This week Bro. Leo starts us off with prayer requests for those in our Church family and others in our community who have contracted the coronavirus. Please join us in praying for these individuals and their families.

We will be conducting “in Church services” Sunday December 6th starting at 10:30 a.m. for those who feel comfortable attending. For those who are at higher risk and uncomfortable meeting in person, I will be posting the sermon shortly after the services.

Bro. Leo continues our Biblical study of the Lord’s Prayer by studying the phrase “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”.

In Matt.6:13 the word “temptation” is translated from the Greek word “peirasmos”. “peirasmos” has both a positive and negative meaning, in the positive context it means trials and tribulations, situations for the exposing of or proving of ones faith; in the negative context it means to tempt one or to cause a person to sin.

We know that God does not tempt us or cause us to sin, so in vs.13 Jesus is using “peirasmos” in it’s negative context teaching us that God can lead us away from sin.

More examples of “peirasmos” in it’s positive context can be found in 1Pet.1:6-7, James 1:2-4, 1Cor.10:13 and James 1:12.

“peirasmos” in it’s negative context can be found in Matt.4:1 and James 1:13-16.

So, when we ask God to “lead us not into temptation” we are asking Him to keep us away from situations, places and people that would cause us to sin.

In Matt.6:13 the word “evil” is translated from the Greek word “ponēros” which means to be evil in a moral or spiritual manner, a shrewdness of mind that delights itself in evil, malicious evil activities or people. “ponēros” deals with evil thought, evil actions, evil people.

Jesus was teaching us that we need God’s guidance to keep us from sinning, because He knew that we can not do it under or own power (Gen.6:5). In Rom.7:14-25 Paul explains what each of us struggle with daily and in Eph.6:12-16 he explains how we prevent it. The comedian Ron White, in one of his popular comedy skits talks about being arrested and says “I had the right to remain silent… but I didn’t have the ability.” That is us everyday when it comes to sinning against God. And that is why Jesus taught us to ask God daily to guide us away from “peirasmos”.

Jesus has taught us, in the Lord’s prayer, 1) we need God to sustain us both physically and spiritually every day (Matt.6:11), 2) we need God’s forgiveness of our sins (past) every day (Matt.6:12), 3) we need God to help us not sin (future) every day.

Scriptures used in today’s study:

Mat 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.
Mat 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Mat 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

1Pe 1:6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
1Pe 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

Jas 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Jas 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Jas 1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

1Co 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Jas 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Mat 4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

Jas 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
Jas 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Jas 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Jas 1:16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.

Mat 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Gen 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Eph 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

Mar 7:20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.
Mar 7:21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
Mar 7:22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
Mar 7:23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

Rom 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
Rom 7:15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
Rom 7:17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Rom 7:19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Rom 7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
Rom 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Rom 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Psa 141:1 A Psalm of David. LORD, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee.
Psa 141:2 Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
Psa 141:3 Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
Psa 141:4 Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties.