MATTHEW 6:5-16 KJV
5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
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.
14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
5 Ways Jesus Taught Us How to Pray
by Jenny Shinsky
June 24, 2019
4 minute read
“Pray continually.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:17
My niece is a senior in high school. In a few short months, she will walk in procession with the rest of her class to receive her diploma. It seems like yesterday she was a baby asleep in my arms.
As a child, she loved to talk with me. She started the minute she saw me and continued until I left. She told me stories of her day, tattled on her brother and explained her plans for the future. Sometimes she talked so much, I had to reminder her to take a breath every few sentences.
Now that she is a young woman, our conversations are not as lengthy, but I still love them. When my phone rings and I see her name on my screen, my heart does a little dance. Her willingness to reach out to me makes me shout for joy.
God must have the same reaction when we reach out to him in prayer. The authors of the Psalms knew how to pray. They communicated with God on every occasion – when they were thankful, happy, angry, sad or hurting.
Jesus also knew about prayer. Like Paul advises in 1 Thessalonians, Jesus was in constant prayer with the Father. It was the center of his life.
When he chose to leave the heavenly realms of glory to walk among us, his lifeline to God was through prayer. It was so important that he taught his disciples how and when to pray. We can learn a lot about prayer from his teachings.
When Jesus chose to leave the heaven and walk among us, PRAYER was His lifeline to God. – @jennyshinskyCLICK TO TWEET
- JESUS PRAYED ALONE
The phone rings. The television is blaring. The kids are screaming. Activities of the day want our immediate attention and pull us in many directions.
Jesus may have felt this way. He was in constant demand to heal the sick and debate political issues with the Pharisees. But throughout scripture, we often see him taking a break from these disturbances.
“But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” – Luke 5:16
He did not wait until the crowds were gone and no one was left to debate with him. Instead, we often see him leaving the crowds and sending the disciples ahead of him so that he could spend time alone with God. His prayer life came natural to him.
- JESUS PRAYED WITH OTHERS
Jesus not only taught his disciples how to pray, he encouraged them to pray together. Matthew 18:20 says “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
God’s presence in prayer unites us together. We become aware of the needs of others and can provide comfort. Life can be hard and there are not always answers. Sometimes we don’t know what to pray or maybe we just can’t pray. That’s when the prayer community takes over and prays for you.
- JESUS PRAYED BEFORE A MEAL
Praying before meals was a common practice. Jesus used this ritual to remind his disciples of the blessings God has provided in the food placed before them.
“When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.” Luke 24:30
Praying before each meal is a reminder that that all things come from God. He is the source of everything we have.
- JESUS PRAYED FOR OTHERS
Before Jesus was arrested and hung on the cross, he prayed for his disciples. He knew their mission was not going to be easy and prayed for their protection.
“I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours.” John 17:9
He asked God to bless them with perseverance, unity, and spiritual satisfaction as they witnessed to the world.
- JESUS PRAYED FOR US
Last, but not least, Jesus prayed for us. That’s right. He prayed for each and every one of us, even though we would be born in this world for many, many years.
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message.” – John 17: 20
And he has never stopped praying for us. He is our delegate, who stands before the throne of God and intercedes on our behalf.
Jesus prayed because he could do nothing without God, and neither can we. It is important to spend time in prayer every day.
I wonder if our Father’s heart does a dance when we go to him in prayer like I do when my niece calls. I bet he does. And I bet he is waiting for you right now. Go ahead. Reach out to him in prayer today.