25
Prayer Leon Combs Let’s start with the basics. What is prayer? The Merriam- Webster dictionary gives the definition: “Prayer is an address (as a petition) to God or a god in word or thought <said a prayer for the success of the voyage>.” That is a good, short definition. A longer definition is given by Wikipedia: “Prayer is the act of attempting to communicate, commonly with a sequence of words, with a deity or spirit for the purpose of worshipping, requesting guidance, requesting assistance, confessing sins or to express one's thoughts and emotions.” That also is a good general definition. Wikipedia also gives a further comment that is interesting: “Secularly, the term can also be used as an alternative to ‘hope’”. I agree even with the secular comment. Of course neither definition addresses the consequence of prayer nor are they specifically stated for Christians. If praying is of no real consequence then we may as well use the secular counterpoint “hope”. Of course, as a Child of God, I know that prayer is of real consequence but I also think that it is very misunderstood by most Christians. I want to examine some possibilities concerning the purpose of prayer. I. Is the purpose of prayer to bring to the attention of God something that He would not have otherwise known? Such a question brings into account a basic characteristic of God: His omniscient nature. If God already knows everything then our prayer is not bringing Him new information. Below are some pertinent Scriptures for this purpose.

Prayer - Living Theology ...Articles for Christian living ...livingtheology.com/Prayer.doc  · Web viewEvery word in the prayer is important but ... It is hard for us to imagine

  • Upload
    lynhi

  • View
    215

  • Download
    2

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Page 1: Prayer - Living Theology ...Articles for Christian living ...livingtheology.com/Prayer.doc  · Web viewEvery word in the prayer is important but ... It is hard for us to imagine

PrayerLeon Combs

Let’s start with the basics. What is prayer? The Merriam-Webster dictionary gives the definition:“Prayer is an address (as a petition) to God or a god in word or thought <said a prayer for the success of the voyage>.”

That is a good, short definition. A longer definition is given by Wikipedia:“Prayer is the act of attempting to communicate, commonly with a sequence of words, with a deity or spirit for the purpose of worshipping, requesting guidance, requesting assistance, confessing sins or to express one's thoughts and emotions.”

That also is a good general definition. Wikipedia also gives a further comment that is interesting: “Secularly, the term can also be used as an alternative to ‘hope’”. I agree even with the secular comment.

Of course neither definition addresses the consequence of prayer nor are they specifically stated for Christians. If praying is of no real consequence then we may as well use the secular counterpoint “hope”. Of course, as a Child of God, I know that prayer is of real consequence but I also think that it is very misunderstood by most Christians. I want to examine some possibilities concerning the purpose of prayer.

I. Is the purpose of prayer to bring to the attention of God something that He would not have otherwise known?

Such a question brings into account a basic characteristic of God: His omniscient nature. If God already knows everything then our prayer is not bringing Him new information. Below are some pertinent Scriptures for this purpose.

1 Sam 2:3 The LORD is a God of knowledge and by Him actions are weighed.Job 21:22 Shall anyone teach God knowledge? (Isa. 1:18 Come, let us reason

together.)Job 26:6 Hell is naked before Him, and destruction hath no covering.Job 28:10 His eye seeth every precious thing. Job 28:24 He looketh to the ends of the earth and seeth under the whole heavenPsa 44:21 Shall not God searth this out? For He knoweth the secrets of the heart.Psa 147:4 He telleth the number of the stars; He calleth them all by their names.Psa 147:5 Great is our Lord, and of great power; His understanding is infinite.Prov 15:3 The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.Isa 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times

the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand and I will do all my pleasure

Acts 15:18 Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world.Rom.11:33-34 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!

How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!

Page 2: Prayer - Living Theology ...Articles for Christian living ...livingtheology.com/Prayer.doc  · Web viewEvery word in the prayer is important but ... It is hard for us to imagine

For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been His counselor?

See also Psa 139:1-24 “O, LORD, Thou hast searched me and known me . . . .”

From all of the above we see that God is indeed omniscient so it is impossible for us to give Him information that He does not already know. He is planning to give us what we need before we pray:Isa 65:24 "It will also come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear.

II. Is the purpose of prayer to bring something to God’s attention that He has forgotten?

If God knows absolutely everything, does God forget anything? We see below some Scriptures that indicate such an occurrence if we just take the reading at face value.

Gen 8:1 But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the cattle that were with him in the ark; and God caused a wind to pass over the earth, and the water subsided.Gen 19:29 Thus it came about, when God destroyed the cities of the valley, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in which Lot lived.Gen 30:22 Then God remembered Rachel, and God gave heed to her and opened her womb.Ex 2:24 So God heard their groaning; and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.Psa 98:3 He has remembered His lovingkindness and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.Jer 14:10 Thus says the Lord to this people, "Even so they have loved to wander; they have not kept their feet in check. Therefore the Lord does not accept them; now He will remember their iniquity and call their sins to account."Jer 31:34 And they shall not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,"declares the Lord, "for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.Lev 26:45 But I will remember for them the covenant with 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.Hos 7:2 And they do not consider in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness. Now their deeds are all around them; They are before My face.Psa 103:10-12 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

Since we saw above that God knows everything there cannot be something that He has forgotten because if He forgot something then He does not know everything! It may

2

Page 3: Prayer - Living Theology ...Articles for Christian living ...livingtheology.com/Prayer.doc  · Web viewEvery word in the prayer is important but ... It is hard for us to imagine

seem that God has forgotten some things since He is stated above as remembering something, but when the Scripture says that God remembers something it means that He begins to act upon something. All knowledge and events are in the mind of God but, in His time, He will seem to have forgotten something just because we do not see Him acting upon that knowledge. But He acts in His time and when it is His time to act upon some event or knowledge He then “remembers” it.

III. Is the purpose of prayer to bring something to His attention that He already knows?

In this case we are not questioning His knowledge or something that He has really forgotten, but His attention to a detail in life. After all, He is very busy and He just may have many items on His mind at the time of our prayer. He may have been very busy with the war in Iraq and my need for protection on a trip was not at the top of His agenda.

Matt 10:29 “Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.Matt 10:30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”Luke 12:7 "Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are of more value than many sparrows.

I don’t think this topic bears any more effort. God obviously cares about all of His children and knows all about them. He also has assigned angels for our benefit:

Heb 1:13 “But to which of the angels has He ever said, "Sit at My right hand, Until I make Thine enemies A footstool for Thy feet"?Heb 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?”

God answers our needs before we ask:

Isa 65:24 "It will also come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear.

IV. Is the purpose of prayer to bring about a change in God’s mind regarding some particular occurrence?

In this case we are admitting that God is omniscient, and that He never forgets or let’s some items be more at the front of His mind. This question addresses the possibility that God has already decided to let some event occur or to let some event not occur and we are attempting to change His mind. There are only two reasons that someone would change his mind: 1.) New information is brought to our attention, 2.) We made a mistake of judgment.

We already addressed the first reason that we might change His mind. There is much that we do not know so we would often need to be advised of information that we had not

3

Page 4: Prayer - Living Theology ...Articles for Christian living ...livingtheology.com/Prayer.doc  · Web viewEvery word in the prayer is important but ... It is hard for us to imagine

considered in our first decision. But God is omniscient so we rule out this possibility for God changing His mind. So regarding the second possibility does God ever make a mistake of judgment regarding some event? Of course it is impossible for an omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent God to make a mistake for He is absolutely Holy.

The following verses address whether or not God changes His mind.

Ex 32:11-13 Then Moses entreated the LORD his God, and said, “O LORD, why doth Thine anger burn against Thy people whom Thou has brought out from the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians speak, saying, “With evil intent He brought them out to kill them in the mountains and to destroy them from the face of the earth?” Turn from Thy burning anger and change Thy mind about doing harm to Thy people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Thy servants to whom Thou didst say to them, “I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heavens, and all this land of which I have spoken I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.”Ex 32:14 So the LORD changed His mind about the harm which he said He would do to His people.Jer 26:13 "Now therefore amend your ways and your deeds, and obey the voice of the Lord your God; and the Lord will change His mind about the misfortune which He has pronounced against you.Amos 7:6 The Lord changed His mind about this. "This too shall not be, "said the Lord God.

Although the verses above indicate that God may change His mind, He is speaking in reference to our manner of thinking. Repenting in our case involves a changing of our mind but God does not do that either. If God ever changed His mind – in our way of understanding that concept – He would be changing Who He is and He never changes His nature in any way. All of the verses above relate to God acting in the way that He was going to act regardless of what the people did. His plan is set from the beginning and God is immutable so His mind cannot be changed.

1 Sam 15:29 The Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent.Num 12:18b God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken and will He not make it good?Mal 3:6 I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

4

Page 5: Prayer - Living Theology ...Articles for Christian living ...livingtheology.com/Prayer.doc  · Web viewEvery word in the prayer is important but ... It is hard for us to imagine

CONCLUSIONS for I – IV:

When God “remembers”, He begins to act upon something He promised earlier, or He begins to act on behalf of someone.

When God “changes His mind”, He begins to act in a different way with regard to something or someone, a change which He intended from the beginning. It is only from our perspective that He seems to change His mind.

V. Who does God hear?

Prov 15:29 The Lord is far from the wicked, But He hears the prayer of the righteous.Isa 30:19 O people in Zion, inhabitant in Jerusalem, you will weep no longer. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears it, He will answer you.

Prov 15:8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, But the prayer of the upright is His delight.

Psa 66:18 If I regard wickedness in my heart, The Lord will not hear;

We can then be assured that the prayers of God’s children are heard by Him.

VI. Does God hear all prayers?

John 9:31 “We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing, and does His will, He hears him.”

This verse is part of a quote from a man whom Jesus had cured of blindness. The man had been blind before birth and the man was explaining to the people that Jesus ha to have been from God. He said that Jesus must be a man of God because God heard Him and God only hears those who are God-fearing and who do His will. Although the verse is applying to Jesus to justify His God-nature it nevertheless is a general truth. We Christians are God-fearers because of the life and work of Jesus and are devoted to doing the will of God so He will hear our prayers.

James 1:6 But let him ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.James 1:7 For let not that man expect that he will receive anything from the Lord,James 1:8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Micah 3:4 Then they will cry out to the Lord, But He will not answer them. Instead, He will hide His face from them at that time, Because they have practiced evil deeds.

Isa 59:2 But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He does not hear.

5

Page 6: Prayer - Living Theology ...Articles for Christian living ...livingtheology.com/Prayer.doc  · Web viewEvery word in the prayer is important but ... It is hard for us to imagine

Prov 28:9 He who turns away his ear from listening to the law, Even his prayer is an abomination.

1Peter 3:12 "For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, And His ears attend to their prayer, But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."

We see then that God does not hear the prayers of people who are not His children.

VII. Other

There are some additional aspects to prayer that involve some other concepts. Since our prayers cannot change God’s mind, someone may ask: “why pray?” The answer is simply that God commands us to pray throughout the Bible. Paul said that he prayed continuously. As children of God, we love Him and want to interact with Him and become more like Him in all that we do. Think of someone that you love more than anyone else alive and ask yourself the question: “Why should I talk with him?” The question is ludicrous! We should love Jesus more than anyone else and therefore we should want to talk with Him constantly. The more we pray the more we are aligned to the nature of God, the more our requests are in line with the will of God, and the more we demonstrate the love of God to the world. The Scriptures below show that when we are in God’s will our prayers will be according to what He already intends: James 4:3 “You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.”

James 5:15” and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.James 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”

Matt 21:22 "And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive."John 16:24 "Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be made full.1John 3:22 and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.John 11:22 "Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You."

6

Page 7: Prayer - Living Theology ...Articles for Christian living ...livingtheology.com/Prayer.doc  · Web viewEvery word in the prayer is important but ... It is hard for us to imagine

The Disciples’ Prayer

Jesus gave us the model for a prayer so it is important for us to understand and apply it to our prayer life. This interpretation was given by me as a series of weekly letters sent to friends of Living Theology.

The Disciples’ Prayer I“Our Father”

Jesus taught His disciples to pray and it behooves us to know how to pray also so let’s talk about the “Lord’s prayer”. I prefer to call this prayer the Disciples’ prayer for that is what it is. We are disciples of Jesus Christ and we should know how to pray as He taught us to pray. The prayer of our Lord is given in John chapter 17 and that is a wonderful study also. Here is one version of the Disciples’ Prayer:

Matt 6:9 “Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name.Matt 6:10 'Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.Matt 6:11 'Give us this day our daily bread.Matt 6:12 'And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.Matt 6:13 'And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.]'”

Note how Jesus instructed us to begin this prayer: “Our Father”. The first word is very important for it links us all together as members of “The Family of God”. It is only because we are adopted into the family of God that we can address God as “Father”. The adoption of us by God is a topic that just flabbergasted me some time ago and I wrote an article on it: http://livingtheology.com/Adoption.htm. Please take some time to read the article. In that article I mentioned three reasons why our adoption by God makes a difference in our lives:

A. Adoption gives reason to the Law in our lives, B. Adoption gives us assurance of our salvation, and C. Adoption gives us a clear goal in our walk here.

Certainly there are more reasons for why our adoption makes a difference in our lives here and now but these three will give you some serious thoughts. Through God’s plan with Jesus God cleansed us of our sins and put the just works of Jesus into our life account. So now that God has made us acceptable to live in the same universe as He does, He could have just quit in His dealing with us. But He did not quit. Instead He adopted us into His family so that we are joint heirs with Jesus!

Romans 8:16 “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,Romans 8:17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.”

7

Page 8: Prayer - Living Theology ...Articles for Christian living ...livingtheology.com/Prayer.doc  · Web viewEvery word in the prayer is important but ... It is hard for us to imagine

The word for “Father” here has been interpreted by some people as “daddy” but that is not really correct and it gives us a wrong impression of the Creator of the universe and the Most Holy Person. The Greek word for Father used in the Greek version of the disciples’ prayer is “pater”. There is a Greek word for “daddy” and it is “pappas” so Matthew was not telling us to refer to God as “daddy” but as “Father”, which is a term for respect and love.

The confusion over calling God “daddy” here is caused by the Aramaic word “abba”. The word “abba” is used only three times in the Bible. Every where “abba” appears in the Scripture it is followed by the Greek word “pater”. It is used in Romans 8:15-17, Mark 14:36 and in Gal 4:6. Gal 4:6 says

"And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba, Father'."

We could then address God as “Daddy, Father” indicating that there is this close relationship which now exists between us and God because He has adopted us. Since “Abba” never appears alone but is followed by “Father” we should never address God in such a casual manner as “Daddy”. Our respect for Him as perfect and as our creator always means that we should always address Him with great respect and awe. In particular, Jesus tells us in the disciples’ prayer to address God as Father. Thus there is a very close feeling between us and God and it is a feeling that grows as we know that we know that He loves us individually and collectively. His spirit also helps us in this identification process as we begin to reckon that we are indeed children of God forever.

I conclude this with the last sentence in my adoption article:

“Every morning we should start the day reminding ourselves that we are adopted children of God, that God Almighty is our Father, and that we are one day closer to the glorious time of being with the Family of God forever.”

The Disciples’ Prayer II“Our Father, Who is in the Heavens”

Matt 6:9 “Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name.”

Allow me to back up just a bit in my discussion of the Disciples’ Prayer. Please note that Jesus gave us a “model prayer” and not a prescription of exactly what to say. Every word in the prayer is important but it is a model. Also note that it begins with “Our Father” on which we commented a lot last week. But also note that Jesus gave this model prayer to His disciples so it is not a prayer for anyone to use as a model since not everyone is a child of God (John 1:12). The early church did not allow everyone to use this model prayer just as they did not allow everybody to participate in the Lord’s Supper without a

8

Page 9: Prayer - Living Theology ...Articles for Christian living ...livingtheology.com/Prayer.doc  · Web viewEvery word in the prayer is important but ... It is hard for us to imagine

warning that only a child of God whose conscience was clean should participate. We should also keep that standard today. I almost always hear a pastor warn unbelievers about not participating in the Lord’s Supper but I do not remember ever hearing a pastor warn people about not praying the Disciples’ Prayer unless they are a child of God. Also note that His use of “our” is explicitly for the disciples and does not include Jesus because this word is part of His instructions to the disciples for their prayer. Whenever Jesus refers to the forgiveness of sins He uses “your Father” (Matt 6:14-15) and when He speaks of His unique relationship with God He uses “My Father” (Matt 11:27). Jesus is totally without sin.

Now let’s proceed to the second part: “Who Art in Heaven”. The word “heaven” is plural in the Greek text but hardly ever is it translated as “heavens” as it should be. This observation is very important for otherwise some questions might be raised that should not be raised (such as: “I thought that God was omnipresent, so what does Jesus mean when He says for us to pray to God in heaven?”) and, of course, the original language usage is very important to be properly understood. The New Testament language recognizes three heavens. The “birds of the heavens”1 refers to the atmosphere in which we and other creatures live. The “wonders in the heaven”2 refers to the space into which we can gaze at the marvels of other creations such as the stars and galaxies. When it refers to being “caught up into even the third heaven”3 refers to the place beyond our observations where God and the other spirits live. So when Jesus tells us to pray to the Father Who lives in the heavens He is referring to God Who lives in all three heavens. God is both with us, beyond us but still in the space into which we can look and He is very much beyond us in the place where one day we will join Him in our continued existence.

Now what does “Hallowed be Thy name” mean? “Hallowed” means “honored” so we are asking for God’s names to be honored. There are actually many names of God and each has a specific meaning such as 'El or 'Elohim, 'Elyon, 'El-Shaddai , 'El-Olam, 'Adonai, Yahweh or Jehovah, Jehovah Sabaoth, and Immanu'el or Emmanuel. We are recognizing that God is absolutely holy and that we should proclaim that holiness wherever we are. Since we are a temple of God we need to remember to declare that holiness in all that we do, say, and think.

1Cor 3:16 “Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”1Cor 3:17 “If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are.”1Cor 6:19 “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?”

We are not complete in our declaration of God’s holiness by just saying these words in our disciple’s prayer but by saying these words we are asking that we be helped in our declaration of the holiness of God in all that we do, say, and think.

9

Page 10: Prayer - Living Theology ...Articles for Christian living ...livingtheology.com/Prayer.doc  · Web viewEvery word in the prayer is important but ... It is hard for us to imagine

Bottom line: we need to be constantly aware of the fact that we represent God and we need to declare the holiness of God all the time. 1.) Gen 1:20 “Then God said, "Let the waters teem with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the heavens."”2.) Dan 6:27 “He delivers and rescues and performs signs and wonders In heaven and on earth, Who has also delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.”3.) 2Cor 12:2 “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago-- whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows-- such a man was caught up to the third heaven.”

The Disciples’ Prayer IIIHis Kingdom

Matt 6:10 “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.”

A kingdom is some region over which some king reigns. It is hard for us to imagine living in a region where there is a king who has absolute authority over us. There are regions in the world now that are ruled by a personal king and where disobedience to that king brings swift retribution. We Americans do not like to think of living under the rule of a king. We are the descendents of people who cast off kings and declared themselves independent of any such system. We strongly resist letting anyone have any authority over our actions and we even resist thinking that we have a boss at our place of employment. Because of our general background it is difficult for us to accept Jesus as our King and to live under His absolute authority. But that type of living is exactly what is demanded for our being a child of God. In the following verse, God is not saying that He needs our ideas and concepts. He is saying that we must sit at His feet and learn from Him as He works in our lives to continuously develop us as His children.

Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, and let us reason together," Says the Lord, "Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool.”

God is omnipresent and has always existed so wherever He chooses is where His kingdom exists. The kingdom of God has three time domains:

Past: The kingdom of God has always existed because He has always existed. We cannot comprehend an existence without time and space as we know it but God has always existed in such a “place” and He ruled there so His kingdom existed before He created the universe as we know it. His kingdom also existed in the past when He created time and the physical universe in which lived everything that He created. His kingdom existed when He placed Adam and Eve in the Garden and they obeyed Him as their King. But the Kingdom changed when Adam and Eve disobeyed God thus revealing that He was not King in their hearts.

10

Page 11: Prayer - Living Theology ...Articles for Christian living ...livingtheology.com/Prayer.doc  · Web viewEvery word in the prayer is important but ... It is hard for us to imagine

Present: The kingdom of God came when King Jesus came and it still continues to exist over 2000 years after His leaving of the earth in a physical form. He is still King.

Future: The kingdom will come in its fullest on earth when He comes again to rule forever in an essence in which we can interact with all of our senses.

In this prayer we are asking God to help us live here under His absolute rule. We are asking God to help us obey Him absolutely just as He is obeyed in heaven. The prayer is not just a general request but a specific one for our life. It is also in obedience to the command of Jesus:

Matt 6:33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.”

We are to submit to His will and to seek His reign in all areas of our lives.

Rom 12:1 “I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.Rom 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

A sacrifice is to be used up and that is what we are to do here and now. We are to give our all to the further development of His kingdom on earth. A sports participant is to know when he leaves the game that he has given his all to help the team win and that he has not held back at all. When our time here is up we should also be known to say that wherever we are and whatever we do, we have given our all for the kingdom of God. We long to hear: “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Whatever you are doing this week, give your all for the kingdom of God.

The Disciples’ Prayer IVOur Daily Needs: Nourishment

Matt 6:11 “Give us this day our daily bread.”

Now we start asking for some specific items to help us in our seeking for the kingdom of heaven in our everyday activities. The word translated “daily” was a bit of an enigma for early interpreters for it did not appear in the standard Greek writings. But in studying the Greek language someone found the word used by a woman in her list of items that she needed to obtain for her home. The word meant that the item she needed was needed on a daily basis and so we know that the word used here is correctly used and means that we are asking God for our bread on a daily basis. We had a direct application of this Greek woman’s use of the word when we lived in Sweden. We did not have a car and in the winter our only means of going to stores to obtain items needed was by pushing a small

11

Page 12: Prayer - Living Theology ...Articles for Christian living ...livingtheology.com/Prayer.doc  · Web viewEvery word in the prayer is important but ... It is hard for us to imagine

cart that had ice blades instead of wheels. [Note: the “we” here is mainly Carol!] The cart did not have much of a capacity so Carol had to go to the store often and thus shopped daily for many items. Jesus is teaching us to ask the Father for our needs on a daily basis but He is not telling us to not make long-range plans. He is trying to make us focus our needs on a daily basis, and those needs also may fit into a long-range plan. We must always remember however that our focus here is on a daily basis.

Regarding long-range plans, I often think of the parable taught by our Lord:

Luke 12:16 “And He told them a parable, saying, "The land of a certain rich man was very productive.Luke 12:17 "And he began reasoning to himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?'Luke 12:18 "And he said, 'This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.Luke 12:19 'And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry."'Luke 12:20 "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?'Luke 12:21 "So is the man who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."”

The only Biblically-based long-range plan we should have is to store up treasures for ourselves in Heaven where we plan to live forever praising God.

Note that Jesus also said “this day” so that we are to pray for our daily needs everyday. The word translated “bread” does not just mean literally only bread. It means anything needed on a daily basis. Certainly bread is needed so as to allow me to make my peanut butter sandwiches but it can mean much more.

Note also on a separate occasion Jesus expanded on the meaning of bread:

Matt 4:4 “But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.'”

So when we ask God to provide for us “this day” our “daily bread” we are asking God to not only give us what we need for our physical sustenance but also for what we need for our mental and spiritual development as a child of God. It is not enough for us to survive physically if we are not developing our knowledge of God needed to develop the wisdom of a child of God. So we should plan on setting aside times each day to eat the “bread” of life to nourish our souls.

We must also always know that God alone knows what “bread” we need for each day. Many times in our lives Carol and I have thanked God for giving us what we really need instead of what we thought we needed. Carol and I also often use another important verse in our daily interactions with the Father:

12

Page 13: Prayer - Living Theology ...Articles for Christian living ...livingtheology.com/Prayer.doc  · Web viewEvery word in the prayer is important but ... It is hard for us to imagine

Matt 7:9 “Or what man is there among you, when his son shall ask him for a loaf, will give him a stone?Matt 7:10 "Or if he shall ask for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he?Matt 7:11 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!”

Many times we have requested something specific for our “bread” and God gave us something entirely different. Later in our walk we then discovered that what we had requested and thought was a loaf was actually a stone and we praised the Lord for not giving us the stone that we had ignorantly requested. There also have often been occasions when God gave us something that initially looked like a “snake” but indeed it was a fish. We then have looked at each other and said something like: “It sure looked like a snake!” Often it is only after we have used what He has given us that we really recognize it as a fish or a loaf. We praise the Lord that He alone is sovereign and knows what our true needs are in our walk toward becoming a more perfect child of God.

Matt 6:11 “Give us this day our daily bread.”

Meditate on this verse at the beginning of each day.

The Disciples’ Prayer VForgiveness

Matt 6:12 “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”

Now we continue asking for some specific items to help us in our seeking for the kingdom of heaven in our everyday activities. We could write a book on forgiveness just as we could write book on many other topics in this wonderful prayer. As before, I will try to keep this writing rather brief while covering some important aspects of forgiveness. Jesus teaches us here that our request for forgiveness is conditional. Jesus is so specific about our forgiving others that He repeats it:

Matt 6:14 “For if you forgive men for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.Matt 6:15 "But if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.”

However we are not to believe that our forgiving others is some sort of works that we do to gain God’s forgiveness of our sins. We have to always be careful to distinguish the cause from the effect. In this case the cause of our being able to forgive others is that God has changed our heart so that we have been born again and our sins have been forgiven. Since the cause was initiated by God, we are now able to forgive others because we can then show forth our gratitude for the grace shown us by God. Remembering that God is absolutely holy so that everything that I did before I was born

13

Page 14: Prayer - Living Theology ...Articles for Christian living ...livingtheology.com/Prayer.doc  · Web viewEvery word in the prayer is important but ... It is hard for us to imagine

again was a sin against His holiness, there is nothing that anyone can do to me that would compare to the sin that I have committed against Him. I have to forgive others because I now have a heart that hates sin and knows the wonder of the effect of His forgiveness of my sin. My forgiving nature should be a natural response to peoples’ transgressions against me as much as my hand will react when approached by a fire. The forgiving should come immediately. But I have to admit that I still do not always have that instant forgiving nature because I am still in a state here of transformation. When I do not forgive someone quickly the incident will weigh on my conscience until I do forgive him/her.

I must digress to discuss two aspects of the forgiveness process. These two states involve my interaction with myself and my interaction with others. When I say that I must work so that I instantly forgive a transgressor, I mean that I cannot bear any grudge against that person. The other state of forgiveness involves my interaction with the transgressor. I am not obligated to tell him/her that I forgive him/her until that person repents to me and asks for forgiveness. However I can immediately rebuke him!

Luke 17:3 “Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.Luke 17:4 "And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, 'I repent,' forgive him.”

Also note that this verse refers to what a “brother” does to me. The designation of “brother” means that the person is a fellow child of God. This obligation to forgive the transgressor if he repents only refers to relationships within the family of God. This action demonstrates God’s forgiveness as we repent, and also serves as an example to the offender.

My motive for working to immediately forgive someone within myself is based upon what God has done for me regarding my sins against Him as noted above and on this wonderful quote:

Col 2:13 “And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,Col 2:14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us and which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.”

God has cancelled out the debt certificate that He had against me. That sin debt that made my relationship with Him impossible has been taken away by Him based upon the work that Jesus did for me. Since God has forgiven me then I can forgive myself and others. Sometimes we have a hard time forgiving ourselves but if the Holy God of the universe can forgive me, then I can also accept that forgiveness.

Our wrong reasons (excuses) for not forgiving include: He doesn’t deserve it.

14

Page 15: Prayer - Living Theology ...Articles for Christian living ...livingtheology.com/Prayer.doc  · Web viewEvery word in the prayer is important but ... It is hard for us to imagine

He might think it was an insignificant offense. He might think he got away with it and would do it again. You might substitute some more here.

We do need to remember that all forgiveness is based on the penalty for sin paid by Jesus. Justice for unforgiven sin is also God’s work and we have to rest in knowing that His justice is perfect.

This portion of the disciples’ prayer should immediately put us in a self-examination mode. So forgive yourself and immediately forgive others so that there is no hardness in your relationship to the person who sinned against you. If he is your brother in Christ and he repents to you then also immediately forgive him. This total forgiveness will cleanse your soul and give you a fresh outlook on the day.

The Disciples’ Prayer VIDirection

Matt 6:13 “And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.]”

The last part of this prayer is not present in the oldest manuscripts and it is not present in Luke’s version of this prayer but, as I have been adding it all of my life, I have to include it here.

Temptations come to us from two sources: our concupiscence and Satan. Concupiscence is certainly a big word and maybe a new word to many. However each of us has a rather large supply of concupiscence in our being. The most common meaning of the term in English is the innate tendency of human beings to do evil. The word is often used specifically for sinful sexual desires but it generally means the “original sin” of mankind. Note that it is a tendency to do something evil in the sight of God and not the actual doing of the sin. [There is a difference in interpretation among Catholics and Protestants, but I will not be chasing that rabbit!] All of us possess this tendency due to “the fall” and after being born again we are engaged in the process of sanctification or cleansing of ourselves of such tendencies. Paul discussed this issue:

1Thes 4:3 “For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality;1Thes 4:4 that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor,1Thes 4:5 not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God;1Thes 4:6 and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you.1Thes 4:7 For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification.1Thes 4:8 Consequently, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.”

15

Page 16: Prayer - Living Theology ...Articles for Christian living ...livingtheology.com/Prayer.doc  · Web viewEvery word in the prayer is important but ... It is hard for us to imagine

James also discussed this issue:

James 1:14 “But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.James 1:15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.”

How often have we done something wrong and said “I just got carried away.” We did not know that wee were quoting Scripture!

So when we are asking God to lead us not into temptation we are asking Him to lead us in ways that will not promote some act from either our sinful nature or from some enticement from Satan. When we ask Him to deliver us from evil, the request means really to deliver us away from the acts that Satan may have in store for us. We know that Satan is alive and well today and that he is seeking to destroy:

1Peter 5:8 “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

We require God’s protection for Satan is powerful and he can do a lot of damage to us:

Luke 22:31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat;Luke 22:32 but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”

Notice that Jesus did not say that he refused Satan’s request but that He prayed for Peter to have an unfailing faith. God allows us to go through tempting/trying times just as He did for His Son during the times that Satan tempted Jesus. Our sanctification process requires us to go through such tempting/testing times so that we may properly understand our total dependence upon God and not on ourselves. Such times God also allows to show us that we can defeat them with His help. In the development of an athlete the person needs to experience defeats and victories, and such are even more important for the child of God as he develops his spiritual abilities.

David did not really need a physical implement (slingshot) to defeat Goliath but God allowed him to have the tool for his self-confidence. However we must have the proper spiritual tools to defeat Satan and his demons and God freely has them available:

Eph 6:14 “Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,Eph 6:15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;Eph 6:16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one.

16

Page 17: Prayer - Living Theology ...Articles for Christian living ...livingtheology.com/Prayer.doc  · Web viewEvery word in the prayer is important but ... It is hard for us to imagine

Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.Eph 6:18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,”

These tools along with prayer and petition in the Spirit at all times will give us victory over our concupiscence and Satan.

The last part of the prayer begins with the word “for” and whenever we see that word we need to look back and see what it is there for. In this case it refers back to the entire prayer. We can ask all of the items in the prayer because we are praying to the Creator and Ruler of the universe as well as our Father. He is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. He is Sovereign over everything. There is nothing that our Lord cannot do and He loves us as His children. So pray the prayer with confidence that He will do whatever He wills and that He loves us in complete ways that we can only approximate.

17