I Cried
The sermon emphasizes the importance of crying to God and praying with fervency to receive comfort and blessings in times of distress.
Thomas Brooks emphasizes the power of crying out to God in prayer, illustrating how a child's cries can lead to affection and support. He highlights that true prayer is not measured by its length or eloquence, but by the fervency and sincerity of the heart. Brooks encourages believers to approach God with earnest cries, assuring them that their heartfelt prayers reach the heavens and invoke God's response. He cites Psalm 18:6 to affirm that God hears our cries and answers us in our distress.
Text
The child has got many a kiss, and many a hug
--by crying.
"In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my
God for help. From His temple He heard my voice;
my cry came before Him, into His ears." Psalm 18:6
Prayer is the only means to supply all defects;
prayer gets all, and makes up the loss of all.
It is not the length--but the strength of prayer;
it is not the labor of the lip--but the travail of the
heart--which prevails with God. It is not . . .
the arithmetic of our prayers, how many they are; nor
the rhetoric of our prayers, how eloquent they are; nor
the geometry of our prayers, how long they are; nor
the music of our prayers, how sweet they are; nor
the logic of our prayers, how methodical they are
--which will prevail with God. It is only fervency in
prayer, which will make a man prevalent with God.
Fervent prayer hits the mark, and pierces the walls
of heaven!
"In my anguish I cried to the Lord, and He
answered by setting me free." Psalm 118:5
Sermon Outline
- The Power of Crying to God
- The Importance of Prayer
- The Characteristics of Effective Prayer
- It is not the length but the strength of prayer that prevails with God
- It is the travail of the heart that makes a man prevalent with God
Key Quotes
“Fervent prayer hits the mark, and pierces the walls of heaven!” — Thomas Brooks
“In my anguish I cried to the Lord, and He answered by setting me free.” — Thomas Brooks
“It is not the length--but the strength of prayer; it is not the labor of the lip--but the travail of the heart--which prevails with God.” — Thomas Brooks
Application Points
- We must pray with a fervent heart to ensure our prayers are answered.
- It is not the length or eloquence of our prayers that matters, but the strength and sincerity of our prayers.
- Crying to God is a means of receiving many blessings and comfort in times of distress.