Review

So far we have looked at two questions about prayer, "What is Prayer?" and "Why does prayer matter?" 

Inlooking at what is prayer we found two ways the Bible defines prayerfor us.  The first is as a memorial or a remembrance of what God hasdone; not for God to remember but use to remember.  The second was aincense before God's throne.  We looked at the very specific rules Godset down for the use of incense in the Old Testament, the formula wasgiven by and was not allowed to used for personal use, the incense hadto burn 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and we even saw how God took thelives of two men who offered burned incense that was not done the wayGod required it, and indication that the attitude of the offer-er ismore important that the offering.

Last week we looked at the question "Why pray?", or more specifically "Why does prayer matter?" We looked at 3 reason that prayer matters.  First, we say that prayerwas commanded.  We are told the "pray continually" in 1 Th 5:17.  To beobedient then to God, we are suppose to pray.  We read about how Godsays he would be near us when we pray (Deu 4:7).  We talked about howthere is nothing we can do on our own to come near to God, but throughprayer, God will come near to us (James 4:8).  We remembered themention in the Old Testament about turning toward the Temple to prayand how (since the direction you pray is irrelevant) it must have beena symbol of turning toward God.  We talked again about how we needprayer time that is 100% focused on God with no distractions.  Lastly,we looked at how prayer could keep us from falling into temptation.  Weknow that temptation is born out of our own evil desires (James1:14-15), but Jesus said to "watch and pray so that you will not fallinto temptation."  In other words, prayer can keep us from giving intothe temptations we all deal with because our flesh has it's own desires.

Does location matter?

Doeswhere you are at matter to God?  Does he hear you better when you arealone what when you are driving?  No, so does it really matter where wepray?  Maybe this verse will sound Where are some of the places youpray?  In your car?  In bed at night, or maybe morning?  Do you kneelat the side of the bed, or maybe a chair when you pray?  Do you go fora walk?  Maybe you have a special room set aside to pray in, literallyfamiliar to you, then I'll ask again.

Matthew 6:6 NIV  Butwhen you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to yourFather, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done insecret, will reward you.

So, does that verse change youranswer?  Why or why not?  Let's look at the examples of Jesus when heprays and see what it shows us.

Jesus Prays alone

Matthew 14:17-23 NIV  "We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish," they answered.  (18)  "Bring them here to me,"he said.  (19)  And he directed the people to sit down on the grass.Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, hegave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples,and the disciples gave them to the people.  (20)  They all ate and weresatisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketful's of brokenpieces that were left over.  (21)  The number of those who ate wasabout five thousand men, besides women and children.  (22)  ImmediatelyJesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him tothe other side, while he dismissed the crowd.  (23)  After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,

Matthew 26:36 NIV  Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray."

Mark 1:35 NIV  Very early in the morning, while it was still dark,Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where heprayed.

Luke 5:16 NIV  But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

Luke 6:12 NIV  One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.

Luke9:28 NIV  About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, Johnand James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray.


Wecan see from the very example Jesus demonstrated that He did practiceprivate prayer.  Does this change any ones mind about the location ofprayer being important?


What about this example from a miracle that Jesus did.

John 11:41-42 NIV  So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me.  (42)  Iknew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of thepeople standing here, that they may believe that you sent me."

Nowwait, this is a public prayer!  Didn't Jesus say to pray in private? Didn't he demonstrate that by His own prayer times, then what is thedifference?

The differences between the two can be see in Mat 6:5, where we see the reason Jesus said to pray in your room.

Matthew 6:5-6 NIV  "Andwhen you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to praystanding in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men.I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.  (6)  Butwhen you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to yourFather, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done insecret, will reward you.

There are really two things going on here, the first being the reason you are praying.

Prayer Attitude

Wehave already talked about the attitude we have when we approach God. We saw in Aaron's sons that offered stranger fire to God that theirvery lives were demanded of them because they did not understand theseriousness of what they were doing.  We also saw in Ananias andSapphira lives how they decided to deceive God and also paid the pricefor not understanding the serious nature of it all.  Jesus give a fullwarning about these men in Mark.
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Mark 12:38- NIV  As he taught, Jesus said, "Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted in the marketplaces,  (39)  and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 

Thesemen are not thinking about God but about themselves.  It is all aboutthem and what they get out it.  The power of the priests robe.  Onemore example give by Jesus in the form of a parable.

Luke 18:10-14 NIV  "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  (11)  ThePharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I amnot like other men-robbers, evildoers, adulterers-or even like this taxcollector.  (12)  I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'  (13)  "Butthe tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up toheaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'  (14)  "Itell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justifiedbefore God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he whohumbles himself will be exalted."

Our attitude matters! I find it interesting that God has shown me in all the weeks so farabout our attitude in prayer.  I wonder if when I wrap this up if thatwill not be the overriding theme of these lessons, attitude matters. Talking to God is serious business and we need to treat it as such. Sure, He's our Abba father, our Daddy, but that doesn't make it anyless serious.  If you get pulled over by a police officer and they askfor you license and registration, how many people will give the officea bad attitude?  Me, I all, "Yes Sir," and "No Sir."  I'm not messingaround with this guy because he could make things really rough on me. Don't you think God could "make things rough on us" if we give Him somebad attitude?

Prayer Position

So once again I ask, does itmatter where you pray?  After all we have talked about what do youthink?  No, I'm not summing it up yet, because I think there is animportant item we need to get here.  Jesus did say to "go into yourroom" and pray, and I don't believe that the only reason was to not belike the "hypocrites."  Jesus Himself went alone to pray, yet He alsoprayed in public.  What was the difference?  The difference was inpurpose.  In the prayer for Lazarus, Jesus clearly states that thisvocalized, public prayer was not for Himself but to as a witness toeveryone else.  Compare that to his private prayers.  Most of them wedon't even know what he prayed about. The one we really do know what Heprayed can be found in Luke 22 among other places

Luke 22:39-46NIV  Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciplesfollowed him.  (40)  On reaching the place, he said to them, "Pray that you will not fall into temptation."  (41)  He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed,  (42)  "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." (43)  An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.  (44) And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was likedrops of blood falling to the ground.  (45)  When he rose from prayerand went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted fromsorrow.  (46)  "Why are you sleeping?" he asked them. "Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation."

Thiswas not a prayer for others, or a prayer for trivial things, this wasserious time alone with Abba Father.  This was serious business (didyou note the sweat like drops of blood, how many of use have prayerthat hard).  These times alone in prayer I believe were just that,serious time with God the Father.  These were not times He brought upHis feet that hurt from all the walking, or Peters stomach illness fromlast nights bad fish, or even prayers for Thomas's faith that he wouldnot be so full of doubt.  No I believe these were times of an intensepouring out the heart of Jesus and an intense pouring in of the heartof God.  These are the times we need more of.  These are the times Ibelieve we are missing the most, why we don't have the fire that weshould or the excitement we should, or the humility and compassion weshould.  I know in my life I need this more.  Are you in the sameplace?  Would you admit it if you were?

Closing

So, does where we pray matter?  Where should we pray?  Thoughts?


Ibelieve that where we are does not affect God's ability to hear us, butI do believe it affect our ability to hear God.  Sure God can "speak"to us anywhere, but when there is not other distraction around, when nomusic is playing, when the kids aren't running in the room every 5minutes, when we have set aside the time specifically for God, then Ithink we are ready to really pray, to really hear God's response.  Isit easy, no, but is it worth it?  What do you think?  What are yougoing to do about it?