“WHEN YOU PRAY, do not be like those who only pretend to be holy. They want to be seen by others. What I’m about to tell you is true… WHEN YOU PRAY, go into your room. Close the door and pray to your Father, who can’t be seen. He will reward you. Your Father sees what is done secretly. “WHEN YOU PRAY, do not keep talking ON AND ON the way UNGODLY PEOPLE DO. They think they will be heard because they talk a lot.” (Matthew 6:5-7)
Some days, prayer is a daunting task. How do you speak to the creator of the universe? Other days, prayer can seem meaningless or useless. If we’re being honest, prayer can often be overlooked in the monotony of day-to-day living. However, God calls us to “pray CONTINUALLY” (1 Thess. 5:17), “DEVOTE yourselves to prayer” (Colossians 4:2), and “pray in the Spirit on ALL OCCASIONS with all kinds of prayers and requests” (Ephesians 6:18). Prayer shouldn’t be ignored and needs to be part of our lives EACH DAY. In (Romans 12:12), the Apostle Paul says to “be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, FAITHFUL in prayer.” Clearly, prayer is important to God, which is why Jesus TEACHES US HOW TO PRAY with the Lord’s Prayer.
“This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘OUR FATHER in heaven, HALLOWED be your name, YOUR kingdom come, YOUR will be done, on (in us as earthen vessels) earth as it is in heaven. GIVE US today our daily bread. And FORGIVE us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And LEAD US NOT into temptation but deliver us from the evil one.’” (Matthew 6:9-13)
This instruction from Jesus teaches us six unique steps to prayer.
- Address God appropriately as the Father.
- Praise God for who He is and what He has done.
- Acknowledge that God’s plan is in control, not ours.
- Ask God for what we need.
- Confess how we have sinned and repent with a humble heart.
- Request God’s protection and support in overcoming the evil one’s attacks on our lives.
MAKE THIS A DAILY PART OF YOUR LIFE…
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham