Preparing for Prayer Matthew 6:5-8

Sermon Nuggets Mon Jan 3 – Preparing for Prayer

Verses- Matt 6:5-8

5 "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.

6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.

8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Preparing for Prayer

A few years ago our conference commissioned a prayer commission. Its purpose was to pray and to call our conference to prayer. For awhile at each annual meeting they reserved the day before the conference for a special time of prayer. We were led in prayer through various concerns of the world and at home. Sometimes I thought the procedures didn't exactly fit my style of praying and seemed artificial to me. Yet others found the differing styles to be meaningful. How do we make something personal or corporate real instead of ritual?

This is prayer week at Stanchfield and I have the same problem of seeking to encourage people to grow in their next step in their prayer life, whatever that might be. That is my goal also that I might have insight and learn from the Lord how to re-vitalize my prayers. But what I find meaningful may not fit someone else’s preference.

The disciples were so busy doing ministry as recorded in Acts 6 they didn't have time to pray as they wanted, so they formed a task force and called them deacons. The apostles then could devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word. This was an unbending commitment of the apostles to preserve time for prayer.

The apostles were saying "No matter how urgent the pressures are to spend our time doing good deeds, we will not forsake our chief work. We will seek to persist in prayer. If the work we are to give up is a work which requires great spiritual depth and power, then how much more crucial and demanding must be the work of prayer?

There is a movement in our country were 1,000s of people gather in the cities for concerts of prayer. People from various denominations burdened for our country and for the world. They seek revival. They cry for confession. They are praying that God cause a movement of his spirit in an unusual way again. Spiritual awakenings, both historical and present day, point to prayer in humility and faith.

We cannot be effective as a church in prayer unless we are praying at home. How is your own personal prayer life? Jesus gives us some instructions about our Prayer Life. This week we sill look at some things to consider in the above verses. But begin with asking God to lead you into a deeper prayer life in 2011. Then as things come to your mind or heart throughout the day, stop and pray about them.

Although we will not look specifically at the Lords prayer at this time I find the ACTS method a good place to start or continue in your prayers – A- Adore (praise) C- Confess T-Thanksgiving S- supplications .

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Tues Jan 4 Public Prayer

Verse Matt 6:5 "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.

Considering Public Prayer.

Jesus accused others of killing prayer because they prayed for the purpose of being seen by others. Jesus tells us do not pray like the hypocrites who love to be seen by men. Prayer is conversation with God. It was common for people to go to the temple to pray and some attended at 9 , 12, and 3 o'clock. It was easy for man to be at a busy street corner, or in a crowded city square so that all the world might see with what devotion, dedication and commitment he prayed. It was easy for a man to halt on the top steps of the entrance to the synagogue and pray lengthily and demonstratively so that all people might admire his piety. He would stay with hands stretched out, palms upward, head bowed. Such prayer that seemed to impress people is not prayer at all. It is play acting. If he gets praised by men for all his piety that his all the reward he will get.

I remember growing up there was one pastor that made it a practice coming out of his study to the platform Sunday mornings. He would get on his knees at his chair pray before the service. I always thought he was very devout, much more godly than the previous pastors because he prayed on his knees before all the people. He also ran off with our church secretary.

Now do not misunderstand. Jesus is not teaching that Public prayer is wrong. Indeed there are many examples of public prayer in the Bible, including Jesus. Corporate prayer is prayer offered to God in the hearing of believers, who can agree and affirm it. It can bring us to unity as one represents the people in their prayer. It enlarges the vision of what we are praying toward. Others learn to pray by listening to others. Passion is contagious.

But the problem with public prayer is that people often are not really praying to God on behalf of the people, but rather for others. Many fear praying publicly because they might say the wrong words. People are afraid they might not do it right. Hence there is the problem that you are praying for men instead of talking to God on behalf of others. Praying public prayers, like the hypocrites, makes it easy to drift into flowery, abstract language that prayer has almost no substance. Some pray for the infirmities of an anguishing and distraught humanity rather than Mrs. Brown and her broken rib.

When you pray in public or with others, allow those around you to listen in on your conversation with the Lord but keep your attention on Him. When you are with others affirm in their prayers what you are thinking and feeling, and if you have other thoughts and concerns use that time in your quiet prayer to talk with Him.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Weds Jan 5 – Personal Prayer

Verse Matt 6: 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Considering Personal Prayer

Notice the center of concentration is on God. He is the focus of our prayers. Jesus uses the word Father. That term for God is a personal one as we have a relationship with Him. This is not a prayer for non-Christians. If a person has not been born again he cannot approach the throne of God calling him Father.

Just as a young child is dependent on his father, so effective praying is focused on our Father. We are completely dependent upon Him.

An unsaved woman once told a minister that she had no need to go to church or read the Bible She did acknowledge, however that before she went to bed at night she would pray this simple prayer, "Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep..." Noting the preacher's surprise, she explained, "I can take care of myself when I'm awake, but I want protection when I'm asleep."

Many Christians would never say that but by their practice that is what they do. Whenever things are going well they feel self-sufficient and seldom pray more than token prayers. When circumstances are out of their control, they cry out to the Lord for help.

The Lord finds pleasure in listening to His children who come to Him in a spirit of humble dependence.

Ned Holmgren, former pastor here at Stanchfield, wrote on prayer in the Standard a number of years ago. I liked the way he made it so personal.

"Oh to feel the urgency of prayer! Like watchmen placed High atop the city wall, High enough to sound the call, While Godward to plead Persistently to plead- in Prayer.

Oh, to know intimacy in prayer; With Jesus kneel, Sharing deeply in his love, Crying out to Him above, With longing feel The Masters closer touch- though prayer.

Oh to find Creativity in prayer, With every thought Growing, shaping in the mind. In the Holy Spirit find God's answer brought, Effective and complete- by prayer.

Oh, to learn Authority in prayer Through the unleashed power of the risen Lord. Power none can e'er afford, Save in deceased Authority of self- by prayer.

Oh, to shape A constancy in prayer, By sheer resolve, coupled with a growing love For the living Lord above, Thus to involve consistently each day -More prayer. "

How's your personal prayer life? Is it an intimate discussion with a friend? Intimacy of communion with Christ needs to be recaptured in personal quiet times. Call it what you want quiet time, personal devotions, morning watch, individual worship. These holy minutes explain the inner secret of Christianity. Without it there is little vitality in the relationship.

From Moses to David Livingston, Amos to Billy Graham every person who ever sought to serve God mightily needs to spend times alone with God. Use a devotional like this one to start if that helps. But I also find just taking the Bible and meditate on His word brings to my mind things to pray about. I do have prayer lists so I might tract the results of prayer and remember people and situations I want to regularly pray about. What do you find most helpful in your walk with the Lord

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Thurs Jan 6 Private Prayer

Verse Matt 6: 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Considering Private Prayer

The best preparation for praying in public is, of course, praying in private. It is there that a person really gets on speaking terms with his Lord. Prayer can flow naturally when God is not a stranger.

I am not as concerned over the one who has private prayer and never prays in public as I am for the one who has public prayer but never prays in private. The idea of the closet or the room is a time of private time each of us needs to spend with God. There is value in husbands and wives praying together, there is need for family prayers, there are times when the church body comes together and prays, there are times when 2 or 3 gather in the name of Jesus and agree together in prayers. But there is also a time when God wants time with you privately. This is a time to reflect over your life, make confession, express praise and thanksgiving, intercede for others, to pour out your heart, to tell Him of your love and talk about the things that concern you for the day.

The point of Jesus’ remarks is contrasting sincere prayer from public display before men. Secret prayer is special because of the relationship that is personal. It is special because one knows of the work of God in one’s own life. There are things that only God knows and some things that ought to be prayed that only God hears.

Someone sent to me these comments, "Tell God all that is in your heart, as one unloads ones heart, its pleasures and its pains, to a dear friend. Tell Him your troubles that He may comfort you; tell Him your joys that He may sober them; tell Him your longings, that He may purify them; tell Him your dislikes that He may help you to conquer them; talk to Him of your temptations, that He may shield you from them; show Him that wounds of your heart, that He may heal them; lay bear your indifference to good, your depraved tastes for evil, your instability. Tell Him how self love makes you unjust to other, how vanity tempts you to be insincere, how pride disguises you to yourself and to others.

If you thus pour out all your weaknesses, needs, troubles, there will be no lack of what to say. You will never exhaust the subject. It is continually being renewed. People who have no secrets from each other never want for subjects of conversation. They do not weigh their words, for there is nothing to be held back; neither do they seek for something to say. They talk out of the abundance of the heart, without consideration they say just what they think. Blessed are they who attain to such familiar, unreserved intercourse with God." Francios Fenelon 17th Century.

It is such meditations of the private heart that we grow.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Fri Jan 7 Pretentious Prayer

Verses- Matt 6: 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.

8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Considering Pretentious Prayer

It is easy to think if God wants us to pray then the longer the prayer time the better he will think of us. The length, the place and the position of our praying is not as important as the manner and the intention. Short prayers, if real, honor God. One man prayed, “God, be merciful to me a sinner.” And went away justified.

Yet Jesus spent all night in prayer. But you can bet it wasn’t a ritual, it was real.

As a chaplain I saw an older man spend much of his day praying the rosary and counting his beads repeating his prayers. He was worried that God would not forgive him his sins, so the more he prayed the more he was seeking to justify himself. Penance is not going over a formula repeatedly. If there is ever a problem with misunderstanding of prayer it is in vain and continuous repetitions that many practice. Buddhists have a prayer wheel, Catholics uses beads, some think they are praying have a cross in their pockets, some have repeated table graces.

I remember for me it was a humorous incident when I was by myself carrying out duties around the house and I was conversing in my mind and heart with the Lord. You know you can also pray that way. While you drive or work or do dishes, just open your heart and mind to God and talk things over with him while your work. It certainly makes the time fly quicker too.

I was fixing breakfast and talking with the Lord all the while. As I sat down, I caught myself saying, "Excuse me Lord, I need to say table grace then I'll be right back." I bowed my head and started to pray. Then I was by myself laughing. Here I am talking to God while preparing breakfast enjoying personal communion with Him while working, but I had to stop communicating to say a table grace. That was babbling and although is could have been a good habit, it meant nothing since it was a ritual without heart. I wondered as I ate how many times I said grace and never talked to God because the words were babbling repetitions. Liturgy can be meaningful it can also be meaningless.

God listens to the heart, not to the words. If we are afraid of not saying the right things or saying something wrong God isn't the least bit afraid. Say it! Don't worry about your words. Use wrong grammar, make mistakes, and don’t worry about putting your personal, private prayer in special terms. But be sincere.

Wise professors will recognize that verbiage doesn't necessarily mean a thing when they read papers. God is neither ignorant so that we need to instruct him nor hesitant that we need to persuade him. He is our Father who loves and knows our needs even before we ask. We are changed. He wants us to talk with Him. He wants to talk with us. Beware of pretense in praying.

Pastor Dale