Cornerstone Church February 19, 2006
“Prayer 101 – Lord, Teach Us to Pray” Series
LESSON 1: “LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY.”
Matthew 6:5-15
OPENING ILLUSTRATION:
“A man was being pursued by a roaring, hungry lion. Feeling the beast’s hot breath on his neck and knowing his time was short, he prayed as he ran. He cried in desperation, ‘O Lord, please make this lion a Christian.’ Within seconds, the frightened man became aware the lion had stopped the chase. When he looked behind him, he found the lion kneeling, lips moving in obvious prayer. Greatly relieved at this turn of events – and desirous of joining the lion in meditation, he approached the king of the jungle. When he was near enough, he heard the lion praying, ‘And bless, O Lord, this food for which I’m exceedingly grateful!’”
This humorous illustration clearly reflects the two times that Christians are most likely to pray: when in trouble and right before a meal!
Great mealtime prayers:
“Lord bless this bunch as they munch.”
“Rub a dub dub, thanks for the grub.”
Sometimes our prayers are like this song:
“The moment I wake up
Before I put on my makeup
I say a little prayer for you”
Burt Bacharach – ”I Say a Little Prayer for You.” 1966
Or they are as specific as this prayer: God bless all the Missionaries, Amen!
Why do we view prayer as a last ditch effort?
We use prayer like a “Hail Mary” play in a football game!
After we have expended all of our strength, all of our wisdom and all of our resources we cry out to God in prayer for help!
PRAYER IS VITAL TO OUR SPIRITUAL FITNESS!
“Prayer is to the soul
what exercise is to the body.”
Dr. Steve Farrar
What happens when we do not walk or run? Our physical health deteriorates. We are easily winded and have little staying power.
So it is with Christians who do not stay spiritually fit by making prayer part of their regular workout routine! A high fiber diet of the Word of God is not enough to achieve spiritual health.
A steady diet of the Word of God without an active prayer life gives birth to an individual with a cold, dead, orthodoxy. They are passionless. This is the breeding ground for pride.
Prayer without the Word of God is an equal imbalance. God uses His Word to communicate to us as His children.
WHEN WE FAIL TO PRAY, WE TRADE:
Material blessings for Spiritual blessings
Physical resources for Spiritual resources
Human success for Divine blessing
Let’s go to our text for this morning (Acts 5:22-26 and Acts 12):
The Book of Acts records the account of the Apostle Peter being imprisoned by Herod Agrippa.
Herod Agrippa was the grandson of Herod the Great.
Herod Antipas was Herod Agrippa’s Uncle (he killed John the Baptist and was involved in Jesus’ trial).
This was the second time that Peter had been arrested for preaching the Gospel.
During his first arrest the leaders thought they had Peter locked away. However, during the night an angle of the Lord let them out.
Acts 5:22-24 NIV But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they went back and reported, “We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were puzzled, wondering what would come of this.
Acts 5:25-26 NIV Then someone came and said, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people.” At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them.
Just prior to the time of Peter’s second arrest, James, the brother of John, was killed. This act pleased the crowd so much that Herod Agrippa, the good politician that he was, wanted to execute Peter as well.
Acts 12:4 NIV After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.
ROMAN GUARDS
4 night shifts each three hours long.
4 squads of 4 soldiers in each guarded Peter
He was chained to two of them while the other two watched him
So Peter was chained and put into prison. A guard was placed on each side of him and the other ones guarded him.
PETER’S SITUATION APPEARS HOPELESS!
The early days of the infant church were both exciting and vulnerable. At this point some may not have even believed the reports that the LORD Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead.
Many of the Jews thought Jesus was crucified, died and buried! Now all they had to do is snuff out the rest of Jesus’ followers and the church would cease to exist.
Satan was also smart. He knew that if you attack the key leadership you can put the church in a state of disarray. The early leaders were Peter, James and John.
James is now dead!
Peter will die soon if Herod Agrippa has his way.
John will be exiled.
WHAT ARE THE EARLY BELEIVERS GOING TO DO?
The infant church didn’t have any recognized clout in the ancient world.
We don’t read in the Biblical account that they formed a committee.
We don’t read in the Biblical account that “the church boycotted all products made by Rome.”
We don’t read in the Biblical account that “the church had a sit-in in Herod’s court.”
We don’t read in the Biblical account that “the church member’s wrote their Roman Senators.”
Some ideas gleaned from Greg Laurie, the Upside Down Church
“In the New Testament we don’t see Peter of John wringing their hands saying, ‘Oh, what are we going to do? Caligula’s bisexual… He wants to appoint his horse to the Roman Senate… What a terrible model of leadership! How are we going to respond to this outrage?’”
Jim Cymbala, FRESH WIND, FRESH FIRE, pg 72
Please don’t misunderstand me, some of those activities have their time and place. In America our Constitution allows these activities. SO NO CALLS THIS WEEK!
WHAT DID THEY DO?
The early followers prayed!
For those of us with action oriented personalities, being hunkered down in a home, praying, would seem like we weren’t doing enough!
I can see where those of us with an action oriented personality might enjoy planning a raid on the prison. Imagine how far that would have gone – the ragamuffin followers against Rome’s finest soldiers.
Once the believers were praying an angel of the Lord was dispatched from heaven and set Peter free.
The irony of the story is found in the fact that while the people were praying they were shocked to find out and could hardly believe that Peter escaped!
Acts 12:12-16 NIV When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer the door. When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!” “You’re out of your mind,” they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.” But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.
This should encourage us all.
God’s power was not dependent on their praying perfectly or on the size of their faith!
They prayed!
God heard!
God answered!
Prayer is one of the greatest gifts that God has given us. It is equal in importance to the many other gifts He has given to His children.
He gave us His Word (to teach us and instruct us).
He gave us His Only Son (to save us and redeem us).
He gave us the Holy Spirit (to lead us, guide us and protect us).
God also gave us prayer! Prayer allows us to fellowship with God! So many times we view prayer in legalistic terms or as an obligation that we must perform to please God!
Prayer and fellowship with God allows us to find strength, empowerment, guidance and courage as we face the issues of life!
But just mention the subject of prayer
and Christians begin to get nervous!
WHY?
We feel guilty about our lack of prayerfulness at times.
We think we are going to get hammered on by the message.
We are so performance oriented we think that a lot of prayer equals real spirituality and little prayer equals a spiritually weak Christian.
We are also frustrated at times by the fact that we do not know what to pray for or how we should pray when we pray.
After a while the guilt of not praying weighs us down and we cease to pray.
When we do that it is like unplugging ourselves
from our life support system.
This morning I would like to begin a series on the subject of prayer taken from the Lord’s Prayer as found in Matthew 6:5-15. What is referred to as the Lord’s Prayer is really the Disciple’s Prayer.
Several have been faithfully praying that God would cultivate more prayer throughout our church body.
As I studied the Disciple’s Prayer in preparation for this morning’s message I found out that there is just too much material in the Disciple’s Prayer to try to condense it into one sermon!
So my goal this morning is to wet our appetites concerning prayer. I want us to open our eyes and see the great treasure we have in prayer.
So if you have ever been frustrated or felt guilty about your prayer life know that you are not alone! Stop looking at your past or present failures and begin to look forward to the wonderful blessing of fellowshipping with God!
WARNING: We cannot simply grit our teeth and make a new commitment to be more prayerful. That is not what I’m after and neither is the LORD. If you do that, your commitment, if done in the power of the flesh, might last a day, a week or a few months.
“Prayer cannot be taught by principles and seminars and symposiums. It has to be born out of a whole environment of felt need. If I say, ‘I ought to pray,’ I’ll soon run out of motivation and quit; the flesh is too strong. I have to be driven to pray.”
Jim Cymbala, FRESH WIND, FRESH FIRE, pg. 49
Dr. David Jeremiah says this about prayer,
“Prayer is my Declaration of Dependence.”
As I said at the beginning, the disciples who were praying for Peter’s release had doubts about God’s desire or HIS ability to help free Peter. Maybe their view was shaped by the fact that James was killed!
They were not expecting the answer they received!
The LORD Jesus Christ is the finest example ever of an individual whose whole life centered around prayer. Jesus throughout His earthly ministry prayed about everything.
For 3.5 years his disciples intimately learned about Jesus’ prayer life, and about prayer itself, daily by watching Jesus pray.
GUESS WHAT?
Even with Jesus as their example they didn’t get their own prayer lives right much of the time.
They fell asleep when they should have been praying.
Some wanted to pray fire down upon people with whom they disagreed.
When problems developed (feeding of the 5,000 or deliverance) they didn’t pray.
THEY DID HAVE THE COMMON SENSE TO ASK FOR HELP!
One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
Luke 11:1 NIV
“LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY.”
This is sound advice for us this morning.
Have you ever read in the Word of God where Jesus’ Apostles ask Him to teach them the following?
Lord, teach us how to preach.
Lord, teach us how to witness.
Lord, teach us how to work miracles.
Lord, teach us how to build large church complexes through using clever human ideas!
No! They did, however, ask Him to teach them how to pray!
Maybe each one of us should utter a simple prayer to God this morning and in that prayer specifically ask Him the following:
“LORD, TEACH ME TO PRAY.”
“LORD, TEACH US AS A CONGREGATION HOW TO PRAY.”
God is the One thorough the ministry of His Word and the Holy Spirit Who must teach us to pray. There is only one glitch! It seems like the LORD’s favorite means of teaching His children how to pray is through adversity or trials.
Examples:
Jim Cymbala became a fervent man of prayer when the church he was pastoring in Brooklyn had 28 people left in it, and every vice and problem known to man was right at the church’s front door. He knew that he was powerless to see lives changed unless the LORD Jesus Christ lived through him. Today the Brooklyn Tabernacle is 10,000 plus.
Dr. David Jeremiah grew up in the home of a pastor. Growing up he learned how to pray. As a pastor he practiced and taught prayer. But when did Dr. Jeremiah’s prayer life really ignite? When he was diagnosed with cancer.
“I discovered a dimension to prayer that I had never known before. Jesus enrolled me in His intensive course on prayer and I became an eager learner. And what lesson struck home with most force? I discovered something that had been true all along, even though I had not thought much about it. I discovered I was helpless without God! That was the beginning of the adventure for me.”
Dr. David Jeremiah, PRAYER THE GREAT ADVENTURE, pg. 11
It was then I thought, the ones who should be teaching us about prayer this morning are those that the LORD Jesus Christ has taken or is taking through the deep waters.
Those who have lost a loved one
Those who have lost their job
Those who live with a debilitating sickness
I’m sure that there are others here this morning that have equally discovered much about prayer from the LORD Jesus Christ while HE was taking them through the storms of life!
Conceivably this is why Cornerstone Church is in the position it has been for the past few years (growing to around 400 – we become too full - then we lose ground only to grow back to 400 – lose ground and go back).
The LORD is trying to get us to learn to pray and to trust Him (trust me for land)!
Before we adjourn for the morning here is an incentive to help motivate us to pray and to look forward to what the LORD is going to teach us concerning prayer.
We need to understand that the LORD Jesus Christ wants us to ask Him to help us with our needs! According to the LORD’s Prayer we go to Him as Our Father!
Yes we are to hallow and praise His Holy and Righteous Name!
We are to exalt Him!
We are to Glorify Him!
We are to have fellowship with Him!
But please understand He cares about us and desires to answer prayer! Praying is not twisting God’s arm, like a child that tries to get their parents to allow them to do something or to buy them something.
We are His creatures!
We are His Children (those of us who know Him as our Savior).
Matt. 7:7-8 NIV “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
ASK
SEEK
KNOCK
Each of those are imperative commands that are in the perfect tense. What it means is we are to:
Keep on Asking!
Keep on Seeking!
Keep on Knocking!
Ask and you receive!
Seek and you Find!
Knock and the Door will be opened!
“Ask, seek, knock. These are all imperatives. They’re commands. Jesus is not saying to us, ‘If you feel like it, ask. If you’re into this, seek. If it’s the way you feel today, knock.’ No. He’s saying, ‘Here’s how to pray. This is my command to you. Ask. If you want me to act on your behalf, my requirement is that you ask.’ Whatever we need we must ask for it.”
Dr. David Jeremiah, PRAYER THE GREAT ADVENTURE, pgs. 23-24
This goes back to what I said earlier. God cares to hear and to answer the prayers of His children.
He didn’t say that you had to become an expert at praying great prayers.
He didn’t say that He only cares to answer the prayers of pastors and missionaries.
If you are living for the LORD and are not in a habitual, willful state of sin and rebellion against Him, then know He cares to answer prayer.
LISTEN TO THIS:
Matt. 7:9 NIV “Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?
Matt. 7:10 NIV Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?
Now some of you with a “FAR SIDE” mentality might do this!
This isn’t even the norm amongst pagans. Jesus is taking about taking care of the daily need of food.
If your child needs bread, will you hand them a stone and say, have at it?!
Or, If you are out fishing and you catch a sea snake will you give him the snake and not a fish?
Matt. 7:11 NIV If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
God is implying: If you humans with a depraved sin nature don’t act like that, then why do you think I don’t care for you?
“If the request is wrong, God says, ‘No!’ If the timing is wrong, God says, ‘Slow.’ If you are wrong, God says, ‘grow.’ And if the request is right, the timing right, and you are right, God says, ‘Go!’”
Bill Hybles, TOO BUSY NOT TO PRAY
Here is a true account which took place after WWII:
“Roger Simms, hitchhiking his way home, would never forget the date – May 7. His heavy suitcase made Roger tired. He was anxious to take off his army uniform once and for all. Flashing the hitchhiking sign to the on-coming car, he lost hope when he saw it was a black, sleek new Cadillac. To his surprise the car stopped. The passenger door opened. He ran toward the car, tossed his suitcase in the back, and thanked the handsome, well-dressed man as he slid into the front seat.
‘Going home for keeps?’
‘Sure am,’ Roger responded.
‘Well, you’re in luck if you’re going to Chicago.’
‘Not quite that far. Do you live in Chicago?’
‘I have a business there. My name is Hanover.’
After talking about many things, Roger, a Christian, felt a compulsion to witness to the stylish, apparently successful businessman about Christ. But he kept putting it off, till he realized he was just thirty minutes from his home. It was now or never. So Roger cleared his throat, ‘Mr. Hanover, I would like to talk to you about something very important.’ He then proceeded to explain the way of salvation, ultimately asking Mr. Hanover if he would like to receive Christ as his Savior. To Roger’s astonishment the Cadillac pulled over to the side of the road. Roger thought he was going to be ejected from the car. But the businessman bowed his head and received Christ, then thanked Roger, “This is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me.’”
Five Years went by and Roger was going to make a trip to Chicago. When Packing his suitcase he found the Business Card Hanover had given him.
“In Chicago he looked up Hanover Enterprises. A receptionist told him it was impossible to see Mr. Hanover, but he could see Mrs. Hanover. A little confused as to what was going on, he was ushered into a lovely office and found himself facing a keen-eyed woman in her fifties. She extended her hand, ‘You knew my husband?’
He told her how he received a ride from him after the war. ‘Can you tell me when it was?’
‘It was May 7, five years ago, the day I was discharged from the army.’
“Anything special about that day?’
Roger hesitated. Should he mention his witness? Since he had come so far, he might as well take the plunge. “Mrs. Hanover, I explained the gospel. He pulled over to the side of the road and wept against the steering wheel. He gave his life to Christ that day.’
Explosive sobs shook her body. Getting a grip on herself, she sobbed, ‘I had prayed for my husband’s salvation for years. I believed God would save him.’
‘And,’ said Roger, ‘Where is your husband Mrs. Hanover?’ ‘He’s dead,’ she wept, struggling with words. ‘He was in a car crash after he let you out of the car. He never got home. You see – I thought God had not kept His promise.’ Sobbing uncontrollably, she added, ‘I stopped living for God five years ago because I thought He had not kept His word!’”
Ron Mehl, Surprise Endings, pgs. 139-141
CLOSING THOUGHTS
We need to believe:
One Christian
Praying one prayer – in faith to our God
Can change the World!
It is the size of our God that makes the difference!
The world and the universe is something that He just spoke into existence!
HIS Power and ability is far beyond all of that!
PRAYER CHANGES SITUATIONS!
Filipino Christians credit prayer as the cause for President Ferdinand Marcos’ fall from power
Prayer brought the Wall down in Germany
Romanian Christians attribute that prayer remedied the situation in Romania
Prayer changed the climate in Russia
Prayer was a part of Tiananmen Square
Prayer has opened the hearts of people to respond to the gospel
Prayer has changed the hearts of wayward children
Prayer has healed individuals with terminal diseases
Prayer has supplied financial resources for HIS people with needs
No wonder satan works so hard at trying to keep us from prayer!
It is time we stop complaining about prayer being taken
out of public school until we put prayer back
in the churches throughout America!
Now let me encourage you! The trouble is when you read about the subject of prayer you always hear about the spiritual giants that prayed for several hours a day! Dr. Steve Fararr says, this only seeks to frustrate us and make us give up!
At the beginning we talked about being spiritually fit! The people that you read about are Marathon Runners and Ultra-Marathon Runners (100 mile races).
God gifted these giants for the task they accomplished for Him!
Some of us need to start by walking!
Others can jog or run and finish a 5K race
Some might be up to a 10K run
Don’t expect to run 26 mile marathons or the 100 mile Ultra-Marathon!
We need to balance guilt and excess!
Why not set a goal of 30 minutes of prayer three times a week?
30 x 3 = 90 minutes per week!
78 hours in a year!
If you go to 30 minutes x 4 = 120 minutes per week (2 hours)
104 hours in a year!
This should be enough to remain spiritually fit! The alternative is feeling guilty and not praying at all!
STEVE FARARR OFFERS THESE TRAINING TIPS:
1) Plan a regular time to pray
2) Plan a place to pray
3) Make a Prayer List (pray specific requests)
Your Family
Your Friends
The Lost
The Church – use the directory
The Missionaries
4) Read Scripture before you pray
5) Make yourself accountable to God and another person
Let’s ask the LORD to teach us all how to pray in the days ahead!
Let’s ask the LORD to teach us collectively
as a church body how to pray!
We will never be the individuals we can be for Christ nor will the church be the church it should be for Christ without prayer! It is simply impossible!
Concerts of Prayer (agree – sumfoneo = to sound/ together or to sound together = symphony)
Matt. 18:19-20 NIV “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”
Whatever ye may ask in His Name
That will He do
God answers prayer
Whatever ye may ask in His Name
That will He do
God answers prayer
Chorus
That the Father may be glorified
That the Father may be glorified
Through Jesus Christ our Savior
Yes, Oh God He answers prayer
Oh God, He answers prayer
If ye ask and ye seek
Seek to do the Father’s will
God will hear us, for He loves us
Just trust and never doubt
And say to your soul keep still
Oh God, He answers prayer
Oh God, He answers Prayer
Stephen Newby – God Answers Prayer
