Continue Upright
To have a vibrant prayer life, we must prioritize being upright and acting in strict integrity and straightforwardness.
C.H. Spurgeon emphasizes the significance of being upright in our lives, as the prayer of the upright is a delight to God, according to Proverbs 15:8. He urges believers to maintain integrity and straightforwardness, warning that any deviation from this path can hinder our prayers. Spurgeon reassures that God values the sincerity of our prayers over their eloquence, encouraging us to approach Him with childlike faith. He calls for a commitment to prayer, highlighting that it is a privilege that brings joy to both God and His children. Ultimately, Spurgeon reminds us that our prayers should be abundant, as they are a source of delight for the Lord.
Text
The prayer of the upright is his delight. (Proverbs 15:8)
This is as good as a promise, for it declares a present fact, which will be the same throughout all ages. God takes great pleasure in the prayers of upright men; He even calls them His delight. Our first concern is to be upright. Neither bending this way nor that, continue upright; not crooked with policy, nor prostrate by yielding to evil, be you upright in strict integrity and straightforwardness. If we begin to shuffle and shift, we shall be left to shift for ourselves. If we try crooked ways, we shall find that we cannot pray, and if we pretend to do so, we shall find our prayers shut out of heaven.
Are we acting in a straight line and thus following out the Lord's revealed will? Then let us pray much and pray in faith.
If our prayer is God's delight, let us not stint Him in that which gives Him pleasure. He does not consider the grammar of it, nor the metaphysics of it, nor the rhetoric of it; in all these men might despise it. He, as a Father, takes pleasure in the lispings of His own babes, the stammerings of His newborn sons and daughters. Should we not delight in prayer since the Lord delights in it? Let us make errands to the throne. The Lord finds us enough reasons for prayer, and we ought to thank Him that it is so.
Sermon Outline
- The Importance of Uprightness
- God's Delight in the Prayers of the Upright
- Delighting in Prayer
- Definition of Uprightness
- Consequences of Not Being Upright
- God's Pleasure in Upright Prayers
- The Lord's Will and Prayer
- The Father's Pleasure in Prayer
- Reasons for Prayer
Key Quotes
“The prayer of the upright is his delight.” — C.H. Spurgeon
“He, as a Father, takes pleasure in the lispings of His own babes, the stammerings of His newborn sons and daughters.” — C.H. Spurgeon
Application Points
- We should make a conscious effort to be upright and act in a straight line, following the Lord's revealed will.
- We should delight in prayer, knowing that God takes pleasure in the prayers of the upright.
- We should thank God for the reasons He gives us to pray and make errands to the throne.