When have you tried to learn something on your own? QUESTION 1 #BSFLtransformed BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 21
THE POINT Prayer is grounded in a desire to honor God. THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE Several years ago I took a friend out for an afternoon of dove hunting. I set him up in a prime spot and gave him my best gun. I became more and more frustrated as the birds kept flying right over him while his face remained buried in his smartphone. I marched over to find out what was so important on his phone that kept him from being engaged in the hunt. In a slightly embarrassed tone he told me he didn t know how to load the gun. He was watching a video on how to load the gun properly. I had just assumed he knew how. This experience reminded me that many things in life we just don t know intuitively; we must be taught. Prayer is a good example. Prayer is simply talking to God, yet Jesus saw the need to teach us how to pray. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught us the principles of a prayer life that transforms. Commonly called the Lord s Prayer, we ll call this the Model Prayer, since it is a model and guide for how we are to pray. 22 SESSION 2
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY? Matthew 6:9-15 (HCSB) 9 Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven, Your name be honored as holy. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.] Kingdom (v. 10) A kingdom is a domain ruled by a king. The kingdom of God is a spiritual domain over which He reigns with sovereignty and majesty. Daily bread (v. 11) This phrase refers to the basic food for people in Jesus day, made from flour and water then baked. It was prepared and provided for each coming day. Debts (v. 12) This is not referencing financial balances due but sins for which a person was accountable. The debt was sin, and the debtor was the sinner. 14 For if you forgive people their wrongdoing, your heavenly Father will forgive you as well. 15 But if you don t forgive people, your Father will not forgive your wrongdoing. BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 23
THE POINT Prayer is grounded in a desire to honor God. Matthew 6:9-10 Jesus began His instruction on prayer by teaching that prayer begins with a focus on the Person of God. Our Father in heaven, Your name be honored as holy (v. 9). Before we talk about our agenda, we should focus on praising God for who He is. This practice of acknowledging God first and foremost is the foundation of a healthy prayer life. Focusing on the character of God keeps us from whittling God down to our size. What we believe about the nature of God will determine what we experience from prayer. Don t skip this step in your prayer life; Jesus placed it first in the Model Prayer for a reason. God rightfully deserves first place in our lives, including in our prayers. Spending more time in praise will result in a more powerful prayer experience. Next Jesus taught us to pray about the program of God His kingdom and His will. The kingdom of God is God s rule and reign in the hearts and lives of His people. The kingdom of God is a reality in heaven now and will be for all eternity. One day everyone will acknowledge the rule and reign of Christ (Philippians 2:10-11). The reality of the kingdom of God is often overshadowed by this present, physical world we live in. As followers of Christ, we live in both, but we can get so caught up with the everyday physical demands of life that we lose sight of the spiritual reality of the kingdom of God. Prayer centered on God s kingdom and will focuses on: Personal surrender to God s rule and reign in our lives the lordship of Christ. Sensitivity to what God is doing in us and around us. Transformation through the trials we encounter not merely escaping trials. The spiritual health of family and friends. Who taught you what you know about prayer? QUESTION 2 24 SESSION 2
"I would rather teach one man to pray than ten men to preach." What can help us keep a kingdom focus as we pray? CHARLES HADDON SPURGEON QUESTION 3 FOR GOD S GLORY Compose a collection of words or phrases recounting God s attributes for which you re grateful. For example: Creator, Provider, All Powerful, and so forth BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 25
THE POINT Prayer is grounded in a desire to honor God. Matthew 6:11-13 The Model Prayer rightly begins with a focus on God: His honor, His kingdom, and His will. When we re centered on God s agenda, it ll change the way we pray for our needs. 1. Physical needs. The phrase daily bread literally means we re to pray for perishable things, those things we need for that day. Jesus is not opposed to food that will keep for months, but the larger my stockpile, the easier it is for me to trust my possessions instead of the One who provided them in the first place. It s important to note that this prayer doesn t prevent us from saving money as we steward properly the resources God gives us. We save as God provides, and we share as God provides. A prayer for daily provision is to keep us from being a burden on others or controlled by fear and selfishness. This prayer frees us to trust in Him for our daily needs and live in a place of rest. 2. Forgiveness. Confession is agreeing with God about the sin in our lives. By confessing, we re agreeing that we see the behavior as God sees it and that we are in need of His forgiveness and strength to break free from it. Developing the habit of confession is a stark reminder of our constant need of God s grace in our lives. How have your experiences with prayer influenced your ability to trust God? QUESTION 4 3. Protection. And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one (v. 13) isn t a request for God not to tempt us. James 1:13 teaches us that s not how God works in our lives: God is not tempted by evil, and He Himself doesn t tempt anyone. Instead, verse 13 is a request for protection, for the ability to stand strong in the face of temptation. We choose to sin; it s never forced on us. Sin is always a choice. As our Father, God provides an alternative. God is faithful, and He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will also provide a way of escape so that you are able to bear it (1 Corinthians 10:13). 26 SESSION 2
How would you summarize Jesus prayer to someone who has never heard it? QUESTION 5 Matthew 6:14-15 The Model Prayer Jesus gave us is short but comprehensive. Jesus closed verse 12 with a very matter-offact statement that we should forgive others who have sinned against us. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors (v. 12). This concept was so important to Jesus that, of all the things he taught in this Model Prayer, forgiving others was the only one He came back and explained further in verses 14-15 after the prayer ended. If you are a Christ-follower, you have been forgiven an immeasurable debt. We all have sinned against a holy God. And that s serious! It s a common understanding that the weight of an offense is often measured against who was offended. For example, if you slap me, you aren t going to face any serious legal challenges. But if you slap the president of the United States, you ll quickly see how effective your church s prison ministry is. We have sinned against the Holy One, Almighty God, Creator, and Lord of all yet He has chosen to set us free from our sin. Through Jesus, He completely provided for our forgiveness. In verse 15, we re given a reason why we re to offer forgiveness to others: But if you don t forgive people, your Father will not forgive your wrongdoing. This doesn t mean God is unable to forgive. Let s never lose sight of His infinite love that led Jesus to the cross to secure our freedom and forgiveness. He is certainly willing and capable, but as long as we re unforgiving toward others, there s no room for God s forgiveness in our lives. We lack the capacity to receive His forgiveness. To be offered such incredible and undeserved forgiveness while still harboring unforgiveness is, frankly, appalling. Such unforgiveness plays right into the enemy s plan for us. Instead, we re to offer the same kind of forgiveness we ve been given. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ (Ephesians 4:32). BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 27
THE POINT Prayer is grounded in a desire to honor God. LIVE IT OUT How will you put the Model Prayer into practice this week? Set a pattern. For the next 21 days, intentionally begin your prayers with a focus on God and His kingdom. Do this until it becomes a habit. Make a list. If you don t already, begin using a prayer list to record requests, the date you began praying for those requests, and the date God answers your request. Use whatever method works best for you: an index card, a small notebook, or an app you can access from a smartphone or tablet. Align your heart with God s heart. Start praying for God s will to be done in every aspect of your life even if it means leaving your personal comfort zone. Prayer may be simply talking with God, but the rewards of this discipline are anything but simple. Make it your goal to focus daily on who God is, to present your needs to Him, and to forgive others. Without a healthy prayer life, we ll never experience the spiritual transformation God desires for us. My thoughts 28 SESSION 2