Our Father's Name

This, then, is how you should pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." (Matthew 6:9-13)

As we work our way through The Lord's Prayer the first petition is that God's Name would be hallowed - that it be made holy and made much of. God as three primary Names in the Old Testament.

God's first name is Elohim - God, the Mighty Creator. By using this name of God we say; "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" (Genesis 1:1).

God's second name is Yeweh, which means, "The Lord who is the covenant-keeping One".

God's third name is Adonai, which means "Master" or "Lord". As our Master, God is the one who rules our lives.

Why Should We Pray?

This Sunday we will begin a new teaching series at the church. In this series we will be walking through "The Lord's Prayer" - a powerful model of a prayer given by Jesus, first to His disciples, and passed on to us through the Gospel message.

Yesterday, as we were concluding our worship service I gave a brief promotion about this series and closed with the question; "why should we pray?"

Last night as I struggled to drift of to sleep and then this morning, as soon as I woke up this question flooded my mind like a scrolling marquee


WHY SHOULD WE PRAY?   WHY SHOULD WE PRAY?   WHY SHOULD WE PRAY?

This Sunday morning I plan to take off from this exact point - from this question. It is not that I struggle to answer this question - the Bible is flooded with reasons why we should pray - it is that I struggle to come to a brief and concise list of why we should pray.

Perhaps then, the question should be asked; "Why do YOU pray?"

What is the number one reason that YOU pray?

A Pause Button

We have three (soon four) children in our home - a seven year-old daughter, five year-old son, and a - soon to be - three year-old son. Perhaps I am partial, but I do believe they are the most beautiful (or handsome), the smartest, the funniest, and the greatest children in the entire world. It is a great joy to watch them growing and becoming all that God has created them to be.

Last week my wife and I were talking about how much they have grown this past year and just how quickly they seem to be growing up. Then I asked my wife a very hypothetical question; "If you could stop them from growing up, at what age would you do so?"

And, although this was a very hypothetical question and - as far as I know - not an option yet, it was a very intriguing thought. See, if you stop a child's growth too early you have to deal with diaper changes, highchairs, and car eats for the rest of your life. If you stop a child's growth in their childhood, you deal with their attitude and "sass" forever. But if you wait until their teenage years you have the attitude and independence to deal with.

Perhaps a stop button isn't what we want or need - but wouldn't a pause button be nice? Just to pause everything in their life and cherish it for a bit longer? Wouldn't it be nice to pause and spend a little more time with you three-year-old child? Wouldn't it be wonderful to pause their growth and spend more time with your children while they still "need" you - while they still want to be with you?

Our children's lives aren't the only thing though. Wouldn't it be nice to have a pause button on life in general? To pause everything and have a bit more time before deadlines and obligations? Wouldn't it be nice to pause and spend more time on the important moments in life? Wouldn't it be wonderful to pause and have more time?

This morning we wrapped up a series - "Be Still" - in our church. In this series we, as a church, have been encouraged to stop and spend more time with God, simply being still in His presence. As we are still in His presence we come to realize that we are working on His time.

What If Your Purpose...

 

What is the purpose of your life?

Most hope, dream, pray that their life will impact many people.

At times I have listened to and watched well-known preachers, and pastors of mega-churches and thought; "what would it be like to be in such a place of influence. Challenging? Stressful? Perhaps.

Yesterday I stumbled upon another pastor's blog. I have never met this gentleman, I have never heard of him, his church, I can't even recall where he lived. But I did notice that he had more than 1,000 blog followers - people "subscribed" to his blog and who semi-regularly looked at the thoughts that he recorded on his blog. Then I thought of my own blog, I have several "regular readers", a couple "subscribers" - yet I still influence others.

Today I stopped by McDonald's to get a drink. While I was standing in line a man seemed to be peaking over my shoulder. I made eye contact with him and he apologized. Then he explained that he was trying to see the title of the book I was reading (Praying The Lord's Prayer for Spiritual Breakthrough). We had a brief conversation - in line and at the drink station - then we parted ways. 

What if your life came down to one "post", one thought? What if your life came down to one moment of encouragement? What if you were created to touch - to speak into - the life of one person for one moment?

What if my purpose on this earth was to preach one sermon? What if my life came down to one conversation in a line at McDonald's? What if I was created so that I could speak truth and love and encouragement and peace and encouragement into the life of one person or one small group of people?