by Elizabeth George January 17, 2023
Just like you and me, Jesus’ disciples seemed to need help with praying. Wisely, they asked Jesus, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1). Jesus then gave them—and us—a model or sample prayer to pray. This prayer is usually referred to as the Lord’s Prayer.
Read it now in the verses below. Then answer the questions that guide you through an outline of the contents of this famous prayer. It’s in Matthew 6:9-13. Jesus began by saying, “Pray like this:”
9 Our Father in heaven, Your name is holy.
10 May Your holy nation come. What You want done,
may it be done on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us the bread we need today.
12 Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
13 Do not let us be tempted, but keep us from sin (NLT).
Prayer should be offered as an act of worship. How is God to be addressed according to verse 9?
Prayer should be offered with great respect. What word in verse 9 describes God’s name?
Prayer should be offered with the future in mind. What event did God promise in verse 10 to establish in the future?
Prayer should be offered selflessly. According to verse 10, what should be the desire of your heart?
Prayer should be offered for personal needs. What did Jesus say, in verse 11, that we should ask for?
Prayer should be offered for spiritual needs. Write out the first four words in verse 12. As God has forgiven our sins, what should be our attitude toward those who hurt us?
Prayer should be about avoiding sin. Write out the first six words in verse 13. Write out what else we should pray for about sin.
The best way for you to learn how to pray is by praying. A lot of things are going on in your life at home, at school, and with your friends. So whatever is on your heart and mind is a good place to start talking to God. But this model that Jesus gave His disciples and us is also a pretty good way to start learning how to pray—in fact, it’s perfect!
Dear God, thank You for showing me how I need to come to You in prayer with every worry, decision, and choice I make. I look forward to the many blessings that come from talking with You in prayer. Amen.
The Remarkable Prayers of the Bible: Transforming Power for Your Life Today by Jim George teaches what readers can learn from others who loved God and desired to follow Him wholeheartedly.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Keeping a Prayer Journal blog post
One-Word Themes of All the Books of the Bible printable
Memorize the Lord’s Prayer with your family members. Recite it every evening before you eat dinner together.
The best way for you to learn how to pray is by praying.
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Jim and Elizabeth George are bestselling authors and national speakers dedicated to helping people live a life after God’s own heart. Together, they have written over 150 books with more than 14 million copies sold around the world. For over 35 years, the teachings and steadfast example of Elizabeth and Jim have helped countless men and women:
Jim and Elizabeth George are bestselling authors and national speakers dedicated to helping people live a life after God’s own heart. Together, they have written over 150 books with more than 14 million copies sold around the world. For over 35 years, the teachings and steadfast example of Elizabeth and Jim have helped countless men and women:
by Elizabeth George October 01, 2024
by Elizabeth George September 17, 2024
I’ve heard it said that you can tell the spiritual maturity of a man by looking at his bank account or his credit card statements. Well, how do yours look? What do they reveal about you and your spiritual maturity? What would another person see if they were allowed a peek at your accounts?
by Elizabeth George September 03, 2024