Jump Start # 3641

Matthew 6:9 “Pray, then in this way; ‘Our Father who art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy name.’”

It is a simple question that is easy to answer but hard to practice. “What makes a good prayer,” is something that many wonder about. For nearly all of us, our prayer life is not where we’d like it to be. I’ve not met the person who is happy with the way he prays. We need to pray more. We need to pray deeper. We need to pray about things that we often forget or neglect. We need to pray about others.

Our verse comes from the Lord. This is how He wanted His disciples to pray. Pray this way, is what He says. And, what follows is commonly called the ‘Lord’s Prayer,’ but more accurately would be the ‘Model Prayer.’

And, it’s amazing what we find in this prayer. First, it’s short. There are less than 70 words in this prayer. Reading this, at a normal pace, took me just 18 seconds. An 18-second prayer is not what we’d expect from the Lord. Second, the words in this prayer are not difficult. One doesn’t need a dictionary to understand what Jesus is saying. Third, the prayer includes spiritual as well as physical things. Forgiveness and daily bread, side by side, in the same prayer. It’s not all or the other, but rather, both. Fourth, these few words understand the position of God and our relationship. Our daily bread comes from God. We acknowledge that. We need God’s forgiveness. We need God’s deliverance from evil. Fifth, this prayer is extremely personal. It’s about the bread I need. It’s about the temptations I face. It’s about the forgiveness that I need. Nothing about world powers. Nothing about kings and rulers. Elsewhere in the Bible, we find prayers about those things. But not here.

So, immediately, when asked, “What makes a good prayer,” the answer is not a lot of words or even big words. It’s not long is better than short. It’s not about the big things in life, such as wars and calamities. It’s everyday things. The prayer begins with God, ‘Our Father,’ and it ends with God, ‘Thine is the kingdom, power and glory forever.’ And, within just about every line of the prayer, God is at the forefront. It’s a prayer to God. It’s a prayer praising God. It is a prayer seeking God.

Let’s now focus upon this opening statement, our verse today, “Our Father who art in Heaven.”

First, Jesus identifies the relationship with the divine and with each other. Calling God ‘Father,’ was very rare in the O.T. There He is seen as the Almighty, the Powerful. Words like Sovereign, Majesty, and Glory are often used of God. But here, Jesus wants us to call God, ’Father.’ If the Lord is the Father, then we are His children. There is a relationship. There is a connection. ‘Father,’ is the most common word Jesus used when talking to God.

But more than that, God is OUR Father. He is your Father and He is my Father. Notice, Jesus did not say, “My Father.” That would imply He is the Father of Jesus, but not us. He belongs to Jesus. But, neither did Jesus refer to God as “Your Father.” Your Father puts distance between us and Jesus. God is the Father of Jesus. God is our Father.

Wrapped around the idea of Father is love, care, devotion and tenderness. He is our Father. We are blessed to have the best Father, God.

Second, Jesus identifies where God is, “who art in Heaven.” He’s not here, but He’s there. He’s in Heaven. Multiple times in the Gospels you’ll find the expression who is in Heaven, attached to God. That is His world. That is His home. In John we find, “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places,” or “mansions.” God’s house. It’s not our house. It is His house.

If asked, ‘Where is Heaven,’ most  would say, “up there, somewhere.” How do we know there is a Heaven? Because that’s where God is. If there is a God, then there is a Heaven. No Heaven, no God. No God, no Heaven.

Third, God’s name is special. It is ‘hallowed,’ or HOLY. It is something that one doesn’t say just because he doesn’t know what else to say. One doesn’t just blurt out that name when angry, or when excited. His name is holy. It is sacred. Through our travels, my wife has picked up some special vases, plates and bowls from different countries. They sit on shelves to be looked at. We don’t use them and we’d never, ever think about putting the cat food in one and letting our cat eat out of it. Why not? It’s just a bowl. No, it’s more than that. It’s special to us. God’s name is more than a word. It’s more than something one says without thinking. It’s holy. It’s special. It belongs up on a shelf in our hearts.

Now, none of this may have decently answered the question, “What makes a good prayer?” But, what we begin to see is that a good prayer is not necessarily long or using big words. A good prayer is God-centered and God-focused. A good prayer is not the best words, but words from the heart. A good prayer honors the Lord. A good prayer seeks the help and grace of the Lord.

I suppose one could answer this question in the opposite. What makes a bad prayer? Self-seeking; arrogance; not honoring the Lord; not praying according to His will; just mumbling some memorized words and not meaning any of them; not intending to be any different because of connecting with the Almighty. When one understands that, then it will help to find the answer to what makes a good prayer.

The worst prayer is one never prayed. Talk to God, that’s what prayer is. Remember who you are talking to. He wants to hear from you.

Roger

Jump Start # 1990

Matthew 6:9 “Pray, then, in this way; ‘Our Father who art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy name.’”

I had an interesting question asked to me the other day. It came from a serious Bible student and a believer who wanted to know, “Is it wrong to be angry with God?”

In most relationships, there are moments in which one is angry with the other. The presence of anger does not mean a person no longer loves, but rather, something someone did, hurt, disappointed and anger was the response and reaction. Parents get angry with their kids, but they love them to death. Husbands and wives can push each other’s buttons to the point of anger, yet they love each other immensely. So, is it wrong to be angry with God?

I remember reading a nationally known author’s take on the book of Job. He reasoned that a person could scream, yell, question and all but curse at God. I never thought that was right. It seems the last chapters of the book, Job not only softens his tone towards God, but he even repents of some of the things he said. His pain and his mouth got ahead of his faith.

Now, why would someone be angry with God? He certainly has been very good to us. He has blessed us, protected us, forgiven us, included us. He is there when we pray to Him. He has been kind to us. Why would we be angry? Often, it’s because some tragedy has happened, or something that we really wanted didn’t happen. We wanted a certain job. We’ve prayed about it and desired it. But the call never came. The position was filled by someone else. We don’t understand. We’d be perfect for the job. We are qualified and we know exactly what ought to be done. We dream about that job. We need that job. It doesn’t happen. Why didn’t God allow it? We become angry. We get angry with God.

Or, someone near to us passes away. We are not ready for that. We’ve prayed for their health, and the prayers weren’t answered. Or, there has been a shooting, and a young child that we know was killed. Why did God allow that? A drunk runs a red light and slams into a car. A young child is killed. The drunk is shaken but fine. Why? Our confusion and curiosity turns quickly into anger. We demand to know why? We ask God why? In our pain, we become angry with God.

Is it wrong to be angry with God?

Jesus was angry with the money changers. He was disappointed with the faithless disciples. If Jesus can be angry with us, can we not be angry back towards Him?

First, be careful with anger. It’s like a fire. In a fireplace, fire is nice. In the grill, fire is good. But look what fire is doing to the hills of Southern California. It’s destroying homes, lives and is out of control. Anger can lead to ugly thoughts and ugly words. We easily say things that we shouldn’t when we are angry. Passion takes over reason and emotion only sees how unfair things seem to be. Jesus was angry, yet remember, He never sinned, not even with His mouth. Being angry with God can lead you to blaspheming His holy name.

Second, how we see God colors how we react to Him. When we are angry with one another, it’s not a happy moment. Parents don’t look back with fondness at the times their kids really made them mad. We remember the giggles, the smiles, the good times. When we are angry with someone, we generally don’t want to be around them at that moment. We need some distance. We need time to cool down. If I am angry with God, I won’t feel like worshipping Him. I won’t want to pray to Him. I want distance. And, that is never good with a relationship with God.

Third, generally a person gets mad because things didn’t go the way that they wanted them to. Your favorite team loses. Your favorite TV show is canceled. A dear friend moves across the country. We see things from our perspective of the world. Our spot in this universe is pretty small. Not only do we only see things from our little spot, we only see things from the standpoint of today. We can’t see out decades from now. What we feel is needed, nice and would make life good, is based upon our little spot in this universe. God sees the whole world. God sees all the way back to the beginning and all the way forward to the coming of Jesus. He sees how A is connected to B and how that impacts C, D and E. We don’t see things that way. So, we are angry because things are not the way we wanted them to be. Our anger is based upon how we feel and how we see things. God is looking out not just for me, but for others. He causes the rain to fall upon the just and the unjust. My anger, even though I would never admit it, may be selfish based. It’s what I want. God sees things differently.

Fourth, our verse today, God is in Heaven and His name is hallowed or holy. God is not one of us. We may shout, scream, walk away from one another and even slam doors. That’s not good behavior, but it happens. We are on level ground here. Someone may be my boss, but he’s still a fellow human being. God is not. God is in Heaven. I must remember that when I am talking to Him. I need to tone down my attitude and my words. I need to speak with reverence and devotion.

When people scream, “Why, God?” they fail to realize that God does not owe us an explanation. He doesn’t have to get our permission nor approval before He does things. He is God. He does have the right to ask us, “Why?” Why haven’t you been to church in a while? Why haven’t you gotten over those bad attitudes? Why are you still hanging around those worthless people you call friends? God can ask us why, because He is God and He made us.

We walk by faith and not by sight, which means, that there are times when I do not understand. However, I trust God. He is good. He’s proven that He is good. He keeps His promises. He is always interested in the spiritual, the heart and devotion to Him. This is not Heaven and it will never be Heaven. There is sin, crime, disasters and death here. The innocent suffer. Unfairness prevails. Selfishness is dominate. God is in Heaven. He is good to us. He knows what we need more than we know. A child doesn’t understand why he can’t have a bag of M & M’s before bed. The parent knows. The child cries. The child throws a fit. The child gets angry. The parent stays the course. The parent knows in the big picture what is best. We are that child. We don’t understand. But the difference is, that child is immature and young. We, have faith and the Scriptures. We learn. We know. We trust.

So, answer the question! Is it wrong to get angry with God? I don’t see anything good coming out of that. I don’t see a healthier, closer and stronger relationship built upon my anger with God. I don’t see God being pleased that I am mad at Him. My anger is likely to cause more problems and do more damage than any good that can come from it. Looking at things through the lens of faith, knowing that God knows what is best, I conclude that it is not good to be angry with God.

The Psalms reveal moments when the writer seemed to wonder where God was. He prayed and there was silence. That seemed to upset the writer. The stronger the faith, the greater the trust, the more we conclude that God knows what is best. I may not understand, nor agree, but as Jesus prayed in the garden, not my will, but Thy will be done. Can I live with that? That alone ought to turn any anger. How can I be angry, when I said, “Your will be done.” Or, have I really meant, “You will, if it’s the same as my will.”

Anger towards God is not a good place to be. It will keep you away from Him, when He begs you to draw near to Him. Work things out in your mind through faith.

God is good to us.

Roger

Jump Start # 1217

Matthew 6:9 “Pray, then in this way: ‘Our Father who is in Heaven, hallowed be Your name.”

  The other day I was sitting in the dentist chair. He had the radio on and a song came on, “How to you talk to an angel?” The song is about a guy trying to talk to a girl. But as that song was playing, I got to thinking. Just how do you talk to an angel? A real angel.

Abraham talked to angels but he didn’t know who they were. Joseph saw angels in a dream. The women gathered at Jesus’ tomb talked to an angel. An angel appeared to Cornelius in a vision. He talked to that angel. It was an angel that poked Peter and woke him up when he was in prison. The angel led him out safely. An angel appeared to Paul on his long and dangerous journey to Rome. When John saw an angel in Revelation, he bowed down but was told to stand up.

How do you talk to an angel? That’s a neat thought to me. Typically, we greet someone with a, “Hi, how are you?” or, “What’s up?” I don’t think that would suffice for angel talk. I’d want to know what all Mr. angel has been up to and where he has been. I’d have a lot of curious questions for him, but most wouldn’t probably wouldn’t be answered.

In our Bibles people only talked to angels when they were approached by angels. No one prayed to angels. No one worshipped angels. No one thanked an angel in the newspaper for making their child well. No one buried a statue of an angel or had an angel keepsake for good luck. We can get a bit goofy when it comes to angels. Our images of angels would be crushed if we really looked intently in the Bible. They were not described as chubby kids with wings. They weren’t females. Either they looked like men or they had a glorious radiance about them. And sometimes angels were sent on violent missions to kill people.

But all of this leads to a greater thought and a more practical idea, if we wonder how do we talk to an angel, how do we talk to God? This is where our verse comes in. Jesus shows us. God can be talked to. Angels, I doubt it. God wants us to talk to Him. He invites our conversation and wants us to talk to Him often. We call this “Prayer.”

Jesus, from our passage, said, “Pray this way…” This is how you do it. This comes from one who knows. Jesus prayed often. He prayed all night long. He prayed and prayed. While the disciples were crossing the sea, Jesus was praying. While they were sleeping, Jesus was praying. Even on the cross, Jesus prayed. So, Jesus knew prayer. It was as much a part of Him as anything.

Right before our verse today, Jesus pointed out two negatives about prayer. Some folks do not pray right. Jesus knew that. He used their wrong prayers as an illustration of what not to do. The hypocrites pray. That thought alone is very interesting. But they do. They pray, Jesus noticed, in public places. They love to have people notice. The answer to this, the right way according to Jesus, was to go into your closet and pray. No one there but you and God. No one to hear you but you and God. No one to impress, because you’re not going to impress God. Maybe when eating alone, I ought to just say a prayer and not bow my head. I guess it’s ok to bow, but do I do it so others see that I am praying? That’s getting into the hypocrite prayers. I could just say a prayer and no one knows but me and God.

Jesus used another negative. The hypocrites were one wrong way. The Gentiles were the other. We’d typically think that the Gentiles would be praying to the wrong god, some pagan idol. Not all. Cornelius was a Gentile and he prayed to God. The Gentiles that Jesus noticed used many words. Many words means long. Many words in a sermon means a long sermon. Many words in a book means a long book. Many words in a prayer means a long prayer. Many words are not necessarily wrong. If Jesus prayed all night long, He must have used many words. These Gentiles thought the volume of words impressed God. The more words, the better the prayer. There are times for many words because there are many things upon your heart. But a long prayer isn’t better than a short prayer—the same as a long sermon isn’t better than a short sermon, or a long book isn’t better than a short book. It’s the content –what is said that matters.

Having pointed out what not to do in prayer, Jesus then said, “Pray this way.” What follows is a short prayer. Simple words. It touches upon our physical needs and our spiritual needs. It honors God and keeps before us His will and His plan.

How do you talk to God? That’s a greater thought than ‘how do you talk to an angel?’ God knows what you need before you ask Him. Yet, He wants you to ask. God knows what you have done before you confess to Him. Yet, He wants you to confess. God knows your heart. God knows your troubles. God knows you. Don’t forget, He made you.

Why then, does He invite us to talk to Him? He already knows. Prayer isn’t a fact finding mission by God. You aren’t going to surprise God by anything you say. Pray is how we talk to God. Communication is key to any relationships. Salesmen must keep in contact with customers and buyers. Husbands and wives must talk. Parents talk with their children. Friends talk. Sharing, talking, expressing—that keeps the relationship alive and close. We pray because we need God. Prayer reminds us of this. We pray because God can do things that we cannot. This is why we pray for those who are sick. God can heal. We pray because we love God. We want to follow Him, obey Him and trust Him. Prayer and faith are the huge areas that we demonstrate trust in God.

And guess what? God not only hears, but He answers your prayers. Prayer works. God sends blessings down that answers our prayers. We must remember that “No,” is an answer to prayer. We must also remember that God isn’t working for us. Prayer isn’t rubbing the magical lamp and God appears to grant any selfish wish that we want and then returns back to the bottle until we want something else. That concept of our relationship with God cannot be found in the Bible. Prayer is having God’s will in my life.

How do you talk to an angel? More importantly, how do you talk to God? Have you talked to Him today? He’s there. He’s eager to hear from you. Take a moment and talk to your God. What an amazing opportunity this is.

Roger

Jump Start # 1088

Matthew 6:9 “Pray, then in this way: ‘Our Father who is Heaven, hallowed be Your name.”

  As we look at different ways the Bible refers to children to illustrate and teach principles, we come to one passage that is often overlooked. Here in this prayer, the relationship of child and parent, illustrating the disciple and His God is used. The word “child” is not specifically found, but with reference to God as OUR Father, it is implied and understood.

This prayer is commonly called the “Lord’s Prayer.” This is an example of a prayer that Jesus taught His disciples. There is a line in this prayer that Jesus would not have said about Himself. The sinless Jesus would not have asked for His own forgiveness. He did nothing wrong. There was nothing to forgive in the life of Jesus. There is no record of Jesus actually saying this prayer. This is a template, an example or a model to follow.

It is interesting to note how simple and brief the prayer is. The words are not complicated. The prayer is very short. God is moved by the sincerity of heart not the volume of words. Flowery phrases may impress an audience, it doesn’t God. Be yourself in prayer, yet remember who you are talking to.

The prayer begins, as our verse today shows, by directing the thoughts to God. Jesus said, pray this way, ‘Our Father…’ Not Your Father. Nor, My Father, but Our Father. If you and I both have the same father, then we are related. See the connection to each other Jesus is making. Referring to God as “Father,” was very rare in the Old Testament. It happened, but not often. In the New Testament, Jesus refers to God most times by the expression “Father.” Upon the cross Jesus used both terms, God and Father. In agony He cried out, “My God, My God…” His last statement was, “Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit.”

The word “Father” not only expresses relationship and connection, but it is a term of affection. We understand that with our physical families. We may use the word ‘Dad,’ or ‘Pop,’ but those words do more than identify, they are spoken with affection and endearment.

In 2 Cor 6 Paul wrote concerning God, “And I will be a Father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me,’ says the Lord Almighty.” God has more than one son. Those who are converted, those who follow, are considered God’s children. There are some special things that come with being a child of God.

First, there is the blessing of intimacy with God. I share things with my kids that I do not with others. We are family. There is a blessing to that. God promises to help His children. God answers the prayers of His children. Won’t He answer all prayers, some may ask? Not necessary. When my kids were young and they would play in the backyard with their friends, on occasion we’d invite their friends to eat dinner with us. We didn’t do that all the time. Nor did I take care of the neighbor kids like I did my own kids. My kids were under my care and in my fellowship. Those in God’s fellowship have a special relationship with their Father.

Second, being part of God’s family means that we are heirs of God. The blessings of God are for God’s family, God’s people. Paul referred to this concept often in his writings. To be included as an heir was special. An inheritance awaited those who were heirs. They benefited from the blessings. Forgiveness, grace and hope are daily blessings from God. Heaven is what awaits God’s family. Jesus has prepared a place for us. Heaven is real. Heaven is nicer than anything we have ever seen. We do not deserve Heaven. We do not deserve to even visit Heaven for a weekend. God will make Heaven our home forever.

Third, being part of God’s family means we need to cherish and protect the things of God. My kids rally around me whenever I’m sick. I had a tick bite the other day that was looking like it was turning into Lyme disease. I didn’t discover it until late on a Saturday night. I was ready for bed. I had to get up and preach the next day. My youngest, who is also a nurse, wouldn’t have any of theat. Off to the hospital we went until the wee hours of the morning. He was looking out for ole’ dad. We need to do the same. Shame on us when we laugh at things that mock God, profane His holy name, or ridicule the things He believes in. How can we sit by silently and allow others to trash God’s holy book or pervert it. The homosexual community has twisted and reshaped an image of God that allows and supports their sinful lifestyle. They are wrong. Evolutionists mock creation. They are wrong. God’s people need to do their homework. Bone up on facts. Know how to answer false charges. Young David had a fire in his belly when he heard the Philistine Goliath taunting the armies of the living God. He wouldn’t have any of that. We need more young people and old people who get that same fire in their bellies when they hear others taunting the church of the living God or the holy word of the living God. Paul was set for the defense of the Gospel. Being meek doesn’t mean toleration of blasphemous and erroneous statements about God. Lincoln once said, ‘To be silent, is to be a coward.’  This is our family. This is our Father. This is the kingdom that we are a part of. Stand behind it. Support it. Defend it.

Fourth, being a part of God’s family means we have hundreds and thousands of brothers and sisters world wide. It’s not a small world, it’s a huge family. God’s family comes in all sizes, colors and ages. They love the Lord and want the world to know Jesus. My travels take me to many places that I have never been before. In these new places, I find faces that love God and cherish the opportunity to worship and walk with the Lord. What a great family God has. Perfect? No. Dysfunctional? Sometimes. But they are the best people on the face of the earth. They’ll go out of their way to help one another. They pray for others in the family that they never met. They will donate time, money and resources to help those in the family. They rally around each other when there is pain and turmoil. They support each other. They forgive each other. They carry the characteristics of their Father.

Sly and the family Stone sang a song years ago, “We are family, all by brothers, sisters and me…” And so it is spiritually. We are family. We are God’s family. What a wonderful family it is. It is an honor to be in God’s family.

Our Father…what a powerful, delightful, warm and wonderful expression. Our Father –

Roger