From Pastor Paul:
Do you struggle to have a consistent, meaningful life of prayer? I do. I find it much easier to read the Bible for fifteen minutes than to pray for fifteen minutes. Why is this so? Well- there are many reasons people struggle with prayer. Distraction, a wandering mind, tiredness, discouragement, unbelief, screen addiction…, just to mention a few.
One reason we don’t pray is that we simply don’t know HOW to pray.
I have good news for you. Jesus has given us a gift- a “trellis” upon which we can grow a life of prayer. It is the Lord’s Prayer. The Lord’s Prayer is actually five prayers- “The Lord’s Prayers.” Here are some ways I am learning to build my own prayers from Jesus’ prayers:
A prayer for the Father’s praise: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. (For example, “Father, we praise you for you are…”; “Today, be glorified in…”)
…for the Father’s purpose: Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (“Father, bring the blessings of your rule in...”; “May your will be done today in…”)
…for the Father’s provision: Give us today our daily bread. (“Thank you, Father, for sustaining our bodies with…”; “Today, please provide… for…”)
…for the Father’s pardon and reconciliation: And forgive us our sins, as we also have forgiven those who sin against us. (“Father, I release my resentments toward…”; “Forgive me today for...”)
…for the Father’s protection: And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ (“Father, give us strength today to stand in the face of…”; “Bind up everything opposed to Jesus in…”)
When we pray the Lord’s Prayers, we are praying the heart of Jesus. His entire ministry is essentially an answer to these five petitions: Jesus glorified the Father, brought heaven to earth, fed and healed bodies, forgave and reconciled enemies, stood in the face of temptation, and defeated the devil! And, as we follow Jesus together, he is doing the same in us. He is creating little pockets of heaven on earth right here where we live on the Central Coast!
Albania is a nation that endured fifty years under one of the most oppressive communist dictators in history. In 2008 I was part of a mission team working with a small but growing church there. Our trip took place during the first week of July- when our nation back home was celebrating Independence Day. We were delighted to be invited, with our Albanian hosts, to the US Ambassador’s residence for an old-fashioned July 4 BBQ, American-style. Entering the gates of the US embassy was like entering a different dimension. From a beaten-down culture broken by cynicism, distrust, and poverty- we stepped through the embassy gate into a compound that resembled a classic country mansion in middle America. There we found an Elvis rock n roll band, BBQ burgers, beans, chips, hot dogs, watermelon, and the works!
To us, the Ambassador’s residence was a miniature colony of America in a very foreign land. And in a similar way, every community of Christ-followers is a little colony of heaven here on earth. Churches are little embassies of the kingdom of God here in this world. But, unlike the US Ambassador, we don’t stay behind the protective gates of our embassy. Jesus calls us to pray for heaven to invade earth- “Your kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven.”
Jesus’ kingdom prayer is a dangerous prayer. It is essentially a prayer for a spiritual revolution. When we pray this prayer we are saying, “Come, Lord, bring a new exodus in my world. Overthrow every “Pharaoh” that holds people captive. Dethrone every rival god that wars against your kind and generous rule. Take your rightful place here on earth.”
May you experience a glimpse of heaven invading earth in your world this week.
Grace and peace to you,
Pastor Paul