The Lord’s Prayer #7

The Lord’s Prayer #7

temptation and rescue…

a final look at, “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.

Temptation is all around us. It is nearly constant as we live in an age of hyper communication. Tweets, Facebook notifications, Instagram, and countless other social networks keep us connected, informed and tempted. There are images shared by friends that appear in my feed that are inappropriate and if i am not careful i can find myself entertaining the temptation it presents. But, its not just social media, its web surfing, watching TV, listening to music, even conversations with friends. Temptation, is the mode of operation used by the devil himself.

That is why it is critical that we seek the strength of the Holy Spirit within us so that we do not yield to temptation. In fact, Yahoshua, fully aware of the tempter and his ways, doesn’t just stop with praying for strength over temptation but “rescue” from the evil one.

How is your prayer life when it comes to praying for strength against temptation and rescue from the evil one? i fear it is easy to over look this in our daily prayer life. It goes to weakness and no one likes to be weak. No one likes to admit struggle but that is exactly what this prayer leads us to do. We need His strength to be victorious over temptation and to receive rescue from the grip of the devil.

Father, help us to not yield to temptation, rescuing us from the evil one, may we live for You wholly. In Yahoshua’s Name…amen.

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