A Few thoughts About the Lord's Prayer

A few thoughts about the Lord’s prayer. The prayers found in Matthew and Luke are similar but not exact. The prayer found in Luke is shorter.

The prayer found in Matthew was an extension of his famous “Sermon on the Mount” and seemingly to correct a problem. The problem of public and grandiose prayers to impress others with the prayer’s seeming spirituality. In other words… to show off. Pride in prayer vs. humility in prayer.

The prayer found in Luke was a prayer post “Sermon on the Mount” and was given at the behest of Jesus’ disciples so they might be taught to pray like the disciples of John the Baptist did.

Both prayers contain teaching moments. In Matthew, Jesus uses the prayer to teach on forgiveness. And in Luke, Jesus seizes on the opportunity to emphasize that all they have to do is ask (in prayer) and God will give.

Both prayers are prayers for Jews. They pre-date the coming of the Kingdom, which is prophesied to occur during the lives of the disciples (Mark 9:1). So technically it would be incorrect to pray for a Kingdom that would come when it has already come.

These prayers are frequently memorized and recited in the assemblies of Christians. There is no example of that in the New Testament. A quick google search states that there are 46 prayers recorded in the New Testament. With the exception of the two previously discussed none of the other 44 hold to the form or content of the Lord’s Prayer.

I think that’s significant because Jesus did not want his disciples to recite memorized prayer over and over again but to pray the concerns of our hearts as they are touched by the problems and concerns and gratitudes found in our lives.

I still find it beneficial to recite with other Christians the exact words of Jesus in prayer but it should never substitute for what prayer was intended to be.

How to Become Wise

Becoming wise is a choice. The first thing one has to do is realize its benefits and its worth and then make it the focus of life. Proverbs 8

Wisdom can be gifted from God. James 1:5

We learn wisdom by experience… your experience and the experience of others like your parents and the old. Proverbs 29:15. Job 12:12

We learn wisdom through hard work. Proverbs 14:23.

Becoming wise is a partnership with God. You can’t do it by yourselves.

Seek after wise friends. Typically older people, parents, church elders/teachers/preachers. Go to church. Make it a habit to read Gods word. Make it a habit to read the writings of spiritually wise people.

Remember the opposite of wisdom is stupidity. Ignore God, ignore your parents. Ignore the Bible. Don’t go to church. Be lazy. Hang around with stupid, destructive people. Seek after pleasure.

There are a lot of stupid people in ther world... don't be one of them.

It’s easy to be stupid and poor but it takes effort to be wise and wealthy.

Wisdom and Wealth from the Scriptures

Choose my (wisdom) instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold,   for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.

I (wisdom) love those who love me, and those who seek me find me. With me (wisdom) are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity.

I (wisdom) walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice, bestowing a rich inheritance on those who love me and making their treasuries full.

For those who find me (wisdom) find life and receive favor from the Lord

These are a few passages from Proverbs 8 that extol the virtue of wisdom and it is available to all who seek her. That’s right… everyone can be wise.

In addition, wisdom has its benefits or blessings. Wisdom can make you rich. The text says that.

Seeking after riches will not necessarily make you rich but seeking after wisdom will.

It would be a mistake to try to become wise so that you can become rich. All one’s efforts should be to become wise and don’t worry about wealth at all. It will find you on it’s own.

Am I Really Saved?

I’ve been thinking recently on the security of salvation.

On one extreme you have the “once saved… always saved” people and on the opposite end you have people who feel like if you sin and don’t repent of it that God will slam the door on you. Like he’s just looking for you to make a mistake and give him some excuse to rip salvation away.

I hear my fellow Christians frequently pray for “forgiveness of sins” over and over again. Like the relationship is so fragile and God so fickle that it could disappear with the snap of the fingers if that phrase were not included in every prayer.

I personally, rarely ask for forgiveness of my sins. I don’t at the end of the day examine what I might have done or what I might have failed to do. I don’t worry about those things at all. I know that I am saved and that my salvation is secure.

I know because my sins were washed away in the waters of baptism and that God’s Holy Spirit resides in me. That Holy Spirit is the down payment for my eternal salvation. I am a son of God and a brother to Jesus Christ and that can’t be changed. It’s guaranteed.

I have two children who occasionally do things I am not happy about. Guess what? They are still my children and at some point will inherit everything I have.

So I kind of see some of that “Once saved… always saved” thing. Here’s the difference…

The only way I see that I won’t be saved is if I reject God and the sacrifice of his Son… Jesus Christ. Then the relationship changes along with its rewards. Salvation can be lost if we throw it away.

What a blessing the confidence of salvation is for me. Lets all fly free without crippling fear.