Matthew 6
Notes
Transcript
Prayer Do-Nots
Prayer Do-Nots
do not be like hypocrites
do not heap up empty phrases
Pharisees and Gentiles - grouped together
heap empty phrases - many useless and pointless words
26 And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made.
34 But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours they all cried out with one voice, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
repeating something with mindless repetition is not the same as declaring the truth that underlines something or the perfection of someone
Psalm 136 - His steadfast love endures forever
3 And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!”
“heard” responded to
“many words” Ecc. 5:1-2
1 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil.
2 Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few.
Prayer is personal and meaningful, not false or pagan
Your Father
Your Father
you are having a meaningful and personal interaction with your Father who is in heaven
so who is He? Jesus reminds us that He is omniscient
see v.32
He is before your needs and every decision
33 The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.
Psalm 139 - knows my words, formed my days in His book
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,
26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place,
Therefore - 1 John 5:14-15
14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.
15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
He knows before, but you ask, acknowledging who He is and your dependance and trust and hope in Him. The posture of all those that have been used of the Lord.