Deliver us...

Today we finish our look at The Lord’s Prayer. I hope over the last few weeks, more than anything, you have stopped and thought --if the disciples asked Jesus how to pray and He gave them this instruction concerning prayer then we as His disciples should also desire to know what He is saying to us. The last portion of the prayer reminds us that there is an evil one out there and that he is like a roaring lion and we need to pray for God’s help in fighting the battle.

Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come.
Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 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.

Before you start thinking that the portion of the verse that says, “And do not lead us into temptation” means that God is capable of tempting us, He is not.

James 1:13-14 tells us: Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death

The key here is the interpretation of the word “temptation”. Modern translators use the definition of the word to mean things such as “testing, proving, trying, struggling, etc.” In other words it is okay and appropriate for us to pray God don’t allow this storm or struggle, etc. to come into our life unless it is your will for our molding and shaping into your image.

Many are the times I have given a testimony about something and then said to the Lord at the same time, God I really don’t want to be tested on this please!

Then the passage goes on to say “but deliver us from the evil one.” Daily that roaring lion comes to steal, kill, and destroy! We have the opportunity to pray to be delivered from his paws, but do we?

Today, have you asked God to deliver you from the schemes of the enemy?

Would you be willing to be let loose in a lion’s cage with no way out? He has made a way out of the lion's den for us. Are you calling on His name daily?

Hope everyone is doing well. Our NEW web look is on the horizon, only weeks away! You won’t want to miss it!

His,
vickie