Month: March 2016

The Lord’s Prayer #6

The Lord’s Prayer #6

forgive us our sins…as we…

Continuing with, “Our Father in Heaven…Matt 6:9-13

Our Father in heaven,
may your name be kept holy.
10 May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today the food we need,
12 and forgive us our sins,
as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
13 And don’t let us yield to temptation,
but rescue us from the evil one.

“Forgive us our sins,” isn’t it simply amazing that we can come to the creator of everything with such a request, and He is more than willing to do so?! Its awesome really. Even now as i write it, i think of how insane that prospect really is…forgiveness of all our sins. Wow, i mean wow!

It’s good enough to stop right there right? i mean what else could there be to get hung up on. Yahoshua, came to earth, lived, died, and yet lives victoriously so that we can come to Him for the forgiveness of our sins.

Yet, there is more. In fact there is a lot more. Yahoshua doesn’t stop there and we must not stop there either. “As we have forgiven those who sin against us.” Suddenly it doesn’t seem so easy does it? It is easy to receive forgiveness, far more easier than offering forgiveness to others. There is story after story in Scripture that reveals the dire need for us to forgive. We must be willing to lay down our pride, (as that is what it boils down to)  and forgive. It may not be easy but it is essential. Talk it out with someone if you need to first…but find away to forgive.

“…and forgive [me] my sins, as [I] have forgiven those who sin against me.”

You are loved,
cj

The Lord’s Prayer #5

The Lord’s Prayer #5

Give us today…

Continuing with, “Our Father in Heaven…Matt 6:9-13

Our Father in heaven,
may your name be kept holy.
10 May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today the food we need,
12 and forgive us our sins,
as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
13 And don’t let us yield to temptation,
but rescue us from the evil one.

“Give us today, the food we need,” It’s easier, i find, to ask for things for tomorrow. Things for the future, needs or not, in fact i find it real easy to ask for wants more than needs. No one wants to feel needy, no one wants to feel like they cannot provide the basics for life. Pride roots itself in there, it whispers in our ears, don’t let Him or anyone know your needs! You will look weak, unable, unintelligent! Yahoshua’s knowledge of our nature leads Him to instruct us to pray for today’s need.

Don’t get wrapped up in tomorrow. Focus on today. It doesn’t mean that we don’t concern ourselves ever with tomorrow, only that we embrace this day, today. We live in it, we seek His provision for it and we honor Him because of it.

You are loved,
cj

The Lords Prayer #4

The Lords Prayer #4

Your Will BE Done…

Continuing with, “Our Father in Heaven…Matt 6:9-13

Our Father in heaven,
may your name be kept holy.
10 May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today the food we need,
12 and forgive us our sins,
as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
13 And don’t let us yield to temptation,
but rescue us from the evil one.

“May Your Will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.” Have you ever really considered these word of Yahoshua? What they really mean and do we really mean them when we repeat them? Do you repeat them?

What is happening in heaven that Yahoshua teaches us to pray about on earth? The list really isn’t that long.

Praise.
Worship.
Adoration.
Obedience.

You are loved,

cj

The Lords Prayer #3

The Lords Prayer #3

Your Kingdom come

Continuing with, “Our Father in Heaven…Matt 6:9-13

Our Father in heaven,
may your name be kept holy.
10 May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today the food we need,
12 and forgive us our sins,
as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
13 And don’t let us yield to temptation,
but rescue us from the evil one.

So much in this statement, “Your Kingdom come”. i will only focus on a small part of it to emphasis one point. The Kingdom is HERE! On that great and glorious day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit descended and we through the Spirit can live in His Kingdom now.

It is in the Spiritual, in thought, word and deed. Soon it will be in the physical as well. So we rejoice in the now. In the presence and power of the Holy Spirit and soon we will rejoice in the presence and power of our Adonai Yahoshua bodily as He returns.

12 Now we see a reflection in a mirror; then we will see face-to-face. Now I know partially, but then I will know completely in the same way that I have been completely known. 1 Corinthians 13:12

You are Loved,
cj

God’s Holiness and Love: Insights from the Lord’s Prayer

God’s Holiness and Love: Insights from the Lord’s Prayer

May Your Name be kept Holy

Continuing with, “Our Father in Heaven…Matt 6:9-13

Our Father in heaven,
may Your name be kept holy.
10 May Your Kingdom come soon.
May Your will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today the food we need,
12 and forgive us our sins,
as we have forgiven those who offended us.
13 And don’t let us yield to temptation,
but rescue us from the evil one.

Let me remind us of another passage we find in scripture 1 Peter 1:16   “For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.” Now this passage in reality is impossible apart from Messiah. We can not on our own ever achieve holiness. So how can we be holy? Well, we know that Elohim is Holy, and if Elohim dwells in us and is changing us into His likeness then we are made holy through Yahoshua. It is His righteousness, His grace, His mercy…not our own works that we can boast.

There is another aspect of our part of holiness. It is a set-apart holiness. Although we live in the world we are to be separate from it. We are not to partake in its sins. We put on the new creation brought through repentance and baptism. This new way of life is sanctified in Yahoshua. Through the power of the Holy Spirit within us we are enabled to live holy set-apart lives for the Father.

Yahoshua, in teaching us to pray reveals the very nature of Elohim. Holy, yes, but also love. Yes, love. As we hear Yahoshua say, Elohim is Holy…we also see the Love of Yahoshua displayed in every action. Elohim’s love at work in and through the person of Yahoshua reveals His Holy Love. To make us Holy as He is Holy so that we might dwell in His presence. Messiah’s holiness in us…may we keep His name Holy and wholly before us.

you are loved,

cj

Meditating on Our Father: A Week of Reflection

Meditating on Our Father: A Week of Reflection

Our Father in Heaven

Your Kingdom come swiftly Matthew 6:9-13

Our Father who is in heaven,

uphold the holiness of Your name.

10 Bring in Your kingdom

so that Your will is done on earth as it’s done in heaven.

11 Give us the bread we need for today.

12 Forgive us for the ways we have sinned against You,

just as we also forgive those who have wronged us.

13 And don’t lead us into temptation,

but rescue us from the evil one.

This prayer that Yahoshua uses to teach His disciples to pray is so rich in practicality, simple, yet deep, humble, yet bold…all who dare speak it, who dare meditate on it, will be changed.

Our Father…lets just meditate on that for a week. Our Father, do you believe that Yahovah, the Great I AM, Creator of the universe, the stars and planets alike, the one who breathed life into existence on earth desires for us to call Him Father, but not just that but Daddy?! “You didn’t receive a spirit of slavery to lead you back again into fear, but you received a Spirit that shows you are adopted as his children. With this Spirit, we cry, “Abba, Father.” (Romans 8:15)

Do you realize the magnitude of that TRUTH, Abba or Daddy as we would translate it, an intimate rendering of Father. He desires intimacy with us as Daddy, He commands respect from us as Father.

This week meditate on [Y]our Father.

you are loved,
cj