The Sweetest Frame

These are the last two of the seven petitions. I think they go together. We should be pleading with the Lord to lead us through testing and out of temptation. We need the Lord to deliver us from evil and the evil one. I think this is one of those areas that we just need to ask, seek and knock. We don't have what we need because we don't ask. I think another problem, is that often times we are so self-sufficient and independent that we don't cling to the Lord as we should. When we leave the black and white areas into the gray areas we will need the Lord's guidance. When we have to choose between the good thing and the best thing we need the Lord's help. When we follow Him with reckless abandon we will find that this prayer comes more naturally. Lord help us to follow you at any cost and to depend on you for every day. Guide us and Lead us.

Just got back from the NAFWB that was hosted in Little Rock, Arksansas. Our church family had a great time. I was privileged to work with some of the convention staff. They were down to earth and taught me a few things with the time I spent with them. I enjoyed the speakers and especially loved the music. If you want to read more about the convention check out www.onemag.org . Here is one of my favorite pictures from the week... Next year is Charleston, West Virginia. Make plans to come!

We are starting a new series at Calvary. Kingdom Characteristics. We started with the idea of being poor in spirit. We say we depend upon God, but do we live that way? I'm pretty self sufficient. At least I like to think that I am. We pride ourselves in being strong and able and independent. Jesus speaks just the opposite. He is looking for the crippled, the blind, the sick. He comes to give them strength. He uses them for His glory. Lord help me not to just say I need you, but to truly lean on you for strength with each day that I live.

Forgive Us. I'm pretty good at praying forgive ME. But with this part of the Lord's prayer we are again reminded that sometimes sin is a corporate thing. We need to intercede on behalf of others. When is the last time you prayed for God to forgive US? Another very interesting thought is presented here...Is your own forgiveness conditioned on your willingness to forgive others? Let's just say it this way - we have been forgiven so much, how in the world could we not forgive another?

We had another good day of services at church today. We reminded to give God our very best. I showed the "death crawl" clip from Facing The Giants . If you want to check it out click here or check out the embedded video below. God also answered a huge prayer for me this morning. I am so thankful when God answers a specific prayer.

Again, with the Lord's Prayer we are reminded it is about US, not about ME. We live in a time and place where we rarely need DAILY bread. Most of us have weekly bread and some even have monthly bread. We aren't worried about where our next meal will come from, we have stocked shelves and freezers. But "Give us our daily bread" is about more than just needing food each day. I've come to realize that this is a prayer to God asking for strength for the day. Strength to do the tasks that God wants us to do. We should pray for God's will to be done, and then pray that God will supply what we need to do His will. Sometimes daily bread is finances, sometimes it is rest, sometimes it is courage, sometimes it is discernment, but what I've come to realize is that I need DAILY bread. We need DAILY bread. We need to depend upon God daily.

I should have mentioned this in the last post, but here are the seven petitions: Thy Name be hallowed Thy Kingdom come Thy Will be done Give us our daily bread Forgive us our debts Lead us not into temptation Deliver us from evil Notice the first three are all about God and the last 4 concern us. The Lord's prayer begins and ends with the Father. It is good for prayer to begin with God. I'm afraid more often than not, my prayers begin with me. But this is not the model given by our Lord. Praying "Thy Kingdom come" is maybe the most difficult part of the Lord's prayer for me. It means that I desire God's kingdom above my own. I have often wished that I would accomplish certain objectives before the Lord's return. But praying Thy Kingdom Come means setting aside my goals for the goal of the master. Praying "Thy Kingdom Come" means seeking God's kingdom on earth here and now. It means seeking out justice for the oppressed and the fatherless. It ...