OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN

Posted on by BETH

“And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth” (Luke 11:2)

When men (or women) lead in prayer in such a way as to make the Heavenly Father their peer, are they showing reverence? When they say things like, “Hello, Daddy,” are they even addressing Him the way they would want their own children to address them? Respect for deity and for authority is the real issue, and we need to seriously consider this if we want our prayers to be heard. We must remember that He is our creator and the creator of the world (Rom 1:18-21)

Would we dare to address the President of the US in such a casual way? Would we even address a local judge or mayor without due respect for his position? Surely God deserves more respect than those worldly men. There seems to be little or no respect for God when someone addresses our Heavenly Father as if He were just an ordinary man. Some modern church members may always be at church and always wanting to do something, but their attitudes in prayer may make our blood run cold. Such a person might proceed to carry on a “conversation” with God as if He were an ordinary friend. At times like this I have wondered if lightening might come down and strike us all. I can’t help remembering why Moses was not allowed to go into the Promised Land after all the years of serving God and His chosen people.

Moses and Aaron had gathered the congregation of the people together and Moses declared, “Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?” Num 20:10

“And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them” (Num 20:12).

What Moses did to dishonor God was far less than what some men do today. When they pray in a casual manner as described above, are they sanctifying God in the eyes of the people? Are they sanctifying Him in their own hearts?

“And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth” (Luke 11:2)

We are learning how to pray from the teaching Jesus gave to his apostles and disciples while he was here on earth. This very plain statement from Jesus gives us the direction our prayers should take. Our prayers are to be directed to our Father in Heaven and not to anyone else-not to Mary, not to any of the “saints” not to the Holy Spirit, but to God the Father.

In John 16:17-26, where Jesus is speaking of his impending death and resurrection, the apostles are puzzled about losing Him. They have been His friends and followers and have depended greatly on being able to ask directly for what they needed. Now He says things will be different and they seem not to understand.

It is easy to see in verse 17 and 18 that they are confused and questioning what is meant by His parable. Jesus tells them they shall weep and lament at what is about to happen, but that the world will rejoice. The apostles will be sorrowful, but their sorrow shall be turned to joy. This is a clear reference to his resurrection. Indeed it was a time for joy when everyone understood the true meaning of the event. Later we read in Romans 1:4 that Christ was proved to be the son of God by the resurrection from the dead. That was true joy for everyone looking for the Savior.

Again in John 16 22, Jesus tells them that in that day no man can take their joy from them, but he adds one clear command to the apostles that we also must respect. In the following verse He says, “…And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you” (John 16:23).

Jesus goes on to say that up until that time they did not have to ask “in His name” but could ask him directly. But after His resurrection things will change. “At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:” (John 16:26).

Going back to verse 22 we see that Jesus is speaking of the resurrection and the time He would ascend into Heaven with His new spiritual body. That truly would be a joy beyond compare, but at the same time the apostles would not ask Him directly for anything as they had done before. They would ask the Father in His name.

Today that is precisely why we pray to God in Jesus’ name. This was Jesus direction for our prayers.

FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS

Posted on by BETH

The book of Esther and the book of Ruth are the only two books in the entire Bible that bear the name of Hebrew women. Both read very much like novels. While the book of Ruth begins and ends in poverty, the book of Esther begins with all the splendor of the kingdom of Persia. Persia was the wealthiest nations ever to exist in the history of the world, and Nebuchadnezzar had carried the Jews away from Jerusalem to be bondmen in foreign lands. According to Isaiah, the Jerusalem was reduced to a land of jackals, owls, thorns and briars. Esther, the heroine, is first seen as a lowly orphan child brought up by a cousin; yet, to the human eye, she rises to a position of power and service to her people because of her beauty and humility.

When Esther lacked courage to put her life in the balances in order to save her people, Mordecai used the phrase, “…who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? (Est 4:14). That phrase should remind us of the humble beginnings of Joseph-how he was brought to Egypt as a slave and of his willingness to be used to feed the poor nations around. We may read and reread, first of his stand for right, then his imprisonment and finally his rise to power for the specific purpose of feeding God’s chosen people. Yet for all the work given to Esther and Joseph, if they had not cooperated with God’s plan to do the work the way He wanted it to be done, He would have raised up another deliverer from another place and destroyed both them and their houses (Esther 4:14a).

Consider a few facts associated with this short book:

  1. Esther’s name appears fifty-five times. The only other woman’s name to appear nearly that many times is Sarah or Sarai.
  2. Esther is apparently the only Jewess to ever sit on a foreign throne.
  3. Training in respect for her “parents” is seen in Esther’s obedience to Mordecai in spite of her position as queen.
  4. We see that Esther had respect for her husband and the laws of the land even though she was doing her best to find a way to repeal the unfair law to destroy her people.
  5. The accuracy of the accounts of the Persian Empire and its palaces and rules is unsurpassed in secular history.
  6. Ahasuerus is also known as Artaxerxes in secular history for anyone who doubts the authenticity of the account.
  7. The Persians did not appear to force anyone to drink more than they wanted; in fact the laws appear to regulate or limit drinking.
  8. The Jew’s Feast of Purim is given credibility under the old law because of the explanation found in the book of Esther.
  9. “Pur” from which the word Purim comes, means “a lot.” The lot was cast to see which would be the most favorable day for the Jews to stand against their enemies.
  10. Even today the Jews respect the “law” given by Esther to remember the Feast of Purim on the fourteenth and fifteenth of March (Est 9:32).

TEACHING OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN

Posted on by BETH

Many have asked the question: Should grandparents as well as parents teach the children in the home? Let us listen to the Lord as He describes His will for these matters.

There is no doubt whether parents were to teach their children even under the Old Law. “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.” (Deut. 6:6-8)

In his Psalms, the Lord used King David to give counsel for teaching future generations. “Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments: And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.” (Psa. 78:1-8)

Every aspect of the Law was to be taught to the children and grandchildren. “Thou shalt not eat it (blood or any unclean thing-BJ); that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the LORD. Only thy holy things which thou hast, and thy vows, thou shalt take, and go unto the place which the LORD shall choose: And thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, the flesh and the blood, upon the altar of the LORD thy God: and the blood of thy sacrifices shall be poured out upon the altar of the LORD thy God, and thou shalt eat the flesh. Observe and hear all these words which I command thee, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee for ever, when thou doest that which is good and right in the sight of the LORD thy God.” (Deut. 12:25-28)

The Israelites were to constantly affirm the things they had seen and heard so that their children and grandchildren would have true witnesses to God’s work. “Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons.” (Deut. 4:9)

Continuing the tradition of teaching children and grandchildren, we see that Timothy was the product of a faithful mother and grandmother. If they were justified in teaching Timothy, and if his faith came from them, then who could question their authorization to teach him? If Lois and Eunice could instill their faith in Timothy, who would question grandparents today following the scripturally approved example? Was there anyone superior to Timothy among Paul’s fellow workers? We need more men like Timothy, but we also need more grandmothers and mothers who have faith and will teach the children.

“Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day; Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy; When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.” (2 Tim. 1:1-5)

A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just. (Prov. 13:22)