Commonly called the Sermon on the Mount.
And we've been spending the last couple of weeks on the matter of prayer and how Jesus modeled for us to pray.
Today's text is going to be Matthew 6, verses 11-18.
But the larger context, I think, is really going to serve us well this morning.
So, I'm going to begin reading in verse 1 of chapter 6 and on through verse 18.
So follow along with me.
But before I read, beloved, let me remind you that this is God's Word to us.
It was written for His glory and our good.
And we would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and obey its commands.
Matthew 6, beginning in verse 1 and following.
Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them.
For then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets.
That they may be praised by others.
Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.
So that your giving may be in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites.
For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners.
That they may be seen by others.
Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do.
For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
Do not be like them.
For your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
Pray then like this.
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
But if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
For they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others.
Truly I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face.
That your fasting may not be seen by others, but by your Father who is in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
As we saw over the past two weeks, Jesus teaches us that those who can call God Father
can approach Him because of the personal work of Jesus Christ boldly,
with reverence and awe, and make their requests known to Him.
And so we worked over the past two weeks on verses 9 and 10.
And I gave you four points from that, which contained in them the exhortation to pray.
We ought to be people who pray.
And we should pray like Jesus, our Father in heaven.
Our Father in heaven.
We should be approaching Him with bold reverence.
Because we belong to Him.
We are His children and He cares for us.
We then noted that the first three petitions of Jesus' model prayer are aimed Godward.
They're not aimed at us in our praying.
They're aimed toward Him.
So our second point in the first petition was,
Pray like Jesus, hallowed be Your name.
Your name be known.
Your name be praised.
Honored.
Reverenced be Your name.
The second petition and our third point was pray like Jesus.
Your kingdom come.
As those who belong to the kingdom of God and are sojourning in this place,
we ought to want to see the full fruition of God's reign in this world.
We want to see this come to pass.
And the fourth point and third petition,
don't feel like you have to track me through that.
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
There are people who long for that,
to see God's final and full reign here on the earth.
So the first three are Godward.
They're aimed at His acclaim, His fame, His glory.
The final three petitions all speak to our great dependence on this God.
How much we need this God to act.
I hope that you know enough of yourself and enough of God to see your great need of prayer.
Sadly, too many of us pray too little,
which can be a great sign of arrogant self-sufficiency.
You think far too much of yourself if you don't find yourself pleading before God everything.
We functionally say that we do not need God's presence or power.
We have it all figured out on our own.
And what a terrible deception this is.
We are utterly dependent upon God for our very being.
He is our creator and He is our sustainer.
And we accomplish no good thing apart from Him.
David writes, King David, in Psalm 62, verses 5 through 8,
For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from Him.
He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress, I shall not be shaken.
On God rests my salvation and my glory, my mighty rock, my refuge is God.
Trust in Him at all times, O people.
Pour out your heart before Him.
God is a refuge for us.
Which reads, I read it to you previously, verse 1.
Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them.
For then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
And the teaching on fasting comes up most certainly underneath this overall exhortation of Jesus in verse 1.
And so last week, as I won't be here next week and Clay will be preaching in my stead, I said to Clay,
Hey Clay, why don't you preach the text on fasting?
And he said, Well, it kind of goes with what you've been talking about.
You started off and you've referenced it already.
And addressing Matthew chapter 6, verse 1.
And we had a good conversation about that.
And I said, You know, I'll handle it.
I'll take it and let you move on to the beginning of verse 19.
And Clay said, That'd be great because that's a great text.
I'm looking forward to doing that.
So I was kind of thinking, like, I'm just going to pick up the pieces, kind of the leftover parts of this.
Wrongly, I thought this way.
I thought, Well, somehow I'll make this work together.
In fact, I thought it'd be a little sporadic.
Okay, there's going to be three unrelated points this morning.
But not at all.
Upon further reflection on the text, I noticed that it is chiastic.
This is your big word for the day, chiastic.
This means that if you look at the text and you took it and you folded it on verse 13.
Can you imagine taking the text and folding it on verse 13?
The beginning of the text, verse 11, and the end of the text, verses 16 through 18,
are reflexive of each other.
They communicate together.
They're topically thematic.
And then you take a step in on the text as well.
And the same thing happens until you arrive at the very center of it, being verse 13.
Let me show you what I mean using the text itself.
So if we were to label, which are in my notes, I know that you can't see.
But if we were to label verse 11 as A, right?
Give us this day our daily bread.
And then verse 12, this prayer of forgiveness as B.
And then verse 13, this prayer for deliverance from evil as C.
So we've got this progression A, B, C.
Then you come back out of that fold of verse 13.
And you see verse 14 and 15 is again about forgiveness.
Right?
So notice verse 12 and verse 14 and 15 and the way that they communicate.
The same content here.
Jesus expands upon this idea he presents initially in verse 12.
And then the same thing, I believe, happens beginning in verse 16 and through the end of the text,
going back to give us this day our daily bread.
So the text is chiastic.
And there's lots of these chiasms in the Scripture.
And people can take them and do all kinds of bizarre things with them.
I'm not suggesting that at all.
The text still means what the text means on its surface.
But it helps us to see the beauty of Jesus' mind.
Right?
He is just speaking this.
And he uses this very common chiastic literary structure just in his regular speaking.
It's just a fascinating thing to see the way that all of it's intertwined together.
So, in our points today, we'll take verse 11 along with verses 16 through 18,
verse 12 along with verse 14 and 15, and verse 13.
And I'll walk you through that this morning.
So, the first point for this morning is pray like Jesus.
Give us this day our daily bread.
The first of today's petitions in Jesus' model prayer,
it's the fourth in the total prayer,
but the first of today's petition is for our very basic physical need, food.
For our very basic sustenance.
And the request, the way Jesus teaches us this,
draws upon God's provision for the Israelites found in Exodus chapter 16.
Familiar with the story of manna from heaven.
In verse 2, we can read Exodus chapter 16,
and the whole congregation of the people of Israel
grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness.
And the people of Israel said to them,
Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt
when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full,
for you have brought us out into this wilderness
to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
They said, we would rather be back in Egypt
and die at the hand of our oppressors
and have full bellies
than to be out here in the wilderness and starving.
And then in verse 4,
Then the Lord said to Moses,
Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you,
and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day
that I may test them whether they will walk in my law or not.
So, they were to gather up just enough to eat for that day.
And on the sixth day,
they were to gather two days' worth
so that they could rest on a seventh day.
And this was enacted.
God intended for them to do this
to see if they would trust Him
and walk in His commandments.
And we know they didn't,
and manna rotted,
and the story goes on from there.
In the evening, He provided quail,
and they were able to eat meat as well.
So, Jesus is drawing on this type of image.
Give us our daily bread,
our manna from heaven.
And we, in the same way,
are meant to be trusting God in that way.
Each and every day,
trusting that He will provide for our physical needs.
So, in the case of the Israelites,
sojourning in the wilderness,
God provided bread and this meat miraculously.
Amazingly, the dew would lift
and left behind would be this bread
that they would turn into cakes.
Is this the way that normatively God provides today?
It's not, right?
But by what means does God normatively provide
our daily bread?
Through work.
He gives us work.
And we apply ourselves
in the energy that He gives us to work.
And in most cases,
your employer gives you money
and you use your money
to go buy your bread
or whatever else you may buy to eat.
But we make a grievous mistake
when we don't think that comes from God above.
When we don't pray in this way.
When we are not concerned at all
about where our provision is coming from
because our kitchens are so fully stocked.
When we think that it's by the labor of our hands
that these things have been gained
rather than seeing that it's God employing means
to His great ends of provision.
And so remembering that we're to pray like Jesus in this way
helps us to look to the one
from whom all good things come.
To trust Him in all things.
It only takes a few moments
when you feel any anxiety
for the provision of your life
to think back across
all of the days that you have lived.
And I would challenge you to take a calculator
and multiply 365
by how many years you've lived
and say God has provided
this many days.
And He will continue to provide
for today
and tomorrow
and the next.
And on.
A Spurgeon quote on your bulletin today says,
God sends every bird its food
but He does not throw it into the nest.
He gives us our daily bread
but it is through our own labor.
Ephesians chapter 4 verse 28.
Paul writes the following
and it's believed by most
that he's directing what he says in verse 28
to those who are part of the church
and were not working
but were receiving the benefit,
the benefit,
the generosity
of those in the church.
They were coming and eating meals
with the church
but they weren't providing anything
for those meals.
And Paul writes this,
Ephesians 4 verse 28.
Let the thief no longer steal
but rather let him labor
doing honest work
with his own hands.
And I find it fascinating
the way Paul concludes this verse.
Not so that he can eat for himself
but it goes beyond that even
so that he may have something to share
with anyone who is in need.
Certainly there's provision for himself
but he's to work,
to labor if he's able
so that he has something to share with others.
So we in the same way
are meant to pray
not just give me my daily bread
but give us this day
our daily bread.
Pray on behalf of others
and to provide for others.
So then how does the fasting piece
connect to this?
As I've said that this is chiastic.
He goes on to give some very specific instruction
about how we shouldn't
and how we should fast.
His predominant instruction here
as previously stated
ties back to chapter 6
and verse 1.
So he is once again
confronting the hypocrisy
of his day and ours.
Fasting was a thing
that was paraded about.
It was habited in Jesus' day
that on the second day of the week
and on the fifth day of the week
which were also the market days
were also the fasting days.
And so the religious elite
who had nothing else to do
but parade around
their self-righteousness
would actually disfigure themselves.
They would put on makeup.
They would look poor and pitiful
and put on quite a show
that others would see
how pious they were
in front of others.
It was quite a production.
And I wonder today
if there's anybody amongst us
who puts on a show
and comes together
in the gathering
hoping that others
would see them
and praise them.
Jesus here is dismantling
the false religion
that so easily entangles us.
The desire to be recognized
by man
and to forsake
seeking the pleasure of God.
That he would be pleased with us
and be our rewarder.
Jesus tells us
that when we fast
we should have the outward appearance
of normalcy.
That's what this washing of the face
and anointing the head
was about.
Right?
The oil was typically perfumed
so it made people seem
less smelly
in the day.
So wash your hair
and wash your face
and don't look gloomy
so that your Father
who sees in secret
will reward you.
Now Jesus does not say
if you fast
but rather
when you fast
which would suggest
that fasting
should be
a part of the healthy
Christian life.
Normative.
It should be normative
to the Christian life.
Many faithful men and women
of God in the Bible
fasted.
Moses,
Samson,
Samuel,
Hannah,
David,
Elijah,
Ezra,
Nehemiah,
Esther,
Daniel,
Anna,
John the Baptist
and his disciples,
Jesus,
Paul,
and many others
fasted.
There's an abounding
amount of examples
of this in the Scripture.
Fasting, however,
is only commanded
in the Bible
one time.
And it's commanded
in connection
with the day
of atonement.
And you can read
about that
in Leviticus
chapter 16
and verse 29
and Leviticus
chapter 23
and verse 27.
It's nowhere else
commanded by God
but it is
commended
by God.
All of these
men and women
fasted.
So,
we should view it
as a beneficial
but non-compulsory
act.
a beneficial
but a non-compulsory
act.
And so,
the
encouragement to you
is that you should
consider,
have a clear
understanding
of what fasting is
and employ it
in your Christian
walk.
But it's not a command
to you this morning
and you should
fast.
But I think you
ought to really
consider the benefit
of it.
John Calvin wrote,
many for want
of knowing
its usefulness
undervalue
its necessity
and some reject
it altogether
as superfluous
while on the
other hand
where the proper
use of fasting
is not well
understood
it easily
degenerates
into superstition.
Fasting
is depriving
ourselves
of food.
A lot of people
do a lot of
kind of fasting.
This is not
what the word
means in
the Greek
language.
And I'm not
saying you can't
deny yourself
other things.
There could be
a lot of good
health and
staying off
social media
for a while
as an example.
But when the
scripture talks
about fasting
it's talking
about denying
ourselves
food
for a particular
amount of
time
for a particular
purpose
and it is
always
accompanied
by prayer.
It's always
accompanied
by prayer.
One can
pray without
fasting
but you
cannot
fast
without
praying.
It always
walks
hand in
hand
together
and here
you start
to see
some of
this
chiastic
significance.
Fasting is
to be
accompanied
by
prayer.
And we
have a
number of
examples.
I just
want to
give you
a few
of them.
I don't
believe
this is
exhaustive
but
times that
we see
particular
purposes
of fasting
in the
scripture
during times
of sorrow
David
fasted
to pray
for the
first child
of Bathsheba
which
eventually
died.
2 Samuel
chapter 12
and verse
16.
He was
grieving
for the
life of
this child.
He pleaded
with God
for the
life of
this child
and he
accompanied
that prayer
with fasting.
During
times of
great
danger
King
Jehoshaphat
which we
want to
talk about
just because
it's fun
to say
Jehoshaphat
proclaimed a
national fast
in Judah
when they
were threatened
to be
attacked
in 2
Chronicles
chapter 20
and verse
3.
We see
fasting in
the Bible
during times
of repentance
when the
Ninevites
heard the
preaching
of Jonah
the king
of Nineveh
decreed a
fast
this Jonah
chapter 3
verse 5
and
following.
And during
the need
for
clarity
we see
fasting
the beginning
of ministry
and the
continuation
of ministry
we're
familiar
with Jesus
fasting
for 40
days
and 40
nights
before
beginning
his
ministry
that one's
mine
Jesus
fasted
for 40
days
and 40
nights
before
beginning
his
ministry
before
the church
in Antioch
set Paul
and Barnabas
apart
for a
missionary
trip
they were
doing
what?
They were
praying
and fasting
in Acts
chapter 13
verse 2
and 3
and then
they commissioned
Paul and
Barnabas
to go
as missionaries
to the
Gentiles
and as
Paul and
Barnabas
are going
about this
work
it's recorded
that they
are praying
and fasting
as they
appoint elders
in the
churches
that they
found
Acts
chapter 14
and verse
23
and so
fasting
can be
very
helpful
to remind
us
of our
great
need
of God
right
as you
feel the
hunger
in your
belly
you say
who is it
that sustains
me
even as
I'm hungry
it is my
father who
is in
heaven
who gives
good gifts
to his
children
and I
ought to
flee to
him
in prayer
so I
very rarely
like to
use myself
as the
model
and I
think that
I can
grow in
how much
and how
well
I fast
but I
set aside
periodic
times for
fasting
when there
are big
decisions
that need
to be
made
there's
something
looming
on the
horizon
we're
doing
planning
Doug and
I
right now
for next
year for
the church
and I've
already
taken some
time
a day
of not
eating
and devoted
prayer for
that purpose
Lord help
me to
see
it drives
me to
my knees
right as
I feel
this lack
of sustenance
to go to
the sustainer
right and
to aim my
praying at
something very
particular
most every
Sunday morning
I fast
it's the rare
Sunday morning
that I'll go
I'm just too
hungry I
gotta go into
the service
without
but often
my fast
is broken
right from
the night
before when
we have the
Lord's Supper
together in our
Lord's Supper
gathering
before
and it
helps me
it sets
my mind
moving in
the right
direction
right
I need
right physical
food to fill
me up
I need
God's
spirit
more than
that
for this
day
right and
then sometime
after you guys
I'll leave at
1.30 or 2
I go
I need lunch
absolutely
starving
right
but I do
these things
I purpose
these things
to help
bring my
focus
to big
matters
that definitely
need God's
sustaining
work
so
the connection
to this prayer
of our daily bread
depriving ourselves
of daily bread
serves as a reminder
from whom our
daily bread
comes from
and therefore
how dependent
we are
upon our
heavenly father
for all
things
right
isn't that cool
that chiastic
structure
there
so pray like
Jesus
give us
this day
our daily
bread
and I'll
add to that
and fast
from time
to time
to help
you pray
in this way
secondly
pray like
Jesus
forgive us
our debts
pray like
Jesus
forgive us
our debts
this is
verse 12
and then
verse 14
and 15
verse 12
says
and forgive us
our debts
as we also
have forgiven
our debtors
and then
verse 14
and 15
elaborates
on this
for if you
forgive
others
their trespasses
your heavenly
father will
also forgive
you
but if you
do not
forgive others
their trespasses
neither will
your heavenly
father forgive
your
trespasses
so
this is a
difficult
text
because taken
on its
surface
it would
seem that
Jesus
is here
teaching
that our
forgiveness
is dependent
upon our
willingness
to forgive
others
that we
must first
forgive
and then
God will
extend
forgiveness
to us
right
this
would
seem
to present
a works
based
version
of
salvation
that
our
salvation
is dependent
upon our
willingness
to forgive
others
is this what
Jesus is teaching
here
no
oh may it
never be
that that's
what he
is teaching
here
what he's
rather teaching
in interesting
language
is that
if we
are
forgiven
we
will
be
forgiving
and we
must
look
at
larger
context
to wrap
our brains
around that
here
so turn
with me
if you
will
to
Matthew
chapter
18
and
verse
21
the parable
of the
ungracious
servant
beginning
verse 21
and following
then Peter
came up
and said
to him
Lord
how often
will my
brother
sin against
me
and I
forgive
him
as many
as seven
times
Jesus
said to
him
I do
not say
to you
seven
times
but
seventy
seven
times
so he's
essentially
saying
an infinite
amount
of times
you will
forgive
your
brother
therefore
he launches
in this
parable
the kingdom
of heaven
may be
compared
to a
king
who wished
to settle
accounts
with his
servants
when he
began to
settle
one was
brought
to him
who owed
him
ten
thousand
talents
and ten
thousand
talents
would have
been an
unpayable
debt
this would
have been
lifetime
upon lifetime
of income
that's meant
to jump
out
to the
listeners
of Jesus
parable
talents
what is a
talent
we don't
get that
billions
and billions
of dollars
you need
to understand
this is
unpayable
debt
in verse
25
and since
he could
not pay
he would
not be
able to
pay
his master
ordered him
to be
sold
with his
wife and
children
all that
he had
and payment
to be
made
so the
servant
fell on
his knees
imploring
him
have
patience
with me
and I
will
pay
you
everything
and out
of pity
for him
the master
of that
servant
released him
and forgave
him
the debt
but when
that same
servant
went out
he found
one of his
fellow servants
who owed
him a
hundred
denarii
and seizing
him he
began to
choke him
saying
pay what
you owe
now a hundred
denarii was
also a lot
of money
this would
have been
a denarii
was a day's
wage
this would
have been
a month's
worth
income
still a lot
of money
so his
fellow servant
fell down
and pleaded
with him
have patience
with me
and I
will
pay you
he refused
and went
out and put
him in prison
until he
should pay
the debt
when his
fellow servant
saw what
had taken
place
they were
greatly
distressed
and they
went and
reported to
their master
all that
had taken
place
then his
master
summoned him
and said
to him
you wicked
servant
I
forgave
you
all
that
debt
because
you
pleaded
with me
and should
not
you
have
had
mercy
on
your
fellow
servant
as I
had
mercy
on you
and in
anger
his master
delivered him
to the
jailers
until he
should pay
all his
debt
so also
my heavenly
father
will do
to every
one of
you
if you
do
not
forgive
your
brother
from
your
heart
so
the grace
that we
have
received
should
it
necessarily
makes
us
gracious
having
been
saved
by the
grace
of
God
and
been
given
his
spirit
he
works
in
us
mercy
grace
the
mercy
of
God
toward
us
should
find
us
humble
and
forgiving
our
willingness
to
forgive
others
evidences
the
forgiveness
that we
have
received
Paul
writes
in
Ephesians
chapter
4
verse
32
be
kind
to
one
another
tender
hearted
forgiving
one
another
as
God
in
Christ
forgave
you
becomes
the
necessary
thing
that we
do
because
of the
great
forgiveness
that we
have
received
we
need
God's
forgiveness
and his
continued
grace
to be
forgiving
so we
should
pray
in this
way
I
also
think
that we
should
be
careful
in the
way we
approach
God
in our
prayers
we
should
be
careful
in the
way
that we
approach
God
in our
praying
as we
come to
him
to make
confession
too often
we come
to him
and we
haven't
gone and
forgiven
others
we
come to
him
entirely
unmerciful
asking
for
continued
mercy
ignoring
the fact
that he's
been so
gracious to
us
in
Christ
and
not
turning
that
out
in
graciousness
towards
others
we
come
to
him
pleading
more
grace
on
our
behalf
don't
forget
just a
chapter
ago
in
Matthew
chapter
5
verse
23
and
24
Jesus
said
so if
you
were
offering
your
gift
at
the
altar
and
there
remember
that
your
brother
has
something
against
you
leave
your
gift
there
before
the
altar
and
go
first
be
reconciled
to
your
brother
and
then
come
and
offer
your
gift
so I
think
we
should
be
careful
about
the
way
that
we
come
and
ask
for
the
continuing
forgiveness
the
day
in
the
day
out
confession
of
our
sin
that
we're
careful
that
we're
not
harboring
bitterness
towards
others
as
we
do
that
very
thing
so
we
should
pray
like
Jesus
forgive
us
our
debts
deliver
us
from
evil
verse
13
says
and
lead
us
not
into
temptation
but
deliver
us
from
evil
Jesus
tells
Peter
in
Matthew
chapter
26
and
verse
41
and
remember
this is
in the
garden
of
Gethsemane
and
not
too
many
hours
before
this
at
the
last
supper
!
Peter
has
proclaimed
under
his own
power
that
he
would
never
deny
Jesus
right
self
sufficient
I
would
never
do
this
thing
and
then
Jesus
finds
him
sleeping
in
the
garden
and
he
says
watch
and
pray
that
you
may
not
enter
into
temptation
the
spirit
indeed
is
willing
but
the
flesh
is
weak
Sin
is
prowling
around
every
corner
and
we
should
not
think
too
much
of
ourselves
that
we
won't
fall
victim
to
the
very
most
egregious
of
sins
it
is
but
for
the
grace
of
God
that
we
are
not
the
absolute
continually
worst
of
sinners
and so
we need
to pray
that God
would
lead us
away
from
evil
and
toward
good
Jesus
prays this
for us
in what's
called
the high
priesthood
prayer
in John
chapter
17
verse
15
where he
says
I do
not
ask
that you
take
them
out
of
the
world
but
that
you
keep
them
from
the evil
one
we
would
be
a
people
growing
in
holiness
for
the
praise
of
our
God
and
our
heavenly
father
is
pleased
to
do
this
he
seeks
the
good
of
his
people
for
the
glory
of
his
name
!
Paul
writes
in
1
Corinthians
chapter
10
verse
13
no
temptation
has
overtaken
you
that
is
not
common
to
man
right
you
do
not
ever
find
yourself
in
the
middle
of
a
temptation
that
no
one
else
has
ever
experienced
there's
never
a
unique
temptation
to
you
right
you
have
no
excuse
to
say
well
yeah
God's
been
gracious
in
other
circumstances
but
he
doesn't
understand
this
circumstance
it's
common
we
are
all
experiencing
temptation
right
common
to
man
but
13
goes
on
God
is
faithful
God
is
faithful
despite
our
unfaithfulness
despite
how often
we are
given
to
temptation
and
give
in
to
temptation
God
is
faithful
and
he
will
not
let
you
be
tempted
beyond
your
ability
his
working
in
you
ability
but
with
the
temptation
he
will
also
provide
the
way
of
escape
that
you
may
be
able
to
endure
it
and
so
Paul
tells
us
that
we
can
confidently
pray
confidently
pray
that
God
would
do
this
on
our
behalf
because
God
is
faithful
right
the
temptation
you're
experiencing
is
not
unique
to
you
pray
that
God
would
deliver
you
from
it
and
act
and
move
with
the
very
impulse
that
he
provides
that
you
would
be
delivered
from
that
evil
to
the
praise
of
his
glorious
name
as
God's
people
we
are
meant
to
be
set
apart
as
unique
in
the
world
right
we're
supposed
to
look
different
we're
supposed
to be
haters
of
sin
and
lovers
of
good
we're
supposed
to be
pursuing
righteousness
with
all
that
we
are
and
it's
in
doing
this
that
we
become
the
aroma
of
Christ
right
for
some
that's
the
aroma
of
death
for
others
that's
the
aroma
of
life
oh
and
we
want
people
to
come
to
life
in
Christ
as
they
smell
our
lives
right
as
they're
witnesses
!
to
us
who
walk
in
the
light
and
not
in
darkness
and
so
we
should
pray
like
Jesus
deliver
us
from
evil
one
final
observation
we
have
noted
that
the
prayers
of
God's
children
begin
with
our
father
I
believe
that
the
meaning
of
the
use
of
the
plural
pronoun
our
is
layered
certainly
in our
corporate
prayers
it is
proper
for the
one
who
is
leading
the
prayer
to
pray
for
us
on
our
behalf
even
as
we
join
in
the
prayer
too
often
we
sit
idly
by
while
the
person
prays
maybe
processing
a bit
of
what's
being
said
we
need
to
recognize
that
when
somebody
leads
us
they're
leading
us
in
prayer
we
are
joining
together
in
that
prayer
that's
the
reason
that
the
church
utters
amens
we're
saying
let
it
be
we're
agreeing
with
the
thing
that's
been
prayed
the
closing
of
a
prayer
if
you
agree
with
the
things
that
were
prayed
sometimes
we
wonder
when
we
lead
public
prayers
we go
I hope
everybody
heard
and
was
on
board
with
what
we
prayed
so
it's
part
of
that
right
there's
a
layer
to
it
there's
a
corporate
praying
component
but
I
also
think
there
is
a
further
meaning
Jesus
has
just
instructed
times
of
secret
prayer
at
the
beginning
of
chapter
6
talked
about
going
into
a
place
that's
secret
and
praying
to
a
God
in
secret
that
God
would
reward
so
I
would
suggest
to
you
that
even
in
your
private
praying
you
should
pray
our
father
and
that
Jesus
intends
that
we
not
forget
even
in
our
moments
of
solitude
that
God
has
saved
a
people
and
that
we
pray
and
we
act
for
his
people
we
have
relationships
with
Jesus
Christ
I
am
a
son
of
God
that
is
an
important
thing
to
understand
but
maybe
more
important
is
to
understand
I'm
part
of
a
family
of
God
I'm
part
of
a
family
of
Christ
right
and
to
pray
on
behalf
of
others
is
very
important
notice
that
the
plural
pronouns
have
not
let
up
in
these
final
three
petitions
and
Jesus
doesn't
do
this
because
he
said
our
father
and
he
goes
oh
man
now
I
got
to
use
plural
pronouns
the
rest
of
the
time
not
at
all
what's
happening
here
he's
trying
to
teach
us
something
he
says
give
us
this
day
our
daily
bread
forgive
us
our
debts
deliver
us
from
evil
so
we
should
be
about
praying
pleading
the
cause
of
others
this
is
called
intercessory
prayer
do you
pray
in that
way
most
of your
prayers
aimed
at the
glory
of God
and at
others
or
at
yourself
so in
conclusion
our
prayers
should be
aimed
at the
glory
of God
that
his
fame
would
be
known
that
his
kingdom
would
come
that
his
will
would
be
done
our
prayers
should
have
our
good
in
mind
we
certainly
want
to
pray
things
on
our
behalf
and
God
cares
about
the
nuances
of
our
day
but
also
our
prayer
should
be
aimed
!
at
the
good
of
others
we
should
pray
like
Jesus
our
father
in
heaven
hallowed
be
your
name
your
kingdom
come
your
will
be
done
on
earth
as
is
in
heaven
give
us
this
day
our
daily
bread
and
forgive
us
our
debts
as
we
also
have
forgiven
our
debtors
and
lead
us
not
into
temptation
but
deliver
us
from
evil
I
hope
that
our
time
in
this
part
of
the
text
We're
going
to
move
on
to
some
wonderful
text
in
the
coming
weeks
and
finish
the
sermon
on
the
mount
before
advent
season
begins
I
hope
that
you'll
take
time
to
really
consider
what
a
praying
life
looks
like
and
if
you
don't
find
yourself
praying
what
it
says
about
you
and
what
you
believe
about
our
God