WHEN WE PRAY

BIBLE PASSAGE:
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, 
a worker who does not need to be ashamed 
and who correctly handles the word of truth. 
(2 Timothy 2:15)

MEDITATION:
In 2 Timothy 2:15, we see three reasons for studying God’s Word.
1.  To be approved by God (to let Him know we are serious about our faith)
2.  So we will not be ashamed to be His servants.
3.  So we can share His Word correctly with others.
We can read His Word, but do we study it?
We ‘read’ to get the meaning of printed information.
‘Study’ means we spend time carefully examining what we read.

And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray 
standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. 
Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. (Matthew 6:5)

What is wrong with the prayer of hypocrites?
They pray to be seen and heard by men.
What is their reward?
They receive man’s approval.
Does this mean that public prayer is wrong?
No.  Praying to God privately or publicly is permissible, 
however praying for man’s approval is not a proper prayer.

But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to 
your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is 
done in secret, will reward you. (Matthew 6:6)

Why are we told to pray in private?
When we do, we are praying to God and not for man’s hearing.
What is the benefit of this type of prayer?
God hears our prayer in private and rewards us openly.

And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think 
they will be heard because of their many words. (Matthew 6:7)

What do we need to avoid when we are praying?
Attempting to pray lengthy prayers with much repetition.
Does that mean we should not pray similar prayers each time we pray?
No.  We should be sincere and pray for what is on our heart.
Does it mean all prayers should be short in length?
No.  We should pray from the heart regardless of the length.

Do not be like them, 
for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. (Matthew 6:8)

Does this verse imply 
that we really don’t need to pray, since our Father knows what we need?
No. When we pray, it opens up communications between us and the Lord.
It acknowledges His existence and presence.
Without asking, how would we know when He answers our prayers?

On reaching the place, he said to them, 
“Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” (Luke 22:40)

What is one of the major reasons for prayer?
To help us avoid falling into temptations. 

ACTION:
Have you made prayer a part of your daily life?
If not, then why not?
Believers should be communicating with the Lord every day 
(and many times throughout the day).

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, teach me to pray as You would have me to pray.
Thank you for answered prayer, and for what Jesus did for me on 
the cross.”

Lyrics from the song Blessings (by Laura Story)

We pray for blessings. We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things

'Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom. Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not our home

What if my greatest disappointments. Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy
What if trials of this life. The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are your mercies in disguise

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