WEBVTT
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Many people believe prayer is important--and they're right.
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But for someone new to prayer, it can be hard to know how
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to start or what to say.
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And if we're honest, even those of us who are more experienced
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can sometimes struggle.
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But there is good news.
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Because the One Person throughout human history
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who has had the closest and
most intimate relationship
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with God offers to
teach us how to pray.
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And if we'll listen to Him,
the door to a deeper and more
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personal relationship with
God through prayer opens wide.
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Join us for this episode
of Tomorrow's World, and
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Let Jesus Teach
You How to Pray.
00:39.139 --> 00:45.412
♪
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Greetings, from all of us
here at Tomorrow's World
00:48.047 --> 00:50.917
and our sponsor, the
Living Church of God.
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Communication with our
Creator through prayer is
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one of the most fundamental
and fulfilling disciplines
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of the Christian life.
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And there's no greater teacher of this discipline than the
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Son of God, Jesus Christ.
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It's our privilege today to present to you His teachings
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on this vital matter.
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At the same time, a subject this important deserves far more
01:13.039 --> 01:15.809
instruction and explanation
than we can provide in a
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program this brief.
01:17.510 --> 01:20.713
So, we'll also be offering you our completely free resource
01:20.780 --> 01:23.750
Twelve Keys to Answered Prayer.
01:23.817 --> 01:27.220
Lives have been transformed
by the twelve simple steps
01:27.287 --> 01:30.723
explained in this relatively small free booklet,
01:30.790 --> 01:34.060
and you owe it to yourself
to get your own copy.
01:34.127 --> 01:36.162
Keep an eye out throughout today's program for the
01:36.229 --> 01:38.898
information you need
to order yours.
01:38.965 --> 01:41.835
There are few things more
important than regular
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communication with
your Father in heaven.
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Yet, prayer doesn't
exactly come naturally.
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After all, we can't see God.
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When we talk with Him, He
generally doesn't talk back.
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There might be times when
we feel as though God is
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virtually in the room with
us, but then other times
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when it feels as if
no one is listening.
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It doesn't help that the cacophony of "Christianities"
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out there teach so many different things about prayer.
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Some recommend uttering
memorized prayers.
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Some recommend praying to
intermediaries, such as angels
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or supposed "saints."
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Others suggest that the most powerful prayers are uttered
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in nonsensical "tongues"
that no one understands.
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Some of us have basic questions about prayer, but we're too
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embarrassed to ask--even
though we shouldn't be.
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How do you start a prayer?
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What do you say?
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What should you ask about?
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All of those are
good questions.
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And if you're beginning
to ask those questions,
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God is delighted that
you want to know.
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In fact, Jesus' own disciples also asked to know.
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Let's read about it in
Luke 11 and verse 1...
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"Now it came to pass,
as He was praying in a
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certain place, when He
ceased, that one of His
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disciples said to Him,
'Lord, teach us to pray,
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as John also taught
his disciples.'"
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So, He taught them.
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And because His answer
to their question was
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recorded for us, that
means Jesus' instruction
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to them can become His
instruction to us, as well.
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And there's no greater
teacher of prayer than
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Jesus Christ Himself.
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We read more details about
what He taught in Matthew's
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account of the same teaching.
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We see it there in chapter 6, beginning in verse 5.
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There, He says...
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"...when you pray, you shall
not be like the hypocrites.
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For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the
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corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men.
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Assuredly, I say to you,
they have their reward."
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Now He's not saying that
public prayer under some
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circumstances is bad.
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The Bible has multiple
examples of public prayers,
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including some from
Jesus Himself.
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He is saying here, though,
that we must guard against
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seeing our prayers as a
means of impressing others.
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Instead, our regular,
daily prayers are meant
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to be private, between
ourselves and God.
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He explains this in more detail, beginning in verse 6...
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"But you, when you pray,
go into your room,
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and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father
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who is in the secret place;
and your Father who sees
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[you] in secret will
reward you openly."
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Now note: Jesus suggests
finding a private place
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for your routine and
regular prayer.
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That way, your prayer
is a matter between
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you and God, alone.
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This doesn't mean that prayer with a spouse or children is
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inappropriate, not at all.
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In fact, praying with children is a wonderful way for them to
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learn how to do it themselves.
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But, again, prayer
is not for show.
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It's about intimate communication with
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your Creator.
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He adds another important
element to this in the
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next verse...
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"And when you pray, do not
use vain repetitions as
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the heathen do.
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For they think that they will be heard for their many words."
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We don't build an intimate
relationship with anyone
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by repeating lines like
a character in a play.
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Prayer is real communication with God, not some sort of
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routine "spell" we cast with
the same words time after time.
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This is a little ironic,
because the passage that
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follows is often called
"The Lord's Prayer," and is
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repeated by many as if that repetition of the exact words,
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like a script, is equivalent
to prayer like Jesus taught.
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But such an approach violates the very instruction of the
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passage, not to mention the collected body of examples
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in Scripture.
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Rather, what Jesus did for them in the verses that follow--
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and what He does for us--
represents a model prayer--
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a prayer that we can learn
from so that we know
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how to pray ourselves.
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And in Jesus' model prayer
that He used to teach His
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disciples, we will find
seven helpful elements
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that we should employ in
our own prayers, as well.
05:59.659 --> 06:01.894
So, if you've wanted to understand how to get started
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in prayer, or if you have
long prayed to God but want
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to understand how to improve your prayers to draw even
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closer to your Creator, Jesus Christ is about to teach you.
06:13.973 --> 06:17.610
We'll jump right into His model prayer in our next segment.
06:17.677 --> 06:20.379
But first, let me take just a moment to allow you to request
06:20.446 --> 06:24.450
today's free offer, Twelve
Keys to Answered Prayer.
06:24.517 --> 06:27.453
The twelve keys covered in
this free resource have helped
06:27.520 --> 06:32.525
thousands unlock the secret to prayers that mean something--
06:32.592 --> 06:35.495
prayers that receive
answers from God.
06:35.561 --> 06:38.831
Twelve Keys to Answered Prayer includes many of the principles
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we're covering today,
but also so much more.
06:42.135 --> 06:46.105
It's time to turn your prayers into the lifeline to God they
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were always meant to be.
06:48.207 --> 06:51.043
Request your free copy of
Twelve Keys to Answered Prayer
06:51.110 --> 06:54.981
right now, and I'll be right back to dive in with you into
06:55.047 --> 06:56.816
Jesus' model prayer.
06:56.883 --> 06:57.984
Don't go away.
06:58.050 --> 06:58.951
♪
06:59.018 --> 07:05.491
For today's free
offer call...
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Or go to...
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This clear and straight-
forward resource will
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help you understand
this vital truth--
07:16.669 --> 07:19.505
straight from the
pages of the Bible.
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If you're calling for
the first time,
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you will also receive a
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and modern culture will
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Call today and join
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Or go to...
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♪
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Welcome back.
07:59.679 --> 08:03.015
Jesus has already taught us about the best environment
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for prayer, as well as
what not to do.
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Now, let's dive right
into His model prayer
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to learn what we should do.
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First, notice how Jesus
begins the prayer.
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Let's continue our reading
in Matthew 6:9...
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"In this manner,
therefore, pray:
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Our Father in heaven..."
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Now let's stop right there.
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Because He's already taught
us something important.
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Notice that Jesus
"Address[es] God directly"
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and focuses His prayer
on His Father in Heaven.
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He doesn't begin with His
own needs, wants, or desires.
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He focuses on God.
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And He calls Him "Father."
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A prayer is an appeal to
your Father in heaven,
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and it is rooted in a
relationship with Him.
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And notice, too, it is a
prayer made directly to God.
08:53.032 --> 08:55.668
Those who teach a need to
go through some sort of
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lower beings, praying to angels or imagined saints in heaven
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are simply contradicting
God's word and Jesus' own
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example and instruction.
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In several passages,
Jesus speaks of asking
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the Father directly.
09:10.616 --> 09:13.185
Later, the Apostle Paul
tells us that we may...
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"come boldly to [God's]
throne of grace"
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the promise of direct access.
09:19.158 --> 09:22.228
Those who teach you to pray to lesser beings than God are
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deceiving you, however innocently, and they should
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be completely ignored.
09:28.200 --> 09:31.971
Of course, Jesus is in heaven, and He, too, is God.
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And we do see the example of
the martyr Stephen asking
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Jesus to receive His spirit right before His death.
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The Son of God is God,
just as the Father is God--
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together, they are
the Family of God.
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Yet, there is a reason Stephen's prayer is rare in Scripture.
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Our prayers should primarily be directed to God the Father,
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just as Jesus teaches.
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And addressing God directly,
our Creator and Life-giver,
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at the very start of our prayer, putting our attention on Him,
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not ourselves, helps to set our mind in the right place in our
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prayer from the very beginning.
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The next element of prayer
Jesus teaches us helps to
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deepen that frame of mind.
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Let's continue in
Matthew 6:9...
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"Our Father in Heaven,
hallowed be Your name."
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Here in the model prayer, Jesus teaches us the next element:
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"Praise and Honor God."
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To hallow something is to consider it holy and treat
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it with great reverence.
10:35.868 --> 10:39.305
And God's name represents
His character, His goodness,
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and His majesty.
10:41.340 --> 10:44.276
Jesus addresses His Father
in heaven, and, again,
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rather than launching into
all He wants or needs,
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He begins by praising God.
10:50.983 --> 10:53.886
In our prayers, we should
spend the earliest moments
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reflecting on just who
it is we are addressing:
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Mentioning and thanking
Him for His goodness and
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His mercy, for His power
and glory--addressing Him
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in a manner that shows our
understanding that He is holy,
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righteous, and perfect--ever-
living, ever-loving, ever-wise,
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and ever-mindful
of His creation.
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As Isaiah 57 calls Him...
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"the High and Lofty One
Who inhabits eternity,
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whose name is Holy."
11:24.650 --> 11:28.120
Beginning our prayer by
praising God helps us to
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see all we are about to
say and ask in perspective.
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It reminds us of just Who
is listening to our prayers,
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so that we stay
respectful and humble.
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It reminds us that He has
the power to respond to our
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prayers--yet also reminds us that He's infinitely wiser
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than we are, and that we can trust Him with our burdens,
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knowing that He knows what is right to do with our requests--
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that He knows when to answer them with a "yes",
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or even with a "no."
11:58.918 --> 12:02.588
Beginning with praise, hallowing the name of God, helps to give
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us the right perspective and put us in the right mindset for
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speaking with the Almighty Regent of Heaven and Earth.
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What does Jesus teach us next?
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Let's continue to listen to Him.
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The next part of His
model prayer continues
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in Matthew 6 and verse 10.
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After praising God, He says...
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"Your kingdom come.
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Your will be done on earth
as it is in heaven."
12:29.248 --> 12:34.186
So, He teaches us next to
"Seek God's Kingdom and Will."
12:34.253 --> 12:37.890
In this, Jesus pictures in
His model prayer the same
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admonition He tells all of
us later in verse 33 of
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the same chapter...
12:42.995 --> 12:46.799
"But seek first the kingdom
of God and His righteousness,
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and all these things
shall be added to you."
12:50.069 --> 12:53.372
And before He has made a
single personal request of
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God, in His model prayer
He does just that:
12:56.976 --> 13:00.045
Expresses His desire
for God's Kingdom.
13:00.112 --> 13:02.815
And, truly, with all the tragedy, heartbreak, and
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turmoil that surrounds us
these days, our hearts should
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be driven to want God's
Kingdom to come as soon
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as it possibly could.
13:11.190 --> 13:13.926
Yet, seeking the Kingdom of
God is more than seeking
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a paradise on earth.
13:15.761 --> 13:21.300
It is desiring God's will in all things, over and above our own.
13:21.367 --> 13:23.235
Hence, the remainder
of this verse...
13:23.302 --> 13:27.907
"Your will be done on
earth as it is in heaven."
13:27.973 --> 13:32.344
Jesus tells us that early in
our prayer, we should assure
13:32.411 --> 13:35.781
God that we seek His will
more than we seek our own.
13:35.848 --> 13:39.285
We want His kingdom to reign, not the world around us--
13:39.351 --> 13:42.354
and we want His will to be followed and accomplished
13:42.421 --> 13:44.890
in this world, not our own.
13:44.957 --> 13:47.493
This element of prayer can
include praying for the
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preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God in this world,
13:50.596 --> 13:53.165
such as praying for this
program and its success.
13:53.232 --> 13:56.569
And praying for the humility, strength, and courage to
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accomplish in our own lives
what the Kingdom will help
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the entire world to do:
14:01.874 --> 14:07.279
Prioritize God's will, desires, and plans above our own.
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Jesus Himself perfectly
exemplified this attitude
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in the Garden of Gethsemane, before His crucifixion,
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when He said...
14:15.588 --> 14:20.125
"[N]evertheless not My will,
but Yours, be done."
14:20.192 --> 14:22.761
Highlighting to God at the
beginning of our prayer that
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His Kingdom matters more to us than what this world offers
14:27.099 --> 14:30.603
and that His will is more important to us than our
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own will helps our mindset tremendously, allowing us
14:35.007 --> 14:38.711
to make our personal requests known to Him in an atmosphere
14:38.777 --> 14:43.249
that tells Him we trust Him to make the calls--in our lives,
14:43.315 --> 14:45.150
and in the world.
14:45.217 --> 14:48.988
And we finally get to those personal requests in the next
14:49.054 --> 14:50.990
part of Jesus' instruction.
14:51.056 --> 14:54.693
But first, let me pause
very briefly to offer you
14:54.760 --> 14:57.563
an opportunity to request today's free resource.
14:57.630 --> 15:00.232
This easy-to-understand
study guide,
15:00.299 --> 15:03.869
Twelve Keys to Answered Prayer, will go into additional details
15:03.936 --> 15:07.273
about powerful and effective prayer that we will not
15:07.339 --> 15:09.541
have the time to cover
in today's program.
15:09.608 --> 15:12.611
In fact, elements we have
covered today are also
15:12.678 --> 15:13.912
found in the booklet.
15:13.979 --> 15:15.848
"Key One" in the book
teaches you to
15:15.914 --> 15:18.350
"Pray Sincerely to
the True God."
15:18.417 --> 15:22.021
"Key Eleven" is to "Give Thanks and Praise to Almighty God."
15:22.087 --> 15:25.557
And "Key Six" is to
"Seek God's Will."
15:25.624 --> 15:28.927
Too often people feel like their prayers stop at the ceiling.
15:28.994 --> 15:32.631
And that is a shame when such clear instruction about how to
15:32.698 --> 15:36.201
have vibrant and fulfilling prayers is waiting for them
15:36.268 --> 15:38.771
to discover it in the
pages of God's word.
15:38.837 --> 15:42.341
This free booklet will
give you that instruction.
15:42.408 --> 15:45.044
Order your copy right now,
and I'll be right back
15:45.110 --> 15:48.314
to continue with Jesus'
teachings on prayer.
15:48.380 --> 15:49.448
Don't go away.
15:49.515 --> 15:50.349
♪
15:50.416 --> 15:57.089
For today's free
offer call...
15:57.156 --> 16:02.528
Or go to...
16:02.594 --> 16:05.531
This clear and straight-
forward resource will
16:05.597 --> 16:07.933
help you understand
this vital truth--
16:08.000 --> 16:11.003
straight from the
pages of the Bible.
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If you're calling for
the first time,
16:13.339 --> 16:16.208
you will also receive a
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Tomorrow's World magazine.
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Six inspiring issues
discussing news, science,
16:21.680 --> 16:24.383
and modern culture will
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16:24.450 --> 16:27.986
your world from a
biblical perspective.
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Call today and join
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who are turning to
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♪
16:49.808 --> 16:53.979
Jesus has taught us how to begin our prayer in the proper mindset
16:54.046 --> 16:56.248
and with the proper perspective.
16:56.315 --> 16:59.885
Let's continue in Matthew 6
to see what He says next.
16:59.952 --> 17:03.655
Continuing in His model prayer, He says in verse 11...
17:03.722 --> 17:07.593
"Give us this day
our daily bread."
17:07.659 --> 17:11.330
Here we see Jesus teaching
us to "Depend on God for
17:11.397 --> 17:12.865
Our Daily Needs."
17:12.931 --> 17:16.769
Note: Almost half of the
model prayer so far has
17:16.835 --> 17:20.139
been focused on God--His
greatness and goodness,
17:20.205 --> 17:24.643
His Kingdom, and the importance of His will in all things,
17:24.710 --> 17:26.545
even more than our own.
17:26.612 --> 17:30.783
This provides the context for this request, a reflection
17:30.849 --> 17:34.153
that we need Him to
provide our daily needs.
17:34.219 --> 17:36.455
And of course, it isn't
just about bread.
17:36.522 --> 17:38.357
Our needs can vary widely.
17:38.424 --> 17:41.326
Our health, our finances,
our work and family--
17:41.393 --> 17:43.429
we have needs on many levels.
17:43.495 --> 17:48.100
And "our" is plural: Our loved ones have needs, as well.
17:48.167 --> 17:51.503
Yet, as a staple of life,
the use of bread in the
17:51.570 --> 17:55.874
model prayer helps to symbolize all we physically need.
17:55.941 --> 17:59.077
There are many things to notice in this element of prayer.
17:59.144 --> 18:02.815
It shows God that we do not take our daily needs for granted:
18:02.881 --> 18:06.618
We look to Him to provide them, knowing that only He has the
18:06.685 --> 18:08.787
dependable power to do so.
18:08.854 --> 18:11.423
Also, there's a humility
in the request:
18:11.490 --> 18:15.194
It isn't for a life of luxury,
leisure, and extravagance.
18:15.260 --> 18:17.796
Instead, it is a request
for the things we truly
18:17.863 --> 18:19.531
need to sustain us.
18:19.598 --> 18:23.435
And it is a daily request,
recognizing that tomorrow,
18:23.502 --> 18:28.240
we will come again before Him to ask for the needs of that day.
18:28.307 --> 18:31.076
It is not that we cannot
set before God larger
18:31.143 --> 18:32.611
hopes and dreams.
18:32.678 --> 18:36.181
God is a Father, and any good father loves to hear his
18:36.248 --> 18:38.383
child's wishes and desires.
18:38.450 --> 18:41.220
Yet, the model prayer teaches
us that, at the heart of
18:41.286 --> 18:44.456
such things, we should be content with God's satisfying
18:44.523 --> 18:48.293
our needs, versus being
obsessed with our wants.
18:48.360 --> 18:51.463
Our earlier focus on God's
graciousness and goodness
18:51.530 --> 18:54.867
helps us to trust that,
in making our requests,
18:54.933 --> 18:58.303
He hears them and will
take them seriously.
18:58.370 --> 19:02.174
And in promises such as
we read in Matthew 6:33,
19:02.241 --> 19:05.410
we can trust that, if we
sincerely put His Kingdom
19:05.477 --> 19:08.580
first in our prayer,
as Jesus taught us,
19:08.647 --> 19:11.583
then we can trust that...
"all things [we need]
19:11.650 --> 19:14.052
shall be added to [us]."
19:14.119 --> 19:17.322
And our needs are far more
than physical, as we'll see.
19:17.389 --> 19:19.157
Let's continue in verse 12.
19:19.224 --> 19:22.861
After asking for our daily bread, the prayer continues...
19:22.928 --> 19:28.300
"And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors."
19:28.367 --> 19:32.738
Yes, we should not take our standing before God for granted.
19:32.804 --> 19:37.543
Jesus teaches us to "Ask God
for Forgiveness of Our Sins"
19:37.609 --> 19:38.944
And we need it.
19:39.011 --> 19:41.079
Romans 3:23 tells us that...
19:41.146 --> 19:44.750
"all have sinned and fall
short of the glory of God."
19:44.816 --> 19:46.652
And 1 John 1:8 says that...
19:46.718 --> 19:50.656
"[I]f we say that we have
no sin, we deceive ourselves,
19:50.722 --> 19:52.491
and the truth is not in us."
19:52.558 --> 19:55.627
Yet, if we've been baptized
and had hands laid on us by
19:55.694 --> 19:58.564
a minister of Jesus Christ,
the blood of Christ,
19:58.630 --> 20:01.800
the Lamb of God, washes away
the sins we've committed,
20:01.867 --> 20:06.171
as we seek God repentantly
with a heart desiring to
20:06.238 --> 20:07.506
turn from those sins.
20:07.573 --> 20:09.741
If you're interested in
understanding more about
20:09.808 --> 20:13.211
what it means to turn to
God in true repentance,
20:13.278 --> 20:15.914
one of our representatives
can get in touch with you.
20:15.981 --> 20:18.584
Just mention you're interested when you request today's free
20:18.650 --> 20:20.252
material about prayer.
20:20.319 --> 20:24.022
Or go to TomorrowsWorld.org
to reach out online.
20:24.089 --> 20:27.626
This element of the model
prayer reminds us that we do
20:27.693 --> 20:31.430
not take God's forgiveness for granted and requests that God
20:31.496 --> 20:36.101
continue to wash us clean through the sacrifice of Christ.
20:36.168 --> 20:40.672
And note too that Jesus attaches
our own forgiveness to our
20:40.739 --> 20:42.741
willingness to forgive others.
20:42.808 --> 20:46.111
Many ignore this fact to
their spiritual peril.
20:46.178 --> 20:49.781
Christ explains more a
little later in Matthew 6...
20:49.848 --> 20:52.718
"For if you forgive
men their trespasses,
20:52.784 --> 20:55.887
your heavenly Father
will also forgive you.
20:55.954 --> 20:58.991
But if you do not forgive
men their trespasses,
20:59.057 --> 21:02.928
neither will your Father
forgive your trespasses."
21:02.995 --> 21:06.565
Jesus explains that if we
truly want forgiveness for
21:06.632 --> 21:09.968
our sins and wrongdoings,
we must forgive those
21:10.035 --> 21:11.703
who've wronged us.
21:11.770 --> 21:15.073
And if we find that hard--
as it certainly can be--
21:15.140 --> 21:18.110
a request to our Father in heaven to help us forgive
21:18.176 --> 21:20.946
others is a fitting addition
to our prayers.
21:21.013 --> 21:24.983
After all, when it comes to forgiveness, He's the expert.
21:25.050 --> 21:28.153
Next in the model prayer,
Jesus teaches us another
21:28.220 --> 21:30.555
area in which we should
seek God's help.
21:30.622 --> 21:34.092
Let's continue the prayer
in verse 13 of Matthew 6...
21:34.159 --> 21:38.530
"And do not lead us into
temptation, but deliver us
21:38.597 --> 21:40.065
from the evil one."
21:40.132 --> 21:43.735
Now notice, Jesus isn't just teaching us to ask for God's
21:43.802 --> 21:46.571
protection from the dangerous elements of this world,
21:46.638 --> 21:50.342
though such requests are, indeed, daily physical needs
21:50.409 --> 21:53.712
that fit within the earlier area of prayer that we discussed
21:53.779 --> 21:55.213
concerning "daily bread."
21:55.280 --> 21:58.083
Rather, Jesus teaches us
here to Ask God for
21:58.150 --> 22:02.387
Spiritual Protection--to go directly to God and to ask Him
22:02.454 --> 22:06.358
to help us avoid temptations that may lead us astray into
22:06.425 --> 22:09.928
sins, taking us further
from Him in our daily walk,
22:09.995 --> 22:12.264
instead of drawing us closer.
22:12.330 --> 22:14.833
This does not mean that,
when trials come, God has
22:14.900 --> 22:16.301
somehow failed.
22:16.368 --> 22:19.171
Many places in Scripture highlight the important role
22:19.237 --> 22:23.075
that trials play in our spiritual growth, testing
22:23.141 --> 22:26.011
our faith and helping us
to grow in patience.
22:26.078 --> 22:29.781
But just as any child would want his father to protect him from
22:29.848 --> 22:34.586
pitfalls and traps, we should directly ask God to preserve
22:34.653 --> 22:38.523
us spiritually from falling
into temptation's snares.
22:38.590 --> 22:42.294
Consider the Apostle Paul's admonition in his first letter
22:42.360 --> 22:47.099
to the Corinthians--in chapter 10, verses 12 and 13...
22:47.165 --> 22:51.903
"Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.
22:51.970 --> 22:56.408
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man;
22:56.475 --> 22:59.578
but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted
22:59.644 --> 23:04.249
beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also
23:04.316 --> 23:08.386
make the way of escape, that
you may be able to bear it."
23:08.453 --> 23:10.655
Paul encouraged the
Corinthians not to take
23:10.722 --> 23:13.992
their spiritual safety for granted, but to desire God's
23:14.059 --> 23:16.261
help with temptation.
23:16.328 --> 23:19.998
And concerning the "evil one," the Apostle Peter told his
23:20.065 --> 23:24.236
own readers, in 1 Peter 5:8...
23:24.302 --> 23:29.908
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks
23:29.975 --> 23:34.479
about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour."
23:34.546 --> 23:38.250
These spiritual dangers are
more important than even
23:38.316 --> 23:41.019
the physical dangers this
world throws at us.
23:41.086 --> 23:44.222
And Jesus teaches us not to ignore them in our prayers,
23:44.289 --> 23:47.793
but to actively ask God
for spiritual protection
23:47.859 --> 23:50.228
from these dangers.
23:50.295 --> 23:53.999
We have only one more element left in Jesus' model prayer,
23:54.065 --> 23:56.334
and we'll cover that
in our last segment.
23:56.401 --> 23:59.004
But before we conclude, I
want you to have one more
23:59.070 --> 24:02.307
opportunity to request today's life-changing free offer,
24:02.374 --> 24:05.043
Twelve Keys to Answered Prayer.
24:05.110 --> 24:08.079
It is past time for your
prayers to become the
24:08.146 --> 24:11.183
profound connection with Almighty God that they were
24:11.249 --> 24:12.684
always meant to be.
24:12.751 --> 24:15.253
Request your free copy right now, and when I come back,
24:15.320 --> 24:18.723
we'll look together at how
Jesus Himself teaches us
24:18.790 --> 24:20.358
to wrap it all up.
24:20.425 --> 24:21.459
Don't miss it.
24:21.526 --> 24:22.327
♪
24:22.394 --> 24:28.867
For today's free
offer call...
24:28.934 --> 24:34.339
Or go to...
24:34.406 --> 24:37.342
This clear and straight-
forward resource will
24:37.409 --> 24:39.744
help you understand
this vital truth--
24:39.811 --> 24:42.881
straight from the
pages of the Bible.
24:42.948 --> 24:44.950
If you're calling for
the first time,
24:45.016 --> 24:47.719
you will also receive a
free annual subscription to
24:47.786 --> 24:49.721
Tomorrow's World magazine.
24:49.788 --> 24:53.258
Six inspiring issues
discussing news, science,
24:53.325 --> 24:56.127
and modern culture will
help you make sense of
24:56.194 --> 25:00.131
your world from a
biblical perspective.
25:00.198 --> 25:02.868
Call today and join
millions around the world
25:02.934 --> 25:05.237
who are turning to
Tomorrow's World for
25:05.303 --> 25:10.942
truth, prophecy, and hope
in these confusing times.
25:11.009 --> 25:12.377
Call now!
25:12.444 --> 25:16.248
Or go to...
25:16.314 --> 25:21.553
♪
25:21.620 --> 25:26.324
So far, Jesus has lovingly
taken His disciples, and us,
25:26.391 --> 25:30.462
through His model prayer
to teach us how to pray.
25:30.528 --> 25:33.331
And now, we come to His conclusion to the prayer--
25:33.398 --> 25:35.533
and it may seem
somewhat familiar.
25:35.600 --> 25:39.638
After asking for spiritual
protection in the model prayer,
25:39.704 --> 25:44.576
we read His final element in Matthew 6 and verse 13...
25:44.643 --> 25:49.648
"For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.
25:49.714 --> 25:51.182
Amen."
25:51.249 --> 25:53.685
Recall how, in the earliest
part of the model prayer,
25:53.752 --> 25:58.556
Jesus focused us on God, not ourselves, and on God's Kingdom,
25:58.623 --> 26:00.392
not the world around us.
26:00.458 --> 26:03.862
And here at the conclusion,
He teaches us to end our prayer
26:03.929 --> 26:09.067
as it began, "Magnify[ing]
God's Greatness and Glory."
26:09.134 --> 26:12.704
Such words provide
vital perspective.
26:12.771 --> 26:17.242
When we enter prayer, our task is to set our minds on higher
26:17.309 --> 26:20.979
things--even in our seemingly mundane, physical requests,
26:21.046 --> 26:24.316
we seek to do so with
a higher perspective.
26:24.382 --> 26:28.420
And we conclude our prayer
with this focus on God,
26:28.486 --> 26:31.423
His greatness, and His
kingdom, once again.
26:31.489 --> 26:34.859
It helps us to remember that this higher, greater perspective
26:34.926 --> 26:38.163
is not just for when we're
on our knees before God.
26:38.229 --> 26:42.033
It is the perspective we take from His presence to carry
26:42.100 --> 26:47.272
throughout our lives--just as our Savior did 2,000 years ago.
26:47.339 --> 26:51.142
And when we hold God in right perspective, in prayer and
26:51.209 --> 26:57.248
in life, all other things fall
into right perspective as well.
26:57.315 --> 27:00.685
There is nothing more important in this life than building a
27:00.752 --> 27:02.187
relationship with God.
27:02.253 --> 27:04.389
And Jesus Christ knew that.
27:04.456 --> 27:07.359
And He ensured that this model prayer would be recorded
27:07.425 --> 27:10.395
forever, not just to teach
and guide His followers in
27:10.462 --> 27:14.165
the first century, but to teach and guide His followers in the
27:14.232 --> 27:16.668
twenty-first century, as well.
27:16.735 --> 27:19.404
I hope you'll take hold of His teachings with both hands
27:19.471 --> 27:22.607
and discover the impact they will make in your prayers
27:22.674 --> 27:24.009
to your Creator.
27:24.075 --> 27:26.144
I also hope you won't
fail to request our free
27:26.211 --> 27:29.881
in-depth resource Twelve
Keys to Answered Prayer.
27:29.948 --> 27:33.118
And, finally, I hope you don't forget to come back next week.
27:33.184 --> 27:36.654
When you do, Gerald Weston, Rod McNair, and I will be right here
27:36.721 --> 27:39.758
waiting for you, along with all of us here at the studios of
27:39.824 --> 27:42.660
Tomorrow's World--ready to help you understand the teachings
27:42.727 --> 27:45.764
of Jesus Christ, the end-time prophecies being fulfilled
27:45.830 --> 27:49.000
before our eyes, and the
life-changing Gospel of
27:49.067 --> 27:50.335
the Kingdom of God.
27:50.402 --> 27:52.604
Until then, take care.
27:52.670 --> 27:53.438
♪
27:53.505 --> 27:59.878
For today's free
offer call...
27:59.944 --> 28:05.116
Or go to...
28:05.183 --> 28:07.786
Call today and join
millions around the world
28:07.852 --> 28:10.455
who are turning to
Tomorrow's World for
28:10.522 --> 28:14.793
truth, prophecy, and hope
in these confusing times.
28:14.859 --> 28:19.297
♪
28:19.364 --> 28:21.533
The preceding program
is produced by the
28:21.599 --> 28:22.767
Living Church of God.