Jesus’s teaching on prayer. 5 “And when thou prayest” Just as in verus 2 “Therefore when thou doest thine alms,” Jesus knows and expects us to give and pray.
Verse 5:
It is interesting that the first thing he says is that we are not to be hypocritical in our public prayers. “thou shall not be as the hypocrites are” how does Jesus describe these hypocrites? “for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corner of the streets”. They are motivated to be seen of men. They will receive their reward from man, carnal satisfaction.
Verse 6:
Here Jesus instructed where to pray, it is both where and the attitude of our prayer time. We know that we should always be in communication with our heavenly Father. I Thessalonians 5:17 “Pray without ceasing.” I believe here in verse 6, Jesus was referring to the time we need to spend eveyday with God. “But thou when” our individual prayer time we should get alone , away from others and the distractions of this world. “enter into thy closet and when thou hast shut thy door” when we are behind closed doors the world does not see us , we are not tempted to put on airs for others. It is just you and your heavenly Father. It is then he will see your hearts sincerity and reward you openly.
Verse 7&8:
Here he warns us not to be like the world, that uses vain (empty) words. Memorized prayers said over and over. “use not vain repetition” thinking that if you say it enough times God will hear you. It is not the volume of words that impress God but the sincerity of the heart that pleases our heavenly Father. We need to know that God already knows the need in our life. “your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.”
Verses 9-13
Let me say here we need to get away from calling this the “Lords Prayer” this is a model prayer. The world gets caught up in reciting these words thinking it has some special meeting. It can become “vain repetition”.
It is important to see what Jesus says; ” After this manner therefore pray ye, therefore don’t pray like the heathens” (the world).
“Our Farther” – a living God who claims us as his children, we are born again into his family.
“which art in heaven,” – a place of authority above this world not limited to this world.
“Hallowed be thy name.” – A sacred name. Being perfect in wisdom, and goodness
When we come before the throne of God, we better have an awareness of a Holy God and the power he possesses. On a personal note I could never go to my heavenly Father shouting and demanding.
“Thy kingdom come.” – As a child of God the one thing I look for to is going home to heaven. At this time Jesus was teaching the Jewish people. They were waiting and looking for the Messiah to come and bring the kingdom to Israel.
“Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” – Gods will is perfect and is eternal. We only see in part as we go to him in prayer, he tells us to; ask, seek and knock: Luke 11:9-10. He wants us to pray about everything with expectations, but we also understand that we only see in part I Corinthians 13:12 “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.”
“Give us this day our daily bread.” – The day we wake up becomes the most important day in our life! Today we need the spiritual strength it will take to live as a child of God. We are to come to our Father for the spiritual food, we need. Side note; we need food for the day . So dosen’t it make since that we ask for that early in the day ! The first thing in the morning? It does not make since to wait until the day is half over..
“And forgive us our debts” – God is a loving Farther, with that said he will chasteneth his children. Hebrews 12:6-11. It is so important that we keep a closeness to our Father so when we sin and fall short that we confess, so there is nothing between us and our heavenly Father. I John 1:9.
“as we forgive our debtors” – Matthew 5:23 -24 ” Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the alter, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the alter, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.”
” And lead us not into temptation,” – Our Father knows our weakness and when we follow his path he will lead our footsteps throughout our daily activities. Proverbs 3:6 “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy path.”
“but deliver us from evil;” – As we walk in his will, we have his promised protection. Hebrews 13:5 “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
After giving us this model prayer, he reviewed one particular portion; and that was that of asking for forgiveness. For our prayer life to be effective we must have our sins forgiven. Psalm 66:18 “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.”
Jesus gave us a parable in Matthew 18:23-35. It concerns how a King granted forgiveness to a servants debt. Then that same servant turned around and refused forgiveness to a fellow servant. When the king heard he called the first servant back and rebuked him. Verses 34&35 “And the lord was wroth and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your heart forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.”+
We must remember this; there will be storms in our life, where we will desperately need to call on our heavenly Father, we can not have any unforgiveness with others. When we pray.
Not if, but when, we pray. Our heavenly Father is looking forward to and is expecting us to come to him in prayer.
mrdj620 