How to Use the Lord's Prayer

Thanks everyone for a great study through the Lord's Prayer!  I sure learned a lot and was challenged each week through your insight and discussion.  During our last session we reviewed some of what we had gone through regarding each phrase in the Lord's Prayer and then we talked about how are we to use the Lord's Prayer.

I think it is important to understand the Lord's Prayer in its context.  Jesus was teaching the disciples to pray this prayer as they went about traveling with him to continue his work - and it was intended to be said after their other daily prayers.  In other words, it isn't an all-encompassing prayer that should be prayed all the time.  Nor does the prayer include everything that we should pray for.  Since it is the Lord's Prayer we tend to think that if we aren't praying like this all the time then we are missing something.  

I told the group last night that I didn't want anyone to leave this study feeling guilty that they don't pray this prayer more often, or come away with the understanding that this is a formula for successful prayer.  We can learn from it, pray it, and allow it to guide our prayers, but it is not the end-all of prayers that all other prayers should follow.  I encourage all of you to find a variety of expressions of prayer, just as we find a variety of prayers in scripture (particularly the Psalms).

We also talked last night about what was most meaningful in our study.  What did you learn or what did we talk about that has really made a difference in your life, or encouraged you or challenged you?  Use this space to reflect on the past few weeks and share what God has done in your life.  

Lead us not into temptation

Tuesday was another great study.  Thanks for everyone's openness and honesty!  

We talked about the nature of temptation and this key question: Does God lead us into temptation?  That's a difficult question.  We had people land in different spots so I want to see where you land.  Have you thought more about it since Tuesday?  If you weren't able to join us, what do you think?  

One key point that came out about the prayer - we couldn't hardly pray, "Lord, lead me into temptation in order to prove myself righteous."  That is sort of like praying, "Hallowed be my name..." 

How does this truth continue to work in you?  Would anyone be brave enough to share ways that you are tempted and how are you able to overcome those temptations?  Use this space to continue to engage God's Word.