Why Pray?

Introduction

Today we continue the series titled ‘Why?’ Where we are looking at more basic doctrines & teachings and simply explaining ‘why’ - ‘why’ we should do a thing.

The first issue that began it all was a message titled ‘Why Church?’ - where we looked at the importance of church, and why church should be a priority in our lives.

Why Church? (Why does the Church & Church Attendance Matter?)

Because Jesus was Crucified for It

Because it’s God’s Chosen Vessel to Accomplish His Will

Because of Our Command, Our Commission & Our Concern

It shows whether we’re concerned about our Brethren, our Commission, our Command or even our Lord.

Why Train? (Why and How we should Train our Children)

We looked at The Particulars, The Process & the Permanence of Training our Children

Why the Bible? (What Makes the Bible Special?)

Because of It’s Author, It’s Accuracy, It’s Accessibility, It’s Ability

Topics we didn’t get to include: Because it’s Alive; It’s Applicable & Because of it’s Authority

Why Jesus? (Why is Jesus Important?)

Because Jesus Loves Us; He Laid Down His Life for Us; He Lives; He Left Us Promises; He is LORD

Today we’re going to look at another topic that is critical to the Christian - prayer.

The Psalmist in Psa. 116 got the answer to Why Pray. We see:

His Care - I love the LORD

His Cause - BECAUSE… x2

His Continuance - THEREFORE...

He got it. I hope that you get the importance of prayer, and if you haven’t in the past, I pray that today that changes.

So Why Pray? Because We Have Opportunity

I. Because We Have Opportunity

We Can

One thing that we cannot overlook is the truth that we have been afforded the opportunity to approach the throne.

Two things to note:

It’s not always been that way:

There was a time when God was separated from man.

It began in Gen. 3. Adam sinned and was banished from the presence of the LORD.

It’s best illustrated during the wilderness wandering of the COI. The church in the wilderness - the Tabernacle, had a place where man dwelt, and a separate place where God dwelt.

We’ll speak more on this in a minute. The thing to understand is that being allowed in the presence of God is not something that has always been.

Not everyone can

If you’re a blood-washed Christian, you have the right and privilege to have an audience with God - But that’s where the privilege ends.

Muslims can’t approach the throne in prayer

Practicing Jews can’t approach the throne in prayer

Buddhists can’t

Lost souls can’t

Unless you’ve been washed in the blood of the Lamb, you can’t!

We can. We (the saved) have opportunity! But it came at a cost.

It Came at a Cost

Heb. 10:19-20 “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;”

I had mentioned the Tabernacle and how there was a place where man could go and another where God was - what separated them was a large, heavy curtain called the veil. Upon the Crucifixion of the LORD, God rent the veil from the top to the bottom - making the way possible for man to now approach the LORD.

Church, but it came at a cost. In order for us to have the privilege of prayer, Jesus had to endure the Cross.

Why should we pray? Because Jesus made a way for us to. He thought this relationship important enough to lay down His life for it!

It Came at a Cost

Jesus Calls us to Come

Jer. 33:3 “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”

God wants you to call out unto Him. He desires to hear from His Children.

(Ill.) Church, as you know I have two children whom I love dearly. One thing that is a blessing to me is whenever my phone rings or dings, I pick it up & look and it’s one of my children. I love to hear from them. Now some of you may not get that same feeling, but I do. And I believe our Heavenly Father feels the same way when we call out unto Him.

Jesus Calls us to Come.

So why Pray? Because We Have Opportunity. Secondly, Because we have an Obligation to as well

II. Because We Have Obligation

As a Child of God

One of the things that we understand is that when we’re born again, we are birthed into the family of God.

The Bible tells us: Gal. 4:4-7 “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.”

This relationship is established upon our salvation is one of Father / Son.

Furthermore, the Bible tells us Ex. 20:12 “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.”

Church, God if God has commanded us to honor our earthly father, wouldn’t it stand to reason that we should Honor our Heavenly Father that much more?

And how can we Honor Him and foster that relationship if we ignore Him?

We are Obliged as a Child of God to communicate with our Heavenly Father

Over a Concern for Others

As Christians, we should be concerned about others.

We should pray like Moses

Regardless of whether they deserve it

Moses went up upon the mount where God gave unto him the 10 Commandments, while he was up there, the COI did wickedly and sinned before the LORD. God then got angry with them and we see this fascinating interaction: (Read Ex. 32:7-14)

Moses was concerned for the people - and this people treated him wickedly!

Why Pray? Because people need the LORD! And we should be concerned for them!

We are Obliged to Pray

So why Pray? Because We Have Opportunity. Because we have an Obligation. Next because it Demonstrates Obedience

III. Because It Demonstrates Obedience

We’re to Pray Constantly

Luk. 18:1 “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;”

1Th. 5:17 “Pray without ceasing.”

We should be in a constant state of prayer - simply because God instructed us to.

Do you know why we should be in a constant state of prayer?

Because Prayer changes things

God can make the bad, good

God can make the good, better

Prayer changes things!

Because It Keeps us in the Right Frame of Mind

Of Dependence

Of Thankfulness

Of Hopefulness

Because God should be in every aspect of our lives

We should be mindful of Him and our duties unto Him at home, work, the ball field, vacation, morning-noon & night!

Because being Prayerfully minded keeps us from sin

Also, let me see if this is familiar to you: When you’re tempted to sin, the last thing your flesh wants you to do is pray!

We’re to pray Constantly

We’re to Pray Without Care

Php. 4:6 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

What I mean by that is when the Scripture says ‘Be Careful for Nothing...’, what Paul is saying is ‘Don’t hold back’!

Oftentimes, we only ‘trouble’ God with the big issues: When you or someone is struggling with a health issue or something of that nature.

There’s nothing too big or small in your life that God is not concerned about. Now there may be things in your life that you’re concerned about, but through your prayer, God reveals unto you that you should be concerned with that anyway!

Just talk to God! Spend time in conversation with the LORD! He desires to spend time with you!

We’re to Pray without Care - meaning don’t hold back - share your heart with God!

So why Pray? Because We Have Opportunity. Because we have an Obligation. It Demonstrates Obedience & So that We May Overcome

IV. So that We May Overcome

To receive Salvation

Rom. 10:13 “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

(Ill.) We remember when Peter was walking on the water to go out to the LORD (Mat. 14), and the Bible tells us that He said ‘LORD Save me!’, then it says that Jesus IMMEDIATELY stretched forth His hand and saved Him!

What was true then is true now. If you will place your faith in the LORD and call out unto Him, He’ll save you IMMEDIATELY as well!

To receive a Solution

Jam. 5:13 “Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.”

Does anyone here struggle in this life? I know I have - and do! We need to pray! When you need a solution to your problem, pray!

Physically

If you have physical issues that you need a solution for - call the great physician! He can help you!

Jesus knows and cares about tour physical ailments.

He cared about the blind - that’s why He caused them to see

He cared about the lame - that’s why He made them whole

He cared about the deaf - that’s why He made them to hear

He cared about the dead - THAT’S WHY HE BROUGHT THEM TO LIFE!

Jesus can help WHATEVER physical ailment you have!

Mentally

Whenever we’re struggling with things going on in our world - Jesus can help! Jesus has the ability to calm the raging storm!

IF you have a problem church, no matter what it is, Jesus has a solution!

To Receive Satisfaction

Mat. 7:7-11 “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?”

Church, God answers prayer. God desires for us to live a life of Satisfaction.

God will provide your every need! He will give you Satisfaction church if you’ll ask Him to!

To receive Serenity

John 16:24 “Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”

God desires to give us Joy - but church, prayer will reveal our hearts - not simply to the LORD, but to ourselves! It has a way of helping us understand what our priorities are so that we may get them in order.

Pray that you might have Joy

To receive Sanctification

Individually

Ps. 51:7-10 “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; That the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, And blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; And renew a right spirit within me.”

If you were to go to Psa. 51, you’d see that the heading reads: Psalm 51:title (KJV): To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bath-sheba

Why Pray? So you can get back right with the LORD.

Let me tell you what a lot of Christian need today. They need to fall upon an altar and pray as David prayed here. No, your sin may not be as great as David’s was, but it’s still the sin that has gotten you off track. It’s still the sin that is between you and the LORD. It’s still the sin that is keeping you from experiencing the Joy & Satisfaction that God has for you.

Where are you at today church? What sin is in your life? What sin needs dealt with? You know what it is - whether no one else does or not. You know how it’s affecting you Spiritually. Are you going to wait until God bring the switch out on you before you wise up? David’s sin cost him a lot before he wised up and prayed this prayer… will yours?

Why pray? Because God will clean you church. He’ll make you new again. He’ll make you whiter than snow. He’ll restore that fellowship between you and Him! So Pray!

Collectively

2Chr. 7:14 “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

We need to pray church. Our country is falling apart at the seams, and we deserve it. But we need to come together, turn from wickedness, fast and pray for God to heal our land!

Why Pray? Because if we don’t, America will be no more.

Conclusion

Church prayer is important to the Christian. So the question that remains today is not Why Pray, but WILL you pray? And What will you pray about.

If you need salvation, come to me and I’ll show you and we’ll pray together

If you need cleansing, come to the altar and seek it from the LORD

If you need help, He can provide it

Whatever your need, will you come?