Day 7: Matthew 6:14-15

“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Prayer Lesson: In vs. 14-15, Jesus moves from an example of prayer to a condition of prayer. Jesus is saying that our unwillingness to forgive others will impact our prayer life. An unforgiving heart won’t be forgiven because it’s not truly repentant. Our unhealthy human relationships can lead to an unhealthy relationship with God. Since we’ve been forgiven much, we should be quick to forgive. Forgive freely and see what happens to your prayer life!

Prayer for Today: Do you have any unhealthy relationships in your life? Is there someone you haven’t forgiven. Spend some time at the cross with Jesus today. Soak in how much you’ve been forgiven. Repent if there’s an unforgiving spirit in you. End by celebrating your own forgiveness.

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.

Day 5: Matthew 6:12

"and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”

Prayer Lesson: Debt used in this verse is another word for sin. The debt of sin was paid for through the death and resurrection of Jesus. This means that we will not be punished with eternal death. However, in our daily life, when we sin, we still need to seek God’s forgiveness. When people wrong us and seek our forgiveness, we should forgive them. When we wrong God by sinning, He definitely will forgive us. Celebrate your forgiveness today!

Prayer for Today: Before praying, take time to read and meditate on 1 John 1:9. Ask God to reveal if there are any sinful actions or attitudes that need to be confessed. If there are, take time now and seek God’s forgiveness. Perhaps you need to seek someone else’s forgiveness, too. If so, ask God for the strength and courage to do it.

Day 4: Matthew 6:11

“Give us this day our daily bread”

Prayer Lesson: This part of Jesus’ prayer is a reminder that we should bring our day to day needs before the Lord. The Apostle Paul put it this way, “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6). Bringing our needs to the loving Father is a great weapon against fear and anxiety.

Prayer for Today: Write the following four words on a piece of paper: Me, Family, Friends, Church. Under each, jot down some prayer requests. Spend time bringing these requests to God.

Day 3 | Matthew 6:10

“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

Prayer Lesson: Sometimes it’s tempting to treat prayer as an opportunity to change God’s mind about something. Jesus made it clear in v. 10 that prayer is more about aligning our will towards His, not vice versa. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t bring our needs and desires to Him. However, this verse is a challenge to see prayer more about becoming someone than getting something.

Prayer for Today: What are some areas in your life that you’re having a hard time yielding to God? Take part of your prayer time today bringing these areas before Him. What is one way your life doesn’t reflect the life of Jesus? Ask God to help you become more like Jesus in that area of life.

Day 2 | Matthew 6:9

“Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.’”

Prayer Lesson: Every time (except for in Matthew 27:46), Jesus addresses God as “Father.” This not only reveals the relationship between Jesus (2nd Person of the Trinity) and the Father (1st Person of the Trinity), it also reveals our relationship to God. He is our Father who we can come to with cares and concerns. Since He’s the perfect Father, we hallow (meaning “to make holy”) His name. In other words, we pray with honor and respect. We praise His name because He is set apart - above and beyond any other.

Prayer for Today: Begin your time in prayer today praising God for some of the ways He is set apart. Next, think of three specific ways God has shown Himself as a perfect Father to you over the last month. Take time to thank Him for them. Ask your Abba Father to meet one need you have right now.

Matthew 6:5-15

Day 1 | Matthew 65-8

“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”

Prayer Lesson: Jesus says to avoid two things in prayer. First, donʼt pray to impress others. Others might be impressed, but the Father wonʼt be! Not to mention, He will not reward that kind of praying. Second, donʼt pray to impress God. Fancy prayers donʼt lead to answered prayers. Check your motives. Come to the Father because you love Him. Pour your heart out to Him. Be you. Use your own words. God will hear and reward.

Prayer for Today: Today as you begin this twenty-one day journey, find a solitude place to pray. Perhaps this place can be your special place to meet with God for the next three weeks. Ask God to help purify your motives for this prayer journey. Humbly, but boldly, ask the Father to show up and reward your prayers over the next twenty-one days. Pray over anything else the Holy Spirit brings to mind.

Luke 14:25-33, Acts 2:42-47

Psalm 150