A Father's Love

I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
* Philippians 4:13 (New International Version) *

- godtube

The Apostles' Prayers

After a long silence, I was prompted again to write when I read through today's Our Daily Bread devotion. It was on the passage Luke 11, where Jesus thought His disciples to pray. However, someone once noted that the prayer was wrongly labeled as "The Lord's Prayer", as it did not really apply to the Lord, but rather to the Apostles. As Jesus never sinned, He needed not ask for the Father to forgive His sins.
Long story cut short, here's my view on the Apostles' Prayer:

* "Our Father, which art in Heaven"
- The Lord of universe, we now call Father. What else do we need to worry, if the Lord of universe calls us His children?

* "Hallowed be thy Name"
- To remind ourselves WHO we are praying to, that we are praying 'that God may be God to us' - Martin R. De Haan II

* "Thy kingdom come"
- Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33

* "Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven"
- We place God's will above our own, recognizing that His ways are WAY HIGHER than ours.

* "Give us this day our daily bread"
- 'and all these things shall be added unto you.'...We trust Him to supply ALL our needs (not necessarily all we want)

* "And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us"
- We are to recognize and seek forgiveness first, so as to set ourselves right with the Father. Even as we recognize our sins, we remind ourselves that we are in no position to judge others, thereby learning to forgive them as Jesus taught us (70 x 7 times)

* "And lead us not into temptation"
- Realizing and recognizing that God has all things in control, and they we need His grace to pass by temptations. For we cannot be victorious, but only God can be if we let Him. It is God's battle for our victory.

* "But deliver us from evil"
- Putting our fallen lives into God's embracing arms becomes our best hope and comfort to be protected from the charms and lured of the evil one. We are asking God to open our eyes to the devil's works, and thus trusting God to keep us safe.

* "For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever."
- Recognizing that everything belongs to God, including ourselves, are created for God's pleasure and glory. We are after all the temple of Christ, and God's kingdom is not made out of swords and spears, but the heart of men. So,when we say thine is the kingdom, I am reminded to offer my heart to be the kingdom of God, and that I will be used to display your power and glory in all the earth, according to God's will.