Pastor Jonathan Hart preaches “It’s Simpler Than You Think” in Part 1 of the sermon series, “How Can I Pray at a Time Like This?”
Matthew
6:5-8 (NIV)
5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to
pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen
by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in
full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and
pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is
done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do
not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard
because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for
your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Luke 18:9-14 (NIV)
9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked
down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two
men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a
tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed:
‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers,
adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice
a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ 13 “But the tax
collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven,
but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ 14 “I tell
you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before
God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those
who humble themselves will be exalted.”
