10-2-22 - Four Ways To Hinder Your Prayers

You have your Bibles with me to Matthews gospel chapter number six. Matthew chapter number six. And when you find your place if you would honor the greatest book in the universe will read verse number five through verse eight. I confess I am filled with joy as were going to be launching into a study on prayer, I know my soul is edified in starting prayer because it's always something I feel I never pray an offer well enough and and it's something you never arrive at like anybody says you know what I feel like I have arrived in my prayer life. When you I landed such a level that you need to go back to humility right and so we understand that we fall short in this area. The Bible even says we don't know how to pray like we should certain they were to be launching into a study on the words of Christ, about prayer, and I trust this will be edifying to our souls, individually and as a church body. I believe this could really stir up some some great things in the heart of God's people and so let's read what Jesus has to say about prayer in verse five through 80s going to teach on a down verse 15, but our text before us, will be the first four verses says.

And when thou prayers.

Thou shall not be as the hypocrites are, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. Thou, when thou prayers enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy father would see if in secret shall reward thee openly.

Verse seven but when you pray, use not vain repetition is the heathen do, for they think they shall be heard for their much speaking you know you therefore likened them for your father know if what things you have need of, before ye ask you to join me in prayer by the we do counted the privilege that we can even understand this side of heaven that on earth, our lips and our hearts can be lifted in prayer in the ear of heaven can be moved but I pray that you would renew in our hearts of fervency for the throne of God, help us to elevate prayer and in doing so, we will elevate God forgive us for setting such small prayer lives.

Forgive us for not valuing you like you are deserving, but I pray that we would make much of prayer, so that we could make much of God, and I pray that you would stir us to do such. This city needs a church on fire this nation needs of people burning on the inside for Christ in holiness and souls, may we rend our hearts before you today.

May your spirit, do a work in us bring a fervency in the heat to this body. Let us not be content to simply come and listen but may we participate at the Kings banquet. We feast upon God. May we experience the presence of Christ move us on the inside, forgive our cold hearts.

How calloused we can become how worldly minded and how much the world can grab our attention. Some of us can even focus on God today because the world is so consumed in our hearts. Lord we repent today Lord cleanse us on the inside but the text before us burn in our hearts. Let me be just a mouthpiece for God. Let me stand out of the way. May the Holy Spirit work upon us. May the soil be soft and may your word be fruitful and glorify your own name for your own sake, and may we be recipients of the glory of God. We ask in Jesus name God's people said then you may be seated this morning ask you this morning as we consider this topic of prayer. How is your prayer life doing, how is your prayer life been the last time you got alone with the Lord and just spent time with God for more than 10 seconds in solitude and prayer just to worship him was the last time you said you know what I need to go into a room by myself get on my knees and just worship God for the infinite sacrifice of his son Jesus Christ so overwhelmed that you just couldn't even speak for a while you just had to sit with the thought of God when is the last time that you you just that I I I have some things in my life that are keeping me from being right with God. He was so broken that your life was not where God wanted to be that you had to get along with the Lord and just cry out in repentance to be made clean before him was the last time you were so broken for a lost soul that you had to bend your knees and pray to God that God would bring salvation to them.

I believe much of the impotence and frailty of the church is found in the absence of prayer, fervent prayer. James was right when he said you have not because he asked not with every one of your prayers were answered. This past week every single prayer that you prayed would be answered and ask you, would anybody have been saved this week. Is there anyone that you and I pray for that was lost that needed to be saved. You knew all of your prayers will be answered perhaps in the coming week.

You would you pray for needs to be saved, if you knew it would be answered. What what marriage would you lift up in prayer. What uncle or aunt would you cry out to God that God would work in what attitude would you say God change this attitude and may give me patience give me humility what what prayer of courage and boldness.

Would you ask God for that. You might be a witness for Christ with struggle of sin would you say God take this sin away from you. Give me complete victory. What child would you pray for this week. What what parents or grandparents or grandchildren would you pray for. I challenge us as a church to renew our commitment to prayer that we would treat prayer is Christ treated prayer that we would pray as Christ prayed in verse five through verse 15. Our Lord teaches us on prayer. Then in verse 16 through 18. He teaches on fasting with interesting before he can teach us how to pray. Yes, to teach us how not to pray in in in verse one through four before he taught them how to give you had to teach them how not to give in verse 16 through 18. Before he could teach them how to fast he had to teach them how not the fast guess what we know how to get the wrong things right for the right things wrong. In other words, we know how to turned up what's up down we know how to turn what's true in the false week we learn how to mess things up naturally and so he had to come and say listen. There are ways to give that are wrong. There are ways to pray that are wrong in their ways. The fast that are wrong. You need to need to learn what is wrong and then also, what is the right way to do things. In other words, there are ways that you and I can give, pray and fast that are acceptable to God. There are ways we can give, pray and fast that are not acceptable to God, not just consider the implications of that what that is telling us is that truth is not subjective. The truth is objective and what that means.

This is truth is not based upon what I think it should be for my experience, or even my sincerity, but rather truth is based upon God and in God gives us the definite reality of his word. Sometimes you will say this will all that matters is that you are sincere as long as a person. Sincere really doesn't matter who or what they worship. Sincerity is not as important as truth. Jesus said if you come the father you must worship him in spirit and in truth, both internally and accurately, and so you can be. I can tell you the.

The radical Muslims who blew himself up in a and and an assigned fatwa and a jihad you think they were sincere until you can you be sincerely wrong. Absolutely. And so just because you're sincere doesn't mean you're accurate and you're right.

And for the Lord to say there are wrong ways to give pray and fast as say there's a standard for us to live by you in the Old Testament there was a right way to transport the ark wasn't there in the wrong way to do it was not to put it on the ark of Verona wagon like the Philistines didn't send it back to Israel. And when when the Jews decided to do that. They were transporting the ark based upon worldly methods and guess what is a reached out because the oxen stumbled in the ark began to slide off the wagon. He went to grab the ark and guess what happened to him.

He died. The Bible says that God.

The Hebrew word there literally means it is exploded. Got exploded him know as a thought. He thought his hand was cleaner than the dirt.

He reached out to steady the ark of God, and God blew him up.

That's how holy and transcendence and also you say why don't understand why God would do that because you and I don't understand the holy nature of God. We take God lightly and we worship God will fast and loose. Today you have entire church movements that have molded their their sanctuary into an image that looks like a worldly rock concert and Siebel worldly system. I never found smoke machines and like zapping faculties all through the Bible you know what those can do.

They can store your emotions to do nothing for your soul were not looking to reach people's feelings were looking to reach people's wills. It is truth. It transforms the inside. I grew up in churches like that for 15 years. I was even saved been nice to get the gospel but nice to know that if I follow Christ. There's a cross involved with that you know what happens today people want the same kind of religion that Peter wanted. They wanted to remove the cross. When Jesus said I've come to Don across Peter said no that that not be because what we want today is we want Christianity without confrontation. We want to sand down the old rugged Cross the world makes us acceptable. They can accept the palatable message that were now offering God and called to preach like Joel city called us to preach like John the Baptist. Big difference. Friends you may be new here today.

I don't know your situation, but it's just going to come out like it is were here to preach the word of God and to share the truth of Christ, because I don't want anyone to get to heaven and say I wish Pastor Joshua told me. I wish I would've known.

So let us go to the word of God and find out what does the book say and in right when you open the Bible it says in Matthew six here when it comes the prayer he says you need understand there is a right way to pray and there is a wrong way to pray.

Anybody want to find out what the wrong ways to pray off so you can go right. We want to know what those are. So today were looking for ways to hinder our prayer life for ways Christ tells us don't do that. Don't do this when you pray we need and so you know how not to pray. We have to have first information and then we have to have submission to that information. We need to bow our hearts to that reality and that truth and so the first way they can hinder our prayers is by pretending in prayer. Having the wrong motive in prayer. This is the warning of the hypocrite found in verse five and six verse five he says and when thou pray is also not be as the hypocrites are know what is a hypocrite will in those days they had plays and just like they do, down and across our country will have a stage and underneath the stage. They have amphitheaters and they would have a stage and underneath the stage will be changing rooms and I was actually very 2011 saw some reason Caesarea Philippi different areas in the what they would what they would do is have somebody was a character that would dress up they would they would play a part. They would read a script that they would they would fulfill the role in an and in they pretended to be someone they were not in the Bible refers to the person who does that as a accrete chase that was actually the same word they use for that stage. After in the Bible calls accrete chase Christians who know the script to the part who their their phonies.

Their pretenders date that they aren't the real thing. If you want to now Jesus feels about hypocrisy if you just read Matthew 23. Jesus is the strongest rebuke in all the gospel accounts toward hypocrites.

People that were pretenders in Matthew 2451. He tells us that hypocrites would end up in hell. Jesus was very severe about preaching against hypocrisy and taught the true hypocrites are not true believers redefines with the hypocrite does in verse five he says, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. First of all we see their posture. They stand in the synagogues now. Is this the wrong way to pray.

Is it wrong to stand and pray when you pray, should you only kneel or sit or lay down.

The Bible tells us there's physically three different ways the Jews would pray they would they would lay down and prostrate before God and you find Jesus doing that to guard against him and he fell upon his face and prayed in the garden. Father let this cup pass from me.

Nevertheless, not my will but thine be done also kneel and pray if you remember Daniel would kneel three times a day and he would face Jerusalem with the windows open and he would do that throughout the day. Three different times and then they also would stand and pray you see the repentant public and do that in Matthew 18 he he stood praying and beating up or assessing God be merciful to me a sinner and Jesus says he was herded and so standing was a common posture. There was nothing wrong to stand and pray next week to the place where he prayed that he would stand praying in the synagogue, not the synagogue was their place of worship. It was really the Jewish the way you can understand it. It would be like the Jewish version of our Christian church and a lot of the lot of the systems of the Christian church are found in the Jewish synagogues. Jesus went to the synagogues what they would do. They would come together and guess what, they would stand up and read the Bible and then the leader with the teacher would sit down and he would teach the word of God to the people they would sing songs they would have prayers. All of this would go on in that setting. Luke 416 says and he came and he came her Jesus came to Nazareth where he had been brought up in as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read nothing wrong, praying in a synagogue, they would pray in the synagogues. The place there's nothing wrong with, but they also prayed in the corners the streets. Streetcorner was a very highly populated place because it was were to Rosewood Cross and so is it wrong to say it's wrong to pray the court of the streets to say you shouldn't talk to God at the corner of the street that's not the case. If you saw an accident happen, you would want to take a moment, God be with this situation. Is he able his cup you would say the pray for you, but you know in the Cordova Street and I get pray for you and I'm sorry you have to walk away in the appraisal process, not the idea Jesus is giving you you need understand this is not external that Jesus is focusing on the place, nor is he focusing on the posture, but is focusing on the purpose what's the motivation and so therefore was found in the next statement without which I would encourage you to underline this is that they may be seen of men. You could underline that in your Bible. So the problem was not there posture standing was in the place on the streets or in the synagogue but it was their purpose. They wanted to be seen of men in their posture in the place only provided their false purpose to unveil itself know what was their reward verse five says that they would have the glory of men. They wanted the glory of men date they are to be seen of men. They they wanted that notoriety. They wanted people to notice them.

Verse one and two of Matthew six says to have glory of men they wanted to look spiritually wanted people to think that you're really something. Why was my prayer life was like your prayer life will I wish I could be as eloquent as you you not a prayer in such a way to get into this kind of an eloquent speech. And you know inside the Corinthian church. They had this kind of thing going on. They would even taken the city of Corinth, smooth stones and put it under their tongue go down to the river and practice speaking to elevate their eloquence and when Paul came to the city of Corinth. He said I purpose not to come on to you with eloquence or in any way of speaking that would be enticing that you would not rest your faith on the wisdom of men but on the power of God.

He said I was with you in weakness and fear in much trembling. And he didn't do that because he didn't have the ability to speak eloquently.

He just didn't want them to rest upon that eloquence, but rather to rest upon the power of the gospel. Now look at verse number six. Here is the lesson he says but thou, when thou prayers enter into thy closet, and when thou has shut the door by door, pray to thy Father which Sivan secretive night father which sees in secret shall reward thee openly. First of all, he tells us that there needs to be a solitude in prayer.

Jesus oftentimes resorted to a private place of prayer Mark chapter 1 verse 35 says in in the morning rising up a great while before day just to let some of you know there is such a thing. There is existence a great while before day, you rise up early. There is people there's people living at that time. Some of you wake up sometime you like. There is life going on right now and he Jesus went out and departed to a solitary place in their pray. What kind of place did Jesus go to Mark one. A solitary place. Why did he do that so that he could be alone with the with the father, Mark 645 and 46 and straightway constrained his disciples to get into the ship and going to the other side before went to Beth Saito while he sent away the people in when he had send them away, he departed into a mountain to pray silly since the people away that he goes away to pray in solitude. Luke six verse 12 he does the same thing. I believe it's essential to our spiritual life to take time away from everything and everyone else to be in prayer because if were too busy to pray to be alone with God. What is that saying in our life were too busy our way. If our Lord so valued.

Prayer should we evaluate by not praying. I would highly encourage you to pray first thing in the morning get along with God.

I think all of us would do well to say tomorrow I'm going to get up at least 10 minutes early. 15 minutes early just to spend some extra time with the Lord, how often people can face the day. Unprepared, spiritually weak, they wonder why life could be overwhelming to them, they get overwhelmed all the time. They fall into quick sins with their mouth, or attitude, or actions because I haven't spent time with the Lord. Christians today place a higher value on getting their coffee in the morning to prepare their day into being with the Lord to prepare their day went to God that we would wake up and say not that I need my coffee, but that I need the Lord you what Christians do, they wake up already, my coffee, I can't do anything as I get my coffee would be nice to hear Christians talk about the Lord. That way I don't care if I preach to myself today. Listen we we need the Lord Jesus Christ awake this morning. Will some of us are yes no. So, some have taught that all public praying is wrong but is that true is it is it is it wrong to pray in public. Should you only pray in private that is true, then there is so much my explanation that needs to be done concerning public prayers in the Bible because when Jesus was on the cross he said father forgive them.

They know not what they do right.

He prayed on the cross and and and and also you find him praying publicly at Lazarus is to Jesus said my house shall be called a house of prayer is a prayer in public. There's nothing wrong with that. That's something that's that's acceptable and good to do. We see the early church praying and they did it in public ways. Jesus is not speaking about only praying in a literal closet, but rather the ideas when you pray to not be a pretender.

Don't be one who prays to be seen of men. Rather, we are to pray to the father and the father here is it is this pray to the father in in and what that tells us as we don't need the high priest or a priest or a pastor to go to God in prayer for us. Sometimes I have people stop and and Doug are coming to say can you pray for me and I will reprove them and I stop by solicit my prayers are no different than your prayers.

And I don't have any special relation to God that you don't have your Savior child of God like me and your sins were forgiven just like mine and you need understand that that is not some some kind of person that you need to simply have pray for you. You need you need to make sure your lifelines up with the word of God and the will of God, you would honor what he says and the reward is like father which sees in secret shall reward thee openly. God will see your humble heart seeking him without any desire for anyone else to see you and God hears that prayer. Second Chronicles says the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him that that he would hear your prayer in the Bible says he which is in secret he sees your prayer in secret.

He sees that you get along with God.

God sees that he will reward you openly. God will answer your prayer here reward you. The Bible says in Hebrews 11 six. He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. And so the point is this if you want your prayers hundred and pray to be seen by men. Pray so other people notice you pray for the purpose of drawing attention to yourself. Pray for your husband wife mom dad friend will think you're really spiritual play the part be an actor. Tell others how good your edit, praying, use big words to try to impress people on the other hand, if you want your prayers to be heard than pray to be seen and heard by God only let God be your audience. This doesn't mean praying with others is wrong. It just means praying to be heard by others is wrong. So if you ever pray in the audience of people pray to an audience of one.

Let me say something else, it's important for Christians to pray together. The Bible says pray one for another. On Wednesday nights, we have a time of prayer at universe service at the end of the sermon we break up groups and pray sometimes. I've had people through the years they will. I'm just not comfortable to pray and always pull them out of their comfort zones.

Every time I live disciple people in go through Dr. discipleship material I've done that with a lot of people over the years. Every time I get to the end of the time will say okay let's have a disclosing work. Prayer was yours in progress together now save you.

Good closing prayer. I'll put my head down inevitably if if they're not somewhat of a seasoned Christian. They always like Paul's and they kind of look at me and my heads down and and they say will I'm you know I'm not not real good at this.

I don't really prayed with anybody eyes look up and say all you will be fine from my beta and they know their stock, they have to pray and you know they pray and they can be so encouraging and so blue. I'm so blessed by those authentic prayers because they don't know any type of eloquent words in any type of external words that that this is some religious lingo that they need to use ages pray from the heart. The only thing that's on their heart they shared prayer, let me say this, if you're so worried to pray in front of other people you need that you needed, you need to get past that, because what you're saying is that your concern what they think about you that's exactly 1 of the things Jesus is sitting here. Stop worrying about what other people think. Don't pray to be heard and don't pray out of fear of being heard both of them are concerned and allowing other people to dictate their prayers so people who prayed to be heard.

So they think they're something.

It's also wrong to not pray because you're afraid of what people think of you. While I don't want to pray with my husband wife is will they stop worrying about what they would think and worry about what God thinks makes sense to speak with a four-star general, I wouldn't I would bring Tom along the like, really worried what you think of me when I talk to this general. I would think that I would be concerned about who I'm talking to my right right and so in the same way. Why would we be concerned with what another fellow sinner saved by grace. Thanks. Worry about what God thinks the God of the universe. And if you're not praying with other people. I can tell you you're hindering them from also brings with other people get over that fear grow past that that is a sign of Christian infancy and I know of offending someone. I don't know who I'm sure, but you have to get past that you imagine me getting up to preach today on Mike and somebody else pray because I'm really concerned what other people think of my prayer. When you think how carnal is that guy out. Why would he care what the audience thinks he should care what God thinks that we would say that about a pastor, how much should we think that of our own souls friends don't have any concern about what other people think that's you so well you and I know I should prayer with a meal for the family, but I'm concerned with the worry about what they think. I'll never forget one reason I joke I had this family. This dad came to me told me this set always at a restaurant with my kids and my family and I said I went to pray and I didn't want to be real loud so I just Lord bless us.

Thank you for nurse. Her body was kind of cities quietly got his break.

His daughter interrupts the prayer and as loud as she could.

She's like hey dad why you praying so quiet lately. I got a five-year-old daughter. He's like what you tell her I'm afraid the people got blasted by his daughter, is that I was just fiction meant an end and I think sometimes God would say why are you so quiet, praying, can you not pray with me one hour is what he said to the disciples, can you not pray with me, so there's a wrong motive that Jesus is the motive to be seen by men. And we must not allow that to hinder us in any way. Secondly, he warns about emptiness and prayer in verse seven and eight. He says that when you pray, use not vain that word means empty and meaningless feudal reputation repetitions, as the heathen do know that you can hear speak about mostly Gentiles who had false gods pagan gods because there's only one true God and the Bible says here that they prayed with vain repetition work vain repetition is about to go auto, which means like stammering in the ghetto is a word for word Lagos lingo so it's it's stammering language like meaningless words just mumbling these things out making sounds with your mouth, but inarticulate and indistinct. The ideas talking much without contents repeating something over and over again.

You're speaking with your lips, hardly with your mind and nothing with your heart it is to utter meaningless mechanical loading repeated phrases.

The Jews were known for their repetitious prayers and said no other religion ever had a higher standard of prayer and the priority of prayer. The Jews had date they were people of prayer. They created prayers for most everything in their life that prayer for like prayers were darkness for fire for rain for the new moon for traveling for good news, bad news, they they had little prayers for everything is a Jewish rabbi's grade these prayers, the people would observe them in and they would begin to save them in a mechanical way or without thought all of us have been guilty of this.

I know all this probably have little prayers like father blesses the nurse about in Jesus name, amen. Like we said that it was an honoring to God.

It was just mechanical speaking, I'm never growing up always pray that prayer now I lay me down to sleep later that prayer. Pray the Lord my soul to keep if I die before awake regularly so they could easily limit. I thought I had to pray that every night to like keep from dying or something because it's kind of scary prayer. Now I lay me down to sleep I pray the Lord my soul to take. And if I die before I wake up. My mom is there not something better like this is really concerning to me on like six years old.

You make it through the night and were really good night. I should die before I wake I pray the Lord my soul to you know you're worried about this and I pray that what I found is the Bible tells us not to pray empty, meaningless, repetitious prayers get away from that don't do that that stuff that the heathen do. That's what pagans did no faithful Jew would always pray the Shema which is Deuteronomy chapter 6 verse four through nine chapter 11 verse 13 through 21 and also numbers 15 verse 37 through 41 date they prayed those verses everyday hero. Lord hero, Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord, and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soul. It's in Deuteronomy chapter 6 verse four through seven they would pray that prayer and it's in it so it's it's really the prayer of salvation from the Old Testament and in this was something they did. They also pray what was known as the shaman as raw, which means 18 and they had 18 prayers that they would pray morning noon and night and they prayed three times a day.

At the third of the sixth and the ninth hour, which are equivalent to 9 AM at noon and at 3 PM and and and and so the Jews who wanted to be seen. They knew those were the times that they were supposed to pray those 18 prayers. They would they would find themselves like all.

I just happen to be at the street corner at noon. I just happen to be in the synagogue you know that and they would find himself in a place stop in for then they would begin to go to their 18 prayers and other people. They all look out look how serious they are looking how spiritual they are boy are really something. And so they were doing this intentional to get attention and to really elevate themselves. Now there is nothing wrong with having scheduled times to pray the early church find going to the temple and going up in places to pray during these set hours of prayer. They continued with the Jews were doing in the early church in acts chapter 3 will verse one now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour, which was at noon, Peter was found praying at noon the next 10 Cornelius found praying and asked in verse 30 no.

Is it wrong to repeat a prayer should you never repeat the same prayer. It's okay to prayer a prayer that you pray before we know that because Jesus did that Matthew 2643 says and he came and found them asleep again for their eyes were heavy. This is in the garden before the night before he dies and he left them and went away again and prayed the third time was the rest of us a church saying the same words Jesus prayed the same words three times and we know the seasons of prayer were around an hour because he told his disciples, could you not pray with me for one hour and so to repeat a prayer is not wrong to pray vain, repetitious prayers to pray without thought is the problem to utter prayers with no thought to the words of the one to whom you are praying anybody here ever been guilty of praying, repetitious prayers. We can also sing repetitious Lee can we victory in Jesus my Savior forever.

What time is it the buckeyes one by and that is good news, but but what art you see how quick our minds can flutter away. Sometimes we can begin to seeing in in ways that don't honor God. Sometimes we can read the Bible reminds over here, but her eyes or ears. Sometimes we pray and in our in our words are coming out, but our mind is not intact men can do this with their wives. Yes yes yes and then comes the great fear of every man who's ever lived on this planet. She asks a follow-up question when you're not allowed to ask a follow-up question. We have deer in the end like it during the headlight eyes. Okay, we have that glaze you ask a question. We have no idea you're attempting us to lie. Did you hear everything I said yes. So what I tell you you're beautiful to do the dishes right now we we we can have this as one thing to do to your spouse is another thing. When that happens with God. Listen to what Ecclesiastes 5 says because Solomon really grabs a hold of this truth, he says. Ecclesiastes 51. Keep 5 foot window goes to the house of God and be more ready to hear than to give the sacrifice of full we come to the house of God. We do have ears ready to hear the sacrifice of fools will be warming of the temple in order my sacrifice and all the stuff externally and God says that's not what it's about, not just external process here in some form.

The internal be ready to hear they consider not that they do evil verse to be not rash with thy mouth. Let not thy heart be hasty to utter anything before God for God is in heaven and help on the earth. Therefore, let thy words be few. Now, you should enter prayer.

This is how you and I should start prayer we tell you when you enter in the prayer start this way, silence is pretty loud is slow down and don't say anything. Learn to pause until your heart is ready to approach the throne of God. McLaren has some insightful words uses fruitful and acceptable worship begins before it begins that our forefathers Sundays began Saturday night. Jeremy said there Sundays used to start on Saturday nights and I would encourage you to implement that in your home. Sunday doesn't start Sunday morning, Sunday should start Saturday night. What that means is you begin to prepare your heart to come to the house of God on Saturday there's no day that I go to bed earlier than on Saturday nights people tease me, but I'm in bed by usually a to 830 on Saturday nights I get up a lot of days early throughout the week but III go to bed early. Not because I couldn't sleep go to bed later because I want my soul to be so rested on any day. I'm going to do that you must have an easy life, and nothing to do on Saturdays. Well I just make sure nothing disturbs me nights like a can you come over Saturday evening. No, sorry, but it's very important.

I'm sorry I just don't Charles Spurgeon said he was up said on Saturdays he spent time in the word and prayer had a man come to his house and said so. So one of the people's house. Caleb said Spurgeon another somebody to door these a talk he says on and prayer time with the Lord. He says tell them I'll be with them later they came back and said Solomon told Charles Spurgeon that it is a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ and I need to visit his help immediately needs to come out here and talk to him. I need help with, and that man went to Charles Spurgeon and Spurgeon responded and said tell the servant of the Lord that I'm with his master right now and I'll have time for him as I can tell you when God's leaders are not right with God. They have nothing to give Jeremy mom and dad give nothing to give your kids if you're not where God wants you to be. We need to learn to avoid people to not avoid God but instead we avoid God so that we can be with people and this may sound strange to some of you like will that Spurgeon must've been wrong. We get so twisted in our minds that we think putting God off would be better than putting man off God can wait. No chance we can't wait until we begin the value God more than are necessary. Bread more than people more than any relationship. When you're when your spouse can talk to you later. I need to spend some time with the Lord. Right now what I need mom and dad I need child and put put people off.

That's why when you go to the Lord in prayer. Turn your phone off what I need because if my boss told her this verse. If you're not that important.

That probably came out wrong, but were not so valuable that I must leave you because I'm so valuable right now that I must leave your precedents because somebody else is getting on to me that who we are Facebook just think I must see what they responded to God, forgive us when we allow Facebook Dean to usurp the glory of heaven. We need to get on our knees this morning church and cry out to God for repentance and forgiveness of our sins because we have valued him so little that we can allow other things to so distracted and you know why I have to put my phone on me when I pray because I get distracted anyway.

I have so one of the things I tell people to do is when you get along with the Lord in the morning read a song, say which one. Just open one up and read REITs read Matthew six just prepare your heart. I like to sing. I dribble old hymnbook and mobs all sit down and all will be to my knees and all seeing him to Laura.

Just an idea that could knock them so spirituals because I'm so unspiritual my mind can wonder so fast into the world that I have to sit and sometimes it takes me 10 minutes before I can even get focused on how to pray for my own soul. Sometimes it literally takes. I John like I can even get my mind slow down exceeds frustrates me in a just slow down.

Think about who I'm talking to McLaren says the heaviest rains run off parched ground unless it is been first softened by general full of moisture parts that have no do a previous meditation and make them receptive or not likely to drink in much of the showers of blessing which made falling around them.

You have a downpour. But if the grounds parched. It just runs right off what you mean by that.

You can have the word of God. Reporting out if our hearts are not softened by the general reign of preparation before God and seeking him early and we can come to church and get nothing out of. I can tell your friends what if there's everything you and I come early to the needs of the church ask you question what if all your employees showed up late.

You know what you do, you would say you treat this job so lightly retreating this business so lightly treating your kids come home late, treating our respect for your parents so lightly we turn on do that to our heavenly father. There's only one time in the week that we collect together and we sing praises and worship to God. Why don't not good thing I don't like to sing is not about you and I's about the glory of Christ. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord… It's it's it's it's it's a challenge that I would make with our soul to find and prepare my heart on Saturday. How on earth can I walk in late every Sunday now, don't get upset if somebody walks away because there's people that work in nurturing and they come over or they're out greeting in there like this and I was greeted by company. Later there so it's a no who came and went.

I somebody nearly service a pastor. I was out this and I don't know.

I didn't see anybody come in late.

I don't so that I have Rachel coming all time. There's always that person like today had to be the day you know they're looking at each other. Right now, why did you make me late so what I'm trying to say is don't let that become your pattern out you if you do you wake up late and things go crazy the morning. Don't be like, well, not because you look like a light into you show up when you give God your best and you glorify him by coming late you because you're saying you know what, whether later early on to be there no matter what happens as if something crazy happens if there's people can didn't some kind of a wreck somewhere get stuck behind traffic and you can show up just get here and worship the Lord. What I'm trying to say is make it valuable make it valuable.

Don't rush in and out of God's presence and punch the time clock would make God's presence.

The most valuable thing in your life both privately at home, but also publicly assert church gathers together worship the Lord through way to hinder our prayer life is filling that we can earn answers to our prayers. And that's what he says in verse seven, but when you pray, use not vain repetition is the he can do, for they think they shall be heard for their much speaking, the Jewish canon taught that those who multiply their prayers are heard that whoever prolongs his prayers his prayers do not come back empty, and he was long in prayer has his days prolonged and according there canon every day a man ought to pray 18 prayers. They had prayer books they had all these different things would recite and they thought that they earned that favor with God by praying this is an act of the heathen pagans, according to Jesus in verse six and seven. Remember when Elisha was challenging the 450 prophets of bail for four hours that morning they were jumping around cutting themselves single bail. Here are some first Kings 1826 it says from morning even until noon. They said all bail heroes that they would chant that over and over and over and then and then in acts 1934, Paul was at Ephesus and the people cried out for two hours grade is the goddess Diana great is Diana of the Ephesians and they cried out for two hours today Buddhas have wheels they spend their beliefs in the prayers to their dog Catholics even like candles and believe that allows the prayers to continually ascend to God. Catholics also use rosaries which have 454 beats to count off their prayers, which they pray for Hail Mary full of great some of our Lord, our father, prayers, and most little notice of the rosary actually came from the Buddhist by way of Spanish Muslims during the Middle Ages.

The Buddhists also have a prayer bead that has 180s with the Catholics at 54 and there called mollusk, but they just pray those prayers and then flip the beat and then flip the beat and then flip the beat that's that's what the heathen do that. That's from a pagan origin. Don't do that if prayer beads around you. Get rid of those that that's that's a foolish thing to do. You know you don't earn answers to prayer. You don't pray something the Bible says he knows what you have need of before you ask him it's it's not the multiplicity of praying. It's the humility the brokenness in the sincerity of prayer, Charles Spurgeon says to repeat a form of prayer very large number of times as always seem to be the ignorantly religious among the ignorantly religious to be a praiseworthy thing, but surely it is not.

It is mere exercise of memory of the organs of noisemaking and is absurd to imagine that such a parent exercise can be pleasing to the living God repetition.

He says we may have not vain repetition, counting beads and reckoning time occupied and devotion are both idle things. Christians prayers are measured by weight and not by length. Many of the most prevailing prayers have been a short essay or strong. The thief on the cross that fall Lord remember me in your kingdom. Jesus said today you will be with me in paradise.

Simple and sincere. We look at three ways not to pray pretending in prayer emptiness in prayer, feeling like we can earn answers to prayer and then lastly, let me give you forthwith and will be done fourth way to hinder our prayers us by simply not praying that seems easy but when Jesus says in verse five and what's the second word in verse five. That's where all you guys are supposed time in her area and when thou prayers verse number six was the third word there, but thou, when thou prayers verse number seven, but when ye pray so here you see Jesus over and over and over.

Assuming that people who are believers will pray he didn't say if you pray, but when you pray and ask your friend for you and if you pray Christian or are you when you pray, Christian, are you and if you pray Christian world when you pray, Christian greatest parents is the prayers to simply not pray. James chapter 4, you have your Bible just flip over to James chapter 4 the Bible says in James four verse number one, from whence come wars and fightings among you, come they not hence, even of your own lust. It worn your members you lost and you have not, you kill the desire to have an cannot obtain. You fight in war you have not because you what is not on this section James discusses three different words that are going on the first war that's going on is our war with others. He says, whence come wars and fightings among you, so the believers were fighting among themselves. That's always a problem. Secondly, talked about fighting in wars within ourselves. He says in verse number one come they not hence, even of your own lust that war in your members so we have wars going on inside of us battles with our own soul. Thirdly, we fight with God. In verse four it says the adulterers and adulteresses know you that friendship with the world is in the T with God there's battles going on with God so the question James adds in verse one is where these wars and conflicts come from one of these fightings come from, what is this device the spirit come from in his answer in verse one as they come even from within you, from your members inside of your own body you don't we get into a fight or an argument with someone else.

We usually blame the other person we don't we don't naturally say you know is my fault I should've said that or did that we we turn the blame on them without the shift the blame because we shift the blame. We shift the guilt and so what he's saying is the problem for your conflicts with your with your neighbors with your self and with God is not external to you.

It is internal to you is in your members you lost, you crave you rage on the inside, and it causes and external conflicts there then is a divisive spirit to the one that is unspiritual, the carnal Christian is a Christian who is at odds with himself with others and with God, and it makes a miserable person. So what is the answer that James gives here, he says. First, you need to see there's wrong actions you're committing. In verse two he says you lost you kill you desire. You covet you fight and you wore after you list the wrong actions that they are committing. He then tells them the right actions that they're not doing. He says you have not because you ask not one thing that the prayerless life evidences is a life that is seeking to live in control. The reason people fight with other people, they getting upset with.

Even God's is because they're living in control of their life.

They want things their way. Their expectations are getting fulfilled and so they get at odds with other people and the reason they don't pray is because they feel they can handle it. I can tell you what prayer is prayer is total dependence upon God in a person that has God in the driver seat of their life.

Sitting is the Lord of their life are people who pray because they realize God is the one who has to do that they can change their spells.

I can't change the heart of my kids I can change society. I must lift them up in prayer. Therefore, it is natural that the prayerless life reflects a divisive spirit. A spirit that is in on it at odds with other people may ask you what trials in your life have presented themselves because you haven't spent time in prayer for the situations.

The Bible even says we need to pray for our enemies, bless them that curse you, so instead of fighting with your enemies, pray for them. Instead of fighting with your spouse stay in your own circle like it's been said in an pray for them and work on yourself.

We have enough problems in our own circle right why my trying to fix somebody else got to stop looking outward and start looking inward. We have to understand the change starts on the inside.

We close with a quote by Charles Spurgeon. He said if we possess little of God and his kingdom. Almost certainly, we have asked little. Remember the text, Jehovah says to his own son. Ask of me and I will give you the keys and for your inheritance in Psalms chapter number two. He said if the roiling divine son of God cannot be exempted from the rule of asking that he may have.

You and I cannot expect the rule to be relaxed at our favorite why should it be if you may have everything by asking and nothing without asking, I beg you to see how absolutely vital prayer is that I beseech you to abound and it says do you know, brothers, what great things are to be had for the asking.

Have you ever thought of it. Does it stimulate you to fervent prayer all heaven lies before the grasp of the asking man all the promises of God are rich and inexhaustible in their fulfillment is to be had by prayer. It's been said prayer can do anything God can do because God moves at our prayers.

So in your life is your life.

Eight. If pray Christian or a when you pray, Christian. We have not because we ask not what would you pray for today.

If you knew that God would answer you, what would you, kneel down and cry out to God for I would encourage a friend come and pray. Spent time with a retro cedar at an altar. If you're watching a life spent some time in prayer, get on your knees.

It amazes me how little Christians get on their knees before God in prayer we we we will get on our knees and beg for a TV for a team to win although score. We get so worked before God we we have stiff knees and stiff necks how much we need to understand our dependence upon God, I'm so encouraged by the praying believers that lighthouse the people who long and cry out to God in prayer. I can tell you the reason souls are saved in the spirit of God moves in this place is not because of some talented person for some gifted individual or some group of leaders God moves because there are people who call out to God and God response to believing fervent prayer, fervent prayer of a righteous man prevails much Jesus is pray for laborers. Pray for laborers.

We need to pray for soul winners to go out and reach souls so pray with sincerity today. Pray with sincerity, pray to be seen and heard by God alone. Don't pray empty prayers repetitious Lee and lastly, make sure that you indeed pray this Wednesday him to be teaching on six more ways that the Bible throughout the Scriptures teach.

We can have our prayers hindered you think that be important to come and learn about think of the important know that God's house a priority and make prayer priority. Let's all stand this morning with has vowed not disclose. The altars open. Maybe you want to come and spend a moment in prayer, encourage you to do that. We also have the elements of the Lord's supper at the table if you're saved and in right standing before God, the Bible says that you can come and partake of that. So during the invitation. When the music begins, you will be invited to come down and one of the jobs that have the fruit in the red of the Jews the right, you can bring them back to your seed and partake together but if you're here then your stand before God and you don't know if heaven is your home with guts and why so that you have. You're not sure what you would say friend I will be down front. We have other folks will be down front. I would love to talk with you and have someone talk with you and share with you from the word of God.

How you can know in your life severely and have if you need to make a spiritual decision recommitting your life to the Lord Jesus Christ submitting your will to him that you say that I just need to come in your presence and be still before you just look into my own heart and see what value have I placed prayer because what value I place on prayer friends is a direct representation of what value I place on God. My prayer life reveals my view of God's value and worth in my life. Father, we come before you today.

Your word is nice because what surgery needs to be done in my soul that I look forward to these next few weeks. I want to spend more time with you. I want to be encouraged to write more praise God's people. Prayer lighthouse, the Ranger we would be those trials, we turn to God. Good times, we turn to God that whatever they are, pray today for anyone's Boston today might be the day of salvation be glorified. What you see, not externally. What you see in Jesus name