Prayer

DATE: MAY 10, 2020 TOPIC: “Prayer” Matthew 6:5-15

Praying is without hypocrisy, when praying there is no mask to hide our interior (Vs. 5). Prayer is simple, it should not have difficulties or complications because it is simply pouring out all that we have within us to our God. We pray that God will help us and free us from what worries us, from what despairs and distresses us, from dangers and from the unknown. It is the Lord who can do for our lives what no one can do for us! Prayer is what is private in one's life (Vs. 6). Pray and fast “…to your Father, who is unseen; then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you in public.” (Vs. 18)

I. Unfortunately, the prayer that is done IN PUBLIC, in front of people (Vs. 5) is more sought.

A. It is thought that public prayer is the solution. But Jesus taught us to pray each one privately to the Father.

1. Every day you should have the freshness of personal prayer. That is the reason why you are getting to know prayer more and more. And the more you know it the more you will know how to talk to Him!

2. He is our Father and as such deserves to be trusted with everything!

3. Let's not make prayers for someone else's ears! The reason is that our Father is the one who knows best what we need (Vs. 8). If we pray with feeling for suffering or because we are affected by something, well our Father knows very well, better than anyone, the root of that which has us like this.

4. Let us pray in secret and tell God everything with sincerity, because He truly knows our intention.

5. LET US BE CLEAR, THAT HE KNOWS OUR NEED, THAT HE WILL BE ABLE TO SUPPLY WHAT WE REALLY NEED, AND THAT HE WILL BE ABLE TO DELIVER US FROM WHAT TORMENTS US!

6. So Jesus teaches us here how to pray CONVENIENTLY.

7. The most complete and appropriate prayer that Jesus gives us as an example for us to pray begins with: (Vs. 9) "Our Father who art in heaven..." It is an exclamation addressed to God the Father in recognition of His sovereignty over the universe. We can marvel here with the names of God: Abba, who is Father; Rapha, who is a Healer; Shalom, who is Peace; Rohi, who is a Pastor; Jireh, who is Provider and Adonai, who is Master. Glory to His name!

8. “… hallowed be your name.” This phrase implies that we give Him worship, praise, that we express our gratitude, love to Him and honor Him because He is worthy.

9. "YOUR KINGDOM come." (Vs. 10) This is that we desire His kingdom, that we live in what is of God. Let us be capable of putting His interests first! (Romans 14:17 "...for the KINGDOM OF GOD is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.") We should live according to the kingdom of God which is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

10. The Lord continues to teach us this guiding prayer, so that we say: “Your will be done…” And it is because God knows what is best and convenient for us. Let us be capable of surrendering our will before Him.

11. You will know that you have surrendered your will to God when you enjoy being meek, when you are gentle with God and thus bearing fruit.

12. But if you never pray for God's will to be done in your life, even if it has been many years, you will not have found yourself doing His will!

13. “…on earth as it is in Heaven.” Jesus urges us to continue in our prayer worshiping God, with His will, with the sovereign government of God in your life; that is the reality of what is "on earth as it is in Heaven."

14. Prayer is so that these conditions may exist upon the earth, just as they already happen in Heaven; it is to seek to achieve it in prayer to see good on earth. It will be like this BECAUSE OF YOUR PRAYER!

15. (Vs. 11) "Give us today our daily bread." We have already placed in prayer God's interests. Now we go to our own needs. We have His kingdom and that is why we will always see God doing us good for the daily nourishment.

16. (Vs. 12) "Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors." If you are not willing to forgive those who offend you, how can you expect to have communion with your Father who has forgiven you for your offenses for free? Here we forgive those who have done us wrong.

17. "And lead us not into temptation..." (Vs. 13) God does allow His people to be tested. This request expresses a healthy distrust of us humans to face temptations and trials. In this part of the prayer to the Lord we recognize the total dependence we have on Him when we have to face a temptation or trial!

18. “…but deliver us from evil…” This is the part of the prayer where we desperately wish to be saved from sin by the power of God! It is the cry of the heart for daily salvation in our own lives! We cry out for Him to deliver us from the power of sin and Satan!

19. “…because yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for all the centuries. Amen.” The prayer that we have been developing here, just as Jesus teaches us, should not only warm our hearts to continue climbing to the glory of God step by step, but rather that at the end we recognize that all the parts of the prayer that WE HAVE DEVELOPED HAVE NO MORE FOUNDATION THAN GOD ALONE! From Him and only from Him are the kingdom, the power and the glory forever!!! Amen.