63b) Cultivating the Gift of Public Prayer #2

The point: Avoid all the language of indecent familiarity with God in public prayers, remembering His reverence and adoration.

Martin quotes Dabney's 'Sacred Rhetoric' to condemn meaningless repetition in prayer, arguing it betrays either mannerisms or a vacuity of heart, and lacks the literary merit of a well-written liturgy.

And he writes on page 347, It is a grave fault to repeat frequently and mechanically any formula of words as interjections, the names and titles of God, or favorite phrases. Inordinate repetition grates on every ear. These words, of course, betray either odious mannerisms or a vacuity of heart in the sacred service which is utterly profane. We sometimes hear the name of the majestic being to whom prayer is addressed repeated so heedlessly that it is a literal taking of that name, in vain. In a word, the mere commonplaces of devotional language are not the dress in which that soul clothes its d...

4:14 - 5:40 Read in full sermon

The point: Avoid all the language of indecent familiarity with God in public prayers, remembering His reverence and adoration.

Martin quotes Spurgeon's critique of 'unhallowed and sickening superabundance of endearing words' like 'dear Lord' when used as vain repetitions, suggesting it indicates a lack of understanding of the true relation between man and God.

in prayer, Spurgeon says on this point, is an unhallowed and sickening superabundance of endearing words. When dear Lord and blessed Lord and sweet Lord come over and over again as vain repetitions, they are among the worst of blots. And he says, I must confess I should feel no revulsion in my mind to the words dear Jesus if they fell from the lips of a Rutherford or a Hawker or a Herbert. But when I hear, fond and familiar expressions hackneyed by persons not at all remarkable for spirituality, I'm inclined to wish that they could, in some way or another, come to a better understanding of the...

6:58 - 8:10 Read in full sermon

The point: Avoid the assumption of a 'praying voice' that is qualitatively different from your normal speaking voice.

Martin uses the analogy of inhaling helium to alter one's voice to illustrate how some men adopt an unnatural 'praying voice' in the pulpit, which he finds artificial and distracting.

in our praying, but there should be no assumption of a praying voice, which is qualitatively different from the normal speaking voice. For instance, I've known of some men, they never talk to anybody under any circumstances with a tremor in their voice, but turn them loose behind the pulpit and it's, oh God, we thank thee this morning. And I have all I can do to keep from laughing. I find it hard to believe that there's something about the throne of grace that it emits some strange gases that affect the man's larynx. Now, the other day I did something I know you can do.

14:13 - 15:05 Read in full sermon

The point: Avoid indistinctness and insufficient volume in public prayers; speak distinctly and audibly.

Martin references Hannah's prayer, where she mumbled but was heard by God, to distinguish between acceptable private prayer and the need for distinctness in public prayer.

But God has no trouble sorting out your words because He hears not the language of the mind, the mouth, but of the heart. Hannah can be mumbling so that the priest thinks she's drunk and God hears that well-articulated prayer.

18:26 - 18:39 Read in full sermon

The point: Pray with your head up so your voice projects clearly as the mouthpiece of the congregation.

Martin quotes Porter, stating that 'the end of speaking is to be heard,' and that imperfect hearing leads to impatience, emphasizing the need for distinctness and volume in public prayer.

It is perfectly appropriate to get your head up so that your trumpet, your mouth, your teeth, your tongue, all of those instruments by which words are framed are up and out, and you're getting a maximum amount of use out of them in a very simple, and yet it strikes because of its simplicity, in a very simple way. Concerning this very point, Porter says, the end of speaking is to be heard. If you fail of this, you might better be silent. If you're heard imperfectly, and this is so true, you will be heard with impatience.

18:57 - 19:34 Read in full sermon

The point: Pray with your head up so your voice projects clearly as the mouthpiece of the congregation.

Martin shares a personal anecdote about his mother's hearing impairment to explain his sensitivity to indistinct and low-volume public speaking, highlighting the pain it causes those who wish to engage.

How do you feel in a prayer meeting when you can just barely hear a guy praying, and you're listening, and you're straining, you feel like saying, man, crank up the volume! And instead of being in a devotional frame, you get in an irritated carnal frame. Now, I'm more sensitive to this having been reared with a mother who was hard of hearing. I know the pain, the pain someone feels who longs to enter into conversation, to preaching, and to praying, but who has a hearing impairment.

19:35 - 20:04 Read in full sermon

The point: If you err in the length of public prayers, err on the side of being too short rather than too long.

Martin recounts an anecdote where a doctor interrupted a brother's excessively long prayer by announcing the next part of the service, illustrating the problem of prayers that go on too long.

our pastor had prayed longer this morning, than to have them have to fight the carnal notion, when in the world is he going to stop? And then if they're truly spiritual people, they'll be praying, Lord, forgive me. Forgive me for even thinking that wicked thought, that I should feel uncomfortable at the throne of grace, that I should be weary of praying, Lord. And you send them up on a guilt trip because of your own insensitivity to an appropriate length of time. And I know that's true, because I've sat more than once in situations where I've had to fight carnal risings in the midst of prayer,...

26:03 - 26:58 Read in full sermon

The point: Avoid a predictable length to your public prayers.

Martin shares a story about D.L. Moody doing something similar to interrupt a long prayer, which providentially led an unbeliever to listen to Moody's preaching and get converted, reinforcing the point about appropriate prayer length.

Dr. Is that right? Yeah. I don't know if I can verify that report, but I wouldn't put it beyond it. Yes. I know, I know, the But D.L. Moody did something similar to that. D.L. Moody did something similar to that, and it was the very thing God used as the hook to get a man's ears for his preaching later on. This man was an unbeliever, and it was evident to him that the guy was just going on too long, and when the preacher did that, he said, anyone that has good sense enough to do something like that is worthy to be listened to, so he stayed on to hear the gospel and got converted. So if you err...

27:25 - 28:14 Read in full sermon

The point: Establish the habit of praying 'in the Scriptures,' letting what you read become the substance of your prayers.

Martin quotes Doddridge, who advises praying over what one has read in Scripture, making it the substance of both private and public prayers, to frame approaches to God by His Word.

In an article on public prayer, Doddridge said, I have a habit of praying in the Scriptures. In an article on public prayer, Doddridge writes, Pray over what you have been reading, and seldom close your Bible or lay a book of practical divinity out of your hands without at least a short prayer formed upon it. In other words, let what you read in the Scriptures become the very substance of your prayers, in secret and also in public. This is another reason why we have the practice of our call to worship coming out of the reading of the Psalms and out of these rich portions in the book of the Rev...

32:34 - 33:52 Read in full sermon

The point: Establish a framework of constructive criticism for your public prayers, welcoming feedback from your wife, fellow elders, and discerning congregants.

Martin shares an encouraging incident where a congregant thanked him for a specific point in his final prayer about struggling with sin, demonstrating the impact of specific, Spirit-led prayer.

Someone came in and said, Pastor, thank you particularly for that one point in your final prayer when you prayed for those that are struggling with some particular sin. He said, that minister to my heart, that's me. He said, I've had a terrible battle this week with a particular area of my life. Someone I would have never had a clue.

37:04 - 37:23 Read in full sermon

The point: Establish a framework of constructive criticism for your public prayers, welcoming feedback from your wife, fellow elders, and discerning congregants.

Martin recounts a gracious criticism from a family member about omitting a certain type of prayer in a public meeting, illustrating the value of constructive feedback for prayer leadership.

And it was a tremendous encouragement to have that brother come. Well, in the same way, we may need on occasion to have someone come and say to us, well, you know, my brother, I feel that in your prayers such and such has been omitted. Someone this week in my own household made the suggestion. He said, you know, I don't mean to be critical.

37:23 - 37:44 Read in full sermon