Prayer - Doxology

Matthew 6:13

There are many manuscripts that don't include the end of the Doxology. There are many debates about it. Luke includes the end in his book, but that is said to be because Luke was constantly writing about the glory of God. You are given sound theology with the Lord's Prayer, which then leads to great praise and glory. You should be lead to adoration. Theology comes first and you understand the character of God and out of that we find a Doxology. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. There are no lesser gods. He rules over all things and everything is subject to God. He has absolute dominion over all things. There is no competition. 

God's kingdom forever. "This Is My Father's World" captures the idea of God's kingdom forever. God's dominating authority. We do not give any power to any other kingdom that challenges God, any lesser gods.

God's power forever. We recognize His power to create an effect. We believe that whatever He wants to do that nothing can stand in his way. Governing and sustaining power. Everything that happens of every second is due to His everlasting power. We are kept by the power of God. We are in the hands of Him who has control over all matters. We recognize the power that has saved us and that saves us everyday, giving us the strength and determination to turn away from the world and turn to Christ. What makes us different from a different man in terms of salvation? Only the power of God. We can boast of nothing apart from His power.

Thine is the glory forever. To stand in awe and majesty. Thine is the glory, not us. He is glorious and we are sinful. Adoration belongs to Him. The glory of God is especially a difficult concept for us because we so often think of ourselves and seek not to look anywhere else. We are also a people who have difficulties seeking or finding or placing glory into our world and so we fall short when it comes to placing any glory on God. We have no idea of it's true meaning. We are a people who suppress glory. We hold those ahead behind so that all are equal in glory. We do this to one another and we automatically apply it to God as well. There was a time when people were held in respect and glory. Not inappropriately, but how God has instigated it. But as we have lost that, we have lost the true definition of glory. We don't know how great and powerful that glory is now. You see God's glory as a major theme in the Old Testament. Christ shares in this glory. In Revelation 1:12-18 we see the glory of God as portrayed in the character of Christ. To have even a small inking of God's glory in our understanding would change us so we would never be the same again. As we understand His glory we absorb it and we reflect it. There is nothing within ourselves but as we soak in and believe and hunger after His glory we are gifted to shine it forth to the world. We cannot give God's glory as if He doesn't have it already. He is high above the earth whether we acknowledge it or not. We only ascribe to Him what He never ceases to be. As we understand more and more who He is, then we enter into adoration easier. We cannot help but come before Him in praise and adoration. Ecstasy of His glory.

This Doxology is the adoration, an offering of praise to God. God is glorious whether we recognize it or not. The heavens declare His handiwork. We pray this as a vertical prayer. We pray these things for God's kingdom and power and glory being forever and ever. This is a prayer to go up, vertical. This is a God-centered prayer. Us aside, focused on God and His character. This life is not about us. It's about God and as such the last thought in this prayer finds us centered on God and His glory. 

Notes on Genesis

The Old Testament speaks about Christ. Christ victorious and resurrected. Everything points to it. The birth of Seth was for the purpose of creating a line that would end up with Christ. Cain's sacrifice was not done in light of the promise and was done to "bribe" God to give him the promise. Abel's was a blood sacrifice and was done in light of the promise and was so accepted. Cain "the one obtained" and was God's way of giving them the promise. When her second child was born "a triviality, a mere breath" he was named Abel. Cain felt no need of deliverance and his life was one filled with fear. The sacrifices were to be offered out of the heart and out of gratitude for life and Christ. Cain did not truly believe or devote his life and heart to God and had no gratitude and so his sacrifice was not worthy. There was an implicit demand for blood and Cain did not bring that. Cain brought "some of the fruit" whereas Abel brought "fat portions". This was their form of worship. Cain confronted Abel and murdered him. The murder was not a problem but rather it was a sin because Abel was an image bearer of God. He bore the image of God and Cain killed that. He attacked an image of God and so it was an assault on God. Abel's blood could only cry out for restitution, but Christ's blood provided restitution and deliverance for those born into sin. God asked a rhetorical question when he asked where Cain's brother was. Cain had to turn his back to his home because of his shame and punishment of being cursed. He went east...east, meaning away from God. Adam and Eve's faith was now sorely tested. Both sons were lost to the promise. Cain married his sister, bore a son, and built walls, characteristic of those living in fear away from God. Down that line there was Lamech, who married two women and began the abominable practice of polygamy. Also, Eve bore another son, Seth, their son of the promise. 

Elijah in the Desert

1 Kings 19

Ahab has been embarrassed and what does he do? He comes back and he complains of what Elijah did. As if Elijah were the one in heaven creating these things. He goes to Jezebel and whines like a little boy. And here we see one of the first cases of feminism. A woman taking over and taking charge over her man. Her comment about the gods even refers to the gods destroyed on Mount Carmel. Evil comes from all sides no matter what sense it might make sense. So Elijah flees, not because God told him to, but because he is a human man. He knew fear and was afraid. He goes to the place where Jacob was when he fled. He was sent out to the wilderness where God sends His people. Don't despair when you're in the desert. It is where God fashions and shapes His people. Elijah comes to the end of his rope. He is done and tired. But that does not mean that God is done. Even when we want to conclude we can go no farther and do no more good, God provides and cares for His people. He is tired from his journey and God does the most practical thing: He feeds him. Bread and water. A symbol of Christ. This is a comfort to know that God cares for and witnesses to His children when they need it the most. Elijah cared and strove for what God cares about. It's not so much Elijah complaining, but seeking relief from God. And God always provides. God's answer: all because you cannot see everything I am doing does not mean I am not doing anything. The still small voice. It is not what we expect but it is what God gives us. Elijah had to think about whether he ought to go on or give up still. But he learned all because there seemed to be no activity doesn't mean God is doing no activity. Even after all this God reminds Elijah of the task at hand and the responsibility ahead. This is not a story of Elijah, this is a story of God's faithfulness to Himself. He continues to work within His people even if we cannot see it. God reminds him that he is not abandoned. Elijah complains of being alone...left alone. But God reminds him that there are a number of people that He has reserved for His purpose. Those that have not bowed the knee to Baal. This is encouragement to us. Strength from God. A still small voice of God speaking to us through the Scriptures. 

Quote

"God's people have their trials. It was never designed by God, when He chose His people, that they should be an untried people. They were chosen in the furnace of affliction; they were never chosen to worldly peace and earthly joy. Freedom from sickness and the pains of mortality was never promised them; but when their Lord drew up the charter of privileges, He includes chastisement amongst the things to which they should inevitably be heirs. Trials are a part of our lot; they were predestined for us in Christ's last legacy. So surely as the stars are fashioned by His hands, and their orbits fixed by Him, so surely are our trials allotted to us: He has ordained their season and their place, their intensity and the effect they shall have upon us. Good men must never expect to escape troubles; if they do, they will be disappointed, for none of their predecessors have been without them. Mark the patience of Job; remember Abraham, for he has his trials, and by his faith under them, he became the "Father of the faithful." Note well the biographies of all the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, and martyrs, and you shall discover none of those whom God made vessels of mercy, who were not made to pass through the fire of affliction. It is ordained of old that the cross of trouble should be engraved on every vessel of mercy, as the royal mark whereby the King's vessels of honour are distinguished. But although tribulation is thus path of God's children, they have the comfort of knowing that their Master has traversed it before them; they have His presence and sympathy to cheer them, His grace to support then, and His example to teach them how to endure; and when they reach "the kingdom," it will more than make amends for the "much tribulation" through which they passed to enter it."  -Charles Spurgeon