When we get to this point in the Lord’s Prayer, we are reminded of two stories Jesus told. I have mentioned the first one a few times. It is the story of the unforgiving servant. The other one is about a young man, who demands his inheritance and heads off to a far country where… Continue reading Forgive us our debts
Category: Bible Study
Give us this day our daily bread
The next part of the Lord’s prayer is a request that God will provide for us. It is a reminder that all good things come from God alone and that he is the one who provides for us and protects us. At a practical level, this is a prayer that God will oversee conditions around… Continue reading Give us this day our daily bread
Thy kingdom come
When Jesus started preaching, he announced the nearness of God’s kingdom. This kingdom is not about a specific geographical area, rather it is about God’s sovereign rule and reign over his creation. We link “Your kingdom come” to “your will be done” because the two go closely together. A prayer for God’s kingdom to come… Continue reading Thy kingdom come
May your name be holy
When something is holy, then it is set apart, distinct, special. We as God’s people are described as holy, we are holy because God has declared is to be set apart, called to be his people and forgiven our sin through Christ’s death on the Cross. We are meant to be distinct in our lives… Continue reading May your name be holy
Our Father in Heaven
One of the fascinating things that strikes me as I read Matthew 6 is these words: “Your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!”[1] It is often suggested that if God already knows everything and even predestines everything then there is no point in praying at all. God already knows and… Continue reading Our Father in Heaven
Masks and actors, Fathers and Sons (Matthew 6:1-24)
When I was younger, there was one person’s seal of approval that mattered. I suspect I am not alone in this and to some extent I suspect it remains true today. Whether it was the school reports, my first and only successful attempt at woodwork, my exam grades, my choice of girlfriend (and eventually wife),… Continue reading Masks and actors, Fathers and Sons (Matthew 6:1-24)
Skin Deep? Going Further
The point of the “Lex Talionis” or the eye for an eye rule was not that it was meant to encourage harsh vengeance but that it was meant to limit and constrain revenge and keep it within the boundaries of justice. The alternative was for blood feuds that would run and run with ever escalating… Continue reading Skin Deep? Going Further
Skin Deep? Trustworthy?
When we bought our house, we took out a mortgage. Like many home owners up and down the country, we were making a promise, a commitment that over the next 25 years, we would pay back the money we had borrowed with interest. How could our Building Society be sure that we would repay the… Continue reading Skin Deep? Trustworthy?
Skin Deep? What if we took Jesus seriously about divorce?
Jesus says: 31 “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. As you can see, the culture of his day said… Continue reading Skin Deep? What if we took Jesus seriously about divorce?
Skin Deep? Sexual Immorality
Pornography is a poisonous cancer, designed to be addictive, it seeps into minds and emotions. Pornography is a killer, it gives a false, idolatrous view of sex, including often violent relationships that kills passion and intimacy within marriage. Pornography says that infidelity is okay. So, what should you do if addicted to porn? Following Jesus’… Continue reading Skin Deep? Sexual Immorality
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