Would you go up to someone and ask them for help doing something, not just once, but one after the other as you repeat yourself? “I need some help. I need some help. I need some help. I need some help. I need some help…” Wouldn’t this seem kind of excessive and unnecessary, especially if you knew that you had been heard the first time?
Well, some people may say a prayer to God, but their motive is not to actually obtain something from God, or even to lift up praise and thanks Him, but their main reason to pray is so that other people notice that they are praying. They may even pray in a very public place just to draw attention to themselves as they try to have the appearance of holiness in the sight of others. That is their only reason. They seek to be the recipient of praise and adoration from others who see their outward display of religion, but when they do this, as Jesus said, that is their reward.
Matthew 6:5-8 And when thou prayest, thou shalt 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.
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.
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
The praise of men does not matter in comparison to the praise that comes from God. It is the praise that comes from God that we need to seek. We want to strive to hear those words “Well done” from the Lord, not men.
When we pray, it is our open communication line straight to the Father. Any of our needs that we may have we can voice directly to Him. Trust me, He will hear you and you do not need to repeatedly say the same things over and over and over again. That kind of behavior is something that people in many false religions do, but our God hears all things and does not need to be constantly reminded of our needs. He hears us and knows our needs.
Jesus has already taught us how to pray and ask for the things which we need.
Matthew 6:9-13 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Prayer is an essential part of every day in the life of a Spirit filled follower of Christ, meant to be between us and our Lord. No one else even needs to know when or what we are praying about, we can keep it between just us and Him, because it is He Who our prayers are directed toward.
No one else needs to know when you are praying. On your walk, while you are cutting the lawn, while you are fishing– the time does not matter, this is your personal time to spend with the Lord. So the next time when you pray, remember this: He hears you.
In Christ
Andrew
Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 