Lord, Teach Us to Pray

Amen. If you would, open your Bibles once again to Matthew Chapter 6. Matthew Chapter 6. And our text will be verses 6 through 15. Before I begin with an introduction, let me say something that I've said many times when I've had opportunities to preach. It's good to be prepared and a pastor should be prepared.

I have worked to be prepared, but I am fully aware unless the Holy Spirit empowers, I am merely feeding you information. Some of the things that I'll share with you tonight are not new, but I think in the culture in which we live, we need to be reminded to think over how we approach the phone of grace. How is our prayer life? And I think every now and then, each of us, if we're not careful, take our prayers for granted. You know, it becomes rote.

It becomes routine. My desire tonight is through five questions just to get you to think about your own prayer life. And the title of my message is, Lord, Teach Us to Pray.

And I want to read an introduction to you and pause after some of the sentences so you can think them through. I've told our teenagers before, sometimes I like when I'm reading scripture to try to envision, try to envision in my mind what is taking place. On Wednesday nights, we're going through an exposition of 1 and 2 Samuel in the life of David. And as we get to different scenes in his life, I think it's good for us to just picture what it would be like to be there looking in. And that's what I'd like us to do just for a moment as we think about some things along the line, Lord, Teach Us to Pray. Imagine what it must have been like to hear Jesus pray. Imagine what it must have been like to hear Jesus pray. There are at least 25 instances of him praying that are recorded in the Gospels. Imagine his prayers in Galilee as a child growing up. At minimum, Jesus knew at the age of 12 when he was in the temple that his father was God. You remember he said to Mary and Joseph when they were asking him why he had left them? He said this, why did you seek me?

Did you not know that I must be about my father's business? And as I thought about that, I wondered what it was like to see Jesus grow and his ability to pray. At 12 years old, he's in the temple talking with the teachers. Then years later, in John 17, he personified reference when he addressed God as O righteous Father, and again when he pled glorify your son so that your son also may glorify you, full knowing what lay ahead of him. Imagine hearing Christ's agonizing prayer in Gethsemane.

We're drenched in a bloody sweat from stress. He prayed three times for the cup to pass from him, if that was possible, in the father's will. Just see him there in the darkness of that night, pouring out to his father, Abba, Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou will. And one that perhaps you haven't thought of, and I surely hadn't, but imagine the prayers that Jesus surely prayed at Gabbatha as he was mercilessly mutilated to the astonishment of onlookers.

And those onlookers were accustomed to seeing people scourged before, and yet they were astonished. Imagine the prayers that must have gone up from him. Imagine his praise to the father when he ascended to glory, victorious over sin and death. Beloved, tonight we would do well to reflect upon our own prayer life as we consider the guidelines that Jesus gave to his disciples when they said, Lord, teach us to pray. Jesus did not give us this model prayer for us to memorize and recite verbatim a number of times. In fact, he gave this prayer to keep us from using vain repetitions. He didn't say, pray these words. He said, pray after this manner. That is, use this prayer as a pattern, not as a substitute. Christ first gave some introductory thoughts that we want to look at in verses five through eight, and we'll make a brief comment about these, but our main text, like I said, will be his model prayer. But notice verse five. When you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets.

Why? That they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. Beloved, as we pause for a minute, Christ is certainly not condemning all public prayer. He is condemning public prayer that's motivated by pride, just like he condemned giving to others in verses one through four, and if we read following his instruction on prayer, he condemned fasting to be seen of men.

Remember he said you disfigure your face or whatever and you ought to look sharp as though no one would know that you're fasting? He is condemning public prayer that has as its objective to be impressive, and any men who prayed from this pulpit, starting with this man, know that that's difficult. For some, it's easier than others, but I believe all of you who pray before a service want your prayers to go beyond the ceiling. And that takes thought. That takes thought. That takes prayer from me. That takes prayer to pray.

I never want to become a rote. I never want to be concerned about impressing people in public prayer, and that's what he's warning against here. And then notice verses six through eight, starting with verse six. But when you pray, go into your room, and when you've shut your door, pray to your Father who's in secret place, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.

Therefore, do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. Christ is basically commending intimate private prayer that is thoughtful and trusting. And then He shares with His disciples categories that can guide God-honoring prayer. And we're going to address these by asking five questions of application as we go through these verses. Five questions of application.

I'll ask at the front end, and I'll ask at the back end. Notice verse nine, our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Here's the first question for you to contemplate. When you pray, does the attitude with which you approach the throne of grace reflect the adoration and awe that accompanies fearing our Heavenly Father?

Let me read that again. When you pray, does the attitude with which you approach the throne of grace reflect the adoration and awe that accompanies fearing our Heavenly Father? I've taught our young people that the fear of God is a reverent attitude of adoration for what God has done and awe for who God is. Whereby the child of God guards and guides his thoughts, words, and deeds by the word of God for the glory of God.

And as you reflect upon your prayer, is there any indication that there's a true reverent awe and adoration of God as you approach the throne of grace? The words our Father signify the common adoration of being a part of the family of God. And when you look through this prayer, the use of the pronouns our and us are used in every part of it.

Why? Because we are part of the whole. We are part of the church.

We are part of the bride. Jesus' use of the word Father to address God was scandalous to the Jews. His use of the word Father was scandalous to the Jews.

One verse that I'll share with you, John 5 18. Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill him because he not only broke the Sabbath, he broke the Sabbath by healing a man. He not only broke the Sabbath, but he also said that God was his Father making himself equal with God. Pious Jews use terms like the Almighty, the one above, or Hashem, which in Hebrew is the name. They wanted to do that to avoid using God's name in vain or misusing it. Surely, folks, it was remarkable to his disciples that Jesus told them to address Almighty God as our Father.

And here's the point. Have you lost the awe that you can call the creator of the universe, Father? And I think we need to think that through for a moment. Have you lost the awe that you and I, as children of God, can call him Father? 1 John 3 1 is another text that emphasizes the unity of believers as children of God. Listen to it if you would. Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us that we should be called the children of God.

And sometimes we read over things and it just doesn't hit us the way it should. Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us that we vile sinners whose hearts are desperately wicked and evil should be called the children of God. And that comes about, as we heard this morning, because of the grace of God, period. All of grace. Romans 8, 15 through 17 is another passage that emphasizes this unity of our Father.

Listen to it if you would. And this text reflects the intimacy that is ours as brothers and sisters in Christ with our Father. Paul writes, For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, Abba, Father. The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.

And if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. If indeed we suffer with him that we may also be glorified together. That word Abba conveys a sense of intimacy similar to our English words Daddy or Papa. It's not a perfect translation of it, but it's similar.

It conveys a sense of intimacy. Christ himself used the words Abba, Father when he poured out his heart to God in Gethsemane. We move on in this verse. The words in heaven remind us of the transcendent majesty of our Father.

I love Ecclesiastes 5, 1 and 2. Solomon wrote, Walk prudently. And that word, the words walk prudently in the Hebrew mean guard your steps, weigh your words, feel deeply, think much, speak little.

And when we're speaking little, it's not talking about the volume that you speak, but speak thoughtfully. And you'll find out why he admonishes us to do this as I read this. He says this in Ecclesiastes 5, 1 and 2. Walk prudently when you go to the house of God and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools.

For they do not know that they do evil. Do not be rash or quick with your mouth. Let not your heart utter anything hastily before God.

And here's why. God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore, let your words be few. And again, when he says walk prudently, as you approach the throne of grace, guard your steps, weigh your words, feel deeply, think much, speak little. David said in Psalm 11, 4, The Lord is in his holy temple.

The Lord's throne is in heaven. His eyes behold, his eyelids test the sons of men. Dr. Stephen Lawson states, quote, When we go to heaven, we have to have a glorified body with glorified eyes to even be able to look upon this holy, awesome, glorified God in heaven. Or we would burn up like a cinder in his very presence.

I thought that was wonderfully put. When we go to heaven, we have to have a glorified body with glorified eyes to even be able to look upon this holy, awesome, glorified God in heaven. Or we would burn up like a cinder in his very presence. And beloved, the words in heaven also remind us, believers, this world is not our home.

No matter how bad it may get in this world, the best is yet to come. A place that is indescribable will be our eternal abode. In the final words in this first verse, Hallowed be your name, proclaims that our Father is wholly other.

There is God and then everything else. He is wholly other and praiseworthy. The Puritan preacher, Matthew Henry, states that hallowed be thy name is not said as a petition, but as an acclamation, like the Lord be magnified or glorified. He says, For God's holiness is the greatness and glory of all his perfections. He says we must begin our prayers with praising God. We don't want to start our prayers out with a wish list or our petitions. We want to start out our prayers praising God for who he is and for what he's done on our behalf. I love this verse, Isaiah 57, 15.

Imagine seeing this. For thus says the high and lofty one who inhabits eternity, whose name is holy. I dwell in the high and holy place with him who has a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble, to revive the heart of the contrite ones. And then Revelation 5, I'll not read it, but you're well aware from our Sunday evening study. Revelation 5, the four living creatures around the throne of God, quote, Do not rest day or night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come. And somewhat as a side note, notice it does not say that they do not rest day and night singing, holy, holy, holy, not knocking, singing.

We love to do that. But there is something about speech when it's done chorically. If you've ever listened to a choric reading, there's just something about that.

They don't have music to keep them in sync. There's just something about that. And I've tried to envision what the Bible, how the Bible describes the throne room of God and to think of those angels saying, holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty. Inspirational.

It's inspirational. So we started out asking this question for question one. When you pray, does the attitude of which you approach the throne of grace reflect the adoration and awe of reverently fearing our Heavenly Father?

Just think about that. Does the attitude which you approach the throne of grace reflect the adoration and awe of reverently fearing our Heavenly Father? Question two for our consideration is in verse 10. He says, Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. And here's the question. When you pray, is it your ambition to desire Christ's return above all else and God's will, no matter what that might mean?

Let me read that again. When you pray, is it your main ambition to desire Christ's return above all else and God's will, no matter what that may mean? The first part of that verse, 10a, says your kingdom come. When asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus said this, Behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you. Behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you. The translation of the in the midst of you accurately points to the presence of the kingdom in the person of Jesus. It points to the kingdom in the person of Jesus. The New Testament indicates that the kingdom of God is both present and future.

There's an already and a not yet. He has come. He is coming.

And that out excites us. The Lord has come. And when he came that first time, he came to pay a ransom that he might save his people from their sin. And there is a day coming when he will return for those people for whom he died. 1 Peter 1, 3 through 5.

And keep in mind as I read this, there's an already and a not yet. And you'll pick this up in Peter's verses. 1 Peter 1, 3 through 5. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to his abundant mercy, has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.

That's the not yet. Who are kept by the power of God through faith, for salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. And he speaks of a living hope in these verses.

Living hope is a confident expectation of a future reality. There is an already when it comes to the kingdom and a not yet. And beloved, the bottom line, when we pray your kingdom come, we're praying, even so come, Lord Jesus. He has come to die for his people.

He will come again to take his people to be with him forever. Reformation Study Bible makes this statement. Jesus' current status as cosmic king is invisible.

The world is ignorant of his sovereignty or they deny it. It's the task of the church to give visible witness to the invisible kingdom. Let me read that last sentence again.

It is the task of the church, believers, to give visible witness to the invisible kingdom. I can remember my grandmother on my dad's side making this statement. You may be the only Bible that someone reads.

I know what she meant. There may be people that never read a Bible. I've known people that never read a Bible and probably their only interaction or they don't have much more interaction with the Bible than they did with me, if that makes sense.

My interaction with them working. I can remember stocking shelves at a grand union in New York State and it's late at night and I got in a discussion with these two guys about biblical things. And it was obvious they hadn't read the word. They were trying to trip me up with faith and works.

Faith and works. And one of them had gotten into the word enough to know that, hey, there's a bit of a problem here. And I was given the opportunity to explain to them, no. I could tell you I was an art major. I could take you to my office and it'll say, Bachelor of Science in Art Education.

You can believe it or you don't. Well, you say that you're an art major and you could have gotten that student diploma online for about 50. Now, hopefully, if I showed you a painting I did, you would believe. But then again, you could say, how do I know that you really did that? But if I took out a piece of paper and drew something for you, hopefully you would say, maybe there's some evidence he was an art major. Why would you believe that?

Because of the works that I do as a result of being an art major. And we work. We know that.

That's elementary for us. We do good works out of love for God as a result of our salvation. We're to trust God as our provider and demonstrate contentment with His provision for us. Now, I want us to look at the second part of verse 10. He says, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. What a statement. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Here's a question. Do we unconditionally desire that God's will be done on earth as perfectly as it is in heaven? You might sit there and quickly say yes, but think that through. Do we unconditionally desire that God's will be done on earth as perfectly as it is in heaven? Would you want God's will to be done if it meant a lion's den or a fiery furnace or a chopping block or a sand in Andrew's cross?

You see what I'm saying? So we should be sober when we say your will be done on earth as it is in heaven and really mean it. All too often what we really pray for is that God will place His stamp of approval on our desires, if we're honest. We really want Him to place His stamp of approval upon our desires. And Jesus is the preeminent example of desiring God's will in the midst of extreme circumstances.

And I think that you realize that. John 638, He said, I came down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of Him that sent me. And I would have you recall again that Christ prayed three times that that cup that He described to His disciples as they were going to Jerusalem might pass from Him. And yet again, each time He prayed that, He said, not my will but Yours be done. The second question that we would repeat when you pray is that your ambition to desire Christ's return above all else and God's will, no matter what that might mean. Question 3, verse 11. He says, give us this day our daily bread. The question, when you pray, do you acknowledge that you are entirely dependent upon God for your daily necessities? And friends, I would say this that I doubt that very many of us in here would say that in the affirmative.

Let me read it again. When you pray, do you acknowledge that you are entirely dependent upon God for your daily necessities? We're to trust God, as I said before, as our provider.

And we're to demonstrate contentment with His provision for us. At times, we can grumbly compare what we don't have with what other people do have instead of greatly thanking God for what He's given us. In many parts of the world, friends, in many parts of the world, people know what it is to be uncertain for their next meal.

Let me say that again. In many parts of the world, people do know what it is to be uncertain about their next meal. For most people in America, food is discarded that would be treasured elsewhere.

For most Americans, food is discarded that would be treasured in other parts of the world. I will never, I will never forget going to the Dominican Republic and getting on a bus and going to the city dump. And as we were riding that bus and I looked ahead of us, I thought, whoa, they've got mountains pretty close to the city.

What mountains? It was the city dump. And it will change you when you see people picking through the city dump. It will change you.

And please take this right when I say this. When I make coffee, usually there's some left in the canister. I will drink yesterday's coffee to remind myself how good I have it.

How good I have it. I have never had to wonder where my next meal is going to come from, folks, yet. I haven't had to wonder yet. There may come a time, yes, in these United States of America where that which we once threw away would be treasured. And if we think that that's impossible, I think we may be a little naive.

And I think you'd agree with me. Drop down to verses 31 through 34. This is a good medicine for greed. Jesus said, therefore, do not worry, saying, what shall we eat or what shall we drink or what shall we wear? For after all these things the Gentiles seek, for your Heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things sufficient for the day, its own trouble. So the third question repeated, when you pray, do you acknowledge that you are entirely dependent upon God for your daily necessities?

For question four, notice verse 12. He says, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. The question, when you pray, do you have assurance that comes with forgiving the sins of others against you, like your Heavenly Father forgives your offenses against Him?

Let me read that again. When you pray, do you have assurance that comes with forgiving the sins of others against you, like your Heavenly Father forgives your offenses against Him? You could say, Brother Bob, I'm not sure that I understand. Why did you use the word assurance?

It's simple. An unforgiving person is an unregenerate and ungodly person. An unforgiving person is an unregenerate and ungodly person. A person who is enabled to love his enemies, bless those who curse him, do good to those who hate him, and pray for those who spitefully use and persecute him can have the assurance he is a child of God. Because the only way that that can happen is through the enabling of the Holy Spirit. God has given us a pattern to follow, and I hope you really grab these wonderful verses. Psalm 103, verses 10 through 12, God's pattern. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our inequities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him.

Get this, folks. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. He didn't say north from south. You go far enough north, you're going to start going south.

You go far enough east, and keep in that direction, you're going to keep going east. And that's how far He separated our sins from us. Hebrews 8, 12, I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their lawless deeds.

I will remember no more. Beloved, when we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness. Matthew 18, 21, a final verse. Peter came to Him and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forget him?

Up to seven times. Jesus said to him, I did not say to you up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. In other words, what the Lord was saying is without number.

And that means that you cannot judge a person's sincerity. If they came up to you seven times in a day and asked you for your forgiveness and then they offended you again, He sang forgive them, forgive them. MacArthur says that forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors is the heart of this prayer. It's what Jesus stressed in the words that immediately follow the prayer. And we're going to cover verses 14 and 15 at this time. But what He says again, forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors is the heart of the prayer. It's what Jesus stressed in the words that immediately follow the prayer. Verses 14 and 15, for if you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive yours. And folks, this forgiveness that He's talking about by God is not in reference to our once for all justification. It's for our unhindered fellowship with the Father. That's what it's referring to. It's not about Him failing to forgive us for our justification.

That's a done deal. But it's for our unhindered fellowship with the Father. Why do I say that? Because discord among the brethren and an unforgiving spirit grieve the Holy Spirit. And in so doing, we heard our fellowship with the Father.

And I think that's obvious. To support an unforgiving attitude, grieve the Holy Spirit, and necessitate repentance. J.C. Ryle said this, the purpose of this verse is to remind us that we must not expect our prayers for forgiveness to be heard if we pray with malice and spite in our hearts towards others. To pray in such a frame of mind is mere formality and hypocrisy.

Our prayers are nothing without love. We must not expect to be forgiven if we cannot forgive. Matthew 5, 23 and 24, Jesus said, and this is pretty profound, Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. How does this fit into this model prayer when He says forgive us as we forgive others?

Here's how it does. Reconciliation involves seeking forgiveness from a brother whom we've offended and also forgiving a brother who has offended us. If we will not forgive someone who has offended us when they ask for it, it's going to hurt our worship of God. That's the bottom line.

It's a two-way street. Question four out of five, again, when you pray, to have assurance that comes with forgiving the sins of others against you, like your heavenly Father forgives your offenses against Him. And then our final question, verse 13. He says, Do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.

Amen. The question, when you pray, do you demonstrate awareness that you live in a spiritually dangerous world over which Jesus is the victorious King? And I'll ask that in a different way in a moment.

Let me repeat it first. When you pray, do you demonstrate awareness that you live in a spiritually dangerous world over which Jesus is the victorious King? Folks, the opposite of awareness are attitudes of complacency. Do you start your day without prayer?

You're complacent. You live in a lion country, spiritually speaking. And the opposite of awareness are attitudes of complacency, carelessness, callousness, or cockiness. And that's why we ask, when you pray, do you demonstrate awareness? So when we wake up in the morning and we start the day with our prayers, Lord, help me to guard my thoughts, my words, my actions.

Help me not to be spiritually cocky. Him who thinks he stands, let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. We ought to end the day with that kind of attitude, an awareness that this is a spiritually dangerous world in which we live. And I could start listing people that at one time all of us would have respected who have fallen. I remind myself of that daily. Don't think you're beyond sin. The man after God's own heart looked, lingered, lusted, let down, and lost. Lost. Most of the time we'll remember the story, the history of David and Goliath.

But if you were to ask, maybe teens or above, what else do you remember? Well, there was that matter with Bathsheba. And what a heinous sin he committed that included murder. And he paid for it.

He paid for it dearly. The question is, when you pray, do you demonstrate awareness that you live in a spiritually dangerous world over which Jesus is the victorious king? Notice the first part of verse 13. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. That's a safeguard against a false sense of security and self-sufficiency. Beloved, we as believers must see every trial as a test to which the Holy Spirit will display and further develop godliness in our obedience.

Let me stop there. We must see every trial as a test to which the Holy Spirit will display and further develop godliness in our obedience. The flip side of that, or as a temptation to which yielding to the flesh could destroy life, opportunities, and relationships.

Now, let me give you a quote by Jim Oreck that will really crystallize that. He states the exact Greek word can be used in some context to mean tempt, and in another context it means test. Both tempting and testing entail a trial. Whether the trial is a temptation or a test depends on who is orchestrating the trial and what his ultimate purpose is.

And that's pretty profound and it explains this. The exact Greek word can be used in some context to mean tempt, in others, test. Both tempting and testing entail a trial. Whether the trial is a temptation or a test depends on who is orchestrating the trial and what his ultimate purpose is.

And you can be certain of one thing, folks. That is this. Satan's purpose is to foster the greed to feed your flesh. That is his purpose. That is what he will try to do with temptation. While God's purpose is to bestow the grace to make you godly for his glory. Two sides of the same coin, if I can paraphrase, or one side will be a temptation, the other side a test.

Obedience to the test means that you demonstrate and display godliness and even develop greater godliness. It's like I've told the kids, when I'm looking at a TV program, a provocative image comes on there and I choose to look away. I've done two things. I've exercised myself on the godliness and I have solidified even more firmly my oneness with my wife. You understand what I'm saying?

When I look at something that comes on that screen through no fault of my own, all you've got to do is leave the TV on long enough and they'll get you with ads. And I choose to look away from that, God knowing what I'm doing. I've exercised myself on the godliness and I have further deepened my oneness with my wife. And let me say this to young couples, that's something that you better guard and grow.

Because the opposite of guarding and growing is going downhill, going downhill. I heard one radio preacher either on the way out this morning or tonight. He talked about counseling a couple in his church that had not spoken for three months.

How did they communicate? Johnny, go ask your mother. Well, Johnny, you go tell your father. And he said it was heartbreaking. Those kids lived with that for three months.

They lived with that. And beloved, the thing that I want us to get is this. Little things like that.

Little things like that in the everyday drudgery of life. We'll exercise ourselves unto godliness as we obey the word. And I gave the illustration of turning away from looking at something provocative. The enemy within is the devil and this world system. And Jesus said in John 17, I do not pray that you should take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from the evil one. The enemy within is this world system. The enemy without is this world system, I should say. The enemy within is our flesh.

I gave this again to the teens this morning, but I think it's very good. MacArthur states this, Paul uses the term flesh to refer to sinful propensities that are intertwined with physical weaknesses and pleasures. Although the old self is dead, sin retains a foothold in our temporal flesh, our unredeemed humanness with its corrupted desires.

Now, that's not hard to get our head wrapped around. We are saved by the grace of God, but we live in a body that still has cravings that need to be harnessed. I keep my body under so that when I myself have preached to others, I won't be a castaway, Paul said. We live in a body of flesh. We can be certain that Satan's purpose is to use our flesh to make us fall. God gives us every opportunity to pass the test, and I'll not read it, but you've read 1 Corinthians 10, 12, and 13 where it says he gives the very way to escape.

So we have no excuse whatsoever. Finally, the last part of the last verse we'll consider tonight, verse 13, the second part. He says, for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory. Amen. Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory. Amen.

Another way of putting it, we are on the winning side. Matthew Henry was a Presbyterian minister who said, quote, that a true saint never thinks he can speak honorably enough of God. A true saint never thinks he can speak honorably enough of God. David, in his praise, teaches us much about praising our king, and if this doesn't inspire you, I don't know what will. This prayer was offered when the people brought an offering for the temple. You remember David wasn't allowed to make the temple, build it, because he was a bloody man, a man of war.

So God gave him the thumbs up to amass things that would be used for the temple. Listen to what he says at this dedication of the offering. He says this, yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power and the glory, the victory and the majesty, for all that is in heaven and in earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you were exalted as head over all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you reign over all. In your hand is power and might. In your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. Now, therefore, our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name. But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly as this? For all things come from you, and of your own we've given to you. Folks, a kingdom of God focus is all about choosing to place the glory of our great God and the spiritual welfare of others ahead of getting what we want in this life. I've given you five questions, and I'm going to read them again, but I simply want you to go away from here thinking about your prayer life.

You don't have to remember all five. Just think about your prayer life. Is it what it ought to be?

And we'd all have to say, no, it isn't. We can all become more diligent in our prayer life, but we need to contemplate our prayer life. Do we even want our prayer life to be exemplary if it were to be known? Verse 9, when you pray, does the attitude of which you approach the throne of grace reflect the adoration and awe of reverently fearing our Heavenly Father? Key word, attitude. Verse 10, when you pray, is it your ambition to desire Christ's return above all else and God's will no matter what that might mean?

Key word, ambition. Verse 11, when you pray, do you acknowledge that you are entirely dependent upon God for your daily necessities? Key word, acknowledge, because if you don't, it's cockiness. I'm the captain of my fate.

Mentality. Do you acknowledge that you are entirely dependent upon God? Verse 12, when you pray, do you have the assurance that comes with forgiving the sins of others, which is unnatural? Do you have the assurance that comes with forgiving the sins of others against you, like your Heavenly Father forgives your offenses against Him? And then finally, when you pray, do you demonstrate awareness that you live in a spiritually dangerous world, over which Jesus is the victorious King?

Awareness. You go into the day knowing that you are going to face temptations and tests, and you pray that God will give you the grace and the strength to be victorious for His glory. Let's close in prayer. Father, it's my desire that what was said tonight would cause all of us just to reflect on our prayer life.

I know as I studied and prepared for this, I was just convicted time and time again. And, Lord, I pray that as we leave this place tonight, we would truly do an inventory about the attitude of which we approach you, about the goals or ambitions that we have in our prayers, about acknowledging that we do owe you everything and we're totally dependent upon you for everything, including the next breath. Lord, help us to have an assurance that we're truly in Christ because you enable us to do that which does not come naturally, forgiving people who have offended us. And, Lord, finally, help us to demonstrate awareness that this is a dangerous and a dark world and that we need to shine as lights. We need to shine as beacons of the Gospel. Help us to do that, we pray, in Christ's name. Amen.