When Thou Prayest

In this part of the sermon: Martin clarifies that Jesus is not discussing continuous 'attitude of prayer' or 'ejaculatory prayer' in emergencies, but rather specific, deliberate seasons of conscious…

Nehemiah's brief prayer before the king is used to illustrate spontaneous, emergency prayer, distinguishing it from the deliberate, secret prayer Jesus discusses.

This is not dealing with what we might call the attitude of prayer, which should be continuous. Nor is our Lord dealing with what we might call ejaculatory prayer, those kind of prayers when in an emergency, you lift your heart up to the Lord. The classic example in the scriptures is found in Nehemiah, where Nehemiah is standing before the king, and the king says, What do you want? And it says this, I prayed unto the Lord of heaven, and I said unto the king.

6:22 - 6:49 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin clarifies that Jesus is not discussing continuous 'attitude of prayer' or 'ejaculatory prayer' in emergencies, but rather specific, deliberate seasons of conscious…

A parent facing a child's potential lie is used as an example of an immediate, ejaculatory prayer for wisdom in a specific situation.

You see, he just lifted up his heart in a brief moment of intercession and prayer, and then he spoke. Now, that should be our experience throughout the day. We face a problem as a parent. Here's a situation.

6:49 - 7:02 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin clarifies that Jesus is not discussing continuous 'attitude of prayer' or 'ejaculatory prayer' in emergencies, but rather specific, deliberate seasons of conscious…

Praying during an impending car accident is given as another example of ejaculatory prayer, highlighting its immediate nature.

You cry to God in that immediate instance. Perhaps you're driving down the highway, and you see a situation developing, and it looks like you're about to be involved in an accident, and you lift your heart to the Lord, and then God sends an immediate answer. But our Lord is not talking about those two kinds of prayer. Now, they are legitimate forms of prayer.

7:16 - 7:33 Read in full sermon

The point: Examine your prayer life: if you are a stranger to secret, private prayer, you are a stranger to the grace of God.

A quote from a 130-year-old Presbyterian preacher emphasizes that habitual, secret prayer is essential evidence of conversion, not just occasional prayer in crisis.

I'm reading from a Presbyterian preacher who preached 130 years ago right here in New York City and listen to what he said, We do not ask whether you pray in secret now and then, whether you perform this duty on the Sabbath or some occasional seasons of unusual alarm or solemnity, in other words, you get a good case of the flu and you pray and ask the Lord to help you, or you get in particular straits of circumstances and you cry to God. No, we're not talking about going to God and whimpering about your problem. No, he says I'm not talking about that. But he says, Is prayer your habitual pract...

13:03 - 13:41 Read in full sermon

The point: Ask yourself: Do you pray? Do you know what it is to go into your closet to privately, secretly commune with God?

Several phrases from Bishop Ryle are quoted to assert that the habit of prayer is a sure mark of a true Christian, and a prayerless life is proof of not being born again.

To live without prayer is to live without God. And as Jonathan Edwards says, He who lives without God is not a Christian. Some of you were here Wednesday nights when we read through the section of Bishop Ryle on the subject of prayer. May I read just several phrases that are so very clear on this point?

14:37 - 14:58 Read in full sermon

The point: Beware of subtle motivations to pray in a certain way to gain approval from others, even pastors or friends.

Martin recounts an experience at a communion service where a preacher used his prayer to boast about leading someone to Christ, illustrating hypocritical prayer for human approval.

We're gathered at a communion service. It was a gathering of preachers and one of the men who was dispensing the elements was asked to lead in prayer and here we were remembering the very death of Christ as we shall do tonight for our sins. And this man was asked to lead in prayer thanking God for the poured out blood of the Lord Jesus or for His body that was given for us. Do you know what he did in his prayer?

23:49 - 24:13 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not leave any opportunity for your wicked heart to be swelled with pride by letting people know you have gone into your closet to pray.

An old preacher's analogy of a hen laying an egg in secret but cackling loudly is used to illustrate how people might pray in secret but subtly seek to make others aware of their piety.

Our Lord says we need to be shut in with Him for our own benefit and then I think our Lord is mentioning why leave the door open anybody passing by can see me on my knees so that we can say oh well I go into my closet to pray I don't stand in the street corner but the Lord says don't even leave any opportunity for your wicked heart to be swelled up with pride by letting people know that you have gone into your closet. As one old preacher said and I thought it was so interesting says the hen goes into her inner chamber to lay her egg but she cackles so loud everybody knows about it. You got it?...

31:12 - 32:40 Read in full sermon

The point: If you are without prayer, you are without grace; cast off your false hope and ask God to make you a new creature and give you the spirit of adoption.

Jonathan Edwards' account of a three-year-old girl weeping and praying for her neighbors is used to illustrate that true grace, even in a child, produces prayer.

three years of age her mother used to come in find her in her closet weeping praying for her little neighbors her little friends who didn't know the Lord Jesus now that's a rare exception but I believe God allows that to bring out the principle that grace in a three year old or a thirty year old will be grace that makes a man or woman pray and if you're without prayer beloved you're without grace if you know nothing of secret prayer you know nothing of the reconciling face of God through Christ and I plead with you to cast off your false hope and ask God to make you a new creature and give you...

41:25 - 42:53 Read in full sermon