Matthew 6:5,6. Some people, especially the religious leaders, wanted to be seen as ‘’holy’’, and public prayer was one way to get attention. Jesus saw through their self-righteous acts, however, and taught that the essence of prayer is not public style but private communication with God. There is a place for public prayer, but to pray only where others will notice you indicates that your real audience is not God. Some have concluded that Jesus’ directions about private prayer call into question all public prayer. Jesus’ own practice indicates this wasn’t his intention. The Gospels record Jesus at prayer both privately and publicly. Again, Jesus was drawing attention to the motives behind actions. The point really wasn’t a choice between public and private prayer but between heartfelt and hypocritical prayer. When asked to pray in public, focus on addressing God, not on how you’re coming across to others.
Matthew 6:7,8. Repeating the same words over and over like a magic incantation is no way to ensure that God will hear your prayer. It’s not wrong to come to God many times with the same requests, Jesus encourages persistent prayer. But he condemns the shallow repetition of words that are offered with a sincere heart. We can never pray to much if our prayers are honest and sincere. Before you start to pray, make sure you mean what you say.
Matthew 6: 9. This is often called the Lord’s Prayer because Jesus gave it to the disciples as a model for them (and us) to keep in mind as we pray. Jesus provided a pattern to be imitated as well as duplicated. We should praise God, pray for his work in the world, pray for our daily needs, and pray for help in our daily struggles. To what extent do you use the items in the Lord’s Prayer to guide your own prayer times?
The phrase ‘’Our Father in heaven’’ indicates that God is not only majestic and holy, but also personal and loving. The first line of this model prayer is a statement of praise and a commitment to hallow or honor, God’s holy name. We can honor God’s name by being careful to use it respectfully. IF WE USE God’s name lightly, we aren’t remembering God’s holiness.
Matthew 6:10,11. The phrase ’’Your Kingdom Come’’ is a reference to God’s spiritual reign, not Israel’s freedom from Rome. God’s kingdom was announced in the covenant with Abraham, is present in Christ’s reign in believer’s heart and will be complete when all evil is destroyed and God establishes the new heaven and earth. ( Revelation 21:1 ).
When we pray ‘’Your Will Be Done’’, we are not resigning ourselves to fate, but praying that God’s perfect purpose will be accomplished in this world as well as in the next. And how does God accomplish his will on earth? He does it largely thru people willing to obey him. this part of the prayer allows us to offer ourselves as doers of God’s will, asking him to guide, lead and give us the means to accomplish his purpose.
Matthew 6: 11,13. When we pray ‘’Give us today our daily bread’’ we are acknowledging that God is our sustainer and provider. It is a misconception to think that we provide for our needs ourselves. We must trust God daily to provide what he knows we need. God doesn’t lead us into temptations, but sometimes he allows us to be tested by them. As disciples, we should pray to be delivered from these trying times and for deliverance from Satan and his deceit. All Christians struggle with temptation. Sometimes it is so subtle that we don’t even realize what is happening to us. God has promised that he wont allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear ( 1 Corinthians 10:13 ). Ask God to help you recognize temptation and to give you strength to overcome it and choose God’s way instead.
Matthew 6: 14,15. Jesus gives a startling warning about forgiveness, if we refuse to forgive others, God will refuse to forgive us. Why? Because when we don’t forgive others, we are denying our common ground as sinners in need of God’s forgiveness. God ‘s forgiveness of sin is not the direct result of our forgiving others, but it is based on our realizing what forgiveness means. It is easy to ask God for forgiveness, but difficult to grant it to others. Whenever we ask God to forgive us for sin, we should ask ourselves, ‘’Have I forgiven the people who have wronged me?
Forgiveness is giving up the right to punish another person…………
Image reference: newlife-pc.org
GZ
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