Day 6: Matthew 6:13

“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

Prayer Lesson: James 1:13 clearly teaches that God will never tempt us with sin. Yet Jesus’ prayer example, “lead us not into temptation,” seems to contradict what James taught. Does the Bible contradict itself? No. The New Testament Greek word for “temptation” is peirasmos. This word can also be translated testing or trial. Jesus’ example of how disciples should pray most likely carries the idea of a believer, in their weakness, asking God not to allow into their lives more then they can bare. The second part of v. 13, “deliver us from evil,” does address temptation. In this verse, Jesus is teaching us that when we are facing trials or temptations we need to seek God for help.

Prayer for Today: Spend time today praying for both trials and temptations in your life. Also take some time to pray for trials and temptations other people in your life are facing.