I know many of you have been waiting, holding your breath, to learn of my new AIM screen name. With the help of the best Spanish professor at Pepperdine University I have chosen: “elhechicerodepez” or “El Hechicero de Pez” which means The Fish Enchanter. It was as close to The Fish Whisperer as I could get and stay within the character limit.

Here’s the 2 minute version of my 20 minute message yesterday.

The Hebrew writer tells us that at anytime of the day or night you can, with full confidence, call upon God for “help when you need it.”

Hebrews 4:16 (NCV) Let us, then, feel very sure that we can come before God’s throne where there is grace. There we can receive mercy and grace to help us when we need it.

From this text I want to answer two questions: “How are we to pray?” AND “What are we to expect when we pray?”

HOW ARE WE TO PRAY?

We are to pray with confidence. We can pray with confidence knowing the past experience and current activity of Jesus, (Hebrews 4:14-15). We can pray with confidence because we are approaching the throne of grace, (Hebrews 4:16a). We can pray with confidence because God invites us to speak freely those things on our heart and mind.

We are to pray with persistence. The encouragement to pray with confidence is complemented by an exhortation to pray with persistence.

WHAT CAN WE EXPECT TO RECEIVE WHEN WE PRAY?

We can expect to receive mercy. To receive mercy is a reference to the goodness of God in relation to our individual, specific needs. Think of the examples of those in scripture who cried out to Jesus with the words “Lord have mercy on me.”

We can expect to receive grace. God loves in mercy and gives in grace.

We can expect to receive help in our time of need. The confidence to approach God with bold frankness has been given to us by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

The promise that we will receive mercy - God’s compassionate attention - together with God’s sustaining grace is the help we desperately need. But help also comes in the form of encouragement: God knows about and cares about our struggles. Help also comes in the form of knowledge: We are not alone - we don’t have to face the struggles of life alone. (Peace of mind) Help arrives in the form of understanding: We trust to receive that which we really need in spite of what we might be requesting.

Living in this world requires a godly measure of mercy, grace and help. Thus, Hebrews 4:16 encourages us to pray with confidence, persistence and expectation.

‚ÄúLet us, then, feel very sure that we can come before God‚Äôs throne where there is grace. There we can receive mercy and grace to help us when we need it.”