TEACH ME TO PRAY

(Message delivered by Pastor at the True Life delivered by Pastor at the True Life Church 10.30 am Service, Mar 6, 05)
Text: Matt. 6:9-13

Let me ask you a question in the opening words of our hymn, Ere you left your room this morning, did you think to pray? I have a strong suspicion many of you cannot say you prayed. We belong to a rushing generation. So hard to find time. And we are also a people too well off. No need to pray. Now, let me ask you another question, Do wives pray for their husbands and vice versa, Do husbands pray for their wives? And we are not concerned for the salvation of our younger
generation either. Do grandparents pray for their growing up grandchildren? Do parents teach their children to pray when they get up in the morning and when they go to bed at night? And at mealtime? 3x a day. King Solomon says, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it (Prov. 22:6). We are also like little children not knowing what to pray. We are like the disciple in Lk. 11:1 who pleaded, “Lord, teach us to pray.”

This Lord’s Prayer is composed of six petitions. The first three petitions are devoted particularly to the glory of God. The remaining three petitions concern ourselves.

The first petition, “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name” is that God’s Name may be hallowed or revered. By this we wish God to receive all the honour and glory that He deserves to which is opposed that profanation (disrespect) which has become too common in the world.

The second petition, “Thy kingdom come” is that the kingdom of heaven may come. The kingdom consists of two parts. The one, God correcting all our carnal desires. The other, His making all our powers to an obedience to His commands. We are commanded to pray that He will subdue the hearts and minds of all men to a voluntary obedience to it.

The third petition, “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” is that the will of God may be done on earth as it is in heaven. In praying for this, we renounce again our carnal Ladies Fellowship, Mar 2, 2005 desires that God may rule according to His pleasure. There is a verse in Isa. 42:8 which says, “I am the LORD: and my glory will I not give to another.”

Now follows the next part of our prayer in which we descend to ourselves. The fourth petition is, “Give us this day our daily bread.” This is a general request to supply our physical needs. The expression “this day” restrains the desire for more. We must realise what we have is not our own. We must learn that “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4; Dt. 8:3). It teaches us to earn an honest living. In fact God gives us plentifully and we must return one-tenth to Him, which is tithing. This we bring to God’s storehouse the Church. “And prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it (Mal. 3:10).”

The next and fifth petition is conditional. “And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those that trespass against us.” This is different from the Bible text which says “debts” because we are influenced by “trespasses” in the Common Prayer Book of the Anglican Church for Singapore was a British Colony. Mission Schools, like ACS followed the Common Prayer Book. Here Jesus impresses on us further that if we don’t forgive others, God will not forgive us either. And how many times are we to forgive those who have hurt us? Peter asked the Lord, “Seven times?” Jesus said unto him, “I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.” For that is how God deals with us. Read Matt. 18:21, 22.

But I have heard of a church member who being hurt by another, was fuming against her, “I will not forgive” she shouted against her. Neither will she obtain forgiveness from God. Even elders will not forgive one another in their hearts. How can God bless their ministry in Church? The result is one of the two left the church and they have not made up to this day. And even pastors. I remember two old pastors the best of friends who became the worst of enemies without any
reconciliation until death.

The sixth petition is “Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.” The forms of temptation are many. Satan is very cunning. He uses adverse and prosperous events at the same time. From prosperous events such as riches and power. From adverse events such as poverty and afflictions. Satan is the enemy and sin is his weapon. Our petition is that we may not be conquered by any temptations but in the power of the Lord be superior to sin and the whole kingdom of Satan. This is deliverance from evil. Will we submit to God?

Whatever we seek from God is stated in the Lord’s Prayer taught by our Lord Jesus Himself. To assist our weakness we should appoint regular hours for prayer such as when we rise up early in the morning before leaving our room.

Ere you left your room this morning,
Did you think to pray?
In the name of Christ, our Saviour,
Did you ask for loving favour,
As a shield today?

Oh, how praying rests the weary!
Prayer will change the night to day;
So when life seems dark and dreary,
Don’t forget to pray.

 

THE GOSPEL OF LIFE: Chapter XI

John 11:1

O Bethany, my Home Sweet Home! 

The House at Bethany that had been our Lord’s resting place on the way to Jerusalem was suddenly overtaken by trouble. Lazarus was sick and going to die. They who had been the Lord’s host and hostesses now had confidence of finding help in time of need. “Therefore his sisters sent unto Him, saying, Lord, behold he whom Thou lovest is sick” (v. 3).

There’s a Chinese saying, “If you have no guest at home, neither can you find a host abroad.” Hospitality is a virtue exhorted upon Christians by the Apostle to the Hebrews, “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” (Heb. 13:2). How much more important it is for Christians to entertain the Lord, the Chief of angels! How great is the honour and how plentiful are blessings that flow therefrom. If you have lived in close communion with the Lord Jesus, if you have laboured for His cause, if you have served His church loyally and faithfully, your prayers to Him for help in time of need will also be heard. This Martha tried to do in her womanly way by cooking nice meals for the Lord. In this respect the ladies of our church who look after the kitchen are blessed if they serve Him lovingly, and not for any other reason. In this respect the women of the church who come to Bible Study, like Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus, “they have chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from them” (Lk. 10:38-42).

O Bethany, my Home Sweet Home,
Where my Lord is wont to stay.
Unworthy though as I can be,
He’s forgiv’n me by His grace.
What a blessing before Him seated
Who can take away my part?
O Bethany, my Home Sweet Home!
God and man share heart to heart.
My heavy burdens He puts them onHimself;
Through Valley of Tears no more bereft.
For Jesus is my Home Sweet Home,
I must see Him day to day.
His love endures till worlds be gone,
With Him life brings no dismay.
His love endures till worlds be gone,
I’ll go with Him all the way.
– Translated from Heavenly People’s Choruses.

 

THE SCRIPTURES

Say, Christian, would’st thou thrive,
In knowledge of thy Lord?
Against no scripture ever strive,
But tremble at His word.
Revere the sacred page;
To injure any part,
Betrays, with blind and feeble rage,
A hard and haughty heart.

If aught there dark appear,
Bewail thywant of sight;
No imperfection can be there,
For all God’s words are right.

The Scriptures and the Lord
Bear one tremendous Name;
The written and the Incarnate Word
In all things are the same.

For Jesus is the Truth,
As well as Life and Way;
The two-edg’d sword that’s in His mouth,
Shall all proud reasoners slay.

Why dost thou call Him Lord,
And what He says resist?
The soul that stumbles at the word,
Offended is at Christ.

The thoughts of men are lies;
The word of God is true;
To bow to That is to be wise;
Then hear, and fear, and do.
– Joseph Hart