'After this manner...pray...' Matthew 6:9 KJV
Jesus taught us to pray: 'Our Father in Heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your Kingdom come. Your will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one: For Yours is the kingdom...the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.' (Matthew 6:9-13 NKJV)
When it comes to praying, Jesus gave us a blueprint:
'Our Father' establishes the basis of your relationship with God. It reminds you that you're not just part of His creation, you're His child! Think about it; you can create something without being related to it, but once you father it, it's always part of you. 'In Heaven' affirms your connection to the God of the universe. 'The Lord...made the heavens His throne; from there He rules over everything.' (Psalm 103:19 NLT) You are acknowledging God's power and His unique qualifications to answer your prayers. 'Hallowed be Your name' reminds you that God is holy; that being His child doesn't give you the right to disobey or take Him for granted. When you 'Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise' (Psalm 100:4 NIV), it gets His attention, because by exalting His name you're recognising His character. 'Your will be done in earth' is reminiscent of Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane: '...Your will...be done, not mine.' (Matthew 26:39 NLT) Christ taught us to seek God's agenda, not our own; to have the same mind as our heavenly Father; to walk with Him by praying in agreement with Him.
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