The Model Prayer

January 10, 2022 ~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

“One of His disciples said to Him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.” (Luke 11: 1) Jesus responded, saying, “In this manner, therefore, 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 this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’” (Matthew 6: 9 – 13)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

The disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray; He responded by reciting what is now known as ‘the Lord’s prayer.’ This concise intercession contains every essential element of the Christian faith, condensed into a simple paragraph. Firstly, Jesus uses the words ‘Our Father’ as a reference to the community of believers; prayer is meant to be recited in fellowship with other faithful individuals (although private prayer is also essential.) He then identifies God’s place in Heaven and elevates Him, saying, “hallowed be Your name.” ‘Hallowing’ God’s name entails a recognition that God is perfect and worthy of all honor and praise; and in turn, we acknowledge and embrace our own unworthiness (humility.) Additionally, we are implored to hunger for the arrival of His coming kingdom (the second coming.) Our greatest desire is that His will would be done here on Earth, as it is in heaven. We then ask God to give us our “daily bread;” a reference to God providing for our needs in the present time; today; not tomorrow or the next day. Also, we must request God’s forgiveness; but only in proportion to our forgiveness of others; as God detests hypocrisy. Continuing on, we pray for God to assist us in avoiding evil, as He alone can deliver us from our temptations. And finally, Jesus praises God once again; ascribing to Him the power and glory for all eternity.

In this prayer, we are instructed to ask for God’s deliverance from evil, because He alone is powerful enough to protect us from our enemies. In the 1800’s, a missionary named John Paton landed in the New Hebrides Islands; an area infested with warlike cannibals who had eaten two previous missionaries. Still, under constant threat of death he never waivered; introducing the faith to thousands of lost souls. During one particular account, John wrote, “A wild chief followed me around for four hours with his loaded musket, and, though often directed towards me, God restrained his hand. I spoke kindly to him, and attended to my work as if he had not been there, fully persuaded that my God had placed me there, and would protect me till my allotted task was finished. Looking up in unceasing prayer to our dear Lord Jesus, I left all in his hands, and felt immortal till my work was done.” Over the years, as the threats against him continued, John would reach out to God for deliverance. He eventually went to be with the Lord at the ripe old age of 82.

In our lives, Like John, we too will face adversity and trials. Our duty as believers is to request God’s protection and ask for His deliverance from evil. This simple belief is reiterated in the Lord’s prayer; which is a simplified way to address God, given to us by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This is a powerful prayer that we should consider adding to our daily devotions; we would also benefit from reciting it while we fellowship with other believers.

“Dear Heavenly Father, we praise you for your goodness and glory. As we seek to draw near to you, may our prayers be filled with faith. Your Son is our example, and we yearn to be more like Him. When trials and temptations arise, we ask for Your deliverance and provision. Only through You can we be saved. We love you Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.” God bless all of you!

Creation vs Evolution

January 3, 2022 ~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

“Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.” (Matthew 19: 4 – 6.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

In this scripture Jesus references the creation account; or the six literal days God used to create the entire Universe, including mankind. He says ‘at the beginning,’ prior to quoting Genesis 5: 2 and Genesis 2: 4. When read in context, these two old testament passages establish a timeline for creation; which according to Jesus Christ, does not include millions or billions of years of geology and evolution. Instead, the universe is quite young; approximately 6,000 to 10,000 years old. In the beginning God created everything in its proper place; the stars, the earth, the mountains, the sea, the vegetation and the animals; a glorious feat of divine engineering. And yet despite Christ’s clear indication that the Earth is young, Satan continues to use schools, universities, and popular culture to deceive the masses. But simple common sense and the preponderance of scientific evidence clearly supports the creation account.

The theory of evolution was created in the absence of knowledge. In the 1800’s, most people believed that living things arose from none living things quite regularly. For example, mold would begin to grow on a cup of blueberries left out to long; which supported the concept of ‘spontaneous generation’: a theory which claims that organisms can arise from nonliving materials, such as rocks and water. This myth is the central tenant of an evolutionary world view; more specifically, that life arose on its own from nonliving elements in some ancient primordial ocean. However, in 1859 a man named Louis Pasteur conducted an experiment that annihilated this faulty premise. He was able to prove that mold and maggots came from living micro-organisms, and did not grow spontaneously. From that moment until today, the scientific principle of ‘biogenesis’ was established; a biological law which dictates that living things can only arise from other living things, by means of reproduction. In short, nothing living can come from anything nonliving. Additionally, throughout the entire course of human history, no scientist has ever witnessed a living organism arise from an inanimate (nonliving) object.

Although the entire underlying premise of evolution has been thoroughly debunked, humanity refuses to let go of this lie. Many poor souls have even fallen away from the faith because they’ve accepted evolution as factual, thus necessitating the rejection of the creation account. And yet Jesus Christ Himself references God’s creation of the Earth as described in Genesis (over the course of six literal days.) Adam an Eve weren’t figurative or allegorical; they were real people. Everything that exists is the work of God; created by Him and for Him. May we grab hold of God’s Holy Word and reject the lies promoted by faithless people; choosing rather, to accept the historical accounts recorded in the bible. May we place our full trust and confidence in God alone.

“Lord Heavenly Father, we know that you are righteous and true. Your words never change. Purify our hearts and give us the strength to remain faithful, even as so many are turning away and accepting destructive lies. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit, and protect us from the enemy, that we might, through Your scriptures, enlighten those who are seeking the truth. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ name. Amen.” God bless all of you!

Making Amends

December 27, 2021 ~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

“Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5: 23-24.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

No one can have an intimate relationship with God in a vacuum. Human beings exist within complex social structures; communities comprised of family, friends, neighbors, acquaintances, and even complete strangers. Our relationship with others is a reflection of our relationship with God. When we sin against our neighbor, we also sin against the Lord. If we lie, slander, and despise another person, we have lied, slandered, and hated our own creator. In the first century, many devout Jewish families traveled long distances to reach the temple in Jerusalem, where they would sacrifice an animal to atone for their sins. Having received forgiveness, they were restored to a right relationship with God. Similarly, Jesus has taught us that we are to approach those we have harmed, and ask for their forgiveness; making restitution whenever possible. In so doing we will draw closer to the Lord. Even today, this commandment, known as ‘making amends,’ remains an essential Christian doctrine.

When I came to California many years ago, I began working a 12-step program; a system designed to help me overcome a terrible drug addiction. The creators of the first six steps were Christians; a gathering of believers known as the Oxford Group. As a result, the steps were heavily influenced by the teachings found in the book of James, the Sermon on the Mount, and 1 Corinthians, verse 13. After becoming a Christian, I discovered that Christ’s command concerning amends likely inspired the founders to create the 8^th and 9^th steps. The eighth step reads, “Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.” The ninth step reads, “Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.” From 2005 until today, I’ve continued making amends to those I’ve harmed. I’ve made restitution and paid off every delinquent debt; I’ve also asked for forgiveness from those who were affected by my sins. With every apology I’ve grown closer to the Lord.

Today, in order to move forward with God, you might consider delving into your past; making a thorough examination of your previous mistakes. If you’ve stolen from anyone, pay them back; if you’ve lied, and your lies have caused hardship, return to them and speak the truth. If you have mistreated others and created resentments, you must humble yourself and request forgiveness. We’ve all sinned; but what we do with those sins will determine whether we grow closer to the Lord or remain at a distance. The choice is ours to make.

“Lord Heavenly Father, bring to our remembrance the names of those we have harmed; may we approach them and make restitution. Give us the courage, the strength, and the humility to ask for forgiveness; that we might be reconciled to those who resent us. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.” God bless all of you!