TEMPTATION!

Continuing on the theme of the Lord’s Prayer (this is the last installment) …

“And do not lead us into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.”
Matthew 6:13

This is not saying that God tempts us—He doesn’t.

Let no one say when he is tempted,
“I am being tempted by God”;
for God cannot be tempted by evil,
and He Himself does not tempt anyone.
James 1:13

This is simply a rhetorical way asking God the opposite: “Lord, lead us out of temptation.” The next phrase makes that clear: “Deliver us from evil [or the Evil One].” This is a prayer for God’s protection.

We tend to forget that we are involved in something far bigger than we can imagine or comprehend. We get up, eat, drive, work, play, talk, tend to our children, and go to bed without giving a single thought to the existence of an unseen world. But according to the Bible, human history is an arena for the battle of the universe. And we are participating as ordinary men and women in the Great Reversal—that glorious plan of God which will restore the cosmos to its pristine state, one day, soon and very soon. You and I—partners with God! Hard to believe, isn’t it? We—mere specks, in a tiny planet, in the outer suburbs of a spiral galaxy that is only one of about a trillion such galaxies in the observable universe—partnering with God? Incredible … but true!

And … scary: it is a battle against Satan and all his cohorts, the powers and forces of evil aligned against God and therefore, against all of God’s people—against you and me. Which means one thing: We are on the opposite side of Satan. And that means one thing: He’s out to get us.

Be of sober spirit, be on the alert.
Your adversary, the devil,
prowls around like a roaring lion,
seeking someone to devour.
1 Peter 5:8

All he wants is to get between us and God and he’ll do anything to achieve that. But we have help. Satan and his hordes who “rule” the world, are no match for God and His Spirit who indwells us.

… greater is He who is in you
than he who is in the world.
1 John 4:4

God’s protection is assured.

No temptation has overtaken you
but such as is common to man;
and God is faithful,
who will not allow you to be tempted
beyond what you are able,
but with the temptation
will provide the way of escape also,
so that you will be able to endure it.
1 Corinthians 10:13

William Cowper (1731–1800), compatriot of John Newton (of Amazing Grace fame), wrote these immortal lines:

Restraining prayer we cease to fight;
Prayer makes the Christian’s armor bright
And Satan trembles when he sees,
The weakest saint upon his knees.

Concluding his theme on spiritual warfare and the armor of God, Paul urges likewise:

With all prayer and petition
pray at all times in the Spirit,
and with this in view,
be on the alert
with all perseverance and petition
for all the saints.
Ephesians 6:18

So pray with Courage.

But resist him [Satan],
firm in your faith,
knowing that the same
experiences of suffering
are being accomplished
by your brethren
who are in the world.
1 Peter 5:9

And soon, we’ll be over all this forever, eternally.

After you have suffered
for a little while,
the God of all grace,
who called you
to His eternal glory in Christ,
will Himself perfect, confirm,
strengthen and establish you.
1 Peter 5:10

Amen!

TRESPASS!

Continuing on the theme of the Lord’s Prayer …

And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
Matthew 6:12

The clause before this was asking God for “our daily bread.” We never forget our need for bread, do we? We never forget to eat. We never forget our need for shelter. Or any of our other basic necessities. We never forget them. How about our sins, those debts, that missing of the target of God’s perfect standard of holiness?

Sins? What sins? Me sin? When?

That’s exactly what one good lady told me the other day; she, apparently, doesn’t sin anymore and claimed a clear conscience! I quoted her the line from a famous philosopher (that is to say, I’ve no idea who said it): “Madam,” I disputed, “There are no such things as clear consciences; there are only short memories.”

If we say that we have no sin,
we are deceiving ourselves
and the truth is not in us.
1 John 1:8

Instead …

If we confess our sins,
He is faithful and righteous
to forgive us our sins
and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9

I like the “all” in there. That vast net catches all the sins I was ignorant of, as well as all those that have “become extinct” because of my short memory. “All” unrighteousness. All!

Needless to say, when the believer asks God for forgiveness for sins, this is not the salvation-forgiveness we seek, that enables us to enter the family of God, be born-again, and have eternal life. That is achieved once for all when one puts one’s trust in the finished work of Christ on the cross.

Therefore there is now
no condemnation for those
who are in Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:1

On the other hand, this forgiveness sought in the Lord’s Prayer is the relationship-forgiveness that restores the broken relationship between Father and child of God. This request for pardon is necessarily a daily affair, as often as we sin.

He who conceals his transgressions
will not prosper,
but he who confesses
and forsakes them
will find compassion.
Proverbs 28:13

So when we pray, we are not to forget our sins, but to confess them. In the light of God’s absolute holiness, we are miserable sinners indeed and stand in need of God’s pardon.

I acknowledged my sin to you,
and my iniquity I did not hide.
I said, “I will confess
my transgressions to the LORD.”
And you forgave the guilt of my sin.
Psalm 32:5

In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus links this forgiveness with our own treatment of those who have sinned against us. Now, those sins we remember. Oh, yes. Forget them? Of course, not!

He hurt me! She cut me! He betrayed me! She stabbed me!

This prayer is saying in effect: Yes, I’ve been hurt, cut, betrayed and stabbed. But, Oh Lord, I remember my own sins. No one has done to me as much I have done to you, sinning in my thoughts, words, and deeds.

So we must forgive those who sin against us. The pardon we have received from God, we must extend to others also. Indeed, that’s part of what it means to be like Christ—those who forgive imitate God, their Father, the Forgiver par excellence.

Be kind to one another,
tender-hearted,
forgiving each other,
just as God in Christ
also has forgiven you.
Therefore be imitators of God,
as beloved children.
Ephesians 4:32–5:1

In other words, when we come to this line of the Lord’s Prayer, pray with compassion!

CLOSER!

Every single time. Every single time! I can’t remember any—any!—conversation that I’ve had with Don when he didn’t bring up the topic. Not one. He would always make mention of it. With a fulsome grin and in his resonant voice, beard going everywhere, eyes bright with anticipation, Don would remind me (and everyone else he spoke to): This could be the day! One day closer!

Don was a part of the church where I was preaching during a pastoral transition several years ago. Faithful member. Full of life, despite his many ailments and hospitalizations. Focused on one thing: Jesus is coming again! And it could be … today! One day closer!

For you yourselves know full well
that the day of the Lord will come
just like a thief in the night.
1 Thessalonians 5:2

One day closer!

It was like Don was living in this world, but eagerly expecting the next. A two-clock man, simultaneously in two time zones—Central and … Celestial.

Therefore if you have been
raised up with Christ,
keep seeking the things above,
where Christ is,
seated at the right hand of God.
Set your mind
on the things above,
not on the things
that are on earth.
When Christ, who is our life,
is revealed, then you also will be
revealed with Him in glory.
Colossians 3:1–2, 4

No more. Don is now a one-clock man. Celestial time zone—always daylight. Last week, he went to be with the Lord He loved so much. No more the sad notes of earth for him. No more the frailty of body. Finally, finally, he is in the presence of God, to be there forever. And for Don, there will be a special reward.

In the future
there is laid up for me
the crown of righteousness,
which the Lord, the righteous Judge,
will award to me on that day;
and not only to me,
but also to all who have
loved His appearing.
2 Timothy 4:8

Don did! A crown is reserved for him.

But we will miss that cheery smile, that radiant demeanor, and that signature greeting: One day closer!

And we need to be reminded of that more often. The imminence of Christ’s coming is a good incentive to live in a manner worthy of Him, whom we will see soon.

But the day of the Lord
will come like a thief ….
… what sort of people
ought you to be
in holy conduct and godliness,
looking for and hastening
the coming of the day of God ….
2 Peter 3:10–12

Patience in these painful days.

Therefore be patient, brethren,
until the coming of the Lord.
The farmer waits for the
precious produce of the soil,
being patient about it,
until it gets the early and late rains.
You too be patient;
strengthen your hearts,
for the coming of the Lord is near.
James 5:7–8

Endurance in these enervating times.

For you have need of endurance,
so that when you have
done the will of God,
you may receive what was promised.
For yet in a very little while,
He who is coming will come,
and will not delay.
Hebrews 10:36–37

Sobriety in a seductive world.

So then let us not sleep
as others do,
but let us be alert and sober.
1 Thessalonians 5:6

And sanctification.

Now may the God of peace Himself
sanctify you entirely;
and may your spirit and soul
and body be preserved complete,
without blame at the coming
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Thessalonians 5:23

One day closer! Amen!

BREAD!

Continuing on the theme of the Lord’s Prayer …

Give us this day our daily bread.
Matthew 6:11

This request recognizes our dependence God, the one who provides. He is the one who gives us health, gets us a job, enables us to earn, survive, live. We depend on Him. Totally. Completely. Utterly. Every breath in our bodies, every pulse of our hearts, every impulse across our synapses—sustained by God, given by God, graciously provided by God.

… in Him we live and move and exist.
Acts 17:28

We are dependent on Him, and we acknowledge that verity as we make our request for our daily bread.

Not daily cake, but daily bread! Basic necessities, the essentials of life. “Daily rice, Lord, give to us,” as we of Asian origin would rather say. (Though, personally, peanut butter—Jif— will do fine, thank you!)

So this line of the Lord’s Prayer eliminates greed, because we seek the basic necessities—food, clothing, transportation. Not everything in the Neimann Marcus catalog.

We’ve already recognized that the King and His kingdom is coming. In fact, we’ve prayed it along. When it comes, in that realm and in that life, we will be blessed beyond imagination.

… just as it is written,
“Things which eye has not seen
and ear has not heard,
and which have not entered
the heart of man—
all that God has prepared
for those who love him.”
1 Corinthians 2:9

But not necessarily here-and-now. Not necessarily on this side of death. That day will come! And soon!

In this life, instead, we are to depend on Him for the basics and therewith to be content.

For we have brought
nothing into the world,
so we cannot take anything
out of it either.
If we have food and covering,
with these we shall be content.
1 Timothy 6:7–8

Contentment vs. Greed. A constant struggle that we all face, irrespective of financial state. Are we content enough not to seek for more, and to give freely?

Did you notice the first-person plural pronouns? “Give us this day our daily bread”? So what happens if I and my sister are praying for bread, and I get two loaves and she gets nothing?

Happens all the time, doesn’t it? Some Christians are wealthy. Some are not. Some have more than what they need. Others hardly have enough. Some never go through financial crunches. Others barely get through the day.

So what if I get two loaves and my brother gets zero? Then what?

I didn’t get God’s provision to eat one now and to freeze another for a rainy day. Oh, no. God gave me more than what I need to share.

Worldwide, 29,000 children die every day of preventable causes (a child every 2 seconds)! 800 million children are malnourished. 1 billion do not have access clean water, 8 million children are refugees, and 15 million children have lost parents to AIDS. They, without loaves, and we with hundreds/thousands each.

What would God have us do?

“Is it not to divide your bread
with the hungry
and bring the homeless poor
into the house?
When you see the naked, to cover him,
and not to hide yourself
from your own flesh?
Then your light
will break out like the dawn,
and your recovery
will speedily spring forth,
and your righteousness
will go before you.”
Isaiah 58:7–8

So pray with responsibility! Give freely, cheerfully, responsibly, to those who have no loaves of bread, for God has abundantly answered our prayer to “Give us this day our daily bread.”