# 1 – WHAT JESUS MEANT WHEN HE SAID PRAY LIKE THIS

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
Luke 11:1 (NIV)

“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. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’”
Matthew 6:9-13 (NIV)

MY PRAYERS MUST FLOW OUT OF MY OWN PERSONAL …

RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD – “Our Father in heaven…”

WHAT TYPE OF FATHER IS GOD? HE IS…

C ARING.               C LOSE.

C ONSISTENT.    C APABLE.

C OMPETENT.     C OMMITTED.

God will always give what is right to his people who cry to him night and day…Luke 18:7 (NCV)

…If your child asks you for bread, would any of you give him a stone?  10Or if your child asks for a fish, would you give him a snake?  11Even though you’re evil, you know how to give good gifts to your children. So how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him?
Matthew 7:8-11 (GWT)

Application: I must be God’s CHILD to expect God’s REWARD.

RESPECT FOR GOD – “Hallowed be your name…”

“A son honors his father, a servant honors his master. I am your Father and Master, yet you don’t honor me, O priests, but you despise my name.” “Who? Us?” you say. “When did we ever despise your name?” 7 “When you offer polluted sacrifices on my altar.” “Polluted sacrifices? When have we ever done a thing like that?” “Every time you say, ‘Don’t bother bringing anything very valuable to offer to God!’ 8 You tell the people, ‘Lame animals are all right to offer on the altar of the Lord—yes, even the sick and the blind ones.’ And you claim this isn’t evil? Try it on your governor sometime—give him gifts like that—and see how pleased he is! 9 “‘God have mercy on us,’ you recite; ‘God be gracious to us!’ But when you bring that kind of gift, why should he show you any favor at all? 10 “Oh, to find one priest among you who would shut the doors and refuse this kind of sacrifice! I have no pleasure in you,” says the Lord Almighty, “and I will not accept your offerings.
Malachi 1:6-10 (TLB)

Application: I must have respect FOR God to expect a reward FROM God.

RESIGNATION TO HIS REIGN – “Your kingdom come, your will be done…”

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”
Luke 22:42 (NIV)

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.
1 John 5:14-15 (NIV)

Application: If God is to BLESS my life I must let him RULE my life.

RELIANCE ON GOD – “Give us today our daily bread.”

I CAN RELY ON GOD FOR PROVIDENCE – “…daily bread.”

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
John 15:5 (NIV)

Entrust your ways to the Lord. Trust him, and he will act on your behalf.
Psalm 37:5 (GW)

Application: If I rely for BASIC stuff God will help me with BIG stuff.

I CAN RELY ON GOD FOR PARTNERSHIP

– Our Father…Give us…forgive us…lead us not…deliver us…”

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: 10 If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. 11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (NIV)

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
 Galatians 6:2 (NIV)

Faithful are the wounds of a friend [who corrects out of love and concern], But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful [because they serve his hidden agenda]. Proverbs 27:6 (AMP)

Application: To have SUCCESS, I must SHARE my life with God’s people.

I CAN RELY ON GOD FOR PARDON – Forgive us our debts…”

“In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can’t get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God’s part.
Matthew 6:14-15 (MSG)

Application: If I want FORGIVENESS, I must be FORGIVING.

I CAN RELY ON GOD FOR PROTECTION– “Lead us not into temptation…deliver us…”

Fools will die because they refuse to listen; they will be destroyed because they do not care. 33    But those who listen to me will live in safety and be at peace…” Proverbs 1:32-33a (NCV)

“How often I wanted to gather your children together, just as a hen gathers her young under her wings, and you were unwilling! 35“Behold, your house is left to you desolate… Luke 13:34-35a (NASB)

Application: If I want SAFETY, I must LISTEN.