Smooth Water
“Chaplains Blog Book … Firebird Lakefest 2009 … Part II”
Jim & Linda Jack
An apprentice crew chief wants to learn everything he can to enhance his own ability to tune an engine and get the right set up on a drag boat. Learning all you can and then applying what you know is the key to success in racing. The historic IHBA champions have all mastered their life’s passion and have learned to be the best in the business.
Likewise, there are a lot of things Christ wanted to teach His disciples…and us too. After three years of learning from the best teacher, the only thing the disciples ever asked Jesus to “teach” them to do was to pray. Hey, I think praying is the easiest part of being a believer.
Jesus said, 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 Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one’” (Matthew 6:9-13 NIV).
These verses have been known as the Lords Prayer for a couple thousand years. But remember, this was taught as a guideline for prayer. They didn’t say teach us what to pray, but teach us how to pray. Prayer comes from deep within the heart. That way, none of us has to memorize a prayer for it to be effective.
Memorization is important in Christianity (as well as in racing), but knowing the will of God is much more important! Please understand that the real “Lord’s Prayer” is John chapter seventeen where Jesus prays for Himself, prays for His disciples, and prays for all His believers. Read it for yourself and see what it says. Then you’ll understand why that is the real Lord’s Prayer.
Jesus had some major crises in His life. At each one of these crises the Lord can be seen at prayer. The disciples impressed by the uniqueness of the “Lord’s prayer life,” so refreshingly different from the stiff, formal, hollow, and hypocritical prayer style of the religious leaders of His day, came to him and said: “Lord teaches us to pray” (Luke 11:1). He did. He taught them the basic principles of prayer in this little gem.
Upon observation of this so called “The Lord’s Prayer,” it teaches that prayer is to the soul what a mainspring is to a watch. Its interpretation is that climbing the ladder of faith is of no value unless you climb it Jesus’ way. And the application is that only when we accept the “nows” as well as the “not yets” can we enjoy our Christian life and our prayer time.
Jesus is not condemning public prayer. The Jews prayed three times a day for thousands of years. Motive not motion is the key. Sincerity, not insincerity or even secrecy is what Christ desires of His disciples. Prayer puts God behind the steering wheel of our lives, and gives God the green light to drive us home. Meaningless repetitions can end up being collections of cover ups, and empty phrases. Ask yourself, does God need to hear the same prayer over and over again for all of my life?
Insignificant repetitions are born of fear and were designed to placate pagan deities. Jesus condemned prayers whose confidence is in what they say…rather than “Who” is listening. A true disciple’s prayer should be enlightened by an understanding of Christ and the mystery of God’s will…bringing all things in heaven and earth together. That God’s love may abound more in knowledge and depth of insight, as His Spirit fills you with knowledge of His will through spiritual wisdom and discernment.
God knows His people’s needs, but He also desires to hear their requests. Keep in mind, fresh fruit is required daily by diligent disciples.
Unless God is the major pursuit in your life, all other pursuits may end up as dead-end streets! Prayer is a priority for anyone who is used mightily by God (we surely can’t live well without it). A believer immersed in prayer and Scripture reading will find security in God’s power and presence.
Without prayer, believers enter a vicious cycle where troubles loom even larger as man-made solutions fail. Those that do not make time for God daily are on a slippery slope. They slide through weariness, discouragement, and doubt, only to land in a testimony-damaging situation.
When you pray it should be passionate, scriptural, intimate, unhurried, and faith-filled. “Think back to your own childhood for a moment. When you were young, did you talk with your father in a series of carefully memorized sentences? No of course not. You talked with him freely and openly about everything—and he delighted in that. The same is true with your heavenly Father. He delights in the prayers of His people. Don’t worry about being eloquent; your father didn’t turn you away when you spoke baby talk—and neither does God.” (Billy Graham)
God’s Person: “Our Father” demands us to reverence God and His Name. He is the only one who is worthy of praise. Reverence is the only way to respect His high position. The relationship you have with someone determines the level of comfort and confidence with which you approach them.
God’s Purpose: “Your kingdom come” demands reverence of God’s kingdom. His Lordship is crucial because His is the only eternal kingdom. Therefore the only way to God’s will is through knowledge of His kingdom.
God’s Provision: “Give us today our daily bread” demands reverence of God’s gifts. His sustenance and His provisions are eternal. The only way to eat right is to desire eternal manna.
God’s Pardon: “Forgive us our debts” demands reverence of God’s judgment. His forgiveness frees us because He is the only one with all the facts and evidence.
God’s Purity: “Lead us not into temptation” demands the reverence of God’s character and morality. He is the only perfect person, with the only perfect plan. So only way to become mature is to be like Him.
God’s Protection: “Deliver us from evil” demands reverence of God’s security. His leadership is the only safeguard in the battle for eternal life. His way, is the only way to win the real race.
God’s Power: “Yours is the kingdom” demands reverence of God’s strength. His awesome strength comes only with the high regard of His power that is needed to emerge victorious. The only way to be fortified for the battle is to be strengthened by His power.
When a disciple has correctly understood how God has forgiven him, and is then able to forgive others, can he now have the correct motive for prayer, be able to forgive others, have the correct understanding of God’s will, have the proper grasp of God’s grace, along with the desire to want to fully serve the Lord?
Therefore, “Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1Corinthians 15:58). Only when you experience prayer as “a team player” will it contribute to your success. Only when you succumb to the symptoms of prayerlessness will your life be found to include worry, fear, bitterness, and spiritual lethargy. Only when we open our prayers with the thought of the cross…we receive permission to enter into God’s presence.
Humans can be dense when it comes to understanding God’s kingdom. We each have our own pet expectations of Christ and what He should do for us. Because the concept of “kingdom” shapes what we pray for and how we expect God to answer, understanding it biblically is fundamental to our (prayer) lives.
God’s “kingdom” comes the instant you trust Christ as your Lord and Savior. The “kingdom” is a way of life. The “kingdom” is the range of your effective will. The worth of the “kingdom” is demonstrated through “kingdom” people. The heart of a believer is your “kingdom” right now. Jesus brought the ways of the “kingdom” with Him to share with us. Jesus gives us the keys of the “kingdom” to experience it. We are called to help the people earth experience the “kingdom.” The “kingdom” is expressed by what I do for the “kingdom.” The “kingdom” is not hocus pocus…its focus. We are called to be heroes in the “kingdom” war.
“The Lord’s Prayer” word study by Jim Jack
Our: The journey to a deeper walk with God can only be fully lived in the company of God’s people.
Father: True love and security can only be experienced from your ultimate heavenly Father.
In heaven: A cosmic perspective of God will nurture your faith and give you hope.
Hallowed be your name: God’s character is the most important element for effective fellowship.
Your kingdom come: Accept the here-and-now first, and steadfastly climb the ladder of faith.
Your will be done: Allow the Father to communicate that obedience is more important than sacrifice.
On earth as it is in heaven: Embracing God’s grace through faith brings (God’s) confidence to the human race.
Give us today our daily bread: Seek all the good God is willing to give; it brings hope for future nourishment.
Forgive us our debts: May the heart of Christ fill our debt-ridden portfolio’s with mounds of mercy.
As we also have forgiven our debtors: Those that find fault with someone else seldom find anything else.
Lead us not into temptation: After the throne room has been flung open, it’s all been worth the wait.
Deliver us from the evil one: Devilish disappointments should duly inspire us to desire the new heavens and earth.
Experience as a player contributes to the success of the Coach (Jesus). By faith we choose what we want…so let’s all choose “not excuse” to want more of Jesus Christ! If you need to make excuses…make them only to the devil! Because, “God-investors will soon own the store” (Psalm 37:9 MSG).
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