Heaven

Matt 6:10 "Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."

 

This is a really powerful part of this prayer. Jesus was teaching his disciples to pray for the Father's kingdom and His will to be done right here in this place where we live just like His will is accomplished in that place where He lives. I just noticed this. In the span of 22 words one word is repeated…heaven. I am thinking that maybe Jesus was trying to get a point across to these guys. He was probably trying to get a point across to us…think about heaven. Concentrate on heaven. Focus on the eternal. Our Father in heaven…as it is in heaven.

 

I know that I really get stuck in the temporary. I get stuck in concentrating on the here and now. What is going to happen in this country? What is the deal with the Middle East? What about Japan and the tragedy that has happened with the earthquake and the Tsunami and the nuclear meltdown? These are huge, important issues. I also get bogged down in what I have to do today…representing people, finishing a brief, how am I going to get to the camp on time? I think about my family and what scared me last night when we could not figure out where my wife was.

 

Now these concerns are not bad. I should focus my energy on this world and my work and my ministry and my family…but I need to consider them in a different light. I need to consider them in the light of the kingdom. I need to consider them in the light of God's will being done here. Just think if we really prayed this. How would my perspective change? How would my concerns change? If I said to God…"Just bring Your kingdom and please make sure Your will is done…that is all I want." I am sure that I would think differently. I am sure that I would act differently. I would not get frantic. I would not worry. I would not think the worst because I know that God is working out His will here just like He works in out in heaven.

 

The point is, as I pray this, I have the assurance that this is going to happen. I have the assurance that this is not just going to happen but it is happening. The economic mess in the US is a working out of God's will. The unrest in the Middle East is under His control. The tragedy in Japan is not taking God by surprise. And what happens with my job and ministry and family are all being working out by my heavenly Father, who loves me.

 

Yes, this part of the prayer is not just for God to do what He wants…it is to get us to think differently, to focus differently, to respond differently. I know that I need to pray this way

 

Start Here

Matt 6:9b "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name."

 

I am going to spend a little time in what we commonly call the "Lord's Prayer." Actually, it wasn't His prayer at all. Jesus' prayer is found in John 17. This really should be called the disciples prayer because this is what Jesus used to teach His guys how to talk to God. In fact, it is also found in Luke 11 when the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. I think it is cool that the disciples were so open. They actually admitted that they did not know how to talk to God and that they needed help, so they asked Jesus to give them direction on how to approach the Father. And this is what He said in both passages:

 

First things first: "Our Father in heaven." There are a couple of things that stick out to me in these few words. First, the disciples were told, and we are told who we are addressing. Our Father.

 

When I think about my Dad I think about how faithful he was. How consistent he was. How he really worked hard to provide for us. How he wanted to have fun with us. I think about his wisdom in some of the things he did and said. I think about his love for us and how he really wanted the best for us. That was my dad.

 

Now, as I think about our Father in heaven, I too think about His faithfulness, His consistency, His provision, his wisdom, His love, His desire, but I think about so much more…His power, His sovereignty, His majesty, His righteousness, His perfection, His mercy, His grace, His knowledge, His control, His creation, His creative abilities, His sense of humor, His joy, His gentleness, His patience…I could go on. But this is my Father in heaven. When I come to Him I need to be reminded that He is my heavenly Father. He is the One who gave me spiritual life. He is the One who gave me physical life. He is the One who is watching over me and who loves me with a love that is so great that it is difficult to comprehend. This is my Father.

 

I have to remember where He is. He is in heaven. He is not relegated to this earth. He is not confined to His creation. He is in heaven where He oversees every aspect of all that goes on everywhere. I just read that the Keplar space telescope detected 1500 planets that were orbiting around many other suns. The thing is, the Keplar only took a picture of one little place in space. In reality, if it scanned the entire sky it might discover 400,000 planets in our Milky Way. Now there are estimated to be 100 billion galaxy's in the universe. Just multiply 400,000 times 100 billion and you get an idea of how massive God's creation is…and He is my Father, in heaven, overseeing it all.

 

Hallowed be your name. The word for hallowed means make holy, purify, consecrate, venerate, be holy. This word is only used two times in the NT, here and in Luke 11. There are similar words that mean holy, but his one only is used here and one other place. Why is that? Because I think Jesus was telling us two things. First, God is holy. Even though when we approach our Father and we think of all of the other character qualities He may have, this one quality is pointed out. This one quality is mentioned. This one quality is to be lifted up in prayer…His holiness. "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty." Three times it is mentioned. Why? Because God is holy. He is set apart. He is unlike any of us. He is so far beyond what we are like. He is holy. It should make us fall on our faces before Him.

 

The second reason is this. This word can also say: "Mentally consecrate your name." That is, work in my brain in such a way that I get a grasp of your holiness. If I did this, if I grabbed on to this, it would change my prayer life forever. His Name is holy. His person is holy. All that He represents is holy.

 

That is why Jesus said start with: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name." Start here.

 

Light

Matt 5:16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."

 

Daylight savings time began today. As a result, when I got up this morning it was a little darker than usual. I wanted to read my Bible so what did I do? I turned a light on. At one point the dark was ruling the room and when the light was turned on the light took over. It is kind of cool how that works. Light gets rid of darkness. It completely overtakes it. I am not sure how this physically happens…the physics of it all, but I know the practical result…I can see. Just like Jesus said in the verse leading up to this one: "Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house."

 

Jesus was talking about us. It is weird, but Jesus said in John: "I am the light of the world, he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." John 8:12 Now Jesus says: "You are the light of the world." Matt 5:14 Jesus came to eliminate the darkness. Now Jesus is telling His guys: "Your job is to dispel the darkness as well."

 

How does that happen? How do I light up a dark area of the world? Good works. Darkness is all around us. People are groping around because they can't see where they are going. They need light. They need direction. They need help. And we who have Christ living in us can provide what they need. Light. This light is revealed and the darkness is overcome when we do good works. When we perform acts of kindness. When we go totally against the nature of this world and do the unexpected.

 

I didn't think of it this way yesterday, but as I was driving home from doing some running around (you know how Saturdays are) I was coming down Mentor Avenue. Some guy was standing on the side of the road hitchhiking. Now, I have not seen a hitchhiker in years. This is kind of a lost art. No one does it anymore, I think, because our society has gotten so jaded that we don't trust people. We think that picking someone up is dangerous, and unfortunately it can be. But you know what? That is pure darkness. We start living according to fear rather than faith. Anyway, my conscience was pricked. I drove past the guy and had to stop at a red light. As I sat there I grew more convicted. The light changed, I turned around and picked the guy up. I learned that his name was Jerry. That he was from Pittsburgh and liked the Steelers. (I should have kicked him out of the car.) He lived in Willoughby and was moving to Painesville and his car broke down on his way in. He had to get to his new apartment and he knew exactly where it was and took me directly to it. As we talked I told him that I picked him up because it is what Christ would have done. As I let him out I handed him a card with John 3:16 on it. Now, will I see this guy in heaven? I don't know…but I think that the Lord smiled. I got out of my comfort zone and did something that I don't recommend we all do unless prompted to do it by the Holy Spirit. It is my hope that God will be glorified because I may have been light to this guy.

 

We need, I need, to do more of this. Not picking up hitchhikers, but physically doing good works so the darkness is eliminated. This dark world needs it.

Sight

Matt 5:8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

 

Another amazing promise. If I am pure in heart, I will see God! This is crazy! I will actually see God? I will see what He is like? I will experience Him? I will understand Him more fully?

 

The word for "see" is "optanomai". It is where we get our word "optometrist". It actually means: "to look at, to behold". It also means: "to appear, to allow one's self to be seen". So if I am pure in heart God will appear to me. He will reveal Himself to me and I will behold Him. Wild stuff. How does this happen? I can I see God?

 

I have to be pure in heart. My inner man has to be clean. It has to be free from corrupt desire. It has to be free from sin. It has to be free from guilt. It has to be genuine, sincere, blameless, innocent. And once again, just like yesterday where God said that if I hunger and thirst for righteousness I will be filled, so today, if I am pure in heart I will see God. This is a promise. God will do this. He will definitely reveal Himself to me.

 

The question is: Am I seeing God? Is He revealing Himself to me? If He is, then I know the condition of my heart. If He is not, then I know the condition of my heart. Kind of sobering.

 

Hungry

Matt 5:6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled."

 

I love being hungry when I know that food is coming. Like right now. I am sitting at my desk eating a burger. So good. My physical hunger is being filled right now as I chomp on this burger and dill pickle. What would be tough would be to be hungry or thirsty and not know if there was anything out there that was going to satisfy your need. So many people in the world live like this. They are hungry and they thirst for clean water, but they are unsure if they are going to be able to drink cool, refreshing clean water and they don't know where they are going to get any food. And so they get hungrier...and they get more parched.

This is what I love about God. He says: "Hey if you are hungry and thirsty after righteousness I promise to satisfy that hunger. I promise to quench that thirst." This isn't a situation where God is withholding anything from us. If we want it He says: "Come to my table and eat." Jesus even said: "I have meat to eat that you do not know about." Basically He was saying: If you want to know about my food, just crave it and I will provide it.

 

The problem is not God…the problem is us. We seem to crave junk food. We don't want real food we want the stuff that is going to tickle our tongues but will leave us empty. I just think about the stuff I listen to or the things that I want or what I like to do. I get in the car. Do I hunger and thirst for righteousness or do I want to hear talk radio? Man, this is convicting to me. If I was hungry and thirsty for righteousness I would either spend time praying, or listen to great music or spend time listening to the Bible or biblical teaching. Instead, I fill my ears with Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh. Junk food. Or what about how I spend my time? Do I spend it investing in eternal things…God's word and people or do I want to just chill in front of the TV or the computer screen? Am I really hungry and thirsty for righteousness, or am I just fooling myself?

 

I am finding out that the only way that this is going to happen in my life is if I ask God to do it in me. I can't drum up this desire. I can create this hunger. It has to be a God thing. In my flesh I am weak. I am just like the disciples who were supposed to watch and pray but they fell asleep. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak and if I follow the flesh, I will stay empty. But a real hunger and thirst for righteousness will fill me up. I will be satisfied. I will be full. It will be rich. God has promised it…please do it.

 

Not Always Easy

Matt 4:1 "The Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil."

 

Talk about a head scratcher. Look at this: Jesus was led by the Spirit. That's a good thing, right? I mean, this is the Trinity in communion and communication. The Holy Spirit was at work in Jesus' life in that He communicated with Him and told Him to do things, say things and go places. Jesus, being perfect, did what the Spirit led Him to do. In this instance, the Holy Spirit told Him to go into the wilderness. I wonder if this is the same wilderness that John wandered around in? It is the same word…a solitary, lonely, desolate, uninhabited place. Frankly, it does not sound like a fun place to go to. Maybe if you were going to have lunch with John the Baptist it would be OK, but to just go into the wilderness…Why? Here is the kicker: "To be tempted by the devil." Whoa. Wait a minute. The Holy Spirit directed Jesus to go to a lonely, deserted place for the very purpose of being tempted? Didn't God know what He was doing? Why in the world would God the Spirit ask God the Son to go to a place where He was going to be tested? But as the Spirit led, Jesus went and when He went He encountered the very thing that He went for…temptation. The devil hit Him with the big three: The lust of the flesh (you are hungry…eat), the lust of the eyes (all this can be yours) and the pride of life (prove who You are.). The result? Jesus passed the test. He came through the temptation by using the word of God to battle Satan. Great lessons for us.

 

Maybe that is why the Spirit led Him there…for us. He led Jesus there because He was a man. He had to be tempted in all points like we are, and He was, but He did not sin. He was tempted so that He knew what we go through and He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted. And, He gave us a pattern on how to defeat temptation: His word.

 

The weird thing is this…the Spirit led Him into a place where we would think that the Spirit would not lead. He led Him to danger. He led Him to discomfort. This reminds me of the series that we just finished in church about chasing the Spirit of God…following His lead. It is not always going to be easy. It is not always going to be comfortable. In fact, many times it will be hard and challenging. Why? Because we need to be dependent. We need to rely on the One who understands what we are going through because He went through it. We need to depend on the power of the word of God. If Jesus had not gone into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil, we would not know this…but now we do.

 

I may not like it, but I know Jesus knows.

 

Fruit

Matt 3:8 "Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance"

 

John the Baptist was a wildman. Not only did he walk around wearing weird clothes and eating weird food, but he walked around in the wilderness shouting "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." He was not preaching where the people were in the city, but instead was preaching in the wilderness of Judea. The world for wilderness means the solitary, lonely, desolate, uninhabited places. I wonder if he wondered who he was going to reach there? Apparently he developed a reputation because, even though he did not go to the people, the people came to him to watch this interesting spectacle of a man. The people of Jerusalem and all Judea and even the religious leaders would take a day trip just to see this guy. When they got there, they got an earful. He called these guys out. He called them a "brood of vipers". He warned them to "flee from the wrath to come." And then he challenged them: "bear fruit worthy of repentance".

 

I am guessing that the people loved it. I am also guessing that the Pharisees and Sadducees hated it. This was the beginning. This was the start. This was the messenger who came to announce who Jesus was. And from the beginning the religious leaders of the day did not like what they saw or heard.

 

Fruit. The problem was the religious leaders fruit. Not their apples and oranges, but the result of their lives. Everyone could see what they were truly like, everyone knew what their inner man was like because of what was produced in their outer life. They acted like they were spiritual but the proof of the pudding was in what they did…and it was not fruit that was consistent with a repentant life.

 

What does that fruit look like? When John said that they (we) should bear fruit that is worthy of repentance, what did he mean? We know that he meant good fruit…not rotten fruit. We know that he meant fruit that was worth keeping not fruit whose only use was to create a fire. (v10) It was lasting fruit.

 

I wonder if my life is producing good, lasting, worth keeping fruit because this is the only kind of fruit that proves that I have genuinely repented. If I have fruit in my life that is sour or dirty or distasteful…if this type of stuff flows from me then that is proof that I have never really changed…there is no repentance. But if the fruit from my life is good, sweet, beautiful it is worth keeping and it shows what I am. It shows who I am.

 

I hope I have repentant fruit.