Praying Wisely

Introduction: Praying for the LORD’s blessings with a heart of gratitude

According to Our Daily Bread, when King Alfonso XII of Spain learned that the attendants of his court were neglecting to pray before eating, he determined to teach them a lesson. A huge banquet was prepared, and all the king’s guests plowed in, none of them, none of them pausing to give thanks to God. But by pre-arrangement, a filthy beggar wandered into the banquet hall, seated himself at the head table, and chowed down.

The guests waited for the guards to seize the man, but, to their amazement, he continued gobbling up the food without hindrance. Then the beggar wiped his mouth, rose an stalked out without a word.

Someone near the king said, “What a despicable fellow! He didn’t even say thank you.’”

Rising, King Alfonso said to them all: “Do you realize that you’ve been bolder and more ungrateful than that beggar? Every day you sit down at a table abundantly supplied by your Heavenly Father, yet you neither ask His blessing nor express your gratitude!”

It was a lesson none of them ever forgot.

Wisdom of prayer...

Jesus said how we pray matters too

Matthew 6:5–6 ESV

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.

Transition To Body- King Solomon has made it to the top by the grace of the LORD God

Last week it was King David who was praying to the LORD God

This week we have his son, King Solomon, praying to the LORD God

At the dedication of the temple, King Solomon prays

Not only does King Solomon offer a prayer

But he prays wisely

Body- Using Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication as an example of praying wisely to the LORD God

Pray With A Collegial Heart

Illustration: We are all in the same gang

collegial-

marked by power or authority vested equally in each of a number of colleagues

There was an increasing tendency to turn from collegial to one-man management.

characterized by equal sharing of authority especially by Roman Catholic bishops a collegial church

marked by camaraderie among colleagues

Camaraderie among sinners

Tendency to turn from collegial to not me...

Romans 3:22–25 ESV

22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.

Vv31-32 Pray to the LORD God to judge the situation

1 Kings 8:31–32 ESV

31 “If a man sins against his neighbor and is made to take an oath and comes and swears his oath before your altar in this house, 32 then hear in heaven and act and judge your servants, condemning the guilty by bringing his conduct on his own head, and vindicating the righteous by rewarding him according to his righteousness.

Proverbs 18:17 ESV

17 The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.

Vv33-34 Pray repentantly to the LORD God to forgive the sin of his people after they turn back to the LORD

1 Kings 8:33–34 ESV

33 “When your people Israel are defeated before the enemy because they have sinned against you, and if they turn again to you and acknowledge your name and pray and plead with you in this house, 34 then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them again to the land that you gave to their fathers.

Vv35-36 Pray repentantly to the LORD God to forgive the sin of his servants when they turn from their sin

1 Kings 8:35–36 ESV

35 “When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, if they pray toward this place and acknowledge your name and turn from their sin, when you afflict them, 36 then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel, when you teach them the good way in which they should walk, and grant rain upon your land, which you have given to your people as an inheritance.

Pray With An Empathetic Heart

1 Kings 8:37–40 ESV

37 “If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence or blight or mildew or locust or caterpillar, if their enemy besieges them in the land at their gates, whatever plague, whatever sickness there is, 38 whatever prayer, whatever plea is made by any man or by all your people Israel, each knowing the affliction of his own heart and stretching out his hands toward this house, 39 then hear in heaven your dwelling place and forgive and act and render to each whose heart you know, according to all his ways (for you, you only, know the hearts of all the children of mankind), 40 that they may fear you all the days that they live in the land that you gave to our fathers.

Vv37-40- Pray being aware of the afflictions of their own hearts and forgive according to all they do

Illustration: According To Psychology Today...

Empathy is the ability to recognize, understand, and share the thoughts and feelings of another person, animal, or fictional character. Developing empathy is crucial for establishing relationships and behaving compassionately. It involves experiencing another person’s point of view, rather than just one’s own, and enables prosocial or helping behaviors that come from within, rather than being forced.

Matthew 7:1–5 ESV

1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

Pray With An Evangelistic Heart

Vv41-43.- Pray for the foreigner (outsider), unsaved in our midst who heard about the name of the LORD God- pray that they might know the name of the LORD God

1 Kings 8:41–43 ESV

41 “Likewise, when a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, comes from a far country for your name’s sake 42 (for they shall hear of your great name and your mighty hand, and of your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this house, 43 hear in heaven your dwelling place and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to you, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that this house that I have built is called by your name.

Pray With A Reliant Heart

reliant- having reliance on something or someone : DEPENDENT

Marvin Sapp would sing:

I need You like the ocean Needs the water or it will run dry, I need You like the many stars above Needs the setting of the sky.

I need You like tomorrow Needs the hours of today to pass by; Lord, I need You more than ever, So hear my humble cry.

I need Thee, oh I need Thee, Every hour I need Thee. Bless me now my Savior, I come to Thee.

The old hymnist would sing:

I need Thee every hour,   Most gracious Lord; No tender voice like Thine   Can peace afford. I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;   Every hour I need Thee; Oh, bless me now, my Savior!     I come to Thee.

1 Kings 8:44–45 ESV

44 “If your people go out to battle against their enemy, by whatever way you shall send them, and they pray to the Lord toward the city that you have chosen and the house that I have built for your name, 45 then hear in heaven their prayer and their plea, and maintain their cause.

valor- possessing or acting with bravery or boldness : COURAGEOUS

valiant soldiers

marked by, exhibiting, or carried out with courage or determination

Prayer for mercy & deliverance

Vv46-51

Prayer to the LORD God to see & listen

1 Kings 8:52–53 ESV

52 Let your eyes be open to the plea of your servant and to the plea of your people Israel, giving ear to them whenever they call to you. 53 For you separated them from among all the peoples of the earth to be your heritage, as you declared through Moses your servant, when you brought our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God.”

Transition To Close- Jesus Prayed Wisely

A four-year-old boy once saw a picture of Jesus Christ praying and asked what Jesus was doing in that picture. When he was told that Jesus was praying, the youngster responded by asking who Jesus was praying to. After being told that Jesus was praying to God, the young boy replied, “But Jesus IS God!”

This same thought was captured well by St. Cyprian who said, “If Jesus who was without sin would pray, how much more it becomes a sinner to pray.”

Close

Because there’s one more point in the text...

The King offered a sacrifice- a peace offering

1 Kings 8:62–63 ESV

62 Then the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the Lord. 63 Solomon offered as peace offerings to the Lord 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the people of Israel dedicated the house of the Lord.

Behold the Lamb of God...

John 1:29 ESV

29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

LORD teach us to pray

Luke 11:1–4 ESV

1 Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” 2 And he said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread, 4 and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.”

Ask and it will be given to you

Luke 11:9–13 ESV

9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Seek first the kingdom...

Matthew 6:27–34 ESV

27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Jesus Is our Peace

Ephesians 2:14 ESV

14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility

Jesus said if I be lifted up...

John 12:27–36 ESV

27 “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” 30 Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine. 31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. 34 So the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” 35 So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them.

Jesus custom was to pray- Father, it you are willing...

Luke 22:39–46 ESV

39 And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. 40 And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” 41 And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” 43 And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. 45 And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, 46 and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”

The people offered an extravagant sacrifice:

Romans 12:1–2 ESV

1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Psalm 34:1–10 ESV

1 I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. 2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. 3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together! 4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. 5 Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. 6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. 7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. 8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! 9 Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! 10 The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

They blessed the king

The people went to their homes joyful & glad of heart

For all the goodness of LORD has shown

1 Kings 8:66 ESV

66 On the eighth day he sent the people away, and they blessed the king and went to their homes joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the Lord had shown to David his servant and to Israel his people.