But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when
thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father
which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. (Matt
6:6)
What did our Lord mean when He made the statement above in Matthew 6:6? Did He
mean that prayers made at other times and in other places are not valid? Not at
all! There are two kinds of prayer – private and communal. Our Lord, in His
Word and Works, taught us BOTH. When He prayed, He often resorted to the
seclusion of the mountain height, or the garden solitude, to unburden His soul
to His Father in Heaven. Before taking decisions of grave import, He often
prayed long, private prayers as: And it came to pass in those days, that he
went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
(Luke 6:12)
This mountain prayer session occurred prior to naming the twelve apostles on
the next morning. In this case, the seclusion of the mountain is equivalent to
the privacy of the closet. As one climbs nearer the mountain peak, the world
below falls away and there is only one view and that is toward Heaven. Our
vision can more clearly be focused on things not of this world.
But are all prayers to be made in the closet, or some secluded place? What is
the shortest prayer of the Bible? Are all of a private concern? We have
examples of the two shortest prayers of the Bible which reflect both a
personal, and a general (or communal), prayer. This first prayer was uttered by
the disciples in general: And his disciples came to him, and awoke him,
saying, Lord, save us: we perish. (Matt
8:25) The prayer
was, Lord, Save US! The more personal prayer which was uttered out of
fear and desperation was that of Peter who had begun to sink in the swirling
waters of the Galilean Sea: And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he
walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he
was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
(Matt 14:29-30) The first illustrates a communal prayer, the second a
personal and private one.
Immediately following our leading text today, our Lord demonstrates a few other
characteristics of prayer (including a model communal prayer). 7 But when ye pray, use
not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be
heard for their much speaking. 8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father
knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. (Matt
6:7-8) The salient
point of our Lord’s further qualification of prayer is the principle of
sincerity and lack of public and prideful display. How strongly He admonished
the Pharisees for their long public prayers to be seen of men: Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye
devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall
receive the greater damnation. (Matt 23:14) You will search in vain for
this verse in its context of your corrupt NIV, ESV and other modern wonders of
phony translational deceptions. Perhaps it conflicts too much with the modern
theology of ‘name-it-and-claim-it’ gospels, or for fear of the clergy that men
might interpret their own greed (of the clergy) for filthy lucre to be
represented in that precise verse.
Our Lord then proceeds to illustrate the perfect Communal Prayer – the Lord’s
Prayer! It begins with Our Father – not MY Father, or YOUR Father, but
OUR Father. This prayer can be said in worship with relevance to every member
of the congregation. It asks for nothing but that the Kingdom of God come to
us, God’s will be done both in earth and in Heaven, for our daily bread, for
forgiveness of our sins, and for deliverance from evil. Please note the absence
of greed in this prayer, and its general application to all of us of faith.
What a refreshing thought that all of our prayers would stipulate that His
Will, not ours, be done – for His Will is always a perfect will and one that
accords abundantly with the wants of our souls.
This devotion is limited in scope. Men of far greater stature and spiritual
nature have written extensive works on prayer that will feed the soul of those
seeking a deeper meaning and understanding of prayer …..men such as E. M.
Bounds, for example. But we need reminding of the simple processes of geometry
if we undertake navigation projects just as we need reminding of God’s Word on
prayer when we feel a deep need in the heart. But let me stipulate that no one,
other than the Lord, can teach us how to pray. Prayer is not a subject that is
separate and apart from the simplicity of God’s Word but, rather, encompasses
all facets of it. No father or mother has to teach a baby when to ask for food.
He cries out in hunger, and the nourishing milk is forthcoming. The same is
true of prayer. The more simple, direct, and heart-felt a prayer, the greater
the ears of the Lord to hear it. You may aver, But God hears ALL prayers. No,
He does not choose to hear all: If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord
will not hear me: (Psalm 66:18)
God does not ALWAYS answer our prayers according to our praying. Why not? Ye
ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your
lusts. (James 4:3) We often ask for things that we
desire instead of that which is edifying[1].
I will point out below a few addition characteristics of the prayer life of the
saints of God.
Why pray?
Because
there is an expected response to prayer – a response that the supplicant often
does not wait to hear. We sometimes stress our desires as if to a ‘Genie in a
Bottle’ and wait for the Genie to grant our wish. That is not the nature of
real, Godly prayer, and God is Sovereign and never obligated to grant our
demands for wealth and other such things. Prayer is ‘effectual’ for the sincere
appellant. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
(James 5:16b)
We pray to be spared temptation: Watch and pray,
that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh
is weak. (Matt 26:41)
We pray because we are commanded to do so: And he spake a parable unto them
to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint. (Luke
18:1) How is
it possible to pray always? We pray always by making our lives a fitting prayer
to God in the testimony we live out day by day.
When to pray?
When
confronted with grave decisions: And it came to pass in those days, that he
went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose
twelve, whom also he named apostles. (Luke 6:12-13) As well, we pray in moments of
danger as did Peter when sinking in the sea. The foxholes of mortal combat
makes Christians of every man!
We should make it a point to pray at three cardinal points of the day. If we
prayed at mealtime, this would be satisfied in breakfast, lunch, and dinner
(supper for those from Tennessee). Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I
pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. (Psalm
55:17) We should,
as well, seek the face of the Lord early every awakening day: O God, thou
art my God; early will I seek thee. (Psalm 63:1)
We pray continually. Continual attitudes of prayer depends upon a continual
acknowledgement and awareness of God’s will for our lives. Rejoicing in
hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer. (Romans
12:12) Observe
patience and rejoicing attend a continual prayer attitude toward God.
Do not cease to pray! Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing
give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (1
Thess 5:16-18) It
is that phrase, In everything over which many stumble. They prefer to give
thinks only for those benefits of God that coincide with the will of the
supplicant.
Pray both in times of affliction as well as rejoicing. Is any among you
afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. (James
5:13) Even sorrow
can be turned to rejoicing if one will resort to hymn-singing which, by the
way, is merely a musical prayer. Do we mean it when we sing: Rock of Ages,
Cleft for Me?
Pray when we have carelessly transgressed against another. Confess your
faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. (James
5:16a) If the problem is ALWAYS the fault of
the other, better pray a special prayer for yourself!
How to pray?
We
pray in the Spirit, but we cannot pray in the Spirit if we are obsessed with
the WRONG spirit. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the
Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all
saints; (Eph 6:18) But ye, beloved, building up
yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost. (Jude 1:20)
We perform a labor of prayer in remembering all for whom we pray and for
specific aspects of need. Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ,
saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand
perfect and complete in all the will of God. (Col 4:12) There are times when the need
of prayer for others is urgent and great, yet we may foolishly think our
present mundane duties of greater importance.
It is important that we pray with understanding unless we are praying FOR
understanding. I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the
understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the
understanding also. (1 Cor 14:15) Not in some contrived ‘unknown
tongue’, but with understanding!
We must pray in faith, with Holy hands – not doubting the result to be the Will
of the Lord even if not our own. I will therefore that men pray every where,
lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. (1
Tim 2:8) Not
wavering in faith: But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that
wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. James
1:6 (KJV)
What to pray for?
The
answer to this question can best be summarized in Father,
if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but
thine, be done. (Luke 22:42)
For laborers for the Lord’s Vineyard to be sent to us. The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are
few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth
labourers into his harvest. (Matt 9:37-38) And we pray for all men,
as well. I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers,
intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for
all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all
godliness and honesty. (1 Tim 2:1-2) As distasteful as it seems to
me to pray for our current President, I am obligated to do so – not for his
wicked ways, but for the salvation of his soul like unto that of Saul on the
Road to Damascus[2].
Perhaps the most important aspect of prayer is to pray for understanding of God’s
will for, with that understanding and conformity to it, we shall always be on
Holy ground with the Lord; For this cause we also, since the day we heard
it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with
the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye
might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good
work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might,
according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with
joyfulness; (Col
1:9-11)
Here is the eleventh Commandment of Prayer and the loop-hole breaker: Be
careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Phil 4:6 (KJV) The
term ‘careful’ used here does not mean caution, but do not be overburdened with
care for the temporal things of life. Eternity is far longer than your moment
of vaporous existence on this planet. We ask for our wants with thanksgiving,
if we have prayed in the Will of God for those things, for it is certain that
God will always grant what it is His will for us.
I realize I have plagiarized God’s Holy Word to a great extent in this
devotion; however, God’s Word is not copyrighted and you may be certain, I have
permission of the Author. (*___~)
