“The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” -Proverbs 18:10 NKJV
In ancient times, a “tower” was where people knew to go for security and provisions during an attack. As the people of God, He’s our source of security and provision; and when the enemy threatens, take refuge in Him.
Do you ever struggle with letting God be in charge without trying to look over His shoulder to see if He’s doing it right? Jesus spoke on several occasions about the subject of worry. As He pointed out the simple lifestyle of the birds and the serene beauty of the lilies, He said this:
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” – Matthew 6:33-34 NKJV
There’s an old saying that says, “Don’t borrow trouble from tomorrow”, and it describes the bad habit of burying today’s joy under a pile of tomorrow’s concerns. Tension can grow between our desire for surety and our trust in God’s sovereignty, but it helps to remember that worry is not of the Lord. He doesn’t place it in the heart of His child.
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”
Instead of focusing on the circumstances, the scripture tells us to:
Once this mode of prayer is set in motion, verse 7 promises:
“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
That’s a great trade. We give Him our worry and He gives us His peace. What worries do you need to trade-in today?
What catches your eye? Jesus spoke of the eye as a lamp…or not:
“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad. Your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” – Matthew 6:22-23 NKJV
True light comes from Christ. He is the “Light of the World” and following Him is to be “in the light” (John 8:12). He mentions the eye as the second illustration of three different ones describing focus (first-“treasure in heaven”, second-“the eye”, third-“serving two masters”). Darkness is the absence of light. It’s the natural state of “lightlessness”. Our eye can easily get misaligned and slowly shift away from the light; bringing an internal eclipse.
Where are your eyes focused today? Is it toward the Light? Light reveals, but darkness hides. In low-light conditions there can be stumbling, falling, misjudgment, and directional challenges. In the Light, there is illumination, confidence, and directional clarity. What will your focus be today?
“I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth- Praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord.” – Psalm 40:1-3 NKJV
Where has the Lord brought you from? What has He done in you? Through you? Around you? With gracious love He forgives us, secures a future for us, and blesses us with daily kindness. Will you pause and thank Him? He is worthy of worship, praise and thanks!
What captivates your heart? What pursuit, activity, person or possession do you treasure? Consider Jesus’ words about the heart’s allegiance:
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:19-21 NKJV
It’s easy to see the cause and effect of worldly gain, because we can experience the tangible benefits. Pursuits such as career advancement and lifestyle upgrades deliver certain amounts of satisfaction, but the life-portfolio of a disciple is based on a forward-looking mindset. It’s a daily contribution noted in a “heavenly ledger”, with the balance reflected across eternity. Material items, career titles, leisure activities, and popularity simply won’t make the cut, but investments in people will.
What captures your heart today and how will you spend your life?
Jesus practiced a “hidden” principle in His ministry that He also pointed out to His disciples:
“Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” – Matthew 6:16-18 NKJV
The point of fasting in private isn’t about the reward, it’s about the audience. In private moments, the audience is narrowed down to the Lord. Jesus prioritized time for conversation with the Father; and with it, He often denied the flesh through fasting. He was referencing food, but there can be other types of fasting as well.
The flesh has many forms of appetites and denying them involves the will. Other people’s awareness is inconsequential (unless He leads you to tell them), because the main benefit is the investment itself. Following through on a private commitment to the Lord can produce eternal results; and a hidden discipline can affect many visible things.
The way Jesus ended the model prayer tells us a lot about how we should approach everything after the “amen”:
“…For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” Matthew 6:13b NKJV
Acknowledging that the kingdom, the power, and the glory belong to God, is an admission that God is free to do as He pleases. Whether it’s world events or personal matters, God doesn’t need permission to run His world His way. Opinions about cultural issues, political matters or church trends, will ultimately yield to His, because His ways are perfect.
One day, all efforts to honor something or someone more than God will be revealed as vain attempts to claim something only belonging to Him. He has no equal. The kingdom, the power and the glory are all His and His alone…forever…amen.
Are your requests today for His glory or more aligned with your own pursuits? Are you willing to pray for His name to be glorified through you today?
“A crucible for silver, and a smelter for gold, and the LORD is the tester of hearts.” – Proverbs 17:3 HCSB
Pure gold and silver are valuable, but soft. In commercial use, other metals are added to lower the cost or change the properties, while maintaining a shiny appearance. With our hearts, we sometimes want worldly additives to make it “stronger”, while still maintaining a “shiny” appearance. However, the Lord values purity, not a worldly composite. May our hearts be pure today…
Temptation is real, and as close as our thoughts. Jesus never glossed over it, and in the model prayer, He said this:
“…And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” Matthew 6:13a NKJV
Our enemy is formidable and dangerous. However, a follower of Christ has the power to overcome him when following the Holy Spirit’s lead. The key part is discerning the difference between the Lord’s leading and our own preferences.
Consider what James wrote:
“Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.” – James 1:13-14
Think about how incredible that is. Evil doesn’t tempt God in any way. It doesn’t deceive Him, corrupt His attitude, lure Him into bad choices, or weaken His resolve. For the disciple, the goal should be to stay close to the One who is immune to the daily struggle of figuring it out. He’ll always lead down a path of righteousness because that’s His nature.
Are you willing to stay close today? Are you willing to admit that you need to be led? “…And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
Forgiveness is part of the Christian life. Consider the fourth phrase in Jesus’ model prayer is:
“…And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” – Matthew 6:12 NKJV
Genuinely asking for someone’s forgiveness goes against pride. It’s based on contrition and repentance; whereas superficial requests are self-centered attempts to “save face”. When the real thing takes place, there is joy, thanks, and motivation to show the same attitude toward others. Jesus also mentioned this:
“And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespass.” – Mark 11:25 NJKV
Being redeemed is forgiveness received, and being a disciple is forgiveness given. For the one seeking to be right with God, both need to be happening (receiving and giving). Thankfully, God’s forgiveness isn’t based on merit, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, ours shouldn’t be either.
Are you willing to forgive today? Are you willing to offer it before being asked to? “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors…”
“For You, Lord, have made me glad through Your works; I will triumph in the works of Your hands.” – Psalm 92:4 NKJV
Do thoughts of His work bring gladness to your heart today? Consider the gentleness of His care, the protection of His watch, and the comfort of His provision. For You Lord, have made me glad!
What does it mean to pray for “daily bread”?
The third phrase in Jesus’ model prayer is:
“…Give us this day our daily bread.” Matthew 6:11 NKJV
In the ancient world, acquiring bread for the day was more than a trip to the store. The irregularity of work and uncertainty of the times made it daily question. However, even when bread is plentiful, (like the Hebrews in the desert getting manna daily), there is a key principle to be remembered: gratefulness. It’s an acknowledgement of dependence on God.
The Hebrews were excited and thankful for the manna to begin with, but quickly slipped into an ungrateful attitude and desired more. God’s hand may not deliver the exact menu hoped for, but the same hand also mends a broken heart, blocks the enemy’s attacks, guides through dark times, and strengthens during weakness. It’s a steady hand and one to be reached for daily.
Do you consider today a provision of the Lord? Contentment in Him is a place of peace and soul-deep satisfaction. “Give us this day our daily bread…”
What’s the significance of praying about the kingdom?
The second phrase in Jesus’ model prayer is:
“…Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:9-10 NKJV
What exactly are we asking for when requesting His kingdom come? It’s an acknowledgement that He’s the central figure on the throne. It’s also prayerfully looking forward to something amazing…His kingdom fully implemented on earth.
The second half of the phrase, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” speaks of knowing how to respond to His commands. Since it’s His kingdom, He has the divine privilege to rule as He sees fit. The angels don’t question God’s motives or timing; they simply go and do what He says. They know He has the best judgment and sees the whole picture. His will is the best, and it’s in our best interest to seek it…every time.
Are you anxious for kingdom-related things to happen, or is the status-quo just fine?
Are you seeking His will today, or trying to make His fit yours?
Jesus described how we should pray. It wasn’t a set of words to be repeated daily, but a model of prayer containing powerful principles. The first phrase is:
“In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.” (Matt. 6:9)
What does it mean to hallow God’s name? Is He dependent on us for His name to be glorified and respected? Absolutely not! His name is praised and honored every minute of every day, whether we acknowledge Him or not. It’s for our benefit and a proper foundation, because the heart must be willing to admit that God is sovereign over His creation.
To “pray without ceasing” as Paul instructs in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 is to go through the day with an awareness that God is ultimately overseeing everything, and to be communicating with Him within that understanding.
Will you hallow His name today in prayer?
Will you hallow His name today through your actions?
“Patience is better than power, and controlling one’s temper, than capturing a city.” – Proverbs 16:32 HCSB
All power is a temporary arrangement which ultimately yields to God’s sovereignty. Even the most authoritative rulers eventually succumb to death, which ends their futile attempt to control reality. Patience however, is a proactive posture. It’s not to be confused with inaction based on fear; it’s the willful decision to embrace God’s will and timing.
“An eye for an eye” seems fair (and was stated so in Leviticus for legal guidance), but Jesus’ teaching on the subject was directed at personal hearts and attitudes, not jurisprudence. He said this:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on the cheek, turn the other to him also.” – Matthew 5:38-39 NKJV
Those words are simply not easy to receive. The natural person inside wants to place all kinds of conditions and prerequisites on them. The truth is though, Jesus said what He meant. At the personal level, a follower of Christ must look beyond the moment and find strength in the Lord to be a channel of grace. It doesn’t mean tolerance for abuse or such things, there are appropriate measures for that, but it does mean an internal “giving up” of the personal “right to vengeance”. It takes a strong resolve to stand firm and display internal strength when it may look like cowardice. The word “meek” in the scripture doesn’t mean weak, it means “strength under control”. It’s the word picture of a powerful horse that’s usable. Will you choose to be strong in Him today?
What does it mean to “keep your word”? Is it sticking to a promise as long as the other person does, or is it more? When it comes to describing an event or recalling a conversation, what does “integrity of story” mean? Jesus narrowed it all down to simple terms. He said this:
“But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ be ‘No’.” – Matthew 5:37a NKJV
In the Jewish culture, invoking Heaven or Jerusalem as a signature to a statement was often used to identify it as true and binding. Jesus taught that our character should back up our word without the need for addendums. Our commitments or story-telling should be readily received as true, based on a previous track record. As a disciple, we represent Christ, and our words should reflect that. What are some of your commitments? Are they to a spouse? To your kids? To serve in a position at church? How about in your vocation? Are you known as a person of “word-integrity” or do you edit things to primarily benefit yourself?
Thankfully there is forgiveness for the times of “missing the mark” (which may also require making amends), but going forward today; “Let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ be ‘No’.”
Your heart is a private conference room. It’s where emotions and thoughts engage in personal deliberation. Sometimes the conversation is quick, sometimes it’s ongoing, or even none at all. Jesus spoke and taught much about the heart. It was at the very core of His preaching. Consider His words:
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, “You shall not commit adultery.” But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” – Matthew 5:27-28 NKJV
What is the conversation inside your heart like and what are the resources in the room? Is the discussion dominated by a single voice? For example, does “reason” do all the talking? Perhaps “emotion” gets so loud that others just submit to keep the peace? In the mix of debate, the Holy Spirit’s voice is the one to listen for. He isn’t obnoxious and loud, and the Bible is His “Book of Standards”.
Our flesh often wants to counter and debate, but His counsel is true, motivated by love, and always in our best interest. What’s happening in your heart today?
Light can be blinding, but also illuminating, guiding and healing. Jesus spoke of light when describing His followers:
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 5:14-16 NKJV
Throughout the scriptures, light is connected to God. At the beginning of creation, He brought it to be. In the Old Testament, the psalmist said:
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” – Psalm 119:105 NKJV
John said of Jesus:
“In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” – John 1:4 NKJV
Works glorifying God are the ones reflecting Him, because He’s ultimately the source of true light. They reveal the presence of the Holy Spirit at work. Where is the “lampstand” you’re placed on today? Is it among co-workers, customers, family, students? What works will they see in you? May His light shine bright though you today…
“The silver-haired head is a crown of glory, if it is found in the way of righteousness.” – Proverbs 16:31 NKJV
Age doesn’t automatically produce wisdom, but experience can be a great teacher to those who learn from mistakes. The ones who have done so by the counsel of God’s Word are a great source of advice. However, the benefits of such conversations only come to those who admit the need for such dialogue. When that happens, “old-age wisdom” becomes “timeless”.
cchrisholland 