The Prayer of Eliezer (no date)

The Prayer of Eliezer

Bro. Lee Vayle - No Date -

Gracious heavenly Father, how good and how sweet it is to come together, Lord, to be with Thy people, for, Lord, Thy people are what we want to be with. For they are truly the tabernacle and the dwelling of Thee. And so as we meet together we are surely then as a people in whom the Lord dwells, and is pleased to and therefore dwell for we are righteous with blessing.We ask you, my God, tonight that Your Spirit could certainly guide our lips, our very words whatever we say and our thoughts being of You. Then, Lord, we pray that we shall be heard exactly as it's spoken.

And now, Father, illuminate us by the circumcision of the mind and ears through the Holy Spirit, and so thereby we may grow up unto Thee. And whatever we ask, Lord, we know we shall have for You tonight, because You are God in Whom there is no lack. And if we are in You and You in us, then how can there be a lack in us, and we know we are complete in Him. I trust Thy Word, we believe in that tonight, Lord, we rest on It and praise You as we dedicate ourselves in Jesus' Name. Amen.

1. Now, we'll take a little simple Scripture in the Word of God relative to the study of prayer. We've going to skip one tonight, because we're going to skip a lot. But I'm skipping the prayer where God intercedes for the people in Sodom and Gomorrah.

Now, you'll notice that he intercedes, but God had the final say. They just weren't there. Now, that brings the question up on election. Can you by intercession bring a lost soul to the kingdom of God? Not on intercession alone, you got to be foreknown of God. (See?) Intercessory prayer is a great thing, we need intercessors. But to intercede outside the will of God is surely you may say a waste of time, or a least is a very difficult thing. The Word of God is the basis of all prayer. Men must never pray apart from It.

2. Now, we're going to turn to Genesis 24:10, and I like this, this is a very sweet portion of Scripture to my way of thinking. This is the story of Eliezer going to find a bride for Isaac at the command of his master Abraham.

(10) And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, (Abraham) and departed; for all the goods of his master (Abraham) were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.

(11) And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water.

(12) And he said O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and show kindness unto my master Abraham.

(13) Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water:

(14) ...let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast showed kindness unto my master.

(15) And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.

(16) And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up.

(17) And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.

(18) And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.

(19) And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking.

(20) And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.

(21) And the man wondering at her held his peace, to (know) whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not. (Such a quick answer, see, sort of confused him.)

Now, there are some very outstanding and wonderful truths in this short portion of Scripture.

3. Now, as I said of course, this is where Abraham sends the servant to get the bride for Isaac the son of the master. Now, the first truth here is the one uttered by the servant, for you'll notice that he said, "I pray Thee Lord God of Abraham."

Now, this is very wonderful in that it shows us that God is a personal God. He is a personal God. In other words, He's a God of people, and He has meaning only as He affects men. Now, that's true. (See?) This gets us away from that concept which I have continually dinned on, and that is too many people have a Creator knowledge of God. Now, a Creator knowledge of God doesn't do one thing for you, except suggest magnitude and inculcate fear. (See?)

The Creator aspects of God is what brings us into heathenism. The Creator aspect of God is not sufficient. (See?) The Creator aspects of God is so rank and rude, that people believe in reincarnation. And they say, "Well, I'm a man in this age, maybe I'll be an ant in the next age. It might be my uncle that I step on, got to be careful, I'll wipe the sidewalk with a brush so I don't step on him. (See?)

4. A non personal relationship to God is the most damaging the thing there is in religion. Now, you know that's true, because without a first known knowledge of God you can't be a true Christian. Because Jesus came and said, "That they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ Whom Thou has sent." [Jn 17:2b] And It therefore said, "For the multitudes did not know the true God." They just didn't know it, a personal concept of God is what we need. Because He has needs only as He affects men. God is very, very real, but His purpose is only to men.

Now, you see so many people got so much talk about the New Jerusalem and the new heavens and the new earth, I don't give it a moment of my time as far as I'm concerned. Whatever comes is good by me. The point is, as long as we have the proper personal relationship to God, we are going to be just fine. Now, there's a lot of folk going around today and they call themselves manifested sons of God. And oh they're all thrilled about, they're going to recreate the earth. I'm not the least bit interested. Why should I be? Because God didn't tell me to go around recreating the earth and trying to make everything nice and lovely.

5. What is there to say over here in chapter 8 in the Book of Romans? It tell us very, very truly over here. In verse 18,

(18) For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Now remember, Christ is the hope of glory. So, there's got to come a full revelation of Christ within us. (See?) Now notice:

(19) For the earnest expectation of (creation) waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

(20) For the (creation) was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,

(21) Because the creature itself (that word 'creature' means 'creation') also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

(22) For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth (together) in pain together until now.

(23) And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

Now, we are waiting for the redemption of the body which we receive to have just like Christ. We're waiting for Him to Appear in glory, that we will appear with Him. But notice, all creation waits on us.

6. So, if you've got a concept of God in creation ahead of your own personal relationship to God, you've missed God entirely. (See?) The creator concept is not what you want. It's a Jehovah concept. Not one of His Names as Jehovah Creator, it's Jehovah righteousness; Jehovah peace; Jehovah shepherd ; Jehovah... I forget, but you know there's seven of them. See, there's righteousness, there's peace, there's shepherd, and healing, and right down the line. But not one Creator precept. (See?) Because the Creator precept is not God's full revelation.

The full revelation of God to mankind is the joining of God to man. Now, you can't find where God... as I preached when I was here last summer, they didn't, the Jews said, "they put Him in a temple." He said, "You hard of hearts, you always want to do that." (See?)

Catholic church says, "Put him in a hierarchy." No, not going in any hierarchy. Protestant says, "Put him in a text book." Not going into any textbook. (See?) And then we, we call ourselves Christians, we say, "Put Him in heaven, hallelujah." You leave Him in heaven, you're going to hell, Son of God. God on that Throne is not going to mean one thing to you, except the God of judgment. Because it's only when God is going to man by the rebirth, when God indwells the heart of man, that God means anything. (See?)

7. Now, this man here understood that and he said, "O God, of my master Abraham, this God that deals with people, this God Who is a Protector and the Provider; this God who has meaning only in man. Supposing nobody on earth here, no body at all. Where's the intelligence? Where's the spirit? Where's the soul? Spirit, life and soul as apart from man is just... (See?) Take man off, what have you got? Nothing. (See?)

The whole earth and everything in God's creation is bound up in man for as I taught you, God has identified Himself with nothing except man. You can't find God identifying with the archangels, you can't find Him identifying with the mountains, you can't identify with trees, heathens do that. You can't identify with temples, you can't identify with statuary like images and all, you identify with men, and then man identifies with God.

8.. And here is old Eliezer, he knew more than a lot of us do here tonight. And he said, "O God, of my master Abraham." O God of people, OGod of mankind. O God that deals with individuals. O Lord that has a reality. Who in his revelation said that, "I am the Protector and Provider, I believe what you said about Yourself, I'm looking to You?" (See?) This man understood it.

Everything, everything, revolves around men. Everything revolves around men. Nothing but what revolves around men. You see? Everything revolves around Jesus as the center of man, the centricity of man. Right? But the angels are servants of man, ministering spirits. (See?) All other things were created for man by God. But man was created for God, man is God's special creation. The only one made in His Image. (See?) Everything revolves around God. God has no meaning and purpose apart from man. You can't find any. Can’t do it. (See?) And yet some people get so scared to deal with God, when they ought to know that man is the only thing that God really deals with, in the sense of full beings.

Angels can try and try to figure out how redemption. The best they can do is sort of snoop around and try to look into it. But we by the Spirit are to know what "the hope of his calling is in us, and what the riches of his inheritance in the saints is." [Eph 1:18b] Angels haven't got that, because they don’t have an inheritance. (See?) We ought to know that. (See, you see?)

9. See, the beauty of it is, God is a personal God. He's the God of people, and there is a personal relationship, and His meaning as set forth affects men. (See?) What is it that the angel came to Daniel? He said, "O Daniel a man greatly beloved of God." Daniel couldn't turn around and say, "O angel, greatly beloved of God." No, he couldn't do it, because he never know if he was or not. Now, I have no doubt that angels are loved of God. But you know something? Not the kind of love we got, because our love is elective love. Their love is simply created, the love of creation. Those who say, "steady the image before the throne." (See?) Everything revolves around man. And then God wants us to have an understanding of His reality.

As I read to you before in the first Book of John, (that's the first epistle) where John speaks of God with such an understanding, "He's that which we have seen, (see?) that which our hands have handled, we've heard it, (see?) the reality of God. Now God was mighty real to this man Eliezer. See, because he knew He was a God of mankind, and he knew that He was going to deal with him.

10. Now, a lot of people in this Laodicean age have a concept, (you see) about God they don't under-stand. They've got to the place where their God is materiality. (See?) You see you've got to have a program these days. I don't believe that. Got to have buildings, I don’t believe that. Got to have this and that, I don't believe that either. Got to have a car as it were. No, God's not building cars, God deals with man and the relationship with God in this earth is in man to man. God doesn't deal through material things.

You know what happened in the days of Paul if we were like him? When they said, "the boat's going to go down."

"Oh, (they said) you can't let the boat go down." No siree, and they're going to do a same thing right today in the ecumenical move. I just read today something about it, about the ecumenical.. oh yes, the United Nations. And one man was speaking about the ecumenicity among the nations to bring peace upon the earth. They're all sold on it. (See?) And the churches today are all going to go in one great big bunch, because they look, and alas Babylon they can't stand to get us. And they don't know that God doesn't care that much for the whole thing. God's not into big programs and into churches and money and the rest of things. Because it's, "not by might, nor by power (or what every that represents in the earth) but by His Spirit." [Zech 4:6b] Now, where His Spirit? The Spirit is in man, it's men that He baptizes into His body. Right?

11. Now, I want you to know what the second thing is, though this man knew that God, that Abraham loved was the God of mankind. That's one thing that he knew. I want you to notice that this man Eliezer did not know God for himself. Because he didn't say, "O my God, hear me." He said, "O God, of my master Abraham." He didn't know God for himself. But he knew God by the life that Abraham lived. That's true. He knew God by Abraham.

This shows us that when Jesus said, that "we are His representatives, that we are His ambassadors, that we are His body, that we are living epistles." He meant what He said. When God was here upon earth in a one membered body, He went away leaving this Word, they'll still be His body upon earth, but it'll be a many membered body. He still deals with man, even as God manifests Himself in the flesh of One, He now manifests Himself in the flesh of many. So, that the hand cannot say, "because I am not the eye, I am nothing. So the eye cannot say, because I am the eye and therefore I'm glad I'm not the hand, I am everything." No sir!

12. Now, the question then arises: do we have such intimacy with God and so many answers to prayer, and such a life in Jesus Christ, that men can see that God is real by the lives that we live. Because that's exactly what God put us here for. The only God that some people will ever know is the God in us. Now, do you know it is true that people can become God to mankind? I'm not saying it makes them God. When God said to Moses, "You are going to be God to the people," he didn't say, "You're God and I'm stepping aside." He didn't say, "Now look, you're taking over, I'm just stepping off, in fact you exist and I don't." He never said Moses was God. He said He was God to the people. In other words, as in Christ stead we stand so Moses instead of the Pillar of Fire stood. (See?)

Now, that's exactly true. We are given that particular place today so that men cannot only see God in us, but that we can demonstrate God to our sisters and brothers and those round about us. Scripture says, "My God will supply every needs." [Phil 4:19a] Yet we know that many of God's children have great needs. And the Bible says, "To help your fellow member." [Deut 15:11] It says, Charity, you know what I mean, the working of love and the giving, of helping, is to the household of faith. Just like as a man is the father of his family, so it is, he's duty to take care of his family, because they come first. They've got to. I'm not saying to be selfish, not help others. I'm just saying he has that responsibility, which we know is true. He's duty bound to have a job and all.

13. All right, now God says to us that we are...when people come to us and we have the means to help them, we have them. You see what, we become God to them. True. They didn't go to God and get the answers they came to us. (See?) You become God to them. And in the meantime then God is God to you. So, not matter how you look at it, it points out an intimacy of relationship of God's people to God, so that people will not get a mistaken conception of God. (See?)

Now, you look around the world today in nature and you can see that there's a great mistake in... there's a great misconception of what God's like by nature. Because you can't tell if He's a good God, or a bad God by nature. Now, some things from nature will say, "He's a very wonderful God." Other this say, "Ho, ho, this is too bad."

A hurricane come along and kill hundreds. That's bad, He can't be too good a God. A nice rain comes... every week or so, and you get a beautiful crop for harvest and you have a lot of food, you say, "Well, He's a pretty good God." You can't tell God ...?... You have Him by what? The Word, He's revealed in the Word.

14. Now, but what did God want us to be? Word Christians who reveal God. Now, you know as well as I do, that when this man Eliezer prayed, "O God of my master Abraham," he was convinced there was a God because of Abraham. That's true. He didn’t have any conviction of himself. But he knew the relationship of Abraham to God, he knew the actions of Abraham, he knew how God blessed Abraham, And he said, "I'll tell you one thing, I know there is a God, I don't know Him for myself, that's for sure, but I know there's a God."

Now, that is where we should be as "living epistles read and known of all men." [2 Cor 3:2] Because if we're living epistles, lively stones, read and know of all men, how do we read to the public? Like one ...?... said, "It's often said, 'your action speak louder than words'. Your action is so loud, I can't hear what you're saying."

To the sinner we are "living epistles read and known of all men," then to our Christian brothers we are the exciters. Now, Who's supposed to excite you? The Holy Ghost, right? But where's the Holy Ghost? He's in people. (See?) We are not only to be read, but we are to excite. (See?) We don't only live good lives, show forth the Word of God, but we literally live in such a way as to excite. Now, I'm going to tell you that is a big mouth full. Because in most places they call themselves Christians and boast having the Holy Ghost. They're not exciting just about anything, but nothing. The excitement maybe at times, "let's get out of this mess," rather than the excitement, "praise God this is real." (See?)

15. Now, the Bible says, "And so much the more the last days we are to come together to excite each other." Now, It doesn't say to fight each other. Now, we've been first class at that. What the men don't do the women do, and what they don't do, they do together. It's a real mess. We can't go to any church hardly in the face of the earth, that' it's not a mess.

Now, the Bible didn't say to come together and lot's of fight. It says, "To excite each other unto good works." [Heb 10:24] That word 'provoke' is to excite to 'paroxysm'. Never had a paroxysm? I did once. I laughed until I fell off a chair and I kept on laughing. That's a paroxysm. [laughter]

When have you been in a service where people quit splitting hairs and stop fussing about things they really don't know, and really worship God and praise Him, talk about all His wonderful work. Until everybody got so excited they just magnified the Lord and said, "Well, bless God, that's the way it's going to be in my life here." That's the way the Full Gospel Business Men were going to be blessed of God, but they just got away from it. They did, they left it, they lost it.

When they started out they excited people. "That's the reality of God, And I know what sin," he said. Finney said, "If there be no excitement in the church, they will go if necessary to the bar room, or the pool hall or someplace else to get it. We talk about our kids, we wonder why they want other excitement, is because there is not enough excitement in God, because the people.

16. Now, let me tell you there's got to be excitement somewhere, because the Bible demands. And that excitement is never going to come until we have a real personal relationship to God. And begin to see the wonders that lie in Christ. The absolute marvel of His Word. There's a Scripture I never cease to wonder at, because I know It's absolutely the truth, and how to get a long way into the very thing we're talking about.

In the Book of John chapter 8: It says here verse 31

(31) Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If (you) continue in my word, then (are you) my disciples indeed;

Now, the word 'to continue' means 'to keep doing it'. And the word 'disciple' means 'to learn'. And It says right, "You only learn the Word of God by doing It." So therefore, we can be all the way in the prophet's Message academically, but until we get into the Message by obeying the last thing He said, He said, "Don't fight." That's why I like to keep away from people, because I know me. I won't start anything. Nope, but when I walk in and somebody does I'm right in the dog fight. Just turn my heel and walk out. You admit you're in the same class, the wrong class to be in.

17. Then It says,

(32) ... (you) shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

You can never know God's Word. You can't know God's Word until It has proven Itself by obedience to It. And then you say, "Well my, It works." Then when you know that It works you're set free.

Now, you're never set free to know It works, because you're always wondering. You'll stagger at the Word of God. People stagger at you and me, when we stagger at the Word of God. (See?) But we're set free by putting the Word in action. That's the step of faith. Then when It works out we say, "Well that worked."

18. Just like I talked about love one time. Remember the story, listen... this is the story I really like, because it's the true story by Star Daily. The woman's name was Mrs. Bean, and she had the biggest mouth in seven counties if not all fourteen. And people couldn't stand her, because it was yak, yak, yak and gossip and she had the meanest tongue. And if you ever cross her, she just puts your name clean across America and back again. And so...up to this point escape a visit from dear Mrs. Bean who has to wants to visit everybody. And they're congratulating themselves till one day they saw her walking up their path. They saw her go down the street, and they said, "Well, certainly not our place." But certainly it was. She came up the path they said, "Certainly not our door." But it was their door.

Well, he said, "They opened the door gingerly and they held their mouths just right and every-thing so that she would be just right." And they treated her with such kindness, that she likely came back for more. Well, they knew the only thing to do is to play the hypocrite to keep the old girl down. So, they played the hypocrite for three or four times, five in a row. And finally being ...?... he said, "This is not the way to do it. There's only one way and that's show real love or forget it, we're not being hypocrites anymore."

19. So, they opened their hearts and their homes with real love and in a couple of months she had the same Eternal Life as they had. And she turned from being the scallywag, to the most blessed woman in that town. You see, the thing is you simply don't know God's Word, or work until It does work, and you'll never know if It'll work until you step out and do It and see where It goes. You don't know if beans will grow beans, you don’t know, you got to plant them. Then you water, then you watch and you will grow beans and that's with the Word of God. (See?)

And that's what this fellow Eliezer had seen, a man who knew how to grow beans as it were. He'd seen Abraham, he knew how the man lived, he watched, he said, "I heard Abraham tell me what God says." And he said, "He sure must have said It, because It comes to pass, and nobody else can do It, so that's got to be God."

20. Now, Abraham had to walk in that. (See?) You see, there's where the reality of God is. As William Branham from a child had revelation and visions, it made God ...?... because it's just like paper. See this paper, that's like God was so real to him. I'm going to tell you the same thing comes by being in that Word. God becomes real if people dare to get into that Word. Because He said, "If you abide in My Word, that's the way you learn It." When you learn It, It'll set you free.

Now, many of us tonight have been set free in certain areas by the Word of God? There's coming a day when we're going to be set free all the way, we've got to be. The Bible can't lie, that day has got to come. (See?) So, living epistles for sinners and exciters for Christians. Now, you can excite a couple of dogs in a dog fight too. I would just... [make a noise] That's not Christian. No, no, no, don't sic them. On the devil that's okay. You remember Jairus? How did he ever know God, except by Daniel? How did Nebuchadrezzar know God, except by Daniel? (See?) That's what God put us here for, living epistles, temples of God.

21. The third thing we see very clearly, and I want you to notice here that Eliezer is a sinner. He doesn't know God. Now, many people type this as a type of the Holy Ghost . Bro. Branham typed it as the messenger of the day. And that's true, because he was just a mere man bringing the bride. But I don't like the type in period, if anything except as a sermon a sinner.

Now, you notice here because he didn't know God for himself and being a sinner. It showed that sinners can receive from God if they pray sincerely in belief. Now, many people have an idea, because It says in John, "We know that God heareth not sinners, that sinners can't be heard of God." Now that's ridiculous. Because God didn't say that, the Pharisees said that. (See?)

Anybody can pray in simple faith and receive from God. Why? Because God loves men. ...?... And He'll answer. Anybody that puts His faith in God can get an answer. (See?) This man prayed and he was heard.

22. Now, this brings me something here. This brings me a truth here that we have missed until it took prophet to show it, Matthew 26: the Resurrection, what people thought was the end of the tribulation where everybody goes into the Millennium ...?... on earth. There's nobody on earth but the 144,000. Nobody, because all the wicked dead die. Those that go against God die. The Russian Communist Bloc are antichrist, they're atheists, they are all wiped out. The Western Bloc is all antichrist religious so they're all wiped out, there's nobody left but the 144,000 and Christ standing with them till we come down. (See?)

But, at the end of that time there are going to be people come up who were good to the Bride. Because He said, you can come and get Eternal Life which you missed upon earth, because they believed on Him, but because they were good to the people of God. Christ brother/sister who are what? the redeemed. They'll come up under works, justified buy works. Now, that's what the Bible teaches, you can't get away from it. See, the word 'nation' is not nation, it's 'ethnos' which are people. Now look it up for yourselves.

What am I showing you here? I'm showing you here that we got to keep preaching and looking for sinners regardless of the last breath is drawn. Because if they don't make the First Resurrection, which is election of the Bride in Christ, they have every opportunity to come in under grace extended through their meritorious service. (See?) That's Bible. Oh I know it's strange, because we've heard everything but what the Bible really taught. Read the way It's written, it's amazing. It what one man said, "It's amazing how much like the Bible throw on a commentary, if you just read your Bible. Never mind your commentary, stick to your Bible. (See?)

23. Now, the same thing also holds good here then, encourage the sinners to turn to God, to pray and to trust. Because you don't know what's going to happen. See, here is a sinner, actually this man Eliezer did not know God. And if you don't know God, and certainly what are you? You’re a sinner, you've missed Eternal Life, you can't make the Bride. (See?) You can't make that election, so many. The kingdom of God on earth is not yours, except you're born again now. You'll have to wait till some distant time and see what happens. I don't want to wait myself, I want to make sure.

So, love the sinner, encourage him to have faith in God. Encourage him to trust God. (See?) That's the thing we want to learn here, because it's very clearly set forth. Eliezer was not a child of God. Abraham alone was the Elect of God, then came Isaac. Right? But he had to get a certain woman from a certain area. Of what? Special choosing of the father, go to that area and that alone.

Just like Paul the apostle, he thought, "O Asia is full of people that needs help." God said, "Leave it, forget Asia, Macedonia is where I'm taking you." (See?) So, if a sinner can be heard and this proves, a sincere man encourages people toward God.

24. Now, the fourth thing we notice, is this man's love and humility. You noticed that he prayed for good. He said, "O God of my master Abraham, I want You to bless Abraham by fulfilling the desire of his heart, giving him the wife for his wonderful son Isaac.

Now, he was praying for the good of others. (See?) He was praying in order to be a blessing to Abraham. This is the highest form of prayer to go to God for others, that God may bless them. Remember when Abraham stood before the Lord and he said, "That's God." And ran and met of the three ...?... and said, "That's God." He said, "You're here in order for me to worship and to serve You?" (See?) And that's true, because that's exactly why God visits us. See, He delivers us, that we might worship Him.

25. And so, we find here that is in the case of Abraham this man is praying, "O God, let me be of service, work in me that I might be a benefit of somebody else." Now, that's the right way to pray. Because over in the Book of James It tells us so. In chapter 4, It says,

(2) (You) lust, and have not: (you) kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: (you) fight and war, yet (you) have not, because (you) ask not.

(3) (You) ask, and receive not, because (you) ask amiss, that (you) may consume it upon your lusts.

(4) (You) adulterers and adulteresses, know (you) not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?...

Now, because verse 4 speaks the way It does, everybody reads verse 3 to mean, "You ask and receive not, because you ask amiss that you may consume upon your lust." And because the word 'adulterer and adulteress' is there, you think it means a lustful thing. "O God, give me something, lovely and wicked so I can have a good time." The word 'lust' does not mean that. It means you ask only for yourself and for your own pleasure. You're selfish. He said, "That's why you don't get answers, because you're selfish the way you act. All it is, "O God, bless me and mine. O God, take care of this. O God, help me here. O God, help there."

26. And that's entirely unscriptural. Because the Bible said, "Pray for one another, that you may be healed." [Jas 5:16a] (See?) Christ would not pray for Himself. He only prayed for Himself what way? That He would receive strength to go through what it took to be a blessing to somebody else. (See?) Now, this man was praying the highest form of prayer, a sinner yet, praying the highest form of prayer. "Lord God, help somebody, help this man, make it a blessing." He was actually putting Himself all the way out. He wasn’t thinking of Himself. He was thinking of others.

Most of our times the Laodicean spirit is upon us. (See?) The people's rights. "I've got a real right to go to God. I'm a child of God." Now, he didn't go too far there, that's true, "I've got a right." And you say, "If I've got a right, bless God, then I'm going to go to God and I'm going to get every-thing I can from God, I'm going to sit down like a little pig in the middle of a puddle and enjoy it." No sir, the Bible says, "you're not going to get it, because you ask amiss." You see?

27. You ask in order to help. If all a preacher wants is something to preach about, he'll get it. But if he really wanted something to bless the people, he's got to bring the food down to where they need it, what the need for that day. It's says, "Give us this day..." Not tomorrow, yesterday, "give us this day our daily bread." [Mt 6:11]

And remember, food in season is what we want. Many people reject the prophet's Message, because you see, they're too selfish. Oh, that old organization had them. "You know, after all I'll lose my pension." Well, you're going to lose your life, forget your pension, what's that going do for you?

A man said to the fellow, he said to the thief, "What is it?"

He said, "Your money or your life."

And the man said, "All right take my life, I need the money for old age." [laughter]

That's the ecumenical move, that's where they're stuck. There's not going to be any old age. They're going to lose their money and their lives, because they thought to retain it. Sure they will. How many preachers do I know and you know that won't move, because a pension was involved. But they're going to lose it. They'll go right back to the harlot, they got no choice. (See?)

28. Oh, if they only learned God, I'm thinking of others. We don’t often pray too noble. I don't pray too nobly, when we look at ourselves. How nobly do we pray for others? Well, we've got a little concern. But I mean to be really noble. "God here am I, take from me and give to them."

I remember one time a friend of mine he really got that home to his heart, and I don't know just what it's all about, (but I think what he told me was true) he said that his daughters every so many days they had terrible cramps, and you know what she get her cramps from of course. And he said he didn't know how they bothered her, but he said, "Lord, if you just let me suffer, but let her go free." And the next time around he was doubled up. And he said, "I knew what that girl suffered." And he said, "I never prayed in my life like I prayed then for her deliverance, because I had a taste of what it was, the person that suffered, and (he said) she never had any more trouble from that time on." (See?)

There is a nobility in prayer, but how noble are we? There is a prayer of compassion, but how many times do we have compassion? I remember once I had such compassion for my sister, I was just poured out before God in compassion, He was just like that. You just...see? Look, we can talk all we want, but there is a way that even eagles don't know, but the Holy Spirit knows. (See?) And we can begin to learn that way by taking His Word and as I say abiding in It. (See?) Now, so this man prayed a wonderful prayer. And the wonderful prayer was, "O God, answer my prayer for the sake of somebody else." You know something? That's all he had in his mind too. You read it, he didn't pray any other prayer. No siree. He was interested in Abraham.

29. Let's go a little further. You'll notice the next thing here in this he goes to God and he said, "Now Lord, the thing is the girl. Now, that's what we want, exactly the right girl." So, he's going to God for something very specific. He knows exactly what he wants, and even goes so far as to tell God how he wants it. Now, this isn’t lust. No sir! And this isn't just a sort of human (what you call) interest. You see, like you've got today. "Tell me about myself," preaches revelation ministry, "tell me about myself."

Now, what does it matter if whether a fellow knows you've got cancer or not, if God will heal him? (See?) I'm not saying that we don’t need to know those things. But I'm just saying what is it? Did he put too much in the...(not in the bizarre, I don't want to use that word) but we go to extremes. Now, this man very sincerely said, "Lord, I want the girl, and she's got to be the right girl and I'll know she is if a certain thing takes place." And he wasn't trying to make a show out of it. He wasn't trying to make a sideshow, or anything big out of it. He knew what he wanted, and knew exactly how to be in order so that he would really know.

30. Now, you will notice here that that's how God answered him. (See?) God did exactly what the man said. He said, "Let them be sure they come to the water," that was the girl's job. They'd walked down the steps and bring the water. Balance it upon their heads and carry out.

He said, "Now, the girls do this, now Lord, let all ... Now, there's got to be a certain age you see, little teensy-weensy girl wouldn't do it, and one too old wouldn't do it, it's got to be the right one." And that evidently was the class that was going down to draw water. He said, "Let the girls come on down and draw water." And perhaps everybody over a certain age, and in between another age all went down. You could be too old of course, they'd be too old to work. Too young wouldn't be permitted. But these certain group of girls to come on down.

31. Now, he said, "They'd be coming down, (which they will) because that was something for them all to do." The rich girls did the same as the poor girls. It was just the custom. So he said, "They'll be at that well." And that was very wonderful. And the first thing, the first girl comes by. And he was really very, very surprised, because God answered so quickly. Of course the Bible does say, "That before they call, I'll answer." [Isa 65:24a] And you know what? Because the answer is already there.

There isn't one single thing that God hasn't prepared in order to meet a need that you would be there, so the need only shows us that there's an answer. Because if there's no answer, there's no need, you can't...(see?) if there's no answer there's no problem. Anybody knows that. That there's something in here, there's got to be something out there. But, that out there was before this was in here. So therefore, it's real. (See?) And God answers just so quickly, and that's a lesson for us. That God does answer. (See?) He closes his heart off, and he's praying and he said, "Fine, now we just wait and see what God does."

32. Now, here is something I want to bring to your attention. Because this is really the crux of the whole thing. And that is, if the servant can pray and receive on the merits of Abraham, (see?) how much more we with the revelation of Christ in us receive from God in turn? There was a sinner, because he was, he didn't know that. But if he, on the merits of Abraham, not knowing God for himself, (see?) not having a share in the Kingdom of God, could receive such a dynamic answer, (see?) if God was for him, (see?) how much more than every true child of God? As the Scripture says, "If God spared not His Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not also with Him freely give us all things?" [Rom 8:32] (See?) "All things are yours, " (said Paul) my God supplies all your needs, by His riches and glory." [Phil 4:19]

Now, you can see there that this man stood in the gap, just a sinner, because that's all I can place it. How much more then can you and I stand in the gap? (See?) He did it on the merits of Abraham. He didn't know God. But we stand in the gap on the merits of Christ, for it's Christ in you who strengthens and does these things. Now you see it.

33. The three major things we learned, if a sinner on the merits of Abraham can get an explicit perfect answer, because he's sincere and upright and wants to be right and good, how much more can we who are given the titles to those things which we fall heir to in Christ? (See?) If he simply in faith, (human faith) extended towards God, can stand in the gap, (see?) how much more we, of whom it is Christ, when He said, "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel." [Mk 16:15] And He showed how devils would be subject and all. For He said, "For all power in heaven and earth is given unto Me," [Mt 28:18b] and that same power is in the believer. (See?) So, you've got the picture if that man on the merits of another, it wasn't even God, but knew God, could receive from God, how much more those who are entitled by heir-ship in Christ? If this man could stand in the gap, he doing it, how much more can every believer stand in the gap? Because He has empowered through Jesus Christ the Lord.

You'll notice also how this man prayed. "Lord, I want to have an answer from You. I know what I want. In this case it is a maiden, but let her be Your choice." That's where we really missed the boat in this one. In other words, God have us the intelligence to know what our wants would be. He gave us the faith in order to get them. But He also gave us love and humility to put Him right in the midst of it, in order to get our directions right and get what He wants.

34. You see, here's where we can go astray. Lord You said in Your Word, "Thus and so." And He answered and said, "I certainly did say that." That's exactly right.

"Now, I can have it Lord then."

"Yes, it's in the Word."

You say, "Just a minute now Lord, which one?"

We're not talking about now about women, we're talking about ...?.. ...?...You know a lot of marriages are completely wrong, because a man didn't stand back and say, "Make sure it's the right one." If had the man stood back and said, "God, I want Your choice." We'd certainly would have a lot of happy homes. Because God's choice does just can't go wrong, and it can't sour. There's no such thing as a man getting the right girl and then souring. Because God's things don't sour. You've got nothing in God goes sour. Now please believe it. Because if anything in God goes sour, then it was sour in the beginning, because God can't change. Right? It's got to be perfect, every good and perfect gift. You See?

35. So, but in many things we go to God. Because I've told you my story, I wanted a car once, and you know the 'in's' and 'out's' about it.

I should have said, "Lord, what kind of car."

He said, "Any car."

Well, like a fool I took what might be my own choice.

I said it, "Lord, what car do You want me to buy?" (See?)

This man a sinner, knew more in one split second than most of us learn in thirty years of being Christians. He said, "Now Lord, there's a girl here somewhere for this boy. There's one thing we better be sure, that it's Your girl."

Now, you see that's the way life is. There's all kind of things out here, God says, "Sure." All things are legal. (See?) But you see, all things are not for you. (See?) Happy is the man (you know) is not condemned the things that He allows. All things lawful, but all things are not expedient.

36. "Lord, You're all lawful." What's expedient? (See?) "Lord God," You said, "There's so many things out here Your Word now. Give me Your perfect choice in it." (See?) We've got the intelligence to know what our needs are, but make sure it's what God wants us to have. (See?) I'm learning that little by little. As I said, Moses had forty years to mess up, forty years to learn, forty years service.

I've got past my first forty, now I'm messing up and I don't know if I'm learning too much. And the next forty I know I never learned to have forty after this. I won't live ...[blank spot] ... being eighty to learn it. It's a quick work God's doing. But we've got to come to a place where we learn these things. "God, You said this." And many a man goes to God. Like I said not long ago, and I keep showing you these men go to the Word. And the Word of God says that's there's gifts in the church, and they say, "I'm going to lock myself in a room, I'm going to get something from God.

37. The Bible also said, "It's up to Him to give you what He wants." ...?... O God, give me the ...?... [low volume] And I've never seen one that ...?... I feel the same thing, maybe got an answer God wouldn't do it. Now, I've learn that the best thing you never did it, and I've been so happy. Because since then I found out what would I have done with a big gift? I'd have ruined everything. I might have tried to make money. I don't know about so much about the money, although I think that was a pretty good thought too. Although I've tried a little bit there.

But, I think I have sure used a club over people. I think I'd have been rough on people, very rough on people. Because you look, I've got something, I'd ...?... God knows you better. (See?) He knew a way ahead of time what I'd find out later on. Couldn't trust me. (See?) Don't, don't... See, "God ... You promise this, but Lord, what do You want?" That's amazing. Look at the sinner doing that. (See?) ...?... there's a lot of ...?... we can have life, but now you took that. We see Samson didn't we? There wouldn't be Samson in Isaac, let's face it.

You don't find the Word of God saying in Samson, "I've seen you called." No sir! You don't find him kicked out with too much ...?... the same thing. God use them. But the great one was this man who said, "God, you be in the midst of them."

38. Now, so God gave us intelligence, He gave us faith, love and humility and we can always be right by Him. So then, our great thought was he's a sinner on a right errand, with a right purpose can pray and get an answer. How much more can we?

Next time you go to pray, I want you to go before God and say, "Lord, I remember Eliezer, You're the same God of Abraham, and You’re my God." They know ...?.. friends. But I remember how you went out sincerely on a right errand with a right purpose in his heart, and I know how quickly He answered. If he can do it without having a relationship to you by knowledge, how much more can I now, Lord, sincerely know that this is going to come to pass, because I don’t want it for me. I'm interested in helping someone.

39. I remember years ago a young man said to me, we were talking about going out in the work, he's not preaching, I was preaching then. Yet he was not living quite well for God, and so I helped him, he got over the hump and was coming along just fine. And I could tell by his attitude and I said something which was maybe way beyond me in years in my own experience. I said, "Les, there's a great difference in you being great for God, for God, than being great for God for Les Petery. And that's true.

How many of us honestly would like to be great for God, for God? ...?... There's an awful temptation to be great for God for me ...?... Do you often want to see what God can do? He said, "You ask not, because you want it for your own self." You want something out of it. What do you want? "Nothing Lord, but get glory. Somebody needs help, O God. Somebody's got to have it." (See?)

This man was just a servant, he reduced himself down to just carrying the water buckets, and look how God blessed him. How much more the man can be used and blessed of God carrying a water bucket can we sincerely carrying the Christ Himself? (See?) I kind of thought there's some good lessons in this little Scripture. And as I look back about an old sinner boy going to God in a marriage to somebody else. Why we came to God and married to Jesus Christ. Hallelujah. (See?) But if that could happen to him, and look at the place it gives him in spiritual history.

40. Look at two men that were sinners. Now, I know old Eliezer he'll make it because of Abraham. Right? In the Second Resurrection we know that. What about Pharaoh, his name's through the Book too. Look at his name, where's he? We don't want that. We don't want to be men like Korah, Dathan, you don't ...?... and they were religious. Because when Korah got all mixed up in sinning, God called his dwelling place a tabernacle signifying religion when normally he calls it a tent, signifying just living in one. And he said, "Move away from his tabernacle."

I'd sooner be just a tent, with God being...with Christ being the face, that means God, then reduce myself to a Korah ...?... But here was this old boy, just a good old boy going out without a selfish motive. Just going out to be a value to somebody. God went [makes a blowing noise] just like an answer to prayer. How much more then you and I? (Uh?) Oh come on, what of it? Can you doubt God after this? Well come on, there's a Bible, I didn't make it up. God wrote It. This man wasn't, this man didn't have it. If he'd have had it, Eliezer would have been heir. He didn't have him. But he got the answer. Right? How about you and me?

41. So, the next time you go to prayer, let this be a place that you face God, I'm remembering Eliezer. I'm remembering who he was, and because of his sincere humility He answered. Now, I'm remembering who I am in Christ. Can I be any less? "No Lord, let every selfish motive go, God do ...?..." Isn't it funny when you pray to ...?... I would go ...?... [not clear] ... Just bring this thing out.

Look it, here's a fellow like me praying for the sick. You know what I do most times? I put myself in the spot. I'm not on the spot. I don’t stand ...?... faith. It's God Who's Word ...?... Why? We're not on the spot. (See?) No, we know that. We just got to... what is it? We just got to do what I said awhile ago getting that Word until we say, "Well, now I know, I worked it out, it worked. Bless God, I'm set free. But, Eliezer (see?) he just knew by somebody else. But we know for ourselves.

You can't know God because I know God. I can't know God because you know God. I can't serve God because He's God. I've got to serve Him in spirit and in truth. I got to know myself. But, this man real, he was real. ...?... of God. ...?... what a beautiful thing. But we have Him, we have the covenant God. That's right. No more, you don't ask, don't worry about yourself. Don't worry about it, He'll take care of you. Right? That's right, amen, we're got a good God we love. Amen.

The Lord bless you, let's rise:

Gracious Father, surely Your Word has said and truly we know how good and how precious it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. And how good it is, Lord, tonight in this little example to see the truth, Lord, we really have sold you short as it were, in how much You care. Because, Lord, if You care for him, then how much more do you care for Isaac? And in Isaac is the seed called, (hallelujah) heir to all things. O God, Lord God, tonight we even just place ourselves as servants, right alongside of Eliezer. Give us a heart of service, Lord.

Lord, even ... to just as it were to put aside temporarily to put aside Your glory, all thoughts of reigning and ruling with You, but just the thought of ... we can reach You for others. Even as You have reached for us, now we can reach for others. Lord, let us know a little of the joy of this, because I believe that that dear old man must have broken down and cried. Oh what a time he had when he realized what a lovely girl she was, and how willing she was. How successful was his mission. Lord, maybe if we just took a little more time to be real servants, we'd find some real jewels out there to bring in the Kingdom for our Master to present as part of the Bride.

So, help us tonight. Help us, Lord, to get a real vision of the grandeur and glory of being a child of God in humility. In humility and in great compassion. Thank you, Lord, we all feel a little soft and a little richer tonight, little tender. But, Lord, let us become really tender, O God, let us be really tender. We ask this in the Name of Jesus Christ for Your glory. Amen. God bless you.