{"id":3196,"date":"2021-08-15T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-08-15T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/?p=3196"},"modified":"2021-08-13T05:13:13","modified_gmt":"2021-08-13T12:13:13","slug":"our-model-prayer-to-our-father","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/2021\/08\/15\/our-model-prayer-to-our-father\/","title":{"rendered":"Our Model Prayer to Our Father"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Sunday Service MVCOG - Our Model Prayer to Our Father - Matthew 6:9\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/cH5_q5oHmKc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-file\"><a href=\"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Matt-6v9-Our-Model-Prayer-to-Our-Father.pdf\">Matt-6v9-Our-Model-Prayer-to-Our-Father<\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Matt-6v9-Our-Model-Prayer-to-Our-Father.pdf\" class=\"wp-block-file__button\" download>Download<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><sup>9&nbsp;<\/sup><\/strong><strong>\u201cPray, then, in this way:&nbsp; \u2018Our Father, who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Prayer is our biggest <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">need<\/span> after Salvation, since it\u2019s how we communicate with God.&nbsp; It is also the highest <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">activity<\/span> that we can be engaged in, since it is God with Whom we are communicating.&nbsp; We are at our <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">best<\/span>, when we are praying for God to do His will in our lives.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><sup>9&nbsp;<\/sup><\/strong><strong>\u201cPray, then, in this way:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is a great need for <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">guidance<\/span> in prayer, since it is so central to the Christian life.&nbsp; The disciples would have seen Jesus\u2019 <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">devotion<\/span> to prayer.&nbsp; But if Jesus\u2019 habit was to go off by himself to pray, then the disciples wouldn\u2019t have had a chance to <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">hear<\/span> these prayers. The disciples must have been left with a keen awareness that their own prayer life was <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">lacking<\/span> that fervent need to pray that they saw in Jesus.&nbsp; They must have felt that their own prayer lives were <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">inadequate<\/span>.&nbsp; Most, if not all Christians feel that their prayer life is <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">lacking<\/span>.&nbsp; Have you ever felt the longing of wanting <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">deeper<\/span>, more <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">consistent<\/span>, more <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">intimate<\/span> communication with God?&nbsp; Wanting more of God is a <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">good<\/span> sign.&nbsp; So, then you know how the disciples <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">felt<\/span>.&nbsp; It was out of this longing, and a desire for a <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">closer<\/span> relationship with God that the disciples ask Jesus, <strong>Lord, teach us to pray.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jesus says, <strong>Pray in this manner, <\/strong>it lets us know that the Lord\u2019s Prayer is a model prayer to <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">guide<\/span> the disciples in their devotional life.&nbsp; The Lord\u2019s prayer is a short prayer, but a <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">complete<\/span> prayer, in the sense that it has all the elements that prayer should have.&nbsp; It\u2019s included here in Mathew 6:9-13 and it\u2019s also in Luke 11:1-4.&nbsp; If this is a model prayer, then Jesus probably gave it more than once.&nbsp; By making it slightly different each time, but retaining the essential elements, He\u2019s trying to teach the disciples that they are not to pray these words verbatim so much as understand the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">principle<\/span> that these are the kinds of things that we should include in prayer.&nbsp; After All, Jesus had just finished reminding them that they are not to use vain repetition.&nbsp; No, He was conversing with His heavenly Father, and that\u2019s what this model is supposed to <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">teach<\/span> us, as His disciples to do.&nbsp; It is really a <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">frame<\/span> to hang our prayers on.&nbsp; We are to fill in the details from what is on our <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">hearts<\/span> and minds as we approach God in prayer.&nbsp; We\u2019re to use this model as a <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">starting<\/span> place, an outline for what should be included in prayer.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Our Father<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It must have <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">shocked<\/span> the apostles to hear Jesus call God His Father. They didn\u2019t <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">dare<\/span> think of God in terms of such a personal relationship.&nbsp; So imagine how surprised they were when Jesus taught them to pray in the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">same<\/span> way, calling God their father too!&nbsp; These two words represented a paradigm-shift, and signified that, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">through<\/span> Jesus, a more personal relationship with God was possible.&nbsp; It was a completely new <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">understanding<\/span> of the nature of their relationship with God that Jesus is teaching them.&nbsp; And it is only because of what Jesus has <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">done<\/span> on the Cross at Calvary, that the sin <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">payment<\/span> is made, the gap between us and God is <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">closed<\/span>.&nbsp; The indwelling of the Holy Spirit that takes place when we are regenerated that gives us the \u201calways on\u201d access to the Throne of God, as His adopted Children (Romans 8:14-15).&nbsp; &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Notice that Jesus says \u201cOur Father\u201d.&nbsp; He doesn\u2019t <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">tell<\/span> them to pray \u201cMy father\u201d.&nbsp; That means that immediately in prayer, there is the understanding that it is both private communication with our Heavenly Father, but that we have this in <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">common<\/span> with all other believers.&nbsp; Yes, we can pray this as <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">private<\/span> prayer.&nbsp; This also means that Jesus meant for we disciples to pray <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">together<\/span> in groups from even before the beginning of the Church.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To understand the full <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">meaning<\/span> that this conveyed to the disciples, it helps to understand the role of a father in biblical times. &nbsp;In the Bible, a father was the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">protector<\/span> and provider, but also was the one who gave <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">identity<\/span> to the family. In understanding God as Father, there is a sense of complete <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">security<\/span>, of establishing and <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">defining<\/span> a relationship between ourselves as Christians, and God the Father, and knowing that He will provide everything that we need.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We have the same God the Father, the same Savior Jesus, and the Same Holy Spirit <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">dwelling<\/span> within us.&nbsp; As Ephesians 4:4-6 tells us:&nbsp; <strong>There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.&nbsp; <\/strong>So, how in the world can we be <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">divided<\/span> against each other?!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s a big reason why the Lord\u2019s Prayer <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">starts<\/span> out with God the Father\u2014it\u2019s because all things flow from Him\u2014He is the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">source<\/span>, He is the beginning.&nbsp; (Isaiah 64:8; &nbsp;1 Cor 8:6 <strong>yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Who is in Heaven<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This intimate relationship that we have with God the Father is <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">because<\/span> of Jesus.&nbsp; So even when Jewish people approached God, they would always begin with titles of His magnificence and glory.&nbsp; Because they are approaching Him from the outside, as persons not part of the family.&nbsp; But, we, as Christians have this more <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">personal<\/span>, family relationship, so we begin with the more personal phrase \u201cOur Father\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But, notice that by saying \u201cIn Heaven\u201d Jesus immediately reminds us of who God is:&nbsp; He is <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">supremely<\/span> great!&nbsp; He is the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">ruler<\/span> of heaven and earth.&nbsp; Jesus <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">immediately<\/span> points out God\u2019s transcendence\u2014that He is far above us.&nbsp; He encourages us to remember who God is, and not let our favored place in terms of access result in the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">diminishment<\/span> of the Glory that we give God.&nbsp; This phrase \u201cin heaven\u201d balances out the intimacy of the phrase \u201cOur Father\u201d with an affirmation of God\u2019s <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">glory<\/span> and majesty.&nbsp; And this leads directly into the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">expression<\/span> of praise and glory that we\u2019re going to look at next week \u201cHallowed be Your Name\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>9&nbsp;\u201cPray, then, in this way:&nbsp; \u2018Our Father, who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Prayer is our biggest need after Salvation, since it\u2019s how we communicate with God.&nbsp; It&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3196","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-services"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4295,"url":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/2024\/09\/15\/boldness-through-faith\/","url_meta":{"origin":3196,"position":0},"title":"Boldness Through Faith","author":"Robert","date":"September 15, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"https:\/\/youtube.com\/live\/1uAkyYEo8po?feature=share Eph 3vs12-13 Boldness in FaithDownload Ephesians 3:12-13 according to the eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord The manifold wisdom of God was not the result of a last minute idea which God had. Israel\u2019s rejection of their Messiah did not make it necessary for God\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Services&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Services","link":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/category\/services\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Featured-20240915.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Featured-20240915.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Featured-20240915.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Featured-20240915.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Featured-20240915.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2168,"url":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/2018\/11\/18\/created-for-more-prayer-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":3196,"position":1},"title":"Created For More Prayer","author":"Robert","date":"November 18, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Matthew 6:5-8 \u201cAnd when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Services&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Services","link":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/category\/services\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":4647,"url":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/2025\/11\/23\/ephesians-618-persistence-in-prayer\/","url_meta":{"origin":3196,"position":2},"title":"Ephesians 6:18 Persistence in Prayer","author":"Robert","date":"November 23, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"https:\/\/youtube.com\/live\/MqDFVKtJMY8?feature=share Eph 6vs18 Persistence in PrayerDownload through every prayer and petition \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Having commanded believers to take up their helmet of salvation and sword of the Spirit, Paul now describes the attitude that they should continually maintain.\u00a0 He emphasizes prayer and keeping alert. When we take up the helmet of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Services&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Services","link":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/category\/services\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Featured20251123.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Featured20251123.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Featured20251123.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Featured20251123.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Featured20251123.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3192,"url":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/2021\/08\/08\/he-knows-before-you-ask-matthew-65-8\/","url_meta":{"origin":3196,"position":3},"title":"He Knows Before you Ask (Matthew 6:5-8)","author":"Robert","date":"August 8, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/5FmCuUBY8hM He-Knows-Before-you-Ask-Matt-6vs5-8Download As we look at Matthew chapter 6 verse 5-8 today, we find Jesus continuing to instruct His disciples on how they are to conduct themselves as Citizens of Heaven in their relationship with God.\u00a0 He begins, just as He did last week, with a word of warning about\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Services&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Services","link":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/category\/services\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/5FmCuUBY8hM\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":868,"url":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/2014\/03\/30\/will-be-done\/","url_meta":{"origin":3196,"position":4},"title":"Will Be Done","author":"Robert","date":"March 30, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Will Be Done Matthew 6:9-10 Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. This prayer model portrays a heart of _________________________. Matthew 7:21 \"Not everyone who calls out to me, 'Lord!\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Services&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Services","link":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/category\/services\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":4982,"url":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/2026\/02\/22\/solitude-in-prayer-mark-135-39\/","url_meta":{"origin":3196,"position":5},"title":"Solitude in Prayer. Mark 1:35\u201339","author":"Robert","date":"February 22, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"https:\/\/youtube.com\/live\/T39q1f88E-Y?feature=share Mark 1vs35-39 Solitude in PrayerDownload 35 And in the morning, a great while before day, he rose up and went out, and departed into a desert place, and there prayed. By rising early in the morning, while it was still dark, and seeking a solitary place, Jesus set an\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Services&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Services","link":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/category\/services\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Featured20260222.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Featured20260222.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Featured20260222.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Featured20260222.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Featured20260222.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3196","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3196"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3196\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3196"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3196"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3196"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}