Text: Matthew 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.  

Wednesday, 20^th March 2024

TO CHANGE YOUR APPETITE Be Devoted to Prayer

Text: Matthew 6:9-13

Memory verse: Matthew 26: 39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.

Out of all the things that the Disciples could have asked Jesus to teach them was prayer. Prayer is communication with God and to communicate we need a personal relationship with Him. We pray in sincere humility, not being proud like the Pharisee’s. Prayer takes time and effort; it is a hard work. There are tremendous benefits to prayer. Learning to pray is how you should pray; not this is what you pray. This is important because many religions in our society teach their people to pray this prayer repeatedly by repetition. Jesus said in Matthew 6:7 not to use vain repetitions as the unsaved do. Would you personally like to see your life change, both spiritually and physically? I ask you this morning to yield yourself to learning how to pray. Do not let Satan rob you of these valuable privileges of prayer.

Worship and adoration of God. True prayer starts with worshipping God. It’s expressing your love to Him. Waiting upon God in silence preparing your heart to come before Him. This is very important because it gets your attention off yourself, off your problems, off your distractions and gets you focused on God. In reverence and awe for who He is. Proper adoration and worship cause your attitude to change. God alone is the one we worship and adore. As you begin your prayer time, come before Him in worship and adoration for who God is. Omnipotent, omnipresent, and an all-knowing God. He is Jehovah God, there is no other.

When we rely upon organization, we get what organization can do. When we rely upon education, we get what education can do. When we rely upon eloquence, we get what eloquence can do, and so on. When we rely upon prayer, we get what God can do.

Your personal submission is important. As fallen sinful men we often love and think so highly of ourselves. Take time to see yourself as God would see you- Personally become submissive to God’s will. A personal submission to God’s will not my will. True prayer is brokenness before God. Prayer is the mechanism, the channel that God provides for His children. Coming to Him in simple child-like trust, with a clean, open, and sincere heart. Praying not my will but God’s will to be done in my life, my family, my home, and my church.

 

CGDS HYMN 4; SS&S 281:

COME, FOR THE FEAST IS SPREAD.

1. Come, for the feast is spread;

Hark to the call!

Come to the living Bread,

Broken for all;

Come to His “house of wine,”

Low on His breast recline;

All that He hath is thine;

Come, sinner, come.

2. Come where the fountain flows-

River of life-

Healing for all thy woes,

Doubting, and strife;

Millions have been supplied,

No one was e’er denied;

Come to the crimson tide,

Come, sinner, come.

3. Come to the throne of grace,

Boldly draw near;

He who would win the race

Must tarry here;

Whate’er thy want may be

Here is the grace for thee,

Jesus thy only plea:

Come, Christian, come.

4. Come to the Better Land,

Pilgrim, make haste!

Earth is a foreign strand-

Wilderness waste!

Here are the harps of gold,

Here are the joys untold-

Crowns for the young and old:

Come, pilgrim, come.

5. Jesus, we come to Thee,

Oh, take us in!

Set Thou our spirits free;

Cleanse us from sin!

Then, in yon land of light,

Clothed in our robes of white,

Resting not day nor night,

Thee will we sing.

   Prayers: 

1.  Lord Jesus, influence my prayer life, and make me to see what You always see.

2.  LORD God Almighty, continue to inform me in the place of prayer and make me to see Your will always in Jesus’ name. Amen.    

3.  Pray for others in this regard.