Model Prayer…

Model Prayer…

When do we get saved? When does our life, in Christ, become our life in Christ? At what moment does that happen?

The great Missionary, Disciple, Saint Paul, was transformed right before our eyes. In six short versus we see Saul transformed into Paul. When Saul ask Jesus Christ, “What do you want me to do?” Saul was no more and Paul emerged. It would take a mere three days of fasting, absolute trust in the Lord and prayer for the transformation to be complete. Why can’t we all have this experience?

Beginning September 9th we began writing a series of prayers for a brother who is in the hospital. He is still there today, we are still writing prayers every morning and we began a few days ago making a prayer call to his hospital room to pray over him by phone. He is 8-9 drive removed from our location so it is far more practical to do it by phone, besides the hospital wouldn’t allow us to be in his room in the first place.

Praying over someone can be a bit of a challenge, especially, if you’ve never done it before on an extended basis. Using the model prayer that Jesus Christ gave us changes everything. It is truly the standard by which to pray. Writing out prayers becomes much easier, much richer and far more depth of Love when using what Our Lord and Savior taught us to do. When we already have the answers and refuse to use them, accept them or even recognize them for they truly are to our lives, it is amazing what happens when we finally awaken to the tools Our God has gifted us. We are an undisciplined people. We need His discipline to order our lives. When we place His will before us our lives transform as quickly as Saul’s. Once this happens our lives can not go back to what they were before. We can not be UN-reborn. We can not be UN-born again. It is our reliance upon Our Father for everything that changes everything. In using the model prayer it truly drives this reality home – right to the heart.

“And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. 8So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
“Pray, then, in this way:
‘Our Father who is 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 also have forgiven our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’] ~Matthew 6:7-13 NASB95

While a lot of people use this as a prayer, according what Jesus says, it is, actually, more of a “how-to” guide. When He, Himself says Pray, then, in this way Jesus doesn’t tell us to pray this as a  prayer, He says pray in this manner – use this structure. Using this structure – WOW! – changes prayer. Prayers become far richer, deeper and the Holy Spirit seems to make Himself more known and far more present.

Either the Scripture is the divine Word of God teaching us how to live and how to be a reflection of Him, or it’s nothing more than a historical account of events.