Tag Archives: sins

Topic Discussions

The Lord’s Prayer

How many times have we said the Lord ’s Prayer since we were children? But have you ever thought about what its words actually mean? Let’s break it down so that we are able to say it sincerely and know what it is that we are praying.

The Lord’s Prayer was given to us by Jesus during what we call the Sermon on the Mount, which took place on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, and is written to us in Matthew 5-7.

 

(Mat 6:5-8) And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

From the start, Jesus is telling us not to show off when we pray. We aren’t to pray to God to give ourselves glory, or convince people of how pious we think we are. It is good to pray with fellow Christians, but it is even more intimate and personal when we pray to our Father privately, when it is just between us and Him. We are to truly think about and feel what we are saying, and not say empty vain words, that don’t mean anything to us. The simpler the better, because using many words causes our prayers to lose their meanings, because we are thinking more about the flowery language we want to use, rather than just being plain and direct with our Father, who is unimpressed by our high levels of education. He already knows what we need and is really just looking for us to be genuine and honest with Him. KISS—Keep It Simple S…and Solitary.

 

(Mat 6:9) After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

This is how Jesus is telling us to pray to our Father—yes to our Father—and give Him all the glory. Even Jesus prayed to the Father, not to Jesus. He is telling us who to pray to. Although Jesus is a form of God, the form that He fills, the Son, is a different office or role of God, and you are to pray to the office of the Father, in the name of the Son, Jesus Christ. Praying in the name of Jesus Christ, or in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, shows our credentials as Christians.

The Trinity, or Godhead (as it is called in the Bible), is God, but He has three forms that He takes depending on the situation, and He always is in all three forms simultaneously. For example, take H2O: H2O can take the form of ice, water and steam, and it can take all three forms at the same time, in different places. They are all H2O, and they can even change from one form to another in any given place, but all three have their own unique properties. The same is true with the Godhead. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all God, and God is one, as there is only one true God, but God is such that He can be anywhere and everywhere at the same time, and perform different roles and take different forms depending on the situation.

Wherever God is in His full Glory is Heaven. This is where the full Godhead resides. At this time, Heaven exists in a higher dimensional plane than that which we currently occupy, which is why flesh cannot inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. It simply isn’t possible for us to enter into that dimension of Heaven the way we are, physical, 3-dimensional beings. But this is where God is and it is more real than anything we can know while in these flesh bodies. Occasionally, God will take one of His children there, in the spirit, to give us a vision or a glimpse into the future for a particular reason to serve His purpose, and this is illustrated in the Bible at various time, such as when John was taken in the spirit (for the book of Revelation), but this can only happen when one is in the spirit and leaves his flesh behind.

The name of God, YHVH, pronounced Yahaveh, is a very holy name that we see throughout the Old Testament in the Hebrew script; however, when translated to English, His name is generally rendered as “LORD,” in most translations. This name is so sacred, that it should not be used lightly—it is hallowed, or holy, meaning that it so pure that it is to be set apart. We are to have the kind of relationship with our Father that we are told to have with our own parents, except in much more reverence. Would we ever address our own parents by their first names? Occasionally we see that, but it is unusual and generally shows a lack of respect to them. We call them father or mother, or something similar. The same goes for our Father in Heaven. I would not recommend that you address our Father by His name Yahaveh, as Jesus also did not address our Father as Yahaveh. Jesus is our example of how to be a good Chrsitian. The only time we should use His name is when we are speaking of Him on a third person level and when we have a good reason, in my humble opinion. Will you be punished for it if you do? I don’t think so, and God is the only one who truly knows your heart. To me this is just a good measure to avoid using His name in vain, as we are told not to do. When we use His name, we should not take it lightly.

 

(Mat 6:10) Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

God’s Kingdom of Heaven is with Him. It is wherever He is. The whole universe is His, but on the Lord’s Day, immediately following the tribulation, is the Second Coming, and Jesus will be returning, and His Millennial, thousand-year, Kingdom will be coming with Him, from which He will rule on earth. God will be here on earth in the form of the Son at that time, but after the Millennium, the Eternal Kingdom of Heaven will resume, in which God will be on earth in His full Glory. We are not going anywhere to experience the Kingdom of Heaven—it is coming to us. His Kingdom will come!

And His will will be done in His Kingdom on earth, just as it is in Heaven. There will not be any more rebellion or selfishness, we will all live in harmony and peace, which is His will.

 

(Mat 6:11) Give us this day our daily bread.

This line, as with all scripture, has more than one significance. Of course, it is asking for our Father to continue to provide us our nourishment physically, in the form of food to keep our bodies healthy. But, more deeply, this is asking Him to provide deeper, more meaningful understanding of His scriptures. His Word, is represented by bread throughout the Bible. Don’t we want to understand His Word more clearly and deeply? This is the reason we continually study His Word. Is it not? We should always be learning from it, as no one has complete understanding of the Bible—not until we understand each and every verse on all three levels to which they are written. And no one will ever have that perfect understanding while in the flesh.

 

(Mat 6:12) And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

This step is a very important one in every prayer we say, and we will find out a little more just after the prayer. But in order for God to forgive us of our sins and blot them out, we must also be willing and able to do the same for those who sin against us as we have against Him.

He will forgive us of all our sins if we do this and we ask for forgiveness in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ. But we must first truly and sincerely accept Him as our Lord and Savior.

(Mat 6:13) And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

It is also a good idea to ask God to protect us from and lead us away from the temptations that cause us to want to go against Him and sin, as well as to keep us away those who would tempt us to sin, and those who would cause us harm. God knows what we need and He knows our hearts and how we don’t want to stray from Him, but He still likes a dialogue with us because that is why He created us, to keep Him company and to please Him. He likes us to ask Him for help to stay on His proper course, and He will help us if we sincerely ask Him.

His power and His glory will always exist and it will always be supreme, and this Kingdom will always be His. There is no power or glory that will surpass His and this will stand forever. We have read the book and we know how it ends. Satan loses and will ultimately perish in the Lake of Fire, along with all those who are not listed in the Book of Life. There is nothing for which to be afraid, as we are told to fear, or revere, not he who has the power to destroy our flesh, but He who has the power to destroy our soul. The kingdom is His and all we have to do is to sincerely seek His help to stay on the right track to enter into it.

 

(Mat 6:14-15) For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Jesus is emphasizing here just how important it is to forgive those who sin against, so that our Father will see that we are worthy of being forgiven for our own sins against Him. Jesus, at another spot, gave us the Parable of the King and His Indebted Servant, Matthew 18:22-35. This parable perfectly illustrates the attitude we are taught to have toward those who would sin against us or owe us any debt.

Many people have difficulty with this step, but it is an essential one, and I urge you to begin its practice as soon as possible if you would like God’s blessings in your life.

 

Jesus gave us this outline for a proper and effective prayer to our Father, but we don’t have to say it word-for-word. However we choose to pray to our Father, it is imperative that we are very sincere, honest, humble, and truly feel what we are saying to Him, otherwise these are all just vain babblings, and have no meaning at all, and are like smoke in His nose. Sincerely approach our Father’s throne—He is our heavenly Father, and is to be revered more than anyone on earth.

God bless.

 

John

To Stone or Not To Stone? John 8:1-11

1 Comment

Some of your bibles will have this chapter of John in parenthesis and that’s because our oldest known copies of this gospel are missing this chapter. This has left some some people in doubt as to it’s validity. Some of the bible’s critics will say that this chapter doesn’t belong and we know that because Jesus was an unlearned peasant and couldn’t possibly know how to write. Of course for this theory to work you would have to discount Luke’s account (which they do) not to mention the last chapter. One of the things they seem to overlook is that while it is true that most of the population was illiterate, that didn’t mean everybody. This is one of the reasons why God set up a Leviticus priesthood whose job it was to read and teach the scriptures. Of course if they had, then there wouldn’t have been so much confusion about the coming Messiah. Why is this important? Because Mary came from a family of priests (We know this because Elisabeth was her cousin and Zacharias was a practicing Levitical priest) so it isn’t a stretch to think that Jesus had received some lessons in reading. Especially since He was constantly telling others to search the scriptures. Why would He say such a thing if He hadn’t done so himself?

All that is well and good, but what does that have to do with this chapter? Aside from Christ writing on the ground probably not much, but it does bring us to the exciting stuff and the reason we know for a fact that this chapter belongs right here and in this spot. Let’s start and I’ll explain.

John 8:1 Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.

Ok in the last chapter we talked about how it was an overlay of the tribulation and how the completion of the Feast of Tabernacles marks the end of this age. Well folks the Feast of Tabernacles is complete and what marks the return of our Savior? Him touching the Mount of Olives. From here on we are going to see some things that will help you better understand the millennium.

John 8:2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.

During the millennium, Christ is in and stays in the temple until the great white throne judgment.

This marks the beginning of the millennium so note how everyone is coming to Him and compare it to:

Isaiah 45:23 I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.

You might be thinking to yourself that this isn’t bowing a knee and I won’t argue the point, but I will have you consider this before we move on:

Romans 14:10-13 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. (11) For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. (12) So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. (13) Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.

John 8:3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, (8:4) They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.

Before Christ returns 2 Thessalonians 2 tells us that there will be a great falling away meaning many will fall away from God and turn toward Satan. Turning from God is called idolatry and many times, Hosea in particular, God has used adultery as a physical example of idolatry.

John 8:5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? (8:6) This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.

They are trying to trip Christ up. How? If this woman is married, the law in question is given in Deuteronomy 22 (The law listed in Numbers 5 doesn’t apply because they were caught, “in the very act”) so let’s go there.

Deuteronomy 22:22 If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away evil from Israel.

Alright so this woman needs to die right? She was found, so let’s start chucking rocks right? Not so fast. Where is this guy? The laws say both of them are to be put to death, so if she was caught in the act why didn’t they bring the man also? Shouldn’t he have some stones with his name on it? Seems the Pharisees are being a bit selective with their punishments.

Ok, what about if she is a virgin and only betrothed?

Deuteronomy 22:23-24 If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her; (24) Then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with stones that they die; the damsel, because she cried not, being in the city; and the man, because he hath humbled his neighbour’s wife: so thou shalt put away evil from among you.

It doesn’t say to stone her alone so again where is Mr. Happy Pants? Makes you wonder if he’s one of the town’s big shots.

So with this in mind we know that if Christ were to say stone her, He isn’t following the law in it’s entirety and if He were to say let her go then He is again violating the law. We will find out in a moment how He handles this, but first let’s think a moment about what He wrote.

Many have speculated over the years as to what exactly He writes here and we simply cannot know for certain, but it is probable that He wrote this law, but let’s not forget this is a symbol for the millennium.

Revelation 10 tells us that right after Jesus returns there are seven thunders (thunder is what you hear after the lightning has already done it’s thing) that John was about to write when he is told that they are sealed up and to not write them. I feel that because we are not told what Jesus wrote it links these two events together. Don’t worry if you don’t see that.

John 8:7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

Think about these accusers for a moment, Christ is writing, but they don’t care and these are the scribes so they can read, but they are demanding action. Does this remind you of anyone?

Revelation 12:9-11 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. (10) And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. (11) And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

This is what Satan does. Day and night, the second you make a mistake he is there just like he was in Job.

But remember that when you are standing before God, it’s only going to be you and Him so you don’t need to worry about a crowd of people hurrying up to God trying to tell Him what you did, because He already knows and He is going to deal with you on a one to one basis no matter what the holy rollers want to say about it.

John 8:8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. (8:9) And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

Here I imagine He is writing down their sins, which when the beam in your eye is pointed out, most people find it hard to face.

Why does it begin with the eldest? Because judgment starts at the pulpit and the elders should know better.

John 8:10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?(11) She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

Christ isn’t saying she didn’t do it because He said, “sin no more,” meaning she did it He just isn’t going to enforce it and He isn’t breaking the law because He wasn’t the one that caught her in the act, thus the Pharisees trap didn’t work.

Symbolically she is the bride of Christ so who is it that ultimately has the right to forgive her? The betrothed husband, meaning Christ. Let’s go back to Deuteronomy.

Deuteronomy 22:13-14 If any man take a wife, and go in unto her, and hate her, (14) And give occasions of speech against her, and bring up an evil name upon her, and say, I took this woman, and when I came to her, I found her not a maid:

I kind of hate to stop there on a colon, but you can go and read the rest of the thought yourself with lays out the whole process on how to deal with a non-virgin wife, but I want to call to attention the first part where it says IF he hates her. That is a condition and Christ’s love is unconditional meaning He wont hate her even if she has gone astray and by the end of the millennium they will have the opportunity to reunite with their true husband.

The reason He can do this is because God blinds them making them ultimately innocent of what they are doing. If you don’t understand the how, who or why God has blinded some I say for now just lay it aside for now because it’s a topic in and of itself. For now the important thing is to know at the beginning whether it be in the flesh age or in the millennium at the beginning the woman stands accused, but by the end even though she did the deed she is not condemned, but to get to that point there is a process. This process is the millennium.