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We are in Matthew Chapter 6 and in verses 5 to 15, where we come to prayer. Prayer is similar to giving. For whom are you doing it?

Some of these religious leaders ‘loved to pray’ or ‘say prayers’ so that other people would see them and perhaps even hear them.

Jesus teaches a very different attitude. When it comes to praying make your prayer secret.

There is difference between praying and parading.

Daniel prayed at his window. Was he showing off? No. Daniel was just continuing to do what he had been doing before prayer was banned.

When Jesus speaks about going into your room and closing the door the picture is very different from the ‘praying’ of the hypocrites, and remember that hypocrite is the word for actor. Jesus does not want our praying to be ‘acting’! He wants our praying to be real and sincere and genuine.

The word for a room is the word for a storeroom or treasury.

Have you noticed the slight change of emphasis in this section of what is called The Sermon on the Mount?

The disciples had asked Jesus to teach them to pray. He gives them a pattern.

He did not give them a prayer which they could slip into any time they wanted.

You seem to be able to pray. You seem to do it a lot. Show us how to do it.

Some have seen three parts in this ‘outline’ and this may help us.

1 - The acknowledgement of the One to whom we speak.

2 - The claim the Father has upon His children.

3 - The claims the children have on the Father.

It is a family prayer, these words are for those who are in the family of God through Jesus Christ in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, and these words can bind us together in fellowship, but they are also words of truth.

The Father we come to knows us inside out. He knows our quirks and our personalities and our needs.

This Father is also the transcendent God in might and in holiness, and He is the One who seeks to protect His children and provide for His children, and preserve His children.

These opening four words can still our minds. The creator God is our heavenly Father.

Before some people’s prayers are a sentence old, people can come out with requests.

Remember who you are speaking to, Jesus is saying.

Revere His holy name. He is different – so is His name and His character. In these present days we hear the Name of our gracious loving Holy creator God being taken as a swear word or a curse. Often, I have had to ask people not to use such words in such irreverent ways and sometimes they have become more careful. They have apologised to me and I have pointed out that it is not me to whom you need to apologise. It is not my name you have been abusing.

He wants us to show a willing co-operation in His plans and with His plans.

Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done. God looks for willing submission.

When you pray go into that storeroom or treasury and when you go to fellowship with Almighty Go and pour out your heart, receive whatever riches and blessings He has to give you. We do not need a lot of teaching on prayer. We just need to go and pray!

The best way to learn something well is to learn from an expert.

Jesus assumed His disciples would pray. Jesus teaches His disciples to pray with sincerity – not like the hypocrites.

Jesus is not criticising public worship or corporate prayer, but He is warning against praying for the wrong motives – hoping that others will be impressed by our spirituality.

There is also the sense of privacy – or even secrecy – where there will no distractions – and no admirers.

In the store room where treasures are kept we have that privilege of encountering and meeting with our Creator God.

And be simple. Hypocrites prayed with wrong motives and pagans prayed in a wrong manner – verses 7,8.

Jesus was not against repetition, but He was against mindless repetition. In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus repeated the same prayer three times.

Father – PATER – we are to remember we are speaking to Almighty God.

We honour His Name – and we pray for His Kingdom to come – for His reign and rule to transform our world – in the political arena – the economic, banking, financial, and family world – the social injustices – our schools – the international situations.

We pray for His will to be done, and that will we read on Romans Chapter 12 is Good, Pleasing, and Perfect.

One lady, who attended every Service in Cowdenbeath, used to day to me – “You know, Mr Shaw, people should be queuing up to get in here, to hear and learn and understand that God’s Will is good and pleasing and perfect!”

"Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life" from Tom Kelley

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