(Originally published in part as Part 6 of the Lord’s Prayer series.) In Matthew 6, Jesus teaches His followers how they should pray. These instructions do not mean we have to pray this particular prayer every time we pray, but that the elements within the prayer (the priority of prayer/the important areas we shouldn’t forget […]
Read More On Treating the Symptoms Instead of the DiseaseWe’ve looked at the first two commands that Jesus gave to us if we want to be considered one of His disciples. First, we are to “deny ourselves” (read part one here) and secondly we are to “take up our cross,” (read part two here) but now we have reached the final command, and while […]
Read More The Price Part ThreeIn John 9, Jesus tells us that there are three things that we HAVE to do to be his disciples. First He told them that they had to set aside their selfish ambitions. (Read Part One Here) Jesus is telling us that in order to be devoted to Him, we have to let go of […]
Read More The Price Part TwoWhen my daughters (now 8 and 6 years old) were young, they had no concept of how much things cost. When we went to the store they didn’t know the difference between an item that cost $10 and an item that cost $25 dollars, they only knew what they did and didn’t want. It didn’t […]
Read More The Price Part OneIn all four New Testament gospels, we are given an account of Jesus’ grand entrance into Jerusalem. We commemorate this day by celebrating Palm Sunday. Many churches use palm branches in their worship services in the way the crowds came out in droves to lay their coats and palm branches in the road under the […]
Read More What Changes Between Palm Sunday and Good FridayWe have reached the end of our Series on the Lord’s Prayer. It’s my hope that you have grown in your relationship with God as we’ve looked at how Jesus taught us to pray. The often quoted prayer ends with a declaration of praise much like the closing doxology in the book of Jude. Oddly […]
Read More THE PRAYER: Part 7 “For Yours is the Kingdom…”When Jesus taught His followers the model for prayer in Matthew 6, He taught a deliberate sequencing in order for us to understand the priority of prayer. He begins by teaching us to acknowledge Him first (Our Father,) then moves us to worship (Hallowed be your name.), and then into submission before Him (Your Kingdom/Your […]
Read More The Prayer Part 6: “Lead us not into temptation/deliever us from evil.”Last week we looked at the first part of the Lord’s prayer where Jesus teaches us to ask for forgiveness on a daily basis. Just like asking for “daily bread,” we must seek God’s mercies new each morning. “Forgive us our debts…” Matthew 6:12a (ESV) Yet this isn’t where the prayer for forgiveness ends, though […]
Read More The Prayer Part 5: “…as we forgive our debtors.”Jesus’ model prayer continues to unfold. It begins with worship (Part 1) and flows into our submission to God’s ways and His Kingdom even while living on earth (Part 2), then the prayer shifts to us and our “daily bread” or our needs (Part 3). The next verse moves us to a deeper understanding of […]
Read More The Prayer Part 4: “Forgive us our debts…”“Give us this day our daily bread.” Matthew 6:11 (ESV) The prayer Jesus taught in Matthew 6, begins by directing our attention away from ourselves. It positions our hearts towards worshiping God (Part 1). The prayer then addresses our pride by surrendering our control to God and his Kingdom (Part 2.) Then and only then, […]
Read More The Prayer: Part 3 “Our Daily Bread”