I. Our Prayer Partner

A. Read Matthew 6:5-6. What is the potential problem with public prayer? (The person praying is not speaking to God, but rather is speaking to those who are listening.)

1. What is the reward for those who intend to impress others with their prayer? (Their reward is simply that they impress others. God does not reward those kinds of prayers.)
2. Who is the prayer partner for this person? (Not God. It is the listeners.)
3. How often do you find yourself praying in public?

a. Is this generally your idea, or have you been asked to pray? (The example Jesus gives is of those who are volunteering to pray in public.)

4. Why do you think Jesus tells us to secretly pray to Him? (God wants our prayers directed to Him, not others. He is our prayer partner.)

a. Do you think that Jesus is telling us to have a special place to pray? (Some commentators think so, but I do not because Jesus says to “go into your room,” meaning a private place as opposed to a special location.)

b. What is the advantage of praying specifically to God? (As our Partner in prayer, God will “see” us and reward us.)

B. Read Matthew 6:7-8. Which group practices poor examples of prayer? (Pagans. Jesus has switched from criticizing religious hypocrites to criticizing pagan prayers.)

1. What is the specific problem with pagan prayers? (They think that more is more. They use a lot of words and those words are not adding much to what is being said.)

C. Look again at Matthew 6:8. What is the reason why God does not need or want many empty words? (God knows what we need before we ask.)

1. Whoa! Is Jesus saying that we do not need to describe our needs to Him when we pray? He already knows our needs? (That is exactly what Jesus is saying.)
2. Let’s explore this. If you are talking with a friend, and the friend already knows all of the background information, what does that allow you to do? (First, not waste time. Second, it allows the conversation to go directly to the heart of the problem.)

II. What Our Prayer Partner Is Not

A. Read Luke 11:5-7. Does this friend have the bread requested? (Yes. The friend does not claim otherwise.)

1.  Jesus asks a question in these verses. What do you think is the expected answer? (The friend will get up and lend the bread. Your friend would do it, right?)

B. Read Luke 11:8. What does the ESV call the reason the friend finally helps? (“Impudence.” Other translations use ideas such as persistence or shameless boldness. The point is that even a reluctant human friend may finally respond.)

1.  Is Jesus saying that God is reluctant and must be worn down? (No. The reluctant friend is being contrasted with God. If even such a friend responds, how much more should we trust God to hear us.)

C. Read Luke 11:9-10. Who is answering requests here? (Read Luke 11:1. This story follows Jesus giving one version of the Lord’s Prayer. The person being asked is God.)

1.  What point is Jesus making? Is it that we should pester God? (No. This “friend” is being contrasted with God. God does not need to be pestered.)
2.  How does the idea that God already knows our needs fit in here?

D. Read 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. Does the phrase “pray without ceasing” suggest pestering God? (It is not saying we should pray without ceasing regarding the same subject. It means we should have the attitude of constant dependence on God.)

III. Daniel’s Prayers

A. Read Daniel 6:5-7. Is this a conspiracy to destroy Daniel because of his religious beliefs?

B. Read Daniel 6:10-11. Is Daniel refusing to compromise his religious beliefs?

C. Let’s go back to Matthew 6:6. Jesus had not yet spoken these words at the time Daniel faced his challenge. Is Daniel doing the wrong thing? Is it acceptable to keep your windows open if you keep your door closed?

1. What did we decide was the core sin in Matthew 6:5? (Ostentation.)

a. Is that sin involved in Daniel’s situation? (No. Being seen by men was a problem for Daniel. Daniel was refusing to stop praying because men had forbidden it.)

D. Our lesson is entitled, “Prayer Warriors.” What prayer warrior lesson do we learn from Jesus’ words in Matthew 6 and Daniel’s actions in Daniel 6? (The common value in both Matthew 6 and Daniel 6 is that when we speak to God in prayer, we should not be controlled by what others think. We should not try to impress them, and we should not fear them. We are praying to God!)

E. Let’s look at another aspect of Daniel 6:10. This reveals that Daniel knelt and prayed three times a day. Does this seem consistent with the idea of prayer being a conversation with God? (Do you set a time to phone someone? If a person is important, or someone thinks you are important, it is common to make an appointment.)

1. Notice that Daniel’s prayers included giving thanks before his God. Trade places with Daniel. Knowing what he did, would the subject of your prayer be thanking God or praying (see Daniel 6:7) that you would not become lion food?

F. Read Matthew 6:8. Do you think that Daniel might not have mentioned the death threat issue because God already knew what he needed?

G. Read Daniel 2:17-18. What does this teach us about the idea that God already knows what we need? (Daniel and his friends specifically bring the crisis before God. This shows that Jesus’ statement that God already knows our needs is meant to give us comfort, not to limit the content of our prayers.)

IV. Prayers and the Presence of God

A. Read Psalm 139:1-3. How much does God know about us? (He even knows our thoughts “from afar.”)

B. Read Psalm 139:4. This is consistent with Matthew 6:8. If God already knows our situation, and He knows what we are going to say, how does that affect how you pray? (This suggests that prayer is our mind speaking to God’s Spirit. That expands on the idea of having a set time to pray. Instead, we can pray to God all the time. I’m not suggesting that a set time is wrong, simply that we are not limited to a set time.)

C. Read Exodus 33:13-15. This is Moses speaking to God. What does God promise Moses about His presence? (He says that He will be with Moses.)

1. How important is having God present in our life so that we can speak to Him? (Moses says that he cannot move forward with his God-given task without God being present. God says that His presence will give Moses “rest.”)

D. Friend, God wants us to have a prayer relationship with Him. Our prayers are not like a conversation with another person, because God already knows our needs and even knows what we intend to say. He does not need to be pestered, because He loves us and knows our priorities. Will you enter into a prayer partnership with God today? Why not decide right now?

V. Next week: Practical Prayer.

Copr. 2026, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Suggested answers are found within parentheses. If you normally receive this lesson by e-mail, but it is lost one week, you can find it by clicking on this link: http://www.GoBible.org. Pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit as you study.

With thanks to Hope Channel – Television that will change your life.

Photograph by William Earnhardt

Key Text: I love the Lord, because He has heard My voice and my supplications. Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live. Psalm 116:1-2 NKJV

Read in Class: Daniel 2:20-24 and Daniel 6:10-11.

Study: Why did Daniel pray, and what can we learn from this prayer? What do these verses tell us about Daniel?

Apply: How does your prayer life compare to Daniel’s? Did you notice that the first thing Damiel said when his prayer was answered was, “Don’t destroy the wise men of Babylon?” David interceded for the wise men. The evil wise men of Babylon were saved only because Daniel’s prayer was answered. How does this encourage you to pray?

Share: Can you share some reasons why intercessory prayer is so important, even though people make their own choices and neither God nor we will make those choices for them? See Does Intercessory Prayer Really Matter?

Read in Class: Luke 22:41, Acts 7:60, and Acts 9:40.

Study: What is each person in these passages doing when they pray? Why do you think they are doing that?

Apply: Consider 2 Chronicles 7:14. Often, we use this passage to focus on prayer, but what other things must be done in order for God to hear our prayers? How humble are we when we pray?

Share: Someone said that when we pray, we might be kneeling, but still standing in our hearts. What do you suppose is meant by that, and how do we keep that from happening?

Read in Class: Genesis 5:22-24 and Exodus 33:15-23.

Study: What, exactly, do we know about Enoch? What do you see as the content and the manner of the conversation between Moses and the Lord?

Apply: As you go about your day today, where or how will you whisper a prayer in communion with Jesus?

Share: In Numbers 12:13 and Deuteronomy 9:20, Moses intercedes for family members who were disrespecting him. Please share why forgiving and interceding for those who have mistreated us is so important in our prayers.

Read in Class: Exodus 32:31-32.

Study: What does this teach us about Moses and prayer?

Apply: How can your Sabbath School class intercede in prayer now for those in your church who have fallen away from Jesus?

Share: Can you share an encouraging testimony of how your intercessory prayers in the past have been answered?

Mission: Can your Sabbath School class start a text group where you can share prayer requests and pray for each other during the week?

I. Sharpening the Intellect

A. Read Psalm 119:98. What does the Psalmist tell us about how God’s Word gives him an advantage over his enemies? (The Bible makes him “wiser.”)

1. How familiar is the Psalmist with the Bible? (He writes that it is “ever with me.” This tells us that the Psalmist not only knows the Bible, but that he considers it a source of instruction.)

B. Read Psalm 119:99. What other advantage does the Psalmist enjoy based on his study of the Bible? (He has greater understanding than his teachers.)

1. What does this assume about his teachers? Are they students of the Bible? (If they are Bible students, they have not spent as much time with the Bible. They must be people the world considers to be well-educated.)
2. What does this add to our knowledge of the way the Psalmist approaches the Bible? (He meditates on it.)

a. What do you think it means to “meditate” on the Bible? (I think it means to study the Bible deeply and to contemplate what it means.)

C. Read Psalm 119:100. Who else is at a disadvantage because the Psalmist studies the Bible? (The “aged.”)

1. Let’s discuss this for a little while. What makes an old person smart? Or wise? (In my observation, young fools sometimes become old fools. What the passing of time should teach us is how to deal with problems. This would include solving difficulties and avoiding problems in the first place.)

a. In what practical way does Bible study help us in that area? (The Psalmist tells us that he “keeps” the teachings of the Bible. The Bible is a guide to better living. You can learn the lessons of life either by smashing your face into the problem, or learning from the Bible how to avoid problems.)

D. Quickly review Psalm 119:98-100. What is the Psalmist’s overall message? (Whether you are an enemy, a helpful teacher, or an elderly person, the Psalmist has an advantage over all of them. Why? Because of his knowledge of the Bible.)

E. Read Psalm 119:101-102. Is the Psalmist someone who only knows what the Bible says? (No. He says that he obeys what God has shared in the Bible.)

F. Read Psalm 119:103. How does this turn out for the Psalmist? (Life is good. He loves what he learns from the Bible.)

1. How many people say that they love reading and studying the Bible? (Many find it difficult because they reject what it says. The Psalmist tells us that it makes his life better, that is why he finds it such a positive experience.)

G. Read Psalm 119:104-105. Why do you think the Psalmist hates “every false way?” (His path in life is made clear from his Bible study. He sees that turning away from the Bible ultimately creates sorrow.)

H. Read Isaiah 55:10-12. When we obey God’s word, what kind of attitude should we expect? (We should experience joy, peace, and celebration.)

II. Mysteries Revealed

A. Read Genesis 1:1 and Hebrews 11:3. How important is it for you to understand how we came to be in our universe?

B. Read Daniel 2:20-22. What does Daniel tell us that we can learn from having a relationship with God? (The deep and hidden things of the world.)

C. Read Daniel 2:16 and Daniel 2:27-28. What is the context for Daniel saying that God will reveal the deep and hidden things of the world? (This is the account of King Nebuchadnezzar’s image dream. What God revealed through Daniel and this dream is the subsequent history of the world! We read about this in the Bible and learn about our future. Thus, the Bible reveals where we came from and where the world is going.)

D. So far we have looked at our motivation to study the Bible. Let’s turn next to how we should study the Bible.

III. Setting Aside Time

A. Read Matthew 6:33. Is there a lesson in this for our Bible study? (We need to make it a priority. I try to follow this literally by making my first task of the day studying the Bible so that I can write this lesson.)

B. Read Acts 17:10-11. How often did the Jewish Bereans study the Bible? (They studied daily.)

1. What kind of attitude did they have in approaching their study? (They were eager to determine the truth. They wanted to separate truth from falsehood.)

C. Read Isaiah 28:9-10. When the Bible tells us to study “precept by precept,” what do you think that means? (It means that we should build our understanding of the Bible on the Bible’s overall teaching. Our understanding of truth should not be based on a single verse that may be out of harmony with the rest of Scripture.)

D. Read Joshua 1:8. Do you think we are told to do nothing but study the Bible? (That is unlikely. Instead, this tells us to think about the Bible and what it teaches us.)

1. How much “thoughtful time” do you have in your life? (Most of the people I know have something entertaining going on all the time. They are watching television, scrolling through their phones, or wearing headphones that pipe in music or other entertainment. Quiet time to think is rare.)
2. Think about times when something interesting or troubling was going on in your life. Did you think about it in your spare moments? (That happens to me. The Bible encourages us to have this kind of an experience with the Bible.)
3. Do you think the Bible suggests conscious meditation, or will unconscious meditation suffice? (When opposing counsel sent me their brief, I would try to read it immediately, even if I had a couple of weeks to respond. I did that because my mind would unconsciously work on answering their arguments.)

a. Can you do this with the Bible?

IV. Outside Tools

A. Read Psalm 119:18. What is the Psalmist requesting? (This is a prayer that God will help him understand the great things in the Bible. This is an acknowledgment that we need God’s help to understand.)

B. Read 1 Corinthians 2:11-13. Why is the Holy Spirit so critical to understanding the Bible? (It is God’s Spirit, and no one understands God like He does.)

1. What does this teach you about studying the Bible through lessons like this? (I ask for the Holy Spirit to aid in writing these lessons. But ultimately, the reader must pray for the Holy Spirit to understand the things “freely given to us by God.”)

C. Read John 14:26 and 2 Timothy 3:16-17. How do the Holy Spirit and Scripture work together in our reading and understanding of the Bible? (The Holy Spirit teaches us and brings to mind truths we have already learned. Scripture teaches, reproves, corrects, and trains us in righteousness so that we may be equipped for every good work. Notice that Scripture is “breathed out.” That suggests the Holy Spirit is the active agent.)

D. Friend, God promises that if we study His Word, and make His guidance part of our life, we will not only enjoy intellectual advantages, we will have a peaceful and joyful life. Would you like that? Why not decide right now to make studying God’s Word part of your daily routine?

V. Next week: Prayer Warriors.

Copr. 2026, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Suggested answers are found within parentheses. If you normally receive this lesson by e-mail, but it is lost one week, you can find it by clicking on this link: http://www.GoBible.org. Pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit as you study.