True prayer is not merely a matter of saying the right words. Biblical prayer is characterized and motivated by the right attitude-right thinking about the greatness of God, the beauty of Christ, and our own unworthiness and weakness. Ask yourself if your prayers are characterized by:

An Understanding of Your Own Insignificance and Sinfulness

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained; what is man that You take thought of him, and the son of man that You care for him? (Ps. 8:3-4)

If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You that You may be feared (Ps. 130:3-4).

The Knowledge that Jesus is Your Only Access to the Father

Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh . . . let us draw near (Heb. 10:19-22).

. . . you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1 Pet. 2:5)

Adoration for God because of His Character and Attributes

Ascribe greatness to our God! The Rock! His work is perfect, for all His ways are just; a God of faithfulness and without injustice, righteous and upright is He. (Deut. 32:1-4)

I will extol You, my God, O King, and I will bless Your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised… His greatness is unsearchable. (Ps. 145:1-3)

Joyful Praise for God’s Work in Creation and Redemption

Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created (Rev. 4:11).

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. . . . In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will (Eph. 1:3-8, 10-11).

Thankfulness for God’s Kindness in Giving Every Good Thing

Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights . . . (James 1:17).

. . . let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name (Heb. 13:15).

A Sense of Your Need of Strength to Fight against Specific Sins

Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak (Matt. 26:41).

So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh-for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live (Rom. 8:12-13).

Humble Trust as You Ask the Father to Meet Every Need

Ah Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You (Jer. 32:17).

This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him (1 John 5:14-15).

Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Heb. 4:15).

A Selfless Burden to Pray for Others

With all prayer and petition pray at all times . . . be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, and pray on my behalf . . . (Eph. 6:18-19).

Brethren, pray for us (1 Thess. 5:25). We pray for you always . . . (2 Thess. 1:11).

Pray for those who persecute you . . . (Matt. 5:44; also see 1 Tim 2:1-2).

A Thirst for Increasing Spiritual Wisdom and Understanding

Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderful things from Your law (Ps. 119:18).

For if you cry for discernment, lift your voice for understanding; if you seek for her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will discern the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God (Prov. 2:3-5).

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. (Eph. 1:18-19)

“Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await him.”  Heb 9:28

In my recent message on this text I asked, “How can we be sure that our sins are forgiven and that we will be safe in the judgment?” It says that Christ “has been offered once to bear the sins of many.” How can I know I am among the “many”? It also says that Christ “shall appear a second time for salvation.” How can I know that this refers to my salvation?

I answered: The “many” are defined at the end of the verse. The “many” are “those who eagerly await him.” These are the ones Christ is coming to save.  And he is coming to save them because he has “borne” their sins.

The first time he came to deal with sin. The second time he is coming, not to deal with sin, but to save us from the wrath of God’s judgment. The first time he came to purchase our salvation by bearing our sins. The second time he comes to apply our salvation by shielding us from the wrath of God. Hebrews 10:27 describes the “judgment” the writer has in mind, namely, “a certain terrifying expectation of judgment, and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries.” This is what Christ is coming the second time to save us from. Christ bought the first time what he gives the second time—safety in the judgment.

Now the question before us all is: Are we included in the “many” whose sins he bore? And will we be saved by his coming “for salvation”? The answer of Hebrews 9:28 is, “Yes,” if we are “eagerly awaiting him.” We can know that our sins are taken away and that we will be safe in the judgment if we trust Christ in such a way that it makes us eager for his coming.

There is a phony faith that claims to believe in Christ, but is only a fire insurance policy. Phony faith “believes” only to escape hell. It has no real desire for Christ. In fact, it would prefer if he not come, so that we can have as much of this world’s pleasures as possible. This shows that a heart is not with Christ, but with the world. That is not saving faith. “He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:37).

So the issue for us is: Do we eagerly long for the coming of Christ? Do we want to see his kingdom established and do we want to be reunited to him in closer personal fellowship? Or do we want him to wait while our love affair with the world runs its course? That is the question that tests the authenticity of faith.

So let us be like the Corinthians who were “awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:7), and like the Philippians whose “citizenship was in heaven, from which also [they] eagerly waited for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20).

And let us remember the words of Paul in 2 Timothy 4:8 that “there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved his appearing.” That’s the issue for us. Do we love his appearing? Or do we love the world and hope that his appearing will not interrupt our worldly plans? Eternity hangs on this question.

Longing for the Lord with you,

Pastor John Piper