The Model Prayer
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. Matthew 6:9-13.
[DIARY ENTRY, AUG. 2, 1902.] This morning my prayer to the Lord is for His rich grace. I never choose to begin a day without receiving special evidence that the Lord Jesus is my Helper, and that I have the rich grace that it is my privilege to receive.
In my morning devotions I have regarded it my privilege to close my petition with the prayer that Christ taught to His disciples. There is so much that I really must have to meet the needs of my own case that I sometimes fear that I shall ask amiss; but when in sincerity I offer the model prayer that Christ gave to His disciples I cannot but feel that in these few words all my needs are comprehended. This I offer after I have presented my special private prayer. If with heart and mind and soul I repeat the Lord’s prayer, then I can go forth in peace to my work, knowing that I have not asked amiss. . . .
The scribes and the Pharisees often offered their prayers in the market places and in the streets of the cities. Christ called them hypocrites. In every age men have prayed “that they may be seen of men.” . . . When Christ sees in His disciples errors that are liable to lead them astray, He always instructs them in the right way. He does not give an admonition without also giving an instructive lesson showing how to remedy the error. After instructing His disciples not to use “vain repetitions” in their prayers, in kindness and mercy He gave them a short sample prayer in order that they might know how to avoid imitating the prayers of the Pharisees. In giving this prayer, He knew that He was helping human infirmity by framing into words that which comprehends every human need. “We know not what we should pray for as we ought,” but Christ’s instruction to us is clear and definite.
That I May Know Him p. 261
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Prayer Requests
——Please pray for D, M, & A who are in a bad situation. Pray that God will take control and work everything out to their good. L
—— Please keep Kirsten in prayer today as she is going to try to return to school as she continues to miss her nana. Also keep _____ School in your prayers as well. I know Kirsten has been being carried by your prayers thus far… she’ll need them today too. Nicole
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Dear Friends
As Ron was driving to work one morning a few years ago, he saw a car that had been tipped over onto its side in the distance ahead. He wondered why no one was stopping to help whoever had tipped over their car and felt quite impatient with all of those uncaring people. He could not understand how people could be so wrapped up in their own little world that they would not get involved.
When he got closer to the object he felt very silly. How different it looked from that perspective. The object was not a tipped-over car at all. It was a large spool of gray cable with a large flat, black plastic object connected on one side and a transformer box nearby. Now he understood. Those people were not uncaring at all. The oncoming traffic could see the objects clearly and knew that no help was needed.
How often we are like Ron. We think we have a clear view of all things and wonder why those around us do not react as we think they should. We become impatient with them and often attempt to force them into our mould. Many times our well-meaning attempt is met with resistance. Sometimes, when we get a clear view of someone’s situation we realize that we would react in the same way.
Our Dear Saviour warns us, “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.”Matt 7:1-5 Paul adds, “why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.” Ro 14:10-13
Yet, this does not mean that we should never judge. Jesus tells us, “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” John 7:24 There are blatant sins that must be dealt with but even then we are to have compassion on them restoring them as Jesus would restore placing their feet back on the Heavenly path saving “with fear, pulling them out of the fire [so to speak] ; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.” Jude 23
“Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers.” 1 Peter 3:8-12
Rose