Explore16

The Lord's Prayer

It Is Scientific:

`Christ's lessons in regard to prayer should be carefully considered. There is a divine science in prayer, and His illustration brings to view principles that all need to understand.' (COL142)

It is Simple

`The prayer that Christ gave to His disciples is not made in high-flown language, but expresses in simple words the necessities of the soul. It is short and deals directly with the daily needs.' (9T278)

`The Lord's prayer has a depth of meaning we have not yet fathomed. (MB103)

It is Short

`Christ impressed upon His disciples the idea that their prayers should be short, expressing just what they wanted, and no more. One or two minutes is long enough for any ordinary [public] prayer.' (2T581/2)

It is Selfless

`Our prayers are not to be a selfish asking, merely for our own benefit. We are to ask that we may give.' (COL142)

Thus we pray `Our Father - Forgive Us, Not My Father, Forgive Me

It is Special

`It has a depth of meaning you have not yet fathomed.' (MB103)

It is Sensible:

`The first half of the prayer Jesus has taught us is in regard to the name and kingdom and will of God - that His name may be honoured, His kingdom established, His will performed. When you have thus made God's service your first interest, you may ask with confidence that your own needs may be supplied.' (MB110)

When we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we come . . .
1. As God’s children	= Our Father
2. As worshipers	= Hallowed be your name
3. As subjects	= Your kingdom come
4. As servants	= Your will be done
5. As recipients	= Give us this day our daily bread
6. As sinners	= Forgive us our sins
7. As tempted ones	= Lead us not into temptation
8. As victorious people	= But deliver us from evil

When I Pray The Lord's Prayer,
I cannot say . . .

I cannot say "our" if I do not consider every man or woman as my brother or sister.

I cannot say "Father" if I do not endeavor each day to act like his child.

I cannot say "in heaven" if I am laying up no treasure there (Matt 19:21).

I cannot say "hallowed be your name" if I am not striving after holiness.

I cannot say "your kingdom come" if I am not doing all in my power to hasten that wonderful event.

I cannot say "on earth as it is in heaven" if I will not serve him here and now.

I cannot say "give us today our daily bread" if I am not sharing my bread with the poor or if I am being dishonest.

I cannot say "forgive us our debts" if I harbor a grudge against anyone.

I cannot say "lead us not into temptation" if I deliberately place myself in temptations path.

I cannot say "deliver me from evil" if I do not put on the whole armor of God.

I cannot say "yours is the kingdom" if I do not give the King the loyalty due to him from a faithful subject.

I cannot attribute to him "the power" if I fear what men may do.

I cannot ascribe to him "the glory" if I’m seeking honor for myself.

I cannot say "for ever" if the horizon of my life is bounded completely by time.

(Author unknown)

Words of Life

Our

* Our, not my - Give us, not give me - selfless

* If God is our Father, every man is our brother

* This is the word that pronounced the death of apartheid (racism).

Father

¤ `A name entwined with the dearest associations of the human heart.'

¤ Acknowledging subservience

¤ Acknowledging willingness to be led

¤ Acknowledging trust in and acceptance of His plan for our lives

¤ Recognizing His love

¤ Acknowledging dependence.

Hallowed

¤ Holy is your character.

¤ Psalm 29:1,2: Ascribe to the Lord Glory

¤ May your holy character be reflected in our lives. John 15:8

Thy Name

¤ Name = character = His person

¤ Phil 2:10: At the name of Jesus every knee should bow.

Kingdom = His place

¤ Heaven is the presence of Jesus

¤ Kingdom of glory and the kingdom of grace.

¤ Matthew 6:33: Seek ye first the kingdom and His righteousness (His name)

¤ Luke 17:20,21: Domain

¤ Luke 18:17 - Character of inhabitants

¤ Col 1:27 - The hope of an improved character - the work of God's grace in the soul.

Will = His pleasure

¤ `It is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose.' (Phil 2:13)

¤ `You must observe My Sabbaths. This will be a sign between Me and you for the generations to come, so that you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy.' (Ex 30:13)

¤ `My food,' said Jesus, `is to do the will of Him who sent Me.' (John 4:34)

Daily

¤ `In teaching us to ask every day He would have us realize our dependance.'

¤ Who of us feels secure today when all we have is one day's supply.

Bread

¤ Temporal: `God gives to us in trust that we might feed the hungry.' (MB112)

¤ Spiritual: `Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.' (Mt 4:4)

¤ `I am the bread of life. This bread is My flesh which I will give for the life of the world. The one who feeds on Me will live because of Me..' (John 6:33,51)

¤ `It is by beholding His love, by receiving it into the soul, that we feed upon the bread.' (MB112)

¤ `The Word of God, received into the soul, molds the thoughts, and enters into the development of character. This is eating the bread that comes down from heaven.' (DA391)

¤ `My food,' said Jesus, `is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work.' (John 4:34)

Forgive

¤ `Forgiveness, reconciliation with God, comes to us, not as a reward for our works, it is not bestowed because of the merits of sinful men, but it is a gift unto us, having in the spotless righteousness of Christ its foundation for bestowal.' (MB115/6)

¤ `There are no sins He will not forgive in and through the Lord Jesus Christ.' (Bible Commentary, Vol. 7, p.913)

¤ `How seldom, by living, acting faith, do we bring into our lives this great truth, that there is forgiveness for the least sin, forgiveness for the greatest sin.' (Bible Commentary, Vol. 7, p.933)

As we forgive others

¤ `Forgive as the Lord forgave you.; (Col 3:13)

¤ `He who is unforgiving cuts off every channel for receiving God's mercy.' (MB113)

¤ We can only forgive as we know and believe the love God has for us. (MB115)

¤ `It is the love of God that draws us unto Him, and that love cannot touch our hearts without creating love for our brethren.' (MB113)

Lead Us

¤ When we ask the Lord to "lead us not into temptation," some are of the opinion that this suggests that the Lord might be inclined to lead us into temptation. This phrase simply invites the Lord to lead us, and to lead us away from temptation - for He, through our knowledge of Him, is the only power that can lead us away from temptation.

¤ There are times, however, when the Lord will permit us to face trials and difficulties. `He permits us to encounter obstacles, persecution, and hardships, not as a curse, but as the greatest blessing of our lives . . . advancing us in the work of character building.' (MB117). See The Blessing of Trials

As a meditational exercise, the reader is invited to complete this study.

Feature Menu Home Email Us Top

With The Compliments Of

The SDA Internet Library