PRAYING TO THE FATHER Penge Baptist Church 20 th February 2011

The triangle of relationships Up to God In to those close to us Out to the hurting world

Our Father….  “Abba” – “Dad”  “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!” (1 John 3:1)

In heaven  “I lift up my eyes to you, to you whose throne is in heaven” (Psalm 123:1)  “Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” (Romans 8:34)  “The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel’s hand.” (Revelation 8:4)

Hallowed be your name  Psalm 100 “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

Your kingdom come  “How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders!His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation.” (Daniel 4:3)  “seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well” (Luke 12:31)

Your will be done  “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. (2 Corinthians 5:18-19)  “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

On earth as it is in heaven  “The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed….. in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.” (Romans 8:19, 21)  “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.” (Revelation 21:1)

Give us today our daily bread  “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:11)

Forgive us our debts  “he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:10-12)

As we have also forgiven our debtors  “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14-15)  “In your anger do not sin” : Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” (Ephesians 4:26-7)

And lead us not into temptation  “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)

But deliver us from evil  “having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” (Colossians 2:15)  “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you.” (James 4:7-8)

And end in worship!  For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever  Amen!

Praying the right way!  “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 men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full” (Matthew 6:5)  “And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him” (Matthew 6:7)  The right balance and the right order!

To Our Father!