The Attitude of Prayer

Introduction

Introduce the series...

People often say, they do not know how to pray…

As disciples of Jesus, we ought to do, or desire to do the same as Jesus

Jesus often went to pray, alone around the major events of his ministry

40 days of Prayer and Fasting after his baptism at the beginning of his ministry

alone praying before he walked on water and calmed the sea

Prayed alone in the Garden of Gethsemane before his arrest and crucifixion

Prayer is so important to him, that his disciples seeing his importance on prayer, said, “teach us to pray.”

That is why the series is titled that, I believe that there are many of who pray often, some everyday, some are confident, some only out of desperation.

regardless of how you view your prayer life, you probably agree that it could be better.

Today - The Attitude of Prayer

Not happy or sad, that would be emotional

Prideful vs humble

5 “Whenever you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.,v 7 When you pray, don’t babble like the Gentiles, since they imagine they’ll be heard for their many words. 8 Don’t be like them, because your Father knows the things you need before you ask him.

A Warning from Jesus

Warnings that we receive

This is a tiko IS link alert… There is a severe thunderstorm warning for...

I hate the one that the send out at 4 AM to let you know in two days there will be a flash flood warning.

 “Whenever you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward.

Speak of their purpose for this…

 When you pray, don’t babble like the Gentiles, since they imagine they’ll be heard for their many words.

Explain the difference between praying multiple times for something and speaking in many words to persuade God to our will or impress him.

What does a prideful prayer look like?

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee was standing and praying like this about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I’m not like other people—greedy, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give a tenth, of everything I get.’

A prideful prayer is one where we tell Jesus how great we are

9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee was standing and praying like this about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I’m not like other people—greedy, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give a tenth,am of everything I get.’

maybe we are not so blatant about it…

that he needs to get on board with our plans

But when we go to him and tell him all the things that he needs to bless in our lives, because they should be things that he would want to bless… they are good things!

those are prayers for our will and our pride… we are no different than a Pharisee.

A prideful prayer is one where we compare ourselves to others

maybe we do not want to say it, even to Jesus in prayer, but our prayer list is one of fixing others....

Lord, you need to do something in their life, they are a mess...

never once praying See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way.

See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way.

We never want to be judgey… to somebody, but we are more than happy to be that way in prayer.

lead me in the everlasting way.

which is us saying, thank you for not making me like them… just without saying it.

Prideful prayer in itself, is its own reward...

you fell better for praying

why not, you just got done hearing how great you are

If in front of others, they got to hear how great you are also

There is no power in a prideful prayer

it is in opposition to God

A person who wants to be supreme, God is the enemy.

He is your competition He does not take a back seat

An Instruction from Jesus

How many actually read the instructions on things....

my alarm clock...

It is no different with prayer...

we have heard, just talk to God, I may have even said that

there is truth, but there is a little more than that.

Our lives are so noisy that we do not get alone with God

what is the noisy ness of life...

Quiet time at camp...

tell of kids quiet time, mine

time to study this week… with 260 3rd -6th graders running everywhere

But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

When you pray…

not the prayer without ceasing from Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians

a time to get alone with God

this is an important part of the believers life

You cannot deny yourself, take up your cross daily, without communion with the father

Private room and shut the door and pray in secret

old style phone booth and somebody that did not know how to use it…

God who sees in secret

God is omniscient… he knows everything

He knows if you are praying for a show or if you are sincere

you’ve experienced this with people… you have seen when they are putting on a show of religiosity

even if we are the best actors, God can see our heart

The awesome part, we block the world out, we do not block God out...

“But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even raise his eyes to heaven but kept striking his chest and saying, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’

13 “But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even raise his eyes to heaven but kept striking his chest and saying, ‘God, have mercy on me,,aq a sinner!’

A Reward From Jesus

A Reward From Jesus

people like rewards

Don’t be like them, because your Father knows the things you need before you ask him.

I originally thought kids like rewards

but if we are honest, we all like to be rewarded

Camp on Thursday, the adults were rewarded with ice cream floats while the kids played games

Jesus stated in verse 5, that those who pray lofty prayers in public, they have received their reward…

so there must be a reward to prayer

I believe that we misunderstand the reward we get for prayer, this mistake actually prevents us from prayer

We have an idea that our prayers change the mind of God, that if we keep asking like a small child we will eventually annoy God, or convince him to give us what we want

our reward for prayer is not the answer to prayer

if our reward is the answer, we turn prayer into a game

how did I pray last time I got my way,

my prayers are better than yours, because mine are answered more

if they

if the reward is the answer, if we do not get our way we will eventually quit praying

Don’t be like them, because your Father knows the things you need before you ask him.

the reward is the Father...

time with him,

an understanding that He knows…

not that he is a good listener… He knows before you ask!

He doesn’t know general things… he knows exactly what you need.

Is this reward enough for you… then you do not know the father, or what took place for this to happen

God knew of your greatness, your sin your entire life… yet he sent His son to die for you.

When Jesus said it is finished, the earth shook and the veil was torn

this veil separated the Holly of Hollies from those who were not worthy to go in

We now have access to the father!