We all have trials where we don’t know a way out.  Whether it be health or financially motivated, we all know that God lets us know that we can come to Him – to petition Him for comfort and consolation.  This last Trumpets, I got a text from my mother saying that she couldn’t breathe or swallow and that Dad was taking her to the ER.  Naturally I prayed for her – that the Doctors would be able to find what is wrong and that they could fix the problem with as little pain and financial pressure as possible.  I asked her if she wanted me to come to the hospital and as most parents say “No, I’m going to be ok.  Stay in Church.”  As my mind raced of all the scenarios that could happen ranging from “It’s not all that serious” to “What will I do if my mother dies and I’m not there?” I decided I needed to go to her and sit with Dad.  I text her that I was on my way, let folks know that I couldn’t be there for 2nd service and left.

The title of this message is: Why do you Pray?

My Mom had told me a little of what was going on through text but not enough so my mind decided to invent new and much worse scenarios.  I prayed asking God to heal her.  I asked God to be with my Dad as he waited to find out what was going on.  My Dad is diabetic and gets weak fast if he hasn’t eaten so I asked God to make sure that Dad was able to eat a little and that he had some of his diabetic medicine with him. 

As I got closer to the Hospital, there was a ‘ding-ding-ding’ of the Van’s gas tank letting me know it was almost empty.  I don’t usually drive the van – my darling wife does.  She has probably filled up the gas tank about 20 times in our 25 years of marriage.  Sigh!  So, now I’m praying to God asking Him to allow me to get to the hospital with no problems…AND not to be angry at my wife.  As the prayers were being said, a small voice at the back of my mind asked this one simple question:  Why do - I - pray?

Prayer, simply put, is conversation with God. Having that in mind, shouldn’t we be doing it in a way that pleases Him? Should we be seeking God’s will instead of ours?  Not to get us on a good list so that He’ll do what we ask, but to really understand how to talk with Him, and share our joys, concerns, fears, and pleas. Would we ever subject a friend to demands made out of fear or pride?  How could that be a good way to talk to God?  We need to talk to God all of the time – even if we don’t need or want something.  Prayer helps us build that relationship that we need with Him, our Father.

The Bible has a lot to say about prayer and how we should do it.  I want to go to a well-known passage from Luke 18 ~ the Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican (Tax Collector in the New King James).  Let’s go there.   Luke 18 starting in verse 9 and we will continue to verse 14.  (This is from the Old King James Version)

Luke 18:9-14 9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

The NIV Translates verse 9 like this: To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable…

Now back to the K.J.V.

10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 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. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.”

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!”

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.

This parable is a good way to measure our hearts as we come to God in prayer. Ask yourself, am I the Pharisee or a Publican? At first it was kind of hard to determine who the good guy was supposed to be before Jesus explained what God sees. The Pharisees, at that time, were the respected church leaders. They were looked on as the holy men of that day. The Publicans were looked down and hated by most. One would naturally assume that Jesus would denounce the Publican, as the “sinner” but we are to look at the Publican’s heart – not his outside appearance.

Can we see by such a clear example of how not to pray?  The Publican was so meek in his prayer that God called him ‘justified’.  The Strong’s number for justified here is G1344 and pronounced “Dik-ah-yo’-o”.  The origin is from G1342; meaning to render (i.e. show or regard as) just or innocent.  Free, justify or be righteous.  Clearly we are shown the proper way to ask for forgiveness unlike the Pharisee that was pretty sure he was amazing.

Asking forgiveness is just one reason that we should pray.  We should note that in Matthew 6:14-16 (the Model Prayer) that we should forgive others as we ask to be forgiven.  We’ve already touched on asking forgiveness/confessional type prayers so I will quickly touch on some other examples of prayer:

Prayer of Adoration/Worship:  These are prayers that are simply Praises to our Lord.  God is in control and we know that.  God alone is worthy of our devotion, praise and worship. He is God, our Creator, and we are commanded to praise and worship Him. Psalm 96:9 states Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness! Tremble before Him, all the earth. Also further up in the book of Psalms 29:2 states Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name; Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. In order to worship God in truth, we need to know that Jesus said in John 14:6 "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." So, before you can worship in the way that God desires, you have to develop a relationship with Him through faith in Jesus, His Son.

There are many more forms of prayer but this last one I want to dwell a little on:  

The Prayer of Request:  This is the prayer that most people get wrong…especially me.  Do we ask God for health or wealth?   Do we ask God to help us get trivial stuff?  If only I had that newest and greatest iPhone 7 or new car…wouldn’t it be awesome?

Do we notice how much weight we’ve gained and then ask God to miraculously heal us and make us fit?  While we’re at McDonald’s eating a Big Mac, large Fries and Apple Pie then to drink it all down with a large diet coke and ask God to help us feel better?  Do we ask God to fix something that we purposely broke or messed up?

Do we ask God for something or someone who belongs to someone else?  Do we ask God to make sure the Police aren’t on your route as you speed to your destination?  Perhaps it’s that parking spot up close to your favorite store that you want so badly so you don’t have to walk an extra 50 feet?   After all aren’t there several scriptures that say, what you ask, God will provide?  Jot these down: Matthew 21:22, Mark 11:24 & John 14:13 all basically say:   “And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”  Is that what God meant?  Of course not!

God will not give you some-thing or some-one that belongs to someone else.  (Repeat)

Why should you insist that God help you wake up one day several pounds lighter just so you can continue in your high calorie, low exercise life?  What does God say about this?  See in James - James 4:2-3 2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.

So let us go over what we talked about today.  God loves us and will not desert His children.  It is often our actions and selfish requests that remove us from HIS sight.  God DOES want to be close to us and prayer is a good way to get closer to Him.  We see in Bible that Abraham, Moses, David and many others walked with God.  They were constantly in contact with Him through praying, fasting and of course studying.  We need to look at why we are praying and if it’s something worth praying about.  If we know we’re dealing with a consequence of our actions rather than a trial, should we ask God to remove it?  (I can go on and on about consequences verses trials but will save that for another message) Perhaps we could ask for strength to change who we are.  The Apostle Paul understood that he was human and needed help changing who he was.  We too can become better friends to God and learn how not pester Him with silly requests or living with ease and wealth.  God wants us to succeed in becoming His family.  We should pray more righteously, humbly and graciously to our Lord. 

(Update on my Mom) Our family is very grateful to all the prayers for her behalf as well as my family’s behalf. 

So brethren, I ask you again: “Why do YOU pray?”