April 15, 2024

Hello Advent Family, 

Matt 6:10 “your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

Jesus then taught his disciples to pray for the Father’s kingdom to come and for His will to be done, bringing heaven down to earth.  I don’t know about how you feel about it, but we could sure use a lot of heaven down on earth lately. Things in the world seem to be upside down. From the political divide (can it be December already), to cancel culture, war in Ukraine and what seems to be one starting in the Middle East, global warming (if you believe in it).  Humanity, as a whole, seems to be in trouble. It seems the problem that started in the Garden of Eden is still plaguing us today.  What problem? Well Adam and Eve chose “their kingdom” and “their will’s” over God’s. Through them, sin entered the world, and just like them we all have chosen our kingdoms and our will’s over the Father’s, and we have been dealing with this problem ever since. 

Jesus came to rectify this, to reconcile us back to the Father, by showing us that the Father loves us and was willing to give us the ultimate gift, God the Son, to show us the better way, to a better outcome, a better future, one where He is king, and where ultimately His will is best.  Doing for us what we couldn’t do for ourselves, forgiving our sins and giving us eternal life. I know, I know, I’m preaching to the choir here on this one, but this is why Jesus is showing us and teaching us to pray for this to continue. Just because we have a handle of this truth, it doesn’t mean there aren’t those who still need the Father’s kingdom to come and will to be done in their lives. Don’t we need to be reminded of this daily.  Aren’t “we”, humanity as a whole, or “we”, individually, tired of trying to do it our own way yet?  

Romans 12:1-2 Says “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

As we pray the Lord’s prayer today, as you ask for the Father’s kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth and it is in heaven. Pause and think about how we should not conform ourselves to the pattern of this world which is following the pattern of the first Adam and seeking our kingdom and will for our lives. We should transform ourselves by the renewing of our minds, by the power of the Holy Spirit, and follow the pattern of the second Adam, Jesus, who came to show us the Fathers heart, His kingdom, and that His will is best for us, and the world. 

Always remember, Jesus loves you and so do I!

Pastor Will 


^