Good day dear friends.
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Here is our study guide for today:
Compare Matthew 6 with Luke 11. Both chapters are about prayer, but what are the differences in the two? How do these speak to you and your prayer life?
Here are selected verses from Matthew 6: 5 "And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 6 But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 7 "When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 "Pray then in this way: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one. 14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; 15 but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Here are selected verses from Luke: He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples." 2 He said to them, "When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread. 4 And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial." 5 And he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, "Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6 for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.' 7 And he answers from within, "Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.' 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs. 9 "So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? 12 Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
I found it interesting to read on http://www.cnn.com/ that a man had sold his soul to hell, Hell Pizza that is, in New Zealand. The man, 24, said his soul was useless and he might as well get something for it. He got $3,800 from this New Zealand pizza franchise. I don't think he's lived long enough to know about life and it doesn't sound like he's been exposed to Jesus and all that Jesus offers. To make a determination that your soul is useless at any age, but especially so young, reflects on the need we as the Church have to reach more people, especially the young. The boy needs prayer!
Today's texts deal with prayer and how important and necessary it is. The two gospel writers remember their encounters with Jesus as He taught about prayer. Matthew, being the good Jew that he was, remembers Jesus teaching about how hypocrites pray; they pray for the glory they can get while praying. Jesus, according to Matthew, said prayer is a private and personal thing, in which one can open up to God with heartfelt worship and praise. The most used model of prayer is found in Matthew 6 and it is the Lord's Prayer.
Luke shows Jesus as the model of one who prayed a lot. Jesus in all the gospels prays, but He always sought a place to be away from the crowds where He could spend time in prayer. In Luke's account, Jesus' disciples want to know how to pray, and Luke shares his version of The Lord's Prayer. Luke however shares more about prayer in that Jesus is remembered as having shared examples of how we humans think and act and compares it to the greatness of God and God's love when we pray. Aren't we generous with friends in need? Imagine how generous God can be! The actions of prayer should involve our desire to "ask, searching, and knocking," and we'll receive that which God has for us. Aren't we generous with our children especially if they're hungry? Imagine God's generosity with us, especially in the spiritual things.
PRAYER: Generous Father, thank You again for the gift of prayer. Let me today rely on You for all that I need. Fill my soul with You; fill my thoughts with You; and let my life reflect that. I ask this in Jesus' Name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
e.v.
