Lord Teach Us to Pray (10) The Prayer of protectio

Theme: Learning how prayer is about learning to lean on the Lord

Introduction: We have been learning to pray because frankly as Paul put it we have a problem; “We do not know what we ought to pray for,…” (Rom 8:26) Where do we learn how and for what to pray? God’s Word. And in God’s Word we find Jesus’ teaching on prayer. We need this because too often we are praying self-centered prayers, or for our own desires (Js. 4:3) or not out of faith (Js. 1:6). Many times, we are praying for things we already have from God.

So, we need this model for prayer Jesus is teaching us to guide us into right, powerful, and effectual praying that avails much! (Js. 5:16) As we enter into this final phase of the model, we learn that Prayer is about not just glorify the Lord, it is about relying on the Lord.  While that sounds so simple and common sense to us: The truth is, that in the greatest battle of life, we need to learn to rely on Him, for therein lies the secret of our victory! As we wrap this series up, I want us to see several things, first…

Conclusion: What we have just studied together is a model for prayer with promises we can believe and be confident to ask the Lord to fulfill in and through us!

Listening Guide Lord Teach Us to Pray Part 10 The Prayer of Protection

July 30, 2023 Service and Sermon  The Prayer of protection

 

Lord Teach Us to Pray (Part 9) The Three Stages of Forgiveness (Mt. 6:12 -15)

Theme: Clearing up what I am really asking for when I ask for and extend forgiveness (my prayer life depends on this). 

Introduction: Jesus teaches us through this model for prayer forgiveness can be experienced and extended. In our text, Jesus is teaching the disciples about how to pray. He says when we pray, we need to daily seek the Father’s forgiveness for our sin as we forgive others for their sins against us. It may help us to first understand, the definition of forgiveness: Forgiveness (ours from God and ours for others), is the act of setting someone free from obligation (to God or to you) as a result of wrong done against God or you. The word actually means “to dismiss or send away.” Jesus here is speaking of the cancellation of debt (Ours to the Father and others to us). How does this work? Let’s examine the three stages of forgiveness.

There are debts in our life that need to be cancelled out today.  Some that are ours and some that are others against us. “Father forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors”

Listening Guide Lord Teach Us to Pray (Part 9) 3 Stages of Forgiveness

July 23, 2023 Service and Sermon The Three Stages of Forgiveness

 

Lord Teach Us to Pray (Part 8)  Prayer Involves more than a Confession

Theme: Dealing with the meaning of true confession of our need, problem, and battle with sin

Listening Guide Lord Teach Us to Pray Part 8 Prayer Involves More Than A Confession

July 16, 2023 Service and Sermon Due to equipment failure the service was not recordeds.

 

Lord Teach Us to Pray (Part 7) Getting Right to Pray, so We Can Pray Right Prayers  (Mt. 6:12)

Theme: Dealing with sin and forgiveness in our prayer life.

Introduction: Over the last several weeks we have been taking a deep dive into Jesus teaching His disciples a model for all praying. As we continue to move through the verses of this “model for prayer,” hopefully we are learning how to pray more authentic and relevant prayers. We have already covered a lot of ground in this model prayer, moving through the areas of praise, worship, kingdom priorities, God’s will, our hope, and trust in our Father’s loving care. But in this message, we will get a little close to the place where all live. I wonder, what is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear these words? When we read through vv.12-15 – what do you think is the message? Why do you think Jesus put this part of our prayers here instead of first? (Because the first portion of our prayer model is focusing us in on who we are talking to and depending upon, which is “our Father in heaven…”) So, at this portion Jesus is focused on the subject of our relationship with the Father, and He is addressing the things we must address that can hinder our fellowship with our Father. In this portion of our study, we are going to have to deal with the matter of our sins because, our sin is a great disrupter to our fellowship with our holy Father and others in the family of God. With that in mind, let’s start with a hard look at “sin.”

Listening Guide Lord Teach Us to Pray Part 7 Getting Right to Pray, so we can Pray Right Prayers

July 9, 2023 Service and Listening Guide Getting Right to Pray, so We Can Pray Right Prayers

 

Lord Teach Us to Pray (Part 6) The Depth of this Prayer  (Mt. 6:11)

Theme: Praying unselfishly for our needs and needs of others…not our wants 

Introduction: As we come into this Sunday, we are in the midst of a weekend that celebrates the freedom, liberty, and independence of the greatest nation on earth! How exciting and blessed we are to be living in America today. With all of our flaws, we still are so blessed. We as Children of God, like Americans can live in freedom having been liberated from sin, and independence from the flesh as we seek to live our new lives by the Spirit! As believers, and kingdom people, like citizens, we must learn how to properly use that liberty, freedom, and independence we have been blessed with. To do that we must learn how to communicate with the Father, by the Spirit, through Jesus our Lord. Jesus is teaching the disciples how to do that by teaching them how to pray. Jesus is teaching us that by coming to our heavenly Father in daily prayer, we are expressing both our desperate need for Him, and our faith in the one who can meet EVERY need no matter what that need is! While daily bread is symbolic for everything necessary for the preservation of life, this is a much deeper prayer than it seems… On the surface, this simple request, “Give us this day our daily bread,” is a simple straight forward request. However, when you think about it, this prayer is very large in its scope.

Conclusion: I remind us on this celebration of America weekend, how exciting and blessed we are to be living in America today. With all of our flaws, we still are so blessed to live in a land of plenty! But we don’t get what we need from our country or our government, but rather all our daily needs are met for us by our Father in heaven… So, celebrate the birth of our great nation. But, let me encourage you to come to the Father and tell Him about the needs that are in your life. Never be afraid; never be ashamed; and never limit your praying to “large matters.”  

Come to Him and call on His Name, believing that He cares, that He hears and that He will answer you for His glory!  Jer. 33:3; Jn. 14:13-14; Mt. 21:22

Listening Guide Lord Teach Us to Pray Part 6 The Depth of this Prayer

July 2, 2023 Service and Sermon The Depth of this Prayer

 

Lord Teach Us to Pray (Part 5) Now concerning Earthly Things    (Mt. 6:11)

Theme: Learning how and what to pray about earthly, physical things and needs

 

Introduction: Up to now Jesus has taught His disciples (and us) on what our prayers should be focused on.

First He taught us to focus our prayers on our Father…

Jesus taught us to focus our prayers on His name…

Jesus taught us to focus my prayers on His kingdom agenda…

Jesus taught us to focus my prayers on His will being done on earth as it is in heaven…

 

With our focus on our Father, Jesus now moves to the concerns for earthly things and our needs. Many have either forgotten or never really knew, the real purpose of prayer (Jn. 14:13) It is not to get from God, but to give glory to God! So, what is Jesus teaching us to pray for when He taught us to pray to the Father, “Give us this day our daily bread”? To understand this truth, we need to identify 5 things:

Listening Guide Lord, Teach Us to Pray Part 5 Now concerning Earthly Things

June 25, 2023 Service and Sermon Lord, Teach Us to Pray, Now concerning Earthly Things

 

Lord Teach Us to Pray (Part 4) Thy will be done… (Mt. 6:10b)

Theme: Understanding when we pray, God has a perfect will about everything.

Introduction: Isn’t everything that happens God’s will? Apparently not because Jesus taught that we should pray for God’s will to be done. What Jesus is teaching here is our prayer ought to be, literally, “God do what You want. Do what is on Your heart to be done.” This is the same kind of prayer David prayed in Ps. 40:8 “I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart.” or Jesus prayed the night of His betrayal Mt.26:39,42 – “…with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” And a …second time [He] prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” 

So, what are we really praying when we pray, “God let Your will be done?”

 

Listening Guide Lord Teach Us to Pray Part 4 Thy Will Be Done

June 11, 2023 Service and Sermon Thy will be done…

 

Lord Teach Us to Pray (Part 3)  “Thy Kingdom Come”  Being on Par with God in Prayer  (Mt. 6:10)

Theme: Learning how to be on Par with God in Prayer

Introduction: Most of the teaching about the kingdom of God is found in the gospel’s and is a result of the teaching of Jesus. Throughout the Bible and specifically to Jesus teaching we find the kingdom of God does not refer to territory over which God reigns; but rather the rule which He exercises over all what and who are subject to Him. So, the kingdom of God could be explained as the sovereign rule and authority of God (Ex. 15:18; Ps. 103:19; Ps. 145: 10-13)

So, when Jesus is teaching us how and for what to pray; when He comes to the kingdom of God, He is telling us where our minds and hearts should be on the subject of the kingdom of God in our praying.

 

Listening Guide Lord Teach Us to Pray Part 3 Thy Kingdom Come

June 4, 2023 Service and Sermon They Kingdom Come

 

Lord Teach US to Pray (Part 2)  A Pattern for all Praying   Matthew 6:9-1

Theme: Examining what our prayer life has been verses what Jesus says it should be.

Introduction: When it comes to prayer, there seems to be confusion. And that is not uncommon. The Apostle Paul told us our problem is we don’t know what to pray, or how to pray for it (Rom. 8:26) And when it comes to this passage on prayer (Both here and in Lk. 11) there is also great confusion. This is why we need this teaching on prayer Jesus is giving us because prayer is such a vital part of our Christian life! But we need to understand what Jesus is teaching about prayer here: He is not teaching us a prayer; He is teaching us a marvelous model for all of our praying. Having said that, there are two spiritual activities that are to be an unceasing constant in every believer’s life. The study of God’s Word and prayer. (Duet. 6:5-9) and (1 Thess. 5:17; Eph. 6:18; Phil. 4:6) These two things; hearing God speak in His Word and speaking to God in our prayers are vital to our Christian lives. So, Jesus is teaching here is a model that serves as a pattern for all our praying; Studying this model for praying give us an opportunity to examine what our prayer life has been versus what Jesus teaches us it should be as we sit at Jesus feet, and He teaches us how to pray. Notice three things Jesus teaches us here in this model for prayer:

Listening Guide Lord, Teach Us to Pray Part 2 A Pattern for all Praying

May 28, 2023 Service and Sermon A Pattern for all Praying 

 

Lord, Teach us to Pray (Part 1) “The approach to prayer”  Mt. 6:9-13

Theme: Having the right perspective of prayer helps us pray proper and powerful prayers

Introduction: Prayer is perhaps one of the most talked about, taught about, discussed, and misunderstood topics of the Christian life – yet it is also one of the most vital subjects in the Christian’s life. The Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Thes. 5:17 tells us to “pray without ceasing.” But we must know how to pray, for what to pray and be aware of what hinders our prayers, if we are ever going to experience the fullness of communing with God and the blessings of prayer. The half-brother of Jesus, James, tells us “The effective, fervent (believing) prayer of a righteous man avails much.” (James 5:16)

In this passage of scripture known as the Sermon on the Mount, and the one like it in Luke about prayer, is in answer to the request of Jesus disciples, (Lk. 11:1) “Lord, teach us to pray…”   In Mt. 6:9-13 Jesus does just that, and through His message, we gain some great insights into what Jesus taught His disciples about prayer:

Conclusion: Prayer is perhaps one of the most talked about, taught about, discussed, and misunderstood topics of the Christian life – yet it is also one of the most vital subjects in the Christian’s life.

Paul tells us in 1 Thes. 5:17 tells us to “pray without ceasing.” But we need to study scripture, so we know how and for what to pray. We need to avoid certain things when we pray – and we need to have the right perspective on prayer if we are to pray properly and powerfully.

Listening Guide Lord, Teach Us to Pray Part 1 The Approach to prayer

May 21, 2023 Service and Sermon The Approach to prayer