Sunday, November 5, 2017

November 6, 2017

“This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:9-10

One good way to delve deeper into the Scripture is to ask questions of the text. 

For example, take the Lord's Prayer.

Why did Jesus give us THIS prayer?

Is it something God wants to hear from us in this prayer OR is there something He has to say to us in it?

If there is a lesson for us what is that lesson?

Asking those questions I came away with this conclusion: Jesus gave us the Lord's Prayer to help change us from our "I WANT MY WAY" prayers to "HAVE YOU WAY" prayers!

Whether that is the MAIN lesson or not it is certainly an important lesson! It certainly makes prayer more powerful when you are praying for His way than if you are praying for your own!

So, how does this happen? How would I move from "I want my way" prayers to "have your way" prayers?

That's a great question! Now you're getting the hang of it!

The answer is found in the pattern of the prayer!

Pray in relationship with God - "Our Father in Heaven.."

God longs for a relationship with you! He wants it so badly that He sent His Son to die on the cross to make it possible to come into a spiritual relationship with Him.

Through Christ you can be adopted as a child of God! And as a child of God and your prayers can become a conversation between a child and a father!

That's the first step to "have your way" prayers!

Pray in recognition of God - "hallowed be your name..."

God may be your Father but you don't call Him your "Old Man" nor do you approach Him casually.

He is holy!  So you approach Him with reverence and respect! You come with a humble recognition of Who He is!

While He wants prayer to be a conversation He wants you to be mindful of His holiness and approach Him in that manner.

That's the second step to praying "have your way" prayers.

Pray with resignation to God - "your kingdom come and your will be done"

When you are in a right relationship with the Father and fully recognize Who He is there is really only one appropriate response - you pray "your kingdom come and your will be done"!

How could you pray "have my way" prayers in the presence of a Holy Heavenly Father?

Jesus wants you to understand the real and ultimate purpose of prayer - to pray "have your way" prayers for His glory and your good!

Pray in Relationship with your FATHER
Pray in Recognition of your FATHER
Pray in Resignation to your FATHER

That's the way to have a prayer when you pray!