The focus this month of March is prayer. Prayer is something which most Christians do without even thinking. We normally go through a routine of how we pray and we speak supposedly to God and if we aren’t careful it becomes a rut and a drag to pray, due to it being a repetition. I want you to consider how good is your praying? Do you rate it as a success or do you need to work on it? It sometimes concerns me when I hear someone pray and it sounds like they are praying to show how many big words they know as if they are going to get a reward for the glorious sounding prayer. The Bible lays out an example of how to pray.
Please turn in your Bible’s to Matt 6:9-13
Mt 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Mt 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Mt 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.
Mt 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Mt 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Your prayer should include;
1. Showing Honor to Our Heavenly Father (vs. 9)
2. Submission to Our Father’s will (vs. 10)
3. (Thanks) Supplying of All Our Needs (vs. 11)
4. Show compassion on others as God does with you (vs. 12)
ACC - Forms of prayer were frequent among the Jews; and every public teacher gave one to his disciples. We have the form laid out for us in our scripture reading.
1. Showing Honor to Our Heavenly Father (vs. 9)
a. Don Jaques (jackwez) - The starting place for effective prayer is the place of “hallowing” of God’s name. But what does that mean?
hal•low
1 To make or set apart as holy.
2 To respect or honor greatly; revere.
b. Barnes – This same prayer is also in Lu 11:2-4 varies from the form given in Matthew, showing that he intended not to prescribe this as a form of prayer to be used always, but to express the substance of our petitions.
c. To “hallow” God’s name is to respect and honor God. We demonstrate this by recognizing, in prayer, that He is mighty, awesome, holy. It is approaching God with the attitude described throughout the scriptures as “the fear of the Lord”.
d. Think of coming into the presence of the President of the United States. I don’t care who the President is….the office is what is respected….would you say, “ Hey what’s up Prez? Or address the president as George, Bill, or whoever it is. No you would be very self conscious of everything you do and say, Mr. President and show deep respect for him due to the awesomeness of the office.
e. How much more respect we should show our Heavenly Father when we go to him in prayer.
f. (Vs. 9) Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. It is hallow, it is Holy nothing in this world compares to our Father in Heaven. We need to show reverence to God in our prayers and not only in our prayers, but this is the House of God. Its His House so we need to show reverence in it. When you walk into the sanctuary show reverence, it’s Hallow….set aside for God’s use. Don’t holler across the isle to your friend, talk with reverence and show you honor God.
g. In some churches this is actually called "the holy table".
h. The word "sanctuary" comes from the word in Latin, "sanctus" which means "holy"
i. The starting place for effective prayer is the place of “hallowing” of God’s name. But what does that mean?
hal•low
1 To make or set apart as holy.
2 To respect or honor greatly; revere.
This sanctuary has been set aside to worship God. Lets show a holy reverence. Lets get practical
Kids – no running, no shouting
Adults – talking and laughing are good, but do it in a reverent tone (inside the sanctuary) Out in the lobby is out of the sanctuary, but we still need to be careful this building is dedicated to God. Adults: If you show reverence, then the youth and younger ones will follow your example. (We are pitiful in some of our churches) We don’t respect our sanctuaries. I remember some being called down in different groups I have been with when we have visited Catholic churches overseas. So…..look out…don’t be surprised if your pastor calls you down.
Showing Honor to God will make submission to his will easier
2. Submission to Our Father’s will (vs. 10)
j. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
k. We are showing we are God’s servant and what he says we will do. If you would treat your employer and are as dependable to them as you are to God. How long would you stay employed?
l. Vs. 10 Thy kingdom come ACC - The ancient Jews described: He prays not at all, in whose prayers there is no mention of the kingdom of God.
m. ACC - God has promised that the kingdom of Christ shall be exalted above all kingdoms.
n. Barnes - The will of God is, that men should obey his law, and be holy.
o. The word will, here, has reference to his law, and to what would be acceptable to him; that is, righteousness. To pray, then, that his will may be done on earth as in heaven, is to pray that his law, his revealed will, may be obeyed and loved. His law is perfectly obeyed in heaven, and his true children most passionately desire and pray that it may also be done on the earth.
p. Sometimes accepting God’s desire for your life may be difficult….We are not alone, Jesus had difficulty accepting the will of the Father with his death on the cross.
q. Mt 26:39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
r. Mt 26:42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.
Desiring God’s will leads to him taking care of all our needs
3. Supplying of All Our Needs (vs. 11)
s. ACC - Bread, sufficient for our substance and support
t. The custom of travelers in the east, who were wont to reserve a part of the food given them the preceding evening to serve for their breakfast or dinner the next day. But as this was not sufficient for the whole day, they were therefore obliged to depend on the providence of God for the additional supply.
u. Our daily bread. Barnes - The word bread here denotes, doubtless, everything necessary to sustain life. This petition implies our dependence on God for the supply of our wants. As we are dependent on him one day as much as another
v. PNTC - Give us this day our daily bread. We are bidden to ask for our bread, not for future years, but for "this day."
w. George Mueller? One day he looked down the streets of Bristol, England, & saw 100’s of homeless children. He was so moved with concern for them that he decided that something had to be done.
He had only two pence in his pocket. That’s two cents. But he decided to start an orphanage. In 60 years, beginning with two pence, George Mueller took care of 10,000 orphans. He looked out & saw homeless kids. He could have said, "But, I don’t have any money. But, there is no way to care for them, to meet their needs, to buy the food." Instead, he looked at them & said, "Therefore, I will reach out & help them." And God blessed his efforts in a mighty way. He told amazing stories of answered prayers. One night there was no food in the orphanage to give to the children for breakfast. But at 3:00 in the morning a baker called him up & said, "I just can’t sleep. I’m going down to the bakery to bake some bread. Would it be all right for me to bring some over to you this morning?" One time a milk truck just happened to break down in front of the orphanage on a day when they had no milk. The truck driver came in & said, "This milk is all going to spoil. Would you like some of it?" And their need was met. When we get accustom to relying on God.
We then need to show compassion on others as God has on us
4. Show compassion on others as God does with you (vs. 12)
x. Mt 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
y. PNTC - Our Lord makes it a condition of our obtaining forgiveness, that we shall have a merciful, forgiving spirit.
z. Matt 18:21-22 Peter comes to Jesus and asks about forgiveness and how much we should forgive our brother. Jesus answers….seventy times seven.
aa. Lu 11:4 And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
bb. ) Luke 11:4 has "sins". In the ancient Greek it was common for actual legal debts but here it is used of moral and spiritual debts to God.
cc. Bob McDaniel - A readiness to forgive others is part of the witness or testimony that we have truly repented. To forgive is to be whole-hearted. It springs from Christ’s forgiveness of us, and it is to be like Christ’s forgiveness
dd. Col 3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
The Encouraging news is we have the model here to pray and when we pray we can know that God is hearing, but we need to be determined to pray through on whatever it is we are taking to the lord.
When you pray, don’t get discouraged when you don’t get an answer, but determine to pray through.
(Ps 55:19) God shall hear!
Cowman, Charles Mrs., Springs in the Valley, Charles M Alexander writes many years ago, “I was standing at a bank counter in Liverpool waiting for a clerk to come. I picked up a pen and began to print on a blotter in large letters two words which had gripped me like a vise: PRAY THROUGH. I kept talking to a friend and printing until I had the desk blotter filled from top to bottom with a column. I transacted my business and went away. The next day my friend came to see me, and said he had a striking story to tell.
A business man came into the bank soon after we had gone. He had grown discouraged with business troubles. He started to transact some business with the same clerk, over that blotter. He asked who wrote those words and when he was told exclaimed, That is the very message I needed. ˜I will pray through.” I have tried in my own strength to worry through, and have merely mentioned my trouble to God, now I am going to pray the situation through until I get light.
Don’t stop praying, but have more trust;
Don’t stop praying! For pray we must;
Faith will banish a mount of care;
Don’t stop praying! God will answer prayer.
Charles M Alexander
Lettie Cowman - All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for what I have not seen!
With giving Honor to God who is worthy and submitting all of our will to his desires. God will take complete care of us as we show other the care in which God has shown us.
How are your prayers to God? Are they just quick sound bits of asking him for your needs or are you praying to him and praying through, or taking extend time and effort to petition our Heavenly Father.
