This is the second petition. We have learned that we pray to the Living God and must do so reverently and we pray to Him in confidence as He is our Heavenly Father who gives what is good for us. The order of the petitions instruct us on what should be important to us as it runs parallel to God's law. Jesus gives us these petitions in an order that they may be reflected in our prayer life. First is the name of God and next of importance is His Kingdom as God sees to glorify Himself in His Kingdom as it is and was designed by Him for His glory!
The Kingdom: People have had much difficulty understanding the concept of the Kingdom. Many including the Jews searched for an earthly kingdom. There has always been a misconception and man always wants to make the Kingdom earthly. Postmillennialists for example. They want a utopia. It becomes an anti-Christian kingdom with no room for Christ. it is THY Kingdom. The Kingdom of God according to His conception from its very design to its fruition. It is a SPIRITUAL one! It is established and finds its very root in our Lord Jesus Christ and is made up of His righteousness. In Christ that Kingdom comes. HIS Kingdom! (Eschatological.) The reality of the redemptive heavens and earth.
Our desire: It is coming! They Kingdom come. Already know it is not here. The catechism instructs us so beautifully in regards to this. "So rule in us by Thy Word and Spirit...until the perfection of Thy Kingdom has arrived...that I may submit myself more and more to the rule of Christ." We always seem to have our noses to the ground and here below don't we?! His Word and His Spirit rule over us and continues to teach us in a sanctified and holy life! The preaching of the Word is the preaching of the Gospel which is the preaching of the Kingdom! Do NOT separate the Word and the Spirit. The Spirit makes us bow to the objective Word of God! The very first thing should be that I live as a citizen of that Kingdom. Even the devil works hardest in the church on the Word. It is no mistake that he does this. That is why church and what is preached at church is so very important as it is how God works. That is why we must submit. Look at the preaching as in and through it we begin heaven already here below.
Humble submission: "If I ever forget Thy Kingdom let my right hand forget its cunning" We submit to that Word until that Kingdom...HIS KINGDOM is fully realized in its final coming and glory!
"PRAYER" LD5, John 17, & II Samuel 7:18ff What can a pastor say bout prayer? Prayer is not something that can be given of a pastor or a person. It is communion and fellowship that belong alone to the child of God. They have this gift...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
"A Concluding Doxology" LD52b & Psalm 2&48 Christ teaches us a tremendous end to our prayer and one of great significance and importance! He sets us on a FIRM foundation. We took it upon our lips in petitions and now we again take them...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
The 5th Petition of the Lord's Prayer- Matthew 15 & LD51 As justified children of God we may ask why do we need this petition....it is given as we deal with ourselves in sanctification (not justification) as we need assurance DAILY that our...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
4th Petition: LD 50 & Matthew 6 The Lord teaches us to address our personal needs in the 4th petition. Our daily bread! He addresses this before the forgiveness of sins...not to make us carnally minded (neither to spiritualize this petition)...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
2nd Petition "LD48 & Revelation 19 We are moved rather quickly from the bosom of our Heavenly Father into the various petitions. We pray that our lives may be so directed that we live according to Him. Now we look at the 2nd petition of this...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
"The 3rd Petition of the Lord's Prayer" LD49& Romans 12 We now look at the last petition before we deal with our daily needs. This is still a very reflection of the Law of God. The hallowing of His name, the coming of the Kingdom and our...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
"The 1st Petition" LD47 & Psalm 148 We have seen that prayer is the chief part of thankfulness and we were privileged last time to see the address of the Lord's prayer and what an amazing foundation! And now we move to the petitions one by...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
"The Address of Prayer" LD46 & Romans 8:1-17 We are studying the section of "thankfulness" and we must ask God to give us grace to sanctify us in our daily lives. And so we see how important and needed prayer is. It is also intuitive to the...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
"PRAYER" LD45 & John 17 It is a joy to speak on a subject like prayer but it is also a most difficult subject. It is a "holy art" given to each of us individually....a gift from God and part of our very essence. We can pray because the Holy...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
