What is Prayer and Why Pray? (Part 4)

Matthew 6:13a-b – The Lord’s Prayer

It’s Monday again and we’ll take a deeper look at the last of the three petitions which focus on our personal needs.

Matthew 6:13a+b (NKJV)
And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

The “New Believer’s Bible Commentary” says:

“Recognize your inclination to fall into sin, and pray that the opportunity to sin will not lead to committing the sin.” *

William MacDonald comments:

And do not lead us into temptation.
This request may appear to contradict James 1:13, which states that God would never tempt anyone. However, God does allow His people to be tested and tried. This petition expresses a healthy distrust of one’s own ability to resist temptations or to stand up under trial. It acknowledges complete dependence on the Lord for preservation.

But deliver us from the evil one.
This is the prayer of all who desperately desire to be kept from sin by the power of God. It is the heart’s cry for daily salvation from the power of sin and Satan in one’s life.” #

Continue reading “What is Prayer and Why Pray? (Part 4)”

What is Prayer and Why Pray?(Part 2)

Matthew 6:11 – The Lord’s Prayer

Last week we looked at the first three petitions in Matthew 6:9 and 10 which focus on the glory of God. Today we’ll take a deeper look at the first of the second three petitions which focus on our personal needs.

Matthew 6:11 (NKJV)
Give us this day our daily bread.

Now that we have put God’s interests first we come to present our own needs. By doing it in this order we acknowledge our dependence on Him for everything.

“Our daily bread” – what does it mean or what does it stand for?

It’s not just talking about food for our physical body but also food for our spiritual well-being. We are also putting our other physical and personal needs at His feet. We know that our Lord will provide for all our needs.

Philippians 4:19 (NKJV)
And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

What would that look like in practice?

Continue reading “What is Prayer and Why Pray?(Part 2)”

What is Prayer and Why Pray? (Part 1)

Matthew 6:9-10 – The Lord’s Prayer

The way I understand prayer is that it’s a dialogue between God and I. It’s talking to Him, petitioning God, asking for help and a need.

Is there a right or wrong way of praying? Definitely not!

A prayer can be as short as a cry for help:

“God, please help!”

or longer with thanksgiving, praising God, and petitioning Him for a need we have in our or someone else’s life.

A while back I looked at the Lord’s Prayer. And I believe that it can be used as a guideline, like a framework for how to pray or, as some say, petition God. Reciting the Lord’s Prayer as is covers all the petitions as well.

There are six petitions in the Lord’s Prayer. The first three, in Matthew 6:9 and 10 focus on the glory of God; and the second three, in verses 11 to 13, focus on our personal needs.*

Continue reading “What is Prayer and Why Pray? (Part 1)”