Praise and Prayer (Hebrews 12:2) | Pastor Peter Kim

*music* *music*

Thank you. Thank you.

I just encourage you to use this time in prayer. Thank you. Thank you.

to continue in that path from drifting, from neglecting, and then unbelief, and unbelief ultimately leads to our hardened heart, that the songs, the preaching, the Word of God, fellowship, none of it is penetrating anymore, and you feel numb to it. And then he warns in chapter 4, verse 11, therefore let us be diligent to enter the rest so that no one will fall through following the same example of disobedience, and usually disobedience follows that pattern, right? It comes from neglect, it comes from drifting, unbelief, hardened heart, and when you have a hardened heart, you don't feel so bad when you sin. It doesn't feel that terrible. And then he says to watch out for that, and then chapter 5, 11, concerning him, we have much to say, and it's hard to explain since you have become dull of hearing. And as I said, disobedience causes you to close your ears, right? You can hear the same sermon, sing the same songs, it's no longer penetrating and have any effect. Chapter 6, 11, and we desire that each one of you show the same diligence as to realize the full shirms of hope until the end, so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit eternal life, right? And so this is a pattern where you feel disconnected. The Word of God is no longer penetrating, and everything becomes sluggish. And then chapter 10, 24, 25, let us consider how to stimulate one another toward loving,

good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together as it is the habit of some. So when you see yourself drifting, hardened disobedience, and the Word of God is no longer penetrating, then one of the first physical signs that you'll see is that they no longer see the need for fellowship. And so he is warning them to not to neglect getting together as it is the habit of some. And then in chapter 10, verse 26, is that if we go on sinning willfully, after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there is no longer remains a sacrifice of sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and fury of fire, which will consume the adversary. So you notice that the book of Hebrews, there's a progression. All of it started with drifting, neglecting, right, unbelieving heart, hardened heart, disobedience, dull of hearing, becoming sluggish, and then forsaking our own assembly, and then now you're able to sin willfully, deliberately. You're no longer falling into sin, you're running to sin. And then finally, in Hebrews chapter 12:25, "See to it that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For those who did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from him who warned from heaven." So the end result of all of this is that that you end up saying, "I don't want God anymore." Right? This did not happen overnight. It happened with neglect. When you allow yourself to get busy and neglect your pursuit of Christ, and you see your

heart getting hardened, and the Word of God is no longer penetrating, and as a result of that, you start drifting away from the fellowship. And as a result of that, you end up saying, "I don't know if I need God anymore." Right? That did not just all of a sudden happen. And that's why he says in Hebrews chapter 12:2, "Fix your eyes on Christ, on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith." The word fix is not simply to look at him. It is another way of saying to pursue him deliberately. And part of the reason why we want to take time to pray together corporately is that through our singing, through our praying, that we are actively pursuing him, seeking him. Right? Because the author and perfecter of our faith is not you.

It's not our discipline. It's not the church. It's not your leaders. It's your connection to Christ. You can love your leaders. You can love your church without loving Christ and have no spiritual benefit. Right? So that's why he says to fix your eyes, to pursue Christ. He's the author and perfecter of our faith. And then he reminds us who endured the cross because of the joy set before him. Right? That Christ endured suffering for us so that we do not have to suffer. And then he says who's now sitting at the throne at the right hand of God to fix our eyes upon him who suffered for us as now is waiting for us to also join him one day. That everything that we do in Christ is for that purpose. Okay? So if you find yourself today entangled with civilian affairs, that your mind and heart is not passionately pursuing Christ, that it's been a while since you read the scripture and really been convicted, it's been a while that you prayed for lost souls and really having compassion for them. It's been a long time since you prayed and really cried out to God that maybe this is something that we need to take to heart, that I need to fix my eyes on Christ. Right? Not be busy doing work, not be running around, but maybe tonight to determine in your heart that I'm going to fix my eyes on Christ. So today, the first song that we want to sing is turn your eyes on Jesus. Right? And so what I'm going to ask you to do is as the praise team,

from this point on, they're going to continue to lead us in praise. And if you are led to pray, don't wait for me to say, "Hey, let's pray." Just sit down and pray. If you want to come up, you can pray. So there's not going to be a separate time of praying and praising. Right? The praising and praying is going to happen at the same time. So whenever you're led to pray, just pray. And then those of you who are singing the songs, look at the lyrics. Meditate on the lyrics. Use it as a form of prayer before God. Okay? So the first song is, "Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in his wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace. Turn your eyes to the hillside where justice and mercy embraced. There the Son of God gave his life for us, and our measureless debt was erased." So why don't we all stand up together? Okay? Again, we're going to start praising together, standing up. But again, whenever you want to pray, or you just want to sit down, we're just going to leave it up to you. But the praise team is going to just begin to lead us.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus Look fall in His wonderful place And the things of earth will grow strangely dim In the light of His glory and grace Turn your eyes to the hillside Where justice and mercy embraced There the Son of God gave His life for us And our measureless death was erased Jesus, to You we lift our eyes Jesus, our glory and our Christ We adore You, behold You Our Savior ever true Oh Jesus, we turn our eyes to You Turn your eyes to the morning And see Christ the Lion away What a glorious dawn Fear of death is gone For we carry His life in our name Jesus, to You we lift our eyes Jesus, to You we lift our eyes

Jesus we lift our eyes Jesus, to You we lift our eyes Jesus, to You we lift our eyes

God, to people, to people to God and so as we sing again if you're led to pray we invite you to come and continue to pray with us make me a prayer make me a prayer let my prayers be a cry oh my Lord so that You may try cause me to stand and cry out for this land cause me to be the one who's such free to stand as a house of free cause me to stand and cry out for this land cause me to stand and cry out for this land cause me to stand and cry out for this land cause me to stand and cry out for this land cause me to stand and cry out for this land cause me to stand and cry out for this land cause me to stand and cry out for this land cause me to stand and cry out for this land cause me to stand and cry out for this land cause me to stand and cry out for this land cause me to stand and cry out for this land cause me to stand and cry out for this land cause me to stand and cry out for this land cause me to stand and cry out for this land and cry out for this land cause me to stand and cry out for this land cause me to stand and cry out for this land cause me to stand and cry out for this land cause me to stand and cry out for this land cause me to stand and cry out for this land cause me to stand and cry out for this land cause me to stand and cry out for this land cause me to stand and cry out for this land cause me to stand and cry out for this land cause me to stand and cry out for this land

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and cry out for this land cause me to stand and cry out for this land cause me to stand and cry out for this land and cry out for this land cause me to stand and cry out for this land cause me to stand and cry out for this land cause me to stand and cry out for this land cause me to stand and cry out for this land cause me to stand and cry out for this land cause me to stand and cry out for this land cause me to stand and cry out for this land cause me to stand and cry out for this land cause me to stand and cry out for this land cause me to stand and cry out for this land cause me to stand and cry out for this land cause me to stand and cry out for this land cause me to stand and cry out for this land cause me to stand To be one who's set free to sin as a house of prayer.

The next song we're singing is In His Time. And I know a lot of you guys probably know this by heart. And, you know, maybe there's people in here who've been praying for a while and asking God, why aren't you answering my prayers? And you're struggling, suffering. Maybe it's for yourself. Maybe for some people around you. Maybe you've been praying for your loved ones to come to Christ and it's not happening at the time that you want. You know, Ecclesiastes 3.11 says, He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in his heart. And then Psalm 37.7 says, Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him. Yet those who wait for the Lord, Isaiah 40.31, will gain new strength.

They will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run and not get tired. They will walk and not become weary. So, as we sing this song, let's remember that God in His time, and His purpose, and His sovereign will to pray in faith, to sing in faith, in His time. in His time. He makes all things beautiful in His time. Lord, please show me every day, as you're teaching me your way, that you do just what you say in your time.

In your time. In your time. You make all things beautiful in your time. You make all things beautiful in your time. Lord, my life to you I bring. May each song I have to sing Be all things beautiful in your time. Be all things beautiful in your time.

Lord my life to you I bring. Lord my life to you I bring. May my life to you I bring. May each song I bring. May each song I have to sing. May each song I have to sing. Be all things beautiful in your time. Be all things beautiful in your time. That you do just what you see in your time. Be all things beautiful in your time. Be all things beautiful in your time.

Knowing you, Jesus, is better than anything. Right? What do you remember when you first met Christ? Remember the height from which you had fallen. Repent and do the things that you did at first. I remember I loved baseball. I love baseball. I wanted to be a part of the baseball team. But the moment I met Christ, it just didn't seem that important anymore. Nothing seemed that important other than knowing Christ. So this evening, as we sing this song, let's make this our confession. Lord, if we've drifted away from God, saying, God, I want to sing this and mean it with all my heart. Not just the words, but my own heart. Okay? So let's sing this together. All I want is empty in my life. It's empty in my life.

It's empty in my life. All these movies. It's empty in my life. It's empty in my life. knowing you jesus knowing you is no greater thing you're my you're the best you're my true my righteousness and i love you now my heart is to know to be found in you and no one has dreams to possess my faith what i could oh oh

you're the best you're my true my righteousness you're my law you're the best you're my true my righteousness the song as a dear path is for the water and i think i've mentioned it many times that this is my favorite hymn part of it is is because every time i sing it it reminds me of when i met christ as the deer panteth for the water so my long so my soul longeth after thee you know years ago i think it was the first year that i was in india early in the morning and you hear the noise in the mosque the call to prayer thinking i forgot what time it was but i remember just feeling the sense of darkness in india and the muslim prayers going out and idolatry and hindu worship and i just it just hit you in your face and i remember i was at a baptist housing and somebody was playing this song early in the morning on the piano and maybe they were trying to drown out the the mosque prayer themselves but i remember sitting this morning that when i heard this prayer or heard this song that the presence of christ is here too in india that it didn't feel so dark just hearing this hymn that i love so much you know you know sometimes you get so distracted and you look at the news and all that's happening in the world and you feel like it's hopeless you know as long as there's people who are hungering and thirsting for god right god has left his his witness his light here and so as we sing this song as a deer panteth for the water right not just kind of you know on the passive on

on the side on the weekend when on your spare time but when a deer panteth for water he's panting it because he needs he knows that he can only live if he can drink and that god calls us to pursue him with that kind of passion right it's not just something that we do because i feel guilty or there's something i should do but when we recognize that without christ we are lost so as a tear deer panteth for the water to live to quench his thirst so that he can survive like my soul longeth after thee and you alone are my strength my shield you alone my spirit you you alone are my heart's desire and i long to worship you all right let's pray all right let's pray let's sing

as the dear as the dear panteth for the water so my soul longeth after thee you alone are my heart's desire and i long to worship thee you alone you alone you alone all my strength my shield you alone all my strength my shield to you alone may my spirit Spirit in you. You are all my heart's desire and I long to worship you.

You're my friend and you are my brother even though you are my king. I love you more than any others. You alone are my strength, my shield. To you alone may my spirit heal. You are all my heart's desire and I long to worship you.

You alone are my strength, my shield. To you alone may my spirit heal. You are all my heart's desire and I long to worship you. You alone are my heart's desire and I long to worship you. You alone are my heart's desire and I long to worship you.

you alone are my heart's desire and I long to worship you. You alone are my heart's desire and I long to worship you. You alone are my heart's desire and I long to worship you. you alone are my heart's desire and I long to worship you. You alone are my heart's desire and I long to worship you. You alone are my heart's desire and I long to worship you.

is grace Hallelujah on our path is Christ Hallelujah Jesus saved my life Hallelujah Hallelujah All I have is Christ Hallelujah Jesus is my love Now Lord I would be yours alone and live so long I say the strength to follow your commands could never come come Oh Father use my handsome life in any way you will choose and let my song forever be my my only most is you Hallelujah Hallelujah oh my love is Christ Hallelujah Jesus is my Jesus is my life Hallelujah all I have is Christ Hallelujah Jesus Hallelujah Jesus is my Jesus is my love sing verse 3 again

now Lord I would be yours alone and if so might see the strength to follow his he could never come from him oh father you use my reason mine in any way you choose and let the song forever be my only most is all I have is Christ, hallelujah, Jesus is my life, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, all I have is Christ, hallelujah, hallelujah, Jesus is my life, hallelujah, we're going to sing one more song and then we're going to break up into small groups for a short period and then take some time to pray with each other. If you want to continue to pray alone, you're welcome to do so. Then after that, we will have a closing song in prayer.

The song that we're going to be singing is Abide in Christ, Abide in Christ. And again, as we started with Hebrews, the whole theme of Hebrew is to abide in Christ. We cannot run by our own strength. We can't evangelize by our own strength. We can't build marriages, churches by our own strength. Eventually, eventually the shallowness will show. And he says, you cannot bear fruit unless you abide in me. And to come to Christ and to depend on him. That's why we need to pray. That's why this prayer isn't just about tonight. We have corporate prayer so that it can remind us the importance of prayer in private. And so this is an encouragement to go be a person who prays regularly, depending on him, abiding in him. So as we sing this song, Abiding in Christ, again, that this would go beyond just our singing. That this is a confession that we make. Help me, Lord, to learn what it means to abide in you, to apply that every single day, every moment of my life.

So let's sing this song again. Abide. For my waking breath, for my daily breath, for my daily breath, I depend on you. I depend on you. I depend on you. I depend on you. For the sun to rise, for my sleep at night. I depend on you. I depend on you. You're the way, the truth and the light. You're the way, the truth and the light. You're the way, the truth and the light. You're the way, the truth and the light. You're the way that never runs dry. I'm the branch and you are the power. Draw me close and teach me to die.

where the spirit leads as i'm following i depend on you i depend on you for the victories still in front of me i depend on you yes i depend on you you're the way the truth and the life you're the world that never runs strong i'm the wretch and you are the path you draw me close and teach me to abide me my strength my song in the night be my love my treasure my life my life when i pass through death i depend on you i depend on you

you i depend on you i depend on you you i depend on you i depend on you share that prayer so think about somebody who is really suffering right now who is in need of intercession and i know you might be in that situation but for tonight let's pray maybe hopefully somebody else in the in the group will be praying for you but if you know somebody who is really in need to share that prayer request and pray for that person okay and then after you do that i'll call you up in about six seven minutes so let's break up into groups of three and then at the end we'll sing the last song and then we'll finish okay all right so if you can get into groups of three and take about five minutes all right again share prayer requests of somebody that you know of who is in desperate need yeah Thank you.

Thank you.