The Lord's prayer goes as follows:-
1. Our Father who art in heaven
2. Hallowed be thy name
3. Thy kingdom come
4. Thy will be done on earth ...
Once we have said Thy will be done, is there any meaning in further prayer? There are two extreme views on prayer - both of which I think misses the mark.
The first sees God in complete control and all that has to be done is His will and so prayer is an attempt to ascertain His will. It is a conversation with God where I am through discussion understanding God's plan and purposes. The second makes prayer much simpler where it is asking God for whatever you need or think you need :).
James 4:2 and 3 reads as follows, "yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts"
This brings out the following points:-
1 You do not have because you do not ask. This means that you need to ask otherwise it will not happen. It is not just a question of telling God - your will be done, but it means based on our understanding asking God for specific needs and requirements.
2. Prayer is not about asking for things you want. God does not answer prayer which is to fulfil your lusts!!
So what is prayer? I build my understanding of prayer on the following premises:-
1. II Cor 5:15 - we are no longer living for ourselves but for Jesus. The focus of our lives is the kingdom Matt 6:33.
2. My prayer is therefore always linked to the kingdom and what I need for the purposes of the kingdom - which includes peace of mind, basic needs etc.
3. Ezek 22:30 - God sought for a man, but since he was not found God's wrath came upon the nation. In other words the future of the nation was in the hands of the man who was meant to pray for the nation.
4. Hezekiah's prayer where God changes His word on his request.
5. The doctrine of freewill. We were not meant to be robots, but people with a personality, emotions and desires.
I believe that as we walk in the path laid out for us, God has given some freedom to us to create out own future. At times God over-rides events we create by His acts, but He never over-rides our will. That requires willing submission. So I need to plan for the future and decide on courses of actions using the intellectual abilities God has given me, AND I NEED TO PRAY THESE INTO EXISTENCE. In prayer, as you come to understand God's mind you may change the plans and the prayers.
In essence then, prayer is not just telling God let your will be done, or just trying to understand God's will - which is essentially the Islamic understanding of God and prayer, but an interactive exercise between you and God in creating the future in your area of responsibility.
1. Our Father who art in heaven
2. Hallowed be thy name
3. Thy kingdom come
4. Thy will be done on earth ...
Once we have said Thy will be done, is there any meaning in further prayer? There are two extreme views on prayer - both of which I think misses the mark.
The first sees God in complete control and all that has to be done is His will and so prayer is an attempt to ascertain His will. It is a conversation with God where I am through discussion understanding God's plan and purposes. The second makes prayer much simpler where it is asking God for whatever you need or think you need :).
James 4:2 and 3 reads as follows, "yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts"
This brings out the following points:-
1 You do not have because you do not ask. This means that you need to ask otherwise it will not happen. It is not just a question of telling God - your will be done, but it means based on our understanding asking God for specific needs and requirements.
2. Prayer is not about asking for things you want. God does not answer prayer which is to fulfil your lusts!!
So what is prayer? I build my understanding of prayer on the following premises:-
1. II Cor 5:15 - we are no longer living for ourselves but for Jesus. The focus of our lives is the kingdom Matt 6:33.
2. My prayer is therefore always linked to the kingdom and what I need for the purposes of the kingdom - which includes peace of mind, basic needs etc.
3. Ezek 22:30 - God sought for a man, but since he was not found God's wrath came upon the nation. In other words the future of the nation was in the hands of the man who was meant to pray for the nation.
4. Hezekiah's prayer where God changes His word on his request.
5. The doctrine of freewill. We were not meant to be robots, but people with a personality, emotions and desires.
I believe that as we walk in the path laid out for us, God has given some freedom to us to create out own future. At times God over-rides events we create by His acts, but He never over-rides our will. That requires willing submission. So I need to plan for the future and decide on courses of actions using the intellectual abilities God has given me, AND I NEED TO PRAY THESE INTO EXISTENCE. In prayer, as you come to understand God's mind you may change the plans and the prayers.
In essence then, prayer is not just telling God let your will be done, or just trying to understand God's will - which is essentially the Islamic understanding of God and prayer, but an interactive exercise between you and God in creating the future in your area of responsibility.
