Pray Like Jesus and Together (James 4:1-3)
Gary McManus, 07/30/2023Part of the Prayer series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
The Content of Our Prayers Together
Again today, prayer.
It is common among Christians, especially young Christians
to ask about praying to the Lord CORRECTLY.
Did someone tell them that they were praying wrong?
Jesus gave examples of prayer. . . (Luke 18:9-14).
Yes, that Pharisee was SUPER HOLY. . .and the Pharisee
was super grateful that the Pharisee was super holy.
But Jesus was not impressed with the Pharisee’s
example.
Jesus brought his parable to its shocking conclusion. . .
“I tell you, this tax collector “went home justified before
God.” RATHER THAN THE OTHER.
Remember the “poor in spirit” and the “meek”. . . .
(Matthew 5:3, Matthew 5:5)? This tax collector was an
example of those Jesus had in mind.
Are we certain Jesus wanted us to repeat the Lord’s prayer
word for word? ( Matthew 6:9)
Nothing at all wrong with praying the Lord’s prayer every
time you pray, but let’s not miss that using the Lord’s prayer
as an outline for prayer is also helpful.
The Lord’s prayer DOES include the ACTS of prayer.
A.C.T.S., an acronym for
Adoration,
Confession,
Thanksgiving,
Supplication = intercession
We usually focus on “S”, supplication.
The Pastoral prayer should model the ACTS of prayer each
Sunday. Pastor would criticize MANY of our modern worshiping
communities because we do not model the Lord’s prayers in
our prayers and that is IF the congregation even all prays
together. (Pastor has been to a number of “newer” worship
services.) Acts 2:42: 42: They devoted themselves to the Apostles’
. . . prayer. Pastor prefers to lengthen the “adoration” part
of prayer. Why? Because we are likely to FORGET all the
things that our God is to us / the roles God fills for us.
Confession clears away the things in the relationship between
you (us) and God. Confession is always an admittance of our
own weaknesses.
Was Martin Luther a better model for confession?
Or are we more like the American Pilgrims?
Pilgrims! So, we get to Thanksgiving—a national holiday!
Have you heard our Elders’ prayers?
We have gratitude for the things we forget to be grateful
for—some we don’t even notice!
Finally, intercession or supplication: those prayers we have
written down in the Bible for us.
(Including Mark 1:40)
Pray from our hearts—be open from our hearts.
Do not let “the right way” or “the right words”
interfere with the heart.
Jesus condemned the prayers of the pagans because
they did try so hard to pray the right way with their
“many words” (Matthew 6:7).
What is James complaint against his congregation. .
.in your prayers ”you don’t ask” and then when you do ask,
there is no glory of God in it, but self glory.
Remember the prayers of the meek, the humble, the
poor in spirit, the sinner (James 4:6, Proverbs 3:34)
But, by all means, keep praying. . .Luke 18:1, Romans 12:12.
Amen.
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