Prayer
Notes
Transcript
Pray? Like…how?
Pray? Like…how?
how do we even approach the practice, approach God
test - what do you seek? Praise of men, knowledge and intimacy with God
to pray = address a deity with request
adoration
confession
thanksgiving
supplication
intercession
Prayer begins and ends not with the needs of man but with the glory of God (John 14:13). It should be concerned primarily with who God is, what He wants, and how He can be glorified.
John F. MacArthur
It would be true to say that how you approach prayer has as much to do as what you pray
The habit of prayer is good, but the spirit of prayer is better.
Charles Spurgeon
Praying is a holy moment
Praying is a holy moment
keep it that way
how? do it in secret
hypocrites proclaim a desire to seek God in public where people can see and call them righteous, that was their desired goal
IG, facebook holiness
they take a posture that is not humble, stand, pray in places to be easily seen, they may even try to assume a humble posture in those public places
ex. Luke 18:11
11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
46 “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts,
47 who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”
Prayer is most often private
Prayer is most often private
again, what are you seeking, and who are you speaking with?
Jesus prayed in public, but notice what words we do not have recorded
23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,
35 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.
We are talking about what Jesus cautioned us with in Matt. 6:1 “1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.”
Prayer is directed to the Father
Prayer is directed to the Father
4x in John 14-16 Jesus tells us to ask the Father in His name
is it wrong to pray to Jesus? Acts 7:59 “59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.””
back to the Father, what does it mean that He is in secret?
secret (gk) - concealed from notice or knowledge of all persons except the individuals concerned
27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
Him being in secret in this way also means this
23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.
24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
Jesus says that the Father in secret sees in secret, which means He sees the intentions of your heart, this is what it means to be omniscient, having all knowledge
Psalm 139 “To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. 1 O Lord, you have searched me and known me! 2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. 3 You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. 4 Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. 5 You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. 7 Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! 9 If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10 even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” 12 even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you. 13 For you formed my inward par…”
Which Reward?
Which Reward?
hypocrite reward (gk) = tangible wage
Father seeking reward (gk) = tangible or intangible, given what we deserve or seek, according to His will, same word as in v.4
concluding thought
if Jesus is seeking anything other than the Father and His will/His glory, He would have taken the deal from Satan in Ch. 4.
if the apostles want any other reward than Christ then they stop preaching
if you desire anything other than Him, then you may get your reward now, Best life now. Rom. 1&2
deceitfulness of riches choke out the word bearing fruit in you