Pastor's Corner

When Jesus gave the “Lord’s Prayer” (Matthew 6:5-15), He imparted unto us some principles of prayer and how we ought to pray.

1. “When thou prayest” — Prayer should be a Priority

“The greatest thing anyone can do for God and man is pray. It is not the only thing; but it is the chief thing.” - S. D. Gordon

We are to pray always for everything.

“And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint” (Luke 18:1).

“Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God” (Philippians 4:6).

2. “When thou prayest, enter into thy closet” — Prayer is Personal

Prayer is an audience of one — God.

One of the great secrets of prayer is prayer in secret.

3. “Thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are” - Pray without Pretense

A hypocrite is someone who is pretentious. Hypocritical praying will not be heard or answered by the Lord. When we pray, we must be sincere.

4. “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name” — Pray according to God’s Person

When we pray we ought to think about to Whom we are praying: “Our Father” and where He is: “in heaven” and what He is like: “Hallowed.” Prayer ought to be directed to the Father.

“And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you” (John 16:23).

“If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” (Matthew 7:11).

5. “Thy kingdom come” — Pray according to God’s Plan

Praying for His Kingdom to come reflects our allegiance to His sovereign rule over His Kingdom. When we pray “Thy kingdom come,” we are asking for our Father to bring this kingdom to pass on the earth. Therefore, we are asking God to fulfill all His promises and prophecies concerning His earthly kingdom.

6. “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” — Pray according to God’s Purpose

We are to pray in accordance to the Will of God.

“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him” (1 John 5:14-15).

7. “Give us this day our daily bread” — Pray for God’s Provision

God provided for the children of Israel during the 40 years in the wilderness.

“For the LORD thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the LORD thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing” (Deuteronomy 2:7).

God is able to take care of our needs too.

“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

8. “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” — Pray for God’s Pardon

When you and I pray this prayer, we are confessing before the Lord that we have sinned against Him. When we sin, we are to confess that sin to the Lord.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

9. “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” — Pray for God’s Protection

God is faithful to make a way to escape the temptations that we face.

“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

10. “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen” — Praising God in Prayer

“The prayer finishes with a doxology. That devotion which begins with prayer ends in praise. All rule, and might and honor, belong to God; and to him let them for ever be ascribed. His is ‘the kingdom’, or the right to rule; ‘the power’, or the might to uphold his authority; and ‘the glory’, or the honor that comes out of his government. Our whole heart delights that the Lord is thus supreme and glorious; and therefore we say, ‘Amen’.” - Charles Spurgeon

Pastor Tim Wall,

Macedonia Baptist Church,

Colfax