Instructed by attributes on how to pray

the-lords-prayer.1200w.tn

Moses prayed that God would reveal Himself, show him His glory and let him see His kingdom. This is the revelation that God responded with and it reminds me of how I should come to my God in prayer.

The Lord came down in a cloud, stood with him there, and pronounced his holy name, the Lord.[a] The Lord then passed in front of him and called out, “I, the Lord, am a God who is full of compassion and pity, who is not easily angered and who shows great love and faithfulness. I keep my promise for thousands of generations[b] and forgive evil and sin; but I will not fail to punish children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation for the sins of their parents.”

Moses quickly bowed down to the ground and worshiped. – Exodus 5:8 GNT

This is my God – the one I serve – who reigns as Lord and King over all – the one I will worship.

When I am therefore asked, but it is in the form of a commandment, to love one another, it matters.

And now I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. – John 13:34 GNT

It encapsulates all the others and expresses God’s entire will – His plan already in heaven to be realized here on earth. Through prayer I know what His will is and He gives me all the resources I need to accomplish it – may I be obedient.

Somehow I see Moses on his knees when he engages with God. I see Paul on his knees too when he prays prayers like this. He talks about God’s love as well.

 For this reason I fall on my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth receives its true name. I ask God from the wealth of his glory to give you power through his Spirit to be strong in your inner selves, and I pray that Christ will make his home in your hearts through faith. I pray that you may have your roots and foundation in love, so that you, together with all God’s people, may have the power to understand how broad and long, how high and deep, is Christ’s love. Yes, may you come to know his love—although it can never be fully known—and so be completely filled with the very nature of God. – Ephesians 3:14-19 GNT

Typically, Jewish prayers are offered standing up. Paul is on his knees because he is in the presence of his King. We worship with a sense of reverence and respect. There is intimacy in prayer for even as the Sovereign God He is my Father. There is no rule that I need to be on my knees, it is the posture I find myself sometimes when I am in His presence. I love the presence of the Trinity in Paul’s prayer too.

“It may happen occasionally that I may get lost among so many ideas in  one petition that I forgo the other six (the Lord’s prayer). If such an abundance of good thoughts comes to us, we ought to disregard the other petitions, make room for such thoughts, listen in silence, and under no circumstances obstruct them. The Holy Spirit preaches here, and one word of his sermon is far better than a thousand of our prayers.” – Luther

 

 

What we should and should not pray

Power-of-Prayer-Grace-College

There was a time in Moses leadership where God suggested that He step aside and leave the presence of His people.

The Lord said to Moses, “Leave this place, you and the people you brought out of Egypt, and go to the land that I promised to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and to their descendants. I will send an angel to guide you, and I will drive out the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. You are going to a rich and fertile land. But I will not go with you myself, because you are a stubborn people, and I might destroy you on the way.” – Exodus 33:1-3 GNT

Moses pleads for that not to happen. He prays for God’s presence and according to His promises.

Moses said to the Lord, “It is true that you have told me to lead these people to that land, but you did not tell me whom you would send with me. You have said that you know me well and are pleased with me. Now if you are, tell me your plans, so that I may serve you and continue to please you. Remember also that you have chosen this nation to be your own.” – Exodus 33:12-13 GNT

Moses wants to know. He wants to know God’s plans so that with God revealing more of Himself, Moses would get to serve Him and know Him more. He also wants God’s favour and to be able to please God. It is a prayer asking God for His grace.

 For it is by God’s grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God’s gift, so that no one can boast about it. – Ephesians 2:8-8 GNT

It is one of the reason I rarely pray to God for justice for myself. I actually do not want God to give me what I deserve. I need to pray for God’s mercy and for His grace to extend to me. When God extends me mercy, He does not give me what I deserve. When God extends His grace, He gives me what I do not deserve.

The fourth petition. “Give us this day our daily bread.” Say: “Dear Lord, God and Father, grant us thy blessing also in this temporal and physical life. Graciously grant us blessed peace. Protect us against war and disorder. Grant to our dear emperor fortune and success against his enemies. Grant him wisdom and understanding to rule over his earthly kingdom in peace and prosperity. Grant to all kings, princes, and rulers good counsel and the will to preserve their domains and their subjects in tranquility and justice. Especially aid and guide our dear prince N., under whose protection and shelter thou dost maintain us, so that he may be protected against all harm and reign blessedly, secure from evil tongues and disloyal people. Grant to all his subjects grace to serve him loyally and obediently. Grant to every estate-townsman or farmer-to be diligent and to display charity and loyalty toward each other. Give us favorable weather and good harvest. I commend to thee my house and property, wife and child. Grant that I may manage them well, supporting and educating them as a Christian should. Defend us against the Destroyer and all his wicked angels who would do us harm and mischief in this life. Amen.” – Luther (an example of how he would pray each petition in the Lord’s Prayer)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Change happens when I pray everyday

handsonBible-thinkstock.1200w.tn

Can prayer change God’s mind? Or does prayer affect only us who pray?

So the Lord changed his mind and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened. – Exodus 32:14 GNT

God “changed His mind” or as the KJV says, “repented” and the NIV, “relented.” Anyway the word is translated does not change the fact that prayer has a powerful effect in our lives.

What does it mean to put my own life on the line like Moses did for his people? To think so much about the value of sinners that I would consider my life to be one with them? It has to be true intercession.

This passage screams on how effective prayer is. I am more encouraged today to pray and to intercede – God hears and responds. Prayer makes a difference in how He interacts with me.

There are some who would argue that Moses changed nothing – it was God’s ultimate plan all along. I am not so sure. I believe God gives us opportunity to participate in the administration of creation. Especially when David writes about this incident and shares a very similar point of view.

They forgot the God who had saved them
    by his mighty acts in Egypt.
What wonderful things he did there!
    What amazing things at the Red Sea!
When God said that he would destroy his people,
    his chosen servant, Moses, stood up against God
    and kept his anger from destroying them. – Psalm 106:21-23 GNT

Moses stood up to God – the prayers of Moses kept God from destroying the children of Israel – prayer does make a difference.

Moses knew God and knew His promises. This verse is a great promise that helps me in my prayer life.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me will live, even though they die.” – John 11:25 GNT

As a follower of Jesus I have learned that when I pray God listens and answers my prayers. I know He is the same yesterday, today and forever. His Word is truth and through Him I have been set free. God loves me with an everlasting love and nothing can change that. I have learned that in Jesus is life.

Those who listen to me will be happy—
    those who stay at my door every day,
    waiting at the entrance to my home – Proverbs 8:34 GNT

How often do I find myself acting on my feelings. Sometimes I decide and then pray or pray and then decide (which sometimes works out just as badly). I know God wants me to pray and wait for an answer.

I would have liked to hear Paul pray – I am encouraged because many have been written.

 I have not stopped giving thanks to God for you. I remember you in my prayers and ask the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, to give you the Spirit, who will make you wise and reveal God to you, so that you will know him. I ask that your minds may be opened to see his light, so that you will know what is the hope to which he has called you, how rich are the wonderful blessings he promises his people, and how very great is his power at work in us who believe. This power working in us is the same as the mighty strength which he used when he raised Christ from death and seated him at his right side in the heavenly world. – Ephesians 1:16-20 GNT

I cannot go to far wrong when I am praying along with the Word of God. So I pray for a surer walk with the Holy Spirit so that I might know Him, and that I might see His light and know the hope that lies before me with His blessings and promises that sustain me along with His power working in me.

“I am the Lord your God, etc. You shall have no other gods before me,” etc. Here I earnestly consider that God expects and teaches me to trust him sincerely in all things and that it is his most earnest purpose to be my God. I must think of him in this way at the risk of losing eternal salvation. My heart must not build upon anything else or trust in any other thing, be it wealth, prestige, wisdom, might, piety, or anything else. Second, I give thanks for his infinite compassion by which he has come to me in such a fatherly way and, unasked, unbidden, and unmerited, has offered to be my God, to care for me, and to be my comfort, guardian, help, and strength in every time of need. We poor mortals have sought so many gods and would have to seek them still if he did not enable us to hear him openly tell us in our own language that he intends to be our God. How could we ever-in all eternity-thank him enough! Third, I confess and acknowledge my great sin and ingratitude for having so shamefully despised such sublime teachings and such a precious gift throughout my whole life, and for having fearfully provoked his wrath by countless acts of idolatry. I repent of these and ask for his grace. Fourth, I
pray and say: “O my God and Lord, help me by thy grace to learn and understand thy commandments more fully every day and to live by them in sincere confidence. Preserve my heart so that I shall never again become forgetful and ungrateful, that I may never seek after other gods or other consolation on earth or in any creature, but cling truly and solely to thee, my only God. Amen, dear Lord God and Father. Amen.” – Luther (providing an example of how he meditates on the Ten Commandments and in this case, the first one)

 

Praying essential only with Christ

praying essential with Christ

Prayer is not the only way I can carry another’s burden, but is is definitely an essential element in my caring.

Help carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will obey[a] the law of Christ. – Galatians 6:2 GNT

When it comes down to basics it depends on my perspective and not about someone else.

 If you think you are something when you really are nothing, you are only deceiving yourself. – Galatians 6:3 GNT

I should judge myself so I can relate to others without overestimating myself. I know I have sin, but that sin does not dominate my life. That is why I can help and pray for those who are struggling and have not been set free.

Those who are trying to keep all the boxes checked off are missing the point.

 Even those who practice circumcision do not obey the Law; they want you to be circumcised so that they can boast that you submitted to this physical ceremony. – Galatians 6:13 GNT

To work, pray or suffer apart from Christ is to work, pray and to suffer in vain. It does a person no good to be able to check off the boxes like fasting, praying or anything else, if in their heart they are not following Jesus.

If I have had time and opportunity to go through the Lord’s Prayer, I do the same with the Ten Commandments. I take one part after another and free myself as much as possible from distractions in order to pray. I divide each commandment into four parts, thereby fashioning a garland of four strands. That is, I think of each commandment as, first, instruction, which is really what it is intended to be, and consider what the Lord God demands of me so earnestly. Second, I turn it into a thanksgiving; third, a confession; and fourth, a prayer. – Martin Luther

 

 

 

Prayer is incense

prayer is incense

In the Old Testament, incense is just that, incense. The New Testament defines incense as prayer – it is mentioned alongside or is a synonym for prayer. So when I read a portion from the Old Testament, I am challenged to look at it as prayer.

Every morning when Aaron comes to take care of the lamps, he is to burn sweet-smelling incense on it. He must do the same when he lights the lamps in the evening. This offering of incense is to continue without interruption for all time to come. – Exodus 30:7-8 GNT

Today I have confidence that God hears and delights in my prayer as one would delight in the smell of expensive perfume. I offer them up morning and evening, but also continually throughout the day. What an amazing privilege. I will imagine my prayers as incense rising to God.

Whom does God hear when they pray?

We know that God does not listen to sinners; he does listen to people who respect him and do what he wants them to do. – John 9:31 GNT

I do know that the blind man who was healed was quoting the Pharisees here and we know that God does indeed listen to sinners. However, it is the sinner who comes to Him humbly ready to do what He asks them to do.

It is best that I enter my world in prayer first, for if I fail to do so, it will be I who will be ending it with prayer asking God for help getting me out of the mess I entered into during the day.

My child, have you promised to be responsible for someone else’s debts? Have you been caught by your own words, trapped by your own promises? Well then, my child, you are in that person’s power, but this is how to get out of it: hurry to him, and beg him to release you. Don’t let yourself go to sleep or even stop to rest. Get out of the trap like a bird or a deer escaping from a hunter. – Proverbs 6:1-5 GNT

If I do not pray about getting into an agreement, then I will certainly pray getting out of it.

“I want your heart to be stirred and guided concerning the thoughts which ought to be comprehended in the Lord’s Prayer. These thoughts may be expressed, if your heart is rightly warmed and inclined toward prayer, in many different ways and with more words or fewer. I do not bind myself to such words or syllables, but say my prayers in one fashion today, in another tomorrow, depending upon my mood and feeling.” – Luther