Author: admin

Once we have acknowledged who God is and where He dwells, what should be our first request of Him? Our primary and utmost concern ought to be that God’s name be hallowed. This means both that we desire it to be so, and that we acknowledge that it is a present reality. We cannot, through our prayers, make God’s character any more holy than it already is. It is eternally perfect in every detail. But we can acknowledge His holiness. As we declare what His character is like, it prepares us for the remainder of our prayer. Recognizing the absolute holiness of the One to whom we are speaking enables us to gain a proper perspective on what our prayers ought to consist of and the manner in which we should submit our requests.

But we also pray that God’s name, or character, be treated as holy in our life and relationships. While we cannot affect God’s character by our praying, we can determine the way others view God’s character, by the way we live. We are in essence praying, “God, may others recognize how holy and awesome You are as they observe how I relate to you.” The manner in which we conduct ourselves becomes the answer to our prayers. How concerned are you for living your life in such a way that those around you become convinced that your God is holy?

Jesus taught that when we pray, we are to acknowledge that His abode is in heaven. But what does this mean? Does this obligate us to look skyward every time we pray? Does it imply that God resides somewhere far above the clouds, beyond where science and technology has thus far been unable to probe?

The reality is that heaven is not so much a place, as a reality. Heaven is a spiritual realm. It exists all around us in our physical environment. That is what Isaiah experienced when he suddenly witnessed the throne room of almighty God displayed before him in the temple. That was what Jacob saw in the desert at Bethel when his eyes were opened to the spiritual realities all around him.

Heaven is the spiritual world that God inhabits. It is not far away from us, but rather it is all around us. The world of the spirit continually takes place very near to us, even right before our eyes. It is close at hand. Our challenge is that we often do not have our spiritual senses attuned to perceive it.

When we pray to our Father “in heaven,” we are acknowledging that God is spirit and that He is extremely close to us. God functions in an environment far greater than what we experience with our physical senses, but He is always close at hand. The next time you pray to your heavenly Father, don’t look up into the sky. Rather, look carefully all around you with your spiritual eyes wide open, for He is much closer than you may realize.

The world is filled with numerous religions, all of which involve some manner of communing with their deity. Many religions portray God as distant and intimidating. Such faiths hold little assurance that people can gain God’s favor let alone His gracious blessing.

This is where the Christian faith stands in stark contrast to other belief systems. For the Gospel upholds that not only can we know God personally, but we can experience Him intimately as well. Of all the terms we could use to address God, such as “almighty,” “omnipotent,” “awesome,” “all-powerful,” and “holy,” Jesus told us to use the familiar term “Father.”

For some, this instruction is most welcome, for they have wonderfully positive feelings concerning their earthly father. For others, this is a difficult instruction, for their earthly father was abusive, neglectful, hurtful, or unreasonably demanding. For such people, it is difficult to view God as Father for to do so immediately conjures up numerous hurts and disappointments in their minds.

But the truth is, that when Jesus told us to refer to God in prayer as our “Father,” He was implying the best of what is included in that word. A true father is someone who loves his children unwaveringly. Fathers gladly provide for their children’s needs and quickly come to their aid. They will readily lay their life down for their loved ones. They delight in spending time with their family. They long to share their heart with them. That is the Father who awaits your next time in prayer with Him. Don’t miss out on all that your heavenly Father has in His heart to share with you. Regardless of you’re your experience with your earthly father many have been, you have a heavenly Father who will amaze you with His love for you.

Words are not the most important thing when we pray. At times people complain that they are uncomfortable praying because they don’t know what to say. When they try to pray, they quickly run out of phrases and requests and they bring their brief time of divine communion to an abrupt end.

The reality is that whether we are trying to impress people with our public prayers or not, we tend to say things in prayer that are unnecessary. We draw on Christian clichés and pious phrases we have heard others use but which carry no genuine feeling. We repeat ourselves and use words for which we hardly know the definition. We may use trite phrases we do not sincerely mean. When such utterances make their way to heaven, every superfluous word or phrase is eradicated and God only listens to what originates from our heart.

God has no interest in grandiose phrases. His supreme confidence is not enhanced an iota by our flowery language. God cuts through all such meaningless phrases and hones in on our heart language. What is it we are genuinely confessing? What statements were truly honest? What needs did we humbly acknowledge? What did we state about God that originated from our grateful heart?

God is never impressed with verbosity. The length of our prayers mean nothing to Him. It is the honesty and sincerity of our communion that pleases Him. Of all that you are currently saying to God in your prayers, what is it He is listening to?

When Jesus says to “take heed,” we are wise to do so! While Jesus never sinned, He thoroughly understood people and was well aware of their shortcomings. He realized that people, even well meaning ones, have mixed motives. It is tragic enough when we purposefully commit evil deeds. However, there is something deeply unsettling about having our actions that were intended for good, corrupted by sin.

Sometimes we make sacrifices to help people but then spoil our effort by allowing pride to herald our noble deeds. Or we take the high road and forgive someone his trespass, but then ruin that good deed by continually reminding him of our gracious act.

Even wicked people are capable of doing good, under certain circumstances! But truly righteous people behave uprightly because they are godly people. Their actions stem from a noble character and pure motives.

Sadly, many people don’t know themselves well. They don’t detect their hidden motives. They assume the best of themselves even while it is clear to others that they are acting selfishly or arrogantly. Jesus cautioned us to take heed to our motives, especially when doing something recognized to be good. So, what is motivating you?

Winter eventually comes for everyone, even the greatest saints in history. Some people have been used so mightily by God to extend His kingdom that we wonder that God should ever remove them from His work in the Church. But every person, regardless of how dynamic and powerful he or she has been in God’s service, eventually sees winter come to their lives.

Paul was confined to a damp, cold, prison. With winter approaching, he would suffer greatly without his cloak to keep him warm and the fellowship of dear friends to cheer his spirit. The apostle had invested much into the life of young Timothy and now it was the embattled apostle who needed his disciple to come and minister to him. What joy to have those you once ministered to, now caring for you!

But winter was also coming to Paul’s life. He was facing execution. His body was weary from years of toil and strain. The time was coming for him to return to His Savior and to pass the torch on to the next generation. Perhaps there was a sense of urgency that young Timothy come quickly so the aged apostle could impart one final blessing before his final departure. Time becomes precious as we approach the end of our lives. We realize that every conversation and each chance to pass on a blessing to others is invaluable. So Paul urged Timothy to come before winter. Are there still important things you need to attend to before winter finally comes to your life?

While God does not promise to prevent us from suffering at the hands of our enemies, He will preserve us for Himself. No one can hinder us beyond what God allows. And, ultimately, God will vindicate Himself through our life.

Paul endured beatings and imprisonment at the hands of his enemies. Nevertheless, he knew that God would preserve his life until one day he stood victoriously before his King. Paul’s life was not easy, but it was victorious. People may rant and breath threats against you, but ultimately they will be vanquished and God’s purposes will prevail.

Our prayer ought not to be: “Lord, protect me!” but rather: “Lord, be glorified through me!” Our desire should be that God would receive the maximum glory possible through our lives. We want the most people to have the utmost reverence for God as a result of what they see Him doing in and through us.

May your life be a prolonged “Amen!” to God’s goodness and love.

It seems hard to believe that people would desert the apostle Paul. After all he had done for others, how could anyone abandon him in his hour of need? But they did. In fact, they all did. How painful it must have been to have poured his life out for others and then to have those same people forsake him at his most desperate moment.

But there was one person who had stood with him throughout his ordeal. And no, it was not Luke! Or Timothy (I believe neither of these men were among his deserters). It was Paul’s Lord. Christ knew full well what it was like to be abandoned at a crucial moment. He understood how it felt to face enemies alone. And, Christ knew how to comfort others going through the same thing.

Paul understood that Christ was going to maximize his life and his suffering so that the Gentiles might hear the Gospel. Paul knew that, as much as God loved him, He was going to use Paul’s life, including his sufferings, for the furthering of the Gospel. If by suffering Paul could further God’s purposes, then that is what God would allow him to do. Perhaps you are facing intense opposition right now. Know that Christ will be with you and guide you to accomplish every purpose He has for your life. And, when people disappoint you, keep your eyes on the one person who never will.

At times we can wrongly assume that because we are serving God, He will protect us from suffering harm at the hands of our enemies. Such was not the case with the apostle Paul. Paul devoted his life to the service of Christ. He had planted numerous churches and mentored many of the early Church’s greatest ministers. Yet he constantly suffered at the hands of his enemies. He was in prison because his opponents had falsely accused him. He would ultimately die at the hands of pagan soldiers.

Alexander the copper smith had apparently done much to harm Paul and his work. In response, Paul trusted God to vindicate him and to punish his enemy. Yet the truth was that the enemies of God had brought harm to one of Christ’s choicest servants.

Why would God allow us to suffer harm from ungodly people when we are striving to serve Him? That is a question that has often been asked by those who suffered at the hands of carnal or evil people. Paul believed two things about these situations. First, he was not immune from the attacks of the ungodly. Second, God would ultimately bring justice to his opponents. While this may not alleviate the pain we must sometimes endure, it helps us prepare for the assaults that may come.

We need to be occasionally reminded that even the greatest saints in history were human beings, just like us. They had needs and concerns just as we do. They were not immune to pain or fear or discomfort any more than we are. Yet, they managed to keep their focus on Christ and were determined to accomplish His purposes for their life, regardless of their physical limitations.

Winter was apparently looming and the great apostle was going to be cold in prison if someone did not retrieve his cloak for him. The famous former Pharisee had physical needs just like everyone else! A cloak was a poor man’s primary means of facing the elements. In this simple verse, we are reminded that everyone has physical concerns that must be met, regardless of how “spiritual” they may be!

But Paul also desired that his parchments be brought to him. More than likely these were Scriptures. He required his spiritual needs to be met as well as his physical ones. And, Paul depended on the assistance of others if his needs were to be met. He was not self-sufficient.

Great leaders readily acknowledge that they have needs and that they rely upon others. They have no problem asking for help. They suffer no delusions that they can go it alone. What is it that others could bring to your life, if you would only ask?