Our Lord’s Prayer

Intercessory Retreat 2005

Childhaven

Our Father Who is in heavenHallowed be Your NameYour kingdom comeYour will be done on earth as it is in heavenGive us this day our daily breadAnd forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtorsAnd do not lead us into temptation but deliver us from the evil oneFor Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory foreverAmen.

Matthew 6: 9-13

FatherHe is the most magnificent of all

• His love

• His character

• His ways

• His sovereignty

Our Relationship builder Relationship builder1. Presuppositions:

1. Good relationship with our Father (vertical)

2. Good relationship with our neighbours (horizontal) Family, colleagues, local church, friends

2. Implications:1. Representation of various families:

Tribe (genetic), people (cultural), nation (political), work (professional)

2. Healthcare: relationism, not socialism or capitalism

3. Repentance: individualism, self-sufficiency

4. The Christian care-giver = human being = primarily a relationship builder (vertically and horizontally)

Who is in Heaven Allegiance

1. Who Theism: one, personal, infinite God who is actively involved in history

2. Heaven Biblical cosmology1. Includes heaven + hell

2. Cosmos has ≥ 10 dimensions

3. Longing for new heaven / earth

4. Repentance: Egoism, materialism, monism, idolatry

5. The Christian caregiver’s primary allegiance is to Jesus Christ Christ-centred life at home, church, profession

Hallowed be Your Name Character Character

1. Hallowed:1. Holy God: Absolute, Unique, Jealous 2. Holy followers: Be holy for I am holy The

Christian caregiver desires Christ-like character

2. Your Name:1. Reveals Him 2. Study His Names3. Praise Him4. Declare His Lordship over healthcare

3. Repentance: Pride, pluralism, perversion, impurity, immorality

Your kingdom come Your kingdom come Visionary Visionary

1. Father’s kingdom:1. Primarily eternal = vertical not of this world2. Secondarily temporal = horizontal visible

manifestations3. Living in broken reality on the brink of eternity:

1. Soon perfection will come, but not yet2. Strive for the maximum manifestation of Father’s

kingdom now

2. Repentance: Own kingdoms3. The Christian caregiver has inspiring vision for

God’s kingdom in the workplace

Your will be done Your will be done Transformer Transformer1. Your will be done 1. Repentance + Renewal + Revival + Reconciliation +

Reformation = Transformation

2. On earth as in heaven 1. God’s will in all areas of life: includes profession

2. Integrity = applying God’s will consistently to all areas of my life both inwardly and outwardly

3. Pluralism has affected all of us earnest combined effort to break free

3. Repentance: Obstinacy, knowing better than God, stiff-necked-ness,

4. The Christian caregiver is an agent of transformation

Father’s will: What is it?

1. For all men: salvation in Christ

2. For all Christians: 1. Character mandate: to become Christ-like and to behave

Christ-like

2. Creational mandate: to rule over God’s creation (includes all healthcare activities)

3. Commission mandate: as you go make disciples of all nations

33 transforming people transforming society

Give us this day Give us this day Servant Servant1. Trusting our Lord and Master to provide We function best:

1. Dependence on God2. Interdependence on one another

2. Weakness that brings us to God is strength3. Gratitude (A grateful heart lives to pray and prays to live)

1. The good things that bring joy and restoration2. The hard things that produce character

4. Generosity1. Giving is a major source of joy

5. Repentance: salvation by works, stinginess, covetousness, greed, worry

6. The Christian caregiver serves others, using what has been received from God

Forgive us…Forgive us… Motivation by grace Motivation by grace

1. By nature I am not OK, I am a lost sinner

2. All guilt needs to be dealt with

3. Live out of forgiveness received

4. Give expensive forgiveness

5. Repentance: Self-righteousness; self-justification; bitterness; unforgiveness

6. The Christian caregiver is motivated by grace not by guilt

Expensive Forgiveness / Reconciliation

Guilt exists Where laws have been broken in the relationship

between parties such as individuals, tribes, peoples, nations

Whether the parties feel guilty or not

All guilt needs to be dealt with adequately: Personal, social, legal, theological Importance of reconciliation between the parties

Lead us not into temptation Lead us not into temptation Soldier Soldier

1. Not invincible but vulnerable professional2. We need guidance for living the kingdom3. Learn how to handle temptation, James 1

1. Recognize, resist, rejoice

4. Spiritual warfare according to Ephesians 65. Repentance: Compromise; back-sliding; self-

reliance6. The Christian care-giver perseveres in the battle

against our three enemies: Satan, the flesh () and the world (Babylonian system)

Ephesians 6: Principles of battle

1. Fight from victory not for victory

2. Not the many but the few

3. Losing a battle is not losing the war

4. Battling is wrestling with a tough opponent

5. Constant communication with the General

6. Weapons of offence and defence

7. No turning back

Areas to deal with in the battle

• Mammon generous release of resources• Lust purity• Pride humility• Corruption integrity• Moloch against killing and for healthy life• Deception / lies of Satan truth of God

– Alternative therapies– False teaching about healing

• The curse of decay and stagnation which comes over those who are slack in serving God, Jer 48

Yours is the kingdom… Yours is the kingdom… Worshipper Worshipper

1. Praise the Lord anyhow

2. Repentance: Not my/our glory

3. The Christian caregiver brings the manifest presence of God into situations of suffering through worship

What does our Lord’s Prayer mean for the Christian caregiver?

• Our Father: relationship builder• Who is in heaven: allegiance to Christ

• Hallowed be Your Name: Christ-like character• Your kingdom come: visionary• Your will be done: transformer

• Give us this day: servant• Forgive us: grace-motivation

• Lead us not into temptation: soldier• Yours is the kingdom: worshipper

Will you say Amen to our Lord’s Prayer?