{"id":386,"date":"2010-02-22T11:49:10","date_gmt":"2010-02-22T18:49:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.imagingtheheavens.com\/?p=386"},"modified":"2011-06-29T06:44:42","modified_gmt":"2011-06-29T13:44:42","slug":"our-father","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.imagingtheheavens.com\/?p=386","title":{"rendered":"“Our Father”"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n[Translate]<\/a>\"\"\n
\n<\/div>\n
\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The Lord has blessed us with another beautiful day here in Las Cruces! The clouds are
\npassing through, and over the weeks, the temperatures are slowly climbing. The \u201cground
\nhog\u201d in me says, \u201cWinter is over\u201d. It\u2019s great to wake up and sense that Springtime is on
\nthe way! Isn\u2019t it nice the way God gives us a \u201csense of hope\u201d for what is to come.
\nPraise the Lord this special day!<\/p>\n

In fact \u2013 it\u2019s a privilege to wake up in this country where the flag of freedom flies high.
\nWhat a beautiful and glorious day it is — where freedom resides! Have you ever stopped
\nto consider how our country got that way? Here is a little quiz for you to ponder: Do
\nthese quotes look familiar?<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is impossible to righty govern a nation without God and the Bible.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his
\nwill, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favors.\u201d
\nThese words were spoken by our 1st President \u2013 George Washington. In fact, as I write this, today is his
\nbirthday!<\/p>\n

Like many of our \u201cfounding fathers\u201d, George Washington knew that in order for our
\ncountry to survive and prosper, its people needed to consider God in all that was done in
\norder to build this great nation called America. Praise the Lord for the wisdom of men
\nsuch as George Washington.<\/p>\n

As it is often said, \u201cFreedom isn\u2019t free\u201d. Sometimes it is necessary to fight to keep our
\nfreedom. This morning, take some time to give thanks to our men and women in uniform
\nfor their sacrifice in helping to keep our nation free. Give thanks to our Lord for the
\n\u201cfather of our nation\u201d, George Washington \u2013 that he had the strength and courage, vision
\nand Godly wisdom to help lead our country toward what it is today.<\/p>\n

There is another kind of Father we need to thank \u2013 our Heavenly Father. How is it that
\nwe give thanks to our Heavenly Father? The first thing that probably comes to your mind
\nis that we talk to God in prayer. But how should we pray? This is not a new question.
\nListen to what happened in Luke 11. (somewhat different in Matthew 6)<\/p>\n

\u201cNow it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that
\none of His disciples said to Him, \u2019Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his
\ndisciples.\u2019 So He said to them, \u2018When you pray, say:<\/p>\n

Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name.
\nThy kingdom come,Thy will be done.\u00a0 On earth as it is in heaven.
\nGive us day by day our daily bread.
\nAnd forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
\nAnd do not lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.\u2019 \u201c
\nFor Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen!
\n(This last part of the prayer is the \u201cdoxology\u201d \u2013 simply, a praise to God, included by most
\nChristians faiths. It is not present in either Luke or Matthew.)<\/p>\n

We know this as \u201cThe Lord\u2019s Prayer\u201d, and it\u2019s a good prayer to memorize. I find myself
\nexpressing this prayer multiple times each day as part of my desire to \u201ctalk with God\u201d–
\nmaking known to the one true God the petitions of my heart. If this prayer expresses
\nwhat is in your heart as well, let it be part of your daily prayers too.<\/p>\n

The Scripture continues in Luke, and Jesus encourages his disciples in verse 9, \u201cSo I say
\nto you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be
\nopened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who
\nknocks it will be opened.\u201d As Jesus taught his disciples, so He teaches us.<\/p>\n

Have you noticed that many times when we memorize Scripture, we are able to \u201csay it by
\nwrote\u201d, but sometimes we lose sight of its meaning, as applicable to our prayers and
\nwhat we are actually expressing to God. In that regard, let\u2019s take a closer look at The
\nLord\u2019s Prayer above, which Jesus is encouraging us to pray.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name.”\u00a0 We have all had earthly fathers,
\nbut isn\u2019t it great that we also have a Father in Heaven! A Father that accepts us as we
\nare, and assures us of His love. This implies a relationship \u2013 a personal relationship with
\nGod. Not just God, but God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit \u2013 the triune nature of
\nGod.<\/p>\n

The name \u201cFather\u201d also tells us that we are His children. 1 John 3:1. \u201cBehold what
\nmanner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God.\u201d
\nThe term \u201cHeaven\u201d expresses the eternal presence of God, and tells us something of His
\nmajesty and presence, and His all-mighty power \u2013 our one true God!<\/p>\n

The term \u201cHallowed\u201d here expresses God\u2019s Holiness. That is\u2026 We proclaim God to be
\nHoly, and we are to keep His name Holy. See if you can find a verse in the Bible where
\nit says, \u201cHoly, holy, holy \u2013 is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory.\u201d
\n\u201cYour kingdom come. Your will be done. On earth as it is in heaven.\u201d This speaks
\nof our \u201chope\u201d and our faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. By expressing this, we humbly
\nplace God in the center of our life, and ask that \u201cHis will\u201d be done in and through our
\nlives. This expresses our desire to be obedient to God \u2013 not just when we get to Heaven,
\nbut on earth here as well. God\u2019s loving desire is for us to know Him, to obey commands,
\nand gain knowledge of His Truths. 1 Timothy 2:3-4, \u201cFor this is good and acceptable in
\nthe sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge
\nof the truth.\u201d We submit ourselves in obedience, asking God to help us be holy, as He is
\nHoly. By this, we are asking God to restore us. Lamentations 5:21, \u201cTurn us back to
\nYou, O Lord, and we will be restored.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGive us day by day our daily bread.\u201d When we say this, we express our deep trust in
\nGod \u2013 that He will meet our daily needs in life \u2013 regardless the personal situations we
\nencounter in life. In Matthew 6:25-34, God teaches us not to worry about what tomorrow
\nbrings — for He knows what we need. In verses 30-34 it says, \u201cTherefore, do not worry,
\nsaying, \u2018What shall we eat?\u2019 or \u2018What what we drink?\u2019 or \u2018What shall we wear?\u2019 For the
\npagans seek after all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you have need of
\nall these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all thee
\nthings will be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will
\nworry about itself. Sufficient for each day is its own trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n

“And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Here
\nwe are asking God to reconcile our sins, and we also commit to forgive others. This is
\nnot a tic-for-tac request of God, but our true desire to give, as we have received. We
\nconfess before God that we are sinners and in need of forgiveness, and we express to God
\nour willingness to forgive others. Romans 3:23, \u201cFor we all have sinned and fall short of
\nthe glory of God.\u201d Here we are asking for God\u2019s grace and mercy \u2013 His forgiveness that
\nwe may be cleansed. In effect, we place our faith in Him \u2013 that He may to do this for us.
\n1 John 1:9. \u201cIf we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous \u2013 he forgives our sins and
\npurifies us from all unrighteousness.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd do not lead\u00a0us\u00a0into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.\u201d Here we are
\nasking God to give us strength to battle the evil one \u2013 Satan. We know that Satan fills
\nour lives with his lies and deception \u2013 tempting us at every turn in life. We are asking
\nGod to help us rise above temptation, that we may be obedient to His Commandments
\nand His Word. We are asking that our free will not fall into temptation, and our desires
\nwill be that of obedience to God \u2013 that He will provide a way out of temptation and never
\ngives us more than we can handle. 1 Corinthians 10:12-13, \u201cGod is faithful, who will not
\npermit you to be tempted more than what you are able, but with the temptation he will
\nalso make a way of escape, so you are able to bear it.\u201d<\/p>\n

This does not mean we will not have hardships in our life \u2013 we must understand that
\nbearing under hardships is part of life. However, in all we go through in life, it\u2019s
\nimportant to have a healthy \u201cfear of the Lord\u201d. Psalm 108:8-12, \u201cThe Lord is merciful
\nand gracious; Slow to anger and abounding in loving kindness. He will not always
\ncontend with us; nor will he keep his anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to
\nour sins; Nor has he repaid us according to our perversities. For like the height of the
\nheavens over the earth, His loving kindness prevails over those who fear him. As far as
\nthe east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.\u201d<\/p>\n

While we are in the body, we pray to God that He will deliver us from evil. God will
\nindeed deliver us from evil someday. Be confident of your deliverance through your
\nfaith in Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:6-8, \u201cTherefore being confident at all times, and
\nknowing that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord \u2013 for we walk
\nby faith not by sight \u2013 we are, then, of good courage, and we prefer rather to depart from
\nthe body and be at home with the Lord.\u201d<\/p>\n

The very evils we ask to be delivered from are those we encounter in this world.
\nFor Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
\nThis is the doxology of the prayer \u2013 essentially giving praise to our almighty, omniscient
\nGod. We confirm this by saying Amen.<\/p>\n

We say \u201cAmen\u201d after a lot of our prayers. We can use this in the context of our heart,
\nexpressing: Agreement; Endorsement of Praise; Truthfulness of Scripture; Faithfulness
\nof God; and that which was Spoken by Christ.<\/p>\n

Perhaps it\u2019s fitting to show the lyrics written by Thomas Ken, 1674 \u2013 the beautiful hymn
\nDoxology. Do you know the tune? If so \u2013 take a minute and sing it now \u2013 it will fill
\nyour heart throughout the day!<\/p>\n

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
\nPraise Him, all creatures here below;
\nPraise Him above, ye Heavenly Host;
\nPraise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.<\/p>\n

Didn\u2019t that feel good!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>As I think about the blessings that flow in our lives, and that which God has given to our
\ngreat nation, I would like to share with you a \u201cwide-field\u201d astro-image of an object called
\n\u201cThe North American Nebula\u201d, shown here.<\/p>\n

Can you see the outline of North America? This object is technically called ngc7000 and
\nis located in northern part of the night sky in the constellation of Cygnus \u2013 about 1,600
\nlight years from our Earth.<\/p>\n

The Bible says that God is Light; 1 John 1:5, \u201cThis is the message we have heard from
\nhim and declared to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

As you reflect on the image above, and the unique shape of the beautiful nebula, consider
\nour Heavenly Father, and the magnificent Light that He fills our lives with each and
\nevery day. Consider our essential belief that there is but one Father.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;
\none Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and
\nthrough all, and in you all.\u201d Ephesians 4: 4-6 NKJV<\/p>\n

How should we pray to our Heavenly Father? Take the words of Jesus to heart, and find comfort in praying
\n\u201cThe Lord\u2019s Prayer\u201d \u2013 embracing with sincerity all its meaning — expressed deeply from
\nwithin your heart. May God richly bless you this day.<\/p>\n

Have a great week folks!<\/p>\n

Your Brother in Christ,
\nMike Sherick<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[Translate] <\/p>\n

The Lord has blessed us with another beautiful day here in Las Cruces! The clouds are passing through, and over the weeks, the temperatures are slowly climbing. The \u201cground hog\u201d in me says, \u201cWinter is over\u201d. It\u2019s great to wake up and sense that Springtime is on the way! Isn\u2019t it nice […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.imagingtheheavens.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/386"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.imagingtheheavens.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.imagingtheheavens.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.imagingtheheavens.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.imagingtheheavens.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=386"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"http:\/\/www.imagingtheheavens.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/386\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1330,"href":"http:\/\/www.imagingtheheavens.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/386\/revisions\/1330"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.imagingtheheavens.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=386"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.imagingtheheavens.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=386"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.imagingtheheavens.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=386"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}