Genuine Prayer
Victory Temple a/g
po box 911
Waco, Tx. 76703
Pastor Danny L. Williams
Matt. 6:5-9
How many of us find it diffuclt to find time to Pray?
Raise your Hand........
I’d rather be able to pray than to be a great preacher: Jesus never taught his disiples how to preach , only how to pray.
but do you know what we say?
I don’t have time
But for some of us insted of making time to pray we just "do not pray....
ask your self this question How do I make my prayer time Genuine?
you start by understanding the
I The disipline of prayer
How many of you know prayer is a struggle?
but notice what jesus says
Vs 5 And when you pray,
Notice he didn’t say if you pray;
Not if you feel like praying , or when your not to busy.
He said when you pray......
Listen Church God expect’s us to pray.
If I prayed as much as I intended to pray , most the problems I face would be sweatless.....
But for most of us the real issue is a not if we will give God time ,
The issue is are we willing to spend the time we have.....
See: I have time but it seem when I intend to pray , the phone ring’s or something break’s .....
Ever been there?
the only thing that God requires in prayer is YOURSELF.
Many time’s in my prayer life I have given God only 3/4 of my self but God is not satisfied with 3/4 he want’s all of me...
Look again at VS. 5
you shall not be like the hypocrites....
that word hypocrite means’ a person who say’s the right thing at the right time but is a phoney at heart....
Vs 5>For they love to pray standing in the synagoges.that they may be seen by men
He is an actor, See some of you came in this morning , looking good, smelling Good , we raise our hand’s clap, and bow our head’s , We look spiritual , and some of us even smell spiritual.
but yet inside we are stale and stagnett.and we stink in the nostrils of God...
a hypocrite is a person who act’s holy to recieve the praises of others.
Have you ever met a person who can pray really good and really loud?
and their prayer’s always seem to sound better than ours?
Or have you ever prayed in a group and someone say’s what you were going to say?
And you try and think of something better to say?
Not only will you understand the disiple of prayer but you will discover the
II Desire of prayer Vs6
But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut the door, pray to your father who is in the secret place.
Now Jesus is speaking of a real place of prayer ..a secret place.
In other word’s the public is out, the door is closed, and no one hear’s you but God.
Just the two of you,
What do you say when you get there?
Do you say , Oh God I’m so glad to be here or do you say God can we get this over with?
Notice that the position of prayer is not stated, because it makes no differance whether you are kneeling , lying down or standing on your head,
Why? It’s not your posture my friend , it is your heart....
Genuine prayer is opening our Heart to the God of the universe.
and spending quailty time with him
Remember it is not the lenght of our prayer nor how loudly one pray’s..
have you ever heard loud praying?
Noisey prayer’s do not impress God.
it is not the beautiful word’s that attract’s the attention of God,
Example:
I have listened to some people pray and it seemed so unnatural as they talk to God.and I would have to look again to see if it was the same person....
Susan and I have met so many people who , we thought really had it together but we soon found out that they had a relationship with God but no Fellowship with their Father...
Listen church , He know’s you better than you know yourself.
Just be your self ,
A religious blunder is to try and be more spiritual than God.
Relax
he is saying Just talk to me , I’m your Father.
Question? what kind of time do you spend in the closet?
Let me ask you a question. What do you talk about in your prayer time?
Job ? Family friends?
or does your mind wonder?
As we enter in to the secrete place look what he tells us to do.
Shut the door.
what door?
The door of distraction.
How many of you waste time in prayer fighting distractions?
what we need to do is allow God’s presence to lead us in our prayer life
And your Father who sees you in secret will reward you openly.
See , the Bible declare’s that there is nothing hidden that shall not be reviled.
Good or Bad...
III. Vs. 7
What is vain repetition?
Same old prayer’s , from memory or praying with out heart.
example
God thank’s for this day and God bless tomorrow, amen...
for they think they will be heard for their many word’s
talking to fill the time.
IV .the delight of prayer
vs 8
see : when we pray we might as well tell god how we feel because he already know’s, but he want’s us to ask him.
the father knows the think’s you need before you ask him.
what are you asking God for?
do you know what the greatest answer to prayer is?
More prayer.....
