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Payola Piety: Prayer. Matthew 6:5-8. Theme:. Matthew 6:1 Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. . Praying to be seen:. MANY PRAYERS
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Payola Piety: Prayer Matthew 6:5-8
Theme: • Matthew 6:1 • Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.
Praying to be seen: • MANY PRAYERS • Matthew 6:5 - When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand & pray in the synagogues & on the street corners so that they may be seen by men.
Praying to be seen: • MEANINGLESS REPETITIONS • Matthew 6:7 - And when you are pray-ing, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words.
Praying to Please Man: • The desire to be known as an excellent prayer leader or pray-er. • The desire to be known as a person of prayer. • The desire to inspire an audience to action. • The desire to overemphasize the formalities of prayer.
Praying to Please God: • Matthew 6:6, 8 - But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door & pray to your Father who is in secret, & your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you… 8 So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
Praying to Please God: Matt 6:6, 8 • This does not prohibit public prayers. • Acts 16:25; 12:5; 27:34-36 • Shut everyone, except God, out. • Matt 14:23 • Realize the nature of the ONE you are addressing. • Gen 16:13; 17:1; Psa 90:2
Our Heavenly Father • He cares (1 Pet 5:7) • He knows (Matt 10:30) • He anticipates (Matt 6:8) • He does more (Eph 3:20) • We must ask, seek, knock (Matt 7:7) • We must pray w/out ceasing (1 Th5:17) • We must pray & never doubt(Jas 1:5-7)
“Your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly”