Categories Matthew

The Kingdom of God and Prayer

9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have…

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Categories Matthew

And the Government will be On His Shoulders

Reading: Matthew 2 In America, we just finished our political season that comes every 4 years. Sure, we have smaller ones every 2 years, but those pale in comparison to our presidential election cycle, which now lasts 1½ years, raises blood pressure, is filled with rhetoric, and has…

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Categories Matthew

The Church isn’t a Building. So What!

It is not uncommon to hear believers in America declare (sometimes quite adamantly), “The church is not a building.” Many follow that with the idea that it is the people, which is largely true. It is also sometimes followed by a statement expressing that just getting together with…

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Categories Matthew

Lead Us Not into Temptation

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. (Matthew 6:13) This last request may seem strange to our ears. For some it raises questions like, “Since God doesn’t tempt anyone with evil (James 1:13-14), then why do I need to pray that he…

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Categories Matthew

Forgive Us As We Forgive

And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. Matthew 6:12 Forgiveness is essential to real community. In order for there to be forgiveness, there also have to be offenses, or debts. This request clearly implies that forgiveness is to be received in the context…

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Categories Matthew

Give Us Today Our Daily Bread

“Give us each day our daily bread.” (Luke 11:3) Prayer is a joint effort; a community project. Not only are we praying to “our Father,” but as this next request indicates we are praying for “our daily bread.” We are to be concerned for the provision of each…

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Categories Matthew

Your Will Be Done

…your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:10 The first three requests have been about the Father: His name, His kingdom, and now His will. It is not uncommon for prayer to be about our name, our kingdom and our will. By following…

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Categories Matthew

Your Kingdom Come

(Continued from Our Father, and Hallowed Be Your Name) Your Kingdom come. Matthew 6:10 What does it mean for God’s Kingdom to come? That depends on your circumstances when you are praying, and what other kingdom you are currently living under. So for instance, people in the United…

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Categories Matthew

Hallowed Be Your Name

(Continued from Our Father.) This, then, is how you should pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name…. Matthew 6:9 After addressing the One to Whom we pray as Father, and identifying ourselves in our coming as a part of His family, the first request we are…

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Categories Matthew

Our Father

This, then, is how you should pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name… Matthew 6:9 Our Lord Jesus taught us to pray and gave us specific instructions how to pray. Yet I find, with regard to the Lord’s prayer, that the church today tends to go…

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Categories Luke

How Does Salt Lose Its Saltiness?

Reading: Luke 14:34-35; Matthew 5:13; Mark 9:50 (34) “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? (35) It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out. Whoever has ears to hear, let them…

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