What Now? The Focus

What do you want for Christmas? Ice skates, tools, clothes, a new kitchen gadget, or maybe some toasty mittens for those frosty mornings. Then there is the New Year. What might your wish be for the coming year? Not a repeat of 2020 might be high on everyone's list. For many of us this week leads to the celebration of our Lord's first advent, His first arrival. The commercialized event can bring challenges to one's spirit to not be swept away with the egregious pace of it all. Christmas itself is a bit of an odd holiday. The day chosen nearly 2000 years ago was more political than spiritual but it indeed holds a long standing tradition. Celebrating Messiah's birth still seems like a good thing even if we are off a bit on the date. Which, by the way, isn't given to us precisely in Scripture. So, I will let December 25th be a special day. December 25th in the year 2020 will possibly be like no other in our life time. The CoVid19 residual fear and government restrictions still swirl around us and political tensions are yet to be resolved. Rumors are that 2021 will not be much better, at least at the start. Further restrictions, shutdowns, isolation, and economic hardships are in the forecast. So much for a "Happy New Year". For believers and followers of Messiah Jesus the "What now?" question can be a bit daunting. We want to move forward, but may question how. This is my last post to try to offer some perspective based on the prayer our Lord gave us in Matthew 6. His counsel in prayer applies to broader aspects of our lives as well. We conclude with a thought that should be ours on a daily basis. One that should be our focus in life and one that helps keep our vision clear.

"For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen" (Matthew 6:13b). The ending of the prayer brings our focus back to the majesty of the object or focus of our prayer. I understand the textual variants and some leave this phrase out. However, it is one of longstanding, one I learned as a child, and one that cannot be disputed as theologically true. Thus, today we will let it stand. Our tendency in life, be it our physical or spiritual lives, is to maintain comfort. Much of our prayer time is spent on the desire for our comfort or that of someone else. Relief from pain, sickness, distress, financial hardship or some kind of oppression likely fill our prayer journals. Our prayer of daily bread, forgiveness, even for God's kingdom to come may have our comfort at the forefront. We feel powerless and need God's power to make us feel better. To feel more comfortable in whatever situation we find ourselves to be in. Looking forward that may yet be our focus. "Lord give me a comfortable New Year".

Is that really to be the focus of our lives? John the baptizer put it simply, "He must increase but I must decrease" (John 3:30). Life is not about my comfort but about God's kingdom and God's glory. If  my discomfort results in God's glory I should be content. The Apostle Paul recognized this truth. He didn't always enjoy it but he learned to be content. In dealing with an oppression from the devil Paul asked for relief, to be more comfortable. However, he shares this response with the Corinthians. " And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me" (2 Corinthians 12:9). Boasting in my infirmities isn't high on my New Year's list. Paul gives the believers in Corinth some other council as well, "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31). And the following, "For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us" (2 Corinthians 1:20). God's glory and putting His power on display is apparently more important than being comfortable.

Many of us live as pampered Christians thus our prayer lives may focus on the desire to remain pampered. None of these things are bad or evil but they are self centered. If my objective is to advance God's kingdom, which was the message of our Lord here on earth, my prayer life should coincide with that purpose. My life is to be about God's kingdom, God's power, and God's glory forever. Perhaps our prayers should include the desire for God's glory. "Lord, whatever brings You glory and best advances your kingdom, handle my cancer in what is best for You. I am your servant", rather than just, "Take away the cancer and heal me, let me be comfortable." Healing may be God's way of putting His power and glory on display. However, if another path is more effective in advancing His kingdom am I willing to be content or even desirous for the disease to progress? Not an easy thought to ponder. 

The new year may hold some difficult, even evil, occurrences as the weeks unfold. Should the progressive party prevail our religious liberties may be curtailed. Messages on God's view of marriage and the value of life could be hate speech. The ongoing pandemic will give more opportunities to target houses of worship to be shut down. Medical care could be rationed or required by our governing authorities. Our enemies may prosper and our allies suffer on multiple levels. I am not wishing for these and I am not a prophet, however, we would be naive to ignore the possibilities. In all of the potential of the days and months to come what will be our focus? God's kingdom, power, and glory or our personal comfort and a pampered life hidden in the shadows. If you study the Scriptures or even history, those who stood boldly for God's glory did not always fair well in this world. Yet, their focus was on advancing God's kingdom and glory no matter what the cost. How will we answer the. "What now?" question?  Will it be about just our comfort? Or will our focus be on God's kingdom, power, and glory? I suppose we also have the option to just leave out that final phrase of the Lord's prayer and take comfort in the shadows. But there is not much glory in that.

What Now? Be Prepared

 The year 2021 is on the horizon and many hope it will be a year of returning to normal. This past year has certainly been disruptive to our usual experience of life. The isolation and limitations placed upon us have left many wounded and afraid. There is a need to go beyond where we have been. God and His Word are essential guides for those who believe in Messiah Jesus and His coming kingdom. There are many places to find direction within the pages of God's revelation to us. Over the past few posts we have considered the truths found in the familiar prayer found in Matthew 6. "What now?" is a question that should lead us to our Heavenly Father for direction. We need to realize that the advancement of His Kingdom is not derailed because of a virus or an election. We need to recognize our dependence upon the Lord day by day and be quick to forgive and support those who share our faith and strive for faithfulness. All this is well and good. However, God is wise enough to alert us to another reality.  As we attempt to look forward we dare not be naïve concerning the opposition we will face. Our enemy has come to rob, kill and destroy. That has been his plan and desire from the beginning. The battle continues today. 

Knowing this, our Lord told His disciples to pray, "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." Satan and the evil spirits that invade our lives want to rob us of our freedoms, our worth, and our purpose in serving the Lord. They come to kill the unborn, the elderly, the young through war and social unrest. They hold an unrelenting desire to destroy families, communities, and the fellowships of believers. The path they propose may appear to be one of light and prosperity, however, the way may be the road to addiction and destruction. The way of temptation is one of enticement urging us to experiment with new things that appear benign on the surface but conceal the poison that draws us away for truth and into the snare that grips us and leaves us wanting. We need to pray that we would be aware, alert, and sensitive to the way of temptation. Paul warned those in Corinth, "And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14). We dare not deceive ourselves into following our desires into the shadows of compromise and delusion. Thus, we must pray that we will not be lead into temptation or to allow ourselves to be tested in areas of personal weakness. We are warriors for God's kingdom and be are to be prepared for the battle. "Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand" (Ephesians 6:13).

There is a second aspect to this prayer. We are not only to avoid being lead into temptation we are also told to pray for deliverance. "Deliver us from the evil one" is the given prayer. There are times when we need to be rescued for the evil one, or from evil, as some translate this prayer. The meaning of the Greek word for evil is pretty broad.  It is translated as labors, annoyances, hardships, peril, pain, and trouble. If we are honest the "evil one" is adept at ruining our day with hardships and damaging friendship through annoyances. His attacks are often subtle and deceitful. How much damage has come to your attitude from some "idiot" driver who cut you off? We need to be aware of our need to have our Deliverer present with us all the time. Well, He actually is. We are the ones who are unaware. Perhaps praying for sensitivity to our Deliverer's presence could help blunt the evil one's attack and keep us on the path of righteousness while avoiding that other path.

What Now? If we are to move forward and to advance God's kingdom we have no option but to cling to our Heavenly Father. Temptation and the assault of Satan and his minions will never cease until the Lord returns and His kingdom comes in all its fullness. We must pray to avoid the siren call to the shadows of death and be all the more aware of the presence of our Deliverer. Each day is a new opportunity to live out the Spirit's fruit and walk in step with our Lord and Commander. And each day is a battle to be fought and, by His power, won. "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12). "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us" (Romans 8:37). Tomorrow is yet another day to answer the "What now?" question. Perhaps the real question concerning moving forward is, "Are we prepared?"

"Pray on Purpose"

Most of humanity wants to believe they are here for some kind of purpose. Preferably one that has an enough of an impact that we are remembered by those we care about. A life that lacks purpose can lead to depression and diminishes the value that should be ours. The God who created us did so on purpose. He gave you life on purpose and wants you to both realize and enjoy your purpose for being here. Over the past few blog posts we have been reviewing Matthew 6:9-13, commonly known as the Lord's Prayer. As we come toward the end of our study we find this final phrase, "For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen." You will not find it as easily in the NIV or ESV Bible translations for there is some academic question as to whether the phrase belongs. We are going to accept the long standing tradition and include it. The point here is not to enter into a discussion concerning textual criticism but to recognize that the closing phrase is a pretty good way to end any prayer. If you do not think it belongs you can find the same encouragement elsewhere in Scripture.

If we take this instruction seriously we will not only have a prayer to follow we also have purpose in life. Fellowship with our Heavenly Father is rewarding, comforting, and provides direction. The truth that the God of all creation finds great pleasure in having you as a child and looks forward to talking with you is a pretty good way to boost your personal value quotient. This Heavenly Father also has a kingdom yet to come, as well as a kingdom in the present. Our prayer for this kingdom to advance calls us to be involved as kingdom citizens. We also partake in the power provided to advance this kingdom. Acts 1:8, "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” To provide a witness of an eternal kingdom with no death, pain, or sorrow, seems like a rewarding purpose for life. The reminder of power also points back to the "daily bread" phrase where we were prompted to reflect on our dependence and God's constant provision. God knows our needs and has the power to provide. In a world filled with reasons to feel insecure we have assurance that the Lord is involved, He is aware and He cares for His children.

God's glory is likewise never ending. Colossians 3:4 tells us we will share in that glory, "And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory." The wonder of Who the Lord is, is also ours to share in. 1 John 3:2, "Dear friends, we are already God's children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is." We shall be like Him for we shall see Him as He is. Quite the promise. Our call, our purpose, is to be involved in His kingdom, His power and His glory, forever. Not a bad purpose. In all we do, in all we say, in the life that He has given to us we have a purpose. We set His name apart as a name above all names. We labor, with joy, to see His kingdom advanced. We rest in His daily provision as we provide for others. We forgive in such a way that others can see how God forgives. We overcome tests and temptation by coming to Him for protection and rest. We are not just looking to the here and now for purpose but a purpose that is forever. Amen!

Escaping the Evil

How do you go about escaping the evil that rolls over us from the corrupt and fallen world that we inhabit? The Lord's direction is to make this a matter of prayer. Matthew recorded these instructions for us in Matthew 6. A pretty familiar passage that we refer to as the Lord's prayer. Praying to our heavenly Father is a positive activity. This model prayer encourages us to ask for some pretty common things, like bread, as well as some challenging things concerning His Kingdom and forgiveness. The disciples lived in very difficult times. The government of Rome was oppressive and demanding. Taxes were high and freedoms were being eroded. Most religious practices surrounding the disciples were a violation to all they held as sacred. The roadways and cities held many dangers. Robbery and assault were common. You did not travel alone, for there often were threats from wild animals and thieves. Luke 10 reveals those dangers in the story of the abused man and the good Samaritan. Evil was common and came in a variety of forms and from all directions. It should not be a surprise that this prayer includes instruction on deliverance from evil.

"But deliver us from evil" is a request that gets directly to the point. The NIV and NKJV translations add the word "one", personalizing the evil that assaults us. The added word is meant to help, however, it may diminish our struggle rather than clarify the assault. You could argue that all evil comes from the evil one, however, much of what we struggle with has become a part of the world we live in and is not personal attack by Satan, himself, on our lives. It would serve us well to take a deeper look at the words used here in Matthew. The Greek word for deliver here is, rhyomai, It means, to draw to one's self, to rescue. It is not the common Greek word, sōzō, often translated "save". Here in Matthew the request is to be drawn near to the One who can rescue us from evil. To be pulled in close to a place or person who can protect us, rescue us from the evil that we encounter all the time. It is may be a bit more relational than sozo. In the midst of our daily, moment by moment struggle with evil we need to be drawn near, to be protected, rescued from evil. This is not unlike what our Lord shared concerning His people in Luke 13:34, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!" We need to be drawn close under His wings to be protected, the question might be, are we willing?

What kind of evil does the Lord suggest we need to be rescued from? The Greek word here is, ponēros. The meaning of the word is pretty broad, meaning, pressed and harassed by labors, bringing toils, annoyances, perils, hardships, even disease or blindness. It is to be weighed down by all the trouble of the world. To be compressed and feel like there is no way out. Evil confines us and can rob us of the freedom to enjoy all that God has so graciously given us. We need deliverance, to be rescued, to be protected, from this kind of evil all the time. This evil is not just from the evil one; it comes from living in a fallen and broken world. I can generate this evil on my own. If we are honest, there are times when we need to be delivered from ourselves. To be delivered from past mistakes and failures that oppress and hem us in and keep us from moving forward with the Lord. Just as we need daily bread, we need daily deliverance. We need to take shelter under His wings or the evil that pervades our existence may crush us. 

The remedy to evil is His presence. The closer we are to Him the greater our protection. This does not mean that we will skate through life problem free. the Scriptures make it clear that struggles and pain are a part of this life. It does mean we do not have to go through it alone. There is security in the Lord even in the darkest of times. There are tests and trials that God allows to build my faith and encourage my faithfulness. However, I am certain that they will be easier to endure under the shelter of His wings. Today I need to be delivered from evil. I would guess that you do as well.