Certain Christian - Latest Comments

Re: Lord’s prayer explained

Bryan — Tue, 17 May 2016 13:16:27 -0000

Willie,
If you look at the bottom of the article, on the right hand side it says "Printer Friendly" - Click on that and a window will popup allowing you to download a pdf version. Hope this helps!

Re: Lord’s prayer explained

willie dejean — Mon, 16 May 2016 02:22:26 -0000

How can I get this in a pdf format

Re: Lord’s prayer explained

Walter Wong — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 21:13:38 -0000

P - Praise
R - Repent
A - Ask
Y - Yield.
Perhaps you need more yielding than required, i.e. 100% trusting in the Lord's love for you that He said He loved you and He is delivering it. He needs your heart to believe this and accept Him as what He said He is. You don't ask forgiveness, as He had done and dust that once and for all on the cross. However, He does expect you to confess that is repetance or cleansing your heart from all unrighteousness. See 1 John 1:9.

Re: Lord’s prayer explained

Bryan — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 18:41:34 -0000

Hey Kev,

Thanks for your great comment! It pleases me that you are talking with God every day! Being present while praying is an excellent habit to develop. Often times when a person recites something from memory like the Lord’s Prayer, they can let their mind wander as they just say empty words. Empty prayers do not achieve anything, our minds must be present while we pray. When I wake up in the morning is usually my “Lord’s Prayer time” and sometimes I have found my own thoughts stray from what I was saying. I quickly pull those thoughts back and concentrate on my prayers.

To answer your question, I believe your aunt could be correct but it could also be as you mention when you stop reciting the Lord’s Prayer and just talk with God your mind is more alert to what you are saying. This tells me it could be in part that you may be like me in how your mind may wander while saying something so ingrained in your memory. It is easy to get in the bad habit of repetition without any thought. You have done the correct thing by changing the way you pray to keep yourself alert in your talk with God. A suggestion I have for you would be to use the Lord’s Prayer as a model and create your own unique and personal prayer to God. This may help you because your mind will be focused on what you are saying and when you feel that it begins to be a repetition, create a new version of your prayer. You may be surprised as to how your prayer time with God will be more meaningful and fulfilling. Saying the Lord’s Prayer daily is fine, but not when we speak without thinking about what is being said! I imagine God may be just as frustrated with us praying without much thought as we are trying to talk to someone who is fixated on their cell phone during the entire conversation!

Remember Kev, we each are blessed to have a relationship with God and we should put our focus on Him while we come to Him in prayer.

Again, excellent comment and I am happy you decided to ask
your question and give me the privilege of answering.

Re: Lord’s prayer explained

Kev — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 17:35:34 -0000

Wow! Thanks so much for simplifying this. I learned this prayer at a very young age, and apparently I had been completely miss saying it... For example I thought it was "Our Father, who arn't in heaven" ... :/ arn't???!!! What's the matter with me! Anyways I just could not understand what that meant. I'm 29 now and have been saying The Lords Prayer, every day (off and on) for about 15 years now. I really try to make a point of being present while I pray, and not just say the words from memory, I often need to restart and really focus on the words, but I just didn't understand that part and felt that 29 was too old to be asking (yes I know, never too old) :)
But I do have a question for you, after all that. More often then not, when I pray, I feel pressure making me sleep, or I'm uncharacteristicaly distracted... Now usually I don't easily fall asleep, that's why it feels odd. I talked to my aunt about it, she believes that this could be the evil trying to interfere, or an "atack" as she called it. I'm not afraid, I'm comfortable with God, but was just curios what others would think of this? When this does happen, I pull back from The Lords Prayer, and just chat with God, it always passes. Than I go back to Prayer.

And a comment about my experience praying. I was lead to praying because I was asking for things I felt I "needed", silly things, like money, or girls to like me... It may have been a less than ideal way to be motivated to pray, but it did get me praying, I chat with God very often, and I love it! I feel as if he is my best friend or buddy. But I really felt closer and more full from my prayers, when I prayed for myself to stop wanting. I made myself stop asking for anything beyond "bread". Within days of this change, in my habits, more things were coming to me than I ever expected. No matter how badly I felt I needed something, I trusted that God would set me up with whatever is required. I am now thankful and more happy. Though, to be honest, I do ask for silly things, from time to time, when chatting with God.

Re: Lord’s prayer explained

Bryan — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 21:18:09 -0000

Hey Tjayne79,

It’s not shallow, you actually brought up a very thoughtful
question. A good example of an answer to that question is a prayer that comes from Jesus the night before His crucifixion. In Matthew 26:36-44 Jesus is praying over and over to God the Father. He says; “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” So He is petitioning God for this cup (the coming suffering and death) to not happen, if there is any other way that the Father could accomplish His will. At the end is the key to your question, Jesus willfully submits to God the Father and says, Not My will but your will Father. After this intense prayer session, Jesus in the following verses seems to have a renewed strength and meets His betrayer and willingly goes to His trial and death.

Our prayers should be always for God’s will to be done. We
can always ask God to help us, but we must trust that God is in control of our situation and we should have faith in His good and perfect will.

In essence, our prayers tend to not change God’s mind, but
instead God gives us the grace and strength to do His will. A question that may pop up for you now may be, does God answer prayers? The answer is yes, if it is according to His will. God is concerned with our Spiritual growth to be more like His Son, Jesus. So some things that we go through in life aren’t pleasant, but we know that God will work it out for the best for those who love Him. (Romans 8:28)

Prayer is also like a conversation with God, we can talk to Him about anything and He encourages us to “pray without ceasing” (1Thessalonians 5:16-18) Just like when you have a conversation with other people here on earth, our prayers are a way of getting closer our loving Father in heaven.

Hope this answered your question and thanks for your
comment!

Re: Lord’s prayer explained

Tjayne79 — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 20:34:02 -0000

I know this is such a shallow question but if Gods plan is already placed then why do u pray?? Do u hope His Plan will change ?or do u hope that by praying His plan will already have u doing the right things?

Re: Lord’s prayer explained

Bryan — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 15:57:31 -0000

LollyG,
Thank you for your insight. God does not tempt anyone (James 1:13) but we can tempt ourselves by our own desires and Satan can tempt us as well. So in the Lord's Prayer we are asking God to not allow us to enter into a situation in which we will be tempted beyond what we could handle. We rely on God to be our compass and steer us clear of our own temptations and shortcomings.

The second part of that is also key, deliver us from evil (or some versions say the evil one). We are asking God to lead us to righteousness and away from Satan's traps.

Christians are supposed to be led by God to be more like His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Good Shepherd in that He protects us and leads us throughout life. I believe your mother-in-law had the right idea because God is our deliverer as well, but I would consider the text correct as it is in the Bible.

Hope this helps and thanks for your comment!

Re: Lord’s prayer explained

LollyG — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 13:17:25 -0000

I love the Lord's Prayer, but I have to agree with my Mother-in-law, God rest her soul, that there may have been a misinterpretation in the translation of the Lord's Prayer. Seems like instead of "Lead us not into temptaion" it may have been "Leave us not in temptation". I mean, why would God lead us into temptation. Isn't that what Satan would do. God would guide us away from temptation not lead us to it.

Re: Lord’s prayer explained

Bryan — Wed, 28 Jan 2015 16:07:22 -0000

Hey Erin, I'm glad that my post will help you with your child! If you look just above this comment section on the right side it says "Printer Friendly" click that and it will give you options for printing. Hope this helps and thanks for your comment!

Re: Lord’s prayer explained

Erin277 — Wed, 28 Jan 2015 13:26:03 -0000

I would love to print this out so I can use it to explain it to my 8 year old. Is there a printable option of this? I can't seem to select the text (hoping to print just text, not all the ads).

Re: Lord’s prayer explained

Bryan — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 06:52:01 -0000

You're welcome! Thanks for your comment.

Re: Lord’s prayer explained

sunshi7485 — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 03:07:52 -0000

Nice! I understand, thank you for explaining it in plain english.

Re: Discerning the Spiritual Seasons of Life

Bryan — Tue, 06 May 2014 11:38:17 -0000

Thelma-
I'm so glad this article helped you in some way. You are very welcome!

Re: Discerning the Spiritual Seasons of Life

Thelma Curry — Tue, 06 May 2014 10:22:48 -0000

This is what I needed to hear today. Thanks so much for this article.

Re: Lord’s prayer explained

Bryan — Mon, 14 Oct 2013 20:41:12 -0000

Hey Jew4Jesus!

That is a good observation about reading God's Word. You are also right, Jesus in John 6:35 said He is the bread of life. Bread for people during Jesus' time was seen as a basic necessity of life, it was a major part of their daily diet. "Give us this day our daily bread" covers every need we will have during that day from food, clothing, even Spiritual needs.

Reading God's Word daily is a believer's Spiritual food. God speaks to a believer from it and we grow and learn from reading it. The Holy Spirit works with us as we take time to spend with Him and His Word. Just like bread, if a believer doesn't read the Bible on a regular basis, just as if they did not eat regularly, they become Spiritually starved.

God is concerned with all of a believer's needs, but we need only ask for that day and not worry about tomorrow!

Thanks for your comment!

Re: Lord’s prayer explained

jew4jesus — Mon, 14 Oct 2013 20:01:44 -0000

Hi Bryan! I stumbled on your site looking for the explanation of the Lord's Prayer..Have a question! "Give us this day our daily bread".. Could this mean that we need to be in God's Word everyday? Jesus was the bread of life.

Re: Forgiveness: A Christian’s perspective

Dee Aytes — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 15:24:14 -0000

I haven't had difficulty forgiving; then again I can't put myself in the place of someone who has been abused, raped, tortured, etc. I do know that it's more important for me to heal on many levels than it is to hold onto resentment. Doing so keeps the person in my thoughts and doesn't allow me to live life to its fullest. I also know that God is just and that person will get what they deserve at some point, so DO leave them in God's hands.

Re: 7 reasons to follow Jesus

Bryan — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 08:18:42 -0000

Zana -
You are right. God is love. We learn to love others by first knowing what it is like to be loved from Him! Thanks for your comment.

Re: 7 reasons to follow Jesus

zana — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 07:43:13 -0000

i think that without being in Him , we are not able to love others truly..Being in Jesus ,is being in love. Being out of jesus ,to me,is being out of love

Re: Lord’s prayer explained

Bryan — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 16:05:48 -0000

Hey,

Deliver us from evil is asking God for protection from the devil's attacks and traps. We rely on God to protect us from the enemy (the devil).

Hope this helps.

Re: Lord’s prayer explained

please help — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 12:24:17 -0000

i'm not sure if i understand the part where it stated "but deliver us from evil" so don't lead us to temptation BUT deliver us from evil.we will be delivered from evil. i'm sorry if i sound like mocking or anything i'm really confused i always pray our father i understand almost everything but the deliver us from evil is a bit confusing sorry..please help me

Re: Answered Prayer: God Heals

Bryan — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 16:25:02 -0000

Yes He is! Thanks for your comment.

Re: Answered Prayer: God Heals

Hanly Sheelagh — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 19:02:25 -0000

God is our refuge and our strength.

Re: Lord’s prayer explained

Bryan — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 16:39:14 -0000

Printing is now available for all of Certain Christian's articles