JESUS' PRAYER INSTUCTIONS

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you."
Matthew 7:7-8

JESUS TOLD US HOW WE SHOULD PRAY

This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
Matthew 6:9-13

EXEGESIS

It is interesting to me that, first off, Jesus says that we should pray this way. Should means an obligation or duty.

So why not make this our daily prayer. Or, even better, use this prayer several times per day.

Each line in this prayer could easily be a 1000 page book as each line refers to so many stories, admonitions, descriptions, and parables in the Holy Bible.

In just the the first phrase "Our Father", God ("Our Father") is mentioned about 5,400 times in the Bible.

"Our Father" is:

Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent, Eternal, Holy, Loving, Merciful, Just, Faithful, The Creator, Caring, Sovereign, and Immutable

These are just some of the attributes of God according to the Bible.

It's easy to see how 1000 pages could be written on each verse of the prayer as "Our Father" has over twelve attributes and just one hundred pages on each of them would total over 1000 pages.

SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR USING THIS PRAYER

Before praying use some water to wash your hands, face, and feet. Water is purifying and washing introduces the prayer time with a ritual that was common at the time of Jesus.

Pray out loud, preferably on your knees or in prostration like the Muslims do.

After saying each verse out loud - stop, pause, and reflect on what the verse means to you and what the Bible says in reference to it.

And at the end of the prayer time, rest a bit in silence and see what comes up for you.
A short rest ends the prayer in a unhurried way and may even bring some inspirations.

Do this three times each day - in the morning, afternoon, and evening. It will change your life.

ASSURANCE

"Verily, in the remembrance of God do hearts find rest."
Quran 13:28