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THE MIDNIGHT FRIEND – PRAY BIBLICALLY
TUESDAY, JUNE 2
Luke 11:1-13

Memory verse: Luke 11:2-4

 

“…And lead us not into temptation;

but deliver us from evil.”

 

THE MIDNIGHT FRIEND – PRAY BIBLICALLY
 
Jesus taught His disciples to pray in a manner that Old Testament saints were not taught. Addressing God as “Father” was unthinkable, for Israel approached Him as the holy and righteous Almighty God. They were fearful and very respectful of approaching the Almighty who appeared to them in “…thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled” (Exod 19:16).
 
In Luke 11, the disciples asked Christ to teach them to pray. He began by addressing God as our heavenly Father. Then, the goal of prayer was to hallow God’s name. To pray for God’s kingdom to come is to pray for God’s justice to prevail on earth, as God’s justice always prevails in heaven. Pray for God’s will to be done on earth, because God’s will is always done in heaven. This prayer is based on a father-child relationship that was an entirely new idea for the disciples.
 
The prayer taught by Christ here is similar to the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13 where the Lord taught us that all believers must pray according to the pattern revealed in the Lord’s Prayer. The reason is that prayer is the most essential tool given by God to all His children to help them be victorious in their spiritual battles. They must never indulge in self-confidence, for they will surely fail. How can believers’ self-confidence help them in the face of the cunning devices of the devil, who is the father of lies? If they pray and ask God for guidance and direction before making decisions, God will help them make the right decisions in their Christian life. That is why God commanded all His children to pray without ceasing. The pattern of prayer taught in Luke 11:2-4 is that every believer must pray for their prayers to be heard and answered by God.
 
How potent and blessed prayer is in every believer’s life! God has given all His children direct access to His presence at any time of the day or night. No matter how small or complex a problem is, God’s children can bring it before His holy presence. He desires His children to always run to Him in prayer, for He desires to hear and answer their cries.
 
THOUGHT: Will I also ask Christ to teach me to pray?

PRAYER: O Heavenly Father, may I never stop communing with Thee.

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