JESUS did indeed reveal all things, and when asked by His Apostles about the manner in which to pray, Jesus responded to them. On the last day, they asked Jesus how to pray……….What?………why would they ask him that after all the time they were with him? They asked him because he wanted people to know the manner in which to pray, that was the way Jesus worked.
You can go into any church for 10 min and you know how they pray; Out loud and in front of an audience. Jesus did it in private, sincerely and with now one around him, until they asked for an example. But previous to that, he was doing it real, with heart and in privacy. He was not trying to look holy. He was just very real.
No religious hats, beads, stain glass windows, black outfits, holy water, candles, chants or hypnotic chants. Just a man, loving the creator, and one who could forgive other people.
Matthew 6:5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Jesus went on to say don't be like them, pray to your Father in heaven in secret...
Matthew 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
This is not a literal "closet" as we know it that Jesus was speaking of, but a way of saying pray to your Father in heaven in secret, just as Jesus went on to say.
Jesus also said:
Matthew 6:7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
Don't be like them either.
Jesus also spoke a parable about prayer, notice how it was said a man prayed "with himself", that is to say in secret also:
JESUS said:
Luk 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
Luk 18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee,
that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
Luk 18:12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
Luk 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
Luk 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Those who use long pretenses in prayer, even condemning others in their prayer, that is the offense that caused this mans prayer not to be honored, but the humble mans was honored, by simply saying "God be merciful to me a sinner", and would not even as much as lift up his eyes to heaven he was so humble in his prayer!
Jesus went on to say don't be like them:
Mat 6:8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
I will present all His words now, from what you have heard to the prayer he said to pray. I will highlight The LORD's Prayer. Hear his words words, listen. They are blessed words of life for sure.
(LITV)
Mat 6:1 Take care not to do your merciful deeds before men in order to be seen by them. But if not, you have no reward from your Father in Heaven.
Mat 6:2 Therefore, when you do merciful deeds, do not trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be glorified by men. Truly I say to you, They have their reward.
Mat 6:3 But you doing merciful deeds, do not let your left know what your right hand does,
Mat 6:4 so that your merciful deeds may be in secret. And your Father seeing in secret Himself will repay you in the open.
Mat 6:5 And when you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the open streets so that they may be seen of men. Truly I say to you, They have their reward.
Mat 6:6 But you, when you pray, enter into your room and shutting your door, pray to your Father in secret. And your Father seeing in secret will repay you in the open.
Mat 6:7 But when you pray, do not be babbling vain words, as the nations; for they think that they shall be heard in their much speaking.
Mat 6:8 Then do not be like them, for your Father knows what things you have need of before you ask Him.
This is the Lord's prayer, a prayer from the very breath and Word of God. It is the best prayer you can ever pray. This is not a selfish prayer. This truly is a prayer for all the people of the world. Notice all the times Jesus said "us". The words have very very deep meaning, every one. It is a better prayer than many realize. His words are recorded here, in Matthew 6:9-13. (LITV)
"So, then, you should pray this way: Our Father who is in Heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come; Your will be done, as it is in Heaven, also on the earth. Give us today our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil, for Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory to the ages. Amen."
If you will pray this prayer to the most high Lord God, our Good Father in heaven, a private place will do just fine, and you don't have to stand on a street corner praying out loud for God to hear it, grant it, and bless it, for all the people of the world to benefit from it. Just pray it.
This truly is a prayer for you, for me, for all the people of the world, yes indeed. I present this to remind you of the manner Jesus taught us to pray, as recorded in Matthew chapter six, and that you will know this prayer to be a blessed prayer of truth upon you can rely that will certainly be honored by God, always. I ask that you try to remember to pray this blessed prayer everyday waking day, just this way, word for word, the more the better, and the kingdom of God will grow, and the will of God will be done on earth as it is in heaven; as it was, as it is, and as it shall forever be, and that's for certain.
The Word, who was with God, and was God, the Word who was sent to earth from heaven, having the breath and Wird from God, the Messiah, the One we call "Jesus" in English, or "Yeshua and Yehoshua" in Hebrew, or "Iesous" in Greek, The One unique son of God, born of the Holy Spirit of God as his Father and a human woman we call "Mary" in English as his Mother; He said to pray this way, so we should.
The Word of God said send your prayers addressed to "Our Father who is in heaven". We should do that. As the kingdom of God will not come with observation, as Jesus said, we still wan't it to come. The kingdom of God, it grows. It's about the will of God being done on earth via those whom the kingdom of God is within, as Jesus said the kingdom of God is within you. With God dwelling within mankind, mankind speaking these words to God daily, the world becomes a better place, slowly but surely, and the will of God is done on earth.
The Lord's prayer is for all the people of earth. It is not a selfish prayer. It is the best prayer you can ever pray. I am very particular to the words of Jesus. But James did speak of prayer also, and many seem to regard them more than Jesus' words concerning prayer, hardly ever mentioning what Jesus said about prayer in Matthew Chapter 6, but quite often only quoting James.
So you heard the Word, now lets look at what James said. If you feel afflicted, James said you can pray yourself. If you feel happy, James said you can sing praises to God yourself. If someone is sick among you, one of the body of Christ, and they come to you, one long standing well within the body of Christ, one having great faith in God, James said to anoint them with oil and pray a prayer of faith over them, and they will be healed.
Jam 5:13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
Jam 5:14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
Jam 5:15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
Jam 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Praying for one another is OK, especially the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man. James never did say to pray out loud to GOD standing on a street corner where you can be seen and heard by many people, did he. Jesus said not to, didn't he. That even applies to a big stage you may hear a man speaking many words, or TV, or even the internet, a world wide street corner it certainly be. Miracles don't always happen, but sometimes they do, and surely everyone has their reward.
More teachings of JESUS:
Mat 6:14 For if you forgive men their deviations, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
Mat 6:15 But if you will not forgive men their deviations, neither will your Father forgive your deviations.
Mat 6:16 And when you fast, do not be as the hypocrites, with sullen face, for they disfigure their faces so that they may appear to men to be fasting. Truly I say to you that they have their reward.
Mat 6:17 But you in fasting, anoint your head and wash your face,
Mat 6:18 so as not to appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father in secret. And your Father seeing in secret will repay you in the open.
It seems many have adopted the traditions of men, and do this very thing. Like the Pharisees, many love to pray out loud in front of other people, saying long prayers, to be heard by men. I have seen some "type" their "prayers" "to God" in an internet chatroom too.
The Word of God speaks more:
Mat 6:19 Do not treasure up for you treasures on the earth, where moth and rust cause to perish, and where thieves dig through and steal.
Mat 6:20 But treasure up for you treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust cause to perish, and where thieves do not dig through and steal.
Mat 6:21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Mat 6:22 The lamp of the body is the eye. Then if your eye is sound, all your body is light.
Mat 6:23 But if your eye is evil, all your body is dark. If, then, the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
Mat 6:24 No one is able to serve two lords; for either he will hate the one, and he will love the other; or he will cleave to the one, and he will despise the other. You are not able to serve God and wealth.
Mat 6:25 Because of this, I say to you, Do not be anxious for your soul, what you eat and what you drink, nor for your body, what you put on. Is not the soul more than the food and the body than the clothing?
Mat 6:26 Observe the birds of the heaven, that they do not sow, nor do they reap, nor do they gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Do you not rather excel them?
Mat 6:27 But who of you by being anxious is able to add one cubit onto his stature?
Mat 6:28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They do not labor nor do they spin,
Mat 6:29 but I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed as one of these.
Mat 6:30 If God so enrobes the grass of the field (which is today, and is thrown into a furnace tomorrow) will He not much rather you, little-faiths?
Mat 6:31 Then do not be anxious, saying, What may we eat? Or, what may we drink? Or, what may clothe us?
Mat 6:32 For after all these things the nations seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things.
Mat 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Mat 6:34 Then do not be anxious for tomorrow. For the morrow will be anxious of itself. Sufficient to each day is its own trouble.
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Mat 7:1 Do not judge, that you may not be judged;
Mat 7:2 for with whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with whatever measure you measure, it will be measured again to you.
Mat 7:3 But why do you look on the twig that is in the eye of your brother, but do not see the log in your eye?
Mat 7:4 Or how will you say to your brother, Allow me to cast out the twig from your eye; and behold, the log is in your eye!
Mat 7:5 Hypocrite, first cast the log out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to cast the twig out of the eye of your brother.
Mat 7:6 Do not give that which is holy to the dogs, nor throw your pearls before the pigs, that they should not trample them with their feet, and turning they charge you.
Mat 7:7 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
Mat 7:8 For each one that asks receives, and the one that seeks finds; and to the one knocking, it will be opened.
Mat 7:9 Or what man of you is there, if his son should ask a loaf of him, will he give him a stone?
Mat 7:10 And if he should ask a fish, will he give him a snake?
Mat 7:11 Therefore, if you, being evil, know to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in Heaven give good things to those that ask Him?
Mat 7:12 Therefore, all things, whatever you desire that men should do to you, so also you should do to them; for this is the Law and the Prophets.
Mat 7:13 Go in through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are the ones entering in through it.
Mat 7:14 For narrow is the gate, and constricted is the way that leads away into life, and few are the ones finding it.
Mat 7:15 But beware of the false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inside they are plundering wolves.
Mat 7:16 From their fruits you shall know them. Do they gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?
Mat 7:17 So every good tree produces good fruits, but the corrupt tree produces evil fruits.
Mat 7:18 A good tree cannot produce evil fruits, nor a corrupt tree produce good fruits.
Mat 7:19 Every tree not producing good fruit is cut down and is thrown into fire.
Mat 7:20 Then surely from their fruits you shall know them.
Mat 7:21 Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter into the kingdom of Heaven, but the ones who do the will of My Father in Heaven.
Mat 7:22 Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name do many works of power?
Mat 7:23 And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; "depart from Me, those working lawlessness!" Psa. 6:8
Mat 7:24 Then everyone who hears these Words from Me, and does them, I will compare him to a wise man who built his house on the rock;
Mat 7:25 and the rain came down, and the floods came up, and the winds blew, and fell against that house; but it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.
Mat 7:26 And everyone who hears these Words of Mine, and who does not do them, he shall be compared to a foolish man who built his house on the sand;
Mat 7:27 and the rain came down, and the floods came up, and the winds blew and beat against that house; and it fell, and great was the collapse of it.
Mat 7:28 And it happened, when Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were astonished at His doctrine.
Mat 7:29 For He was teaching them as having authority, and not as the scribes.
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