We hear about mother/daughter and father/son talks. The same holds true with the Father in heaven. When we open the Bible, God speaks to us. As we go through our day he speaks to us. Jesus, the only begotten son of God, told us how to approach God. There are times when our dads have wanted to talk to us, but we didn’t make time and vice versa. The Lord has never made excuse not to talk. He’s always there.
Matthew 6: 9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven.
We call this the Sermon on the Mount. We’ve grown up with this and call it the Lord’s Prayer. In a way it is because he showed us the pattern to use when we pray. Before we were saved we couldn’t pray this way because God was not our Father. There was no impact. Jesus taught us the sinner’s prayer was needed. Lord, be merciful to me a sinner. Thank the Lord for the time I was saved and a relationship was started with God as my Father.
After years of being saved, we still grow. Jesus wants us to keep in mind what prayer is. No one can take it away. The time might come that we cannot come to church. We might not be able to see to read the Bible. We can still pray even if we can’t speak. God hears the heart. Often we get in the habit of vain repetitions when we speak. Sometimes it’s because we don’t know what to say. One thing must stay active—prayer.
Verse 5 tells us how not to pray. And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. Prayer is not like religion would have us think. These people prayed to impress others. Jesus said they have got their recognition. It would be their only reward.
Verse 6 says but thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. We need to make time for the Father. Get alone with him. He’s big enough to sit with each of us at the same time and give us his full attention. We can be openly honest with him. Verse 8 says he knows what we need. Because He’s God, he knows our heart and our thoughts. Don’t let what we say be empty words. A short prayer of meaning is better than a long prayer of recited words. God is responsible for our being who we are. He gave us life through his Son. He is our Father, author of our life. Who can we trust more? He loves us. He understands us.
Jesus said to pray our Father which art in heaven. Hallowed be thy name. We address him and lift our thoughts and hearts a certain direction. We believe there is a God on the throne in heaven. Address your prayer toward heaven and the one we believe will be there, the all-powerful, all-knowing God of heaven and earth. Trials seem fixable.
We call him Master and Lord, and He is. We should call him God because He is. Never forget that we are adopted into the family and return the honor of that adoption by calling him Father. When I think of that, I can’t help but reflect on what kind of child I am. It changes me. How can we be half-hearted when we recognize God and realize he accepts the title of Father from us? If he’s willing for me to call him Father, I should be willing to live up to that. We should dispense with un-thoughtful prayer and get serious with God.
God’s will should be more important that our little world. Verse 10 says Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Seek God first. Don’t push your will on him. If we want the best, we will want his will to be done. It’s a tough thing to say, but when we put his will before ours, life falls into place. It pays to have a talk with the Father.
Give us this day our daily bread. Whatever it is we need today, the Lord will provide it. Has he ever failed? No. When we learn to pray that, we begin to trust.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. We acknowledge our failures and sins asking God to forgive us. At the same time those who do us wrong must be forgiven. We must let go of what is committed against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Temptation will be there. Life will try to lead you there, but you don’t have to go. Don’t make yourself vulnerable. The Lord will lead you and deliver you from evil. The devil will make you think he’s in charge, but Jesus told us to pray for thine is the kingdom. There is still victory over Satan.
When we close our prayer, give God glory. Give him praise for the kingdom to which we belong. All glory belongs to God forever. If we pray this way, we can say Amen. When we deliver our heart in the right way, we can say Amen, and the connection is made.
So, how’s it going? Is there a communication gap between you and the Lord?
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 