The Coming Kingdom and Heaven on Earth
Matt 6:9 In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven. NKJV
This chapter began with the emphasis on the wrong way to give charitable donations and to offer prayers to God. Then Jesus says: “In this manner, therefore pray: Our Father in heaven Hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come and Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” The hypocrites came before God in such a way that they were trying to attract attention to themselves and to their charitable giving. They were not focused on the audience of one, but the many and, as a result, they had received a vanishing reward.
The prayers and giving of the hypocrites revealed that they had no intimate relationship with God. What they did was an attempt to earn respect or reward through much show and effort. They were coming to God as strangers and not His children. Jesus, as our elder brother says: “therefore, when you pray, come to God as His children, recognizing Him as Father and honoring Him as our Father.
Let Your kingdom come and Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. On earth we have man’s kingdoms and we have man’s will being done which, in most cases, is directly opposed to that of God’s. God has revealed His kingdom and His will to the church for the purpose of releasing it into the earth. We as the church must enter His kingdom and come into agreement with His will so that heaven’s influence can affect this earthly realm. Man’s will and man’s kingdom always points to man as the solution to his own deficit. Jesus directs man’s eyes to God’s will and His kingdom as the answer. In verse 33 of Matthew 6 Jesus says;
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. NKJV
Though man thinks his own will and kingdom will solve the world’s problems, Jesus points us, as His church, to the real solution. God’s will and kingdom coming into power and authority over this earth is the only lasting solution. His kingdom comes to earth in two stages. The first comes as an option to man. He can receive or reject God’s will and rule over his life but the second will not be optional. Those who have refused to submit to the will and kingdom of God during this period of grace, and continue to exalt man’s kingdom, will be forced to bow the knee.
Phil 2:10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. NKJV
Even though all will eventually bow to Jesus as Lord and King, only those who willing surrender to Him will enter His Kingdom and reign with Him. Jesus will actually remove all other rulers from power when He comes to establish His Kingdom in the natural realm.
Revelation 11:15 Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!" NKJV
In teaching His followers how to pray, Jesus was emphasizing our position in the family and making us aware of our royal heritage. Our entrance and function in His Kingdom is as kings and priests. As priests we have access to God to know His heart and will. As kings we have power to decree His Kingdom come and will be done on earth as in heaven.
Revelation 1:5 To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. NKJV
Revelation 5:10 And have made us kings and priests to our God;
And we shall reign on the earth." NKJV
In this age of grace, God’s Kingdom is not manifested through a show of natural might or religious activity but it is hidden in the hearts of believers.
Luke 17:20 Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; 21 nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!' For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you." NKJV
Speaking to Pilate: John 18:36 Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here." NKJV
So the bottom line is that we function in His Kingdom through the Spirit of God. The things of the eternal Spirit are invisible to man. All that we do must be by the power of faith and love, not an outward display of religious activities, human influence or military power. So let’s not pray as if we are strangers or orphans who do not know their father or his will, but pray as children who are made to be kings and priests to our God in His Kingdom. Let us come into agreement with heaven and decree that heaven be manifest on earth. What ever is not allowed in heaven, we disallow on earth and what ever is welcomed in heaven, let it be at home on earth.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Monday, March 9, 2009
Hallowed Be Your Name
Matt 6:9 In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
NKJV
There is a similar account of this prayer in Luke 11
11:1-2 Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples."
2 So He said to them, "When you pray, say:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
NKJV
Jesus was responding to a request from one of His disciples. It appears that the disciple saw his need to learn how to pray when he overheard Jesus’ prayer. In Matthew 6, Jesus first told them how not to pray like the hypocrites, who made a big show of practicing their religion. Those who are interested in making a scene of their religious exercises have their reward already but getting alone in a secrete place to pray to the Father brings real lasting rewards.
The religious hypocrites do not think like children of God but like slaves. They expect to be heard based on how much time and effort they give to prayer and even, fasting. But we come to God as our Father, not as slaves or hired workers, but as His children. We have His name and are included in His will. When we ask anything according to His will, He hears us and we know we have the petition we ask of Him. (See 1 John 5)
When we pray “Our Father in heaven,” we are speaking as one of His own; we are acknowledging Him as Father of the greatest family that is both in heaven and on earth. His name is Hallowed, esteemed as Holy, and is to be celebrated and honored among all people. As His children we come boldly before the throne of grace knowing we are included in the inheritance given to His Son.
We have not received the spirit of bondage that promotes religious works but we are sons.
Rom 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out,"Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs — heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, NKJV
We are His children by faith. Through faith we inherit the promises of God. Faith asks with confidence not doubting or wavering.
James 1:6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; NKJV
I can imagine the disciples overhearing Jesus pray with great confidence and boldness. As the Son of God, His prayers always got results. Jesus knew, beyond a doubt, that His prayers were always heard.
John 11:41 And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me." NKJV
Jesus evidently wanted to build confidence in those who heard Him pray; confidence that the Father always hears the prayers of His children. Lazarus was sick, near death and his family called upon Jesus to come and heal him. How many of us would have the confidence in knowing the Father’s will to the point that we would wait until he died before going there to pray. We know it is not God’s perfect will that sickness would take a life yet, in this case, there was a greater purpose and plan. Jesus had the confidence in His ability to hear and know the plan of the Father, so He waited until Lazarus had been dead for four days.
No wonder the disciples asked Jesus for a lesson in prayer. Prayer is not just one way communication, but it is also hearing the answer and getting direction. I believe Jesus emphasized addressing God as our Father in heaven so that we would come to Him as His children, to celebrate and make known His Father name. We come with boldness and confidence as part of the family that is in heaven and on earth, as opposed to those who approach God as orphans or slaves, expecting to be heard based on the performance of their religious duties.
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
NKJV
There is a similar account of this prayer in Luke 11
11:1-2 Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples."
2 So He said to them, "When you pray, say:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
NKJV
Jesus was responding to a request from one of His disciples. It appears that the disciple saw his need to learn how to pray when he overheard Jesus’ prayer. In Matthew 6, Jesus first told them how not to pray like the hypocrites, who made a big show of practicing their religion. Those who are interested in making a scene of their religious exercises have their reward already but getting alone in a secrete place to pray to the Father brings real lasting rewards.
The religious hypocrites do not think like children of God but like slaves. They expect to be heard based on how much time and effort they give to prayer and even, fasting. But we come to God as our Father, not as slaves or hired workers, but as His children. We have His name and are included in His will. When we ask anything according to His will, He hears us and we know we have the petition we ask of Him. (See 1 John 5)
When we pray “Our Father in heaven,” we are speaking as one of His own; we are acknowledging Him as Father of the greatest family that is both in heaven and on earth. His name is Hallowed, esteemed as Holy, and is to be celebrated and honored among all people. As His children we come boldly before the throne of grace knowing we are included in the inheritance given to His Son.
We have not received the spirit of bondage that promotes religious works but we are sons.
Rom 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out,"Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs — heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, NKJV
We are His children by faith. Through faith we inherit the promises of God. Faith asks with confidence not doubting or wavering.
James 1:6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; NKJV
I can imagine the disciples overhearing Jesus pray with great confidence and boldness. As the Son of God, His prayers always got results. Jesus knew, beyond a doubt, that His prayers were always heard.
John 11:41 And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me." NKJV
Jesus evidently wanted to build confidence in those who heard Him pray; confidence that the Father always hears the prayers of His children. Lazarus was sick, near death and his family called upon Jesus to come and heal him. How many of us would have the confidence in knowing the Father’s will to the point that we would wait until he died before going there to pray. We know it is not God’s perfect will that sickness would take a life yet, in this case, there was a greater purpose and plan. Jesus had the confidence in His ability to hear and know the plan of the Father, so He waited until Lazarus had been dead for four days.
No wonder the disciples asked Jesus for a lesson in prayer. Prayer is not just one way communication, but it is also hearing the answer and getting direction. I believe Jesus emphasized addressing God as our Father in heaven so that we would come to Him as His children, to celebrate and make known His Father name. We come with boldness and confidence as part of the family that is in heaven and on earth, as opposed to those who approach God as orphans or slaves, expecting to be heard based on the performance of their religious duties.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Get Down to Stand
Don’t Babble
Matt 6:5-9 "When you pray, don't be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. 6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
7 "When you pray, don't babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. 8 Don't be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!
(Holy Bible, New Living Translation)
Our prayers are not a religious exercise to gain favor with God. They are not to be repetitious babbling, as if God will answer because of many words, but our prayers should be personal, private communion with God. Those who think they will be heard because of their eloquence or communication skills have missed the point. We only have access to God through His Son Jesus. As long as we know how to connect with Him it doesn’t much matter how great our language skills are; our communication is more heart to heart than verbal.
John 16:23 "And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. NKJV
Find a solemn place to pray where only God hears. Pray boldly to the Father in Jesus name and He will reward you openly. Our prayers should be evidenced by the answers received rather than the words spoken. Humility seeks a place of solitude away from the busyness and the eyes of men. Jesus often got alone with His Father to pray and commune with God. He knew His effectiveness in ministry was dependant upon hearing from heaven.
John 8:28 Then Jesus said to them, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. NKJV
The hypocrites thought they were in good standing with God based on doing all their various religious exercises but they had it all backwards. They were exalting themselves based on good works instead of allowing God to raise them up from a place of humility.
Luke 14:11 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." NKJV
James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. NKJV
Getting down, to stand, is all about humility. Our battle is not against flesh and blood and our enemy is not our neighbor. Our authority in the spiritual realm indirectly affects our natural circumstances. We really do not know how or what to pray in many cases, so we desperately need to enter regularly into our place of solitude, to connect with the Spirit of God, so that we might stand up against our unseen enemies in the spirit realm.
They that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength. (See Isaiah 41) In our place of prayer and solitude we wait upon the Lord. It is easy to become so busy ministering to the needs of people that we loose our strength in God. Too much time spent ministering to people, and not enough time spent with our Father, can kill the power. Sometimes God purposely delays giving attention to a need for good reasons. Jesus was not operating on the people’s schedule but on God’s. He was called late to the tomb of Lazarus but it was in God’s time. He purposely did not respond immediately to the woman from Canaan in Matthew 15:23 but she was not left out.
We have to be careful not to allow the urgent needs of people to usurp or disconnect us from our power supply. Humility is the understanding that, without Him, we can do nothing. Waiting on God can make us late in the eyes of people but on time in the eyes of God. He could instantly meet every need on earth without straining His power but He uses the needs of people to draw them to Himself. We generally focus on the immediate need but He is focusing on the greater need in the heart. As we wait on Him in prayer and communion we gain more understanding about His timing and purposes for delay. If we wait, He will not be late.
Matt 6:5-9 "When you pray, don't be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. 6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
7 "When you pray, don't babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. 8 Don't be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!
(Holy Bible, New Living Translation)
Our prayers are not a religious exercise to gain favor with God. They are not to be repetitious babbling, as if God will answer because of many words, but our prayers should be personal, private communion with God. Those who think they will be heard because of their eloquence or communication skills have missed the point. We only have access to God through His Son Jesus. As long as we know how to connect with Him it doesn’t much matter how great our language skills are; our communication is more heart to heart than verbal.
John 16:23 "And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. NKJV
Find a solemn place to pray where only God hears. Pray boldly to the Father in Jesus name and He will reward you openly. Our prayers should be evidenced by the answers received rather than the words spoken. Humility seeks a place of solitude away from the busyness and the eyes of men. Jesus often got alone with His Father to pray and commune with God. He knew His effectiveness in ministry was dependant upon hearing from heaven.
John 8:28 Then Jesus said to them, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. NKJV
The hypocrites thought they were in good standing with God based on doing all their various religious exercises but they had it all backwards. They were exalting themselves based on good works instead of allowing God to raise them up from a place of humility.
Luke 14:11 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." NKJV
James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. NKJV
Getting down, to stand, is all about humility. Our battle is not against flesh and blood and our enemy is not our neighbor. Our authority in the spiritual realm indirectly affects our natural circumstances. We really do not know how or what to pray in many cases, so we desperately need to enter regularly into our place of solitude, to connect with the Spirit of God, so that we might stand up against our unseen enemies in the spirit realm.
They that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength. (See Isaiah 41) In our place of prayer and solitude we wait upon the Lord. It is easy to become so busy ministering to the needs of people that we loose our strength in God. Too much time spent ministering to people, and not enough time spent with our Father, can kill the power. Sometimes God purposely delays giving attention to a need for good reasons. Jesus was not operating on the people’s schedule but on God’s. He was called late to the tomb of Lazarus but it was in God’s time. He purposely did not respond immediately to the woman from Canaan in Matthew 15:23 but she was not left out.
We have to be careful not to allow the urgent needs of people to usurp or disconnect us from our power supply. Humility is the understanding that, without Him, we can do nothing. Waiting on God can make us late in the eyes of people but on time in the eyes of God. He could instantly meet every need on earth without straining His power but He uses the needs of people to draw them to Himself. We generally focus on the immediate need but He is focusing on the greater need in the heart. As we wait on Him in prayer and communion we gain more understanding about His timing and purposes for delay. If we wait, He will not be late.
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