Learning to Pray Like Jesus, Part 3 (Pray Sincerly) Notes

Pray Sincerely: Part 2—Matthew 6:7-8

The story is told of a father who, b/c his wife was at a meeting one night, was at home with his little son trying to get him to go to bed. After his dad had tucked him in, the little boy called his dad, “Dad, I need a drink of water.” The dad took the little boy a glass of water. Not long after that, the boy yells for his dad again, “Dad, I need to use the bathroom.” This, of course went on for a while longer and the dad, finally having enough said, “Son, no more! You stay in bed and go to sleep.” After a few minutes the dad heard the sound of little footsteps up stairs, and went to the bottom of the stairs and said, “Son, I said get in bed & stay there. I’m not going to tell you again. If I have to come up there again you’re going to get a whipping!” For a moment there was silence. Then the little boy’s voice, w/some worry, said, “Daddy, when you come give me a whipping, could you bring me a drink of water?”

We’ve been talking about learning to pray like Jesus. And this message may be foundational to everything else we learn about prayer. Because the goal of this is not to teach you to be religious, but to show you how to be right with God so that you can truly communicate with him.
“When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. “But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and byour Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. “And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their amany words. “So do not be like them; for a your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. (Matthew 6:5-8)
Jesus taught his disciples not to voice empty words to God when we pray.
In other words to pray empty prayers!

I. 1st, notice the expectation to pray… (7a)

We are commanded to pray. (See 1 Samuel 12:23 and Psalm 32:6)
Prayer, which is communion with God, is part of what makes humans special. Man was created to be in communion with the creator. He created us for a relationship..
But He also expects us too, like we expect our car to start in the morning. It is created to start. If it doesn’t, then there’s something wrong with the care, not the driver.
Here’s the problem: He gives us a choice. You can pray and it is beneficial to pray, but you do not have to. You can walk with God. He’s made it possible, but you have the choice each day of how closely you commune with Him.
So, God teaches us how to do what we’re expected to do…

o If I expect my kids to know what I mean when I say, clean up your room, I have to show them. A clean room isn’t a relative term. My kids don’t have the option of saying, “Dad, this is clean for me even though it may not be for you. Prayer is not a relative term. God expects us to pray, so He shows us what He means when he talks about how to pray. Coming to prayer meetings does not constitute prayer. Waking up early in the morning to pray doesn’t constitute prayer.

So first, he told us that He wants us to pray with the right motives—pray privately.

II. Don’t pray empty prayers… (7)

Jesus said, “Don’t heap up empty phrases as the gentiles do…”
How did the gentiles pray?

Jesus was basically talking about people who were practicing other religions, including the Jewish religion.
They would repeat works over and over and over. You can see this in 2 Kings 18:26 and Acts 19:34. It was just babbling.
They thought, Jesus said, they’d be heard because of their many words.

So how do I know my prayers are reaching heaven? Lets be honest, there are times (probably more than we like admit) when we just feel that our prayers are not going above the ceiling.

The true test of prayers is shown by how much your heart is engaged in the prayer.—Is you mind & heart engaged? Or are you just saying words?

God does not hear you just because you say words. Jesus said in Matthew 22:37, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and with all your mind.” We often give Him our actions and think that’s what He wants the most. (The reasons we feel this way is because that is what man-made gods want.)

III. 3rd, God knows what you need… (8)

He already knows what you need!!—He’s not waiting for you to pray b/c of ignorance on his part!
So, why pray? If God already knows and if God is good, then He’d give us what he already knows we need, why pray?

1st, He’s always worked thru people & their prayers.

Genesis 1:26-28—Dominion over animals, plants, mult.
Gen. 12—Brought redemption thru man
James 4:2—You have not b/c you ask not…

Have you ever said, “God knows what I need.”

2nd, He wants communion w/you.

He wants you to talk to Him—He created you for communion.
How bad does God want communion w/ you?—He sent His only son when your sins had separated you from Him.

Are your prayers piling up on the ceiling?

How can I become a person of prayer?

1st, confess & repent.—One reason we are unable to pray is because of the sin in you life. (Isaiah 59:1-2) We can’t pray when there is unconfessed sin in our lives. But He’s said in 1 John 1:9, “If you confess your sins, He’ll be faithful and just to forgive you of you sins.”
2nd, sacrifice.—Give up the things you’re holding on to and take time for undisturbed prayer. Quit making excuses as to why you can’t pray if you’re a Christian and just do it.
3rd, focus.

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b Matt 6:4, 18

a 1 Kin 18:26f