Bible Study - How to Pray (2) - A Prayer of Praise - Matthew 6:9 and Psalm 96:1-9 - October 21, 2018

Bible Study – How to Pray (2) – A Prayer of Praise – October 21, 2018

This is lesson two (2) in our series entitled “How to Pray.”

Our focus scripture is Matthew 6:9a and Psalm 96:1-9

Our prayers are driven by the desire to honor GOD. GOD is worthy of praise!

Salvation through faith in JESUS is ground zero. Once a person is born-again into the family of GOD, his or her desire is to obediently serve GOD and live for HIM. When we experience salvation, we are excited and full of assurance that GOD dwells within. The issues of life may come knocking at the door of our lives. If they do, how will we respond? Do we open the door and face the issues in our strength or ask GOD to remove them or seek strength from GOD. Romans 8:26-30:

26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 

27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. 

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 

29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 

30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

Some issues in our lives are the result of our own decisions. Other issues are the result of just living. Whatever the reason, we must face them and deal with them. GOD uses the issues in our lives to teach us and to reveal HIS care for us. Some lessons are very hard and some are easier. Let’s explore!

Considering the model prayer of JESUS, to whom do we take our issues? It is to GOD, as a Christian, to our Father.

Let’s read Matthew 6:9b; Psalm 96:1-3.

Matthew 6:9:

9 "Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven, Your name be honored as holy. 

GOD is sovereign and HE is holy and HE is to be shown honor and respect. 

GOD loves every person with self-giving love. But GOD made mankind with the freedom to choose. GOD chooses each of us but will you choose HIM? Will GOD become your Father through the miracle of Spiritual rebirth through faith in JESUS?

GOD revealed Himself in the Old Testament to the Israelites. GOD chose the Israelites to be HIS people. But would they choose HIM? They did as a nation. GOD had revealed Himself to Moses in the desert both through sight and sound e.g. audibly and sight through the burning bush.

Moses spoke to GOD and asked HIM to reveal HIS name, which HE did. GOD’S name when written is Yahweh or YHWH. HIS name translates “I AM WHO I AM” or “I AM.” How better for GOD to reveal Himself to HIS chosen people than through physical acts revealing HIS total care and involvement in the lives of HIS chosen people. HIS acts of sovereignty is revealed for all to see, the Israelites, surrounding nations and us today.

So why do the people of earth not see GOD through HIS handiwork and HIS awesome power? The people of earth have an adversary named Satan. Satan blinds the Spiritual eyes of humans. He deceives them by causing them to doubt the existence of GOD. He leads humans to seek other sources of spiritual power in the form of false gods, idols.

As we go into our next scripture as written in Psalm 96, we get to see the heart of a person who sees the One True GOD, YHWH.

Discover GOD through an intimate, loving, personal relationship through faith in JESUS. The psalmist was experiencing GOD through what he knew then, which was exciting and personal whereas since the passion of JESUS, we have a greater understanding as recorded in Hebrews 9:11-28:

New Covenant Ministry

11 Now the Messiah has appeared, high priest of the good things that have come. In the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands (that is, not of this creation), 

12 He entered the holy of holies once for all, not by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. 

13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who are defiled, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 

14 how much more will the blood of the Messiah, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works to serve the living God? 

15 Therefore He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance, because a death has taken place for redemption from the transgressions [committed] under the first covenant. 

16 Where a will exists, the death of the testator must be established. 

17 For a will is valid only when people die, since it is never in force while the testator is living. 

18 That is why even the first covenant was inaugurated with blood. 

19 For when every commandment had been proclaimed by Moses to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, along with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll itself and all the people, 

20 saying, This is the blood of the covenant that God has commanded for you. 

21 In the same way, he sprinkled the tabernacle and all the vessels of worship with blood. 

22 According to the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. 

23 Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be purified with these [sacrifices], but the heavenly things themselves [to be purified] with better sacrifices than these.

24 For the Messiah did not enter a sanctuary made with hands (only a model of the true one) but into heaven itself, that He might now appear in the presence of God for us. 

25 He did not do this to offer Himself many times, as the high priest enters the sanctuary yearly with the blood of another. 

26 Otherwise, He would have had to suffer many times since the foundation of the world. But now He has appeared one time, at the end of the ages, for the removal of sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 

27 And just as it is appointed for people to die once-and after this, judgment- 

28 so also the Messiah, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him.

This is what we know today. Let’s see the heart of the psalmist. Did he see the freedom and peace GOD had provided by keeping the enemies of Israel as a nation at bay or was he looking to the day GOD would send HIS Messiah to earth?

Let’s read Psalm 96:1-3:

King of the Earth

1 Sing a new song to the Lord; sing to the Lord, all the earth. 

2 Sing to the Lord, praise His name; proclaim His salvation from day to day. 

3 Declare His glory among the nations, His wonderful works among all peoples. 

The psalmist’s view of GOD was the GOD of salvation. Notice that when the psalmist discovers this aspect of GOD, he is overjoyed. His desire is for all people to experience this new found relationship. But the psalmist also recognized the need to proclaim this salvation day to day. This is in contrast to the gift of GOD to all who place their faith in JESUS and experience the miracle of rebirth, which is eternal.

Becoming a child of GOD through faith in JESUS does not mean Christians are to become complacent but to enjoy living in the assurance of salvation through the shed blood of JESUS.

Once the deceits of the physical world we live in are removed by physical death, every person will see the truth of eternity. He or she will experience eternal life either forever in the presence of GOD and JESUS or be on the outside looking in. For those who reject salvation through faith in JESUS and are on the outside looking in, oh what an agonizing eternity that will be. That is Hell. That will be eternal and everyone who refused to accept JESUS as his or her Savior, while he or she was upon earth, will thirst for the eternal living water that only faith in JESUS can provide.

I urge you not to be foolish. But ask JESUS to forgive you for your sins and for HIM to come into your life now, so you can experience the miracle of rebirth in your spirit and receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the eternal oil that keeps the lamp of salvation burning as we all wait for the return of JESUS. Some are waiting as many are going into eternity every day.  

Eternity is real and the way is real. Eternal life is only through faith in JESUS as recorded in the words of JESUS in John 14:6:

6 Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.  

Christians are the light of the world and the salt of the earth. We are to declare the Glory of GOD as we obediently serve HIM as led by the indwelling Holy Spirit.

It is vital that every Christian sing this new song to all they encounter through life as the living water that only JESUS provides gushes from our life. This is not humanly derived but the result of a genuine relationship with GOD through faith in JESUS. Father, here I am as I am and only YOU can help me to be all YOU desire for me to be.

This leads us into the our next verses ----

Let’s read Psalm 96:4-6:

4 For the Lord is great and is highly praised; He is feared above all gods. 

5 For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. 

6 Splendor and majesty are before Him; strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.         

The psalmist recognizes and acknowledges GOD as real, whereas all other gods are false. GOD is truth and all other gods are false. GOD made all that our eyes can see and it is reflects HIS splendor and majesty.

What is a sanctuary? It is a place where we can live knowing that it is protected. “Strength and beauty” are in GOD’S sanctuary and we are to be encouraged by these facts.

Let’s read Psalm 96:7-9:

7 Ascribe to the Lord, you families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. 

8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory of His name; bring an offering and enter His courts.

9 Worship the Lord in the splendor of [His] holiness; tremble before Him, all the earth. 

What does “ascribe” mean? Ascribe is used three times in verses 7-8. It means “to give” or “to offer.” All people are to “ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.” How is a person to do that? He or she is to bring an offering and enter into HIS presence. What is the best offering a person can bring to GOD? It is himself or herself. When a person approaches GOD recognizing and honoring HIS sovereignty, he or she does so in humility but with rejoicing because of personal peace from national enemies.

That was before the passion of JESUS. But since the passion of JESUS, we, as Christians, are told to approach HIS throne as a child would approach his or her earthly father, referring to GOD as Daddy but with the utmost trust and respect.

Do you seek GOD? If so, HE can be found. All who seek HIM will find HIM. Just know that GOD allowed JESUS to come to earth in the flesh and live as a human. HE lived a sinless life and willingly gave HIS perfect life through the shedding of HIS blood to pay the sin debt for all who will place their faith in HIM. It is by FAITH.

Do you know GOD through faith in JESUS? My prayer is that you do. All Christians are on a Spiritual journey to build an intimate, loving, personal relationship with GOD through faith in JESUS. Yes, there will be ups and downs but the overall direction is upward getting to know GOD. If you were to write a psalm what would you write? The key is to press on, finish the race by crossing the finish line trusting JESUS. Blessings!!!