And he said unto them, When ye pray, say,
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
(Luke 11:2)
Successful prayers are in the quality of our asking, but in the power of God who answers. If we seek to only refine the quality of our praying, our prayers become only a duty to perform by us. The power of prayer is not wielded by those who ask, but by Him who answers. He answers not because of our asking, but because of His nature, for He is God and will be God in the circumstance before Him.
Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure
to give you the kingdom. (Luke 12:32)
Jesus’ hints of something deeper at the start of the Lord’s Prayer: “When you pray, say…”. “Say” is not a request, but is the word “lego” which means to “lay forth”. This is exactly opposite of our tendency to make prayers constructed only of requests. Practically this is praise; specifically this is laying forth of the nature and attributes of God. First is our acknowledgement of God’s place in our prayer, as our Father and the Head of the Kingdom which is to be enriched by His answers. Beginning with praise, we are no longer alone in our requests that follow, but we stand before the Living God who desires us to come, who is waiting to answer.
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above
all that we ask or think… Unto him be glory in the church by
Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
(Eph 3:20-21)
Now we stand before Him who sees all things, knows all thing, created all things; who purchased the rights to all things with His own blood. He is able to do more than we can ask or imagine. While Christianity has a strong emphasis on faith, faith has its foundations in the faithfulness of God. We find ourselves before Him who is worthy, faithful, and ready to answer. Our faith at the end, but His faithfulness is just beginning.
Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering;
(for he is faithful that promised;) (Heb 10:23)
Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed,
and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she
judged him faithful who had promised. (Heb 11:11)
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
(Luke 11:2)
Successful prayers are in the quality of our asking, but in the power of God who answers. If we seek to only refine the quality of our praying, our prayers become only a duty to perform by us. The power of prayer is not wielded by those who ask, but by Him who answers. He answers not because of our asking, but because of His nature, for He is God and will be God in the circumstance before Him.
Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure
to give you the kingdom. (Luke 12:32)
Jesus’ hints of something deeper at the start of the Lord’s Prayer: “When you pray, say…”. “Say” is not a request, but is the word “lego” which means to “lay forth”. This is exactly opposite of our tendency to make prayers constructed only of requests. Practically this is praise; specifically this is laying forth of the nature and attributes of God. First is our acknowledgement of God’s place in our prayer, as our Father and the Head of the Kingdom which is to be enriched by His answers. Beginning with praise, we are no longer alone in our requests that follow, but we stand before the Living God who desires us to come, who is waiting to answer.
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above
all that we ask or think… Unto him be glory in the church by
Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
(Eph 3:20-21)
Now we stand before Him who sees all things, knows all thing, created all things; who purchased the rights to all things with His own blood. He is able to do more than we can ask or imagine. While Christianity has a strong emphasis on faith, faith has its foundations in the faithfulness of God. We find ourselves before Him who is worthy, faithful, and ready to answer. Our faith at the end, but His faithfulness is just beginning.
Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering;
(for he is faithful that promised;) (Heb 10:23)
Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed,
and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she
judged him faithful who had promised. (Heb 11:11)
