Here's why you should read your Bible more often

Raeneske · Mar 9, 2015

Matthew 6:9-13 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

How many people repeat this prayer verbatim in their churches? Yet just before Jesus gives this outline of prayer, what does He say?

Matthew 6:7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

Jesus says not to use vain repetition. Yet, lo and behold, Christians around the world repeat this prayer verbatim, and call it the Lord's prayer. In other words, people are doing exactly as Jesus would have them NOT do! Vain repetition indeed! If this was the very prayer that we were to always pray, why did Jesus pray differently in John 17?

lforrest · Mar 9, 2015

It is a very deep prayer, that many take for vain. All churches should have the occasional sermon explaining the depth of the meaning in the Lord's prayer. It is important to know what your actually praying about.

KingJ · Mar 10, 2015

What is interesting is that God does hear the heathen. He knows they repeat themselves ^_^.

We need to further discern what repeating Jesus is alluding too. The heathen are vein. Vanity = requests for self. "God give me money, car, holiday etc etc''.

As for repeating the Lords prayer.....how in the universe can ''Hallowed be thy name (let your name be holy) / forgive me as I forgive others'' = get old / annoy God? Be what Jesus is referring too?

Born_Again · Mar 10, 2015

KingJ said:
What is interesting is that God does hear the heathen. He knows they repeat themselves ^_^.

We need to further discern what repeating Jesus is alluding too. The heathen are vein. Vanity = requests for self. "God give me money, car, holiday etc etc''.

As for repeating the Lords prayer.....how in the universe can ''Hallowed be thy name (let your name be holy) / forgive me as I forgive others'' = get old / annoy God? Be what Jesus is referring too?

I think what it means is that if you say it repetitively and without conviction it means nothing. We say it at church every week. But when you listen to the congregation, it is done in mono tone and most people are staring straight ahead. Its programmed into them. They are just saying it with their minds and not their hearts. I would say it means "Don't say it if you don't mean in it" Because he's not impressed.

1 Corinthians 13 New International Version (NIV)
13 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

Does that make sense?

BA

KingJ · Mar 10, 2015

Yes I agree. I did pay enough attention to the ''much speaking''. ^_^

pom2014 · Mar 10, 2015

Well IF anyone really listened to The King he said to pray in secret.

Also to give alms in secret as well.

But still you see the swaying hands aloft prayer and red kettles outside of the shops at the holidays all tempting us to be Pious in public.

And if we do that will be our only reward.

Born_Again · Mar 10, 2015

pom2014 said:
Well IF anyone really listened to The King he said to pray in secret.

Also to give alms in secret as well.

But still you see the swaying hands aloft prayer and red kettles outside of the shops at the holidays all tempting us to be Pious in public.

And if we do that will be our only reward.

That is true, pom. He does say to do that..... And to speak aloud when you do... Good catch.

lforrest · Mar 11, 2015

KingJ said:
What is interesting is that God does hear the heathen. He knows they repeat themselves ^_^.

We need to further discern what repeating Jesus is alluding too. The heathen are vein. Vanity = requests for self. "God give me money, car, holiday etc etc''.

As for repeating the Lords prayer.....how in the universe can ''Hallowed be thy name (let your name be holy) / forgive me as I forgive others'' = get old / annoy God? Be what Jesus is referring too?

The issue with repetitive prayer isn't about annoying God, but about the hearts of the people. God, who looks at the heart, knows if you mean what your saying or if your only going with the flow.

Matthew 15:8-9 "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules."

KingJ · Mar 11, 2015

lforrest said:
The issue with repetitive prayer isn't about annoying God, but about the hearts of the people. God, who looks at the heart, knows if you mean what your saying or if your only going with the flow.

Matthew 15:8-9 "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules."

Yes, I gathered that after I re-read the verse

. The 'much speaking' can be anything said repetitively without sincerity as you've said.

pom2014 said:
Well IF anyone really listened to The King he said to pray in secret.

Also to give alms in secret as well.

But still you see the swaying hands aloft prayer and red kettles outside of the shops at the holidays all tempting us to be Pious in public.

And if we do that will be our only reward.

There is nothing wrong with public prayer. It is just different to personal prayer. The public does not want to hear about your need for healing athletes foot. But giving thanks? 'blessed be this day the Lord has made'? Did Jesus not pray with 5 000? Luke 9:16.

We must not be vein, full-stop. We can be vein in private or public.

Raeneske · Mar 11, 2015

Born_Again said:
I think what it means is that if you say it repetitively and without conviction it means nothing. We say it at church every week. But when you listen to the congregation, it is done in mono tone and most people are staring straight ahead. Its programmed into them. They are just saying it with their minds and not their hearts. I would say it means "Don't say it if you don't mean in it" Because he's not impressed.

1 Corinthians 13 New International Version (NIV)
13 If I speak in the tonguesof men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

Does that make sense?

BA

That was pretty much my experience in my old church. We repeated pretty much verbatim what is called "The Lord's prayer". To think, years later, I come to the point in Scriptures and realize that if people read simply two verses before this, we would be shown that this isn't a wise thing to do. And besides, Jesus said after that "manner" pray. He did not say repeat verbatim what He said as a prayer. Nothing wrong with repeating, or quoting Jesus. Please understand what I am saying. Many are repeating this what Jesus taught as their specific prayer. But we ought to personalize it. Keep it simple, but let it address the needs of the congregation, the needs of the human.

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Here's why you should read your Bible more often

Raeneske

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