5 24 09 HT PM Prayer the Difference Maker
Prayer the Difference Maker!
5 24 09 HT PM
Matthew 6:5-15 NKJV
For some reason I really cannot leave the issue of prayer. I believe that PRAYER IS THE DIFFERENCE MAKER!
I have a concern for present and future generations the issue of prayer. It appears that for all practical observations that we are moving away from Pray. A local pastor friend Jeff Crawford at Grand Ave Baptist notes on his blog site a great observation about our recent national day of prayer – this is what he notes. National Day of Prayer -Established by Congress in 1952, the decision was made in 1988 to set aside the first Thursday of May to observe the National Day of Prayer. Traditionally, the President makes a proclamation on the National Day of Prayer calling the nation to pray and then he hosts religious leaders and publicly observes the National Day of Prayer in the White House. But not this year;
President Obama has decided that this year he will give the proclamation but there will be no guests or public observance in the White House. According to his press secretary, Robert Gibbs, President Obama prefers to pray in private.
Reflect back to the story of Jonah and the Whale, you may recall a pagan King – who upon realization of the state of his kingdom – called everyone to prayer – including the beast of the fields…. I wonder how we rank now with Nineveh? Here nor there I am sure that private prayer and public prayer would not hurt America.
Matthew 6:5 NKJV
“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
Matthew 6:6
But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you ◙ openly.
Matthew 6:7
And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
Matthew 6:8
“Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.
Matthew 6:9
In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Matthew 6:10
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Matthew 6:11
Give us this day our daily bread.
Matthew 6:12
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
Matthew 6:13
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
◙ For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Matthew 6:14
“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
Matthew 6:15
But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Observations about Prayer from Matthew 6 –
1. Pray in SECRET (vs. 5-6)
It is not wrong to pray in public in the assembly , or even when blessing food or seeking God’s help. Be committed to BOTH public and private. Observers may think that we are practicing prayer when we are not, and this is hypocrisy. The word translated closet means “a private chamber.” It could refer to the store-chamber in a house. Jesus, Elisha, Daniel and others prayer in public, but we know in private as well. Prayer is not your showboating moment for what is NOT happening in private but rather your strengthening moment that continues outside…..
2. Prayer in SINCERETY (vs. 7-8)
The fact that a request is repeated does not make it a “vain repetition”; for both Jesus and Paul repeated their petitions this is not about frequency but rather the sincerity of your heart.
A request becomes a “vain repetition” if it is only a babbling of words without a sincere heart desire to seek and do God’s will. The mere reciting of memorized prayers can be vain repetition. The Gentiles had programmed prayers in their pagan ceremonies.
Nehemiah 1:1 NKJV
The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah.
It came to pass in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan ◙ the citadel,
Nehemiah 1:2
that Hanani one of my brethren came with men from Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, who had survived the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.
Nehemiah 1:3
And they said to me, “The survivors who are left from the captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.”
Nehemiah 1:4
So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.
Nehemiah 1:5
And I said: “I pray, Lord God of heaven, O great and awesome God, You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love ◙ You and observe ◙ Your commandments,
Nehemiah 1:6
please let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open, that You may hear the prayer of Your servant which I pray before You now, day and night, for the children of Israel Your servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against You. Both my father’s house and I have sinned.
3. Pray in SUPPORT of His will (vs.10)
The purpose of prayer is to glorify God’s name, and to ask for help to accomplish His will on earth. This prayer begins with God’s interests, not ours: God’s name, God’s kingdom, and God’s will. Robert Law has said, “Prayer is a mighty instrument, not for getting man’s will done in heaven, but for getting God’s will done in earth.” We have no right to ask God for anything that will dishonor His name, delay His kingdom, or disturb His will on earth.
It is worth noting that there are no singular pronouns in this prayer; they are all plural. It begins with “OUR Father.” When we pray, we must remember that we are part of God’s worldwide family of believers. We have no right to ask for ourselves anything that would harm another member of the family. If we are praying in the will of God, the answer will be a blessing to all of God’s people in one way or another.
If we put God’s concerns first, then we can bring our own needs. God is concerned about our needs and knows them even before we mention them.
James 4:3 NKJV
You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.
Luke 22:41 NKJV
And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed,
Luke 22:42
saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”
4. Pray in a SPIRIT of FORGIVENESS (vs. 12-15)
Ephesians 4:32 NKJV
And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
Prayer is most effective by those who have experienced God’s Grace, the more you embrace (understand it, empower it) (not experience) Grace the more you extend Gr