Prayer#7

      When Jesus was here on the earth He taught much on the subject of prayer, even when He wasn't teaching, but just praying we can learn a lot. Probably the best known is the Lord's prayer, which we just read.

      I. Jesus gave us is some basic principles of prayer.

                  A. In V 9, where Jesus said, ..... [read],       Jesus is giving us the principal of praise.

                              1. He's telling us that when we go to the Father, we need to spend some time praising Him.

                              2. The next V. Jesus says something different. Look at V 10.

                                  a. So what is Jesus trying to teach us in (MATT 6:10).

                                                      i. I think part of it is that He's trying to teach us the principle of putting God 1st, His will and His kingdom. .

                                                      ii. (MAT 6:33), says.....

                  B. In V 11 He says,....

                              1. In this prayer Jesus teaches the importance of daily prayer and asking the Father for our every need.

                                          a. We need to keep our eyes on the Lord for our every need, not to our job, or anything else.

                                          b. Begin to ask and trust the Lord for our every need, even for the little things.

                                                      i. Most don't.

                              2. MAT 6:12  Jesus taught much on the subject of forgiveness when He was here on this earth.

                                          a. Look at what He says in V 14‑15.

                                          b. Prayer will not work in an unforgiving heart.

                                                      i. We can't hold grudges against someone and expect to have a prayer life that gets results.

                  C. MAT 6:13

                              1. The word “temptations” in this V can also means “test or trial.”

                                          a. There are times that God will try or maybe better said test our faith or our obedience.

                                                      i. Now God does not test us with evil.  (JAM 1:13) “For God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:” (KJV)

                                          b. He doesn't test us with anything that the Devil would want us to do.

                                          c. Look at V 13 again. I don't think that God would lead us into an evil temptation.

                                          d. But the way I see it is that God may lead us into a test of obedience.

                                          e. Many of these tests and trails can be avoided or met in advance by a child of God spending time in praise and worship; and by enjoying the fellowship with the Father that a proper prayer life brings. MAT 26:41

     II. MAT 5:44  Now I think that's interesting what Jesus says here about prayer, The 1st part of this V tells you what motivates you to pray. He says, “LOVE you enemies.” Love is the thing that will motivate you to pray, and this love has been given from your heavenly Father.

                  A. Why do you love your enemies and pray for them?

                              1. V 45‑48                       [Mat 5:45‑48]

                                          a. Jesus is telling us to be like the Father.

                                          b. Look at 1COR 13:4 “suffereth long” means “forbearing  or  (subjectively) patient, patiently endure”

                                          c. “Kind”; means “kindhearted, tenderhearted.”

                                          d. “Envieth not”, means “covet, envy, be jealous over”.

                                          e. “Vaunteth not”, means “braggart, to boast”.

                                          f. “Not puffed up”, means “to inflate, i.e. (figuratively) make proud (haughty):”

                                          g. V 5 “Doth not behave itself unseemly”, means “to be (i.e. act) unbecoming”.

                                          h. “Seeketh not her own,” means “not self‑centered, doesn't put self 1st.”

                                          i. “Not easily provoked,” means “not easily angered.”

                                          j. “Thinketh no evil,” means “doesn't think ‑bad, evil, harm, ill, noisome, wicked.”

                                          k. V 6 “Rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth,” means “doesn't rejoiceth in injustice, wrongfulness, ‑iniquity, unjust, unrighteousness, wrong”.

                                          l. V 7 “Beareth all things”, means “to cover with silence (endure patiently): ‑(for‑) bear, suffer.”

                                          m. “Believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth:”

                              2. Because of this love that the Father gave us, we are like Him, so we should begin to pray for our loved ones and our enemies.

      III. MAT 7:7‑11

                  A. In these Vs. here I can see why the Jews could not understand Jesus.

                              1. If Jesus would have come along like the other O.T. prophets did, proclaiming judgment, and presenting a God who is far off, distant, and unapproachable.

                                          a. They might have understood Him better.

                                                      i. That was the picture of God they were accustomed to.

                                          b. When God came down and talked to Moses on the mountain, there was fire, thunder and lighten; if anyone touched that mountain they died instantly.

                                          c. When the presence of God moved into the Holy of Holies, no one dared to go in for fear of instance death. No one except the priest.

                              2. The Jews knew about God who was high and holy, who dealt with people with severe judgment, and they feared Him.

                                          a. But Jesus came with a message of love. He introduced God as a father. But the Jews couldn't comprehend that kind of God.

                                          b. We still see the same thing today. Many people think of God as far away, even in many of our churches.

                                          c. They don't really know God.

                                          d. But thank God he is our Father, and that we can come to Him any time we want because He is our Father.

                  B. The Vs we just read in (MAT 7), “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:”

                              1. Most Christians are aware that it is in the bible. But I don't think that most are putting it to practice, or even know what it means.

                              2. Too often we fail to receive what we're asking for, we fail to find what we're seeking, and the door on which we've been knocking has not been opened.

                                          a. If that's the case then we're doing something wrong; because the promise in the next v, V. 8  [read]

                                          b. Then what's the reason for our failure?

                                          c. There was a man who was a missionary to Israel for 32 years. He said that he always thought that this V meant, that if you ask and don't receive keep on asking.

                                          d. But, he said, after living in the Holy Land for many years and becoming familiar with the Eastern thinking; that isn't what Jesus meant at all.

                              3. In those days if someone came to the outer court and knocked, seeking entrance, the more wealthy would send their servants to call out and ask the name of the visitor.

                                          a. If it was someone that was known, they could enter immediately. If it was someone that was unknown, the servant would go to the master of the house and ask if the visitor should be allowed to enter.

                                          b. The thought here is that when you knocked if you were known, they could enter immediately. “To him that knocketh it shall be opened.”

                              4. So when we ask and don't receive, we should ask ourselves “are we known by the Master”      [become acquainted]

                                          a. Having done that, the next step is faith.

                                                      i. HEB 11:6

                                                      ii. (MAT 7:11) “How much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?”

                                                      iii. God is eager to give you good things, but His Word says that you have to believe that He is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him.

                                          b. God does not says that you need to keep on asking, He's saying ask and believe.

TFC February 18, 1990 SUN. & WOLCC SUN 7/12/92