Where In The Bible Will I Find:

That We Are To Pray The Lord's Prayer?

In our study of the sermon on the mount, we learn that Jesus gave to His disciples a very pointed lesson on just how to pray (Matt. 6:5-15). In this text you will not find the Lord's prayer, but a pattern of prayer He gave to them. "After this manner pray ye," does not mean, "Use these words when you pray." The prayer that Jesus prayed is found in the book of John, chapter 17: Verses 1 through 26. That whole chapter gives His prayer just before His betrayal. And He didn't ask us to memorize and repeat it either!

But if we study that prayer, we will know more about how we should pray. In Matthew 6:9-15, which some refer to as the Lord's prayer, Jesus sets up a pattern of prayer for them to follow. But remember this was before the death of the Christ, and the kingdom had not come: so they could pray, "Thy kingdom come." But that would not be appropriate for us, since we are now in His kingdom (Col. 1:13; Heb. 12:28).

Our prayer now should be that the kingdom will spread throughout the world, that those who have not obeyed the gospel plan of salvation, will do so, and be added to His kingdom (Acts 2:47). Our plea should be that of His disciples, "Lord, teach us to pray" (Luke 11:1). Our prayers should be humble, straightforward, appealing to God our Father, coming from honest, sincere, contrite hearts. One leading a public prayer must consider the spiritual needs of all who enter into such a prayer, it should be kept brief, well organized in thought-content, and made to fit those who are praying, not just the man leading the prayer.

When prayers are offered at the Lord's table, these should be for only the bread and the cup, for this is not the time nor place for giving thanks for the day and all the blessings of life; although prayers like this should be on our rninds at all times. Vain repetitious prayers such as the "Holy Mary" type, are an abomination in the sight of the Lord (Matt. 6:7).