Our hosts share about an upcoming training opportunity in West Michigan. For more details, or to register, check out the Eventbrite link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/our-three-forms-of-unity-tickets-1050672167737?msockid=3c83194c9de6682f223b0bcc9c986909

In this final Lord's Day, we consider our three sworn enemies, the aim of our prayers being God's glory, and our assurance that our God not only hears but answers our prayers! Lord’s Day 52 Q & A 127 Q. What does the sixth petition mean? A. “And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one” means: By ourselves we are too weak to hold our own even for a moment. And our sworn enemies—the devil, the world, and our own flesh—never stop attacking us.And so, Lord, uphold us and make us strong with the strength of your Holy Spirit, so that we may not go down to defeat in this spiritual struggle, but may firmly resist our enemies until we finally win the complete victory. Q & A 128 Q. What does your conclusion to this prayer mean? A. For the kingdom and the power and the glory are yours forever” means: We have made all these petitions of you because, as our all-powerful king, you are both willing and able to give us all that is good; and because your holy name, and not we ourselves, should receive all the praise, forever. Q & A 129 Q. What does that little word “Amen” express? A. “Amen” means: This shall truly and surely be! It is even more sure that God listens to my prayer than that I really desire what I pray for.

Dave Ramsey encourages us to pay off our debts, but spiritually, we all have debt to the Lord that we can not pay. Yet, He has graciously forgiven our debt, and expects us to now live in forgiveness. Lord’s Day 51 Q & A 126 Q. What does the fifth petition mean? A. “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” means: Because of Christ’s blood, do not hold against us, poor sinners that we are, any of the sins we do or the evil that constantly clings to us. Forgive us just as we are fully determined, as evidence of your grace in us, to forgive our neighbors.

While the Lord's Prayer starts with several lofty and spiritual requests, the 4th request shows us that our Lord cares about both our bodies and souls. In fact, the two are closely related! Lord’s Day 50 Q & A 125 Q. What does the fourth petition mean? A. “Give us this day our daily bread” means: Do take care of all our physical needs so that we come to know that you are the only source of everything good, and that neither our work and worry nor your gifts can do us any good without your blessing. And so help us to give up our trust in creatures and trust in you alone.

What is the most dangerous request to pray for? How earnestly and diligently are we seeking and working to see God's Kingdom come? These are some of the questions we explore in today's episode. Lord’s Day 49 Q & A 124 Q. What does the third petition mean? A. “Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” means: Help us and all people to reject our own wills and to obey your will without any back talk. Your will alone is good. Help us one and all to carry out the work we are called to, as willingly and faithfully as the angels in heaven.

What Kingdom are we focused upon? Whose kingdom are we seeking to promote or build? What wars against the kingdom of God, and how do we rightly oppose it? We explore these questions and more today! Lord’s Day 48 Q & A 123 Q. What does the second petition mean? A. “Your kingdom come” means: Rule us by your Word and Spirit in such a way that more and more we submit to you. Preserve your church and make it grow. Destroy the devil’s work; destroy every force which revolts against you and every conspiracy against your holy Word. Do this until your kingdom fully comes, when you will be all in all.

The first request of the Lord's Prayer is that God's name would be glorified! To faithfully do this, we must know who our God is, how he has revealed himself, and avoid being glory thieves. Lord’s Day 47 Q & A 122 Q. What does the first petition mean? A. “Hallowed be your name” means: Help us to truly know you, to honor, glorify, and praise you for all your works and for all that shines forth from them: your almighty power, wisdom, kindness, justice, mercy, and truth. And it means, Help us to direct all our living— what we think, say, and do— so that your name will never be blasphemed because of us but always honored and praised.

At the very beginning of our prayer, we are instructed to recognize both the immanence and transcendence of our God, as we pray to him as our father, while being reminded of his heavenly abode. Lord’s Day 46 Q & A 120Q. Why did Christ command us to call God “our Father”? A. To awaken in us at the very beginning of our prayer what should be basic to our prayer—a childlike reverence and trust that through Christ God has become our Father, and that just as our parents do not refuse us the things of this life, even less will God our Father refuse to give us what we ask in faith. Q & A 121 Q. Why the words “in heaven”? A. These words teach us not to think of God’s heavenly majesty as something earthly, and to expect everything needed for body and soul from God’s almighty power.

Today we begin the final section of the Heidelberg Catechism, which focuses on the most important part of our thanksgiving, prayer! Why do we pray if God is in control of everything? How does God use our prayers? Lord’s Day 45 Q & A 116 Q. Why do Christians need to pray? A. Because prayer is the most important part of the thankfulness God requires of us. And also because God gives his grace and Holy Spirit only to those who pray continually and groan inwardly, asking God for these gifts and thanking God for them.Q & A 117 Q. What is the kind of prayer that pleases God and that he listens to? A. First, we must pray from the heart to no other than the one true God, revealed to us in his Word, asking for everything God has commanded us to ask for. Second, we must fully recognize our need and misery, so that we humble ourselves in God’s majestic presence. Third, we must rest on this unshakable foundation: even though we do not deserve it, God will surely listen to our prayer because of Christ our Lord. That is what God promised us in his Word.Q & A 118 Q. What did God command us to pray for? A. Everything we need, spiritually and physically, as embraced in the prayer Christ our Lord himself taught us. Q & A 119 Q. What is this prayer?A. Our Father 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 bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one. For the kingdom and the power and the glory are yours forever. Amen.