Jesus taught us to ask God that our needs be met, our sins forgiven, and our souls protected. Every request we make of God for ourselves falls under one of these three headings. We can ask God for anything. Anything? Health, wealth, and happiness? Yes! Love, acceptance, forgiveness? Of course! A luxury car, a million-dollar home, expensive clothing and jewelry? Sure! God invites us to ask him for anything we want or need. But that does not mean he is obligated to give us everything we ask for. A good parent sorts out his child’s requests, accepting some, rejecting others. … Continue reading Day 23: Ask God for Anything

The first three petitions of the Lord’s Prayer deal with God, the last three with us. The transition between them is jarring. From the heights of God’s name, kingdom, and will, we descend to the depths of our need for bread, forgiveness, and protection. The request for bread seems especially out of place. Why did Jesus teach us to mix such an earthly concern with otherwise heavenly requests? For two reasons: First, God cares about our bodies as well as our souls. He created them, is saving them, and expects us to honor him with them. So, asking God to … Continue reading Day 22: Heavenly Concerns and Earthly Requests

When we pray, we as God for his will to be done “on earth as it is in heaven.” This will take place instantly, totally, and irrevocably when Jesus returns. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:51–54: “Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed… When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is … Continue reading Day 20: Resident Aliens

God’s will for our lives centers on salvation, sanctification, and service. They constitute his general will. But we want to know God’s specific will: What should we do for a living? Where should we buy a house? Whom should we marry? How do we discern God’s will in the details of our lives? When we pray, how do we hear God’s voice leading us? Before I answer these questions, let me clear up a misconception. Over the course of my ministry, I have spoken to people who were agonizing over specific choices they needed to make. They prayed to God … Continue reading Day 19: Discerning the Details

We live between Jesus’ first and second comings. Our lifetime is characterized by the conflict of the kingdoms—God’s and the world’s. God is sure to emerge victorious from this conflict, but our destiny is a matter of choice. When we pray, “your will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” we choose our destiny. We align ourselves with God’s kingdom. We choose to do his will. But what precisely is God’s will for us? Before I answer this question, I want to clear up a misconception. Some people think God’s will is hidden and difficult to discern. What … Continue reading Day 18: God Has a Will for Your Life

God’s kingdom is the heartfelt longing of every person who desires relief from the world’s misery. Whether that misery is sin or sickness, immorality or mortality, supernatural oppression or natural disaster, God’s kingdom is the only cure. When is it coming? In first-century Palestine, faithful Jews longed for God’s kingdom. Not only did they desire salvation from sin, they also desired political liberation from imperial Rome and spiritual release from an often corrupt Temple priesthood. They believed that when God established his kingdom, all things would change immediately. The present age would give way to the future age, and God … Continue reading Day 17: The Past, Present, and Future Kingdom

When we pray, “your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10), our prayer is urgent. God does not reign on earth. His will is not done here. And it shows. Several Christmases ago, my mother gave me a copy of a nineteenth-century lithograph by William Strutt. In the background, a city lies in smoking ruins. But in the foreground, a toddler leads a procession of animals: a lamb, a fox, a lion, a bear, a cow, a leopard, and a goat. The title of the lithograph is “Peace.” It draws its inspiration … Continue reading Day 16: Kingdoms in Conflict

God is our Father. He is also our King. Both images suggest something important about God. The first suggests parental care. So, when we pray, we focus on God’s powerful love for us. But the second image suggests political authority—the moral right and the actual power to rule us. It suggests that God has a right to expect our obedience and that we have a duty to serve him. Consequently, when we pray, we prioritize God’s agenda for our lives. That is what we mean when we say, “your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is … Continue reading Day 15: God Is Our King

In our devotions so far, we have examined the meaning and importance of the words our heavenly Father. They describe the Divine Person we pray to and hint at his character and absolute power. We pray to such a God because he is willing and able to answer us. But what should we ask for first? Too often, we begin our prayers with a perfunctory nod to God and then immediately get down to more important business, namely, ourselves. Such prayers are exercises in sinfulness. In order to experience God through prayer and develop a mature spirituality, we must get … Continue reading Day 14: Focus on God’s Powerful Love for You