Prayer is that one thing that almost everybody does at one time or the other. Muslims do it, Buddhists do it, Hindus do it, heathens do it, Christians do it, and even pagans do it. The principle of Christian prayer is based primarily on God's commitment to his Word. Every Word that God speaks is also a law to him, and he will subject himself to his promises and decrees because of his integrity. The Scriptures reveal that man has been given the authority and prerogative to determine what happens in the earth realm. In all of God's dealings with mankind, we will see that he has never done anything on earth without the cooperation of a person. Every action of God in the earth realm has always required the involvement of a human being. God needed Noah in order to rescue humanity in the flood. He needed Abraham for the creation of the nation of Israel. He needed Moses to lead the nation of Israel to the land of promise. He needed Daniel to bring back Israel from captivity. To defeat Jericho, he needed Joshua. For the preservation of the Jews, he needed Esther. For the Salvation of mankind, he himself needed to become a man. God does nothing but in answer to the prayers of man. The corruptions that had crept into the duty of prayer among the Jews were so many that Jesus saw it needful to give a new directory for prayer, to show his disciples what must ordinarily be the matter and method of their prayer. This he gave in words that could be used as a format because the contents included the several particulars of our prayers. This matchless prayer revealed in Matthew chapter 6 was given not only as a model, but also as a form. After Jesus had condemned what was amiss, he directed us to do better because it is obvious that we know not what to pray for as we ought, but here he helps our infirmities, by putting words into our mouths; "...after this manner therefore pray ye" (Mat. 6:9). He who best knew what we ought to pray for, and how we ought to pray; what matter of desire, and what manner of address would most please himself. Jesus therefore here dictated to us a most perfect and universal form of prayer, comprising all our real wants, expressing all our lawful desires; a complete directory and full exercise of all our devotions. This prayer is indeed our Lord's prayer; it is of his composing, and of his appointing; it is very compendious, yet very comprehensive, and very compassionate.