Our Father

Final Lessons on Prayer

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And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. Matthew 6:13 KJV

The voices of our parents calling us in on a summer’s night rang out across our neighborhood. “Louie! Wally! Peter!” It didn’t really even matter if your mom or dad was too busy watching the latest episode of Bonanza to remember to call you in. Once two or three kids left to go in, whatever game  we were playing was essentially over.    P1030934

In that same way these final words of the prayer Jesus teaches us sat that it is time to come home to God’s house. We started the morning remembering God is our Father and that His name must be kept holy in our life. We went out into our day ready to find our part in the work of His kingdom. Then as we went along the path God leads us we asked for bread to keep us strong and forgiveness when we stumbled. Now as we are praying through our day we ask Him to keep us safe from temptation on the inside and the enemy named Satan without.

Jesus teaches us that we need to pray this way every day because only He knows where our journey leads and at what hour He will call us home!

another-schooley-sunset

Prayer Lessons – Day 3

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Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. Matthew 6:11 KJV

Imported from phone 248

Going for walks around the neighborhood with our grandchildren is one of the highlights of our visits with them. Whether we are examining leaves together or stopping at the corner store for ice cream; what matters is that we are doing it together.  Praying for daily bread and forgiveness is just the same. Though they appear to be totally unrelated items they are both part of our daily walk around the neighborhood with Jesus.  P1040060

When we are praying for daily bread we are simply showing our Heavenly Father that we are depending on Him even for the simplest of matters. Then when we stumble and fall down while we are with Him we can immediately turn and ask forgiveness. He is willing to freely give but He also reminds us that forgiveness given comes with His gracious expectation that we learn to be forgiving as well. Through each line of this prayer Jesus wants us to know that our relationship to Him is what matters most. Whether we need daily bread or forgiveness of sins He wants us to trust in His care and discover the joy of an childlike dependence on Him.

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Prayer Lessons – Day One

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Prayer Lessons: Day One

Now Jesus was praying in a certain place and when He finished one of His disciples said to Him “ Lord teach us to pray… Luke 11:1 ESV

My step father was a concert clarinetist and when I was entering first grade he decided it was the perfect time for me to begin to learn to play. Lessons were every Saturday and I was expected to practice every day after school. Now I confess I never liked clarinet but the lessons taught me the discipline of music and later I fell in love with singing.

No one; not even my very strict step-dad expected me to just spontaneously begin playing one of Beethoven’s Symphonies for a while.

man performing on stage

Photo by Gabriel Santos Fotografia on Pexels.com

So why do we think that praying is any different? Jesus wasn’t angry that the disciples didn’t know how to pray. He welcomes us to ask Him to teach us and He began by teaching what we call The Lord’s Prayer.

Pray then like this: Our Father who is in heaven hallowed be your name. Matthew 6:9

Lesson one in prayer is that we can only begin as a child of God. Jesus didn’t tell us to pray to the creator of the earth; the king of heaven or the master of the universe. Jesus invited us to come as children. We must accept His invitation to join His family before we can pray as we should. And as a part of a family we say “Our Father” humbly accepting that we are a brother or sister to everyone who comes to Him by faith. Are you ready for your prayer lesson today?

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