The Lord's Prayer

A common question that many might fear to ask out loud is, "Does God answer prayer?" or "Why didn't God answer my prayer?" And the answer might have been, "Well, it just wasn't God's will." "The Lord gives and the Lord takes. Blessed be the name of the Lord."

It could even be said, "we make excuses for God." Well, if our prayers go no higher than the roof, why? Here is the Lord's prayer both in Matthew and Luke.

The Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6	The Lord's Prayer in Luke 11
8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. 9 After this manner therefore pray ye:	2 And he said unto them, When ye pray, say,
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.	Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.	Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.	3 Give us day by day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.	4 And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:	And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Matthew 6:8 is included above to show that God knows our needs before we ask.

Matthew 6:8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

Lord's Prayer

Ten Commandments

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

6 I am the LORD thy God, ...7 Thou shalt have none other gods before me.
8 Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth:
9 Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me,
10 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.
11 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Here we have a connection between The Lord's Prayer and the Ten Commandments. And we have a connection between answered prayer and the Ten Commandments. Here it is, "And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments."

Prayer answered	10 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.
Prayer not answered	for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Conclusion: The first step to answered prayer is the keeping of these Commandments.

1. I am the LORD thy God, ... Thou shalt have none other gods before me.

and

2. Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain:

Our personal appearance and conduct reflect on our God

Our personal appearance (hair and clothing) and our speech either honors God's name or dishonors his name. Can we use Jesus name disrespectfully on the golf course and and then expect to have our prayers answered in church? Can we dress and act like heathen and expect God to treat us like Christians?

Who will probably NOT have her prayers answered? A, B, C or D.

It is really lamentable to see how our young people have fallen victims to a fashion mania which perverts the meaning of the old adage that clothes make the man. A.H

Have you noticed that BASKETBALL uniforms are starting to look like women's blouses and skirts?

Deuteronomy 22:5 The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God.

If God considers your clothing an abomination, will he hear your prayer when you appear before him?

Continuing with the Lord's Prayer we have this:

Lord's Prayer

Ten Commandments

10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.....
12 Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
13 Thou shalt not kill.
14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.
15 Thou shalt not steal.
16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor's.

Isn't that God's will?

Now think about your health. Many pray for cures for illness. People go to Faith Healers asking God for healing. The commandment says, "Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee."

Long life has a lot to do with good health. So does it seem reasonable, the first step to good health is to keep this commandment concerning honoring your parents including honoring your Father in heaven? Also, isn't taking God's name in vain dishonoring him?

Many diseases are transmitted by violating the commandments 'Thou shalt not commit adultery" and "Thou shalt not covet." People get beat up and killed by angry husbands and boy friends. These sinful activities are by their nature unhealthy.

Before moving on to the next verse think on this. Many churches teach "the law is done away in Jesus". When you talk to one of their members about the Ten Commandments they respond with something like, "Well you are not saved by works" and so on. Nevertheless, we see that keeping the Ten Commandments has a lot to do with answered prayer and good health.

Proverbs 28:9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.

And there's more! Look at this.

Lord's Prayer Daily bread.	Things we 'eat' when sick.
Give us this day our daily bread.	Health foods. Herbs, vitamins and minerals. Doctor's prescriptions. Chicken soup.

Often times when a person is sick, someone will say "take something for it". If you have a cold they might recommend chicken soup. A headache calls for an aspirin. These are all things you eat.

Go to a doctor and he might give you a prescription and you 'eat' the pills.

Go to the alternative health provider and he might give you a list of vitamins and minerals, herbs etc. You can go to the same drug store but to a different counter and buy these items which you 'eat'.

Perhaps "give us our daily bread" means more than just food to prevent starvation but also good health?

Lord's Prayer	Plain English
Give us this day our daily bread.	Give us good health.

Now without much further comment think about this practical application.

Lord's Prayer	Practical application
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.	That we might get along with each other.

One of the greatest curses upon Christianity is the constant infighting. The Jews and Liberals always seem to get along with each other. In Ireland it is Catholic against Protestant. World Wars 1 and 2 were mostly one Christian nation against another.

There are hundreds of differing denominations. Non Christians point an accusing finger at us concerning out history of fighting amongst ourselves. It brought the Pilgrims to America. It caused the writing of the First Amendment that now troubles us by being perverted into a 'Separation of Church and State' doctrine.

Among the Conservatives it is difficult to get two agreeing Pastors in the same room at the same time. Christians often rejected one another for the slightest difference of opinion. Disagree on some doctrinal point and hear the comment, "He isn't even a Christian."

Lord's Prayer	Practical Application
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:	Pray for protection from temptation and entrapment.

The wicked are always busy trying to tempt and entrap Christians. Look into the Doctrine of Balaam elsewhere in this web site. And look up the words 'the wicked' in the Psalms and Proverbs.

Lead us not into temptation - Deliver us from evil.
Mark 12:13 And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees (Liberal Clergy) and of the Herodians (Corrupt Politicians), to catch him in his words.	Prayer for protection from temptation and entrapment. (Such as pornography on Cable TV and brain washing in situation comedies.)
John 15:20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; *if they* have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.**	They watch Christians, they send spies into our church services. They keep records and files in the hope to use it against us. (They keep your sayings that they might accuse you.) They provide deceptive lying 'intelligence reports' to the F.B.I. and local police. They watch web sites such as this. Do you want to know who 'they' are? Search the web and see who is watching whom.
Mark 3:2 And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the Sabbath day; *that they* might accuse him.**

The Lord's Prayer	Today's World
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.	The battle is for the kingdom.
Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:8 ... for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

So there you have it. Before asking for healing. Before asking God to help you find a job. Pray in order, putting first things first. Your personal requests are the icing on the cake. But the cake must come first.

The Lord's Prayer
Pray that God's name be respected. (And dress, speak and act in a way that gives glory to God.)	Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Pray that people will keep the commandments. (And live by the commandments.)	10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Pray that God will keep us healthy. (And obey the Bible's health laws.)	Give us this day our daily bread.
Pray for co-operation and fellowship among Christians. (And get along with other Christians.)	And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Pray for protection against temptation and the snares of the wicked. (Do your part by avoiding occasions of sin. Add a few imprecatory prayers at this point.)	And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
Pray that God's kingdom be fully set up on the Earth. The first step in the deliverance process begins when people cry out unto the Lord. Exodus 2:23,3:7-9,22:23 Judges 6:7, 2 Chronicles 7:14	For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.
Now, and not before, remind God of those needs that you are personally concerned about. Things He already knows about.	(for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.) Amen.

Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, (Lords prayer.) and his righteousness; (Ten Commandments) and all these things (your prayers) shall be added unto you.

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