PRAYER #2

 {pray} WHO IS IN CHARGE AND WHY PRAY ANYWAY? 

Matthew 6:9-13_ 

We think of earthly kingdoms in terms of territory – an empire. In the New Testament the Kingdom of God is not territory. The term is used to describe the reign of God. God’s Kingdom today extends over the hearts of all who will acknowledge God as King and who will submit to God’s rule. They are the same people who desire God’s will in every area of life. To pray “Your Kingdom come” is to ask God the Father to expand His rule over the territory of our hearts and lives; to pray “Your will be done” is to express our willingness to submit to His rule whatever the cost... 

 
[Read Matthew 6:9-13] 

 

What aspects of our personal kingdoms are difficult to submit to God’s rule and authority?  

 
What do you expect to happen when you pray, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”? 

 
Is this a prayer for God’s will to be done in our society as a whole or for God’s will to be done in our individual lives – or both? 
Explain why you came to your conclusion. 

 
The Kingdom of God has both a present phase – Christ reigning in our hearts – and a future phase – Christ reigning over the earth at his return. Jesus talked about those who will enter his future kingdom and those who won’t... 

[Read Matthew 25:31-46] 

 

What six actions will Jesus use as the basis for his judgement? 

 
Which of the actions, in verses 24-36, do you find the easiest or most natural to do? 

Which are most difficult for you? 

 
In verse 40, who is Jesus referring to when he says, “the least of these brothers of mine”?  

The first three requests, in the Lord’s Prayer, focus on the Father – His name, His reign, His will.  
Most of our prayers start in the middle of this prayer – with our own needs. Jesus doesn’t ignore our needs. He just puts them in the right priority. So, we now turn to the request, “Give us this day our daily bread”... 

 

Jesus instructs us to ask the Father for each day’s provision. 
Why such an emphasis on the immediate – why not ask for a month’s worth of ‘food shopping’ bread in one go? 

 
Do you think food is the only provision covered in this request? 
What other necessities might we ask the Father to give us on a daily basis? 

 

Most of the time we don’t think much about daily bread. In fact, we’re usually trying to eat less, not more!  
But when we or someone we know loses their job, when the car breaks down, when that unexpected bill comes in that threatens to stretch (if not break) our financial resources, it’s easy to worry. 
We know God provides; we're maybe just afraid that He won’t be there for the crisis we’re facing right now... 

[Read Luke 12:22-34] 

 

Does Jesus mean, in verse 22, that we shouldn’t plan what to feed our families tomorrow or pick out clothes for work the night before? 
What does he mean? 

 
How does worry affect your sense of worth before God (verse 22)? 

 
What practical truths can you learn from the ravens (v24) and the lilies (v27-28)? 

 
How would you use these verses to encourage someone who had just lost their job? 

 
How do people who live without faith in God (“the pagan world” v30) deal with their daily needs? Why can Christians respond differently? 

 

Verse 31 instructs us to “seek His Kingdom”. 
What are some practical ways that you can invest in God’s Kingdom?