NOTES ON "THE LORD'S PRAYER"

Luke 11:1-4  It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.” 2 And He said to them, “When you pray, say:
‘Father, hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
3 ‘Give us each day our daily bread.
4 ‘And forgive us our sins,
For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And lead us not into temptation.’”

Matthew 6: 7  “And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. 8 So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.

In Luke’s account of “The Lord’s Prayer” a disciple prompted Jesus’ teaching with, “Lord, teach us to pray”.
Jesus responded by instructing them how to pray, and disciples have recited those words ever since; usually by rote – thinking to fulfill a religious requirement to pray.

In Matthew's parallel account Jesus began by teaching against meaningless repetition.
Reciting "The Lord’s Prayer” word for word, reading from a prayer book, or following some other liturgy is just what Jesus forbids.

At the time of the "Sermon on The Mount" those disciples weren’t born again – much less in-dwelt with the Spirit of Christ.
Jesus' disciples today, however, are the dwelling place of the Living God. 
It is important for us to know the fundamentals of appropriate prayer, but it’s more important for us to follow the example of that disciple two thousand years ago and ask our in-dwelling, Living God, “Lord, teach me to pray” each time we go to talk with Him.

John 14:16   I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; 17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.
18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also. 20 In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.
25 “These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

Think about it! 
Jesus is the most precious One.  He is our Beloved.  He has paid a price beyond comprehension to save us from our just eternal torment. 
Should we now respond to Him with scripted recitations?
No!!
In our frailties, He has even given us a guide to teach us how to express ourselves and pour out our hearts to Him . .  . To lead us to be able to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.

July 3, 2016