Motives

We began our Monday night prayer time a month ago. We are most certainly seeing prayers answered, and that is extremely exciting. One of the consistent requests we have is that God teaches us how to pray and how to cry out. I think the most important thing we need to remember is that God has already told us all we need to know about prayer in His word. I know there are many books out there on the subject, and talking to any person or persons you can get different opinions on any part of prayer, but it is extremely important that our final authority on prayer is God’s word. In talking with different people I have seen some different views on how we should pray, or whether or not a prayer should be repeated. I can see where both sides come from, and I think there may be some truth in either side. I’ve decided that for this post I’m not going to interject my own opinion, but instead I’m going to list the Scripture I’ve come across in my research on prayer. I did after all say that God’s word is the final authority, and I don’t have anything that I can or should add to that.

Matthew 6:5-13: When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. Pray, then, in this way: Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Luke 18: 1-8: Now he was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not lose heart, saying, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man. There was a widow in that city , and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me legal protection from my opponent.’ For a while he was unwilling, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge said; now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes will He find faith on the earth?

John 14:13, 14: Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it. (I do want to include what the notes in my Bible said about these verses: In their hour of loss at the departure of Jesus, He comforted them with the means that would provide them with the necessary resources to accomplish their task without His immediate presence which they had come to depend upon. To ask in Jesus’ “name” does not mean to tack such an expression on the end of a prayer as a mere formula. It means: 1) the believer’s prayer should be for His purposes and kingdom and not for selfish reasons; 2) the believer’s prayer should be on the basis of His merits and not any personal merit or worthiness; and 3) the believer’s prayer should be in pursuit of His glory alone.)

Ephesians 6:18: With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints…

I’ve talked before about what we pray versus how we pray. One of the biggest things I’ve learned is that it matters what our motives are in praying. Every time that we go before God in prayer we need to examine our hearts, and truly prepare ourselves. I think we sometimes forget that when we pray we are going before GOD. Think about that. Yes God provided a way for us to come before Him directly, but He is the God who created the universe. He is the God who has always been and will always be. He is all knowing, ever present and all powerful. He is loving, merciful, gracious, just and faithful. I think many times we tend to get stuck on just one aspect of God and who He is, but when we pray we need to remember all those things. Yes, He says He is our friend…but He is also our Lord and Savior…and the Judge of all eternity. Prayer is not something to be taken lightly, and while we are free to and encouraged to pray at all times I’d hope that we never take it for granted. Prayer is powerful, but only when done with the right motives, and coming from a humble heart.