Teach Me to Pray: Yours is the Kingdom

 

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

We have spent the past several weeks studying the Lord's Prayer and its implications for our lives. He will not share His glory with another.

I don't know about you, but I have been finding myself challenged in my walk with Christ. I love Him. And I never want to do anything that would put up walls between us.

Challenge, or difficulty, creates a space of discomfort. If you're like me, discomfort is not something we hope to experience. But Paul instructs, "Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer" (Romans 12:12 ESV). 

What does this have to do with the Lord's Prayer? More specifically, the final line, "For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen" (Matthew 6:13b)?

From the beginning of this study, we learned that Jesus instructed his disciples to go into the "secret place" or their "closet" and pray where they would not be seen, where no one knew of their contribution to the spiritual realm. Jesus was not impressed by those who performed good deeds to be seen. "They have received their reward," he said (Matthew 6:2, 5).

It's easy to act Christ-like when performing before an audience. But integrity isn't proven in the public square. It's how a person is when no one is looking that reveals their true character. The Cambridge Dictionary defines integrity as "the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles" (Cambridge Dictionary, Integrity n.d.).

Charles Marshall

When we endeavor to go deeper with the Lord's Prayer, living out each request made, it is imperative we are committed to laying down our own ideals, opinions, and agendas in order that we might surrender wholly to our Father, God, and King.

And this is ultimately what is required in order to fulfill Jesus' instructions to us, to be unlike the hypocrites. Throughout Scripture, we are commanded to come out and be separate from them. Not only did Jesus speak out about those seeking to be seen when doing "righteous acts" to be seen by men, He put a finger on those praying on the street corners, using many, and often repetitious words, thinking they would be heard for their vast vocabulary (Matthew 6: 5-6).

So is praying this iconic prayer vain repetition?

Only if you say it out of duty rather than devotion and a heart to live it out.

When we seek to live for Christ, live out the Lord's prayer by making it personal, knowing that when I pray "Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven," (Matthew 6:10-11), He will answer my prayer. It is His will that His kingdom fill my heart and that I grow and change to become more like Him every day. In order to become more like Him, I will need to take up my cross DAILY and follow Him (Matthew 16:24). The cross is the place where my flesh with its desires for self dies. It's the place of discomfort and change.

It's where growth will begin.

King Solomon was known as the wisest of all kings. He had great wealth and honor around the world. Dignitaries from all over came to see his wealth. But he didn't come by this on his own. As a young king, he asked of the LORD to grant him wisdom. And the LORD poured out upon him more than he could've imagined. At the end of his life, he'd amassed so much, including more than 700 wives, many of whom enticed him away from his devotion to the LORD. Once he'd spent his life on folly, we can see through his writings in Ecclesiastes that he realized his error. He closes this book with "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man's all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil" (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).

Even Solomon in all his splendor realized his source was God alone.

When studying to gain depth to the last line of the Lord's Prayer, I found one commentator who stated there isn't much study on this part. He reasoned that this lack was likely do to the inconsistency of its appearance across translations of Scripture. Many scholars don't believe it was part of the original.

Personally speaking, to close the prayer with this doxology seals it up. It begins with adoration and ends with adoration. And the Lord is woven throughout the prayer.

Yes, the middle parts are requests for provision and safety, but one might argue as stated in previous lessons that Jesus is the one who provides these things. Jesus is the bread of life. Jesus is our strong tower. Jesus is our rest. He is our healer, redeemer, and soon coming King. And when he comes:

"After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,"

and then

 "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure--"

... for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints (Revelation 19:1, 6-8).

Courtesy Google Images

And the glory of Jesus will be revealed: 

Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses.

From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords" (Revelation 19: 11-16).

 Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. He conquered death and hell.

I cannot claim even a sliver of His great power; although, through Him I can walk in His power and authority. Without Him I can do no good thing. 

So, attribution of glory and power goes to the One who alone deserves it.

And we shouldn't find it strange when, endeavoring to wrap ourselves in His glory, we become aware of the oppression around us, threatening to weigh us down in anxiety and stress. Instead, we can settle into His cloak of righteousness and rest while He wields His sword against our enemy, the devil.

As mentioned at the beginning, I've been challenged in my journey with Christ these past few weeks. I firmly believe that the teacher always has the opportunity to learn (through experience) the lessons they are sharing. (It lends to credibility.) 

During a personal and professional storm, I found myself holding to frustration and anger towards people, forgetting that "we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12),  But once the Lord reminded me, I took up my armor once again, remembering that it is He who is my shield of faith, helmet of salvation, sword of the Spirit, belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, and my shoes that keep me ready to carry the gospel of peace wherever I go (Ephesians 6: 12-20).

Whether the storm continues to rage for any of us, we are invited to rest in the presence and power of Jesus. And through it all, He will be glorified, magnified, and seen by all who see how He leads us through the roughest waters.

And as we look upon His glory, we will be changed to be more like Him.

Until next time, Karlene J 💝

Teach Me to Pray: Lead Me Not into Temptation

 

In this manner, therefore, pray:

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.

Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.

And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Matthew 6:7-15 (NKJV)

Courtesy Google Images: Promise

So often believers are encouraged by the promises of God, yet find themselves struggling with maintaining hope in a seemingly impossible situation, long and difficult season, or what appears to be the opposite of blessing on our lives. We grapple with belief when hope is deferred. We turn our faces towards the God who can never lie and say, as the father did for his son who was overcome by a demonic spirit, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24 NKJV).

We can see that Jesus was talking with this father, asking questions, and the father said, "If you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us." To which Jesus replied, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." The New Living Translation says it like this:

"The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on. us and help us, if you can."

"What do you mean, 'If I can'?" Jesus asked. "Anything is possible if a person believes."

The father instantly cried out, "I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!"

One might ask what this story has to do with the Lord's Prayer (alternatively named The Model Prayer), we need to determine what is being referred to as temptation or evil. What do we mean when we pray for the Lord to not lead us into temptation or to deliver us from evil?

Courtesy Google Images: Path

A quick word study of the words temptation and evil will give us some insight.

In the Scripture Matthew 6: 7-15 the word temptation means trial, test, affliction, calamity, putting to proof/proving, as well as temptation to sin. We know from James 1:13 that God does not tempt us with evil, so it would be likely that the word in Matthew 6 is a test, trial, affliction, calamity, or something that would stretch us emotionally, physically, and probably psychologically. The temptation to sin would follow when we are faced with that metaphorical fork in the road. We can see the struggle and several options present themselves. One or two are definitely not the answer. But there are a few that have some merit.

For instance, this past week our family was faced with some stressors we had not anticipated in addition to the stack of stressors already weighing on our shoulders. On a personal level, I am weary. We've been battling a certain issue in our family. It seems never-ending.

In the past, we would resort to reason and logic to answer the problem. We would shift one item to fill the hole of the missing piece and hope to cover the lack we'd created in the other spot. But this is not always the answer. Working two and three jobs to make ends meet are not only exhausting, but at what cost? Family time? Rest? Marriage?

No. 

The first stop must be to drop to our knees and seek the Lord for wisdom, direction, and His peace. And this is how I ultimately responded. Because I have tried every other avenue and found only anxiety waiting for me.

This brings me to the point that a trial, hardship, or struggle is permitted by God to bring us to a deeper understanding of His grace and strength in our lives. When we are weary in the struggle and temptation to sin and take matters into our own hands will wait for us to give in.

If you do well,  will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it. ~Genesis 4:7 ESV

Now, the word for evil is found 77x in the New Testament alone. Its definition is negative, meaning bad, wicked, crime, unsound, malignant, malevolent, slothful, inactive, envious, and covetous--to name a few. If we are asking the Lord to deliver us from evil, we need to link the request with "lead us not into temptation". 

Why?

Generally speaking, we are aware of our weaknesses, addictive tendencies, or struggles. It would be counterproductive to ask God to deliver us from something we are inviting into our lives.

For example, if I were to spend my days sitting on the sofa, watching television, and failing to seek and secure a reputable source of income. Eventually, the lights will be turned off, heating/cooling will be unavailable, and probably an eviction notice will find its way to my hands.

I could declare the promises of God for provision and sit under a tree and wait for the landslide of cash. I could become angry that God failed to provide. Or I could accept responsibility for inviting trouble into my life by not adhering to God's word that says, "For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat" (2 Thessalonians 3:10 ESV).

Conversely, if I were doing everything I knew to do, and circumstances out of my control presented themselves. It is not unreasonable to think that God would provide a way out of the situation.

I will confess, of the innumerable times my family and I have found ourselves in some sort of struggle, whether by our own making or uninvited, God has been faithful to strengthen, direct, and encourage us in some way. He has given us opportunities and creativity as a way to provide for monetary and physical needs. So when age-old familiar struggles taunted our morale, I turned into my little office to sit in the darkened room and call on the only One who could help. Confessing to Him, the problem in our situation is not His Word, His promises, or His power to fix things. The problem lies with me. I am a broken human who is in desperate need of my Savior to mend the shattered pieces.

So I cried out like the father in Mark 9:

LORD, I believe. Help my unbelief. Deliver me from the evil one.

The Lord is not surprised by our struggle to hold onto faith and belief. He knows our trials--testing, proving, temptation--are both to strengthen our faith and show us how mighty he is to all who will see.

Until next time,  Karlene J 💜

Teach Me to Pray: Daily Bread and Forgiveness

And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do.

For they think that they will be heard for their many words.

Therefore, do not be like them. 

For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.

In this manner, therefore, pray:

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.

Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.

And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Matthew 6:7-15 (NKJV)

It had been a long season of struggle, hope, struggle, hope, deferred hope, struggle. The thing that kept me going was my husband's job held promise of promotion and an income that would--finally--provide for our growing family.

It was April 2001, and we heard of a guest speaker visiting a nearby town at church. The members of our church agreed to hold our service with the other congregation so we could listen to what the Lord would say through this man of God. We'd heard of his teachings in different places and wanted to be part of something bigger than our tiny assembly. That night, he talked about blessings, trials, and overcoming. Among his illustrations that night was one of children in an impoverished country.

These children were orphans taken in off the streets. They would cry through the night, inconsolably, until one of the workers began to strap pieces of bread to their little hands at bedtime along with the promise, "When you wake, you'll never have to worry if you'll go hungry because you have this bread with you" (best recollected paraphrase from 24yrs ago). The man of God then shared that God's promised many things to His people. He sends encouragement to remind us that we will never be left alone.

Bread is a food item that is mentioned often in Scripture. In the Old Testament, the Israelites were instructed on how to prepare it without leaven prior to their flight from Egypt. Then in the wilderness, they received Manna from heaven, which was their "daily bread" provided from the hand of God. In the New Testament, references to bread include breaking bread together, bread from heaven, and I AM the bread of life.

So what is it about bread?

Throughout history, bread has been a staple in every household. It is a good source of fiber, fuels the body, tends to be low in fat, can provide a source of protein, and contains prebiotics. Breads can be fortified with nutrients such as Riboflavin, Iron, Iodine, and Thiamine. Some have said bread can help reduce the risk of cancer and increase serotonin (a mood regulator). Not to mention, there are so many variations and recipes, bread can be classified as a comfort food.

A daily portion of bread provides the following benefits:

1. Physical sustenance

a. Exodus 16:4-5 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not. On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.

b. Deuteronomy 8:3 And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.

c. John 6:31 "Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" 

2. Provision of needs unseen

a.  Matthew 7:7-11 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him?

b. James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

c. Romans 8:32 He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?

3. Provision of spiritual needs

a. Colossians 2:13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses.

b. 2 Corinthians 5:17, 21 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come ... For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

c. John 20:31 ... but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.

4. The promise of Himself

a. John 6:35 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to Me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in Me shall never thirst.

b. John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

c. 2 Corinthians 4:16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.

d. John 15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.

To sum it up:

Our daily bread is nourishment for our souls. While the bread we purchase at the store (or bakery) is filling, a vehicle for meat and cheese, and prepared a multitude of ways for our enjoyment, it will not sustain us for eternity. And it's eternal nutrition that we require for true life.

Deuteronomy 8:3 states that the Lord told the Israelites bread in and of itself is not to be their sole source of nourishment. "Man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD."

John 1 tells us that Jesus is the Word of God made flesh: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men ... And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1: 1- 4, 14 ESV).

So we can rest assured that our daily portion is Jesus. To welcome Him into our spaces, our trials, struggles, triumphs, and blahs. Allow Him to speak life into every corner and crack.

... and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.

I am a firm believer that there are no unnecessary words or phrases in the Bible--even the lists of begats in the Old Testament have a purpose for their place in Scripture. The topic of forgiveness is connected by the conjunction--and--to daily bread. The two statements are being connected for a reason.

I cannot firmly say why. But I can offer plausible suggestions.

Harvard Health Publishing, Johns Hopkins, and the American Psychological Association have published studies stating that there is a correlation between forgiveness and improved immune systems, improved Cholesterol levels, improved sleep, decreased instances of anxiety, depression, and stress.

Pastors John MacArthur and Charles Stanley have published articles citing warning signs of unforgiveness. The Master's University (MacArthur) has listed four problems an unforgiving heart will produce:

1. Unforgiveness will imprison you in your past.

2. Unforgiveness will produce bitterness.

3. Unforgiveness will give Satan an open door.

4. Unforgiveness will hinder your relationship with God.

Many Scriptures emphasize the importance of forgiveness. There is one that raises the red flags, sounds the alarms, and beckons the Christian to walk in a manner that keeps us in communion with our Lord Jesus Christ.

Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?

Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

"Therefore, the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants ..." (Matthew 18:21-35)

The story continues as Jesus explains how the king ordered the first servant be sold, as well as the servant's family, to pay off the unpayable debt. The servant begged for mercy. And was granted forgiveness, his debt wiped clean, because the king had pity on him. 

The servant, however, went out and found a co-laborer who owed him a much smaller amount of money. Something that could be paid back in time. The first servant had the second servant thrown into jail until his debt was paid, even though the second servant begged for mercy.

When the king learned of this, his response was to revoke his original decision to forgive the debt and ordered the first servant be thrown into jail until his debt was paid in full. Scripture tells us that this debt was so large that the servant would not be able to pay it back in his lifetime. The story ends with these final words:

And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart. (Matthew 21:34-35).

Sobering.

But here's the truth. Offenses come. We have opportunities to extend grace or grudges every day, whether in traffic, at work, or in our homes.

In the beginning, someone might say or do something that offends us. Instead of tossing it off as irrelevant to edification, we drop it into a bag--maybe to keep others from picking it up. We easily forget, until another pebble of offense drops onto our foot. So we pick that one up too and drop it into the bag. 

We continue collecting these stones until one day, our bag is filled. And heavy. And then, another offense comes like a boulder and bowls us over onto our backs. We struggle to get back up, but the bag of rocks has us weighted down. And now, we may realize we've held onto offenses and neglected to extend grace and forgiveness. Now, we are hurt and having a tough time letting the offense go. Some of us will choose to walk away from our church rather than deal with the pain and perceptions of how the offenses built up. And we carry them to another church. Instead of leaving the bag outside, we carry it into the new group of brothers/sisters. And the process continues until we're so full of resentment that we believe everyone is against us.

Now we're embittered and snake-bit (Numbers 21:6-9). The devil, in his crafty, lying ways, he infected us with the poison and has effectively blocked our ability to pray and seek the face of the One we've always enjoyed talking to. We feel lost and abandoned.

But we have a solution waiting for our attention. We can do as the Israelites were taught when bitten by snakes in Scripture. Moses created a fiery serpent, set it on a pole, and lifted it high for all to see. And when someone was bitten, they were instructed to look upon the serpent and live.

This, my friend, can be attributed to forgiveness. 

And then time savoring the sweet presence of our Life-giver. Jesus, our bread of life, who heals and sustains our souls.

For this, we can give thanks and praise for the One who loves us best.

 

"let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, 

and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. (Hebrews 12:1 ESV)

Until next time, Karlene J 💜

 

Teach Me to Pray: On Earth as in Heaven

As Christians, it is exciting to think about heaven's wealth and health blanketing the earth and covering God's people. Many prayer meetings will claim and proclaim the promises of God, suggesting that we've been given a blank check with a guarantee that whatever we say will be fulfilled.

But is this true?

On many levels, yes. However, it is not as clear-cut as our finite minds might perceive. We are told in Isaiah 55:8-9 that God's thoughts and His ways are far different from ours. He sees with eternity in His sight, while we can only see as far as the upcoming horizon.

So let's explore this portion of the Lord's Prayer:

Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10).

This portion of the model prayer is both full of hope and challenge. What does the kingdom of God look like? What is His will for us individually and collectively? And what does it mean to have heaven on earth?

I've been thinking about last week's lesson, where we learned that Isaiah saw the Lord after King Uzziah died. When I studied that passage, I wondered why the Lord waited until this king passed before showing the prophet Himself. I am not absolutely certain; however, when reading about this king, we can learn that in his early days, Scripture tells us he did what was right in the sight of the Lord. Because of his righteousness, the Lord blessed him and his influence (2 Chronicles 26).

In his later years, though, we are told that he entered the temple and attempted to burn incense. The priests tried to stop him, saying it was not permitted, considering he was not a priest. King Uzziah became angry and retaliated, resulting in the Lord inflicting him with Leprosy.  From that point on, he was unable to enter the temple, nor was he able to live in the palace. And I don't recall reading anywhere that he repented of his pride (2 Chronicles 26).

It was after the death of this pride-filled king that Isaiah saw the Lord. Historically, people revered royalty as a deity. Scripture tells us that God opposes the proud (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5). Could it be that Uzziah's pride stood between the Lord and the nation? If yes, then in order to see the kingdom of God more clearly, we can ask ourselves, "What areas need to be surrendered to the Lordship of Christ?"

First of all, surrender may be considered a curse word for the average American in the USA.

In the 1960s, British gospel minister John Guest, visited the USA and toured several historical sites, including Philadelphia and Germantown with his friend, RC Sproul. During his visit, they visited the various sites known for their history in the Revolutionary War. In Germantown they visited an antique shop. Several plaques could be found, many quoting famous sayings: "Don't Tread on Me," and "No Taxation Without Representation." But the one that gripped John Guest the most was the quote, "We Serve No Sovereign Here" (The Prayer of the Lord, Sproul, 2009). John Guest was noted as saying, "How can I possibly preach the kingdom of God to a people who have a profound aversion to sovereignty?" (Sproul, 2009, p.40).

John Adams full Quote, courtesy Google images

It is no secret that American citizens are infatuated with royalty. In all my years, there has been no shortage of news regarding a coronation, royal wedding, abdication, royal birth--or death--or any sort of focus on the royal family in Wales. RC Sproul noted this phenomenon as well, questioning, "Could it be we retain an interest in royalty because we recognize that in this freedom we enjoy, something is missing? Perhaps what is missing is that which we need most desperately--an awakening of authentic sovereignty" (Sproul 2009, p. 41).

So, where do we find authentic sovereignty?

We are told in 1 Peter 2:9-10 that we are a royal priesthood. We are citizens of the kingdom of God simply because we believe Jesus is His son, risen from the grave after a brutal and barbaric crucifixion. It is He who is our perfect Sovereign, the One to whom we must surrender if we are to effectively usher heaven to earth.

It is impossible for light and darkness to coexist. Try turning on a penlight in a darkened closet with its door closed. It is amazing how that tiny light dispels the darkness, even if only a glimmer.

Now, we can ask and answer a couple more questions:

1. What does heaven look like?

2. How do we bring heaven to earth?

3. What is the will of God?

Let's answer number three first. We can know that God's will is:

Salvation and sanctification: 1 John 2:17; Matthew 7:21; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8; Colossians 1:9;

Living a Chris-like life:1 Peter 2:15-21; Ephesians 5:17-21; Romans 12:2; Matthew 28:18-20

Thankfulness and rejoicing: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; 

Doing good: Colossians 3:12-17; Luke 4:18-19

To discern whether we are in the Lord's will, we can have confidence in:

1. The comprehensive Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Psalm 119:105; Isaiah 8:20) 
2.  Complete consecration (Psalm 37:3-4; John 7:17; Romans 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 8:5)
3.  Commitment in advance to do God's will (Luke 22:42; Psalm 40:8; Hebrews 10:7-9; John 4:34; John 5:20)
4.  Call upon the Lord (pray): (Matthew 6:10; Luke 6:12-13; James 1:5)
5.  Circumstances: (Acts 15:36-41; 1 Corinthians 16:9; Philippians 1:12-13)
6.  Counsel: (Proverbs 7:24; 15:22; 24:6; 28:26; Acts 13:2-3; 15:1-41) There is safety in the presence of counselors.
7.  Common sense: (Proverbs 23:19; Titus 2:11-12) 
8.  Consider the leading of the Holy Spirit: (John 14:26; 16:7-13; Romans 8:27; 1 John 2:20)
9.  Contentment (Philippians 4:6-7; Colossians 3:15-17)
10.  Gospel consciousness and overall consequences: (1 Corinthians 3:12-15; 9:19-23; Philippians 2:3-4; Colossians 3:17, 23-24) For every action there is a reaction, whether good or bad.
11.  Stewardship considerations: (Luke 19:11-26; 1 Corinthians 4:1-2; 2 Timothy 2:4) We need to count the cost.
12.  Do God's will as you discover it: (Psalm 143:10; Mark 3:35; John 13:17; Philippians 2:12-13; James 4:13-17). Building upon layers of obedience as you follow the adventure of learning to hear God's voice. 

As we study Scripture and learn God's original plan for humanity, such as health, prosperity, and overall well-being, we may be tempted to determine that if we are devoted followers of Christ we shouldn't experience hardship or suffering. While it is true that sickness and struggle is not part of the original blueprint, Adam and Eve succumbed to temptation in the garden bringing into the world the curse that comes with sin. While we live in this fallen world, we will likely come into contact with some form of pain.

When walking with his disciples, a blind man was nearby. The disciples asked Jesus, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of god might be displayed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world" (John 9:1-7). In the Old Testament, the entire book of Job was dedicated to a man whose life was upended due to a "bet" Satan had with God. Satan was certain Job would curse God if given the right circumstances.

Instead, Job questioned God's motives, defended his honor to his friends, and held to his confession that he had done nothing to deserve the calamities falling around his life. By the end of the book, we can see God enter the conversation with Job and his friends. Instead of explaining himself, as Job had initially wanted, God asked Job, "Where were you when ...?" and listed a host of accomplishments God completed. Rather than hold to his assertion that he deserved an explanation, Job bowed his head and declared that God is sovereign. No explanation required.

When we get to the end of our lives, there is only one thing we need to understand to fulfill our purpose on this earth:

"The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man" (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

In other words, if we truly want heaven on earth, as image bearers of our Creator God, we ought to seek peace, extend kindness, be gracious, cultivate the fruit of the Spirit already placed within us the moment we believed on Jesus: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law (Galatians 5:22-23). When we do this, we will bring heaven to earth because, as a kingdom of priests, we represent the kingdom of heaven, and while we walk the earth.

 The kingdom of heaven is wherever we are. 

 

 So live in a manner that brings honor to our King, builds up our brother/sisterhood, and attracts others to want a meeting with the One who gave His all for the world.

One day, we who have declared allegiance with Christ will be in paradise with him for eternity, where suffering will cease, sickness and death will be abolished, poverty will be forgotten, and we will partake of the indescribable beauty of gold (not plated or paved, but GOLD!) streets and solid pearl gates (Revelation 21-22). Praying God's will on earth, in my mind is spreading the good news of God's desire for people, inviting as many to the supper table as possible, and walking together, linking arms in brotherly love, and cheering one another on as we cross our finish line to eternity.

Keep heaven in our hearts, looking forward to the finish line where the reward of eternity await us with the splendor, glory, and majesty of Christ.

Listed below are some links to the articles referenced in this blog post:

What Does the Bible Say About Heaven? 21 Scriptures about What Heaven Will Be Like

What Does Heaven Look Like?

Seven Characteristics of Heaven

What is the Kingdom of Heaven Like

The Real Meaning of 'On Earth as it is in Heaven'

How Can a Christian Live 'On Earth as it is in Heaven?'

What Does The Bible Say About Heaven On Earth? (25 Bible Verses)

Until next time, Karlene J 💝