Matthew 6
The Model Prayer
5 “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.[b] 7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
8 “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. 9 In this manner, therefore, 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 this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.[c]
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.
Fasting to Be Seen Only by God
16 “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.[d]
Lay Up Treasures in Heaven
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
The Lamp of the Body
22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
You Cannot Serve God and Riches
24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
This next section of the Sermon Jesus spoke begins to deal with our spiritual connections to God. he wants us to connect to him through prayer and fasting. He taught how to pray and how to fast. It was not about getting recognition from others, but to find that secret place where we connect with our Savior. He wants to have a deeper relationship with us that is based solely on His love for us and our love for him.
1 John 1:19 We love Him because He first loved us.
I Thessalonians 5:17 says Pray without ceasing.
This is a call to ever be in communication with God. We need to be ready to talk to him and hear Him. Prayer is a conduit of communication with God. It is a way of speaking praises to him, petitioning him, worshipping him and perhaps more importantly, listening to what he wants to say to us.
When Jesus speaks of the prayer closet, he is speaking of those moments we are alone and intimate with our precious Savior.
Matthew 17:21
However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”
Matthew 26:41
Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Prayer and fasting gives us access to the power of God, to the ability to fight the battles that come our way and to gain strength in the spirit. This is a relationship in which God's power is available when we access it with prayer and fasting.
I think of examples in the bible, like Daniel, who was dedicated and prayed three times a day. This created faith that allowed him to survive the lion's den. And Paul and Silas praying and worshiping in prison brought about a supernatural intervention.
I also think of Godly people I have known that had prayer lives that amaze me. They loved that precious time with God, the time spent with their Savior, speaking and listening to Him. I know that when they prayed, miracles happened and things changed. God answers prayers. I think Jesus wasn't just giving an example, but a reason to pray. Our spiritual relationship with him has its foundation in the communication of prayer and fasting.
Questions:
How important is my prayer life?
Do I take time daily to build my spiritual relationship with God?
Do I need to make any changes to my prayer and fasting?
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