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Today we continue a series entitled Lord, teach us to pray!<\/em><\/b>\u00a0 Do you ever cry out with that same desire as Jesus\u2019 disciples did \u2014 “Teach {me<\/b>} to pray”? <\/span><\/p>\n Each Saturday over the next couple of months, we will intentionally pursue asking the Lord to do just that\u2014teach us <\/b>to pray.\u00a0 I believe that, as we continue to look at learning how to pray through the Scriptures, we will develop into daughters who delight, yearn, love to pray to their Father!!!\u00a0 This is my heart\u2019s desire.<\/p>\n Jesus was asked this important question by His disciples. One of the places that it is recorded is in Luke 11, verse 1: “Then He was praying in a certain place; and when He stopped, one of His disciples said to Him, Lord, teach us to pray….”<\/p>\n Listen to the words that He spoke to them when they asked:<\/p>\n Pray, therefore, like this:<\/p>\n Our Father<\/p>\n Who is in heaven,<\/p>\n hallowed (kept holy) be Your name.<\/p>\n Your kingdom come,<\/p>\n Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.<\/p>\n Give us this day our daily bread.<\/p>\n And forgive us our debts,<\/p>\n as we also have forgiven (left, remitted, and let go of the debts,<\/p>\n and have given up resentment against) our debtors.<\/p>\n And lead (bring) us not into temptation,<\/p>\n but deliver us from the evil one.<\/p>\n For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.<\/p>\n Amen.<\/p>\n Matthew 6:9-13<\/p>\n The first week, in this series, we focused on the very first, and most important aspect, of Jesus\u2019 instruction\u2014addressing God Almighty as “Our Father<\/b>….” We found that He wants to be our Father…our Abba <\/i>Father!<\/p>\n The second week, we looked at the very next aspect of prayer that Jesus deemed of\u00a0 importance\u2014”Who is in heaven<\/b>.”\u00a0 This attribute tells of the utmost importance of God Who is in heaven<\/b>.\u00a0 And we also were reminded of an awesome promise from God, that we will dwell for all eternity with Jesus and our Father, Who is in heaven<\/b>.<\/p>\n Then we came to the third aspect, as we followed Jesus\u2019 instruction,\u2014 “hallowed (kept holy) be Your name<\/b>.”\u00a0 And we looked at five examples in the Scriptures where Almighty God is described as holy<\/b>: we saw the Psalmist proclaim that \u2018You are holy<\/b>\u2019…that the prophet Habakkuk called Him \u2018my Holy<\/b> One\u2019…that Isaiah saw in a vision God seated on His throne with the seraphim proclaiming \u2018holy, holy, holy\u2019…that Jesus our Lord prayed\u00a0 \u2018Holy <\/b>Father\u2019…that one of the seven angels praise Almighty God saying \u2018You Who are and were \u2018O Holy <\/b>One.\u2019\u00a0 What a privilege that our Father…Who is in heaven…would allow us to come before Him and call Him \u2018holy<\/b>!\u2019<\/p>\n After that we looked at the next aspect of prayer that Jesus deemed important\u2014\u2018Your Kingdom come<\/b>.\u2019\u00a0 We considered the question, “What is the Kingdom<\/b>?” by focusing on just two ways to understand what Jesus meant.\u00a0 The first connotation that “Kingdom<\/b>” has refers to the eternal Kingdom<\/b>.\u00a0 And then to understand “Kingdom<\/b>” in another way, we looked specifically at Matthew chapter 13\u00a0 where Jesus spoke in parables and used tangible examples to help His disciples (and us!) to understand the importance of having the Kingdom<\/b> established in our hearts.\u00a0 He wants you and me to be in that Kingdom<\/b> along with Him.<\/p>\n The following week we focused on another aspect of Jesus\u2019 instruction: \u2018Your will be done<\/b>.\u2019\u00a0 It is Almighty God\u2019s will<\/b> that we are to be concerned about…not our own.\u00a0 We considered scripture after scripture and saw our Lord\u2019s constant example showing that it was not His will<\/b> that was important but His Father\u2019s.\u00a0 If it were ever possible for anyone to justifiably state and act on their own will<\/b>, it would have been Jesus; true?\u00a0 Jesus always desired His Father\u2019s will<\/b>, always sought His Father\u2019s will<\/b>, always purposed to know His Father\u2019s will <\/b>so that He always did His Father\u2019s will<\/b>.\u00a0 And what did we find was His Father\u2019s will<\/b>?\u2014salvation and redemption through Jesus Christ.\u00a0 We were assured that at the very foundation of God\u2019s will<\/b> lies our hope, which is salvation through Jesus leading to eternal life.<\/p>\n And the next week we studied the phrase \u2018Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven<\/b>\u2019 from the perspective of our Lord\u2019s life and ministry.\u00a0 In John 6:38 we read that Jesus came down from heaven<\/b> not to do His own will but to do the will of His Father on the earth<\/b>.\u00a0 Jesus was always the perfect example to His disciples, and of course, to us.\u00a0 We, too, can live with that same heart as Jesus did.\u00a0 God has promised to lead us, to guide us, to show us His Will<\/b>.\u00a0 We looked at a number of promises that God has given us regarding our knowing His will<\/b>.\u00a0 Jesus, Who knew His heavenly Father like no one else did, desired to do God\u2019s will<\/b>.\u00a0 God\u2019s perfect will<\/b>.\u00a0 He simply and clearly taught His disciples AND US to do the same.<\/p>\n The following week we considered the phrase, “Give us this day our daily bread<\/b>.”\u00a0 We recognized that Jesus IS the \u2018bread<\/b> of life.”\u00a0 We looked at John chapter 6 where Jesus spoke repeatedly about this.\u00a0 We clearly saw Jesus\u2019 heart of compassion, wanting them (and us!) to live forever by partaking of the Bread <\/b>of Life\u2014Himself\u2014and receiving that blessing.\u00a0 We also looked at\u00a0 Jesus\u2019 instruction that if they would pray, “give us this day our daily bread<\/b>…” they would be humbly acknowledging that their heavenly Father already KNEW what their needs would be that day.\u00a0 For us, just like Jesus\u2019 disciples, it is when we recognize our immense need for God\u2019s provision that we step back from trying to accomplish it (whatever \u2018it\u2019 may be for that day) and let the One Who has so much to give to us provide so perfectly for us!\u00a0 Let\u2019s remember: Jesus answered their plea to teach them to pray, and in the midst of that instruction, He directed them to pray, “give us this day our daily bread<\/b>.”\u00a0 Then, He gently reminded them that God already provided that daily bread<\/b> for them!\u00a0 (AND for us!)<\/p>\n Then last week we focused on the next direction Jesus gave as He taught His disciples (and now us!) to pray.\u00a0 It is the request to “…forgive us our debts<\/b>.”\u00a0 In Matthew chapter 18, Jesus addressed the issue of forgiveness<\/b> in two different ways.\u00a0 We looked first at the record where Peter asked Jesus how many times did he need\u00a0 to forgive<\/b> him and<\/i> let it go? Jesus answered him, \u2018I tell you, not up to seven times, but seventy times seven!” Nothing has changed.\u00a0 We, too, are to forgive<\/b> “…seventy times seven…”\u00a0 (In other words, just keep on forgiving!<\/b>)\u00a0 Then Jesus gave further clarification and direction to Peter and the other disciples about this important issue of forgiveness<\/b> by teaching them through a parable (verses 21-35). He held nothing back in communicating that forgiveness<\/b>, or the refusal to forgive<\/b>, is an issue of the heart.\u00a0 We saw a righteous example of compassionate forgiveness (the king forgiving the servant his debt of 10,000 talents).\u00a0 And, in comparison, the depiction of the forgiven servant having a hardened, merciless heart that refused to forgive<\/b>\u00a0 his fellow attendant\u2019s small debt.\u00a0 In the completion of this parable, the king then does have him thrown in jail because of his lack of forgive<\/b>ness.\u00a0 Jesus tells His disciples (and us!) in verse 35, “So also My heavenly Father will deal with every one of you if you do not freely forgive<\/b> your brother from your heart his offenses<\/i>.”\u00a0 God through Christ has forgiven<\/b> us for so, SO much!\u00a0 And He compassionately, mercifully, and lovingly, continues to forgive<\/b> us as we repent and ask.<\/p>\n Here in the ninth week of studying our Lord\u2019s instruction, His next direction to His disciples (and us!) is to ask our Father to “lead us not into temptation<\/b>…”\u00a0 This phrase must be kept in its context which attaches it firmly to the next phrase, “but deliver us from the evil one.”\u00a0 (We will look at this second half next week.)<\/p>\n Of great importance is to remember that God does not “tempt” anyone.<\/p>\n James 1:13,14<\/p>\n Let no one say when he is tempted<\/b>, I am tempted<\/b> from God; for God is incapable of being tempted<\/b> by [what is] evil and He Himself tempts<\/b> no one.<\/p>\n But every person is tempted<\/b> when he is drawn away, enticed and<\/i> baited by his own evil desire (lust, passions).<\/p>\n Clearly, THE tempter is satan, our enemy.<\/p>\n Matthew 4:3<\/p>\n And the tempter<\/b> came and said to Him, If You are God\u2019s Son, command these stones to be made [loaves of] bread.<\/p>\n So if satan was Jesus\u2019 tempter<\/b>, he would also attempt to do the same thing to us.<\/p>\n Hebrews 4:15<\/p>\n For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and<\/i> sympathize and<\/i> have a shared feeling with our weaknesses and<\/i> infirmities and<\/i> liability to the assaults of temptation<\/b>, but One Who has been tempted<\/b> in every respect as we are, yet without sinning.<\/p>\n So thankful to know, are we not, that Jesus, our High Priest, our Intercessor, our Mediator, our Redeemer, our Savior, our Lord, is right there to help us.\u00a0 We are not alone in handling temptation.<\/b>\u00a0 He understands and has shown us how to handle satan\u2019s tempting<\/b>.\u00a0 The following record clearly shows that as Jesus was tempted<\/b> by satan His response\u2014the very thing that kept Him from being tempted<\/b>\u2014was the truth of the Scriptures.\u00a0 Jesus replied to satan each time, “…it is written….”<\/p>\n Matthew 4:1-11<\/p>\n Then Jesus was led (guided) by the [Holy] Spirit into the wilderness (desert) to be tempted<\/b> (tested and tried) by the devil.<\/p>\n And He went without food for forty days and forty nights, and later He was hungry.<\/p>\n And the tempter<\/b> came and said to Him, If You are God\u2019s Son, command these stones to be made [loaves of] bread.<\/p>\n But He replied, It has been written, Man shall not live and<\/i> be upheld and<\/i> sustained by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.<\/p>\n Then the devil took Him into the holy city and placed Him on a turret (pinnacle, gable) of the temple sanctuary.<\/p>\n And he said to Him, If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, He will give His angels charge over you, and they will bear you up on their hands, lest you strike your foot against a stone.<\/p>\n Jesus said to him, On the other hand, it is written also, You shall not tempt<\/b>, test thoroughly, or<\/i> try exceedingly the Lord your God.<\/p>\n Again, the devil took Him up on a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory (the splendor, magnificence, preeminence, and excellence) of them.<\/p>\n And he said to Him, These things, all taken together, I will give You, if You will prostrate Yourself before me and do homage and<\/i> worship me.<\/p>\n Then Jesus said to him, Begone, Satan! For it has been written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him alone shall you serve.<\/p>\n Then the devil departed from Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.<\/p>\n We, too, can have the assurance of the truth of the Scriptures when our enemy tries to tempt<\/b> us.\u00a0 The psalmist, David, had such a confidence in his heart.<\/p>\n Psalm 119:11<\/p>\n Your word have I laid up in my heart, that I might not sin against You.<\/p>\n Verses 97, 98<\/p>\n Oh, how love I Your law! It is my meditation all the day.<\/p>\n You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies, for [Your words] are ever before me.<\/p>\n Verse 101<\/p>\n I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep Your word [hearing, receiving, loving, and obeying it].<\/p>\n Being encouraged by David\u2019s heart for His God and by following the perfect example of our Lord, we can resist the temptations<\/b> of the enemy by refuting him with confident, bold communication of Truth\u2014the Truth contained in the Bible.\u00a0 Be encouraged!<\/p>\n “For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and<\/i> sympathize and<\/i> have a shared feeling with our weaknesses and<\/i> infirmities and<\/i> liability to the assaults of temptation<\/b>, but One Who has been tempted<\/b> in every respect as we are, yet without sinning.<\/p>\n Let us then fearlessly and<\/i> confidently and<\/i> boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God\u2019s unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it]\u00a0” (Hebrews 4;15,16).<\/p>\n Oh. How. He. Loves. Us. So.\u00a0 <3<\/p>\n —————————————————-<\/p>\n This week, in our study A Daughter\u2019s Worth<\/i>, we have been focusing on dating with discretion, having Godly boundaries, retaining a heart of purity\u2014not being tempted.<\/p>\n Ask yourself:\u00a0 ______ (insert your name here), how much worth do I have if my Lord Jesus understands and sympathizes with my being tempted?\u00a0 How much worth do I have knowing that my heavenly Father has enabled me to resist temptation through the Truth contained in the Bible\u2014”it is written”?\u00a0\u00a0 <3<\/p>\n “…Lead us not into temptation<\/b>….”<\/p>\n Love, Coleen<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n *********************************************<\/p>\n For the A Daughter\u2019s Worth<\/i> Bible Study, you will need the book, your Bible, pen or pencil, a highlighter and a quiet place. You can order the book right through our website from clicking the sign-up form button at the top of our webpage.<\/p>\n