Transcription downloaded from https://sermons.heritagesermons.org/sermons/49741/behold-he-prayeth-quality-very-good/.

Disclaimer: this is an automatically generated machine transcription - there may be small errors or mistranscriptions.
Please refer to the original audio if you are in any doubt.


[0:00] Looking once again to the Lord to be our help for this afternoon, we call your attention to a word you will find in the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 9, and the last clause of verse 11. The 9th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles and the last part of the 11th verse, just three words, Behold, he prayeth. Behold, he prayeth.

[0:44] These words relate, of course, as is well known by all in the house of God this afternoon, known to the Apostle Paul. And it came to pass that under conviction of sin, the Apostle is brought to call upon the name of the Lord. And in these words, Behold, he prayeth, we say, a miracle of grace, a miracle of grace. I want first to speak just a few words on the first part, Behold, and then Behold, he prayeth. And then I want to speak a little of prayer and the way of prayer, as the Lord will enable me. This word, Behold, it is a gospel word which is often used by the Holy Spirit in his word. It's a word which says, draws our attention to something that is most blessed and worthy of our reflection. Whenever this word is recorded in the Bible, that which follows is something which is most wonderful. And as the Lord the Spirit opens up that which follows, there we shall behold that which will do ourselves good. And more so if we behold something which we have been made to experience, that we have handled, tasted and felt, so that it is made even a confirmation to us that we are indeed in the way.

[3:21] Oh, this word, behold, behold. The word is used many times with respect to the Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, behold, behold, behold, my servant whom I uphold, mine inect in whom my soul delights. And there it causes our attention in the prophecy of Isaiah to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ as the servant of God.

[4:03] Jesus Christ as the servant of the Lord. As the Lord is now, behold, behold, behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall decree justice, and a man shall be a hiding place.

[4:20] Hasn't that been a time of sweet reflection to you, maybe? As you have considered that which the Holy Spirit has called your attention to behold sinner look here and a man shall be an hiding place and so the Lord Jesus Christ is pointed out to the disciples of John he says behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world and here before us something that is most wonderful to consider and so the Holy Spirit says to us this afternoon behold and what are we to behold well that which follows in two words behold he prayeth he prayeth who is this he that is referred to in the text our attention is drawn to consider all this he is who is described by this little word he well it is

[5:40] Saul of Tarsus Saul of Tarsus and he is a type of every child of God oh he is a type of every child of God he is indeed first and foremost a sinner he is a sinner he was a sinner in his own estimation indeed he was in his own estimation the chief of sinners you know he could never forget that he was a sinner time and time again we find in the writings of the Apostle 4 that confession of the Apostle that he was a sinner he never forgot what he was and he said in writing to the church at Corinth he says but by the grace of God

[6:49] I am what I am by the grace of God I am what I am nothing in myself I am a by nature a sinner oh hear him as he speaks in the Acts of the Apostles in the 26th chapter there we have the Apostle Paul as he is before Agrippa I verily says he thought with myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth which thing I also did in Jerusalem and many of the saints did I shut up in prison having received authority from the chief priests and when they were put to death I gave my voice against them and I punished them off in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme and being exceedingly mad against them

[7:55] I persecuted them even unto strange sitters yea he was indeed a blasphemer he was a blasphemer he confetted it as in art in writing to his dear son in the faith Timothy and I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who hath enabled me for that he counted me faithful putting me into the ministry who was before a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief now this was this one to whom our attention is drawn this he behold he the sinner a sinner a deep died sinner was the apostle Paul and can it not be said and such were some of you and such were some of you you know it's the worst of sinners the very very worst of sinners that we find in this text the very very worst of men and women have been brought here behold he

[9:22] Saul of Tarsus how remarkable he prayeth he prayeth well this wasn't his nature was it not for one moment was this the nature of Saul of Tarsus to pray it was indeed a miracle of grace that he was brought to this place behold he prayeth Saul of Tarsus the sinner see him here upon his knees praying to his God wasn't long before that he was on his way to Damascus bent upon the destruction of the church of Jesus Christ the Lord Jesus Christ he says Saul Saul why persecutest thou he doesn't say my people he says may may may but what an almighty power was put forth to bring this sinner to his knees what an almighty power how powerful is the grace of God how powerful is his worth all this powerful two-edged sword of the spirit brings this sinner to his knees behold he prieth he prieth do you know what it is to pray do you know what it is to be found in this place where the apostle was found at this juncture of course he wasn't the apostle but

[11:34] I refer to him as such he was found here in that place where every and I say that every child of God shall be brought in their measure everyone will be brought here to cry unto the Lord you know the apostle had prayed before I've known out many times that the apostle had uttered the words of the phalisee many times that he uttered words before the Lord and in his self-righteous pride had uttered words and called it prayer but you know he'd never had this experience he'd never been brought to feel his great name here was the prayer of one who was desperately built here was the groaning of a prisoner here was real real prayer real prayer of church wonder how many times we really pray we really pray and how many times our prayers are just formal utterances of words before God

[13:06] I often think of that verse which we I suppose most of us sang in the sabbath school or new I often say my prayers but do I ever pray and do the wishes of my heart go with the words I say it's a sweet verse you know there's deep teaching in that how often do we pray he prayed you know we know he prayed the Lord said unto Ananias arise it's the Lord that said it the words of the Lord he knew you know he knows whether we pray or not whether we are in earnest you know we may sound very sweet to somebody in the prayer meeting may be but after pray in public we may utter many scriptures and we may even have upon our lips the shibboleth of Zion but you know the Lord now he knows he looks into the heart he knows the hearts of men and he knew the heart of the apostle at this juncture oh he says

[14:22] Ananias he says go arise and go into the street which is called straight and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul he knew his name he knew exactly where he was and he knew his exercise he said behold he prayeth he prayeth he's saying he's saying to Ananias I know I know he was a persecutor ah but you'll find a different character there oh when you find this one you'll find a different character before you behold he prayeth and this was the mark that he gave to Ananias this was the time to prove that he was one of his children behold he prayeth he prayeth he never prayed like that before you know can you remember the time when you first prayed do you remember that time when you first had to fall upon your knees and you were found in the place where the publican was

[15:25] God the merciful to me a sinner could not as much as lift up his eyes to heaven or there in destitution all healing is great need a feeling to be the very worst of sinners feeling that cannot be mercy for me all that cannot be mercy for me but must cry must cry to the Lord oh behold he prayeth he prayeth blessed place oh that we saw more of it in the day in which we live you know we read do we not in the biographies of some of those that when before they had those places in the fields under the edges you know where they fell upon their knees and cried unto the Lord oh yes cried unto the Lord behold he prayeth he prayeth blessed prayer it must have been you know it's not on record the

[16:37] Holy Spirit has not seen fit to leave it on record for us but it must have been a sweet prayer it was indicted prayer you know it was answered prayer oh it was the oh the what a blessed hymn is that I thought of it in a meditation the vilest sinner out of hell that lives to feel his need is welcome to a throne of grace a saviour's blood to plead oh this is real real language not just words real language my mind goes just briefly to that which was spoken by the prophet Zephaniah speaking of bringing again his people bringing them out of darkness and out of captivity he says he says for then will I turn to the people a pure language that they may all call upon the name of the

[17:58] Lord to serve him with one consent from beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliance suppliance not the language my suppliance even the daughter of my dispersed shall bring my offering a pure language you know real prayer is the language of the holy spirit the apostle he says for we know not how to pray as we ought but the spirit maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered you know those the holy spirit he makes that intercession for us stand in a stone under the influence of the holy spirit under his inditing to fall down upon our knees before

[19:03] God in the solemn attitude of prayer this is real prayer it's a pure language you know it's free from deceit it's free from deceit it's free from lies it is indeed a pure language it's very sweet you know real prayer very sweet is real prayer when our hearts are poured out before God so different to formal prayer we read in Psalm 107 of those places where the Lord's people are brought you know various instances the psalmist so it's in that sweet Psalm but they're all brought to that one place they're brought to that place where there is no help in themselves there's no help in man not their best friend there's no help in anything they may possess they are destitute and devoid of any help but in

[20:14] God then not until then he brought down their heart with labour they fell down do you know what that is they fell down and there was none to help then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble and he delivered them out of their distresses do you know do you know what it is I asked that question do you know this afternoon do you know what it is have you been in that place can you say yes the psalmist he knew what he was talking about I've been there that's been my blessed experience behold he prayed he prayed nature never taught him you know it was the holy spirit and if you've ever prayed it's the holy spirit you know has brought you to that place what a blessed thing it is the Lord has brought you there behold he prayeth the way of prayer is the most blessed privilege most blessed privilege when we consider the mercy seat then we see the great cost of this blessed privilege which it was to the apostle

[21:53] Paul the blessed privilege to him you know he may not as he fell down upon his knees at this time he probably never really realised what a wonderful privilege was prayer but I believe that as he went on in the way as he grew in grace and the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ more and more he came to realise what a blessed privilege it was and why well because of its cost the great cost you know the way of prayer is a way marked out by blood it was a way purchased by the sacrifice of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ upon the cross of Calvary it is the purchase of the sufferings of the Lord and the mercy seat you know was a blood sprinkled mercy seat those cherubims with their wings outstretched we read that they looked toward the mercy seat oh no wonder they looked there the angels desire to look into these things you know they desire to look into these things as the

[23:18] Lord has shown you the blessedness of this way blood sprinkled mercy seat you know if there's no blood there's no access this precious blood of Jesus it is the way of access an all prevailing plea to God it's an all prevailing plea brace down you know everything that would endure you know before the precious blood of Jesus those doors they file from those bars of grass are cut asunder oh yes and sweet access is found blessed privilege is the way of prayer it is indeed the way of the saints it's the way of the saints the way of prayer is the most blessed way it is the way in which the

[24:23] Lord's children through all the ages of time have walked they've walked this way the way to heaven the narrow way is a way of prayer and it is from time to time the prayer of necessity it's the prayer of necessity or is this that cometh up out of the wilderness leaning upon her beloved why it's the church of Jesus Christ and a praying soul is a living soul and a prayerless soul is a dead soul dead soul prayer is the very breath of the saints the breath of the saints the way of prayer way of prayer what a blessed way it is it's the way whereby we find access through a precious

[25:25] Christ through the appointed means to God it is a most solemn ordinance it is an exercise which cannot be entered upon rightly in likeness it's a most solemn place the throne of grace you know if we were going into some ordinance with the queen of this land we should be very very careful I'm sure that if we had to go into Buckingham Palace and go before the queen that probably we should be found in a certain awe a certain trembling a certain nervousness within and how much more as we would come into the presence of God into the holy of holies through the precious way the rent veil of the flesh of

[26:58] Jesus that way of access made known what a solemn exercise it is a blessed exercise a solemn exercise where our language would be ordered in reverence and a desire to come in holiness holiness blessed way of prayer it's the way of faith James he says unless we come with faith they that come unto him must believe that he is and that he is the rewarder of all them that diligently seek him we must come with precious faith it is his gift you know we come to a throne of grace with nothing nothing of our own if we come rightly nothing in my hand

[28:03] I bring simply to thy cross I cling naked come to thee for dress helpless look to thee for grace fell I to thee fountain fly wash me saviour or I die now there's the way of prayer but you know it is a blessed way you know this way of prayer is is the way whereby the Lord's people walk in that blessed narrow way the Lord by his spirit and his word he says acknowledge him in all thy ways now this is how we acknowledge the Lord day by day you know if we're real Christians real followers of the Lord and

[29:03] Saviour Jesus Christ believers in him we shall want to walk this way commit thy way unto the Lord trust also in him and he shall bring it to pass and so in the things of providence in all our providential way we shall be one to be found at a throne of grace cast thy burden upon the Lord and he shall sustain thee you know where there's an exhitation there's always a promise you'll find that they're always joined together inseparably in the word of God call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee I will deliver thee you'll find this time and time again throughout the word of God the exhitation and then the promise that goes with it and you know it can never fail it can never fail or to acknowledge him you know not to be able to make a move whether it be in our associations in the place where we dwell in the place where we worship all those things which pertain to our life here below to commit our way unto him now this is the way of prayer the way of prayer blessed privilege is this way and then there is that whereby we seek the Lord for those spiritual blessings

[30:43] I will be inquired of by the house of Israel to do these things for them you know we're not to presume we're not to be presumptuous and to say yes we the Lord will provide all things no need to pray you know you're out of the way you're out of the way if that's the way it is therefore shall ye draw water from the wells of salvation I miss that word with joy I didn't quote it quite right but you know prayer is the bucket prayer is the bucket whereby we with joy draw water from salvation's wells it's prayer you know it's praying souls who are blessed it's praying souls who are blessed blessed under the sound of the ministry if you come into the chapel you know like a door upon its hinges and you don't pray for the Lord's servant pray that he might be led into your place if you're not exercised in prayer before the Lord how can you expect to receive a blessing all the way of prayer blessed privilege blessed privilege oh what a miracle of grace if you're a praying soul you know I preach this for the encouragement of the Lord's people this afternoon and also as a word of warning for they who know not the way of prayer but maybe I will under the under the spirit's influence quicken you into life or make you to say yes I desire to walk in that way you know or to draw forth to obtain grace come boldly onto a throne of grace says the apostle or that we may obtain mercy and grace to help in our every time of need blessed throne of grace you know he that fills a mercy seat he understands the side divine and marks the secret groan he can come into your case oh he can come into your case men may not understand the way you go but the Lord understands tempted in all points such as we are yet without sin he walked this way and being made perfect being made perfect wasn't he always perfect oh yes he was he ever was perfect but you know when the Lord

[33:33] Jesus walked here below it was a new experience it was a new experience you know to walk in the as a a man upon the earth to undergo those deprivations to undergo those temptations those great trials that reproach those forsakings that suffering you know it was thereby the being made perfect he became the author of eternal salvation unto his children you know he understands his children men may not understand but throne of grace pour out your heart before him providential things spiritual things bring them there but come by Christ you know we must come by that living way the only way of access is the

[34:33] Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ he is the mediator that one that stands between oh yes by him you know the blind man we read of in our reading that's how he came Jesus thou son of David have mercy on me you know in that language he owned the Lord Jesus Christ as the Messiah that one who was poor to come now it was beautiful language you know and that was real prayer it wasn't a long prayer it was a very very short prayer but you know the Lord stood still he stood still do you think your prayer has ever caused that to happen and the Lord he stood still and he called him and he asked that question what will bear that I do unto thee you know if the

[35:37] Lord said that what would your answer be you know the blind man he knew what he wanted Lord that I may receive my sight you know and he got an immediate answer his sight was restored but finally I want to speak a little word of warning we need it you know I need it because I know what it is to be prayerless I know what it is to be cold I know what it is to walk in darkness because of my sin and my neglect in this matter you know the Lord he had to speak to ancient Israel through the prophet Isaiah and he brought forth this in the 43rd chapter but thou hast not called upon me oh

[36:37] Jacob what what a charge is that what a charge but you know he's not speaking to the world he's not speaking to the world here but thou hast not called upon me oh oh Jacob Jacob but thou hast been weary of me oh Israel you know they were the two names weren't they Jacob that was his natural name and God condescends to be known as the God of Jacob but Israel what was that name you know what the Lord gave him he prevailed with God how in prayer in prayer he wrestled with God and he obtained the blessing he says what is thy name and he blessed him there he blessed him there Jacob knew what he wanted you know and he obtained the blessing and his name became

[37:37] Israel but oh what a charge is this but thou of all people thou for whom the Lord Jesus Christ suffered thou for whom he purchased this blessed way of prayer of all people but thou was not called upon me oh Jacob but thou hast been further still weary of me weary of me weary of calling upon my name do you know that do you know that place I do I know that place many times rather do anything but pray coldness in our hearts you know all the things of the world which lure us away take up our time us in the ministry I don't know if my brethren ever walk in this place sometimes but not what we should be sometimes we spend time doing this and doing that when we look back and we review it and we say yes it's been wasted time ought to have been at a mercy seat ought to have been calling upon the name of the

[39:00] Lord ought to be praying for the little flock of whom he has set us oh we ought to be in the way of our duty but now thou hast not called upon me oh Jacob but thou hast been weary of me oh Israel it is so true there are times you know when the Lord's people they seem to forget forget the cost forget the Lord Jesus Christ their Saviour forget the way of prayer but you know they suffer for it oh they suffer for it the Lord doesn't cut them off but now the Lord visits with his rod he hides his face are you walking in darkness a child of God have you not had a visit of his face of recent days have you not heard his voice for a long season does it bring you to where

[40:06] David came or be not silent unto me oh God lest if thou be silent unto me I be as them that go down to the pit oh it's a deep place but you know David was a child of God but he was a sinner he was a sinner and he knew what it was to have the Lord eyed his face but can you go can you go week after week without hearing the voice of the never have a blessing and are you prayerless and careless it doesn't mean to say you are not a child of God oh no the Lord's people you know get here oh they get in this place and oh there is a place we find in the prophecy of Isaiah if I can find it yes in chapter 50 verse 10 who is among you that careth the

[41:11] Lord that obeys the voice of his servant that walk in darkness and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay himself upon his God and how do we stay ourselves upon God and trust in him well we commit our way to him it's the way of prayer the way of prayer but you know what neglect I believe there's a great neglect I think there's a world in ish entered in to the church is that why there's so many empty seats when Zion travelled then she brought forth children you know it was when she travelled there was much travail I believe years gone by in the time of prosperity in the churches I was only reading you know the other day of dear John

[42:11] Warburton of Trowbridge and I believe that during his ministry he baptized 498 persons very remarkable is it not a day of small things is it prayer that's lacking blessed privilege but you know if we despise it if we turn our back upon it then the Lord will visit us and you know he'll send a famine he'll send a famine solemn thing is this it's a miracle you know that we pray it's a miracle that we pray the apostle he says who holdeth our soul in life who holdeth our soul in life you know there's a lot in that because in that blessed psalm wherein that is recorded we find that the

[43:25] Lord by the Spirit he goes on to tell us how he holds our soul in life which holdeth our soul in life and suffereth not our feet to be moved for thou O God hast proved us thou hast tried us as silver is tried thou broughtest us into the net thou laid affliction upon our loins thou hast caused men to ride over our heads we went through fire and through water and this is how the Lord chastised these prayerless people you know you know a praying soul one who walks close to the Lord one who is careful and prayerful in the way you know I believe that they do not really know the deep sorrows that prayerless one does know for the

[44:37]  Lord you know as an eagle stirred up his nest you know if we're prayerless and if we neglect prayer God you know his work his work shall go on you know those that purchase this precious blood they shall be saved if he has to take them through fire and through water he'll ever bring them there to a throne of grace to call upon his name and you know I believe that the Lord's people they suffer much and they grieve much because of their lack of prayer or that the Lord might teach us and oh by his grace that it might be said of us day by day in the words of our text behold the prayer amen