Teach Us to Pray, LORD!! October 8, 2012

I love the WORD! I pray the WORD! I seek the WORD when asked for advice!

I love Bible Studies...the study of the Word of God!

I am reading with Shinegirlsshine on the internet and have been since January 2012...such a blessing!

We're reading a chapter of the Word each weekday, and if we get behind, we play catch-up on the week-end.

Today, we're reading Matthew 6...a chapter that is just full of manna...bread of life for us...definitely words or WORD to live by...

It begins telling us not to be prideful...at least that's what I get from the 1st 5 chapters...

We are told not to brag...not to blow a trumpet and sound an alarm...when we do something charitable...something kind...like giving money or visiting...or taking someone a meal...

We also are told not to draw attention to ourselves when we pray...

The point here is not that we are to hide all this light under a bushel...the point is that we focus on Jesus!

It's ok to pray aloud...in fact, I've heard some of the most powerful prayer prayed aloud...but with humility...fully aware that God is the one with the power and He deserves all the praise and glory!!

We also are to give and to serve our fellow man...and the saints...and it's ok that people see us in order that they are discipled to do the works of Jesus in this earth...

However, we are not to think for one minute that the LORD can't do what He does in us...in anyone else in our stead...if we try to share the Glory!!!

To say we are saved, redeemed of the LORD...and to shout the goodness of God...is not prideful...and does not make us disobedient or rebellious...

Hiding all our gifts under a bushel...false humility...does not only make the LORD unhappy with us...He will actually take our gift that we hide and give to another who uses their gifts giving Him honor and praise!

I love verses 9-13...the LORD's Prayer...

As a child, in public meetings as well as church, we would pray aloud corporately ...this prayer that Jesus gave His disciples...I remember this well...before things changed.

I also went through a time of believing that the vain repetitions that are spoken of in the verses before this prayer were the actual prayer itself...I believe some teacher taught me this...but they were oh so wrong...

It was Larry Lea's book, Can You Not Tarry One Hour? that changed me.  He actually took an hour to pray the LORD's prayer.

Our prayer blanket...based on this title...takes almost 1 1/2 hours to pray...and covers all that is in this prayer...including the prayer itself...

Verse 14 is key:

¹⁴ “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

The LORD tells us in His Word to forgive seventy times seven!!!

As the LOVE chapter, 1 Corinthians 13 becomes our measuring tool...showing us whether we are operating in LOVE or not...it says we endure all things!

Love and forgiveness go hand in hand!  To LOVE is to FORGIVE! To FORGIVE is to LOVE!!!

Laying up for ourselves treasures in Heaven and not on earth...knowing that where our treasure is...our heart will be.  Keeping our eyes fully on the face of Jesus...and not moving left or right...

We can't have any other God before us! For the LORD is jealous of our love!

We can't serve another master...mammon being money...so we can't buy for our houses and not support the Kingdom...the god of convenience is mightily worshiped in this nation....

We're told to Seek the Kingdom first...and just like the lily in the field...beautifully taken care of by our LORD...not a care in the world...and yet, He cares for us more...

Thank, Jill for reading the Word with me...www.shinegirlsshine.blogspot.com/

Until the next time,

Teddi