First Presbyterian Church Of Baton Rouge

Easter Sunday, April 16, 2017 Living from the Lord's Prayer, Part 7 Revelation 1: 4-8, 17-18 The ancient hold of death and Satan upon us has been broken. The fear that plagues us has been taken by Christ the Savior. And now people are getting into the Zōn. They are repenting of their sins, giving their lives to Christ and being washed clean by his blood. Even though it looks like the world has gone mad, the gospel is still powerful. Countless captives are being rescued from the grasp of the evil one. People are leaving fear and entering the Zōn, the life of the risen Jesus. Lapsed Christians are now returning to the Lord in contrition, stepping back into the Zōn, stepping away from themselves and into Christ. Let us say "No" to Satan and sin and "Yes" to Jesus with all our hearts. Let’s get in the Zōn!

"Deliver Us From Evil" Living from the Lord's Prayer, Part 6 Gerrit Dawson Ephesians 6: 10-13 It’s the biggest story ever. The most important story. The truest story. That’s why we tell it every year. So we can feel it again and believe in Jesus more and more.

I pray “Forgive us our sins,” and look to the merciful God that showed himself in Jesus. But that’s not the whole line, is it? Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. God’s forgiveness of me seems to be linked to my forgiveness of others. Yikes! Just in case we think Jesus didn’t mean this, right after he gave them the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus clarified, “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6: 14-15). If you forgive, God will forgive you. If you don’t forgive others, God will not forgive you. At this point, we start to get a bit desperate. We start dancing. He can’t be serious, can he? Matthew 18: 21-35

The two phrases go together: Your will be done. Give us this day our daily bread. We’re yours. Provide for us and others. We’re willing to be the answers to prayer. We will participate in your provision. John 6: 30-35, 51

Augustine did not know peace. He did not know love. He did not know God. That is, until he gave his heart to Christ. He yielded his will to God’s. And so he could pray, In your service is perfect freedom. You have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you. In your service is perfect freedom. Seeing the results of surrender motivates us to yield more. But still we have to struggle with what is called the gravitational pull of our own will. There is a downward tug that always tells us, “Do what you want. Be free. Don’t let God crush the life out of you.” That, of course, is a lie. God’s will gives life and freedom. But how do you counter that powerful force of your will? The answer is so simple. Ask for help! Ask the Holy Spirit to create the ability to yield your will to his will. Psalm 143: 10 provides the perfect daily prayer, Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit Lead me on level ground!

To pray, “Your Kingdom, let it come” is a life changing prayer. It means first that we recognize this world is not all right.This right now is not the kingdom. I see suffering. I see brokenness. I see lostness and need and chaos and madness and violence. And it is not all right. It is not the way it should be. So I pray for the Kingdom to come. God bring your rule of peace and forgiveness and love and grace to this broken place. And suddenly I realize this prayer is involving my life. He sends me to the suffering ones, to receive them in his love as if I am receiving the King himself. Isaiah 65: 17-25

It's great fun praying for God to hallow his name. It means that we get restored to the deep intimacy with our Father for which we were made. Ezekiel 36: 22-28

Who knows what tomorrow may bring? Not a job, not a home, not a person, not a breath is guaranteed. Who knows what tomorrow may bring? Not I. I know only that I will need him every hour, more than ever. That is the dying of pride, and, what do you know, it feels wonderful! To need him without hesitancy, without pride, is joy sweet and deep. The things that can be shaken have been shaken. But what cannot be shaken remains. Oh draw near to God today. Bring him your wounds. Bring him your losses. Bring him your need. Bring him your feelings of having a wave knock your feet out from under you. Bring him the sense of being lost on the trail. Bring him all of it. Call for him to put you on the rock that is higher and stronger than you are. Draw near to God that he might draw near to you. James 4: 7-8, 13-`7

Hysterical. Fearful. Anxious. Does the current atmosphere in our country leave you feeling any of these things? James 3 and 4 tell us that the peace, confidence and faith that allows us to remain steady comes from above (James 3 and 4). And remember, "The LORD is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear?" (Psalm 27)

Why did I say that? No human being can tame the tongue, says James (1: 8). Don’t we know the truth of that? James tells us nobody can do it perfectly. And simply biting our tongues will not really change us in the heart. We need to understand more deeply how speech relates to our God. We human beings are made in the image of God and speech is unique to us among earth’s created order. So we can better understand our God when we see why our speech connects so deeply to him.

Faith without works is no faith. Not because we have to work to gain God's favor. But because real faith issues in loving action. Living Christian faith is not just signing onto a creed written on a piece of paper. It's not making a transaction with the Lord where I say "I believe in you so you give me eternal life."

Lord, make me slow to speak and slow to anger. James 1: 19 Everyone should be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to get angry, for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness that God requires. This is hard work for many of us. Listening requires a great discipline of focus. It can feel to us like a waste of time, when in fact we are pouring forth a great deal of creative, loving energy.

What good is your religion? In the face of suffering, does it do any good for you to be a Christian? Are you any good to others because you’re a believer? Is God pleased with your religion?

Testing and suffering produce perseverance in our lives, especially when we see that our circumstances come to us from the hand of a God who loves us and is using all things in our lives to make us whole and complete in him. There is joy in suffering if we can see Christ with us and leading us in the midst of it. But don’t stop with yourself. There is a world of aching hearts right in your midst. To whom are you called to bring joy and hope this week?

Are you full of hope, a wanderer, the prodigal, on the edge of grief? To each the news is uniquely personal. Unto you a child is born.

Are you full of hope, a wanderer, the prodigal, on the edge of grief? To each the news is uniquely personal. Unto you a child is born.

When I yield my soul to him, even knowing it will be a way of sorrow as well of joy, I can say with Simeon, every evening, “Lord, now I am at peace, for my eyes have seen your salvation, a light to lighten the nations and the glory of your people.” Luke 2: 22-35