Does It Pay To Pray?

Does it Pay to Pray?

Luke 18:1

“And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;”

What is Prayer? A Talk with God – Gen 3:10

Prayer is a Commandment

· Eph 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

· 1Th 5:17 Pray without ceasing.

· Mat 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

· 1Ch 16:11 Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.

Ways to Pray

· Bow - Exo 34:8 And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped.

· Kneel - Psa 95:6 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.

· On your Face - Num 20:6 And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto them.

· Stand - Mar 11:25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

· Secret - Mat 6:6 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.

· Daily - Dan 6:10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

· All Night - Luk 6:12 And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

How Do I Pray - Luk 6:12 And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

The Pharisee and the Publican – Luke 18:10-14

Luk 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

Luk 18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

Luk 18:12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

Luk 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

Luk 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

The Lord’s Prayer – Matthew 6:5-13

Motive

Wrong Motive –

Place - Loving to pray: Only in synagogues, Streets

Reason - For Recognition

Reward - Man’s Esteem

Right Motive –

Place – Private

Reason – God is one’s secret/ private place

Reward – Will receive open blessings

3 Rules of Prayer

#1 Don’t use empty repetitions

#2 Don’t use much speech

#3 Trust God

He Hears you

He knows your needs

He desires to hear from you

The model Prayer

There is Surrender – To our Father in Heaven

There is Request

§ For God’s Kingdom

§ For God’s Will

§ For Daily Bread

§ For Forgiveness

§ For Deliverance

The Answer is Promised

· Psa 91:15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.

· Isa 58:9 Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;

· Isa 65:24 And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.

· Zec 13:9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.

· Joh 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.