Praying the Lord’s Prayer: “Our Father”

 

In Matthew 6:9-13 we read, “Pray like this: 

‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 

            Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 

Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, 

            as we also have forgiven our debtors. 

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’”

 

Prayer is essential to our spiritual health and growth, and yet it is something that most Believers struggle to do on a regular basis.  Over the coming months, we are going to take a closer look at the pattern that Jesus gives us to follow in our prayers.  This month we start with “Our Father in heaven.” 

In following this pattern for prayer, we begin with the powerful truth that we are sons and daughters of God.  We have been adopted by God’s free grace and enjoy the privileges of full family members, which include being joint heirs with our Brother and Savior Jesus Christ (Romans 8:17).  He is no ordinary Father, but our divine Father who is eternal, infinite, and almighty.  His love for us is unchanging, unlimited, and unconquerable in its purpose.  In every description of the Father in heaven, He is on His throne.  Remember the imperial vision of God found in Isaiah 6?  He is more than able to deal with all the needs we bring to Him.

Knowing that God our Father is in heaven increases our wonder, joy, and sense of the privilege of being His children.  We have been given a hotline of communication to Him; He always has time for us and is never too busy!  As one author wrote, He is “always more ready to hear than we to pray,” and is “wont (accustomed) to give more than either we desire or deserve.”  “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him” (Matthew 7:11).  Knowing the truth of God’s fatherly love gives us limitless confidence not just for praying, but for living.

            Here is a sample prayer to help guide your thoughts including passages of Scripture that I have found helpful.  “Father, thank you for tenderly inviting me to believe that you are my true Father and I am Your true child so that as I come to You I can do so with the boldness and confidence of a loved child. Thank you for your gracious provision in my life. I give thanks to You, for Your steadfast love endures forever. (Psalm 136:26). Thank You for my salvation and that You gave me the right to become one of Your children 'who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God' (John 1:12–13). I am grateful that we have 'received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”' I am thankful that 'the Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him' (Romans 8:15–17). Help me know that these words are true: 'Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!' (Matthew 7:7-11)."

 

Comfort or Comfortable?

 

We use the word comfort and comfortable often in our lives.  When someone is discouraged or going through a difficult time, we try to comfort or cheer them up and give encouragement and hope.  In times of sadness and loss we console to ease the grief and sadness.  The goal is to give of ourselves to relief or encourage someone else.  Our use of the word comfortable can be used in similar ways when we may ask a guest if a chair or bed is comfortable.  In each of these uses the focus is on our looking out for the welfare of others.

 At the same time, we must admit that we use most of our energy pursuing and protecting the “comforts of life.”  We have come to believe that we deserve a comfortable and healthy life, with a comfortable income, in a comfortable house, in a comfortable neighborhood, driving a comfortable car, watching football in a comfortable chair, and sleeping in a comfortable bed.   Now do not misunderstand me! Having any or all of this is not wrong and in fact they should be seen as given to us by God (unless you stole the comfortable car). God often blesses materially and physically and invites us to enjoy our lives here on earth.  The problem comes when we our joy in life in based on our comfort level rather than our identity in Christ.

 The Heidelberg Catechism addresses this in its first question when it asks, “What is thy only comfort in life and death?”  It is easy for us to quickly reply with “Jesus” but I encourage you to do some self-reflection on what your “only comfort in life” truly is. Find a quiet place to pray and ask yourself what would happen if you lost all or most of your “comforts of life?”  Would you be okay with that?  Could you sing, and truly mean it, the words “you can have all this world, just give me Jesus?” Most, if not all, find it hard to let go of the “comforts of life” because they are our security; we feel like must have them to survive.  But do we?  Let’s go back to the Heidelberg Catechism and look it’s answer to the question.

 “Answer: That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ; who, with his precious blood, has fully satisfied for all my sins, and delivered me from all the power of the devil; and so preserves me that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head; yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation, and therefore, by his Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life, and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto him.”

 These words are not only a powerful encouragement to us, a comfort, but should also be used as a regular prayer where we ask our gracious Heavenly Father to free us from our love of earthly comfort and help us actually believe this to be true!  Can you imagine the contentment, joy, and peace we would have?  We will get there eventually but in the meantime time let’s make it our goal to have a “take it or leave it’ mentality with the comforts of life and grasp tightly the only true comfort in this life and in death.

 

Waiting in Faith and Hope

One of the most familiar passages of Old Testament Scripture quoted at Christmas is Isaiah 9:6-7

⁶  For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given;

       and the government shall be upon his shoulder,

and his name shall be called

       Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

⁷ Of the increase of his government and of peace

there will be no end,

       on the throne of David and over his kingdom,

to establish it and to uphold it

       with justice and with righteousness

from this time forth and forevermore.

       The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

These verses come at the end of section where Isaiah brings the bad of a coming siege by the barbaric Assyrians.  The regions of Zebulan and Naphali (9:1) would be the first to be invaded and begin a period of great darkness.  Despite the bad news, Isaiah promises the good news of a day when “there will be no more gloom,” a time when the “deep darkness” will be inundated with “great light” (9:2).  At time of rejoicing and joy (9:3) when God’s people are free from the heavy hand of oppression (9:4), and a time where there will be no more war (9:5). “How does the victorious, covenant-fulfilling work of God come about? By what way do the Lord’s people enter a non-contributory salvation? By mere fact of the King’s birth. The emphasis rests not on us but on a child is born. Child: his human decent. Son his maleness and dignity in the royal line. Born of human parentage but also given by the Lord.  His people’s shoulders are delivered when his shoulders accept the burden of rule.  He will be called: literally ‘one will call his name.’ In its highest sense ‘name’ sums up character; it declares the person.  The perfection of this King is seen in his qualification for ruling (Wonderful Counsellor), his person and power (Mighty God), his relations to his subjects (Everlasting Father) and the society he creates (Prince of Peace).”[1]

This King’s birth is what we are to celebrate all year round, but what we give special attention during Advent.  Unfortunately, in celebration of the King’s birth, He often only receives a brief acknowledgment.  In other words, the emphasis falls on “us” and not “a child has been born.”  That may be part of the reason so many of us experience a depressive let down once Christmas has passed.

Waiting in faith and hope are a central theme of the Believers life and the heart of what we celebrate at Advent. It is time when despite the darkness, sadness, and oppression we may face, we know that the King is going to return and fulfill the promises given to us by Isaiah.  As Michael Green aptly wrote; “It is by allowing his mind to dwell on the return of Christ that the Christian will regain a sense of balance and proportion, however difficult his present circumstances, and the peace which passes understanding will take root deeply in his heart.”[2]

[1] J. Alec Motyer, Isaiah, An Introduction & Commentary.

[2] Michael Green, The Second Epistle of Peter and the Epistle of Jude; An Introduction and Commentary.

Grandma Lena's Kitchen

Over the summer I have thought a lot about those who have been part of our church but for some reason or another no longer attend.  Of course, there are many who have relocated out of the area and others who have found another church more suitable to their taste. But my concern is for those who no longer worship at any church; many who have walked away from the faith altogether, angry, hurt, and disillusioned.  The problem is not unique to our church as statistics show there are a lot of young men and women who have given up on the church.  An infamous example of this is Josh Harris, pastor and author of I Kissed Dating Goodbye which sold almost a million copies and had a profound influence on many Christian families.  In July he announced that he was no longer a Christian.

Josh is not unique, just more well-known.  He is not the only one who has come up through a system that seems like it should have prevented something like this.  In Josh’s case, he grew up in a Christian family, was home-schooled, part of a solid church, it seems like the perfect formula!  I recently interacted with someone who like Josh grew up in a Christian home, went to a Christian school, and faithfully attended Sunday school, was involved in the youth group, went on missions’ trips.  They feel like they were “brain washed” and now want nothing to do with the church.

I am not done with my inquiry on the matter because it is far too important to ignore, but what I have discovered so far is that many of these young people simply did not feel like the church was a safe place to struggle with issues of life.  They felt alone in their doubts and did not find people who would simply listen, grieve, or walk with them through the challenges of life.  They didn’t find people who would admit they also struggle and have doubts too.  Far too often they found judgement rather than grace.  

I wish they could have met my grandma Lena.  Her husband R.J. was a tall and distinguished preacher while she was half his height stooped over by osteoporosis. My favorite picture of grandma is her sitting at a table in her old kitchen with her hand on her well-worn Bible.  She didn’t pose for it, that was her!  Over the years there were many broken people who sat grandma’s kitchen table and poured out their heart out to her.  There was young man thrown out of his house for struggling with same-sex attraction, unwed pregnant girls, a washed up one hit singer who in his forties never couldn’t move on in life, and of course a grandson who later would become a preacher.  Lena let people struggle, doubt and confess, but always pointed them back to Jesus.

My prayer is that our church would become like grandma Lena’s kitchen.   A place where you just don’t hear the gospel but experience it.  A place where God’s people are committed to living out the teachings of Scripture in an authentic community marked by sacrifice, honesty, and forgiveness.  A place where it is safe to talk about our struggles and know that we will be loved rather than shamed, we will be prayed for rather than talked about, and cared for rather than shunned.  A place where we laugh a lot, and celebrate what God is doing in each other’s lives and of course since we have new kitchen, share a lot of meals together!  I don’t know about you but that sounds like a great place to hang out.

Healthy Confession

“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” - James 5:16 (NIV).

One of our core values here at Covenant Presbyterian Church is Gospel Community.  That means we are committed to living out the teachings of Scripture in an authentic community marked by sacrifice, honesty, and forgiveness.  We want to be a place where it is safe to talk about our struggles and know that we will be loved rather than shamed, we will be prayed for rather than talked about, and cared for rather than shunned: A community where we “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed.”^[1] 

          

Regarding this verse, well-known Welsh minster Matthew Henry’s (1662-1714) comments, “Christians are directed to confess their faults one to another, and so to join in their prayers with and for one another...  the confession here required is that of Christians to one another, and not, as the papists would have it, to a priest. Where persons have injured one another, acts of injustice must be confessed to those against whom they have been committed. Where persons have tempted one another to sin or have consented in the same evil actions, there they ought mutually to blame themselves and excite each other to repentance. Where crimes are of a public nature, and have done any public mischief, there they ought to be more publicly confessed, so as may best reach to all who are concerned. And sometimes it may be well to confess our faults to some prudent minister or praying friend, that he may help us to plead with God for mercy and pardon. But then we are not to think that James puts us upon telling everything that we are conscious is amiss in ourselves or in one another; but so far as confession is necessary to our reconciliation with such as are at variance with us, or for gaining information in any point of conscience and making our own spirits quiet and easy, so far we should be ready to confess our faults. And sometimes also it may be of good use to Christians to disclose their peculiar weaknesses and infirmities to one another, where there are great intimacies and friendships, and where they may help each other by their prayers to obtain pardon of their sins and power against them. Those who make confession of their faults one to another should thereupon pray with and for one another.”^[2]

           

What God is asking us to do in in this verse is not easy to do at first, but being vulnerable enough to confess our sins to one another not only lifts the burdens of a heavy heart but provides the opportunity for another to remind you of God’s grace and bring encouragement and hope through prayer.  Will you make Gospel Community a value in your personal life?  Though it may feel risky the reward is great.

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^[1] Peterson, E. H. (2005). The Message: the Bible in contemporary language (Jas 5:16). Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress.

^[2] Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: complete and unabridged in one volume (p. 2420). Peabody: Hendrickson.

“Your Word is lamp unto my feet, and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105)

The more years I spend on this earth the more I have come to appreciate the value of regular and consistent times in God’s Word.  By this I don’t mean a verse-a-day, or a quick glimpse at a selection of verses, but times of meditative reading allowing your mind and heart to marinate in God’s grace.  The value of being in Scripture cannot be minimized. The Westminster Confession of Faith reminds us that although God reveals himself in nature and the works of creation, they alone are “not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of his will, which is necessary unto salvation. Therefore, it pleased the Lord, at sundry times, and in divers manners to reveal himself, and to declare his will unto his church; and afterwards, for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan and of the world, to commit the same wholly unto writing: which maketh the Holy Scripture to be most necessary…” (1:1).

            The authors of the Confession understand that not only was Scripture necessary to understand God’s will, but an essential means of grace in our fight against the sin of the world, the sin within us, and the schemes of our “adversary the devil [who] prowls around like a lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).  When we neglect personal time in God’s Word we are setting ourselves up for an attack. It is like staggering down a dark path in heart of the Serengeti with no light.  The light not only reveals, but it protects.

Martin Luther vividly explains it this way, “Satan is by nature such a wicked and poisonous spirit that he cannot tolerate anything that is good.  It pains him that even an apple, a cherry, and the like grow.  It causes him pain and grief that a single healthy person should live upon the earth and if God would not restrain him, he would hurl everything together in ruin.  But to nothing is he a more bitter enemy than to the dear Word; because, while he can conceal himself under all creatures, the Word is the only agency that can disclose him and reveal to everybody how black he is.  Since then, you have God’s Word, Peter says, and you cleave by faith to it, you should know beforehand that Satan will be your enemy; and you should know that he is not only a wise, cunning, but also a very wicked, poisonous, and powerful spirit.”[1]

I believe it was D.L. Moody who said, “The Bible will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from the Bible.”  Though I whole heartedly agree with this statement, I would like to modify it slightly with this, “The Bible will keep you from sin, the devil knows it, and wants to keep you from the Bible.”   May I encourage you to spend more time in God’s Word?  Not only is it the most effective guard against the devil, but as David discovered, storing it in our heart and delighting in it (119:16) has great benefit, including keeping us from sin (119:11), guarding our ways (119:9),  giving us life (119:25,107), strengthening us (119:28), being our hope (119:74,81,114, 147), giving understanding (119:130,169), and so much more!

If you are not in God’s Word not only are you setting yourself up to schemes of the devil, but you are missing out on a whole lot of grace.

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[1] Martin Luther, Commentary on 1 Peter.

Personal Worship

“We must remember that God will never drag us along the path of true-hearted discipleship. This would greatly lack the moral excellency which characterizes all the ways of God. He does not drag, but draws us along the path which leads to ineffable blessedness in Himself; and if we do see that it is for our real advantage to break through all the barriers of nature, in order to respond to Gods’ call, we forsake our own mercies. But alas! Our hearts little enter into this. We begin to calculate about the sacrifices, the hindrances, and the difficulties, instead of bounding along the path, in eagerness of soul, as knowing and loving the One whose call has sounded in our ears” (C H Macintosh).

Having consistent times of private worship can be challenging in our fast passed, distracting world.  Yet, the reward we get from spending time with the Father is well worth overcoming any obstacles.  As an encouragement and challenge to make this a high priority in your life, here are some suggestions from my routine,

1)      Find a time the works - Blocking out a time on calendar is essential.  It needs to be a time where you are alert and not overly distracted.  Though David rose early in the morning, that doesn’t mean you need too.  Remember, he started his career as a shepherd, so he lived by the rising and the setting of the sun.

2)      Find a place that works – You need a place where you can be alone, and where distractions are kept to minimal.  Starbucks is not that place!  I do my best study in places where there is a lot going on around me, but it is a horrible place for a personal worship!  Getting beyond the distractions, I am not sure it would go over well if I started to sing, pace, or lay on the floor to pray!  You get my point!

3)      “Be Still and Know that I AM God.” – Take time to quiet your heart and mind.  Ask God to help you lay aside the many distractions and give you focus.  Confess any sins that are tugging at your heart.  Turn the sound off on your phone, I-Pad and computer, so you don’t hear texts or e-mails when they come in.  If you remember something important that needs to be done, make a record of it and let it be. 

4)      Read Devotionally – This is not the time for academic study of Scripture.  Until you are fluent in Greek or Hebrew, just use your favorite translation.  Read slow and reflectively.  When your mind wanders, stop, go back and read again.  Let it sink in.  My pattern for Scripture reading for the last twenty years is that I read through the Psalms and Proverbs every month and then work through the rest of Scripture at a rate of 2 to 5 chapters a day.  .If you prefer using a devotional book along with the Bible in your quiet time, I recommend Spurgeon's Morning and Evening.

5)      Reflect – Once you are done reading, take time to reflect on what you have read.  Let the verses sink deep and be a means of grace for you.  Remember, don’t rush through this!

6)      Pray – There is no magical formula for a fruitful prayer life… it is hard work!  I like to prayer through the Lord’s Prayer as it keeps balance to my prayer life.  When I pray through the Lord’s Prayer, at “Our Father” I start with a season of praise and thanksgiving.  In addition, I make it a point to not skim through “forgive us our sins.” Confessing to God what He already knows, and basking in His grace is always refreshing.   I have also made it a habit to be sure to pray both morning and evening.