How To Pray Continued
Notes
Transcript
How to Pray Continued
Matthew 6:9-15 (11-15)
Matthew 6:9-15 (11-15)
In the first two verses (9-10), we looked at pray, Father, Hallowed, and submission. Now, we look at the last five verses (11-15) and what Christ explains to the disciples. How many of us have prayed this prayer this week? Did we pray it slowly and meditate on each verse? How about each command? I gave you the commands (pray, Hallowed, and Submission). Before diving into this week's sermon, I want to explain why prayer is essential, particularly this prayer.
I walk around the perimeter of the Church with Blu. I pray and talk to my Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. While walking and praying on Monday, the Lord spoke to me. He said, “Look at Blu, how he follows behind or by your side. You must stop and call Blu back now and then since he is sniffing around. But, once you call him, he comes running back to you. He knows your voice, and you know what is best for him. You have built a relationship with him. When he was younger, you had to train him. It was daunting and, at times, tiresome, but eventually, he learned. The same goes for you. Now and then, I must stop and call you back in line with me. But you hear My voice and come running back to Me. I, too, have spent time with you and you with Me to learn My voice. You did this through praying and building a relationship where you trust Me.”
Now, what is Christ telling us in these verses? First, what we need to live in this life is not our desires or wants but what we need to survive. Second, there is a clause on forgiveness. Lastly, we are asking for favors in the direction of our lives.
Needs:
Needs:
What are needs? What are wants and desires? Do they both mean the same? No! Needs are the basics for us to survive. We would like to have wants and desires, but they are not necessary for our daily lives. Somewhere, the body of Christ has lost sight of what we need and desire, and we approach God to have Him bless us with our wants and not our needs. God will provide for our provisions and can give some of our desires if they align with His will. But most of the time, we receive not because it will hinder us, and like a Father He is, He protects us even from ourselves. We see in this element of the request for God’s provision: Substance, Source, Supplication, Seekers, and Schedule.
Substance:
Jesus said, “Give us this day our daily bread.” What is our daily bread? We see the Israelites and the men of the past pray to God for provisions. 2 Kings 4:42-44
A man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. And Elisha said, “Give to the men, that they may eat.”
But his servant said, “How can I set this before a hundred men?” So he repeated, “Give them to the men, that they may eat, for thus says the Lord, ‘They shall eat and have some left.’ ”
So he set it before them. And they ate and had some left, according to the word of the Lord.
The Proverb tells us to ask God to feed us what we need. Proverbs 30:8
Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me,
Jesus also stated this because of how He fed the Israelites during the Exodus. Exodus 16:13-14
In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp.
And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground.
He would also show them how He would feed them miraculously with the 5000 and 4000. Matthew 14:13-21; 15:32-38
But bread also meant more than just food; it also meant our physical needs. John Stott observed to Martin Luther that “everything necessary to preserve this life is bread, including food, a healthy body, good weather, house, wife, children, good government, and peace.
Source
When all our needs are met, and everything is going well in our lives, we are inclined to think we are carrying our load. We earn our own money, buy our food and clothes, and pay for our own houses. Yet even the hardest-working person owes all he earns to God’s provision. Deuteronomy 8:18
You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.
Supplication
Supplication is expressed in the word give. That is the heart of the petition because it recognizes the need. Even though God may already have provided it, we ask. Him for it in recognition of His past and present provision and trust for His future provision. Psalm 37:3-4 ; 10-11
Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.
But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.
Seekers
Those who seek will find, those who ask will be answered, and those who knock on the door will open. Are we seeking Him for our daily needs? Or are we relying on our understanding? Paul wrote for the Corinth believers and us to seek Christ for our food. 2 Corinthians 9:10-11
He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.
You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.
Jesus told His followers and us that if we are willing to leave everything for Him, we shall receive many times as much at this time and in the age to come. Luke 18:29-30
And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God,
who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”
Schedule
The schedule of God’s provision is Daily! Daily means day-by-day, regularly; he provides for you and me.
God’s Pardon
God’s Pardon
Debts come from the Greek word “ὀφἐιλημα.” It is one of the five terms in the New Testament for sins (ἀμαρτια). It means to owe, be obligated, debt, and one’s due. This is the most common of the five terms and essentially means missing the mark. Of the thirty times it is used in its verb form, twenty-five times it refers to moral or spiritual debt.
Transgressions come from the Greek word (Parabasis), which means stepping across the line and going beyond the limits prescribed by God. They are often translated as “transgressions.” This sin is more conscious and intentional than hamartia.
The Problem
Sin separates man from God and is, therefore, man’s greatest enemy and most significant problem. We need forgiveness for the debt we owe God, which is only found in the Blood of Christ. Without this washing, no one will get to heaven!
Provision
Man needs to be forgiven, and God provides this through His Son. Even though we have been forgiven of the ultimate penalty of death because of sin, man needs to ask for God’s forgiveness for sins we continually commit. The word for forgive is ἀφἰημα, which means “to cease, stop, abandon, dismiss, and pardon or forgive.
Plea
When we ask for forgiveness, we confess to Christ. Jesus can’t wash feet that are not presented to Him. The sin that is not confessed cannot be forgiven. I once would say in my prayer forgive me, Lord, for this sin I do not know that I commit. I'm afraid that's not right because I know when I sin. It is challenging to confess sin; Satan and our pride try to prevent us from saying that we have wronged God.
Here is one of the biggest lies we hear today. God created me this way. NO, HE DID NOT! You chose to be that way, and now you do not want Him to be Lord over your life, so you use this lie.
The Prerequisite
We are asking God to forgive our debt. We are not willing to forgive the debt someone else owes to us. We sound like the servant who was forgiven but is now willing to forgive those who owed him, Matthew 18:23-35 Forgiving someone is more for us than it is to those who we forgive.
“Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.
When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.
And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made.
So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’
And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.
But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’
So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’
He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt.
When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place.
Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.
And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’
And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt.
So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”
When I decide to forgive someone who has wronged me, I am taking away their ability to hinder my attitude and walk with Christ. They now have no power over how I treat them but will be loved because of Christ in me.
Forgiving is a character that we should strive to embody; it is RIGHTEOUSNESS. Matthew 5:7
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Christ has forgiven us, and this should motivate us, Ephesians 4:32
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
God’s Protection
God’s Protection
Many of us have alarms on our houses to protect ourselves and our belongings. Most cars now have alarms to protect your vehicle. Most people never realize that we have a Father who is in the business of protecting us.
Peirasmos (temptation) is a neutral word in Greek, having no necessary connotation either of good or evil, as does our English temptation, which refers to inducement to evil. The root meaning involves testing or proving, and the related meanings of trial and temptation are derived from that meaning. Here, it parallels the term evil, indicating that it has, in view, enticement to sin.
God’s holiness and goodness will not allow His leading anyone, indeed not one of His children, into a place or experience where they would purposely be induced to sin. “Let no one say when he is tempted,” says James, “‘God is tempting me; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He does not tempt anyone” James 1:13
Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.
Yet James had just said, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials (peirasmos), knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance” James 1:2–3
I affirm with Chrysostom, the early church Father, that the solution to this issue is that Jesus is here not speaking of logic or theology but of a heart desire and inclination that cause a believer to want to avoid the danger and trouble sin creates. It is the expression of the redeemed soul that so despises and fears sin that it wants to escape all prospects of falling into it, choosing to avoid it rather than having to defeat temptation.
Application:
Application:
Our needs are for God’s provisions in our lives. We will not find our needs in anyone or anything outside of God.
We need to be forgiven, and we need to forgive to be called His Children. Forgiveness is the key to having constant joy in our lives.
The only protection any of us should desire is God’s protection. I remember the signs people would put on the doors or windows of their houses. It said Smith and Wesson protected it. Well, news flash, Smith and Wesson won’t stop the real enemy, Satan, and his principalities; only God can do that. God is also the only One who can protect you from the evil in this world when Satan uses those who follow him.
Last weeks Application:
We are commanded to Pray.
We can approach our Father because of Christ.
Remember who our Heavenly Father is by keeping His name HOLY.
We can either submit to the world and be judged by God or submit to God and be judged by the world.
David was a man after God’s heart. How was he a man after God’s own heart? He had a relationship with God built through his prayer life. Prayer was what brought David through life’s trials.