CHRIST’S MODEL PRAYER Matt 6:7-15 Rev. Dr. Samuel P. Fernandez Preacher

“But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to the Father which is in secret; and the Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” (v.6, KJV)

“But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do; for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.” (v.7, KJV)

“ Our Father,” as a form of address is not common in the Old Testament prayers. To the New Testament believers, it is a statement of acknowledgment of our recognition that God is our Father, and we are His children. “ Our Father,” as a form of address is not common in the Old Testament prayers. To the New Testament believers, it is a statement of acknowledgment of our recognition that God is our Father, and we are His children.

“Hallowed be Thy name” means we reverence and respect God to the point of venerating and adoring Him. We belong to God and we render our obeisance and homage to Him who loves us.

“ MINDFUL EATING IS IN VOGUE … D R. J OSE S. P UJALTE, J R., Mindful eating is about slowing down. As Jeff Gordinier, writing for The New York Times says, it ‘is not a diet, or about giving up anything at all (but) about experiencing food more intensely.’ “

“ FORGIVING US OUR DEBTS.” “D EBTS ” IN OTHER VERSION IS RENDERED “ TRESPASSES.”

“Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake, hath forgiven you.” (Eph 41:31-32, KJV)

“L EAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL.” “My friends, consider yourselves fortunate when all kinds of trials come your way, for you know that when your faith succeeds in facing such trials, the result is the ability to endure.” (James 1:2-3, Today’s English Version)

Praying is a Christian duty. It is our duty to communicate to the Lord. It is our duty to pray for our country. It is our duty to pray for our love ones.

“I have so much to do today that I must set apart more time than usual to pray.” - Martin Luther

Writer William Low observes thus: “It is not the arithmetic of our prayers, how many they are; nor the rhetoric of our prayers, how eloquent they are; nor the geometry of our prayers, how long they be; nor the music of our prayers, how sweet our voice may be; nor the logic of our prayers, how argumentative they may be; nor the method of our prayers, how orderly they may be – which God cares for. Fervency of spirit is that which availeth much.”

C HRIST ’ S MODEL PRAYER GIVES US AN OUTLINE AND PATTERN ON HOW TO PRAY :

Adoration is “an act of worship, of paying honor, reverence, and obedience to God. “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed by Thy name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” (v.9-10)

Supplication – is to make humble request and earnestly seek God’s will. “Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.” (v )

Acknowledgment – is to admit or recognize an authority. The Lord is Lord of all. Without His power and strength, we are nothing. “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” (v. 13)

Doxology is a “declaration or praise to God or a brief hymn expressing His power and glory.

“F OR T HINE IS THE KINGDOM, AND THE POWER, AND THE GLORY, FOREVER. A MEN.”

A doration S upplication A cknowledgement D oxology

“If you have sinned, you should tell each other what you have done. Then you can pray for one another and be healed. The prayer of an innocent person is powerful, and it can help a lot. (James 5:16, Contemporary English Version)