Part five: After this manner…

Two-thousand years ago when Jesus was done praying, one of the Disciples came to Him and asked, “…Lord, teach us to pray… [1]” Never has there been such a profound teaching on the subject, and why not, this was our Lord, Jesus. When the Rabbis taught prayer, they taught by giving topics of truth. This is exactly how Jesus taught in Matthew 6:9-13. Jesus started His teaching by telling the Disciples to “Pray like this…”

v9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
v10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
v11 Give us this day our daily bread.
v12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
v13 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. [Matthew 6:9-13 KJV]

OUR FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN

The Blood of Jesus gives us the right to pray “Our Father…” We pray the Lord’s Prayer, not as a formula or by chanting the stanzas [2], but by acknowledging Him as our Father, and not for praise in and of itself, but by praying for something, and for what He has done in our individual lives. Take your time, it is not a race. As you begin to pray, singing to God is not out of the question here [3]. Out of the heart, the mouth speaks [4].

As we practice from day to day, it not only builds a relationship with God, and a closeness to Him, but we will find ourselves spending much more time with Him as we pray in our closet [5]. God knows our heart [6], so be open and free to Him.

HOLLOWED BE THY NAME

God’s glory and divine character, revealed in His names, teaches us how to approach God in Jesus’s prayer teaching and relationship with Him. God has many names [7]. However, in the following segment of our series, we will look at the eight compound names of God.

Heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, your Son, and through His Blood, I lift my soul to you in prayer to give you praise. Lord, I thank you for the Blood you shed for me. I thank you for the Cross, and that you are the great I AM. In your wonderful will and grace for my life, I thank you for that declaration that you will be what I need to be, through you and through the Blood you shed for me. Father, thank you for your Son, Jesus Christ. Thank you for the Comforter, who teaches us, I give you praise, glory, and honor God, in Jesus name, AMEN.

Through the Son, we know God as our Father [8].
_______________________________________
[1] Luke 11:1
[2] I personally do not think that just reciting the stanzas is wrong, but if your goal is to get closer to God, and with a meaningful relationship with Him, then personalize the topics.
[3] Psalm 22:3
[4] Matthew 12:34; Luke 6:45; Proverbs 4:23, 10:11; Psalm 14:1 to name a few.
[5] Matthew 6:6
[6] 1 Samuel 16:7
[7] I AM, Elohim, El Shaddai, Wonderful Counselor, Yaweh, Alpha and Omega, the Bright Morning Star, ABBA, and many more.
[8] Galatians 4:4-6

Note: Larry Lea has a great teaching on the Lord’s Prayer, “COULD YOU NOT TARRY ONE HOUR.”