In His Word 11-6-2023
Prayer is something we do not always do as often as we
should. It may be because we do not know what to pray, or how to pray but we
are not alone in the need to learn just what God wants in the way of our
prayers. Jesus’ disciples asked Him to teach them to pray in Matthew 6.
Jesus taught them how to pray.
When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
“When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the
Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their
words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what
you need even before you ask him!
Pray like this:
Our Father in heaven,
may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be
done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give
us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those
who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation but rescue us from the
evil one. Matthew 6:5-13
Sometimes we get a bit casual with our prayer life. What I mean is that we pray ‘by rote’ and repeat our similar prayers when it’s appropriate to pray. We pray in church with the directed prayers we pray at meals to thank God for that. We may even take the time at the beginning of the day or nighttime to thank God for the day. Though it may be enough for some time, it is not what God meant when His Word said to devote ourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. While all these prayers are appropriate for their time God ‘s Word tells us that He wants more from our communication with Him.
Our prayers should not be like any other prayer but individual and with a purpose.
Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all
circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1THesalonians
5:16-18.
Our prayers should take a bit of effort, not something to
struggle with all the time, but when we do focus on our prayers we will be
devoting ourselves to prayer, making it important and not allowing ourselves to
be distracted when praying is important as well.
Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a
thankful heart. Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to
speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in
chains. Pray that I will proclaim this
message as clearly as I should. Live wisely among those who are not believers
and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and
attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone. Colossians 4:1-6
When we pray we need not be anxious but be full of grace,
and full of thanksgiving.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and
supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and
the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and
minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:5-7
I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe
that you’ve received it, it will be yours. But when you are praying, first
forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven
will forgive your sins, too. Mark 11:24-25
Now that we are sure about what praying should be like, let’s
pray for our nation, for Israel, for one another, as God 's Word reminds us to do.
Take, make or create some time to sit and be focused in prayer today. It can be
out loud or it can be quiet as long as you are sincerely praying and talking to God in the manner that we have
read about today. Read over the chapters where we focused on one or two verses
to see how it all fits together!
Be blessed as you pray, and in His Word.
Teresa Wilson.