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If you come to church to try to deepen your relationship with God within a hard world – which I believe many of us do – I am confident that these reflections

1.     What keeps you from trusting God? (violence, evil, circumstances, pain)

2.     What would help you trust God more? (prayer, better circumstances, a vision, a miracle)

3.     How can you help your neighbor increase their faith? (be welcoming/accepting/loving, remember God’s blessings, pray for them)

Part 9 of the Lord's Prayer Series

We acknowledge God’s kingdom.  Jesus is bringing God’s kingdom here on earth.  To that kingdom, we give our pledge and allegiance.  We pray, “May your rule and reign come in my life, in the lives of your people.”  Thine is the kingdom.

We acknowledge God’s power.  God is the power by which all things exist.  God spoke, and things came into being.  Jesus also promised that the Holy Spirit would give us power.  He said that if we believe, we will be able to do the same works that Jesus himself did on earth.  We also are given the power to influence others.  Let us use that influence well.  Thine is the power.

We acknowledge God’s glory.  This is the glory the disciples witnessed on Mount Tabor on the day of transfiguration.  It is the glory by which Jesus ascended into Heaven after appearing to the disciples following the Resurrection.  It is the glory by which Elijah rode a chariot into the clouds.  We are witnesses to God’s glory in these various deeds, and in our own experiences

What is evil?  Is it violence?  Is it hate?  When you hear the word “evil” what comes to your mind?  As you pray this prayer every week, what are you asking God to deliver you from?  Are you asking God to keep you safe?  Are you asking not to be controlled by evil?  Are you asking not to be tempted by it?  What

Part 7 in the Lord's Prayer Series

Finally, recognize that we will never escape the existence of temptation on this earth.  No matter how faithful you are, you will always be tempted.  Some may say that you are tempted more when you become more faithful because the Devil knows you are a greater risk to His kingdom.  But regardless of how much temptation we face, we can know that we will never truly be separated from God if we keep asking God to lead us.  Romans 8:39 claims, “Nothing will be able to

First, notice how Jesus comes to us even when we lock our doors.  There is no door that can keep Jesus from

Part 5 in The Lord's Prayer Series

Part 4 of The Lord's Prayer Series

If everything happened by the will of God, there would be no need for Jesus to come as a Savoir from our sin!  The fact that not everything that happens is the will of God should be fairly easy to accept.  Do you think that everything you do is what God wants you to do?  Even Paul said to his readers, “I do not understand what I do.  For what I want to do, I do not do, but what I hate, I do” (Romans 7:15).  We also do not do what God wants us to do.  We do not seek God in everything and in every moment.  We also do many things that God hates: we hold resentment and grudges, and we refuse to forgive.  God might will us to be perfect, but we never will be because we are human (Matthew 5:48).  So, first, know that not everything in the world is the will of God.  The world falls short of what is perfect.

First, we recognize that what we see is not the perfect will of God.  Second, we note that we can participate in an often-difficult path to make the world a bit more in align with what God wants.  Third and finally, when we pray this prayer, “Thy will be done,” we must learn to be patient.

We want to school ourselves to want what God wants, not to want for our own personal gain.  And what God wants is more love and forgiveness in this world.  May God’s will be done.

Part 3 of The Lord's Prayer Series

Part 2 of the Lord's Prayer Series

How do we protect God’s name?  What does God expect us to do?  First, we control our

And the second way we protect God’s name is by not throwing around God’s name

There are times where we will be right, and there are times where we will be wrong, in this world.  Hopefully we will be right more than we are wrong, but in our nature, we are human.  We will be rejected, and we will be challenged in our faith because of that, but this is the truth that we must hold on to: God will restore our soul.  Whether we were right or wrong, God will forgive us and move us forward.  So stay close to Jesus.  We do not live for people in this world.  We live for God.  The once blind man saw that when he spoke in favor of Jesus.  Samuel saw that when he trusted God over his fear of Saul finding out what he was doing and killing him.  The Psalmist saw that when he saw God’s presence and hope even in his darkest valley.  Do what you can control.  Live for God.  Live for God’s name.  And may all honor and glory always be given to God.  Thanks be to God!  Amen.

Part 1 in The Lord's Prayer Series

Remember that no one of us ever becomes so faithful, so bold in our discipleship, that we become experts in being Christian.  We need to humble ourselves and come to the one who can help us.  Even if you have been Christian for fifty, sixty, seventy years, you still have your faith challenged.  Even after following Jesus, Thomas still had to put his hands in the holes in Jesus’ side before he would believe in the Resurrection.  It is difficult for those of us who have not seen, and yet need to believe.  And surprisingly enough, Jesus knew this.  He knew that the road through life would be difficult.  And that is exactly why he gave us this prayer.  He told us to pray like this so that we might be reunited with our neighbor.  He told us to pray like this so that we might see God as our loving, caring, affectionate Father, not one who we have to be afraid of but one who chooses love over fear.  He told us to pray like this so that we might see God as one having authority, but not being distant.  Our Father is in Heaven.  He is in the throne room, but God is also next to our ear, letting us roam in order to have our share of independence, just like a good Father, but also wishing to reel us back in whenever we make a wrong turn.  First, God is ours.  We share in a collective faith.  Second, God is our Father.  He loves us more perfectly than our earthly fathers.  And third, God is in control.  God art in Heaven.  He has not been dethroned.  God is the ultimate victor.  God is our Father.  May all honor and glory be to God.  Thanks be to God!  Amen.