Samuel D. High
sdhigh@aristotle.net
-----Original Message-----
From: Apostle Tom <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Sent: Tue, 12 Feb 2008 16:27:56 -0600
To: <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Subject: Morning Manna (Feb. 13); BP: Mt. 6:5-15; RBTTY: Mt. 26:51-75; Lev.
February 13 “All for Him”
“. . .For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”
Matthew 6:13b
Praying and living this way shows our dependency and His sufficient supremacy.
How easy it is to lie when we pray. Who of us has not heard and participated in the “Lord’s Prayer” in a public gather, where everyone recited today’s Manna in unison? In some ways, this is a moving experience; however, perhaps we should instead ask, “Is it a life-changing one?”
Yes, it’s so easy to “draw near to the Lord with our lips, while our hearts are still far from Him” (Mt. 15:8). Think of it: How many folks on an average Sunday heartily sing “Oh, how I love Jesus” or “He is Lord” and then put a pauper’s portion in the offering plate when it’s passed? They know “the tithe is the Lord’s” and it’s robbery to withhold it (Lev. 27:30; Mal. 3:8-10), yet still they only give Him “the crumbs from a rich man’s table” and think nothing of it.
No doubt Jesus included this in our lesson in prayer because of our need to acknowledge His Lordship in our life. It’s easy to preface a prayer with stained-glass words as we say, “O God” or “Almighty God.” Or, we might even be more personal and say “Dear Heavenly Father” or “Dear Lord.”
But, the question is, “Is He??”
Is He truly your “Heavenly Father” and “Lord” of your life? If so, today’s Manna will flow from the depths of your heart and not just from the surface of your lips. If not, then it’d be best not to pray this portion, else the One Who hears our prayers is angered or grieved.
Praying “For Thine is the Kingdom” acknowledges His Godly reign in our lives. Praying “For Thine is the power” acknowledges from Whom our strength comes. And, praying “For Thine is the glory” testifies that “it’s all about Him. . .all about Him.” Like John the Baptist we cry, “He must increase and I must decrease” (Jn. 3:30). Like Paul, we’ve learned “how to be abased and content in all things” (Phil. 4:11-12). And, like Jesus, we know what’s important is glorifying the Heavenly Father, not ourselves (Phil. 3:5-8).
Oh, dear Pilgrim, it’s “all about Him,” isn’t it?
Assuredly it is.
Truly, He is our “all-in-all” (I Cor. 15:28) and “hope of glory” (Col. 1:27). The temptation will always be there to compromise our convictions and sell our soul to the devil for the world’s “kingdoms and glory” (Mt. 4:8-9); however, we must forever remember “no one can serve two masters—for where our treasure is, there will our hearts be also” (Mt. 5:21, 24).
May the Holy Spirit help us pray this Manna today and make what changes are necessary in our lives until we can pray it freely and sincerely. Only then can we rest assured that “He hears us” and we’re “praying according to His will” (I Jn. 5:14-15).
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