Pray This Way: The Divine Pattern of Righteous Prayer

Part 8

Text: Matthew 6:5-15

Introduction:

I.     Jesus Condemns Unrighteous Prayer. 6:5-8

II.   Jesus Commends Righteous Prayer 6:9-13

      A.     Righteous prayer focuses on the adoption of the Father. v. 9b

      B.     Righteous prayer focuses on the honor of the Father. v. 9c

      C.     Righteous prayer focuses on the kingdom of the Father. v. 10a

      D.     Righteous prayer focuses on the will of the Father. v. 10b

Lesson:

      E.     Righteous prayer focuses on the provision of the Father. v. 11

Jesus teaches us to pray, “Our Father in heaven. . . Give us this day our daily bread,” (v. 11).

This petition teaches us that:

              1.     God the Father provides for our temporal needs.

              2.     God the Father provides for our spiritual needs.

Reflection:

“. . .how abundant is that goodness and mercy! The remarkable thing is that God not only counts every hair on our heads but every sin in our lives; and yet in His ‘wisdom’ and ‘power’, and with a sacrificial ‘justice’, He shows us the splendor of His providence in providing us with His Son,” (Van Dixhoorn, Confessing the Faith, 69).

© Dr. John Fonville

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