Submitted by Donnie
O’Fallon
Several years ago, you may remember seeing advertisements for the investment firm E.F. Hutton in a series of TV commercials that shared a common thread. One portrayed spectators at a tennis match, and another was a couples having diner. In all the commercials, someone would lean forward and in slow voice say, " My broker is E.F. Hutton, and E. F. Hutton says ... " at that point, everyone would stop what they were doing, crane their necks or cup their ears as the announcer’s voice would very matter-of-factly state: " When E. F. Hutton speaks, people listen."
How important are solid portfolios
when life is caving in around you? No matter how much we busy ourselves through
recreation or work, we need to know how to pray so that our prayers will be
answered and life can be good or at least bearable again. Do you struggle at
times in your prayer life? I have, and desire hasn't been the problem. I want
to be close to The Lord in prayer more than anything. I know the biblical
truths about prayer, I've taught and preached them many years. But a few years ago God opened my mind and
heart to something absolutely life-changing. It has transformed my prayer life
and is energizing my daily walk with Jesus.
Jesus’ disciples made an important
request of him, recorded for us in Luke 11:1.
" It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He
had finished, one of his disciples said to Him, " Lord teach us to pray
just as John also taught his disciples." They had seen all the miracles,
and witnessed His visible ministry to people but his disciples didn't want to be
schooled in those things. They asked Him, how do you pray like that?
As the disciples observed Jesus, they knew
something happened to Him in the process of his praying which was the key to
the strength and power to do all the things that He did. Their Jewish heritage
had taught them the Shema, which was their confession of faith from Deuteronomy
6:4-5. They prayed three times a day at certain times and on schedules without
fail. But they realized something was missing, and that was the need was to
know what prayer was about. We call his answer, to them, "The Lord's
Prayer." (Matthew 6:9-13)
Today It seems, Jesus's words have
become merely black words on a white page when He intended them to color our
lives with His vivid personal presence as we apply them to our daily living.
Over the next several weeks I wish to teach a series of one or two truths each
week, to help you learn how to use this prayer as a pattern for daily living. I
hope to teach you to " pray without ceasing" and to teach you more
about the Father than you've known before and more about yourself at the same
time.
Please read and meditate through
the Lord's Prayer found in Matthew 6:9-13. I pray The Lord will reveal Himself
to you in a deeper and more intimate way than you've ever known Him before. I
look forward to sharing these truths with you in the weeks ahead.
