The Disciple’s Prayer – Thy Name

What is commonly referred to as the Lord’s prayer is actually the disciple’s prayer.  The Lord’s prayer, His intercession for His disciples and for us, is found in John 17.  In Matthew chapter 6 Jesus is instructing His disciples on how to pray when He instructs them as follows: 

But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. After this manner therefore pray ye:  Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed (set apart) be thy name.

When God called Moses to deliver the children of Israel from bondage in Egypt, Moses asked God; Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name?  what shall I say unto them?  And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. Exodus 3:13&14.

We may ask, what’s in a name?  What does the name I AM teach us about God?  I AM is present tense.  With God, there is no past or future.  He sees all things in the present.

God has always been and He always will be.  He is eternal and infinite.  We are not.  Time is just a parenthesis in eternity.  Time is a created thing with a beginning and an end.  God is not confined to time.  He created it.

God lives outside of time and outside of the universe in the third heaven.  The universe is His tent.  He observes and controls everything within time according to His purpose.  We are created beings, confined to time and the physical, but God is a Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.  In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.  And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.  Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.            John 14:1-6

…let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…

The Disciple’s Prayer – Our Father

What is commonly referred to as the Lord’s prayer is actually the disciple’s prayer.  Jesus is instructing His disciples on how to pray in Matthew 6.  The Lord’s prayer, His intercession for His disciples and for us, is found in John chapter 17.

And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. After this manner therefore pray ye:  Our Father which art in heaven….

Who can say God is my father?  God is the father of all those who have been born again.  This is a spiritual birth.  Everyone has been born physically, but those who have repented (changed their minds) and believed in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, by grace through faith, have been born again.  Jesus explained in John chapter 3 that unless one is born again, he or she cannot see the kingdom of God.  I Peter 1:23 states it this way; Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.  Romans 10:17; So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Some believe that God is the father of all mankind and in a sense, as Creator of all, He is. But Jesus made a distinction when He addressed the religious leaders of His day.  Jesus said; Ye are of your father the devil and the lusts (desires) of your father ye will do (John 8:44).  Again, in the same chapter Jesus declares; He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God (John 8:47).  God is not the father, therefore, of those who will not hear His Word.

On the other hand; But as many as received him (Jesus Christ), to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.  John 1:12&13

And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba (papa), Father.  Galatians 4:6

let the word of Christ dwell in you richly

 

Confession of Sin

It is too easy for believers to take a light view of confessing our sin. It’s true that the confession of sin is taking God’s side against ourselves.  It is true that confession is saying about our own sin the same thing God says about it, but there is a deeper element to confession of sin. The deeper element is searching our own heart.

The difference between confessing sin and searching the heart is kinda like the difference between tilling or plowing the ground. Tilling is dealing with the surface.  Plowing is going deep and turning the ground over.

The surface part of confession is recognizing our sin when it happens.  The turning over of the ground, the plowing part, is recognizing that there is a deeper root problem within that produces the surface sin.

For example, when we get angry about something, what produces that anger?  I’m not talking about righteous anger.  I’m talking about the thing that pulls our trigger.  Are we proud or impatient?  Are we prone to road rage?  Are we judgmental and condescending?  Are we biased toward others?  We should be asking God to show us what produces our anger.

Is it enough to till it under by naming it as sin?  If we are hungering and thirsting after righteousness, we will plow the depths to find the root cause for that particular sin.  What bubbles to the surface should be called what it is, but there should also be a concern about what is producing the bubbles down deep in the heart. 

I am convinced that we take for granted our thought patterns.  Why do we think the way we do?  Is it because for as long as we can remember it has been this way?  What settled that thought pattern?  Was it the culture?  Was it something that grandma or grandpa always said?  Was it an attitude fostered in our community or in our school or church?   Is it the result of family pride?  Is it a biblical thought pattern?

Plowing the depths is indicative of a hunger and thirst for  righteousness.  Judicially Christians stand justified before God dressed in the righteousness of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.  As we experience spiritual growth and practical righteousness, we should find ourselves increasingly concerned about how indwelling sin affects our deepest motives.

Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.  Psalm 139:23&24

…let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…

Works and Salvation

Those that believe in works salvation often refer to James 2:20 (faith without works is dead) as a rebuttal to the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith alone.

  This verse in James doesn’t change the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith alone, not at all (Ephesians 2:8&9).  James is saying that if anyone has saving faith there will be evidence of it.  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (II Corinthians 5:17).  James is also saying that anyone who claims to have faith without any evidence or fruit of it, his/her faith is dead.  Works are evidence of salvation, not the cause of it.

Saving faith trusts the merits of Christ alone.  His perfect life fulfilled the righteous requirements of the law, which we could not do.  His substitutionary death on the cross paid our sin penalty, a debt we cannot pay.  The Lord’s declaration from the cross; It is finished….and His resurrection from the dead completed the work of salvation. 

God offers to us the righteousness of Christ, which is the perfect gift of salvation, to all those who accept the sacrifice of His Son as God’s provision for our sin.  This gift includes forgiveness and eternal life which is received by grace through faith.

Grace is God’s enabling.  No man can come to Christ unless the Father draws him.  Faith is a firm persuasion or conviction based on hearing the word of God.

And he (Abraham) believed in the LORD; and he (God) counted it to him for righteousness.  Genesis 15:6

Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.  But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.  Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.  Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.  Romans 4:4-8

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.  Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.  For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.  Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.  For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. Galatians 5:1-5

By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.  And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.  For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Hebrews 10:10-14

 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John 3:16-18

 Are you a debtor to the law or are you a recipient of His grace?


Note:  But what about all the verses that mention judgment according to works?  There are two things to understand here.  In Scripture there are two judgments.  The Bema Seat is for believers.  Believers will be rewarded in heaven according to their works on earth which include faithfulness and stewardship.

The Great White Throne Judgment is for unbelievers.  They will receive degrees of punishment in hell based on their works on earth which include consideration for the amount of truth rejected and  opposition to the truth.

The difference between believers and unbelievers is that believers have accepted God’s provision for their sin; Jesus Christ, our only hope of salvation.   Unbelievers have not.

…let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…

The Disciple’s Prayer

What is commonly referred to as the Lord’s prayer is actually the disciple’s prayer.  Jesus is instructing His disciples on how to pray in Matthew 6.  The Lord’s prayer, His intercession for His disciples and for us, is found in John 17.

And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.  But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.  But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.  Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.  After this manner therefore pray ye:

Our Father which art in heaven,

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.      John 1:12&13

And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.  Galatians 4:6

Hallowed be thy name.

Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.  Exodus 20:7  (Jesus is God.)

 Thy kingdom come. 

God’s kingdom is His rule in the hearts of men now and the eventual earthly rule of Christ in the Millennial Kingdom.  He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. AmenEven so, come, Lord Jesus.  Revelation 22:20

Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.     Psalm 40:8   What are we praying for?   How is it in heaven?  In heaven there is no sin.  In heaven there is perfect submission to God.

Give us this day our daily bread.

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?  Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.  Matthew 6:30-33

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.  Matthew 6:16&17

And lead us not into temptation, 

          …the believer’s desire to avoid the dangers of sin altogether…*       Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.  Psalms 27:11   

but deliver us from evil:

…to drag out of danger, to rescue, to save…**

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory for ever.

Amen!  Matthew  6:5-13

*NKJV MacArthur Study Bible – See note on Matthew 6:13.

**Zondervon’s Analytical Greek Lexicon, pg 360 – rhuomai

In Pursuit of Happiness

Happy is the man that findeth wisdom (the fear of the Lord)*, and the man that getteth understanding (departs from evil)*.

For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.

She (wisdom) is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.

Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.

Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth (holds fast to) her.

Proverbs 3:13-18

*Job 28:28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

…let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…

Ye Must Needs Be Subject

Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:

For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.

For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.

Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

Romans 13:1-7

…let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…

The Holy Spirit in the Church Today – Submission – Part IXC – A Study in the Book of Ephesians

Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.             Ephesians 5:21

The first three or four characteristics of a Spirit filled believer given in verses 19 & 20 of Ephesians 5 are fairly simple to understand.  However, the characteristic of submitting to one another raises a question or two.

How does a husband, who is designated by God to be the spiritual leader in the home, submit to his wife?  How does a father submit to his children?  How does a boss submit to his employees?  The answers are dealt with in the remainder of chapter five and into chapter six of Ephesians.  We will examine these in the order that Scripture presents them.

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord (vs 22).

Submit in this context is from the Greek word hupeikoHupo means under and eiko means to yield.  To subject or the word subjection is from hupotasso, a military term – hupo meaning under and tasso meaning to rank under, to arrange.  The word picture heard most often as an illustration of this is that of a knight kneeling before the king with his weapons arranged before him signifying his allegiance and dedication to the king.

The Spirit filled believer listed first in this passage of explanation is the wife.  This does not indicate that she is being singled out for ill treatment or that she is inferior to her husband.  Submission being one of the characteristics of a Spirit filled believer applies to believers in whatever role they find themselves, whether child, parent, husband, employer, etc.   Being mentioned first may simply mean that the wife’s submission is the most important.  Leadership is meaningless without followers.

Submitting to another does not mean that the one submitting is inferior to the other.  The culture takes offence because that is what the culture thinks it means, but Christians are to think biblically.  I Corinthians 11:3 says; But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.  The head of Christ is God.  Does that mean that Christ is inferior to God?  Of course not!  Jesus Christ is God.  The Son is simply carrying out the will of the Father.  That is His role.

What does submission look like in a Spirit filled Christian wife?   Submit yourselves in the middle or passive voice means to subject oneself, to obey, to be subject to.  This is a willing submission.  It is not forced or demanded by the Spirit filled husband.  It is voluntary.

The culture with its mouth agape will pretend that the wife’s role of submission is shocking.  Look around you.  Every day you and I are required to submit, to subject ourselves, to obey.  If you disagree, try telling your boss what you will do and not do tomorrow.  Try driving to work in half the time it normally takes.  Try telling the traffic cop that you make your own rules.  Without submission, yielding and obedience, our society would be in complete chaos.  Where there is no order and/or respect for roles and authority there is chaos.  The Holy Spirit is not the author of confusion.

By the way, this role for wives is the remedy for the conflict resulting from the fall of man (man’s disobedience in the Garden).  One of the results of the fall is the struggle for control between the husband and wife.  God’s solution, the Spirit filled solution, is for the man to assume the leadership role and to take the responsibility that goes with it.  The wife should support him in that role.

Subject yourselves unto your own husbands.  This submission is limited.  Somewhere, sometime, somehow, either the culture or “Christian” men not walking in the Spirit, fomented the idea that  the woman’s role is that of submission to all men because women are inferior.  The Bible doesn’t teach that women are inferior.  They are different from men, but not inferior.  The Bible says specifically in verse 22 that this Spirit filled role of submission is to her own husband.

The attitude of this submission is as unto the Lord.  The unbelieving wife is incapable of this type of submission because it is made possible only by the Holy Spirit who indwells believers.  A Christian wife should meditate on the characteristics of her submission unto the Lord.  Thought should be given on how to make these characteristics true of her relationship with her own husband.

Definitions are taken from Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words.

Note:  In light of this teaching on submission, Christian women who are considering marriage should note the seriousness of marrying according to God’s will.  An unbeliever cannot be Spirit filled.  This submission is produced by the Holy Spirit who indwells believers only.

If the husband asks the wife to violate a clear command of Scripture, she should respectfully obey God rather than man.  If the “Christian” husband breaks the law she should call the police.  Covering for him for sake of testimony is simply enabling him.

Spirit filled submission does not mean the wife should follow the husband into doctrinal heresy.  She should stand firm in a respectful way.

If the husband is involved in activities that bring reproach upon the cause of Christ, the husband should be dealt with according to Matthew 18.  He should be held accountable regardless of what position he may occupy in the church, even if he is the pastor.   

I Peter 3:7 KJV instructs the husband to give honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel.  The word for weaker does not mean inferior.  It is used in a comparative sense to the husband who, as a general rule, is physically stronger and able to provide the protection and security that she deserves.

…let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…

I’m Not Responsible!

A well known pastor/teacher said the following:

I’m not responsible for who gets saved, and neither are you.  I refuse that responsibility.  Then who is responsible?  “No man comes to Me,” Jesus said, “except the Father draw him.”  God has that responsibility, not us.*

What then is the Christian’s responsibility?  The Christian’s responsibility is to sow the seed.  The seed is the Word of God.  It is all good seed.  As we sow the seed, we should be asking God to let it fall on good ground.  Good ground is ground that has been prepared by the Holy Spirit.  Seed that falls on good ground brings forth fruit.

But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.  Matthew 13:23

The question, therefore, is not: how many souls have you won, but have you been sowing seed?

Here are some personal observations concerning sowing seed:

If you do not want to sow seed, then you probably shouldn’t.  If you do not want to sow seed, it will likely be obvious to the recipients of your efforts.

If you are to sow seed, it must be deliberate and intentional but not forced.  Write out your testimony of salvation and begin to share it in conversation as God gives the opportunity.   Ask God for opportunities to sow seed and ask Him to help you recognize the opportunity when it comes.

There will be many opportunities to share the gospel but personally, I would be hesitant to share my testimony verbally with a cashier and a long line of shoppers behind me.  Use instead a gospel tract or  a business type card with a blog address or short message on it.

Witnessing to a police officer who has pulled you over for speeding or reckless driving is probably not a good opportunity.  If you habitually break traffic laws, you should probably remove the Christian bumper stickers from your car. 

Witnessing to someone to whom you owe an unpaid bill is probably not a good idea either.   Paying a tithe while not paying your bills is in my view hypocrisy.

If a person is not interested in spiritual things then respect their wishes.  Respecting their wishes may get you another opportunity to witness later.  Not respecting their wishes will most likely get the door shut on you permanently and possibly anyone else that comes behind you.

Whenever I present My Testimony to someone,  I tell them that I would like to share how God worked in my life to bring me into a relationship with Himself through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Whether I share My Testimony in person,  by letter, or emaiI; I usually say that it contains religious material and if they think they would be offended by it, they should not take it, and/or read it.  However, if sharing by mail, I may ask them to keep it around in the event that one day they should change their mind.  I also try to tell them in person that I will not be offended if they do not care to read it.  

You may be wondering why I would include these things from the preceding paragraph because they almost seem to be discouraging the individual from reading the message.  The reason I try to include these statements is to make the presentation of the gospel manipulation free.  The presentation of the gospel is not a sales call.

If you are traveling, plan ahead.  Take some gospel tracts or your written testimony along to sprinkle along the way.  Personally, I would not pick up a tract left in a public restroom.   Be discreet and don’t litter!

 Giving a generous tip when leaving a tract for a waitress or hotel maids is a good idea.  If a tip is expected, never leave a tract without a tip.

Remember, sowing seed is not about you or your success or failure at sowing.  Sowing seed is about obeying God.  The results belong to Him.

Note: The personal advice above is just that, my personal views.  It is how I do it.  Feel free to disagree as long as it is my opinion and not a biblical command that you are disagreeing with.  Do not accept anyone’s opinion unless you are personally convinced or persuaded of it in your own mind.

*John MacArthur – Hard to Believe (workbook) pg. 160

Romans 4

What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?  For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.

For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.  But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.  Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.  How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision?  Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.

And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.

For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.  For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.

Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.  Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.

And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he (God) had promised, he was able also to perform.  And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

…let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…

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