No Greater Love Than His
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  • In The Son of His Love--a blog
  • Relational Theology 101
  • Mystery of Godliness I Tim. 3:16
  • Galatians- Learning to Rest
  • The Body of Christ
  • Romans 1:16-17 The Gospel
  • Ephesians, the Father's adopted family
  • Prevailing Intercession-Henry Law
    • Psalm 2 Henry Law
  • A Practical Study of Hebrews
  • Satan's Hatred of Women
  • Quotes from old authors
  • John Welch on Romans 8:1
  • Topical Analysis of the Bible
  • LEARNING TO LIVE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE LORD OF HEAVEN AND EARTH
  • The Kingdom of God in Christ
    • The Kingdom Foretold
    • The King and His Kingdom Come
    • The Kingdom in its Biblical Context
    • The Kings introduction-the wild man and the real man
    • The Ultimate Test of the Father's Word-The Temptation
    • The Goal of the Kingdom Conquest
    • The Blessed of the Kingdom
    • Blessed are they that mourn
    • Blessed are the meek
    • Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness
    • Blessed are the Merciful
    • Blessed are the Pure in Heart
    • The Blessed of the Kingdom are the Salt & Light of the World
    • Kingdom Righteousness
    • Sermon on the mount-Getting the Law Right
    • Restoring God's Most Reflective Relationship
    • Being Sons and Daughters of the Heavenly Father
    • Understanding our Lord's Father Context
    • Breathing Pure Air in a Polluted World
    • Living in the Presence of the Secret Benefactor
    • What Serving God Looks Like
    • Self Righteous need not apply, but beggars can't be losers
    • Final Warnings From Our King
  • Audio Studies
    • Audio & Outline--On Spiritual Gifts
    • From the Futility of the Human Mind-to the Mind of Christ
    • Audio Study: I Corinthians 6:1-11
    • AUDIO-Waiting On God
    • Audio-Gospel of John
    • AUDIO-A Relational Discussion of the Holy Spirit
    • Audio-Studies on the Sermon on the mount
  • From Death to Life
  • All Creation Groans
  • Traveling down the ladder of self knowledge
  • Zions' hymn
  • Power in Weakness
  • What's In A Name?
  • The Heavenly Father's Pity/Spurgeon
  • On Affliction
  • Christ Our Intercessor
  • Spurgeon's Dream
  • Sitting at the Feet of Jesus
  • Stomping Among Lillies
  • The More Excellent Way
  • All Creation Sings Praise to the God of Heaven and Earth
  • The Lord of Heaven and Earth, the Ruler of the Nations
  • From Captivity to God's plan for peace, a future, and an eternal hope
  • Man Looks on the Outward Appearance, but the Lord of Hosts Looks upon the Heart
  • The Earth is the Lord's
  • The earth is the Lords
  • A Wedding Meditation-The Gospel Mystery
  • Be Strong in the Lord
  • The Girdle of Truth
  • Having feet shod with Gospel of Peace
  • Shield of Faith
  • Helmet of Salvation
  • Praying with all prayer & supplication
  • Sword of the Spirit
  • A Wedding Meditation
  • The Power of the Gospel is the Resurrection
  • What is this Mystery
  • A letter of encouragement to faith
  • Great is Mystery Part 3
  • The Mystery of Godliness part 4
  • Mystery of Godliness part 5
  • Seen of angels part 2
  • Preached among the nations
  • Great is Mystery of Godliness Part 8
  • Mystery of Godliness part 9
  • Great is mystery of Godliness part 10
  • A Father's Hand--on Affliction
  • Great is mystery of Godliness part 11
  • Mystery of Godliness part 12
  • Great is mystery of Godliness part 13
  • Great is mystery of Godliness part 14
  • Romans 1:16-17 Part 1
  • Romans 1:16-17 Part 2
  • It is the Power of God
  • Romans 1:16-17 Part 4
  • Christ, the Glorious Hybrid of God
  • Romans 1:16-17 Part 5
  • Romans 1:16-17 Part 6
  • Romans 1:16-17 Part 7
  • Romans 1:16-17 Part 8
  • Romans 1:16-17 Part
  • Romans 1:16-17 Part 9
  • Romans 1:16-17 Pt 11
  • The Necessity of the Body of Christ
  • The Perfection of the Body of Chhrist
  • The Role of the Holy Spirit
  • The Application of Body II Pet 1:1-4
  • application of body of Christ #3
  • Practical application body #4
  • Part 5 The application of the body
  • Application of body of Christ #6
  • The Application of the Body #7
  • application of body of christ #8
  • Application of body of Christ #9
  • application of body of Christ #10
  • The Kingdom of God
  • Galatians 1:1-6
  • Galatians 1:6-9
  • Abraham's Gospel-Melchizedek
  • cutting the covenant
  • The Mark of the Covenant
  • Gospel to Abraham-resurrection
  • Galatians 1:10-17
  • Galatians 1:18-2:10
  • Galatians 2:11-21
  • Galatians 3:1-9
  • Beholding the Glory of God
  • Intro to Gospel of Abraham
  • Melchizedek Gen. 14:18-20
  • Melchizedek #2
  • God's cutting the Covenant
  • Mark of the Covenant
                                                           Breathing Pure Air in a Polluted World
                                                                              Matthew 6:5-15

I.  The World is basically one big landfill!                                                                                                                            I John 2:16  “For ALL that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world.”                                                                                                                                                                A.  That which  is attractive to the cadavers that inhabit the earth is the stench of its decay!                                                                     I John 2:17  “and the world is passing away.”                                                                                                                                              Matt. 6:19  “Do not lay up treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves                        break in and steal.”                                                                                                                                                                                                                Psalm 40:6a  “Surely every man walks about like a shadow; surely they busy themselves in vain.”                      The margin:  “make an uproar for nothing”.   Also Ps. 144:4, James 4:13-14

Conclusion:  To attach our value, our well being to ANYTHING in this world is to spend our few short years hugging a tombstone!!!  Remember what James says in 4:15, “Instead you ought to say, “if the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”

II.  The “Lord’s Prayer” isn’t a “model prayer”!  It is the very breath of the redeemed who seek to live in the Father’s will on this fallen earth.  It is not some mantra uttered to get things from God!  It gives meaning and eternal substance to that which otherwise is vain, passing away.
             A.  Mt. 6:5-6  Our prayers are for Gods “EAR” only.                                                                                                                                           1.  Prayers to impress, to “teach”, or to “rebuke”, cease to be prayer.  Their usefulness goes no further                 that our lips.  Prayer and intended eloquence are mutually exclusive.                                                                       2.  Even in a crowd, prayer is to be “closet prayer”, out of our hearts focused only on our Father Who                 hears in the secret place. Others merely get to listen in!                                                                                                                         B.  Mt. 6:7-8  “Because the Father is Good, the much is not needed.  Because the Father is God, the information is not necessary!”  (Fredrick Dale Bruner)                                                                                                                                                         1.  Only sleeping or deaf gods need mantras, repetitious words!   I Kings 18:26-  29—                             Remember Elijah and the prophets of Baal.  “The heathen tried to tire out their gods with such prayers,                         endless formulas repeated over and over.”  (Lenski)   “It is heathen folly to measure prayer by the                    yard”   (Fredrick Dale Bruner)                                                                                                                                                                                     2.   Beware:  This doesn’t mean that prayer shouldn’t be persistent.  Remember our Lord’s parable                 of the persistent widow?  Luke 18:1-8  Her persistence seems to be definition of faith—see verse 8.                                      3.  Vs. 8   God’s Loving Omniscience  “Prayer is not an intelligence briefing for God.  It is rather                 and intelligent conversation with Him.”  (FDB)                                                                                                                                         Ps. 33:18-19, 34:15  God does not just notice on occasion, but His Eye is continually ON                        those who fear Him—a loving eye, a protective eye, a compassionate eye!!!

III.  Therefore, pray out of this understanding!                                                                                                             A.  Vs. 9  Understanding to Whom we are praying!!!                                                                                                                 1.  Vs. 9  He is our Father only because He is Jesus’ Father, and we are adopted sons in                                        Him.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            2.   He is our HEAVENLY Father, acknowledging that He is the High and Holy One Who inhabits                eternity.  He is the giver of perfect gifts, and He doesn’t shop at Walmart for them. (James 1:17)  They are                    given out of His Eternal Resources.                                                                                                                                                                                3.  “Hallowed be Your Name”:  Every aspect of our prayer, from the initial need to the Glorious                            answer, exists to testify to our Father’s Goodness and Sufficiency.                                                                                                   B.  Vs 10  Prayer will find a closed EAR if the petitioner wishes to remain the king of his own   little castle!                                                                                                                                                                                           1.  Remember James 4:15?  All prayer is laying our plans and wills on the Altar of His                     will.  We must relinquish our pathetic kingdoms to the magnificent Rule of His!!  Now notice             James 4:16  To continue to live in the lust of our own kingdom, rule and will, even with a                   desire for a bit of God’s blessing—such an attitude is the height of arrogance before the God               of Heaven!!!

IV.  Vs 11-13  The cure for ALL earthly anxiety.  All anxiety and stress come from these three areas.                                    A.  Vs 11  “Give us this day our daily bread.”  This is a constant and continual awareness that our Father “gives to all, life, breath, and all things”,  and faith that His Word is sure when He promises to supply all need.  (Acts 17:24-25, Phil. 4:19, James 1:17)  Pay attention to the fact that this comes after crying out for His Kingdom rule and will to be done!                                                                                                                                                                       B.  Vs 12  “Forgive us our debts./trespasses/sins.”  This puts us in the life context of continually repentant sinners and is Divine Surgery for a haughty heart.  We are ready to forgive because we needed and received Abundant Forgiveness!!!  This one petition will solve most relational conflicts.  An unforgiving spirit leads to a bitter spirit which leads to relational war!                                                                                                                                                      C.  Vs 13  “Deliver us from evil”.  Whose sign is in your yard?  ADT?  Return to Psalm 32:16-22  Here is the only Security Service that can guarantee Eternal Security!!!  All other security is an illusion.  And by the way, the text isn’t narrow as to the kind of evil.  Bring all potential or real evil under the only protection worth the breath of your lips.

V.  Vs 13b  “For YOURS is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory FOREVER, Amen.”                                  A.  Here we see that our earthly need and existence is sandwiched between our Father’s Kingdom, and Power.  We MUST learn to live in this constant prayer, this constant breath of our lips, that our existence on the fallen earth is surrounded by, wrapped up in, our Father’s Kingdom, Power and Glory.  This is to be faiths’ anchor.  This is what our Jesus died to purchase for us.  And remember, this security resource is FOREVER, not just here and now.

VI.  Vs 14-15  The primacy of forgiveness.                                                                                          

            A.  What is our Father’s greatest act toward the children of men?  John 3:16—His incredible plan of redemption is that He might forgive sinners.  So if we are to be the children of our Heavenly Father, forgiveness MUST characterize our relationships with others.  To harbor unforgiveness in our hearts is to evidence an evil heart of unbelief.

This is breathing Kingdom air in a polluted environment!  This is wholly uncharacteristic of a grubby, grasping, power mad world.  This is essential to our shining as lights in a dark world!!  Learn to live the FATHER PRAYER throughout your every 24 hour day.