Cueva de los Verdes, Canary Islands, Spain. Reflection on water. by Lviatour
Good morning, beloved,
Just so you all know, I have asked my children to do a rain dance outside to get rain. You can thank me later. Of course, it’s never worked but they think it is great fun. I think it’s just cute to watch them dance. The heart, the true heart of a child is so fun to watch when they think nobody is looking. I take great comfort in the love Jesus showed children and His disapproval of His disciples’ treatment of the little ones. I love listening to their conversations, hearing their dreams, asking them for their opinion.
And then in a turn, they can be fighting like cats and dogs and I’m left wondering, where’s the wonder? Oh, yes, that would be the fight of our lives, wouldn’t it? Here’s a quote from Kay Arthur, from her blog:
With every fiber of my being I believe that every problem in our lives can be traced back to an inadequate or incorrect knowledge of God, or a lack of faith and trust in his person and his ways. We know so little of this wonderful God who loves us!
Beloved, if your heart is constantly troubled, if fear lurks in the shadows of your consciousness, if you are exhausted and in despair come with me. Within these pages, we will explore together God’s names in Scripture. And in the end, you will know far more than his names. You will know his boundless joy, power, peace, and presence.
Obviously, there’s a plug for a new study but her point is so well taken. Inadequate, incorrect knowledge of God…our problems and our concerns, when we are focused on them. Oh, my, what joy is robbed from our lives. When we have correct knowledge, strong faith and trust in our wonderful God, how can we despair?
El Golfo Beach in Lanzarote, Canary Islands (Spain). by Lviatour
Well, today we turn back to the Sermon to look through Jesus’ teaching on prayer.
Matthew 6 (green-principles, red-do nots)
6 But when you pray, go into your [most] private room, and, closing the door, pray to your Father, Who is in secret; and your Father, Who sees in secret, will reward you in the open.
7 And when you pray, do not heap up phrases (multiply words, repeating the same ones over and over) as the Gentiles do, for they think they will be heard for their much speaking.
8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
9 Pray, therefore, like this: Our Father Who is in heaven, hallowed (kept holy) be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven ([e]left, remitted, and let go of the debts, and have [f]given up resentment against) our debtors.
13 And lead (bring) us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
14 For if you forgive people their trespasses [their [g]reckless and willful sins, [h]leaving them, letting them go, and [i]giving up resentment], your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15 But if you do not forgive others their trespasses [their[j]reckless and willful sins, [k]leaving them, letting them go, and [l]giving up resentment], neither will your Father forgive you your trespasses.
Parc naturel des volcans de Timanfaya Lanzarote îles Cannaries (Espagne) by Lviatour
Principles to glean:
- Pray in secret.
- Pray without the heaps of words, unnecessary repetition.
- God knows our needs before we ask.
- Forgive others and let it go, Father will forgive you
Purpose of the Lord’s Prayer: teach us how to pray!
Lord’s prayer:
- Our Father Who is in heaven, hallowed (kept holy) be Your name. Praise!
- Your Kingdom come. Reside with us! Come!
- Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Dominion!
- Give us this day our daily bread. Pray for our needs. Supplication!
- forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven ([e]left, remitted, and let go of the debts, and have [f]given up resentment against) our debtors. Confession!
- And lead (bring) us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. Protection! Deliverance!
- For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Praise!
“Scholars say that this set of sentences [in the Lord’s prayer] covers every topic of prayer and that to have covered each index sentence leaves nothing remaining to be prayed for!” (@2007 Precepts Ministries Int’l, p.93)
Now, let’s go sentence by sentence with some cross references! 🙂
Our Father Who is in heaven, hallowed by Your name.
John 1:12 But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the authority (power, privilege, right) to become the children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name—
13 Who owe their birth neither to bloods nor to the will of the flesh [that of physical impulse] nor to the will of man [that of a natural father], but to God. [They are born of God!]
Romans 8: 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
15 For [the Spirit which] you have now received [is] not a spirit of slavery to put you once more in bondage to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption [the Spirit producing sonship] in [the bliss of] which we cry, Abba (Father)! Father!
16 The Spirit Himself [thus] testifies together with our own spirit, [assuring us] that we are children of God.
17 And if we are [His] children, then we are [His] heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ [sharing His inheritance with Him]; only we must share His suffering if we are to share His glory.
Psalm 100: 4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and a thank offering and into His courts with praise! Be thankful and say so to Him, bless and affectionately praise His name!
Exodus 33: 18 And Moses said, I beseech You, show me Your glory.
19 And God said, I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim My name, The Lord, before you; for I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy andloving-kindness on whom I will show mercy and loving-kindness.
Proverbs 18:10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the [consistently] righteous man [upright and in right standing with God] runs into it and is safe, high [above evil] and strong.
So, starting our prayers with acknowledging God’s place in the world and by praising His name…Jesus is teaching us to pray. To bless and affectionately praise His name, as Moses said, I beg of you, show me Your glory!!
For me, today, to remember the name of the Lord, is a strong tower. An encouragement right down to my toes!
Pray on, beloved. Pray on.
2 Comments
Did the rain dance work? I can picture them. It makes my heart happy.
A year or to ago our pastors wife gave a 6 week talk on the Lord’s Prayer. I think I learned more about prayer in that series than I ever have. I still have it posted in my car.
Um, no. The rain dance did not produce much in the way of rain. 😉 LOL. They sure had fun tho!