Prayer Pt.4
9 “This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
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 lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’
Matthew 6:9-1
So finally we get to what is perhaps the big ticket item. What we pray for. And this I think is actually the greatest mindshift for the modern Western Christian. Don’t get me wrong. There’s a significant ‘life-shift’ that needs to occur too → as in prioritising prayer in our daily lives.
But I wonder how many Australians are praying and yet their prayers are a fair distance removed from God’s purposes in Jesus. I know, because that was me. When I did pray, it was for those things that were most important to me.
I prayed for situations that were bothering me. For a better job. Or a better boss. I prayed for things that when you boil it down were simply asking for an easier life.
More telling was what I didn’t pray for. I almost never prayed for the salvation of others. I almost never prayed for others to be growing in their love and knowledge of God. I almost never prayed for my Church to grow or even my faith to grow.
Do you resonate with this? I still do to a certain extent. But I’ve been on a mindshift for some time now. I’ve been looking to pray more in-line with what’s important to God. With His purposes rather than my own.
And the cool thing. God’s been answering some of those prayers. Maybe even in you or through you today. Can I encourage you? Pray. Call on God’s name. But do it for the things that are important to Him. That are bigger than you.
For the salvation of sinners. For the growth of God’s people. For justice and compassion to reign in the world. For peace. For God’s Church to stand firm in the truth. For Christ to come.
For Today:
Pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
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 lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’
Matthew 6:9-1
So finally we get to what is perhaps the big ticket item. What we pray for. And this I think is actually the greatest mindshift for the modern Western Christian. Don’t get me wrong. There’s a significant ‘life-shift’ that needs to occur too → as in prioritising prayer in our daily lives.
But I wonder how many Australians are praying and yet their prayers are a fair distance removed from God’s purposes in Jesus. I know, because that was me. When I did pray, it was for those things that were most important to me.
I prayed for situations that were bothering me. For a better job. Or a better boss. I prayed for things that when you boil it down were simply asking for an easier life.
More telling was what I didn’t pray for. I almost never prayed for the salvation of others. I almost never prayed for others to be growing in their love and knowledge of God. I almost never prayed for my Church to grow or even my faith to grow.
Do you resonate with this? I still do to a certain extent. But I’ve been on a mindshift for some time now. I’ve been looking to pray more in-line with what’s important to God. With His purposes rather than my own.
And the cool thing. God’s been answering some of those prayers. Maybe even in you or through you today. Can I encourage you? Pray. Call on God’s name. But do it for the things that are important to Him. That are bigger than you.
For the salvation of sinners. For the growth of God’s people. For justice and compassion to reign in the world. For peace. For God’s Church to stand firm in the truth. For Christ to come.
For Today:
- Do you need to make a mindshift in regards to prayer?
- What are three things you could pray for more often?
- Pray today for things that are important to God.
Pray:
- Praise the Father for His good plans and purposes.
- Give thanks that Jesus teaches us how to pray.
- Ask God for His Holy Spirit to help you and others pray in alignment with God’s purposes.
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