A call to Prayer

Azlee’s testimony

Azlee was four when her mother and I were invited into a conversation with her about God. I word it that way because finding the perfect time to talk to your kids about Jesus isn’t always easy. The truth is we all reach that age of understanding at different times. Sometimes I wonder if some of the adults I’ve met have reached it yet but that’s a different conversation.

But this day Azlee was asking some pretty big questions for a four year old. And like all our kids we always told them about God, but this day seemed different. She seemed to be pursuing answers so I say it again we were invited into a conversation with her about God. That nights devotional, (a part of our family life that hasn’t always been consistent but absolutely amazing) was about Samuel hearing from God for the first time.

This sparked lots of conversation and by the end of it Azlee had asked Jesus to forgive her and be her saviour and Lord. I can not express the joy it brings me just remembering this story, but what really caught my attention was what she said at the end of that conversation.

She said, I want to hear God like Samuel did. We had talked about all the different ways God could speak to us, and as a young new believer her desire was to hear God like Samuel did. Such faith and a bold request, what could we tell her except, “Keep seeking God and let Him know what you want and one day perhaps God will grant that request.”.

Even now as I recall this story, my heart cries out to God asking Him to speak to my daughter in the same way he spoke to Samuel.

Before she was born I had a dream she came out of the womb talking. She spoke her first full sentence, “Is this hamburger?” at just 16 months old, and a part of me now wonders if one day she might be a prophet or prophetess I don’t know if there is a difference. What I do know is I always want my children to be talking to God, seeking Him, and His will for their lives, to listen to Him and take their needs to Him.

Some of you know around Christmas we thought we may have to put one of our dogs down. She had developed these growths on her some larger than others and one very hard one on her face. We did not want to jump the gun so to speak, but we also didn’t want her to suffer. So we said if she stops eating or can’t move we will do what is necessary.

I am glad to say as of a few weeks ago we had noticed the growth on her face had shrunk to the point it was almost gone. the one on her side was still there but it did not seem to bother her. I tell you this because when we noticed this my kids were on the couch playing video games and so I just asked, who’s been praying for the dog?

Without hesitation 3 hands shot up into the air. They didn’t even look at me, for them it was just a matter of we had a need and we prayed. My heart and faith grew that day, to see the faith of children in action and to know my children know where to turn when they have a need.

Sometimes I wonder as adults if we truly understand what it is to pray and talk to God.

Matthew 18:2–4 NLT

Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

As we “grow up” as Paul says we put childish things behind us, and in many and most ways that is good, but when it comes to faith, and praying to God too often we allow our prayers to become convoluted and we pray almost as if we are trying to manipulate God to our will rather than seeking Him for His will. Sometimes I wonder as adults if we have forgotten how to pray.

That is why for the next few weeks I want to look at a very common passage. It is the passage in where Jesus teaches us how to pray. We today refer to this teaching as the Lord’s prayer.

Prayer is an extremely important part of the Christian experience. Not only is Prayer a means to vent to God it is also a means of hearing from God. As a pastor I believe what has brought this church through some difficult trials were the prayers offered to God on this church’s behalf. I believe we have some great prayers in this church, and I also believe that moving forward prayer is going to be a huge part of what keeps us in the will of God, and protected from the schemes of the evil one.

But I can’t forget my daughters request. I want to hear from God like Samuel. What if prayer is less about God hearing from us, and more about putting ourselves in the position to hear from God.

This sermon series is titled. A Call to Prayer. This church needs to be a house of prayer, but in order to do it right, as good a prayers as we are, perhaps we need a refresher course on how to pray!

So welcome to how to pray 101 Where we will be talking about different elements of the Lord’s prayer that will help make us stronger prayers.

So before we get started it makes since we read the passage.

Matthew 6:5–16 NLT

“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one. “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get.

Matthew 6:

So we could start today by talking about what not to do. i.e. make it about making you look good or use so many words thinking it is your words that matter. But we want to learn how to pray not how not to, so if we are going to learn how to pray perhaps it would be best to start where Jesus said, Pray like this.

So how should we pray?

First by adjusting our FOCUS!

Me: When I was a teenager I had this girlfriend who lived in Slave Lake Alberta. We met one summer when she was in Centreville visiting family. When the end of summer came and she went home our relationship consisted of phone calls. Sometimes these calls would last for 3 or 4 hours. She had a long distance plan, don’t worry. Fortunately, her long distance phone plan was better than our long distance relationship plan which didn’t last a month. I say fortunately for two reasons one. I hate talking on the phone and two if it had worked I wouldn’t have met my wife whom I love. But I look back on those phone calls I think, what did we talk about. Work, family, told some jokes. I know you’re shocked, we talked about everything and nothing, we just wanted to be on the phone with each other. Inversely now when I make a phone call they usually last less than 3 minutes. I will usually ask about the persons day then move onto the reason for the call. The agenda if you will, because generally speaking I do not make phone calls now unless I want something. After the request is made and I get my answer the conversation is over. Did you notice the difference between the description of those two phone calls? What was the difference? One I was focused on the person, the other I was focused on my agenda.

We: Isn’t this how we are with God? We call in because we have a request an agenda if you will. Sometimes more than one, and so we treat prayer almost like a business meeting. Even when we look at the Lord’s prayer this is often our approach. Ok how many things must I do before I can make my request. Let’s call the meeting to order, We treat Our Father who art in Heaven like it is roll call. I’m present, God are you here? Great, let’s move on, but our focus is on our requests, even if we try and make it seem like that’s not the only reason we called, at the end of the day we are just trying to get to the request and then move on with our day.

God: But let’s look at the opening of the Lord’s. Is that all Jesus was saying was make sure you call God to the meeting? Let’s look at verse 9

Matthew 6:9 NLT

Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.

Matthew 6:9 NIV

“This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,

Matthew 6:9 KJV 1900

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Matthew

Matthew 6:9 NLT

Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.

Whichever version you are familiar with I want you to notice the spirit of what Jesus is saying. Jesus is putting top priority into glorifying God’s name. God’s name is not always kept holy. Did you know that. It is used for two things blessing, May God bless you or for cursing. Which I will not do.

When God first revealed His name to His people, they were so afraid they might misuse it, that not only would they not say it, but when they wrote it they left letters out so that they wouldn’t accidentally misuse it. Now God’s name is used like punctuation. A verbal exclamation point if you will.

This Prayer starts off by honouring the name of God. By acknowledging that God is Holy and even His name ought to be used reverently.

Among many things what this ought to do is remind us who we are talking to. It should help us to refocus. So we can not worry about the agenda or rush to the request if you will, but that we would focus instead on who we are talking to.

I can also tell you what it isn’t. This part of the prayer is not an attempt to butter God up so He will do what we want. How shameful if anyone has ever tried to do this. No like my two phone call descriptions earlier the purpose of this portion of the prayer is to take our focus off of us and our request and put it on God.

You: Listen I am not suggesting you should ramble on and on about how Holy God is. The passage is very clear this isn’t what God is after, but Before moving on you ought to make sure you are focused on the right thing. Praying to God isn’t about you just making your request and moving on like God is some kind of wish genie. Praying is about connecting to God focusing on Him. Acknowledging that He is God and Even His name should be used reverently.

We: Too often we as Christians rush into prayer with our own agenda in mind. What would change if instead of focusing on our agenda we focused on The One who created all the world and dare I say even allow Him to direct the way the conversation goes?

Next Step: During the duration of this sermon series the next step will be the same. I am going to close in prayer and we collectively will close in the Lord’s Prayer at which point I want you to really think about what we talked about that day.

This week As we pray I really want you to focus on God who is so Holy may even His name be kept Holy.

We will be using the NIV version when we pray so it will be hallowed be your name and debts and debtors.