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We're going to look at what is known typically as the Lord's Prayer, but it's actually the disciples prayer. We're going to look at that this afternoon. So if you have a Bible with you, please turn to Matthew chapter 6. We'll be looking at verses 5 to 15. It was the English hymn writer and poetry William Cowper, who said, satan trembles when he sees the weakest of saints upon their knees. Amen. The devil does not want God's people to pray. And it's really weird sometimes. Cause sometimes we as believers will say, well, I guess all I can do is pray. That's the best thing you can do, is pray. There's power in prayer. I think it was J. Vernon McGee who used to say, you know, prayer changes things. Some of you remember the Bible bus, maybe, but prayer does change things. It transforms our lives. It transforms our families, our society, our nation. I believe the power of prayer is what America needs today. God's people praying. If we will humble ourselves and pray, turn from our wicked ways, God will heal the land. So I want to talk to you about, you know, just this short teaching Jesus did 2000 years ago with his disciples about prayer. And as we look at prayer, it's interesting. The Lord says in verse five of our text, Matthew chapter six, that he starts with really three prohibitions of prayer. Things that we should not do when we. It comes to prayer. Let me just say that prayer is communication. Communication enhances intimacy in relationships. You want to be intimate in your relationship with your spouse, in marriage, you've got to communicate. You show me a couple that has no communication, I'll show you a couple without any intimacy in their marriage. And just as intimacy is, communication is important to intimacy in our marriage. So communication with God is important with our intimacy with God. He wants us to pray and to seek his face. But there are certain ways that we should not pray. And we'll go over those, because the Lord starts out here in our text with three prohibitions of prayer. The first one is in verse 5. Read along with me. Jesus said, and 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 that they may be seen by men. And the Lord said, assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. Amen. They're prayer performers, if you will. The first point being, do not pray like the hypocrites. A lot of people like to impress people with their prayers, you know, that's why when you Know, I'm going to lunch after preaching three messages on Sunday when I was a senior pastor and I'm hungry and my stomach's growling. Amen. And you want to get something to eat. And, you know, always make sure I go out to lunch with Presbyterians and not Pentecostals because Pentecostals are going to pray a long time. Presbyterians, 30 seconds max. Amen. I'm just saying. No, I'm teasing. But it's like, you know, you don't want that guy. You know, your food's there, you're ready to eat, and he's going to pray from Genesis to Revelation. Oh, my Lord. You know, land the plane, bro. Amen. But a lot of times people pray. And if you're praying to perform, then you, Jesus said, you already have your reward. Prayer is not a performance. Do not be like the Pharisees or religious leaders in Jesus today who love to pray. Here's what we should do as Christians. Don't love to pray. Pray to love God more. Amen. Oh, give him praise and glory. Amen. The second prohibition Jesus talks about. In verse six, he says, do not seek the stage, but solitude. That's what I call it. Because he says, and verse six. But you, when you pray, it's personal. When you pray, go into your room. And when you have shut your door, pray to your father who is in the secret place. And your father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly. Sounds so personal. Look, when you go into your room, don't go into your husband's room and show him how to pray. Or your wife or husband. Go into your wife's room. No, you got a room all by yourself. Go into your room, shut your door. Don't expect somebody to make you pray and shut the door for you. You need to shut it willingly. And your father, your father who sees you in the secret place when he hears you, he will reward you openly. Pastor Voddie Bachman. He is in heaven now, but I remember him giving an illustration about prayer. And he talked about a tree that grows in two different directions at the same time. And what he talked about is the fact that the tree grows in a phototropic way that is above ground, toward the sun, in a gravitropic way, which is gravity pulling the root system down. And you talked about the fact that it's the gravitropic growth that is essential to the health of the tree, that root system that grows where nobody can see it, down into the earth, in the dark recesses of the ground. Nobody sees It. But that's where the health is. It's the same thing in our lives as believers. Jesus is saying, get down into the gravitropic below ground. Not where. Where nobody can see you. In the secret place of God's heart. That's where true maturity happens. Not on the stage, but in secret. Where God hears you cry in the midnight hour. Where God hears you cry out, oh, God. I remember I was in Bible college many, many years ago, and I would see guys, you know, we had a little, small chapel. It was just a little small room. And. And. And I would walk in there sometimes to pray myself. And I'd see some brother with his hand on the altar, had little rails. He had a hand on the altar laying on his face, crying out, oh, God. God sees that. God, I can't make it. I can't do it. I don't think I can hold on. But I'm gonna hold on to you just like Jacob, until you bless me. That's where the roots go down deep. It's great to come to church and to clap our hands and all that, but where the root system gets deep. Oh, it's in the gravitropic, where nobody sees you. Amen. But God. Amen. Hallelujah. Give him praise and glory. Amen. That's what really matters. Because, you know, if you pay attention to the root, to your prayer life, you don't have to worry about the fruit. The fruit will naturally be born in your life if the root system is healthy. But a lot of Christians, sometimes, you know, they're. You know, they look good on the outside. Got a Bible. How you doing, brother? Great. Are you really. Now, I'm not saying to ask people that. Cause, you know, take your sin sniffers off and, you know, be gracious toward people, but sometimes are you really? Because God sees the truth, and the truth happens in the unseen, in our root system of our faith. The third prohibition that Jesus speaks about here is verse seven and eight, and I call it refrain from manipulation. And Jesus says, when you pray, do not use vain repetition as the heathens do. But they think that by their many words, they think that by their many words they think they will be heard because of their many words. Verse 8. Therefore, do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask him. Here's the question I have, Lord. Then why should we ask if you already know? You know, Lord, you already know. And some folks take that attitude toward God. Well, I'm not gonna ask God. He already knows. And the devil says, well, he already knows. He's not answering your prayer. And so, you know, God doesn't love you or whatever, you know, ridiculous, deceitful thing the devil's trying to say. But God wants us to ask the same reason you want your children to ask you for things. Relationship. Because a child may need a cookie or something, and they want it. But you know, as a parent, you want them to ask you. He said, sure, here it is. Why? Because you want a relationship with your child. You don't want to just be a vending machine. Now, as a grandparent, sometimes you feel like a vending machine ATM for all the grandkids and everybody else. But, you know, you want a relationship with the child. And so God wants a relationship with you. He wants us to ask. He said, why should I pray? God already knows because he wants to know you. He wants a relationship of faith. And the just shall. Shall live by faith. And without faith, you cannot please God. And when you ask, it is a sign of saying, lord, I trust you that you will give me what you want me to have in your time, according to your will, for your glory. Amen. These prohibitions are so important because this third one, especially, because a lot of times I find myself trying to manipulate God with many words, try to manipulate my wife with many words. Amen. Take it from me, guys, after 50 years of marriage, give up. Amen. Write that one down. A lot of times, you know, when I'm having a discussion with my wife and, you know, we're having. I say this discussion, amen. And I'm trying to convince her what, you know, persuade her my way or whatever, you know, I'm using all these words, and I hear a little still, small voice sometimes in my back of my. In back of my head saying, shut up. But I start. I keep talking past what the salesman call, you know, if you're in sales, you understand this phrase, talking past your clothes. Amen. And so I'm still running my mouth, and it's just getting worse. It's not getting better. And I've learned, as Ecclesiastes chapter 5, verse 2 says, do not be rash with your words or your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven and you are on earth, Therefore let your words be few. Less is more. Amen. It took many years to figure that out. I'm still figuring it out. But less is more. You don't have to use all these words. And you can't, you know, manipulate God. I spent a lot of times trying to get God to see things my way. Amen. And it's a total waste of time. In fact, when you're trying to manipulate God and with all my multitude of words and all these different things, you know, it could be a sign of another issue in your life or manipulate someone else, for that matter. The Bible says in Proverbs 10:19 that in a multitude of words, sin is not lacking. Amen. But he who restrains his lips is wise. He who restrains his lips is wise. Now, Jesus now turns. After giving these three prohibitions of prayer, these are things you don't want to do. He now turns to what I call the protocol of prayer. In the protocol of prayer, he's not given some rigid religious form of prayer, that this is a magical prayer. There's no magical formula. But he's presenting here a template of faith that when we approach God and we come to God, that we need to use this template of faith. Not exactly like this, but it shows us that these are some of the things that we should be engaged in when we come before the Father. The attitude that we should have with our Father when we come before the Lord. A template of faith. That's what I like to call it. Verse 9. Jesus says that in this manner that is like this, you should pray. Let us pray it together. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Stop right there. Amen. When we come before God, there are four things in just those few lines. It's a little short portion of scripture that we should pay attention to that Jesus is trying to teach us. What's he teaching us here? Four things. He's teaching us about unity. He's teaching us about location, about reverence and purpose. Unity. First and foremost, our Father. No matter what your ethnicity is, where you come from, what your economic situation is, what your political persuasion is, or anything else, as in Christ, we are all one. There's neither male nor female, slave nor free, Jew nor gentile. We're one in Christ. And when we pray to God, it's our Father. We're all praying to the same daddy. So it is ludicrous for me to pray that God will be against another believer. If you're in your family with your children, you know, like your child coming to you, you got four kids, and you know, one of the kids come to you and say, you know, dad, let's get rid of Joey. He eats too much, he tears up stuff. He's always Making mistakes. Let's get rid of him. And sometimes we do that as Christians in a church, Lord, let's get rid of. Let's get rid of, you know, Joey or that group of people over there, you know, and we want. We start judging each other and all this. God is not going to hate on his own children. So it's ludicrous for us to try to go and get God to be against somebody because we disagree with them or whatever. If they're believers and their faith is in Jesus Christ or born again, they are your brother or sister in Christ. Amen. The Bible says in First John, chapter four, verses 20 to 21, that we cannot say that we hate our brother and then say that we Love God. Ephesians 4:2 reminds us that we should endeavor keep the bond of unity in peace. So unity is not something that just happens in the church, no more than it just happens in marriage. There comes a time in your life, for those of you. Any newlyweds here, listen to me. There's going to come a time when the thrill is gone. Amen. Remember the Prophet B.B. king. He said that some of you remember that he was old blues singer. The thrill is gone. Amen. You may be on your honeymoon now, and it's great, but one day, women, you're gonna hate the way he eats his food. I can't stand the way he chews anymore, you know? And remember when it was so cute when she was always late? Remember that? Oh, is it so cute how anxious she is now? Guys, where you're in the car, in your drive where you're blowing the horn, people are ready to call the cops on you because, you know, you think that's gonna make them go. Let me tell you something. I've tried that one. And you know what they do when you blow the horn? They slow down intentionally. Amen. There are issues and things that we have to deal with in our marriage and in our relationships. And so we understand that we're both flawed in a marriage or in the church. And so we have to endeavor that is, have be intentional about unity. And so it is within the church, we have to be intentional if we're going to be united. We're intentional also because it is a witness to the gospel, the power of the gospel, that everyone can come in here from different ethnicities and economic situations or what have you. And we are one in Christ as a witness to the world because they go, how do you do that? It's because we're in Christ. It's a testimony to the gospel. Because the gospel is about being one with God and one with being made one with God through faith in Christ and one with one another. And it's a testament to, and it's an answer to the prayer of Christ. Jesus prayed in John 17:21. He said, Father, and he was praying for us. I pray not just for those who are, who are here now, but those in the future, Father, make them one as you and I are one. That the world might believe that you sent the Son. How is the world going to believe that God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whosoever will believe in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life when we can't get along. That's why the devil likes us divided, because nobody will believe your message when Christians are being divorced, when Christians can't stay in the same room with each other, they will never believe our gospel, the gospel of Christ. So that's why unity is so essential. And then secondly, we look here at the threshold, if you will, of prayer. We find Jesus reminding us of our Father's location. Our Father who art where in heaven. He's in heaven. What is Jesus saying there? He's saying that anything that you feel you're underneath God is over. Anything you feel God is that you're underneath. I'm underneath. And you know, my outgo is more than my income or whatever my situation is. God is greater than whatever we might be underneath. He's in heaven. He reigns on high. He is the ultimate authority, sovereign over all things. Whatever you are under right now, I'm here to tell you God is over. He's not looking for a solution. He is the solution. Amen. I can do all things, Paul said, through Christ who strengthens me. And then thirdly, Jesus talks about reverence at the threshold of prayer. He says, hallowed be your name. Hallowed simply means holy. Holy be your name. You know, God is holy as we need to be reminded that you know. And if you've got this bumper sticker on your car, you know, we'll give you a razor blade so you can shave it off after the service. No, I'm kidding. But you've seen the bump. The bumper sticker says, God is my co pilot. No, God's piloting a plane. Amen. I'm in the passenger seat. You know, where he wills. That's where I want to go. And I understand what the sentiment behind it, but it's like, no, God is. He is the one controlling all things. He is guiding my Life. He is holy. He is the one that is large, as they say, and in charge. Reverence is an essential part of prayer, to know that when we approach God, that he's holy. Nadab and Abihu, they were two of four of Aaron's four sons. Aaron was the first high priest in Israel, and he had four sons. Two of them, Nadab and Abihu. These two guys, they came before God in an irreverent way. And fire came out from the altar. You have to go back and read it in Leviticus, chapter 10. But fire came out from the altar and consumed them. God burnt them. God killed them, turned two of his boys into crispy critters right before Aaron and Moses. And the Bible says in Leviticus, chapter 10, verse 3. And Moses said to Aaron, this is what the Lord spoke saying, by those who came or who come near me, I must be regarded as holy. And before all the people, I must be glorified. So Aaron had held his peace. Now you're a dad, just saw your two kids turned into crispy critters, and you can't say anything about it, lest you be seen as being someone who's at odds against God's decision. And Aaron knew he had to hold his peace. We sometimes take the humanity out of some of the things in scripture, but you imagine being a father who experienced that, realizing his sons were in the wrong and yet not disagreeing with God's decision. Because God said, anyone who comes to me must regard me as holy. God is not your buddy. He's not your co pilot. He's not your pal. He's God and he's holy. Amen. Respect is something that is so important and. And approaching God. Approach the Lord with respect, with reverence before the Lord. God demands respect. My mother, who was 92, she would tell us when we were coming up, she would say, I'm not asking for respect. I demand it. I'm still afraid of my mother. She's 92 years old. But what she was teaching us is to be reverent, to be respectful. And they raised us, you know, to do that in relationship to adults and all of that. My folks are from the South. And so, you know, we learned to come up, you know, with that respect and say, yes, ma' am and no, ma' am and yes, sir, no, sir, and all of that, you know, but it was a sign that it was a culture of respect that we were raised up in, and we are to respect the Lord. God is holy. The fourth thing that we find in the threshold Here is we find purpose. Why do I say purpose? Because Jesus said, pray this way. Your kingdom come, your will be done. What is the purpose of prayer? Well, get stuff from God. No, the purpose of prayer is God's kingdom to come and God's will to be done. God's kingdom to come and God's will to be done in my marriage. Not for my wife to get right and to do things that I the way I want her to do it. But Lord, your kingdom come, your will be done in my marriage. That's the purpose of prayer. It kind of changes our perspective on prayer. And that when I do pray, Lord, I'm not seeking your hand, just give me stuff. God, I'm seeking your heart. What is the will of God really? Husbands, pray for your wives to be the woman that God wants her to be, not the woman you want her to be. Wives, pray for your husband that he might be the man God has called him to be, not the man that you want him to be. And God is going to do it totally different than you think it ought to be done. Amen. It's called faith. Trusting the Lord. Lord, your will be done. Jesus trusted in the will of the father. John, chapter 4, verse 34. He said, My food is to do my Father's will and to finish the work that he has given me. My food. That which nourishes my soul, that nourishes me is that is doing my Father's will. That was the prayer of our Lord. That's what Jesus came to do. The Father's will, not his own will. He's the Son of God. And so it is with our Heavenly Father. The Bible tells us in Psalm 37, verse 4, that we should delight in the Lord also. If we delight in the Lord also, that he shall give us the desires of our heart. You know why? Because. Because the key word, the operative word, the conditional clause, if you will, is delight in the Lord. And I wonder sometimes the reason. Maybe the prayer hasn't been being answered. Maybe we're not delighting in him because we're asking. We're really delighting in a thing that we want from God. That's what we really want. But we're not delighting in him. Because the attitude ought to be, lord, if you never give it to me, if I have you, I've got all I need. Delight thyself in the Lord. Amen. The next step that Jesus takes us down is or teaches his disciples about in praying. He says it's petitioning God, give us this day. Our daily bread. Amen. He didn't say, give us this day our weekly bread. I go on Sunday to get fed spiritually. No, it's daily again. Tells us something about prayer. What God expects us to communicate with him daily. It's not weekly bread. It's not monthly bread. It's not yearly bread. It's not Christmas and Easter bread. It's daily. And we are to seek him each and every day. Petition him. Well, the key to petitioning God is our priority. Why do I say that? Because the Bible tells us. And Jesus said In Matthew, chapter 6, verses 33 and 34, he says, let's seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these other things that be added to you. What is that about? That's about priority. So there's things that we need, Lord, bills to be paid, or whatever it is. But, Lord, we seek you first. When you get your priorities straight, then God will bring the other things. But you've got to delight in the Lord. You've got to seek him first. And all the other things to be added. Then he talks about confession in verse 12. And he said in verse 12, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. Forgive us our debts. Some translations. Our sins, our trespasses, as we forgive the sins or trespasses of others. That's confession. That's confessing. Lord, I need forgiveness. And I need to forgive those who have sinned against me. If you're always forgiving other people but not asking for forgiveness for yourself, there may be something wrong. And maybe that you're real good at seeing the speck in other people's eyes, but you can't see the beam sticking out of your own. But, Lord, I confess. Forgive me. But, Lord, help me to forgive others. And how do we forgive them? Well, the Bible tells us in verses 14 and 15, Jesus adds this little caveat. I think it's interesting. After the. After what? We call the Lord's Prayer, the Disciples prayer, actually, he says this. For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. Phew. Praise the Lord. Isn't that good? Keep reading. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your father forgive you. Forgive, rather, your trespasses. Whoa. Amen. You want motivation for forgiving. And I tell people, you know, 50 years of marriage, one of the key things in our marriage, we exercise all the time, and that is forgiveness extending to one another the same grace that God has extended to you. And then Jesus talks about deliverance, teaches his disciples about deliverance and pray that God would deliver you. Verse 13, he says, and do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one, the evil one that is the devil. Deliver me from the devil's agenda, from what he wants me to do. Lord, help me to walk in your will. But, Lord, deliver us. How does he deliver us? If we will walk in the light as he is in the light. We have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Christ cleanses us from all sins. How do we walk in the light? That's the light of God's word. If the light's on, you can't be. You can't walk in darkness. If the light's on, you won't be deceived. We must remain in the word of God. Amen. So keep the light on. Make sure as you're praying that you're praying also according to God's word. According to his word and His. His word is his will. First Corinthians. Excuse me. Chapter 10, verses 9, verse 9 says, there's no temptation has overtaken us but that which is common to man. But God with the temptation, will deliver us from that temptation. I love that. How does he deliver us? It's by his word again. So if God's going to deliver us, deliver me, Lord, from. From the evil one. Well, keep the light on. Stay in his word. Stay close to God. In conclusion, I Believe Ephesians chapter 3, verses 17 to 19, really summarizes the importance of prayer and why we pray. What does it say? Well, Ephesians 3, verses 17 to 19. It says that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend not by yourself. Christianity is not in a vacuum, but with all the saints. What is the width and length and depth and height to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge? Amen. That you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Pastor, why should I pray that you may be filled with all the fullness of God? Jesus taught us to pray. And Paul the Apostle said, pray church without ceasing. Pray when you get cut off on the road. Pray when you have problems in your head. Pray without ceasing. Why? Because God wants an endless relationship with you. He is with us in all things. May the Lord richly bless each and every one of you. And may God encourage you and bless you as you pray. Father, we thank you for your word. We thank you that Jesus took time, our Lord and Savior, to instruct us how to pray. Bless this, your people, this precious congregation. Bless your servant, Pastor Gary and his beautiful wife Terry. Lord, thank you so much for what you're doing here. I give you all the praise and all the glory in Jesus name, amen. God bless you all. Thank you.