Lord Teach Us to Pray: Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread

Exodus 16, bread from heaven, John 6, Jesus explains that He is the actual bread that God gave from heaven

Emphasis: Praying for, believing in and receiving God’s life everyday His way

1. God’s baking bread- will we follow the recipe

2. Exodus 16:4-5

4 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not. 5 On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.”

Exodus 16:20-24 they tested God and did it their way

20 But they did not listen to Moses. Some left part of it till the morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them. 21 Morning by morning they gathered it, each as much as he could eat; but when the sun grew hot, it melted. 22 On the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers each. And when all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses, 23 he said to them, “This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD; bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over lay aside to be kept till the morning.’” 24 So they laid it aside till the morning, as Moses commanded them, and it did not stink, and there were no worms in it.

His instructions had purpose…would they trust His Word daily and specifically? Or would they do it their way, and move outside of His will?

I firmly believe when Jesus said, “Give us this day our daily bread.” that He was talking about both physical and spiritual bread.

2 reasons

1. Exodus, God promised to provide, but would His people be willing to trust Him daily and not work extra on Saturday? Test—obedience to His word—both in action and timing.

• Do it your way and it decays and turns to worms. Do it His way,  and it will last.

• 2. Matthew 4:4 But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God”—So powerful—

• Side note: Sabbath is an important test of faith because Jesus fulfills the Sabbath through His work on the cross—

II. I don’t like this kind-give me the other one?

John 6:25

When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?”

John 6:26

Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.

What does this mean? You seek me not because you saw. They saw, they touched, they ate. They were filled physically, but couldn’t see spiritually. It’s like this…

Romans 5:3 KJV And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

Romans 5:3 ESV

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance—knowledge, wisdom, understanding

John 6:27-29

27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” 28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

John 6:32

Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.

John 6:33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

John 6:34

They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”

John 6:35

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

John 6:36–piece of bread

But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe.

John 6:50-56

50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he  will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”—give us our daily bread—serve Him 52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.

Once He saw they grumbled He hit it even harder— most of them left on this day, and He didn’t stop there. He turned to His disciples and asked if they were going to leave Him too. Their response was?, where would we go? You alone have the words of eternal life.

Their response wasn’t you have the best vocals, or you can really strum the harp Lord

• It wasn’t, you have the best ideas about children’s programs

• It wasn’t you have the best miracles, as a matter of fact, the miracles were all the crowd wanted and they left but it was the word of truth that Peter desired and made him stay

• But how does a person know that they are being fed words of truth if they’ve never eaten words of truth?

He certainly seems to be making a connection between food and life, but it’s obvious that He is talking about spiritual life, not physical life, so how do we allow His flesh to be our spiritual food?

The answer is the connection between the Spirit’s moving through the word of His [cross]—it comes from the Spirit of the word. :

John 6:63

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

He is the word

John 1:1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

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.

Revelation 19:13

He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.

Just like food is physical and you can see it, touch it, eat it, and it becomes nutritional life to the physical body, Jesus became flesh, and when He, through His word and faith in His word becomes our spiritual diet, we gain spiritual life.

In the Exodus passage they didn’t want to do it God’s way and at one point they didn’t even want God’s bread. In the John passage, they didn’t want the bread of life either. It seems the scriptures keep describing people that are always divided on what they want from God.

Vision: a rolling hill pasture land with green grass filled with a multitude of modern day believers. I knew in the spirit they were believers, and they were running in all different directions, not running away into the horizon. But never really getting anywhere or going anywhere. As they would run in different directions it wouldn’t be long and they would now be running around each other in circles. They were all around each other but disconnected. Different opinions, different directions, chaos and confusion. There was no peace or order. Nothing was being accomplished.

Sheep scattered

Matthew 9:36-38

36 Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then He *said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”

They need the Shepherd of their souls— His name is Jesus.

1 Peter 2:25 for ye were as sheep going astray, but ye turned back now to the shepherd and overseer of your souls.

Somebody asked me one time… Matt are you a shepherd? Technically, I’m an under shepherd. My job is to lead others to the shepherd of their soul.

People are divided and seperated by their opinions Put us back together Lord— word of prophecy

Yes Lord these bones can live

Put sinew on these bones and put them back together Lord

O Lord Put flesh on these bones

Give them a mouth Lord and let your word go forth

Let your word be declared in the earth

Lord Teach Us to Pray: Your Kingdom Come Pt. 2

Introduction

Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven 2: God’s Kingdom The bigger picture

Last week, we focused on God’s will being accomplished on earth as it is in heaven related to individuals. The 3 main points were:

1. True conversions

2. The cross is an ongoing work-believe what the Bible says, new identity

3. He is fashioning a body for His head-Bible reading

The emphasis of this message is Your Kingdom come your will be done on earth as it is in heaven Part 2 God’s Kingdom— The bigger picture

Sometimes we say, “I have a lot on my plate.” Let’s try to take a look at God’s plate.

1. God is engaged in spiritual warfare

2. He is looking for believers to grow past self

3. …so they can engage in the war w/ Him-active duty

We cannot see what God is doing without His help

Through Jesus, we’re offered new birth and new life, which frees from the bondage of sin. Jesus explained to Nicodemus that the new birth allowed both entry into and the ability to see the kingdom of God.

Luke 17:20-21

20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and  said, The kingdom of God cometh not with  observation: 21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

Faith and commitment to God’s kingdom and God’s work on earth w/ pure motives yields an eternal reward:

Releasing the seed of the kingdom that is in you reproduces after its own kind. The reproduction of the image of God on earth was your created purpose. When you accomplish God’s will on earth, through the grace that flows from what Jesus has already accomplished for you on the cross, you receive an eternal reward

Understanding God’s business on earth requires understanding God has an enemy who rebelled before man was ever created. He wants humans to do the same— reject God and His plan.

It’s understandable that most people come to God and church, because they need Him to fix them. I know that I needed God to heal me from a life of sin. It’s an ongoing work, but I am healed, and I am being healed.

But, with time we start to grow spiritually, begin dying to self, and become more focused on God’s will rather than our own.

Luke 10:17-20

The Return of the Seventy-Two

17 The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the  demons are subject to us in your name!” 18 And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

Luke 10:19-20

19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

2 Corinthians 4:1-4

The Light of the Gospel

1 Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. 2 But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

So if we asked for light, and we could see— if the veil was removed and we could see what God sees, what would we see? And once we saw it:

Ephesians 2:1-2 ESV

1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—

Psalms 2:1-3 ESV

1 Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying, 3 “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.”

Psalms 2:4-12

4 He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. 5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, 6 “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.” 7 I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. 8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. 9 You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.” 10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

connection: prince of the power of the air works through the children of disobedience through the rulers of the earth who take counsel together and make a plan to break free from the Lord’s authority.

Katy Perry/ Miley Cyrus I kissed a girl and I liked it. Then they kiss. Both were raised in the church. I am trying to explain to you that this is not accidental.

This is what we are up against? What is going to fix this?

• Voting?

• Joining a political party?

• What about prayer?

Prayer by the saints will affect the nations and the world that we live in

Psalms 149:5-9 ESV

5 Let the godly exult in glory; let them sing for joy on their beds. 6 Let the high praises of God be in their throats and two-edged swords in their hands, 7 to execute vengeance on the nations and punishments on the peoples, 8 to bind their kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron, 9 to execute on them the judgment written! This is honor for all his godly ones.

Praise the LORD!

Revelation 12:1-12

The Woman and the Dragon

1 And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. 2 She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. 3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. 4  His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. 5 She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, 6 and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.

Satan Thrown Down to Earth

7 Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, 8 but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. 12 Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”

Ephesians 6:10-13

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Daniel 10:1-5 ESV

1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a word was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar. And the word was true, and it was a great conflict. And he understood the word and had understanding of the vision.

2 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks. 3 I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks. 4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river (that is, the Tigris) 5 I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a man clothed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist.

Daniel 10:12-13

12 Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. 13 The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia,

Daniel 10:14

and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come.”

Daniel 10:20

Then he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? But now I will return to fight against the prince of Persia; and when I go out, behold, the prince of Greece will come.

Lord Teach Us to Pray: Your Kingdom Come - Pt. 1

Introduction

The next section: “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven…”

A response to prayer: “I know what you need from me son. I hear your prayers, but I have a question for you—what about me? My people ask me to be involved in their lives but what about what I want? I want them involved with what I’m doing”

So What is He doing? What is His will?

Your kingdom come your will be done on earth as it is in heaven: Part 1 The Individual

God’s will for the earth begins with the lives of individuals. In the beginning, God’s word produced everything according to its own kind. Each creation had seed and ability to reproduce after its own kind. Man was created in the image and likeness of God and was intended to reproduce after the image and likeness of God, which would have resulted in the earth being filled with the glory of God.

The fall perverted God’s plan, now the sinful nature in man reproduces a sinful image of Adam’s fallen state instead of the image and likeness of God. But God does not change His mind and as surely as He lives, His glory will fill the earth.

So we, His people pray…“Your kingdom come—Your will be done—On earth—As it is in heaven”

The plan! a created nation from a man named Abraham —Israel. Through this nation, the world was given a  king. God the Son left heaven and was born a man on earth.

And that is the Christmas story. God the Son was born of a virgin, born the King of Kings in the lowest of human circumstances—it shows us His heart. He’s come to save the least of these.

He was born to die, because we were born already dead, because the wages of sin is death. But His death bought sinners new life. They just have to be willing to be born again.

Once they are born again, the Spirit of God lives on the inside of them but this is just the beginning of new life and this is the beginning of His will on earth for the individual.

I. He wants true conversions—His will

1. Ephesians 1:13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise

2. John 1:4 KJV In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

When the life of Jesus enters, the light of God is turned on. That happens through the cross. The baby that was born with life gets born in you.

3. 2 Corinthians 4:4-6 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

II.  The cross is an ongoing work—His will

He’s Changing the heart—inside [soul]

    A. Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Romans 8:28-29

28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

   B. Philippians 1:6 For I am confident of this very  thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

    C. Ephesians 5:26 so that He might sanctify her,  having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,

The word is a mirror that does not lie and reveals to us the condition of our hearts:

III. He is fashioning a body to place His head

2. Fellowship with the Spirit

  A. John 14:16-17 16 I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; 17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.

The Holy Spirit is the helper

B. 2 Corinthians 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion/ [fellowship] of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.

Fellowship with the Holy Spirit comes through prayer. As we pray, we draw closer to God through the Holy Spirit. As we draw closer, He reveals His will for our lives, but also what He desires from us as His body.

1 Corinthians 6:13 Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.

He fashions the body into the image of Jesus, because Jesus still ministers to humans through the Holy Spirit. And now He uses our bodies to minister through, because we are His body on earth.

The Holy Spirit wants to fashion and mold a body of unity, but Satan wants to separate. Satan wants to sever and dismember the body piece by piece. You are an individual body part. And he wants you gone.

Vision of hyenas while praying for businesses

Separate

Isolate

Eviscerate—eat the insides out. Satan wants to destroy your insides, your spirit man, which destroys your spiritual connection to God.

As a whole the separating, isolating and destroying the insides of individuals begins to dismember the body. The fellowship or communion of the Holy Spirit is severed. Marriages, parents against children. Children against parents, businesses, churches.

Which Art in Heaven

Matthew 6:9-13 KJV

9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.

… Our Father

…which art in heaven

1. He is exalted, but

2. He’s not far away

He is in the exalted place

Psalms 57:5

Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth.

He resides in the heavenly realm. He is holy. He is powerful, all knowing, and He is seated on the heavenly throne!

Sometimes when we view life from earth, we become discouraged because our situations seem bigger than God. Prayer helps me see through the eyes of God. Prayer reminds me that my God is bigger. The bills get bigger, the checks might seem smaller. The kids are acting crazy. The body feels sick. The husband or wife is mean. These earthly trials begin to take a toll on the human heart. The heart becomes weighted down. The cares of the world begin to wrap around and choke the hope of God’s word:

But

Philippians 4:19

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

I just declared God’s word to you a word of faith, truth hope! It should have sounded right, felt right, rattled through you weary bones, if their weary, but it’s got to become your word. Prayer will do that for you! Prayer will make God’s word your word for your life!

We say to ourselves that we’re okay, but the weight of the world makes us mechanical, almost robotic. We still go to church, we still read the word, but we’re disconnected from His life.

• Prayer will reconnect us to the heart of God.

• Prayer will make our faith larger than the devils lies

• Prayer provides an opportunity for intimacy. We speak to Him. He speaks to us. He encourages our Spirit to believe Him for what is impossible in the natural. Prayer increases faith!

Satan’s power and ability to affect our lives entered our earthly realm when he deceived Adam and Eve into listening to him and disobeying God. And that is his plan for us also. If he can’t get us to disobey God now, he will work on others around us.

His strategies influence people around us, through them, he inserts chaos and confusion into our lives. He releases lies of hopelessness and despair into our atmosphere. He draws our focus on the problems—But when I read God’s truth, I learn— Satan is cast down:

Luke 10:18-19

18 And He said to them, “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning. 19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you.

And when I pray, it stimulates my faith to believe what I read. No, you’re a liar Satan. You’re cast down. I take authority over you—liar!

The broken Law gives Satan legal right, and the Law gives strength to sin (1 Corinthians 15: 56) Jesus’ sacrifice took away the power of the enemy by taking away the power of the Law:

Colossians 2:14-15

14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Jesus defeated the powers of darkness. He stripped them of their ability to have power over this earthly realm (Make people get up and show them as the earthly realm). He has given His power and authority to us (believers) to trample over the powers of the enemy, so that we can accomplish the work of God on earth. If Satan can keep us burdened, we will be preoccupied with earthly cares and not engaging the spiritual battle, but Jesus said:

Matthew 11:28-30

28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Satan says: “That won’t work!” But in prayer, I hear God’s voice remind us of His word, “Satan is a liar and the father of lies. If you will trust me my child, I will get you through this trial.”

Peter said:

1 Peter 5:7-9 NASB

7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

“That won’t work, you need medicine for this problem.”

8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.

Satan does not have authority over your life. He cannot steal from you, kill you or destroy you. He cannot have his way with you because Jesus defeated him at the cross, and prayer will will give you strength to believe God’s truth and reject the enemies lies.

He’s exalted but he’s not far away:

Psalms 46:10-11 KJV

10 Be still, and know that I am God:

I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. 11 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

God’s people believe He is w/ them. He lived w/ Jacob (Israel) and He lives in Christian.

Matthew 1:23 NASB

“BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL,” which translated means, “GOD WITH US.”

Ephesians 2:5-6 NASB

5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved) 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

He’s not far away from us, and we’re not far away from Him. The word of God says that we are in Him, and He is in us. We are spiritually connected to God through the cross. But intimacy is another level of relationship and requires time spent in the presence of another— the cross opens the door to God’s presence, and prayer says, “I’m walking in.”

I’ve noticed that the more time I spend in the heavenly presence, the less I’m bothered by earthly problems, and it becomes harder for Satan to fluster my feathers with carnal cares.

We have to be careful that we don’t allow earthly cares to distract us from what is important to God. God concerns Himself with spiritual matters. Yes, the spiritual affects the physical. But the danger is that we can become so consumed with earthly cares that we lose our focus on the spiritual.

1 Corinthians 6:20

For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

1 Corinthians 3:16

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

John 4:23

But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father  seeks to be His worshipers.

How will we worship Him in spirit and truth if we don’t seek the truth in his scriptures and connect spirit to spirit through prayer?

God is looking for people to connect w/ him Spirit to spirit.

God made a way to not be far away. Jesus paid the debt of sin so that His Spirit could live in our bodies.

Prayer will make this truth a reality to our hearts. Prayer produces intimacy and intimacy with God results in a desire for consecration and separation from the world. Jesus already died so that we can have victory, but the further we stay away from the presence of God and the closer we remain to the world, the less desire we have to be consecrated and separated and the more we become deceived that compromise and complacency are okay.

James 4:8

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

The closer you get to God. the more convicted you will be about ungodly behavior. The more sensitive we are to his presence, the more aware we are when we fail and the quicker we repent.

In these vessels He brings His presence from  heaven to earth and through us He changes the lives of others, then we have a heavenly purpose and when we gather here, these buildings now have a heavenly purpose:

Matthew 21:13

And He *said to them, “It is written, ‘MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER’; but you are making it a ROBBERS’ DEN.”

The world is lost and hurting. The closer we draw to God, the closer he draws to us and the more of Him we have to offer the hurting world.

In this Acts passage, we learn from Paul that the world is blindly searching for God, but He’s not far away:

Acts 17:22-27

22 So Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. 23 For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; 25 nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; 26 and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, 27 that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;

He is one call away. The reason that most of you are here this morning is because this truth has settled in your heart. He was right there. There was a time you didn’t know it, but then someone told you and you called on Him and then He was there. He was in you. You could feel Him. Did you hear what I said: “You called on Him, and His presence entered you. Did you hear what Paul said, “There is a whole world of people out there that are like we were, wandering around, feeling around, groping and looking for some new thing to feel our hearts and make us happy and the whole time, He’s right there. He’s not far away and prayer will make that real enough in your heart to where you want to tell someone about it.

“Well, I already do tell people about it.” Well then hallelujah prayer will bring an anointing that will release the anointing of the Holy Spirit into the words that you say for the Lord! Don’t delay start to pray!

Lord Teach Us to Pray

Luke 11:1 And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.

Matthew 6:9-13 NASB

9 “Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 ‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. 11 ‘Give us this day our daily bread. 12 ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’]

Luke 18:1

And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint— grow weary or exhausted. Praying is the business of man and answering is the business of God. God’s kingdom is important and he has invited us to join Him in His work. Jesus says that men ought always to pray! Don’t get exhausted, weary, irritated…

Luke 18:8

…Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? Or will the disciples of the Lord fall asleep in the garden at the  most important time of their lives?

Mark 1:35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

Hebrews 5:7

Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;

Matthew 6:9-10

9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Let’s just start with “Our Father…” and see how far we get.

That’s how Jesus addressed God, He called Him “Father…”

What greater intimacy should there be other than the closeness between a Father and His child? What can bring more comfort to the heart of a child than intimacy with His father?

Can you convince a child that his father is not the greatest thing on the face of the earth. Even if he is harsh or cruel, he will still be convinced that he is good.

Even if his father is weak, to him he will be the strongest man that ever lived. This child believes that his father can provide whatever he needs. If he can just get the attention of his father, if he can just get his father involved in the situation, the problem can be corrected and I mean quickly.

But God our Father is neither evil nor weak, and He longs to be included in our lives. But what is really amazing is that He has included us in what He is doing. He has a desire for us to ask Him to get involved in our lives and circumstances. He wants us to get involved with Him. But what He really loves is when our prayers begin to line up with His will. Then some things really start to happen:

1 John 5:14-15

14 This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.

That’s the beauty of His word. Before I really started to read and get into the word of God, all my prayers were about me and what I needed. After, I started to read the word of God, my prayers changed to focus on what I could see He wanted. “Your kingdom come, your will be done…”

I have learned some things about living for God, and one important thing is that Jesus is in me, and Jesus in me, wants to live through me. And so how do I learn to do it Jesus’ way? In order to do what Jesus does, I must do what Jesus did. What did Jesus do? Jesus prayed…

“Our Father who art in heaven…”

Jesus was in Him and the Father was in Jesus and Paul said Jesus is in us:

Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me...

And Jesus said that we are in Him and the Father:

John 17:21

that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.

John 17:22-23 NASB

22 The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; 23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.

So if He’s in the Father and the Father is in Him, and I’m in them, and they are Holy, and righteous and kind and longsuffering and He is healing the sick and walking in authority and teaching people how to live, then why don’t His people look more like Him? Don’t say it’s because we don’t know the truth, because we are some of the most overfed people in town, so that’s not it.

If you didn’t know before, I taught you last week that born again believers are partakers of the Divine nature, so if the Divine nature heals and sets free, why do so many of God’s people still issue out fountains of bitter waters?

We say we want to heal and help others learn about the love of God, but do we ever stop and listen to what we sound like? Can bitter and sweet waters flow from the same fountain. Well, they might be able to, but James said that it ought not be brothers and sisters.

Jesus said:

John 7:38

He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

When living water flows, it brings life to what it touches:

Revelation 22:1-2

1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. The river of life produces the fruit of life and brings healing

So if we are well taught and know right from wrong and we know that we should allow the river of life and not rivers of death flow out of us, and we know that sweet water and not bitter water should flow, then why? What is the problem?

Could it be that while we know about our Father, we don’t really know Him? Could it be that we’re more like Job before the trial compared to how he was after the trial?

Job 42:3-6 …I have declared that which I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.” 4 ‘Hear, now, and I will speak; I will ask You, and You instruct me.’ 5 “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; But now my eye sees You; 6 Therefore I retract, And I repent in dust and ashes.”

Lord teach us to pray. Teach us to learn how to make a connection to our Heavenly Father, so that we can intimately know Him, His will, His heart, what He wants for this earth, what He wants for the people on this earth, how He wants to use me, and how He wants to use us as His church.

Lord, teach us to pray!

When I pray, I speak to Him, when I speak to Him, He speaks to me. The more I speak with Him, the more intimate, we become, the more intimate we become, the more sensitive I become to His voice, shhhh

Did you hear that? I know that voice. That’s my Father. The Holy Spirit is bringing me a word from my Father in heaven. I gotta let you go. The Lord is calling me.

I’m not talking about praying for somebody right now. I’m talking about praying to the Lord. I’m talking about spending time in God’s presence individually and corporately. Jesus said that His Father’s house would be a house of prayer, so we are going to pray in this church or at least some people are going to pray in this church. The disciples said, “Teach us how to pray.”

But I don’t like to pray like that. Annndddd you’re kind of getting on my nerves with all this talk about prayer. Well, if you don’t pray, you’re probably getting so irritated right now that you want to get up and walk out. I remember those days. When I didn’t pray and the preacher preached on prayer and my flesh got irritated. If people get bristled about prayer while they’re sitting in a church, it  can’t be anything but flesh.

If I preach about Halloween, Mardi Gras or AA and you like those things and it makes you mad, that’s one thing, I may not agree, but I can at least understand, and I’m going to still speak what I believe is right.

But I’m a preacher in a church and I’m preaching on prayer. If your flesh is irritated about that you have a serious, serious spiritual problem right now, but you came to the perfect church, to get some medicine for that problem. I’m believing that the Lord will break you out of this spiritual problem that you have right now in the name of Jesus!

He’s going to open your eyes, He’s going to make you a man or woman of prayer, and you’re about to be set on a path of hope, you’re about to be put on a path and a trail where the fire of God will follow behind you, you’re about to become a witness with the zeal of the Lord burning in your belly. If you would just learn to pray— young people. You don’t know it but the devil is scared of you! What are you going to do?

You start acting like the person you spend the most time with

If you spend time in His presence, you’re spending time in the presence of the Potter. And the Potter’s job is to mold a lump of clay. And your Father in heaven already knows what He wants you to look like.

Romans 8:29

For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;

The Father in heaven already sent the prototype. He has the blueprint. He plans to mold and shape us into the image of His dear Son, but the longer we delay, the longer it takes, and the longer it takes, the more of God’s precious time we waste!

And the longer we will feel irritated because we imagine that nothing is going our way. And that’s the problem, we haven’t taken the time to get into God’s presence and pray His will instead of seeking our own.

Listen church, if the Lord tarries, some of you won’t be here next year. I mean you may be in another town with another job and in another church, or you may buy the lie that you don’t need to go to church.

But if you don’t learn how to pray and learn intimacy with the Father and learn how to hear His voice and let Him unveil His plan for your life, you will be in another city, with another job, in another church, and while it’s fresh, it will seem good, but give it some time because the worms are going to eat that too.

If you don’t learn how to make an intimate connection with God and learn how to let Him speak to you and change you and get you on the same page with Him as far as what He’s really doing on this earth, then you’re not really serving God; instead, you’re playing church!

“Are you saying if I pray, I won’t be irritated?”

No, that’s not what I’m saying at all. I’m saying if you pray, your source of irritation will be Satan trying to make you quit praying, but your source of strength will be the Holy Spirit empowering you to keep praying and when that’s going on now you’re actually in the battle! Now, you’re being conformed into the image of the Father’s Son and actually acting like a true Christian instead of sitting on your couch watching television and complaining about how everyone else is doing everything wrong.

The father made it possible to pray— access!!

He made it possible for you to cry out to heaven and to be heard, because He made it possible for you to be His child, and this Father listens to His children.

Pamela was talking about the privilege of being able to have access. She spoke about her grandpa and that at times, he would let her come into his workshop, and she felt like that was a privilege to be able to be in there with him. I told her she was privileged. My shop story was different. My dad looked at me through his hungover eyes and said, “What do you want boy? Get the _____ out of here.”

I don’t tell you that, so you will feel sorry for me. I tell you that, so you know I don’t know where I’d be if I had not learned through the pain and sorrow of my sister how to connect with God through prayer. And part of what He did, He did so I could tell others! My poor dad didn’t mean to hurt me. He got caught in the trap, so many of you are pained by your past, by the way your father’s have acted and treated you, but they didn’t want to do that. They got caught in the snare of the Fowler. You can pray, I can pray, God heals when we do!

I have good news. You don’t have to worry about getting kicked out of your heavenly Father’s workshop. He wants you in there. That’s why He sent Jesus. He sent Jesus to die, so that you could become His child:

John 1:12-13

12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

When Jesus died, the veil was torn, so that you could enter in, as a side note, let me just say that your Father really, really wants to get you in that workshop if you know what I mean. He has some adjustments He wants to make!