The Lord’s Prayer: Notes and Instructions to Help Us to Recite and Apply the Lord’s Prayer With New Understanding!

Our newest project is called “Problem Solving Prayer” and one of the chapters of the book deals with The Lord’s Prayer. I thought it might be helpful to lay out the notes from the chapter for your personal application. The most important thing after you review these concepts line by line, concept by concept, is to train yourself to SLOW IT DOWN when you recite The Lord’s Prayer!

Jesus said, “This is the way you should pray”–meaning: we BOTH recite it and apply it!

The Lord’s Prayer is a gift to us from God!

“Our Father”

–The creator of the universe chooses to call HIMSELF my Father!
–God’s desired relationship with you is a loving, caring parent.
–Jesus’ instruction is to experience a rich and loving relationship with God. It is boundless. –Nothing you have ever done is beyond God’s love and forgiveness.

“In Heaven”

–(Ouranos) is the concept of an eternal existence BUT with a starting point.
–The “starting point” is in the “inner life” of an individual.
–Jesus’ instruction is for us to ENJOIN ourselves to a power greater than ourselves and realize life extends beyond me.

“Hallowed be Your Name”

–(Hagiazo) means to purify, sanctify.
–(Onoma) character that derives an authority to flow through person to person.
–God gives me His authority in MY world.
–His authority is constantly being sanctified through the events of my life.
–Jesus’ instruction is to step out in faith without any fear. God will take care of everything as you go and will be constantly cleansing your heart.

“Your Kingdom Come”

–This is giving God the “green light” to work on any area of my life.
–This is the commitment on my part to work on the weak areas.
–This is yielding my will to God’s will.
–Jesus’ instruction is for us to give God the “green light” to work on my inner life through my circumstances. This acknowledges God IS AT WORK.

“Your Will Be Done”

–(Thelema Ginomai) is the desire to be part of a positive life cycle: arise—be assembled—brought to fullness.
–God’s purpose in our lives in the world is to be a positive impact: arise—assemble—complete.
–Jesus’ instruction is to keep your thoughts, action, and attitude in keeping with God’s positive life cycle. It is our responsibility to stay the course of/on/in HIS WILL (in this way).

“In Earth as it is In Heaven”

–Earth (Ge) is the created world including the people.
–Heaven (ouranos) the eternal realm.
–God works through people.
–We must work with others well, pray for them, and help them be part of God’s positive life cycle.
Jesus’ instruction is to help others accept and apply God’s positive life cyle to their life.

“Give Us Today”

–Give Us (didomi) the basic idea of an adventure.
–Today (semeron) the present moment, including the moment just past.
–Our attitude toward life is excitement!
–Every moment is a potential memory. Life is a series of memories.
–Jesus’ instruction is for us to live our lives moment by moment—enjoying every single moment and building memories.

“Our Daily Bread”

–(Epiousious) means NOT ONLY our subsistence BUT ALSO acknowledgment of it.
–(Artos) a food source
–God will provide for every need.
–God expects us to express our need(s) to Him—as our “supplier.”
–Jesus’ instruction is for us to express our need to God, acknowledge that only He can fully meet our need, AND fully expect Him to meet our need.

“Forgive Us Our Debts”

–Aphiemi means to yield something up, turn it over, and send it out forgiven.
–Opheilema means something owed, something due, or a fault or failure.
–Forgiveness is freedom and comes as we turn things over and let it go.
–The freedom forgiveness brings is a clear conscience.
–Jesus’ instruction is for us to turn things over to Him and let go—and then HE will send out the freedom.

“As We Also Forgive Our Debtors”

–Opheiletes is a person who owes something, a person indebted, a transgressor.
–Release people from their sins against you.
–Allow others a clear conscience.
–Don’t hold things against others.
–Let go of things easily.
–Jesus’ instruction is for us to forgive others and send them forth with a clear conscience.

“And Lead Us Not Into Temptation”

–Eisphero; Eis; Peirasmos
–Don’t get yourself worked up.
–Getting worked up makes matters worse.
–Jesus’ instruction is not to get worked up about anything because you just make matters worse. Further: HE IS ALWAYS AT WORK…Don’t complicate matters. Stay in your lane. He knows about it!

“But Deliver Us From Evil”

–Rhumai is the idea of a current that rushes to the rescue to draw away.
–Poueros is to be hurtful, hurt, or degenerative.
–Keep yourself from being hurt.
–Keep from hurting others.
–Keep yourself from degenerative attitudes and behaviors.
–Jesus’ instruction is to not hurt others or allow yourself to be hurt by others (by letting things go quickly and easily).

“For Thine is the Kingdom, And the Power, and the Glory, Forever, Amen.”

–Kingdom—basileia—Let God be the BOSS.
–Power—dunamis—Having abundance by acknowledging to daily miracles.
–Glory—doxa—Treating people with respect and letting God flow out of your life.
–Forever—aion—Let it be perpetual.
–Amen—THIS ALL IS FIRM AND TRUSTWORTHY!

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Priorities: Biblical Priorities VERSES Peyton’s Priorities

Minutes after winning Super Bowl 50, Peyton Manning, the oldest starting quarterback in a Super Bowl at 39 years old was interviewed on the field by sportscaster, Tracy Wolfson. The question the journalists have constantly asked Manning was about his very possible retirement. February 7, 2016 brought Peyton Manning his 200th career win. (The most ever, by one quarterback). The whole Manning Family has been lauded by everyone as a classy family–and Peyton especially as an example to our children as a top notch attitude and role model. HOWEVER (and I have put this off all day long before offering up this challenge, just dreading swimming up stream of public opinion)–I listened to both the interview he gave Tracy Wolfson and the identical remarks he gave to Jim Nance. The Washington Post quotes him: “I’ll take time to reflect. I got a couple of priorities first. I want to kiss my wife and my kids. I want to hug my family. I’m going to drink a lot of Budweiser, tonight, Tracy, I promise you that.” The CBS live interview included his final statement…..”and I’m going to take care of those first. I’m going to say a little prayer to the man upstairs. I’m very grateful.” I admit I was one of those who was cheering the old veteran on. I was the cliché. (Of being a “Peyton Fan” rather then a Broncos fan). I guess my admiration and respect of his years of high quality sportsmanship both ON and OFF the field, set me up to be pretty disappointed in Peyton’s final interview describing what HE SAID were his “priorities.” The problem I have is not that he mentioned alcohol (although Brian Steinburg writing a piece for Variety says, “active NFL players are not to mention alcohol companies on air).” My first thought after hearing Peyton give the order of his priorities not once in the moment but TWICE almost word for word in the same order was: He must be getting paid to mention Budweiser. With a 30 second commercial costing companies 4.5 to 5 million dollars each–maybe it was pre-arranged with Budweiser. According to Lisa Weser of Anheuser Peyton Manning was not paid for his mention of Budweiser. (Although she tweeted that she was glad he did mention Budweiser). Another source mentioned Peyton has financial interest in a couple of Beer Distributorships in Louisiana. The sore spot for me is the ORDER of his priorities: 1. Kiss his wife and kids 2. Drink plenty of Beer 3. Once he “takes care of those first” (his words, not my words)–he is going to say a “little prayer to the man upstairs.” COMMON ON, PEYTON! Peyton, you couldn’t walk, talk, or even breathe with out the “man upstairs.” According to your order of priorities you are going to talk to God AFTER you are good and hammered….don’t you think you might RE-THINK your order? Genesis 26:25 gives us a powerful Biblical model of priorities: “And Isaac built an altar there, and called upon the name of the Lord. There he pitched his tent. And there Isaac’s servants dug a well. The Biblical model of priorities are this: 1. God first–in worship, in life, in everything. 2. Family second (the tent in this passage is the symbol of the domestic responsibility). 3. Work (and everything else). Digging the well was for his sheep, because Isaac’s work was of a shepherd–albeit a huge sheep operation, the most important thing to a shepherd was a water supply. Here in lies a challenge for all of us: WHAT IS THE ORDER OF YOUR PRIORITIES? If Tracy Wolfson or Jim Nance put a microphone in your face at one of the most spectacular moments of your professional life, what would you say your priorities are? Peyton says first kiss the wife and kids, then drink a lot of beer, and then after doing those (most important things), say a “little prayer” to the man upstairs. I suppose in our hedonistic, and self absorbed culture I should be happy the guy mentions his family first and puts God into the picture even a little bit–but that is what is wrong in our culture: WE HAVE OUR PRIORITIES MESSED UP. Our redemption comes through the belief in the Bible being our guide in life and our desire to build our lives through the application of Biblical models. It all starts in me believing and accepting God’s Word and God’s order for my priorities. God first. Family second. Work third. (Budweiser doesn’t come near to making the list). Just think about it. (And pray about it). God Bless, Pastor Marc