HOTLINE TO HEAVEN (3 OF 4)
Scripture: MATTHEW 6:5-15
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HOTLINE TO HEAVEN (3 of 4)
Dr. James Merritt
Matthew 6:5-15
1-20-02
INTRODUCTION
1. There was a minister in a certain church who would
call the children down to the front of the church
every Sunday and tell them a story. One time he
brought a telephone to illustrate the idea of prayer.
He said, "Now kids, you know how you talk to people
on the telephone and you don't see them on the end of
the other line, but you know they are there?" The
children nodded their head yes. He said, "Well
talking to God is like talking on the telephone. He's
on the other end of the line even though you can't see
Him, but He's listening." About that time a little boy
piped up and said, "What's His number?"
2. Well, that is a good question. Because do you
know how to get in touch with God? Or maybe you feel
like the cartoon character, Ziggy, which showed him
one time standing on a mountain, and he was staring
right up into the sky. The sky is dark; there's only
one lonely cloud up there, and frame after frame after
frame shows Ziggy just staring straight up, and then
the last frame he yells "Have I been put on hold for
the rest of my life?"
3. I found it very interesting to discover that
according to a Gallup poll, 78% of Americans pray once
a week, and 57% of Americans pray at least once a day;
91% of women and 85% of men pray at least
occasionally. Now obviously, the reason why people
pray is because they think prayer is effective. But
that raises a question. Just how effective is their
praying?
4. Nobody who has ever lived knew more about praying
than the Lord Jesus Christ. He tells us in this
passage how we can make sure we connect with God every
time we pray. He tells us literally how to get on the
hotline to heaven.
I. AS YOU PRAY, PRAY SECRETLY
1. The Lord Jesus takes it for granted that His
people will pray. In verse 5 He said, "when you
pray," not "if you pray." ...
Dr. James Merritt
Matthew 6:5-15
1-20-02
INTRODUCTION
1. There was a minister in a certain church who would
call the children down to the front of the church
every Sunday and tell them a story. One time he
brought a telephone to illustrate the idea of prayer.
He said, "Now kids, you know how you talk to people
on the telephone and you don't see them on the end of
the other line, but you know they are there?" The
children nodded their head yes. He said, "Well
talking to God is like talking on the telephone. He's
on the other end of the line even though you can't see
Him, but He's listening." About that time a little boy
piped up and said, "What's His number?"
2. Well, that is a good question. Because do you
know how to get in touch with God? Or maybe you feel
like the cartoon character, Ziggy, which showed him
one time standing on a mountain, and he was staring
right up into the sky. The sky is dark; there's only
one lonely cloud up there, and frame after frame after
frame shows Ziggy just staring straight up, and then
the last frame he yells "Have I been put on hold for
the rest of my life?"
3. I found it very interesting to discover that
according to a Gallup poll, 78% of Americans pray once
a week, and 57% of Americans pray at least once a day;
91% of women and 85% of men pray at least
occasionally. Now obviously, the reason why people
pray is because they think prayer is effective. But
that raises a question. Just how effective is their
praying?
4. Nobody who has ever lived knew more about praying
than the Lord Jesus Christ. He tells us in this
passage how we can make sure we connect with God every
time we pray. He tells us literally how to get on the
hotline to heaven.
I. AS YOU PRAY, PRAY SECRETLY
1. The Lord Jesus takes it for granted that His
people will pray. In verse 5 He said, "when you
pray," not "if you pray." ...
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