From: Jesus To: You… Learning to Pray (Luke 11:1-4)

Dr. Deric Thomas

[1] Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” [2] And he said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. [3] Give us each day our daily bread, [4] and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.”

1. Talk to God personally, intimately, warmly, lovingly, as His children, as Father (Abba), through Jesus Christ.

2. Talk to God reverently, respectfully, and with honor since He is holy, set apart, and your awesome Creator.

3. Ask your holy Father for your basic everyday physical, spiritual, and relational needs because He wants you to look to Him for everything, and delights in providing for you.

4. Joyfully ask for and submit to God’s loving leadership in your life through daily prayerful dependance.

5. Use “The Lord’s Prayer” as a model, a framework, a basic outline for your personal prayer life, and as you teach others to pray.

[9] Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. [10] Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. [11] Give us this day our daily bread, [12] and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. [13] And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [14] For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, [15] but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. [Matt. 6:9-15]

[18] Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. [19] He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. [Micah 7:18-19]