Relationship through Prayer

Introduction

Lookback

Rom 5 - Illustration (Faith HOPE Love, Suffering)

Gal 2 - Law at the door, so I might live for God

1 Pet 2 - Jesus our example - Glorify God

Mat 28 - Jesus’ Legacy - Keeping it alive through me

Today - Relationship through prayer

A Relationship with who (Father, Son, HS)?

Who do we pray to?

Jesus said: When you pray: “Our Father”

Ask the Father in My name.

HS will interseed, advocate?

In Heaven, who sits where? Who is on the Throne?

Is it wrong to speak to Jesus or the HS? I don’t think so, but why not God the Father?

Why a RELATIONSHIP?

God wants a reationship with us.

How do we build a relationship?

Conversations, being together, time togeter, sharing, loving more & more

Do you think this is what God wants from us?

What about God?

Genesis 3:8–9 NIV

8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”

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Relationship with God - PRAYER

Relationships grow as we communicate and interact with each other.

How do we do this with God - PRAYER!

How do we pray?

One-way? Allow God to speak?

Many “please’s” and “thank you’s”, plus 1 amen

Can we build a relationship like this? If I had to speak to Char like this..

Conversation?

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Lord’ Prayer as an example of a good prayer.

Matthew 6:5 NIV

5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.

There is a reward for praying! Their reward is the recognition, the falour

Matthew 6:6 NIV

6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Reward you!

Matthew 6:7 NIV

7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.

changed from Hypocrites to pagans

pagan, heathen, Gentile. A person outside of the Jewish or Christian faith.

1 Kings 18:26–28 “26 So they took the bull given them and prepared it. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. “Baal, answer us!” they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made. 27 At noon Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder!” he said. “Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.” 28 So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed.”

Matthew 6:8 NIV

8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Jesus are letting us in on a secret. The Father actually knows

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The Father Knows what we need!

Let’s jump a bit forward. I want to show you what that means.

Matthew 6:25–34 NIV

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? 28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

If we had to take a look at the essence of this piece of scripture.

Don’t worry about your

life => food and drink => your essentials

body => clothes => your dignity

Isn’t life>food & body>cloths

Who made life & body?

Jesus is asking: If I made life & body, wouldn’t I also sustain them?

If God is the provider of life and body, he will also provide for their sustenance.

v31 - DON’T WORRY (eat, drink, wear)

Genesis 3:21 “21 The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.”

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Kingdom of God & Righteousness

v32 - DO THIS - seek first his kingdom and his righteousness

If our life is not to be preoccupied with fretting over basic needs, what is our concern to be?

The answer is, his kingdom and his righteousness. Those two terms are almost synonymous.

God’s kingdom means his sovereign rule in heaven and on earth, most particularly in and through the life of the individual believer.

To seek his kingdom is to seek to ensure that his righteousness is done in heaven, on earth, and, most particularly, in and through our lives.

Your Kingdon come

Matthew 6:9–10 NIV

9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Combine v33

His will - what is that?

What pleases God, what is in His plan, what Glorifies God

so that I might live for God

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GORIFYING GOD - ALSO IN PRAYER - EXAMPLES

My Example 1 - Email to CLT

Tired of being asked what I know.

Philippians 4:6 “6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

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My Example 2 - Work situation

Glory to God

We ask for our own selfish desires.

James 4:3 NIV

3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

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ASKING vs TRUSTING

Always asking, never trusting.

Should we not ask Jesus? Well let have a look

Imagine you are facing one of lives storm (live or death situation) - Are you going to ask God to help?

Matthew 8:26 NIV

26 He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

Jesus diciples are unable to drive out an evil spirit from a little boy?

Matthew 17:17 NIV

17 “You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.”

Jesus does not alway respond this way, but I want you to see what I mean when God said “I am tired of your unbelieve”

Because that makes you not think and believe and trust.

More Glory, less asking what you know I will do.

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Annes’ Daugther

Ask for spirit of encouragement, strength, wisdom, ...

Let’s continue - Daily Bread v11

Matthew 6:11 NIV

11 Give us today our daily bread.

Our life and body

What we need through the day

His protection, guidance, provision, strength and love

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Forgive

Matthew 6:12 NIV

12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

Repent

But the Bible says we are free of sin?

In regards to your salvation, our sins are not preventing us from entring heaven.

Can we sin? Well, ask yourself, do you still sin? Jesus asked us very nicely to go and sin no more, but do we?

When we sin, God has allowed the spirits of dicipline to correct (not punish) us. This is painful, and sometimes we live with this for a very long time. Because we never repent? Never break the bond or soul tie. Never renounce the agreement.

Very important! As we also have forgiven.

Jump to v14

Matthew 6:14–15 NIV

14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

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Temptation and The Evil one

Matthew 6:13 NIV

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’

Protection agains the spiritual forces and ourselves.

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SUMMARY

When we live our normal daily lives or pray, it should be that same.

Living or praying, it is 1st to Glorify God, seek His Kingdom and Rigtheousness.

Prayer is where we grow in our Love Relationship with God.

Less of me, more of Him in my prayers.

Allow Him to speak.

What happens when we find rigtheousness and live in the Spirit

Fruit of the Spirit - Joy, happiness

And when we are happy and joyious, what do we do -give tanks

How many Thank-you’s were in the Lord’s Prayer?

Not one. WHY?

What expresses my gratitude best?

Example A: Thanks, thank you so much, you are the best.

Example B: Showing it

So, through righteousness, we find joy, we rejoice

In our attempt to build a relationship we pray

For everything He has done for us, we thank Him

Did you know that this is also God’s will for you in Christ Jesus

and next week’s theme: Righteousnes with 1 Thess 5 in mind

1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 NIV

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

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PRAYER