How should the Christian pray.
In the first lesson we looked at the Christian responsibility of praying for those who persecute and use the believer.
Jesus tells us that we must pray for those who come against us in this manor. It is not something that we can choose not to do.
Today I want to look at how the Believer should not pray. It is found in Math. 6:5-6. So lets ask the Holy Spirit to reveal God’s Word to us. Let it be as I ask dear Lord amen.
One way that the believer should not pray is recorded to us in Mat 6:5-6.
Mat 6:5 And when thou prayest, thou salt 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.
Mat 6:6 But thou, when thou pretest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seethe in secret shall reward thee openly.
In Mat 6th I believe that Jesus is giving to us the difference of the Believer and the unbeliever. I just want to look at the prayer aspect part of His discourse.
And when thou prayest
The word “and “ that is used here is a continuation of what Jesus is telling us. It is an announcement Spoken with authority
It means “also, even, indeed, but” He is saying even so after you have become a believer this is what you must do.
This word “when” means that when we pray in this manor this is the way to not do it and I will show you the way that you must pray when you pray in this manor.
thou salt 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.
There is two ways that the hypocrites pray that the believer must avoid.
1-Pray standing in the synagogues by standing before all.
2- pray standing on the street corners of the streets.
Ok now first we need to define just what a hypocrites is.
A hypocrite is one who simulate, feign, pretend something which he is not. This word came from the description of an actor. The actors of old would play a part in the play and he would be the only one who portrays all the characters/ The way that he does this is that he would carry masks around with him and as the character would change all he would do was take off or put on a mask that resembled the character. In other words you did not know who he was until he put on or took off one of his mask.
He pretended to be the character that the mask looked liked. But when he took off his mask he would become something entirely different.
Jesus was saying that when you prayed in like manor do not hide behind a false identity of the hypocrite do not try to be some thing that you are not.
The way that you present yourself before the world is what people see and believe of you.
In other words do not say that you are a believer to others and when they are not looking be some one else. You are being a hypocrite when you do.
The hypocrite already has his reward and it will be in some type of punishment that merits what the hypocrite deserves in Gods eye.
God does not hear the prayer of the hypocrite but he does hear the prayers of the believer.
2Ch 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
2Ch 6:21 Hearken therefore unto the supplications of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, which they shall make toward this place: hear thou from thy dwelling place, [even] from heaven; and when thou hearest, forgive.
2Ch 6:23 Then hear thou from heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, by requiting the wicked, by recompensing his way upon his own head; and by justifying the righteous, by giving him according to his righteousness.
2Ch 6:27 Then hear thou from heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, when thou hast taught them the good way, wherein they should walk; and send rain upon thy land, which thou hast given unto thy people for an inheritance.
2Ch 6:30 Then hear thou from heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and render unto every man according unto all his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou only knowest the hearts of the children of men
Psa 20:6 Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand.
Will look at verse 6 next time to see how the believer should pray in like manor.
God Bless and keep you.
YBIC
John