(An Article by ReFocus Prayer Director, Roger Sorensen)
From the infancy of humankind until this very day, Father God has been speaking to His created children. He has done and will do absolutely anything to have a really fine conversation with them. In fact, He wanted that conversation so much that He stepped down from heaven to earth to speak in the simplest, most natural, most non-threatening way: through the coo of a baby.
There are those who respond immediately, who caress the words, learn them, speak them back to God, speak them forward to friends, family, even strangers and enemies. On the other hand, there are those who reject the words as too simple for who they think themselves to be, certainly for who they aspire to become.
Of course, all who listen and practice the language become more and more adept. They speak with God more and more often until Father and child are conversing without ceasing. They attend classes in Matthew 6 where they learn from God’s own Son how to converse with the Father: “Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored. May your kingdom come soon…”
Jesus’ teaching on how to pray is transformative for everyone who walks under its authority. In Matthew 6:1-4, Jesus teaches how to mobilize good deeds for maximum value. (Yes, Lord, yes! Don’t let us waste time doing “good” for wrong reasons!)
Matthew 6:5-6 teaches the value of mobilizing secret prayer. (Lord, may our emphasis always be not that we prayed but that you answered. How great you are!)
Verses 7 and 8 call us to mobilize our confidence in God’s eagerness to answer prayer. (Lord, may we always think the best of you. Forgive us for our sometimes weak faith in your character. Take us again to the cross, Lord, and steady us with memories of your great love.)
Matthew 6:9-13 command that we pray in complete dependence upon the Lord. (When we were toddlers, about three years old, we probably said, “ME do it!” Lord, help us to grow up in you and, with our eyes wide opened, say, “Lord, I still need you; oh, how I need you!”)
Verses 14 and 15 call us to mobilize right attitudes of forgiveness. (Lord, I desire to be like you. Tattoo on my mind the number “490.” Let me forgive the one who has wronged me seven seventies – in one day, no less!).*
Imagine if each child of God at Orange Friends Church were to converse regularly with the Father on behalf of renewal and growth in our church body. We would each begin with ourselves, bow before God’s throne, declare our absolute dependency on His grace and gifting, and pray, “Father, renew my mind and heart because I am weak.”
* If you want to continue studying Matthew 6 as we have begun it above, make a list of the weaknesses you can mobilize and bring to God for His transformation.
There are those who respond immediately, who caress the words, learn them, speak them back to God, speak them forward to friends, family, even strangers and enemies. On the other hand, there are those who reject the words as too simple for who they think themselves to be, certainly for who they aspire to become.
Of course, all who listen and practice the language become more and more adept. They speak with God more and more often until Father and child are conversing without ceasing. They attend classes in Matthew 6 where they learn from God’s own Son how to converse with the Father: “Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored. May your kingdom come soon…”
Jesus’ teaching on how to pray is transformative for everyone who walks under its authority. In Matthew 6:1-4, Jesus teaches how to mobilize good deeds for maximum value. (Yes, Lord, yes! Don’t let us waste time doing “good” for wrong reasons!)
Matthew 6:5-6 teaches the value of mobilizing secret prayer. (Lord, may our emphasis always be not that we prayed but that you answered. How great you are!)
Verses 7 and 8 call us to mobilize our confidence in God’s eagerness to answer prayer. (Lord, may we always think the best of you. Forgive us for our sometimes weak faith in your character. Take us again to the cross, Lord, and steady us with memories of your great love.)
Matthew 6:9-13 command that we pray in complete dependence upon the Lord. (When we were toddlers, about three years old, we probably said, “ME do it!” Lord, help us to grow up in you and, with our eyes wide opened, say, “Lord, I still need you; oh, how I need you!”)
Verses 14 and 15 call us to mobilize right attitudes of forgiveness. (Lord, I desire to be like you. Tattoo on my mind the number “490.” Let me forgive the one who has wronged me seven seventies – in one day, no less!).*
Imagine if each child of God at Orange Friends Church were to converse regularly with the Father on behalf of renewal and growth in our church body. We would each begin with ourselves, bow before God’s throne, declare our absolute dependency on His grace and gifting, and pray, “Father, renew my mind and heart because I am weak.”
* If you want to continue studying Matthew 6 as we have begun it above, make a list of the weaknesses you can mobilize and bring to God for His transformation.
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