How We Learn to Pray – Pt. 5

We all pray publicly – as part of a congregation, an intercessory prayer group ministry or with a prayer partner, etc. We also have private and personal prayer time when we offer prayers of contrition and petition to the Father who is eager to reward our honest and heartfelt prayers.

However, scripture warns against public prayers that are nothing but performances to impress others with our “righteousness.”

In His Sermon on the Mount JESUS taught that GOD does not reward prayers with a motive for public recognition – such prayers can have no power to affect change, beyond what the world can do.

JESUS warns against this type of prayer which He ascribes to hypocrites:

• “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get.” Matthew 6:5

Chapter 18 of Luke’s Gospel gives us a second account of JESUS speaking to self-righteous and hypocritical prayers:

• Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else:  “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer^]: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’
• “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

The message in both accounts is clear – GOD is opposed to prideful arrogance and self-righteousness in our prayers but responds favorably to the child of GOD who comes to Him with humility and a full consciousness of our sinfulness. 

None of us are without sin and deserving of an audience with the Holy GOD. Prayer and its rewards are a privilege we enjoy only when we know and believe that the Father has bestowed righteousness upon us through His SON, JESUS CHRIST, as His WORD confirms:

1. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. Romans 3:22
2. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Romans 3:23
3. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. Romans 3:24
4. God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. Romans 3:25

By these we can have no doubt that righteousness is not our own and ought not to be a source of pride manifested in our prayer lives.

The GOD Man, CHRIST JESUS Himself approached the Father with humility and thanksgiving as He made public intercession on behalf of others, and for Himself:

• Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, thanked God for them, and broke them into pieces. Matthew 15:36
• Jesus prayed this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Matthew 11:25
• Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. John 11:41

We see our LORD and Savior approach our Father with reverent familiarity, but also with humility and thankfulness. 

On other occasions JESUS chose private, intimate prayer time for matters concerning Himself and His ministry:

• Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray. Mark 1:35
• After telling everyone good-bye, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Mark 6:46
• But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer. Luke 5:16
• Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night. Luke 6:12

…He also commands us to pray similarly – “But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” Matthew 6:6

The Gospels recounts many instances of JESUS praying publicly and privately but nowhere in the WORD of GOD do we find one instance where JESUS is prideful, arrogant, or self-righteous before the Father.

Having a prayer life is not an option for a child of GOD, it is a necessity so we ought to seek after a one that honors GOD – and the only guaranteed way would be to imitate CHRIST and do as He commands.

The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. Psalm 145:18

To be continued…

Prayer and Thanksgiving: Abba Father, YOU are the ONE HOLY GOD in the Heavens and on the Earth; RIGHTEOUSNESS is YOURS alone. Forgive us for every sign of pride and arrogance in our prayer lives and remind us that being able to have a conversation with the LIVING GOD is a privilege, not a right, that our self-righteousness has no reward and is an abomination in YOUR sight. Power and Glory belong only to YOU and YOU will not share them with anyone – as none is deserving. Thank you for giving us grace to repent and mend our ways and for YOUR merciful reward of life everlasting with CHRIST. YOU, LORD rule with all power, for ever and ever. We pray and ask all things in the precious Name of Jesus Christ our LORD, the NAME above all names. Amen!

Always by God’s Word and prayer,

Cecile