Calvary Church
Teach Us To Pray - Levi Yates - Part 4
‘We see a growing church, meeting in many locations around the world, helping people to know Jesus, find community and make a difference.’
Locations & Times
Calvary Sunshine Coast
212 Crosby Hill Rd, Tanawha QLD 4556, Australia
Sunday 5:00 PM
TEACH US TO PRAY
The disciples could have asked Jesus anything, but instead they asked, 'Lord, teach us to pray.'
Luke 11:1
'Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray…”
Prayer Defined: “Talking with God.”
The way we view God affects the way we pray.
Scripture helps us view God as:
· Jehovah Jireh – the Lord our Provider (Genesis 22:14)
· Jehovah Rapha – the Lord our Healer (Exodus 15:26)
· El Shaddai – God Almighty (Genesis 17:1)
The word Jesus used the most to describe God was Abba which means “father”.
Matthew 6:9
'Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.'
Throughout scripture we see God the Father. Whose greatest desire is to be with His children.
The Garden of Eden
Exodus
Old Isreal
Immanuel: God with us.
John 1:14
'And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. '
And even when Jesus left, God sent us His Spirit, living inside us, making us children of God.
Luke 15:11-32
'Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ “ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”'
The issue is not with how God sees us. The issue is how we see God.
Do we view Him as:
· Distant
· Uninterested
· Busy
· Angry
· Judgemental
Or do we view Him how Jesus taught us to. As our father.
Because God is my Father…
1. Prayer becomes more than a request – it becomes relationship.
Matthew 7:11
“God gives good gifts to those who ask Him”
We can easily start to treat God as a cosmic shopping list rather than a loving father.
The danger is:
If we start determining what a good gift is and when we should receive it. We become frustrated at God if he doesn’t answer us. Or we misuse the good gift that he has given.
The Prodigal Son – Took a good gift too early and squandered it.
Adam and Eve – Took a good gift too early and twisted it.
Abraham – Took a promise and tried to fulfill it on his own.
The Lords Prayer - Matthew 6:9-11
'Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread,'
Matthew 26:39
'And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” '
Matthew 7:11
'If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! '
Go to God because you love Him, not just His things.
2. I can come to Him as His son – not a stranger.
Notice how the prodigal son approaches the father. He comes as a stranger and has rehearsed his lines to hopefully gain some favour and a job.
Luke 15:20
'But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. '
The son then gives his rehearsed speech, and the father ignores it. He commands his servants to put on a great feast. He then exclaims.
Luke 15:24
'For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. '
A father’s greatest concern when we come back home isn’t about what we’ve done. It’s that we have found our way back to him.
Romans 8:38–39
“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Matthew 3:17
And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
Gods not pleased because of what we’ve done, He’s pleased because we are made in His image, children of God.
Because God is my Father I come to Him as His child, which means:
· I can ask big things of my father.
· I know that God is excited about my hopes and dreams.
· I know that God will lovingly correct when I’m wrong.
· I pray knowing that He cares.
· I can be honest with him.
· My prayers don’t have to be perfect.
· I can come to him whenever.
3. I can enjoy His presence continually – not occasionally.
It’s possible to be around God, without being with God.
We can get so busy doing church, and being Christian that we completely miss out on connecting with God.
This was the case for the elder son.
Luke 15:29-30
‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ '
The risk when you’ve been in church long enough is becoming like the elder son.
· I serve on Sunday.
· I go to connect.
· I read my bible.
· I registered for conference.
· I even amened in the preach!
Where’s my reward?
Here’s an observation:
This seems like it’s the first conversation the elder son has had with his dad.
It’s okay to have questions: bring them to God.
It’s okay to doubt: bring it to God.
It’s okay to be frustrated: let God know.
It’s okay to have fears: bring it to God.
Pray regularly, not occasionally. Bring all these things to God.
Don’t just pray when:
· You just have something to pray about.
· When it all boils over.
· Or when conference finally comes.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
'Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. '
Keep coming back to him.
When I pray continually:
· I avoid offense towards others and God.
· My questions are answered.
· My doubts and fears disappear.
· I get the peace and joy that comes with His presence and wisdom.
· I am reminded of what really matters.
Luke 15:32
'We had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”'
The disciples could have asked Jesus anything, but instead they asked, 'Lord, teach us to pray.'
Luke 11:1
'Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray…”
Prayer Defined: “Talking with God.”
The way we view God affects the way we pray.
Scripture helps us view God as:
· Jehovah Jireh – the Lord our Provider (Genesis 22:14)
· Jehovah Rapha – the Lord our Healer (Exodus 15:26)
· El Shaddai – God Almighty (Genesis 17:1)
The word Jesus used the most to describe God was Abba which means “father”.
Matthew 6:9
'Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.'
Throughout scripture we see God the Father. Whose greatest desire is to be with His children.
The Garden of Eden
Exodus
Old Isreal
Immanuel: God with us.
John 1:14
'And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. '
And even when Jesus left, God sent us His Spirit, living inside us, making us children of God.
Luke 15:11-32
'Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ “ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”'
The issue is not with how God sees us. The issue is how we see God.
Do we view Him as:
· Distant
· Uninterested
· Busy
· Angry
· Judgemental
Or do we view Him how Jesus taught us to. As our father.
Because God is my Father…
1. Prayer becomes more than a request – it becomes relationship.
Matthew 7:11
“God gives good gifts to those who ask Him”
We can easily start to treat God as a cosmic shopping list rather than a loving father.
The danger is:
If we start determining what a good gift is and when we should receive it. We become frustrated at God if he doesn’t answer us. Or we misuse the good gift that he has given.
The Prodigal Son – Took a good gift too early and squandered it.
Adam and Eve – Took a good gift too early and twisted it.
Abraham – Took a promise and tried to fulfill it on his own.
The Lords Prayer - Matthew 6:9-11
'Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread,'
Matthew 26:39
'And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” '
Matthew 7:11
'If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! '
Go to God because you love Him, not just His things.
2. I can come to Him as His son – not a stranger.
Notice how the prodigal son approaches the father. He comes as a stranger and has rehearsed his lines to hopefully gain some favour and a job.
Luke 15:20
'But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. '
The son then gives his rehearsed speech, and the father ignores it. He commands his servants to put on a great feast. He then exclaims.
Luke 15:24
'For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. '
A father’s greatest concern when we come back home isn’t about what we’ve done. It’s that we have found our way back to him.
Romans 8:38–39
“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Matthew 3:17
And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
Gods not pleased because of what we’ve done, He’s pleased because we are made in His image, children of God.
Because God is my Father I come to Him as His child, which means:
· I can ask big things of my father.
· I know that God is excited about my hopes and dreams.
· I know that God will lovingly correct when I’m wrong.
· I pray knowing that He cares.
· I can be honest with him.
· My prayers don’t have to be perfect.
· I can come to him whenever.
3. I can enjoy His presence continually – not occasionally.
It’s possible to be around God, without being with God.
We can get so busy doing church, and being Christian that we completely miss out on connecting with God.
This was the case for the elder son.
Luke 15:29-30
‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ '
The risk when you’ve been in church long enough is becoming like the elder son.
· I serve on Sunday.
· I go to connect.
· I read my bible.
· I registered for conference.
· I even amened in the preach!
Where’s my reward?
Here’s an observation:
This seems like it’s the first conversation the elder son has had with his dad.
It’s okay to have questions: bring them to God.
It’s okay to doubt: bring it to God.
It’s okay to be frustrated: let God know.
It’s okay to have fears: bring it to God.
Pray regularly, not occasionally. Bring all these things to God.
Don’t just pray when:
· You just have something to pray about.
· When it all boils over.
· Or when conference finally comes.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
'Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. '
Keep coming back to him.
When I pray continually:
· I avoid offense towards others and God.
· My questions are answered.
· My doubts and fears disappear.
· I get the peace and joy that comes with His presence and wisdom.
· I am reminded of what really matters.
Luke 15:32
'We had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”'
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