Foundations Blog

We’re in a new series called “Foundations” which builds off of Jesus’ metaphor in Matt 7: A house built on sand will never be able to stand BUT a house that’s built on the rock will never be able to fall.

10-04-2021 4:05 AM

Practice #3 PRAYER - Day 5

10-04-2021 4:05 AM
10-04-2021 4:05 AM

This week, we’re in Practice #3: Grow in Prayer. Today, let’s spend ten minutes in the Lord’s prayer in Luke 11:1-4 from the New English Translation:

11:1 Now Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he stopped, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” 2 So he said to them, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, may your name be honored; may your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread, 4 and forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And do not lead us into temptation.’”

Sunday’s sermon reminded us of the things we can absolutely expect from God if and when we pray the Lord’s Prayer. Let’s focus on two of them:

1. I can expect...that God’s intentions toward me are good.

So, is this true of you? Do you know deep down that God is for you and with you and is entirely good in His character? David Jeremiah has compiled 23 verses which highlight God’s goodness here. Pick one to meditate on for a few minutes.

2. I can expect...that His Kingdom will enter more and more into my daily reality.

Our entrance into the Kingdom of God came when we bowed a knee to Jesus as King. And, one day, His Kingdom will burst into full dominion over all of creation. But now, as we live in this in-between space, we have the gift of allowing His Kingdom to take over in our lives through the indwelling work of the Holy Spirit. 

Colossians 1:9-14 includes this prayer of Paul for the local church:

9 For this reason we also, from the day we heard about you, have not ceased praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so that you may live worthily of the Lord and please him in all respects—bearing fruit in every good deed, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might for the display of all patience and steadfastness, joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified you to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light. 13 He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

As Jesus-followers, we have been qualified to inherit light. What this means is that light (representative of all that is good in God’s creation) is our new dwelling place. We’re increasingly moving out of the darkness of sin and death and toward our ultimate home in the Kingdom of Jesus.

So, let’s pray the Lord’s prayer one more time with FAITH and EXPECTANCY:

11:1 Now Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he stopped, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” 2 So he said to them, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, may your name be honored; may your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread, 4 and forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And do not lead us into temptation.’”

Amen.

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