TEACH ME HOW TO PRAY.

When my son was almost two, I taught him a simple bedtime prayer.  "Dear Lord, thank you for (all family members by name), bless us all as we go to sleep and protect us till morning. In Jesus Name, AMEN". He learned how to pray that prayer in a matter of days. A couple of months go by and I realized that while praying for meals, he would change a few words in his bedtime prayer. He'd pray..."Dear Lord, Thank You for rice,.......,....and.......,bless us all as we eat rice,......,..... and.......and protect us till morning. In Jesus Name, AMEN!" That was one of the sweetest prayers I've ever heard and the beauty of it is that he put his own words in there and even though he'd pray this for breakfast and lunch, it didn't matter to me that he still had a little bedtime prayer in there.
My son was too young to ask me to teach him how to pray but I did anyway. As a Christian parent raising my son to learn and know about God, it was important for me to teach him how to pray and the sooner the better.

Jesus Disciples were probably in awe, the many times they had seen and heard Jesus pray and they wanted to know of this relationship/convos He had with his Father. Imagine this, Jesus' time: He's praying all night, most of the day, before healing, before raising the dead, before teaching,...giving all the glory to His Father, and then you, a follower, put two and two together and BAM!...behold the power of prayer and prayer being THE link. Even I would ask as they did: Lord, teach me how to pray......

Our Lord's Prayer becomes a model prayer. A very simple prayer that carries a lot of weight. It's a prayer that I say each and every Sunday in church and unconsciously with time it becomes a routine weekly chant.

At some point in life I never cared to know if this prayer was like a guideline for prayers that Jesus gave to His followers but at the back of my mind I knew. So, for the past few months, as our local Church went through the prayer series, I took it upon myself to sort of go through it and try to understand exactly how Jesus intended for us to pray using His guidelines. I want to learn how to pray......Jesus Way! I want to experience the power of prayer!

Join me as I do so for the next few weeks. I will appreciate your feedback and contribution as I share my understanding and God's guidance through "The Lord's Prayer" Matthew 6:9-13 and/or Luke 11:2-4 and bear with me all Theologians and teachers of The Word :).

On My Playlist....

I randomly selected:

God I look to you- Bethel live ft.Jenn Johnson
You are Good - Bethel live ft Brian Johnson
Story of Grace - United Pursuit Band
Fill Me Up - United Pursuit
I Believe - United Pursuit
Set A Fire - Will Reagan and United Pursuit Band
The more I seek You - Kari Jobe
Heaven Song - Phil Wickham
Awakening - Chris Tomlin
Lord I Need You - Passion Worship Band
Famous One - Chris Tomlin
Jesus Paid it All - Kristian Stanfill
Can I have More of You - Kim Walker
I Surrender - Kim Walker
I asked You For Life - Kim Walker
You're Never Giving Up - Jonathan David Helser
God Of The Angel Armies - Jonathan David Helser
One thing Remains - Brian Johnson
We Cry Out - Kari Jobe
Beautiful One - Jeremy Camp
Dance with me - Evan Earwicker
That's What Faith Can Do - Kutless
The Anthem - Jesus Culture
You're Beautiful - Phil Wickham

I love my playlist....I have never heard God speak to me like He has these past couple of months. Tons of choices that we make turn us in to the hypocrites we condemn each day. I have done that so many times and it's mocking God.
Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.

Job 4:8 As I have observed, those who plow evil and those who sow trouble reap it.

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Job 13:9 Would it turn out well if he examined you? Could you deceive him as you might deceive a mortal?

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Hosea 10:13 But you have planted wickedness, you have reaped evil, you have eaten the fruit of deception. Because you have depended on your own strength and on your many warriors, 
 My Precious Heavenly Father,
So many times I turned my face away from You, I sought my own judgement and ways, but You were always there waiting for me with open arms willing to listen to me cry and ask for your forgiveness, willing to hold me close and show me the power of Your Love. I am so sorry and my mortality is no excuse. I am sorry I sinned against you so many times. Forgive me of all my sins. Those I was so much aware of and those I unconsciously committed. I know I cannot guarantee a sinless life from here henceforth but I trust in You and the power of Your Salvation, the blood of Your Son Jesus Christ and the guidance of The Holy Spirit, that I will conquer temptations and all the snares of the evil one. Romans 8:37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. I will live with the confidence that You love me no matter what and You will never leave me nor forsake me. I will get through the disappointments of life, pain, fear, sorrow, hurt......I will not be devastated by all these because my relationship with Christ allows me and gives me the power to conquer all.

I wish to be in your presence, seeking Your face daily, honoring You in my words and actions, serving You with my life. I love You Lord and I surrender my all to You.....my life, my dreams, my thoughts, my heart and body. I give my everything to you knowing you will purify me, renew me, restore me,  take charge of my life and use me for Your Glory and to Your service.

I long for a life that sings of Your Greatness and Awesome love. I long for a life that pleases You and honors Your Name. I want people to see Your grace and love in my life and when they look at me.
Thank you for loving me and thank you for Your Son Jesus my Savior. Thank you for bringing me this far. Hold me now and be with me and all that I am. I praise You! In Jesus' Name.
AMEN!

Heaven Song - Phil Wickham.