~ Lord's Prayer ~
Jesus was a man of prayer.
He would rise early in the morning to pray.
He must have been watched closely by those who followed him to learn how to pray ~
Sensing this, Jesus took time to teach his followers how to pray.
He taught us to pray about everything, to NEVER give up praying for those things we felt were important, and to always have faith when we prayed. ~
God hears our prayers !!!!
He loves us and wants us to spend time with Him in prayer ~
How many of you know the Lord's prayer?
Let's look at it ~ to see what Jesus is teaching us about prayer.
After this manner therefore pray ye: ~
Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. When Jesus says "after this manner" he means he is showing us the things to bring into our prayer life.
We usually say this prayer word for word but prayer is personal and should have certain elements.
The first of these is praise ~
We recognize that God is holy ~
We address our God as a loving, personal heavenly Father.
Thy kingdom come.
The second element is hope.
We expect that God will act to change lives now and that Jesus will return to earth in person soon ~
Thy will be done in earth ~ as it is in heaven. ~
We should submit our lives to God in prayer and live it out daily.
We should be willing to put our concerns aside for the greater good of God's kingdom on earth ~
That means we should share those things ~ which we have been blessed with ~ with others, and not be a selfish person.
God wants us to love each other.
If we won't even share our blessings, how can we love someone else?
Give us this day our daily bread.
The third element is to depend.
Jesus wants us to depend on God for our needs every day.
We should not worry about whether we have a month's supply of food.
God is an abundant provider ~
He wants us to look to him in faith for our needs.
Many times Jesus did not even know where he was going to sleep at night when he started out for the day, or how he would be fed.
He trusted God at every turn. ~
He doesn't want his children to be worried and afraid, but at peace and trusting.~
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
The fourth element is to forgive.
Now these words may be tricky.
What is a debt?
It means something that we owe.
If we go the grocery store and get a candy bar, we have a debt.
We owe the store money for the candy bar we want to take home.
Sometimes we ask for things we cannot have.
Sometimes others do things to us and feel obligated to repay us.
Jesus wants us to be willing to give to others without expecting anything in return ~
That is being a loving giver ~
Take the trash out even if its not your turn.
Share a candy bar with a friend ~ even if she didn't ask. God wants us to forgive those that are mean to us,
sometimes very hard, I know ~
If we cannot forgive them ~
then how can we expect God to forgive us ?
We get what we give !!! ~
And lead us not into temptation ~
but deliver us from evil.
The fifth element is goodness. ~
Jesus wants our prayer to strengthen our desire to do what is right.
God does not intend for us to do wrong ~
He wants us to avoid everything that is bad and evil ~
He wants us to be good children ~
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. ~
Jesus again recognizes that all authority and power rests with God. ~
God is in control.
Now we have completed our prayer ~
What elements do we have ~
Praise ~ hope ~ depend ~forgive ~ goodness !!!
Yes, these are the elements that make for a rich prayer life.
Now let's bow our heads and practice what we have learned as we say the Lord's prayer together.
Matthew 6:9-15
your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
9 Pray then like this:
Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread;
12 And forgive us our debts, As we also have forgiven our debtors;
13 And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
14 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you;
15 but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Amen .
