“Praying Like Jesus” – part three
The Disciples were with Jesus for 3 solid years… Think about how awesome that must have been. I love how the Message Bible words the first few verses of 1 John;
“From the very first day, we were there, taking it all in – we heard it with our own ears, saw it with our own eyes, verified it with our own hands. The Word of Life appeared right before our eyes; we saw it happen! And now we’re telling you in most sober prose that what we witnessed was, incredibly, this: The infinite Life of God himself took shape before us. We saw it, we heard it and now we’re telling you so you can experience it along with us, this experience of communion with the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.”
Can you even imagine what it was like to watch God in the flesh up close and personal for 3 years? Think about all the awesome things that the disciples saw Jesus do. Imagine what it was like to watch Jesus, multiply 5 loaves and 2 fish and feed 5,000+ people, to watch Him open blind eyes, heal lame limbs, walk on water, calm violent storms – even raise the dead back to life. AND - can you imagine what it was like to sit through one of Jesus sermons (the words of life spoken by the author of life, put yourself on that grassy hillside by the Sea of Galilee and hear God in the flesh say; “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven…”
And wouldn’t you had loved to have heard Jesus tell one of his stories; “A farmer went out to sow seed,” “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when he fell into the hands of robbers,” To hear God, proclaim the words of God had to be incredible.
AND – can you imagine what it was like to have a ring side seat to the powerful exchanges that Jesus had with the religious leaders… I mean every time these self righteous men were foolish enough to spar with Jesus, they got knocked straight to the canvas, before the first round was over…
Think about it/picture it… The things the disciples saw, heard & experienced were awesome!!! They were amazing. There has been nothing like it before or since.
AND LISTEN – after seeing all of this, after experiencing all of this… It is very significant that when the disciples finally worked up the courage to ask Jesus for something that they didn’t ask him; “Lord teach us to do miracles” “Teach us to heal the sick” Teach us to raise the dead” “Teach us to preach like you do” “teach us to knock our opponents to the canvas with the truth like you do..” NO…they didn’t ask for any of that stuff – INSTEAD - they asked Jesus, “Lord teach us to pray…”
LISTEN – even among all of that awesome, powerful and supernatural stuff, the cream rose to the top. UNDERSTAND – the thing that really knocked the socks off the 12 was the way that Jesus prayed…I can almost hear them saying; “yeah when Jesus raised Lazarus after he was dead for 4 days, that was awesome; and I really freaked out when Jesus walked on water; and those sermons I could listen to Jesus talk all day – BUT when Jesus prayed – it was like looking through a window into another world; it was like almighty God was right here and he wasn’t someone to be afraid of, he was like… like a dad…”
LISTEN – the disciples wanted to be connected to God like that… They wanted to have a relationship with God like Jesus had… AND they knew (because they had seen it first hand) THRY KNEW - that all the strength, peace, courage wisdom and purpose that Jesus had, came from this relationship with God – a relationship that was built on and fueled by prayer…
LOOK UP – what we are talking about now… what we have been talking about – since June 2nd; is the most important thing is this life, in your life, in your walk with God.
LISTEN – the thing that separates those who do great things for God from those who only talk about it; the thing the separates those who overcome their sin from those who can never get free; the thing that separates those who have a peace that passes understanding from those who live in constant turmoil & uncertainty; the thing that separates those who live in courage, strength & wisdom from those who live in depression and fear… IS NOT; talent, ability, looks, money, education, home life – it is their prayer life….
REMEMBER - “Prayer does not simply maintain the Christian life, it is the Christian life, reduced to its barest essence…”
I don’t ‘really’ know where you are right now in your relationship with God, BUT I do know one thing for certain; if you don’t get really serious about your prayer life… You have not, and you are not, going very far…
LISTEN – when the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray – when they asked him to teach them how to be connected to God in a more powerful and significant way… DO YOU KNOW – what Jesus did – he taught them… AND let me say this when you look at what these men did for God, and how they did it – there can be no doubt, that they made the connection…
QUESTION – do you want to live: in victory or defeat; peace or turmoil, hope or despair? Do you want to go deeper in your relationship with God? Do you want to be connected to God like Jesus? Do you want a big, strong, up close & personal Father – or – a small weak - long distant deity?
LISTEN – everyone in this room who loves Christ and desires a relationship with him is at a crossroad… Each of us whether we want to admit it or not facing an important & pivotal decision.
Many years ago, Robert Frost – wrote a poem about a traveler who came to a crossroad and had to make a decision. He had to choose a road (because he couldn’t travel both – one way was well traveled the other it was obvious few had walked down); AND Frost concludes his poem with these words; “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled and that has made all the difference.”
I can tell you right now, that the road of a real, live vibrant prayer life… the road where we pray like Jesus…where we each day spend quality time with God; the road where prayer is the center, focus and heart of our life… is the road less traveled.
AND - tragically most believers will choose to walk - the more traveled road of praylessness.. Maybe you are one of them… BUT those of us who choose the road less traveled (and I am one of them), we are in the for the journey of a lifetime as we go deeper with God… “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled and that has made all the difference.” Which road are you taking?
LISTEN - 2,000 years ago – Jesus provided the key to a deeper relationship with God… 2,000 years ago, he gave us a model for prayer that is designed to take us closer to God… We’re calling it the Disciples Prayer…and 2 weeks ago we as a body began to plunge it’s depths. So far we have looked at “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name..”
LISTEN when we pray we are not just talking or worrying out loud… we really are talking to someone.. And not just anyone we are talking to OUR FATHER… UNDERSTAND – the father that Jesus prayed to is our Father too. 1 John 3:1; “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!”
We are praying to a perfect father; to a father who loves us unconditionally; is in absolute control of everything; has awesome plans for us; we are praying to a father who desires a true, deep & meaningful relationship with us. . he is just waiting for you to show up.
AND - we are praying to our father who IS - in the heavens (plural)…to a Father who not only sits enthroned above the circle of the earth BUT who is also right next to us, as close as the air we breathe.
THIS MORNING – we are going to look at the next part of the disciples prayer; “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven…”
PRAY…
“Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven…”
For years most of us have prayed those words. BUT what do they mean? What exactly is the kingdom? AND - why is the kingdom so important that Jesus says it should be a part of our regular prayers?
NOW - in order for us to grasp the greater meaning of these words and to pray like Jesus – we will answer 4 questions; What is the kingdom? What does the kingdom look like? Where is the kingdom? And finally - What does it mean to pray these words?
What Is The Kingdom?
LISTEN – if we are going to pray for the kingdom to come – it seems to me that it would be a good idea for us to know what it is…
NOW - we don’t use the word "kingdom" very much these days, and when we do, we’re usually talking about a place, like the United Kingdom or the Magic Kingdom. AND - in each of these cases, a kingdom is a specific geographical place defined by its borders. SO – in English a kingdom primarily refers to a place.
But the emphasis of the Greek word for "kingdom" IS NOT on a place but rather on, the rule or reign of a king. In fact, some Bible translations, they translate the Greek phrase "kingdom of God" as the "reign of God" or the "rule of God" in order to bring out this idea.
AND the next few words in our text help drive this point home – thy will be done… YOU SEE - in Hebrew poetry many times the second line, repeats the same truth of the first line, but in a slightly different way.
For example; “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall…” Pr 16:18 “A perverse man stirs up dissension and a gossip separates close friends.” P6 16:28
Therefore when Jesus says “thy kingdom come , thy will be done” He is teaching us that the kingdom of God, is any place where God’s will is done? AND - Done how? Done as it is done in heaven…
QUESTION – How is God’s will done in heaven?
UNDERSTAND - in heaven God’s will is; always done, instantly done, constantly done, completely done, humbly done and joyfully done… IN FACT – there’s only been one being in heaven who didn’t do God’s will, and he got kicked out…
ALRIGHT – I am going to repeat how God’s will is done in heaven and as I do, ask yourself is this how God’s will is done on earth? In the world? In my home? In my life?
[let’s first briefly define what God’s will is for the earth – for people to get saved and for saved people to act like Jesus… Much of the NT is written to Churches and Christians telling them to be like Jesus – telling them what to do and what not to do…
OKAY – here goes; In heaven God’s will is; always done, instantly done, constantly done, completely done, humbly done and joyfully done… SO – how does this world and your world, measure up to heaven? (need some work don’t we? That’s why we need to pray about it)
What Does The Kingdom Look Like?
QUESTION – what would this earth look like, if God’s will, if God’s rule was supreme…? We can barely imagine it - it boggles the mind.
Now the good news is the writers of Scripture spent an enormous amount of time reflecting on this, reflecting on what the earth would look like if it were ‘perfectly’ aligned with the kingdom of heaven. They wrote a lot about it both in the Old and New Testament.
BUT UNDERSTAND - because this involves spiritual reality, and spiritual reality is very hard to describe (because we’re so finite and fallen), for the most part the writers of Scripture used images to convey what life on earth would look like under God’s reign.
SO - let’s look at some of those images from Scripture of what it would look like if God’s kingdom came, if his will were done on earth as it is in heaven?
John Orteberg does an awesome job describing these images and relating them to our time..
I want to share some of what he says….it rocks!!!!
NOW – the Bible talks about this relative to different spheres of human life.
First of all, there’s the sphere of economics and human need. John writes in Revelation 7:16 about the day when God’s kingdom is fully realized he says - “never again will they hunger. Never again will they thirst.”
Think about what that would look like—the elimination of hunger. No more pictures of little children with swollen bellies. No mothers trying to scrounge around for enough food so that her baby could survive another day.
But LISTEN - it’s not just the end of poverty. YOU SEE - the writers also talk about the great abundance that would occur in God’s kingdom. Amos wrote. "The days are coming," declares the Lord, "when the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman and the planter by the one treading grapes; when new wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills." (9:13)
NOW – we need to understand that this was written to people who lived in a desert environment. Where they had to wait for rain and where the ground wasn’t too fertile. BUT Amos says all of that changes in the kingdom of God; he says that in the kingdom of God; the one who plows and the one who reaps keep bumping into each other because there’s such abundance (cool picture).
Amos also says; "New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills." NOW - that doesn’t mean that there’s literally going to be Chardonnay in the Rockies. It’s an image of abundance, of God’s abundance.
In our terms we’d say things like, "Every day the stock market will end a little higher than the day before. The bull will dwell on Wall Street forever; the bear will visit it no more. Alan Greenspan will never have to raise interest rates again. Everyone’s pantry will be full; their bills will be paid and they will never have enough deposit slips for their savings account…
Then there’s the sphere of politics, which in our history is mostly the story of human conflict. Isaiah 2:4 says, "God will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples." Just think about these words: "They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nations will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore"—no more fighting, no more hatred.
LISTEN - they won’t have any use for swords anymore so they’ll beat them into plowshares. One writer putting this in modern terms said, "Intercontinental ballistic missile silos will be converted into training tanks for inner-city kids to learn scuba diving in." And there will be peace, no such thing as enemies.
Then in Isaiah 11:6 we read, "The wolf will lie down with the lamb. Infants will play near the hole of cobra and young children will put their hands into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all My holy mountain."
And what the writer is using imagery there to convey is that the world would be at peace if the kingdom of God were fully realized. President Bush and Sadam Hussein would not be enemies they’d be racket ball partners… And the lion will lay down with the lamb. And the dog will make peace with the rabbit, and the cat will be no more. I’m sorry, I’m sorry.
Then there is the sphere of everyday life; When teenage girls in the kingdom of God look at magazine covers and then look in the mirror, they will think to themselves, "I look just right." Because society would have learned to see and celebrate the beauty that God sees when he looks at human beings made in his image. . Whatever their shape or size or color, they would all look in the mirror and say, "I look just right."
Scripture writers say in the kingdom of God there will be no more fear. John puts it like this in Revelation 21 that, "On no day will its gates ever be shut" because there’s no night there. Now in biblical times, of course, there wasn’t electricity. Night was a time of darkness, a time of vulnerability, a time when crimes were committed, a time of fear, a time to shut the gates.
BUT - in the kingdom of God, those days will be over. No more locked doors; no gated communities; no security systems; no combinations. AND - you will never lose your keys because there won’t be any keys.
And the kingdom of God will also redeem family life. In Luke 1:17 it says, "And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children." No more separations, no more divorce, no more affairs, no abuse, no neglect, no unloved, unwanted children.
Members of a household will stay up late at night thinking of ways to serve each other. Children will insist that their little brother get the larger piece of cake. People will turn on Jerry Springer to watch shows with titles like, "My Spouse Secretly Loves Me Twice as Much as I Thought He Did." “How my dad was always there for me” “My teenage daughter just keeps doing good things.”
And then maybe the most beautiful words of all about the kingdom, Revelation 21 will come true, "And I heard a loud voice saying, ‘Now the dwelling place of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.’" You think about these words, "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain for the old order of things has passed away."
Anybody want to live in a world like that? No more kleenex; no more funeral homes. We will turn caskets into toy chests. Hearses will be converted to sports utility vehicles with names like "Eternal Voyager" and "Jeep Grand Resurrection." And there will be counselors, but you’ll only go to them when you are so full of gratitude and joy, that you’re willing to pay somebody, just to get them to listen to you right now.
And every day you will be home with God, never separated by sin. In Ezekiel it says that God promises, "I will remove their hearts of stone and replace them with a heart of flesh." No more stony hearts; no more cold hearts; no more stubborn hearts. You’ll never say something that you’ll regret later. You’ll never do anything to be ashamed of. You’ll never do anything to feel guilty about.
When you see somebody else’s success or beauty or wealth it won’t even occur to you to be envious, but only to rejoice as if you had these things yourself. Every tribe and tongue and people and nation will gather like brothers and sisters around the throne, and listen - think about this: You will see the living God. No more doubt, no more questions, no more why.
You will look into the face of God, and he will be your God, and we will be his people. And your every thought will be a prayer, and your every prayer will be a conversation with God. And God himself will wipe every tear from your eye, and then he’ll remove the tear ducts, and he’ll point his finger and sadness and sorrow will be banished.
There will joy inexpressible. Isaiah says, "The trees of the field will clap their hands."
That’s what it would look like if God’s kingdom were to come to earth. That’s what it would be like for God’s will to rule in the hearts of men….
NOW - if you’re like me, a part of you wonders, "Can this really be? Is it possible that this earth can be redeemed? Will the day ever really come when God’s will is done fully? Is this real or is it just wishful thinking?" This leads us to the next question;
Where Is The Kingdom?
ANSWER - The kingdom is coming and the kingdom is already here…!
NOW – we know that the kingdom, that the perfect rule of God is coming… We know that one day the trumpet will sound, the archangel will shout – the sky will split open and Jesus, the King of kings and Lord of lords will descend from heaven with a loud shout… and he will make everything new…
It is going to be SO awesome to live in that kingdom… to live in a world where God’s rule in the hearts of man is experienced in all it’s fullness… As we live in this fallen world - we look forward to that day – the kingdom is COMING…
BUT - the kingdom is also here – right now… Let me explain…
LISTEN - the kingdom was the central focus of Jesus’ ministry. He taught about the kingdom, told parables to describe the kingdom and he came to establish the kingdom… CHECKOUT – these Scriptures;
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom… Mt 4:23
But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. Mt 10:28
“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news.” Mk 1:15
“I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power.” Mk 9:1
Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ‘here it is,’ or there it is,’ (in other words it won’t be visible) because the kingdom of God is within you.” Lk 17:20,21
“I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.” Jn 3:5
For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves… Col 1:13
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father – to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen Rev 1:5,6
LISTEN – when Jesus came 2,000 years ago – he came to establish the kingdom, he came to get back what was lost in the garden of Eden. YOU SEE – since the garden the earth has been the main battlefield of 2 opposing kingdoms.
BUT – that’s not the whole story. FOR YOU SEE - once the world fell into enemy hands, God determined to win it back at all costs. That meant sending his message through kings, prophets, priests and poets. It meant rising up an entire nation through who he would bless the earth. AND - ultimately it meant that he himself had to enter the conflict, in order to reclaim the world from satan.
I love how CS Lewis describes this world in his book Mere Christianity. Lewis says that the earth is enemy occupied territory. And he goes on to say that Christianity is the story of how the rightful king has landed in disguise and is calling us all to take part in a great campaign of sabotage.
LISTEN – when Jesus says the kingdom of God is near, he’s not saying it’s just getting kind of close. He’s saying it’s now available. UNDERSTAND - in human history, one life has already been lived on this earth where God’s will had unhindered sway, where God’s will was always, instantly, constantly, completely, humbly and joyfully done. Whose life was it? Jesus.
AND HERE – is the awesome part… Jesus says to the church, to the Christian - to you and me – that it is now possible for the kingdom to come in the lives of God’s people. UNDERSTAND - this is the heart of the gospel message.
We ARE citizens of a better kingdom
we ARE a new creation,
we CAN can die to ourselves and reflect Christ.
We CAN can have the fruit of the Spirit
We ARE are the kingdom and priests to serve God
LISTEN - It is now possible for human beings to live in the presence and power of God. You can do this right now, and it’s the greatest offer you will ever have. And if you want it more than anything else—which any sane person would—then Jesus says, "Just follow me, just become a fully devoted follower, and you will learn from me how to live in my Father’s kingdom."
You know, people today love to talk about the power of vision – pick up any book on leadership and it will tell of the necessity of casting vision. LISTEN - Jesus Christ cast the ultimate, the most compelling vision that the human race has ever heard. GET THIS - Jesus offers us the opportunity to be a part of a kingdom that is unshakable, a kingdom that will never end, Think about that… A kingdom that will never end…Throughout human history many nations and kings have risen to power – and nearly every name is forgotten and nearly every is mere dust in the wind…
LISTEN – if you are looking for significance and permanence in this world you are wasting your time. AND UNDERSTAND - all those things we do to give ourselves significance – the degrees after our names; the house we buy, the money we save, the cars we drive, the physical beauty we seek, the business we build, the relationships we long for, the clothes we wear, the networks we create in the end those things will amount to nothing…IF you are living for this world, you are making a fatal choice… You are putting all your energy and effort into building a sand castle on the beach with tide coming in…
Jesus Christ offers us the opportunity of a lifetime - to a part of something better, something eternal, something that will out last time… AND to be a part of it now, today!!!
LISTEN – you do not have to wait to live out those images of the kingdom – you can be a kingdom person now – you can live under the rule of God today…
AND LISTEN – during the last 2,00 years… when men and women heard it and understood it, they devoted their hearts to it, they sacrificed their possessions for it, they sacrificed their careers for it, they sacrificed their homes for it, they lived for it, and they died for it. And they did it with joy. They did it laughing, weeping and dancing, unable to believe their good fortune—that the kingdom of God was open to them.
LISTEN - the kingdom of God is already available for ordinary fallen human beings like you and me to live, and one day it will come in all its fullness - one day there will be no other kingdoms.
UNDERSTAND - part of the reason why people were surprised by the coming of the kingdom in Jesus is that the kingdom came in him, but there were still other kingdoms. There was Caesar’s kingdom, and kingdoms of different countries and different economic powers. And even today, everybody has their own little kingdom, many of which are opposed to God.
YES - there are still other kingdoms. BUT LISTEN - one day there will only be one kingdom—God’s kingdom. And we’ll experience it in all its fullness. Think about it… All the things the writers of Scripture, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, dreamed about and wrote about as best and as compellingly as they could, will be reality… YES that day is coming…
BUT FOR NOW – (as one writer puts it) Jesus our King, has established outposts of the kingdom, little pinpoints of light, that hold out the promise of better things to come…little pinpoints of light where His people show this world a different and better way to live…
AND LISTEN – as you and I let the King reign over our hearts & lives – AND -
As we when we surrender our wills
give up control
we deny ourselves
we are in the world but not of it
We help to establish another outpost of the kingdom… we help to sabotage the plans of satan… pretty awesome isn’t it….
Where is the kingdom – it is coming one day in all it’s fullness and it is here now…
NOW – for the final question…
What Does It mean To Pray These Words?
AND before I tell you some of what it means to pray this prayer… I need to make it clear that it DOES make a difference when we pray this words…
LISTEN – Jesus would not have told us to pray; “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done…” if it didn’t. matter. UNDERSTAND - to pray these words, and mean them, is to take part in the greatest revolution in all of human history… To pray these word and mean them – has more power over human history then all the armies that have ever marched…
To pray these words makes a difference – in the coming of the kingdom in all it’s fullness… AND it makes a difference in the expansion of the rule of God in the hearts of men today…
AND LISTEN – when you boil it down to pray these words basically means 2 things…
FIRST - it means you MUST pray, ‘my’ kingdom GO…
Repeat with passion – “God’s kingdom cannot come until my kingdom goes”
LISTEN – God’s kingdom cannot come, until ‘your’ kingdom goes.. UNDERSTAND - your kingdom and Gods kingdom; your will and God’s will; cannot co-exist in the same time and in the same place.
AND – our great example of this, is none other then Jesus who prayed in the garden; “yet not as I will, but as you will..” – not an easy prayer to pray…
(OKAY – real quick what is God’s will; for people to get saved and you to be like Jesus… to act , talk & live like Jesus)
One of my all time favorite songs is a song called, ‘I Surrender All’ – by Clay Crosse. Here are a few of the words of the song they really speak to this idea of how our kingdoms must go, must fall!;
I have wrestled in the darkness of this lonely pilgrim land
Raising strong and mighty fortresses, that I alone command
But These castles I’ve constructed by the strength of my own hands
are just temporary kingdoms on foundations made of sand.
In the middle of the battle, I believe I finally found,
I’ll never know the thrill of victory till I’m willing to lay down
all my weapons of defense and earthly strategies of war.
So – I laying down my arms and running helpless to yours
I surrender all
My silent hopes & dreams, though the price to follow will cost me everything
I surrender all my human soul desires
His sacrifice requires, that all my kingdoms fall, that all my kingdoms fall
I surrender all
If the source of my ambition, is the treasure I obtain
If I measure my success on a scale of earthly gain
If the focus of my vision is the status I obtain
My accomplishments are worthless and my efforts are in vain
So I lay aside these trophies to pursue a higher crown
And should you choose somehow to use this life I willingly lay down
I surrender all the triumphs for it’s only by your grace
I relinquish all the glory I surrender all the praise
“Thy kingdom….”
LISTEN – when you pray these words – life is not about you anymore…
AND SECOND – to pray these words means that you;
MUST pray, God your kingdom – your will come…
AND you need to pray for God’s kingdom to come in at least 4 places…
First, you need to pray that the kingdom will come in your life. YOU SEE – God doesn’t just want you to be a kingdom pray-er he wants you to be a kingdom bear-er. "God, may your kingdom come, may your will be done starting right here, starting with me…
Now let me ask you: What would it look like for the kingdom to come, for God’s will to be done in your life? In your; home, relationships, marriage, speech, attitudes, work…
Here’s another question - what would it look like for you to pray, "God, your kingdom come, your will be done in my financial life"? Maybe it will involve very serious sacrifice. I don’t know. I think about the early days of the church when people sold their homes. And the prayer that went up was, "God, your will be done with my resources," and it led to action and incredible physical & spiritual growth.
Most of you know this year as a church we’re looking at the biggest financial challenge of our lives (1.3 million). But I want to tell you something. I believe this with all my heart if this one thing is done, if the body at CCC is praying sincerely, "God, when it comes to the resources you have so generously given me, your will be done." Then whatever it is God wants for this church, it can’t be stopped. It will be unstoppable. Just that one prayer, "Your kingdom come, your will be done through the resources you’ve given me."
Second – you need to pray, "God, may your kingdom come to the people in my world.
What would it look like for the kingdom to come – for God’s will to reign in the heart of your; wife, husband, parent, child, friend, co-worker --- you need to pray for that and believe that it makes a difference…
Third – pray that God’s kingdom will come to Central…to this church…
What would Central look like if the kingdom if the rule of God prevailed in all of our hearts, attitudes, words and actions – pretty awesome… pray for that…
Fourth – you need to pray for God’s kingdom to come to this earth. HEY – our world is messed up. In far to many places the will of man is on the throne… AND that is why we have wars, poverty and that is why little 5 year girls are abducted assaulted and murdered…
Lord may you kingdom come to….USA, Georgia…L’Ville… (grab a map & pray for places by name…)
Our father….as it is in heaven…
Astronaut James Erwin is one of but a few men to walk on the moon. As he stood upon the lunar landscape and looked up at the earth, he prayed for the first time in his life. He thought about the strife among nations, poverty, hunger, and rampant evil; and he thought to himself: "What is more important than man walking on the moon is that God should walk on earth." This is the desire we express when we pray, "Thy Kingdom come."
AND LISTEN –
God will walk this earth as we as God’s people allow him to reign in our hearts and lives…
We are going to sing a song we haven’t sung in awhile – BUT I think it will have more meaning to us today then ever - “Lord Reign In Me…”
