Pray Secure Prayers

"When you pray, don’t be like those show-offs who love to stand up and pray in the meeting places and on the street corners. They do this just to look good. I can assure you that they already have their reward. When you pray, go into a room alone and close the door. Pray to your Father in private. He knows what is done in private, and he will reward you. When you pray, don’t talk on and on as people do who don’t know God. They think God likes to hear long prayers. Don’t be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask."

Matthew 6:5-8

Jesus referenced how the Pharisees and religious leaders pray and then pointed out to His disciples, "Don't pray like this!"

So, they must have wondered, "Okay then, how should we pray?"

That was the question He was waiting for!

After pointing out two things the religious leaders where doing wrong with prayer He told them them three things they should do right!

When you pray:

1) Pray sincerely

2) Pray secretly

3) Pray securely

We will examine these three aspects of prayer that honors God.

Without getting into specifics (which I will) what differences can you see at face value?

What is the opposite of sincerity?

Is it not hypocrisy?

When the Pharisees and religious types of that day stood in very public places praying loudly and pretentiously how does that impact you?

Have you seen anyone pray like that?

If so, how did it make you feel?

Have you ever prayed like that?

It's one thing to pray fervent prayers in public if you are praying personal passionate prayers in private.

Don't you think you can pray more sincere prayer in public if you are praying regularly in a secret place?

Jesus said, "When you pray, GO INTO A ROOM ALONE."

When you intentionally decide to get alone with God to pray you are serious about praying! That has to be the most sincere form of prayer wouldn't you say?

And don't pray long, wordy, flowery, religious sounding prayers. 

Pray secure prayers.

What are secure prayers?

When I say "secure" prayers I am referring to prayers addressed by someone who is secure in his relationship with His Heavenly Father and confident he doesn't have to beg God to hear him.

Are you secure when you come to God in prayer?

Do you ever feel like you have to beg God to hear you when you pray?

"When you pray", Jesus said.

When Jesus says, "When you pray", I say, "You should listen and learn!"

September 27, 2016

"When you pray, don’t be like those show-offs who love to stand up and pray in the meeting places and on the street corners. They do this just to look good. I can assure you that they already have their reward. When you pray, go into a room alone and close the door. Pray to your Father in private. He knows what is done in private, and he will reward you. When you pray, don’t talk on and on as people do who don’t know God. They think God likes to hear long prayers. Don’t be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask." Matthew 6:5-8

When Jesus began His teaching on prayer He started with some things they should NOT do. 

Don't pray like the Pharisees and religious leaders.

Why?

They prayed publicly to try to impress people with their piety.

Imagine them standing on a busy street corner in downtown Jerusalem just waiting for rush hour when the crowd arrives and then they break into their loud and religious voice to offer up their prayers.

And, some people ARE impressed by the sounds of their voice and the intensity of their passion and the majesty of their words. Every in the immediate area hears their prayers but God doesn't.

So, they prayed to be honored by men and Jesus said, "They get their reward." Mission accomplished.

You may be thinking, "How phony is that! Who would do something like that?"

Really?

Remember the last time you asked to pray in Bible Study or LIFE Group or at church? Was your first thought, "What should I say?" or "What will people think?"

When you let those thoughts hinder you from praying you are falling into the same trap as the Pharisees and religious leaders.

Honestly, I have been at prayer meetings where the next person to pray did his best to top the last person who prayed who had tried to the better the person before him.

Jesus says, "Don't pray like that!"

Also, Jesus said, "Don't pray like them when they pray long and wordy prayers!"

Not only did these religious leaders attempt to impress people with their public prayers, they tried to impress God with their lengthy prayers.

Jesus made it clear that God doesn't need to be impressed not does He need to be impressed. God is a Father who wants to be approached by a humble, hungry and hurting child who needs a hug.

There are times when God, the Holy Spirit, lays the urgency of prayer on your spirit and calls you to intense and intimate prayer. But normally, it is not the length of your prayers or the form of your prayers and the formula of your prayers, it is the condition of your heart that brings results.

Jesus said, "When you pray, don't pray like them!"

Are you praying like them?

Are there any of these elements in your prayers?

September 26, 2016

"When you pray, don’t be like those show-offs who love to stand up and pray in the meeting places and on the street corners. They do this just to look good. I can assure you that they already have their reward. When you pray, go into a room alone and close the door. Pray to your Father in private. He knows what is done in private, and he will reward you. When you pray, don’t talk on and on as people do who don’t know God. They think God likes to hear long prayers. Don’t be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask." Matthew 6:5-8

You undoubtedly recognize that this teaching comes from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. The Sermon on the Mount is a vision statement for the Kingdom of God. Though the people of Israel were looking for Messiah that would come to restore God's Kingdom to Jerusalem, Jesus set about describing a spiritual kingdom He came to bring to God's people.

He also spends considerable time in these three chapters of teaching (Matthew 5-6-7) setting the standard for those how those who populate that Kingdom should think and behave. 

Central to those teachings is an understanding of prayer. Jesus wanted His followers to know when to pray, where to pray, who to pray and how to pray. We will be exploring those topics this week.

Jesus was aware that most people pray so He began this teaching with the statement with, "When you pray". You do pray. You will pray. You should pray. So, knowing the proper way to pray is basic training for a Christ-follower!

George Barna research says slightly more than four out of five adults in the U.S. (84%) claim they had prayed in the past week. That has been the case since Barna began tracking the frequency of prayer in 1993.

U.S. News and the Internet site Beliefnet funded a poll to learn more about why, how, where and when people pray. Here is a summary of the findings: 

· 75% percent were Christian. 

· 64% say they pray more than once a day.

· 56% say they most often pray for family members, with 3.3% saying that they pray for strangers.

· A little over 38% say that the most important purpose of prayer is intimacy with God.

· 41% say that their prayers are answered often.

· 1.5% say that their prayers are never answered.

· Over 73% say when their prayers are not answered, the most important reason is because they did not fit God’s plan.

· 5% say that they pray most often in a house of worship.

· 79% say that they pray most often at home.

· 67% say that in the past six months, their prayers have related to continually giving thanks to God.

A Newsweek poll titled “Is God Listening?” indicated that, of those who pray, 87% believed that God answers their prayers at least some of the time. Even so, unanswered prayers did not deter them from praying. 85% insisted that they could accept God’s failure to grant their prayers. Only 13% declared they have lost faith because their prayers went unanswered. 82% don’t turn away from God even when their prayers go unanswered. 54% say that when God doesn’t answer their prayers, it means it wasn’t God’s will to answer.

The things people pray for include health, safety, jobs, and even success, valid or not. 82% said they ask for health or success for a child or family member when they pray. 82% believed that God does not play favorites in answering prayers. 79% said God answers prayer for healing someone with an incurable disease. 75% asked for strength to overcome personal weakness. 73% answered that prayers for help in finding a job are answered. On the lighter side, 51% agreed that God doesn’t answer prayers to win sporting events. 36% have never prayed for financial or career success.

If prayer is that significant, and it is, then we should learn all about it. Then we should have a good understanding of it.

That's what we will focus on Jesus' teaching on prayer. So, how's your prayer life?

September 25, 2016

"When his disciples thought this had gone on long enough—it was now quite late in the day—they interrupted: “We are a long way out in the country, and it’s very late. Pronounce a benediction and send these folks off so they can get some supper.” Mark 6:35-36

Every miracle begins with a problem. In this case the problem was several thousands of hungry people and no food in the house.

That's a problem!

Let me point out here that it doesn't take a leader to recognize problems. Any one can see a problem but it requires a leader to offer solutions.

The disciples recognized the magnitude of the problem and knew something had to be done. So they came to Jesus with some suggestions. 

Here were their suggestions:

1) Stop preaching

2) Send the crowd home

Let me ask you, "Do you think the Son of God Incarnate, the Almighty God in flesh Who was all-wise and all-knowing needed suggestions from these guys on how to resolve this problem?"

You're right!

And guess what? He doesn't need yours either!

As mentioned in previous posts, miracles happen when there is a great need AND when some person does a great deed. When God wants to do a miracle He always involves a person. In this instance the person was in the form of a young boy who had a meager lunch.

It was the boy being willing to surrender his lunch to Jesus that allowed Jesus to perform the miracle!

So Jesus required the surrender of the lunch and not the suggestions of the disciples!

Have you ever needed a miracle from God?

Did you ask God for a miracle?

When you asked Him did you offer some suggestions of how He should make it happen?

Maybe you weren't as rude and direct as the disciples were, but in your mind you had a plan of how God should use His power to provide your need.

In your prayers you envisioned the miracle unfolding the way you imagined. But it never happened as you imagined. In fact, it never happened at all! If it had happened you probably would have missed it because you had your mind set on your version.

One of the important but overlooked subplots of this story is this truth: for a miracle to happen God needs your surrender not your suggestions!

The miracle happened and the thousands were fed and twelve baskets full were left over! But it happened because of the boy's surrender to Jesus and not because of the disciples' suggestions to Him.

If you are in need of a miracle don't give God your suggestions give Him your surrender!

September 24, 2016

"So they got in the boat and went off to a remote place by themselves. Someone saw them going and the word got around. From the surrounding towns people went out on foot, running, and got there ahead of them. When Jesus arrived, he saw this huge crowd. At the sight of them, his heart broke—like sheep with no shepherd they were. He went right to work teaching them. When his disciples thought this had gone on long enough—it was now quite late in the day—they interrupted: “We are a long way out in the country, and it’s very late. Pronounce a benediction and send these folks off so they can get some supper." Jesus said, “You do it. Fix supper for them.”They replied, “Are you serious? You want us to go spend a fortune on food for their supper?” But he was quite serious. “How many loaves of bread do you have? Take an inventory.”That didn’t take long. “Five,” they said, “plus two fish.” Mark 6:34-38

Everyone likes miracles but no one likes problems!

That's a problem!

Why is that a problem?

It is a problem because every miracle recorded in the Bible happened in response to a problem!

So, can your problem of not liking problems be considered enough of a problem to provide an opportunity for a miracle?

Only if you get over it!

If every recorded miracle in the Bible happened in response to a problem and you focus your efforts on avoiding problems it could explain the lack of miracles, could it not?

I imagine you are facing (or avoiding) some problem in your live right now. It is at best irritating and more likely painful. But, what if you took this new truth from the Bible and wrapped your heart and mind around it. Doesn't it have the potential to change your life?

What if you began thinking of your problems as opportunities and stopped resenting them as obstacles? That alone would improve your attitude and your state of mind wouldn't it?

The Apostle Paul gave testimony of how it strengthened his Christian walk when he learned to embrace his problem, his "thorn in the flesh". In II Corinthians 12 he candidly shares how he prayed three times for God to remove His affliction and three times God refused saying, "My strength is made perfect in your weakness and my grace will be sufficient for you!"

Essentially, God was telling the Apostle, "I am not going to work a miracle for you but I will use you to be a source of miracles for others!"

Paul was okay with that! Would you be?

Through this experience in his life, and yes, through the problem of his life God taught him the joys of partnering with Him!

Could God be desirous of doing that for you?

Is that something you would consider? 

Are you willing to allow your weakness to become a source of strength and blessing to others?

It's worth praying about is it not?

All The Power

"So they got in the boat and went off to a remote place by themselves. Someone saw them going and the word got around. From the surrounding towns people went out on foot, running, and got there ahead of them. When Jesus arrived, he saw this huge crowd. At the sight of them, his heart broke—like sheep with no shepherd they were. He went right to work teaching them. When his disciples thought this had gone on long enough—it was now quite late in the day—they interrupted: “We are a long way out in the country, and it’s very late. Pronounce a benediction and send these folks off so they can get some supper.” Jesus said, “You do it. Fix supper for them.”They replied, “Are you serious? You want us to go spend a fortune on food for their supper?” But he was quite serious. “How many loaves of bread do you have? Take an inventory.”That didn’t take long. “Five,” they said, “plus two fish.” Mark 6:34-38

I like the story about the little boy who went out to mow the grass with his father. While dad pushed the power motor his five-year old trailed behind with his plastic push mower. Back and forth they went in an order pattern leaving neat rows of short grass in their wake. The father was leading and the son following.

After thirty minutes they had finished their task. The dad turned off the power mower and was pushing it back toward the garage to put it away until next week. Hurrying up to walk beside his dad the little boy excitedly declare, "Dad, we did it! We cut the grass!"

Looking down at his boy, the dad nodded in agreement, "Yes we did, Son! Yes we did!"

That's a good illustration of what it's like to partner with God to accomplish something He wants done. He is the dad with the power mower and you are the boy with the plastic toy following in His steps. God provides all the power and you just stay close to Him and give it all you have.

The feeding of the 5,000 was like this, God provided all the power and the disciples tried to stay close to Jesus and do as much as they could!

God calls you and me to that same partnership of knowing, loving and serving Him.

He waits for us to see the need He wants to meet. Once we see the need we fall in behind Him and trust His power to do what only it can do as we do everything we are able to do.

You will know you have learned to partner with God when you begin to see needs and problems not as obstacles but as opportunities for God to display His power. Partnering with God changes your outlook on problems.

Once you see the need you must be willing to give all you can to help meet that need. You push that little plastic toy mower for all it's worth! Partnering with God teaches you to be obedient to God by giving Him what He asks from you.

Seeing the need and giving toward the need will allow God to meet the need from His grace and riches. And you can look to you Heavenly Father and say, "We did it, Dad!"

He will smile and throw an arm around your should and prompt you to begin looking for another need!