Tag: What the Bible says about prayer

Matthew 6:11-13 (NKJV) 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. 13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Yesterday, we left off with verse 10. Let’s continue today with verses 11-13.

“Give us this day our daily bread” might read like this in modern English:

Lord, we ask that you supply our needs. Provide us with what will sustain us and allow us to walk out your will and your plan here on earth.

“And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors”.

Debts in this verse refers to sins, not actual monetary debts. The inference is that sin creates a spiritual debt. So, here’s how this might read today:

We know we have sinned, so we ask You to forgive us, just as we have forgiven those who may have sinned against us.

Jesus referenced this again in Matthew 6:14-15, as He further explained that we must forgive if we expect to be forgiven.

“And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one”.

This one can cause some confusion, since it requests of God that He not lead us into temptation. This is simply a wording that was used due to the style of writing.

God will never tempt us or lead us into being tempted. So, in reality this is a prayer or request that God help us avoid temptation, as well as a plea (deliver us from the evil one) for God to help us fight whatever temptation we do encounter.

Many translations don’t include the last half of verse 13, but for the sake of being thorough, let’s look at it anyway.

“For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.”

Suffice it to say that this is simply a way of stating that everything belongs to God, the glory is all His, and may it remain that way forever.

So, with all of that said, we hope that this series has helped to break down these verses in a way that brings understanding and clarity regarding this model prayer that Jesus shared with His followers.

We trust that it will help everyone pray more powerfully, more succinctly and more genuinely, helping you to overcome routines and rituals in your prayer life, while breathing new life and energy into your desire to spend more time communing with the One who breathed the breath of life into each one of us!

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

Seven Seas Ministries
49 N Lamplighters Walk
Hampstead, NC 28443

401-439-3780

If you know someone who will enjoy this or be encouraged by it, please feel free to share it with them!

Matthew 6:9-10 (NKJV) 9 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.

We’re glad to have you back again for this discourse on prayer!

Let’s continue to study and understand what Jesus taught us about praying life-filled, fruitful prayers.

After teaching people how not to pray, Jesus then went on to share the proper way to pray.

It’s important for us to understand that Jesus never intended for this to become a ritualistic prayer that would be repeated word for word through the centuries.

Instead, it was meant to be a sort of guide or “template” upon which to base the structure and substance of our time spent praying.

Never were we instructed to quote His instructions word for word.

With that cleared up, let’s see what Jesus said.

As Jesus shared, He began by teaching us how to address God; “Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name”.

Translated into everyday English, here is what it might sound like.

God in heaven, your name is holy. You are above all things and all people. There is none like you.

And then in verse 10, Jesus continued; “Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven”.

A modern translation might be this:

Lord, let us willingly submit to Your plans and Your purposes, that we might live out Your plan in our lives while we’re here on the earth. Teach us to surrender to you in all things, that our will would be forfeited, and Your will be done in our lives.

To be continued…

Please join us again tomorrow!

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

Seven Seas Ministries
49 N Lamplighters Walk
Hampstead, NC 28443

401-439-3780

If you know someone who will enjoy this or be encouraged by it, please feel free to share it with them!

Matthew 6:7 (NKJV) 7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.

Welcome back!

Yesterday we learned that God wants us to pray in secret, not in public for the approval of man. And Jesus told us that God will reward us for doing this. However, if we pray for the sake of man’s approval, that approval, and the accolades that accompany it, will be our reward.

Today, let’s dig a bit deeper.

In the verse above, Jesus instructs us that we are not to use vain repetitions (as the heathens do).

What does He mean by this?

Many pagan religions use ritualistic, repetitive prayers. Some even include chanting specific things over and over again.

There is no life in this. It is simply ritualistic words spoken repeatedly for the sole sake of repeating them.

Nothing is gained except the satisfaction of the person who participates, who experiences self-gratification from knowing that they completed their ritual.

True prayer should be fruitful and alive, initiating Spirit-led communication between us and God.

This communication is purposeful, not empty and ritualistic. It is heartfelt, sincere and genuine. And it leads to some of the most intimate moments we can share with God while we’re here on earth.

Jesus ends the verse above by stating that these kinds of hypocrites believe that they will be heard because of their many words.

He then follows that up with verse 8, where He tells us, “do not be like them”.

Why? Because, “your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him”.

Sincere, genuine prayer (conversing and communing with God) should not be repetitive, ritualistic or rambling. Instead, let it be heartfelt and real, coming up from our spirit, direct to God’s ears.

Join us tomorrow for more.

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

Seven Seas Ministries
49 N Lamplighters Walk
Hampstead, NC 28443

401-439-3780

If you know someone who will enjoy this or be encouraged by it, please feel free to share it with them!

Matthew 6:5 (NKJV) 5 “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.

Prayer was something that Jesus took very seriously. It was so important that He spent a fair amount of time doing just that; praying.

Much of what Jesus prayed is not recorded in the word of God. But the fact that He did pray is well documented.

We can learn a lot from the example set by Jesus, as well as from the things that He taught about prayer.

So, for the next few days, let’s take a closer look at prayer.

As Jesus spoke in the verse above, He began to instruct His followers about the things that we should and should not do when we pray.

He started this discourse (Matthew 6:2-4) by letting people know that charitable deeds (works of kindness) should not be done in the open for the sake of getting recognition, but should be kept secret so that our Father can reward us.

He then moved into teaching about prayer.

As with charitable acts, Jesus warned that praying is not something to be done in public for all to see, but in private, between us and our Father.

Praying in public for recognition does nothing but gain the accolades of those who happen to see us. And those accolades are our reward.

Take note that Jesus called these people hypocrites. The Greek word used for hypocrite in the original text literally means pretender. This says a lot about the people who are looking for the approval of men, not the approval of God.

And this is why Jesus went on to say that when we pray, we should go into our room, shut the door and pray to our Father in secret. And our Father will reward us.

Matthew 6:6 (NKJV) 6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

This lays some good groundwork for understanding more about prayer. Let’s continue tomorrow!

Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie

Seven Seas Ministries
49 N Lamplighters Walk
Hampstead, NC 28443

401-439-3780

If you know someone who will enjoy this or be encouraged by it, please feel free to share it with them!