August 6, 2006 - Praying Effectively

Scripture Meditation: Matthew 6:5-13

August 6, 2006

INTRODUCTION

• Pam and I lost a friend two weeks ago
• Shannon was a young woman we met through Rebecca & Elisabeth- and tried to help over the last year and a half
• Going in- we knew Shannon had had a difficult life that left her self-destructive and suicidal
• She'd been abused as a child
• She...
• Struggled with a serious drug problem
• And suffered from a long list of severe psychiatric illnesses
• To be honest- I don't know if Shannon intentionally committed suicide
• Given the fact she died from internal bleeding- I suspect it was an accident
• But there’s no doubt in my mind her death was a result of years of depression, psychosis, self-injury and drug abuse
• There are many young women who suffer with the array of illnesses that affected Shannon
• Oddly enough-
• Doctors have learned that if these women don't die- or commit suicide- in their late twenties
• Most will get dramatically better after they turn thirty
• Shannon had just turned 28 when she died

TRANSITIONAL REMARKS

• I bring this up is because I've spent a lot of time over the last 18-20 months praying for Shannon
• Praying specifically that God would keep her alive long enough to get well
• And I got to tell you- her death has caused me to ask a few questions about the effectiveness of my prayer life
• Has anything like that ever happened to you? If you're like most Christians the answer is "yes"
• If you believe in God- and the power of prayer at some point something:
• Is going to happen that will make you wonder if your prayers are going any higher than the ceiling
• That makes you ask the question: Why didn't my prayers make a difference?
• Let me tell you: There are no easy answers to those kinds of questions
• In fact- I've learned there’s no benefit in even asking them
• At times like that- the best thing to do is go back to the Master and rediscover what He had to say about prayer
• Let’s remember: Jesus had the most powerful, most effective prayer life of anyone who ever lived
• As God’s only begotten Son- He enjoyed a level of communion with the Father you and I can only dream of
• So this morning- let’s gather at the feet of Jesus and let Him teach us how to pray more effectively
• Turn with me to Matthew chapter 6

WHAT NOT TO DO

• Matthew 6:5-8
• It’s interesting to note that before Jesus says what you should DO when you pray-
• He tells you what NOT to do
• Specifically He says to avoid two things:
• Praying like the hypocrites pray
• Praying like the pagans pray

The Prayer of A Hypocrite

• Typically- when we use the word hypocrite we're referring to an insincere person who:
• Says one thing and does something else
• A hypocrite would be like a politician who:
• Runs for office on a platform of family values
• While storing pornography on his computer
• But that’s not what hypocrite meant in Jesus’ day
• A hypocrite was simply an actor wearing a mask
• The point of the mask was to:
• Help the audience understand the character’s personality
• While hiding the actor’s true identity
• Notice what Jesus says about the prayer life of these hypocrites
• He says they make a show of praying in public in order to be seen by other people
• The Message Bible puts it this way: you've seen them in action...‘play actors’ I call them- treating prayer meeting and street corner alike as a stage...
• Folks- here’s the danger in praying like a hypocrite: I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
• In other words: They get their applause from other people- but that’s all they get...because God is not listening to their prayers
• You talk about impotence!
• If the only one listening to your prayers are other people
• You might as well be talking to that brick wall!
• Notice what Jesus says you should do: when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
• Illustration: Speak Up Bill!
• When Bill Moyers was an assistant to LBJ he was asked to say grace before a dinner at the White House
• Moyers- an ordained minister- began to pray in a soft voice
• Conversation:
• Suddenly Johnson interrupted him: Speak up Bill! For crying out loud I can't hear a word you're saying!
• Moyers paused in mid-sentence- never looked up and said: Mr. President- I'm not talking to you.
• Folks- Jesus isn't ruling out public prayer here in Matthew 6:6
• There is a time and a place for public prayer in Christian worship
• BUT- Jesus wants you to remember something:
• If you're trying to impress other people- your prayers will be utterly worthless
• God only listens to your prayers when He’s SURE you're talking to Him!

- The Prayers of a Pagan

• Jesus goes on to warn about the dangers of praying like a pagan Matthew 6:7
• To get a picture of the ways pagans prayed I want you to turn with me to 1 Kings 18:21-29
• Pagan religion taught that the gods would only respond to repetitious prayer phrases like "O Baal, answer us!"
• The longer, louder and harder you prayed
• The better the chance the gods would answer your prayer
• Look-
• There’s nothing wrong with spending long periods of times with God in prayer
• BUT-
• If you think your long-windedness is going to trick God into blessing you
• you're praying like a pagan and God finds that VERY insulting!
• See- ultimately this is a matter of faith- of trust- of confidence- in the love God has for you!
• Listen to what Jesus says in Matthew 7:11: If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
• In other words: God doesn't have to be manipulated into pouring out His blessings in your life
• If you've accepted Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord- you're one of His children
• And He loves you- and He wants what is best for your life!

HOW YOU SHOULD PRAY

• With all this in mind- let’s learn how to pray Jesus-style Matthew 6:9-13

- Our Father in heaven

• I can't being to tell you how shocking these words sounded to Jesus’ listeners
• The Aramaic word Jesus uses here is Abba
• Abba-
• Was the first thing a toddler called their father
• It’s roughly equivalent to the English word Da-Da or Daddy
• The other day I saw Bobby Hardin playing with Beck
• Bobby would toss Beck up in the air like this (demonstrate)
• And like all little kids- Beck LOVED it!
• There was no sign of fear on his face
• Why? Because he trusts his Daddy
• He isn't worried about falling and getting hurt
• He KNOWS his Da is going to catch him every time!
• Folks- the Bible reveals God to be the all-powerful, all-knowing, all-consuming Creator of the Universe
• But Jesus also reminds us that God is not some vindictive tyrant you need fear and dread
• Above all God is a tender, loving, compassionate, caring father- He’s your Daddy-God in heaven!
• You can trust Him with all your heart
• You can depend on Him completely, totally and absolutely
• You can know- beyond a shadow of a doubt- that He loves you and will take care of you!

- Hallowed be your Name

• If there’s one thing that’s missing from the prayer life of the average Christian it’s worship and praise
• Most of the time we're so determined to tell God what we want
• We forget to express our love and appreciation for who He is- and what He’s done for us
• Turn with me to John 17:1-5
• Did you notice how many times the words glory or glorify appears in these five verses?
• Jesus is lifting up the Name of the Lord- He’s offering praises to the Father- through the act of prayer
• Illustration: Sandra James’ Daughter
• In Today’s Christian Woman Sandra James tells about something she learned from her 3 year old daughter
• SJ: Katie was skipping and singing like happy 3 year olds do. I stopped and listened to her song...I realized she was singing the chorus: ‘I love you Lord and I lift my voice’- but she didn't get the words quite right. She was singing: ‘I love you Lord and I lift my noise!’ I was tempted to correct her mistake- but then I realized that’s exactly what God wants- the noise of our praise
• More than anything- God wants to hear words of praise and thanksgiving coming from the lips of His people-
• Even when you pray
• ESPECIALLY when you pray

- Your kingdom come, your Will be done on Earth as it is in heaven

• Prayer would be so much simpler if Jesus hadn't included these words in the Model Prayer
• See- the thing is:
• Before you can pray YOUR kingdom come
• you've got to be willing to pray: MY kingdom go
• Most of us aren't willing to take that step of faith
• Let’s say you've been saving up for two years for your vacation of a lifetime
• Maybe you've got your heart set on...taking a luxury cruise to Alaska
• Nothing wrong with that!
• you're looking at someone who LOVES to travel!
• But then you hear of a pressing need for mission volunteers in say...Namibia
• Through the impulse of the Holy Spirit, God makes it clear He wants YOU to be one of those volunteers
• But going will mean you have to use all of the dream-vacation money you've been saving
• A My kingdom come prayer.../ A Your kingdom come prayer...
• Might go something like this: Father- I'm willing to go if you'll provide the extra money I need. I know I've got that money in the bank- but Lord- I REALLY want to take that vacation!
• Would be: Father- You know I've always wanted to take this trip. But Lord- for Your glory I'll take the money I've saved and use it for this mission trip
• James 4:3 says: When you ask, you do not receive because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what get on your pleasures
• Folks- self-centered prayer has no power
• Because GOD will not bless that kind of prayer!
• That’s why spiritually mature Christians have learned to pray YOUR Will be done
• They know that God loves them- they have complete confidence in His grace and mercy
• That’s why they want to see His Will be done on Earth and it is in heaven

- Give us today our daily bread

• If I was a betting man- I'd bet no one in this congregation has ever prayed this prayer and really meant it
• See- a literal translation of this petition would read: Give us TODAY the bread we need to live on TODAY
• The problem is that most of us aren't willing to trust God for daily bread
• We want to have-
• TODAY’S bread on the table
• TOMORROW’S bread in the pantry
• And the money to buy NEXT WEEK’S bread in our pocket
• The children of Israel learned what it meant to pray for daily bread when they were wandering in the wilderness
• Every morning the Bible says they would find manna from heaven on the ground outside the camp
• And it was amazing stuff
• If you didn't gather enough to feed your family that day-
• It didn't matter-
• There was always enough to satisfy everyone’s hunger
• But if you tried to hoard some for tomorrow- it would be infested with maggots by the next morning
• In other words: The manna taught the Israelites to trust God for their DAILY needs
• Nothing more
• and nothing less
• Jesus wants you to have the same kind of faith in God
• And where does that faith come from?
• From a heart that says God loves me- and He WILL take care of me! PERIOD!

- Forgive us our debts as we have also forgiven our debtors

• Illustration: A Clogged Drain
• A few years ago our bathroom sink became clogged
• I tried everything from baking soda to Draino
• And nothing worked
• Finally- I dug out my tool box-
• And took off the drain trap
• I found a hideous glob of hair, whiskers and soap scrum blocking the flow of water
• That’s an illustration of what happens to your prayers when there’s unconfessed sin in your life
• The sin acts like a clog that blocks the upward flow of your prayers to God’s throne of grace
• That’s why Jesus says to pray for the forgiveness of sin
• But- notice that Jesus ties the act of being forgiven to the act of GIVING forgiveness: Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
• Illustration: Chris Carrier
• Chris Carrier was abducted from a playground when he was 10 years old
• The kidnapper burned him with cigarettes- stabbed him numerous times with an ice pick- shot him in the head- and left him to die in the Everglades
• Miraculously Chris survived his ordeal- although he lost his sight in one eye
• Chris was in his early thirties when an ex-convict named David McAllister admitted to the crime
• McAllister said he did it because of an intense grudge he harbored against Chris’s father
• Because the statue of limitations had long-since passed Chris had to accept that McAllister would never be brought to justice
• So what did he do? He decided to go and meet with David McAllister
• When he got to the Miami nursing home where McAllister was living
• He found a lonely, blind 77 year old man with a bad heart
• Incredibly, Chris Carrier started visiting David McAllister each week
• They would talk about Scripture- and Chris would pray for McAllister’s health and well-being
• Eventually- Chris helped David McAllister make a profession of faith in Jesus Christ
• As far as Chris is concerned- it was the only thing he could do
• If I'd chosen to hate David all these years- or spent my life looking for revenge- I wouldn't be the man I am today. The man my wife and children love- the man God wants me to be.
• My choice- my ONLY choice was to forgive him- and tell him about Jesus
• Here’s the bottom line:
• If you feel like something has clogged up your prayer life
• Start asking for God’s forgiveness- and the willingness to forgive those who've sinned against you

- And lead us not into temptation- but deliver us from the evil one

• The message here is to be proactive in your prayer life
• In other words: Don't wait for sin to occur- and then wring your hands in sorrow over what happened
• Ask God-
• To give you power to overcome Satan’s snares before he brings you down
• To help you avoid the situations that lead you into sin in the first place
• It’s called:
• Being spiritually mature
• Becoming the person God wants you to be
• Living for the One who loves you so much He died for your sin on the Cross of Calvary

CLOSING

• Illustration: Enhanced 9-1-1
• About 15-20 years ago an important addition was made to the 9-1-1 emergency telephone system
• It was called Enhanced 9-1-1
• When a person calls 9-1-1 the caller’s name- address and phone number appears on the Dispatcher’s screen
• The system was been a life-saver
• A few years ago a 6 year old boy called 9-1-1 to report that his home was on fire
• Even as the dispatcher tried to get the little boy to calm down
• Firefighters were being sent to put out the fire and rescue the family
• In another city- a child called to whisper that a man was hurting my mommy
• She couldn't tell the dispatcher were she was
• But with the system in place- police arrived in time to capture a rapist
• Folks- God has an Enhanced 9-1-1 system that is more effective that ANYTHING the Police Dept. could imagine
• It’s called prayer- and it’s powerful and effective
• So powerful that WHENEVER one of His children prays-
• God listens
• And God responds!
• Do you believe it? Then let us pray.