Our Father Which Art . . . (pt 8 of 8)

We have been looking at the pattern Jesus gave us for praying, and I would like to go more in-depth with this, but I don’t want to overwhelm you at all. But with this pattern he gave us, it is almost as if he is trying to guide our conversation.

Let me explain what I mean. How many of you have been all wrapped up in an event——maybe it was an argument you had with someone, or a tragic accident——whatever it was, you might be trying to explain what happened to a friend, but your higgledy-piggledy mind is rattling the story off and they can’t keep up with you.

Our Father Which Art . . . (pt 7 of 8)

We are learning the pattern of prayer that was illustrated in the “Lord’s Prayer,” and I suppose it shouldn’t surprise us too much to see that it has God first, then goes to man.

We first saw that we addressed God as our Father (which must have shocked the disciples); then it was contrasted with the fact this “Father” of ours, was also beyond us and in fact, His name, and character, are to be “Holy.” Then we are to ask for His Kingdom to come in our lives, and that whatever He desires and deems acceptable in Heaven would also be deemed acceptable here on Earth.

Our Father Which Art . . . (pt 6 of 8)

Yesterday I began what could refer to as a “birds-eye” view of the Lord’s Prayer, and we saw an amazing contrast between the love of a father—and the awesome power and majesty of the God of all creation.

But after that come three God-centered petitions, each voicing the attitude we need to possess by what Jesus declared “the great and first commandment–you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart . . .” (Matthew 22:38-37).

Our Father Which Art . . . (pt 5 of 8)

We are talking about praying, but more specifically looking at what we call, “The Lord’s Prayer.” Today the world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They are full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. I’m telling you not to fall for that nonsense. We are dealing with conversing with you Father, and He certainly knows better than you what you need. With a someone like Him loving you, your prayers can be very simple. There is no need to complicate them.

Our Father Which Art . . . (pt 4 of 8)

Yesterday I ended with the simplest prayer I could think of: “Father, teach us to pray.” It seems like the most natural thing to ask. To give you a feel for the naturalness of prayer today, I am simply giving you two Psalms to meditate on:

Our Father Which Art . . . (pt 3 of 8)

Hopefully I have given you some things to ponder, but above all else, I want you to be confident that our Father has created us to pray; that prayer may not be the easiest thing, but it is the most natural activity we can ever engage in; and that prayer is the measure of a man in our Father’s sight. As the old Scottish Preacher, Robert Murray McCheyne, said, “What a man is alone on his knees before God, that he is—and no more.”

Our Father Which Art . . . (pt 2 of 8)

Yesterday I told you that I was hoping to look at the Lord’s Prayer. The reason is quite simple: it provides a concise pattern of prayer and gives us an understanding of who we are praying to . . . so before we get too far, we need to understand what prayer is, because many believers have a problem praying.

Our Father Which Art . . . (pt 1 of 8)

Historically there were three “tools” used to explain the Christian faith: the Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the Lord’s Prayer. Together they each summarize the Christian way of believing, behaving, and communing with the Father.