Isreal & Study on Other Things

ISREAL AND HER LAND THAT GOD HATH GIVEN THEM AND REMEMBER TO KEEP IT IN OUR PRAYER ALWAY'S TILL JESUS COMES FOR US !

Israel’s Promised Land

Since May 14, 1948, when the Israelis reclaimed the land God promised to them, there has been continued conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians over the land. This conflict has involved all of the Islamic nations in the Middle East, many nations around the world, and especially the United States of America. A study of the Bible clearly indicates that the Promised Land was given to only the Israelis (Jews), not to the people now known as Palestinians.

The first description of the Promised Land is made in Genesis 15:18-21, as “this land, from the river of Egypt, to the great river, the Euphrates—the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.” It is a piece of property that God often referred to as the “land of Canaan,” and its dimensions are best depicted in Numbers 34:1-12, as follows:

Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Command the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you come into the land of Canaan, this is the land that shall fall to you as an inheritance-the land of Canaan to its boundaries. Your southern border shall be from the Wilderness of Zin along the border of Edom; then your southern border shall extend eastward to the end of the Salt Sea; your border shall turn from the southern side of the Ascent of Akrabbim, continue to Zin, and be on the south of Kadesh Barnea; then it shall go on to Hazar Addar, and continue to Azmon; the border shall turn from Azmon to the Brook of Egypt, and it shall end at the Sea. As for the western border, you shall have the Great Sea for a border; this shall be your western border. And this shall be your northern border: From the Great Sea you shall mark out your border line to Mount Hor; from Mount Hor you shall mark out your border to the entrance of Hamath; then the direction of the border shall be toward Zedad; the border shall proceed to Ziphron, and it shall end at Hazar Enan. This shall be your northern border. You shall mark out your eastern border from Hazar Enan to Shepham; the border shall go down from Shepham to Riblah on the east side of Ain; the border shall go down and reach to the eastern side of the Sea of Chinnereth; the border shall go down along the Jordan, and it shall end at the Salt Sea. This shall be your land with its surrounding boundaries.’”

Although the Israelis only have a foothold in their land at this time, the Bible is clear that the “land of Israel” will eventually all be in the hands of the Israelis and its destiny will be that of host to the Millennium Kingdom, the 1,000-year reign of Jesus Christ, the Bridegroom of the Church and the King of the Jews.

Today’s Israel is a land that borders the Mediterranean Sea from Egypt to Lebanon; encompassing 20,770 square kilometers, of which 440 square kilometers are water, an area slightly smaller than the State of New Jersey. Its borders run a length of 1,017 km, including Egypt-266 km, Gaza Strip-51 km, Jordan-238 km, Lebanon-79 km, Syria-76 km, and the West Bank-307 km. Its lowest point is the Dead Sea, 408 meters below sea level; and its highest point is Har Meron, 1,208 meters above sea level. It presently has between six and seven million residents.*

Ultimate Ownership of the Land

By order of the Creation (Genesis 1:1) and declaration, all of Earth belongs to God.

So Moses said to him, “As soon as I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands to the LORD; the thunder will cease, and there will be no more hail, that you may know that the earth is the LORD'S.” (Exodus 9:29)

Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. (Exodus 19:5)

The land shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for you are strangers and sojourners with Me. (Leviticus 25:23)

Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the LORD your God, also the earth with all that is in it. (Deuteronomy 10:14)

The earth is the LORD'S, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein. (Psalm 24:1)

Yet, God has chosen to give it to the “children of men.”

The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD'S; but the earth He has given to the children of men. (Psalm 125:16)

This study will not divulge God’s transfer of His land to the “children of men,” save the particular property called Israel (Ezekiel 37:12, 12) to His chosen people the Israelis.

Title Transfer

Because God owns all the earth, He alone has authority to transfer title of any portion of it to whomever He selects.

When we come to the issue of Israel and its land, people ask the question,” What rights does Israel have to its land?” Arguments are continually brought forth concerning the rights of the Palestinians and the rights of the Israelis that seem logical to the people who present them and to the people who want to listen. But a basic question still remains in my mind as I listen to the many conflicting viewpoints concerning Israel’s right to its land: “Who has the ultimate authority to determine what rights Israel has to its land?” The Christian answer to that question is that God alone determines the “rights” that any of us have. Something is right or wrong because of Divine decree, not human feeling or reason. The existence of God previous to the creation of the universe and mankind gives Him the right to determine our “rights.” Morality exists because God exists. Authority exists because God exists. (Israel’s Right to the Land! by Dr. David L. Hocking, 1987)

Regarding the land of Israel, as described in Scripture above, it was God that gave (transferred title of) it unconditionally to the “descendants of Abraham.” The transfer of the title to the land of Israel was part of God’s promise of blessing to Abram (later to be renamed Abraham) when God called him out of the country of Haran, a promise that includes a blessing for anyone (or nation) who supports the Israelis and/or the nation Israel, as well as a curse for anyone who does not. Additionally, the promise assured Abram that all the peoples on earth would be blessed through him, a prophetic look forward to the incarnation, sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Genesis 12:1-7).

This covenant (promise) of God with Abram was unconditional, as seen by its confirmation ceremony where only God walked between the divided pieces of the sacrificial animals. By excluding Abram from the ceremony (contrary to custom) , God guaranteed that His covenant with Abram regarding the Promised Land was contingent only upon the nature (character) and Word of God, totally apart from the nature and performance of Abram or his descendants.

Then He said to him, “I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit it.” And he said, “Lord GOD, how shall I know that I will inherit it?” So He said to him, “Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. And when the vultures came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away. Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him. Then He said to Abram: “Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions. Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.” And it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces. On the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying: “To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates—the Kenites, the Kenezzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.” (Genesis 15:7-21)

Confirmations

• God described His covenant with Abram, at his name-change to Abraham in Genesis 17, as an everlasting covenant. In fact, God twice mentions the everlasting nature of the covenant in Genesis 17:7, 8:

And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

The sign of the covenant for Abraham and his descendants was circumcision (Genesis 17:12). Although there are those who assert that God’s covenant with Abraham was conditional upon Israel’s faithfulness to God, the Bible teaches otherwise.

If his sons forsake My law And do not walk in My judgments, if they break My statutes and do not keep My commandments, then I will punish their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. Nevertheless My lovingkindness I will not utterly take from him, nor allow My faithfulness to fail. My covenant I will not break, nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips. Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David: His seed shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before Me; it shall be established forever like the moon, even like the faithful witness in the sky. (Psalm 89:30-37)

Although God will judge His chosen people if they disobey Him, their disobedience will not forfeit their right to the Promised Land. The promise of the land is based only upon God’s oath and character.

The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; but because the LORD loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. (Deuteronomy 7:7, 8)

• The Promised Land was again promised to the descendants of Isaac (Israelis), not to the descendants of Ishmael (Palestinians). Even though Abraham suggested that Ishmael might be the recipient of God’s covenant blessings and even though God promised to bless Ishmael and his progeny, God made it crystal clear to Abraham that His covenant to Abraham and his descendants would only be accomplished through his son Isaac.

And Abraham said to God, "Oh, that Ishmael might live before You!" Then God said: "No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall beget twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. But My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this set time next year." (Genesis 17:18-21)

But God said to Abraham, "Do not let it be displeasing in your sight because of the lad or because of your bondwoman. Whatever Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice; for in Isaac your seed [descendants] shall be called. (Genesis 21:12)

Of whom it was said, "In Isaac your seed shall be called.” (Hebrews 12:18)

Even though Abraham had other sons by his concubines, ancestors of many Arab peoples today, and gave them gifts as he sent them away to the “land of the east,” the Bible is clear about assigning His covenant-promise (including the land) solely to Isaac (Genesis 25:5, 6; 26:3)

• The Promised Land was again avowed to the descendants of Jacob (Israelis), not to the descendants of Esau (Palestinians). Even though Esau was Isaac’s firstborn son, God selected Jacob as the son through whom the covenant blessings and promises would come.

And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), it was said to her, "The older shall serve the younger." As it is written, "Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated." (Romans 9:10-13)

In a dream one night God made it very clear to Jacob that He was to be the conduit of the covenant blessings and promises that were pledged to Abraham.

And behold, the LORD stood above it and said: "I am the LORD God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you." (Genesis 28:13-15)

Again in Genesis 35:9-15, God appeared to Jacob, changed his name to “Israel,” the name of the Promised Land, and reaffirmed His covenant blessings and promises to him.

Also God said to him: "I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from your body. The land which I gave Abraham and Isaac I give to you; and to your descendants after you I give this land." (vss. 12, 12)

• God continued to remind the children of Israel of His covenant blessings and promises during their captivity in Egypt and wilderness wanderings (Exodus 2:24; 3:8, 15-17; 6:1-8; 13:5, 12; 15:17; 32:13; Leviticus 20:24; 25:38).

• God instructed Israel to conquer the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 1:8; 3:27, 28; 9:3-5).

• God assured Israel that He would keep His Word of giving the Promised Land to the Israelis regardless of their lack of faithfulness or obedience. Although God would punish Israel for its disobedience and send them into captivity, he promised to bring them back and keep His covenant with them.

Yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, nor shall I abhor them, to utterly destroy them and break My covenant with them; for I am the LORD their God. But for their sake I will remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God: I am the LORD. (Leviticus 26:44, 45)

• God made multiple promises throughout His Word that the day would come that He would gather back His chosen people (Israel) and restore them to the Promised Land, the realization of Israel’s statehood in 1948 and which continues today (Deuteronomy 30:1-5; Jeremiah 16:15; 31:10; Isaiah 43:5-7; Amos 9:14, 15).

• God affirms that His covenant blessings and promises to His chosen people (Israel) are as certain as the existence and order of the universe.

Thus says the LORD, who gives the sun for a light by day, the ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night, who disturbs the sea, and its waves roar (The LORD of hosts is His name): "If those ordinances depart from before Me, says the LORD, then the seed of Israel shall also cease from being a nation before Me forever." Thus says the LORD: "If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, says the LORD. (Jeremiah 31:35-37)

Conclusion

Many people want to know why Bible-believing Christians all over the world have such a heart for Israel and its land. What brings the Jews and Christians together? How can their hearts beat as one? Have they not disagreed sharply over the Person of Jesus of Nazareth? Have not the Jews suffered terribly at the hands of so-called Christians throughout the history of the Christian Church? What draws the Bible-believing Christian to the support of the people of Israel during this difficult hour in the history of the world? What makes these Christians stand by the nation of Israel when most of the nations of the world refuse to stand by her? There is only one answer! It is because of the Bible itself. If you believe the Bible, then you know, whether you are a Jew or a Christian, that it is through the promise given long ago to Abraham that even the Gentiles of the world will be blessed. Gentile Christians believe that they are spiritual sons of Abraham. They have come to believe that the only hope of the world is the coming of the Jewish Messiah promised by the writers of Scripture.

Zechariah tells us that the Lord will come and place His feet on the Mount of Olives. He will fight for His people Israel against all the nations of the world. All the land of Israel will dwell in safety and peace when the Messiah comes. He will rule and reign from Jerusalem, the Son of David, sitting on His throne. Regardless of Israel’s sins of the past, the Lord will forgive, cleanse, and restore.

A review of Jeremiah 31:31-34; Zechariah 13:1; Isaiah 59:20, 21 and Ezekiel 39:25-29 depicts the final coming of the Messiah to earth to set up His kingdom in the Promised Land with His chosen people Israel. Although today’s “replacement theology” would deny Jews as God’s chosen people, to be substituted by Christians, the New Testament does not support this position. The New Testament recognizes three classes—Jews, Gentiles and Christians (Jewish and Gentile). The day is coming when the nation Israel will repent by recognizing Jesus Christ as its Messiah (Romans 12:25-27). In that day God’s covenant blessings and promises to Abraham will be totally fulfilled.

Yes, the day of Israel’s full restoration is near! Messiah will make it possible and we shall all live in peace. Until He comes, we, who believe the Bible is God’s Word, and that every promise of God will come to pass, we must stand and support Israel’s right to its land. It is a Divine right! We are patient with those who do not believe the Bible, nor accept Israel’s right to the land, but with love for all, we must strongly support Israel’s right. We cannot do otherwise and have clear consciences. We cannot say on the one hand that we believe there is a God who has revealed His perfect will in His Holy Scriptures, and on the other hand, deny Israel its right to the land God promised to her! Amen!!

Praying Effectively

Introduction

To be effective in our prayer time we need to apply some Scriptural principles. These principles, once learnt and applied, will be a life-time source of faith and encouragement as we bring our prayers before the throne of God.

There are different kinds of prayer — petitions, requests, intercession and thanksgiving (Eph. 6:18; Phil. 4:6; 1Tim. 2:1) and all have their own important place in our prayer life.

Scripture Verses On Prayer

Jesus taught that we can ask for whatever we desire and it will be done for us:

If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, you will ask whatever you desire, and it will be done for you.
Jn. 15:7

However, there are some prerequisites: as the first part of the verse states "If you remain in me, and my words remain in you," which obviously requires that we have an on-going personal relationship with Him. We also need to ask according to His will:

14 This is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he listens to us.
15 And if we know that he listens to us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him.
1 Jn. 5:14-15

There is also the teaching contained in James 4:3 which states that if we ask with wrong motives we will not receive:

You ask, and don't receive, because you ask with wrong motives,
James 4:3(a)

So how then do we know what to ask for in order to have our prayers answered? There are several ways; one of which is to know what God has already said in His Word (this is one of the reasons why it is so important that we know our Bibles).
Another way is to wait on God, asking Him how we ought to pray. This is perhaps the most encouraging form of prayer as in itself it inspires faith, knowing that what you are praying is what God wants to happen. A word of caution though — we need to make sure to test what we hear against the Scriptures to make sure that it is God and not the enemy trying to deceive us — another reason to know our Bibles!

Prayer Principles

Although no verse of Scripture should be taken out of context, there are many lessons contained in the Scriptures that can be applied to different situations. These principles are valuable to learn and to utilize as we come before the throne of God in prayer.

Thanksgiving And Praise

Thanksgiving and praise are the fundamentals of our worship towards God; without them all our efforts to please Him are meaningless. Whilst it is true that without faith it is impossible to please God, it is also true that faith without works is dead (James 2:26).
Thanksgiving and praise then are something that should be a foundation on which our worship of God should stand. How can we encompass all that Jesus has done for us, or how can we stand in awe of the power and might of God without having thanksgiving and praise in our hearts?

I will praise the name of God with a song,
And will magnify him with thanksgiving.
Ps. 69:30

Let's come before his presence with thanksgiving.
Let's extol him with songs!
Ps. 95:2

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving,
Into his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him, and bless his name.
Ps. 100:4

More than just being thankful for all the good and mighty things that He has done, we are told to give thanks in all things — that means the good and, what we might perceive to be, the bad:

In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you.
1 Thess. 5:18

Romans 8:28 tells us that all things work together for good:

We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose.
Rom. 8:28

So how can we not give thanks in everything? How do we know that something painful or a hardship suffered is not for our good? If we trust God then we will grow and see the blessing. Let us then always give thanks and praise Him in every circumstance.

Faith

Hebrews 11:6 states that "Now without faith it is impossible to please God," (ISV), and according to Romans 10:17 "... faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (it is interesting to note that the original Greek contains no article before the word 'word' and therefore it is more properly translated "and hearing by a word of God.", thus God can speak to us through the Word (Scriptures) and also through a personal word to our spirits). There is no point in arguing about the translation though and it is suffice to say that we receive faith when we hear from God — how ever that 'hearing' might occur.

There are many ways that we can hear from God — as we are reading from the Scriptures it might be that a verse or passage seems to 'stand' out from the rest and we just know that it is God calling our attention to something specific; it might also be that God puts a thought into our mind — something that we were not thinking about at the time and yet we 'know' that it is the Holy Spirit speaking to us; perhaps as we are praying or meditating on the Word of God, we get a visual image in our mind's eye or even, as some have experienced, the audible voice of God (as God speaks to us, whichever way He might choose, it is quite common to experience a 'burning' in our hearts).

When we do hear from God faith is stirred up within us and we just know that for which He would have us pray will happen — there are no doubts. This is what Jesus meant when He said "Therefore I tell you, all things whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them." (Mk. 11:24)

Attitudes

Although Ephesians 3:12 and Hebrews 4:16 both teach that we approach God with boldness, freedom and confidence, this does not give us the licence to take the grace of God lightly. The Scriptures clearly teach that we are to both love God and to fear Him. There are many paradoxes in the Bible and this is one of them — that although we can indeed enter the throne room of God with boldness, we must also enter in holy fear. There is a wonderful illustration of this in the Book of Esther:

7 Mordecai told him of all that had happened to him, and the exact sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king's treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them.
8 Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given out in Shushan to destroy them, to show it to Esther, and to declare it to her, and to charge her that she should go in to the king, to make supplication to him, and to make request before him, for her people.
9 Hathach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai.
10 Then Esther spoke to Hathach, and gave him a message to Mordecai saying:
11 All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that whoever, whether man or woman, shall come to the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law for him, that he be put to death, except those to whom the king shall hold out the golden scepter, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.
12 They told to Mordecai Esther's words.
13 Then Mordecai bade them return answer to Esther, Don't think to yourself that you shall escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews.
14 For if you altogether hold your peace at this time, then will relief and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish: and who knows whether you haven't come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
15 Then Esther bade them return answer to Mordecai,
16 Go, gather together all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast you for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast in like manner; and so will I go in to the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.
17 So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.

1 Now it happened on the third day, that Esther put on her royal clothing, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, over against the king's house: and the king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, over against the entrance of the house.
2 It was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favor in his sight; and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the scepter.
3 Then said the king to her, What will you, queen Esther? and what is your request? it shall be given you even to the half of the kingdom.
Es. 4:7-5:3

The Armor Of God

The armor of God (Eph. 6:11-18) is not something that we should put on every morning when we wake up or before we go into [prayer] battle. No, it is something that we wear constantly. It is not like normal clothing that we can put on and take off; it is our spiritual clothing that is representative of our walk with God. If our faith is weak then so also shall our shield be; if we do not know the Scriptures very well then our sword will not be as mighty as it ought to be.
Let us then make sure that we are wearing the full armor of God — let us be prepared for the battle no matter when it might come upon us.

Standing In The Gap

There will be times that God would have us 'stand in the gap' and ask for mercy and grace, to forgive and to turn His hand from judgement:

30 I sought for a man among them, who should build up the wall, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found none.
31 Therefore have I poured out my indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I brought on their heads, says the Lord God.
Eze. 22:30-31

We must remember that Israel is not yet saved and there are many that reject God — some that follow Eastern cults and practices, some caught up in their religious works and still others that persecute Messianic believers; but we must never forget that they are nonetheless loved by God and, unbeknown to them, needing us to intercede for them.

The Lord's Prayer

Although for many the Lord's Prayer is used as a prayer in itself, it can probably be better understood as a format or a set of principles to be applied in our prayer time.
For a full discourse on the Lord's Prayer.

The Lord's Prayer

The Lord's Prayer is probably the most well known passage of Scripture, repeated by traditional church goers every Sunday. However, Jesus never really intended us to continue to use the Lord's Prayer — He gave it to us as a guide to encourage us to go forward, to be able to pray in a more mature way. As the situation changes so then does the prayer.

How often have you heard someone praying as if they were actually talking to God, and thought to yourself "If only I could pray like that"? Well you can. All you have to do is to understand that the Lord's Prayer is a model prayer, one to teach us how to pray; how to adapt our prayers to the circumstances.

When one of Jesus' disciples asked Him to teach them how to pray, Jesus gave them what is generally known as 'The Lord's Prayer' or 'The Model Prayer'. It was common for a Rabbi to give a short prayer to his disciples for them to learn, and this is apparently the reference to John and his disciples. It happened, that when he finished praying in a certain place, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples."
Lk. 11:1

Jesus wants us all to have a personal relationship with God, and so here teaches us the basics of prayer: A beginning where we can start and learn the simple principals that will take us forward and into a deeper relationship with our heavenly Father.
The prayer that He gave them was a model that contained all the necessary principles needed to be able to adapt the prayer to any and every situation:

9 Pray like this. 'Our Father in Heaven, may your name be kept holy.
10 May your kingdom come. May your will be done, as in Heaven, so on earth.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.
13 Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever. Amen.'
Mt. 6:9-13 [see also Lk. 11:1-4]

This prayer is for all disciples of Jesus, for all that have trusted in Him for their salvation and have decided to follow Him as their Lord and Savior. It is not for those seeking salvation; although God will reach out to all those who would seek Him with a genuine heart.
The first principle to notice is to glorify God. We should always start by putting God first: 'Our Father, who is in Heaven', is to declare that He is our Father (this in itself is a declaration of the saving, finished work of Christ); that He is high above all else, above everything in all of creation — that He is the creator.
'Your name be kept holy.', that in everything, that people would see that God is who He says He is, and we ought to take this upon ourselves and see to it that in all that we do, we glorify and declare the holiness of the name of God.
'May your kingdom come. May your will be done, as in Heaven, so on earth.', simply means that we are to pray for the will of God, as already revealed in the scriptures; to speed the coming rule and reign of Jesus here on earth — although Jesus is indeed Lord of all, He still needs to come to complete everything (1 Cor 15:24-26).

'Give us this day our daily bread.', is asking God that He would provide us with all our physical needs; by asking it shows that our trust is in Him that has promised to be our provider. He wants us to trust Him totally, and as such we come to Him daily asking for His provision.
If we were able to receive enough for the whole week, then we wouldn't need Him until all had gone. But God knows us better than we know ourselves, and that we would soon forget our dependency upon Him if He were to supply enough for more than one day. He knows that if our personal relationship with Him is to grow and strengthen, then we need to be in communication with Him each and every day — and what better way to come then, than as children to our Heavenly Father, who has promised to supply all that we would need.
'Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.' This must not be taken as meaning that our salvation is dependent upon us first forgiving others; that would deny the shed blood of Jesus and the grace of God. No; this is for those that already have Jesus as their Lord and Savior. We cannot expect God to forgive us if we cannot forgive those who have sinned against us. This is teaching the basic principle that God would have all His children follow — to forgive as God forgives (Mt. 6:14-15)

'Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.' This used to confuse me in that, and I'm sure that I'm not alone, God does not tempt anyone (James 1:13)

The Greek word for temptation, peirazo, can mean: a putting to the test, proof, trial; and so it could be translated: 'And do not lead us into hard testing'. God wants us to mature, and the best way is for us to have to overcome difficulties or tests. Our prayer then would be that the 'test' would not be too difficult for us; meaning that it would be one that, by the grace of God, we would be able to pass; and in doing so we would not succumb to our human weaknesses and fall into the clutches of 'the evil one', and so the prayer: 'but deliver us from the evil one'.
'For yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever. Amen.' This is really an affirmation that God is God, more than able to answer our prayers; eternally in control of everything, having the power to fulfill His promises regardless of what might be happening in the present; that His kingdom will be established with Jesus as King, and then when all is done, He will bring in eternity. 'Amen' simply means 'I agree' or 'may it be so'.

To apply the principles contained in the Lord's Prayer are easy.
The first is to praise Him: To declare His majesty, glory, righteousness, perfection, justice, grace and more besides.
The second (v.10) can be adapted to situations that need the promises of God to be realized. It could be anything from feeling depressed (God has promised us peace and comfort) to out and out spiritual warfare where the will of God needs to be asserted. Of course we need to know what the will of God is and this we can learn from the Scriptures and from asking Him for specific help.
The third (v.11) is a prayer of trust. We can come to God and ask of Him to supply all that we need, whether it be bread or clothes, somewhere to live, a job or maybe something simple like a good friend. God knows what we need before we ask, all He wants is for us to come to Him and ask. One of the names of God is Jehovahjireh, (Gen. 22:8-14 KJV) which literally means Jehovah sees; by implication, God will provide (most others have translated Jehovahjireh as 'The LORD Will Provide').
The fourth (v.12) is a reminder to always forgive others as we would want God to forgive us, meaning that we can bring relationship problems to God and ask Him to heal and to forgive.
The fifth (v.13) should be viewed as something positive. After all God wants us to reach maturity, and the only way is to learn through trials, tests and hardships. So we can pray that God would strengthen us through trials, but not too hard lest we fail.
Sometimes in our walk with God, and especially when we are doing something to further the kingdom of God, we might experience an attack from the enemy. It might come in the form of hardship or even some form of temptation, to try to lead us away from the task at hand; but we have the encouragement of Jesus, that we can ask God for the strength to overcome and to be delivered from the evil one. My prayer is that this has been of some help to encourage a deeper, more meaningful prayer experience and therefore a closer relationship with God — the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. God, who is all and over all; the Father, who is our Heavenly Father; the Son, who by His shed blood made it all possible and the Holy Spirit, who will guide us in all Truth.

The Way of Salvation

If we are honest with ourselves then we already know that there are things in our lives that we have done which are wrong; the Bible calls these wrong things sin. The Bible also tells us that everyone has sinned and therefore needs salvation (saving from the consequence of sin).

Surely there is not a righteous man on earth, who does good and doesn't sin.
Eccl. 7:20

for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;
Rom. 3:23

Sin separates us from God and leads to eternal death:

For the wages of sin is death,
Rom. 6:23(a)

12 I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne. Books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it. Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them. They were judged, each one according to his works.
14 Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
15 If anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.
Rev. 20:12-15

God doesn't want us to perish and has therefore provided the means of salvation for us:

6 All we like sheep have gone astray; everyone has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by the knowledge of himself shall my righteous servant justify many; and he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out his soul to death, and was numbered with the transgressors: yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Isa. 53:6,11-12

And he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.
1 Jn. 2:2

God's salvation comes to us as a gift in the person of Jesus Christ:

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Rom. 6:23

"...There is salvation in none other, for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, by which we must be saved!"
Acts 4:12

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me..."
Jn. 14:6

Jesus lived a sinless life and was put to death by crucifixion; His blood was spilled for the sins of all. He was buried and three days later God raised Him from the dead so that all who believe in Him may have eternal life.

14 Having then a great high priest, who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold tightly to our confession.
15 For we don't have a high priest who can't be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one who has been in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin.
Heb. 4:14-15

18 knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from the useless way of life handed down from your fathers,
19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb without spot, the blood of Christ;
1 Pet.1:18-19

3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
1 Cor. 15:3-4

For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Jn. 3:16

To receive God's salvation we must first acknowledge that we are a sinner and repent (turn from everything that we know to be wrong), asking God to forgive us our sins by the shed blood of Jesus; then asking Jesus to be our Lord and Savior, giving Him our lives to do with as He desires.

If this is what you truly want then pray this prayer:

Lord Jesus, forgive me for all the sin and wrong things that I've done in my life; I repent and turn from all that I know to be wrong.
Help me to live the kind of life that is pleasing to God and to always follow you.
Jesus, you are now my Lord and Savior, fill me with your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Thank you Jesus.

Daniel As An Example

There is an important principle contained in the ninth chapter of the Book of Daniel: Daniel has been reading from the prophet Jeremiah and suddenly realizes that the prophesied seventy years of captivity are over. Daniel doesn't say "Praise the Lord" or anything similar but rather starts to pray:

1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans,
2 in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, for the accomplishing of the desolations of Jerusalem, even seventy years.
3 I set my face to the Lord God, to seek by prayer and petitions, with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.
4 I prayed to the LORD my God, and made confession, and said, Oh, Lord, the great and dreadful God, who keeps covenant and loving kindness with those who love him and keep his commandments,
5 we have sinned, and have dealt perversely, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even turning aside from your precepts and from your ordinances;
6 neither have we listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.
7 Lord, righteousness belongs to you, but to us confusion of face, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, who are near, and who are far off, through all the countries where you have driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against you.
8 Lord, to us belongs confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against you. 9 To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgiveness; for we have rebelled against him;
10 neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.
11 Yes, all Israel have transgressed your law, even turning aside, that they should not obey your voice: therefore has the curse been poured out on us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God; for we have sinned against him.
12 He has confirmed his words, which he spoke against us, and against our judges who judged us, by bringing on us a great evil; for under the whole sky has not been done as has been done on Jerusalem.
13 As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come on us: yet have we not entreated the favor of the LORD our God, that we should turn from our iniquities, and have discernment in your truth.
14 Therefore has the LORD watched over the evil, and brought it on us; for the LORD our God is righteous in all his works which he does, and we have not obeyed his voice.
15 Now, Lord our God, who has brought your people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and have gotten you renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly.
16 Lord, according to all your righteousness, let your anger and please let your wrath be turned away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain; because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people are become a reproach to all who are round about us.
17 Now therefore, our God, listen to the prayer of your servant, and to his petitions, and cause your face to shine on your sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord's sake.
18 My God, turn your ear, and hear; open your eyes, and see our desolations, and the city which is called by your name: for we do not present our petitions before you for our righteousness, but for your great mercies' sake.
19 Lord, hear; Lord, forgive; Lord, listen and do; don't defer, for your own sake, my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.
Dan. 9:1-19

We can learn a lot from Daniel's prayer and attitude. It is also important to learn the principle that Daniel gives us — that even though God has promised to do something or bring something to pass, He still wants, maybe even needs, our prayers. He has chosen us, the Body of Christ, to partner in His purposes:

10 to the intent that now through the assembly the manifold wisdom of God might be made known to the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places,
11 according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord;
Eph. 3:10-11

So although there are still some prophecies regarding Israel future that are as yet unfulfilled, we need to be watchful and pray as God directs us, as we see events unfold.

Hindrances To Our Prayers

To ensure the effectiveness of our prayer we need to make sure that we do not give the enemy any place in our lives:

22 that you put away, as concerning your former way of life, the old man, that grows corrupt after the lusts of deceit;
23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
24 and put on the new man, who in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of truth.

25 Therefore, putting away falsehood, speak truth each one with his neighbor. For we are members one of another.
26 "Be angry, and don't sin." Don't let the sun go down on your wrath,
27 neither give place to the devil.
28 Let him who stole steal no more; but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have something to give to him who has need.
29 Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for building up as the need may be, that it may give grace to those who hear.
30 Don't grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, outcry, and slander, be put away from you, with all malice.
32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you.
Eph. 4:22-32

As can be seen there are many areas that we must bring into submission to Jesus.

James emphasizes that righteousness is the key to having our prayers answered:

The effective, earnest prayer of a righteous man is powerfully effective.
James 5:16(b)

And Peter exhorts the husbands (although the same basic principle can be applied to us all — that we should always consider others as well as ourselves):

You husbands, in like manner, live with your wives according to knowledge, giving honor to the woman, as to the weaker vessel, as being also joint heirs of the grace of life; that your prayers may not be hindered.
1 Pet. 3:7

There are also the words of Jesus to consider:

If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, you will ask whatever you desire, and it will be done for you.
Jn. 15:17

25 "Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father, who is in heaven, may also forgive you your transgressions.
26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your transgressions."
Mk. 11:24-25

So if we would desire that our prayers be heard on high then it follows that we must be in a right relationship with God.

Conclusion

So what kind of people do we need to be in order to be effective in our prayer time?
We need to be the kind of people that God can use. People willing to come before God with a humble heart and in holy fear, ready to listen for His leading and direction and to pray with the faith that He gives. To stand in the gap and plead for mercy and grace, justice and yes, even judgement that the purposes of God will stand.