CHRISTIANS MAY SPEAK WITH THE CREATOR AND PRESERVER OF THIS IMMENSE UNIVERSE AND ADDRESS HIM AS "FATHER," (MATTHEW 6:9. ON OCCASION, JESUS PRAYED, "ABBA FATHER," (MARK 14:36). IN ANCIENT ISRAEL, A SMALL CHILD USED THE TERM "ABBA" WHEN ADDRESSING HIS FATHER. THE ON.LY ENGLISH WORD WHICH CONVEYS ITS TRUE MEANING IS ".DADDY." PAUL TWICE SAYS THAT CHRISTIANS CAN PRAY TO THE FATHER AS JESUS DID, ROMANS 8:15; GALATIANS 4:6. WE PRAY WITH CONFIDENCE TO A GOD MOST CONCERNED ABOUT OUR WELL- BEING.
THOUGH WE HUMANS ARE SO SMALL AND SINFUL, WE MAY APPROACH GOD IN PRAYER WITH BOLDNESS AND CONFIDENCE, HEBREWS [4:16]. JESUS GIVES US TO HIS PRESENCE (ROMANS 5:2;) EPHESIANS 2:18; 3:12), AND PRAYS FOR US, (ROMANS 8:34); (HEBREWS 9:24); 10:22. JESUS FATHER IS NOW OUR FATHER, JOHN (20:17.)
THOUGH GOD IS INVISIBLE, HE IS NOT DISTANT FROM US. IN PRAYER, WE SPEAK WITH A HEAVENLY FATHER WHO IS CLOSE TO US. (PSALM 139:1-18). HE HAS FORGIVEN OUR SIN, AND DECLARED US HOLY IN "CHRIST." ( 1 CORINTHIANS 1:2).
HE EARNESTLY DESIRES FELLOWSHIP WITH US. GOD DOES NOT NEED OUR PRAYERS.
HE CAN SURVIVE VERY WELL WITHOUT THEM. HE "COMMANDS" US TO PRAY "FOR OUR SAKE, FOR HE KNOWS WE NEED HIM. HIS CONCERN IS NOT HIS EGO, BUT OUR WELFARE. PRAYER IS TALKING WITH GOD NOT MERELY TO HIM. THE DIFFERENCE IS IMPORTANT. (PSALM 27:11). IF PRAYER WERE MERELY TALKING "TO GOD," IT MIGHT BE THOUGHT OF MERELY AS A MEANS OF INSTRUCTING GOD ABOUT OUR SITUATION TO ENSURE HIS AID. GOD DESIRES TO SPEAK WITH US THROUGH PRAYER, TO OPEN HIS HEART TO US, TO REVEAL HIS TRUTH TO US, AND TO TEACH US TO WALK THROUGH LIFE HIS WAY, (JAMES 1: 2-5; (PHILIPPIANS 4: 4-7.) HE SPEAKS TO US THROUGH HIS WORD. THE PERSON WHO HAS LISTENED TO GOD IN PRAYER WILL UNDERSTAND MUCH BETTER WHAT HE SHOULD SPEAK TO GOD ABOUT, (COLOSSIANS 3:17). THE NEW TESTAMENT MAKES NO MENTION OF JESUS ASKING HIS FATHER TO GIVE HIM ANY OBJECT, ANY MATERIAL THING. HE THANKS HIS FATHER FOR WHATEVER HE GIVES, AND PRAYS FOR POWER TO DO HIS WILL., (MARK 14: 32-42). THE LORD'S PRAYER, READ (MATTHEW 26, 51,52.) WHY DID JESUS DISCIPLE DRAW HIS SWORD? WHY DID JESUS COMMAND HIM TO REFRAIN FROM USING IT?
MARTIN LUTHER ONCE SAID THAT IF YOU SEE AN ARMY MARCHING INTO BATTLE, AND CARRYING THE CROSS OF CHRIST AT THE HEAD OF THE COLUMN , YOU SHOULD FLEE FROM THAT ARMY AS FROM THE DEVIL HIMSELF. WHY DID HE INSIST ON THAT COURSE OF ACTION? (EPHESIANS 6:10-18). WHAT WEAPONS DO WE USE?
WHAT EVENTS LEAD UP TO THE GIVING OF THE LORD'S PRAYER IN-(MATTHEW 6:1-9?
AND IT CAME TO PASS, THAT AS HE WAS PRAYING IN A CERTAIN PLACE, WHEN HE CEASED, ONE OF HIS DISCIPLES SAID UNTO HIM, LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY, AS JOHN ALSO TAUGHT HIS DISCIPLES. AND HE SAID UNTO THEM, WHEN YE PRAY, SAY; OUR FATHER WHICH ART IN HEAVEN, HALLOWED BE THY NAME. THY KINGDOM COME. THY WILL BE DONE, AS IN HEAVEN, SO IN EARTH. GIVE US DAY BY DAY OUR DAILY BREAD (FOOD). AND FORGIVE US OUR SINS; FOR WE ALSO FORGIVE EVERY ONE INDEBTED TO US. AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION; BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL; FOR THOU ARE THE POWER AND GLORY FOR EVER AND EVER. (MATT 6:1-9.)
WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF "OUR?" WHO ART IN "HEAVEN?"
THERE IS GOOD REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THE WORDS, "ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN" QUALIFY THE FIRST THREE PETITIONS, WHICH ARE THEN TO BE UNDERSTOOD AS:
"HALLOWED BE THY NAME ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN ?"
"THY KINGDOM COME ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN."
" THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN." WHAT IS THE POINT OF ON EARTH IT IS IN HEAVEN?
WHAT IS MEANT BY GOD'S "NAME," AND HOW DO WE HALLOW IT?
WHAT IS GOD'S "KINGDOM" AND HOW DOES IT COME?
WHAT IS GOD'S "WILL", AND WHO IS TO DO IT?
HAVE YOU ASKED GOD FOR DAILY BREAD AND OTHER NEEDS EVERY DAY OF YOUR LIFE?
IF YOU WERE NEVER AGAIN TO ASK HIM FOR THESE THINGS, WOULD HE SUPPLY THEM? WHY, THEN, BOTHER TO PRAY?, " GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD? WHY PRAY "US" AND "OUR" IN THIS PETITION ("AND FORGIVE... ETC) WE ASK THAT WE BE IMITATORS OF GOD IN OUR DEALINGS WITH OTHERS.
WHAT DOES THIS IMPLY?
WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF FAILING TO DO SO (MATTHEW 18: 23-35)?
THE FINAL PETITION MIGHT WELL BE TRANSLATED, " BUT DELIVER US FROM THE EVIL ONE (SATAN)." IF THE PETITION IS UNDERSTOOD THIS WAY- WHAT IS THE OVERARCHING CONCERN OF THE TWO CLOSING PETITIONS?
AND WHAT " FRONT LINE, IN THE TRENCHES MENTALITY ARE WE TO ADOPT AT ALL TIMES.
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