|
The Lord's
Prayer
It
Is Scientific:
`Christ's
lessons in regard to prayer should be carefully considered.
There is a divine science in prayer, and His illustration
brings to view principles that all need to understand.'
(COL142)
It
is Simple
`The
prayer that Christ gave to His disciples is not made in
high-flown language, but expresses in simple words the
necessities of the soul. It is short and deals directly with
the daily needs.' (9T278)
|
`The Lord's prayer has a depth of meaning we have not yet fathomed. (MB103)
|
It
is Short
`Christ
impressed upon His disciples the idea that their prayers
should be short, expressing just what they wanted, and no
more. One or two minutes is long enough for any ordinary
[public] prayer.' (2T581/2)
It
is Selfless
`Our
prayers are not to be a selfish asking, merely for our own
benefit. We are to ask that we may give.' (COL142)
Thus
we pray `Our Father - Forgive Us, Not My Father, Forgive Me
It
is Special
`It
has a depth of meaning you have not yet fathomed.' (MB103)
It
is Sensible:
`The
first half of the prayer Jesus has taught us is in regard to
the name and kingdom and will of God - that His name may be
honoured, His kingdom established, His will performed. When
you have thus made God's service your first interest, you may
ask with confidence that your own needs may be supplied.'
(MB110)
|
When
we pray the Lord’s Prayer,
we come . . . |
|
1.
As God’s children |
=
Our Father |
|
2.
As worshipers |
=
Hallowed be your name |
|
3.
As subjects |
=
Your kingdom come |
|
4.
As servants |
=
Your will be done |
|
5.
As recipients |
=
Give us this day our daily bread |
|
6.
As sinners |
=
Forgive us our sins |
|
7.
As tempted ones |
=
Lead us not into temptation |
|
8.
As victorious people |
=
But deliver us from evil |
|
| |
|
When
I Pray The Lord's Prayer,
I cannot say . . . |
|
I
cannot say "our" if I do not consider every
man or woman as my brother or sister. |
|
I
cannot say "Father" if I do not endeavor each
day to act like his child. |
|
I
cannot say "in heaven" if I am laying up no
treasure there (Matt 19:21). |
|
I
cannot say "hallowed be your name" if I am not
striving after holiness. |
|
I
cannot say "your kingdom come" if I am not
doing all in my power to hasten that wonderful event. |
|
I
cannot say "on earth as it is in heaven" if I
will not serve him here and now. |
|
I
cannot say "give us today our daily bread" if
I am not sharing my bread with the poor or if I am being
dishonest. |
|
I
cannot say "forgive us our debts" if I harbor
a grudge against anyone. |
|
I
cannot say "lead us not into temptation" if I
deliberately place myself in temptations path. |
|
I
cannot say "deliver me from evil" if I do not
put on the whole armor of God. |
|
I
cannot say "yours is the kingdom" if I do not
give the King the loyalty due to him from a faithful
subject. |
|
I
cannot attribute to him "the power" if I fear
what men may do. |
|
I
cannot ascribe to him "the glory" if I’m
seeking honor for myself. |
|
I cannot say "for ever" if the horizon of my life is
bounded completely by time.
(Author unknown) |
|
Words
of Life
Our
¤ Our,
not my - Give us, not give me - selfless
¤ If
God is our Father, every man is our brother
¤ This
is the word that pronounced the death of apartheid (racism).
Father
¤ `A name entwined with the dearest associations of
the human heart.'
¤ Acknowledging subservience
¤ Acknowledging willingness to be led
¤ Acknowledging trust in and acceptance of His plan
for our lives
¤ Recognizing His love
¤ Acknowledging dependence.
Hallowed
¤ Holy is your character.
¤ Psalm 29:1,2: Ascribe to the Lord Glory
¤ May your holy character be reflected in our lives.
John 15:8
Thy
Name
¤ Name = character = His person
¤ Phil 2:10: At
the name of Jesus every knee should bow.
Kingdom = His place
¤ Heaven is the presence of Jesus
¤ Kingdom of glory and the kingdom of grace.
¤ Matthew 6:33: Seek ye first the kingdom and His righteousness (His
name)
¤ Luke 17:20,21: Domain
¤ Luke 18:17 - Character of inhabitants
¤ Col 1:27 - The hope of an improved character - the
work of God's grace in the soul.
Will = His pleasure
¤ `It is God who works in you to will and to act
according to His good purpose.' (Phil 2:13)
¤ `You must observe My Sabbaths. This will be a sign
between Me and you for the generations to come, so that
you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy.' (Ex
30:13)
¤ `My food,' said Jesus, `is to do the will of Him
who sent Me.' (John 4:34)
Daily
¤ `In teaching us to ask every day He would have us realize
our dependance.'
¤ Who of us feels secure today when all we have is
one day's supply.
Bread
¤
Temporal: `God gives to us in trust that we might feed the
hungry.' (MB112)
¤
Spiritual: `Man does not live on bread alone, but on every
word that comes from the mouth of God.' (Mt 4:4)
¤ `I am the bread of life. This bread is My flesh
which I will give for the life of the world. The one who
feeds on Me will live because of Me..' (John 6:33,51)
¤ `It is by beholding His love, by receiving it into
the soul, that we feed upon the bread.' (MB112)
¤ `The Word of God, received into the soul, molds
the thoughts, and enters into the development of
character. This is eating the bread that comes down from
heaven.' (DA391)
¤ `My food,' said Jesus, `is to do the will of Him
who sent Me and to finish His work.' (John 4:34)
Forgive
¤ `Forgiveness, reconciliation with God, comes to
us, not as a reward for our works, it is not bestowed
because of the merits of sinful men, but it is a gift unto
us, having in the spotless righteousness of Christ its
foundation for bestowal.' (MB115/6)
¤ `There are no sins He will not forgive in and
through the Lord Jesus Christ.' (Bible Commentary, Vol. 7,
p.913)
¤ `How seldom, by living, acting faith, do we bring
into our lives this great truth, that there is forgiveness
for the least sin, forgiveness for the greatest sin.'
(Bible Commentary, Vol. 7, p.933)
As we forgive others
¤ `Forgive as the Lord forgave you.; (Col 3:13)
¤ `He who is unforgiving cuts off every channel for
receiving God's mercy.' (MB113)
¤ We can only forgive as we know and believe the
love God has for us. (MB115)
¤ `It is the love of God that draws us unto Him, and
that love cannot touch our hearts without creating love
for our brethren.' (MB113)
Lead Us
¤ When
we ask the Lord to "lead us not into
temptation," some are of the opinion that this suggests
that the Lord might be inclined to lead us into
temptation. This phrase simply invites the Lord to lead
us, and to lead us away from temptation - for He, through
our knowledge of Him, is the only power that can lead us
away from temptation.
¤ There
are times, however, when the Lord will permit us to face
trials and difficulties. `He permits us to encounter obstacles, persecution, and
hardships, not as a curse, but as the greatest blessing of our
lives . . . advancing us in the work of character building.'
(MB117). See
The Blessing of Trials
As a meditational exercise, the reader is invited to complete
this study. |
