Category Archives: Devotional Life

The value of developing a relationship with God, The value of having a daily quiet time.

The Lord’s Prayer: What it Teaches us about Prayer

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Stephen Nielsen's avatarPrayer A to Z

 

It brings to us the way we ought to regard God when we pray.  Thus when we pray “Our Father” we understand that we ought to regard Him as our father.  Likewise, when we pray “Hallowed be Thy name” we see Him as holy.  When we pray “Your kingdom come” we see Him as a king, our king.  When we pray “Thy will be done” we see Him as our master and teacher.  When we pray for daily bread we see Him as our provider.  When we pray for forgiveness we see Him as our savior.  And when we pray for leading and guidance we see Him as our shepherd and protector, the one who goes before us.

It shows us the spirit of true prayer.  At each junction in the prayer Jesus conveys to us what the spirit of…

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News Day: How Damar Hamlin Showed Americans Will Still Pray

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I was pleasantly surprised when all the players gathered to pray for Damar Hamlin. I know that many of these players do no know God personally or pray to Him regularly. But still, I think people want to believe. And when they have a critical moment they will turn to God. I really pray and hope that this tragedy will cause many to think more about God and that He will answer prayers that are genuine. And that they will have a higher regard for prayer–that He will hear all our prayers, especially prayers for salvation.

Please I invite you to read this article.

Around the nation, in response to the life-threatening injury to Buffalo Bills football player Damar Hamlin, people prayed. Hamlin’s teammates and coaches prayed. Millions of fans joined in prayer, tweeting their support. Even on live TV, sports commentators stopped in the middle of their broadcast to pray.

But this is only natural. During times of crisis, especially life and death crisis, people turn to God.

We know the situation is grave, we know we cannot change things ourselves, and we know that only God — an all-powerful being who cares — can turn the tide.

That’s why, at such times, people do not turn to atheism. They turn to God.

Read article

Wisdom — Proverbs 8:7-11

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“For my mouth will utter truth;

And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

8 “All the utterances of my mouth are in righteousness;

There is nothing crooked or perverted in them.

9 “They are all straightforward to him who understands,

And right to those who find knowledge.

10 “Take my instruction and not silver,

And knowledge rather than choicest gold.

11 “For wisdom is better than jewels;

And all desirable things cannot compare with her (Prov. 8:7-11).

Wisdom, if we should listen to her and choose her, is always full of truth and righteousness. Nothing of this world can compare with her.

Wisdom — Proverbs 8:1-6

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Does not wisdom call,

And understanding lift up her voice?

2 On top of the heights beside the way,

Where the paths meet, she takes her stand;

3 Beside the gates, at the opening to the city,

At the entrance of the doors, she cries out:

4 “To you, O men, I call,

And my voice is to the sons of men.

5 “O naive ones, understand prudence;

And, O fools, understand wisdom.

6 “Listen, for I will speak noble things;

And the opening of my lips will reveal right things (Prov. 8:1-6).

Wisdom can be found at every corner, at every turn in the road or at every decision point. It is calling out to us to be wise. We must listen for its voice.

The Lord’s Prayer: Its Two Settings

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Stephen Nielsen's avatarPrayer A to Z

The study of prayer would not be complete without examining the Lord’s Prayer. It is no doubt the most comprehensive piece of work on prayer ever composed.  Here in this very short prayer Jesus has woven every possible principle of prayer together and has given it to us to show us how to pray.  It is the best and simplest prayer tool we could possibly have.  John MacArthur, in his book, Jesus’ Pattern of Prayer, said, “It [The Lord’s Prayer] is an absolute masterpiece of God’s infinite wisdom to somehow encompass every conceivable element in prayer and reduce it to one simple pattern.”1

In this first blog on the Lord’s Prayer, as an introduction, I want to talk about its settings. In upcoming blogs we will talk about its sources, its form, and generally what it teaches us about prayer.

The Two Settings of the Prayer 

 Since…

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Wisdom — Proverbs 7:4-5

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Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”

And call understanding your intimate friend;

5 That they may keep you from an adulteress,

From the foreigner who flatters with her words (Prov. 7:4-5).

Wisdom and understanding always go together. They together will keep you from an adulteress.

Wisdom — Proverbs 5:1-4

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My son, give attention to my wisdom,

Incline your ear to my understanding;

2 That you may observe discretion

And your lips may reserve knowledge.

3 For the lips of an adulteress drip honey

And smoother than oil is her speech;

4 But in the end she is bitter as wormwood (Prov. 5:1-4).

Wisdom comes from the father. He will teach you discretion and purity (which is wisdom).

How to Use the Lord’s Prayer to Aid You in Prayer

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Stephen Nielsen's avatarPrayer A to Z

If you are struggling in prayer and are not sure that you are praying as you ought to (as God wants you to), I suggest that you use The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) as an outline for your prayer.  Start with the address—“Our Father in heaven.”  Take one or two minutes to meditate on those words (depending on how much time you have).  Then pray in your own words anything that comes to your mind.  No doubt, if you have meditated on “Our Father in heaven” that is the topic the Holy Spirit will bring to your mind.  Next, read and meditate on the first petition—“Hallowed be Your name.”  Then pray according to how the Holy Spirit leads you on that topic.  Meditate and pray through each petition and also the doxology.

If you like you can break the prayer up differently.  For example, instead of taking each petition separately…

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And Lead Us Not Into Temptation, But Deliver Us From Evil

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Stephen Nielsen's avatarPrayer A to Z

We have been looking at the Lord’s Prayer and we have been trying to practice praying as our Lord outlined for us. We have come to the part where it says, “And lead us not into temptation…

So, after we have prayed for daily bread and forgiveness, we are made clean and strong, ready for duty and for battle.  But before we go out into the world we must pray that God would lead us and protect us.

The petition here for leading is really a plea for mercy—that God would not lead us into situations where it would be too difficult for us to bear under trials, so that we would give into sin.  The second part, that He “deliver us from evil,” is the answer to the first part.  That is, if He does not lead us into temptation, what He does is the opposite—He delivers us out of…

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