Pray How?
There is one place in the Bible where it instructs us to “Pray then like this…” It is in Matthew 6 and proceeds to give us the Lord’s Prayer. Although in a short post like this I cannot do a full exposition on the Lord’s Prayer, let’s start in the beginning:
Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:9-10 NKJV).
How many times have we started our prayers with worshipful words because of this prayer? “Hallowed be Your Name.” For many who know some scripture this can be a repetition of the Names of God from His own Word, i.e., Almighty God, Most High, Counselor, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, or King of Kings. The Lord is exalted in our thoughts and words as we use His own language to worship Him.
But, “Your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven” is a little more difficult to honor Him as we pray it. This phrase caused me to ask if what we do in life (as Christians) is seeking to bring what God has in heaven to the earth.
It was actually a convicting thought after praying for the Lord to have mercy on our nation. Why convicting? Should we not be praying for repentance before we ask for His mercy?
Following several abolitionists on social media and praying for them, I see the videos of their encounters at abortion mills or when they share on-line conversations with people (mothers and fathers) who want to kill their baby in the womb. Some are downright hostile to them, some are belligerent, and some know they are going to regret what they’re doing but they proceed with conviction that it is “what’s right for me right now.”
This is a national problem that has allowed too many gallons of innocent blood to be shed in the name of personal convenience.
Though, for many, this is the most heinous of the national sins, it is not the only one. From turning a blind eye to human trafficking and the worship of celebrities (so that we cover their crimes or kill those who might “know too much”), to the lying from the media and elected officials, we have disobeyed God in an ongoing fashion.
So why do we ask for mercy when it is obvious that repentance must come first?
In Leviticus 26 God gives His people, Israel, instructions regarding the rewards for obedience and the curses for disobedience. When talking about the curses he says things like, “because you did not listen to me.”
“But if you will not listen to me and will not do all these commandments, if you spurn my statutes, and if your soul abhors my rules, so that you will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant, then I will do this to you” (Leviticus 26:14-16a).
Here, He proceeds to list what punishments will be issued to them if they fail to obey. Surely, America has broken the covenant.
Not knowing the mind of God, it is impossible to say what those consequences for disobedience would be for America in 2025. But, the principle that there are consequences for disobedience stands, even for a nation.
How then are we to pray given the level of depravity we see in our culture?
Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Matthew 6:11-13
We need our daily bread to have the strength and stamina to stay active in the spiritual war that is happening now. We need forgiveness for our own sin because judgment starts at the house of the Lord. Many of our sins are in our passive attitudes about the evil among us. Ephesians 5 tells us to expose evil. How can we do that? Are we doing that?
Forgiving others is essential as the Lord tells us that we’ll be forgiven as we have forgiven others. This is a step in being ready, willing, and able to talk to anyone, even our brothers and sisters in the Lord, about the “unfruitful works of darkness” happening around us.
So, let’s pray for our nation to repent, for God to deliver us from the evil in our midst. Then let’s pray that God will grant us (personally) the repentance we need. Then, let’s pray for God to have great mercy on us that we would see signs that God’s will is being done on earth as it is in Heaven.
Amen!
Beth,
Again you are challenging women and men in the Church to consider the Word of God. The words God used in the Lord’s Prayer have meaning and as many times as we have recited this prayer, it is good to pause to think about and define these important words of our Lord.
“Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”
My wife and I have discussed this verse over the years and some interesting questions have come up concerning this Kingdom. If the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand and has come “in earth” and is in every true believer then in what way is the Kingdom that has come in earth and is in God’s people NOT come as now is in heaven?
Is it that God’s people have not fully come into the Kingdom of Heaven that has come and is within us? If this be the case how or in what way(s) have God’s people failed to fully come into the Kingdom of Heaven within them as have the saints in Heaven?
I think we will agree that the saints in heaven are citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven and that God’s people living today are “fellow citizens with the saints and [members] “of” the household of God.
We are His children and we belong to Him. He is our Father, not the secular State. We know our God is “jealous” so I doubt He is happy when we attempt to serve two masters or sovereigns.
We are to seek ‘first’ the Kingdom of God, and his righteousness so how do we seek the Kingdom of God if we are already fellow citizens with the saints in the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Heaven?
It might be helpful to consider how born-again “spiritual men and women” differ from “natural unregenerate human beings.”
Jesus continued, “No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other, Ye cannot serve God and money.”
We know that the saints in heaven are not attempting to serve two masters and I don’t think “money” is of any concern in heaven. So, what could God’s people “here on earth” be doing that hinders our experiencing the Kingdom of Heaven in all its fullness as it is being enjoyed in heaven?
If God’s people cannot “serve” two masters or sovereigns then could it be that we are attempting to serve two masters or sovereigns which is impossible?
If we are “fellow citizens with the saints in the Kingdom of Heaven what is the meaning of the word “citizen” and can a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven also be a citizen of another kingdom “on the earth” and attempt to serve two sovereigns?
What is the legal definition of “citizen of the United States,” and how does one acquire this secular earthly citizenship? What are the rights and obligations of U.S. citizens?
Citizen – One who under the Constitution and laws of the United States, OR of a particular state, is a “MEMBER” of the political community, owing allegiance” and entitled to the enjoyment of full [government regulated] civil rights. ” All ‘persons’ [not all men] born or naturalized in the United States, AND subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are [presumed to be] citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside.” U.S. Const., 14th. Amendment – Black’s Law Dictionary, 5th. Edition.
“Citizens are “members” of a “political community” who, in their “associated” capacity, have established or “submitted themselves” to the “dominion” [absolute ownership] of a government for the promotion of their general welfare and the protection of their individual as well as collective rights. Herriott v. City of Seattle, 81 Wash.2d 48, 500 P.2d 101, 109.
Beth, should God’s people who are citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven voluntarily submit themselves to the dominion or ownership of a secular humanistic civil or municipal government of unregenerate unbelieving men?
Where in God’s Word are His people told to “submit themselves to be owned by the civil government and owe their absolute allegiance, fidelity, and obedience to such a form of government?
I am asking my brothers in Christ to consider this question. and share their definition of the term “citizen.”
To be a well-trained soldier for King Jesus we must “know” our enemy well. We must know how the enemy operates or battles against the Kingdom of Heaven. A good defense always beats a good offense. God’s people for the most part have no idea how the secular civil government operates and how it gains dominion or control over God’s people. Worse yet God’s people have little interest in learning how the civil government system works.
In any case, your article got my wife and me thinking about what I am praying when I recite the Lord’s Prayer, Keep up the good work.
I offer the above information to “provoke and exhort my brothers and sisters in Christ to love and good works”. Hebrews 10:24-25.
Peace be upon your house and family.
Beth,
I viewed the discussion on whether God’s people should or should not vote for Donald Trump in the last federal election for president of the United States.
To be able to vote one must file a Pennsylvania Voter Registration Application that acts as an affidavit. This Voter Registration Application must be signed under penalty of perjury. If the information sworn to be true on the application is untrue the applicant may be subject to a fine of $15,000 and be jailed for up to seven years or both.
If questioned how the applicant obtained United States citizenship he or she ought to be ready and able to answer that question or risk a fine and imprisonment or both.
President Trump voted into office by Amendment 14 federal citizens thinks that merely being born in the United States does not make one an Amendment 14 federal citizen. This idea begs the question how does one born in one of the States of the Union acquire federal citizenship?
It must take some action on the part of the one born in one of the States of the Union to acquire federal citizenship. What action must one born in one of the States take to acquire Amendment 14 federal citizenship?
In my research, I found that Congress in Amendment 14 “grants” or “gifts” federal citizenship to all “persons” born or naturalized in the United States AND subject to the jurisdiction thereof.
How does a man supposedly born equally free and independent on land in Pennsylvania become subject to the jurisdiction of the United States federal government?
The word “grant” means “gift.” The word “gift” is defined as something given AND accepted. What action must a man or woman born free take to accept and receive the grant or gift of Amendment 14 federal citizenship?
Keep in mind that accepting a grant or gift is a voluntary action and no one can be compelled to accept a grant or gift.
If you and your husband would like to have access to the rest of my research material that reveals how the government presumes everyone in a country to be a citizen subject to the jurisdiction of the civil government’s civil or municipal laws send me an email.
It is up to the individual man or woman to rebut this assumption of federal citizenship and correct the public record as to their true “standing” or place in the political community as spiritual men and women of God. One status or standing is presently only “estimated” by others. What if their estimate is wrong?
God’s people have a King who has a Kingdom populated by His people who owe Him their absolute allegiance, fidelity, and obedience. No man or woman can serve two competing sovereigns or masters. Please think about this and encourage your husband to discuss this matter concerning the Christ assembly that is sojourning in but not members of the worldly system of government.
God’s people are to be united together under one form of government and that one form of government was laid on the shoulder of King Jesus.
Peace