#140: To Pray... (Part 1): Introduction

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“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. Matthew 6:5 NLT

Prayer is the key. We sang this as we grew up in the church. However there is so much about prayer that we take for granted or probably don't know of while engaging in it as growing adults. Being a spiritual exercise, there are spiritual guiding principles and understanding that a believer needs to know to pray. By God's grace, we will be taking a study on prayer in a series. Our focus will be on the teachings of Jesus as scribed by Matthew (6&7).

Our focus today is the first 3 words of our scripture text: "when you pray...". The very words of our LORD and saviour. We know he lived a life of prayer and talking to us today about prayer, He begins with these three words: "when you pray...". May these words take root in our hearts today as we lay a foundation for the study.

The word "when" is very key and emphatic. "When" is a conditional conjunction used especially when the conditions to be met is certain. In other words, Jesus, speaking to us today (His followers) is certain that we will pray whether as a necessity, as a form of communion in relationship with Him, due to certain conditions surrounding us, in health and in sickness, good and bad times, personally or collectively, whatever the case may be. And it is under this certainty and not assumption that Jesus begins teaching us today.

So we will and must pray. And "when we pray..." This means prayer is not optional for a believer, it is what we must do, in the mood or not when we want or not. A believer prays. It is an intrinsic characteristic of a believer.

As the LORD settles this fact in our heart today, He has so much more to build on this.

Prayer: LORD may I ever stop seeing the necessity of prayer in my walk with you. Baptise me with the spirit of prayer and supplication. Breathe into my prayer life that it may be revived and active forever more. Amen.

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