 Christ tells us not to pray by keeping on babbling (Matthew 6:7). Let’s learn from the Lord’s Prayer on how to pray (Matthew 6:9-14).
The Lord’s Prayer starts with wishing God’s name be honored (Matthew 6:9). This is important. For example, God brought the dispersed Israelites back into Israel to demonstrate the holiness of His great name (Ezekiel 36:16-25). Then the Prayer wishes God’s kingdom to come on earth; and His will be done on earth as in heaven—perfectly, immediately, and joyfully (Matthew 6:10). The next verses ask God for our daily needs and for forgiving us as we forgive others. (Matthew 6:11-12). This forgiveness is not on salvation because Christ was talking to the disciples. But it suggests not holding onto grudges, which is important if we want to walk with others. The final verse asks God not to lead us into temptation but get us out from evil (Matthew 6:13). It asks God to keep us from straying into bad situations because God doesn’t tempt us. All the above are requests for God for very specific things. Other prayers in the Bible include asking for rain (James 5:17-18), for wisdom (James 1:5), sending workers to do God’s work (Matthew 9:37-38), removing some annoyance (Matthew 15:23), taking away certain pain, or for someone else (Hebrews 7:25). We thank (Philippians 4:6), adore, and praise God. But those aren’t prayers. Prayer is asking God for something specific, something not self-centered but for glorifying God (John 14:13). God is glorified by anything that reveals what God is like. How about prayer? How God responds to our prayer shows His love, wisdom, and glory. Through our prayer, we know Him better (Jeremiah 9:24, Philippians 3:8). This leads to us worshipping Him. For example, Abraham’s servant asked God to help him find a wife for Isaac. When God answered his prayer, the servant bowed down and worshiped God (Genesis 24:26). To conclude, pray to ask God for something specific, something for glorifying Him. Through this process, we will know Him better and worship Him, so that He may be glorified. Summarized from a Stanley Toussaint’s sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjZOQOsk8O4&t=1254s 我们当如何祈祷? 为什么？ 基督告诉门徒不要用許多重複話来祈祷, 以為話多了必蒙垂聽 (马太福音6：7)。让我们从主祷文中学习如何祷告 (马太福音6：9-14)。 主祷文始于祈求上帝的名被尊为圣 (马太福音6：9)。这是何等重要的一件事。当年上帝将分散的以色列人带回以色列，以显示祂伟名的圣洁（以西结书36：16-25）。 主祷文接着盼望上帝的国度降临人间; 祂的旨意在地上如同在天上一样地成就--完全、立刻和快乐地通行无阻（马太福音6：10）。 接下来的经文才祈求上帝满足日用所需，并且宽恕我们如同我们宽恕别人（马太福音6：11-12）。这种宽恕不是赦免而使之得救的那一类，因为当时基督正在与祂的门徒交谈。这里的意思是不要一直心怀怨恨，这对于与其他人继续相处非常重要。 最后一节经文祈求上帝不要使我们遇见试探，救我们脱离凶恶 （马太福音6：13）。它祷告上帝保护我们不要陷入不好的境遇，因为上帝不会诱惑我们。 以上所有的祈祷都是对上帝非常具体的请求。圣经中的其它祈祷包括祈求降雨（雅各书5：17-18）、智慧（雅各书1：5）、派遣工人做上帝的工（马太福音9：37-38）、消除烦恼（马太福音15:23）、带走痛苦（哥林多后书12：8），或为其他人代求（希伯来书7:25）。 信徒感谢（腓4：6）、崇拜并赞美上帝。但这些都不是祈祷。祈祷是向上帝具体的祈求，不是以自我为中心，而是为了荣耀上帝 （约翰福音14：13）。 任何启示上帝的事物都会使上帝得到荣耀。祈祷怎样启示上帝呢？ 天父如何回应祷告就显明祂的慈爱，智慧和荣耀。通过祷告我们更认识祂 （耶利米书9:24，腓立比书3：8）。这些都引领人去敬拜上帝。亚伯拉罕的仆人祈求上帝帮助他为以 撒寻找妻子。当神回应他的祷告时，仆人便跪下敬拜上帝 （创世纪24：26）。 总而言之，当具体地向上帝祈祷，祈求那些荣耀祂的事物。在祷告等候的过程，我们将更多地认识祂和敬拜祂，使祂得到荣耀。
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