Pastor Guy's Blog

Home Church Devotional 1/2/2021

These devotionals were written during the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic when area churches were not allowed to meet for fear of spreading the coronavirus. They were used in place of a full sermon as my family and I gathered for worship and communion.

“Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is 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 also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’]”

                                                                 Matthew 6:9-13 (NASB)

There are many “kinds” of debt in our country. Some debt is essential to our everyday lives, such as utility bills for heating and electricity, rent or mortgage for our homes and insurance for our vehicles so we can work to pay off our debt…just to name a few. However, there are three kinds of debt, that seemingly, have our country in a death grip, and these debts are, for the most part, of our own making. Credit card debt, healthcare debt and student loan debt are running wild throughout our country and there seems to be no end in sight for any of them.

While there are provisions in place for some to have student loan debt forgiven, this only happens after a long period of time in which you are required to make greatly reduced payments. Nothing, after all is free! Our healthcare system is broken and badly in need of repair with skyrocketing costs for care and medication, and in some cases, has helped to feed our nations credit card debt. While the “keeping up with the Jones’ attitude” is very much alive in our country, many people are forced to choose between putting food on the table or paying for much needed medication. Many have turned to credit cards to make ends meet.

Our nation desperately needs DEBT FORGIVENESS but this would only serve to tank our economy, bankrupting, not only banks and credit card companies, but many large retailers as well. No, simply forgiving our debt in this manner would only harm some and allow many to escape the consequences of their actions. There is an answer to this ever-deepening problem, this answer, however, isn’t very popular with most people in our country today. If we truly want DEBT FORGIVENESS, we must first return to the principles on which this country was founded…biblical principles.

The DEBT FORGIVENESS found in biblical principles goes much deeper than simply relieving our financial debt. No, the principles found in the Bible would impact our entire lives from money to health to how we live our life from day-to-day. DEBT FORGIVENESS begins with each individual repenting of their sinful ways and turning to God for DEBT FORGIVENSS that leads to an eternity with God.

Why is DEBT FORGIVENESS important in the Christian life?

DEBT FORGIVENESS is important because we have been forgiven a debt we could not repay; thus, we forgive the minor debt of others.

1). The DEBT FORGIVENESS we seek is of our own making – it was not force upon us.

Debt is a failure to keep one’s responsibilities. In our everyday life this means if we use electricity, we pay an electric bill; if we use gas to heat our homes, heat our water and to cook our food, we pay a gas bill. Failure to do this results in punishment, a disconnect from services and an outstanding bill that must be paid before services can resume. The debt cannot be forgiven without the payment of the bill or some other course of action, usually in some legal fashion. Even then, we may have to provide a security deposit or pay fees that may be higher than the original bill. The end result is a stain that remains with us for some time to come.

Forgiveness is as essential to the life and health of our soul as bread or food is to our body! Our sin is as debt because it deserves punishment. When God forgives our sin, He removes the penalty and drops the charge of sin against us. In this life we will never get to the point of NOT needing forgiveness on an hourly basis! We will never be perfect this side of heaven, but we can become what God has created us for – to love God and to allow that love to flow to those around us.

All people have failed God in our given responsibilities. Because we have failed to pay the debt for our responsibilities, we are guilty. What are our responsibilities to God? Our duty to God is to ask for forgiveness when we fail His will. How have we failed God? We fail God when we break His commandments, specifically the Ten Commandments meant to shape our physical and spiritual lives. We fail God when we worship as the pagans do and mix pagan traditions or even trade them, for what God has set apart and made holy. We fail God when we do not pray, our basic means of communication with the One who created us. We fail God when we do not read, study and meditate on His word, the means by which He has revealed Himself. We fail God when we “limit” His work in our lives; putting God in a box and taking Him off the shelf for an hour each week simply isn’t good enough!

Sin creates a debt towards God that we cannot repay. Those who have responded to the call of Christ have had their sins forgiven but we cannot simply celebrate our state of forgiveness, in our gratitude of forgiveness we too must eagerly forgive those who owe us a debt. God forgives those who are truly repentant, and the main evidence of someone who is repentant is a forgiving spirit.

DEBT FORGIVENESS is important because we have been forgiven a debt we could not repay; thus, we forgive the minor debt of others.

2). Our DEBT FORGIVENESS must also include the forgiveness of those who have done us harm.

Like the stain of an unpaid utility bill, unforgiveness is a stain on our soul that must be removed. Removing the stain of an unpaid utility bill may take time and much more money than the original bill but the stain of unforgiveness is as simple as the act of opening one’s hands. We have all heard the saying, “Let go and let God,” which does hold some truth, but is much more difficult in practice. Letting go requires that we open or unclench our hands, which requires we relax, specifically relaxing the muscles in the hand and our heart.

The simple fact is we cannot receive forgiveness when the condition of forgiveness – repentance – has not been met towards others. In order to receive forgiveness from God our hands must be opened, we cannot stand with clenched fists in unforgiveness to others who have wronged us and expect to receive freely from God. Our forgiveness of others, however, does not EARN us forgiveness with God. Once we have our eyes open to the immenseness of our hurt against God, the hurt others have done to us becomes small in comparison. We forgive others that we might continue to experience joy in our salvation experience here and now.

Just as we have failed God in our responsibilities, so we have failed people in our responsibilities towards them. Our duty towards other people is to forgive their sins against us. There will be many in this world who will do evil against us – not just outside the church but inside the church as well. People can and will smite us, use us, hate us, persecute us and spread rumors about us. At some point we will likely face some sort of physical abuse in the world. It’s not a matter of is but when.

In our fallen humanity the temptation will be to strike back, take an eye for an eye! But if we are to take this model of prayer seriously and begin to put what we pray into action our response must be one of forgiveness. We fail in our responsibilities towards other people when we harbor unforgiveness; when we openly show anger and bitterness towards another – those who witness these reactions are impacted just as much as the one we are bitter or angry towards. We fail our responsibilities towards other people when we entertain feelings of jealousy and envy – here again the keeping up with the Jones’ attitude is very much alive in our country today!

Perhaps the most common way we fail our responsibilities towards other people is in our prayer life – or lack thereof. We fail our responsibilities towards others when we have no real intercessory prayer life. Intercessory prayer is the highest calling of the Christian prayer life. When we lift others before God, especially those who do not believe, we set into motion the power of the Holy Spirit in our own lives and the life of those in which we are praying for. Intercessory prayer is a powerful tool, a tool that is not being used enough or properly, for every Christian individually and church body corporately. But we also fail others when we tell them we will be praying for them and then don’t; the only bad prayer is the unspoken prayer left unattended in the recesses of our minds.

We also fail others when we have the means to provide for the basic needs of others and do nothing to help them. James reminds us that faith without deeds is a dead faith. Helping others with basic needs does not always mean giving them money. Help comes in many forms; a bag of groceries to help carry them through a rough spot; pulling out some old clothes you no longer wear; a pair of shoes hidden in the back of your closet; a ride to or from an appointment; information on where to find help for utility bills, groceries or medications are all helpful in meeting basic needs.

DEBT FORGIVENESS is important because we have been forgiven a debt we could not repay; thus, we forgive the minor debt of others.

Our nation desperately needs DEBT FORGIVENESS but this would only serve to tank our economy, bankrupting, not only banks and credit card companies, but many large retailers as well. No, simply forgiving our debt in this manner would only harm some and allow many to escape the consequences of their actions. There is an answer to this ever-deepening problem, this answer, however, isn’t very popular with most people in our country today. If we truly want DEBT FORGIVENESS, we must first return to the principles on which this country was founded…biblical principles.

The DEBT FORGIVENESS found in biblical principles goes much deeper than simply relieving our financial debt. No, the principles found in the Bible would impact our entire lives from money to health to how we live our life from day-to-day. DEBT FORGIVENESS begins with each individual repenting of their sinful ways and turning to God for DEBT FORGIVENSS that leads to an eternity with God.

What is the church’s responsibility in all of this? The church, of course, cannot forgive sin, only God truly forgives our sin. However, the church should be a place of forgiveness, modeling the practice of forgiveness and praying with and for others. The church should teach intercessory prayer as it models praying for others. It is also the place where helping to meet the basic needs of people is to be modeled through its actions in the church body and the community in general. Food pantry’s supported by churches are a major contributor to help feed the hungry; clothing drives help clothe those who may have a need following a fire or natural disaster; partnering through giving to agencies that provide help with utility bills and emergency needs and he ever popular tradition of adopting families during the holiday season are just a few ways the church can model of forgiveness and an active faith.

Individually we must try to understand there is very likely a deeper reason someone has sinned against us – we are not fighting against flesh and blood, though the fight is carried out in the flesh, we are fighting a spiritual battle! Being tried, aggravated, being mistreated by another, and low self-esteem are just a few of the thing’s others may be dealing with. Though they are not an excuse we must try to remember others face difficulties we know nothing about. We must practice forbearance, that is, being patient and self-controlled; we forgive or stop feeling angry or resentful towards others. Finally, we can forget but in the sense that we are not harboring or holding wrong against another waiting for the day to “get even.”

None of this is easy, no one ever said it would be, in fact, Jesus told is disciples that would indeed find trouble in this world. But the good news is Jesus has overcome the world and by remaining in His love through obedience to His commandments, we too can overcome the world and the trouble we find while here.  As you work to put into practice this model of prayer may God bless your effort with His strength, may Christ grant you perseverance and may the Holy Spirit empower you each step of the way.

Amen and Amen.

Home Church Devotional 12/19/2020

These devotionals were written during the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic when area churches were not allowed to meet for fear of spreading the coronavirus. They were used in place of a full sermon as my family and I gathered for worship and communion.

“Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is 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 also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’]” Matthew 6:9-13 (NASB)

Thus far in our study of The Lord’s Prayer we have learned that Christian prayer is unique and sets the standard for prayer. Christian prayer is genuine, not being filled with empty words and meaningless repetition. Christian prayer is meaningful as it engages our hearts and minds in what we are saying, we lock ourselves away “in secret” to pray “in secret” to the Father who sees “in secret.” We learned in praying “our Father” that we are acknowledging a relationship that is shared with believers around the world, our brothers and sisters in Christ, in addition, heaven is not the place where God resides but rather it is the power and authority of God; we learned as we pray to set apart the name of God in reverence and honor that we might glorify and exalt Him. In verse 10 we learned in praying for God’s kingdom and God’s will we are acknowledging a kingdom already exists with a king and government already in place, making us subject to his rule and reign.

This week, in verse 11, we begin to look at the three petitions we make to God concerning ourselves. The first of these is the petition for our daily bread. This simple request, at least simple of the surface, involves so much more than we realize and might even consciously think about. In asking for bread, we are asking for far more than just literal bread. On this fourth week of Advent, the week of love, the love that Jesus Christ has for us comes squarely and plainly into focus, in this seemingly simple request for bread.

When we pray, “Give us this day our daily bread,” we focus on the present day while acknowledging our daily dependence on the God of all resources.

1). When we pray, “Give us this day…” we are asking for the continuous supply of our daily needs.

We must first notice the words “us” and “our” within this verse. These words are an extension of the first verse of this prayer model. We begin this prayer by announcing God as “our” Father, indicating we are in a shared relationship with God the Father. We pray for the well-being of those we call brother and sister in Christ. We seek for their benefit as well as our own. Here we pray for God to give “us” “our” daily bread. Once again, we are concerned with the well-being of our brothers and sisters in Christ. But there is also the sense that we are praying for those who go to bed with an empty stomach, wherever they may be.

The placement of “this day” or, “today” in some translations, at the end of the Greek sentence structure, indicates that this day, today, the present day is to be our focus – the center of our attention. “This day” is meant to relieve all worry and anxiety over tomorrow and yet future events. We are to live day-by-day on the provision of Christ for this day. Within this day we are to ask for the quantity of food necessary to support our health and strength. Tomorrow will come soon enough and, once again, we will present our request for, this day.

Bread here is a symbol for the necessities of life, we are not to ask for milk and honey, symbols of the luxuries of life. We are seeking for those necessities of life – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual – not just food for our hunger. God cares about our welfare, our mental and emotional well-being, our spiritual well-being as well as our physical bodies and their needs. God cares whether His people are warm, well-fed and well-housed. We seek the necessities of life, a life meant to glorify and honor our Father in heaven.

Within this request is an invitation to come to God with requests that others might consider small or trivial. God cares about the simple, ordinary, day-to-day things of life, and so Jesus uses the very symbol of the most ordinary things we need each day – bread. But there is also something a deeper here we must grasp. By asking for our bread for this day, we are reminded that prayer, like our request for bread, must be offered up each day. No prayer, no request is too small to bring to the One who has created us in His own image.

Likewise, the church is to be the place where members come to be fed from the word of God. Sermons and Bible studies should address everyday issues of life, speaking into the heart of issues faced in society. Encouragement, instruction, teaching, correction and even rebuke should be the standards within the church. Even those who name the name of Jesus need to be reminded of their calling in Christ. We remain stagnant if we do not find the nourishment from God’s word to supply our spiritual, emotional and mental health, to strengthen and support our growth into Christlikeness.

When we pray, “Give us this day our daily bread,” we focus on the present day while acknowledging our daily dependence on the God of all resources.

2). When we pray, …our daily bread,” we are expressing our continuous dependence on the God of all resources.

Once again, we see the word “our” as a reminder we are not prayer for ourselves alone but our brothers and sisters in Christ and those around the world who are going to bed hungry. Intercessory prayer is one of the deepest callings of the Christian life and here we see, within the request for our own provision the opportunity to pray for others in need. The Greek word used for daily here seems to indicate a continuous action or a continuous supply.

The continuous action is on our part, we must continually come to God seeking His provision to sustain us day-to-day. This is the acknowledgement of our complete and total dependence on the God who uses human production and distribution to see to our needs and fulfill His purpose. Thus, we are to live day-by-day, or as the old 70’s country style song goes, one day at a time, sweet Jesus! We can learn from Israel’s reliance upon God as they wandered through the wilderness for forty years. Their bread, manna, was given once a day, by God, to help them develop a continuous, conscious dependence upon God.

Bread was an important symbol throughout the life and ministry of Jesus. Before His birth, the prophet foretold of His birth in the small town of Bethlehem, which means “House of Bread.” In John 6:35, Jesus tells His disciples and the crowd following Him, “I am the Bread of Life.” Jesus has rebuked the crowd for thinking it was Moses who gave them bread from heaven but rather it was God the Father who fed them throughout their journey. In bringing the story full circle, in verse 41 Jesus says, “I am the bread that came down out of heaven.” The Bread of Life has come to the House of Bread to be born and supply our every need, every day, continuously and consistently.

Likewise, the church is to be the place where members are to be taught, encouraged and led by prayer. Prayer should be taught in all the church does. It should be a part of every meeting or gathering. Members should be given the opportunity to pray individually, in small groups and with the corporate body of believers. Prayer should be the standard of the church; it is where we are to learn of our continuous and consistent need for God; prayer is where we pray for ourselves and intercede for others, including our brothers and sisters in Christ; prayer is where we seek the kingdom and will of God the Father.

When we pray, “Give us this day our daily bread,” we focus on the present day while acknowledging our daily dependence on the God of all resources.

Thus far in our study of The Lord’s Prayer we have learned that Christian prayer is unique and sets the standard for prayer. Christian prayer is genuine, not being filled with empty words and meaningless repetition. Christian prayer is meaningful as it engages our hearts and minds in what we are saying, we lock ourselves away “in secret” to pray “in secret” to the Father who sees “in secret.” We learned in praying “our Father” that we are acknowledging a relationship that is shared with believers around the world, our brothers and sisters in Christ, in addition, heaven is not the place where God resides but rather it is the power and authority of God; we learned as we pray to set apart the name of God in reverence and honor that we might glorify and exalt Him. In verse 10 we learned in praying for God’s kingdom and God’s will we are acknowledging a kingdom already exists with a king and government already in place.us subject to his rule and reign.

This week, in verse 11, we begin to look at the three petitions we make to God concerning ourselves. The first of these is the petition for our daily bread. This simple request, at least simple of the surface, involves so much more than we realize and might even consciously think about. In asking for bread, we are asking for far more than just literal bread. On this fourth week of Advent, the week of love, the love that Jesus Christ has for us comes squarely and plainly into focus, in this seemingly simple request for bread.

If there is one thing that should be clear about the model of prayer we call The Lord’s Prayer, it is this, prayer is essential to the Christian life. Thus far in our study we have learned what it means to call God our Father, to hallow the name of God, to pray for God’s kingdom and will and now, this week, we learn the importance of praying every day for our day-to-day needs, not just physical needs but mental, emotional and spiritual as well. God cares for our physical well-being; He cares about our mental well-being and He gave His only Son for our spiritual well-being. The choice is once again in your hands. Will you seek the provisions of God for your day-to-day life or will you play it by chance and see what comes?

On this week, as we celebrate love, Jesus came that we might have life. He is the bread of life come down out of heaven to provide for our daily needs to strengthen and support our health; He is the bread of life com to lay down His life that we might have eternal life and He has come that we might have life in abundance – without anxiety or worry for tomorrow. Are you trusting in the Bread of Life for your daily needs? May the provisions of God sustain you and strengthen you and may the love of God comfort and warm you.

Amen and Amen.

Home Church Devotional 11/28/2020

These devotionals were written during the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic when area churches were not allowed to meet for fear of spreading the coronavirus. They were used in place of a full sermon as my family and I gathered for worship and communion.

“Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is 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 also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’]”                                  Matthew 6:9-13 (NASB)

Thus far in our study of The Lord’s Prayer we have learned that Christian prayer is unique and sets the standard for prayer. Christian prayer is genuine, not being filled with empty words and meaningless repetition; we are not heard by the number of words we pray or how often we repeat them. Christian prayer is meaningful as it engages our hearts and minds in what we are saying, we lock ourselves away “in secret” to pray “in secret” to the Father who sees “in secret.” Last week we learned in praying “our Father” that we are acknowledging a relationship that is shared with believers around the world, our brothers and sisters in Christ, in addition, heaven is not the place where God resides but rather it is the power and authority of God; and we looked at the first of three petitions concerning God when we learn as we pray to set apart the name of God in reverence and honor that we might glorify and exalt Him.

That brings us to verse 10 and the final petitions in honoring and exalting God the Father. This week we concern ourselves with God’s kingdom and God’s will. These are the heart of the message Jesus was preaching and teaching for the three years He spent on earth, leading His disciples and teaching them to share and spread this same message, a message that is all but left out of many churches and Christian lives today. To truly honor and exalt God we must share and spread the same message His only Son shared, the message that melted many of our hearts and drew us into fellowship with Him.

In praying “Your kingdom come, Your will be done,” we are praying for the spread of the gospel.

1). When we pray “Your kingdom come,” we are acknowledging God’s rules and God’s reign.

What does it mean to pray, “Your kingdom come?” Are we really ready for God’s kingdom to come? Do we really understand what we are asking for when we pray, “Your kingdom come?” As pleasant as it may seem to just have God come and establish His kingdom, it is far more complex and most likely will upset our apple carts. To pray “Your kingdom come” is to pray for major changes, not only in this world, in the hearts of our friends and family, but also within ourselves. No, this simple pray is far more complex than we can imagine.

To pray for God’s kingdom to come is to pray for the spread of the gospel message through His people – the church. That means putting ourselves on the frontlines of the battle against the darkness of this world. That means we are to be about the business of the Great commission in Matthew 28:18 – 20, sharing our story and how we have been impacted by the message of the gospel. This means getting our hands dirty and opening ourselves to the possibility of being hurt by others who do not know the peace found in Christ Jesus.

To pray for God’s kingdom to come is to align ourselves with the very message that Jesus and His disciples preached, taught and prayed. To pray for God’s kingdom to come is to pray for the very thing God longs for – to reign in the hearts of people everywhere. To pray for God’s kingdom to come is the very substance of the believer’s life – or it should be!! Our focus and attention, all of our energy and effort should be centered on the rule and reign of God on earth.

To pray for God’s kingdom to come is to pray that apathy and selfishness are conquered in our lives, not just the lives of friends and family members. God’s people must be rightly prepared before we can pray for God’s kingdom to come or we can lead others into the kingdom. God’s people are always to lead the way and that includes the difficult process of allowing God to break our stubborn hearts and minds to align them with His message and kingdom principles.

Likewise, the church must be the place where God’s kingdom can be seen at work in the lives of its members. God’s rule and reign should be clearly changing the lives of the church and the members. Selfish motivations for power, recognition and authority are done away with to be replaced with the heart of a servant in all members. The church itself should be a place of peace, where the rule and reign of God is so evident you can almost touch it! There is no dispute about the commands of God or the power of His mercy, grace and love. The church exemplifies all three elements in how the church worships, the way it treats one another as well as outsiders and how it functions in the community that surrounds it.

In praying “Your kingdom come, Your will be done,” we are praying for the spread of the gospel.

2). When we pray “Your will be done,” we agree to God’s control and God’s choices.

What does it mean to pray “Your will be done?” Are we ready to fully accept the will of God? Do we even know the will of God? Once again, as we pray for God’s will to be done, we will be affected, not just those around us. What many fail to realize is that God’s will is going to be done whether we are onboard with it or not, whether we are ready for it does not matter. God’s will is going to be done, so better to be onboard and be ready than have it run us over on the way through!

In praying, “Your will be done,” we are saying we will work to please God in all we do and to see that God’s will is done on earth. This takes our will, our agenda, our self-serving effort out of the matter – we are to serve God to please Him alone and make certain His will is being done – in all we do! Once again, we will be doing the dirty work of ministry with those who are searching for peace amid a world filled with chaos, we open ourselves to hurts we may not see coming.

In praying, “Your will be done,” we are saying God can do what He wants with us, no matter what He has chosen, we put ourselves at His disposal – even at the sacrifice of all we are and all we have. In praying, “Your will be done,” we are saying we will NOT be upset at what God decides to do – we may not understand it, it may cause more questions than answers, but we know God’s will is best! To pray, “Your will be done,” is to pray for our selfish attitudes and self-centered will to be replaced, indeed removed, that God’s will become our will!

Do you know God’s will? If you are praying, “Your will be done,” you must know God’s will for God’s will to be done! The will of God is for all people to be obedient to His law and thus be holy. To pray, “Your will be done,” is to pray for His law, His revealed will, to be obeyed and loved. God’s law is perfectly obeyed in heaven and we pray that the same be true on earth.

Once again, the church is the place where God’s will should be fully in display in each member of the church. If God’s rule and reign are clearly seen than God’s law is being perfectly obeyed within the church. Mercy, grace and love flow in abundance in and through the members and the church itself. Peace is evidenced in each individual life and within the church functions as well. Worship is filled with the glory of God, praise for the Creator flows to the heavenly throne, and all things are done in the name of God to His glory and exhalation!

In praying “Your kingdom come, Your will be done,” we are praying for the spread of the gospel.

Thus far in our study of The Lord’s Prayer we have learned that Christian prayer is unique and sets the standard for prayer. Christian prayer is genuine, not being filled with empty words and meaningless repetition; we are not heard by the number of words we pray or how often we repeat them. Christian prayer is meaningful as it engages our hearts and minds in what we are saying, we lock ourselves away “in secret” to pray “in secret” to the Father who sees “in secret.” Last week we learned in praying “our Father” that we are acknowledging a relationship that is shared with believers around the world, our brothers and sisters in Christ, in addition, heaven is not the place where God resides but rather it is the power and authority of God; and we looked at the first of three petitions concerning God when we learn as we pray to set apart the name of God in reverence and honor that we might glorify and exalt Him.  

That brings us to verse 10 and the final petitions in honoring and exalting God the Father. This week we concern ourselves with God’s kingdom and God’s will. These are the heart of the message Jesus was preaching and teaching for the three years He spent on earth, leading His disciples and teaching them to share and spread this same message, a message that is all but left out of many churches and Christian lives today. To truly honor and exalt God we must share and spread the same message His only Son shared, the message that melted many of our hearts and drew us into fellowship with Him.

You now have a choice to make. You can choose to follow one of four wills: (1) you can choose to follow your own will; (2) you choose to follow the will of others; (3) you can choose to follow Satan’s will; or (4) you can choose to follow God’s will. By praying, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done,” we are acknowledging a kingdom truly exists. If this kingdom exists there must be a king and a government. If there is a king and a government, then YOU are subject to the king and bound by His government, in fact, your own governance comes to an end! Do you call God your King? If so, do you honor Him as King by being obedient to His will?

Amen and Amen.

Home Church Devotional 11/28/2020

These devotionals were written during the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic when area churches were not allowed to meet for fear of spreading the coronavirus. They were used in place of a full sermon as my family and I gathered for worship and communion.

“Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is 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 also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’]” Matthew 6:9-13 (NASB)

We started our series on the Lord’s Prayer a couple of weeks ago focusing on Christian prayer. Christian prayer is unique because it is genuine. We hide away in our “secret room” away from the prying eyes of people so we can pray “in secret” to the Father who sees “in secret.” The essence of our prayer time is to seek the Father acknowledging Him as Creator, Lord, Judge, and Heavenly Father. We learn that Christian prayer is meaningful because our prayers are thoughtful and engaging because our hearts and minds are involved in what we are saying. In Christian prayer we are not heard because of the amount of words we say or how many times we repeat them.

Today we are focused on verse 9, “Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.” When we pray as Christians we are communicating with our Father in Heaven. By calling God our Father we acknowledge the relational aspect of praying and the power and authority of the One who has called us into fellowship with His Son. We set apart the name of God as our Father in heaven, sovereign in and above all things.

Before praying spend time remembering who God is – then set His name apart as holy among all things.

1). Our relationship with the Father is shared with other believers around the world.

What does it mean to call God, “our Father?” The Greek word for father is pater, signifying one who is a nourisher, protector and upholder. But the Aramaic word used by Jesus is abba, and no it has nothing to do with the 70’s rock group!! The word abba was used by children to denote warmth and intimacy in the security of a loving father’s care. As we know the father/child relationship is important throughout the Scriptures.

It is through God the Father that we have our very life, created in His image, adopted as sons and daughters of the King, heirs to the throne and kingdom of heaven. Every good gift we have has come down from the Father of lights. But it isn’t just gift’s that God gives, He provides structure and discipline, as any loving father does for his children. His structure and discipline are meant for our benefit and His glory. They are meant to keep us close to the Father and walking in His will.

God is as personal as we are, when we enter into His presence we are entering into an intimate relationship with God; God is loving, He is not an abusive or flawed Father – He is the ideal father in His loving care for His children; God is powerful, the words “who is in heaven” do not describe the place of God the Father, but rather, they describe His power and authority.

The heart of a child of God is to be a heart filled with brotherly love for all Christians. When we pray “our Father” we are asking in the spirit of unity, fellowship and Christian charity – we desire for our brothers and sisters what we desire for ourselves.

The church is to be on earth, all that the Father is in heaven, while remaining dependent upon the Father for all things. The church must provide structure and discipline for its members, meant to keep all believers close to the Father and within His will. The church is to be a place that is filled with the love of the Father, love that is built on personal relationships. The church is a place where God’s authority is seen and experienced but not abused or used for personal gain. 

Before praying spend time remembering who God is – then set His name apart as holy among all things.

2). As we pray, we set apart the name of God in reverence and honor to glorify and exalt Him.

What does it mean to “hallow” God’s name? In the Hebrew language it means to “let Your name be holy,” that is, the name of God is set apart as holy among all people and in all actions, His name is to be treated with the highest honor. This means we hold God’s name in reverence, not fear but great respect and awe – to honor, glorify and exalt Him above all things. Israel was to hallow God’s name by wiping out the names of pagan gods and to worship Him in the place where He chose to place His name – the sanctuary.

As Christians, when we enter into God’s presence, we are to hallow His name – set it apart as holy, that is we are to long for His name to be at the place of honor in people’s hearts and in our world. We honor God’s name in our prayers when we separate ourselves from the world and worship God in the sanctuary of our hearts. We are not worshiping self or idols but lifting the name of God above all others, seeking His glory above all things. Our needs may be many, but our greatest need is the presence of God and his mercy, grace and love.

We are to hallow God’s name with our lips. We do this by keeping our speech pure and free from foul or coarse language, inappropriate jokes and gossip. We seek to speak in love, in boldness and always in truth. Praise and thanksgiving should always be on the lips of those who have taken the time to remember who God is!

We are to hallow God’s name in our thoughts. We suppress evil and impure thoughts, taking them captive in obedience to Christ. Our tempers are controlled by grace through the power of the Holy Spirit. We do not think of others in contempt, covetousness or in any impure way. We meditate on His word and keep it in our hearts as the armor against the attacks on our thought life.

We hallow God’s name in our lives. We do everything as if the Lord God were standing next to us; from raising our children in the Christian faith to love and fear God, to our every day work life before our supervisors and fellow employees, doing the right thing even though it may be uncomfortable, to our witness to the unsaved love ones in our life, expressing our love for them unconditionally seeking to show them the love of God found in Christ Jesus, we do all things as if God were standing before or beside us.

In the church we hallow God’s name by acknowledging the word of God as our final and full authority. We place His name at the point of highest honor. We set apart the name of God in all we do, whether it be board meetings, Bible studies or small group settings. The church is to set the standard of hallowing God’s name in its worship service, designed to honor, glorify and exalt the name of God above all others. The church is to be to those in this world all that God is to the church in heaven. His power and authority are supreme, and we are to seek His glory by pointing the way to Him in all things the church does – food pantries, Christmas boxes, blankets, shoes, coats, hats and gloves – we do all things as if God were before us and beside us.

Before praying spend time remembering who God is – then set His name apart as holy among all things.

We have focused on verse 9 today acknowledging God as our Father, the nourisher, protector, upholder in which we are in a warm and intimate relationship. We have also seen that by using the word “our” we acknowledge the relationship we have with our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world. We express the unity and fellowship that is shared and the power and authority of the One whose name is set apart as holy, above all people and actions. God the Father is our final and full authority.

Our praying begins with God the Father and quickly encompasses those who are brothers and sisters in Christ around the world. We learn to set apart the name of God as holy, placed at the highest point of honor as we seek God in prayer that is thoughtful and engaging, involving our hearts and minds. Christian prayer truly sets the standard for praying as we acknowledge God as Creator, Lord, Judge and Heavenly Father.

Today we enter into the season of Advent, meaning coming or arrival. The focus on this first week is hope. What is the Christians hope? Do we have some pie in the sky dreams we are wasting our time on? Or is there something deeper happening with the Christian faith? Hope, as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary is to cherish a desire with anticipation; to want something to be true or happen; to desire with expectation of obtainment or fulfillment; to expect with confidence.

As we look at verse 9 of the Lord’s Prayer there are three things in which we are placing our hope; first, the hope of a new relationship – this begins with God the Father but quickly we find new relationships with those who call Jesus, Lord. They become our brothers and sisters in the family of God. Second, there is hope in a new life, eternal life – we are created in the very image of God and though our fallen humanity has dimmed that light, through the Son, Jesus, we find the power and authority to live a life as it is meant to be lived, eternally with Father and Son. Finally, there is the hope of a new home – heaven, to be recreated as the new earth and new Jerusalem when Jesus returns to establish His eternal kingdom.

Our hope is far more than simply pie in the sky dreams. Our hope is based in the completed works of Jesus Christ and the resurrection power that raised Him from the grave. Yes, there is work for us to do, work to be completed before the return of Jesus, but this is what we have been called to – to share this hope with those who have no hope. This is not a waste of time but the building of a new relationship, a new life and a new home.

Place your hope in Jesus Christ, time is short, but it is never too late with the Lord Jesus.

Amen and Amen.

Home Church Devotional 11/7/2020

These devotionals were written during the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic when area churches were not allowed to meet for fear of spreading the coronavirus. They were used in place of a full sermon as my family and I gathered for worship and communion.

“When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.                                   Matthew 6:5-8 (NASB)

Matthew’s account is written primarily to Jewish people who already know how to pray correctly, with the simplicity and directness Jesus wants and longs to see in His disciples. This same simplicity and directness should be used in our prayers. We will not be heard because we stood among people to pray nor will we be heard because of the amount of words we have used. Instead, we are to “go into your inner room” where we can be locked away in secret and pray to God the Father who sees what is done in secret.

This passage, found in the middle of the Sermon on the Mount, deals with prayer, personal prayer, but also has application to the church as well. As we progress through the text we know as The Lord’s Prayer, we will see the obvious application to our personal prayer life and I will share how God is showing me how this applies to the church and how it ties in with the vision He has laid on my heart.

Christian prayer is to be real and personal while being thoughtful and engaging.

1). Christian prayer is genuine.

Jesus warns His disciples not to be like the hypocrites who like to pray where they can be seen and heard by those around them. In so doing, Jesus says they have already received their reward. It was a well-known practice of the Pharisees to make their way to the marketplace or synagogue as the time for daily prayer approached. Many time’s these same Pharisees would suddenly be “caught” outside among people when the time to pray came.

     Being “caught” outside among the people it was their duty to stop and pray even if they were outside or among others. So, they would turn, face the temple, lift their hands and begin to pray, loudly, so as to be heard by others. In so doing, these hypocrites are showing that they do not truly love prayer or the God they are supposed to be praying to – instead they love themselves and the opportunity to be seen and heard by others. These are the hypocrites Jesus is speaking about in this passage.

There are many who do the same thing in the church today. Oh, they may not be at the store and start to pray out loud, no not that. But they come to church for worship, not for God, but rather to be seen and heard by others. They are seeking to gain a reputation as a godly person, but the fruit of their lives does not match the display seen during worship. Some even go so far as to boast about their private devotional practices.

     This person might lift their hands in worship or give a well-timed Amen! during the pastor’s sermon. You might see them nodding their head often in agreement with a Scripture reference, but things do not add up with these actions and the life of such a person. Their actions seem mechanical or well-planned out like the Pharisee in the marketplace. They are truly receiving their reward in the performance among others.

     Now, understand, that just because a person lifts their hands in worship or nods in agreement with the Scriptures or gives a heartfelt Amen! does mean they are being hypocritical. Always, always test the spirit and look for the fruits of a person’s life. There are many who genuinely lift their hands in worship as an expression of genuine love and worship before God.

Instead, Jesus tells us we are to shut ourselves away with God – away from the prying eyes of others – apart from the noise and distractions of the world. In this way we are able to pray to our Father. This is the essence of our prayer time – to seek God the Father. We seek God to acknowledge Him as Creator, Lord, Judge and Heavenly Father. This is where we bow down before God in humble worship, love and trust.

     All of this applies to our personal prayer life. Secrecy or being closed in with God, is only emphasized to purify our motives in prayer. In secret, performances for other people is taken out of the equation and we are left alone with God and our real and personal needs, desires and yes, even our sins.

So too the church must be genuine before God. The church must set the example and standard of prayer. A church without true prayer is hypocritical indeed and faces the possibility of becoming an empty wasteland, unable to sustain and feed its members, unable to attain the true power God has ordained for His church. The church must be genuine before God before it can be genuine before people.

     The church must be a place where those who are hurting, suffering and lost can come and find rest for their souls. In being real and personal before God the church becomes a hospital for those in need of the Great Physician. The church becomes a safe place, the inner room, for those who need to separate themselves from the noise and distractions of the world. The church is to become a place where purity in motives is exemplified, worship is to the glory of God and prayer is first and foremost in all the church does.  

Christian prayer is to be real and personal while being thoughtful and engaging.

2). Christian prayer is meaningful.

Jesus provides a second warning to His disciples, not to use meaningless repetition. Some translations use the word babble or babbling for repetition, regardless, the point is clear, do not keep repeating yourself with empty phrases in the hopes of being heard. So, meaningless repetition is a second pitfall we must avoid in our prayer life. Hypocrisy is a misuse of the PURPOSE of prayer – diverting from the glory of God to the glory of self; repetition then, is a misuse of the NATURE of prayer – degrading it from a real and personal approach to God into a mere reciting of words.

Jesus is contrasting the pagan way of meaningless repetition with the Christian way of meaningful communication with God. Jesus is emphasizing that Christian righteousness is greater – because it is inward; Christian love is broader – because it includes your enemies; and Christian prayer is deeper – because it is sincere and thoughtful – than anything that can be found in the non-Christian community. Christian prayer sets the standard!    

Jesus has shown us that the Pharisees were hypocritical in their praying and now He shows us the Gentile way of praying is mechanical, so, by contrast, the Christian way of praying  must be real – sincere as opposed to hypocritical, thoughtful as opposed to mechanical. Jesus wants our hearts and minds to be involved in what we are saying. Our prayer life is to be seen in its true light – as a true communion with our heavenly Father.

In applying this to the church, we must be careful when using memorized or written prayers. There is nothing wrong with them unless we elevate them to a status that takes away from the God we are praying to and have come to worship. It is only when they replace real, personal, thoughtful and engaging prayer that the potential lies for serious consequences and the eventual falling away from deeper times of prayer. Including them in corporate worship or personal worship is fine as long as you continue praying with a time of personal, thoughtful prayer with the Father.

Christian prayer is to be real and personal while being thoughtful and engaging.

Where do you see yourself in this passage? Are you like the Pharisee who prays to be seen and heard by others? Are you the one who lifts your hands only to be noticed by those around you? Or perhaps you are like the Gentiles who pray without thinking, babbling on and on? Do you fill your prayer time with endless request for the same things in the same way time after time? It is time for those in the church to examine their motives in prayer. We are living in a time when the church needs to be and set the standard and example of purity in prayer. I challenge you to take a hard look at your personal prayer time. Then take a hard look at how your church prays. Where do you see the need for improvement? Are your motives in prayer pure? Does your church seek the will of God in prayer and is His name lifted above all things? Wake up O, sleeper! We need to become the praying body of Christ!