Do You Struggle With What To Pray To God For In Hard Times?

James Greer: [00:33:49] Man, let's give it up for Pastor Steven and his volunteers for being here. Man, I wish I could dance like that, brother. You got it going on, man. I tell you, you have the most fantastic team and volunteers. It was unbelievable. The place was packed. There was energy. And most of all, there were lives being changed. It was believable. You know, not only the kids’ lives being changed but the volunteers’ lives were being changed. Jesus said, as you've done to the least of these, you've done unto me. I mean it's like ministering to Jesus. It's just unbelievable. Jesus was in the house. First of all, I want you to remind in your outline, there's a couple of things. There's a next step card. There's many things you can do with the next step card. At the end, Darrell and his group will be here. We got the altar open now. You could come if you need to make a decision or you can fill this out and drop it in one of the plates or into the back or give it to them. Then there's this right here. It says, God wants you to thrive, and it gives you 27 ways that God is your shepherd to help you thrive. And you can read those. And then it gives you the do’s and don't’s to thrive. So man, I want you to know we're really trying to resource you to help you grow in the Lord. Then if you have not, have not received the devotion yet, raise your hand.

James Greer: [00:35:04] We want you to have one. Raise your hand. There you go. Raise your hand if you have not received the devotion. There you go. Raise your hand. Give both of them, [inaudible] one over there. I'm glad to see them here. There you go. Hey. And this side too, Darrell. Okay. Raise your hand again if you don't have one. Good. We want you to have one. And not only want you to have one, everybody that has one, we want you to remember what we want you to do. We want you to take 15 seconds before you leave the house and you ask God, God, is there somebody you want me to encourage, pray for, or witness to? It's been an unbelievable week how God has used that. Every day. Sometimes it’s nobody. But a couple of times this week, it's just been unbelievable how God's worked. And today's devotion is about how to handle setbacks. So I really encourage you to do that. We're going to continue our series It's Time to Dream. I hope you have a dream. I hope it's so big, apart from God, you can't reach it. But the wonderful thing I want you to understand, I think, Adam, he was the first man, and I think he was the first man that had his dream met. And what I want you to know about Adam is this. And I want you to know many times if you’ll learn to do just the mundane basic things and if you’ll do them over and over, just God brings your dream about.

James Greer: [00:36:26] And sometimes when you miss the basics. So many people are looking for the big miracle, and they miss just doing the day-to-day basics that brings about the miracle. So what I want you to do today, I want you to go home today. At the end of the day, you're going to know if I do the basic thing, God does the rest. Amen? I mean I’m going to tell you. Adam, I'm so cool. I hope I just get through whole story, and I hope you get the point. Adam didn't even know what he wanted. He just knew he was missing something, and God gave him the greatest dream he ever had. Man, you do know next to Jesus Christ, God's greatest gift to you is your wife. It's true. And all the men said. And all the women said. Whoo! I know y’all knew it. But the men had to. So what I want you to do, what I want you to do is learn that God created you. Something going on back there. Beverley's reminding him that she's his gift. Okay. Yeah, I'm preaching. Anyway. God's reminding, he wants you to thrive, not just survive. And when you have these godly dreams is one of the biggest differences from just surviving to thriving. You know, we're created in God's image, and God wants us to understand when He said we're created in His image, He said, man, you got this unbelievable creative ability built in to dream and to dream big.

James Greer: [00:37:52] I told y’all, I said, I love animals. I mean, you know? Between my dogs and my pictures. But God created dogs just an instinct to survive and not necessarily to thrive. Now, my dogs, they thrive. But they have no instinct to survive. You know, I've been teaching that now. Sure enough, one of my dogs got lost. Now, Debbie was going crazy. That dog has no instinct. I had to run and find, I finally found the dog. This dog sat down and wanted me to carry him all the way back. The truth is I did. I carried the dog three-fourths of the way back, and then I sat her down. I said, now you better get in the house. That dog's domesticated like crazy, has no instinct to survive. In fact, that dog really thought I should be carrying her. And I did. I didn't give her a treat though. So the problem is God created, and I told y’all. Look, I don't know if you've got your bulletin. On the back of your bulletin, look, if you’ll go right here, it says, do dogs have souls? And you could go to JamesWGreer.com, and you read about do dogs have souls. I mean animals, not just dogs. I mean I'm just a dog person. You know? Cats might go to Heaven. I don’t know. You think for yourself. But anyway. So what I'm trying to tell you is the real problem is it's one thing for dogs to be domesticated.

James Greer: [00:39:22] But what I don't like is when the devil domesticates people. That's what's bad. You lose your desire to thrive. What you're doing is just surviving. God never created the human being just to survive from day to day to day. I mean Isaiah 56:11 says, yes, they are greedy dogs which really never have enough. In other words, you're never satisfied, you're never happy, you lost your joy, you're just surviving. There are so many people including Christians. In their marriage, they're just surviving. How are you doing? Well, we're just getting by. How's your job? Well, I'm making it. How's life? Oh, we're making it. Attitude, bad attitudes emotionally day to day. They said, well, you know, they're believing the lie of the devil that life can't be better. As a Christian, God created you to thrive, not just survive. John 10:10 says what? It’s the devil is the one that came to steal, kill, and destroy. God came that you could have life and have it what? More abundantly. Listen to this in Romans 8:37. Yet in some things. Uh. In what? In all things. Can y’all say all? I'll tell you, you don't have to be a Bible scholar to know when it says all, it means all. In all things we are more than what? Conquerors to rule over, to have victory. Through who? Through Him who is Jesus Christ who loved us. He died for us. He said, I died where you could have victory. He died where we could live.

James Greer: [00:40:56] He died because, I've heard people say, well, [inaudible] go to church. I sinned so bad. I’m going to wait till I get right. What are you talking about? There's not anybody who goes to our church that hadn’t sinned. I mean if you come to church here and you're too perfect, you won’t even fit in. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. But once you get born again, He said, listen, you're more than a conqueror through Christ. 2 Corinthians 2:14 says, thanks be to God. Why? Who always. How often? Okay. The verse before, we said all things. This time, He says always. God's always leading us to triumph in Christ. The word triumph here, it says to have victory over and success. He's not leading you just to survive. That's a lie. He's leading you to thrive. He describes, He wants you to remember. In Genesis, He tells you over and over and over. And God said, let us, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. They were in Heaven. They had a plan. They want you to know the plan. They make it clear that you understand. Let man in our image according to our likeness. In other words, our creativity. Let them have dominion. Let them dominate. Let them have victory over the fish in the sea and the birds of the air. He said, man, I'm going to tell you, over the cattle over. Over, there's that word again. Can y’all say all? All the earth. Over everything that creeps on the Earth. I mean he's trying to say, do y’all get it? I mean God, He created man in His own image.

James Greer: [00:42:43] He said it again. In the image of God, He created him. Are y’all getting it? Man and female. Male and female, He created them. What did He created them for? He created them to have victory. Then He said, I created them. I want to bless them. God not created you to have dominion, He created you have victory, He created you to have dominion, He said then I bless them. And God said to them, I want them to be fruitful and He wants you to multiply. That doesn’t mean just have kids. I mean dogs have kids. He wants you to be spiritually multiplying. The fruits of the spirit. Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, goodness. He wants to bless you. He wants you to fill the earth, subdue it, to conquer it, have dominion over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over everything. Everything? Say everything. Everything living and moving on the earth. I mean how clear can you get? I mean He said it over and over and over and over and over. He said, I created you in my image. I want you to understand that there's no obstacle is too big for you to overcome. He said, listen, really He said, I'm leading you. If you'll follow me, He didn't say you're not going to have problems. I got problems. You got problems. Everybody got problems. Amen?

James Greer: [00:44:08] But He said, listen, He said that you have a force now that lives in you. Doesn't matter what comes against you. God gives Christian the likeness, the power, the creative ability to overcome it. That's good, Brother James. That'll preach. Matter of fact, when you get saved, when you get born again, you get born into victory. You get born into His likeness. So since you're born again, and if you're not born again, at the end of service, man, today you need to get born again. But once you get born again, He gives you a choice. You got choices to make. And He gave Adam choices. He told him in Genesis 2:19, He said, okay, I’m going to you a choice. You know, one of the main differences between animals and humans, God gave us freedom of choice. And out of the ground, the Lord God, He formed every beast of the field, every bird of the air, and He brought them to Adam. He was going to see what Adam would call them. You know? And then He said, and whatever Adam called each living creature, that was his name. I mean he got to do it. Now, listen, I want to tell you, first of all, you see the power of your words? He spoke the word. He said that’s a bird. It was a bird. That’s an elephant. That’s a crocodile. Whatever was it. I want to give you before I read the rest of the verse, death and life are in the power of the tongue.

James Greer: [00:45:41] Those who love it, [inaudible] God’s saying, you better be careful what you speak out loud. That's why I carry around sometimes something called a never again list. Now, also, you can download it at JamesWGreer.com too for free. But anyway, it says, never again will I say I can't because I can do all things through Christ. Never again will I confess fear. God didn’t give me a spirit of fear but of power and love. And so be careful what you say without claiming a promise. I know people that go around and speak the worst things. And what you say may come true. See, I don't believe, y’all ready? Amen? I don't believe the devil can read your mind, but I know he can hear your voice. And sometimes if you're not careful, you're talking out loud, and you're giving him, the enemy the ammunition that he can come and he can kill, steal, and destroy. So be careful what you say. Be careful how you say it. Amen? All right. So verse 20. So Adam, he gave the names to all the cattle and to the birds of the air and every beast of the field. But Adam, there was not a helper compared to him. Let me give you a few insights. First of all, man's first choice, freedom of choice. God brought the animals to him. Adam could’ve chose not to do it. God, I don't think I’m going to fool with animals today.

James Greer: [00:47:03] I had a bad day. I don't want to get up and go to church today. I just don't feel good. God, let's don't meet today. My big toe hurts. Have you ever talked to people to hear their excuses? Why they don't do what God’s called them to do? I mean, God, come on. And Adam had that choice. God brought the animals to Adam to see what he would call them. Let me tell you another way. God brought the animals to Adam to see if he was going to obey in the little thing before he gave them a big thing. Oh, wow. See, the first step to learning to thrive and not just survive, it's learning to obey God in the little things before He ever gives you the big thing. So that's where everybody’s missing it. Everybody comes to church, they want the big thing. Why don’t you practice doing the little thing? Why don’t you practice something like coming to church. There's a thought. Can you imagine God's waiting for Adam to come name the animals and Adam said, I’m going to sleep in today. People say stuff. It’s my only day off. Well, I mean who created the whole seven days in the first place, dude? Who gave you that job? You want Him to remove that job? I mean the Bible says don't forsake the assembling of yourselves together as a manner of some of you are doing, but exhort, encourage one another so much more as you see the day approaching. In other words, God said, not only do you need to come to church, one of your jobs when you come to church is to give and receive encouragement.

James Greer: [00:48:37] So your assignment before you leave today, before you walk out the door, you give encouragement to somebody and you receive encouragement. Amen? You don't have to know them to encourage them. I mean you can say, Steven, you sure dance good. Pretty good. Look like a monkey. Okay. [inaudible] I can tell him he danced like a monkey and he like it. Right, Steven? Come to church and get encouraged. Today’s going to be a good day. So one of the things, do the mundane, do the little things. Amen? Come to church. Adam named the animals. He named animals. How about tithing? Everybody's like, you want my, I don't want your money. This church is in great shape if you don't know it. But God said, I love this, Matthew 23:23. I love this. God said, yes, you should tithe. Jesus speaking, not Brother James. Jesus said, yes, you should tithe. But you shouldn’t leave the most important things undone. He said you should tithe, but you should take care of the inside of your heart. Make sure your heart is right. Because if your heart's right, you ain’t got to worry about it. You’ll tithe and then give. See, the most generous people in the world, they're not worried about tithing. They're worried about what they can give above their tithe. That's great.

James Greer: [00:50:11] We got people in our church, I mean we have children’s program, but we youth’s program. I can tell you right now, they're fixing to write a check. We don't ask them. They call you to come to their house. I love it when it's silent like this. By the way, I don't work on commission. By the way, I don't even get paid. So I'm not asking you to tithe where I can get more money. I'm asking you to tithe where you’d get a bigger blessing. Proverbs 3:9 tells you this. Honor the Lord with your possessions and the first fruit of your increase, the first 10% of everything you make. He said, this is the reason. I want your barns to be filled with plenty and I want your vats run over with new wine. It's never what God wants from you. It’s what God wants for you. So you got to do the basic things. Come to church. Tithe. I mean here's something. How about read your devotion every day? Maybe you can't read a lot of your Bible. You can read the devotion every day. That's a good thought. You know what the Bible says? God said, it is written that man shall not live by bread alone but the Word that proceeded out of the mouth of God. You know where you get your real strength? Out of God's Word. You just read the Word. You take in the Word, and it gives you a spiritual strength. It's unbelievable what you can do when you're taking in the Word.

James Greer: [00:51:39] Are you inviting people to come to church? And if not, why not? Did you know what, listen to this, did you know in Mark 8:38, y'all ready? For whosoever is ashamed of me. If you're ashamed of Him, you’re never talking about Him. You know, what you love, you talk about. Everybody knows I'm married. You come to my office, I got pictures of my wife all over the place. You'll never have to doubt. I mean my wife said, quit doing that in public. I said, my wife, she's still hot to me. I'm just telling you. She is. I love her. I talk about her. I love Jesus. I want to talk about Him. Sometimes when I go out with people, I know they don't talk about it. And I try not to talk about it, but sometimes it's just going to come up. And so what you love, you talk about it. Because God says, are you ashamed of me? If you're not, why don't you do this? When you go to work, does everybody know you're a Christian? I used to be a secret servant Christian. I hated it when I’d go on these company trips. I was saying, please don't, please, please, please nobody tell them I'm a preacher. You're all eating. Everybody's having fun. And they said, did y’all know he's a preacher? It just changed the whole atmosphere. I'd say it's okay. I have fun. You have, let's just all have fun anyway. You know? But they'd break the ice. You know? But don't be ashamed.

James Greer: [00:53:17] And He said, look, don't be ashamed of me first. Right? If you're not ashamed of Him, you’d talk about it. So your assignment, your homework is to make sure you talk about Jesus. I want you to know, everybody on your work, everybody you work close to needs to know that you know Jesus. Amen? And if they need help, if they have a problem, you either pray for them or you invite them to church. Amen, Brother James. Now we're preaching. And my Word. You know, I just picked up on that today and I've used this verse many times? So what He says, I don't want you to talk about me. I want you to read about me. Is that cool? He says, I want you to talk about me, I want you read about me. I want you to read about me. I want you to talk about me. I want you to read about me. You adulterous and sinful generation. Son of Man would be ashamed of you. But what I want you to get out of this is what we love, we talk about. And what you want to learn about, you read about. So let's read about it, and let's talk about it this week. Let's do, John 12:31 said, when Jesus lifted up, He draws all men unto him. Matthew 11:6 says, blessed are those who not offended by Him.

James Greer: [00:54:24] Are you offended by the name of Jesus? Huh? Are you offended? No. Matthew 11:6 in the amplified version, I love it. He said, and blessed, Happy. You are fortunate. You're to be envied. Is he who takes no offense at me and he finds no cause for stumbling in those or hindrance in seeing the truth. In other words, God said, listen, man, you got to start doing the mundane things. See, people want miracles. Everybody wants a miracle. I want to see the big thing. Listen, you want a miracle, but you don't want to do the mundane day-to-day basic thing. The truth is if you’ll consistently do the mundane, the basic things, you'll eventually experience a miracle. Everybody want a miracle? Say, amen. Do the mundane. Come to church on a regular basis with a receptive heart. Amen? When you walk in, say, God, speak to me. Read God's Word daily. I tell you a great way to do this. There's usually just one verse, and when you get to that verse, whatever it is, this one today, it said, don't be afraid, Paul, for you will surely stand trial before Caesar. He wanted to do this. But they were in a shipwreck. What more, God, His goodness has granted you safety to everyone sailing with you. He said, listen, you're going to have a wreck, but you're going to be okay. But ask four questions when you read it. God doesn't want you just try to read real fast, like everybody thinks, just to get through. He would rather speak to you.

James Greer: [00:55:59] And ask four questions. You ready? Simple question. Is there a promise to claim? Is there a sin to confess? Is there a commandment to obey? Is there an insight to share? Just slow down. Some people think we're in a race. You want to read the verse? I read that verse today. Read the verse and ask the four questions. Then read the rest of it. You'd be surprised. Promise to claim, a sin to confess, a commandment to obey, an insight to share. Okay. Do other people at work know you're a Christian because you talk about Jesus? Invite them to church. Do you pray for them when they have a need? Your homework this week is to make sure at least somebody at work knows you're a Christian and if you have the opportunity, to invite them to come to church. Adam’s the greatest example of it. He didn't even know what the miracle was. He was out of the ground, the Lord formed every beast on the field and every bird of the air. And He brought them to Adam really to see what he would name them, really to see what he would do. His first step was to do the little things, the mundane things. God said, we're faithful in a few things, He’ll make us ruler over many. Verse 20 says this. And Adam gave them names. He did what God called him to do. And he named the cattle and the birds of the air and the beasts of the field.

James Greer: [00:57:22] But Adam, guess what? There was no helper to be found for him. As Adam did, listen, as Adam simply did the day-to-day basis, as Adam did the mundane things that God called him to do. God answered his prayer before he ever asked. He didn't know what he was missing. He knew he was missing something. He said, I'm naming all these animals. They’re beautiful. But I'm just not complete. Did you know Isaiah 65:24 is a wonderful verse? It shall come to pass that before I call, God's going to answer. And while they were still speaking, I’ll hear. Did you know that's what happened to Adam? Adam didn't even know what he was missing. Adam didn't even know what to pray. He just knew he was missing something. And while he was doing what God called him to do, bam, his dream came true. It came through right after he was doing what he said. The very next verse is verse 21. In order, God's Word’s not only inspired, the order’s inspired. And the Lord God, He caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept. And He took one of his ribs, and he closed the flesh. [inaudible] You know what else He did? Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man, He made into a woman and brought her to the man, to Adam. You don't think Adam was excited now? Adam had never seen a woman. All he’d ever seen was animals.

James Greer: [00:58:59] He said, this is bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh. I'm call her woman. He didn't say that. He said, oh, man, wow. This is bone of my bones, this is flesh of my flesh. I'm going to call her woman because she was taken from man. He was so excited. He said, God, you the man. Yeah, this is a dream. I didn't know what to ask for, but God, you gave it to me before I even asked. You don't think Adam was excited? You don't think his dream came true? He said those birds and fish, they’re fine. But this woman’s finer. She’s looking good, God. That's what he said. I can tell you. He didn't just say this is bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh. There ain’t no way, no way, no way. That's a dream come true. Just him and her. Naked as could be. They were. Maybe I ought to go on. Anyway. I’m just telling, the whole point was not that. Y’all are going to go home and that’s all y’all are going to remember. Listen. The point was he was doing the day-to-day things. You remember? Okay. He did that before he got that. Anyway. That doesn’t sound good either. Anyway. As we get ready to close, I hope the next service, nevermind. Likewise in Romans 8:28, likewise, the Spirit also helps us in our weakness for we don't know what we should pray. Adam didn't know what to pray. There's times you don't know what to pray. But he ought to. But the Spirit Himself, He makes intercession for us with groanings which were not uttered. He didn't utter it. He didn't say, hey, God, I want a woman.

James Greer: [01:00:53] He didn't know what the woman was. Now, he should search the heart to know with the mind of the spirit. Man, he knew, Adam said, man, just something missing in my life. You know, somebody y’all here, you know there's something missing in your life. Because He makes intercessors for the Saints, but He's doing it according to God's will, not your will. That's what's so great about this. God said the Holy Spirit is just interceding for you. That's why we know all things work together, the love God. Those who are called according to His purpose. Just like Adam didn't know what to pray, how to pray, the Holy Spirit prayed for him. When you get born again, you ready? Everybody here, you know, you had a physical birthday. But you have to have a spiritual birthday. When you have that spiritual birthday, you get born again. When you get that, you get the Holy Spirit and you get the Holy Spirit praying to God for God's will for your life. Then you just commit your ways to the Lord, you delight thyself to the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit you ways, delight, and trust in Him. And they're going to come about. He was just doing the regular thing, doing what he's supposed to do on day-to-day basis. Okay. Here's the mundane that leads to the miracle. You got to be born again.

James Greer: [01:02:10] if you’re here today, if you're not sure that you're saved, you're not born a second time, you know what your physical birthday, if you don't know what your spiritual birthday is today, in a minute, when I give the invitation, just come to the front and say, hey, I want to have my second birthday. I want to have my spiritual birthday. Okay? Learn to delight yourself in the Lord by coming to church, tithing, talking about Jesus, and reading about Jesus. Don't be ashamed of Him. Your homework is to make sure somebody at work knows you're a Christian. Invite somebody to church. Develop a habit. Even when you go out to eat, preferably if you have a Journey Church card, you just hand it to them and say, hey, I'd love for you to come to church. Really listen now. This is the imitation. I want you to come and ask Jesus to give you what you need, not necessarily what you want. Most of our prayers, we pray and we don't really know what we want. I want you to come and say, Jesus, I know that you know me better than I know myself. I know that the Holy Spirit has been offering intercession for your will in my life. God, would you give me what I need, not just what I want? God, I want to confess my sins. I want to make sure people I’ve offended, that I ask them to forgive me.

James Greer: [01:03:33] Because, God, I'm looking for the blessing. I'm going to do the mundane till the blessings come. Luke 11:13 says, if you then being evil know how to give good gifts to your kids, you ready? How much more will your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him? Today is the day to ask Him. Ask him what you really need. Man, don't you know when Adam was fulfilled, he was happier than he’d ever been in his life? See, God wants you to have victory. He wants you to be fulfilled. He wants you to be content. For those that came and they just feel like, hey, I'm just surviving, I'd like for you to come today and ask God to fill you with what you really need because it might be not what you think it is. So would you stand and let me pray with you and pray for you? God, you're such an awesome, wonderful, great God, powerful God. Adam was doing the day-to-day basic, the mundane things. Then, man, you did a miracle. You bought him a woman. God, for those that are here today that aren’t sure they had a second birth, not sure they're born again, they know when they were physically birthed, but they don't know their second birthday. They're just not sure. Maybe it's a child and now they don't remember. And today they want to settle it for sure. I give the invitation that they just walk down and say, hey, I want I want to make sure I have a spiritual birthday.

James Greer: [01:05:07] I want to be born again. I want to do it today. Maybe you've never been physically baptized, the death, burial, and resurrection since you've been saved and you want to say today, I want to do that. Maybe you’ve been visiting and visiting and visiting and you want to make this your home, a family. I want to join the family. I want to be part of this family. That makes the difference. When people say, why did you join? Because you're part of the family. Why do you get married? Because you want to be in the family. Stop dating. You can get married. So maybe you want to join. That’s today. Maybe you’ve just been just surviving and you want to start thriving. And you want to come, you want to just kneel, you want to pray by yourself, you want somebody to pray with you. And you say, God, I know I'm missing something. But God, I don't really know what it is. I thought it was this. But you know my heart. the Holy Spirit is going to intercede. God, would you give me what I need? I want start thriving. I want to start conquering. I want to start having victory. God, I want to serve you. I want to do what you to call me to do. I want to have the abundant life that you promised. Whatever God's laid upon your heart, would you let Him have His will and His way in your life? I ask it in the precious name of Jesus. Amen.

Bruce Goulart: [01:06:16] On behalf of Pastor James, I want to say thank you for joining our online experience. Man, what an amazing week three of It’s Time to Dream. Guys, I am super excited for this series and to continue the series next week. But if you need someone to pray with you right now, we have people on standby and there's a link in the description that you can click on and fill out and someone we'll get with you right away. And also, I just want to say and I just want to encourage y’all to share this video right now or leave it as a comment to somebody else. Man, we want other people to join in with us every Sunday. And I hope to see y’all next week.

Recorded in Pineville, Louisiana.