Luke 11:1 (NIV)
One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.
Matthew 6:5 (NIV)
“And WHEN you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.
Matthew 6:6 (NIV)
But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who SEES what is done in secret, will reward you.
Find a PRIVATE PLACE to PRAY.
Prayer isn’t about getting what you want FROM God, but what He wants FOR you.
Matthew 6:7-8 (NIV)
And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
The POINT of PRAYER is RELATIONSHIP with our Heavenly FATHER.
Matthew 6:9a (NIV)
“This, then, is how you should pray:
Matthew 6:9b (NIV)
“Our Father in heaven, HALLOWED be your name…
DECLARE God’s GREATNESS
God is INTIMATE and INFINITE.
SURRENDER your WILL.
Matthew 6:10 (NIV)
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
The purpose of prayer is to SURRENDER our will not to IMPOSE it.
Luke 11:9-13 (NIV)
“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Our Heavenly Father:
– LOVES
– LISTENS
– PROVIDES
– GUIDES
– PROTECTS
– STAYS