Shelbyville Church of Christ, 800 W South 2nd Street, Shelbyville, IL (2026)

To get more information go to:
shelbyvillechurch.com
shelbyvillechurchofchrist.com

What is the Church of Christ in Shelbyville? Introduction :

As one looks around Shelbyville he sees a number of different churches. In fact, some churches don’t endorse the others or even recognize them as being valid churches. They all (including the Church of Christ ) believe one must have faith that Jesus is

the risen Son of God and espouse faith in Him as their savior in order to be saved from the consequences of their sins and returned to fellowship with God. Interestingly, it’s estimated that all those who believe in Christ agree on 80% of the things they believe and teach. Thus, to have so many churches seems rather illogical and very much contrary to the prayer of Jesus that all of His disciples be united.(1) In the beginning there was only one church, but sadly, that 20% area of disagreement has all too often overshadowed the 80% area of agreement resulting in division after division. Some of the divisions are the result of major doctrinal differences while others are over more trivial things such as traditions or even loyalties to teachers from the past. Each church in Shelbyville is in some way different from all others in town. Some of the differences are small and inconsequential while others are very significant. Please allow us to describe some of the areas that distinguish the Shelbyville Church of Christ from the other churches in town. As you read, you will also find many similarities as well. Governed Only by Christ :

One fundamental difference between the Church of Christ in Shelbyville and some other religious organizations is that we do not recognize any man on earth as the head of the church. Jesus the risen Christ and Jesus alone is the head of His body, the church. (2) Consequently, no man or group of men has the right to originate teaching or establish rules of faith and practice for the church which belongs to the Christ. Non-Denominational :

Since Jesus is the only head of the church, there is no need for an earthly head. There are Churches of Christ in every state in the United States and all around the world. There are tens of thousands of congregations totaling millions of members, but each congregation is independent of all others, linked only by love for their common Savior. Therefore, the Church of Christ in Shelbyville is not organizationally linked to any other religious body. The local congregation is not overseen by, financially obligated to or in any way answerable to any organization beyond the local congregation. The local congregation is overseen by elders ( also called shepherds, pastors, bishops, overseers or presbyters ) which are selected from the local congregation to feed, direct and protect that congregation. The Bible :

Christians view the bible as the blueprint for their lives and for the church as well. If all Christians and all churches would strictly follow the same blueprint, the 20% area of disagreement would largely be eliminated and the divisions could be healed. This is the way to restore religious unity, by all returning to the pattern given by God and in so doing allowing Christ to rule His church. We of the Shelbyville Church of Christ believe the bible to be the way that God speaks to His church and to his people today. We believe that the bible and only the bible is the verbally inspired word of God; that it is without error, it is complete and is the final revelation of God to mankind. It is via these Holy Scriptures that Jesus rules His church today. Therefore, we do not accept any other authority for matters of faith and practice in the church; only the revealed word of God. Since the entire bible, both the Old and New Testaments, comes from God, we accept the entire bible as being authoritative. It is a grave error to take any one passage of scripture out of context to prove a point. One only has the will of God on any subject when he has all that the scriptures reveal about that subject. Thus, it behooves all Christians to study the scriptures in search of God’s will for their lives (3) and for the conduct of God’s church. Weekly Assemblies :

The Church of Christ assembles for worship each Sunday morning and evening. Our worship consists of the weekly communion service, prayers, congregational singing, bible reading, a lesson from the bible and a free will offering is taken. An hour before the Sunday morning worship service and again on Wednesday evening, we gather together for a time of bible study. Open Communion :

Open communion is practiced, but it is emphasized that the unleavened bread is to be partaken of in remembrance of Jesus having offered His body on the cross as a sacrifice for the sin of man and the fruit of the vine is partaken of as a remembrance of the innocent blood Jesus which was shed to wash away the sins of mankind. We make this remembrance on the first day of every week. You Are Invited :

Visitors are welcomed into all of our assemblies. You are invited to worship with us at your every opportunity. It is our desire to maintain a warm and loving environment in the church (4) so your visit should be a positive experience. We hope to see you soon. Meanwhile, if you have questions or would like more information about us, please click on the little green contact mailbox or call ( 217 ) 246-9893. email: [email protected]

John 17: 20-23
Eph. 1: 18-23
Eph. 5: 10
John 13: 34-35

06/01/2026

My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? (Slide 1)
Psalm 22 & Matthew 27:46

Reading: Ephesians 2:14-22

The research and preparation of this sermon has led me on a journey of discovery. That is; to grasp and to understand the circumstances of this plea and to search and understand the incredible events that occurred after our Savior on the Cross spoke these words and committed His Spirit to God Almighty.

Take note that as I begin this series based on Psalm 22 and the significance of the events after the death of our Lord, I am unsure at this time how many lessons will follow. As always, any work or lesson writing becomes a living document. Always learning, ever discovering.

Psalm 22:1-2 (Slide 2)
1 My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?
Why are You so far from helping Me,
And from the words of My groaning?
2 O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear;
And in the night season, and am not silent.

David expresses in his writing a sense of great fear and loneliness. He feels he faces his circumstances alone without God. Undoubtedly, David knew in times past and leading up to where he is now that God had been with him. But now he feels he faces his challenges alone.

Matthew 27:46 (Slide 3)
And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

I submit to you that Jesus, though I am convinced felt these words, He also knew exactly what He was saying when He quoted Psalm 22:1. He knew what He was saying would be recorded and that His words would validate that He is the Messiah. That is what David is prophesying in this Psalm.

Just as some of His final words prove His identity, so too did they prove His voluntary submission to the will of God and the giving of His life for the lost.

Luke 23:46 (Slide 4)
And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ ” Having said this, He breathed His last.
No one took His life He gave it. “I commit My Spirit” indicates the completion of His voluntary mission.

Matthew 27:41-43 (Slide 5)
41 Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, 42 “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. (Slide 6) 43 He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ”

Could He have come down from the cross? Could He have saved Himself? Could He have asked God to rescue Him? Absolutely!! But He didn’t! He chose to follow through.

Again, it is no coincidence that Jesus cries out just as the Psalmist David had written in Psalm 22. The pleas of both men connect to the prophecy of Jesus on the cross bearing the sins of man alone.

“Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” is an exact representation in Hebrew as the prophecy written by David. It is then translated into Greek by Matthew and for us in English for our understanding.

Psalm 22 was written approximately 1,000 years before the crucifixion of Jesus and is considered as one of the most vivid and detailed prophecies regarding Jesus and the cross.

The words written by David and spoken by Jesus on the cross are heartbreaking and depict the anguished feeling of abandonment felt by our Savior and reflected also in the life of David.

David's writing was inspired by his own personal suffering, Yet, even his life experiences never reached the depth of abandonment that Jesus experienced on the Cross.

The Holy Spirit guided the thoughts of David as he pinned the words of this Psalm and Jesus, forth right, fulfilled and spoke these words on the Cross signifying all that the Cross meant for victory over death and the grave.

The words spoken by Jesus are proof positive of His suffering, His death and ultimate victory. The passage of Psalm 22 and the inspired Gospel accounts show the continuity of the entire Bible and the main theme, that is; it all points to Jesus.

Jesus made these statements concerning the Bible’s central theme:

Luke 24:25-27 (Slide 7)
25 Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” (Slide 8) 27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

Luke 24:44-45 (Slide 9)
44 Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” 45 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.

David’s agony of abandonment was happening in real time as he fled from his enemies and utterly felt alone. A time in his hour of need when he seems to feel God had forsaken him. Yet, his writing is prophetic concerning the words Jesus spoke on the cross.

I would venture that there are few Christians today that on occasion do not feel in hard times our spirit within waver and wonder where God is in my time of need.

I hope at the conclusion of these lessons we will be able to see that God has been “there all the while.”

Even though David had fallen on hard times because of persecution, his abandonment was not the literal abandonment that Jesus endured.

I don’t have a complete grasp on what Jesus meant when he cried, “Why have you forsaken me” but I do know that’s what God had done.

Jesus had the entirety of all of man’s sin laid upon Him.

Sin is dark, black, cruel, evil, spiritually deadly, the summation of immorality, ugly, and encompasses everything that opposes the very nature of God. God cannot have fellowship with anything that is opposite of His nature.

The very purpose of Jesus going to the Cross was to destroy what is opposite of the nature of God.

1 John 3:8 (Slide 10)
He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

In order for that work to be completed something extraordinary had to happen. So for the first time in the existence of eternity, Jesus is alone and without fellowship and connection to God. He truly has been forsaken as the stench of our sin is born upon His body.

The reality and the concept of being separated from God as visually seen in Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross is relatable to separation from God for eternity for those who reject God’s grace and mercy. Reserved by separation for an eternity of suffering.

However, David knew that God had always been there for him:

Psalm 22:3-5 (Slide 11)
3 But You are holy,
Enthroned in the praises of Israel.
4 Our fathers trusted in You;
They trusted, and You delivered them.
5 They cried to You, and were delivered;
They trusted in You, and were not ashamed.

Despite this feeling of abandonment, David knew the true makings of our Holy God. He reminds himself that God has always been a stalwart fixture in the lives of the Israelites.

He later writes in:
Psalm 46:1 (Slide 12)
God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.

He knows God is ever present and his feelings of abandonment were the inspiration of his prophetic words regarding Jesus and the cross.

However, be reminded Jesus was truly forsaken on the cross. Therefore, Holy is our God who could not look at the sin carried to the Cross by Jesus.

Isaiah 53:4-6 (Slide 13)
4 Surely He has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions,
(Slide 14) He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

Jesus submitted Himself to the Holiness of God volunteering to take on the necessary requirement for our justification on the Cross.

Romans 3:23-26 (Slide 15)
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, (Slide 16) because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Invitation

God’s abandonment of Jesus on the cross is the life preserver of our soul.
Jesus not only conquered death, but the death caused by sin. Having given all mankind a path to be justified through obedient faith by shedding His Blood on the cross.

Have you heard the Gospel call yet remain in your sin? Why not choose the cleansing power of the Blood of Christ and be washed clean in baptism. The Gospel message is the power of God for salvation.

If you are in Christ but the feeling of being all alone has clouded your journey, let your brethren pray for you and help restore your faith.

Please let us know how we may serve you…………….

Reading
Ephesians 2:14-22
14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. 19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Please visit our website for the full audio of this study:
Shelbyvillechurch.com
Shelbyville Church of Christ

05/25/2026

Patient,Yet, Swift Judgement (Slide 1)
Luke 18:1-8

Reading: Psalm 82:1-5
Luke 18:1-8 (Slide 2)
1 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, 2 saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. 3 Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ (Slide 3) 4 And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, 5 yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ”
6 Then the Lord said, (Slide 4) “Hear what the unjust judge said. 7 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? 8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily.
(Verses 7 and 8 remind me of what is written in Revelation 6 where those who had been slain because of the word of God cry out “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” He tells them to rest because it will be a little while longer and He will fulfill that promise and has already done so.)
Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”
“What is the message for us in this parable?”
Is Jesus saying that through prayerful persistence that God will be just like the unjust judge and finally become weary/ worn down and give into our request because we continue to pester Him? Does God wear down over time and just give in or give up?
I think to make the parable mean that God will be like the unjust judge, that after repeated “pestering” God will give in is to show a complete lack of understanding of the character of God.
Proverbs 29:1 (Slide 5)
He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, Will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
This verse is truly the explanation to the title of our lesson. It also gives us tremendous insight into the parable Jesus spoke regarding the element of the vast differences between the unjust judge and God.
Often rebuked to me means someone who has been given chance after chance to make a “wrong………right.” Opportunity, time after time, to turn one’s life around.
God’s patience is revealed in this phrase: though He bears long with them
The patience of God equates with the timing of God. God’s actions are solely based on His will and His timing.
We cannot lecture God on right and wrong. He knows the wrongs of individuals and will in his timing act when appropriate. It could be immediate, years or even until the day of judgement. Regardless, it will happen.
1 Corinthians 4:5 (Slide 6)
Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.
Judgement from God will be immediate at the twinkling of an eye!
Just as many by their actions (not always by their words) show their true self, the unjust judge exposes his own selfish motivation by both his words and his actions.
Here is a man who has authority, resource, connection and power.
‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, 5 yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’

It’s evident that justice isn’t his primary concern!

Perhaps the widow is seeking justice in response to the person who had made her a widow in the first place, indeed, to be held accountable. If that’s the case, this judge has no real regard for the widow nor the perpetrator.

His justice is self serving devoid of true right or wrong that is dictated by any true legal system. Nor regard for a higher authority which is above man. His character is exposed by the breaking of the two most important commandments.

Matthew 22:37-40 (Slide 7)
37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. (Slide 8) 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Based on these two greatest of commandments is the lifting up or the fall of every man.

His justice is blinded by selfishness. He is much like the ones who hide behind status, wealth and prestige to lecture about social justice, discrimination and victimhood. A slug engulfed in virtue signaling.

Here is the widow. No authority, no where to turn. Without connection or power, and likely no financial means. The only bit of arsenal for potential justice she has is "persistence."

Jesus does not explicitly state that she is seeking revenge, rather He implies she speaks concerning a legitimate request for justice.

Now consider persistence as faith.

Jesus begins the parable is this way:

“men always ought to pray and not lose heart” - I am convinced that always praying without losing heart is equivalent to persistent faith.

You would have to be blind not to recognize injustice in the world we live in. You would have to either be immune to empathy or sympathy or simply an “agnostic or atheistic” toward the love of God to not feel for those who have been wronged.

There may always be more wrongs than rights as long as the world stands. Those without God as their moral compass dictates that people will likely be more indifferent and increasingly cold toward one another.

But will we lose heart in the face of evil and deliberate error?

People tend to think that when things, particularly those things that are wrong, continually happen over and over again that nothing will ever change.

2 Peter 3:4c (Slide 9)
all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation

Christians should hold to the concept spoken by the wise man Solomon:

Ecclesiastes 3:15 (Slide 10)
That which is has already been, And what is to be has already been; And God requires an account of what is past.

There will be a day of accounting!!!

Perpetrators of immorality feel emboldened because they aren’t held accountable. Those truly seeking justice become weary because they feel everything stays the same.

I believe Jesus is saying to the righteous individual, “Hang in there, it will all be taken care of in due time.”
Faith is behind the persistent prayer of the widow and is the message for us today.
Faith continually knocks at the door of our righteous judge who hears and will act.
Faith constrains the heart from doubt and into keeping the focus on true justice with the obedient search for life.
I don’t recall Apostle Paul ever praying for justice necessarily, but for the door to open in which he could preach to the lost concerning the ultimate judge.
Colossians 4:1-4 (Slide 11)
1 Masters, give your bondservants what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven. 2 Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; 3 meanwhile praying also for us, (Slide 12) that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, 4 that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.’
Will he find faith the day of His second coming?
“When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”
Revelation 16:15 (Slide 13)
“Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.”
Matthew 24:43-44 (Slide 14)
43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
I would think that there are few people that are naive enough to believe that it isn’t possible for someone to break into your house and rob you or maybe something worse.
Most people recognize the possibility and make some preparations at least by locking their doors at night or when they are away. Some go even further.
The thief will not alert you to the day or time in which he plans to rob you. They won’t call, text, use messenger, email or send you a letter. It will happen at a time when you least expect it.
There are those who say; “I can’t believe this happened to me. It just doesn't happen around here.”
And some believe it won’t ever happen and they are caught unprepared.
Jesus is telling us to remain prepared through faithful prayer!!
1 Thessalonians 5:1-10 (Slide 15)
1 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” (Slide 16) then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. (Slide 17) We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. (Slide 18) 8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.
Invitation
Patient Before Judgement, Yet, Swift To Avenge!

Numbers 14:18ab (Slide 19)
The Lord is longsuffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He by no means clears the guilty

Yes God is patient. He is longsuffering. However:
Acts 17:30-31 (Slide 20)
30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”
That day of justice has already been determined by The Lord God Almighty. Are we prepared?
Have you been baptized into the blood of Christ for the remission of your sin? If not, why not?
If you are a child of God but feel your persistence has wavered or you need prayers from your Brethren, please let us know.
Please let us know how we can assist you………….
Reading
Psalm 82:1-5
1 God stands in the congregation of the mighty;
He judges among the gods.
2 How long will you judge unjustly,
And show partiality to the wicked? Selah
3 Defend the poor and fatherless;
Do justice to the afflicted and needy.
4 Deliver the poor and needy;
Free them from the hand of the wicked.
5 They do not know, nor do they understand;
They walk about in darkness;
All the foundations of the earth are unstable.

Please visit our website for the full audio of this study:
Shelbyvillechurch.com
Shelbyville Church of Christ

05/18/2026

Draw Closer to God Through Prayer (Slide 1)
On Bended Knee I Come!

Reading: 2 Chronicles 6:12-21

I’m taking some of my thoughts for this lesson from an article written in the The Gospel Message from Brother Sam Woody. I will indicate in this presentation when I do to properly give Brother Woody credit for his thoughts.

I have personally subscribed to The Gospel Message for many years and have always enjoyed the lesson contents as well as benefited from its encouragement.

Every lesson I present is always something that I need to hear and to think about and this particular lesson is no exception.

Let's start this lesson by asking the question, “How often do I pray?”

Life on earth tends to get quite complicated. As much as we would like it to run along smoothly, it simply does not. You might say it becomes quite a tangled mess.

Sometimes it’s like trying to untangle the Christmas tree lights we wish to string on our tree that we hurriedly stored away last Christmas.
Unfortunately, many remain tangled in life's folly because they fail to use the only true resource that can help one out of the tangled web we have so foolishly weaved. That is on bended knee, in prayer, to almighty God.

Apostle Peter (1 Peter 5:7) encourages us to “cast all our care upon Him, for He cares for you.” This clearly illustrates that God wants to hear from us. He wants to help us and He wants to help because He loves us and wants what’s best for us. That’s what a great parent does and desires.

If the The Psalms written by David are songs, they are also Prayerful Songs. David writes in:

Psalm 27:11-13 (Slide 2)
11 Teach me Your way, O Lord,
And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.
12 Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries;
For false witnesses have risen against me,
(Slide 3) And such as breathe out violence.
13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the Lord
In the land of the living.

I am struck by the phrase: “Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries”
Though we unfortunately share the same spiritual adversary, he speaks of adversaries that physically want to harm him.

We have adversaries that are formidable when our spiritual connection with God is left unprotected because it is too often idle, complacent or just in the free space of outright apathy.

This entanglement (our adversaries) can be caused by the cares of the world. Some are entangled in addiction, sensual desire and the want of earthly satisfaction. The true cause of which is devilish and the effect is eternal jeopardy. This is less likely to happen if our relationship with God is strengthened by prayer.

Sometimes we are fraught with anxiety and concern. A strong bond with God through prayer can alleviate anxiety and fear.

Sometimes we devote too much time to activities that aren’t inherently wrong, simply time consuming, drawing away our attention to prioritizing prayer in our lives.
Apostle Paul encourages us to “pray without ceasing.” Does He mean that every waking moment should be on bended knee? No. However, there are many opportunities to be on the alert to pray.

Brother Woody in his article gives us some simple math to consider when it comes to our prayer life. He starts by asking; “How often do you pray?”

Let’s say someone prays 5 times a day and each prayer is 2 minutes in length. At the end of the week we have amassed a total of 70 minutes of communication with the Lord.

For simplicity, let’s add 30 minutes to cover worship service. The grand total for the week is 100 minutes. There are 10,080 minutes in a calendar week.

By these calculations, our prayer life consists of less than 1% of communication with our God. Is that enough?

If we give ourselves the benefit of the doubt and round up to 1% will that keep our relationship strong? Will we really draw closer to God?

1% of something can equal to have some value. $1,000,000 equals $10,000. “Hey, not bad.” You retain some wealth if you had a million, yet, you lost all but 1%.
You can lose all of your wealth and though it would be difficult, with hard work you can get it all back.
But time is a different commodity. If you waste or lose time, you can never get it back. Time is actually spent. Once it’s gone it’s gone.

You miss your child’s ballgame, graduation or any other event, you can’t go back in time to see it again. As far as I can tell, going back in time or going forward in time, “time travel,” is fantasy.

Time is something that is difficult for many to donate. It truly emphasizes the concept that it is often easier to get someone to donate their money than to donate their time.

If we have a best friend that moves far away and we spend 1% of our time communicating with that person, how long will it be before that friendship begins to fade? How long will it be before our communication is less frequent and maybe even stops altogether?

I wonder if God feels that way if we devote so little of our time in prayer.

Jesus the Son of God patterned His life around prayer. In other words, He made time to pray a priority.
Mark 1:35 (Slide 4)
Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.

This translation uses the word “solitary” which means “deserted.” No one was around. Even His disciples didn’t know where He had gone.

He needed a place to pray. Privacy to communicate with the Father. Jesus dictates the motivation and the reasoning behind praying in private in:

Matthew 6:5-7 (Slide 5)
5 “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. 6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, (Slide 6) 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. 7 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.

What’s the summary of the entire lesson about communicating to God in prayer? In our personal communication, our prayer to God in a deserted place, we are sharing our deepest concerns or maybe our deepest inner feelings. Something extremely personal.

Perhaps we are praying about our own personal adversary. An addiction or secret trouble.

Perhaps we pray because of our fears or our anxiety overwhelms us in our life.

Perhaps we are thanking Him for something He has done for us that no one else knows about.

Maybe we are praying on behalf of another or about a relationship we may have with someone else that has become difficult or needs mended.

Perhaps we are struggling at work or home.

3 Things are certain: (Slide 7)

If we don’t have a relationship with God because of the infrequency of our communication then we have created a circumstance as if we are opening up to a stranger. How many personal-intimate things are you going to talk about to a stranger?
If we don’t pray with faith, thinking that not only will God hear but that we believe He can untangle our troubles, then our prayer is in vain.
If we don't pray and believe that God is already aware of our situation, then we have lost the effectiveness of our communication.

Through the prophecy of Isaiah we learn that God’s elect, that is; His people that He already knows what is happening in their lives:

Isaiah 65:24 (Slide 8)
“It shall come to pass
That before they call, I will answer;
And while they are still speaking, I will hear.

Jeremiah says that God is waiting to answer our prayer:

Jeremiah 33:3 (Slide 9)
‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’

Jeremiah wrote these words while in prison, undoubtedly spending much time in prayer.
Jesus prayed before many big events before and during His ministry. “After His baptism, before choosing His disciples, during miracles, in the Garden as He faced the chilling hand of death and during His crucifixion on the cross.”

Brother Woody in his article gives us 5 things to consider to help us grow closer to God: (Slide 10)
Quality over quantity. We don’t pray to impress God with what we say or how much we say. We pray with a heart reliant on Him.
Pray without ceasing. As we stated earlier, this doesn’t mean every moment rather it is a state of readiness with God always on our mind.
Remember Who you're talking to. Approach God with the respect that He is due. In reverence and trust. The Psalmist writes: Psalm 145:3 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; And His greatness is unsearchable.
Make Prayer a habit. I have personally found that there are several times during my day that are perfect for communication. I try to utilize that time effectively.
Believe-James 1:6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. If we doubt the power of prayer we likely are truly doubting God’s power and if He will even really hear us.

Pray with belief! He does hear! It may not always be the answer we are hoping for or expecting, but in His way according to His will He does answer.

Invitation

Today our prayer is for those who have heard the Gospel call to make the commitment to become a child of God by putting on Christ in Baptism. If you have not done so, may we encourage you to be baptized today.

If you are in Christ but need prayer for any reason, we are ready and waiting to lift up your petition to the one true God.

Please let us know how we may assist you this day…….

Reading
2 Chronicles 6:12-21
12 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands 13 (for Solomon had made a bronze platform five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court; and he stood on it, knelt down on his knees before all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven); 14 and he said: “Lord God of Israel, there is no God in heaven or on earth like You, who keep Your covenant and mercy with Your servants who walk before You with all their hearts. 15 You have kept what You promised Your servant David my father; You have both spoken with Your mouth and fulfilled it with Your hand, as it is this day. 16 Therefore, Lord God of Israel, now keep what You promised Your servant David my father, saying, ‘You shall not fail to have a man sit before Me on the throne of Israel, only if your sons take heed to their way, that they walk in My law as you have walked before Me.’ 17 And now, O Lord God of Israel, let Your word come true, which You have spoken to Your servant David.
18 “But will God indeed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built! 19 Yet regard the prayer of Your servant and his supplication, O Lord my God, and listen to the cry and the prayer which Your servant is praying before You: 20 that Your eyes may be open toward this temple day and night, toward the place where You said You would put Your name, that You may hear the prayer which Your servant makes toward this place. 21 And may You hear the supplications of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and when You hear, forgive.

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Shelbyville Church of Christ

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