Sermon Outlines

By Frederick F. Schwindt, Evangelist

REGULATED PRAYER

1. David, like Daniel, was a man of principles:
   1. That included his prayer seasons
   2. Morning, noon and evening were dedicated to communion with God
2. consistency in his relation to God characterized his worship:
   1. In this, we shall do well to imitate him, to honor and glorify the Lord
   2. One may ask, why did he divide his seasons of prayer into evening, morning and noon devotions

1. It is normal for civilized people to have their meals:
   1. In the morning
   2. At noon
   3. And in the evening
2. That being true, it is still more important to regulate our prayer seasons:
   1. To pray in the morning before we take up the duties of the day - Jesus did that - Mark 1:35; Daniel must have followed the same practice - Dan. 6:10; and Peter had his season of prayer in the morning - Acts 10:9
   2. To pray at noon before we partake of the food that has been prepared - it is very proper to lift up our hearts in humble gratitude to God in prayer
   3. The evening is a very appropriate time to pause, meditate upon our experience during the day, the pitfalls the Lord saved us out of; the many dangers He kept us out of and the blessing our lives have been by His grace
3. Such regulated appointments with the Lord:
   1. Indicate our close and intimate relation with our Creator and Redeemer - it is, in fact, "a walk with God" - Gen. 5:22-24
   2. It is the true nature of our fellowship with the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost - 2 Cor. 13:14; I John 1:3

1. Think of it, dear friends, what we miss:
   1. If we leave out family worship in the morning before we assume the duties of the day
   2. Our daily duties to God and to our fellowmen - how shall we meet them successfully
2. Our need must be apparent to all of us:
   1. We need the Lord in our lives - "for without Me," said Jesus, "ye can do nothing" - John 15:5
   2. We need physical, mental, and spiritual energy to do acceptable service - Deut. 33:25
   3. We need the Lord to shield us constantly against the vials of the devil - Eph. 6:10-18
3. How many families are torn apart and destroyed:
   1. Because they sought not the Lord in prayer - Jer. 10:25
   2. How different were the lives of Job - Job 1:1-3; Joshua - Joshua 24:15; Cornelius - Acts 10:1-8
   3. This writer shall never forget the family worship of the days of his childhood- first conducted by my father; then by my mother
4. Regulated prayer will do seven things for those who practice it:
   1. It will make prayer a habit in their life; we know that that which becomes a habit of our life becomes natural - it is not forced
   2. It will keep constant connections between us and the Lord - that is truly the secret of walking with God
   3. It will assure us of a constant supply of divine energy for the day - and that is the great secret of holy living
   4. It will keep us informed of the will of God for our life - that was the great secret in the life of the Son of God - His constant connection with His heavenly Father
   5. It will fortify us against the ever present temptation by which Satan seeks to destroy us - I Peter 5:8-9
   6. It will keep us constantly in the spirit and atmosphere o prayer - that is, I believe what Paul means, when he says "Pray without ceasing" - I Thes. 5:17
   7. Finally, by so doing, we will become partakers of the divine nature - 2 Peter 1:2-8; 2 Cor. 3:17