Into the Heart of God?

Prayer builds relationship with God and intensifies the communication with Him. Talking is the key ingredient in building any relationship and Jesus Christ while He was in the planet earth taught the Disciples how to talk to God. He taught them the Lord’s Prayer which is based on the attributes and characteristics of God.

Let us look at the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13;

“Our Father which art in Heaven,

Hallowed be Thy Name,

Thy Kingdome come.

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

Give us this day our daily bread.

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

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:

For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power and the glory, for ever”: Amen.

The first part of the Lord’s Prayer centers on God, putting God in His rightful place, in our priorities. The second part focuses on our needs- body, soul and spirit and the needs of others. In the Lord’s Prayer Jesus targets all of human behavior and character and reminds us that we always need Him. God wants us to depend on Him moment by moment and experience the good things from Him which He wants to provide. It is an encouragement that we come to God, not as an unreconciled, avenging Judge, but as a loving gracious Father who understand and knows our needs.

God’s Fatherly love: “Our Father which art in heaven” God is compassionate, loving, and merciful, gives life, protects those who trust Him, and longs for a deep relationship with His children. Jesus Christ, God’s one and only Son, taught us the Lord’s Prayer and asked us to approach God as Father. “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” Jn 1:12-13.

God’s Holiness: “Hallowed be The Name” To hallow means to make holy, and “hallow” God’s Name means to honor and make it sacred. When we pray, we enter the presence of the ‘Living God’ with reverence, thanksgiving, worship and praise. Thanksgiving recognizes that everything we have belongs to God, our talents, gifts, possessions, jobs and our children. As children of our ‘Living God’ do we believe this? “Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at His holy hill: for the Lord our God is holy.” Psa 99:9. “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.” Psa 24:1.

God’s Sovereignty: “Thy Kingdom come” The Almighty God has supreme power and authority over all things in heaven and on earth, and when we acknowledge that we welcome His reign in our lives! The ministry of Jesus Christ in this earth was “to proclaim freedom for the prisoners, to recover sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” Luk 4:18-19. His kingdom comes, and when Jesus reigns supreme, there will be no pain, sorrow, suffering, or evil again. “And in the days of these king, shall be the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.” Dan 2:44.

God’s Authority: “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” On earth human free will results in selfishness, greed and all kinds of evil. When we pray this prayer, we are praying that all people submit to the will of God over their own desires, and faithfully love God and neighbors as themselves. “Teach me to do Thy will; for thou art my God: Thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.” Psa 143:10. “And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed saying” O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.” Matt 26:39.

God’s Providence: “Give us this day our daily bread.” The Greek word for ‘bread’ not only represents food, but also every physical thing we need. When we ask God for our daily bread, it means asking God to provide for our material, physical, emotional, spiritual, volitional, and relational needs for that day. This could also include our daily needs of ministries, people, communities, leaders, family, friends and other personal needs and God commits Himself to provide for His children when we depend on His mercy. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matt6:33. “And Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” Jn 6:35.

God’s Mercy: “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” (Debt vs. Trespasses) Several Greek words are used to describe sin, and the Gospel of Matthew uses the word, ophelema, which is rendered ‘debt’ Matt 6:12; and paraptoma, which is rendered ‘trespass’ in Matt 6:14. God will forgive us only as much as we forgive those who have injured us, and in the Lord’s Prayer we ask God to be merciful and forgive our sins. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 Jn 1:9.

God’s Protection: “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” God provides us a good defense we need to protect ourselves against the weapons of Satan and that is by praying for protection, we prepare each day for battle against evil. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”1 Cori 10:13.

“When our Christian experience becomes dry, there’s very little praying going on.” – Charles Price.

Jesus Christ not only encourages that relationship of trust with the Father, but willingly died a horrible death to purchase the right of believers in Christ, to be called children of God. Jesus Christ made it clear that the church’s mission is to lead people to Himself, and he commissioned to all His disciples to proclaim that Jesus is King and Lord over all; Matt 28: 18-20. While we learn to trust in God’s Sovereignty, and His ability to do His good will for our lives, we learn to trust His commands to exercise the muscles of our wills in prayer. Because of God’s Providence, compared to rest of the people on earth we are wealthy Christians! It is very easy to forget that Jehovah Jireh is our Provider!

Praying for forgiveness requires listening quietly in God’s presence so that He may reveal to us our own acts of disobedience, our resentments, and our unresolved issues in our hearts and even with our neighbors. As Christians we inevitably continue to sin, but our lives need to be characterized by a reducing frequency of sin with an increasing sensitivity to sin. It is a great privilege for believers and we can trust our Father in heaven who has promised not to leave us unprotected from the enemy, but to protect, deliver and forgive. Jesus Christ taught us to use God’s Name in honorable ways and for purposes that deepen and endear our bonds to Him. The more we learn to talk with God, the more we learn to please Him and we touch His heart!

References:

1.The Matthew Henry Study Bible, ‘King James version’ The best of Matthew Henry’s Notes in a Handy One Volume Reference Bible, World Bible Publishers, Inc; 1994, Iowa Falls, U.S.A.

2. David Seeking A Heart Like His, ‘Beth Moore’ Life Way Christian resources, Nashville, Tennessee, 2010, pgs: 206-210.

3. Jay E. Adams, ‘Critical Stages of Biblical Counseling’ Finishing Well, Breaking Through, Getting Started, (New Jersey: Zondervan, 2002, p.6-7)

4. Jay E. Adams, ‘How to Help People Change’ The Four-step Biblical Process, (Grand rapids: Zondervan, 1986, p. 20-28)

5. John F. MacArthur, JR. Wayne A. Mack & The Master’s College Faculty, ‘Introduction To Biblical Counseling’, “A Basic Guide To The Principles And Practice Of Counseling”(Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers,1994, P. 76-77)

6. Jay E. Adams, ‘The Christian Counselor’s Manual, The Practice of Nouthetic Counseling’ (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1973, p. 15-16, 21-23; 92-97)

7. Jay E. Adams, ‘Lectures on Counseling’ (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1978, p.192-203)

8.The Holy Bible, New King James version, Women of Destiny Bible, “Women Mentoring women Through the Scriptures” A Spirit Filled Life Bible, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee, Copyright 1982.

9. H. Michael Brewer, ‘Lessons from the Carpenter’ An Apprentice Learns from Jesus, Published by Water Brook Press, Colorado, 2006; pgs 50-59.

10. Jesus’ Teaching on Prayer, the Lord’s Prayer, ‘Know God’s Power and Forgiveness Through the Seven Petitions’ Rose Publishing, California.

11. Living Truth, Experiencing Christ in You, ‘Journey into the Heart of God’ Charles Price, Toronto.