A New Path--Praying

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Five: The King’s Principles: True Worship (Matthew 6)

The important thing about prayer is not simply getting an answer, but being the kind of person whom God can trust with an answer.

We’ve been talking about the hypocrisy of the people of this day. They were misconstruing GOd’s law

We’ve been talking about the hypocrisy of the people of this day. They were misconstruing GOd’s law

We’re going to continue that tonight, but also talk God’s way to pray

Have you ever prayed yourself into a corner?

Messing up saying thank you fo rthis day and food

This was because i was not praying the right way

I was only praying for people

Have you ever heard someone pray to send a point to someone?

I had a teacher like that once…she would pray (Help kids to not do homework during prayer)

Jesus is giving us 4 principles for prayer in ...

English Standard Version Chapter 6

5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 Pray then like this:

“Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name.

10  Your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

11  Give us this day our daily bread,

12  and forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.

13  And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

We must pray in secret before we pray in public (6)

It is not wrong to pray in public

it is wrong to pray in public when we don’t pray in private

we need to be having consistent private time with God alone

Imagine a husband and wife.

They could have a fantastic relationship in front of people, but be enemies in private.

This is a show relationship..it’s hypocrisy

THe pharisees would pray to be seen of man…and to make themselves look better than man.

Our prayers should be between us and God, unless we are leading in corporate prayer

WE must pray sincerely (7-8)

The pharisees were not praying sincerely..they were praying to make themselves look better

The Gentiles used “canned prayers”…like they were rehearsing a script

Our prayers shouldn’t try to impress people, i shouldn’t have to pull out a dictionary to pray in front of people to make me look

We should pray with God in mind…not other people or things

When we pray, we’re approaching the king of kings and Lord of Lords

How can we not come Humbly and sincerely

ALl of us have a routine prayer we rehearse whenever it is time to pray. when we get rid of it, that’s when we can truly begin to pray

God does not answer insincere prayers

We must pray in God’s will (9-13)

Do you see our ACTS prayer method in here?

Adoration-Our father in heaven hollowed by thy name

Confession-Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors

Thanksgiving—Your kingdom come, your will be done,

Supplication—For thine is the kingdom and power and glory, give us our daily bread

Jesus taught us to pray with a plan…he didn’t give us a script to recite

Jesus is saying “Use this prayer as a pattern NOT a substitute”

We must pray with to further God’s kingdom on earth not our will in heaven

Notice this prayer begins with God’s name, god’s kingdom, and god’s will

If we put God’s concerns first, then we can bring our needs

Prayer is God’s way of meeting our needs

James 4:3 ESV

You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

James 4:1–3 ESV

What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

Prayer is preparing us for the proper use of the answer

it is right to pray for daily physical needs, forgiveness, guidance and protection

Lead us into temptation does not mean God tempts us

In this petition we are asking god to guide us so that we will not get out of His will and get get involved in a situation of temptation or even in asituation of tempting God

We must pray having a forgiving spirit toward others (14-15)

We have seen that praying is a family affair (Praying to God our heavenly father and for His kingdom on earth)

How can we pray without having a right relatinoship with our family

Our father in heaven can’t hear us and we can’t have a riught relationship with Him

God cannot answer the prayers of someone who has sin

If God answered the prayers of someone with an unforgiving Spirit it would dishonor His anem

How could God work through that person to accomplish His will on earth

Conclusion

prayer involves

glorifying God’s name

hastening the coming of God’s kingdom

helping to accomplish God’s will on earth

The one praying:

must not have sin in His heart

must pray in God’s will

must pray sincerely

Must have an ongoing personal relationship with God

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Five: The King’s Principles: True Worship (Matthew 6)

The important thing about prayer is not simply getting an answer, but being the kind of person whom God can trust with an answer.