WHAT WAS NOT IN THE TABERNACLE

It is instructive to think about what wasn’t in the tabernacle.

There was no chair.

This reminds us that the work of the Levitical priests was never finished. Those sacrifices could not bring salvation; they only pointed to the salvation that would come by Christ. Salvation wasn’t complete until Jesus cried from the cross, “It is finished” just before He surrendered His spirit in death (John 19:30).

Hebrews 10:11-12 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God.

The fact that there was no chair in the tabernacle also reminds us that the believer priest should always be busy in the service of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Life is too short to be lazy or to retire from the Lord’s business. Slumber produces both physical and spiritual poverty.

Proverbs 24:33-34 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: 34 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.

1 Thessalonians 5:6-8 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. 7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. 8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

The fact that there was no chair in the tabernacle also reminds us that the believer needs to be always ready for the Lord’s return.

The priests had to be ready at a moment’s notice to pack up the tabernacle and to take their journey at the trumpet sound.

The imminent return of Christ is a major teaching of the New Testament. True Christianity is to turn to Christ from idols (repentance and faith) to serve Christ in this present world, ever watching for His return.

1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; 10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

There was no floor.

The floor of the tabernacle was the dirt of the bare ground.

Numbers 5:17 And the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and of the dust that is in the floor of the tabernacle the priest shall take, and put it into the water:

The priests in the holy place were surrounded by symbols of the resurrection glory of Christ, but their feet were still in this world.

This is a picture of the Christian life. The believer is seated in heavenly places with Christ (Eph. 2:6), but he is still in this fallen world. The believer has put off the old man and put on the new man positionally (Col. 3:9-10), but the old man is still present and must be put off in practice each day (Eph. 4:22-24). The believer has been delivered from Satan’s power and translated into Christ’s kingdom (Col. 1:13), but he still lives in the world over which Satan is the prince (Eph. 2:2) and he must still put on the whole armor of God to stand against the devil (Eph. 6:11). The believer has eternal redemption, but he presently lives in a fallen world and groans to be delivered from corruption (Rom. 8:22-23). The believer is not in the flesh but in the Spirit (Rom. 8:9), but the flesh is still present and if we do not walk in the Spirit we fulfill the lusts of the flesh (Gal. 5:16-17). For the believer, the body is dead and the Spirit is life (Rom. 8:10), but the body is also still alive and is called “the body of this death” (Rom. 7:14). The believer has eternal rest (Heb. 4:10), but he is also in the most severe spiritual warfare (Eph. 6:10-18).

“The heavens have been opened over our head. We worship and hold converse with God in the highest glory. And yet our members are here upon this earth; and we walk in the midst of a groaning creation, in a world defaced by sin; marred by the presence and power of death; still lying under the curse, and traversed as to its whole length and breadth, by the serpent’s path... No wonder the Lord’s people have such strange and mingled experiences. In one sense, they are already raised with Christ: in another, they yet expect the resurrection... Such are the experiences of the people of God, during the present dispensation, whilst the tabernacle of glory is connected with the wilderness path” (Henry Soltau, The Tabernacle the Priesthood and the Offerings).

The fact that there was no floor in the tabernacle exposes the error of monasticism. God has not instructed His people to hide from the world or isolate themselves from the world. It is tempting to buy a farm somewhere and to avoid most contact with the world, but this is exactly the opposite of what Christ has commanded (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15).

We are to follow Jesus’ example. He mingled with the sinners of this world in order to save them. He was called a friend of sinners, but He didn’t sin with sinners. Paul taught that we are not to go out of the world by breaking off all association with sinners.

1 Corinthians 5:9-10 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: 10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.

In contrast to the tabernacle, Solomon’s Temple had a floor of gold (1 Ki. 6:30). This points to the eternal reign of Christ. Then His people will dwell in immortal bodies, with no indwelling sin and no possibility of contamination. There will be glory within and glory without! The very streets of the New Jerusalem are paved with gold (Rev. 21:21).

There was no window.

There was no natural light in the tabernacle. Once the priest entered the holy place to worship and to perform his service to the Lord, the curtain of the door fell back into place and he was dependent on the lampstand for light.

Likewise in the service of Christ the believer is dependent on the Holy Spirit and God’s Word and is not allowed to mingle therein the philosophy of this world. We are to delight in the law of the Lord and reject the counsel of the ungodly (Psa. 1:1-2). We are to beware of the philosophy and tradition of men (Col. 2:8).

Theological liberals and the evangelicals who are influenced by them, for example, commit a great error when they try to interpret Genesis 1-3 by the principles of Darwinian evolution, Genesis 6-8 by ancient Babylonian fables, the Mosaic worship system by ancient paganism, and the New Testament by Gnosticism.

Just as the priest was dependent on the oil in the lamps to produce light, the believer is dependent on the Holy Spirit for enlightenment. Only by the Spirit can we rightly interpret the Bible. We must cast ourselves upon Him for help. He has promised to help and has promised to lead us into truth if we have obedient hearts and continue in God’s Word.

John 7:17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

John 8:31-32 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Knowing that we are dependent on the Holy Spirit, we must lean not to our own understanding (Prov. 3:5-6). Rather, we must seek wisdom as men seek after silver and cry out for wisdom, which refers to a single-minded passion for truth. Then we will find wisdom.

Proverbs 2:1-9 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; 2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; 3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; 4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; 5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. 6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. 7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. 8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. 9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.

There was no party band, no comedians, no leeks and melons.

The worship of the Lord as presented in Scripture is noted by simplicity and solemnity and holiness and complete separation from the world. There is nothing to please unregenerate man, nothing that appeals to the flesh, nothing patterned after the world.

How different this is from contemporary worship with its party atmosphere and its many elements borrowed directly from the filthy world of secular rock to make it “seeker friendly”.

The mixed multitude in contemporary churches, which are composed of true saints, “nominal” unregenerate Christians, and out-and-out unbelievers, despise God’s simple manna and long for the melons, leeks, and onions of Egypt after the fashion of the mixed multitude that followed ancient Israel out of Egypt (Nu. 11:5).

Many “fundamentalist” Bible-believing churches are only a step behind the out-and-out contemporary ones, having corrupted the Lord’s house with their gimmicks and promotions and joking and undue exaltation of big-name preachers and body-swaying soft rock which they have borrowed from the one-world church.

In the 1950s, a devoted Bible teacher issued the following warning about what was happening in his day, at the dawn of the neo-evangelical contemporary movement:

“Remember also that the bread on the table with the frankincense was the only thing placed upon the table as the food of the priests. There were no sauces and spices and pickles and olives and fancy salads or pie à la mode; just bread. We have drifted far, far away from this simple formula today. Instead of believers coming together to fellowship around the Lord Jesus Christ, the Bread of Life, without all the extraneous paraphernalia, and just to feed on His Word, we have too often turned our services into a carnival... And then we wonder at the worldliness and the shallowness of Christians today. We have added pickles, olives, radishes, and highly seasoned extras, and have relegated the Word of Life to a side dish, which few will touch” (The Tabernacle, 1955).

INTERCESSORY PRAYER

Intercessory prayer is the act of praying on behalf of others. The role of mediator in prayer was prevalent in the Old Testament, in the cases of Abraham, Moses, David, Samuel, Hezekiah, Elijah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. Christ is pictured in the New Testament as the ultimate intercessor, and because of this, all Christian prayer becomes intercession since it is offered to God through and by Christ. Christ Jesus closed the gap between us and God when He died on the cross. Because of Jesus’ mediation, we can now intercede in prayer on behalf of other Christians or for the lost, asking God to grant their requests according to His will. “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). “Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us” (Romans 8:34).

A wonderful model of intercessory prayer is found in Daniel 9. It has all the elements of true intercessory prayer. It is in response to the Word (v. 2); characterized by fervency (v. 3) and self-denial (v. 4); identified unselfishly with God’s people (v. 5); strengthened by confession (v. 5-15); dependent on God’s character (vv. 4, 7, 9, 15); and has as its goal God’s glory (vv. 16-19). Like Daniel, Christians are to come to God on behalf of others in a heartbroken and repentant attitude, recognizing their own unworthiness and with a sense of self-denial. Daniel does not say, “I have a right to demand this out of You, God, because I am one of your special, chosen intercessors”. He says, “I'm a sinner,” and, in effect, “I do not have a right to demand anything”. True intercessory prayer seeks not only to know God’s will and see it fulfilled, but to see it fulfilled whether or not it benefits us and regardless of what it costs us. True intercessory prayer seeks God’s glory, not our own.

The following is only a partial list of those for whom we are to offer intercessory prayers:

• all in authority (1 Timothy 2:2),
• ministers (Philippians 1:19),
• Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6),
• friends (Job 42:8),
• fellow countrymen (Romans 10:1),
• the sick (James 5:14),
• enemies (Jeremiah 29:7),
• those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44),
• those who forsake us (2 Timothy 4:16),
• and all men (1 Timothy 2:1).

There is an erroneous idea in contemporary Christianity that those who offer up intercessory prayers are a special class of “super-Christians,” called by God to a specific ministry of intercession. The Bible is clear that all Christians are called to be intercessors. All Christians have the Holy Spirit in their hearts and, just as He intercedes for us in accordance with God’s will (Romans 8:26-27), we are to intercede for one another. This is not a privilege limited to an exclusive Christian elite; this is the command to all. In fact, not to intercede for others is sin. “As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you” (1 Samuel 12:23).

Certainly Peter and Paul, when asking others to intercede for them, did not limit their request to those with a special calling to intercession. “So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him” (Acts 12:5). Notice it was the whole church that prayed for him, not just those with a gift of intercession. In Ephesians 6:16-18, Paul exhorts the Ephesian believers—all of them—on the fundamentals of the Christian life, which includes intercession “on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” Clearly, intercessory prayer is part of the Christian life for all believers.

Further, Paul sought prayer on his behalf from all the Roman believers in Romans 15:30. He also urged the Colossians to intercede for him in Colossians 4:2-3. Nowhere in any biblical request for intercession is there any indication that only a certain group of people could intercede. On the contrary, those who seek others to intercede for them can use all the help they can get! The idea that intercession is the privilege and calling of only some Christians is without biblical basis. Worse, it is a destructive idea that often leads to pride and a sense of superiority.

God calls all Christians to be intercessors. It is God’s desire that every believer be active in intercessory prayer. What a wonderful and exalted privilege we have in being able to come boldly before the throne of Almighty God with our prayers and requests!

PRAISE GOD IN DANCE

“Praise him with timbrel and dance...” (Psalm 150:4).

Psalm 150 is not a command that every Christian dance, any more than Psalm 69 is a commandment for Christians to curse their enemies. Consider Psalm 69:27-28:

“Add iniquity unto their iniquity: and let them not come into thy righteousness. Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.”

Christians are not supposed to pray like this. See Luke 9:54-56.

Most of the things Israel did, in fact, we do not do today in the church age. This includes circumcision of baby boys, sacrificial offerings, temple worship, dietary restrictions, sabbath laws, religious festivals, multiple tithing, and many other things.

We draw spiritual lessons from every part of the Old Testament, but we determine what part of the Old Testament to keep by comparing it with the New Testament. The believer’s way of life is found in the New Testament faith.

And there is no instance of dancing in the New Testament churches. Nowhere in the Gospels do we find Jesus dancing. There are no examples of the apostles dancing. There is not one example of dancing in the first churches. New Testament believers are commanded to sing spiritual songs, but we are not commanded to dance.

The dancing in the Old Testament was associated with God’s kingdom (Psa. 149:3-5). When Jeremiah described God’s New Covenant with Israel and the establishment of the kingdom of God on earth, he mentioned dancing two times:

“Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry. ... Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow” (Jer. 31:4, 13).

The reason dancing is not mentioned in the New Testament churches is probably because this is the period of Christ’s rejection and exile. The Bridegroom is away in a far country (Mat. 9:14-15).

At the Last Supper the Lord Jesus said, “But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom” (Mat. 26:29).

When the marriage of the Lamb comes, then will come the time to “be glad and rejoice” (Rev. 19:7). And we have no doubt that the joyful dancing referred to in Psalm 149 and 150 and Jeremiah 31 will begin then! Even so, come Lord Jesus!

When the kingdom of God comes again to this earth at the return of Christ, we will dance, but it will not be rock & roll dancing.

PRAYER WARRIOR

Although the phrase “prayer warrior” is not found in Scripture, a prayer warrior is generally thought of as a Christian who prays continually and effectively for others in the manner of praying taught in Scripture. Therefore, prayer warriors pray to Father God (Matthew 6:9) in the power of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 3:16;Jude 1:20) and in the name of Jesus (John 14:13). To be a warrior in prayer is to engage in the spiritual battle and fight the good fight of faith wearing the full armor of God and “pray[ing] in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests” (Ephesians 6:10-18).

While all Christians are to be prayer warriors, there are some people who feel they have a special and unique ability to pray and have been called by God to pray as their special ministry. The Bible never specifies certain people who are to pray more often, more diligently or more effectively than other Christians, but there are diligent pray-ers who are known for their emphasis on prayer. Paul commands that “requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone” (2 Timothy 2:1), and he says nothing that would indicate some people are exempt from doing so. All believers in Christ have the Holy Spirit who helps us communicate our prayer requests (Romans 8:26-27). All believers are to be praying in the name of Jesus, which means that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior, that we trust in Him for everything, including His interceding with the Father for us in all things, and that we live and pray in accordance with God's will. Praying in Jesus' name does not mean merely adding “in Jesus’ name” to a prayer. Rather, it means praying in submission to His will.

As prayer warriors, we rejoice in all things and have a spirit of thankfulness for what God is doing in our lives and the lives of others, and our own spirits grow day by day as we come to realize the magnitude of our blessings. We know with certainty that God provided the breath we just took (Isaiah 42:5); that He has forgiven our past, present and future sins (1 John 2:12); that He loves us with an eternal love (Ephesians 2:4-7); and that we have a place in heaven with our Lord (1 Peter 1:3-5). Our hearts, then, are filled with joy and peace and overflow with love for God, and we want others to have this same love, joy and peace. Therefore, we work for them by praying.

Effective prayer is indeed work. We have to learn to walk with God, so we meditate daily on Him and His ways in order to become more and more humble, which is essential for effective prayer (2 Chronicles 7:13-15). We also study Scripture thoughtfully every day to learn what is pleasing to God and therefore what constitutes acceptable prayer. We learn to eliminate hindrances to prayer (Mark 11:25;1 Peter 3:7;1 John 3:21-22) and not to grieve the Spirit of God (Ephesians 4:30-32). We learn that we are in a spiritual battle with Satan, so we must pray for our own spiritual well-being to maintain our strength and focus in praying for others (Ephesians 6:12-18).

Prayer warriors have a heart for God, a heart for prayer, a heart for people, and a heart for Christ's church. Therefore, we pray continually and trust that God answers each prayer according to His perfect will and in His perfect timing.

ASK, SEEK, KNOCK

Jesus continued His Sermon on the Mount by declaring the following in Matthew 7:7-11 - "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!"

Our Lord is again teaching on the subject of prayer in this context. Asking is making a request with one's voice, seeking is the act of pursuing someone or something, and knocking is an effort to open and pass through an obstacle. All three of these verbs are continuous in the Greek (i.e., one must continue to ask, seek, and knock), and they seem to be communicating the same basic idea in a progressive manner. When one prays to the heavenly Father, he must do so seriously, not vainly. Prayer is not to be an empty ritual. To pray correctly, one must not only "ask" for a blessing, but he must also faithfully "knock" and "seek" for the fulfillment of his request (e.g., Luke 18:1-8). Prayer is not an opportunity to make requests for things one is unwilling to work for or too lazy to sincerely pray for again if the petition is not immediately answered in the affirmative!

Prayers that are pleasing to God are offered from the heart zealously. When a person puts little heart or passion into their prayers, should they really expect God to put much heart into answering them? Friends, you must continue to ask, seek, and knock according to the Lord's will, and He will bless you. This is a promise of God, and He is faithful to keep His word! Let me hasten to state that although there are no explicit restrictions placed upon this teaching here, the rest of the New Testament does establish some parameters (cf. Matt. 6:14,15; James 1:6,7; 4:3; I Pet. 3:7; I John 3:22; 5:14).

One proper application of this verse is that those who are genuinely seeking the truth are going to find it. I do not believe that there is anyone who has lived, or will live, who sincerely desired to know the truth, who did not have an opportunity to come in contact with it (e.g., Acts 10). No one can truly believe in this promise unless he has great faith in the providence of God.

In Matthew 7:9,10, Jesus speaks of "bread" and "fish." These were common foods for the peasants of Galilee. Human parents "give good gifts" to their children to the best of their ability because they love them; that is, they wouldn't give them a stone instead of bread or a serpent instead of fish. But, how much more will God the Creator, whose love and ability to give are infinitely beyond any earthly parent, "give good things to those who ask Him!" (Matt. 7:11). Jesus is comparing human parents (who are "evil") with God Almighty who is perfectly good and righteous in every way. Have you considered that God's love for you is even greater than your parents' love for you? This truth must be remembered when petitions are offered to the Lord and not answered as one thinks they should be. One's prayers should always center around the fact that God knows best and He has our best interests in mind, regardless of how He answers. The Lord doesn't just give good gifts -He gives the greatest gifts (James 1:17)!

As we ask, seek, and knock, let us never view prayer as striving to conquer God's reluctance but rather as the act of laying hold of His willingness. "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen" (Eph. 3:20,21). SRB

HOW TO PRAY AND HOW NOT TO PRAY

The New Testament, in many places, emphasizes the importance and necessity of prayer for all Christians.

However, Jesus addresses the subject with the most depth, giving practical advice on how to pray and how not to pray.

There are many passages in the New Testament that emphasize the importance and necessity of prayer for all Christians. However, Jesus addresses the subject with the most depth, giving practical advice on how to pray and how not to pray. Let us consider the general principles He set forth in Matthew 6:5-8 - "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. 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. 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. Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him."

Jesus expects His disciples to pray; such is clear by His use of the word "when", not "if." "When you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites" (Matt. 6:5). Jesus is emphasizing the need to be sincere in prayer. Those who pray to be seen of men, as those who do charitable deeds with the same motive, have no reward from the heavenly Father. Hypocrites or pretenders are often diligent to exercise their "religiousness" in the most obvious way in order to gain the acclaim of others. These individuals are full of pride and lovers of themselves. Such does not please the Lord (e.g., Luke 18:10-14; Matt. 23; cf. James 4:6; II Tim. 3:2ff).

"When you pray, go into your room, and...shut your door" (Matt. 6:6). Jesus is stressing the advantage of solitude in prayer. One can more easily develop sincerity in prayer privately. Generally, there will be fewer distractions and disturbances since one can better control the environment when isolated from others. The essence of prayer is seeking after God, and it is undoubtedly easier to seek Him out in solitude because the temptation to pray to be seen of men is removed. God rewards those who petition Him in a proper spirit by granting their requests that are made in accordance with His will (I John 5:14,15).

One must not conclude that Jesus is here prohibiting public prayer. The New Testament authorizes Christians to engage in public prayer (Acts 2:42; I Tim. 2:8; James 5:16), although it should be noted that Christ seemed to pray more often when He was alone (e.g., Matt. 14:23; 26:36ff; Mark 1:35; Luke 5:16; 6:12; 9:18).

"Do not use vain repetitions" (Matt. 6:7). Our Lord underscores the need for simplicity in prayer (cf. Eccl. 5:2). One must avoid using meaningless, mechanical phrases. The pagans were often guilty of such (e.g., I Kings 18:26; Acts 19:34). Note that Jesus doesn't condemn repetition in prayer; He condemns vain repetition. A prayer can be repetitive and still be meaningful (e.g., Matt. 26:44). Offering thanks for food at every meal could turn into vain repetition, but not if one is truly grateful and mindful of the fact that God is the One who gives all things.

The beauty of the Lord's model prayer, which we will consider shortly, is its simplicity. It is less than 60 words in Greek. If one follows Christ's example, his public prayers will be shorter and his private prayers will be longer.

"Your Father knows the things you have need of" (Matt. 6:8). To have God as one's Father is to have the security of knowing that one's prayers are heard; thus, vain repetition is unnecessary. In fact, one's needs are known even before the first petition is uttered. Consequently, some wonder why prayer is necessary. It cannot be said that God is ignorant and in need of being informed, nor is He reluctant that we need to persuade Him. It appears that God imparts His gifts in response to man's eagerness to receive them (cf. Luke 11:5-13; James 4:2).

Even if this were not the case, one should pray simply because he is commanded to do so. I Thessalonians 5:17 says - "Pray without ceasing". Since such is physically impossible, perhaps the meaning is that God expects His children to have a mindset that continually seeks to be in tune with Him. If such is correct, then to "pray without ceasing" is to be mindful always of the Lord and His will in one's everyday decisions and activities. It is to communicate with the Lord silently and informally throughout one's day, offering brief words of thanks and praise as well as confessing shortcomings and expressing petitions. These brief prayers can and should be offered regularly as one goes about his business. Let me hasten to state that I am not advocating that all of one's prayers be brief, isolated thoughts. I believe it is wise to also make a custom of offering more in-depth prayers at certain times during the day. Daniel is an excellent example of this (cf. Dan. 6:10).

God must be approached with confidence, not doubting, in prayer (Heb. 4:16; James 1:5-8). Even if one feels inadequate to express himself fully before God, he can be comforted in the realization that God knows his heart (Rom. 8:26,27). Patience and persistence are also required (cf. Luke 18:1-8). It must be remembered that the Father "is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think" (Eph. 3:20).

In addition to the principles on prayer that Jesus shared with His disciples, He also offered an example for them to consider and learn from. "In this manner, therefore, 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 this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 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." (Matt. 6:9-13).

When Jesus prayed, He always addressed the heavenly Father, and He did so in a reverent manner - "Hallowed be Your name" (cf. Psa. 145:1). God's name should be considered holy; it is not common or something to be treated lightly. When one addresses the Father in prayer, he should be as respectful as possible. After all, one is not just speaking to anybody but to the Almighty--the only true and living God! If one gives respect and honor to his earthly father, how much more should he give to God!

Matthew 6:10 contains petitions of the past and present. "Your kingdom come" is a petition of the past. It is no longer appropriate to pray for the kingdom to come. This prayer was answered in Acts 2 on the Day of Pentecost. The kingdom of God has come, and Christ is now reigning (cf. Col. 1:13; I Cor. 15:24,25). Instead, one should pray that the kingdom be enlarged. "Your will be done" is a petition of the present. This is essentially a prayer for the spread of the gospel and for obedience to it. One should pray that God's will be done everywhere, at all times, and by all beings. To offer such a prayer is to commit oneself to the doing of God's will as well as to the teaching of that will to others and encouraging them to also submit to it.

The petition in Matthew 6:11 is not for milk and honey, the symbols of luxury, but for bread that will be sufficient for this day. And, as long as it is today, one does not need tomorrow's bread; instead, one should pray for his daily needs everyday (cf. Exo. 16:12-31). God will supply all necessary daily needs if one seeks His kingdom first (Matt. 6:25-33; cf. Phil. 4:19). Of course, one must realize that there is a difference between his wants and his needs. One must be careful not to let prosperity interfere with thankfulness for daily needs (cf. Prov. 30:8,9).

"And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors" (Matt. 6:12). Jesus uses the word "debts" here in a spiritual way. Our sins are like spiritual debts to God (cf. Matt. 18:21-35). Jesus elaborates upon this thought immediately after the close of this model prayer. "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses" (Matt. 6:14,15).

Back in Matthew 6:13, Jesus made this request of the Father - "Do not lead us into temptation". This request may seem somewhat troubling in light of James 1:13. Why would anyone pray that the Father not lead him or her into temptation if God does not tempt anyone in the first place? The solution is that this phrase could be translated - "Do not lead us into trials". There are plenty of trials to deal with in life without one praying for any more! Of course, when trials are present, learn to face them joyfully (James 1:2-4).

Next is an element of prayer that is rarely heard publicly--"deliver us from the evil one" or keep us from evil (e.g., Luke 22:31,32). Prayers for forgiveness are heard regularly, but not for the prevention of sin. Faithful disciples of Christ should pray to be delivered from the evil one; they should pray to be able to escape the severe temptations that the devil may present to them.

The second half of this verse accentuates the fact that one's prayers (and life) should always praise God - "For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, Amen" (Matt. 6:13).

A parallel to this section of text can be found in Luke 11:1-4. Therein Jesus' disciples ask Him to teach them how to pray. The Lord then proceeds to utter a prayer very similar to the one Matthew records. The fact that Jesus responds to His disciples' request implies that one can learn how to pray. It is not a gift that is possessed by some and not by others but a talent in which one may grow and develop. One of the greatest needs in growing as Christians is to learn to be more prayerful. To do such will teach greater dependence upon God and cause all to be more introspective.

Dear friends, what about your prayer life? Is it what it should be? Our Father wants us to be prayerful people. He wants us to be sincere and feel secure in our prayers we offer to Him. May we always be mindful of the beauty of simplicity when it comes to talking to Him, as well as the benefits of seclusion. Let us strive to recognize God's awesome nature in our prayers as well as His plan for our lives. May we appreciate the providence of God which sustains us on a daily basis and utter prayers that reflect our reliance upon Him (physically and spiritually). Let us strive to manifest a gracious disposition to others as we endeavor to more fully comprehend our own personal need for forgiveness.

In closing, I want to encourage you to make a prayer list, if you have not done so before. A prayer list is a tool that can help you become more disciplined and reflective in your prayer life. Begin by writing or typing a list of physical blessings for which you are thankful. Then proceed to compile a section of spiritual blessings for which you are grateful. Include a section for the people in your life (including at least one or two individuals whom you are trying diligently to bring to Christ). Pray for the Lord's blessings upon them and petition the Father for specific needs you know they have. Make a list of your own personal petitions, as well as a reminder to pray for God's will to be done in your life. Devote a section of the prayer list to the attributes of God; genuinely praise God for who He is. 

Finally, make sure to devote a section to weaknesses you are trying to overcome and sins you need to confess. These suggestions are not all-inclusive, though they should definitely give you a good foundation to get started. Pray in secret through the entire list at least once a week. Update the list appropriately monthly or quarterly. This will help you see how the Lord is working in your life.

Friends, may those who love the Lord pray fervently, persistently, and frequently. Thank you for listening, and may the Lord bless you as you strive to do His will. SRB

PRAYING GREAT THINGS

Praying can be frustrating. Most Christians are convinced that they should pray more than they do. But it’s hard. Some don’t pray because they don’t know what to say. It can seem that the best praying is done by super-spiritual types who have command of some sacred vocabulary.

Others have been urged to pray with the rationale that prayer is supposedly a powerful procedure. If it’s done correctly, prayer will get “results.” Or so goes the commonplace thinking. But when people don’t see “results,” they conclude that there is something wrong with them or with the words they are saying. If we should pray because prayer works, then by that same logic, we should stop praying if it doesn’t work. And many have.

Because of this sense of frustration, instead of calling people to pray more, we need to urge people to pray differently than they may have learned or experienced. How differently? In what ways should our praying be different?

We do our best praying when we pray beyond our personal needs and persistently pray toward the great things that God has purposed to accomplish in history. We do our best praying for others when we envision and intercede for the good things that God has desired for them. We do our best praying as a people, united and focused by God’s word.

It’s natural for humans to pray. But to pray well, we have to be taught. We need to “unlearn” a few presumptions and religious habits. Our best prayer is something we will learn by being corrected and encouraged by Christ Himself. No wonder His first followers approached Him, asking, “Lord, teach us to pray.”

Christ is increasing and deepening and simplifying the praying of His people all over the world. Let’s be encouraged. God’s greatest works are still to come. And our best praying is still before us. WM