Nov 17 - Matthew 6:16-18

And whenever you fast,

do not look dismal,

like the hypocrites,

for they disfigure their faces

so as to show others

that they are fasting.

Truly I tell you, they have

received their reward.

But when you fast,

put oil on your head and

wash your face,

so that your fasting

may be seen not by others

but by your Father

who is in secret; and

your Father who sees in secret

will reward you.

Matthew 6:16-18

What is fasting?

It is purposefully doing without something ... for a heavenly purpose. 

Abstaining from food is clearly the most common form of fasting in the Bible. 

What fasting does is surface our physical hungers. We humans are certainly driven by physical desires. Some physical motivations are primarily a form of reflex -- for example, if a lion jumps in front of us on a path, our response will likely be fight or flight. It's virtually automatic. We scream (and run) or spring (into action).

So what happens if a man sees a cookie? If he's like me, a desire arises within him. (Is eating the chocolate chip confection a reflex?) 

How about this one ... if a man sees a naked female form, does a different but potent desire arise reflexively within him?

In many ways those "hungers" -- physical hunger and lust -- stem from a moment of instantaneous reflex. But what we do with those desires is an intentional choice. Fasting trains us to control our desires ... and thereby allows us to choose a deeper, more purposeful life. 

By fasting from food, I begin to understand the force of physical desire on my life. I see what really controls me. I see the effect that "withdrawal" has upon me. Is it impatience? Anger? Depression? Or is it the cropping up of a different bad habit or longing? Fasting can lay me bare and reveal who I am. 

It's humbling. But when we God into this humbling hungering, we begin to see God's love and provision. It's bigger than the hunger. It's bigger than the pain. Indeed, when I realize how weak I am (and often grouchy and ugly about it) -- and when I realize that God still loves me even at my ugliest -- then God's power begins to provide when my weakness can't. 

We will all face trials in our lives. Fasting is a voluntary trial. It reveals who we are in a humbling way. It reveals who God is in an empowering way. And most of all, it trains us to trust in God's provision in a safe environment, before real lions -- including lions like cancer -- jump out in front of us. 

In Christ's Love,

a guy who shouldn't be

writing about fasting

a week before thanksgiving

(maybe the week after

New Years when we're

all ready to start our diets!)

Wait ... fasting isn't dieting!

The latter is physical.

The former is spiritual.

Nov 16 - Ephesians 6:10-18

Jesus said,

Deliver us from evil.

Matthew 6:13b

 

To protect their soldiers, the military graciously provides helmets and body armor.

 

So here’s the question: If a soldier is wise in battle does he wear the protection provided for him? (Of course.)

 

That’s how it works in our battle against generic evil and the literal evil one.

 

·         God’s part is to provide helmets and body armor.

·         Our part is to put on the whole armor that God provides!

 

You’re probably familiar with the Apostle’s Ephesian 6 admonition to put on all the forms of protection that God supplies, including the belt of truth (to help us stand tall), the breastplate of (to guard our hearts), the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation (to guard our thoughts), and “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (our only offensive weapon to strike back.)

 

Since you are probably familiar with this, indeed, I want you to hear this in a different – but very powerful -- way. The Message paraphrase renders Ephesians 6 like this …

 

And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong.

 

So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way.

 

This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.

 

Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet.

 

Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon.

 

In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters.

 

Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.

 

Recommit yourself to putting on every piece of God’s armor.

 

In Christ’s Love,

a soldier who is

more like Achilles

(I leave parts of my heart

and mind exposed)

 

Nov 14-15 - Matthew 6:13b

Jesus said,

But rescue us

from the evil one

Matthew 6:13

Each week we pray in church, "deliver us from evil." Deliver us from what? From "generic evil"? ... or from a real, personal, living "evil one" which are the actual words that Jesus used.

Even non-believers believe in generic evil. (Read the headlines. People do horrific things. There’s lots of heinous stuff that goes on daily. It’s evil … generically so.)

But the Jesus and the New Testament don't talk about just generic evil. They talk about specific evil – and scripture talks constantly about a literal “evil one” who is at the root of it.

The problem is that this is the most rejected of Christian Doctrines … even by many "good Christians." (I know, because this described me for a lot of years.) I could believe in a good God. But it seemed like superstition to believe in a bad devil. (And some overly dramatically Christians didn't help me along, talking breathlessly about how demons were behind every flat tire and, apparently, behind every bush.)

But then I read one of the Gospels straight through. (It happened to be Mark.)

And guess what? I found a battle on every page.

·       Jesus did battle with Satan himself in the wilderness.

·       Jesus did battle with literal demons, casting them out … just about every time people came to him for healing.

·       Jesus regularly talked (and always acted like) there was a specific battle, not a generic darkness.

So suddenly, I had a choice. I could believe Jesus ... or I could believe me (and the pop-psychology of our era that writes evil off as superstition).

Now, I must tell you … I definitely don't see devils behind bushes if at all! Rarely if ever does "the devil make me do it" -- whatever “it” is. 99.987% of the time, my own sinful heart chooses my own multitudes of sin.

As a pastor, I can say I've encountered only one person who was definitively possessed.

But that's Satan's way of dealing with the Western world. A million shades of gray, leading us to a million little compromises, is just as effective in pulling us from God. But if you want to hear of an American encounter with real evil, ask most missionaries! Missionaries who serve in other cultures will tell you stories that will make your hair stand up! There Satan is not bothering with shade of darkness. There it's black and white, good vs. evil with no shades of gray. It's Christ-and-light or voodoo-and-darkness. And each side has power (or forms of “power”) … yet only one side sets people free.

Is denial – perhaps because of Satan’s shades of gray and compromise – your area of deception? Indeed, what has kept you from acknowledging real darkness. Ask God to 1) open your eyes, and 2) clothe you with armor.

In Christ's Love,

a guy who wants to wear

the real armor of God

instead of generic armor

of personal opinion

when the battle is real

Nov 13 - James 1:13

Jesus said,

And lead us not into temptation

King James Version

Matthew 6:13a

Let no one say when he is tempted,

"I am being tempted by God,"

for God cannot be tempted with evil,

and he himself tempts no one”

James 1:13

Two contradictory verses?!

How about a third: 

“Jesus was led up by the Spirit

into the wilderness to be

tempted by the devil”

Matthew 4:1

So ... what conclusions are you drawing?

1.      God does not tempt us. 

2.      But God does leads us. 

3.      And sometimes he leads us to places in which we are vulnerable. 

Hmm. Really?!! Why? 

Well, let's look at this step-by-step. 

1.      God does not tempt us. He hates sin. Indeed, the Son despises it so much that he shed his own blood to conquer our violations. Therefore, the God who does not like sin does not tempt us. Rather, we tempt ourselves. It's our heart and our actions that make us vulnerable. It's our heart and our actions that choose rebellion. (More on this in a minute.)

2.      But God does lead us. In a practical, every day way, God is at every intersection, saying, "Go right. Go right." And when we inevitably go left, God in his grace rushes to the next intersection to bandage the inevitable wounds.

3.      Yet … let me now contradict myself: God, nevertheless (and also), leads into situations in which we might be vulnerable. Why?

·       To stretch us and help us grow. That's one reason.

·       But even more so, he intentionally puts us in situations where we have to choose. Will we choose right or wrong? Light or darkness? Truth or half-truths? Integrity or compromise? Will we choose, indeed, God … or ourselves? Will we choose God or the world?

God's purpose isn't to squash us or judge us. His intent (sometimes) is to create a disequilibrium within us. And between our scrapes and scars make us yearn for light, truth, joy, and integrity. That grows us -- as individuals ... and in him. 

The Apostles describe it like this: "The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience.and God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so you can endure" -- 1 Corinthians 10:13. (He will show you a way out … if you look … if you ask … if you trust!)

Life is a battle. We must choose constantly between right and wrong. Between God and not God. It is a battle. Daily. But when we pray, “lead us not into temptation,” we are battling proactively, on the front-end. We are saying, "God, so that I don't have to make a stressful choice between you and some delicious (but destructive) temptations, I choose You right now! I come to you. I pray to you. I put my life in your hands. Guide my steps -- not into temptation … but "along right pathways for his name's sake" (Psalm 23:3). 

Indeed as we quote, "The Lord is my Shepherd," that's really what this petition is all about. It's about trusting God to lead us where we need to go. And when we go with him – joyfully and purposefully, anyway – he doesn't need to lead us down any challenging, tempting pathways. He can simply maketh us to lie down in green pastures and leadeth us beside the still waters."

Today, submit your heart to be lead in advance of the temptations. 

In Christ's Love,

a sheep who wants to be led

(into green pastures and

not into temptation)

Nov 12 - Matthew 6:13a

Jesus said,

Do not lead us to

the time of trial ...

Matthew 6:13a

What is the difference between Jesus' more literal phrasing of the Lord's Prayer ("Do not lead us to the time of trial") vs. the common liturgical prayer that we say each week ("Lead us not into temptation")?

Temptation, as we said yesterday, is internal. It is the way that you and I respond to various stimuli around us. What tempts me may not tempt you – and vise-versa. Temptation is often a measure of the weaknesses and vulnerabilities within our hearts. Internally, will I sway or will I stand? It's that old measure of integrity – Who are we when no one is looking?

But in the more literal translation of Matthew 6, Jesus is talking about both internal and external "times of trial." And often it is the external circumstances that create internal crises. Therefore, part of what we are praying is for God to lead us not to the external places (and situations) where we will be internally tempted. 

Now, temptation (or more accurately, what we do with temptation) is a choice. We'll talk more tomorrow about where God "leads us into" and how -- and if -- he tempts us or not. But today we want to stick with where we lead ourselves. Do we put ourselves in danger? When and why do we go where we know we really shouldn't go? What within us is vulnerable, and what should we, therefore, guard against?

When I pray the word "temptation" rather than "time of the trial," I am praying for God to do his part in helping ME do MY part. 

And I do have a part. It's often called wisdom – God's wisdom. I need to stay away from places where I know I am vulnerable. I need to stay away from people who make me vulnerable. I need to keep myself from being too hungry, too angry, too lonely, too tired -- indeed, the warning bells from the acronym HALT can keep us from many vulnerable situations. 

When, where, and in what ways do you know that you are vulnerable? Pray for God to do his part in helping you do your part. 

In Christ's Love,

a guy whose greatest

temptation is ...

cookies

Nov 11 - Matthew 6:13

Jesus said,

Do not lead us to the time of trial,

but deliver us from the evil one.

Matthew 6:13

It is important that we talk generally about this final Lord's Prayer petition (today) before we talk more specifically (in the next few days).

Generally, what does this petition tell us?

It tells us that we are in a daily battle. And we war in two primary directions.

First,  there is an internal battle. It is with "temptations" (to use the modern translation that we prayer in church each Sunday).

Second, there is an external battle with the "evil one" -- who has "sworn to do us woe."

One of my favorite Christian books was given to me last year. I confess that I haven't read the whole book. (I confess that I don't read a lot of whole books! I glean. I collect a lot of information ... and I know where to go back to when I need more.) but what I cleaned most from this book was the title itself. It described our true battle in seven short words: The World, the Flesh, and the Devil.

Those are our three primary enemies, and they operate on two fronts.

·       Internal -- Our flesh is at the root of this internal battle. When a major Hollywood star was caught in a very sickening sin -- leaving his wife for his adopted daughter – he excused it simply by saying, "The heart wants what it wants." Inside of us we have hungers, wants, bitterness, lusts, and anger. Our flesh -- and its weakness -- is at the root of this internal battle.

·       External -- When Jesus says, "deliver us from the evil one," he is reminding us that we are not alone on this planet. We battling a powerful external force. In Ephesians 6:11-12, the Apostle Paul describes this external battle in this way: "Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against blood and flesh, but against… the cosmic powers of this present darkness." Yes, there is an internal struggle, but there is also a powerful external enemy.

·       Internal and External -- So far we have dealt with the internal enemy – that is the flesh. We have also dealt with the external enemy – that is the devil. According to the book title, there is one more enemy – the world. The world is largely external. There is a culture that shapes us, too often in a negative ways. There are peers that apply pressure. There are neutral things, not bad in and themselves, that too many take two extremes and abuse -- things like alcohol. These external realities create internal temptations, and the battle rages on two fronts – inside and out.

Can you identify the primary battlefronts in your life? Where are you we kissed and unprepared?

In Christ's Love,

a guy who is wide

but not deep

(I am tempted to graze

and glean widely, but

I finish few books deeply.

I am a generalist.

Not a specialist.)

Nov 10 - Ephesians 4:26

If you become angry,

do not let your anger

lead you into sin,

and do not let the sun

go down on your anger
Ephesians 4:26

Forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who

trespass against us.

Matthew 6:13a

As we finish off thinking about the Jesus' Lord's Prayer petition on forgiveness, today's devotion will be very short. It is simply one of my favorite quotes by pastor and author Frederick Buechner ...

Of the seven deadly sins, anger is possibly the most fun. To lick your wounds, to smack your lips over grievances long past, to roll over your tongue the prospect of bitter confrontations still to come, to savor to the last toothsome morsel both the pain you are given and the pain you are giving back -- in many ways it is a feast fit for a king. The chief drawback is that what you are wolfing down is yourself. The skeleton at the feast is you.

In what ways are you cannibalizing yourself? If you still have unforgiveness in your heart, go back a few days, and keep working through the process of forgiveness.

In Christ's Love,
a guy who has always been a
proud part of the (NCSU) Wolfpack,
but there is one wolf pack
I really don't want to join. 
(No more wolfing down of myself.

Lord, teach me to forgive)

Nov 9 - Matthew 6:14

Jesus said,

And forgive us our debts, as we

also have forgiven our debtors.

Matthew 6:12

"Forgive us" said Jesus, "exactly in the way and to the extent that we forgive others." Ouch! This is clearly the hardest petition in the Lord's Prayer. 

And lest we try to explain this phrase away lightly, Jesus' first words after the Lord's Prayer absolutely reinforce this point:

For if you forgive others

their trespasses, your heavenly Father

will also forgive you;

but if you do not forgive others,

neither will your father forgive

your trespasses.

Matthew 6:14-15

Forgiveness is THE most important thing in the world. Why do I say that? Because that's the whole reason that Jesus came down to earth and died -- to forgive our sins. (Yes, we could argue forgiveness is surely a subset of the more important attribute of love, but we must equally understand that without forgiveness there really is no true love.)

Let me say that again -- and more clearly -- If we are not forgiving, we are not loving, and "whoever claims to love God but does not love brother or sister is a liar" (1John 4:10). Indeed, "whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love" (1 John 4:2). Biblically, I think Jesus is saying that we could substitute "forgiveness" into that sentence: "whoever does not [forgive] does not know God, because God is [forgiveness]." 

BUT FORGIVENESS IS HARD!

We have legitimately been hurt. Betrayed. Violated. 

Worse: Don't mess with me; mess with my kids! 

We could spend several important weeks counseling on how forgiving does not demand forgetting ... nor putting yourselves (or others) in harm's way again. 

But as painful as trespass against us was, the real affect of unforgiveness is that it keeps US in chains. It keeps you and me living in the past, rather than opening ourselves to God's future. 

Jesus doesn't say that forgiveness is easy. But it is doable – with his help! 

It starts by admitting that unforgiveness is sin. But fortunately our Gracious Lord loves to forgive our sin! Therefore, when we humbly draw near to his forgiving nature, we become more like him. And then it's his power working in us, rather than our weakness ruling us.

Read those two last sentences again -- and let me restate them: if we are not forgiving, we are not humbly drawing near to God nor his forgiving nature. Thus, we have made unforgiveness our idol -- the most powerful thing in our lives. We are essentially declaring that our anger is more powerful than God's love. And what is the result? That's what separates us from God. 

But when we confess our sin – including the sin of unforgiveness – we have quit relying on ourselves! We have declared victory over bitterness. And we have turned, instead, to the God of power and love. And then -- suddenly -- it can be his power working in us, rather than our weakness ruling us. 

Christianity all boils down to the same one thing: When we rely on ourselves, we separate ourselves from God. But when we confess that we cannot truly do life on our own -- including forgiving those who've trespassed against us -- then we begin to receive the life and the power of Jesus Christ himself. Forgiveness – especially for those monumentally big hurts – demands our dependence upon God. And that's precisely when and where life begins again!

Do you have people that you still struggle to forgive? If so shed the chains and grief, and begin to trust in God. Take this to the Lord in prayer right now. 

In Christ's Love,

a guy who translates this

Lord's Prayer petition like this:

When I draw near to God

in order for him to help me

forgive the debts of others,

God draws nearer to me --

forgiving me, healing me,

empowering me, and

helping me love again.

And that's when and where

and how eternal life begins.

I am no longer caught in the chains

of this earth nor the past,

I am suddenly looking forward

into heaven -- and that's eternal life!

Nov 7-8 - Matthew 6:12

Jesus said,

"Forgive us our debts, as we

also have forgiven our debtors."

Matthew 6:12

Yesterday, our focus should have been on our need for forgiveness from God. (As it says in 1 John 1, "if we say we have to know soon we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.")

Yesterday, however, I made it about: how we can forgive others of their debt. I used a banking analogy to talk about getting rid of the hurts and debts that others have cost us. And in so doing, I didn't proclaim the Good News in that next sentence from 1 John: "But God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Forgiving. Cleansing. Healing. Rectifying. Our bank manager, who is faithful and just, yearns to forgive. In his name, you are free!

That is what I should have focused on yesterday, but let me tell you why I didn't. It had to do with the scary next petition in the Lord's Prayer: Forgive us to the same degree that we have forgiven others. Ouch!

Jesus wants told a parable about a rich man (God) for gave a poor man (us) a millions of dollars worth of debt. But then the poor man (our neighbor) turned around and had an even poorer man thrown into prison for not paying a few pennies worth of debt. The rich man (God) was harsh and angry to the unforgiving man (us) who'd been forgiven of such a large dent that it required the cross to pay for it.

Ouch! I like the loving and faithful God. I sometimes want to pretend that God is not righteous and just! Send costs. Why? Because it destroys. It costs so much that it demanded the death of gods own Son.

Today, I'm going to let you sit here in your guilt. Contemplating the cost of sin. And contemplating the price of unforgiveness.

Tomorrow, I will talk about how we reconcile God's forgiveness and our difficulty in forgiving others. But in order to fully comprehend the freedom of grace, sometimes we have to be crushed by the holiness of God. Sometimes we need to utterly fall in worship and awe, or else we take the freedom of the cross for granted.

God forbid that Jesus spilled his blood and I am anything less then on my knees! That's our prayer for today: Get on your knees and contemplate the cost of sin.

In Christ's Love,

a guy who’s so low

that he could milk

a pregnant worm

(Is that better than being

On my knees?)

Nov 6 - Matthew 6:12a

Jesus said,

"Forgive us our debts"

Matthew 6:12a

In my heart, I always say, "forgive us our trespasses," and I sadly admit that I have too often cross the line and stepped into territories where I don't belong.

I have been angry, envious, lazy, proud, gluttonous, envious, and greedy. And besides those seven deadly sins, I have surely stepped on other people to get what I want. I have trespassed on the gentleness of their hearts. I am indeed at trespasser, and I desperately need God's forgiveness ... and often yours. 

Yes, my heart prays "trespasses," but my favorite image for forgiveness is a banking image that centers around debts. 

·       When someone has sinned against us, they've incurred a debt. They owe us something -- at least an apology, often restitution. 

·       To move toward forgiving the debt, we must then examine this debt. 

o       Wait! Here's what this doesn't mean: It doesn't mean dwelling on it! (Some people become obsessed with the debts, turning them over and over in their mind, like a ugly, juicy pig roasting on a spit. They'd generally deny this, but they are essentially savoring the pain they've been given and the pain they desire to give back. That's not what I mean by examining the debt!) 

o       Rather, ask yourself, "WHY did it hurt?" For example, did the harsh words or tone of voice make me feel unloved? As it is in medicine, we can't be healed until we have the proper diagnosis. 

·       If the debt is little -- I accidentally stepped on your toe -- you (the teller at the counter) can a forgive a few a pennies of debt yourself. But what if the debt is big? Huge?! A mere teller can't forgive such massive debt. Therefore, we must go to who? The bank manager. God! Only he can forgive such massive debt. We need his power behind us. 

·       The next step is to actually forgive. To -- with God's help -- close the account. To forgive the debt. 

·       Then we need to never reopen this account. (Have you ever heard anyone say, "Well, I remember six years ago when you ..."? Have you ever said that yourself? Close the account!)

Who do you need to forgive? Work through this process and see if you can’t get some resolution with them, with your own heart, and with God.

In Christ's Love,

a guy who has incurred

more debt than he'd

like to admit

... which makes God's

grace all the sweeter

Nov 5 - Matthew 6:11

Jesus said,

"Give us this day

our daily bread."

Matthew 6:11

"Daddy, I'm hungry. Can I have some cake?"

Does a loving parent ever mind their child, stumbling out of bed in their jammies and asking for breakfast?

Of course not.

And neither does our loving Father in heaven mind us asking for daily bread!

Some people think it's selfish to pray for their own personal needs. This petition shows us that it's not.

The purpose of prayer isn't to get stuff -- like daily bread or a slice of cake. A good parent sometimes says, "no," and feeds us instead with something nutritious that we really need. (Though occasionally fathers surprise us with cake and joy too.)

But say with me again, "the purpose of prayer isn't to get stuff!" So what is the purpose of prayer? Communication! Relationship! Even though I might say "no" or answer my child's request with oatmeal rather than cake, I want my little ones to pour out every longing (and hope and dream and worry and fear) to me. It's not about the stuff! It's about the conversation. It's growing a relationship of openness and trust.

Yes, a good parent will often say no and chastise and discipline ... but a good parent also loves, laughs, rejoices, plays, celebrates, encourages, teaches, protects, provides, bandages wounds, bakes birthday cakes, shows us spectacular wonders, and cries with us at disappointments.

Some people are so willful or afraid that in order to risk a disciplining no, they never get to experience the Father's yes.

Others have been lied to, thinking it's selfish to ask for themselves ... and they too never get to experience the relationship of a Father who learns to say yes!

In Christ's Love,

a guy who often snuck cake

to his boys for breakfast

(Sorry Mary Louise.

You’re welcome,

Paul, Jay, and Rob)

Nov 4 - Matthew 6:10bc

Jesus said,

"Your will be done on

earth as it is in heaven."

Matthew 6:10bc

Historically when an explorer stepped on the shore of a new land, he'd plant a flag and declare that this land now belonged to his country.

Famous paintings and pictures show Christopher Columbus and Neil Armstrong planting their country's flags in places as far apart as North America and the moon.

In terms of prayer, the question is: Who "owns" this planet that we pray for?

The ultimate answer is God. Of course.

But in genesis one, God gave humans dominion over earth. Therefore, we are lowercase kings of the planet.

Then in Genesis 3, we sold our authority over to Satan and sin. He is an even lower – not just lowercase – king. That's why Jesus calls Satan, "the ruler of this world" (thankfully, to "be driven out") - see John 12:31.

But we can't understand our earthly circumstances until we understand that this is temporarily Satan's territory.

Therefore, prayer is warfare. When we pray, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven," we are staking God's flag in the heart of enemy territory. We are claiming this land and these circumstances for God. And thus we are declaring war against the one who thinks he is in charge. (And by the way, we are declaring war against the rebelliousness in our own hearts too.)

Ultimately, this world belongs to God. And he promises that the Victorious Son will come again and claim this planet ultimately and eternally. But until then, God gives us the choice and the power to claim corners of this world for him… or not.

What do you want to claim – away from sin and Satan – in the name of Jesus, in and around your life and throughout this broken world?

In Christ's Love,

a guy who plants flags

(Since I don't have a

green-enough thumb to plant

flowers and tomatoes,

I might as well plant

the Kingdom.)

Nov 3 - Matthew 6:10a

Jesus said,

Pray then in this way ...

Your kingdom come.

Matthew 6:10

Jesus' very first sermon had four quick themes. In addition to “the time is fulfilled, ... repent, and believe ...," Jesus also revealed that "the kingdom of God [had] come here."

What does that mean?

 

This world is filled with sin and death. Heaven is filled with perfection and joy. Sin separates us from God… and heaven. When we pray, "thy kingdom come," what we are really saying is that we want more heaven on earth!

 

And Jesus is saying that that is possible!

 

The kingdom of heaven has come near. How? In the person of Jesus Christ!

 

In and through Jesus, our Triune God literally touched earth. God himself came in human flesh. 

 

Suddenly in one person, in one little corner of the world, the perfection of heaven prevailed on earth:

 

·         The love of heaven trumped the sin of earth. 

·         In a world of confusion and chaos, truth showed it's light.

·         For a moment, forgiveness was possible… and profound.

·         And evil was conquered by self sacrifice. 

 

If we want Thy kingdom to come, what must we do?

 

First, we must understand that we cannot manufacture it ourselves. Sinful human beings cannot manufacture a sinless world.

 

Therefore, what must we do? We must understand that the only path to a little more heaven on earth is by linking ourselves more fully to Jesus himself.

 

Two thousand years ago, Jesus was – in flesh -- "Thy kingdom come." Two thousand years later, Jesus is still "Thy kingdom come." He is this world's only real path to peace, hope, love, forgiveness, and true joy.

 

Therefore, if you want God's kingdom to come more fully in your life, spend a moment today drawing closer to Jesus, and asking him to help you follow his ways. 

In Christ's Love,

a guy who wants to build

a kingdom on earth

My plan: To rename my cockatiel "King" and

declare her birdcage sovereign territory.

(Is that substantially more or less permanent

than any other temporary kingdoms on earth?)

 

 

How Can we Pray in November?!

How can we pray

for you in November?

Remember, a prayer time is available

8am-Noon

on (generally) the

first Saturday in the Month

– i.e. this Saturday.

Congregational Prayer Lists are also available

throughout the rest of the month.

Check in the narthex and church office

Nov 1-2 - Matthew 6:9b

Jesus said,

Pray then in this way ...

hallowed be your name.

Matthew 6:9

The Bible says that God is holy, holy, holy. Not that He is merely holy, or even holy, holy. He is holy, holy, holy.

The Bible never says that God is love, love, love, or mercy, mercy, mercy, or wrath, wrath, wrath, or justice, justice, justice. It does say that He is holy, holy, holy, the whole earth is full of His glory.

The above words are a famous quote from Bible teacher R. C. Sproul. And they introduce well Jesus' phrase, "hallowed be Thy name" (or "Father in Heaven, your name is holy").  

Literally, "holiness" means something like "set apart" or "a step above." And God is obviously a few miles above us in terms of his majesty and power -- "There is no one like thee ... O Lord" (Psalm 86:8).

God is also miles above us in terms of goodness. And holiness also conveys and demands a sense of moral purity. 

There's another attribute to the set apart nature of God's holiness: it is total and complete. Every aspect of his character -- always and eternally -- is holy. It is complete. Unwavering. Total. And true. 

As R. C. Sproul says in his book The Holiness of God, "The tendency is to add the idea of the holy to this long list of attributes as one attribute among many. But when the word holy is applied to God, it does not signify one single attribute. On the contrary ... holy calls attention to all that God is." 

God is. And all that God is is holy -- utterly above, beyond, pure, just, and good. And true prayer must begin by worshiping the transcendent glory (the holiness) of God. 

Take a moment now to worship God's holiness!

In Christ's Love,

a guy who is holy, holy, holy

... I mean, holey, holey, holey!

(I leak! Patch me up, Lord.)