SOME PRAYERS FROM THE BIBLE

The Lord's Prayer   [NASB]

Jesus is speaking in "The Sermon on the Mount."  This includes the Bible chapters of Matthew 5 - 7.  In the 6th chapter He answers a question about pray.

Mt. 6:7-15  "And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words.

8  "Therefore do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need, before you ask Him.

9   Pray, then, in this way:
          'Our Father who art in heaven,
          Hallowed be Thy name,
         
10      'Thy kingdom come
          Thy 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 lead us into   
              temptation, but deliver
              from evil.          For Thine is the
              kingdom, and the power, and
              the glory, forever.  Amen.'


(After the Prayer, Jesus admonished that we must forgive others.)

14   For if you forgive men for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

15   But if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.

          [Here the word "men" refers to mankind.  This is not speaking only of "men."]



                                                                      

The Pharisee and the Publican

Lu. 18:9 ff   And He [Jesus] also told this parable to certain ones who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt:

10   "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee, and the other a tax gatherer

11   The Pharisee stood and was praying thus to himself, 'God, I thank Thee that I am not like other people:  swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax-gatherer.

12   I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.'

13   But the tax-gatherer, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, the sinner!'

14   I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for ever one who exalts himself shall be humbled, but he who humbles himself shall be exalted."

          How difficult it is to see ourselves as others see us. 

          And it is certainly to see ourselves as God sees us.