E-mail Questions Answered by Ken Smith:
8/25/07   Prayer:

Prayer, What Should Our Prayers Include?
Lord, teach us to pray (Matt.6:9-13)

9         After this manner therefore pray ye:
           Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10       Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11       Give us this day our daily bread.
12       And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13       And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Such profound simplicity is found in this gentle guide for prayer from our Lord Jesus Christ.
(Our Lord’s prayer is found in John 17 and worthy of great consideration.)

First our Lord wanted us to remember we are included as part of a family with a Father and that we carry His name and that His name is Holy. If we honor His name and accept our position as part of His family then we will try to keep our name Holy as well as it reflects on Him as it does on us. This is also included in the 10 Commandments Exo.20:7, Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain. Some have felt this has to do with profanity. Actually it means to say or think that you are part of the family of God and then live for the temporal pleasures and sins of this world.

Second we are instructed to focus on our Father’s Kingdom in which we have an inheritance. It is a Kingdom which is growing as souls are being redeemed and gathered into God’s eternal family of love and holiness every day. All have been invited and can become God’s children and are most welcome but we must first come through the only door which is Jesus Christ for cleansing. This was made necessary by the great rebellion and disobedience initiated by Adam. “As in Adam all died... “ 1 Cor.15:22.

Next we are to look to our Heavenly Father for our basic needs as He is our provider. If we look to the other support factors of this world they can easily lead us into idolatry and then we tend forget about our Father. All things basically were created and come from Him, James 1:17, so we need to see our Father as our provider in all things. James, by the way, is also an excellent book to study if your are ill.

Then there is the big issue of forgiveness. Due to God’s law of sowing and reaping we can not be free unless we let those who have offended us also go free, this is a serious must for real freedom. Stress can easily shut down your immune system and can make you ill, 1 Cor.11:30 in context.

Also we need our Father’s help for victory over the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and pride of life in this world. It is in the power of the resurrection of Jesus that we can have victory. Rev.12:11 says that we overcome by the word of our testimony, the blood of the lamb and love not our lives unto death. In other words, we quote out loud what God says as the truth, we depend upon the finish work of Christ Jesus and we are willing to allow our carnal wilful self centered life to die, Jn.12:24-25, Romans 8 & 12. Victory over sin is relative to which kingdom you are attached to.

(A miner in Alaska had dog fights on the weekends and he always won the bets. His friend one day ask him how it was that he always knew which dog was going to win. The miner turned to him and said, “That’s easy, it is the one that I feed.”) St. Paul covers this in Romans 8:13.

And finally, we are to keep our eyes focused on the Kingdom of God and the Power and the Glory that we shall share with our Lord Jesus Christ and enjoy for eternity. We have been invited to be adopted into the family of God and to live with Him on a very personal level for eternity. And it all starts with what we do with Jesus Christ, John 3:16, Romans 10:9-10, Eph.2:8-9.

ACTS

There are certain basic elements should also be included in our talks (prayers) with God such as: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication, or "ACTS" for short, which may help us remember. This was put together by Bill Bright of Campus Crusades many years ago and is excellent.

A - ADORATION
To adore God is to worship and praise Him, to honor and exalt Him in our heart and mind and with our lips. Adoration expresses our complete trust in Him and reflects our confidence that He hears us. Adoration demonstrates our reverence, awe, love, and gratitude.

C - CONFESSION
When our discipline of prayer begins with adoration, the Holy Spirit has opportunity to reveal any sin in our life that needs to be confessed. By seeing God in His purity, His holiness, and His love, we become aware of our own sinfulness and unworthiness. Confessing our sin and receiving His forgiveness restores us to fellowship with Him and clears the channel for God to hear and answer our prayers (1 John 1:7 9).

T - THANKSGIVING
Nothing pleases God more than our consistent expression of faith. What better way to do this than to tell Him, "Thank you"? God's Word commands, "Give thanks in all circumstances" because "this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:18, NIV). As we approach God with a thankful heart, He makes Himself strong on our behalf.

S - SUPPLICATION
Supplication includes petition for our own needs and intercession for others. We are to pray for everything and in specific terms.

As you talk to God, for example, pray that your inner person may be renewed, always sensitive to and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Pray about your problems, pray for wisdom and guidance, pray for strength to resist temptation, pray for comfort in time of sorrow pray for everything (Phil. 4:6).

Then pray for others your spouse, your children, your parents, neighbors, friends, campus or community. Pray for your pastor and missionaries, and for various other Christians to whom God has given special responsibility. Pray for those in authority over you (1 Timothy 2:1,2).


Ken Smith 8/24/07

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