Jesus Teaches Prayer Episodes

We are beginning the main text from the Sermon on the Mount the Lord's Prayer. For the next several weeks, we will be looking at prayer's framework and the standards of prayer. I in no way desire these standards to discourage anyone's prayer life. Therefore, as I may sound more like a preacher in the next few episodes, my request is if faced with standards you have not considered yet, do not let that derail your prayers. Remember the standards, and be assured you will grow into any truly Biblic...

What has often labeled "The Lord's Prayer" is not a mantra repeated out of rote, but a pattern for the prayers of the saints. Matthew 6:9-13 "Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. 10 'Thy kingdom come. Thy 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 also have forgiven our debtors. 13 'And do not lead us into temptation but deliver us from evil. [For Thine is the kingdom and the powe...

We learn clearly from Luke 18:1ff, Jesus encourages us to come to Him with importunity. The word in Greek though means asking so often it becomes shameful. I take two meanings from our initial study of Luke 18 here, We are not coming to an unrighteous judge, but to our loving Savior. Jesus knows our frame, and He sets out here: when the seasons come for which our hearts are rent by such sorrow that we cry to Him day and night, we are not only free to pray to Him over and over, but He invites...

Dear Christian: To use a word common today, the content of all Jesus’ teaching is to our hearts. We can keep all the rules for the wrong reasons. We may keep them strictly from fear, keep them strictly from pride, keep them to impress others, and as even real children of God, our reward is what we have sought, the honor of other men. Jesus, however, is aiming at our hearts. In prayer, this is most certainly true. He wants authentic communication from His children. When we come to Him, we aim a...

Ecclesiastes 5:2 2 Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few. This verse is a little humorous to me, but as all the word of God, it very concisely helps us understand our place before the Lord our God, our Savior. He is Spirit, and we are flesh, He is in heaven, and we are on earth, so our words are few. More profound for our souls is that “your Father knows what y...

Baby French (my grandson), Dean Martin, Jonathan Edwards, Mathew Henry, and John Piper each, in turn, help us learn what Jesus is genuinely driving at when He talks of “meaningless repetition” in prayer. Matthew 6:7-8 7 “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. 8 “Therefore do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need, before you ask Him. God is the great I AM, Father, Son, Holy ...

He knows what we need. Matthew 6:7-9 7 “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. 8 “Therefore do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need, before you ask Him. 9 “Pray, then, in this way: I have always wondered why as Jesus was talking about vain repetition, He slides in, “Therefore, do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” Jesus is reminding...

Matthew 6:6 “But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will repay you. Our inner room should be surrounding us whenever and wherever we pray. Sincerity, integrity, and purpose characterize our prayers, the subject of our prayers, and the intent of our prayers also gives credence to our supplications. Jesus Himself prayed very often with more than one goal, including a goal for ever...

5 “And when you pray, you are not to be as the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners, in order to be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. Praying in front of others can have a tremendous impact; praying only to be seen by men will not only have a little spiritual effect, the person praying only to be seen, will have no eternal reward. God is not constrained to refuse a prayer given only for show, but if we are seekin...

Jesus Teaches Prayer 3 - Not as Hypocrites a Matthew 6:5-6 5 “And when you pray, you are not to be as the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners, in order to be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 6 “But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will repay you.” The first encouraging application of these ver...

Twenty years ago, I chose to stop praying at all for one man. Today, being instructed by the very first words Jesus taught on prayer, I repented. I am praying again for mercy for him Octavius Winslow says it in a way I never could. “If one perfection of God shines out in redemption with greater effulgence than any other, it is this. Love is the focus of all the rest, the golden thread that draws and binds them all together in holy and beautiful cohesion. Love was the moving, controlling attri...

At least for this simple one, the exhortations of Jesus to a consistent prayer life, are even more stirring than His teaching. Through the admonitions of Jesus, prayer assures us, the astounding promises of God are yes and amen. In them, we have the stupendous reassurance our access to God, and Jesus, through prayer our access is complete and comforting and soul-satisfying! All our Scripture quotes are drawn from the NASB 1977 edition. freerangeprayer@gmail.com @PreacherRange For access to t...

Jesus not only modeled prayer, but He also taught prayer. He taught, formally and informally, the necessity and importance of prayer. Therefore our call to prayer is not just a feeling, a hopeful desire, or just gleaned from the examples of believers in the Bible, but instructed, by Jesus, continually and clearly. We have great reason to rejoice, as we pray, we in our obedience learn of God, and our hearts are lifted in faith, peace, and joy. All our Scripture quotes are drawn from the NASB ...

Jesus was the quintessential teacher. Like your favorite teacher, Jesus modeled prayer every day in front of His disciples. He taught prayer and how to pray, and He also exhorted His disciples to pray. Pray Pray Pray, prayer is essential for daily Christian living and the intense events in our lives. We are greatly encouraged to pray by our Savior's example. For access to the Voice Over services of Richard Durrington, please visit RichardDurrington.com or email him at Durringtonr@gmail.com. Th...

Some looking to diminish the impact of the Gospel of God, reinterpret what they read in the Bible to make it "palatable." A few have even gone so far as to assume Jesus did not mean everything He said, and in fact, they believe He shaped His message to accommodate Himself to His listeners, even though He did not share in their beliefs. Did Jesus beguile His listeners by telling them just what they wanted to hear? When you carefully read your Bible, perhaps not. For access to the Voice Over s...