Teach Me To Pray

 Almost a year ago, I started posting my morning prayer on Facebook. The motivation was the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus said, "For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." To understand what was accepted righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, I researched their prayer life. I found some fascinating information that, as a Christian, I was falling short of exceeding the scribes and Pharisees.

So, to keep this simple, I will use terms that most of us will understand.

Traditionally, observant Jews pray the Standing Prayer (Tefillat Amidah) three times a day – morning, afternoon, and evening – patterned after the times of prayer recorded for the Patriarchs: Abraham in the morning (Genesis 19:27), Isaac in the afternoon (Genesis 24:63), and Jacob in the evening (Genesis 46:2). Scripture suggests that Daniel followed this pattern during the Babylonian captivity (Daniel 6:10), praying three times each day while facing Jerusalem according to King Solomon's dedication prayer.

This is the most common liturgical prayer in the Hebrew faith. It was known originally as the "Eighteen." It consisted of eighteen blessings or benediction arranged in a specific pattern.

I grew up where you did not write your prayer or memorize a prayer. Even saying the LORD's Prayer was frowned upon as vain repetition, and only liberal churches would recite the prayer. You were to pray from your heart and speak directly to the LORD. 

We prayed at the dinner table at every meal, and sometimes my dad would ask one of the nine children to give thanks for the meal. Try as I did, I ended up saying pretty much the same prayer. At the end of the day, we gathered as a family, and each one of us would say a prayer. Again, our prayer followed the same pattern as our giving thanks for a meal. It was easy to prayer alone when no one was around, but to express my true feelings in front of others, I felt I needed to say what I thought they would want to hear.

It took me several years to come to the place where I would write out my prayers and often say the same thing repeatedly. Today I write my morning prayer and share it with others. 

Often they contain the same phrase, the same format, and identical petitions. If Daniel, who was held in high esteem by the LORD, could say the same prayer every morning, noon, and night his entire life, why can't I?

I've also found reciting the Psalmist David's prayers and offering them to my Heavenly Father to be very helpful and focused. It is beneficial to pray the same words as King David, Moses, Jesus, and others from the Holy Scriptures. Yes, I know that saying the same prayer everyday can lose its intended meaning. It becomes essential that I meditate on each phrase being said, and then the next time will do the same thing again. And praying these structured prayers always allow the freedom to include personal praise and petition in them.

The disciple came to Jesus and asked Him to teach them to pray. He gave them an outline to follow in their prayer life.

First was to acknowledge God as your Father- "Our Father." You cannot call God your Father unless you have accepted His gift of salvation.

The next was to acknowledge the dwelling place of God. Then to praise His name and accept His will.

Now you are ready to make your petitions known to God.

The prayer was to end accepting the will of God to be accomplished and believe He will answer.

The prayers prayed three times each day by the Jews are called the Standing Prayer. The early Standing Prayer itself was much less formal than today, likely just an outline or guide by which the one praying would offer his own words. During the time of the LORD and Second Temple, the Standing Prayer may have become more codified. It has been suggested that Zachariah, the priest and soon to be Father of John the Baptist, was praying the Standing Prayer as he performed the Temple service described in Luke 1. The people outside the Temple were also praying the same prayer, and when they had finished but when Zachariah didn't come back out, they knew something was up. Some see the Standing Prayer patterns in model prayer (The Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6) and in the opening words of Paul's letter of Second Corinthians.

As Rabbinic Judaism emerged following the Temple's destruction and the Bar Kokhba revolt, an additional "blessing" was added to the now formalized Standing Prayer. However, the extra words weren't a blessing; they were a curse pronounced against heretics. According to The Complete Artscroll Siddur, these were "such heretical Jewish sects as the Sadducees, Boethusians, Essenes, and the early Christians," though none of these are named directly. Followers of the LORD generally do not recite this portion. Though the words may express the truth, we know the purpose for which they are intended.

When Jesus taught the disciples to pray, He may have followed the Standing Prayer.

The daily Standing Prayer consists of eighteen (or nineteen) blessings in three broader divisions.  I placed the LORD's prayer with the Standing Prayer.

Praise

1. Fathers- Our Father

2. God of Might- Who art in heaven

3. Holiness of the Name- Hallowed be Thy Name

Petition

4. Understanding- Thy will be done

5. Repentance -Forgive us our trespasses

6. Forgiveness- As we forgive those who trespass against us

7. Redemption-Lead us not into temptation,

8. Healing- deliver us from evil

9. Blessing of the Years-Thine is the kingdom the power and glory forever

10.Regathering of the Exiles

11.Restoration of Justice— Against Heretics

12Righteousness

13Rebuilding Jerusalem

14Davidic Reign)

15Acceptance of Prayers

Gratitude

16.Temple Service

17.Thanksgiving

18.Establish Peace

There are a few variations to the Standing Prayer. For example, on Shabbat, the middle section of petitions is not said; it is replaced with a blessing called Kedushat HaYom, Holiness of the Day. It is common to pause for a silent petition before proceeding to the final section of thanksgiving. A similar modification is made for Festivals.

I have try to follow the outline given by Jesus on how to pray. I start by acknowledging God the Father. I then will include praise, thanksgiving, and worship of the LORD before I make a petition. I will end by asking for a blessing on the day in the Name of Jesus.

Lately, I have tried to include the names of God in my prayer. I do not use the Hebrew name but rather the English meaning.  We have been studying the names of God in our Bible Study and I now include them in my prayers.  Here is a list of Hebrew names of God and the English translation.

Yahweh - The WORD or Christ Jesus

The self-existent one. He has always existed and will always exist. You can always rely on Him because He is your eternal source of strength.

(Genesis 2:4, Isaiah 40:3; 10; 1 Samuel 1:20; Exodus 6:1-4, 3:1-22; John 1:1)

Adonai- The LORD

God is the Lord overall. He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, and He reigns forever. Therefore you find safety in Him and Him alone.

(Genesis 15:2, Judges 6:15, Malachi 1:6, Deuteronomy 10:17; Psalm 2:4, 8:1, 97:5, 136:3; Isaiah 1:24, 6:1; Romans 10:9)

Yahweh-Maccaddeshem- The Sanctifier

The Lord, your sanctifier. He forgives your sins, and His Holy Spirit works in your life to become like He is: pure, loving, and true.

(Exodus 31:13, Leviticus 20:8; Ezekiel 37:28)

Yahweh-Rohi- The Great Shepherd

The Lord, my shepherd. He cares for you the way a shepherd tends his sheep. He cares for you and leads you to still waters and green pastures.

(Psalm 23, 80:1, 95:7, Isaiah 40:11, Jeremiah 31:10, Ezekiel 34:12, 23)

Yahweh-Shammah The All-Present God

The Lord who is present. He never leaves you, nor forsakes you. He is with you forever—your best friend, who never betrays you.

(Ezekiel 48:35, Genesis 28:15, Ezekiel 48:35, Psalm 23:4, 46:1, 139:7-12, Jeremiah 23:23-24, Amos 5:14)

Yahweh-Rapha- The Great Physician

The Lord, our healer. "By His stripes, we are healed," declares the Bible. Jesus Christ died to give you life. Not only was God the healer in the Old Testament, but Jesus Christ revealed the healing heart of God for all of us, more than ever.

(Exodus 15:26, Exodus 15:26, 2 Chronicles 7:14, Psalm 6:2, 41:4, 103:3, 147:3, Isaiah 19:22, 30:36, 57:18-19, Jeremiah 3:22; 17:14, 30:17)

Yahweh-Tsidkenu-God of My Righteousness

The Lord our righteousness. When we believe in Jesus Christ, He becomes our righteousness. He forgives our sins and washes us with His blood.

(Jeremiah 23:6, Genesis 15:6, Jeremiah 23:6, Psalm 4:1, 5:8, 24:5, 31:1, 36:10, 71:15, 89:16)

Yahweh-Jireh- The Provider

The Lord will provide. Jesus Christ said that Father cares for us, and we never need to worry about provision. He is our source of life in every way.

(Genesis 22:13-14)

Yahweh-Nissi- The Banner of Victory

The Lord our banner. The Lord gives us victory in spiritual warfare. When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Lord raises a banner of His love over us and covers us. He wages war on our behalf and makes us more than conquerors in Christ Jesus.

(Exodus 17:15)

Yahweh-Shalom-The LORD of Peace

The Lord is Peace. Whenever there are storms in your life, hide in Him. He is your shelter in the storm. He gives peace beyond understanding, even when circumstances are chaotic. He is our shelter and our shield. 

(Judges 6:24)

Yahweh-Sabbaoth- The Captian of My Salvation

The Lord of Hosts. The Bible mentions myriads of angels, who wage war against hell's armies, who try to destroy mankind. Jesus Christ is the Lord of hosts, the Captain of the armies of heaven. 

(Isaiah 6:1-3, 1 Samuel 1:3, 17:45; 2 Samuel 6:2, 7:26-27; 1 Chronicles 11:9; Haggai 1:5)

Yahweh-Ghmolah- The God of Vengeance

The God of Recompense. The Lord says in Romans 12, "vengeance is mine, and I will repay." We should never avenge others for what they do to us but leave it in God's hands.

(Jeremiah 51:6)

Elohim- The Creator

God is creator, powerful and mighty, Lord, of lords. He is the Lord Most High, stronger and mightier than anyone or anything; when you face impossible circumstances or adversaries, know that your God is stronger.

(Gen. 1:1, 17:7, Ps 19:1 Jer. 31:33)

El-Elyon- The Most High God

The Most High God. Do not fear the enemy who tries to intimidate you. Know that your God is the Most High God. There is none above Him. Jesus Christ is exalted high above every name.

(Genesis 14:17-20, Deuteronomy 26:19, Isaiah 14:13-14)

El-Gibhor- Almighty God

Mighty God. The Lord is mighty to save. His arm is not too short. Whatever problem you are facing, know that your God is El-Gibhor, MIGHTY!

(Isaiah 9:6)

El-Olam-The Eternal God

The everlasting God. God is eternal, while your problems are temporary. His love will never change. His promises are true. Build on Him, who is eternal, and do not focus on your temporary situations. He will show you His great and eternal goodness.

(Isaiah 40:28-31)

El-Roi-The All-Seeing God

The strong one who sees. When you feel lonely and abandoned by people, know that God is with you. He sees you, and He knows you. He hears the cry of your heart, and He loves you more than you can imagine. He will lead you through and fill you hear with His praise.

(Genesis 16:13)

El-Shaddai-Rohi God Almighty

God Almighty, the mighty One of Jacob. God is not just another 'god' like the countless idols. He truly is the Almighty Creator of heaven and earth.

(Gen. 17:1, 49:24, Ps. 91:1, 132:2, 5)

El-Chuwl- The Creator

The God who gave birth. God is our Creator and our Father. He saw us, and He loved us, even before we were born. He has a plan for your life, and if you walk with Him, He will fulfill His dreams over your life and amaze you.

(Psalm 139:13-18)

El-Deah-All-Knowing God

God of knowledge. Wisdom comes from the Lord. Man tries to become wise apart from God and ends up in foolishness. When we fear God and keep His commandments to love one another, we will know Him as He is, and His wisdom will guide us.

(1 Samuel 2:3; Romans 11:33-36; 1 Cor. 1:18-31)

Attiyq Youm- Eternal God

The Ancient of Days. God is eternal. He was before the beginning of time. Therefore He has all authority. Every knee bows before Him.

(Daniel 7:9, 13, 14)

Even though I started out trying to pray three times a day, I failed to follow through. I am working on trying to "exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees."   Right now I must depend on Yahweh-Tsidkenu-God of My Righteousness. The Lord our righteousness. I believe in Jesus Christ, He becomes my righteousness. He forgives my sins and washes me with His blood.