“ Prayers ”
Matthew 6:5
I. When We Pray
A) How often?
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- When we read verse 5) ¶ And when thou prayest,
- It says “when”… This means every time!
- “thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are:”
- What is a hypocrite? Websters defines “hypocrite this way…. a person who pretends to be better or different than he/she is. 2) someone who pretends to be someone they are not.
- I would say a hypocrite would pray less than they appear to be praying.
B) Prideful prayer
- How does a hypocrite pray?“…. for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets,”
- Note, they are “standing”! WHY? “…that they may be seen of men.” They are wanting to show off as if to say… “Look at what a good Christian I am.”
- What does the bible say about this? Proverbs 16:18… ¶ Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty (better than others) spirit before a fall. This verse is telling us that after we show pride in ourselves then right after that bad things will happen to make us loose our pride in that area.
- Proverbs 29:23… ¶ A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit. This verse is telling us… When we think we are higher minded than others, God will make us dumb. If we show pride of how much money we have, then God will remove the money to lower our pride.
- I John 2:16… For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. This verse is telling us… pride come from the world (Satan) not from our father in heaven (God).
- I believe a better way of prayer is found in I Kings 8:54… ¶ And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven.
- Back in Matthew 6: verse 5… “Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.”
- I believe this means… they will get what they deserve for praying proudly.
C) Humble prayer
- Matthew 6: 6)… But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret;
- Does this mean that we should hide every time when we pray? NO! This means that we are to not make a big deal out of it…not get everyone’s attention.
- I also believe that it means for us to pray privately sometimes where our children or spouse don’t know when we are praying or what we are praying about.
- Then the verse finishes with… and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. I believe that this means when He answers our prayers it will be where others can see that God has answered our prayers.
II. How do we pray?
A) Do not do this!
- BABBLE ON… Now in Matthew 6: 7) But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do:
- “vain” .. empty and “repetitions” means… to repeat the same thing over and over again.
- Jesus said that the “heathens” do that. What is a heathen? A heathen is a person who does not worship God, Pagans (idol worshipers),
- Why? “… for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.”
- Many times a person feels that they need to pray for half an hour for their food so that others think that they are holy and very good at praying.
- I personally believe that there is nothing wrong with a long prayer as long as a person is honestly trying to remember who is on their heart to pray for.
- When you pray… I believe that a person should pray for whatever comes to mind. If nothing comes to mind…then pray that God give you something to pray for!
- Then notice Jesus warning to the disciples…8) Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
- I believe that God knows what we need and for us to focus on praying for things that we need…we should rather focus on the reason “why” we are not getting the things we feel we deserve. Examine ourselves.
B) Hindered prayer
- I Peter 3:7… Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
- The Geneva Bible Notes had this to say…Because the wife nonetheless is weaker by nature than the man, she is an excellent instrument of the man, made for far more excellent uses: upon which it follows that she is not therefore to be neglected, because she is weak, but on the contrary she ought to be so much more cared for. (e) Having an honest care for her. (f) The woman is called a vessel after the manner of the Hebrews, because the husband uses her as his friend and helper, to live faithfully before God.
- For that they are equal in that which is the most important (that is to say, in the benefit of eternal life) who otherwise are unequal concerning the leadership and conduct at home, and therefore they are not to be despised (hated) although they are weak. (g) Of that gracious and free benefit, by which we have everlasting life given to us.
- All fighting and rebuking must be avoided, because they hinder prayers and the whole service of God, to which both the husband and wife are equally called.
- James 4: 3… Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
III. The perfect prayer to God
A) Jesus’ example outline
- Give God honor and glory … 9) ¶ After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed (separate as Holy) be thy name.
- Pray for His will to be done in your prayer… 10) Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
- Pray for our needs (not our wants)….11) Give us this day our daily bread.
- Pray for forgiveness of our sins… 12) And forgive us our debts (sins), as we forgive our debtors.
- Pray for resistance and deliverance from Satan…13) And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
- Close with Glory again to God…For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.
Silent Bible Baptist Church 