100:00:00,960 –> 00:00:29,600Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith. I’m David Pick, glad you could be with us today200:00:29,600 –> 00:00:34,279and, Colin, you’re probably going to be talking to a lot of us today who are worriers300:00:34,279 –> 00:00:39,919you’re saying we can use that to our advantage? How do I do that?400:00:39,919 –> 00:00:46,779Psalm 124 has got to be one of your favorite psalms if you are a natural worrier because500:00:46,779 –> 00:00:52,820it has all the what-ifs. It says If the Lord had not been on our side. So what it does600:00:52,820 –> 00:00:58,520is it actually takes us back to the wonderful truth that the Lord is on our side and that700:00:58,619 –> 00:01:04,440takes us to a very important principle for every person who struggles with worry and800:01:04,440 –> 00:01:10,800we all do at different points in life. We need not only to ask God for his help, but900:01:10,800 –> 00:01:16,919we need to affirm when we come before God who he is and what he has done. That’s a really1000:01:16,919 –> 00:01:23,400important part of building faith, building confidence, overcoming fear, answering worry1100:01:23,440 –> 00:01:30,080and all of it is done live, present tense, in Psalm 124 by a person who’s worrying1200:01:30,080 –> 00:01:35,300and finds the solution by finding a grounding in faith and who God is and what he’s done.1300:01:35,300 –> 00:01:41,440Well let’s jump right into Psalm 124 as we continue the message from asking to receiving.1400:01:41,440 –> 00:01:42,400Here is Colin.1500:01:42,400 –> 00:01:48,099If you want to learn the art of prayer, this is the posture you must assume.1600:01:48,099 –> 00:02:10,339Now, the psalmist is not a slave of course and he’s not endorsing slavery either.1700:02:10,339 –> 00:02:13,740What he’s doing is very simply using a picture.1800:02:14,619 –> 00:02:19,720And he’s saying, as I come to ask Lord, this is how I’m coming to you.1900:02:20,759 –> 00:02:28,179I’m approaching you in the same way as a slave comes to his master or a maid to her mistress.2000:02:28,179 –> 00:02:33,179In other words, I’m looking to you to direct me.2100:02:33,179 –> 00:02:38,399I’m looking to you to provide for me, because a slave can’t provide for his or herself.2200:02:39,279 –> 00:02:42,919I’m looking to you to protect me.2300:02:43,100 –> 00:02:47,619That’s how a slave comes to his master, how a maid comes to her mistress.2400:02:47,619 –> 00:02:52,960Now the point here that’s important is that I am in the position of the slave and God2500:02:52,960 –> 00:02:56,360is in the position of the master.2600:02:56,360 –> 00:03:00,119And the difficulty for many of us in prayer, of course, is that we get it precisely2700:03:00,119 –> 00:03:02,460the wrong way round.2800:03:03,039 –> 00:03:09,960When we pray, it’s as if it said, as the eyes of a master look to a slave, so our eyes2900:03:09,960 –> 00:03:12,639are looking to you, oh God.3000:03:12,740 –> 00:03:14,380And then we begin our prayer.3100:03:14,380 –> 00:03:16,380Lord, do this.3200:03:16,380 –> 00:03:18,440And why haven’t you done that?3300:03:18,440 –> 00:03:22,500And how long’s it gonna take you to do the other?3400:03:22,500 –> 00:03:28,240We come as if we were trying to give direction to God.3500:03:28,240 –> 00:03:30,679That’s how a master speaks to a slave.3600:03:30,679 –> 00:03:36,460No, no, no, says the psalmist when I come to ask, it’s entirely the other way round.3700:03:36,460 –> 00:03:41,500I come in the position of the slave coming to the master.3800:03:41,580 –> 00:03:45,759That’s why he says, I lift my eyes up to you.3900:03:45,759 –> 00:03:46,919Did you notice that?4000:03:46,919 –> 00:03:50,000Up, not down.4100:03:50,000 –> 00:03:58,100You’re gonna come to God in prayer, you look up to him, you don’t look down on him.4200:03:58,100 –> 00:04:02,759Prayer can never be a way of manipulating God.4300:04:02,800 –> 00:04:10,580So if we want to cultivate the art of asking, let’s humble ourselves and take the position4400:04:10,580 –> 00:04:13,820of a servant.4500:04:13,820 –> 00:04:16,359Don’t stare at the mountains.4600:04:16,359 –> 00:04:19,760Get your eyes off yourself.4700:04:19,760 –> 00:04:22,220Adopt the position of a servant.4800:04:22,220 –> 00:04:28,619And fourth, fix your eyes on the throne and the hands of God.4900:04:29,440 –> 00:04:36,440I lift my eyes to you whose throne is in heaven.5000:04:36,440 –> 00:04:42,899By the way do you notice the parallel between the opening of this Psalm, and the Lord’s prayer?5100:04:42,899 –> 00:04:48,459Remember that the disciples asked Jesus how they should pray, as this psalm is also teaching5200:04:48,459 –> 00:04:49,859us how to pray.5300:04:49,859 –> 00:04:57,799And Jesus said, here’s how you pray, and he began this way, our Father in Heaven.5400:04:58,279 –> 00:05:06,920Psalm 123 is beginning the same way, I lift my eyes to you whose throne is in heaven.5500:05:06,920 –> 00:05:12,880I find it especially helpful that this psalm directs our attention to the throne, and then5600:05:12,880 –> 00:05:17,320to the hands of God.5700:05:17,320 –> 00:05:24,420I lift up my eyes to you whose throne is in heaven, the throne of course speaks of God’s5800:05:24,459 –> 00:05:27,980power and His authority.5900:05:27,980 –> 00:05:32,679The best way to get your mind off the mountains – you are saying how am I to do that, they6000:05:32,679 –> 00:05:33,739seem so big.6100:05:33,739 –> 00:05:41,140The best way to get your mind off the mountains is to get it onto the throne of God, His power,6200:05:41,140 –> 00:05:45,619His authority, His eternity.6300:05:45,619 –> 00:05:51,940I lift my mind, I lift my eyes to your throne, oh God.6400:05:51,940 –> 00:05:56,260And that’s where Jesus is.6500:05:56,260 –> 00:05:58,380Think about that.6600:05:58,380 –> 00:06:01,480But it’s not just the throne of God in His awesome power.6700:06:01,480 –> 00:06:03,880It is the hand of God.6800:06:03,880 –> 00:06:08,760Look at verse 2, as the eyes of the slave look to the hand of the master or the eyes6900:06:08,760 –> 00:06:12,559of the maid look to the hand of the mistress.7000:06:12,920 –> 00:06:15,859Look at God’s throne, he says, but not just that.7100:06:15,859 –> 00:06:19,140Look at God’s hand.7200:06:19,140 –> 00:06:24,119And I cannot think about the hands of God without remembering that when He came to us7300:06:24,119 –> 00:06:30,100in Jesus, His hands were pierced.7400:06:30,100 –> 00:06:37,600Look at the hands of Jesus I see the wounds as the disciples did even after the resurrection.7500:06:37,600 –> 00:06:41,140God’s throne speaks to me of His awesome power.7600:06:41,140 –> 00:06:48,019His hands speak to me of His amazing love.7700:06:48,019 –> 00:06:55,019Look at His throne, look at His hands, you will find that your faith begins to grow.7800:06:55,019 –> 00:07:02,160And as your faith grows, you will find a freedom within you to begin to ask for what you need.7900:07:03,119 –> 00:07:09,600See, faith grows by looking at Christ.8000:07:09,600 –> 00:07:18,000Fix your eyes on the mountains and you’ll grow in worry.8100:07:18,000 –> 00:07:24,760Fix your eyes on yourself and you’ll either grow in pride or else you’ll grow in despair.8200:07:24,760 –> 00:07:30,739Fix your eyes on Jesus and you will grow in faith.8300:07:31,660 –> 00:07:38,880You will discover what it is, as the psalmist did, to be able to ask for what you need,8400:07:38,899 –> 00:07:41,579as your mind is fixed on him.8500:07:41,579 –> 00:07:45,380By the way, that’s why we need to nourish ourselves in the word, isn’t it?8600:07:45,380 –> 00:07:47,160Because that’s where we find Christ.8700:07:47,160 –> 00:07:49,279He’s the bread of life.8800:07:49,279 –> 00:07:53,779That’s why Christ needs to be always the center of our worship, because we don’t8900:07:53,779 –> 00:08:00,160come here to congratulate ourselves or commiserate ourselves, we come here to celebrate Christ9000:08:00,160 –> 00:08:03,420and we’re strengthened as we come to him.9100:08:03,420 –> 00:08:08,040So here’s the first dimension of prayer – asking for what you need.9200:08:08,040 –> 00:08:18,179Don’t stare at the mountains, get your eyes off yourself, adopt the position of a servant,9300:08:18,179 –> 00:08:25,859fix your mind on the throne and on the hand of God.9400:08:25,880 –> 00:08:30,079But there’s a second dimension to authentic prayer that I think is every bit as important9500:08:30,079 –> 00:08:34,520and we find it in Psalm 124.9600:08:34,520 –> 00:08:41,919Ask for what you need, affirm what God has done.9700:08:41,919 –> 00:08:48,859If there is to be a balance of poise and a progress, an ascending in your prayer life,9800:08:48,859 –> 00:08:53,760you need not one track but you need both of these together.9900:08:53,760 –> 00:08:58,239Ask for what you need, secondly affirm what God has done.10000:08:58,239 –> 00:09:01,140Notice the contrast between these two Psalms.10100:09:01,140 –> 00:09:07,799Psalm 123 is all about asking, Psalm 124 is all about affirming and it’s important10200:09:07,799 –> 00:09:09,520to keep these together.10300:09:09,520 –> 00:09:12,859Now notice just in brief what’s happening in this Psalm.10400:09:12,859 –> 00:09:18,200It begins with him saying that if God had not been on our side we would have been swept10500:09:18,200 –> 00:09:20,780away, we would have been destroyed.10600:09:20,880 –> 00:09:25,799We would have been torn, but praise God He has been on our side, He’s not let us be10700:09:25,799 –> 00:09:28,799torn by their teeth, the teeth of the enemy’s.10800:09:28,799 –> 00:09:32,820We have escaped like a bird out of the fowler’s snare.10900:09:32,820 –> 00:09:37,140The snare has been broken and we have escaped.11000:09:37,140 –> 00:09:43,119He is affirming what God has done.11100:09:43,320 –> 00:09:49,799So I want to try and encourage us with some practical pointers as to how you can grow,11200:09:49,799 –> 00:09:54,059ascend, in affirming what God has done.11300:09:54,059 –> 00:09:58,119I want just to give two here from this 124th Psalm.11400:09:58,119 –> 00:10:09,799The fist I have called simply Practice the What If’s of Faith.11500:10:10,599 –> 00:10:13,679Practice the What If’s of Faith.’11600:10:13,679 –> 00:10:15,520Notice how the Psalm begins,11700:10:15,520 –> 00:10:20,039if the Lord had not been on our side.11800:10:20,039 –> 00:10:25,200Then he says it again, let Israel say, so he wants the whole community to practice saying11900:10:25,200 –> 00:10:26,219this.12000:10:26,219 –> 00:10:30,880If the Lord had not been on our side.12100:10:30,880 –> 00:10:38,640Now, some of us have a natural tendency to the what ifs of worry.12200:10:38,679 –> 00:10:41,400What if my husband dies?12300:10:41,400 –> 00:10:44,119What if I lose my job?12400:10:44,119 –> 00:10:46,440What if the test is positive?12500:10:46,440 –> 00:10:48,760And the list goes on and on and on.12600:10:48,760 –> 00:10:51,380Some of us are more prone to worry than others.12700:10:51,380 –> 00:10:54,539It’s an area of particular struggle for some.12800:10:54,539 –> 00:10:59,260You’re listening to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith, and a message called from asking12900:10:59,260 –> 00:11:00,619to receiving.13000:11:00,619 –> 00:11:02,760Based on Psalm 124.13100:11:02,760 –> 00:11:05,200One of the songs of ascent.13200:11:05,200 –> 00:11:07,280Don’t forget if you ever miss one of our series,13300:11:07,299 –> 00:11:09,320which is called Moving in the Right Direction,13400:11:09,320 –> 00:11:13,059you can always catch up or go back and listen again online.13500:11:13,080 –> 00:11:14,080Come to our website.13600:11:14,080 –> 00:11:17,359Openthebible.org.uk13700:11:17,359 –> 00:11:20,059Back to the message now, we’re in Psalm 124.13800:11:20,059 –> 00:11:21,500Here’s Colin.13900:11:22,359 –> 00:11:28,020When I was growing up, we had a thing that was called a promise box.14000:11:28,020 –> 00:11:32,099Folks know what a promise box was, familiar with that?14100:11:32,119 –> 00:11:38,299A little box and inside there were little pieces of paper rolled up,14200:11:38,299 –> 00:11:43,320like a scroll, and placed on end in the box and all bunched together.14300:11:43,320 –> 00:11:46,200You’d probably have a hundred of these in the box.14400:11:46,200 –> 00:11:47,940And on each little bit of paper14500:11:47,940 –> 00:11:51,080was one of the promises of God from the Bible.14600:11:51,080 –> 00:11:54,260Then in the top of the box was a pair of tweezers.14700:11:54,260 –> 00:11:57,539And the idea was that when you had a family prayer time in the evening,14800:11:57,539 –> 00:12:00,500you see, you’d bring out the box and you’d give it to the kids14900:12:00,500 –> 00:12:04,020and they’d take the tweezers and they’d pull out one of these scrolls15000:12:04,020 –> 00:12:07,119and you’d read it and take in one of the promises of God.15100:12:07,119 –> 00:12:09,539Of course, we developed the art of always choosing the same one15200:12:09,539 –> 00:12:12,799because it was dog-eared at the top and we liked it and so forth.15300:12:12,799 –> 00:12:15,979But that was how a promise box worked.15400:12:15,979 –> 00:12:20,679Now, my grandmother, now wonderfully with the Lord,15500:12:20,679 –> 00:12:25,080had throughout her years and natural tendency to worry.15600:12:25,080 –> 00:12:29,119And so in the spirit of good family fun,15700:12:29,140 –> 00:12:33,280my folks years ago made for her a worry box.15800:12:34,359 –> 00:12:36,820It was just like a promise box,15900:12:36,820 –> 00:12:39,500except that each of the little scrolls of paper16000:12:39,500 –> 00:12:44,119had something that you could worry about, one for each day,16100:12:44,119 –> 00:12:47,580it had things like, what if the roof falls in?16200:12:47,580 –> 00:12:49,840What if the car breaks down?16300:12:49,840 –> 00:12:53,599What if the rent doubles and so forth and so on?16400:12:53,599 –> 00:12:55,979Now, my grandmother thoroughly enjoyed this joke,16500:12:55,979 –> 00:12:58,280we all laughed about it for a very long time,16600:12:58,280 –> 00:13:00,299which, by the way, is a terrific thing to do,16700:13:00,299 –> 00:13:03,179to be able to learn to laugh at yourself16800:13:03,179 –> 00:13:05,719and your own idiosyncrasies.16900:13:06,599 –> 00:13:09,520But some of us are natural warriors.17000:13:09,520 –> 00:13:13,640We live in the what ifs of life.17100:13:14,960 –> 00:13:16,640Well, if you’re a natural worrier17200:13:16,640 –> 00:13:20,039and you do a lot of what if’ing,17300:13:20,039 –> 00:13:24,479Psalm 124 Shows You How You Can Use17400:13:24,479 –> 00:13:27,380This Tendency to Your Advantage.17500:13:28,580 –> 00:13:30,440Next time you find yourself17600:13:30,440 –> 00:13:33,119going over the what ifs of worry,17700:13:34,119 –> 00:13:39,119try switching to the what ifs of faith.17800:13:40,960 –> 00:13:42,559That’s what David does here.17900:13:43,659 –> 00:13:48,179What if the Lord had not been on our side?18000:13:50,719 –> 00:13:52,960Now I found that there are many believers18100:13:52,960 –> 00:13:54,599who seem instinctively to do this.18200:13:54,599 –> 00:13:56,500I’ll tell you when I’ve heard it most.18300:13:57,340 –> 00:14:00,340When I’ve had the privilege of walking closely18400:14:00,340 –> 00:14:02,700with someone who has gone through deep trouble,18500:14:02,700 –> 00:14:07,539perhaps a bereavement, a loss, a great tragedy,18600:14:07,539 –> 00:14:10,260a very serious operation.18700:14:10,260 –> 00:14:12,760I’ve had the privilege as a pastor of sitting beside them,18800:14:12,760 –> 00:14:15,619perhaps in a hospital or in their home or whatever.18900:14:16,859 –> 00:14:20,840I’ll tell you the phrase that seems to have occurred19000:14:20,840 –> 00:14:23,020time and time and time again.19100:14:23,880 –> 00:14:24,780Pastor,19200:14:26,359 –> 00:14:31,020I don’t know how folks could get through this19300:14:31,020 –> 00:14:33,679if they didn’t know the Lord.19400:14:35,280 –> 00:14:37,479Now, you see, that’s the What Ifs of faith.19500:14:38,460 –> 00:14:40,020Now, you see, that is precisely19600:14:40,020 –> 00:14:41,960what David is doing here in the psalm.19700:14:41,960 –> 00:14:44,099That is the What If of faith,19800:14:45,159 –> 00:14:49,020the ability to say, what if God wasn’t with me?19900:14:50,219 –> 00:14:52,659What if Christ hadn’t died?20000:14:52,780 –> 00:14:54,500What if Christ hadn’t died for me?20100:14:56,080 –> 00:14:59,760What if my eternal future was hanging in the balance?20200:15:00,619 –> 00:15:02,919What if my faith were only a human decision20300:15:02,919 –> 00:15:05,559and it all depended on me to give it up?20400:15:05,559 –> 00:15:10,419For a Christian, the What If of faith builds confidence20500:15:10,419 –> 00:15:12,119because it focuses attention20600:15:12,119 –> 00:15:14,299on the reality of your situation.20700:15:15,299 –> 00:15:18,559You see, this is David’s way of reminding his heart20800:15:18,559 –> 00:15:20,619and his mind that God is with him.20900:15:20,659 –> 00:15:23,659And this is our way of saying Christ has died for us.21000:15:23,659 –> 00:15:25,659This is our way of calling to mind21100:15:25,659 –> 00:15:28,820that I am a new creation in Jesus Christ.21200:15:28,820 –> 00:15:33,359If these things were not true, I would be overwhelmed,21300:15:33,359 –> 00:15:35,820but these are the realities of my life,21400:15:35,820 –> 00:15:38,960and in times of trouble, I need to affirm them.21500:15:40,619 –> 00:15:43,580Now, if you think this is building a lot on a little,21600:15:43,580 –> 00:15:45,900let me suggest you just read the New Testament21700:15:46,859 –> 00:15:49,539because as you go through the letters of the New Testament,21800:15:49,580 –> 00:15:52,619you will find this pattern again and again and again.21900:15:52,619 –> 00:15:57,280Paul says to the Corinthians think of what you once were.22000:15:57,280 –> 00:15:58,119Why does he say that?22100:15:58,119 –> 00:16:00,119To make them feel bad?22200:16:00,119 –> 00:16:04,059No, to remind them of what Christ has done for them.22300:16:05,059 –> 00:16:07,820Ephesians, he says, you were darkness,22400:16:07,820 –> 00:16:10,940but now you are light in the Lord.22500:16:10,940 –> 00:16:13,599You were dead in your trespasses and sins,22600:16:13,599 –> 00:16:17,580but you have been made alive in Jesus Christ.22700:16:17,640 –> 00:16:18,880Look at where you were.22800:16:18,880 –> 00:16:21,780Look at what you would be if it was not for Jesus Christ.22900:16:21,780 –> 00:16:23,580Do the what ifing of faith23000:16:23,580 –> 00:16:27,460and it will help you to see just what you have in Jesus23100:16:27,460 –> 00:16:31,219and that’s precisely what you need to affirm.23200:16:33,400 –> 00:16:34,919If the Lord had not been on our side,23300:16:34,919 –> 00:16:38,159we would have been swept away.23400:16:38,159 –> 00:16:40,960But the Lord is on our side.23500:16:40,960 –> 00:16:42,299God is with me.23600:16:43,299 –> 00:16:46,000And neither death nor life,23700:16:46,099 –> 00:16:48,200nor anything in heaven or hell23800:16:48,200 –> 00:16:51,140or earth could ever separate you from the love of God23900:16:51,140 –> 00:16:54,000which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.24000:16:57,039 –> 00:16:59,640Practise the what ifs of faith.24100:17:00,840 –> 00:17:04,839Second, major on the perfect tense of salvation.24200:17:08,180 –> 00:17:11,520Major on the perfect tense of salvation.24300:17:12,719 –> 00:17:14,300You’re saying it’s too long since I was at school24400:17:14,300 –> 00:17:15,520doing grammar, I can’t remember24500:17:16,040 –> 00:17:17,359which one the perfect tense is.24600:17:17,359 –> 00:17:21,520The perfect tense is the one that has already happened.24700:17:23,119 –> 00:17:25,260And the Bible’s full of it.24800:17:25,260 –> 00:17:28,119Remember of course that the scriptures speak24900:17:28,119 –> 00:17:31,699of our salvation as a completed transaction25000:17:32,859 –> 00:17:36,280and an ongoing process and a future hope.25100:17:38,739 –> 00:17:40,699It’s all three.25200:17:40,699 –> 00:17:44,099The reality is that you have been saved.25300:17:44,099 –> 00:17:46,619You are being saved.25400:17:46,619 –> 00:17:48,760And that one day you will be saved.25500:17:48,760 –> 00:17:52,819And the New Testament speaks in all of these tenses.25600:17:52,819 –> 00:17:55,579Looking back, you have been saved25700:17:55,579 –> 00:17:56,739from sin’s penalty.25800:17:56,739 –> 00:17:58,400It’s a completed transaction.25900:17:58,400 –> 00:18:01,260It is by grace you have been saved.26000:18:01,260 –> 00:18:03,219Ephesians 2 in verse eight.26100:18:03,219 –> 00:18:05,500A transaction took place, it’s a done deal.26200:18:05,500 –> 00:18:06,380It’s finished.26300:18:06,380 –> 00:18:08,699You are in Jesus Christ.26400:18:09,680 –> 00:18:12,500At the same time, Peter talks about a future salvation,26500:18:12,540 –> 00:18:15,239a salvation that’s ready to be revealed26600:18:15,239 –> 00:18:17,040but it belongs to the last time,26700:18:17,040 –> 00:18:18,800when Jesus Christ comes again.26800:18:18,800 –> 00:18:21,859You’ll be brought out of sin’s presence and into his home.26900:18:22,900 –> 00:18:25,699And until that day you are in the present tense process27000:18:25,699 –> 00:18:27,420of being saved.27100:18:28,380 –> 00:18:30,1801 Corinthians 1 18.27200:18:30,180 –> 00:18:35,180To us who are being saved, the cross is the power of God.27300:18:36,020 –> 00:18:38,219Now all of these are of course important.27400:18:39,140 –> 00:18:42,439But the way to grow in affirming what God has done27500:18:42,439 –> 00:18:47,439is to focus on the perfect tense of salvation.27600:18:48,640 –> 00:18:51,739Notice how David does that in verse 7.27700:18:51,739 –> 00:18:55,260We have escaped.27800:18:56,119 –> 00:18:58,780Like a bird from the fowler’s snare.27900:18:58,780 –> 00:19:02,180The snare has been broken.28000:19:03,140 –> 00:19:06,500We have escaped.28100:19:07,339 –> 00:19:08,880Now if you want to grow in faith,28200:19:08,880 –> 00:19:10,439if you want to ascend in prayer,28300:19:10,439 –> 00:19:13,280you need to learn the language of affirmation28400:19:13,280 –> 00:19:15,140to declare what God has done,28500:19:15,140 –> 00:19:20,140and that means learning the perfect tense of salvation.28600:19:21,920 –> 00:19:23,800The New Testament is full of it.28700:19:24,699 –> 00:19:27,420Get your eyes open and your minds tuned28800:19:27,420 –> 00:19:28,760wherever you see it.28900:19:30,319 –> 00:19:33,680We have been justified by faith29000:19:33,680 –> 00:19:36,260and so we have peace with God, Romans 5.1.29100:19:37,239 –> 00:19:39,400Your sins have been forgiven29200:19:39,400 –> 00:19:42,979on account of Jesus name 1 John 2.12.29300:19:42,979 –> 00:19:45,380You have been born again,29400:19:45,380 –> 00:19:47,439not of perishable seed but of imperishable29500:19:47,439 –> 00:19:49,300through the living and enduring word of God.29600:19:49,300 –> 00:19:51,099That’s why you’re not going to quit the Christian life29700:19:51,099 –> 00:19:53,099cause God’s life is within you.29800:19:53,099 –> 00:19:55,060That’s 1 Peter 1.23.29900:19:55,060 –> 00:19:58,140I have been crucified with Christ30000:19:58,140 –> 00:20:00,560and I no longer live but Christ lives in me.30100:20:00,560 –> 00:20:01,939The life that I live in the body,30200:20:01,939 –> 00:20:02,780I live by faith.30300:20:02,780 –> 00:20:06,660The Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.’30400:20:06,660 –> 00:20:09,859Now you see it’s confidence in what Christ has done30500:20:10,859 –> 00:20:14,219that will build confidence in what He will do.30600:20:14,219 –> 00:20:16,459And that’s the point of verse 8.30700:20:16,459 –> 00:20:18,420He affirms in verse 730800:20:18,420 –> 00:20:19,939and that leads Him to the place30900:20:19,939 –> 00:20:22,319where He’s able to get up from His prayer in verse 831000:20:22,319 –> 00:20:23,160and say,31100:20:23,160 –> 00:20:24,500Our help is31200:20:24,500 –> 00:20:26,380in the name of the Lord,31300:20:26,380 –> 00:20:28,339the maker31400:20:28,339 –> 00:20:29,880of heaven and earth.31500:20:30,780 –> 00:20:32,939So here are the twin tracks.31600:20:34,280 –> 00:20:37,800If we are to ascend in the life of prayer,31700:20:40,140 –> 00:20:44,040if we’re to move in the right direction,31800:20:44,040 –> 00:20:45,979I need to grow in asking31900:20:47,300 –> 00:20:48,800and I need to grow in affirming.32000:20:49,959 –> 00:20:52,420Not in one or the other,32100:20:53,000 –> 00:20:54,280but in both together.32200:20:56,119 –> 00:20:58,319And it is important to keep these two together, you know,32300:20:59,099 –> 00:21:03,959because asking without affirming32400:21:03,959 –> 00:21:05,099leads to defeat.32500:21:06,640 –> 00:21:07,760And there are some Christians32600:21:07,760 –> 00:21:09,479who really tend in that direction.32700:21:11,280 –> 00:21:13,160Talk, and talk, and talk, and talk32800:21:13,160 –> 00:21:15,859about your problems,32900:21:17,719 –> 00:21:19,699but you very, very, very rarely ever affirm33000:21:19,699 –> 00:21:22,300what Jesus Christ has done for you.33100:21:23,880 –> 00:21:25,119And that leads to defeat.33200:21:25,920 –> 00:21:28,439Affirming without asking leads to denial.33300:21:30,439 –> 00:21:32,300Of course, there’s some Christians like that too.33400:21:32,300 –> 00:21:33,579Oh, the Lord’s done this for me,33500:21:33,579 –> 00:21:35,459oh the Lord’s done that for me.33600:21:36,439 –> 00:21:38,060Hallelujah, hallelujah.33700:21:39,500 –> 00:21:41,680And there becomes an unreality about it.33800:21:42,819 –> 00:21:46,060It’s become a coating over a life33900:21:46,060 –> 00:21:49,760whose fundamental issues are not really addressed.34000:21:51,280 –> 00:21:53,260So, we’ve gotta put Psalm 12334100:21:53,800 –> 00:21:56,900and Psalm 124 together34200:21:56,900 –> 00:21:59,060because asking with affirming34300:22:00,359 –> 00:22:01,699leads to deliverance.34400:22:03,000 –> 00:22:06,160Now, most of us will tend to major in the one34500:22:07,439 –> 00:22:09,079and minor in the other.34600:22:09,079 –> 00:22:10,380One or the other way round.34700:22:11,619 –> 00:22:15,920What we need to do is to go for the double major, right?34800:22:15,920 –> 00:22:17,479The double major.34900:22:18,900 –> 00:22:20,439A major in asking35000:22:20,520 –> 00:22:21,359in asking35100:22:22,560 –> 00:22:23,439and a major35200:22:24,599 –> 00:22:25,439in affirming.35300:22:26,380 –> 00:22:29,000You’re listening to the Bible with pastor Colin Smith35400:22:29,000 –> 00:22:32,119and some really helpful thoughts on prayer today.35500:22:32,119 –> 00:22:36,359Affirming what God has done and asking for what we need.35600:22:36,359 –> 00:22:38,560Colin, how have these principles helped35700:22:38,560 –> 00:22:41,000you in your own prayer life?35800:22:41,000 –> 00:22:43,739You know it was my pastor who said to me years ago35900:22:43,739 –> 00:22:46,680if you tie your prayer life to the Bible36000:22:46,680 –> 00:22:49,359it will help to keep it fresh and balanced36100:22:49,400 –> 00:22:53,280and that is just been a great piece of pastoral advice36200:22:53,280 –> 00:22:54,839that has really helped me.36300:22:54,839 –> 00:22:56,959I know it’s helped a lot of other people too.36400:22:56,959 –> 00:22:59,479As long as you keep tied to the Bible36500:22:59,479 –> 00:23:03,000the Bible’s truth will balance your prayer life.36600:23:03,000 –> 00:23:05,680It will remind you of what you need to be thankful for36700:23:05,680 –> 00:23:09,359and it will remind you of what you need to ask God for.36800:23:09,359 –> 00:23:10,560Thanks Colin.36900:23:10,560 –> 00:23:13,760Our message today was called From Asking to Receiving37000:23:13,760 –> 00:23:15,319and it’s part of our series,37100:23:15,319 –> 00:23:16,819Moving in the Right Direction,37200:23:16,819 –> 00:23:19,920studying the Songs of Ascent in the Psalms.37300:23:19,920 –> 00:23:22,579Open the Bible is supported by our listeners37400:23:22,579 –> 00:23:24,699and if you already give to support the work37500:23:24,699 –> 00:23:27,099we want to say a big thank you.37600:23:27,099 –> 00:23:29,459If you’ve been considering beginning to support37700:23:29,459 –> 00:23:31,180Open the Bible financially37800:23:31,180 –> 00:23:34,180this month if you are able to set up a new direct debit37900:23:34,180 –> 00:23:35,859to the work of Open the Bible38000:23:35,859 –> 00:23:38,479in the amount of £5, per month or more38100:23:38,479 –> 00:23:40,939or a one-off gift of £50 or more38200:23:40,939 –> 00:23:42,660we’d love to say thank you38300:23:42,660 –> 00:23:45,099by sending you a copy of Pastor Colin’s book38400:23:45,099 –> 00:23:46,619Fly Through the Bible.38500:23:46,640 –> 00:23:48,739If you’d like to receive that free gift38600:23:48,739 –> 00:23:51,319don’t forget don’t give anonymously38700:23:51,319 –> 00:23:53,500and do leave your address.38800:23:53,500 –> 00:23:56,119Colin, what do you hope that readers of this book38900:23:56,119 –> 00:23:57,579will take away from it?39000:23:58,020 –> 00:24:00,079Well, that people will see that the whole Bible39100:24:00,079 –> 00:24:01,660is one story39200:24:01,660 –> 00:24:04,900and that it all points to the Lord Jesus Christ.39300:24:04,900 –> 00:24:07,420You know, I think many folks know some stories39400:24:07,420 –> 00:24:09,239from the Bible, you know David and Goliath39500:24:09,239 –> 00:24:11,520Jonah and the Whale and so forth and so on39600:24:11,520 –> 00:24:13,979but I find that often people don’t realise39700:24:13,979 –> 00:24:17,680that there really is an overall storyline to the Bible.39800:24:17,680 –> 00:24:20,160It begins in a garden, it ends in a city39900:24:20,160 –> 00:24:21,579all the way through.40000:24:21,579 –> 00:24:23,579It’s about the Lord Jesus Christ.40100:24:23,780 –> 00:24:26,800So when a person gets an overview of the Bible40200:24:27,020 –> 00:24:29,760that’s the best way to be introduced40300:24:29,760 –> 00:24:31,839to the Lord Jesus Christ himself.40400:24:31,839 –> 00:24:34,040This is going to show you who he is40500:24:34,040 –> 00:24:35,699why we need him40600:24:35,699 –> 00:24:37,040what he’s accomplished40700:24:37,040 –> 00:24:38,119what he offers40800:24:38,119 –> 00:24:40,900what he’s able to do in the life of any person40900:24:40,900 –> 00:24:43,280who turns to him in repentance and faith.41000:24:43,339 –> 00:24:46,280Well we’d love to send you a copy of Pastor Collin’s book41100:24:46,280 –> 00:24:47,579Fly Through the Bible41200:24:47,579 –> 00:24:50,380if you’re able to set up a new direct debit41300:24:50,380 –> 00:24:51,959to the work of Open the Bible41400:24:51,959 –> 00:24:54,099for £5 per month or more41500:24:54,099 –> 00:24:57,359or a one-off gift of £50 or more this month.41600:24:57,359 –> 00:24:59,180Don’t forget to leave your address41700:24:59,180 –> 00:25:01,619so that we can send you your free gift.41800:25:01,619 –> 00:25:03,739You can find full terms and conditions41900:25:03,739 –> 00:25:06,719and you can give online at our website42000:25:06,719 –> 00:25:09,000openthebible.org.uk42100:25:09,420 –> 00:25:11,959For Open the Bible and Pastor Collin Smith42200:25:11,959 –> 00:25:14,939I’m David Pick and we’ll see you next time.42300:25:19,800 –> 00:25:22,380We hear a lot about starting the Christian life42400:25:22,380 –> 00:25:24,199and finishing strongly42500:25:24,199 –> 00:25:27,660but how do you persevere in the middle of your life?42600:25:27,660 –> 00:25:30,260Find out next time on Open the Bible.