The Secret Life of Successful Christians: Part 2 - Prayer

The Secret Life 

Of Successful Christians

Introduction: 

"Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven." -Matthew 6:1

In chapter 6 of Matthew, Jesus is giving us practical instruction on Christian living. Specifically, He causes us to focus on our motives. Whom, exactly, are we trying to please? It is entirely possible, it seems, to spend a lifetime doing "righteous" things and yet, not be right with God. Jesus tells us to "beware" of the temptation to live for the applause of people. He further tells us, that if that is our motivation, we forfeit any heavenly reward.

Part 2: Praying in Secret

"And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. "And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him." - Matthew 6:5-8 ESV

Prayer is Important

Prayer is our opportunity to individually converse with our heavenly Father. Prayer is our audience with God.  In prayer we honor him. In prayer we worship, ask forgiveness, and make petition. In prayer we seek his guidance for our lives.

Avoiding Hypocrisy

The word Hypocrite comes from the Greek word hypokritēs which literally means "actor". In Jesus' day it did not necessarily have the same negative connotation that we associate with the word "hypocrite" today. Jesus is telling us not behave as an actor on a stage playing to the crowd. We are not to seek the applause, fanfare or even approval of the people around us. We are to pray secretly. The reward we seek must not be the praise of people, but the approval of God.

Prayer is the sincere conversation between the heart of the believer and the Heavenly Father. We do not earn an audience with God in prayer. Jesus earned that audience for us. Prayer is not a ritual. Chants or grandiose oratories do not impress Him. What he seeks is purity of heart.

"I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling;" [1 Timothy 2:8 ESV] 

Things to ponder...

• Do I consider prayer to be a vital part of my daily life?

• How often do I pray?

• What does the Bible mean with the phrase “pray without ceasing," [1 Thessalonians 5:17 ESV]?

• Name some important components of prayer:

• How and when should I approach God in prayer?  

Significant verses regarding prayer...

"For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."" [1 Peter 3:12 ESV]

"do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." [Philippians 4:6 ESV] 

"Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving." [Colossians 4:2 ESV] 

"For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer." [1 Timothy 4:4-5 ESV] 

"And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." [James 5:15-16 ESV]

To view the next lesson, click HERE.

The Secret Life of Successful Christians: Part 1- Giving

The Secret Life

Of Successful Christians

Introduction:

"Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven." -Matthew 6:1

In chapter 6 of Matthew, Jesus is giving us practical instruction on Christian living. Specifically, He causes us to focus on our motives. Whom, exactly, are we trying to please? It is entirely possible, it seems, to spend a lifetime doing "righteous" things and yet, not be right with God. Jesus tells us to "beware" of the temptation to live for the applause of people. He further tells us, that if that is our motivation, we forfeit any heavenly reward.

Part 1: Giving in Secret

 "Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you." - Matthew 6:2-4 ESV

Giving is Important

Giving of our time and substance to the kingdom of God is essential for the spiritual health of the Christian. Jesus also said,

"If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?" - Luke 16:11 ESV

In Matthew 25 Jesus tells about the coming judgment of the nations. The litmus test between the "sheep" and the "goats" is determined by the way in which the "least of these" were treated in regard to their physical needs.

Avoiding Hypocrisy

The word Hypocrite comes from the Greek word hypokritēs which literally means "actor". In Jesus' day it did not necessarily have the same negative connotation that we associate with the word "hypocrite" today. Jesus is telling us not behave as an actor on a stage playing to the crowd. We are not to seek the applause, fanfare or even approval of the people around us. We are to give secretly and silently. The reward we seek must not be the praise of people, but the approval of God.

In Luke 10, Jesus tells the parable of the "Good Samaritan". Neither the priest nor the Levite stopped to help the hurt man. Why? Perhaps it was because no one was there to witness the act of compassion. This gives us an example of "secret giving".

Things to ponder...

1. Do I only give if my giving is "tax deductible"?

2. Should I avoid public giving because someone might see me?

3. Do I ever put something small in the offering because others might be watching and disapprove if they don't see me give?

4. Would I feel jealous if someone else was publicly praised for my contribution, gift or idea?

5. How important is it to show an example of giving to those over which I have influence (ie. my children)?

6. How does the following verse apply to this subject?

"So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works." James 2:17-18 ESV

To view the next lesson, click HERE.