Three Great Rules for Prayer
Notes
Transcript
Handout
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
Introduction
Introduction
A fisherman was at sea with his godless companions when a storm came up and threatened to sink their ship. His friends begged him to pray; but he said, “It’s been a long time since I’ve done that or even entered a church.” At their insistence, however, he finally cried out, “O Lord, I haven’t asked anything of You in 15 years, and if You help us now and bring us safely to land, I promise I won’t bother You again for another 15!”
Unfortunately, many people view prayer as an escape mechanism rather than a constant line of communication with God.
We need prayer in our lives daily. Christ wants the True Disciple, as we saw a few weeks ago, to have the right motive for prayer. As we get ready to hear about how we should pray, this morning Christ has some rules for the true disciple.
Among the religious there is often a tendency toward long prayer, particularly in public. Too often people measure prayer by its fluency and length, thinking that length means devotion.
Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.
Christ puts the matter very simple, yet strongly; “When ye pray,” follow these rules.
Rule 1 - Do Not Use Empty Repetition
Rule 1 - Do Not Use Empty Repetition
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
The first great rule of prayer is striking - do not use empty repetition. There are several things that led themselves to this.
1 . Memorized prayer: just saying the words of a form prayer, for example, the Lord’s prayer. Many memorize it and just repeat the words every time they pray. But it just but prayed through with our own personal things put into it, not just repeated with no thought behind the words.
2. Written Prayers: Some well-worded prayers are printed and many read them and resit them thinking that well written prayers carry more wait with God. The words may be descriptive and beautiful but there is no heart behind them. We must offer our hearts in prayer not the mind and ego. Such prayer is empty.
3. Ritual Prayer: Saying the same prayer at the same prayer time over and over again. This can soon become empty.
4. Formal Worship Prayer: Praying the same way on a rigid schedule can lead to praying my habit with little or no meaning behind your prayer.
5. Thoughtless prayer: Speaking words while our minds are wandering. Being tired is not excuse. It is better not to pray than to pray insincerely.
6. Religious words and phrases: Using certain words or phrases over and over in prayer just became they sound good or seem religious doesn’t make a heart of true prayer to God.
But with all the don’t there are a few things we can do to keep us from having empty prayers.
A genuine heart: Really knowing God personally and having a moment by moment fellowship with Him all day long. You may fool people but you will never fool God. He knows when we have a genuine heart in prayer.
Thought and concentration: Really focusing on what you are saying.
Desire for fellowship with God: Praying sincerely, really meaning it. Do you want to fellowship with God?
Preparation: preparing ourselves for pray like removing distractions and reading God word to help us focus on Him.
Something to note is that Christ says “Vain Repetition” Christ does not say repetition in prayer is wrong. It is not wrong. What is wrong is vain, empty, meaningless repetition. Christ Himself used repetition in prayer:
And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.
Rule 2 - Do Not Speak Much
Rule 2 - Do Not Speak Much
The second rule of prayer is an eye opener - do not speak much. Too many think that length equals devotion; that is, the longer they pray the more God will listen to them, as if they are showing God their sincerity, and the more spiritual they will become.
God does not hear a person’s prayer just because they are long, but because his heart is genuinely poured out to God. Length has nothing to do with a sincere heart.
Long prayers are not forbidden. What is, is the idea that long prayers are automatically heard by God. Christ prayed all night.
And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
A believer should sense the needs of the world so much that he is driven to seek God and His intervention for long periods of time, and the seeking should be often.
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
It about why do we pray. The heart of the matter is it’s about the heart.
What are ways to prevent the sins that arise from long prayers?
Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.
Control your mouth. Do not let your mouth rattle on and on without thought. It will often rush and hurry with every thought that comes across our minds.
Sit still; be quiet, without saying a word for awhile. Do not rush forward to speak.
Think about who God is. Picture a person sitting still and quiet, without a word for awhile. He has been preparing and gaining control of his mind and thoughts so he can appear before and great and high God. He focuses his thoughts upon God, the One who is in heaven far above the earth. He meditates upon God’s majesty. God is the center of his thoughts
Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
4. Speak - but let your words be deliberate. A person who approaches God like this speaks with respect and thought , with care and love. He speaks few words and straight to the point - all from a prepared heart and mind.
Rule 3 - Trust God
Rule 3 - Trust God
Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
The third great rule of prayer is to trust God.
God knows the believer’s need even before we asks. Why then should we pray? Prayer demonstrates out need for God and our dependence upon God. Prayer gives time for concentrated sharing and communion between us and God. It is not enough for a man to carry a knowledge of God in his mind as he walks through life. He needs to have times when he is in the presence of God and has fellowship with Him.
The believer, therefore, does not pray only to have his needs met but to share and fellowship and to enrich his life with God.
God desires to hear. God knows our needs but God desires to hear and answer our prayers, to meet the needs of His people. God desires to work for your deliverance and salvation.
God has ordained Prayer as the medium through which He blesses and moves among people.
You can Trust God and we show that trust by coming to Him with our needs.
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on thee: Because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: For in the Lord JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:
George Mueller said: “I look upon it as a lost day when I have not had a good time over the Word of God. Friends often say, ‘I have so much to do, so many people to see, I cannot find time for Scripture study.’ Perhaps there are not many who have more to do than I. For more than half a century I have never known one day when I had not more business than I could get through. For 4 years I have had annually about 30,000 letters, and most of these have passed through my own hands.
“Then, as pastor of a church with 1,200 believers, great has been my care. Besides, I have had charge of 5 immense orphanages; also, at my publishing depot, the printing and circulating of millions of tracts, books, and Bibles; but I have always made it a rule never to begin work until I have had a good season with God and His Word. The blessing I have received has been wonderful.”
May we all of the heart of the Early African converts to Christianity were earnest and regular in private devotions. Each one reportedly had a separate spot in the thicket where he would pour out his heart to God. Over time the paths to these places became well worn. As a result, if one of these believers began to neglect prayer, it was soon apparent to the others. They would kindly remind the negligent one, “Brother, the grass grows on your path.”